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Pages Hinduism & Quantum PhysicsHinduism-Brief Sketch
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Top ======= Understanding Hinduism ======= Malevolent and Wicked Click on underlined words to open paragraph Malevolence
Yudhishthira said: I know what benevolence is, in consequence of my observation of persons that are good. I do not, however, know them that are malevolent, nor the nature of their acts, O Bharata. Indeed, people avoid malevolent persons of cruel deeds even as they avoid thorns and pitfalls and fire. It is evident, O Bharata, that he who is malevolent is sure to burn (with misery) both here and hereafter. Therefore, O thou of Kuru’s race, tell me what, in truth, the acts of such a person are. Bhishma said: Malevolent persons always do wicked acts and feel an irresistible inclination for doing them. They slander others and incur obloquy themselves. They always regard themselves as cheated of what is their due. A malevolent person brags of his own acts of charity. He sees others with malicious eyes. He is very mean. He is deceitful and full of cunning. He never gives others their dues. He is arrogant. He keeps evil company and is always boastful. He fears and suspects all with whom he comes into contact. He is of foolish understanding. He practises miserliness. He praises his associates. He cherishes an inordinate aversion and hatred for all recluses who have retired into the woods. He takes delight in injuring others. He is utterly regardless of distinguishing the merits and faults of others. He is full
of lies. He is discontented. He is exceedingly covetous and always acts cruelly. Such a
person regards a virtuous and accomplished man as a pest, and thinking everybody else to
be like himself never trusts anyone. Such a person proclaims the faults of other people
however unsuspected those faults might be. With regard to such faults, however, as similar
to those that stain his own self, he does not refer to them even remotely, for the sake of
the advantage he reaps from them. He regards the person that does him good as a simpleton
whom he has cleverly deceived. He is filled with regret for having at any time made any
gift of wealth even unto a benefactor. Know him for a malevolent and wicked person who
quietly and alone takes comestibles and drinks and other kinds of food that are regarded
choice, even when persons are standing by with wishful eyes. He on the other hand, who
dedicates the first portion to Brahmanas and takes what remains, dividing it with friends
and kinsmen, attains to great felicity in the next world and infinite happiness here. I
have now, O chief of Bharata, said unto thee what the indications are of the wicked and
malevolent man. Such a person should always be avoided by a man of wisdom. Top To top of this page Wickedness Indra said: What are the indications, O best of regenerate ones, of a wicked person? Questioned by me, tell me how I am to know who is wicked? Vrihaspati said: A wicked person is he who proclaims the faults of others, and who remains silent when the merits of other people are proclaimed in his presence, feeling a reluctance to join in the chorus. Mere silence on such occasions is no indication of wickedness. A wicked person, however, at such times breathes heavily, bites his lips, and shakes his head. Such a person always mixes in society and speaks irrelevantly [Note: Comments by the translator: i.e. he starts such subjects for conversation as do not arise naturally, for what he has in view is the proclaiming of the faults of other people, a topic in which he alone is interested and not his hearers.] Such a man never does what he promises, when the eye of the person to whom he has given
the assurance is not upon him. When the eye of the person assured is on him, the wicked
man does not even allude to the subject. The wicked man eats by himself (and not with
others on the same board), and finds fault with the food placed before him, saying,
‘All is not right today as on other days.’ His disposition shows itself in the
circumstances connected with his sitting, lying, and riding. Sorrowing on occasions of
sorrow and rejoicing on occasions of joy, are the indications of a friend. An opposite
behaviour furnishes the indications of an enemy. Keep in thy heart these sayings, O ruler
of the gods! The disposition of wicked men can never be concealed. I have now told thee, O
foremost of deities, what the indications of a wicked person are. Having listened to the
truths laid down in the scriptures, follow them duly, O ruler of the celestials! Top To top of this page The Dirt of Humanity Addressing Salya, the king of the Madras: Karna said: The merits of meritorious men, O Salya are known to them that are themselves meritorious but not to them that are destitute of merit. You, however, are destitute of every merit. How then can you judge of merit and demerit? …. Hold your tongue, O you that were born in a sinful country. Hear from me, O Salya, the sayings, already passed into proverbs, that men, young and old, and women, and persons arrived in course of their listless wanderings, generally utter, as if those sayings formed part of their studies, about the wicked Mandrakas. Brahmanas also duly narrated the same things formerly in the courts of kings. Listening to those sayings attentively, O fool, you may forgive or rejoin. The Madraka is always a hater of friends. He that hates us is a Madraka. There is no friendship in the Madraka who is mean in speech and is the lowest of mankind. The Madraka is always a person of wicked soul, is always untruthful and crooked. It has been heard by us that till the moment of death the Madrakas are wicked. (Amongst the Madrakas) the sire, the son, the mother, the mother-in-law, the brother, the grandson, and other kinsmen, companions, strangers arrived at their homes, slaves male and female, mingle together. The women of the Madrakas mingle, at their own will, with men known and unknown. Of unrighteous conduct, and subsisting upon fried and powdered corn and fish, in their homes, they laugh and cry having drunk spirits and eaten beef. They sing incoherent songs and mingle lustfully with one another, indulging the while in the freest speeches. How then virtue have a place amongst the Madrakas who are arrogant and notorious for all kinds of evil acts? No one should make friends with a Madraka or provoke hostilities with him. In the Madraka land there is no friendship. The Madraka is always the dirt of humanity. Amongst the Madrakas all acts of friendship are lost as purity amongst the Gandharakas and the libations poured in a sacrifice in which the king is himself the sacrificer and priest.- Then again, it is truly seen that wise men treat a person bit by a scorpion and affected by its poison, even with these words: As a Brahmana (Brahmin) that assists at the religious ceremonies of a Sudra suffers degradation, as one that hates Brahmanas always suffers degradation, even so a person by making an alliance with the Madrakas becomes fallen. As there is no friendship in the Madraka, so, O scorpion, your poison is nought. With these mantras of the Atharvan I have duly performed the rite of exorcism. Knowing this, O learned one, hold your tongue, or listen to something further that I will say. Those women that, intoxicated by spirits, cast off their robes and dance,- Those women that are not attached (to particular individuals) in the matter of intercourse and that they do as they please without owning any restrictions, I say, that being, as you are the child of one of these women, how can you, O Madraka, be a fit person for declaring the duties of men? Those women that live and answer calls of nature like camels and asses, being as you are the child of one of those sinful and shameless creatures, how can you wish to declare the duties of men? When a Madraka woman is solicited for the gift of a little quantity of vinegar, she
scratches her hips and without being desirous of giving it, says these cruel words,
‘Let no man ask any vinegar of me that is so dear to me. I would give him my son, I
would give him my husband, but vinegar I would not give.’ The young Madraka maidens,
we hear, are generally very shameless and hairy and gluttonous and impure. These and many
other things of a like nature, in respect of all their acts, from the crown of their heads
to the tip of their toes, are capable of being asserted of them by myself and others. How,
indeed, would the Madrakas and the Sindhu-Sauviras know anything of duty, being born, as
they are, in a sinful country, being Mlechhas in their practices, and being totally
regardless of all duties? Top To top of this page
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