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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
16.516.7

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 16.6

Demoniac qualities and their consequences

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च ।

दैवो विस्तरश: प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे श‍ृणु ॥ ६ ॥

dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin

daiva āsura eva ca

daivo vistaraśaḥ prokta

āsuraṁ pārtha me śṛṇu

Translation

O son of Pṛthā, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called divine and the other demoniac. I have already explained to you at length the divine qualities. Now hear from Me of the demoniac.

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.

Divine and Demoniac Qualities

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa says there are two kinds of beings: divine and demoniac. Having explained divine qualities, He now describes the demoniac.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that divine beings follow scriptural rules and authorities, while demoniac beings ignore these rules and act as they please.
  3. 3Perform your duties according to authoritative scripture, rather than simply doing whatever you want.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 16, The Divine and Demoniac Natures: demoniac qualities and their consequences.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Cultivate divine qualities in character.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: daivī-sampat, dharma.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 16.6 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to character & ethics?

Practice

Choose one virtue to practice consciously today.

4

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 16.7Demoniac qualities and their consequencesBG 16.8Demoniac qualities and their consequencesBG 12.13Qualities of a devotee dear to Krishna

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

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.