Rajasic Pleasure.
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् ।
परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम् ॥ ३८ ॥
viṣayendriyasaṃyogādyattadagre’mṛtopamam .
pariṇāme viṣamiva tatsukhaṃ rājasaṃ smṛtam .. 38 ..
That pleasure which arises from the contract of the sense-organ with the object, at first like nectar, in the end like poison, that is declared to be Rajasic.
Read the commentary
In the end like poison : after indulgence. the (sensual) pleasure proves to be like poison, because it leads to deterioration in strength, vigour, colour, wisdom, intellect, wealth and energy; and because it leads to a-dharma, and, as an effect thereof, to hell (naraka).
- * The second half of this verse is construed by other commentators, such as Sridhara and Madhusudana, with the next verse. Though the bhashya does not make it clear how it should be construed, I have, following Anandagiri, made the whole verse appear to be a description of the threefold pleasure— Tr