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Chapter 16 · The Divine and Demoniac Natures · 24 verses

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Character & ethicsChapter 16 · The Divine and Demoniac Natures

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 16.3

Divine qualities and Krishna’s reassurance

श्रीभगवानुवाच

अभयं सत्त्वसंश‍ुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थिति: ।

दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥ १ ॥

अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्याग: शान्तिरपैश‍ुनम् ।

दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्‍त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥ २ ॥

तेज: क्षमा धृति: शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता ।

भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥ ३ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir

jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ

dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca

svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam

ahiṁsā satyam akrodhas

tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam

dayā bhūteṣv aloluptvaṁ

mārdavaṁ hrīr acāpalam

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam

adroho nāti-mānitā

bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm

abhijātasya bhārata

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Qualities of Divine Nature

  1. 1The Lord lists vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, and freedom from envy and the desire for honor as qualities of godly people.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that divine qualities help us grow in spiritual understanding and become free from the material world.
  3. 3Practice forgiveness and cleanliness, and give up envy and the desire for honor.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 16, The Divine and Demoniac Natures: divine qualities and krishna’s reassurance.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Cultivate divine qualities in character.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Divine character

Krishna lists divine qualities. · linked passage

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 16.3 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?

Practice

Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.

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The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 16 ›
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Related verses

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Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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