Chapter 16 Shloka 21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।

कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ।।२१।।

Desire, anger and greed –

these are the three gates to hell.

They cause the ruination of the soul.

Therefore, these three should be abandoned.

Chapter 16 Shloka 21

त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः।

कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ।।२१।।

Now elucidating on the essence of demonic ‘wealth’ the Lord says:

Desire, anger and greed – these are the three gates to hell. They cause the ruination of the soul. Therefore, these three should be abandoned.

Little one, the Lord has described desire, anger and greed to be the gates to hell.

He has said that:

1. These are extremely sinful attributes. (Chp.3, shloka 37)

2. These are man’s greatest enemies. (Chp.3, shloka 37)

3. They are partakers of sense objects but can never be satiated. (Chp.3, shloka 37)

It is these traits that:

a) constitute the foundation of demonic attitudes;

b) augment demonism;

c) cause man to sin;

d) cause the downfall of man.

Kaam (काम) –  Desire

Understand the connotation of kaam once more.

1. Attachment to any object.

2. Special interest in a desired object.

3. Craving for that object in which one’s interest is focused.

4. A special liking for any sense object whatsoever.

5. A mental predilection towards the attainment of any sense object.

Little one, this desire can pertain to a gross or a subtle object.

1. This desire can be for sense objects.

2. This desire can be for the happiness that is derived from the acquisition of some sense object.

3. It can be focused on the acquisition of some attribute through the object of one’s interest.

4. It could be for getting recognition through the acquisition of some sense object.

5. It could also be a desire simply for sense enjoyment.

Desire is the servant of the ego

1. Desire seeks a sense object only for the enjoyment of the body.

2. Desire merely seeks the satiation of the sense faculties.

3. Desire makes a man blind. It is another name for raag or excessive attraction and liking. It is desire that also gives birth to dvesh – excessive repulsion of sense objects.

Lobh (लोभ) – Greed

1. Greed arises when the desire for the accumulation of sense objects arises.

2. When one’s insatiability increases even upon the acquisition of sense objects, the ensuing desire to accumulate more desired objects is greed.

3. One’s thirst for sense gratification increases in ratio with what one receives – this is the thirst of greed.

4. As a consequence of greed, this thirst increases to such limits that it makes one blind to everything but the object of desire.

5. When this thirst persuades one to forget the Truth, greed is inevitably the cause.

6. When this thirst makes one oblivious to what is right and what is wrong, greed is the cause.

7. Escape from duty, the destruction of all beauteous attributes, the decline of humane and divine qualities – all this is caused by greed.

(A further explanation of ‘lobh’ can be found in Chp.3, shlokas 36, 37)

Krodha (क्रोध) – Anger

a) Krodha arises when:

­­–  any obstacle hinders the path of desire fulfilment;

­­–  the intellect is completely blinded;

­­–  one is unable to find the method of desire fulfilment and the wayward mind, in the course of identifying a method, begins to cheat by exhibiting anger.

b) Krodha is a foolish method of self protection employed by the mind.

c) Krodha is a foolish person’s formula for attaining the desired fruit.

d) When the mind flares up at another person out of sheer blindness this is krodha.

e) A blind manner of accepting one’s defeat is krodha.

f) Krodha is a fool’s method of concealing his lack of understanding.

g) Krodha is evidence of lack of intellect.

h) Krodha is a senseless attempt at victory by a defeated man.

i)  Krodha is the foolish method used by an inferior person to prove himself superior.

j)  Krodha is the result of an imbecile’s mental state, when it becomes difficult for him to face reality.

k) Krodha is the consequence of an immature intellect.

Anger is actually another epithet for madness. This madness destroys whatever is left of the intellect.

1. Anger is the method of turning away from one’s responsibilities.

2. Anger is the strength of a weak person.

3. Anger is the mode of attack employed by an ignorant person.

4. Anger is a manifestation of ego and arrogant pride.

5. Anger is the mode of expression used by the blind.

6. Anger is the blindness of the blind.

7. Anger reveals mental cowardice.

8. Anger is intellectual cowardice.

Whatever the physical age of a person, anger reduces him to the mental age of a child. An angry person’s physical age and his earning capacity may increase, yet his mental state will remain that of a child.

a) Thus bound by likes and dislikes, such a one does not understand what is right and what is wrong.

b) Such a one understands his own rights but is incapable of conceding another’s rights.

c) ‘I am superior’ – this he understands, but he cannot understand nor tolerate another’s superiority.

d) He understands that ‘I am a human being’ but is loath to understand that the other too, is human.

When the ‘I’ reigns supreme the individual is blinded.

The Lord says, greed arises from desire, anger arises from greed and anger blinds the individual. All sins find their roots in these three qualities. Thus these can be described as the gateways to hell and should be renounced.

Renounce these, because:

1. These qualities are the cause of injury to the Self.

2. These qualities distance us from the Truth.

3. These qualities distance us from the qualities of the Supreme.

4. These qualities augment negative qualities that cause delusion.

5. These qualities oppose the qualities of divinity.

6. They increase attachment, moha and ignorance.

7. They distance us from the Self.

8. These qualities will cause our downfall.

9. These qualities destroy the intellect.

Thus it is said that these qualities must be renounced.

Little one, the individual’s habit of anger starts from his home. Whenever he wants others to give him what he likes, he uses anger as a tool. Parents, wanting to remove the cause of the child’s anger, procure the desired object for the child, in order to pacify him. When the child repeatedly receives his desired object through a demonstration of anger, the foundation of the habit of krodha is laid. Anger is first practised on one’s loved ones. The parents are the first to give in to these tantrums and they concede to the child’s demands. The siblings are the next focus of such practice. They too, bow down to the child’s desire. Then those who are dependent on the person are the next target. This is the birthplace and the cradle of krodha.

He who acquires the habit of anger:

a) first causes sorrow to his own family;

b) then directs his anger at his employees and servants and causes them sorrow;

c) finally consumes his dependants – his children, his wife or husband etc. in the inferno of this quality, causing sorrow to them all.

Little one, this anger is the root of all sorrow. It turns the individual from a human being into a fiend.

1. Temper renders a man blind.

2. It causes escape from duty.

3. It leaves the individual bereft of all divine qualities.

The one who exercises this trait can never be happy himself. A person’s fulcrum of joy is his own home and the one who has consumed his home in the flames of his anger can find no joy therein. The minds of those from whom he wants happiness have also been singed by his anger.

1. Anger is the greatest associate of sorrow.

2. Anger is the individual’s greatest enemy.

3. Anger is the largest gateway to hell.

Little one! Desire is the cause of anger. An individual exercises his anger in order to satiate his desire. He wants to squash others to gain the object of his desire. Greed is the desire to retain one’s claim over one’s coveted object.

In reality,

1. The first deed of aham is to give birth to kaam, krodha and lobh.

2. Aham individualises us and fills us with selfish desire.

3. When that desire is not fulfilled, the weapon of anger is used.

4. That desire is fulfilled at times and at other times, remains unsatiated. The individual then resorts to greed and makes every effort to retain his claim over that desired object.

So little one, when the jivatma first becomes attached to the body, aham is born. Aham resorts to desire for the satiation of the body. Desire gives rise to greed and anger. All these combine to create a hell for the individual to live in.

This is his personal hell. Such people destroy not only themselves but also those around them. Therefore the Lord advises us to renounce these qualities forthwith.