CHAPTER16- DHAIVAASURASAMPATH VIBHAAGAYOGA
DIVINE AND DEMONIAC QUALITIES
In this chapter Krishna enumerates the qualities that are the result of the three gunas divide into divine and demoniac. This serves as a means of self analysis which helps us to eradicate the qualities which bind man to transmigratory existence and cultivate those qualities which effect in the release from bondage.
First he starts with the divine qualities.
SREE BHAGAVAN UVAACHA -- THE LORD SAID
1.abhayam satthvasamSudDhih jnaanyogavyavasThithiH
dhaanam dhamaScha yajnaScha svaaDhyaayaH thapa aarjavam
Fearlessness, mental purity, persistence in the practice of knowledge, charity, sense-control, sacrifice, study of scriptures, penance and uprightness,
2. ahimsaa sathyam akroDhaH thyaagaH SanthiH apaiSunam
dhayaa bhootheshu alolupyam maardhavam hreeHachaapalam
Non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, absence of envy, kindness to all beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty and dignity
3. thejaH kshamaa Dhrthih Soucham adhroho na athimaanithaa
bhavanthi sampadham dhaiveem abhijaathasya bhaaratha
Splendour, patience, vigour, cleanliness, benevolence, absence of vanity, these qualities pertain to one inheriting divine attributes.
1. Fearlessness, abhayam, denotes courage both physical and moral. We fear only the unknown or something other than ourselves. One is not afraid of himself. To the enlightened there is nothing other than himself and hence no fear. But how can we, still being under the realm of ignorance, cultivate fearlessness? It is done by accepting what comes. When the fear of death is conquered as elucidated in the second adhyaya, nothing else arouses fear. When we give up desires there is nothing to be afraid of because the desire in its wake brings the fear of losing what we acquire.
2. Mental purity. sathvasamSuddhiH, comes out of eradicating desire and anger which give rise to impure thoughts.
3. Persistence in the practice of knowledge means applying the knowledge one gains out of spiritual discipline to one's life persistently. This means not being a platform vedantin but a practical one.
4. Charity, dhaana, is giving away or sharing according to one's resources. That is, to help others to the best of our capacity.
5. Sense-control, dhama, is the external discipline of the senses.
6. Sacrifice, yajna, means the performance of the rituals advocated by the Vedas and in modern times this means doing every act with the spirit of yajna, or as an offering to god.
7. Study of scriptures, svaaDhyaaya, is acquiring spiritual knowledge in order to get rid of the ignorance, the cause of samsara.
8. Penance, thapah, is the austerity, which does not mean tormenting the body because it then denotes demoniac qualities as outlined later in the chapter but endurance of what ever happens treating it as a penance.
9. Uprightness, aarjavam, is straight forwardness in all your dealings.
10. Non-violence, ahimsa in word thought and deed. Often we commit violence not physically but by word when we insult someone or speak unkindly and by thought when we harbor hatred.
11. sathyam is honesty or truthfulness. This alone will lead one to salvation as the supreme reality is sathyam. To be honest is not merely desisting from lying but consists in being true to one self and should be in accordance with the other virtues. For instance one can be cruel by telling the truth, or cause harm to others, which is not what is meant by sathyam here.
12.akrodhah- absence of anger.
13.thyaagah- renunciation, the kinds of which is elaborated further in the 18th ahdyaya.
14.Shanthih- equanimity.
15.apaiSunam- paiSunam is belittling others due to envy and apaiSunam is the absence of it.
16.dhayaa bhootheshu, kindness to all.
17.alolupthvam- absence of hankering after sense objects.
18.maardhavam means gentleness or softness in dealing with others, not being harsh.
19.hree is sense of shame in doing wrong things and modesty.
20.achaapalam- refraining from useless activities.
21.thejah- splendour arising out of practice of these virtues.
22.Dhrthi is patience or fortitude.
23.Soucham- cleanliness both inside and outside.
24.adhrohah can be translated as non-betrayal of trust.
25. athimaanathaa is pride or arrogance and na athimaanatha denotes the absence of it. These are the dhaiveesampath or divine qualities.
Then Krishna briefly mentions the asuric or demoniac qualities and elaborates on them a little later.
Dhambho dharpo abhimaanaScha krodhah paarushyameva cha
ajnaanam cha abhijaathasya paarTha sampadham aasureem
Hypocrisy, arrogance, excessive vanity, anger, harshness and ignorance denote the inheritance of demoniac attributes.
Hypocrisy, dhambhah consists in ostentation or pretentious display.
Dharpah, is arrogance due to wealth, power, beauty, knowledge etc.
abhimaanah is excessive vanity or ego.
Krodha is anger. And paarushyam is harshness in speech.
5.dhaivaa sampath vimokshaaya nibanDhaayaasuree mathaa
maa Suchah sampadham dhaiveem abhijaatho asi paandava
These are the Asuree sampath, demoniac qualities, says Krishna, which lead to bondage while the dhaivee sampath secure release. You do not worry because you have inherited dhaiveesampath only.
Perhaps Krishna read consternation in the face of Arjuna indicating his doubt as to which class he belonged to and in order to reassure him says " you do not worry because you have inherited dhaiveesampath only.
6.dhvou bhoothasargou loke asmin dhaiva aasura eva cha
Dhaivo visthrasaH prokthaH aasuram paarTha me SrNu
There are two types of beings in the world, divine and demoniac. The divine has been explained in detail. Now hear about the demoniac qualities.
Krishna further elaborates on Asuree sampath because they have to be known in detail in order to be eradicated. It is to be noted that the divine and demoniac qualities are mutually exclusive and hence the beings are divided into these two classifications. But demoniac, or aasurik nature is different from devilsh or rakshasik nature. The aasurik nature is due to misconception while rakshasik nature is due to ignorance of dharma and adharma.
The former has a chance or redemption but the latter has to evolve into the former before becoming divine.
7. pravrtthim cha nivrtthim cha janaa na vidhuH aasuraaH
naSoucham naapi cha aachaaro na sathyam theshu vidhyathe
Those with aasuriK tendencies do not know what to do and what to turn a
7. pravrtthim cha nivrtthim cha janaa na vidhuH aasuraaH
naSoucham naapi cha aachaaro na sathyam theshu vidhyathe
Those with aasuriK tendencies do not know what to do and what to turn away from. They do not know purity or good conduct and there is no truth in them.
Those possessing the aasurik qualities do not distinguish between the path of action and that of renunciation. They lack purity, right observances and truth.
The Vedas and sasthras are the guidelines for both pravrtthi and nivrtthi. Pravrtthi means undertaking the activities and duties according to varna and asrama while living in this world and nivrtthi consists in giving up the karma which will cause future births and aspiring for moksha. The aasurik do not know both as they have no belief in veda and even if they know it they misinterpret it to suit their needs. This is what Hiranyaya kasipu , Ravana and others like them were doing fulfilling their desires regardless of the fact whether it was dharma or adharma.
Soucha means the purity of body and mind which the effect of good conduct is. The aasurik are not interested in that as they are not good to others and their words and actions have no truth in them. Dishonest, deceitful and selfish are their actions.
8.asathyam aprathishTam the jagath aahuH aneeSvaram
aparasparasambhootham kimanyath kaamahaithukam
They say that the world is without truth and without basis, there is no God and no mutual action between cause and effect and brought about by sheer lust. What else?
They declare that the world is devoid of truth, has no basis and there is no God. In short they are atheists and materialists. They hold that the creation is the result of physical union between man and woman.
This attitude comes from disbelief in God and scriptures. They do not accept eternal nature of soul and the creation of the world by God. They do not believe in rebirth or the causation theory of the upanishats. The life is created by physical union of male and female.
This was termed as the charvaka philosophy which existed even in ancient times.
9. ethaam dhrshtim avashtabhya nashtaathmaanaH alpabudDhayaH
prabhavanthi ugrakarmaaNaH kshayaaya jagathaH ahithaaH
Holding this view they , who are ruined souls and of small intellect, start doing fierce deed towards the ruin of the world and hence are harmful to the world.
Relying on this philosophy they are fierce and out to destroy the world. Krishna calls them nashtAthmaanah, those who have lost their souls, alpabuddhayah, of mean intellect.
They want to have everything in this life and since they do not believe in afterlife they do not have any fear of the effects of their sin and do not desist from tormenting others and causing the ruin of the world. In modern days when charvaka philosophy of materialism is uppermost we see so many ill effects like terrorism, corruption and oppression.
The materialists, called charvakas, range from those who simply enjoy the sensual pleasures, who do not do any harm except when their desires are thwarted, to the real demoniac beings like Hiranaya kasipu and Ravana. It is the latter kind of beings who exist in all ages Krishna describes in the following slokas.
10.kamam aaSrithya dhushpooram dhambhamaanamadhaanvithaaH
mohaath grheethvaa asadhgraahaan pravarthanthe aSuchivrathaaH
Pursuing their desires which are insatiable, filled with hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, they get hold of wrong notions and act with impure ideals.
They do not know that the desires can never be fulfilled because it is dhushpoora anala, unquenchable fire as denoted in chapter 3 sloka 39.
dhambha is hypocrisy or proclaiming themselves to be great, without possessing the qualities that make one great.
maana is pride and madha is arrogance. All the three go together. They want to be praised by everyone and pose as though they have praiseworthy qualities and take pride in it. When they are praised by those who are their dependents or those who expect favors from them they become arrogant.
They are deluded into believing that their evil notions are correct and act on in the world to secure the fruit of their evil desires.
11. chinthaam aparimeyaamcha pralayaanthaam upaaSrithaaH
kaamopabhogaparamaa ethaavath ithi niSchithaaH
They entertain immeasurable thoughts till the end of life deciding that it was the only goal, intent on fulfilling their desires.
As Sankara says, vrdDho yaathi grheethvaa dhandam
thadhapi na munchathi aasaapindam, he is old and goes with the help of a staff but yet his desires are not quenched.. The only goal in life for them is enjoying the sensual desires.
12. asaapaaSasathaiH badDhaaH kaamakroDhaparaayaNaaH
eehanthe kaamabhogaarTham anyaayena arThasanchayaan
Bound with hundreds of ropes of attachment, overpowered with desire and anger, they hanker for the fulfillment of desires and amass wealth through foul methods (like deceit and confiscation the property of others.)
Does this not look too familiar in the modern world? The forthcoming slokas only make it explicit.
They pursue their desires, which are never satisfied, believe that their view alone is true, and filled with arrogance, hypocrisy and vanity they follow the path of unrighteousness. Their attitude is vividly described by the following slokas which reminds us of politicians and thugs of today.
13. idham adhya mayaa labDham idham praapsye manoraTham
idham asthi idham api me bhavishyathi punarDhanam
"Today I have won this; I shall fulfill that hope soon; Now this wealth shall also be mine."
14. asou mayaa hathah sathruh; hanishyecha aparaan api;
eeesvaro aham aham bhogee siddhoham balavaan sukhee
"I have killed this enemy; I will kill the others also; I am the mighty Lord, the enjoyer; I am well established strong and happy."
15. aaDhyo abhijanvaan asmi ko anyo asthi sadhrSomayaa
Yakshye dhaasyAmi modhishye ithi ajnaana vimohithaah
"I am wealthy and high-born; who is there to equal me?
I perform yajna and give gifts and make merry"---- thus they are deluded by ignorance.
These slokas need no explanation as the idea expressed therein is only too vivid in life today.
Here a doubt may arise that some of these qualities crop up in all individuals and not only the aasurik ones and hence how the classification of beings into is divine and demoniac justified. But this description fits only those who have all the aasurik qualities and not those who lapse back into some of the aasurik qualities from time to time, which would mean all of us. Those who have most of the divine qualities will be able to correct themselves if they express any of the aasurik qualities, on seeing that they impede spiritual progress, though there is a possibility of their sinking into the aasurik nature if they do not keep track of their emotions.
16.anekachittha vibhraanthaa mohajaalasamaavrthaaH
prasakthaah kaamabhogeshu pathanthi narake aSuchou
Thus with their minds roaming around in various ways, caught in the net of delusion, intent on sensual pleasures, they fall into terrible hell.
The picture of one who is filled with self conceit mentioned in the previous sloka is further described here. One who is arrogant of this wealth and considers himself to be superior, even if he seems to be engaged in the good acts like performing yajnas or giving for charity, he never gets the fruit of these as he is doing them ostentatiously without any real good intention. Such people are filled with various thoughts towards sense gratification and their ego which is the effect of their ignorance trap them in the net of delusion that only what they are doing is the right thing and they look down on others due to their arrogance. Such people will never get the merit of their doing the good deed but will only fall in a terrible hell, says Krishna.
The reason is further elucidated in the next sloka.
17. aathmasambhaavithaa sthabDhaaHDhanamaanamadhaanvithaaH
Yajanthe naamayajnaiH the dhambhena aviDhipoorvakam
Those who are self- conceited and stubborn, arrogant of wealth and power, perform yajnas only in a name, with ostentation and against the rules.
The yajna mentioned here is thamasik which is described in the next chapter. The import here is that those with aasurik impulses even when they indulge in the vedic rites like yajna, it is only to show off their wealth and power and done without the necessary sanctity as they do not respect the rules or the elders who know them and also they show no regard to the priests who do it for them treating them only as paid servants. They do not have respect for anyone except themselves, aathamasambhaavana. Filled with pride and arrogant of their wealth they do not listen to anyone who may try to advise them and remain obstinate, sthabDhaaH. Hence whatever they do whether it is vedic rites or work for the society, they do it only for publicity and do not get the result of the act because it is not done in the spirit of yajna.
18.ahamkaaram balam dharpam kaamam kroDham cha samSrithaaH
maam aathmaparadheheshu pradhvishanthaH abhyasooyakaaH
Due to ego, power and arrogance, filled with desire and anger, they are hostile towards Me in their own bodies and in others.
When a man is arrogant and selfish he would not listen to reason and would hate the advice of those who tell him about dharma and God. The words of Vibheeshana on dharma were like poison to Ravana and so was the advice of Prahladha to Hiranyakasipu.
Those who do not heed dharma are the enemies of the Lord. They do not want to accept God and the values because to do so makes them feel guilty about their conduct and like an ostrich they bury themselves in their own ignorance and delusion and as a consequence they hate God and His followers. Krishna says they hate me in their body, meaning, the Lord is their inner self and they turn a blind eye to Him and hence they are neither friendly towards other beings, in whom God is present. The implication is that to be inimical towards other being is like hating the Lord who is inside one as well as inside others.
19.thaan aham dhvishathaH krooraan samsaareshu naraaDhamaan \
ksshipaami ajasram aSubhaan aasureeshveva yonishu
I push them, who are hostile, cruel , worst among men and evil doers, into samsaara again and again to be born in the wombs of the demoniac only.
Those mentioned above are born only in the aasurik wombs repeatedly going through several births till their evil tendencies are exhausted.
Krishna says that he pushes them into asura yonis, which does not mean that the Lord is partial and punishes them because they are against Him but as the karmaphaladhatha He gives them the fruit of their karma, and they have themselves to blame for their destiny.
20.aasureem yonim aapannaa mooDaa janmani janmani
maamapraapyaiva kountheya thathaH yaanthi aDhamaamgathim
Reaching the demoniac wombs these ignorant souls life after life descend into lowest state without attaining Me.
This is only to warn against pursuing in the aasuric tendencies because there is no eternity of damnation to the souls in our philosophy. If a cloth gets dirty it has to be washed till it becomes clean and the process of doing it may range from easy to hard methods depending on the amount of dirt. Some have to be beaten and squeezed many times. So too the wicked have to go through the process of cleaning many times till they are free of impurities, which may look like eternity. Krishna says next how to ward off such state and climb up the ladder of spirituality.
The descriptions of hell in the puranas are only to caution men against pursuing evil way of life. The hell may be present in any manner in any embodiment as it is only a realm of experience. People who do not believe the description of hell in the puranas say that it is all cock and bull story and there is no hell or heaven as well as an afterlife. But the real self is pure and the realization of its original state is the natural culmination of everyone. So the hell is provided by one's own self which is trying to regain its original state of purity.
This is what is meant by the declaration that follows.
21.thriviDham narakasya idham dhvaaram naasanamaathmanaH
kaamaH kroDhaH thaThaa lobhaH thasmaath ethath thrayamthyajeth
There are three gates to hell, namely, desire, anger and avarice, which will ruin the self. Hence these three should be given up.
The desire, kaama was described as the greatest enemy of man in chapter3. Krodha , anger was coupled with Kama and termed as jnanavijnaana naaSanam, destroyer of knowledge and realization. This is the ruin of the self because the self is eternal and cannot be destroyed. Krodha and lobha are the natural consequents to kama. Therefore these three must be eradicated. This is the answer to the probable question whether those with aasurik tendencies are damned eternally.
22.ethaIh vimukthaH kountheya thamodhvaaraiH thribhiH naraH
aacharathi aathmanaH SreyaH thathaH yaathi paraam gathim
Oh son of Kunthi, freed from these three which lead to darkness of ignorance and evil, one follows the path of glory and attains the Supreme state.
How to get freed from these gateways to darkness? Only refuge is the sasthras because,
23. yaH SaasThraviDhim uthsrjya varthathe kaama kaarakaH
Na sa sidDhim avaapnothi na sukham na paraam gathim
One who does not heed the rules of the sastras and acts as he likes will not attain salvation and he neither gets happiness in this world nor reaches the supreme state.
24. thasmaath Saasthram pramaaNam the kaaryaakaaryavyavasThithou
jnaathvaa SaasthraviDhaanoktham karma karthum ihaarhasi
To know what is to be done and what should not be done the sasthra is the only valid means of knowledge for you. Therefore knowing this you perform the acts enjoined in the sasthras.
Here the stress is not to know the sastras alone which most people do but to live according to the instructions. The way to do this has been detailed in the earlier chapters on karmayoga and bhakthi yoga.