rīmad Bhagavad Gītā 3 страница

32. Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna, to whom a war such as this comes of its own accord; it opens the gates to heaven.

Commentary

Only fortunate warriors, ie., those with a store of merit from past actions, will have the opportunity to participate in such a war as this, which has come unsought, which is the means for the attainment of immeasurable bliss, and which gives an unobstructed pathway to heaven.

atha-cet tvam imaṁ dharmyaṁ saṅgrāmaṁ na kariṣyasi | tataḥ sva-dharmaṁ kīrtiṁ ca hitvā pāpam avāpsyasi || 33 ||

33. But if you do not fight this righteous war, you will be turning away from your duty and honour, and will be incurring blame.

akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni kathayiṣyanti te’vyayām | saṁbhāvitasya cākīrtir maraṇād-atiricyate || 34 ||

34. Furthermore, people will for ever recall your everlasting disgrace, and for an honourable man, dishonour is worse than death.

Commentary

You will then incur not merely the loss of all happiness and honour, but will be the object of contempt by all people. The qualified [critics] and even the unqualified, for the rest of time will ridicule you, saying, 'When the battle began Arjuna ran away.' If it be asked — ‘So what?’, the reply is:— ‘To one who is honoured by all, for courage, prowess, valour, etc., the disgrace arising from being accused of the opposite of these attributes, is worse than death’. In other words it would be better for you to die than to endure such disgrace.

If it is asked — ‘How could dishonour accrue to me, who am a hero, but have withdrawn from the battle only out of love and compassion for my relatives?’ the reply is as follows:—

bhayād raṇād uparataṁ mansyante tvāṁ mahārathāḥ | yeṣāṁ ca tvaṁ bahu-mato bhūtvā yāsyasi lāghavam || 35 ||

35. The great warriors will think that you have fled from the battle in fear. These men who held you in high esteem will then speak disparagingly of you.

Commentary

Great warriors like Karna, Duryodhana, etc., hitherto held you in high esteem as a worthy opponent. Now, by refraining from combat when it has already begun, you will appear to be a despicable coward. These great warriors will assume that you have withdrawn from fear, because courageous adversaries do not turn away from battle through affection and compassion for relatives but only through fear of their opponents.

Moreover;—

avācya vādāṁśca bahūn vadiṣyanti tavāhitāḥ |

nindantas tava sāmarthyaṁ tato duḥkhataraṁ nu kim || 36 ||

36. Your enemies, slandering your prowess, will use words which should never be uttered. What could be more painful than that?

Commentary

Moreover, your enemies will make many slanderous and disparaging remarks about your ability, saying — 'How can this Arjuna stand before heroes like us, even for a moment? His [boasted] skill should be displayed anywhere else other than in our presence.' Can there be anything more painful to you than this? You yourself will understand that death is preferable to being subjected to such disparagement.

hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīn | tasmād uttiṣṭha kaunteya yuddhāya kṛta-niścayaḥ || 37 ||

37. If slain, you shall gain heaven; if victorious, you shall enjoy the earth. Therefore, arise O Arjuna and resolve to fight.

Commentary

Therefore this war is a duty — when done without attachment to the results, it will become the means for attaining supreme bliss. Therefore, arise, be assured that engagement in war [here your incumbent duty] is the means for attaining the supreme goal — Liberation. This course of action alone is suitable for you O son of Kunti — this is the purport.

Sri Krishna then explains to the aspirant for liberation how to behave in war. sukha-duḥkhe same kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau | tato yuddhāya yujyasva nainaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi || 38 ||

38. Considering pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat to be the same, prepare yourself for the battle. Thus, you shall not incur any blame .

Commentary

“Thus, knowing the Self to be eternally different from the body and unaffected by all its physical qualities, you should remain indifferent to pleasure and pain resulting from the inevitable blows of weapons etc., also be indifferent to gain and loss of wealth, victory and defeat, and remaining free from attachment to heaven and other such results, begin the battle considering it merely as your incumbent duty — thus, you will not incur blame.” In this context 'pāpa' [blame] means the results of injury to others — continuation of transmigratory existence which is misery. The purport is that one will be liberated from the bondage of reincarnation [through the unattached performance of one’s dharma].”

eṣā te’bhihitā sāṅkhye buddhir yoge tvimāṁ śṛṇu | buddhyā-yukto yayā pārtha karma-bandhaṁ prahāsyasi || 39 ||

39. This knowledge which has been taught to you [so far] concerns Sankhya. Now listen to the teaching concerning Yoga, endowed with which, O Arjuna, you shall cast off the bonds of Karma.

Commentary

'Sankhya' here means 'intellect'; and the truth about the Self, which is ascertainable by the intellect, is known as 'Sankhyam'. Concerning the nature of the Self which you should know, all the required teaching has been imparted to you (II.12 — 30). ‘Yoga’ in this context is the attitude (Buddhi) one should adopt for the performance of works. When this attitude is based upon the realisation of the true nature of the Self, it constitutes the means of attaining Liberation. The insight [Buddhi or attitude] that is required for transforming a [mundane] activity into a spiritual one leading to Liberation [Yoga], is now taught. Endowed with this insight, you will be able to cast off the bondage of Karma —'Karma-bandha' ie., the bondage of reincarnation or Samsara.

nehābhikrama-nāśo’sti pratyavāyo na vidyate | svalpam apyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt || 40 ||

40. In this [practice], there is no wasted effort, nor any harm [transgression]. Even a little of this practice [Dharma ie. Karma Yoga] protects one from the great terror.

Commentary

In this practice of Karma Yoga there is no loss of initial effort. 'Abhikrama' means invested effort. 'Nāśa' means the loss of potential to succeed. In the practice of Karma Yoga, if some activity is begun and left unfinished, and the continuity is thus broken, it does not remain fruitless, as in the case of works undertaken expressly for their rewards. There is no negative result if the work is not continued. Even a little of this practice known as Karma Yoga or Niṣkāma Karma (actions done without desire for any reward) gives protection from the great fear, i.e., the fear of [the continuation of] transmigratory existence.

The same purport is explained later thus:— 'Neither in this world nor the next, O Arjuna, is one annihilated'. (6;40). But in other works, religious and secular, when there is interruption, not only do they fail to produce results, but actually produce demerit.

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana | bahu-śākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām || 41 ||

41. In this [Karma Yoga], O Arjuna, the resolute mind is one-pointed; the thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.

Commentary

Here, in every ritual prescribed by the Scriptures for the sake of Liberation, the Buddhi or psychological attitude should be characterised by focussing on this single aim. The term 'Vyavasāya' (resolute) indicates unshakeable conviction which is firmly based upon the realisation of the true nature of the Self.

On the other hand, lack of single-minded focus characterises the psychological state concerned with the performance of rituals to fulfil specific desires. For the performance of these types of activity, the only understanding required is that the Self exists independently from the body. Such a general understanding is sufficient to qualify for performing the rituals leading to the fulfilment of particular desires. It does not require any deeper insight into the true nature of the Self. For, even without such realisation, the desire for heaven etc., can still arise, the pursuit of them, and the realisation of those goals can take place.

For this reason there is no contradiction in the teaching of the Scriptures. The contradiction negated here, is how the same prescribed Scriptural rites produce two different results — (a) fulfilment of material desires and (b) Liberation. The difference in the psychological attitude accounts for the two differing results.

Therefore, since the ultimate goal of the Scriptural teachings is Liberation alone, the required mental disposition required for the seekers of Liberation — regarding all that is taught in the Scriptures too, is steadfastness only.

But the thoughts of the unsteady ones who are engaged in rituals purely for attaining such goals as heaven, sons, cattle, food etc., are endless, the results too being endless.

The general purport is this:— In performing obligatory (nitya) and periodic (naimittika) rituals, the desire for all material gains, primary and secondary, promised in the Scriptures, should be abandoned. Rituals should be performed with the understanding that Liberation— Moksha, is their sole purpose. These rituals should be performed in harmony with one's social status and stage in life, without any thought of selfish material gains. In addition, goal-orientated works (kamya-karmas) should also be performed according to one's capacity, after relinquishing all motivation for rewards and with the conviction that when performed in this way, they are a means to attain Moksha. Sri Krishna condemns those who perform rites for the attainment of objects of desire: —

yām imāṁ puṣpitāṁ vācaṁ pravadanty-avipaścitaḥ | veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ || 42 ||

42. Flowery speech, O Partha is uttered by the unwise who rejoice in the words of the Vedas, declaring "there is nothing superior to this"!

Commentary

The ignorant, having little understanding, and being motivated only by the attainment of pleasure and power, speak grandiloquent language consisting of ‘flowers’ only and no fruit; appearing very impressive but lacking substance. They delight in talking about the Vedas — they are attached to heaven and such other results [promised in the Karmakhāṇḍa section of the Vedas] and thus they consider that there is nothing else, that is, owing to their intense attachment to these results, they declare that there is no goal superior to heaven etc.

kāmātmānaḥ svarga-parā janma-karma-phala-pradām | kriyā-viśeṣa bahulāṁ bhogaiśvarya gatiṁ prati || 43 ||

43. They are full of desires and have heaven for their goal. They teach rebirth as the result of actions and engage in various specific rites for the attainment of pleasure and power.

bhogaiśvarya prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta cetasām | vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate || 44 ||

44. Those who cling to pleasure and power are attracted by these teachings [offering heavenly rewards] and are unable to develop the resolute will of a concentrated mind.

Commentary

With regard to those who crave pleasure and power and whose understanding is led astray by that grandiloquent speech about sense-gratification and controlling power, the attitude of determination mentioned earlier, will not arise in their minds [Samādhi]. Samādhi in this context means the [clear] mind in which enlightenment arises. These minds cannot develop the insight that all Vedic rituals are a means to attain Mokṣa when based on the conviction of the real nature of the Self. Hence, an aspirant for Liberation, should not be attached to rituals from a desire to attain material goals.

It may be questioned why the Vedas, which have more love for the jīvas than thousands of parents, and which are endeavouring to Liberate the jīvas, should thus prescribe rites which have trifling results and which produce only rebirth. It can also be asked if it is proper to abandon what is revealed in the Vedas. Sri Krishna replies to these questions:—

trai-guṇya viṣayā vedā nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna | nir-dvandvo nitya satvastho nir-yoga kṣema ātmavān || 45 ||

45. The Vedas deal with the three Modes of Material Nature (Guṇas), O Arjuna. You must free yourself from these three Guṇas and from the pairs of opposites. Abide in pure Sattva; never care to acquire things and to protect what has been acquired, but be established in the ātman.

Commentary

The word Traigunya means the three Guṇas— Sattva (poise), Rajas (goal-orientation) and Tamas (passivity). Here the term Traigunya denotes persons in whom these three qualities are found. The Vedas, in prescribing rituals for the attainment of goals (Kamyakarmas) have such persons in view. Because of their great love, the Vedas teach what is good to all those in whom [either] Tamas, Rajas or Sattva preponderate. If the Vedas had not explained to these persons the means for the attainment of heaven etc., according to their respective dispositions, then those who are not interested in Liberation (owing to absence of Sattva and preponderance of Rajas and Tamas), would become completely lost. They would be confused about legitimate goals and the means for their attainment. Hence the Vedas deal with matters relevant to all the three dispositions.

The purport is:— "do not become controlled by the three Gunas and their state of interplay; do not allow such influence to develop. Be established in Sattva, in its state of purity without the contamination of the other two Gunas.”

If it asked how this is possible, the reply is as follows; — "never care to acquire things nor secure what has already been acquired. While abandoning the acquisition of things that do not contribute to Self-realisation, abandon also the conservation of such things already acquired. You can thus develop control and thereby begin aspiring after the realisation of the essential nature of the ātman. 'Yoga' is acquisition of what has not been acquired; 'Kshema' is preservation of things already acquired. Abandoning these two is essential for a seeker after enlightenment (Self-realisation). If you conduct yourself in this way, the influence of Rajas and Tamas will be overcome and pure Sattva will develop.”

yāvān artha udapāne sarvataḥ saṁplutodake | tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ || 46 ||

46. For a Brahmin who knows the Self, the Vedas are of as much use as a flooded water reservoir for a thirsty person.

Commentary

All that is taught in the Vedas is not suitable to be practiced by everyone. A reservoir, which is completely overflowing with water is constructed for all kinds of purposes like irrigation etc. The thirsty person will only use enough to quench his thirst and not the entire content. Likewise, an enlightened aspirant seeking liberation will only take from the Vedas that which contributes directly to Liberation, and nothing else.

karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana | mā karma phala hetur bhū mā saṅgo’stva karmaṇi || 47 ||

47. To work alone you have the right, and not to the fruits. Do not allow rewards to be your motive for action. Nor be attached to inaction.

Commentary

As regards obligatory, periodic and desiderative acts taught in the Vedas and associated with some result or other, you, the aspirant established in Sattva, have the right only to perform them [as duty]. You have no right to the rewards known to be derived from such acts. It is works done with a motivation for some reward which is the cause of bondage. But acts done without motivation are a form of worship and a means for Liberation. Do not initiate works with the idea of reaping their fruits. Even when you, who are established in pure Sattva and are desirous of Liberation, perform acts, you should not look upon yourself as the agent. Likewise, you should not regard yourself as being the cause of even appeasing your own hunger and other such physical necessities. Later on it will be taught that both the idea of being an agent and the results of action, should be considered as belonging to the Modes of Material nature (Gunas) or to Me who am the Lord of all — This is the attitude one should have towards all work.

With regard to inaction, ie., abstaining from performance of duties, let there be no attachment to such inaction. Sri Krishna makes this clear in the following verse:—

yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya | siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga ucyate || 48 ||

48. Abandoning attachment and established in Yoga, perform works, viewing success and failure with an even mind. Equipoise is said to be Yoga.

Commentary

Abandoning the attachment to kingdom, relatives etc., establish yourself in Yoga, engage in war and other such activities. Perform these with equanimity as regards success and failure resulting from victory or defeat which are inherent in them. Yoga is defined in this verse as "equanimity with regard to success and failure.”

Sri Krishna explains why He constantly repeats this teaching: —

dūreṇa hyavaraṁ karma buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya | buddhau śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ || 49 ||

49. Action with attachment [to results] is far inferior, O Arjuna, to action done with equanimity. Seek refuge in wisdom. Miserable are they, who act motived by reward.

Commentary

All other kinds of action are far inferior to those done with equanimity or wisdom which consists of the renunciation [prior to commencement] of the main result [of the particular activity] and remaining in a state of equanimity towards success or failure which are the secondary results. Between the two kinds of actions, the one done with equanimity and the other with motivation for rewards; the act performed with equanimity removes all the sufferings of Samsara and leads to Liberation which is the highest object of human existence. The actions done with a desire for rewards perpetuates the cycle of rebirth — Samsara — with the endless suffering which is its characteristic. Thus when an action is being done, take refuge in wisdom — Buddhi (equanimity of mind). Refuge means "abode.” In other words abide in that state of wisdom. Those who act with attachment to the results, etc., are miserable, as they will continue to remain in Samsara.

buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta duṣkṛte |

tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam || 50 ||

50. Endowed with wisdom [equanimity] one discards here and now [the results] of good and evil deeds. Therefore devote yourself to Yoga — Yoga is skilful action

Commentary

One who has achieved mental equipoise in the performance of actions, relinquishes the results of good and bad Karmas which have accumulated from time immemorial causing endless bondage. Yoga is skilful action — that is, it is possible to achieve this state of mental balance when engaged in action, only through great skill.

karmajaṁ buddhi-yuktā hi phalaṁ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ | janma bandha vinirmuktāḥ padaṁ gacchanty-anāmayam || 51 ||

51. The wise who possess this mental disposition, having relinquished the fruits of action, are freed from the bondage of rebirth and go to the region beyond all suffering.

yadā te mohakalilaṁ buddhir vyati-tariṣyati | tadā gantāsi nirvedaṁ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca || 52 ||

52. When your intellect has passed beyond the tangle of delusion, you will feel distaste regarding what you shall hear and what you have already heard.

Commentary

If you develop this attitude towards work and become freed from the effects of Karma, your intellect will become free from the web of delusion. The mass of [mental] impurities caused by unskilful actions manifests as delusion which generates attachment to trivial results. Once you have transcended this delusion, you will then spontaneously develop a distaste for them all and will desire to renounce.

Sri Krishna now teaches the goal called Self-realisation (Yoga) which results from the performance of duty which is based on the knowledge of the real nature of the Self gained through the refinement of the mind by practice of skilful means.

śruti vipratipannā te yadā sthāsyasi niścalā | samādhāv-acalā buddhis tadā yogam avāpsyasi || 53 ||

53. When your intellect, well enlightened by listening [to Me] and firmly placed, remains unshaken in a concentrated mind, then you will attain the vision of the Self (Yoga).

Commentary

Here 'śruti' means listening [and not the Veda]. The state of Yoga is reached when the intellect, which has become exceptionally sharpened by listening to the teaching, begins the quest for the eternal, unsurpassed and subtle Self. The intellect then becomes firmly fixed in single minded concentration and remains unshaken. In such a concentrated mind, purified by the performance of duties without attachment, the state of true Yoga will arise, which is the direct realisation of the Self (ātman).

What is said amounts to this: — Karma Yoga, which presupposes the knowledge of the real nature the ātman obtained from the Scriptures, leads to a firm devotion to knowledge, known as the "state of steady wisdom"; and the state of "steady wisdom", which takes the form of a dedication to [the pursuit of] wisdom, generates the realisation of the Self; this state of realisation is here called Yoga.

Arjuna, having been taught thus, raises questions about the nature of "steady wisdom" which constitutes the means for the attainment of Yoga and which itself is attainable through Karma Yoga consisting of unmotivated action, and also about the mode of behaviour of one of "steady wisdom.”

arjuna uvāca sthita-prajñāsya kā bhāṣā samādhisthasya keśava | sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣata kim āsīta vrajeta kim || 54 || Arjuna said:

54. What is the mode of speech, O Krishna, of one of steady wisdom who is established in the control of the mind? What will one of steady wisdom say? How does he sit? How does he move?

śrī bhagavān uvāca prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha manogatān | ātmany-evātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthita-prajñās tad-ocyate || 55 || The Lord said:

55. When one relinquishes all the desires arising in the mind, O Arjuna, when one is satisfied in oneself with the Self, then one is said to be of steady wisdom (sthita-prajña).

Commentary

This is the highest form of devotion to enlightenment. Then, the lower state, not far below it, of one established in steady intellect, is described;—

duḥkheṣv-anudvigna-manāḥ sukheṣu vigata spṛhaḥ | vīta-rāga bhaya krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir ucyate || 56 ||

56. One whose mind is not perturbed by pain, who does not hanker after pleasures, who is free from desire, fear and anger — is called a sage of steady intellect (sthita-dhi).

Commentary

Even when there are reasons for grief like separation from beloved ones, the enlightened one’s mind is not perturbed. He has no craving for sense enjoyment, he has no hankering for them. He is free from desire, fear and anger;— desire is craving for objects not yet obtained. Fear is mental agitation produced by the awareness of factors which cause separation from objects that one loves, or by encountering that which is undesirable. Anger is a disturbed state of mind which produces aggression directed at another sentient being who is perceived as the cause of separation from the beloved object or when confronting what is undesirable. An aspirant of this sort, who constantly meditates on the Self, is said to have attained steady intellect.

Then, the next state below this is described:

yaḥ sarvatrān-abhisnehas tat tat prāpya śubhāśubham | nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 57 ||

57. He who has no attachment anywhere, who, when encountering the agreeable or the disagreeable feels neither attraction nor aversion — his wisdom is firmly established (prajñā-pratiṣṭhitā).

Commentary

One who has no attraction at all for pleasing objects, ie., who is indifferent to them, and who does not feel either attraction nor repulsion when involved with, or separated from attractive or repulsive objects respectively, who neither delights in the former, nor is repulsed by the latter — has attained established wisdom.

Sri Krishna now mentions the next lower state:—

yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ kūrmo’ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ | indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 58 ||

58. When one is able to withdraw the senses from the objects of senses on every side, as a tortoise withdraws its limbs, then one's wisdom is firmly established.

Commentary

When one is able to draw the sense-organs away from the sense-objects like a tortoise withdrawing all its limbs, and fixing its mind on its Self — he too is said to have attained steady wisdom.

Thus there are four stages in the progression to enlightenment , each stage giving rise to the succeeding stage. Now Sri Krishna speaks of the difficulties of [both] the attainment of resolute dedication to enlightenment and the means of that attainment.

viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ |

rasa-varjaṁ raso’pyasya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate || 59 ||

59. The objects of senses turn away from the abstinent one, leaving only the predilection behind. Even this predilection turns away when the Supreme is seen.

Commentary

From one who has withdrawn the senses from sense-objects, these sense-objects, being rejected, turn away, but not the predilection for them. Predilection (rasa) means ‘hankering’. The meaning is that the hankering for the sense-objects does not vanish by abstinence alone. But even this hankering will evaporate, when one realises that the essential nature of the ātman is superior to the sense-objects and that this Self-realisation gives greater pleasure than any sense gratification.

yatato hyapi kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ | indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṁ manaḥ || 60 ||

60. The turbulent senses, O Arjuna, indeed forcefully carry away the mind of even a wise person, even though he is continually striving [to control them].

Commentary

The craving for sense-gratification will not be overcome except by the direct experience of the ātman. While the craving for sense gratification remains, the senses of even a wise person who is continually striving to subdue them, become intractable. Thus, the subduing of the senses depends on the realisation of the ātman, and the realisation of the ātman depends on the subduing of the senses. Consequently, because of this mutual [contradictory] dependence, resolute dedication to enlightenment is difficult to achieve.

tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta matparaḥ | vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || 61 ||

61. Having controlled all the senses, one should abide in the state of meditation, having Me as Supreme [goal]; for, one who has controlled his senses, wisdom is firmly established.

Commentary

With a desire to overcome this mutual dependence between the subduing of the senses and Self-realisation, one has to conquer the senses which are difficult to subdue on account of attachment to sense-objects. So, focussing the mind on Me who am the only worthy object for meditation, let one remain steadfast. When the mind is focussed on Me, it becomes purified by the burning away of all mental impurities and becomes free from attachment to the senses. It is then able to bring the senses under control. With the senses under control the mind will be able to experience the Self. As it is said in Vishnu Purana:—

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