Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 16

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 (Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga) in Hindi and English with meaning

Krishna lists the qualities that lead a person towards freedom, from fearlessness and truth to kindness and forgiveness, and sets against them the traits that bind: show, pride, anger and greed. He paints a sharp picture of the restless, grasping mind, and ends by naming desire, anger and greed as three gates to be closed.

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Listen: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16: Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

A calm computer-voiced recitation over soft music, checked line by line against the text. It is an aid to reading along, not a replacement for a priest or a family elder.

What chapter 16 is about

In chapter 15 Krishna described the world as a great tree and himself as the highest person. Chapter 16 turns to everyday character. It opens with one of the Gita’s best-known lists (16.1–16.3): twenty-six qualities of the “divine” nature, beginning with fearlessness and purity of heart and including truthfulness, not harming, freedom from anger, kindness to all beings, forgiveness and humility. Against these stand the “demonic” traits of hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, anger, harshness and ignorance (16.4).

“Divine” and “demonic” here are not two kinds of creatures but two directions a human life can take: the first leads to freedom, the second to bondage (16.5). Krishna reassures Arjuna that he is born with the divine nature, and then describes the other side at length (16.6–16.20): people who believe the world has no deeper truth, who are driven by desire that can never be filled, and whose inner talk runs “today I got this, tomorrow I will get that; who is equal to me?” (16.13–16.15). The verses about such people falling into lower births are read by the classical commentators as the working of karma, not as anger on God’s part.

The chapter ends with practical advice. Desire, anger and greed are three gates to ruin, so give them up (16.21); one freed from them does what is truly good and reaches the highest goal (16.22). When unsure what to do, let scripture, not passing impulse, be the guide (16.24). Reading it with the meanings takes about 15 minutes.

Verses 16.1–16.5: the divine and the demonic qualities

The qualities that lead to freedom, the traits that bind, and Krishna’s reassurance to Arjuna.

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Verse 16.1

श्रीभगवानुवाच
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः।
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्॥

Shri Bhagavan uvacha
abhayam sattva-samshuddhir jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih,
danam damash cha yajnash cha svadhyayas tapa arjavam.

अर्थ: श्रीभगवान ने कहा: निर्भयता, मन की पूरी शुद्धता, ज्ञान और योग में स्थिर रहना, दान, इंद्रियों पर संयम, यज्ञ, शास्त्रों का स्वाध्याय, तप और सीधापन (सरलता);

Meaning: The Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadiness in knowledge and yoga, giving, self-restraint, worship, study of the scriptures, self-discipline and straightforwardness;

Verse 16.2

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्॥

Ahimsa satyam akrodhas tyagah shantir apaishunam,
daya bhuteshv aloluptvam mardavam hrir achapalam.

अर्थ: अहिंसा, सत्य, क्रोध न करना, त्याग, शांति, पीठ पीछे किसी की बुराई न करना, सब प्राणियों पर दया, लालच न होना, कोमलता, गलत काम करने में लज्जा, और चंचलता न होना;

Meaning: not harming, truthfulness, freedom from anger, letting go, calm, not speaking ill of others behind their backs, kindness to all beings, freedom from greed, gentleness, a sense of shame at doing wrong, and steadiness;

Verse 16.3

तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता।
भवन्ति संपदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत॥

Tejah kshama dhritih shaucham adroho natimanita,
bhavanti sampadam daivim abhijatasya bharata.

अर्थ: तेज, क्षमा, धैर्य, पवित्रता, किसी से वैर न रखना और अपने को बहुत बड़ा न मानना; हे भारत (अर्जुन), ये गुण उस व्यक्ति में होते हैं जो दैवी संपदा (दैवी स्वभाव) लेकर जन्मा है।

Meaning: vigour, forgiveness, patience, cleanliness, bearing no malice and not thinking too highly of oneself: these, Arjuna, belong to one who is born with the divine nature.

Verse 16.4

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ संपदमासुरीम्॥

Dambho darpo 'bhimanash cha krodhah parushyam eva cha,
ajnanam chabhijatasya partha sampadam asurim.

अर्थ: हे पार्थ, दिखावा (दंभ), घमंड, अभिमान, क्रोध, कठोरता और अज्ञान, ये उस व्यक्ति के लक्षण हैं जो आसुरी संपदा (आसुरी स्वभाव) लेकर जन्मा है।

Meaning: Hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, anger, harshness and ignorance, Arjuna, belong to one who is born with the demonic nature.

Verse 16.5

दैवी संपद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।
मा शुचः संपदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव॥

Daivi sampad vimokshaya nibandhayasuri mata,
ma shuchah sampadam daivim abhijato 'si pandava.

अर्थ: माना गया है कि दैवी संपदा मुक्ति की ओर ले जाती है और आसुरी संपदा बंधन की ओर। हे पाण्डव, चिंता मत करो; तुम दैवी संपदा लेकर जन्मे हो।

Meaning: The divine nature is held to lead to freedom, and the demonic to bondage. Do not worry, Arjuna: you are born with the divine nature.

Verses 16.6–16.20: the demonic mind

A portrait of the restless, grasping, proud mind, and where it leads.

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Verse 16.6

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च।
दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु॥

Dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin daiva asura eva cha,
daivo vistarashah prokta asuram partha me shrinu.

अर्थ: इस संसार में प्राणियों की दो तरह की रचना है: दैवी और आसुरी। दैवी का वर्णन विस्तार से हो चुका; हे पार्थ, अब मुझसे आसुरी के बारे में सुनो।

Meaning: There are two kinds of beings in this world, the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length; now hear from me about the demonic, Arjuna.

Verse 16.7

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।
न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते॥

Pravrittim cha nivrittim cha jana na vidur asurah,
na shaucham napi chacharo na satyam teshu vidyate.

अर्थ: आसुरी स्वभाव वाले लोग नहीं जानते कि किस काम में लगना चाहिए और किससे दूर रहना चाहिए। उनमें न पवित्रता होती है, न अच्छा आचरण, न सत्य।

Meaning: People of demonic nature do not know what to take up and what to turn away from. Neither cleanliness, nor good conduct, nor truth is found in them.

Verse 16.8

असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।
अपरस्परसंभूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्॥

Asatyam apratishtham te jagad ahur anishvaram,
aparaspara-sambhutam kim anyat kama-haitukam.

अर्थ: वे कहते हैं कि यह जगत असत्य है, इसका कोई आधार नहीं और कोई ईश्वर नहीं। यह बस स्त्री-पुरुष के मेल से पैदा हुआ है; इसका कारण कामना के सिवा और क्या है? (बीच के शब्द को कुछ लोग “बिना किसी क्रम के अपने आप बना” भी पढ़ते हैं।)

Meaning: They say the world has no truth in it, no foundation and no God; that it came about only from the union of male and female, and has no cause but desire. (Some read the middle phrase as “arising without any order of causes”.)

Verse 16.9

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः॥

Etam drishtim avashtabhya nashtatmano 'lpa-buddhayah,
prabhavanty ugra-karmanah kshayaya jagato 'hitah.

अर्थ: इस सोच को पकड़कर, अपने आप को खो चुके और छोटी बुद्धि वाले ये लोग क्रूर कर्म करते हुए संसार के शत्रु बनकर उसके विनाश के लिए उभरते हैं।

Meaning: Holding to this view, lost to themselves and small in understanding, they rise up as enemies of the world, doing cruel deeds that bring it to ruin.

Verse 16.10

काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः।
मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः॥

Kamam ashritya dushpuram dambha-mana-madanvitah,
mohad grihitvasad-grahan pravartante 'shuchi-vratah.

अर्थ: कभी पूरी न होने वाली इच्छा का सहारा लेकर, दिखावे, मान और मद से भरे हुए, मोह के कारण गलत धारणाएँ पकड़कर, वे अशुद्ध संकल्पों के साथ काम में लगते हैं।

Meaning: Clinging to desire that can never be filled, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, grasping wrong ideas out of delusion, they go about their work with impure aims.

Verse 16.11

चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः।
कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः॥

Chintam aparimeyam cha pralayantam upashritah,
kamopabhoga-parama etavad iti nishchitah.

अर्थ: वे अनगिनत चिंताओं में घिरे रहते हैं जो मृत्यु तक साथ नहीं छोड़तीं। इच्छाओं का भोग ही उनका सबसे बड़ा लक्ष्य है, और वे पक्का मानते हैं कि जीवन बस इतना ही है।

Meaning: Caught in endless worries that last until death, they make the enjoyment of desires their highest aim, sure that this is all there is.

Verse 16.12

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।
ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्॥

Asha-pasha-shatair baddhah kama-krodha-parayanah,
ihante kama-bhogartham anyayenartha-sanchayan.

अर्थ: आशा के सैकड़ों फंदों में बँधे, काम और क्रोध के अधीन, वे अपनी इच्छाओं के भोग के लिए गलत तरीकों से धन जमा करने में लगे रहते हैं।

Meaning: Bound by hundreds of ropes of hope, ruled by desire and anger, they try to pile up wealth by unjust means for the sake of their pleasures.

Verse 16.13

इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम्।
इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम्॥

Idam adya maya labdham imam prapsye manoratham,
idam astidam api me bhavishyati punar dhanam.

अर्थ: (वे सोचते हैं:) “आज मैंने यह पा लिया, अब वह इच्छा पूरी करूँगा। यह धन मेरे पास है, और आगे वह धन भी मेरा हो जाएगा।”

Meaning: (They think:) “Today I gained this; next I will fulfil that wish. This wealth is mine, and that wealth too will be mine later.”

Verse 16.14

असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि।
ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी॥

Asau maya hatah shatrur hanishye chaparan api,
ishvaro 'ham aham bhogi siddho 'ham balavan sukhi.

अर्थ: “वह शत्रु मैंने मार दिया, और दूसरों को भी मारूँगा। मैं ही स्वामी हूँ, मैं ही भोगने वाला हूँ; मैं सफल, बलवान और सुखी हूँ।”

Meaning: “That enemy I have killed, and I will kill the others too. I am the master, I am the one who enjoys; I am successful, strong and happy.”

Verse 16.15

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।
यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः॥

Adhyo 'bhijanavan asmi ko 'nyo 'sti sadrisho maya,
yakshye dasyami modishya ity ajnana-vimohitah.

अर्थ: “मैं धनी हूँ, ऊँचे कुल का हूँ; मेरे जैसा और कौन है? मैं यज्ञ करूँगा, दान दूँगा, मौज करूँगा।” इस तरह वे अज्ञान से भ्रमित रहते हैं।

Meaning: “I am rich and well-born; who else is like me? I will perform sacrifices, I will give gifts, I will enjoy myself.” So they are deluded by ignorance.

Verse 16.16

अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः।
प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ॥

Aneka-chitta-vibhranta moha-jala-samavritah,
prasaktah kama-bhogeshu patanti narake 'shuchau.

अर्थ: अनेक विचारों में भटके हुए, मोह के जाल में घिरे और भोगों में डूबे हुए वे अशुद्ध नरक में गिरते हैं।

Meaning: Led astray by many thoughts, wrapped in a net of delusion and attached to pleasures, they fall into a foul hell.

Verse 16.17

आत्मसंभाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।
यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्॥

Atma-sambhavitah stabdha dhana-mana-madanvitah,
yajante nama-yajnais te dambhenavidhi-purvakam.

अर्थ: अपने को ही बड़ा मानने वाले, अकड़े हुए, धन और मान के नशे में चूर, वे केवल नाम के यज्ञ करते हैं, दिखावे के लिए और बिना विधि के।

Meaning: Self-important and stubborn, drunk with wealth and pride, they perform sacrifices in name only, for show, without following the proper way.

Verse 16.18

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः।
मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः॥

Ahankaram balam darpam kamam krodham cha samshritah,
mam atma-para-deheshu pradvishanto 'bhyasuyakah.

अर्थ: अहंकार, बल, घमंड, काम और क्रोध का सहारा लेकर, दूसरों में दोष ढूँढने वाले ये लोग अपने और दूसरों के शरीर में रहने वाले मुझ (परमात्मा) से द्वेष करते हैं।

Meaning: Leaning on ego, force, arrogance, desire and anger, these fault-finders hate me, who dwell in their own bodies and in the bodies of others.

Verse 16.19

तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान्।
क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु॥

Tan aham dvishatah kruran samsareshu naradhaman,
kshipamy ajasram ashubhan asurishv eva yonishu.

अर्थ: उन द्वेष करने वाले, क्रूर और अशुभ कर्म करने वाले, मनुष्यों में सबसे नीचे गिरे लोगों को मैं संसार के चक्र में बार-बार आसुरी योनियों (जन्मों) में ही डालता हूँ।

Meaning: Those hateful, cruel people who do harm, the lowest among humans, I cast again and again into demonic births in the round of worldly life.

Verse 16.20

आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि।
मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम्॥

Asurim yonim apanna mudha janmani janmani,
mam aprapyaiva kaunteya tato yanty adhamam gatim.

अर्थ: हे कौन्तेय, आसुरी योनि में पड़े वे मोहित लोग जन्म-जन्म में मुझे न पाकर उससे भी नीची गति को जाते हैं।

Meaning: Falling into demonic births, deluded birth after birth, Arjuna, they never reach me and sink to a still lower state.

Verses 16.21–16.24: the three gates and the guide

Desire, anger and greed as three gates to close, and scripture as the guide to action.

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Verse 16.21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत्॥

Trividham narakasyedam dvaram nashanam atmanah,
kamah krodhas tatha lobhas tasmad etat trayam tyajet.

अर्थ: नरक के तीन द्वार हैं जो मनुष्य का नाश करते हैं: काम (इच्छा), क्रोध और लोभ। इसलिए इन तीनों को छोड़ देना चाहिए।

Meaning: There are three gates to hell that ruin a person: desire, anger and greed. So one should give up all three.

Verse 16.22

एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः।
आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम्॥

Etair vimuktah kaunteya tamo-dvarais tribhir narah,
acharaty atmanah shreyas tato yati param gatim.

अर्थ: हे कौन्तेय, अंधकार के इन तीन द्वारों से छूटा हुआ मनुष्य वही करता है जो उसके लिए सच में कल्याणकारी है, और फिर परम गति को पाता है।

Meaning: Freed from these three gates of darkness, Arjuna, a person does what is truly good for the self, and then reaches the highest goal.

Verse 16.23

यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः।
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम्॥

Yah shastra-vidhim utsrijya vartate kama-karatah,
na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim.

अर्थ: जो शास्त्र के बताए मार्ग को छोड़कर अपनी मनमानी इच्छा से चलता है, उसे न सिद्धि मिलती है, न सुख, न परम गति।

Meaning: One who sets aside the guidance of scripture and acts on the impulse of desire gains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the highest goal.

Verse 16.24

तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।
ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि॥

Tasmach chhastram pramanam te karyakarya-vyavasthitau,
jnatva shastra-vidhanoktam karma kartum iharhasi.

अर्थ: इसलिए क्या करना चाहिए और क्या नहीं, यह तय करने में शास्त्र ही तुम्हारी कसौटी है। शास्त्र में बताए गए कर्म को जानकर तुम्हें यहाँ अपना कर्म करना चाहिए।

Meaning: So let scripture be your measure in deciding what should and should not be done. Know what scripture lays down, and then do your work here in this world.

Chapter colophon

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे दैवासुरसंपद्विभागयोगो नाम षोडशोऽध्यायः॥

Om tat sad iti shrimad-bhagavad-gitasu upanishatsu brahma-vidyayam yoga-shastre
shri-krishnarjuna-samvade daivasura-sampad-vibhaga-yogo nama shodasho 'dhyayah.

अर्थ: ॐ तत् सत्। इस प्रकार उपनिषद रूपी श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता में, जो ब्रह्मविद्या और योगशास्त्र है, श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन के संवाद में “दैवासुरसम्पद्विभागयोग” नाम का सोलहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ।

Meaning: Om tat sat. Thus ends the sixteenth chapter, called “the yoga of telling apart the divine and the demonic natures”, in the Bhagavad Gita, an Upanishad, the knowledge of Brahman and a scripture of yoga, in the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjuna.

Questions

What are the divine qualities listed in Gita 16.1–3?

There are twenty-six: fearlessness, purity of heart, steadiness in knowledge and yoga, giving, self-restraint, worship, study of scripture, self-discipline, straightforwardness, not harming, truthfulness, freedom from anger, letting go, calm, not speaking ill of others, kindness to all beings, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, steadiness, vigour, forgiveness, patience, cleanliness, bearing no malice and humility.

Does “demonic” in this chapter mean actual demons?

Not mainly. Krishna is describing two kinds of human nature, one that leads to freedom and one that leads to bondage (16.5). The “demonic” person here is someone ruled by endless desire, pride and anger. Every human being has both pulls, and the chapter is an invitation to grow the first and let go of the second.

What are the three gates to hell in Gita 16.21?

Desire (kama), anger (krodha) and greed (lobha). Krishna calls them gates that ruin the self and tells Arjuna to give up all three; the next verse says that one freed from them does what is truly good and reaches the highest goal.

Why does Gita 16.24 say scripture should be the guide?

Because the previous verse warns that acting only on the impulse of desire brings neither success nor happiness. When we are unsure what is right, Krishna points to a guide outside our passing wants: the accumulated wisdom of scripture, understood well and then put into practice in daily work.

Text and sources

The Sanskrit text is public domain. We checked all 24 verses and the colophon one by one against the chapter on Sanskrit Wikisource (“Bhagavadgita/Daivasurasampadvibhagayogah”) and the Srimad Bhagavad Gita text of IIT Kanpur’s Gita Supersite (heritage.iitk.ac.in), whose text the open “gita/gita” dataset also reproduces (we used only its Sanskrit), comparing them by program after normalising punctuation and spelling conventions. Where they differ we follow the Gita Press reading. Differences: in 16.19 we read “kruran” (cruel) as in Gita Press and IIT Kanpur, where Wikisource has a typing slip; in 16.20 we read “asurim yonim” with Wikisource and IIT Kanpur, where the dataset drops a vowel mark; and in 16.6 and 16.11 we keep the standard spellings “shrinu” and “nishchitah” where IIT Kanpur and the dataset have small misspellings. In 16.1 Wikisource and Gita Press join “sattva-samshuddhir jnana…” by sandhi, which IIT Kanpur prints apart; we follow the joined form. The transliteration and meanings are our own.

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