- The Blessed Lord said -- Fearlessness, purity of mind, persistence in knowledge and yoga, charity and control of the external organs, sacrifice, (scriptural) study, austerity and recititude; (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Abhayam, fearlessness; sattva-samsuddhih, purtiy of the mind (sattva), mentally avoiding fraud, trickery, falsehood, etc. in dealings, i.e., honest behavior; jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih, persistence in knowledge and yoga-jnana means knowledge of such subjects as the Self, learnt from scriptures and teachers; yoga means making those things that have been learnt matters of one's own personal experience through concentration by means of withdraw of the organs etc.; persistence, steadfastness, in those two, knowledge and yoga;- this [This-refers to all the three from 'fearlessness' to 'persistence in knowledge and yoga'.] is the principal divine characteristic which is sattvika (born of the sattva quality). That nature which may occur in persons competent in their respective spheres, [Persons treading the path of Jnana-yoga or Karma-yoga have sattvika qualities. Some of the qualities mentioned in the first three verses occur only in the former, whereas the others are found in both or only in the latter.-Tr.]-that is said to be their sattvika attribute. Danam, charity, distribution of food etc. according to one's ability; and damah, control of the external organs-the control of the internal organ, santih, will be referred to later; yajnah, sacrifices-Agnihotra etc. sanctioned by the Vedas, and sacrifices in honor of gods and others [Others: Those in honor of the manes, humans and other beings. Brahma-yajna, the fifth sacrifice, is referred to separately by svadhyaya.] sanctioned by the Smrtis: svadhyayah, study of the Rg-veda etc. for unseen results; tapah, austerity, those concerning the body, etc., which will be stated (17.14-16); arjavam, rectitude, straigthforwardness at all times-. Further, (Ⅳ)

- Non-injury, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, control of the internal organ, absence of vilification, kindness to creatures, non- covetousness, gentleness, modesty, freedom from restlessness; (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Ahimsa, non-injury, abstaining from giving pain to creatures; satyam, truthfulness, speaking of things as they are, without unpleasantness and prevarication; akrodhah, absence of anger, control of anger that might result when offened or assulatd by others; tyagah, renunciation, monasticism-for, charity has been mentioned earlier; santih, control of the internal organ; apaisunam, absence of vilification-paisunam means backbiting; its absence is apaisunam; daya, kindness; bhutesu, to creatures in distress; aloluptvam, non-conveteousness, absence of excitement of the organs in the presence of objects; mardavam, gentleness, absence of hard- heartedness; hrih, modesty;; acapalam, freedom from restlessness, absence of unnecessary use of organs such as speech, hands and feet-. Besides, (Ⅳ)

- Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice, absence of haughtiness-these, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, are (the qualities) of one born destined to have the divine nature. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Tajah, vigour, not the brightness of the skin; ksama, forgiveness, absence of internal perturbation when offended or assaulted-absence of anger has been explained by us as the calming down of a perturbed mind; thus, forgiveness and absence of anger are distinguished; dhrtih, fortitude, a particular function of the mind which removes the tedium of the body and organs when they become exhausted, and being rejuvenated by which the body and organs do not feel any fatigue; saucam, purity-is of two kinds: external, with the help of earth and water; and internal, the cleanliness of mind and intellect, the absence of such impurities as trickery, attachment, etc.; purity of these two kinds; adrohah, freedom from malice, absence of the desire to injure others, absence of hatred; na-atimanita, absence of haughtiness-too much self-esteem (mana) is atimanah; one having that is atimani; its abstract form is atimanita; absence of that, na-atimanita, i.e., absence of the feeling of one's being too honorable. These (qualities) beginning with fearlessness and ending with this, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, bhavanti, are; (the qualities) abhijatasya, of one destined to have;-what kind of nature?-the daivim, divine; sampadam, nature-of one destined to have divine attributes, of one who is worthy of the excellence of the gods, i.e., of one who would be illustrations in future. Thereafter, the demoniacal nature is now being stated: (Ⅳ)

- O son of Prtha, (the attributes) of one destined to have the demoniacal nature are religious ostentation, pride and haughtiness, [Another reading is abhimanah, self-conceit.-Tr.], anger as also rudeness and ignorance. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

O son of Prtha, dambhah, religious ostentation; darpah, pride arising from wealth, relatives, etc.; atimanah, haughtiness, as explained earlier; and krodhah, anger; eva ca, as also; parusyam, redeness, using unkind words, e.g. to speak of a blind person as having eyes, an ugly person as handsome, a lowly born man as born of aristocracy, and so on; and ajnanam, ignorance, non-discriminating knowledge, false conception regarding what ought to be and ought not to be done; are (the attributes) abhijatasya, of one destined to have;-destined for what? in answer the Lord says-asurim, demoniacal; sampadam, nature. The consequences of these natures are being stated: (Ⅳ)

- The divine nature is the Liberation, the demoniacal is considered to be for inevitable bondage. Do not grieve, O son of Pandu! You are destined to have the divine nature. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

That which is daivi, divine; sampad, nature; is vimoksaya, for Liberation from the bondage of the world. The asuri, demoniacal nature; mata, is considered to be; nibandhaya, for inevitable bondage. So also is the fiendish nature. Now, when such a statement was made, the Lord, noticing Arjuna having this kind of inner cogitation-'Am I endowed with the demoniacal nature, or am I endowed with the divine nature?'-, says: ma, do not; sacah, grieve, O son of Pandu! Asi, you are; abhijatah, destined to have, born with the good fortune of having; daivim, the divine; sampadam, nature; i.e., you are destined for an illustrious future. (Ⅳ)

- In this world there are are two (kinds of) creation of beings: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been spoken of elaborately. Hear about the demoniacal from Me, O son of Prtha. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Dvau, two, in number; are the (kinds of) bhuta-sargau, creation of beings, of men. Sarga is derived from srj in the sense of that which is created. The persons themselves, who are created with the natures of gods and demons, are being spoken of as 'two creations of beings', which accords with the Upanisadic text, 'There were two classes of Prajapati's sons, the gods and the demons' (Br. 1.3.1). For, asmin, in this; loke, world, all (persons) can rationally be divided into two classes. Which are those two creations of beings? The answer is, the two are the daiva, divine; eva ca, and; the asura, the demoniacal which are being discussed. The Lord speaks of the need of restating the two that have been already referred to: Daivah, the divine creation of beings; proktah, has been spoken of; vistarasah, elaborately-in, 'Fearlessness, purity of mind,' etc. (1-3). But the demoniacal has not been spoken of in extenso.

Hence, O son of Prtha, srnu, hear of, understand; the asuram, demoniacal; me, from Me, from My speech which is being uttered in detail, so that this may be avoided. Up to the end of the Chapter the demoniacal nature is being presented as the qualities of creatures; for, when this is directly perceived, it becomes possible to eschew it: (Ⅳ)

- Neither do the demoniacal persons under- stand what is to be done and what is not to be done; nor does purity, or even good conduct or truthfulness exist in them. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Na, niether; do the asurah, demoniacal; janah, persons; viduh, understand; pravritim, what is to be done with regard to that which is a means to the human ends; and nivirttim, what is not to be done, the opposite of that (former) and from which source of evil one should desist. Nor only do they not know what is to be done and what is not to be done, na, nor; does saucam, purity; na api, or even; acarah, good conduct; or satyam, truthfulness; vidyate, exist; tesu, in them. The demons are verily bereft of purity and good conduct; they are deceitful and given to speaking lies. Further, (Ⅳ)

- They say that the world is unreal, it has no basis, it is without a God. It is born of mutual union brought about by passion! What other (cause can there be)? (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Te, they, the domoniacal persons; ahuh, say; that the jagat, world; is asatyam, unreal-as we ourselves are prone to falsehood, so is this whole world unreal; apratistham, it has no basis, it does not have righteousness and unrighteousness as its basis; it is anisvaram, without a God-nor is there a God who rules this (world) according to righteousness and unrighteousness (of beings). Hence they say that the world is godless.

Moreover, it is aparaspara-sambhutam, born of mutual union. The whole world is born of the union of the male and female impelled by passion. (That union is) kama-haitukam, brought about by passion. Kama-haitukam and kama-hetukam are the same. Kim anyat, what other (cause can there be)? There exists to other unseen cause such as righteousness, unrighteousness, etc. Certainly, the passion of living beings is the cause of the world. This is the view of the materialists. (Ⅳ)

- Holding on to this view, (these people) who are of depraved character, of poor intellect, given to fearful actions and harmful, wax strong for the ruin of the world. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Avastabhya, holding on to; etam, this; drstim, view; (these people) who are nasta-atmanah, of depraved character, who have deviated from the disciplines leading to the other world; alpa- budhayah, of poor intellect, whose intellect is indeed limited, engrossed with material things; ugra-kamanah, given to fearful actions-who are cruel by nature; and ahitah, harmful; i.e. inimical to the world; prabhavanti, wax strong; ksayaya, for the ruin; jagatah, of the world. This is the construction. (Ⅳ)

- Giving themselves up to insatiable passion, filled with vanity, pride and arrogance, adopting bad objectives due to delusion, and having impure resolves, they engage in actions. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

And asirtya, giving themselves upto; duspuram, insatiable; kamam, passion-a kind of desire; dambha-mana-mada-anvitah, filled with vanity, pride and arrogance; grhitva, adopting; asad-grahan, bad objectives, evil intentions; mohat, due to delusion, owing to non-discrimination; and asuci-vratah, having impure resolves; they pravartante, engage in actions in the world. Further, (Ⅳ)

- Beset with innumerable cares which end (only) with death, holding that the enjoyment of desirable objects is the highest goal, feeling sure that this is all. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Upasritah, beset with; aparimeyam, innumerable; cintam, cares-worries that defy estimation of their limits!, i.e., constantly burdened with cares; pralayantam, which end (only) with death; kama-upabhoga-paramah, holding that the enjoyment of desirable objects is the highest goal- kama is derived in the sense of 'that which is desired for', viz sound etc.; considered their enjoyment to be the highest; having their minds convinced thus that this alone, viz the enjoyment of desirable objects, is the highest human goal; niscitah, feeling sure; iti, that; etavat, this is all- (Ⅳ)

- Bound by hundreds of shackles in the form of hope, giving themselves wholly to passion and anger, they endeavor to amass wealth through foul means for the enjoyment of desirable objects. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Baddhah, bound, being impelled, being lured from all sides; asa-pasa-sataih, by hundreds of shackles in the from of hope-the hopes themselves are the shackles; by hundreds of these; kama- krodha-parayanah, giving themselves wholly to passion and anger, having passion and anger as their highest resort; ihante, they endeavor; artha- sancayan, to amass wealth; anyayena, through foul means, i.e. by stealing others' wealth, etc.; kama- bhoga-artham, for the enjoyment of desirable objects-in order to enjoy desirable objects, not for righteous acts. Their intentions, too, are of this kind: (Ⅳ)

- 'This has been gained by me today; I shall acquire this desired object. This is in hand; again, this wealth also will come to me.' (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Idam, this thing; labham, has been gained; maya, by me; adya, today; prapsye, I shall acquire; idam, this other; manoratham, desired object which is delectable to the mind. And idam, this; asti, is in hand; punah, again; idam, this; dhanam, wealth; api, also; bhavisyati, will come; me, to me, in the next year. Thereby I shall become rich and famous. (Ⅳ)

- 'That enemy has been killed by me, and I shall kill others as well. I am the lord, I am the enjoyer, I am well-established, mighty and happy.' (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Asau, that; unconquerable satruh, enemy, named Devadatta; hatah, has been killed; naya, by me; and hanisye, I shall kill; aparan, the other wretched ones. What will these pitiable persons do? There is none equal to me at all. Aham, I; am the isvarah, lord; I am the bhogi, enjoyer; and I am siddhah, well-established in every respect-I am blessed with sons, and grandsons born of sons and daughters. Not only am I a man, but I am also balavan, mighty; and I myself am sukhi, happpy; others are born to be but a burden to the earth! (Ⅳ)

- 'I am rich and high-born; who else is there similar to me? I shall perform sacrifices; I shall give, I shall rejoice,'-thus they are diversely deluded by non-discrimination. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Adhyah, I am rich in wealth; abhi-janavan, high-born in respect of my lineage; my seven generations are endowed with Vedic learnig etc. From that point of view also there is none equal to me. Kah anyah, who else; asti, is there; sadrsah, similar; maya, to me? Besides, yaksye, I shall perform sacrifices; in respect of sacrifices also I shall defeat others. Dasyami, I shall give-to actors and others; modisye, I shall rejoice, and I shall derive intense joy. Iti, thus; are they ajnana- vimohitah, diversely deluded by non- discrimination, subject to various indiscrimination. (Ⅳ)

- Bewildered by numerous thoughts, caught in the net of delusion, (and) engrossed in the enjoyment of desirable objects, they fall into a foul hell. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Aneka-citta-vibhrantah, bewildered by numerous thoughts, confounded variously by thoughts of the kind stated above; moha-jala- samavrtah, caught in the net of delusion-moha is non-discrimination, lack of understanding; that itself is like a net because of its nature of covering; enshrouded by that; prasaktah, engrossed; kama- bhogesu, in the enjoyment of desirable objects, being immersed in that itself; they patanti, fall, owing to the sins accumulated thereby; asucau, into a foul; narake, hell, such as Vaitarani. [Vaitarani: It is the most terrible place of punishment; a river filled with all kinds of filth-blood, hair, bones etc., and running with great impetuosity, hot and fetid. The other hells are Tamisra, Andhatamisra, Raurava, Kumbhipaka, and so on.] (Ⅳ)

- Self-conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices which are so in name only, with ostentation and regardless of the injunctions. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Atma-sambhavitah, self-conceited, considering themselves by themselves to be possessed of good qualities-not considered to be so by holy men; stabdhah, haughty, having minds that are not humble; dhana-mana-mada-anvitah, filled with (anvita) the pride (mana) and intoxication (mada) of wealth (dhana); te, they; yajnate, perform sacrifices; namayajnaih, which are so in name only; dambhena, with ostentation, with religious hypocrisy; avidhi-purvakam, regardless of the injunctions-without subsidiary rites and proper methods of performance as enjoined. (Ⅳ)

- Resorting to egotism, power, arrogance, passion and anger, hating Me in their own and others' bodies, (they become) [As the finite verb is missing in the verse, we have supplied 'they become'. S. adds the verb prabhavanti, wax strong, from verse 9, and constructs the last portion thus: '...the envious ones wax strond.' Following S. S., however, one may combine this verse with the preceding verse by taking 'perform sacrifices' as the finite verb.-Tr.'] envious by nature. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Ahankaram, egotism-that which considers the Self to which have been imputed actual and imaginary qualities as 'I am this', which is called ignorance and is most painful, and is the source of all ills as also of all evil deeds; so also balam, power, which seeds to defear others and is associated with passion and desire; darpam, arrogance, a particular defect abiding in the mind, on the upsurge of which one transgresses righteousness; kamam, passion with regard to women and others; krodham, anger at things tha are undesirable;-samsritah, resorting to these and other great evils; and further, pradvisantah, hating; mam, Me, God-transgression of My commands is hatred (towards Me); indulging in that, atma-para- dehesu, in their own and others' bodies as the witness of their intellects and actions; (they become) abhyasuyakah, envious by nature, intolerant of the qualities of those who tread the right path. (Ⅳ)

- I cast forever those hateful, cruel, evil-doers in the worlds, the vilest of human beings, verily into the demoniacal classes. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Because of their defect of unrighteousness, aham, I; ksipami, cast, hurl; ajasram, forever; all tan, those; who are dvisatah, hateful of Me; kruran, cruel; and asubhan, who are evil doers; samsaresu, in the worlds-who are on the paths leading to hell; who are the nara-adhaman, vilest of human beings, who are opposed to the right path, who are hostile to the pious people; eva, verily; asurisu, into the demoniacal; yonisu, classes-tigers, loins, etc., which are full of evil deeds. The verb cast is to be connected with 'into the classes'. (Ⅳ)

- Being born among the demoniacal species in births after births, the foods, without ever reaching Me, O son of Kunti, attain conditions lower than that. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Apannah, being born, having acquired; (births) asurim, among the demoniacal; yonim, species; janmani janmani, in births after births; the mudhah, fools, non-discriminating ones; being born in every birth into species in which tamas prevails, and going downwards, aprapya eva, without ever reaching, approaching; mam, Me, who am God; O son of Kunti, yanti, they attain; gatim, conditions; tatah adhamam, lower even than that. Since there is not the least possibility of attaining Me, what is implied by saying, 'without ever reachin Me', is, 'by not attaining the virtuous path enjoined by Me.' This is being stated as a summary of all the demoniacal qualities. The triplet-under which are comprehended all the different demoniacal qualities though they are infinite in number, (and) by the avoidance of which (three) they (all the demoniacal qualities) become rejected, and which is the root of all evils- is being stated: (Ⅳ)

- This door of hell, which is the destroyer of the soul, is of three kinds-passion, anger and also greed.

Therefore one should forsake these three. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Idam, this; dvaram, door; narakasya, of hell- for entering it; which is the nasanam, destroyer; atmanah, of the soul; is trividham of three kinds. It is that by the mere entry into which the soul perishes, i.e., it ceases to be fit for attaining any human goal. hence it is said that it is the door which is the destroyer of the soul. Which is that? Kamah, passion; krodhah, anger; and also lobhah, greed. Tasmat, therefore; tyajet, one shoud forsake; etat trayam, these three. Since this door is the destroyer of the soul, therefore one should renounce this group of three-passion etc. This is a eulogy of renunciation. (Ⅳ)

- O son of Kunti, a person who is free from these three doors to darkness strives for the good of the soul. Thereby he attains the highest Goal. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

O son of Kunti, narah, a person; who is vimuktah, free; etaih, from these; tribhih, three; tamo-dvaraih, doors to darkness, i.e., passion etc. which are doors to the darkness of hell consisting of sorrow and delusion; freed from three three which are such, acarati, strives for;-for what?- sreyah, the good; atmanah, of the soul: debarred by which (doors) he could not strive earlier, and on the dispelling of which he strives. Tatah, thereby, as a result of that striving; yati, he attains; the param, suprme; gatim, Goal, i.e. Liberation, as well. [Not only does he attain Liberation by renouncing the demoniacal qualities, but he also secures happiness in this world.] The scripture is instrumental in this complete renunciation of the demoniacal qualities and striving for what is good. Both can be undertaken on the authority of the scriptures, not otherwise.

Hence, (Ⅳ)

- Ignoring the precept of the scriptures, he who acts under the impulsion of passion,-he does not attain perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme Goal. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Utsrjiya, ignoring, setting aside; sastra- vidhim, the precept of the scriptures, which is th source of the knowledge of what is duty and what is not-called injunction and prohibition; yah, he who; vartate, acts; kama-karatah, under the impulsion of passion; sah, he; na, does not; avapnoti, attain; siddhim, perfection, fitness for Liberation; nor even sukham, happiness in this world; nor even the param, supreme best; gatim, Goal-heaven or Liberation. (Ⅳ)

- Therefore, the scripture is your authority as regards the determination of what is to be done and what is not to be done. After understanding (your) duty as presented by scriptural injunction, you ought to perform (your duty) here. (Ⅲ)

- Sri Sankaracharya's commentary (english) :

Tasmat, therefore; sastram, the scripure; is te, your; pramanam, authority, the means of knowledge; karya-akarya-vyavasthitau, as regards the determination of what is to be done and what is not to be done.

Therefore, jnatva, after understanding; that which is your own karma, duty; sastra-vidhana-uktam, as presented by scriptural injunction-vidhana is the same as vidhi, precept, in the form, 'you should do', 'you should not do'; as presented by that; arhasi, you ought; kartum, to perform; it iha, here. 'Here' is used for pointing out the sphere in which one is intitled to perform his duties. (Ⅳ)