अर्जुन उवाच | अथ केन प्रयुक्तोऽयं पापं चरति पूरुष: | अनिच्छन्नपि वार्ष्णेय बलादिव नियोजित: || 36 || श्रीभगवानुवाच | काम एष क्रोध एष रजोगुणसमुद्भव: || महाशनो महापाप्मा विद्ध्येनमिह वैरिणम् || 37 || |
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Arjuna asked, “Why is a person impelled to commit sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if by force, O descendent of Vrishni (Krishna)?”
Krishna says, “It is desire and anger born of sinful, all-devouring Rajasic nature. Know these (twins) to be the greatest enemy in this world”
Commentary
In the previous verse, Sri Krishna states that one should not come under the influence of attraction and aversion to the perceptions. Arjuna wishes to lead such a life but finds it difficult to follow, so he asks Krishna about the reason that impels people to stray away from the divine path.
Attachment and repulsion, likes and dislikes create a desire in the mind. This desire could be for or against the situation or person. If desire is not fulfilled, it first leads to annoyance, then frustration, then anger and finally rage. Sins can be classified on various levels. It does not only mean extreme evil actions but includes excessive pleasures of the senses in movies, music, food and other aspects. To a yogi, these are like kid’s toys which do not ruffle his innate peace and he makes sure not to develop habits for such sense pleasures.
There are a hundred ways to do bad but very few ways to do good in society. A businessman is easily tempted to follow a dishonest person who is prospering; a student is easily lured by sensory pleasures; a politician is very easily attracted to corruption. It is easy to give in to anger and scream or beat another person but very hard to control. A small situation at home can turn into an ugly fight. At the same time, there are people who display exemplary behavior. These saintly ones remain calm, in control and do not get distracted from their values. Values are a set of principles which are considered very important. They include integrity, excellence, empathy, self-control etc. and these are irreplaceable. Belief is an idea that is accepted as true without testing the facts. When two people have different beliefs, obviously there is conflict.
Earth is in a specific spectrum of creation designed to be predominantly Rajasic in nature. Wise people surpass this nature by overcoming their past habits through some form of yoga. Imagine yourself outside of Earth existing as pure omnipotent and omnipresent power. Entire planet is created by you alone. You exist as One but became many on the earth – insects, animals, sand, water, air, humans and everything else. If you were to take birth on the planet, you will have an individual consciousness that is relative and separate from everything else. This separate identity is the only way you can live in the material world. Once you develop desire for your own creation, your nature will accumulate habits which are difficult to break. You are then bound by the Law of Karma to come back again till you realize that you were the original One that became many.