Bhagavad Gita BG 16.6
Chapter 16, Verse 6 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च । दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ॥
dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin daiva asura eva ca daivo vistarashah prokta asuram partha me shrnu
Meaning
There are two types of created beings in this world — the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length. Hear from Me of the demonic, O Partha.
Understanding
A structural pivot in Ch16: dvau bhuta-sargau (two creations/types of beings) in this world — daiva (divine) and asura (demonic). These are not cosmic divine beings and demons of mythology — they are two fundamental orientations of the human soul. Daivo vistarashah prokta (the divine has been described at length — in v1-3). Now: asuram partha me shrnu (O Partha, hear from Me of the demonic). The word shrnu (hear, listen) is significant: this requires active, careful listening. The demonic qualities are not to be dismissed or treated lightly — they are real tendencies in the human psyche that lead to suffering. The extended teaching on the asura in v7-20 is one of the Gita's most penetrating psychological portraits.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| भूतसर्गौ | bhuta-sargau | two creations/types of beings (sarga = creation, emission) |
| विस्तरशः | vistarashah | in detail, at length, thoroughly |
| प्रोक्त | prokta | declared, spoken about (pra + ukta) |
| शृणु | shrnu | hear, listen (imperative — active listening required) |
| द्वौ | dvau | two |
| भूत-सर्गौ | bhūta-sargau | creation of beings |
| लोके | loke asmin | in this world |
| दैवः | daivaḥ | divine |
| आसुरः | āsuraḥ eva ca | and demoniac |
| दैवः | daivaḥ | the divine |
| विस्तरशः | vistaraśaḥ | in detail |
| प्रोक्तः | proktaḥ | has been described |
| आसुरम् | āsuram | the demoniac |
| पार्थ | pārtha | O Arjuna |
| मे | me śṛṇu | hear from Me |
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