In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna speaks of daivim sampath and asurim sampath. Those with demoniac qualities think of sense objects as lasting pleasures, and exhibit qualities like arrogance and pride. Ravana captured the wives of others, and did not think this was wrong. During the battle, Rama cut off Ravana’s heads, and every time, his heads came back, and it was only after hundred times, that Ravana was finally killed. Why was it so? Ravana had sinned by capturing the virtuous wives of others, and he was therefore repeatedly punished, before his evil life was brought to an end, said Valayapet Ramachariar, in a discourse.
Arjuna is sorrowful at the thought of having to fight his relatives. Lord Krishna tells him about daivim sampath and asurim sampath. Arjuna is blessed, because he had the grace of Lord Krishna at birth. Those who know that the body and the atma are different are those with a divine disposition. They are people who follow His orders. Those who violate His orders are those with a demonic nature. The Lord lists the qualities of those with virtue and those without. Again, the question may arise as to why He had to list the negative attributes also. Was it not enough to just list the qualities of righteous people? The answer to this would be that a doctor not only tells us what to do, but also tells the patient what not to do. In the same manner, Lord Krishna tells Arjuna about both desirable and undesirable qualities. Arjuna was not a violator of the Sastras, and yet he had not completely conquered his ego. Like many of us, he had what Bhagavan calls ‘atimanah’ — that is conceit. The Lord is reassuring him that he has had jayamana kataksha — that is the Lord’s glance at the time of birth and is therefore not asuric in nature.
