Verse-20
Chapter 16 — Daivasursampada Vibhag Yoga
Verse 20
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
āsurīṁ yonimāpannā mūḍhā janmani janmani
māmaprāpyaiva kaunteya tato yāntyadhamāṁ gatim
🕉 English Translation
Hai dweshi lage paap karmon mein bhi,
Jalim hain aise manushya neech hee.
Barambar aiso ko iss lok mein,
Asur yoniyon mein girata hun mai.
📜 Translation
English
O Arjun! Those deluded ones taking birth in the demoniac wombs birth after birth without attaining Me go to even lower state of existence.
After giving a warning about casting them into demoniac wombs, the Lord now describes what follows. The birth in demoniac wombs birth after birth leads further downward. Without attaining the Supreme, without taking refuge in Him, the cycle continues. The demoniac tendencies once entrenched keep pulling the being towards lower and lower existences. The opportunity of human birth which is the means for attaining liberation is squandered. The being goes further away from the Lord and deeper into the cycle of births in lower existences.
The entire purpose of the description of demoniac qualities is a compassionate warning from the Lord. He does not want any embodied being to go through this terrifying downward spiral. The divine qualities lead to liberation; the demoniac qualities lead to bondage and further downfall. The choice lies with the human being who alone among all creatures has the power of discrimination. Use this power wisely. Recognize the demoniac tendencies when they arise and turn away from them. Cultivate the divine qualities. This is the clear and urgent message of this magnificent chapter.