Bhagavad Gita · 16.6 · Yoga through Discerning the Divine and Demoniac Natures·6 of 24
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च।दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे श्रृणु ॥
dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva cha
daivo vistaraśhaḥ prokta āsuraṁ pārtha me śhṛiṇu
Sanskrit recitation
When ego turns cruel · 16.6–16.16 · Teaching
Translation
There are two types of beings in this world: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal.
Meaning
The two divisions of created beings, the one divine and the other satanic, carry on their respective activities in accordance with their natural tendencies or traits.In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad also you will find Verily there are two classes of the Creators creatures -- gods and demons (I.3.1).Bhutasargau Creations of beings, types or classes of creatues. Creation here means what is created. The men who are created with the two kinds of nature, the divine and the demonical, are here mentioned as the two creations. Every man in this world comes under the one or the other of the two creations, the divine and the demoniacal.Lord Krishna says to Arjuna, I will now describe to thee the characteristics of those men who are endowed with the devilish alities. If you have an understanding of the demoniacal alities, you will avoid them. The demoniacal nature is described in detail to the very end of this discourse.There is some reference in chapter IX, verses 9, 11 and 12, to the demoniacal nature but as the description is incomplete it is completed in this discourse.The divine nature has been declared in detail by the blessed Lord in the previous chapters -- the state of a Sthitaprajna in chapter II, the state of a Bhagavata in chapter XII and the state of a Trigunatita in chapter XIV and in the first three verses of this discourse.
After Swami Sivananda
When ego turns cruel· 16.6–16.16→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
16.6There are two types of beings in this world: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal.
- 16.7The demoniacal do not know what to do and what to refrain from; they have neither purity, nor right conduct, nor truth.
- 16.8They say, "This universe is without truth, without a moral basis, without a God, brought about by mutual union, with lust as its cause; what else?"
- 16.9Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction.
- 16.10Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas due to delusion, they work with impure intentions.
- 16.11Giving themselves over to immeasurable cares that end only with death, regarding the gratification of lust as their highest aim, and feeling sure that that is all.
- 16.12Bound by a hundred ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to obtain hoards of wealth by unlawful means for sensual enjoyment.
- 16.13"I have gained this today; I will fulfill this desire of mine; this is mine, and this wealth will be mine in the future."
- 16.14"I have slain that enemy, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord; I enjoy, I am perfect, powerful, and happy."
- 16.15"I am wealthy and born into a noble family. Who is my equal? I shall perform sacrifices, give charity, and rejoice," thus deluded by ignorance.
- 16.16Bewildered by many fancies, entangled in the snare of delusion, addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.
Word-by-word→
- me
- from me
- cha
- and
- eva
- certainly
- dvau
- two
- loke
- in the world
- asmin
- this
- pārtha
- Arjun, the son of Pritha
- āsuram
- the demoniac
- daivaḥ
- the divine
- proktaḥ
- said
- āsuraḥ
- demoniac
- śhṛiṇu
- hear
- bhūta-sargau
- of created living beings
- vistaraśhaḥ
- at great length
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- 16.9Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as…