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Bhagavad Gita / Chapter 16 / Verse 17
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Bhagavad Gita 16.17

Sanskrit
Hindi
Sanskrit

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः | यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

ātmasambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhanamānamadānvitāḥ . yajante nāmayajñaiste dambhenāvidhipūrvakam

English

Self-conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform sacrifices which are so in name only, with ostentation and regardless of the injunctions.

हिन्दी

अपने आप को ही श्रेष्ठ मानने वाले, स्तब्ध (गर्वयुक्त), धन और मान के मद से युक्त लोग शास्त्रविधि से रहित केवल नाममात्र के यज्ञों द्वारा दम्भपूर्वक यजन करते हैं।।

Explanation — English

They are puffed up with unbounded pride. They esteem themselves very highly. They are not esteemed or honoured as such by the righteous or pious persons. They have a very high opinion of their own greatness. They esteem themselves as possessed of all the virtuous attributes. They are not humble. They have no humility or meekness. Their minds are entirely filled with a sense of their own importance. They treat others with contempt. They think that others are inferior to them. They never bend their heads and make prostrations to elders or superiors or spiritual teachers and monks. They stand erect like a pillar or iron post? intoxicated as they are with the wine of wealth. They pretend to perform Yajnas.They do not care for an altar? a sacrifical bower or a receptacle for the fire? or any of the proper materials to be used in the sacrifices. They do not pay any attention to the prescribed rules. They do sacrifices in order to increase their own fame. They will not hear even the mentioning of the name of God or Brahmana. How can God or a Brahmana attend their sacrifices They perform sacrifices without paying attention to the several parts of them and the obligations enjoined in the scriptural ordinances such as the recitation of the Mantras? worship of the gods? giving of the fees? etc. They will not do the sacrifices with reverence and faith. They want that all the people should say that they are Somayajis (performers of the Soma sacrifice). They will not attain the fruits of the sacrifice. There is no idea of service in them. They perform sacrifice to deceive the world? but not out of sincerity and faith.Mana Pride consists in supposing oneself worthy of a high honour (on account of ones wealth or learning? etc.).Mada On account of intoxication of wealth the wealthy man treats the Guru and other persons who are worthy of being honoured? with contempt. Wealth and learning turn their heads. This is Mada.

Explanation — हिन्दी

यज्ञ शब्द से वेदोक्त कर्मकाण्ड ही समझने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। परन्तु जैसा कि गीता के ही तीसरे अध्याय में कहा गया था निस्वार्थभाव से ईश्वर को अर्पण कर किये गये सभी सेवा कर्म यज्ञ ही कहलाते हैं। संक्षेप में कहा जा सकता है कि कर्म ही पूजा है।जब कभी कोई व्यक्ति समाज सेवा या राष्ट्र के कार्यक्षेत्र में प्रवेश करता है? तब यह आवश्यक नहीं कि वह सदैव शुद्ध यज्ञ भावना से ही कर्म करता हो। यद्यपि अनेक राजनीतिक नेता और समाज सेवक राष्ट्रोद्धार के लिए प्रयत्नशील दिखाई देते हैं? तथापि वस्तुस्थिति यह है कि राष्ट्र में शान्ति? समृद्धि और सम्पन्नता का अभाव ही है। इसका क्या कारण हो सकता है इसका कारण स्पष्ट है। जब आसुरी प्रकृति का व्यक्ति अपने कार्यक्षेत्र में प्रवेश करता है? तब वह अपने सेवाभाव की घोषणा और प्रदर्शन भी करता है। परन्तु? वास्तव में? निस्वार्थ सेवा कर पाना उसके मूल स्वभाव के सर्वथा विपरीत होता है। समाज के ऐसे मित्र या सेवक नाममात्र के लिए सेवादरूप यज्ञ करते हैं। अनजाने ही? उनके कर्म अभिमान से विषाक्त? कामुकता से रंजित? गर्व से विकृत और इनके मिथ्या दर्शनशास्त्र से प्राय दूषित होते हैं। इस प्रकार उनके सभी कर्मों का एकमात्र परिणाम दुख ही होता है।ऐसे नीच लोग प्रतिदिन निम्नतर स्तर को प्राप्त होते जाते हैं

Sanskrit
English
आत्मसम्भाविताः
selfconceited
स्तब्धाः
stubborn
धनमानमदान्विताः
filled with the pride and intoxication of wealth
यजन्ते (they)
perform
नामयज्ञैः
sacrifices in name
ते
they
दम्भेन
out of ostentation
अविधिपूर्वकम्
contrary to scriptural ordinances.
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More from Chapter 16

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16.1The Blessed Lord said Fearlessness, purity of mind, persistence in knowledge and yoga, charity and control of the external organs, sacrifice, (scriptural) study, austerity and recititude;16.2Non-injury, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, control of the internal organ, absence of vilification, kindness to creatures, non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, freedom from restlessness;16.3Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from malice, absence of haughtiness-these, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, are (the alties) of one born destined to have the divine nature.16.4O son of Prtha, (the attributes) of one destined to have the demoniacal nature are religious ostentation, pride and haughtiness, [Another reading is abhimanah, self-conceit.-Tr.], anger as also rudeness and ignorance.16.5The divine nature is the Liberation, the demoniacal is considered to be for inevitable bondage. Do not grieve, O son of Pandu! You are destined to have the divine nature.16.6In this world there are are two (kinds of) creation of beings: the divine and the demoniacal. The divine has been spoken of elaborately. Hear about the demoniacal from Me, O son of Prtha.16.7Neither do the demoniacal persons under-stand what is to be done and what is not to be done; nor does purity, or even good conduct or truthfulness exist in them.16.8They say that the world is unreal, it has no basis, it is without a God. It is born of mutual union brought about by passion! What other (cause can there be)?16.9Holding on to this view, (these people) who are of depraved character, of poor intellect, given to fearful actions and harmful, wax strong for the ruin of the world.16.10Giving themselves up to insatiable passion, filled with vanity, pride and arrogance, adopting bad abjectives due to delusion, and having impure resolves, they engage in actions.