Chapter 16
Shloka 1
sri-bhagavan uvaca
abhayam sattva-samsuddhir
jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih
danam damas ca yajnas ca
svadhyayas tapa arjavam
Sri Bhagavan said : Absence-of-fear, purity of being, established in gyana-yoga, charity and self-restraint and sacrifice, study of Veda (Vedic-recitation), austerity, rectitude.
Shloka 2
ahimsa satyam akrodhas
tyagah santir apaisunam
daya bhutesv aloluptvam
mardavam hrir acapalam
Non-violence truth non-anger renunciation peace absence of calumny, compassion for beings, freedom from desire (lust), gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness.
Shloka 3
tejah ksama dhrtih saucam
adroho nati-manita
bhavanti sampadam daivim
abhijatasya bharata
Vigor, patience, fortitude purity absence of malice not excessive pride, are endowment divine of the born, O Bharata (Arjuna).
Shloka 4
dambho darpo ‘bhimanas ca
krodhah parusyam eva ca
ajnanam cabhijatasya
partha sampadam asurim
Hypocrisy, conceit and pride, anger and harshness (of speech/language) indeed and ignorance of the born O Partha (Arjuna), endowment demonic (Asuric).
Shloka 5
daivi sampad vimoksaya
nibandhayasuri mata
ma sucah sampadam daivim
abhijato ‘si pandava
Divine endowment to liberation to bondage demonic thought to be, do not grieve endowment divine born with you are O Pandava (Arjuna).
Shloka 6
dvau bhuta-sargau loke ‘smin
daiva asura eva ca
daivo vistarasah prokta
asuram partha me srnu
Two being-classes in world this divine and demonic indeed, of divine in detail explained, demonic O Partha (Arjuna) from me listen.
Shloka 7
pravrttim ca nivrttim ca
jana na vidur asurah
na saucam napi cacaro
na satyam tesu vidyate
And activity and non-activity men not know (the) demonic, not purity and not also good-conduct not truth in them is found.
Shloka 8
asatyam apratistham te
jagad ahur anisvaram
aparaspara-sambhutam
kim anyat kama-haitukam
Untruth unstable they Universe they say without God not one by the other created what else desire-caused.
Shloka 9
etam drstim avastabhya
nastatmano ‘lpa-buddhayah
prabhavanty ugra-karmanah
ksayaya jagato ‘hitah
This view holding lost-selves small-minded come forth terrible-actions for destruction of world, enemies.
Shloka 10
kamam asritya duspuram
dambha-mana-madanvitah
mohad grhitvasad-grahan
pravartante ‘suci-vratah
Desire-depending upon, insatiable hypocrisy-arrogance-lust accompanied by, from delusion having accepted untrue-views they proceed (with) impure customs.
Shloka 11
cintam aparimeyam ca
pralayantam upasritah
kamopabhoga-parama
etavad iti niscitah
And anxiety immeasurable, till death clinging to, desire-pleasure supreme aim so much, thus convinced.
Shloka 12
asa-pasa-satair baddhah
kama-krodha-parayanah
ihante kama-bhogartham
anyayenartha-sancayan
By desire-snare hundreds bound desire-anger holding as highest they seek, desire-gratification (as) goal, by unjust means wealth accumulation.
Shloka 13
idam adya maya labdham
imam prapsye manoratham
idam astidam api me
bhavisyati punar dhanam
This today by me obtained, this I shall attain wish, this it is this also mine, it shall be again wealth.
Shloka 14
asau maya hatah satrur
hanisye caparan api
isvaro ‘ham aham bhogi
siddho ‘ham balavan sukhi
That by me killed enemy, and I shall kill others also, Lord I am I am enjoyer accomplished I am powerful happy.
Shloka 15
adhyo ‘bhijanavan asmi
ko ‘nyo ‘sti sadrso maya
yaksye dasyami modisya
ity ajnana-vimohitah
Opulent, high born I am, who other is there like me, I shall sacrifice, I shall give (charity), I shall rejoice, thus, ignorance deluded.
Shloka 16
aneka-citta-vibhranta
moha-jala-samavrtah
prasaktah kama-bhogesu
patanti narake asucau
By many thought led astray, delusion-net-enveloped, attached to desire-gratification, they fall in hell unclean.
Shloka 17
atma-sambhavitah stabdha
dhana-mana-madanvitah
yajante nama-yajnais te
dambhenavidhi-purvakam
Self-conceited, stubborn, wealth-pride-arrogance accompanied by, sacrifice (only in) name-sacrifice they, with hypocrisy not-according to (Vedic) injunctions.
Shloka 18
ahankaram balam darpam
kamam krodham ca samsritah
mam atma-para-dehesu
pradvisanto ‘bhyasuyakah
Ego, force, arrogance, desire and anger attached to, me in self-and-other-bodies hating, the envious.
Shloka 19
tan aham dvisatah kruran
samsaresu naradhaman
ksipamy ajasram asubhan
asurisv eva yonisu
Them I those who hate the cruel, in cycle of rebirth the wretches, I throw perpetually the vicious, demonic indeed wombs.
Shloka 20
asurim yonim apanna
mudha janmani janmani
mam aprapyaiva kaunteya
tato yanty adhamam gatim
In demonic womb entering, deluded birth (after) birth, me not obtaining indeed O Kaunteya (Arjuna), from there they go lowest path/goal.
Shloka 21
tri-vidham narakasyedam
dvaram nasanam atmanah
kamah krodhas tatha lobhas
tasmad etat trayam tyajet
Three-kinds of hell this door destructive of self, lust, anger (and) also greed, therefore this triad one should abandon.
Shloka 22
etair vimuktah kaunteya
tamo-dvarais tribhir narah
acaraty atmanah sreyas
tato yati param gatim
From these freed O Kaunteya (Arjuna), tamas-gates three man, does for-self best, from there (then) he goes to supreme goal/path.
Shloka 23
yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim
Who scriptural-injunctions ignoring follows desire-making (following ones desires), not he perfection attains, not happiness, not supreme goal.
Shloka 24
tasmac chastram pramanam te
karyakarya-vyavasthitau
jnatva sastra-vidhanoktam
karma kartum iharhasi
Therefore scriptures as standards of yours, the action to be performed and not to be performed establishing, having known, as scriptural injunctions declared action to be performed here (on earth) you should.
Bhagavad Gita translated 