Character determines direction.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता |मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव ||१६-५||
daivī sampadvimokṣāya nibandhāyāsurī matā . mā śucaḥ sampadaṃ daivīmabhijāto.asi pāṇḍava ||16-5||
Use this verse for a freedom-vs-bondage habit audit.
Meaning
Divine qualities lead to liberation, while asuric qualities lead to bondage. Do not grieve, O Pandava, you are born with divine qualities.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Divine qualities free us; asuric qualities bind us.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Krishna gives a simple spiritual diagnostic: qualities are not cosmetic, they create destiny. Divine qualities open freedom; asuric qualities create bondage. He also reassures Arjuna, showing that guidance should correct and encourage.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna draws the conclusion that gives the whole comparison its weight: the divine qualities lead to vimoksha, liberation, while the demoniac ones bind us ever tighter to bondage. The two sampads are not merely styles of personality; they are roads heading in opposite directions, one toward freedom and one toward fetters self-forged.
Then comes a tender turn. Sensing Arjuna's anxiety — perhaps the fear that he might harbour some of those darker traits — Krishna gently reassures him: ma shuchah, do not grieve, for you are born of the divine nature. This is the compassion at the heart of the teaching.
The map of dangers is drawn not to frighten the seeker but to encourage him, affirming that his fundamental orientation is already toward the light.
In daily life
Choose qualities based on whether they free or bind you.
A person can review one habit and ask whether it creates freedom or bondage.
Try this today
Mark one habit as liberating or binding.
I choose qualities that lead to freedom.Reflect
Is this quality freeing me or binding me?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘मता’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on bondage, in other chapters
- Verse 8.19Driven by past karma, beings are swept helplessly through endless cycles; true freedom means stepping beyond the wheel entirely.
- Verse 6.38 · ArjunaThe fear of losing both worlds is real and human, but it is worth voicing honestly so it can be answered.
- Verse 10.32Of all knowledge, the science of the Self is supreme — it alone liberates and ends all sorrow.
- Verse 9.13Greatness of soul is an undivided heart — devotion that flows naturally from seeing the Divine as the source of all.
Swipe left for 16.6 · Spiritual growth requires honest pattern recognition.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 16.5
Who says Bhagavad Gita 16.5, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 16.5, in Chapter 16, Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga (Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 16.5 mean?
Divine qualities lead to liberation, while asuric qualities lead to bondage. Do not grieve, O Pandava, you are born with divine qualities. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 16.5 for daily life?
Choose qualities based on whether they free or bind you. A person can review one habit and ask whether it creates freedom or bondage.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 16.5 mean?
दैवी सम्पत् — the divine endowment; विमोक्षाय — for liberation; निबन्धाय — for bondage; आसुरी — the demoniac (nature); मता — is considered, is deemed.
Where does verse 16.5 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 5 of 24 in Chapter 16, Daivasura Sampad Vibhaga Yoga. The next verse is 16.6.