abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir
jñāna-yoga-vyavasthitiḥ
dānaṁ damaś ca yajñaś ca
svādhyāyas tapa ārjavam
tyāgaḥ śāntir apaiśunam
dayā bhūteṣv aloluptvaṁ
mārdavaṁ hrīr acāpalam
adroho nāti-mānitā
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm
abhijātasya bhārata
śrī bhagavān uvāca-the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; abhayam-fearlessness; sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ-purification of one's existence; jñāna-knowledge; yoga-of linking up; vyavasthitiḥ-the situation; dānam-charity; damaḥ ca-and controlling the mind; yajñaḥ ca-and performance of sacrifice; svādhyāyaḥ-study of Vedic literature; tapaḥ-austerity; ārjavam-simplicity; ahiṁsā-nonviolence; satyam-truthfulness; akrodhaḥ-freedom from anger; tyāgaḥ-renunciation; śāntiḥ-tranquility; apaiśunam-aversion to faultfinding; dayā-mercy; bhūteṣu-towards all living entities; aloluptvam-freedom from greed; mārdavam-gentleness; hrīḥ-modesty; acāpalam-determination; tejaḥ-vigor ; kṣamā-forgiveness; dhṛtiḥ-fortitude; śaucam-cleanliness; adrohaḥ-freedom from envy; na-not; atimānitā-expectation of honor; bhavanti-become; sampadam-qualities; daivīm-transcendental; abhijātasya-one who is born of; bhārata-O son of Bharata.
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness, modesty and steady determination; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor-these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.
In the beginning of the Fifteenth Chapter, the banyan tree of this material world was explained. The extra roots coming out of it were compared to the activities of the living entities, some auspicious, some inauspicious. In the Ninth Chapter, also, the devas, or godly, and the asuras, the ungodly, or demons, were explained. Now, according to Vedic rites, activities in the mode of goodness are considered auspicious for progress on the path of liberation, and such activities are known as deva prakṛti, transcendental by nature. Those who are situated in the transcendental nature make progress on the path of liberation. For those who are acting in the modes of passion and ignorance, on the other hand, there is no possibility of liberation. Either they will have to remain in this material world as human beings, or they will descend among the species of animals or even lower life forms. In this Sixteenth Chapter the Lord explains both the transcendental nature and its attendant qualities, as well as the demoniac nature and its qualities. He also explains the advantages and disadvantages of these qualities.