Gita 16 Yoga of Divine Inheritance, spirituality and ethics

1. Introduction and summary of Chapter 16- The Yoga of Divine and Demoniacal Inheritance)
2. Chapter reading Chapter 16 - The Yoga of Divine and Demoniacal Inheritance (Gandhi's Gita):
   1. Analysis of the Comments by Gandhi, Mahadev Desai and Swami Sivananda
3. Key topics of chapter Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga:
   1. Verses 1 -3: Profile of the man born with the divine inheritance (Sattva). Daivisampat (divine wealth)
   2. Shloka 4: Profile of the man born with demonic inheritance
   3. Shloka 5: The divine inheritance (Arjuna) creates freedom, the diabolical (Duryodhana) bondage
   4. Verses 6-20: Characteristics of diabolical inheritance and the destruction that comes with it
   5. Verses 21-22: The three gates of hell (passion, anger and greed)
   6. Verses 23-24: Shastras as the authority to determine what should and should not be done. Emphasis on Karma Yoga
4. Reading the versified adaptation of this chapter
5. Analysis of each verse and its comments from chapter Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga (Gita Makaranadam of Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
6. Readings by Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna related to the Chapter 16- The Yoga of Divine and Demoniacal Inheritance
7. Exercises of Chapter 16 Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

In the sixteenth chapter, titled Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, on the science of yoga, as part of the Knowledge of Brahman in the Upanishad called Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna pointed out the relationship between spirituality and ethics, introducing the concept of the “divine” and “non-divine or demonic” qualities (pairs of opposites) of man.

Few people have exclusively a certain heritage. A man may have divine inheritance in much of his characteristics, but he may also have some diabolical inheritance. The objective of the human being is to eradicate the diabolical inheritance and develop the divine. The divine (Sattvic - Gunas) brings light, liberation and peace, the demonic brings darkness, slavery and violence.

Sri Krishna also explained the concept of Shastra (rules, Path of Self-control).

«Shastra also means that no one be a law unto himself.» Gandhi.

Swami Sivananda titled this discourse as “The Yoga of the Division between the Divine and the Demonic..”

In verses 1, 2 and 3, Sri Krishna enumerated the characteristics of those who are born with divine inheritance (Sattvas): firmness in Jnana (Knowledge) and in yoga (of Action), self-control, sacrifice, spiritual study, austerity (Tapas), Ahimsa. All of them fit the profile of Vyasa, Arjuna or Sri Krishna.

And in verse 4 he listed the characteristics of those born with the diabolical heritage: pretentiousness, arrogance, vanity, anger, rudeness, ignorance.. All of them fit the profile of Dhritirashtra (blind king of the Kauravas) or Duryodhana.

Arjuna continued to be depressed, so Sri Krishna reassured him by assuring him of his divine inheritance that would lead him to salvation:

«Divine qualities lead to liberation, demonic qualities lead to slavery. Do not grieve, O Arjuna, the son of Pandu, since you were born with divine virtues.» Bhagavad Gita 16-5.

The rest of this summary on the subject “Yoga Divine and Demoniacal Inheritance” is only available to students of the Gita Institute

Chapter 16, verse 19 (Swami Vidya Prakashananda): Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga

Yoga of the Field, Supreme Being, Threefold Faith

1. Jnana and Vedanta
2. Unity in diversity