Apaddharmanushasana Parva — The source and basis of sin

Yudhishthira said-I wish, O foremost of Bharata's race, to hear fully the source from which sin proceeds and the basis upon which it depends.

Bhishma said Hear, O king, what is the origin of sin! Covetousness alone is a great destroyer. From covetousness originates sin.

Sin and impiety proceed from this source, along with great misery. This covetousness is the root of also all the cunning and hypocrisy in the world. It is covetousness that makes men perpetrate sin.

From covetousness originates anger, from covetousness grows lust; and it is covetousness which begets loss of judgement, decision, pride, haughtiness, malice, vindictiveness shamelessness, loss of prosperity, loss of virtue, anxiety, and infamy.

Covetousness also begets miserliness, cupidity, inclination for every sort of improper deed, pride of birth, pride of learning, pride of beauty, pride of riches, mercilessness for all creatures, malevolence towards all, trustlessness in respect of all, insincerity towards all, appropriation of other people's property, ravishment of other people's wives, harshness of speech, anxiety, desire to speak ill of others, strong lustful desire, gluttony, liability to premature death, strong inclination to malice, strong desire for falsehood, irrepressible desire for indulging the passions, insatiable desire for indulging the ear, evilspeaking, bostfulness, arrogance, neglect of duties, rashness, and perpetration of every kind of evil deed.

Men are unable, whether infants or youths or men, to cast off covetousness in life. Such is the nature of covetousness that it never disappears even with the loss of life.

Like the ocean that can never be filled by the continued flow of even numberless rivers of immeasurable depths, covetousness is incapable of being conquered by any number of acquisitions.

That covetousness, however, which is never satisfied by acquisitions and satiated by the fulfilment of desires, that the real nature of which is not known to the gods, the Gandharvas, the Asuras, the great snakes, and, in fact, to all beings, that irresistible passion, together with that foolishness which draws the heart to the unrealities of the world, should always be conquered by a person of purified soul.

Pride, malice, slander, wiliness and incapacity to hear other people's good, are vices, O Kuru chief, that are to be seen in persons of impure soul under the influence of covetousness.

Even highly learned men who recollect all the scriptures, and who are capable of removing the doubts of others, appear very weak in this matter and feel great misery for this passion.

Covetous men are swayed by malice and spite. They are beyond the range of good conduct. Wily as they are in their hearts, their speeches are sweet. They are like dark pits whose mouths are covered with grass.

They dress themselves in the hypocritical garb of religion, Low minded as they are, they rob the world, showing the standard of religion and virtue. Depending upon the strength of palpable reasons, they create various divisions in religion. Being anxious to serve cupidity, they destroy the ways of righteousness.

When wicked men under the influence of covetousness practise for the inere show of righteousness, the result is that the desecrations committed by them, soon become current among men.

Pride, anger, arrogance, insensibility, fits of joy and sorrow, and self-conceit, all these, O descendant of Kuru, are to be seen in persons under the influence of covetousness.

They who are always under the influence of covetousness are wicked. I shall now tell you of those about whom you ask,—those who are called good and whose practices are pure.

They who fear no obligation of returning to this world (after death), they who have no fear of the next world, they who do not take animal food and who have no liking for what is agreeable and no dislike for what is otherwise, they to whom good conduct is always dear, they who practise self-restraint, they who consider pleasure and pain as same, they who have truth for their refuge, they who give but not take, they who have mercy, they who adore, Pitris, gods, and guests, they who are always ready to work (for the behoof of others), they who are universal benefactors, they who are endued with great courage (of mind), they who follow all the duties sanctioned by the scriptures, they who are devoted to the well-being of all, they who can give their all and sacrifice their very lives for others, are considered as good and virtuous, O Bharata.

Those promoters of virtue cannot be seduced from the path of virtue. Their conduct, in imitation of that of virtuous men of yore, can never be otherwise.

They are perfectly fearless; they are tranquil; they are mild; and they always follow the right path. Full of mercy, they are always adored by the good.

They are free from lust and anger. They are not attached to any worldly object. They have no pride. They observe excellent vows. They always command respect. Do you, therefore, always attend them and seek instruction from them.

They never acquire virtue, O Yudhishthira, for the sake of riches or of fame. They acquire error it only, because they know it as a duty like that of supporting the body.

Fear, anger, restlessness, and sorrow do not live in them. They carry no external garb of religion for misleading their fellow-men. They observe no mystery.

They are perfectly contended. They have of judgement originating from covetousness. They always follow truth and sincerity. Their hearts never deviate from righteousness. You should always respect them, O son of Kunti!

They are never overjoyed at any acquisition or pained at any loss. Without being attached to anything, and shorn of pride, they are devoted to the quality of Goodness, and they regard all impartially.

Gain and loss, happiness and misery, the agreeable and the disagreeable, life and death, are held in equal estimation by those men of firm mind, engaged in acquiring (divine) knowledge, and wending the path of tranquility and righteousness.

Keeping your senses under control and without yielding to carelessness, you should always adore those great persons who bear such love for virtue. O blessed one, one's words always yield good only through the favour of the gods. Under other circumstances, words beget evil consequence. words always yield good only through the favour of the gods. Under other circumstances, words beget evil consequence.