Spirituality and Materialism

[Guest guest]

Bhagavad Gita

 

XVI. SPIRITUALITY AND MATERIALISM (Daivasura sampat Vibhaga Yoga)

 

THE BLESSED LORD SAID:

 

1. Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and

Yoga; alms-giving, self-restraint and worship, study of one's own

(scriptures), austerity, uprightness;

 

2. Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, serenity,

absence of calumny, compassion to creatures, un-covetousness,

gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness;

 

3. Energy, forgiveness; fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence

of pride; these belong to one born for a divine lot, O Bharata.

 

4. Ostentation, arrogance and self-conceit, anger as also insolence

and ignorance, belong to one who is born, O Partha, for a demoniac

lot.

 

5. The divine nature is deemed for liberation, the demoniac for

bondage. Grieve not, O Pandava; thou art born for a divine lot.

 

6. There are two creations of beings in this world, the divine and

the demoniac. The divine has been described as length; hear from Me,

O Partha, of the demoniac.

 

7. Neither action nor inaction do the demoniac men know; neither

purity nor good conduct nor truth is found in them.

 

8. They say, " the universe is unreal, without a basis, without a

Lord, born of mutual union, brought about by lust; what else ? "

 

9. Holding this view, these ruined souls of small intellect, of

fierce deeds, rise as the enemies of the world for its destruction.

 

10. Filled with insatiable desires, full of hypocrisy, pride and

arrogance, holding unwholesome views through delusion, they work with

unholy resolve;

 

11. Beset with immense cares ending only with death, sensual

enjoyment their highest aim, assured that that is all;

 

12. Bound by hundreds of bands of hope, given over to lust and wrath,

they strive to secure by unjust means hoards of wealth for sensual

enjoyment.

 

13. This to-day has been gained by me; this desire I shall attain;

this is mine and this wealth also shall be mine in future.

 

14. " That enemy has been slain by me and others also shall I slay. I

am a lord. I enjoy, I am successful, strong and healthy. "

 

15. " I am rich and well-born. Who else is equal to me ? I will

sacrifice, I will give, I will rejoice. " Thus deluded by un-wisdom.

 

16. Bewildered by many a fancy, entangled in the snare of delusion,

addicted to the gratification of lust, they fall into a foul hell.

 

17. Self-honored, stubborn, filled with the pride and intoxication of

wealth, they perform sacrifices in name with hypocrisy, without

regard to ordinance.

 

18. Given over to egotism, power, haughtiness, lust and anger, these

malicious people hate Me in their own and others' bodies.

 

19. These cruel haters, worst of men, I hurl these evil-doers for

ever in the worlds into the wombs of the demons only.

 

20. Entering into demoniac wombs, the deluded ones, in birth after

birth, without ever reaching Me, O son of Kunti, pass into a

condition still lower than that.

 

21. Triple is this, the gate to hell, destructive of the self; LUST,

WRATH and GREED. Therefore, these three, one should abandon.

 

22. A man who is released from these, the three gates to darkness, O

son of Kunti, does good to the self and thereby reaches the Supreme

Goal.

 

23. He who, neglecting the scriptural ordinance, acts under the

impulse of desire, attains not perfection, nor happiness, nor the

Supreme Goal.

 

24. Therefore, the scripture is thy authority in deciding as to what

ought to be done and what ought not to be done. Now, thou oughtest to

know and perform thy duty laid down in the scripture-law.