Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 16 - Shloka (Verse) 21

व्याख्या -- कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारम् -- भगवान्ने पाँचवें श्लोकमें कहा था कि दैवीसम्पत्ति मोक्षके लिये और आसुरीसम्पत्ति बन्धनके लिये है। तो वह आसुरीसम्पत्ति आती कहाँसे है जहाँ संसारकी कामना होती है। संसारके भोगपदार्थोंका संग्रह? मान? बड़ाई? आराम आदि जो अच्छे दीखते हैं? उनमें जो महत्त्वबुद्धि या आकर्षण है? बस? वही मनुष्यको नरकोंकी तरफ ले जानेवाला है। इसलिये काम? क्रोध? लोभ? मोह? मद और मत्सर -- ये ष़ड्रिपु माने गये हैं। इनमेंसे कहींपर तीनका? कहींपर दोका और कहींपर एकका कथन किया जाता है? पर वे सब मिलेजुले हैं? एक ही धातुके हैं। इन सबमें काम ही मूल है क्योंकि कामनाके कारण ही आदमी बँधता है (गीता 5। 12)।तीसरे अध्यायके छत्तीसवें श्लोकमें अर्जुनने पूछा था कि मनुष्य न चाहता हुआ भी पापका आचरण क्यों करता है उसके उत्तरमें भगवान्ने काम और क्रोध -- ये दो शत्रु बताये। परन्तु उन दोनोंमें भी एष शब्द देकर कामनाको ही मुख्य बताया क्योंकि कामनामें विघ्न पड़नेपर क्रोध आता है। यहाँ काम? क्रोध और लोभ -- ये तीन शत्रु बताते हैं। तात्पर्य है कि भोगोंकी तरफ वृत्तियोंका होना काम है और संग्रहकी तरफ वृत्तियोंका होना लोभ है। जहाँ काम शब्द अकेला आता है? वहाँ उसके अन्तर्गत ही भोग और संग्रहकी इच्छा आती है। परन्तु जहाँ काम और लोभ -- दोनों स्वतन्त्ररूपसे आते हैं? वहाँ भोगकी इच्छाको लेकर काम और संग्रहकी इच्छाको लेकर लोभ आता है और इन दोनोंमें बाधा पड़नेपर क्रोध आता है। जब काम? क्रोध और लोभ -- तीनों अधिक बढ़ जाते हैं? तब मोह होता है।कामसे क्रोध पैदा होता है और क्रोधसे सम्मोह हो जाता है (गीता 2। 62 -- 63)। यदि कामनामें बाधा न पड़े? तो लोभ पैदा होता है और लोभसे सम्मोह हो जाता है। वास्तवमें यह काम ही क्रोध और लोभका रूप धारण कर लेता है। सम्मोह हो जानेपर तमोगुण आ जाता है। फिर तो पूरी आसुरी सम्पत्ति आ जाती है।नाशनमात्मनः -- काम? क्रोध और लोभ -- ये तीनों मनुष्यका पतन करनेवाले हैं। जिनका उद्देश्य भोग भोगना और संग्रह करना होता है? वे लोग (अपनी समझसे) अपनी उन्नति करनेके लिये इन तीनों दोषोंको हितकारी मान लेते हैं। उनका यही भाव रहता है कि हम लोग काम आदिसे सुख पायेंगे? आरामसे रहेंगे? खूब भोग भोगेंगे। यह भाव ही उनका पतन कर देता है।तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् -- ये काम? क्रोध आदि नरकोंके दरवाजे हैं। इसलिये मनुष्य इनका त्याग कर दे। इनका त्याग कैसे करे तीसरे अध्यायके चौंतीसवें श्लोकमें भगवान्ने बताया है कि प्रत्येक इन्द्रियके विषयमें अनुकूलता और प्रतिकूलताको लेकर राग (काम) और द्वेष (क्रोध) स्थित रहते हैं। साधकको चाहिये कि वह इनके वशीभूत न हो। वशीभूत न होनेका अर्थ है कि काम? क्रोध? लोभको लेकर अर्थात् इनके आश्रित होकर कोई कार्य न करे क्योंकि इनके वशीभूत होकर शास्त्र? धर्म और लोकमर्यादाके विरुद्ध कार्य करनेसे मनुष्यका पतन हो जाता है। सम्बन्ध -- अब भगवान्? काम? क्रोध और लोभसे रहित होनेका माहात्म्य बताते हैं --

अब यह समस्त आसुरी सम्पत्तिका संक्षेप कहा जाता है। जिन ( कामादि ) तीन भेदोंमें? आसुरी सम्पत्तिके अनन्त भेद होनेपर भी सबका अन्तर्भाव हो जाता है? जिन तीनोंका नाश करनेसे सब दोषोंका नाश करना हो जाता है और जो सब अनर्थोंके मूल कारण हैं? उनका वर्णन किया जाता है --, आत्माका नाश करनेवाले? ये तीन प्रकारके दोष? नरकप्राप्तिके द्वार हैं। इनमें प्रवेश करनेमात्रसे ही आत्मा नष्ट हो जाता है? अर्थात् किसी पुरुषार्थके योग्य नहीं रहता। इसलिये ये तीनों आत्माका नाश करनेवाले द्वार कहलाते हैं। वे कौन हैं काम? क्रोध और लोभ। सुतरां इन तीनोंका त्याग कर देना चाहिये। क्योंकि ये काम आदि तीनों नरकद्वार आत्माका नाश करनेवाले हैं? इसलिये इनका त्याग कर देना चाहिये। यह त्यागकी स्तुति है।

Doubting 'How can the Asuri wealth, which has infinite varieties, be avoided even in a human lifetime?', he says — 'Sarvasyah' (Of all...).

He states the fruit of the concise statement — 'Yasmin' (In which...).

Even if the entire variety of Asuri wealth is included in the threefold Lust etc., how is that (wealth) avoided? To this he says — 'Yatpariharena' (By the avoidance of which...).

Even if the variety of Asuri wealth is avoided by the avoidance of Lust etc., how is there complete abandonment of all evil? Doubting this, he says — 'Yanmulam' (Whose root...).

How can there be a doubt of destruction of the eternal Self? To this he says — 'Kasmaicit' (For any...).

Although shown generally as threefold, he shows it specifically through expectation (question) — 'Kim tat' (What is that...).

He explains 'Tasmat' (Therefore) — 'Yatah' (Since/Because...). The idea is that when Lust etc. are abandoned, the practice of evil and the obstruction to welfare would cease.

Objection: This Asuri wealth consisting of infinite varieties is impossible to avoid even in a full human life; raising this doubt, He shows that in which all the infinite varieties of Asuri wealth are included, and by the avoidance of which they are also avoided, which is the root cause of all evil.

'Trividham' -- threefold -- is this 'dvaram' (gate) to the attainment of hell; 'atmanah nashanam' (destroyer of the self) -- entering which gate the self perishes immediately; he does not become fit for any human goal.

What is that? Lust (Kama), Anger (Krodha), and Greed (Lobha) -- this is the threefold gate of hell, the destroyer of the self. 'Tasmat' (Therefore), one seeking welfare should abandon this triad of Lust etc.

He states the summary of Asuri wealth -- 'Trividham' (Threefold).

Of this hell which is in the form of Asuric nature, this is the threefold gate; and that is the destroyer of the self -- Lust, Anger, and Greed. The nature of the three has been explained before itself.

'Dvaram' (Gate) means path or cause. Therefore, one should abandon this triad.

Therefore -- because they are the cause of exceedingly terrible hell -- one should abandon this triad of Lust, Anger, and Greed from a distance.

Among the stated Asuric faults, the triad of faults which is the root of all faults is to be avoided by all means; He says this -- 'Trividham' (Threefold).

Lust, Anger, and Greed -- this is the threefold gate of hell.

Therefore indeed it is the destroyer of the self, causing the attainment of low wombs. Therefore, one should abandon this triad with one's whole self (by all means).

Intending that what is necessarily to be avoided is being stated briefly, he connects the subsequent text — with 'Asya' (Of this).

The non-attainment of the Self as It really is, is indeed the destruction of the Self; and that is indeed the Asuric nature; with this intention he says — 'Asurasvabhavasyatmanashasya' (Of the self-destruction which is the Asuric nature). By cutting the root, the entire Asuric nature is indeed cut off; with this intention he says — 'Mulahetum' (Root cause).

'Of the hell which is in the form of Asuric nature' — what other hell is greater than this? This is the idea. Or, that this teaching of its root is for the purpose of avoiding the Asuric nature; or identity of meaning with the subsequent 'Tamodvaraih' (Through gates of darkness) is intended.

'Atmano nashanam' (Destroyer of the self) — in the manner of 'He becomes non-existent indeed' [Taittiriya Up. 2.6.1] etc.; this is the idea.

A 'gate' is indeed the cause of entry; by that too, being the cause of mere attainment is intended here; with this intention, he states the mode of resorting to metaphor — 'Margo heturityarthah' (Path means cause). The gate is destruction; one perishes the moment one enters; this is the idea.

The statement of the defect of what is to be rejected is helpful to the injunction of rejection; with this intention he says — 'Tasmat' (Therefore).

Hell like Raurava etc. is the cause for the exhaustion of sin; but this Asuric nature, being the cause of accumulating sin, is exceedingly terrible; with this intention he says — 'Atighoranarakahetutvat' (Because of being the cause of exceedingly terrible hell).

Although the entire Asuric nature is to be abandoned, the specific prohibition is to make known that it is to be avoided to the extreme degree; he says — 'Duratah parityajet' (Should abandon from a distance).

स्वर्ग सुखरूप है? तो नरक दुखरूप। अत इसी जीवन में भी मनुष्य अपनी मनस्थिति में स्वर्ग और नरक का अनुभव कर सकता है। शास्त्र प्रमाण से स्वर्ग और नरक के अस्तित्व का भी ज्ञान होता है। इस श्लोक में नरक के त्रिविध द्वार बताये गये हैं। इस सम्पूर्ण अध्याय का प्रय़ोजन मनुष्य का आसुरी अवस्था से उद्धार कर उसे निस्वार्थ सेवा तथा आत्मानन्द का अनुभव कराना है।काम? क्रोध और लोभ जहाँ काम है वहीं क्रोध का होना स्वाभाविक है। किसी विषय को सुख का साधन समझकर उसका निरन्तर चिन्तन करने से उस विषय की कामना उत्पन्न होती है। यदि इस कामनापूर्ति में कोई बाधा आती है? तो उससे क्रोध उत्पन्न होता है। यदि कामना तीव्र हो? तो क्रोध भी इतना उग्र रूप होता है कि वह जीवन की नौका को इतस्तत प्रक्षेपित कर? छिन्नभिन्न करके अन्त में उसे डुबो देता है।यदि कामना पूर्ण हो जाती है? तो मनुष्य का लोभ बढ़ता जाता है और इस प्रकार? उसकी शक्ति का ह्रास होता जाता है। असन्तुष्टि का वह भाव लोभ कहलाता है? जो हमारे वर्तमान सन्तुष्टि के भाव को विषाक्त करता है। लोभी पुरुष को कभी शान्ति और सुख प्राप्त नहीं होता? क्योंकि असन्तोष ही लोभ का स्वभाव है।काम? क्रोध और लोभ के इस क्रिया प्रतिक्रिया रूप संबंध को हम समझ लें? तो भगवान् का निष्कर्ष हमें स्वीकार करना ही पड़ेगा कि इसलिए इन तीनों को त्याग देना चाहिए।इन तीनों के त्याग की स्तुति करते हुए कहते हैं

'Trividham' (Threefold...). 'Etaih' (By these...).

Since the triad of Lust etc. is the gate to hell;

'Tasmat' (Therefore) 'Etat' (This) 'Tyajet' (One should abandon).

Objection: The Asuri wealth possesses infinite varieties; how can it be avoided even in a full human life? Raising this doubt, He states it briefly -- 'Trividham' (Threefold). This threefold -- of three kinds -- gate, means to the attainment of hell, is the root cause of the entire Asuri wealth, the destroyer of the self; meaning, by bringing about unfitness for all human goals, it causes the attainment of the lowest wombs. What is that? To this He says. Lust, Anger, and Greed -- this has been explained before.

Since this triad alone is the root of all evil, therefore one should abandon this triad. By the abandonment of this triad alone, the entire Asuri wealth becomes abandoned.

And the abandonment of this triad is to be understood as -- the obstruction of the effect of what has arisen through discrimination, and thereafter its non-arising.

Due to the absence of that (Divine wealth) in them, and due to the association with the said Asuras, the origin of their three main characteristics might occur; and that is the gate to hell, a means of going there; therefore, He speaks of the abandonment of that association -- 'Trividham' (Threefold).

This threefold (entity) to be described later is the gate to hell, meaning the means of entry. What kind of gate? 'Nashanam' (Destroyer) of the self, i.e., of the Jiva, meaning the agent of destruction; due to causing the fall into Samsara. He distinguishes it -- 'Kamah krodhastatha lobhah' (Lust, anger, and greed).

Lust is of the nature of desire for one's own sexual pleasure; Anger is of the nature of causeless burning of the heart; Greed is of the nature of desire to obtain another's property which destroys all virtues. Therefore, from that Asura, this triad might arise; therefore 'Tyajet' (one should abandon); 'association with him' is to be supplied.

'Trividham' (Threefold) -- of three kinds -- is 'idam dvaram' (this gate) to the attainment of hell, 'nashanam atmanah' (destroyer of the self); entering which gate the self perishes immediately, becomes unfit for any human goal whatsoever; therefore it is said 'the gate is the destroyer of the self'.

What is that? 'Kamah krodhah tatha lobhah' (Lust, anger, and greed). 'Tasmat etat trayam tyajet' (Therefore one should abandon this triad).

Since this gate is the destroyer of the self, therefore one should abandon this triad of Lust etc. This is the praise of renunciation --

He states the root cause for the destruction of the self arising from this Asuric nature -- 'Trividham' (Threefold). The gate of this hellish Asuric nature is considered to be threefold -- Lust, Greed, and Anger;

He makes it identical in meaning with the sentence from another Tantra/Scripture 'Therefore one should abandon this triad' -- with 'Kamah krodhastatha lobhah' (Lust, Anger, and Greed). 'Tasmat etat trayam tyajet' (Therefore one should abandon this triad) -- this is beneficial advice.

त्रिविधम् triple? नरकस्य of hell? इदम् this? द्वारम् gate? नाशनम् destructive? आत्मनः of the self? कामः lust? क्रोधः anger? तथा also? लोभः greed? तस्मात् therefore? एतत् this? त्रयम् three? त्यजेत् (one) should abandon.Commentary Lust? anger and greed? -- these highway robbers will cause a man to fall into the dark abyss of hell? misery or grief. These are the three fountainheads of misery. These three constitute the gateway leading to the lowest of hells. These are the enemies of peace? devotion and knowledge. When these evil modifications of the mind arise in it? man loses his balance or poise and discrimination and commits various evil actions.Lust? anger and greed denote selfblindness and ignorance? for there are no Vasanas? wants? anger? or greed in Brahman or the pure immortal Self.Narakasya dvaram The gate to hell The gate leading to hell. The self is destroyed by merely entering at the gate? i.e.? it is not fit to do any right exertion to attain the goal of life.As this gate causes selfdestruction? let everyone renounce these three. (Cf.III.47)In the next verse the man who has abandoned these three evils is highyl eulogised.

Idam, this; dvaram, door; narakasya, of hell-for entering it; which is the nasanam, destroyer; atmanah, of the soul; is trividham of three kinds. It is that by the mere entry into which the soul perishes, i.e., it ceases to be fit for attaining any human goal. hence it is said that it is the door which is the destroyer of the soul. Which is that? Kamah, passion; krodhah, anger; and also lobhah, greed. Tasmat, therefore; tyajet, one shoud forsake; etat trayam, these three. Since this door is the destroyer of the soul, therefore one should renounce this group of three-passion etc. This is a eulogy of renunciation.

Those three which constitute the 'gateway of this hell' in the shape of demoniac nature, and are destructive of the self (Atman) - are known as desire, wrath and greed. The nature of these has already been explained. 'Gateway' (Dvara) means the path, the cause. Therefore, one should renounce these three. Therefore, since they constitute the cause of the extremely dreadful Naraka, one should wholly renounce this triad - desire, wrath and greed.