|| Verse: 1 ||
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः ।
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥ १ ॥
Translation
The Lord Said:
Absolute fearlessness, perfect purity of mind, constant fixity in the Yoga of meditation for the sake of Self-realization, and even so, a charity in its Såttvika form, control of the senses, worship of God and other deities as well as of one’s elders including the performance of Agnihotra (pouring oblations into the sacred fire) and other sacred duties, study, and teaching of the Vedas and other sacred books as well as the chanting of God’s names and glories, suffering hardships for the discharge of oneís sacred obligations and uprightness of mind as well as of the body and senses.
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|| Verse: 2 ||
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् ।
दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ॥ २ ॥
Translation
Non-violence in thought, word, and deed, truthfulness and geniality of speech, absence of anger even on provocation, disclaiming doership in respect of actions, quietude or composure of mind, abstaining from slander, compassion towards all creatures, absence of attachment to the objects of senses even during their contact with the senses, mildness, a sense of shame in transgressing the scriptures or social conventions, and abstaining from frivolous pursuits;
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|| Verse: 3 ||
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता ।
भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ॥ ३ ॥
Translation
Sublimity, forbearance, fortitude, external purity, bearing enmity to none, and absence of self-esteemóthese are the marks of him, who is born with the divine endowments, Arjuna.
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|| Verse: 4 ||
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च ।
अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् ॥ ४ ॥
Translation
Hypocrisy, arrogance pride and anger, sternness and ignorance too-these are the marks of him, who is born with demoniac properties.
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|| Verse: 5 ||
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता ।
मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव ॥ ५ ॥
Translation
The divine endowment has been recognized as conducive to liberation, and the demoniac one as leading to bondage. Grieve not, Arjuna, for you are born with the divine propensities.
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|| Verse: 6 ||
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च ।
दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ॥ ६ ॥
Translation
There are only two types of men in this world, Arjuna, the one possessing a divine nature and the other possessing a demoniac disposition. Of these, the type possessing divine nature has been dealt with at length; now hear in detail from Me about the type possessing demoniac disposition.
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|| Verse : 7 ||
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः ।
न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ॥ ७ ॥
Translation
Men possessing a demoniac disposition know not what is right activity and what is right abstinence from activity. Hence they possess neither purity (external or internal) nor good conduct nor even truthfulness.
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|| Verse : 8 ||
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम् ।
अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम् ॥ ८ ॥
Translation
Men of demoniac disposition say this world is without any foundation, absolutely unreal and godless, brought forth by the mutual union of the male and female and hence conceived in lust; what else than this?
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|| Verse : 9 ||
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः ।
प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ॥ ९ ॥
Translation
Clinging to this false view these slow-witted men of vile disposition and terrible deeds are wrongdoers to mankind for the destruction of the world.
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|| Verse: 10 ||
काममाश्रित्य दुष्पूरं दम्भमानमदान्विताः ।
मोहाद्गृहीत्वासद्ग्राहान्प्रवर्तन्तेऽशुचिव्रताः ॥ १० ॥
Translation
Cherishing insatiable desires and embracing false doctrines through ignorance, these men of impure conduct move into this world, full of hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance.
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|| Verse: 11, 12 ||
चिन्तामपरिमेयां च प्रलयान्तामुपाश्रिताः ।
कामोपभोगपरमा एतावदिति निश्चिताः ॥ ११ ॥
आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः ।
ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ॥ १२ ॥
Translation
Giving themselves up to innumerable cares ending only with death, they remain devoted to the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures and are firm in their belief that this is the highest limit of joy. Held in bondage by hundreds of ties of expectation and wholly giving themselves up to lust and anger, they strive to amass by unfair means hoards of money and other objects for the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures.
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|| Verse: 13, 14 ||
इदमद्य मया लब्धमिमं प्राप्स्ये मनोरथम् ।
इदमस्तीदमपि मे भविष्यति पुनर्धनम् ॥ १३ ॥
असौ मया हतः शत्रुर्हनिष्ये चापरानपि ।
ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी ॥ १४ ॥
Translation
They say to themselves, ìThis much has been secured by me today and now I shall realize this ambition. So much wealth is already with me and yet again this shall be mine. That enemy has been slain by me and I shall kill those others too. I am the lord of all, the enjoyer of all power, I am endowed with all occult powers, and am mighty and happy.
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|| Verse: 15, 16 ||
आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया ।
यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ॥ १५ ॥
अनेकचित्तविभ्रान्ता मोहजालसमावृताः ।
प्रसक्ताः कामभोगेषु पतन्ति नरकेऽशुचौ ॥ १६ ॥
Translation
“I am wealthy and own a large family; who else is equal to me? I will sacrifice to gods, will give alms, I will make merry,” Thus deluded by ignorance, enveloped in the mesh of delusion and addicted to the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures, their minds bewildered by numerous thoughts, these men of devilish disposition fall into the foulest hell.
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|| Verse: 17 ||
आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः ।
यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम् ॥ १७ ॥
Translation
Intoxicated by wealth and honor, those self-conceited and haughty men perform sacrifices only in the name of ostentation, without following the sacred rituals.
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|| Verse: 18 ||
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं च संश्रिताः ।
मामात्मपरदेहेषु प्रद्विषन्तोऽभ्यसूयकाः ॥ १८ ॥
Translation
Given over to egotism, brute force, arrogance, lust, anger, etc., and calumniating others, they despise Me (the in-dweller), dwelling in their own bodies as well as in those of others.
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|| Verse: 19 ||
तानहं द्विषतः क्रूरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् ।
क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु ॥ १९ ॥
Translation
Those haters, sinful, cruel, and vilest among men, I cast again and again into demoniacal wombs in this world.
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|| Verse : 20 ||
आसुरीं योनिमापन्ना मूढा जन्मनि जन्मनि ।
मामप्राप्यैव कौन्तेय ततो यान्त्यधमां गतिम् ॥ २० ॥
Translation
Failing to reach Me, Arjuna, those stupid souls are born life after life in demoniac wombs and then verily sink down to a still lower plane.
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|| Verse: 21 ||
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः ।
कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ २१ ॥
Translation
Desire, anger, and greedóthese triple gates of hell bring about the downfall of the soul. Therefore, one should shun all three.
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|| Verse: 22 ||
एतैर्विमुक्तः कौन्तेय तमोद्वारैस्त्रिभिर्नरः ।
आचरत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥ २२ ॥
Translation
Freed from these three gates of hell, the man works for his own salvation and thereby attains the supreme goal, i.e., God.
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|| Verse: 23 ||
यः शास्त्रविधिमुत्सृज्य वर्तते कामकारतः ।
न स सिद्धिमवाप्नोति न सुखं न परां गतिम् ॥ २३ ॥
Translation
Discarding the injunctions of the scriptures, he who acts in an arbitrary way according to his own sweet will, such a person neither attains perfection, nor the supreme goal, nor even happiness.
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|| Verse: 24 ||
तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ ।
ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्तं कर्म कर्तुमिहार्हसि ॥ २४ ॥
Translation
Therefore, the scripture alone is your guide in determining what should be done and what should not be done. Knowing this, you ought to perform only such action as is ordained by the scriptures.