Fourth Skandha · Chapter 4
Sourceराजोवाच विस्मितोऽस्मि महाभाग श्रुत्वाख्यानं महामते । संसारोऽयं पापरूपः कथं मुच्येत बन्धनात् ॥ १ ॥ कश्यपस्यापि दायादस्त्रिलोकीविभवे सति । कृतवानीदृशं कर्म को न कुर्याञ्चुगुप्सितम् ॥ २ ॥ गर्भे प्रविश्य बालस्य हननं दारुणं किल । सेवामिषेण मातुश्च कृत्वा शपथमद्भुतम् ॥ ३ ॥ शास्ता धर्मस्य गोप्ता च त्रिलोक्याः पतिरप्युत । कृतवानीदृशं कर्म को न कुर्यादसाम्प्रतम् ॥ ४ ॥ पितामहा मे संग्रामे कुरुक्षेत्रेऽतिदारुणम् । कृतवन्तस्तथाश्चर्यं दुष्टं कर्म जगद्गुरो ॥ ५ ॥ भीष्मोद्रोणः कृपः कर्णो धर्माशोऽपि युधिष्ठिरः । सर्वे विरुद्धधर्मेण वासुदेवेन नोदिताः ॥ ६ ॥ असारतां विजानन्तः संसारस्य सुमेधसः । देवांशाश्च कथं चकुर्निन्दितं धर्मतत्पराः ॥ ७ ॥ कास्था धर्मस्य विप्रेन्द्र प्रमाणं किं विनिश्चितम् । चलचित्तोऽस्मि सञ्जातः श्रुत्वा चैतत्कथानकम् ॥ ८ ॥ आप्तवाक्यं प्रमाणं चेदाप्तः कः परदेहवान् । पुरुषो विषयासक्तो रागी भवति सर्वथा ॥ ९ ॥ रागो द्वेषो भवेन्नूनमर्थनाशादसंशयम् । द्वेषादसत्यवचनं वक्तव्यं स्वार्थसिद्धये ॥ १० ॥ जरासन्धविघातार्थं हरिणा सत्त्वमूर्तिना । छलेन रचितं रूपं ब्राह्मणस्य विजानता ॥ ११ ॥ तदाप्तः कः प्रमाणं किं सत्त्वमूर्तिरपीदृशः । अर्जुनोऽपि तथैवात्र कार्ये यज्ञविनिर्मिते ॥ १२ ॥ कीदृशोऽयं कृतो यज्ञः किमर्थं शमवर्जितः । परलोकपदार्थं वा यशसे वान्यथा किल ॥ १३ ॥ धर्मस्य प्रथमः पादः सत्यमेतच्छ्रुतेर्वचः । द्वितीयस्तु तथा शौचं दया पादस्तृतीयकः ॥ १४ ॥ दानं पादश्चतुर्थश्च पुराणज्ञा वदन्ति वै । तैर्विहीनः कथं धर्मस्तिष्ठेदिह सुसम्मतः ॥ १५ ॥ धर्महीनं कृतं कर्म कथं तत्फलदं भवेत् । धर्मे स्थिरा मतिः क्वापि न कस्यापि प्रतीयते ॥ १६ ॥ छलार्थञ्च यदा विष्णुर्वामनोऽभूञ्चगत्प्रभुः । येन वामनरूपेण वञ्चितोऽसौ बलिर्नृपः ॥ १७ ॥ विहर्ता शतयज्ञस्य वेदाज्ञापरिपालकः । धर्मिष्ठो दानशीलश्च सत्यवादी जितेन्द्रियः ॥ १८ ॥ स्थानात्प्रभ्रंशितोऽकस्माद्विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । जितं केन तयोः कृष्ण बलिना वामनेन वा ॥ १९ ॥ छलकर्मविदा चायं सन्देहोऽत्र महान्मम । वञ्चयित्वा वञ्चितेन सत्यं वद द्विजोत्तम ॥ २० ॥ पुराणकर्ता त्वमसि धर्मज्ञश्च महामतिः । व्यास उवाच जितं वै बलिना राजन् दत्ता येन च मेदिनी ॥ २१ ॥ त्रिविक्रमोऽपि नाम्ना यः प्रथितो वामनोऽभवत् । छलनार्थमिदं राजन्वामनत्वं नराधिप ॥ २२ ॥ सम्प्राप्तं हरिणा भूयो द्वारपालत्वमेव च । सत्यादन्यतरन्नास्ति मूलं धर्मस्य पार्थिव ॥ २३ ॥ दुःसाध्यं देहिनां राजन्सत्यं सर्वात्मना किल । माया बलवती भूप त्रिगुणा बहुरूपिणी ॥ २४ ॥ ययेदं निर्मितं विश्वं गुणैः शबलितं त्रिभिः । तस्माच्छलवता सत्यं कुतोऽविद्धं भवेन्नृप ॥ २५ ॥ मिश्रेण जनिता चैव स्थितिरेषा सनातनी । वैखानसाश्च मुनयो निःसङ्गा निष्प्रतिग्रहाः ॥ २६ ॥ सत्ययुक्ता भवन्त्यत्र वीतरागा गतस्पृहाः । दृष्टान्तदर्शनार्थाय निर्मितास्ते च तादृशाः ॥ २७ ॥ अन्यत्सर्वं शबलितं गुणैरेभिस्त्रिभिनृप । नैकं वाक्यं पुराणेषु वेदेषु नृपसत्तम ॥ २८ ॥ धर्मशास्त्रेषु चाङ्गेषु सगुणै रचितेष्विह । सगुणः सगुणं कुर्यान्निर्गुणो न करोति वै ॥ २९ ॥ गुणास्ते मिश्रिताः सर्वे न पृथग्भावसङ्गताः । निर्व्यलीके स्थिरे धर्मे मतिः कस्यापि न स्थिरा ॥ ३० ॥ भवोद्भवे महाराज मायया मोहितस्य वै । इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाथीनि तदासक्तं मनस्तथा ॥ ३१ ॥ करोति विविधान्भावान्गुणैस्तैः प्रेरितो भृशम् । ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्ताः प्राणिनः स्थिरजङ्गमाः ॥ ३२ ॥ सर्वे मायावशा राजन् सानुक्रीडति तैरिह । सर्वान्वै मोहयत्येषा विकुर्वत्यनिशं जगत् ॥ ३३ ॥ असत्यो जायते राजन्कार्यवान्प्रथमं नरः । इन्द्रियार्थांश्चिन्तयानो न प्राप्नोति यदा नरः ॥ ३४ ॥ तदर्थं छलमादत्ते छलात्पापे प्रवर्तते । कामः क्रोधश्च लोभश्च वैरिणो बलवत्तराः ॥ ३५ ॥ कृताकृतं न जानन्ति प्राणिनस्तद्वशं गताः । विभवे सत्यहङ्कारः प्रबलः प्रभवत्यपि ॥ ३६ ॥ अहङ्काराद्भवेन्मोहो मोहान्मरणमेव च । सङ्कल्पा बहवस्तत्र विकल्पाः प्रभवन्ति च ॥ ३७ ॥ ईर्ष्यासूया तथा द्वेषः प्रादुर्भवति चेतसि । आशा तृष्णा तथा दैन्यं दम्भोऽधर्ममतिस्तथा ॥ ३८ ॥ प्राणिनां प्रभवन्त्येते भावा मोहसमुद्भवाः । यज्ञदानानि तीर्थानि व्रतानि नियमास्तथा ॥ ३९ ॥ अहङ्काराभिभूतस्तु करोति पुरुषोऽन्वहम् । अहंभावकृतं सर्वं प्रभवेद्वै न शौचवत् ॥ ४० ॥ रागलोभात्कृतं कर्म सर्वाङ्गं शुद्धिवर्जितम् । प्रथमं द्रव्यशुद्धिश्च द्रष्टव्या विबुधैः किल ॥ ४१ ॥ अद्रोहेणार्जितं द्रव्यं प्रशस्तं धर्मकर्मणि । द्रोहार्जितेन द्रव्येण यत्करोति शुभं नरः ॥ ४२ ॥ विपरीतं भवेत्तत्तु फलकाले नृपोत्तम । मनोऽतिनिर्मलं यस्य स सम्यक्फलभाग्भवेत् ॥ ४३ ॥ तस्मिन्विकारयुक्ते तु न यथार्थफलं लभेत् । कर्तारः कर्मणां सर्वे आचार्यऋत्विजादयः ॥ ४४ ॥ स्युस्ते विशुद्धमनसस्तदा पूर्णं भवेत्फलम् । देशकालक्रियाद्रव्यकर्तॄणां शुद्धता यदि ॥ ४५ ॥ मन्त्राणां च तदा पूर्णं कर्मणां फलमश्नुते । शत्रूणां नाशमुद्दिश्य स्ववृद्धिं परमां तथा ॥ ४६ ॥ करोति सुकृतं तद्वद्विपरीतं भवेत्किल । स्वार्थासक्तः पुमान्नित्यं न जानाति शुभाशुभम् ॥ ४७ ॥ दैवाधीनः सदा कुर्यात्पापमेव न सत्कृतम् । प्राजापत्याः सुराः सर्वे ह्यसुराश्च तदुद्भवाः ॥ ४८ ॥ सर्वे ते स्वार्थनिरताः परस्परविरोधिनः । सत्त्वोद्भवाः सुराः सर्वेऽप्युक्ता वेदेषु मानुषाः ॥ ४९ ॥ रजोद्भवास्तामसास्तु तिर्यंचः परिकीर्तिताः । सत्त्वोद्भवानां तैर्वैरं परस्परमनारतम् ॥ ५० ॥ तिरश्चामत्र किं चित्रं जातिवैरसमुद्भवे । सदा द्रोहपरा देवास्तपोविघ्नकरास्तथा ॥ ५१ ॥ असन्तुष्टा द्वेषपराः परस्परविरोधिनः । अहङ्कारसमुद्भूतः संसारोऽयं यतो नृप ॥ ५२ ॥ रागद्वेषविहीनस्तु स कथं जायते नृप ॥ ५३ ॥
rājovāca vismito'smi mahābhāga śrutvākhyānaṃ mahāmate | saṃsāro'yaṃ pāparūpaḥ kathaṃ mucyeta bandhanāt || 1 || kaśyapasyāpi dāyādastrilokīvibhave sati | kṛtavānīdṛśaṃ karma ko na kuryāñcugupsitam || 2 || garbhe praviśya bālasya hananaṃ dāruṇaṃ kila | sevāmiṣeṇa mātuśca kṛtvā śapathamadbhutam || 3 || śāstā dharmasya goptā ca trilokyāḥ patirapyuta | kṛtavānīdṛśaṃ karma ko na kuryādasāmpratam || 4 || pitāmahā me saṃgrāme kurukṣetre'tidāruṇam | kṛtavantastathāścaryaṃ duṣṭaṃ karma jagadguro || 5 || bhīṣmodroṇaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇo dharmāśo'pi yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | sarve viruddhadharmeṇa vāsudevena noditāḥ || 6 || asāratāṃ vijānantaḥ saṃsārasya sumedhasaḥ | devāṃśāśca kathaṃ cakurninditaṃ dharmatatparāḥ || 7 || kāsthā dharmasya viprendra pramāṇaṃ kiṃ viniścitam | calacitto'smi sañjātaḥ śrutvā caitatkathānakam || 8 || āptavākyaṃ pramāṇaṃ cedāptaḥ kaḥ paradehavān | puruṣo viṣayāsakto rāgī bhavati sarvathā || 9 || rāgo dveṣo bhavennūnamarthanāśādasaṃśayam | dveṣādasatyavacanaṃ vaktavyaṃ svārthasiddhaye || 10 || jarāsandhavighātārthaṃ hariṇā sattvamūrtinā | chalena racitaṃ rūpaṃ brāhmaṇasya vijānatā || 11 || tadāptaḥ kaḥ pramāṇaṃ kiṃ sattvamūrtirapīdṛśaḥ | arjuno'pi tathaivātra kārye yajñavinirmite || 12 || kīdṛśo'yaṃ kṛto yajñaḥ kimarthaṃ śamavarjitaḥ | paralokapadārthaṃ vā yaśase vānyathā kila || 13 || dharmasya prathamaḥ pādaḥ satyametacchrutervacaḥ | dvitīyastu tathā śaucaṃ dayā pādastṛtīyakaḥ || 14 || dānaṃ pādaścaturthaśca purāṇajñā vadanti vai | tairvihīnaḥ kathaṃ dharmastiṣṭhediha susammataḥ || 15 || dharmahīnaṃ kṛtaṃ karma kathaṃ tatphaladaṃ bhavet | dharme sthirā matiḥ kvāpi na kasyāpi pratīyate || 16 || chalārthañca yadā viṣṇurvāmano'bhūñcagatprabhuḥ | yena vāmanarūpeṇa vañcito'sau balirnṛpaḥ || 17 || vihartā śatayajñasya vedājñāparipālakaḥ | dharmiṣṭho dānaśīlaśca satyavādī jitendriyaḥ || 18 || sthānātprabhraṃśito'kasmādviṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | jitaṃ kena tayoḥ kṛṣṇa balinā vāmanena vā || 19 || chalakarmavidā cāyaṃ sandeho'tra mahānmama | vañcayitvā vañcitena satyaṃ vada dvijottama || 20 || purāṇakartā tvamasi dharmajñaśca mahāmatiḥ | vyāsa uvāca jitaṃ vai balinā rājan dattā yena ca medinī || 21 || trivikramo'pi nāmnā yaḥ prathito vāmano'bhavat | chalanārthamidaṃ rājanvāmanatvaṃ narādhipa || 22 || samprāptaṃ hariṇā bhūyo dvārapālatvameva ca | satyādanyatarannāsti mūlaṃ dharmasya pārthiva || 23 || duḥsādhyaṃ dehināṃ rājansatyaṃ sarvātmanā kila | māyā balavatī bhūpa triguṇā bahurūpiṇī || 24 || yayedaṃ nirmitaṃ viśvaṃ guṇaiḥ śabalitaṃ tribhiḥ | tasmācchalavatā satyaṃ kuto'viddhaṃ bhavennṛpa || 25 || miśreṇa janitā caiva sthitireṣā sanātanī | vaikhānasāśca munayo niḥsaṅgā niṣpratigrahāḥ || 26 || satyayuktā bhavantyatra vītarāgā gataspṛhāḥ | dṛṣṭāntadarśanārthāya nirmitāste ca tādṛśāḥ || 27 || anyatsarvaṃ śabalitaṃ guṇairebhistribhinṛpa | naikaṃ vākyaṃ purāṇeṣu vedeṣu nṛpasattama || 28 || dharmaśāstreṣu cāṅgeṣu saguṇai raciteṣviha | saguṇaḥ saguṇaṃ kuryānnirguṇo na karoti vai || 29 || guṇāste miśritāḥ sarve na pṛthagbhāvasaṅgatāḥ | nirvyalīke sthire dharme matiḥ kasyāpi na sthirā || 30 || bhavodbhave mahārāja māyayā mohitasya vai | indriyāṇi pramāthīni tadāsaktaṃ manastathā || 31 || karoti vividhānbhāvānguṇaistaiḥ prerito bhṛśam | brahmādistambaparyantāḥ prāṇinaḥ sthirajaṅgamāḥ || 32 || sarve māyāvaśā rājan sānukrīḍati tairiha | sarvānvai mohayatyeṣā vikurvatyaniśaṃ jagat || 33 || asatyo jāyate rājankāryavānprathamaṃ naraḥ | indriyārthāṃścintayāno na prāpnoti yadā naraḥ || 34 || tadarthaṃ chalamādatte chalātpāpe pravartate | kāmaḥ krodhaśca lobhaśca vairiṇo balavattarāḥ || 35 || kṛtākṛtaṃ na jānanti prāṇinastadvaśaṃ gatāḥ | vibhave satyahaṅkāraḥ prabalaḥ prabhavatyapi || 36 || ahaṅkārādbhavenmoho mohānmaraṇameva ca | saṅkalpā bahavastatra vikalpāḥ prabhavanti ca || 37 || īrṣyāsūyā tathā dveṣaḥ prādurbhavati cetasi | āśā tṛṣṇā tathā dainyaṃ dambho'dharmamatistathā || 38 || prāṇināṃ prabhavantyete bhāvā mohasamudbhavāḥ | yajñadānāni tīrthāni vratāni niyamāstathā || 39 || ahaṅkārābhibhūtastu karoti puruṣo'nvaham | ahaṃbhāvakṛtaṃ sarvaṃ prabhavedvai na śaucavat || 40 || rāgalobhātkṛtaṃ karma sarvāṅgaṃ śuddhivarjitam | prathamaṃ dravyaśuddhiśca draṣṭavyā vibudhaiḥ kila || 41 || adroheṇārjitaṃ dravyaṃ praśastaṃ dharmakarmaṇi | drohārjitena dravyeṇa yatkaroti śubhaṃ naraḥ || 42 || viparītaṃ bhavettattu phalakāle nṛpottama | mano'tinirmalaṃ yasya sa samyakphalabhāgbhavet || 43 || tasminvikārayukte tu na yathārthaphalaṃ labhet | kartāraḥ karmaṇāṃ sarve ācāryaṛtvijādayaḥ || 44 || syuste viśuddhamanasastadā pūrṇaṃ bhavetphalam | deśakālakriyādravyakartṝṇāṃ śuddhatā yadi || 45 || mantrāṇāṃ ca tadā pūrṇaṃ karmaṇāṃ phalamaśnute | śatrūṇāṃ nāśamuddiśya svavṛddhiṃ paramāṃ tathā || 46 || karoti sukṛtaṃ tadvadviparītaṃ bhavetkila | svārthāsaktaḥ pumānnityaṃ na jānāti śubhāśubham || 47 || daivādhīnaḥ sadā kuryātpāpameva na satkṛtam | prājāpatyāḥ surāḥ sarve hyasurāśca tadudbhavāḥ || 48 || sarve te svārthaniratāḥ parasparavirodhinaḥ | sattvodbhavāḥ surāḥ sarve'pyuktā vedeṣu mānuṣāḥ || 49 || rajodbhavāstāmasāstu tiryaṃcaḥ parikīrtitāḥ | sattvodbhavānāṃ tairvairaṃ parasparamanāratam || 50 || tiraścāmatra kiṃ citraṃ jātivairasamudbhave | sadā drohaparā devāstapovighnakarāstathā || 51 || asantuṣṭā dveṣaparāḥ parasparavirodhinaḥ | ahaṅkārasamudbhūtaḥ saṃsāro'yaṃ yato nṛpa || 52 || rāgadveṣavihīnastu sa kathaṃ jāyate nṛpa || 53 ||
English translation
1. The King spoke O highly honoured and intelligent one! I have heard the anecdote just related to me by you. I am very much bewildered. This Samsara (world) is vice incarnate. I wonder how the JTvas, entangled in its meshes, can again be freed!
2. When the son of Kas'yapa, whose kingdom is the three worlds, can commit such an heinous act, what wonder, then, that any other ordinary person would do more blameable things!
3. On the pretence of serving and on a solemn oath, when a man, can enter into his step-mother's womb and take away the life of the son, what more heinous and dreadful can take place than this!
4. When the preserver and controller of religion, the ruler of the three worlds can do such acts, you cannot expect that any other person would desert from committing heinous, contemptible acts.
5. O World Teacher! Indeed my grandfather did unjustifiable horrible mean acts in the battle field of Kuruksettra. It is really wonderful!
6-7. Bhisma, Drona, Kripa, Kama, even Yudhisthira, who is the part incarnate of Dharma all these were urged by Vasudeva into this contrary religious act. These personages are all born of Devamsas, devoted to religion, and intelligent. These know the transitory nature of this world; how can these commit such mean blameable things!
8. O Glory of the Brahmins! What faith or regard can we have for a religion, when such high souled persons commit such irreligious acts! Indeed, there is doubt whether religion exists at all or not! O Best of the Munis! My heart is agitated very much on hearing these incidents.
9. If it be said that the word of the Aptas (seers) is a sufficient guarantee for the entity of religion, it may then be questioned where there is such an Apta, holding such a pure religious body? All those persons who are attached to worldliness are bent on all worldly objects with their whole head and heart; these, therefore, cannot be Aptas.
10. When self interest is obstructed, jealousy and anger arise; and to secure one's self interest, out of jealousy, arise untruthful words.
11. Even the pure, excellent, virtuous S’ri Krisna, with full consciousness, had to assume under pretence a Brahmin form for killing Jarasandha.
12. Just as the holy S'ri Hari assumed a false appearance to kill Jarasandha, similarly Arjuna, too, did a false sacrifice to accomplish his ends. Where is, then, one who can claim to be an Apta? And what proof is there of the existence of such an Apta?
13. What sort of sacrifice was this? Did it lead to heaven in the next world or did it lead to glory or did it serve the cause of any good will? Why was it deprived of that peace and rest? (It was performed with a view to kill S'isupala and others).
14-15. The Pundits, of yore, declare that truth is the first Pada, cleanliness, the second; compassion, the third; and charity is the fourth Pada (foot) of Dharma (Religion). Thus, devoid of these, how can Religion stand with due regards from all?
16. How can an act bear good fruits, which has no trace of virtue in it? It seems no one had any trace of faith and steadiness in one's religion. (The Pandavas did sacrifice out of arrogance; how can they be Aptas?)
17-20. Visnu, the Lord of the Universe, assumed His Dwarf (Vamana) Incarnation with the express object to cheat Vali, the king of the Daityas. Now, O Muni! The king Bali, performed one hundred sacrifices; he was the protector of the Vedas, virtuous, charitable, truthful and self controlled; why was such a man dislodged from his position by Visnu, the Powerful. Who was victorious in this affair? Was he the Vali, who was cheated? Or was it Vamana Deva, the expert in making nice pretence? Who was the better of the two? I have got grave doubts on this point. O the best of the twiceborn! You are the composer of the Puranas, virtuous, and liberal hearted. Speak what is true (and thus tranquil my heart).
21-23. Vyasa said O king! The victory was certainly Bali's, in as much as he fulfilled his promise and gave over his kingdom of earth to Visnu. And in as much as Visnu in his 5th or dwarf Incarnation deceived Bali, he had to become a dwarf (i. e. a small mean person indicated even by the shortness of his body). O king! There is nothing superior in religion to truth. See! S’ri Hah even had to become, for his falsehood, a gate keeper of Vali. O king! It is hardly possible for a human being to observe in every way the injunctions of truth.
24. Powerful, indeed, is Maya, composed of the three qualities and of various forms. By Her is created this Universe, made manifold by the admixture of the three qualities (Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas).
25. How can you expect therefore, truth to be observed wholly, without the least violation, by a deceiver. This world is made up of the mixture of Rajas; O king! Know this as the every day routine of things in nature.
26-27. It is only the Munis and Hermits that can observe pure truth; and that is why they are without any attachment; they do not accept any thing from any other body; they are desireless; and they all have no rough wear and tear of the world. They exist as perfect examples; their case is quite separate. All the others are caught under the meshes of the three Mayic Gunas.
28. O Best of kings! The Dharma S’astras, Puranas and the Angas the Vedas are full of diverse opinions on any one point under consideration for their composers were under the influence of the different Gunas.
29. The Saguna persons (i. e. persons under Maya) do Saguna works (works composed of qualities) and the Nirguna persons (i. e persons above Maya) do not do any Saguna work. And when the Gunas are mixed with one another, they cannot remain pure (i. e. they exhibit qualities of those Gunas with which they are mixed).
30. O king! One is influenced by Maya no sooner one takes one's birth in this world; so that no body can remain steady in this pure, steady maxim of truth, untainted by any falsehood or deceit.
31. The sense organs, Indriyas, confound the Buddhi (reason) and make one follow the path of enjoying sensual things. Mind is attached to senses and follows diverse ways, urged on furiously by the three Gunas.
32. O king! All the beings, Brahma down to the moving and non¬ moving things, fall under the delusion of Maya; She plays with them.
33. This Maya is always imposing on all; and She is incessantly making formations and transformations in this Universe; O king of kings! The man under the influence of action takes recourse to this untruth (i.e., actions arise first from this untruth) from the very moment of his birth.
34. Persons when they do not get their desired objects after they have pondered how to secure the sensual objects, take recourse to pretext, and, from that pretext do many sinful acts.
35. Lust, anger, and avarice; these three are very powerful enemies. The Jivas under their influence cannot distinguish the right from the wrong.
36. When wealth, might and rank come to a person, he gets deep- rooted Ahamkara, and becomes very egoistic; from Ahamkara, delusion comes and, from delusion, insensibility and death ensue.
37-38. Here men argue mentally many plans; and thence jealousy, intolerance and enmity spring in the heart; next arise, out of delusion, hope, thirst, misery, low-spiritedness, arrogance and irreligiousness.
39. It is through Ahamkara that people are led to perform sacrifices, charities, visit places of pilgrimages, practise vows and rules for religious rites and ceremonies.
40. Hence these sacrificial acts, etc., proceeding from Ahamkara, are unable to remove the clouds of impurity from the mind, as observance of purity and cleanliness does. Especially when any action is done through greed or undue affection, as its motive, it cannot be pure in every respect.
41. Therefore, at the commencement of any sacrifice, the wise persons look at the purity of sacrificial things; (Dravya Suddhi); those articles that are collected without injuring others, are the best in religious acts.
42. O best of Kings! If the things, acquired by injuring others, be utilised in any auspicious act, they yield contrary results at the time of fruition.
43. It is he only, whose mind is very pure and undefiled, who gets the results wholly auspicious from any sacrificial act. Minds defiled do not acquire their proper desired objects.
44-45. When the preceptor and the priests ordained are sincere and pure; moreover, when the place, moment, act, sacrificial things, the mantras, and the sacrificer are all holy, then and there only, the full results accrue in their entirety to the sacrificer.
46. If the sacrifice be intended for the destruction of one's enemy or for a personal motive and one's gain, it converts auspicious results into those that are inauspicious and lead to ruin in the end.
47. Selfish persons are unable to ascertain, which actions are auspicious and which are not; they depend on the circumstances what they call Daiva, and the people do acts sinful instead of virtuous.
48-49. The Devas and demons all are created by Brahma, the Prajapati, the Creator; they all are selfish; hence they are at war and war with each other. The Devas are born from the Sattva Guna; the human beings are sprung from the Rajas and the birds are sprung from the Tamas.
50. O King! When the Devas, born of the Sattva Guna are always engaged in inimical actions, what wonder, then, is there, that the lower ones would be at war with one another!
51-52. O King! When the Devas are always discontented, filled with jealousy and envy, at war amongst each other, and obstructors of the ascetics and the austere persons, then know that this Universe has sprung from Ahamkara (egoism). How can you expect them to be free from feelings of anger, jealousy; etc.!
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Fourth Book, the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses on Adharma by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24759, revision 75625 (2016-08-03T23:47:35Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk04ch04.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.