Thursday, June 12, 2008

Balarāma on armchair scholars

On madangopal.com (Linktab 'Articles', the 'Wisdoms'-file, page 2) I have added this verse, spoken by Śrī Balarāma to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, Śrīmad Bhāgavata 10.78.26:

adāntasyāvinītasya vṛthā paṇḍita-māninaḥ
na guṇāya bhavanti sma naṭasyevājitātmanaḥ

“Those who vainly consider themselves learned, but are neither self-controlled, nor humble, so they don’t attain good characters, are just like actors on a stage."

I have added this before the next śloka of the Bhāgavata (10.78.27), which was already posted in that file:

etad artho hi loke’sminn avatāro mayā kṛtaḥ
badhyā me dharma-dhvajinas te hi pātakino’dhikāḥ

"It is for this reason that I have descended to this world – to kill those who pretend to be virtuous. They surely are worse than sinners.”

Though Lord Balarāma speaks about Romaharṣaṇa, whom He had just executed with a blade of grass, the verses are in plural case, and so apply to all high-flying armchair intellectuals, of all times.

1 comment:

  1. Jay Nitai,


    Khub Sundar, Advaita DasJi.

    Please carry on.


    Jay Nitai Jay Gaur

    ReplyDelete