Chapter 16 Shloka 12

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।

ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्।।१२।।

Describing the attributes of the demonic beings, the Lord says:

Caught in the snare of hundreds of expectations

and given to lust and anger, they strive to

accumulate all types of wealth by unjust means,

only for the sake of attaining sense gratification.

Chapter 16 Shloka 12

आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः।

ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान्।।१२।।

Describing the attributes of the demonic beings, the Lord says:

Caught in the snare of hundreds of expectations and given to lust and anger, they strive to accumulate all types of wealth by unjust means, only for the sake of attaining sense gratification.

Little one, an individual desires the fulfilment of myriad desires in this world. As his endeavours to satiate desire increase, so also do his expectations for the fruits of his actions. These expectations bind him, and he always believes that he will inevitably attain what he has set out to procure. Thus he believes that one day he is bound to:

a) become extremely wealthy;

b) become extremely powerful;

c) attain an elevated status;

d) be acknowledged as a man of great wisdom;

e) be worshipped and revered by one and all;

f) surprise and amaze the whole world.

Employing unfair means, such people, in order to attain the gratification of their desires:

a) amass wealth;

b) steal knowledge;

c) seek the satiation of their greed.

They do not hesitate to use fair means or foul to rob others, no matter if the other is ruined in the process.

1. They must have their wealth.

2. They must have recognition.

3. They must have their pedestal.

4. They must have their sense enjoyments and pleasures.

a) Such people are enemies of the nation and traitors.

b) They spread enmity and turmoil.

c) They spread sorrow and pain.

d) They are murderers.

e) They torment each one with whom they come into contact.

f) Wealth determines all their relationships. Wealth is their father, mother, son, sister, husband, brother. Such people are quite capable of selling their children, buying their daughters in law, and bartering their daughters.

g) They sell their honour to attain wealth.

h) They sell their homes and families to attain wealth. Wealth is their god, wealth is their honour and wealth is their knowledge.

They are willing to destroy everybody to appease this god of wealth. Such demonic tendencies are flourishing in the present day. These evil attributes are indeed most cruel.

1. They weigh relationships with money.

2. They weigh love and gratitude with wealth.

3. They weigh decency with material gain.

4. They also measure sincerity and honesty with riches.

5. They are not even acquainted with compassion and mercy.

6. They abhor qualities like forgiveness and patience.

Little one, such people cannot understand the qualities of divinity – nor do they wish to do so. However, this is not their fault.

1. Today even our leaders are such worshippers of wealth.

2. Today even the affluent are beggars who eternally yearn for more wealth.

3. Today even the learned pandits are beggars of wealth.

4. Even many spiritual figures of the present day crave wealth.

These worshippers of wealth cannot tolerate the divine qualities. They have weak hearts! If their wealth decreases, they suffer a heart attack! These enjoyers of sense objects invite several diseases through their craving for sense gratification.

Little one, such is the characteristic of wealth – it attracts one because it has an unlimited purchasing power. It can buy all that the heart craves. And after all, how can one not fulfil the poor heart’s desires!

Those who possess demonic qualities:

a) lash others with their tongue;

b) whip others with their own hands;

c) cannot tolerate the happiness of others.

Thus they endeavour to annihilate the other. Afflicted with the diseases of jealousy and hatred, these poor, mad souls destroy many others. These greedy individuals are not capable of anything else. After all, they must satisfy their craving and their insatiable appetite!

Little one, these people are in fact blinded by desire. Engaged in actions for the fulfilment of their greed and desire, they cannot see anything or anybody else.

Wealth is their god. The sole aim of their lives is the acquisition of wealth. They constantly concentrate on methods whereby they can attain even more wealth.

1. It is irrelevant for them whether the means they employ for the attainment of wealth are fair or foul.

2. They cannot discern the difference between truth and falsehood.

3. They are not concerned with whosoever is destroyed in the bargain.

4. They know not the difference between shreya – the ascendant path and preya – the descendent path.

5. They can neither think nor reflect on what is right and what is wrong.

6. They cannot understand what is justice or injustice.

If their eyes opened to the above facts, they would no longer be able to pursue their worship of greed and avarice. The aim of such people is their own establishment. Towards this end:

1. Such people even rob the poor.

2. They ignite rebellion in the hearts of the poor.

3. They make robbers out of honourable men.

4. They suppress those who stand on the path of Truth.

5. They try to project themselves as patriots whereas they seek only their own establishment and are capable of deceiving their own country.

6. They are enemies in the garb of well-wishers.

7. Their words are very different from their actions.

8. They are impostors.

9. They can be bought by those who have the purchasing power.

a) Their status is based on false foundations.

b) Their knowledge is false.

c) Their external manifest form is at variance with their true qualities.

d) Their actions are false.

Such people are steeped in kaam and krodha – desire and wrath. Krodha has been discussed earlier in shlokas 2 and 3 of this chapter. Now let us go further.

These demonic beings:

a) are cloaked with the apparel of truth and nobility;

b) are afraid that their well hidden secret will be exposed;

c) keep others trembling in fear;

d) threaten others;

e) wish to destroy others.

The might of demonism, its arrogant pride:

a) is the power to destroy others;

b) is the power whereby one can cause the downfall of another;

c) is the power of causing distress to others;

d) is the power to starve others to death;

e) is the force one employs to snatch away another’s livelihood;

f) is the insolent satisfaction of causing humiliation and distress to one’s near and dear ones.

Justice is not their mainstay. Compassion is not their business. They only seek to satiate their longings.

1. How can truth and justice have any meaning for such a one?

2. How can mercy and compassion matter to such a one?

3. Of what consequence are right and wrong to such a one?

Hence such people do not recognise any relationships. They are not to blame, because they are bound by habit. They are tyrannical and ruthless by nature.

Kamla! Most people of the present day belong to this category.

1. Those leaders who are lauded as ‘patriotic’ also possess these traits.

2. Those who are wealthy and renowned are also full of these traits.

3. Those religious people who take pride in their saintliness also inhere such tendencies.

4. Even the dispossessed poor possess these qualities in abundance.

Demonic tendencies seek dominion, they wish to rule.

1. Yet, they do not wish to dispense the responsibilities of a king.

2. They do not wish to fulfil their duties.

3. They seek protection for themselves, yet they do not wish to protect others.

4. They seek fearlessness for themselves, but they do not concede fearlessness to others. They make endeavours using unjust means to attain their goal of desire satiation.