daivī sampad vimokṣhāya nibandhāyāsurī matā
mā śhuchaḥ sampadaṁ daivīm abhijāto ’si pāṇḍava
daivī — divine;
sampat — qualities;
vimokṣhāya — toward liberation;
nibandhāya — to bondage;
āsurī — demoniac qualities;
matā — are considered;
mā — do not;
śhuchaḥ — grieve;
sampadam — virtues;
daivīm — saintly;
abhijātaḥ — born;
asi — you are;
pāṇḍava — Arjun, the son of Pandu
In this verse from the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna is speaking to his close friend Arjuna, who is confused and worried about going into battle. Krishna tells Arjuna not to be upset because he has divine qualities, which means good and noble traits. These divine qualities help a person become free and spiritually uplifted. On the other hand, there are demonic qualities—like anger, arrogance, and cruelty—that keep a person trapped in negative cycles of behavior and thinking.
Krishna reassures Arjuna that his doubts and hesitations about fighting are not signs of bad traits. Instead, they demonstrate that he cares and is thinking deeply about the right thing to do. Arjuna is particularly troubled because he does not want to hurt respected teachers and warriors like Bhisma and Drona in the battle. These feelings show that he is not acting out of hate or pride, which are often seen in demonic people. He is thoughtfully weighing the consequences of his actions, which is a sign of wisdom and virtue.
Krishna emphasizes that for a warrior, like Arjuna, it is his duty to protect and fight against the enemy. If he were to run away from this fight, it would be considered cowardly and against his nature as a warrior, or Ksatriya. Therefore, Krishna says that Arjuna should not be sad because he is fulfilling his role in life, which is a noble one.
In summary, this verse teaches us that feeling compassion and pondering our actions are qualities of a good person. It's about understanding what your duties are and fulfilling them without letting negative emotions take over. Krishna tells Arjuna that as long as he acts according to his true nature and remains mindful of his actions, he is on the right spiritual path.