Bhagavad Gita: Divine Qualities, Fearlessness, Purity

The Supreme Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in the yoga of knowledge, alms-giving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness.

The Supreme Lord said: Complete absence of fear, complete purity of the inner self, constant steadfastness in meditation for the sake of true knowledge, and sattvic charity, control of the senses, worship of God, deities, and gurus, and the practice of noble deeds such as Agnihotra, and the reading and teaching of the Vedas and scriptures, and the chanting of the names and qualities of God, enduring hardship for the sake of following one's own dharma, and simplicity of the inner self, including the body and senses. ॥ 1 ॥

Non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of fault-finding, compassion towards beings, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness.

Not causing pain to anyone in any way through mind, speech, and body, speaking truthfully and pleasantly, not being angry even with those who harm you, renouncing the ego of being the doer of actions, cessation of the inner self, that is, absence of restlessness of the mind, not criticizing anyone, causeless compassion for all living beings, not being attached to the senses even when they come into contact with objects, gentleness, shame in acting against the world and the scriptures, and absence of futile efforts. ॥ 2 ॥

Energy, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of malice, absence of excessive pride; these belong to one born with divine qualities, O Bharata.

Energy, forgiveness, patience, external purity, absence of enmity towards anyone, and absence of pride in one's own worshipfulness - all these, O Arjuna! are the characteristics of a man born with divine qualities. ॥ 3 ॥

Hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance belong to one who is born with demoniacal qualities, O Partha.

O Partha! Hypocrisy, arrogance, and conceit, as well as anger, harshness, and ignorance, are all characteristics of a man born with demonic qualities. ॥ 4 ॥

The divine qualities lead to liberation, the demoniacal to bondage. Grieve not, O Pandava, you are born with divine qualities.

Divine qualities are considered to lead to liberation, and demonic qualities to bondage. Therefore, O Arjuna! do not grieve, for you are born with divine qualities. ॥ 5॥

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 Partha, about the demoniacal.

O Arjuna! In this world, there are only two types of beings, that is, human communities, one with a divine nature and the other with a demonic nature. Of these, the divine nature has been described in detail, now hear from me in detail about the human community with a demonic nature. ॥ 6 ॥

Those of demoniacal nature do not know what to do and what to refrain from. Neither purity nor good conduct nor truth is found in them.

Men of demonic nature do not know either activity or inactivity. Therefore, they have neither external nor internal purity, nor good conduct, nor truthfulness. ॥ 7 ॥

They say that the universe is without truth, without foundation, without a Lord, brought about by mutual union, with lust as its sole cause; what else?

Those of demonic nature say that the world is without support, completely untrue, and without God, produced by itself only through the union of man and woman, therefore only lust is its cause. What else is there besides this? ॥ 8 ॥

Holding this view, these ruined souls of little understanding, of cruel deeds, rise as enemies for the destruction of the world.

Relying on this false knowledge - those whose nature has been destroyed and whose intellect is dull, those cruel-doers who harm everyone are capable only of destroying the world. ॥ 9 ॥

Given over to insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, holding evil ideas through delusion, they act with impure resolves.

Those men who are full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, taking refuge in desires that can never be fulfilled, adopting false doctrines out of ignorance, and adhering to corrupt practices, wander about in the world. ॥ 10 ॥

Addicted to boundless cares ending only with death, regarding gratification of lust as the highest aim, and convinced that that is all.

And they, taking refuge in countless anxieties that last until death, intent on enjoying sensual pleasures, and believing that 'this is all the happiness there is'. ॥ 11 ॥

Bound by hundreds of ties of hope, given over to lust and anger, they strive to amass wealth by unjust means for the gratification of their desires.

Those men, bound by hundreds of snares of hope, devoted to lust and anger, strive to accumulate wealth unjustly for the sake of sensual pleasures. ॥ 12 ॥

“This today has been gained by me, and that desire I shall obtain; this is mine, and that also shall be mine in the future.”

They think, "I have gained this today, and now I will gain this desire. This much wealth is mine, and more will be mine again." ॥ 13 ॥

“That enemy has been slain by me, and others also I shall slay. I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, powerful, and happy.”

That enemy has been killed by me, and I will kill those other enemies as well. I am God, I am the enjoyer of wealth. I am endowed with all perfections, and I am powerful and happy. ॥ 14 ॥

“I am rich and well-born. Who else is equal to me? I shall sacrifice, I shall give, I shall rejoice.” Thus deluded by ignorance,
Bewildered by many thoughts, entangled in the net of delusion, addicted to the gratification of desires, they fall into a foul hell.

I am very rich and of a great family. Who else is equal to me? I will perform sacrifices, give alms, and enjoy myself. Thus, deluded by ignorance, and with minds bewildered in many ways, enveloped in the net of delusion, and extremely attached to sensual pleasures, these demonic people fall into a great and impure hell. ॥ 15-16 ॥

Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with the pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices in name only, with hypocrisy and contrary to scriptural ordinances.

Those arrogant men, who consider themselves superior, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, perform sacrifices in name only, with hypocrisy and without following the scriptures. ॥ 17 ॥

Given over to egoism, power, arrogance, lust, and anger, these malicious people hate Me in their own bodies and in the bodies of others.

Those who are devoted to ego, power, arrogance, lust, and anger, and who are critical of others, hate Me, the indwelling Lord, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of others. ॥ 18 ॥

These haters, cruel, worst among men, I hurl always into demoniacal wombs in the cycle of births and deaths.

Those hateful, sinful, and cruel men, I repeatedly cast into demonic wombs in this world. ॥ 19 ॥

Entering into demoniacal wombs, deluded birth after birth, not attaining Me, O Kaunteya, they go to the lowest state.

O Arjuna! Those fools, never attaining Me, are born again and again into demonic wombs, and then go to the lowest state, that is, they fall into terrible hells. ॥ 20 ॥

Triple is the gate of hell, destructive of the self—lust, anger, and greed; therefore, these three one should abandon.

Lust, anger, and greed - these three are the gates of hell, destructive of the soul, that is, leading it to a lower state. Therefore, one should abandon these three. ॥ 21 ॥

Liberated from these three gates of darkness, O Kaunteya, man works for his own good, and thereby reaches the Supreme Goal.

O Arjuna! The man who is freed from these three gates of hell acts for his own welfare, and thereby attains the supreme goal, that is, he attains Me. ॥ 22 ॥

He who, casting aside the ordinances of the scriptures, acts under the impulse of desire, attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the Supreme Goal.

The man who abandons the ordinances of the scriptures and acts according to his own desires attains neither perfection, nor the supreme goal, nor happiness. ॥ 23 ॥

Therefore, let the scripture be your authority in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Having known what is said in the ordinance of the scripture, you should act here in this world.

Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Knowing this, you should perform only those actions that are prescribed by the scriptures. ॥ 24 ॥

Om Tat Sat iti Srimad Bhagavad Gita Upanishadsu Brahmavidyayam Yogashastre Sri Krishna Arjuna Samvade Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yogo Nama Shodashodhyayah ॥ 16 ॥