Bhakti Shastri (131) – Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Text 01 to 06

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Thank you.
Hare Krishna. Welcome back to the Bhagavad Gita Bhakti Shastra course. We are now going to start with the 16th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
This is Daiva Asura Sampada Vibhaga Yoga. The divine and the demoniac natures. Prabhupada gives a simpler translation, divine and demoniac natures.
Daiva Asura Sampada Vibhaga Yoga, that is the Sanskrit name. Sampada means, Sampada is related with the word Sampatti, wealth. Sampada means actually, this is what they consider to be the wealth.
The demoniac consider demoniac qualities to be their wealth. We will see the list of demoniac and godly qualities. The ungodly, the demoniac, they think that actually, the arrogance, harshness, these are their strengths, they think.
They think this is the treasure. This is the last. They think, okay, this is good.
I want to have this more and more so that I can enjoy. That is demoniac. And that’s what is considered to be wealth.
So this is Vibhaga. The divine considers certain things to be the wealth. The demoniac considers certain things to be the wealth.
And these qualities, they become so ingrained in them that they become a part of their nature. That’s Sampada Vibhaga. So what we consider as our wealth, we will hold it close to us.
And eventually that will become a part of us. And that will become us. That will become our nature eventually.
That’s how the divine and demoniac nature has a title. Now, again, this chapter is like the 15th chapter and the 14th chapter also, where Krishna speaks without any prompting from Arjuna. So, Krishna is taken the thread of thought of explaining how jnana leads to bhakti based on the question that Arjuna asks in 13.1. And Krishna pursues that theme.
Now, in the 14th chapter, Arjuna has asked one question about how one can three questions basically in one verse he asked. In 14.21, he asked about what are the characteristics of a person who has transcended the modes? What is the behaviour of such a person? And what are the what is the process to transcend? After that, he hasn’t asked any question. So the link between 15th and 16th chapter is based on the understanding of the upside down tree.
So, we discussed in 13.22 that the beej is what purusha prakriti stho hi. The living entity is situated in material nature. And what is the kawar that makes the living entity situated? Bhunkte prakriti jaan gunaan.
The desire to enjoy material world. Bhunkte prakriti jaan gunaan. And then in this tree, we discussed that what waters the tree is the modes.
So, the tree was explicitly mentioned in the 15th chapter. But the mentality which causes that tree to sprout is the bhunkte, the desire to enjoy. And it is nourished by the three modes of material nature, which were described in the 14th chapter.
The 15th chapter describes the upside down tree and how one can become disentangled from it by taking shelter of purushottama, by worshipping purushottama. Now, 16th chapter describes the upper and the lower aspects of lower extremes of the tree. Now, the tree is upside down.
So, urdhva moolam adhah shakham. So, the upper part of the tree is nearer to the root. That is the brahma loka.
Now, the word brahma loka can sometimes mean brahma loka, the spiritual world. Brahma can mean spirit and loka is the world. So, then brahma loka refers to the spiritual world.
But brahma loka can also refer to the abode of brahmaji, which is also called as sattiloka. So, now here we are referring to the brahma loka as sattiloka, the abode of brahma, that is in the material world. So, that is the upper extreme.
And then there are the lower, lower, lower, then as you come down towards the svarga, and there is the human level. And below that there is the hellish nirvana systems. So, when we describe it thus, this descending level, so in this descending level of hierarchy, the primary and important thing is to recognise that the divine are situated in the upper part of the tree, and the demoniac are in the lower part of the tree.
So, this sort of differentiation helps us understand that we have to move upward, upward and ultimately come out of this tree and from the reflection to the reality. So, in this particular verse, in the beginning, Krishna describes the divine nature. So, actually, the divine he describes only in three verses, and the rest of the chapter he is describing the demoniac nature.
So, let us look quickly at the chapter overview. And then we will move forward. Chapter 16.
So, Krishna describes divine qualities in verses 1 to 3. And after that he describes the demoniac qualities. Then divine and demoniac qualities are basically described in what to dine. Then 10 to 18 describes the activities of the demoniac.
In whatever qualities we have, these qualities get reflected in the activities that we do. So, the activities of the demoniac are talked about. And then after that, 19 to 22 talks about the consequences and causes of demoniac activities.
What will be the result and what makes people do these demonic activities. And then chapter concludes with outlining of the choices, choice that we have. Do we want to act in the divine way or the demoniac way.
It gives us the choice by telling us how to, if we want to act in the divine way, how can we act in the divine way. So, let us look at the first section. The first section talks about the divine qualities.
Now, here also Srila Prabhupada brings three verses together, because the focus is on divine qualities as a group. And Krishna gives them the verses also as a group. And at the end of the third verse, he says a summary, which applies to all the previous three verses.
So, it is logical to group these three verses together. Let us look at these three verses. So, bhavanti, all this is sampadam daivim, all this is the sampada, the nature, the characteristic, the wealth of the daivi.
And abhijatasya bharata. So, those who are of the godly disposition of the divine nature, they have these qualities from birth itself. So, now, of course, nature is not just a matter of something internal.
Nature is also shaped by nurture and culture. So, actually, our behaviour is shaped by these three things, nature, nurture and culture. Nature means how we are born with.
All of us have certain tendencies, certain psychophysical characteristics, likes and dislikes that are innate to us. That is innate means innate not at the level of the soul, but at the level of the body and mind that we have based on our previous karma. So, that is nature.
And then there is our behaviour also shaped by nurture. Nurture means how we are taken care of, the values with which our parents raise us, the kind of environment which we live in while we grow up. And that, especially in the initial stages, it is just the parents.
The parents create the environment. But as we move out, and even when we are the parent, nowadays, there is TV, which also affects a lot. But then there is a larger culture in which we live.
Culture also refers to association, include association. So, that also shapes our behaviour in a significant way. There is nature, nurture and culture.
Of course, beyond that, there is our free will. So, all these shape our behaviour, but they do not absolutely determine our behaviour. We can still use our free will and choose to act differently.
So, the system is not fatalistic. It is analysis. Actually, it is not completely deterministic.
There are different, there are choices, you know, two twins may have the genetically, the identical genetic pool, especially if they are monozygotic. That means they are born from the same zygote, which is split later. So, they have identical genetic makeup, but still they have different behaviours.
They have different mood, different dispositions. And even if their parents take care of them in similar ways, still over a period of time, they grow up differently. So, why is that? Because beyond nature, beyond nurture, and beyond culture, we are all individuals.
And as individuals, we have free will. And we are souls who originally have the spiritual individuality. And now when we come to the material world, our original individuality is covered over, but still, we remain individuals.
So, that is why, actually speaking, our free will never goes away, our individuality never goes away. Nature, culture shape our behaviour. They do not determine our behaviour.
But here, when Krishna talks about these two, the divine and demoniac nature, the focus of talking these is to help us understand that this is the way the godly, the divine nature is the way to liberation and the demonic nature is the way to bondage. And therefore, we should choose to act according to the divine nature. Now, let us look at these qualities.
Abhayam sattva samshuddhir. So, Shri Prabhupada, in his purport, actually gives concise and profound explanations of each of these qualities. Prabhupada first describes the qualities.
So, Prabhupada says about how to beget a child in a godly environment is known in the Vedic scriptures as Garbhadhan Samskar. That is the way one can get a godly child. Abhijat is here.
So, ultimately, every soul has free will. But the parents can do the best to protect the child. Now, protection is not just physical.
Protection is also emotional and spiritual. And protection is emotional and spiritual means that actually at an emotional level, the child should feel cared and loved. And at a spiritual level, the child should be facilitated so that the child can make right choices throughout the life.
Choices that will take one closer towards Krishna, that will help one to return to Krishna. So, that is what is desired. And one such choice that the parents can make for the protection of the child, even before the birth of the child is the Garbhadhan Samskar, where purifying their consciousness, the parents can help to attract a pure hearted soul into their womb and thereby help them to go towards Krishna, help create the life journey in an auspicious way right from the beginning.
Now, Abhayam. What is Abhayam? Abhayam is fearlessness. So, fearlessness is, as we discussed earlier, that fearlessness does not come by the absence of fear.
It comes by the presence of a cause that dwarfs fear. Now, when we understand that there is a reality, there is a purpose that is so fulfilling, that is so consuming, that is so deep, that fear becomes insignificant in front of it. So, that’s how fearlessness comes.
And Prabhupada explains, what is that? By the awareness, by the absorption in a cause. Now, how do we absorb ourselves in a cause? Different people can have different causes. A patriot may, because of love for the nation and the desire for the, and because of attraction to the cause of protection of the nation, may overcome the natural normal fear of bodily injury and willingly go to fight a war.
That’s possible in some cases. But that is not the highest cause. The highest cause is cause of pure devotion to Krishna, because that alone leads to eternal benefits for ourselves and for others.
And in that, that fearlessness that a devotee has comes from the awareness of a presence that dwarfs fear. An awareness of a presence that dwarfs fear is awareness of Krishna. The more we become aware of the presence of Krishna, the Supersoul in the heart, the more we will be able to be fearless, knowing that Krishna is always there with me and Krishna will protect me.
When Krishna is there and I am serving Krishna, whatever happens will be for my good and Krishna will offer me all protection. So, now Prabhupada explains that these godly qualities, among them abhayam comes by awareness of Krishna as indwelling presence. And because Krishna is greater than the greatest, so no problem can be bigger than Krishna.
And that’s why by remembering Krishna, we can become fearless. As it is said, don’t tell Krishna how big your problems are. Tell your problems how big Krishna is.
So, all problems are fears. When you remember how big Krishna is, then the problem becomes dwarfed. So, we have to remember Krishna that way and abhayam.
Now, Prabhupada explains that various qualities are there. They are as per the different varanas. So, abhayam, of course, now all godly people have to have these qualities in general.
But certain qualities are important for certain varanas. And Prabhupada explains that systematically into the purport. So, abhayam especially is a quality that is to be cultivated by sannyasis.
Sannyasis, generally in this world, we get security by having people around us. If something happens to me, others are there, they’ll take care of me. But sannyasi has to leave everyone and travel alone.
So, that was a tradition that sannyasi would travel alone through the jungles. So, for that abhayam, sannyasi requires to be fearless. And that fearlessness comes by taking shelter of Krishna.
By remembering Krishna’s presence internally and taking shelter of Krishna. So, that is a quality especially important for sannyasis. In abhayam, sattva samshuddhi, jnana yoga vyavasthati.
So, sattva samshuddhi. Sattva is existence. So, purification of one’s existence.
Purification. Purification means what? There are many impurities that are there. So, Shilpa Prabhupada focusses on the impurity of lust.
So, how do we free ourselves from the lust? By avoiding external and internal triggers. External triggers are the association of the opposite sex. And internal triggers are recollections of past indulgences or recollections of memories of sensual pleasures.
So, that is why sannyasis are not meant to associate with women closely. And Shilpa Prabhupada gives the example how Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was so strict that even his female disciples would offer obeisances to him from a distance. So, the idea is that one has to focus on purification.
So, purification of existence. Sattva samshuddhi. And when we focus on purification by following certain rules and regulations, the point here is not to misogyny.
It’s not hatred of women or something like that. The focus is on one’s purification. So, in the Vedic culture, the brahmacharis are told not to have eye contact with women.
Now, of course, the reason for this is sometimes women may find this very, very disturbing, very irritating. You’re talking with somebody and you don’t even look at that person. That might appear very, it might appear offending also.
It might appear dehumanising. But that is the standard. And the standard was not to dehumanise at all.
It was to re-spiritualise. The idea is that, the idea, the reason for this particular injunction is that actually there has to be, those who are in the renounced order, they are not meant to derive pleasure through sensuality. And when a person, when the soul is in the male body, the male body and the male eyes get pleasure in looking at the female forms and especially looking at the female face and the female eyes.
And this is a, so by minimising eye contact, the idea is not to disrespect women, but the idea is to help one to have a spiritual vision, not by looking, but by, even if there is some necessary service required, by having focus on the service without necessarily eye contact. Now, of course, because we have the modern society and we have women who also have been brought up in a different set of values. So in some cases, sometimes to avoid offending women, sometimes some people, some renunciates, such as sannyasis, may also have eye contact.
And that is a matter of, that is a matter of courtesy, which they may do it. So either way, this may, some renunciates may avoid eye contact, some renunciates may have eye contact. But the important point is that we recognise that it is not that when eye contact is avoided, it is not meant to disrespect.
It is simply a matter of maintaining the purity and purification of existence. It is actually admission of humility and weakness, that I am not pure hearted and there may be contamination that may be resulting. And that is why to avoid the contamination, I am avoiding eye contact.
But then whatever service is to be that, say answering questions or whatever is to be done, the sannyasis are ready to do that. So either way, the point is, beyond the specifics, there is a general point that sannyasis are meant to focus on purification of existence. And that should not be, that focus of purification of existence should not be misinterpreted or misrepresented as antipathy towards any particular gender or anything like that.
So, let us look at Prabhupada’s purport. So, Prabhupada talks about abhayam sattva samshuddhi and then he talks about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and then jnana yoga vyavasthiti, cultivation of knowledge. And in the cultivation of knowledge, so Prabhupada writes, sannyasi life is meant for distributing knowledge to the householders and others who have forgotten their real life of spiritual advancement, their real life of spiritual advancement.
So, what happens in material life is that material life is endlessly entangling. It is not just entangling, but endlessly entangling. You know, one thing, second thing, third thing, fourth thing keeps coming.
And then there are loose ends. Loose ends means, okay, this has to be fixed up, this has to be fixed up, this has to be fixed up. But what happens is the loose ends never end.
And I fix up one thing and then 10 other things become unfixed. And I fix those things and then 10 other things become unfixed. And it just goes on and on and on.
Now, we are not meant to neglect material life, but nor are we meant to neglect spiritual life. So, regular contact with renunciates, those renunciates, especially those renunciates who are completely devoted themselves to the pursuit of transcendence, to Krishna’s service, that reminds those who are in the householder life, okay, this is an important part of life. And I have to focus on this also.
So, if sannyasis are focussing exclusively or primarily on this, entirely on this, then at least I have to devote some time for this. So, that’s how there is a reciprocation. And sannyasis are also traditionally meant to beg.
So, the begging is not because they are beggars primarily. The begging is a means by which they express their humility. And the begging is also a means by which they can get an opportunity to interact with the householders and give them some transcendental knowledge.
So, jnana yoga vyavasthiti. And then Prabhupada writes that in case one has taken renunciation but doesn’t have knowledge, then one should cultivate knowledge. And then one can share that knowledge with others.
But either way, it is important to share knowledge. Then dhanam tamascha yajnascha svadhyayastha parchamam. So, dhanam tamascha yajnascha.
Dhan is charity. Charity is a very important part of spiritual life, especially as the householders. And the important point about charity is to recognise that charity is not just an activity.
Charity should not just be an activity. Charity should be a mentality. And mentality is developed through the cultivation of a habit.
So, that means that the idea behind charity is not to just give some charity. Yes, that is important to give some charity. But the idea is that to develop the mentality of giving.
To develop the mentality of giving. And that’s why we give regularly. Some people feel, okay, now I am in a financial crunch.
So, now I won’t give anything. In the future, when I earn money, then I will give a huge sum. Yes, if we have money and we can give a large sum, that is good.
But the important point is not the quantity of the sum, but the regularity. Why? Because that creates the mentality of giving. Yes, I have to give regularly.
And in a small amount or big amount, of course, we should try to give as much as possible to Krishna. But the important point is give regularly because that’s a habit to be cultivated. That’s why Krishna clarifies charity.
We put charity as an activity and we would consider charitable disposition as a quality. But Krishna is calling charity itself as a part of the godly nature, the divine nature. The householders who are divine nature, they are charitably disposed.
But charity is their quality. So, charity as a quality helps us to develop the giving mentality. And then, when we have, if we don’t develop that habit of giving, then we may eventually have a lot also.
But then because the habit of giving is not there, so when we have a lot, then the mind comes up with a lot of demands also. Oh, I have to get this also, I have to get this also, I have to get this also. And then people who postpone giving charity so that they can give a lump sum in the future often don’t give anything at all.
Because the idea is that the habit has not been developed, the habit of holding on to the money has been developed and that habit perceives, continues even when a person doesn’t have, person can spare money to give charity. That’s why charity should be focused on as a, should be done as a habit. And then, dānaṁ damaÅ› ca yajñaÅ› ca.
Damaś is sense control. Dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca. So, sense control refers to the capacity.
Now, sense control is required for everyone and it is also required for householders. The idea is that even in household life, the purpose of marriage is not just an arrangement for sense gratification. It is for helping both of them to together move on towards Krishna.
So, sexuality is a part of life. Sexuality is a part of our humanity itself. As human beings, as embodied creatures, sexuality is a part.
But sexuality is one thing and sexualisation is another thing. Sexualisation means that we reduce everything to sexual terms only. So, the marriage relationship should not be reduced to sexualisation.
It’s not just an arrangement for sexual gratification. It’s actually an arrangement for spiritual elevation. And over a period of time, the husband and the wife, they come to a level, if they are practising spiritual life seriously, they start seeing each other not so much as males and females who will provide each other mutual gratification, but they start seeing each other spiritually as partners in a spiritual journey, as fellow souls, fellow devotees who are moving forward in the spiritual journey.
So, to develop that sort of recognition requires self-control. dānaṁ damaś ca yajñas ca. Yajña is sacrifice.
So, now, abhayam sattva-saṁśuddhi-jñāna-yoga-vasati was for the sannyasis. Then, dānaṁ damaś ca yajñas ca. These are for the grahasthas.
So, damaś ca yajñas ca. Yajña is sacrifice. Of course, the Prabhupāda mentions that there are various kinds of sacrifices.
There are various yajñas which the grahasthas would do in Vedic culture. But now, the primary yajña is the yajña of chanting the holy name. That is meant for everyone.
Even the grahasthas do it. And then, that’s how they fulfil the obligations that are expected in householder life. And svādhyāya sthapārjavam.
So, svādhyāya. Svādhyāya is self-study. So, Prabhupāda explains svādhyāya is especially meant for brahmacharya.
Now, brahmacharya is student life. And students, the very word student is associated with the word study. So, svādhyāya.
So, they are meant to study. So, by studying the Vedic literature in student life, then the person develops a deep understanding of scripture. And by developing the deep understanding of scripture, eventually, even if the brahmacharya becomes a grahastha, the person will not get entangled in material life.
The person will recognise that actually, the purpose of life is not just material enjoyment, it is spiritual fulfilment. And even grahastha ashram will be a way towards that. So, the purpose of scriptural study is to help one understand this.
So, svādhyāya. Of course, now, I mentioned earlier that this is to be done for everyone. All these godly qualities, the divine qualities are meant to be developed by everyone.
But while developing all these qualities, in certain ashrams, certain varanas, certain ashrams, certain qualities are specifically emphasised. They are especially required. And that’s what is talked about over here.
So, everybody has to do svādhyāya, but brahmacharya life is focused on svādhyāya. svādhyāyas tapārjavam. So, tapa, austerity, is also required for everyone.
But Prabhupāda explains that this is especially for the retired, vānaprastha. You know, when a person is living as a grahastha, there are relative comforts of householder life. And when a person takes vānaprastha, at that time, things are a little difficult.
But the focus is on accepting the austerity so that one can effectively practise spiritual life. Now, how a varana ashram is going to be implemented in today’s age is difficult to say. So, the important point is that we understand the principles and we develop the qualities so that we can practise spiritual life.
In today’s society, often brahmachārÄ«s, they also act as preachers. Actually, primarily brahmachārÄ«s are in the traditional Vedic culture, brahmachārÄ«s are students, brahmachārÄ«s are servants. And then they assist the sannyāsÄ«s.
Of course, those brahmachārÄ«s, they start their brahmacharya at the age of five, and they may continue to at the age of 25. Today, the whole varana ashram is such that people at the age of 25 become brahmachārÄ«s, after doing their education, material life, and then they become brahmachārÄ«s. So, we can’t replicate the ideal Vedic system in today’s culture.
So, the important point is we understand the broad social roles and see how we can incorporate and integrate those into our lives, according to our time, place, circumstance. Now, going forward with respect to vānaprastha, you know, vānaprastha is almost like extinct species today. There are sannyāsīs within ISKCON, and there are, of course, many devotees, there is a good number of devotees, who, after doing their family obligations, after creating some financial security, would like to focus more on serving Krishna wholeheartedly.
So then, they may or may not, Prabhupāda did not recommend devotees going to jungle, that’s not practical in Kali Yuga. Vānaprastha means one who goes to jungle. But the idea is not just to go to jungle.
The idea is to go to jungle to meet saintly people. So, in Kali Yuga, there are very few jungles on the left. And even if you go to jungle, there are not many saintly people left over there in the jungles.
And even if there are saintly people, there are very few people who are ready to go to jungle to meet the saintly people. That’s why saintly people also live in the temples. And even if it is not possible for a person to entirely live householder life, but a person can minimise the worldly engagements and increase spiritual engagements.
That is Tapa. Tapa is austerity. So accepting voluntary discomfort for a higher cause, that is austerity.
And we may have to see when and how we can increase our focus on spiritual life. And that will vary according to time, place, circumstance, no doubt. But the idea should be a devotee wants to over a period of time increase, increase one’s spiritual commitments, one’s spiritual involvement, and thereby prepare for the final exam of death and prepare for the ultimate successful life of returning back to Krishna.
So Prabhupada emphasises that the entire Varanashram system is meant for Tapasya. Without Tapasya or austerity, no human being can get liberation. So why? Because actually when we are sick, we have to take a treatment.
And the treatment involves following certain processes, not all of which are likeable to us. So we have to be ready to do what is not likeable to us also so that we can make steady spiritual advancement. Then Prabhupada goes on and talks about the qualities in terms of the Varana.
So first was Brahmachari, Sanyasi, Brahmachari, Grihastha and Vanaprastha. Now it is Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra. So Aarjavam.
So the list of the qualities is going on now. Now let us look back at the list once again. So we have discussed till now Swadhyaya is Tapa.
So now we are coming to Aarjavam. Aarjavam is truthfulness. So of course everybody is recommended to be truthful, but the Brahmana is meant to be truthful and Brahmana is especially meant to speak the absolute truth.
Now many of these qualities that are described over here, they primarily apply to Brahmanas. So like that there are qualities for everyone. So Ahimsa.
Now Ahimsa is not a primary quality for a Kshatriya. It is a quality for a Brahmana. Brahmana is meant to be forgiving.
You know it is described in the Ramayan that when Vishwamitra, when he was earlier a king, Kaushik, he tried taking away the Surabhi cow of Valmiki. So Valmiki did not protest because Brahmana is meant to be non-violent. A Brahmana depends on a Kshatriya for protection.
Brahmana does not take arms for oneself. Of course in extreme situations, not for the sake of self-defence, but for the sake of the welfare of others, a Brahmana may resort to strong means. Just like when King Vena was committing atrocities and disrupting not just social order, but also the spiritual order, was preventing people from practising spiritual life.
So at that time, what did he do? The Brahmanas gave him good instruction when he was defiant and he condemned the Brahmanas and said the Brahmanas took strong action. At that time the Brahmanas just by speaking, by hunkar, they reduced him to ashes. So that is extreme.
But generally the Brahmanas are meant to cultivate Ahimsa. So Ahimsa, Satyam, Akrodhas. So like that all these qualities are described.
So Arjavam is straightforward. Satyam is truthfulness. The two are related, but there is slight difference between them in terms of emphasis.
So Akrodhas is not getting angry. Ahimsa, Satyam, Akrodhas. So we discussed about Ahimsa.
Prabhupada talked about Ahimsa earlier also in terms of, while talking about 13th chapter also, he says Ahimsa means not to kill animals and real Ahimsa means not checking one’s progressive life, anyone’s progressive life. So we discussed this how one should help everyone to advance. So the animals are also in their own way moving forward and one should not cause violence to them.
Satyam. So Prabhupada translates the Arjavam as straightforwardness. Satyam means one should not disturb the truth from personal interest.
And Prabhupada talks about misinterpretation of scriptures. Then Akrodha. Akrodha means even if there is provocation, one should be tolerant for one.
One becomes angry, the whole body becomes polluted. Now it’s interesting. Prabhupada is using the word body becomes polluted.
Now normally you would think of the Anarthas as polluting the mind. How do they pollute the body? Actually the Anarthas, certainly they pollute the mind. Lust pollutes the mind.
Greed pollutes the mind. Anger pollutes the mind. But then whatever happens in the mind also affects the body.
Now when we become angry, we become also physically disturbed by it. Maybe we start breathing fast, we start sweating, we start clenching our fists, grinding our teeth and all these are Rajasic and Tamasic behaviour characteristics and they are undesirable at the physical level. So they contaminate the body.
And how does one tolerate anger? By remembering that there is a higher purpose to life. Now small small things, the provocation will always keep coming. So as Prabhupada tells in the Krishna book, one’s greatness has to be estimated by one’s ability to tolerate provoking situations.
So when there is reason to become angry, but we stay calm, then that is tolerance. And that is Akrodham. So not becoming angry.
And then Apaishunam is very important. Apaishunam is, Prabhupada translates very beautifully as aversion to fault finding. Aversion to fault finding.
Generally, what is gossip all about? Gossip basically means, we talk about the faults of others. The devotees delight in the glories of Krishna and the glories of devotees. But gossipers delight in the faults of others.
Gossipers delight in the faults of others. They delight in how this person has this fault, this person has this fault and they spread the faults. So this is very distasteful for a cultured person.
And for a person who is godly aversion to fault finding. Even if we have to speak about faults of others, actually the only time when we can speak about the faults of others is when we get no joy in doing so. When we get no joy in doing so.
So as a matter of necessity for benefiting others or for protecting others, we may sometimes have to speak the faults of others. But we don’t get any joy in it. Our joy comes, we are meant to laugh with others, not laugh at others.
As devotees, we are meant to laugh with others. Laugh with others means, not that if people are engaging in ignorant enjoyment, we go and descend to their level and we enjoy at that level. No.
We are meant to, we are relishing life at the spiritual level and we want to elevate others also to the spiritual level. And there, we all delight, we all relish, we are meant to laugh with others. Our goal ultimately is to elevate others.
Sometimes as devotees, we may, we get a joy in condemning those karmis. Those karmis, they are so foolish. They do like this, they do like that, they do like that, they do like that.
Now, even if we want to talk about the folly and the fallacies of materialism, we can do that. But that should not lead to hatred or derision towards the materialistic people. No, actually, if at all we should have compassion, we should have affection, affection in terms of seeing them as parts of Krishna and we try to help them in whatever way we can.
So, whether it is, certainly finding faults with devotees can be offensive and finding faults even with materialistic people. Bhaktivinoda Thakur talks about one of the offences being criticism of general living entities. We do not want to criticise general living entities also unnecessarily.
So, Apaisvinam. Apaisvinam is an aversion to fault-finding. And then, in this way, when one develops Apaisvinam, then one can actually develop very deep relationships.
Anya ninda dishunyartha mipsita sangalabdhya. The characteristic of an advanced devotee described by Rupa Goswami is also that ninda dishunyartha. It does not have the inclination to criticise anyone.
Because the devotee sees everyone’s spiritual potential and wants to help everyone’s spiritual potential be developed. Now, we see this in Ramanacharya. When he saw this young man who was completely infatuated with the woman, what did he do? He did not.
Everybody was mocking this. You know, there’s a lot of procession going on and you are just foolishly captivated with a woman. But what did Ramanacharya do? He did not laugh at him.
He had compassion. Rather than finding fault with him, he asked him, you know, why is it that, what do you find so attractive? He says, this woman’s eyes are so attractive. I have never seen such attractive eyes.
Ramanacharya saw the spiritual potential over there. He says, oh, you are attracted to beauty. What if I show you eyes which are more beautiful than this? He says, then I will devote myself to those eyes.
Then he took him to the temple of Lord Raghunath and revealed to him the supreme beauty of the Lord. And he revealed to him the supreme beauty. What happened? The Lord became, he became captivated by that and he went on to become a great devotee thereafter.
So, what, aversion to fault finding. The idea is see the spiritual potential in others and help to develop the spiritual potential. Sometimes we may say Prabhupada used fools and rascals, fools and rascals so strongly.
So, Prabhupada was condemned. Yes, Prabhupada, for our sake of education, he would point out misconceptions that people would have. But if Prabhupada had been a fault finder and how could he have possibly gone to the hippies, stayed among people who, as we discussed, only regulative principle was to break all the regulative principles and were doing all kinds of sinful activities.
And Prabhupada not only lived among them, not only taught them, but he fed them, he washed their plates and he served them. How could he have done that if he had just been a fault finder? No, Prabhupada saw the spiritual potential in others and fanned its potential and neglected whatever conditionings they may have had. That is actually compassion, that is godly quality, apaisu, nam.
And then re. Prabhupada used re. Re means modesty.
So, modesty, now the word modesty is often used in terms of dressing, it’s used in terms of how we live together. So, one should not act in a way that is immodest, that is inappropriate, that is undesirable. Achaapalam.
Achaapalam means restless, going here, going there. Achaapalam means one does not become restless, one stays focused, one stays determined. And Tejaha.
So, these are all qualities which till now I described. So, we won’t go into all the qualities, we’ll just focus on whatever Prabhupada has described. And the focus is on now Tejaha, Tejaksha.
Tejaha is strength or effulgence. So, the Kshatriyas are meant to be as a heretic. Whatever is required for the service of the Lord, they should do that.
Shaucha, Prabhupada discussed shaucha means cleanliness. Na atimanita, adroho na atimanita. So, adroho is non-enviousness.
So, if others have more wealth than me, others have more power, more prestige than me, then if I am in a particular varana with the varanashram system, others may have more than me, then I shouldn’t become envious of them because I understand that this is the best way I can become purified. Ultimately, this world is like a hospital. And in this hospital, the goal is to get cured.
If we see that the doctor is giving me one medicine and the doctor is giving somebody else another medicine. Why? You are giving me bitter medicine and giving that person just sweet medicine. You know, the point is not bitterness or sweetness.
The point is appropriateness. What is required for me? So, for a person with the psychophysical nature of say, Vaishya or Shudra, that person by doing the Vaishya Shudra activity, that person will get purified. And by getting purified, the person will become eventually liberated.
So, that’s like getting discharged from the hospital. So, we should not focus so much on the specifics, you know, this person has got more, I have got less. This person is giving this, I am doing that.
No, we focus on what is appropriate for us, according to psychophysical nature. And by doing that, we get elevated. So, adroho, don’t be envious.
And na atimanita. Atimanita, one does not demand respect. And as you said that, you know, in spiritual life, we can accept respect, but we don’t expect respect.
Accept means, if somebody offers respect, we accept it. Because we see that respect as a means for the reciprocation of love and the following of affection, the following of etiquette. So, we fold hands, we offer obeisances, all this is a part of Vaishnava etiquette.
And we do that. But the important point in doing all this is to recognise that this respect is not being offered to me, I am representing Krishna, and respect is being offered ultimately to Krishna. So, I should also offer respect to Krishna is present in the heart of this person.
So, generally, when we get praise, praise should deflate the mind, it shouldn’t inflate the ego. What does that mean? Generally, praise can inflate the ego. Somebody praises me, oh, I am so great, I have so much talent, I have this, I have that, I have that.
So, when other devotees praise us, we may think I am such a great person, I am such a great devotee. It can inflate our ego. But rather, a serious devotee can use praise to deflate the mind, deflate the mind.
Suppose, we give a good class, and then others come and appreciate, oh, you gave such a nice class, you told such a wonderful philosophy, you have helped me, you brought me out of ignorance, you have inspired me in devotional service. So, we may feel, we can become proud of this or we can let it inflate our ego or otherwise we can think, actually, I am so unworthy. Now, I know how much impurities I have in my heart and still Krishna is using me also.
Krishna is using me to serve him, to serve his mission by letting my message be broadcast, letting his message be broadcast even through me. So, Krishna is so great that he can use even an unworthy instrument like me. So, if Krishna is using me as an instrument, then to do good to others, then why should I be an obstacle, obstruction? Why should I be as resistant, less resistant as possible to Krishna’s mercy going through me? And the frivolousness of our mind is what, frivolousness of the mind, you know, okay, I’ll enjoy this, I’ll do this, I’ll do that.
You know, we, in every moment, we can be doing so much good to others. We can be doing so much good to others by sharing Krishna’s message, by connecting others to Krishna. Every moment, we can do so much for Krishna and help others come close to Krishna.
So, the mind has its own frivolous engagements, you know, I just waste time here, gossip over there, chit chat over there, all those things. But if you remember the gravity and the glory of the mission that we have, then we won’t let ourselves become affected by frivolousness. What we will do is we’ll recognise the seriousness of what we are doing and we’ll be inspired to devote ourselves to doing things seriously.
Each of us, we are not just a practitioner of devotional service, but we are also become a representative of devotional service. We become a representative of Krishna and Krishna is supreme doctor and we become assistant doctors. Even if we know very little, still we can give the medicine to others.
So, now imagine that if a doctor is on a hospital ward and the doctor is doctor is meant to attend to the patients and treat the patients who are in pain. Now, while in the hospital ward, the doctor starts flirting with the nurse, you know, and the patient is crying and dying in pain. That is so terrible.
So, like that, you know, we have a serious mission and when we are, if others appreciate us, others praise us, they tell us, you know, you are helping me so much in my spiritual life, this and that, and that should remind us that I have such a serious mission over here. And when I have a serious mission, I should not let my mind be caught in frivolousness. So, the frivolousness of the mind is very inappropriate when we understand the gravity of the mission that we have been entrusted.
So, when others praise us, we can let that praise remind us of the gravity of the mission and thereby deflate the mind, free the mind from its frivolousness. So, in this way, whenever mana comes, we can accept it, but not get intoxicated by it. And then Prabhupada explains that according to Vanashram, we cultivate them, these qualities.
Now, let us move forward to the next verse. So, Sampadam Asurim, this is the demoniac nature, the demoniac qualities. So, the qualities that comprise the demoniac nature.
So, what are these qualities? Pride, arrogance, conceit. Now, they seem similar. And they are in many ways similar, but there are slight differences of degrees.
There is egoist and there is egotist. Egoist is a person who thinks that I am a great person, I am a great person, I am a great person, has a big ego. But egotist is a person who talks about himself, oneself constantly.
We start talking something, anything, you know, yesterday I had gone to this place, and I saw this. Oh, you know, three years ago, I had gone to a similar place. And you know what happened at that time? So, everything the person hears, the person becomes an autobiographical hearer.
That means, whatever the person hears, that becomes a stimulus for rewinding the autobiography of that person. And that can be very irritating. So, that is egotist.
So, the ego is the centre. But in one case, one is just thinking about oneself. The other case, one is talking about oneself.
So, dambha, darpa and abhimana. So, dambha is where one wants to, one, actually we discuss, you know, adhamanitvam, adambhitvam. Dambha means where one does not have good qualities, still one wants to parade that I have good qualities.
And one wants credit for that. Darpa refers to where one may have good qualities, one wants to parade one’s qualities. And abhimana refers to where one wants maan.
As we discussed earlier, one is, we discussed earlier difference between stuti and maan. Stuti means that others praise and maan means we feel honour. So, there are correlations, but the focus is different.
So, dambha, darpa, abhimana. So, abhimana is where one is hungry for maan. So, one delights and resides and lives in maan only.
Without maan, a person cannot live. That’s why in the past, the kings would have bards. You know, bards are those who are actually, their only job is to glorify the king.
So, of course, if the king is a devotee, then the glory of the king is also connected with the glory of Krishna. That’s different. But there are people like that.
You just glorify, glorify the person, bards. So, abhimana, krodha parushyam eva ca. So, krodha and parushyam are similar.
Krodha is anger and parushyam is anger as expressed through speech. That is harshness. So, insensitive, hurting, sarcastic speech.
That is parushyam. Parushyam. So, how does the parushyam? So, you know, mardavam rirachapalam.
Mardavam was gentleness. So, the characteristic of a godly person is sensitive, gentle speech. So, mardavam.
So, we see that. You know, people often, especially materialistic people, they taunt others and they use ugly words. Using swear words, using foul words is so common among materialistic people, among godless people.
And sometimes people, the more nasty the swear words they use, they think that is good, that is cool. Actually, that is not cool. That is sign of a fool.
So, the way we speak, that is the way we think. And that is the way our whole culture gets affected. So, parushyam, harshness.
So, harsh speech is a characteristic of ajnanam ca bhijatasya. So, we discuss jnana yoga vivasthiti and svadhyaya in the polities of the godly, divine. So, they either have knowledge or they are cultivating knowledge through study.
But ajnana, the ungodly, the demoniac, they focus only on, if at all they have any jnana, that is just material knowledge. And they actually completely neglect spiritual life and spiritual knowledge. And in that way, they stay in darkness about spiritual life.
That is their misfortune. So, we will discuss about the demoniac more later. So, Prabhupada writes in the royal road to hell is described.
It is quite a graphic language, the royal road to hell. Why the royal road to hell? Generally, the royal road is something which is celebrated and glorified. So, the demoniac go proudly on this road.
That means the demoniac are proud of being harsh. They are proud of being arrogant. They are being proud of all these things.
So, that is very unfortunate. Royal road to hell is described. So, now, now at this point when Arjuna hears, now Arjuna is hearing everything quite seriously.
He is thinking, how does it apply to me? Now, when we go to a doctor and the doctor describes certain things about a disease and we are naturally hearing with concern. Are these characteristics, are these symptoms, is this relevant to me? How does it apply to me? So, Arjuna starts thinking that I am a Kshatriya, that I do violence. And in the Kshatriyas, before they fight, they goad each other.
They goad each other to fight and that is actually one of the joys of the martial spirit. You want to bring out the best from the other, best in terms of fighting expertise and skill. So, the person should have that fighting spirit and that person is often goaded.
So, sometimes the Kshatriyas also speak harshly to each other. So, he is thinking that I am going to fight a war and I will speak harshly. So, I am looking for a kingdom.
So, am I having demoniac qualities? So, Krishna says, no, no, no. First, he describes, mentions that daivi sampad vimokshaya. So, if one lives according to the divine nature, that will lead to liberation.
If one lives according to demonic nature, that will lead to bondage. Nibandhaya suri mata. Then Arjuna thinks, am I going to stay in bondage? But I want to live to become liberated.
So, Arjuna says, don’t worry. Krishna says, don’t worry because ma shucha sampadam daivim abhijato si paandava. Oh, Paandava, oh Arjuna, your sampada is daivi.
How is your sampada daivi? Because for a Kshatriya to fight in dharma yuddha is not demoniac. Actually, it is divine. It is essential.
Otherwise, how will order be maintained? Krishna says that he himself comes and to re-establish dharma, he has to do violence. So, violence in and of itself is not bad. Violence when it is unwarranted, that is bad.
But when for a dharma yuddha, violence is required, that is not bad. So, ma shucha sampadam daivim. Arjuna, do not fear.
Ma shucha’s phrase will come later in the 18th chapter also. Ma shucha, do not fear. Do not lament.
Your characteristic is divine. So, do not lament. Then Krishna describes further.
Dvabhuta sadgav loke smin daivasurevacha daivo vistarashya prokta prokta asuramparthame srunu So, dvabhuta sadgav loke smin. So, he says, in this world there are two kinds of people. There are daivi and asuri.
And daivo vistarashya prokta asuramparthame srunu. So, I have described in detail the divine nature to you and asuramparth. So, now I will describe to you the demoniac nature.
Now you may wonder, where has Krishna described the daivi qualities in detail? He has just described in three verses. And if you look from this chapter’s point of view, from the verse 7 to practically the end of the chapter till verse 20 or at least 19-20, there is a description of the demoniac nature only. So, then as compared to that, as compared to the length over which demoniac nature is described, the divine is very short.
So, why is Krishna using the word vistarashya? Daivo vistarashya prokta. I have described in detail. So, that detail does not refer to only what is described in the 16th chapter.
Krishna has described the godly qualities many times. In the second chapter, he has described it in the characters of Sita Pragya from 2.54 to 72. In the third chapter, he has also described about kings like Janaka and others who live in detachment.
In the fourth chapter also, he has described from 4.19 to 23, he has talked about the nishkama karma yogi. Then again, he has described a few verses in the fifth and sixth chapters also. And then especially in the 10th chapter, he has described the godly qualities, the qualities which come from Krishna.
Then in the 12th chapter especially, he has described the qualities of the devotees from 12.13 to 20. In the 13th chapter, he has described the characteristics of those in knowledge as 13.8 to 12. So, like that, and 14th chapter also Krishna has described the characteristics of those who are in goodness and also those who have transcended the modes.
So, all these are descriptions of those with godly qualities. So, Krishna is saying that I have described it elaborately in the previous chapters also. But now, asuramparthameshwaram.
So, now I will describe to you the demoniac qualities.