Chapter 16. The Divine
And Demoniac Natures
Chapter 16,
Verse 1-3.
 The Blessed
Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of
spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study
of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom
from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion
and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty and steady determination;
vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion
for honor--these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to
godly men endowed with divine nature.
Chapter 16,
Verse 4.
Arrogance,
pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance--these qualities belong
to those of demoniac nature, O son of Prtha.
Chapter 16,
Verse 5.
The transcendental
qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make
for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Pandu, for you are born with the divine
qualities.
Chapter 16,
Verse 6.
O son
of Prtha, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called
the divine and the other demoniac. I have already explained to you at length
the divine qualities. Now hear from Me of the demoniac.
Chapter 16,
Verse 7.
Those
who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done.
Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them.
Chapter 16,
Verse 8.
They
say that this world is unreal, that there is no foundation and that there
is no God in control. It is produced of sex desire, and has no cause other
than lust.
Chapter 16,
Verse 9.
Following
such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have
no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy
the world.
Chapter 16,
Verse 10.
The demoniac,
taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride and false prestige, and being
thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.
Chapter
16, Verse 11-12.
They
believe that to gratify the senses unto the end of life is the prime necessity
of human civilization. Thus there is no end to their anxiety. Being bound
by hundreds and thousands of desires, by lust and anger, they secure money
by illegal means for sense gratification.
Chapter
16, Verse 13-15.
The demoniac
person thinks: "So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according
to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future,
more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him; and my other enemy
will also be killed. I am the lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am
perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic
relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform
sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice." In this
way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.
Chapter 16,
Verse 16.
Thus
perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, one
becomes too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and falls down into hell.
Chapter 16,
Verse 17.
Self-complacent
and always impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige, they sometimes
perform sacrifices in name only without following any rules or regulations.
Chapter 16,
Verse 18.
Bewildered
by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demon becomes envious
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in his own body
and in the bodies of others, and blasphemes against the real religion.
Chapter 16,
Verse 19.
Those
who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast
by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species
of life.
Chapter 16,
Verse 20.
Attaining
repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, such persons can never
approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence.
Chapter 16,
Verse 21.
There
are three gates leading to this hell--lust, anger and greed. Every sane
man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.
Chapter 16,
Verse 22.
The man
who has escaped these three gates of hell, O son of Kunti, performs acts
conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the supreme destination.
Chapter 16,
Verse 23.
But he
who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims
attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.
Chapter 16,
Verse 24.
One should
understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of the
scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that
he may gradually be elevated.
  
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