The Supreme Lord said: O Bharat, these are the qualities of a person born of a godly nature: fearlessness, gracious-heartedness, absorption in self-knowledge, generosity, sense-control, sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity, sincerity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, worldly detachment, tranquillity, disinclination to see the faults of others, compassion, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, stead-fastness, vigour, forgiveness, patience, purity, and freedom from malice and egoism.

O Partha, these are the qualities of a person born of an ungodly nature: pride, conceit, egoism, anger, cruelty, and ignorance.

The godly qualities have been described as the cause of liberation, and the ungodly qualities have been described as the cause of bondage. O Pandava, do not fear, for you are born of a godly nature.

O Partha, in this world the living beings are of two natures — the godly and the ungodly. I have elaborately described the godly nature to you, so now hear from Me about the ungodly:

The ungodly cannot distinguish between right and wrong action. No purity, good practices, or truthfulness can be found in them.

The persons of ungodly nature say the world is without truth, baseless, godless, and that everything is born of male and female union. They say that life has no purpose beyond lust.

Holding such a view, the demons, depraved and of low intelligence, become powerful and engage in cruel, inauspicious acts for the destruction of the world.

Giving themselves up to the delusion of insatiable desires for mundane enjoyment, such demons, full of vanity, pride, and arrogance, engage in grave malpractices.

Until death they remain burdened with endless cares. They think that mundane enjoyment is the goal of life. Bound by hundreds of wishes and overcome with desire and anger, they endeavour to amass wealth unlawfully to fulfill their desires.

The ungodly persons say, «Today I got what I wanted, and tomorrow I will also get what I want. All this is my wealth, and I will have even more in the future.»

«I have destroyed one enemy, and I will destroy others. I am successful, powerful, and happy.»

«I am wealthy and aristocratic. Who can compare with me? I shall perform sacrifice, give charity, and enjoy myself.» Thus they are deluded by ignorance.

Their minds full of vain thoughts, caught in the net of illusion and engrossed in mundane enjoyment, such ungodly persons fall to a foul hell.

Conceited, obstinate, and intoxicated by wealth and grandeur, ignoring the scriptural injunctions, these demons make a hypocritical show of sacrifices.

Given to egoism, pomp and power, lust and anger, they are resentful of Me, who am situated in their own and others’ bodies as the Supersoul, and they ascribe faults to the good qualities of the saintly persons.

I continually cast these resentful, cruel, inauspicious, and decadent persons into the demoniac species, in the cycle of birth and death.

O Kaunteya, repeatedly taking birth in the demoniac species, these deluded persons cannot come to Me, and they descend to lower and lower planes.

Lust, anger, and greed are the three doors of hell leading to self-destruction, so they must be abandoned.

O Kaunteya, one who is liberated from these three doors of darkness strives for the benefit of the soul, by which he attains the supreme destination.

One who acts according to his own desires, disregarding the scriptural injunctions, cannot attain perfection, happiness, or the supreme destination.

Therefore, the scriptural injunctions for duty and non-duty are your authority. Knowing your duty in this world according to the scriptures, you should act accordingly.