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.
Showing posts with label patanti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patanti. Show all posts
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Bhagavad Gita Verse 42-43, Chapter 1
samkaro narakaayeiva kulaghnaanaam kulasya cha |
patanti pitaro hyeshaam luptapindodakakriyaahaa || 42 ||
doshairetai kulaghnaanaam varnasamkarakaarakaihai |
utsaadyante jaatidharmaaha kuladharmaashcha shaashvataahaa || 43 ||
Contamination of character pushes the annihilators of society and society itself into hell; their ancestors fall from grace, having been deprived of their offerings of Pinda and water. Timeless societal and humanitarian values and traditions are destroyed by the contamination of character created by these annihilators of society.
samkaraha : contamination of character
narakaaya : takes to hell
eva : certainly
kula-ghnaanaam : annihilators of society
kulasya : society
cha : and
patanti : falls
pitaraha : ancestors
eshaam :due to these killers
lupta-pinda-udaka-kriyaaha : deprived of their offerings of Pinda (rice) and water
doshai : errors
etai : these
kulaghnaanaam : annihilators of society
varna-samkara-kaarakaihi : causing confusion of character
utsaadyante : get destroyed
jaati-dharmaaha : humanitarian values
kula-dharmaaha : societal values
cha : and
shaashvataaha : timeless
In Indian culture, one's ancestors and family lineage are given great importance. In these verses, Arjuna expressed his worry that the deterioration of post-war society would result in loss of respect for the ancestors who created the laws and values of that society. "Pinda" is a ball of rice offered to the memory of one's ancestors during certain Indian rituals.
It is not that difficult to draw a parallel between the reverence for the ancestors of a society expressed here, and the reverence for the builders of any institution in the modern world. During every independence day celebration of a country, freedom fighters' contributions are remembered and revered. Similarly, if you walk the hallways of any modern corporation, you will usually see the founders' portraits displayed prominently. Someone who cares deeply about one's country, or about one's place of work, will never look forward to the denigration of the founders. Arjuna, even in his deluded state, cared about the builders of the Kuru dynasty.
patanti pitaro hyeshaam luptapindodakakriyaahaa || 42 ||
doshairetai kulaghnaanaam varnasamkarakaarakaihai |
utsaadyante jaatidharmaaha kuladharmaashcha shaashvataahaa || 43 ||
Contamination of character pushes the annihilators of society and society itself into hell; their ancestors fall from grace, having been deprived of their offerings of Pinda and water. Timeless societal and humanitarian values and traditions are destroyed by the contamination of character created by these annihilators of society.
samkaraha : contamination of character
narakaaya : takes to hell
eva : certainly
kula-ghnaanaam : annihilators of society
kulasya : society
cha : and
patanti : falls
pitaraha : ancestors
eshaam :due to these killers
lupta-pinda-udaka-kriyaaha : deprived of their offerings of Pinda (rice) and water
doshai : errors
etai : these
kulaghnaanaam : annihilators of society
varna-samkara-kaarakaihi : causing confusion of character
utsaadyante : get destroyed
jaati-dharmaaha : humanitarian values
kula-dharmaaha : societal values
cha : and
shaashvataaha : timeless
In Indian culture, one's ancestors and family lineage are given great importance. In these verses, Arjuna expressed his worry that the deterioration of post-war society would result in loss of respect for the ancestors who created the laws and values of that society. "Pinda" is a ball of rice offered to the memory of one's ancestors during certain Indian rituals.
It is not that difficult to draw a parallel between the reverence for the ancestors of a society expressed here, and the reverence for the builders of any institution in the modern world. During every independence day celebration of a country, freedom fighters' contributions are remembered and revered. Similarly, if you walk the hallways of any modern corporation, you will usually see the founders' portraits displayed prominently. Someone who cares deeply about one's country, or about one's place of work, will never look forward to the denigration of the founders. Arjuna, even in his deluded state, cared about the builders of the Kuru dynasty.
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