Evil

Hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance — these belong to one born for a demonic destiny, Partha.

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च | अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम् ||१६-४||

The evildoers, the deluded, the lowest of men do not take refuge in me; their knowledge stripped away by māyā, they cling to a demonic nature.

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः | माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः ||७-१५||

Demonic people do not understand what should be done and what should be avoided. Neither purity, nor good conduct, nor truth is found in them.

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः | न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते ||१६-७||

There are two kinds of beings created in this world, the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length; now hear from me about the demonic, Partha.

द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन्दैव आसुर एव च | दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे शृणु ||१६-६||

Vain in their hopes, vain in their actions, vain in their knowledge, devoid of judgment, they cling to a deluding nature that is of demons and monsters.

मोघाशा मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना विचेतसः | राक्षसीमासुरीं चैव प्रकृतिं मोहिनीं श्रिताः ||९-१२||

Austerity performed with foolish obstinacy, with self-torture, or for the purpose of destroying another, is declared to be tamasic.

मूढग्राहेणात्मनो यत्पीडया क्रियते तपः | परस्योत्सादनार्थं वा तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ||१७-१९||

Clinging to this view, these lost souls of little intelligence and cruel deeds arise as enemies for the destruction of the world.

एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः | प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः ||१६-९||

I wish to see those gathered here ready to fight, seeking to please in battle the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra.

योत्स्यमानानवेक्षेऽहं य एतेऽत्र समागताः | धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्युद्धे प्रियचिकीर्षवः ||१-२३||

senselessly torturing the assembly of elements within the body, and me too who dwell within the body — know them to be of demonic resolve.

कर्षयन्तः शरीरस्थं भूतग्राममचेतसः | मां चैवान्तःशरीरस्थं तान्विद्ध्यासुरनिश्चयान् ||१७-६||

These hateful, cruel, and vile people, the lowest of humankind, I hurl perpetually into demonic wombs in the cycles of rebirth.

तानहं द्विषतः क्रुरान्संसारेषु नराधमान् | क्षिपाम्यजस्रमशुभानासुरीष्वेव योनिषु ||१६-१९||

Then they said to this breath in the mouth, 'Chant the Udgitha for us.' 'So be it.' This breath chanted for them. The demons knew, 'With this chanter they will overcome us,' so they rushed at it to pierce it with evil. But as a clod of earth striking a rock is shattered, so, scattered and flung in all directions, they perished. Thereupon the gods flourished and the demons were destroyed. One who knows this flourishes in his own self, and his hateful rival is destroyed.

अथ हेममासन्यं प्राणमूचुस्त्वं न उद्गायेति । तथेति । तेभ्य एष प्राण उदगायत् ते विदुरनेन वै न उद्गात्राऽत्येष्यन्तीति । तमभिद्रुत्य पाप्मनाविध्यन् । स यथाश्मानमृत्वा लोष्टो विध्वꣳसेतैवꣳ हैव विध्वꣳसमाना विष्वञ्चो विनेशुस्ततो देवा अभवन् पराऽसुराः । भवत्यात्मना पराऽस्य द्विषन्भ्रातृव्यो भवति य एवं वेद ॥ ७॥

Then they meditated on the ear as the Udgitha. The demons pierced it with evil. That is why one hears with it both what is worth hearing and what is not, for it has been pierced with evil.

अथ ह श्रोत्रमुद्गीथमुपासांचक्रिरे तद्धासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयꣳ शृणोति श्रवणीयं चाश्रवणीयं च पाप्मना ह्येतद्विद्धम्

Then they meditated on the eye as the Udgitha. The demons pierced it with evil. That is why one sees with it both what is fair to see and what is unfair, for it has been pierced with evil.

अथ ह चक्षुरुद्गीथमुपासांचक्रिरे तद्धासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयं पश्यति दर्शनीयं चादर्शनीयं च पाप्मना ह्येतद्विद्धम्

Then they meditated on speech as the Udgitha. The demons pierced it with evil. That is why one speaks with it both truth and falsehood, for it has been pierced with evil.

अथ ह वाचमुद्गीथमुपासांचक्रिरे ताꣳ हासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तयोभयं वदति सत्यं चानृतं च पाप्मना ह्येषा विद्धा

They meditated on the breath in the nose as the Udgitha. The demons pierced it with evil. That is why one smells with it both what is fragrant and what is foul, for it has been pierced with evil.

ते ह नासिक्यं प्राणमुद्गीथमुपासांचक्रिरे तꣳ हासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयं जिघ्रति सुरभि च दुर्गन्धि च पाप्मना ह्येष विद्धः

Just as a clod of earth is shattered when it strikes a solid rock, so is he shattered who wishes evil to one who knows this, and anyone who attacks him — such a one is a rock against which the clod is shattered.

यथाश्मानमाखणमृत्वा विध्वꣳसत एवꣳ हैव स विध्वꣳसते य एवंविदि पापं कामयते यश्चैनमभिदासति स एषोऽश्माखणः

Then they meditated on the mind as the Udgitha. The demons pierced it with evil. That is why one imagines with it both what is worth imagining and what is not, for it has been pierced with evil.

अथ ह मन उद्गीथमुपासांचक्रिरे तद्धासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयꣳसंकल्पते संकल्पनीयंच चासंकल्पनीयं च पाप्मना ह्येतद्विद्धम्