The sixteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is titled '𝘿𝙖𝙞𝙫𝙖-𝘼𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙖 𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙙 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙝𝙖𝙜 𝙔𝙤𝙜𝙖' which is attaining Union through the distinction of the Divine and Demonic Natures. '𝘿𝙖𝙞𝙫𝙖' is the internal journey towards Paramatma and '𝘼𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙖' is away from HIM. Krishna gave a detailed description of these two natures to help us identify our tendencies and correct course accordingly.

He concludes the chapter by saying that those who act under the impulse of desire, discarding the scriptural ordinance, attain neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme goal in life. He advises us to take the scriptures as our guide in determining what should be done and what should be avoided; to understand the scriptural injunctions and perform our actions in this world accordingly.

The seventeenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is titled '𝙎𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖 𝙑𝙞𝙗𝙝𝙖𝙜𝙖 𝙔𝙤𝙜𝙖', i.e. attaining union through insight into the three divisions of 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 (trust). This chapter starts with Arjun's question, "Those who worship, casting aside the scriptural ordinance, endowed with 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 (trust), what is their status? Are they of 𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙫𝙞𝙘, 𝙧𝙖𝙟𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 nature" (17.1)? Arjun's question is the most common question faced by all of us regarding scriptures in this fast changing world.

Krishna replies, "Every embodied being is born with innate 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 which can be of three kinds -𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙫𝙞𝙘, 𝙧𝙖𝙟𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘 (17.2). The 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 of each man is in accordance with his nature. This inclination is his pattern of being; he is verily what his 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 is" (17.3).

This innate 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙝𝙖 is the root cause of 𝙨𝙬𝙖-𝙙𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙢 (own nature). Because of this intrinsic origin, Krishna had earlier advised us to follow 𝙨𝙬𝙖-𝙙𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙢, even if it’s faulty or devoid of merits rather than following 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖-𝙙𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙢 (other's nature) (3.35). Thus, this chapter dwells on the various facets of 𝙨𝙬𝙖-𝙙𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙢 and how our behaviours are influenced accordingly.

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