Selected from the MAHABHARATA, Gitopanishad, "The Devine and Demoniac Natures"
Fearlessness; purification of one's existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity;
self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence;
truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion
for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination;
vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor--
these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine
nature.
Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance--these qualities belong to
those of demoniac nature, O son of Prtha.
The transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities
make for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Pandu, for you are born with the divine qualities.
O son of Prtha, in this world there are two kinds of created beings. One is called the
divine and the other demoniac. I have already explained to you at length the divine qualities. Now
hear from Me of the demoniac.
Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done.
Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them.
They say that this world is unreal, with no foundation, no God in control. They say it is
produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.
Following such conclusions, the demoniac, who are lost to themselves and who have no
intelligence, engage in unbeneficial, horrible works meant to destroy the world.
Taking shelter of insatiable lust and absorbed in the conceit of pride and false prestige,
the demoniac, thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.
They believe that to gratify the senses is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus
until the end of life their anxiety is immeasurable. Bound by a network of hundreds of thousands
of desires and absorbed in lust and anger, they secure money by illegal means for sense
gratification.
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The demoniac person thinks: ``So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more
according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and
more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the
lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man,
surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall
perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.'' In this way, such persons
are deluded by ignorance.
Thus perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, they become
too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and fall down into hell.
Self-complacent and always impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige, they
sometimes proudly perform sacrifices in name only, without following any rules or regulations.
Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demons become envious of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of
others, and blaspheme against the real religion.
Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, I perpetually
cast into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.
Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, O son of Kunti, such
persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of
existence.
There are three gates leading to this hell--lust, anger and greed. Every sane man should
give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.
The man who has escaped these three gates of hell, O son of Kunti, performs acts
conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the supreme destination.
He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains
neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.
One should therefore understand what is duty and what is not duty by the regulations of
the scriptures. Knowing such rules and regulations, one should act so that he may gradually be
elevated.
BHAGAVAD GITA: As It is, Chapter xx . Books of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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