द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोके ऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च । दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्तो आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ॥
dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca | daivo vistaraśaḥ prokto āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu ||
Two kinds of beings exist — daiva and āsura. The divine has been described; now hear the āsura from Me, O Arjuna.
Word by word (3)
- dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin
- — two (dvau) creations/types (sargau) of beings (bhūta) in this world (loke asmin) — the binary ontology of character
- daiva āsura eva ca
- — the divine (daiva) and the āsura (demoniac) — the chapter's organizing duality
- daivo vistaraśaḥ prokto āsuraṃ pārtha me śṛṇu
- — the divine has been proclaimed at length (vistaraśaḥ proktaḥ); now hear (śṛṇu) the āsura from Me (me), O Pārtha — transition pivot
In this world there are two types of created beings: the divine and the demoniac. The divine has been described at length. Now hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the demoniac.
A modern analogy
A doctor first describes health in detail — normal blood pressure, proper functioning of organs, balanced nutrition — because health is complex and positive. Then describes disease more briefly — because disease is always a narrowing of the healthy template. Similarly, daivī-sampad required 26 qualities; āsurī-sampad needed only 6 root qualities.
V6 is the pivot verse of Ch.16: the transition from the daivī portrait (V1-5) to the āsurī portrait (V7-20). It restates the binary structure and formally opens the āsurī section with 'me śṛṇu' (hear from Me). The 'two sargau' (two types of created beings) raises an important question: is this a permanent ontological division or a characterological description? V5 answers: Arjuna, you are daivī — implying movement is possible.
The word sarga (creation/emission) is chosen carefully — it points to these as two streams of emanation from the same ultimate source. Both daiva and āsura beings are 'created' (sarga) — neither is outside Brahman. The demonic orientation is not a metaphysical substance but a mode of misidentification. This protects against a Manichean reading of the chapter.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
There are two creations of beings in this world, the divine and the demoniac. The divine has been described at length; hear from Me, O Partha, of the demoniac. [1]
There are two types of beings in this world, the divine and the Asurika. The divine have been described at length; hear from Me, O Partha, of the Asurika. [4]
There are two kinds of created beings in this world, the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been described at length; hear from me, O Arjuna, about the demoniacal. [9]
There are two kinds of created beings in this world, the god-like and the demoniac. The god-like have been described at length. Hear now, from me, O son of Pritha, about the demoniac. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
For the protection of the good, destruction of wickedness, establishment of dharma — I come, age after age.
Approach the teacher with prostration, inquiry, and service. The knowers of truth will instruct you in jñāna.
O Pārtha — no destruction for that one, neither here nor hereafter. For never does any doer of good come to an evil end.
Even if the most sinful worships Me with undivided devotion — he must be deemed righteous, for he has rightly resolved.
Daivī wealth begins: abhaya, sattva-śuddhi, jñāna-yoga, dāna, dama, yajña, svādhyāya, tapa, ārjava.
More daivī qualities: ahiṃsā, satya, akrodha, tyāga, śānti, apaiśuna, dayā, aloluptva, mārdava, hrī, acāpala.