06.038
Pancharatra: Bhagavad Gita 16th chapter.
The Blessed Lord said:
"Fearlessness, purity of heart, and steadfastness in the path of knowledge, along with charity, self-control, sacrifice, self-study, austerity, and honesty are the qualities to be cultivated."
The qualities of non-violence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, peace, non-slander, compassion towards all beings, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, and steadiness are described here.
O Bharata, the qualities such as brilliance, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, non-enmity, and humility are the divine attributes of a person born with a divine nature.
O son of Pritha, the qualities of one born with a demonic nature include hypocrisy, arrogance, excessive pride, anger, harshness, and ignorance.
The divine qualities lead to liberation, while the demonic qualities are considered to lead to bondage. Do not grieve, O son of Pandu, for you are born with divine qualities.
In this world, there are two types of beings created: the divine and the demonic. The divine nature has been elaborately described; now hear from me about the demonic nature, O Arjuna.
The demonic people do not know what is right engagement and what is renunciation. Cleanliness, proper conduct, and truth do not exist in them.
They claim that the world is unreal, without any foundation or God, and that it has arisen from mutual desire, questioning what other cause there could be.
Those who hold this view, with lost selves and small intelligence, engage in fierce deeds, becoming enemies of the world, leading to its destruction.
Driven by insatiable desires and filled with hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, they act out of delusion, embracing false views and engaging in impure practices.
They are engrossed in endless worries and eventual destruction, indulging in sensual pleasures, believing that this is the ultimate purpose of life.
Bound by hundreds of chains of hope, they are devoted to desire and anger, striving unjustly for the accumulation of wealth for the sake of sensual enjoyment.
"Today I have obtained this, I shall fulfill this desire. This is mine, and this wealth will be mine again."
The enemy has been slain by me, and I shall slay others too. I am the Lord, the enjoyer, accomplished, powerful, and content.
Deluded by ignorance, they think: "I am wealthy and noble-born; who else is equal to me? I will perform sacrifices, give gifts, and rejoice."
Many minds, bewildered and ensnared in the web of delusion, engrossed in sensual pleasures, descend into the impure hell.
Those who are self-conceited and stubborn, filled with pride, wealth, and arrogance, perform sacrifices in name only, hypocritically and without following the proper rules.
Those who are filled with ego, strength, pride, desire, and anger, and who hate me in their own and others' bodies, are envious.
I constantly cast those hateful, cruel, and lowest of mankind into demonic wombs in the worlds.
Those who are deluded and attain demonic births, failing to reach Me, O son of Kunti, descend to the lowest state of existence.
"Desire, anger, and greed are the three gates leading to hell, which are destructive to the self. Therefore, one should abandon these three."
O son of Kunti, when a person is liberated from these three gates of darkness, he acts for his own good and then reaches the highest state.
One who disregards the teachings of the scriptures and acts according to personal desires neither attains success, happiness, nor the ultimate goal.
Therefore, let the scriptures be your guide in deciding what is right and wrong. Having understood the teachings of the scriptures, you should act accordingly.
