The whole problem of Good and Evil is fundamentally a problem of CHOICE

The whole problem of Good and Evil is fundamentally a problem of CHOICE. In the complex patterns of life one does not always know what to choose and what not to choose. Yet man's happiness depends upon the choice he makes. The question of choice becomes all the more difficult because nothing is good or evil by itself.

Nature's forces or the Will of Nature impinge upon all forms of manifestation. These forces are neither Good nor Evil (a more precise term than "Bad") by themselves. They receive

their character of being good or evil through the impress which the human MIND puts on

them. It is the mind of man that imparts goodness or badness to the activities of nature

when man disassociates himself from Nature. This happens when man, thorough the

operations of his Mind, brings an element of Individual Will to bear upon the problem of life.

GITA ji describes these opposite forces as Daivi Sampatti and Asuri Sampatti; in everyday life we refer to them as Forces of Light and Darkness, with the corresponding properties of

the Divine and Demoniacal. Chapter 16:6 tells us "there are two types of beings in this world, the divine and the Asurika."

In Chapter 16, and several other locations in GITA ji, Bhagavan informs us of the Divine and Demoniacal properties:

1. Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and Yoga; almsgiving, control of the senses, Yajna, reading of the Shaastras, austerity, uprightness;
2. Non-injury, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquillity, absence of calumny, compassion to beings, un-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness;
3. Boldness, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of
pride; these belong to one born for a divine state, O descendant of Bharata.

4. Ostentation, arrogance and self-conceit, anger as also harshness and ignorance, belong to one who is born, O Paartha, for an Asurika state.

If one analyses the above list of divine properties, one would immediately notice that all of them refer to a condition of the MIND. It is the MIND of man that gives the forces of Nature their character. The forces of nature by themselves are neutral; when they pass through a min that is serene and tranquil then they assume a character of goodness; when they pass through a mind that is impure and selfish then they become dark and evil in their character.

It is interesting to note that throughout the list of demoniacal properties, GITA ji shows the presence of a sense of "I". It is the sense of "I" which imparts to the force a character of darkness or evil. The nature of demoniacal forces is brought out clearly in the following verses:

13. "This to-day has been gained by me; this desire I shall obtain; this is mine, and this wealth also shall be mine in future.

14. "That enemy has been slain by me, and others also shall I slay. I am the lord, I enjoy, I am successful, powerful and happy.
15. "I am rich and well-born. Who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice, I will give, I will rejoice. Thus deluded by ignorance. GITA 16: 13-15


Throughout the above there is a sense of "I" constantly present. This the GITA describes as "deluded by ignorance." Needless to say, there is much more on this topic; I urge sadhaks to read and study Chapter 16, and also Chapter 17 which extends the divine and demoniacal properties into the area of FAITH - "the Shraddhaa of the embodied, which is inherent in man's nature."


1. Threefold is the Shraddhaa of the embodied, which is inherent in their nature, the Saattvika, the Raajasika and the Taamasika. Do thou hear of it.
3. The Shraddhaa of each is according to his natural disposition, O descendant of Bharata. The man consists of his Shraddhaa; he verily is what his Shraddhaa is.
4. Saattvika men worship the Devas; Raajasika, the Yakshas and the Raakshasas; the others"the Taamasika men"the Pretas and the hosts of Bhutas. GITA 17: 2-4