anekachittavibhraantaa mohajaalasamaavritaahaa |
prasaktaahaa kaamabhogeshu patanti narakeshuchau || 16 ||
Bewildered by innumerable fancies, trapped in the web of delusion, addicted to desires and enjoyments, they descend into a foul hell.
anekaha : innumerable
vibhraantaaha : bewildered
chitta : fancies
mohajaala : web of delusion
samaavritaahaa : trapped
prasaktaahaa : addicted
kaamabhogeshu : desires and enjoyments
patanti : they descend
narake : into hell
ashuchau : foul
Over 9 percent of the population in western countries is addicted to drugs. Drug addiction begins when a person has some problem, discomfort or sorrow, such as a teenager finding it difficult to fit it or an adult losing his job. Using drugs or alcohol appears to solve the problem, so he uses them repeatedly. At this point, his body gets habituated to the drugs or alcohol and consequently shuts down all logic and reason. The person has become an addict. His sole aim in life is to do whatever it takes to satisfy his cravings.
Shri Krishna summarizes the lifecycle of a person with devilish tendencies, which looks worryingly similar to that of a drug addict. The person in question has an underlying sense of incompleteness or sorrow. Fulfilling a selfish desire, no matter how insignificant, gives him a temporary burst of joy. He wants to repeat this sensation, he wants more of it, and thus becomes addicted to desires and enjoyments. The more he does so, the more power he gives to his emotional mind, and takes power from his reasoning and intellect. He is trapped in the web of delusion. All he can think about now is more and more desires to fulfill, and the means to fulfill them.
Whether or not a drug addict or a highly materialistic person literally falls into hell is a different story. But a life of addiction, a life where inert substances make us dance to their tune, a life where there is no higher aim or goal, and most importantly, a life where the intellect has taken a backseat, is no different than any hell with fire and brimstone in it.
Gita Journey is a straightforward, modern, contemporary, basic explanation and commentary of the Bhagawat Gita, with Sanskrit to English word meanings. Each shloka or sloka (verse) is explained in detail. An introduction to the Bhagavad Gita along with study resources can also be found here. A summary of each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is also included. No prior background is needed for this interpretation.
Showing posts with label narake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label narake. Show all posts
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 44-45, Chapter 1
utsannakuladharmaanaam manushyaanaam janaardana |
narakeniyatam vaaso bhavatityanushushruma || 44 ||
aho bata mahatpaapam kartum vyavasitaa vayam |
yadryaadjyasukhalobhena hantum svajanamudyataaha || 45 ||
People whose societal values have eroded, O Janaardana, reside in hell indefinitely, this I have heard.
Alas! It's unfortunate that we have decided to undertake this extreme sin. Our greed towards the pleasures of the kingdom has prepared us to kill our kinsmen.
utsanna : delapidated, eroded
kula-dharmaanaam : societal values
manushyaanaam : those people
janaardana : O Janaardana
narake : hell
aniyatam : indefinitely
vaaso : reside
bhavati : happens
iti : this
anushushruma : I have heard
aho : Alas
bata : it's unfortunate
mahat-paapam : extreme sin
kartum : undertake
vyavasitaa : decided to do
vayam : we
yat : that
raajyasukha : pleasures of kingdom
lobhena : greed
hantum : kill
svajanam : our kin
udyataaha : are prepared
Here, Arjuna concluded an argument that he had begun a few verses prior. According to him, a rise in lawlessness began a chain reaction which caused the entire civilization, not just the warmongers, to end up residing in hell indefinitely.
Let's summarize this argument. What Arjuna is saying, in simple words, is that the Kaurava army is committing the sin of destroying the Kuru clan. Since he can see that it is a sin, he will not join them in this act, and therefore not fight.
Again, we see moha at work here. Duryodhana had moha for the Kauravas, whereas Arjuna had moha for the entire Kuru dynasty. Even though Arjuna was more large-hearted than Duryodhana in his moha, moha clouded his judgement the same way it clouded Duryodhana's judgement.
Moreover, in verse 45, Arjuna's demonstrates classic "victim" mindset where one cannot see oneself in control of a situation, by using words such as "alas", "it is unfortunate". His moha took over his mind so completely that one of the world's foremost warriors spoke words that a weakling would use.
narakeniyatam vaaso bhavatityanushushruma || 44 ||
aho bata mahatpaapam kartum vyavasitaa vayam |
yadryaadjyasukhalobhena hantum svajanamudyataaha || 45 ||
People whose societal values have eroded, O Janaardana, reside in hell indefinitely, this I have heard.
Alas! It's unfortunate that we have decided to undertake this extreme sin. Our greed towards the pleasures of the kingdom has prepared us to kill our kinsmen.
utsanna : delapidated, eroded
kula-dharmaanaam : societal values
manushyaanaam : those people
janaardana : O Janaardana
narake : hell
aniyatam : indefinitely
vaaso : reside
bhavati : happens
iti : this
anushushruma : I have heard
aho : Alas
bata : it's unfortunate
mahat-paapam : extreme sin
kartum : undertake
vyavasitaa : decided to do
vayam : we
yat : that
raajyasukha : pleasures of kingdom
lobhena : greed
hantum : kill
svajanam : our kin
udyataaha : are prepared
Here, Arjuna concluded an argument that he had begun a few verses prior. According to him, a rise in lawlessness began a chain reaction which caused the entire civilization, not just the warmongers, to end up residing in hell indefinitely.
Let's summarize this argument. What Arjuna is saying, in simple words, is that the Kaurava army is committing the sin of destroying the Kuru clan. Since he can see that it is a sin, he will not join them in this act, and therefore not fight.
Again, we see moha at work here. Duryodhana had moha for the Kauravas, whereas Arjuna had moha for the entire Kuru dynasty. Even though Arjuna was more large-hearted than Duryodhana in his moha, moha clouded his judgement the same way it clouded Duryodhana's judgement.
Moreover, in verse 45, Arjuna's demonstrates classic "victim" mindset where one cannot see oneself in control of a situation, by using words such as "alas", "it is unfortunate". His moha took over his mind so completely that one of the world's foremost warriors spoke words that a weakling would use.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)