अर्जुन उवाच |
अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुष: |
अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजित: || 36||
arjuna uvācha
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ charati pūruṣhaḥ
anichchhann api vārṣhṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ
arjunaḥ uvācha—Arjun said; atha—then; kena—by what; prayuktaḥ—impelled; ayam—one; pāpam—sins; charati—commit; pūruṣhaḥ—a person; anichchhan—unwillingly; api—even; vārṣhṇeya—he who belongs to the Vrishni clan, Shree Krishna; balāt—by force; iva—as if; niyojitaḥ—engaged
Translation:
Arjuna said: O Krishna! Constrained by force as it were, by what does man commit sin even against his wish?
Commentary:
As the Lord continued his teaching about restraining the senses, overcoming Raga and Dvesha, and discharging one’s duty, Arjuna was seized with a deep doubt about the mysterious force that seems to compel man into evil in spite of his effort to avoid it. Such a doubt will naturally occur to every seeker and so the question and the Lord’s answer are of the greatest importance to mankind.
Who does not know that indulgence in sense-pleasures is a mental slavery’ Who does not know that anger, spite, envy and pride are wrong mental attitudes? And most of the people yield to them even against their wish. No one desires to do evil or commit sin and yet some mysterious force seems to drive mankind into evil and sinful ways of life. What is that mysterious power? Where does it abide? How can it be counteracted; These things are essential for all seekers to know.
One should have a clear understanding of the cause and source of evil, and then only can its activity be neutralised. There are some plants that persist in sprouting up again and again, though the stem is cut off repeatedly. If the roots are pulled out and destroyed, there is no further danger of their growth. So the cause of the sin should be known, and if the cause is removed, the resulting evil would not be there.
The force of evil is in man himself. It is this power that drives man to do evil, though he knows that it is evil, and though he desires to avoid it. The Lord explains the nature of this mysterious force from the next verse onwards.
There are three types of individuals – (1) those who are free from evil (2) those who do not wish to do evil, and yet are under its sway, (3) those who do evil knowing it to be such. The first are Jivanmukthas, rare men who have crossed the ocean of samsara. The tricks and subterfuges of Maya cannot betray them into evil at any time and for any reason. The second type of men are sincere seekers. Arjuna’s question is from the standpoint of this type of men. The third type of men are evil-minded, sinful, plunged in darkness, reveling in sensuality, and embodying all that is hateful and self-destructive.
The root of this sin is desire, for worldly pleasures and prosperity. But a man does not give any heed to this desire, and so he is unable to know the root of evils (sins). He understands that he wants to abstain from committing sins, but some entity is forcibly engaging him, in sins. Duryodhana also declares:—
जानामि धर्मं न च मे प्रवृत्तिः
जानाम्यधर्मं न च मे निवृत्तिः।
केनापि देवेन हृदि स्थितेन
यथा नियुक्तोस्मि तथा करोमि॥
“I know what is righteousness, but I am not inclined to it; I also know what is unrighteousness, but I cannot get rid of it. There is some ‘deva’ (force) in my heart, which drives me to act” (Garga-Samhita, Asvamedha. 50/ 36).
The term ‘deva’ used by Duryodhana stands for desire, (for pleasure and prosperity) which forces him to commit sin, and not to follow righteousness. The expression ‘Kena prayukto’yam papam carati’— also shows that he is impelled to commit sin by some other force.
This shloka depicts the gap between “Knowledge” and “Application”.(or the Gap between Knowing and Becoming)
This shows one of the main differences between Duryodhana and Arjuna’s attitude. Duryodhana merely made a statement admitting the problem, seeking no way to correct it. But Arjuna actually questioned the problem, asking Krishna for help.
In the modern context, I think one of the most reasonable learning from this is – merely admitting that there is a problem is not sufficient to solve the problem. We need to know and question the problem to find a solution.
Story of Suratha and Samadhi
Markandeya said: The eighth Manu is called Savarni, the son of Surya (Sun). I shall now tell you how he came into being. Due to the grace of Mahamaya, that lord of the Manvantara came to be the son of Surya.
There was a king called Suratha ruling over the whole earth. He ruled his subjects like his own children. He was once attacked by his enemies who tried to capture his city by force. He had a great fight with them. He was defeated in battle by those wicked ministers and kings of the hostile party and was compelled to leave his country. He felt extremely dejected, and mounting on a horse, singly went to a dense forest. There he saw an Ashram of a great Brahmin. There were many disciples in the Ashram, studying sacred lore. The king was received warmly by the sage.
There the king was wandering here and there and being caught by the force of ‘mineness’ he thought within himself, “Ah! What a sad state! Up to this time I was ruling this country, and now it is occupied by the enemy. My ministers were serving me faithfully, and now they are serving my enemies. My subjects were happy during my rule, and I do not know how they are being treated now. They are all serving a foreign ruler. My treasury will be completely used up by the enemies!” Thus and other things did the king ponder over.
In that Ashram, the king saw a Vaisya (the merchant-caste).
The king asked him, “Who are you? What are you doing here? Please tell me everything about you.” The Vaisya said, “My name is Samadhi. I was born in a wealthy family. But I was deprived of all my property by wicked people of my neighbourhood, and all my family, wife and children deserted me, and due to poverty I have taken shelter in this forest. I am filled with grief. I do not know what has happened to my wife and what my children are doing now. Whether they are living or dead I do not know.” The king said, “When your wife and children have deserted you, when you became penniless, why then, are you so much attached to them even now?” The Vaisya said, “O king! True exactly is what you say. I also know it. But what to do? Still I love them. The nature of mind is such. It loves even the wicked wife and the wicked children who have driven me out. I cannot help it.”
Markandeya said: Then they both, the king and the Vaisya, went to that sage who was residing in that Ashram. They both prostrated before the sage, and with great reverence the king questioned the sage, “O revered sage! I wish to ask you one question. O sage! I have lost all my territory. I have now nothing with me. But still I am having great attachment for my lost kingdom, wife and children. O sage, why is this? This is a Vaisya who has been deserted by his kith and kin due to his poverty and still he has got great attachment for his wife and children. We both are of the same type. We both are filled with grief. We both are deluded. Please destroy our ignorance through your wisdom.
The sage said: O king! Yes, there is that wisdom in every creature. Some animals are blind during the daytime, some are blind during the night. Some are of the same sight during night and day. Man has sight only during the day. Yet, all possess the same wisdom. What is all this? Why is this difference? Look at the moths falling on fire! Look at men falling in the fire of sensual objects! What difference is there among creatures here? In spite of intelligence, all creatures are struggling for the sake of belly. All are controlled and deluded by the Great Power, the Mahamaya of Vishnu! Due to Her Power all this world is working. Due to Her all are suffering. Due to Her all are happy. There is no wonder in this. Even Jnanis are dragged by this Maya by force, and they are totally deluded. She is the creator of this universe, mobile and immobile. She, being pleased, gives men the eternal salvation in the end. She is the cause of bondage and liberation. She alone is all in all. She rules supreme over all lords!
The king said: O sage! Who is that Devi Maya? How is She born? I wish to hear everything about Her, who works such wonders in this world.
…. Then the Sage explained three stories of Devi Mahatmya. …..
The sage said: Thus I have recounted to you the entire story of the glories of Devi and Her actions. She is Vidya or the Intelligence-Principle of Vishnu-Sakti or Maya and She is the Avidya or the Ignorant principle too, and is above both. By Her only yourself and this Vaisya are deluded and many others also are deluded by Her in the same manner. O king! Take refuge in that Devi Maya! She is the giver of pleasure, Svarga and Moksha to Her devotees at the same time.
Markandeya said: Hearing these words of the Rishi, the King Suratha was very much moved at heart and immediately started to dense forests to perform rigorous penance. The Vaisya also followed him and began to perform Tapas on the bank of the river reciting Devi Suktam continuously. They wanted to have the vision of Devi in order to get back their lost kingdom and wealth. They prepared an image of Devi out of the mud from the river bank for the purpose of their worship with Shodasa-Upachara or the sixteen modes of worship to Devi. They both fasted and concentrated their minds on the glorious form of Devi. On their practising like this rigorous penance for three complete years, Devi was very much pleased and manifesting Herself to them spoke to them with these words. The Devi said, “O king! Whatever you want you can tell Me now. I am pleased with you. I am prepared to give you anything.”
Markandeya said: The king asked from Her the boon that he should get back his lost kingdom undaunted by any enemy. But the Vaisya asked from Devi Wisdom and nothing else.
The Devi said, “O king! In a few days you will regain your kingdom. You will conquer your enemies and rule over the land happily. After death you will be born through Surya (Sun) as the eighth Manu called Savarni. O Vaisya! As you desired I shall give you Wisdom. You will have Wisdom.”
Markandeya said: In this manner, giving the required boons to those two people, Devi vanished from sight immediately. Thus obtaining a boon from Devi, Suratha, the king, will be born through the Sun-God as the coming eighth Manu called Savarni.
Thus is the glorious story of Durga-Devi, the Mahamaya, the great Mother of the Universe!
(Source: Sri Durga Saptashati or The Devi Mahatmya (The Glory of The Divine Mother) by Swami Sivananda)
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