Chapter 16, Verse 1-3.
The
Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purification of one's existence,
cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance
of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity; nonviolence,
truthfulness, freedom from anger; renunciation, tranquility, aversion
to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness; gentleness,
modesty and steady determination; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude,
cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor--these
transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed
with divine nature.
Chapter 16, Verse 4.
Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance--these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Prtha.
Chapter 16, Verse 5.
The
transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the
demoniac qualities make for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Pandu, for
you are born with the divine qualities.
Chapter 16, Verse 6.
O
son of Prtha, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One
is called the divine and the other demoniac. I have already explained to
you at length the divine qualities. Now hear from Me of the demoniac.
Chapter 16, Verse 7.
Those
who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be
done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in
them.
Chapter 16, Verse 8.
They
say that this world is unreal, that there is no foundation and that
there is no God in control. It is produced of sex desire, and has no
cause other than lust.
Chapter 16, Verse 9.
Following
such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have
no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to
destroy the world.
Chapter 16, Verse 10.
The
demoniac, taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride and false prestige,
and being thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted
by the impermanent.
Chapter 16, Verse 11-12.
They
believe that to gratify the senses unto the end of life is the prime
necessity of human civilization. Thus there is no end to their anxiety.
Being bound by hundreds and thousands of desires, by lust and anger,
they secure money by illegal means for sense gratification.
Chapter 16, Verse 13-15.
The
demoniac person thinks: "So much wealth do I have today, and I will
gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will
increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed
him; and my other enemy will also be killed. I am the lord of
everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the
richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so
powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give
some charity, and thus I shall rejoice." In this way, such persons are
deluded by ignorance.
Chapter 16, Verse 16.
Thus
perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, one
becomes too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and falls down into
hell.
Chapter 16, Verse 17.
Self-complacent
and always impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige, they
sometimes perform sacrifices in name only without following any rules or
regulations.
Chapter 16, Verse 18.
Bewildered
by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demon becomes
envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in his
own body and in the bodies of others, and blasphemes against the real
religion.
Chapter 16, Verse 19.
Those
who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast
by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac
species of life.
Chapter 16, Verse 20.
Attaining
repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, such persons can
never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type
of existence.
Chapter 16, Verse 21.
There
are three gates leading to this hell--lust, anger and greed. Every sane
man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.
Chapter 16, Verse 22.
The
man who has escaped these three gates of hell, O son of Kunti, performs
acts conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the
supreme destination.
Chapter 16, Verse 23.
But
he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own
whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme
destination.
Chapter 16, Verse 24.
One
should understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations
of the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so
that he may gradually be elevated.
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