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|| om tat sat ||

||om tat sat||
śrībhagavānuvāca:
abhayaṁ sattvasaṁśuddhiḥ jñānayōga vyavasthitiḥ|
dānaṁ damaśca yajñaśca svādhyāya stapa ārjavam||1||
"Fearlessness, purity in mind, being established in the yoga of Knowledge, charity, being in control of himself, sacrifice, study of scriptures, and austerity"

śrīkr̥ṣṇaparabrahmaṇēnamaḥ
śrīmadbhagavadgīta
daivāsurasaṁpadvibhāgayōgaḥ
ṣōḍaṣō'dhyāyaḥ

In the fifteenth chapter namely Purushottama Prapti Yoga while elaborating on the Asvattha, the tree of life, Krishna says its stems are grown by the Gunas (tasya śākhāḥ guṇapravr̥ddhāḥ). They grow upwards "ūrdhvaṁ ca" towards Brahma loka and "athaḥ ca" downwards towards worldliness and self-destruction. Whether the stems grow upwards or downwards depend on the nature of that person. Krishna talked about that nature which will uplift a person or drag him down too, in the chapter seven as well as chapter nine.

In the seventh chapter saying "asuraṁ bhāvamāśritāḥ those with nature aligned with demons" will not attain me, " māṁ na prapadyantē". That is a firm declaration. Again, in the ninth chapter Krishna talks about those possessed of the demon's disposition. He says they are, "mōghāśā mōghakarmāṇō mōghajñāna vicētasaḥ", meaning those with selfish desires, selfish actions, vain knowledge and those who are senseless".

Again, in the ninth chapter Krishna speaks about the other type of people "daivīṁ prakr̥ti māśritā"- those who are possessed of the divine nature.

Those possessed of divine nature, "bhajanti", serve me without any other thought - "ananya manasō". Saying thereby that those possessed of divine nature are on the path to liberation or mōkṣa.

Again, in the Purushottama Prapti Yoga saying -" nirmānamōhā jitasaṁga dōṣāḥ adhyātma nityā vini vr̥ttakāmāḥ" those free from pride and non-discrimination, free from association of evil, those who are devoted to spirituality, those who are free from desires, they obtain "avyayaṁ padaṁ gacchanti" - that state from which there is no decay.

Thus, those with the nature of demons move on a path of self-destruction and those with divine nature move on the path of liberation.

Elaborating on the nature which covers the divine (daiva) and demoniacal (asura) attributes is the focus of this chapter. This nature is also the fortune (saṁpat) one has. Hence this chapter is called daivāsura saṁpadvibhāgayōgaḥ, the wealth of divine and demoniacal attributes.

Krishna starts this chapter with his discourse. He starts his discourse about the divine attributes which is a fortune one owns.
Reading the slokas narrating divine attributes is a pleasing thought.

śrībhagavānuvāca:
abhayaṁ satvasaṁśuddhir jñānayōgavyavasthitiḥ
dānaṁdamaścayajñaśca svādhyāya stapa ārjavam.||1||
ahiṁsā satyamakrōdhaḥ tyāgaśśāntirapaiśunam
dayābhūtēṣva lōlatvaṁ mārdavaṁ hrīracāpalam||2 ||
tējaḥ kṣamā dr̥tiśśaucaṁ adrōhōnātimānitā
bhavaṁtisaṁpadaṁdaivīṁ abhijātasyabhārata ||3||

In these three slokas what is elaborated is the divine nature and its attributes:
These are as follows.
- Fearlessness
- Purity of mind
- Being established in the Yoga of Knowledge
- Charity
- Control of external organs
- Yoga of Knowledge
- Study of scriptures
- Austerities
- Harmlessness
- Nonviolence
- Truth
- Being rid of anger
- Renunciation
- Peace
- Not focusing on the other's faults
- Being kind to all
- Not being focused on the material aspects
- Gentleness
- Not doing actions which are not in consonance with right way.
- Freedom from restlessness,
- Kindness to all creatures,
- Not being fickle
- Excellence
- Patience
- Courage
- Internal and external cleanliness,
- Absence of vilification,
- Absence of haughtiness.

These are all divine attributes. These twenty-six attributes are the most desirable and hence should be acquired by all.

Then there are some attributes like religious ostentation, pride and haughtiness, anger and rudeness. These are demoniacal attributes. The people of demoniacal nature even feel that these attributes are very desirable attributes. They bear these attributes with pride as it were and display them with arrogance.

The divine qualities lead one on the way for liberation -"vimōkṣāya"- or the path of liberation. The demoniacal qualities lead one towards "nibaṁdhāya" or bondage (16.5).

Krishna says playing with the materialistic wealth and thus spending all the time one would only be forever locked up in the unending cycle of life and death. Thus, moving away from path of real and permanent happiness.

Compared to the wealth of divine qualities the materialistic wealth has no value. Hence one ought to focus on the divine qualities and move on the path to liberation.

Let us delve into the twenty-six divine attributes stated as above.

Topping the list is "fearlessness". The fearlessness grows out of being aware or being knowledgeable. The one steeped in knowledge is fearless. He is like the one who is acting without selfish motives who also has no fear too. Thus, fearlessness grows out of several other attributes. This is an attribute of one who attained that state of renunciation. In fact, the first three attributes - abhayaṁ satvasaṁśuddhir jñānayōgavyavasthitiḥ - the fearlessness, purity of mind, being established in the Yoga of knowledge are all attributes applicable to one who is enlightened who is in that stage of renunciation- or sannyasa. "abhayaṁ" also means protection provided by Bhagavan. That is also an appropriate meaning in this context.

Some of the attributes are meant for other three stages of life namely Brahmacharin, Grihastha, and Vanaprastha. Svadhyaya (study of scriptures) is meant for Brahmacharin. dānaṁ damaḥ yajñaḥ" charity , control of external organs and sacrifice , these three are meant for a house holder. The Tapas or austerity is meant for those retiring to Vanaprastha.

Beyond these all-other attributes are applicable to all, irrespective of the stage of life they are in. But they seem to be addressed to people in different capabilities or castes.

The attributes of ahiṁsa, satyaṁ akrōdham tyāgaḥ śāṁtiḥ, namely the nonviolence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, control of internal organs are all attributes applicable to Brahmins. The attributes of tējaḥ kṣamā dhr̥tiḥ namely the maturity, forgiveness, and the fortitude are the attributes more applicable to the warrior class (kshatriya). Similarly, the two attributes namely- śaucam - purity in the sense of freedom from hypocrisy and false hood and adrōhaḥ the freedom from malice these two are the attributes of a trading class person. nātimānita , not being haughty is also a divine attribute more focused towards to Shudras.

Krishna then continues to elaborate on the two types of people who have these divine and demoniacal attributes.
The attributes of the divine nature have been explained by Krishna above. It is the demoniacal attributes that Krishna elaborates now.

The people with demoniacal nature do not know what is to be done or what is not to be done. They believe in saying that the world is unreal, and it has no basis. It is without a God. Enjoyment of desirable objects is the highest goal.

Thus, these people follow the philosophy of Charvaka. They believe that the world is built on the relationship between the man and woman only.

Elaborating on the nature of the people with demoniacal attributes, Krishna says as follows:
Bhagavan said
idamadya mayālabdhaṁ imaṁ prāpsyēmanōratham|
idamastīdamapi mē bhaviṣyati punardhanam||13||
asau mayāhataśśatruḥ haniṣyē cāparānapi|
īśvarō'hamahaṁ bhōgī siddhō'haṁ balavānsukhī||14||

These people steeped in the wealth of demoniacal nature and are ever proud. Their thinking is as follows,
"idaṁ adya mayā labdhaṁ
"- This has been gained by me today!
"idaṁ prāpsyē manōratham
" - This desire I can obtain!
"idaṁ asti
" - This is in hand.
"idaṁ api mē punaḥ bhaviṣyati"
- This also will come to me in future!
"asau śatr̥ḥ mayā hataṁ"
- This enemy has been killed by me.
"aparān api haniṣyē ca"
- Others also will be killed.
"ahaṁ īśvaraḥ"
- I am the Lord,
"ahaṁ bhōgī"
- I am the enjoyer
"ahaṁ siddhaḥ"
I am well established"

These are kinds of thoughts that permeate the thinking of a man lost in the bright lights of ego. He has the demoniacal attributes. He would say with pride " I am the Lord. I am powerful and happy. There is no one equal to me" (16.15).

They are self-conceited haughty and filled with pride and intoxication of wealth. Such people think they are the repository of all knowledge. Thinking that they are wise they abuse others. They do not realize that the same Brahman is the resident of both. In the process of abusing others, they abuse the Brahman resident in the other person. (16.18)

The people with Demoniacal attributes are forever jealous of others.

Thus, the people with such demoniacal attributes are forever lost.

It is said that "āgamanārdhaṁtu dēvānāṁ gamanārdhaṁtu rakṣasām", meaning " oh Divine beings please come! O Demons please go!". Following this dictum everyone should welcome divinity into their heart which is the abode of Brahman.

The people with demoniacal attributes enter the demoniacal wombs going through birth after birth, until they acquire divine attributes. The most important step for this is staying away from the three evil qualities of passion anger and greed. These three are the gateways to hell!

Krishna says:
trividhaṁ narakasyēdaṁ dvāraṁ nāśanamātmanaḥ|
kāmaḥ krōdhastathā lōbhaḥ tasmādētatrayaṁ tyajēt||21||

"The door to hell is of three kinds which are a source of destruction. These three are passion, anger and greed. So, one should forsake all the three.

The one who overcomes passion, anger and greed will be on the path for higher achievement and the highest goal. (16.22)

Completing the discourse on the divine and demoniacal attributes Krishna emphasizes the need to follow the established practices and scriptural instructions.

Krishna says:
yaśsāstravidhimutsr̥jya vartatē kāmakārataḥ
na sa siddhimavāpnōti na sukhaṁ na parāṁgatim ||23||

" Ignoring the scriptural instructions, he who acts willfully he does not attain success, nor happiness, nor the excellent goal "

When one is to decide on what is to be done or what cannot be done one may take the scripture as the authority (16.24).

|| om tat sat ||

tasmācchāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ tē kāryākāryavyavasthitau|
jñātvā śāstra vidhānōktaṁ karmakartumihārhasi||24||
"Therefore, the scripture is the authority in the matter of determining what is to be done and what is not to be done. After understanding actions as presented by the scriptural instructions, you ought to perform your duty here".
||om tat sat ||