दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च ।
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् ॥ १६.४ ॥
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता ।
मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव ॥ १६.५ ॥

dambho darpo’bhimānaś-ca krodha: pāruṣyam-eva ca |
ajñānam cābhijātasya pārtha sampadam-āsurīm || 16.4 ||
daivī sampad-vimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā |
mā śuca: sampadam daivīm-abhijāto’si pāṇḍava || 16.5 ||

Enumerating the divine qualities, Krishna gives a complete picture of human traits and tendencies. The description naturally covers the devilish or destructive traits also. Krishna’s list in this is longer and more detailed. Why should the evil tendencies be described at such length?

How to deal with harmful tendencies

Krishna has described earlier the process of imbibing good qualities. In fact, he has been talking about it all along. It is true that the sādhaka’s focus must always be on cultivating good and benevolent traits in himself. At the same time, he has to understand that the opposite qualities also constitute Nature and that in anyone these traits and expressions may be predominant. So, how to deal with evil becomes a very crucial question.

Moreover, the society he lives in is itself a blend of the two notes. He has to strive to safeguard against and win over the unwanted tendencies. So, he should be sufficiently poised to face the adverse notes and must go forward without getting unduly perturbed by them.

This means he has to make a provision in his mind for all kinds of individuals and groups around him. This is possible only through discretion and enlightenment, which alone have the power to contend and eliminate the demonic (āsurī) traits. The clarity and confidence instilled by this kind of spiritual enlightenment are ineffable. They help the seeker go forward without hesitation.

The purpose of spiritual wisdom or enlightenment is to imbue the seeker with right perception and strengthen his mind and intelligence to be effective in any situation. In wisdom alone lie innate power, resolve and skill.

Krishna continues with the description of the traits:

Ostentation including hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, hatred and anger, cruelty or harshness, ignorance and delusion – these are the features, Arjuna, of one born with destructive qualities. Divine traits conduce to liberation, freedom, and the destructive ones to bondage. Do not lament or grieve, Arjuna; you are born with the divine qualities.

In six characteristics, Krishna has summed up the destructive human tendencies. To pretend to be whatever one is not, is ostentation. A virtuous person will not feel the need to display his virtues deliberately. In all his thoughts and actions, his virtues will definitely find a place. No particular effort is necessary to consciously display them.

Arrogance or conceit is another destructive trait. The seeker must be humble, soft-spoken and considerate on all occasions. Arrogance is unspiritual. It will always bring downfall.

Abhimāna denotes pride. To be good and noble is laudable. But if it stimulates pride or infatuation, it spells danger. By its very nature, abhimāna is wrong and destructive. Like white ants devouring the very core of the timber they inhabit, arrogance and abhimāna destroy one’s inner personality.

Hatred and anger are also self-destructive traits. Pāruṣya denotes hardness or harshness. Spirituality has the sure effect of melting and softening one’s inner personality.

Krishna now speaks of ajñāna, ignorance. To remain blinded, refusing to listen to the words of the wise, or not heeding the pronouncements of Scriptures, is the result of sheer ignorance. How destructive it is to shut the doors to wisdom! But this is a distinct note of the non-divine people, the asura kind, says Krishna.

The seeker has to be watchful about the presence of such traits and prevalence of these in the society around. While he should strive to safeguard against them in himself, he should equally be ready to encounter these vices during his interaction with others. Without disgust, fear or intolerance he should persist with his spiritual elegance and resolve, even in the most adverse situations. And this is possible only by equipping himself with the right wisdom about the world and its allied complexities and challenges.

Krishna’s life was confronted with many a conflict. He had to meet and move with a variety of persons. It was a crucial occasion when Duryodhana and Arjuna both arrived in Dvāraka seeking Krishna’s favour to fight the Mahābhārata war. Imagine how grave was the unexpected confrontation it brought! Without losing composure, in all prudence and forethought, he ensured that Duryodhana got Dvāraka’s huge Nārayaṇī Army and Arjuna chose the unarmed Krishna himself. Āsurī tendency was met in its own style and terms, and the daivī after itself. Unless Krishna’s response was excellent, his behaviour exemplary in dealing with the occasion unaffectedly and judiciously, was such a splendid outcome possible?

While telling Arjuna that the divine traits alone will take one to the pedestal of supreme freedom, Krishna also emphasizes that the destructive traits surely have a binding effect. One should always therefore pay attention to cultivate necessary virtues, if his spiritual pursuit has to lead to fulfillment.

To Arjuna’s great relief, Krishna confirms: “O Arjuna, grieve not. You are born with divine tendencies”. By this, Krishna also assures seekers everywhere, that they are all endowed with divine qualities or attributes. This assurance is very important in the life of seekers. To strive for spiritual wisdom and perfection is good, great and the ultimate in human life. Whether the pursuit will be effective and will progress to fulfillment is a natural doubt of any seeking mind. This generates a feeling of uncertainty and a sense of despondency too. A good teacher has to redress this condition of the seeking mind effectively. Therefore words of assurance are indeed significant.

Anyone who has a mind to listen to or read spiritual dissertations is, by that very fact, imbued with spiritual virtues. It was in response to Arjuna’s spiritual submission and yearning that Krishna began to impart spiritual wisdom to him. Arjuna involved himself whole-heartedly in Krishna’s exposition of the supreme Truth and he began to raise pertinent questions. Does this not clearly show virtuousness in Arjuna?