142 - Daivi and Asuri Sampat | Swami Tattwamayananda

The 16th chapter discusses human characteristics by dividing them into two groups. The first group is called Daivi Sampat – those who have divine spiritual characteristics and are naturally inclined to do good. The second group is called Asuri Sampat – those who have a natural instinct for the opposite qualities.<br /><br />For example, there are some who live in the world, do their normal jobs, but follow the principle of modesty, honesty and self-restraint. They acquire these good qualities through good actions in their previous life. They follow the path of dharma, in their pursuit of artha and kama. Such people are endowed with daivi sampat.<br /><br />Kama means desire. Artha refers to the means to acquire material comforts and fulfill desires. Both artha and kama are regulated by dharma, a self-regulating mechanism and a sense of self-restraint.<br /><br />Those endowed with asuri sampat, follow the path of material comforts without self-restraint.<br /><br />In this chapter, Lord Krishna talks about 26 characteristics of those endowed with daivi sampat and 6 characteristics of those endowed with asuri sampat.<br /><br />Shankaracharya says in the second chapter that the qualities of a spiritually enlightened person are listed as they show the path to us to become spiritually enlightened. All these characteristics have two stages. In the first stage, one reads and practices. In the second stage, the person is naturally established in the higher quality.<br /><br />The 1st verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with daivi sampat:<br /><br />He is fearless. He is not afraid of anyone and no one is afraid of him.<br /><br />He has purity of mind. His mind, thoughts, words and actions agree on the same thing. His mind is devoid of unspiritual tendencies.<br /><br />He is established in Jnanam. He understands the impermanent nature of the world and that only the divine reality is permanent. He follows the teachings of ancient masters who recorded their spiritual experience.<br /><br />He h