Bhagvad-Gita:Treatise of Self-help by BS Murthy - HTML preview

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Chapter 16

Frailty of Thought

 

This chapter of 24 slokas, known as daivãsura sampad vibhãga yoga, The Characteristics of Virtuous and the Vile, deals with all aspects of virtue and evil including how they affect human life.

S19 which implies that the Supreme Spirit condemns to hell those who hate Him is an obvious interpolation that contravenes Lord's affirmative statement in s29 ch.9, ‘None I favour; slight I none / But devout Mine all gain Me true’ and other such averred in many   a context in this text.

Be that as it may, when He is the indweller in all beings as postulated by the Lord himself, won’t the interpolative proposition of s19 amount to self-condemnation!

 

1

Thus spoke the Lord:

Pure in heart ’n courage to boot

Even mind with helping hand

Works who hard ’n tries to grasp

Austere, upright, and well-read –

Even tempered, loves he peace

Liberal minded with kind heart

Calm ’n truthful, well mannered

Fickle he not or calumnious

Modest natured covets he not –

 

3

Free of bias he’s fair-minded

Strong in will, he stalls envy

Humble, and he forgives too

He’s virtuous thus earmarked.

 

4

Make all vile, rude guys all

Vainglorious ’n haughty too,

Besides being indignant

No less are they indulgent.

 

5

Gives as virtue man freedom

Keeps him vileness ever constrained.

 

6

World is as of good ’n bad

Serves thee to know latter too.

 

7

Conduct of theirs lacks virtue

Bear they demeanour that’s impure.

 

8

Branding beings sexual products

Reckon not such in God ’n truth.

 

9

These small minds, of ruined souls

Wreck they world with acts of wrath.

 

10

Pride ’n lust, long wish list

Vile in conceit live impure.

 

11

Seeing life as one to gloat Vile

by impulse go to lengths.

 

12

Seek vile creatures ever  shortcuts

On way to wants, they ill-get wealth.

Think all vile, in like terms –

This is mine so let me keep

Why not have I more of it.

 

14

Foe this mine I’ve truly floored

Won’t I tackle the rest of them

Sure I’m Lord of mine own world.

 

15

Note all vile, gloat as such –

Besides wealthy, I’m well-born

Won’t I give and enjoy too.

 

16

To their hurt in illusion vile

End up slaves of joys of flesh.

 

17

In vainglory live all vile

And for show-off spend they well.

 

18

Blinded by pride, lustful lot

Me they ill-treat lay in them.

 

20

Live all deluded far from Me

Depraved ladder they go down.

 

21

Detours, lust, wrath ’n greed

Self-destruct to go hell-ward.

 

22

Steer if clear, perils these men

See they then the path perfect.

 

23

In their impulse vile impinge

Upon the scriptures that hold good

And thus keep ever from Supreme.

 

24

Ordain scriptures rights ’n wrongs

It’s now left to choose thy course.

 

Ends thus:

Frailty of Thought,

The Sixteenth Chapter

Of Bhagavad-Gita, Treatise of self-help.