Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16, Verse 6

Chapter 16 – Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

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

Transliteration

dvau bhūtasargau loke.asmindaiva āsura eva ca .
daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ॥

Meaning

There are two kinds of beings created in this world, O Partha: the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length; now hear from Me about the demonic.

Word meanings

द्वौ – two
भूतसर्गौ – kinds of created beings, types of nature
लोके – in the world
अस्मिन् – this
दैवः – the divine
आसुरः – the demonic
एव च – and
दैवः – the divine (nature)
विस्तरशः – at length
प्रोक्तः – has been described
आसुरम् – the demonic (nature)
पार्थ – O son of Pritha
मे – from Me
शृणु – hear

Anvaya (word order)

पार्थ, अस्मिन् लोके दैवः आसुरः एव च (इति) द्वौ भूतसर्गौ (स्तः) । दैवः विस्तरशः प्रोक्तः; आसुरं मे शृणु ।

Explanation

Krishna says there are two kinds of bhuta-sarga, 'creation of beings', in this world: the divine and the demonic. The intention is not two separate races but two kinds of mentality and orientation in life. Both tendencies can be found within one family, even within one person; whichever predominates determines how that person's nature is recognised.

The divine nature, He says, has already been described vistarashah, at length. This refers not only to the first three verses of this chapter but to the whole Gita: the marks of the person of steady wisdom (Chapter 2), the yogi (Chapter 6), the devotee (Chapter 12), the wise one (Chapter 13) and the one beyond the gunas (Chapter 14) all portray the divine nature in detail.

The demonic nature was only briefly mentioned in verse 4, and Krishna will now describe it fully. Why describe evil at such length? Shankara answers: so that the seeker may recognise it clearly and give it up. A disease cannot be treated without being understood. Only one who recognises the subtle forms of demonic tendencies can avoid them.

The portrait in the next twelve verses (7 to 18) is vivid and psychologically acute. It shows the beliefs, desires, ways of thinking and actions of the demonic person with great clarity.

Context

The previous verse stated the results of the two endowments; here Krishna introduces a detailed description of the demonic nature, which begins in the next verse.

Life lesson

Besides embracing what is good, we must learn to recognise the subtle forms of what is harmful. Only one who sees his faults clearly can truly become free of them.

Key terms

Bhuta-sarga: The creation of beings; here, two types of nature
Daiva and asura: The nature that leads to freedom and the nature that leads to bondage