Divine and Demonic Qualities

A lesson on Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gita with Dr. M. A. Alwar

Reflections for the Sincere Yoga Practitioner

Chapter 16 of the Bhagavad Gītā is one of the most practical and psychologically revealing sections of the text. It does not speak about some distant heaven or abstract metaphysics, but about our own inner landscape: our fears, attachments, habits, and the way we treat other people. For anyone walking the yoga path – especially in the living Mysore Yoga Tradition – this chapter is like a mirror held up to the heart.

Spiritual Learning and Humility

When we study the Gītā sincerely, we quickly discover how vast spiritual truth really is. The more we learn, the more we realize how little we actually know. Spiritual knowledge is an ocean; what we can hold in the palm of our hand is always just a drop.

This insight naturally gives rise to humility. The truly learned never boast of having mastered spiritual truth. They speak softly, aware that even a small amount of genuine understanding is enough to calm the heart, soften the fear of losing home, family, money, and status, and give courage to face life’s changes.

At the same time, this humility raises a practical question: if we are honest about how much we don’t know, how much of our time and energy do we really give to spiritual practice, compared with all the ordinary pursuits that fill our days?

The Two Orientations: Daivī and Āsurī

Chapter 16 begins in a special way. Here, Kṛṣṇa does not wait for Arjuna’s question; he himself initiates the teaching. He describes two broad orientations of human nature:

• daivī – divine, godly, uplifting tendencies
• āsurī – demonic, binding, destructive tendencies

These are not labels for “good people” and “bad people.” The Gītā is very clear: no one is entirely divine, and no one is entirely demonic. We are all a mixture. Some people anger easily, some cry quickly, some are gentle, some cruel, many swing between extremes.

The purpose of this teaching is not to condemn others but to help us recognize, in ourselves, which tendencies free us and which bind us. For a sincere yoga aspirant, this is essential. It is not enough to do āsana beautifully if our character remains untouched. In the traditional Mysore Yoga culture, these inner qualities are considered the true measure of a practitioner.

Divine Understanding as Grace

Kṛṣṇa’s teaching also reminds us that understanding itself is a gift. We can attend classes, read books, listen carefully, and reflect deeply, but real insight does not come on demand. We can prepare the ground, but the flowering of knowledge happens in its own time, according to divine will.

The ancient ṛṣi-s and sages knew this. Out of compassion, they did not hoard their experience; they shared it freely, seeing the struggles of ordinary people and wishing to lift them out of confusion and fear. When we study the Gītā, we are standing in that same stream of compassion.

Youth, Enjoyment, and the Turn Toward Philosophy

In youth, the senses are powerful and the world feels like heaven. There is so much to enjoy that we rarely feel drawn to philosophy or introspection. Yoga may appear simply as exercise or a way to feel good.

As we grow older, life begins to reveal more of its truth. We face illness, conflict, disappointment, aging, and loss. We taste both intense enjoyment and deep suffering. Somewhere in this process, many of us pause and begin to ask:

What is the real meaning of my life?
What is the nature of the soul?
Why do I struggle so much at times and enjoy so much at others?

It is often at this point that the Bhagavad-gītā starts to speak to us more directly. Chapter 16 then becomes not just philosophy but a practical guide for self-examination.

The Divine Qualities (Daivī Sampad)

Kṛṣṇa gives a beautiful list of divine qualities. Possessing even one or two of them in some measure is a great blessing; consciously cultivating them is the path of spiritual evolution. These are exactly the qualities that a sincere yoga aspirant worries about in their own character. They form the inner essence of a traditional Mysore Yoga practitioner, even more than technical skill in postures.

A few of the key divine traits can be understood as follows.

Fearlessness and Detachment (abhayam and vairāgya)
Fear arises from attachment – to body, reputation, wealth, status, relationships, and ideas. We are anxious about disease, disgrace, loss of money or respect, defeat by someone more capable, or the loss of youth and beauty. As long as we cling tightly, fear remains.

Vairāgya does not mean indifference or neglect of duty; it means an inner lightness. We still care, we still act, but we hold outcomes more loosely. Less clinging, less fear. This quiet courage is a divine quality.

Purity in Body, Speech, and Mind
Cleanliness is threefold. Bodily care is obvious, but inner cleanliness is equally important.

• In speech: avoiding harsh, deceitful, or unnecessary words.
• In mind: letting go of jealousy, hatred, and constant criticism.

A yoga practitioner who values purity in all three begins to radiate calm and trustworthiness.

Truth-Seeking and Study (svādhyāya)
A divine-natured person is a steady student. Svādhyāya is not just occasional reading; it is a disciplined, reverent engagement with scripture and teachings that uplift the mind. For the Mysore Yoga Tradition, this means regularly contemplating texts like the Gītā, Haṭhayogapradīpikā, and other foundational works that shaped Krishnamacharya, Pattabhi Jois, and their teachers.

This kind of study anchors our practice in wisdom, not just habit.

Charity and Self-Control
Charity, in this context, means giving with discernment, not out of guilt or show. It includes generosity of time, attention, and kindness as well as material support.

Self-control means the senses do not rule us. The practitioner eats, rests, works, and enjoys, but with moderation and awareness. The mat is one place where this discipline is trained; life is where it is tested.

Deep Contemplation and Readiness to Admit Faults
Divine qualities include the capacity to turn inward, reflect, and face our own mistakes. Such a person can say, “I was wrong” without collapsing into shame or rushing into justification. If confession to others is not possible, they at least admit their errors before the indwelling Lord.

This simple honesty is a great purifier.

Ahimsā in Thought, Word, and Deed
Non-harming is not limited to abstaining from physical violence. It means restraining the impulse to injure others with sarcasm, gossip, or coldness. It extends even to the non-living world – how we treat our surroundings, our environment, and the shared spaces of practice.

In a Mysore-style room, this feeling is tangible: we try not to disturb others unnecessarily, we respect the space, and we value each person’s inner journey.

Truthfulness and Discernment in Speech
Divine speech is not just “saying what I think.” It is speaking what is true and helpful, and recognizing when it is better to remain silent. The Gītā teaches that truth itself is a form of the Divine.

A practitioner who guards their speech in this way brings peace wherever they go.

Freedom from Anger and Quarreling
Divine disposition does not mean never feeling anger, but not indulging it. Instead of feeding resentments and seeking fights, a divine character practices composure, listens more, and de-escalates wherever possible.

Peacefulness, Contentment, and Steadiness of Mind
A person growing in divine qualities experiences an underlying calm. They can strive and work hard, but without that burning restlessness to prove themselves or outshine others. Peace does not vanish at the first sign of difficulty; it has roots.

No Gossip; No Undermining Others
A divine orientation refuses to build connection by putting others down. It does not delight in spreading stories that damage relationships. In a community of yoga practitioners, this one quality alone can transform the whole atmosphere.

Compassion with Moral Steadfastness
Divine qualities hold softness and strength together. There is kindness, but not spinelessness; forgiveness, but not approval of injustice. Moral principles are held firmly, yet without harsh judgment.

Contrition and Gradual Mastery Over Temptation
Diverse temptations will continue to appear. A divine character does not pretend to be beyond them, but admits weakness, turns again toward the right, and slowly reduces the power of those habits. Progress is seen in small shifts: a little less impulsiveness, a little more space between desire and action.

None of these qualities appear overnight. They are cultivated patiently. The true sign of growth is very simple: a bit more honesty, a bit more fearlessness, a bit less anger, a bit more compassion than before.

The Demonic Qualities (Āsurī Sampad)

To grow, we must also clearly see what binds us. Kṛṣṇa describes the demonic tendencies not to shame us, but to help us recognize them and let them go.

A few of the key traits are:

Lack of Discrimination
There is no clarity about what should be done and what should not be done, what supports dharma and what opposes it. Decisions are driven mainly by impulse, convenience, or self-interest, not by conscience or wisdom.

Disregard for Cleanliness, Outer and Inner
There is little care for order, cleanliness, or self-discipline. Inwardly, there is no interest in practices that purify the mind and heart. The person may appear clever or successful, but there is a kind of inner carelessness.

Untruthfulness and Unreliability
A demonic tendency makes a person’s words unreliable. They lie easily, twist facts, and break promises when it suits their desires. Over time, others cannot trust them.

Denial of Anything Higher
There is no openness to God, soul, or anything beyond the senses. Everything is reduced to immediate, material reality. Spiritual questions are mocked or dismissed as fantasy.

It is not that honest doubt is wrong; in the Gītā, sincere questioning is welcomed. What binds is the arrogant refusal to even consider a reality beyond one’s current framework.

Slavery to Instinct
Whatever impulse arises, they follow. There is no pause, no self-restraint. The mind is constantly pushed around by urges for pleasure, power, or recognition.

Addiction to Sense Pleasure
Enjoyment becomes the main purpose of life. There is no moderation; even when consequences become serious, the person cannot stop. In business or relationships, ethics are easily sacrificed if they interfere with profit or pleasure.

Egotism and Narcissism
There is an inflated sense of self-importance. Such a person sees themselves as the center, exaggerates their own virtues, and minimizes the contributions of others. They revel in status and feel the world should recognize their greatness.

Gratitude is minimal. When things go well, they claim full credit. When things go badly, they blame others.

Mātsarya – Resentment of Others’ Good Qualities
Mātsarya is the inability to appreciate another’s excellence. When someone else shines, instead of joy or inspiration, there is irritation and the urge to pull them down. This inner refusal to honor others is a deeply destructive habit.

Abhiniveśa – Fear and Clinging
Abhiniveśa is a clinging to life, roles, possessions, and rigid ideas about reality. It makes us defensive, anxious, and resistant to change. We hold on tightly to our little identity and are afraid of anything that might challenge it. This fear blocks growth and clouds perception.

Humility and True Knowledge

A striking contrast emerges. Great scholars, in India and everywhere, are known for their humility. The deeper their knowledge, the more aware they are of what they do not know.

Those with demonic tendencies are the opposite: they are sure of themselves, loudly confident, unwilling to admit ignorance. They often parade their knowledge and feel offended if anyone questions them.

This is a universal law: true wisdom and pride cannot coexist in the same space. If the heart is filled with arrogance, there is no room for the divine.

Practicing as a Mysore Yoga Aspirant

For a practitioner shaped by the Mysore Yoga Tradition, Chapter 16 is not just an inspiring reading; it is a checklist for daily life. The same qualities Kṛṣṇa praises as divine are the ones a sincere yogī worries about in their own character:

Am I becoming more truthful?
Am I slowly reducing my anger?
Am I learning to rejoice in others’ success?
Am I speaking less harmfully and more helpfully?
Am I becoming more fearless through genuine detachment?

In the Mysore setting, āsana practice is a powerful container for this inner work. We learn discipline, steadiness, and humility on the mat – but the real test is how these qualities show up in our relationships, in our work, in how we handle conflict and loss.

A traditional practitioner is not defined only by series or postures, but by this inner refinement: a growing constellation of daivī qualities and an honest effort to abandon āsurī tendencies.

Kṛṣṇa’s Instruction: The Way Forward

Kṛṣṇa’s advice to Arjuna is both simple and demanding:

Abandon demonic qualities and hold firmly to divine qualities.

This is not a single decision but a lifelong practice. Each day, we can:

• Look within, with equanimity and detachment.
• Recognize our mixture of divine and demonic tendencies.
• Strengthen humility, truthfulness, non-harming, and self-restraint.
• Gradually reduce egoism, obsession with pleasure, dishonesty, and cruelty.

We remember that understanding itself is grace. Our task is to keep the heart sincere, to study, to practice, to associate with the truly wise, and to be willing to see ourselves honestly. Over time, by divine compassion, cognition ripens into real understanding, and our very nature is gently transformed.

In this way, the teaching of Chapter 16 becomes more than philosophy. It becomes the living essence of yoga: a journey from confusion to clarity, from fear to fearlessness, from self-centeredness to a life aligned with the divine presence in all beings.