SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 24
tasmac chastram pramanam te
karyakarya-vyavasthitau
jnatva sastra-vidhanoktam
karma kartum iharhasi

tasmat--therefore; sastram--the scriptures; pramanam--evidence; te--your; karya--duty; akarya--and forbidden activities; vyavasthitau--in determining; jnatva--knowing; sastra--of scripture; vidhana--the regulations; uktam--as declared; karma--work; kartum--do; iha--in this world; arhasi--you should.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 23
yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim

yah--anyone who; sastra-vidhimn--the regulations of the scriptures; utsrjya--giving up; vartate--remains; kama-karatah--acting whimsically in lust; na--never; sah--he; siddhim--perfection; avapnoti--achieves; na--never; sukham--happiness; na--never; param--the supreme; gatim--perfectional stage.

TRANSLATION

He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 22
etair vimuktah kaunteya
tamo-dvarais tribhir narah
acaraty atmanah sreyas
tato yati param gatim

etaih--from these; vimuktah--being liberated; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; tamah-dvaraih--from the gates of ignorance; tribhih--of three kinds; narah--a person; acarati--performs; atmanah--for the self; sreyah--benediction; tatah--thereafter; yati--he goes; param--to the supreme; gatim--destination.

TRANSLATION

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.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada opens his purport with this warning, One should be very careful of these three enemies to human life: lust, anger and greed. The more a person is freed from lust, anger and greed, the more his existence becomes pure. Then he can follow the rules and regulations enjoined in the Vedic literature. The reward for battleing these states-of-mind attacks is the way to a "pure" state of mind; an ability to perform your duties to the Lord better.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 21
tri-vidham narakasyedam
dvaram nasanam atmanah
kamah krodhas tatha lobhas
tasmad etat trayam tyajet

tri-vidham--of three kinds; narakasya--of hell; idam--this; dvaram--gate; nasanam--destructive; atmanah--of the self; kamah--lust; krodhah--anger; tatha--as well as; lobhah--greed; tasmat--therefore; etat--these; trayam--three; tyajet--one must give up.

TRANSLATION

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.

PURPORT

The beginning of demoniac life is described herein. One tries to satisfy his lust, and when he cannot, anger and greed arise. A sane man who does not want to glide down to the species of demoniac life must try to give up these three enemies, which can kill the self to such an extent that there will be no possibility of liberation from this material entanglement.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 20
asurim yonim apanna
mudha janmani janmani
mam aprapyaiva kaunteya
tato yanty adhamam gatim

asurim--demoniac; yonim--species; apannah--gaining; mudhah--the foolish; janmani janmani--in birth after birth; mam--Me; aprapya--without achieving; eva--certainly; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; tatah--thereafter; yanti--go; adhamam--condemned; gatim--destination.

TRANSLATION

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.

JOURNAL:

Yesterday I posted another audio track in the Krishna Vrindavan Lila page. It has slokas from Srimad Bhagavatam, tenth canto, glorifying Krishna's flute and Srila Rupa Goswami's "Krishna Namastakam", among other wonderful verses. It runs about thirty minutes. I hope you will check it out.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 19
tan aham dvisatah kruran
samsaresu naradhaman
ksipamy ajasram asubhan
asurisv eva yonisu

tan--those; aham--I; dvisatah--envious; kruran--mischievous; samsaresu--into the ocean of material existence; nara-adhaman--the lowest of mankind; ksipami--I put; ajasram--forever; asubhan--inauspicious; asurisu--demoniac; eva--certainly; yonisu--into the wombs.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 18
ahankaram balam darpam
kamam krodham ca samsritah
mam atma-para-dehesu
pradvisanto 'bhyasuyakah

ahankaram--false ego; balam--strength; darpam--pride; kamam--lust; krodham--anger; ca--also; samsritah--having taken shelter of; mam--Me; atma--in their own; para--and in other; dehesu--bodies; pradvisantah--blaspheming; abhyasuyakah--envious.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 17
atma-sambhavitah stabdha
dhana-mana-madanvitah
yajante nama-yajnais te
dambhenavidhi-purvakam

atma-sambhavitah--self-complacent; stabdhah--impudent; dhana-mana--of wealth and false prestige; mada--in the delusion; anvitah--absorbed; yajante--they perform sacrifice; nama--in name only; yajnaih--with sacrifices; te--they; dambhena--out of pride; avidhi-purvakam--without following any rules and regulations.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 16
aneka-citta-vibhranta
moha-jala-samavrtah
prasaktah kama-bhogesu
patanti narake 'sucau

aneka--numerous; citta--by anxieties; vibhrantah--perplexed; moha--of illusions; jala--by a network; samavrtah--surrounded; prasaktah--attached; kama-bhogesu--to sense gratification; patanti--they glide down; narake--into hell; asucau--unclean.

TRANSLATION

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.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada states in his purport; Each demoniac person thinks that he can live at the sacrifice of all others. We have all known people who are so self-centered that they think of themselves as "entitled". Their mantra seems to be, "Just leave all the rest to me, I need it worst than you". They never hear the child crying.

Srila Prabhupada points out in this sloka; Here the Sanskrit word moha-jala is very significant. Jala means "net"; like fish caught in a net, they have no way to come out.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 13-15
idam adya maya labdham
imam prapsye manoratham
idam astidam api me
bhavisyati punar dhanam

asau maya hatah satrur
hanisye caparan api
isvaro 'ham aham bhogi
siddho 'ham balavan sukhi

adhyo 'bhijanavan asmi
ko 'nyo 'ti sadrso maya
yaksye dasyami modisya
ity ajnana-vimohitah

idam--this; adya--today; maya--by me; labdham--gained; imam--this; prapsye--I shall gain; manah-ratham--according to my desires; idam--this; asti--there is; idam--this; api--also; me--mine; bhavisyati--it will increase in the future; punah--again; dhanam--wealth; asau--that; maya--by me; hatah--has been killed; satruh--enemy; hanisye--I shall kill; ca--also; aparan--others; api--certainly; isvarah--the lord; aham--I am; aham--I am; bhogi--the enjoyer; siddhah--perfect; aham--I am; bala-van--powerful; sukhi--happy; adhyah--wealthy; abhijana-van--surrounded by aristocratic relatives; asmi--I am; kah--who; anyah--other; asti--there is; sadrsah--like; maya--me; yaksye--I shall sacrifice; dasyami--I shall give charity; modisye--I shall rejoice; iti--thus; ajnana--by ignorance; vimohitah--deluded.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 11-12
cintam aparimeyam ca
pralayantam upasritah
kamopabhoga-parama
etavad iti niscitah

asa-pasa-satair baddhah
kama-krodha-parayanah
ihante kama-bhogartham
anyayenartha-sancayan

cintam--fears and anxieties; aparimeyam--immeasurable; ca--and; pralaya-antam--unto the point of death; upasritah--having taken shelter of; kama-upabhoga--sense gratification; paramah--the highest goal of life; etavat--thus; iti--in this way; niscitah--having ascertained; asa-pasa--entanglements in a network of hope; sataih--by hundreds; baddhah--being bound; kama--of lust; krodha--and anger; parayanah--always situated in the mentality; ihante--they desire; kama--lust; bhoga--sense enjoyment; artham--for the purpose of; anyayena--illegally; artha--of wealth; sancayan--accumulation.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 10
kamam asritya duspuram
dambha-mana-madanvitah
mohad grhitvasad-grahan
pravartante 'suci-vratah

kamam--lust; asritya--taking shelter of; duspuram--insatiable; dambha--of pride; mana--and false prestige; mada-anvitah--absorbed in the conceit; mohat--by illusion; grhitva--taking; asat--nonpermanent; grahan--things; pravartante--they flourish; asuci--to the unclean; vratah--avowed.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 9
etam drstim avastabhya
nastatmano 'lpa-buddhayah
prabhavanty ugra-karmanah
ksayaya jagato 'hitah

etam--this; drstim--vision; avastabhya--accepting; nasta--having lost; atmanah--themselves; alpa-buddhayah--the less intelligent; prabhavanti--flourish; ugra-karmanah--engaged in painful activities; ksayaya--for destruction; jagatah--of the world; ahitah--unbeneficial.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 8
asatyam apratistham te
jagad ahur anisvaram
aparaspara-sambhutam
kim anyat kama-haitukam

asatyam--unreal; apratistham--without foundation; te--they; jagat--the cosmic manifestation; ahuh--say; anisvaram--with no controller; aparaspara--without cause; sambhutam--arisen; kim anyat--there is no other cause; kama-haitukam--it is due to lust only.

TRANSLATION

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.

JOURNAL:

One of the more interesting things Srila Prabhupada points out in his purport is; In other words, among the demons ... every one of them has some particular theory of his own. According to them, one interpretation of the scriptures is as good as another, for they do not believe in a standard understanding of the scriptural injunctions.

Over and over I have heard people say, both Christian and non-christian, that the bible can be read and interpreted by themselves, without any education or reference to the authority of the church. I see this most of the time in non-denominational churches. I always wonder if these people could learn trigonometry without the help of a teacher? That should be easier to understand than how God works or His plan for us, shouldn't it?

I am so happy to have an authority like the Catholic church for understanding the bible, or Srila Prabhupada for understanding Bhagavad Gita.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 7
pravrttim ca nivrttim ca
jana na vidur asurah
na saucam napi cacaro
na satyam tesu vidyate

pravrttim--acting properly; ca--also; nivrttim--not acting improperly; ca--and; janah--persons; na--never; viduh--know; asurah--of demoniac quality; na--never; saucam--cleanliness; na--nor; api--also; ca--and; acarah--behavior; na--never; satyam--truth; tesu--in them; vidyate--there is.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 6
dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin
daiva asura eva ca
daivo vistarasah prokta
asuram partha me srnu

dvau--two; bhuta-sargau--created living beings; loke--in the world; asmin--this; daivah--godly; asurah--demoniac; eva--certainly; ca--and; daivah--the divine; vistarasah--at great length; proktah--said; asuram--the demoniac; partha--O son of Prtha; me--from Me; srnu--just hear.

TRANSLATION

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.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 5
daivi sampad vimoksaya
nibandhayasuri mata
ma sucah sampadam daivim
abhijato 'si pandava

daivi--transcendental; sampat--assets; vimoksaya--meant for liberation; nibandhaya--for bondage; asuri--demoniac qualities; mata--are considered; ma--do not; sucah--worry; sampadam--assets; daivim--transcendental; abhijatah--born of; asi--you are; pandava--O son of Pandu.

TRANSLATION

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.

JOURNAL:

In his lecture on this sloka (01/31/1975, Hawaii) Srila Prabhupada ends with this statement; "So, one thing we request is, those who do not comply with our rules and regulations at least they may chant Hare Krishna where ever they may be."

Ki Jaya Srila Prabhupada, who has so much mercy on us!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 4
dambho darpo 'bhimanas ca
krodhah parusyam eva ca
ajnanam cabhijatasya
partha sampadam asurim

dambhah--pride; darpah--arrogance; abhimanah--conceit; ca--and; krodhah--anger; parusyam--harshness; eva--certainly; ca--and; ajnanam--ignorance; ca--and; abhijatasya--of one who is born of; partha--O son of Prtha; sampadam--the qualities; asurim--the demoniac nature.

TRANSLATION

Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness and ignorance--these qualities belong to those of demoniac nature, O son of Prtha.

JOURNAL:

I was listening to Srila Prabhupada's lecture (01/30/1975, Hawaii) on this sloka this morning. Near the end he says, "Now the two things are there; the divine characteristic and the demonic characteristic. Both of them are there and you have to select which one you want. If you actually want to love Krishna then take this divine characteristic. There is no cause of helplessness."

It is my choice how I live. Krishna will help me live that way, no matter what my choice is. Let me make the right choices so that I may grow closer to Him, day by day.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 16 Text 1-3
sri-bhagavan uvaca
abhayam sattva-samsuddhir
jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih
danam damas ca yajnas ca
svadhyayas tapa arjavam

ahimsa satyam akrodhas
tyagah santir apaisunam
daya bhutesv aloluptvam
mardavam hrir acapalam

tejah ksama dhrtih saucam
adroho nati-manita
bhavanti sampadam daivim
abhijatasya bharata

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; abhayam--fearlessness; sattva-samsuddhih--purification of one's existence; jnana--in knowledge; yoga--of linking up; vyavasthitih--the situation; danam--charity; damah--controlling the mind; ca--and; yajnah--performance of sacrifice; ca--and; svadhyayah--study of Vedic literature; tapah--austerity; ariavam--simplicity; ahimsa--nonviolence; satyam--truthfulness; akrodhah--freedom from anger; tyagah--renunciation; santih--tranquillity; apaisunam--aversion to fault-finding; daya--mercy; bhutes. u--towards all living entities; aloluptvam--freedom from greed; mardavam--gentleness; hrih--modesty; acapalam--determination; teiah--vigor; ksama--forgiveness; dhrtih--fortitude; saucam--cleanliness; adrohah--freedom from envy; na--not; ati manita--expectation of honor; bhavanti--are; sampadam--the qualities; daivim--the transcendental nature; abhijatasya--of one who is born of; bharata--O son of Bharata.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: 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.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; The qualities mentioned herein are explained as transcendental qualities meant for making a person progress in spiritual understanding so that he can get liberated from the material world.

This then is a list of the qualities I need to be developing in myself so that I can move from the mode of goodness to the transcendental platform.

Srila Prabhupada ends his purport thus; All these twenty-six qualifications mentioned are transcendental qualities. They should be cultivated according to the different statuses of social and occupational order. The purport is that even though material conditions are miserable, if these qualities are developed by practice, by all classes of men, then gradually it is possible to rise to the highest platform of transcendental realization.