Interpretation

The contrasting set of asuri sampat — demoniac qualities: hypocrisy (dambha — performing virtuous acts for show), arrogance (darpa — the swaggering pride of achievement), excessive self-conceit (abhimana — inflated ego-identity), anger (krodha — the reactive emotion that destroys wisdom), harshness (parusya — cruelty in speech and action), and ignorance (ajnana — the root of all the others). These are not qualities of literal demons but of any human being dominated by ego, fear, and self-centeredness. The Gita identifies these as the inner enemies that bind consciousness to suffering.