16.4 dhambhO dharpO’thimAnaS cha

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

Chapter 16

<< Chapter 16 Verse 3

SlOkam – Original

dhambhO dharpO’thimAnaS cha krOdha: pArushyam Eva cha |
agyAnam chAbhijAthasya pArtha sampadham AsurIm ||

word-by-word meaning

pArtha – Oh son of kunthI!
AsurIm sampadham abhijAthasya – In those who have the wealth of asuras (that is, violating the orders of bhagavAn)
dhamba: – practicing righteousness to attain fame (of being righteous)
dharpa: – pride (derived due to enjoying sensual pleasures)
athimAna: cha – great ego
krOdha: – anger (which harms others)
pArushyam – harshness (which irks noble people)
agyAnam – ignorance (in understanding the truth and what is to be done and not to be done)
(bhavanthi – are present).

Simple Translation

Oh son of kunthI! In those who have the wealth of asuras (that is, violating the orders of bhagavAn), qualities such as practicing righteousness to attain fame (of being righteous), pride (derived due to enjoying sensual pleasures), great ego, anger (which harms others), harshness (which irks noble people) and ignorance (in understanding the truth and what is to be done and not to be done) are present.

Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam

‘Ostentation, pride, and conceit, ire as also hauteur; and ignorance, —(these), Pārtha! become his who is born of the Non-divine kind.’

Dambha = Ostentation = A display of virtue, or pretentious parade of righteous acts to invite flattery.

Darpa = Pride = That unnatural exultation arising from experiencing sense-objects, depriving one (afterwards) of the discretion to do what is right and avoid what is wrong.

Abhimānaḥ = Conceit or self-opinion of one’s own importance unwarranted by either learning or high birth etc.

Krodha = Ire = Disposition of the mind to cause others suffering, and enjoy that as one’s own fruit (or pleasure).

Pārushyam = Hauteur = Overbearing or supercilious demeanour towards good and great men so as to rouse their righteous indignation.

Ajñānam = Ignorance = The being destitute of understanding as to what is duty and what is not; and unacquaintance with truths great and small.

These constitute the character of him who is born of the Non-divine kind.

The Non-divine (=āsuri= demoniac = vile) are those who rebel against Bhagavān’s Laws or Commands.

>> Chapter 16 Verse 4.5

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