T Ram Sewak

ASANT

Kakabhushundiji further elaborates on Garuda's fourth question, in Shri Ramcharitmanas 7.121, contrasting the nature of the wicked (asant/khal) and the saints (sant).

Khal ...apakari , Ahi urugari

.. Dushthetu, Jatha..ketu

"The wicked harm others purely for malice. Sometimes, while destroying others' prosperity, they also destroy themselves, just as hailstones destroy crops and perish in the process. The rise of the wicked, like the rise of the inauspicious planet Ketu, brings suffering to the world."

While Altruism (Paropkar) defines a sant, malevolence (apkar) characterises an asant. The wicked do not require a reason to inflict pain on others and do not even care about their own destruction as long as they can destroy others. The rise of the wicked is the rise of adharma (unrighteousness), leading to societal decay, and prompting Him to incarnate (Avatar) and restore dharma.

Two questions arise: Why is it important to know about the asant, and secondly, why are they like that?

Firstly, the aim here is not to classify humanity as good or evil, with promises of reward for the virtuous and curses for the wicked. Instead, the objective is to alert the sadhaks (seekers) to refrain from such behaviours for progress on the spiritual path. In Chapter 16 of the Gita, Shri Krishna classifies human traits as divine or non-divine.

Shri Krishna addresses the second question in Gita 16.7-9, explaining that these asants, or beings born for Asuric sampada (non-divine estate), do not discern which actions to undertake and which to avoid; they are ensnared in the unreal (asatya) and emerge as enemies of the world, intent on its destruction. Their insatiable desires drive their behaviour. Consumed by hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance, they entertain malevolent thoughts due to delusion and act with impure intentions. These asants, swayed by their egoism, haughtiness, lust, and anger, fail to recognise even a trace of divinity within themselves and others, rendering them prone to Dvesha (hatred) and Dushtata (wickedness) towards all! / DAILY WORLD /

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com