Chapter 16 Shloka 15

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया ।

यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ।।१५।।

The Lord now says to Arjuna, that swollen with pride, such

demonic people claim: ‘I am rich and of noble birth.

Who can equal me? I will perform sacrifice,

I will give charity, I will rejoice and revel

in the pleasurable.’ Such are the beliefs

of people who are deluded by ignorance.

Chapter 16 Shloka 15

आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया।

यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः।।१५।।

The Lord now says to Arjuna, that swollen with pride, such demonic people claim:

‘I am rich and of noble birth. Who can equal me? I will perform sacrifice, I will give charity, I will rejoice and revel in the pleasurable.’ Such are the beliefs of people who are deluded by ignorance.

Such people are convinced that they are incomparable on account of their great wealth and superior lineage.

1. “I am the greatest.

2. I am the most intelligent and knowledgeable.

3. Only I am worthy of respect and veneration.

4. Who can equal my family and my background?

5. There is none like me!”

Believing that they cannot be overshadowed by anyone, thanks to their wealth, knowledge, renown, background, superior intellect, power, job, business or status as leader etc., such people perform great sacrifices and bestow ample charities. They give because of their pride in their superior status, they give considering themselves to be akin to God! Thus they belittle and humiliate the other, believing him to be low and despicable.

They perform sacrifices and give charity only in order to establish their own superiority. They build hospitals and do other ‘good works’ in pursuance of this same goal.

No matter what they do, they are basically motivated by ego, pride, and attachment to the body, by the idea of doership and enjoyership, by moha and ignorance.

Since they do not consider the other to be a human being, there is no question of any charitable thoughts, of love, compassion, generosity, magnanimity, forgiveness, or Truth. They have no sympathy or fellow feeling for anyone. Such people incur sin and increase sinfulness in the world. Neither are they pure themselves, nor do they appreciate purity in others.

1. They are greedy.

2. They perpetrate hatred.

3. They seek revenge.

4. They are boastful.

5. They harbour venomous feelings.

6. They have contempt for others.

7. They indulge in criticism.

8. They believe the other to be petty and insignificant.

9. They are crooked and devious.

10. They are hard hearted and merciless.

11. They are evil doers who revel in deceit and duplicity.

In short, they possess the whole store of demonic qualities.