Chapter 16 Shloka 17

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।

यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्।।१७।।

Those arrogant beings who thus consider themselves

to be superior and who are intoxicated with wealth

and honour, they worship the Lord in hypocrisy

– through nominal sacrifices and offerings,

and contrary to scriptural ordinances.

Chapter 16 Shloka 17

आत्मसम्भाविताः स्तब्धा धनमानमदान्विताः।

यजन्ते नामयज्ञैस्ते दम्भेनाविधिपूर्वकम्।।१७।।

The Lord says:

Those arrogant beings who thus consider themselves to be superior and who are intoxicated with wealth and honour, they worship the Lord in hypocrisy – through nominal sacrifices and offerings, and contrary to scriptural ordinances.

Describing men of the demonic disposition, the Lord says that:

a) Such people have a high opinion of themselves.

b) They consider themselves to be the most superior.

c) They consider themselves to be on a higher plane than the whole world.

d) They consider themselves to be more capable than the whole world.

e) They are devoid of positive attributes yet they are arrogant with pride.

f) They are intoxicated with the pride of wealth, which ultimately becomes the cause of their destruction.

g) Thus intoxicated with the wine of wealth and renown, they do not even consider others to be human.

h) They regard others with disdain.

i)  They insult others.

j)  They loathe others.

k) Their mind is full of hatred and avarice.

l)  Self praise comes naturally to them.

m)   Pride of self is their natural attribute.

­­–  Such people are extremely arrogant.

­­–  They are incorrigible and shameless.

­­–  They do not contain even an iota of humility.

­­–  They cannot understand love, compassion and sympathy.

­­–  Forgiveness is a far cry – they in fact continually cast aspersions even at saints and sages.

They are so proud of their wealth and repute that they:

a) forget humane qualities;

b) consider themselves to be the most superior;

c) weigh relationships with wealth;

d) swell with arrogance even before their parents;

e) do not consider the impoverished to be human beings.

Thoroughly inebriated with the intoxicants of wealth and fame, such people offer numerous sacrifices:

a) only for show;

b) only for self-establishment;

c) only for augmenting their pride;

d) only to gain respect and acclaim;

e) and thus they deceive themselves and others.

Their sacrificial offerings are only in name. They do not perform sacrifice in the true sense nor with the correct method. They meet even spiritual beings with arrogance.

What can one do when the intoxication of wealth motivates even the aspirant of virtue to perform such unholy consecrations; when, drunk with wealth, even men of knowledge and learning delude the world? Neither in their yagya nor in their method of performing the rites is there any faith. They have faith neither in Truth nor in love.

1. They are hard-working, but devoid of faith.

2. They take the Lord’s Name, but without faith.

3. They gift great donations to charities, but without faith.

They are verily demons full of evil tendencies.