Shloka 4
Nirmaryāda-saṃgrāma-varṇana — The Unbounded Clash and Bhīṣma’s Rallying Presence
दम्भोः? दर्पोडभिमानश्षु क्रोध: पारुष्यमेव च । अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्,हे पार्थ! दम्भ, घमण्ड5 और अभिमानः तथा क्रोध, 5 कठोरतारँ और अज्ञानः भी--ये सब आसुरी-सम्पदाको लेकर उत्पन्न हुए पुरुषके लक्षण हैं*
dambho darpo 'bhimānaś ca krodhaḥ pāruṣyam eva ca | ajñānaṁ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadam āsurīm ||
Arjuna said: “O Pārtha, hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these are the marks of one born into the demonic endowment. Such traits distort judgment and conduct, turning a person away from ethical restraint and toward destructive, self-driven action.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse lists defining traits of āsurī-sampad (demonic disposition): hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance. Ethically, it warns that these inner vices corrupt perception and behavior, undermining dharma and leading to harmful action.
In the discourse context, a speaker identifies and categorizes character traits, distinguishing destructive dispositions from dharmic ones. This functions as moral instruction: recognizing these qualities helps one avoid them and cultivate a more disciplined, truthful, and wise life.