"Divine and demonic natures"

Possessing demonic qualities and living according to their own whims, not following the precepts of the sastras, they receive a lower birth and are increasingly entangled in the chains of the material world. But possessing divine qualities and living according to the rules established by the sastras, they gradually attain spiritual perfection.
The world in which we live is not as simple as it seems to us. We look at the most complex manifestations of life, we see millions of living creatures, each of which is unique, has its own body structure, its feelings, its mind and its character. Each living creature lives only for him a certain period. A tree can stand for several centuries, and an insect that lives in the bark of the same tree will not last a week. But everyone has something to do, everyone finds food, everyone creates families and makes plans for their short or long life and everyone does not like that it ends very quickly. We look at all this and do not even think about why in this world everything has a beginning and an end? Why the day begins and ends, why the year begins and ends, why love begins and ends, why does life begin and end? But this is precisely what is the key to getting out of the illusion of material life. We all understand that there is some kind of catch. That, solving one problem, we create ourselves two more. What we want to do is the best, but it turns out as always, that they do not expect good from good and whatever we receive, everything will be lost, no matter how hard we try to preserve it. And there is a way out of this maze, and it is precisely in this question: why does it all begin and end? Is it not possible that everything be forever? And the answer is: of course it is possible, but not with the desires that we now have. We live temporarily, because all our desires are temporary. If we begin to desire the eternal, then we can make the transition to the realm of eternity. that there is some kind of catch. That, solving one problem, we create ourselves two more. What we want to do is the best, but it turns out as always, that they do not expect good from good and whatever we receive, everything will be lost, no matter how hard we try to preserve it. And there is a way out of this maze, and it is precisely in this question: why does it all begin and end? Is it not possible that everything be forever? And the answer is: of course it is possible, but not with the desires that we now have. We live temporarily, because all our desires are temporary. If we begin to desire the eternal, then we can make the transition to the realm of eternity. that there is some kind of catch. That, solving one problem, we create ourselves two more. What we want to do is the best, but it turns out as always, that they do not expect good from good and whatever we receive, everything will be lost, no matter how hard we try to preserve it. And there is a way out of this maze, and it is precisely in this question: why does it all begin and end? Is it not possible that everything be forever? And the answer is: of course it is possible, but not with the desires that we now have. We live temporarily, because all our desires are temporary. If we begin to desire the eternal, then we can make the transition to the realm of eternity. And there is a way out of this maze, and it is precisely in this question: why does it all begin and end? Is it not possible that everything be forever? And the answer is: of course it is possible, but not with the desires that we now have. We live temporarily, because all our desires are temporary. If we begin to desire the eternal, then we can make the transition to the realm of eternity. And there is a way out of this maze, and it is precisely in this question: why does it all begin and end? Is it not possible that everything be forever? And the answer is: of course it is possible, but not with the desires that we now have. We live temporarily, because all our desires are temporary. If we begin to desire the eternal, then we can make the transition to the realm of eternity.

TEXTS 1 - 3


sri-bhagavan 
uvcha abhayam sattva-samsuddhir 
jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih 
danam damas ca yajnash ca 
svadhyayas tapa arjavam
ahimsa satyam akrodhas 
tyagah santir apaisunam 
daya bhuteshv aloluptvam 
mardavam hrir achapalam
tejah ksama dhrtih saucham 
adroho nati-manita 
bhavanti sampadam daivim 
abhijatasya bharata
sri-bhagavan uvaca - the Supreme Lord said; abhayam - fearlessness; sattva-samsuddhih - the purification of one's being; jnana - in knowledge; yoga - connections; vyavasthih - finding; danam - charity; damah — mastery of the mind; ca - i; yajnah - the sacrifice; ca - i; svadhyayah - studying the Vedic scriptures; tapah - asceticism; arjavam - simplicity; ahimsa - non-use of violence; satyam - truthfulness; akrodhah - freedom from anger; tyagah - renunciation of the world; shantih - tranquility; apaisunam - unwillingness to seek faults; daya - mercy; bhutesu - in all living entities; aloluptvam - freedom from greed; mardavam - gentleness; hrih - modesty; acapalam - determination; tejah - energy; ksama - the ability to forgive; dhrtih - persistence; saucam - purity; hadrohah - malice; na - not; ati-manita - expectation of honors; bhavanti - are; sampadam - qualities; daivim - of divine nature; abhijatasya - born; bharata - O son of Bharata.
The Supreme Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one's being, cultivation in spiritual knowledge, charity, mastery of the senses, performing sacrifices, studying the Vedas, performing austerities, simplicity, non-violence, truthfulness, neglect, self-denial, peace of mind, lack of desire to slander, compassion for everyone living creatures, lack of greed, gentleness, modesty, determination, determination, commitment to forgive, perseverance, purity, lack of envy and desire for honors - these are, O son of Bharata, God governmental quality righteous men endowed with divine nature.

TEXT 4


dambho darpo 'bhimanash ca 
krodhah parusyam eva ca 
ajnanam chabhijatasya 
partha sampadam asurim
dambhah - pride; darpah - arrogance; abhimanah - vanity; ca - i; krodhah - anger; parusyam - rudeness; eva - unconditionally; ca - i; ajnanam - ignorance; ca - i; abhijatasya - born; partha - O son of Prtha; sampadam - for fate; asurim - demonic.
Pride, arrogance, vanity, anger, rudeness and ignorance - these are the qualities of people endowed with a demonic nature, O son of Prtha.

TEXT 5


daivi sampad vimokshaya 
nibandhayasuri mata 
ma sucah sampadam daivim 
abhijato 'si pandava
daivi - divine; sampat - nature; vimoksaya - for salvation; nibandhaya - for slavery; asuri - demonic; mata - considered; ma - not; sucah - worry; sampadam - for fate; daivim - transcendental; abhijatah - born; asi - you are; pandava - O son of Pandu.
Divine qualities lead a person to liberation, and demonic ones doom to slavery. You, O son of Pandu, have nothing to worry about, for you are endowed with divine qualities from birth.

TEXT 6


dwu bhuta-sargau loke 'smin 
daiva asura eva ca 
daivo vistarashah procta 
asuram partha me srinu
two - two; bhuta-sargau - (species) of created living entities; loke - in the world; asmin - in this; daivah - the righteous; asurah - demonic; eva - without fail; ca - i; daivah - divine; vistarasah - in detail; proktah - described; asuram - of the demon; partha - O son of Prtha; me - from Me; shrinu - listen.
O son of Prtha, the created living entities in this world are of two kinds. Some are called righteous, while others are demons. I already told you in detail about the divine qualities, and now listen to the qualities that demons are endowed with.

TEXT 7


pravrittim ca nivrittim ca 
jana na vidur asura 
on shaucham napi cacharo 
na satyam tesu vidyate
pravrittim — the right thing to do; ca — also; nivrttim - the wrong thing; ca - i; janah - people; na - not; viduh — they know; asurah - those whose nature is demonic; na - not; saucam - purity; na - not; api - of course; ca - i; acarah - behavior; na - not; satyam - the truth; tesu - in them; vidyate - exists.
People of demonic nature do not know what can be done and what cannot. Neither purity, nor good manners, nor truthfulness are characteristic of them.

TEXT 8


asatyam apratistham te 
jagad ahur aniswaram 
aparaspara-sambhutam 
kim anyat kama-haitukam
asatyam - unreal; apratistham - without foundation; those are they; jagat - the manifested cosmos; ahuh - they say; anisvaram - one that no one controls; aparaspara - for no reason; sambhutam - arisen; kim anyat - except that; kama-haitukam - because of lust.
They say that this world is unreal, that it has no foundation, that there is no God who rules it. They claim that the world arose from sexual desire and it has no other reason than lust.

TEXT 9


etam drstim avashtabhya 
nashtatmano 'lpa-buddhayah 
prabhavanty ugra-pockets 
ksayaya jagato' hitah
etam - like; drstim - the gaze; avastabhya - accepting; nasta - the lost; atmanah - of ourselves; alpa-buddhayah - not far off; prabhavanti - flourish; ugra-pockets - absorbed in destructive activities; ksayaya - in the name of destruction; jagatah - of the world; ahitah - sowing evil.
Convinced of this, devoid of reason and lost to themselves, the demons are consumed by destructive, sinful activities leading to the destruction of the world.

TEXT 10


Kamam ashrtya dushpuram 
dambha-mana-madanvitah 
mohad grhitvasad-grahan 
pravartante ' suchi-vratah
kamam - lust; ashrtya - by surrendering; duspuram - the insatiable; dambha - arrogance; mana - pride; mada-anvitah - intoxicated with vanity; mohat - because of an illusion; grhitva - having accepted; asat — transient; grahan - things; pravartante - flourish; asuchi - unclean; gates - those who have chosen.
Indulging insatiable lust, intoxicated by pride, vanity and conceit, the demons are held captive by illusion and, charmed by the passing, do their dirty deeds.

TEXTS 11 - 12


cintam aparimeyam ca 
pralayantam upasritah 
kamopabhoga-parama 
etavad iti nishchitah
asa-pasha-shatair baddhah 
kama-krodha-parayanah 
ihante kama-bhogartham 
anyayenartha-sanchayan
cintam - fear and anxiety; aparimeyam - infinite; ca - i; pralaya-antam - ending only with death; upasrtah - surrendered; kama-upabhoga — sense gratification; paramah - those whose main goal in life; etavat - therefore; iti - like that; niscitah - convinced; asa-pasha - networks of hope; shataih - in the hundreds; baddhah - related; kama - from lust; krodha - from anger; parayanah - those whose mood is always dependent; ihante - desire; kama — lust; bhoga - and sensual pleasures; artham - for; anyayena - in an illegal way; artha - of wealth; sanchayan - accumulation.
They are convinced that the main meaning of human life is pleasure. Therefore, they are endlessly haunted by endless fears and anxieties. Entangled in the networks of hundreds of desires, consumed by lust and anger, they earn money by hook or by crook to satisfy their feelings with their help.

TEXTS 13 - 15


idam adya maya labdham 
imam prapsye manoratham 
idam astid api me 
bhavisyati punar dhanam
asau maya hatah shatrur 
hanishye chaparan api 
ishvaro 'ham aham bhogi 
siddho' ham balawan sukhi
adhyo 'bhijanavan asmi 
ko' nyo 'sti sadrisho maya 
yaksye dasyami modishya 
ity ajnana-vimohitah
idam is that; adya - today; maya - by me; labdham - received; imam is that; prapsye - I will receive; manah-ratham - desired; idam is that; asti - is; idam is that; api - also; me - mine; bhavisyati - will become (more); punah - again; dhanam - wealth; asau - that; maya - by me; hatah - is killed; satruh - the enemy; haniшye - I will kill; ca — also; aparan - of others; api - without fail; isvarah - the master; aham - I; aham - I; bhogi - the enjoyer; siddhah - perfect; aham - I; bala-van - powerful; sukhi - happy; adhyah - rich; abhijana-van - surrounded by noble relatives; asmi - I am; kah - who; anyah - another; asti - is; sadrishah - comparable; maya - with me; yaksye - I will make sacrifices; dasyami - I will give out offerings; modishye - I will rejoice and enjoy; iti - like that; ajnana - by ignorance; vimohitah - deceived.
“Today,” the demon thinks, “I made a good profit, when my plans come true, I will get even more. Now I own a good condition, but in the future it will become even more. This one was my enemy, and I killed him. The same fate awaits the rest. I am the master of everything. I enjoy life. I have achieved perfection, gained power and happiness. I am richer than anyone, and noble relatives surround me. There is no one in the world more powerful and happier than me. I will make sacrifices, give offerings, and enjoy life. ” So these people become victims of their own ignorance.

TEXT 16


aneka-chitta-vibhranta 
moha-jala-samavritah 
prasaktah kama-bhogesu 
patanti naraka 'juchau
aneka - by many; citta - by anxieties; vibhrantah - concerned; moha — of error; jala - by the net; samavritah - entangled; prasaktah - attached; kama-bhogesu - in sense gratification; patanti - fall; naraka - to hell; ashuchau - unclean.
Overwhelmed by anxieties and anxieties and entangled in networks of delusions, demons are excessively attached to sensual pleasures and eventually end up in hell.

TEXT 17


atma-sambhavitah stabdha 
dhana-mana-madanvitah 
yajante nama-yajnais te 
dambhenavidhi-purvakam
atma-sambhavitah - complacent; stubdhah - arrogant; dhana-mana - by wealth and honor; mada - in error; anvitah - covered; yajante - perform sacrifices; nama - only by name; yajnaih - by sacrifice; those are they; dambhena - by pride; avidhi-purvakam - without any rules or regulations.
Smug and impudent, blinded by wealth and pride, sometimes, swearing by themselves, perform sacrifices, but they do it only for the sake of the sight, not following any rules.

TEXT 18


ahankaram balam darpam 
kamam krodham ca samsritah 
mam atma-para-deheshu 
pradvishanto 'bhyasuyakah
ahankaram - to the false ego; balam - power; darpam - pride; kamam - lust; krodham - to anger; ca — also; samsritah - surrendered; mam — to Me; atma - in their own; para - and in others; dehesu - in bodies; pradvishantah - reproaching; abhyasuyakah - envious.
Fooled by false ego, power, pride, lust and anger, the demons hate God who abides in their bodies and in the bodies of all other living beings, and reproach the true religion.

TEXT 19


tan aham dvisatah kruran 
samsareshu naradhaman 
kshipamy ajasram asubhan 
asurishv eva yonisu
tan - teh; aham - I; dvisatah - hating; kruran - malevolent; samsareу - into the ocean of material life; nara-adhaman — the lowest of men; ksipami - I give up; ajasram - forever; asubhan - of those without good; asurisu - in the demonic; eva - without fail; yonisu - in the womb.
They, filled with hatred and malevolent, the lowest among people, I forever cast into the ocean of material existence, into different demonic forms of life.

TEXT 20


asurim yonym apanna 
mudha janmani janmani 
mam aprapyiva kaunteya 
tato yanty adhamam gatim
asurim - in the demonic; yonym - bosom; apannah - those who have fallen; mudhah - fools; janmani janmani - life after life; mam - Me; aprapya - not reaching; eva - unconditionally; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; tatah - from there; yanti - go; adhamam - to the lower; gatim - towards the goal.
Being born again and again among demons, O son of Kunti, such people cannot come close to Me. Gradually they sink lower and lower until they reach the most disgusting life forms.

TEXT 21


tri-vidham narakasyedam 
dvaram nashanam atmanah 
kamah krodhas tatha lobhas 
tasmad etat trayam tyadjet
tri-vidham — including three kinds; narakasya - ada; idam — these; dvaram - the gate; nashanam - death; atmanah - souls; kamah - lust; krodhah - anger; tatha - as well; lobhah - greed; tasmat - therefore; etat — these; trayam - three; tyadget - let it be.
Three gates lead to this hell: lust, anger and greed. And every sane person should renounce these vices, for they destroy the soul.

TEXT 22


etair vimuktah kaunteya 
tamo-dvarais tribhir 
narah acharaty atmanah 
shreias tato yati param gatim
etaih - by these; vimuktah - liberated; kaunteya - O son of Kunti; tamah-dvaraih - the gates of ignorance; tribhih - threefold; narah - man; acarati - does; atmanah - souls; sreyah — blessing; tatah - then; yati - coming; param - to the highest; gatim - the goal.
The one who managed to bypass the three gates of hell, O son of Kunti, devotes himself to works that help him to comprehend the soul, and so over time he reaches the highest goal.

TEXT 23


yah sastra-vidhim utsrigya 
vartate kama-karatah 
na sa siddhim avapnoti 
na sukham na param gatim
yah - which; sastra-vidhim — the instructions of the sastras; utsridgeya - having rejected; vartate - exists; kama-karatah — acting at one’s own discretion, driven by lust; na - not; sah — that; siddhim - perfection; avapnoti - reaches; na - not; sukham - happiness; na - not; param - the highest; gatim - the stage of perfection.
He who neglects the scriptures and acts on his own whim will not achieve perfection, happiness, or a higher goal.

TEXT 24


tasmach chastram pramanam te 
karyakarya-vyavasthitau 
jnatva sastra-vidhanoktam 
karma kartum iharhasi
tasmat - therefore; sastram - the scriptures; pramanam - testimony; those are yours; karya - of duty; akarya - and prohibited activities; vyavasthitau - in the definition; jnatva - having realized; sastra - of the scriptures; vidhana - according to the rules; uktam - described; karma - activity; kartum - perform; iha - here (in this world); arhasi - you deserve it.

Therefore, following the instructions of the sastras, you must understand what your duty consists of, what you can do and what you cannot. Having studied all the requirements, you need to act so as to gradually achieve perfection.