rīmad Bhagavad Gītā 5 страница

Commentary

'Theft' is defined as taking what belongs to another as one's own and using it for oneself when it is really intended for the use of another.

yajñā-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva kilbiṣaiḥ | bhuñjate te tvaghaṃ pāpā ye pacantyātma kāraṇāt || 13 ||

13 The righteous who eat the remnants of sacrifices are freed from all sins. But the sinful ones who cook only for their own sake eat only sin.

Commentary

Those who acquire articles of food solely for propitiating the Supreme Being abiding as the Self of Indra and all other devas, and who, cooks and offers them to the Supreme Being, and then sustains themselves on the remnants of such offerings — they alone will be free of all [mental] impurities which have resulted from beginingless Karma and which obstruct the direct vision of the ātman. But the evil-minded ones, appropriate for personal use the things which the Supreme Being has granted them for devotional service, and use it all for self gratification alone — they verily eat only sin. The error here referred to is the accruing negative result of the actions.

Sri Krishna again points out that everything has its origin in sacrifice; according to both the worldly and the Scriptural views; the performance of the sacrifices is therefore necessary and their non-performance is a failing:

annād-bhavanti būtāni parjanyād-anna-saṃbhavaḥ | yajñānād-bhavati parjanyaḥ yajñāḥ karma samud-bhavaḥ || 14 ||

14. From food arise all beings; from rain food is produced; from sacrifice comes rain; and sacrifice is achieved through activity.

Commentary

All beings have their existence in nourishment, from rain food is produced. These two facts are matters of common experience — 'From sacrifice comes rain' this is known from the Scriptural passages such as;—

'The oblations offered in fire reach the sun, and from the sun comes rain' (Manu, 3.76),

— and sacrifice consists of activities such as collecting of the materials, and other similar actions by the sacrificer.

karma brahmod-bhavaṃ viddhi brahmākṣara samudbhavam | tasmāt sarva-gataṃ brahma nityaṃ yajñe pratiṣṭhitam || 15 ||

15. Know that activity springs from Brahman and Brahman arises from the imperishable (Self); therefore the all-pervading 'Brahman' is ever established in sacrifice.

Commentary

Activity arises from 'Brahman', — Brahman here refers to the natural physical body born of Prakrti and consisting of modifications of Prakrti. The term 'Brahman' here denotes Prakrti as in the Scriptural text;—

'From Him arises, this Brahman and this 'Brahman' becomes name, form and food' (Mun.

Up., 1.1.9).

In the Gita also it will be taught by Sri Krishna that:—

'This great 'Brahman' is my 'womb' (14.3)

Therefore, the phrase 'Activity arises from Brahman' is interpreted as activity being produced by the physical body which is comprised of the modifications of Prakrti. "The 'Brahman' arises from the imperishable Self" — in this context the term 'imperishable' indicates the Jīva [individual Self]. The physical body, which is tenanted by the Self and is nourished by food and drink, is designed for action; hence the physical body which constitutes the instrument of activity is said to arise from the imperishable. Therefore the 'all-pervading Brahman' means, in this context, the bodies of all persons of diverse natures which are the products of Prakrti of which all material entities are comprised, and is hence all-pervading. The meaning is that the bodies owe their existence to this process of sacrifice.

evaṃ pravartitaṃ cakraṃ nānu vartayatīha yaḥ | aghāyur-indriyā rāmo moghaṃ pārtha sa jīvati || 16 ||

16. One who does not follow this cycle thus set in motion, lives in error, revelling in the senses, he lives in vain O Arjuna.

Commentary

Thus, this cycle is set in motion by the Supreme Being. From food originate embodied Jīvas which are denoted by the word 'beings'; from rain food is produced; from sacrifice comes rain; sacrifice is achieved by activities which are accomplished by an agent; and activity arises from the embodied Self; and again the body is endowed with life from food. In this manner there is a sequence. which revolves like a wheel through the mutual relation of cause and effect.

Hence, if one who is engaged in spiritual practice — whether qualified for Karma Yoga or Jñāna Yoga — does not keep in motion this wheel which revolves in a cycle through mutual relation of cause and effect— that person, by not maintaining his physical being by means of the remnants of sacrifice, lives in error. The senses become the pleasure -gardens of one whose mind and body are not nourished by the 'remnants of sacrifices.' Rajas and Tamas begin to preponderate. Being thus deflected from Self-realisation, he rejoices only in sensegratification. Therefore, even if he were to strive for Self-realisation, it would be fruitless. So therefore his life is wasted, O Arjuna.

Sri Krishna now says that the performance of the 'Five Great Sacrifices' etc., according to social status and stage of life, should only be renounced by one who is liberated — whose vision of the ātman does not depend on any external means.

yastvātma-ratir-eva syād-ātma tṛptaśca mānavaḥ | ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭas-tasya kāryaṃ na vidyate || 17 ||

17. But the person whose delight is only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self, who rejoices in the Self, for him nothing remains to be accomplished.

Commentary

But for one, who is not in need of the means of Jñāna Yoga or Karma Yoga, who has a natural predisposition to achieve Self-realisation, who is satisfied by the Self alone and not by food, drink and other things which are distinct from the Self, who rejoices in the Self alone and not in pleasure gardens, garlands, sandal paste, vocal and instrumental music etc., and for whom everything is the Self alone — his subsistence, nourishment and enjoyment, — for him no activity remains to be done in order to achieve Self-realisation, because he is spontaneously and continuously aware of the essential nature of the Self.

naiva tasya kṛtenārtho nākṛteneha kaścana | na cāsya sarva-bhūteṣu kaścid artha vyapāśrayaḥ || 18 ||

18. For him there is no interest in what is done or what is left undone, nor has he to rely on any being for anything whatsoever.

Commentary

Thus, for such an individual there is nothing to be gained from any practice undertaken for Self-realisation, nor is he subject to any fault or calamity from not undertaking such spiritual practice, because his Self-realisation does not depend on any external means — for the adoption of the means is only for achieving an aversion to Prakrti and its evolutes.

Spiritual practice for Self-realisation is only proscribed for that person whose vision of the Self is so natural that it no longer depends on any means. But Karma Yoga is a superior practice for attaining Self-realisation for the average seeker, because it is:—

(a) easy to perform,

(b) it is secure from possible error,

(d) even for a Jñāna Yogin the performance of minimum activity is necessary.

For these reasons, Karma Yoga is better as a practice to achieve Self-realisation.

tasmād asaktaḥ satataṃ kāryaṃ karma samācara | asakto hyācaran karma param-āpnoti pūruṣaḥ || 19 ||

19. Therefore, always perform without attachment, that work which ought to be done. For one who acts without attachment attains to the Supreme.

Commentary

Therefore, considering that all work must be done with detachment, you should act without considering yourself to be an agent — one attains the Supreme Goal by Karma Yoga itself — the meaning [of "attains to the Supreme" ] is that one attains Self-realisation.

karmaṇaiva hi saṃsiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ | loka saṅgraham-evāpi saṃpaśyan kartum arhasi || 20 ||

20. Verily, by Karma Yoga alone did Janaka and others reach perfection. Indeed, you should act, bearing in mind the welfare of the world.

Commentary

Even royal sages like Janaka and others, who were the foremost among the enlightened ones, preferred Karma Yoga as the means for attaining perfection.

Thus, having first declared that for an aspirant for liberation who is unsuited for Jñāna Yoga, Karma Yoga alone should be practiced, it was next convincingly taught that, even for one who is qualified for Jñāna Yoga, Karma Yoga is still the preferred means. Now it is going to be taught (in verses 20-26) that Karma Yoga must be performed in every way by anyone who is virtuous.

At least for the welfare of all beings (loka-saṅgraha), you should do work even if there is no need of it for yourself.

yadyad-ācarati śreṣṭhas-tat-tad-evetaro janaḥ | sa yat pramāṇaṃ kurute lokas-tad-anuvartate || 21 ||

21. Whatever an eminent person does, other people also do, whatever standard he sets, the world follows it.

Commentary

'An eminent person,' (śreṣṭha) is one who is recognised for his knowledge of all the Scriptures and for his observance of all the Scriptural injunctions. Whatever he does, others who are unlearned in the Scriptures will also do, following his example. Therefore for the maintenance of the world [order], an eminent person, distinguished for being wise should always perform all [prescribed] duties according to one's station (varna) and stage in life (āśrama). Otherwise, the demerit generated from setting a bad example to the masses of the world will bring him down, even if he were established in an advanced stage of Jñāna Yoga.

na me parthāsti kartavyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana | nānavāptam-avāptavyaṃ varta eva ca karmaṇi || 22 ||

22. For me, O Arjuna, there is nothing in all the three worlds which ought to be done, nor is there anything lacking that ought to be acquired — yet I continually engage in action.

Commentary

For Me, who am the Lord of all, who has all desires fulfilled, who is omniscient, whose will is [unfailingly] true, and who at My own pleasure, choose to remain in the three worlds in the forms of gods, humans and such other beings, there is nothing whatever to achieve. Therefore, even though there is nothing lacking for Me i.e., nothing yet to be achieved by work, yet still

I continue working for the maintenance of the world

yadi hyahaṃ varteyaṃ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ | mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ || 23 ||

23. For if I did not continue to engage Myself in action, unwearied, O Arjuna, humankind would follow my example.

Commentary

I am the Lord of all, My sport consists in creation, sustentation and dissolution of the universe at My will, even though I incarnate at My pleasure as a human being to help the world— if I, thus incarnated in the family of Vasudeva who is the foremost among virtuous men, did not continue to act in a manner appropriate to the circumstance, untiring, at all times, then, these people with misconceptions would follow My example thinking that “the way adopted by the son of virtuous Vasudeva alone is the real way.” Instead of attaining Self-realisation, they would go to purgatory because of the error arising from neglect of duty.

utsīdeyur-ime lokā na kuryaṃ karma ced aham | saṅkarasya ca kartā syām upahanyām-imāḥ prajāḥ || 24 ||

24. These worlds would perish if I did not perform action; I would be the author of confusion and the cause of destruction of these beings.

Commentary

If I do not fulfill My appropriate duty, all the virtuous people would also neglect their duties by following My example, and would be lost because of this. Thus I would be the cause of chaos among all virtuous people because of My failure to conduct Myself as prescribed in the Scriptures. Therefore I would be destroying, all these people. Even so, if you, Arjuna, the foremost of the virtuous, claim the privilege of practicing Jñāna Yoga (meditation on the Self), then the pious aspirants, who are ignorant and who follow your example, without being aware of their own competency, giving up the practice of Karma Yoga will be lost. Therefore one who is regarded as learned and wise should engage in work alone.

saktāḥ karmaṇy-avidvāṃso yathā kurvanti bhārata | kuryād-vidvāṃs-tathāsaktāś-cikīrṣu loka-saṅgraham || 25 ||

25. Just as the ignorant act with attachment their work, O Arjuna, so should the wise act without any attachment, and only for the welfare of the world.

Commentary

'The ignorant' are those people who do not know the truth about the Self; 'attached to their work' means they are inextricably bound to their actions [and their results]. Because of their incomplete grasp of the Self, they are not qualified for Jñāna Yoga — meditation on the Self. Karma Yoga should also be practiced by one who is virtuous and unattached as a result of Self-realisation, and also by one who wishes to be an example to others in virtuous conduct. Thus one should protect the world from chaos by one’s example — even though qualified for Jñāna Yoga one should practice Karma Yoga.

na buddhi-bhedaṃ janayed ajñānāṃ karma-saṅginām | joṣayet sarva karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran || 26 ||

26. The wise should not confuse the minds of the ignorant who are attached to work; rather himself performing work with devotion, he should inspire others to do likewise.

Commentary

Do not confuse the neophyte aspirants by saying that there is, besides Karma Yoga, another way to Self-realisation. They are unable to practice meditation on account of their inability to understand the ātman, and their attachment to action. One should thus encourage love for all types of activity among those who do not know the complete truth.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ | ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā kartā’ham-iti manyate || 27 ||

27. All actions are being performed in every way by the Gunas of Prakrti. One whose mind is deluded by the notion-of-individuality, thinks, 'I am the doer.'

It is the Gunas of Prakrti — Sattva, Rajas & Tamas, that perform all their respective activities. But one whose mind is deluded by the notion-of-individuality (Ahankāra), thinks, 'I am the doer of all these action.' Ahankāra is defined as the mistaken identification of 'I' applied to the physical body which is not the real 'I' [dehātma bhrama]. Because of this mistaken identity, one who is ignorant of the real nature of the ātman thinks, 'I am the doer' with regard to the activities that are really being done by the Gunas. [Cf. 14;23]

tattva-vittu mahābāho guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ | guṇā guṇeṣu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate || 28||

28. But he who knows the truth about the divisions of the Gunas and their functions, O mightyarmed one, through his awareness that the Gunas operate on their products, is not attached.

prakṛter-guṇa saṃmūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇa-karmasu | tān-akṛtsna vido mandān kṛtsnavinna vicālayet || 29 ||

29. Those who are deluded by the Gunas of Prakrti are attached to the functions of the Gunas, but one of perfect knowledge should not unsettle the ignorant who do not know the whole truth.

Commentary

Those who 'do not know the whole truth' are those who are striving for Self-realisation but are deluded about the nature of the ātman, unaware, due to their involvement in Material Nature, that actions proceed from the Gunas. Inherently the Self is not the actor, agency arises due to its contact with the Gunas. An enlightened person should not, while being a practitioner of meditation, unsettle the ignorant. They tend to emulate a great person, when they see him give up Karma Yoga their minds too will be distracted from Karma Yoga. Thus the great person, should assiduously practice Karma Yoga, with complete mindfulness of the Self not being the agent. Thus, one should demonstrate that Karma Yoga by itself is an independent means for Self-realisation.

mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sanyasyādhyātma-cetasā | nirāśīr-nir-mamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ || 30 ||

30. Dedicating all your actions to Me with a mind centred in the Self, free from desire and selfishness, free from hot-headedness, do you engage in battle.

Commentary

Perform all your prescribed duties free from desire or selfishness and devoid of fear, with a mind focussed on the ātman. Dedicate all acts to Me, the Lord of all, who constitutes the inner pervading Self of all beings. 'Adhyatma-cetas' is that mind which is focussed on the Self through awareness of the essential nature of the Self. This individual Self (Jīvātman) constitutes the "body" of the Supreme Self and is activated by Him. This is taught by Vedic texts like:—

'He who has entered within, is the ruler of all beings and is the Self of all' (Tait. Ar.

3.11)

'Him who has entered within and is the doer' (ibid 3.23.)

'He who, dwelling in the Self is within the Self, whom the Self does not know, whose body the Self is, who controls the Self from within — he is your Internal Ruler and immortal Self' (Br. Up. 3.7.22)

Smrti texts also state the same thing —

' Him who is the ruler of all' (Manu, 12.122). Sri Krishna will teach later on:—

'And I am seated in the hearts of all; from Me are memory, knowledge and the faculty of reason' (Gita 15,15);

'The Lord, O Arjuna, lives in the heart of everything causing them to spin around and around by His power, as if set on a wheel. (Gita 18.61).

Hence, dedicate all actions to Me, the Supreme Being, considering Me to be the [ultimate] agent, by contemplating on the ātman as activated by Me alone, because it is My manifestation. And do all duties, considering them as acts of worship only; free from the desire for rewards, and therefore free from selfishness, devoid of 'hot-headedness', that is stimulation caused by passions like anger.

Contemplate that the Supreme Being the Lord of all, Principal of all, causes His own works to be done only for the purpose of having Himself worshipped by His own instruments, viz. the individual Jīvas belong to Him and are His agents. Free yourself from feverish concern originating from ideas like — 'What will become of me with an ancient, endless accumulation of karma arising from beginingless time?' Perform Karma Yoga with ease, for the Supreme Being Himself, propitiated by all acts, will free you from bondage. His Lordship and Principalship over all are verified by Vedic texts.

ye me matam idaṃ nityam anu-tiṣṭhanti mānavāḥ | śraddhāvanto’nasūyanto mucyante te’pi karmabhiḥ || 31 ||

31. Those people who, full of faith ever practice this teaching of Mine and those who receive it without caviling — even they will be released from Karma.

Commentary

There are those persons who are qualified to understand the Shastra and decide for themselves what My doctrine is, and follow it accordingly; there are others who while having faith in the teaching of the Shastra never practice it. And there are still others who, even though they have no faith, do not cavil at it, ie., they do not find any fault in the noble Shastra. All these persons are freed from Karmas which exist from beginingless time and which cause bondage.

By the term, api (even) in 'te'pi karmabhih' ('even they from Karmas……'), [indicates that] these persons are divided into three groups; in other words those who, even if they do not practice but still believe in this teaching of the Shastra and do not cavil at it, will be absolved of their sins by their faith and absence of fault-finding. For if they have faith they will, before long, take to the practice of this teaching and will attain liberation.

ye tvetad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣṭhanti me matam | sarva jñāna vimūḍhāṃstān viddhi naṣṭān acetasaḥ || 32 ||

32. But those who carp at My teaching and those who do not practice this teaching of Mine — know them to be seriously deluded and devoid of reasoning, and therefore lost.

Commentary

The function of reason is to determine the real nature of things. When the process of reason is lacking, one's comprehension becomes warped and extremely deluded in a variety of ways.

sadṛśaṃ ceṣṭate svasyāḥ prakṛter-jñānavān api | prakṛtiṃ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṃ kariṣyati || 33 ||

33. Even an enlightened person acts in conformity to his own nature; beings follow their nature; what will restraint do?

The fundamental nature of the ātman is different from Material Nature (Prakrti) — this awareness must be constantly maintained. Even one who knows this, continues to act in relation to material objects according to one’s own nature; ie. guided by previously acquired subliminal activators (samskāras). How is this? All beings act according to their own natures. Beings conjoined with insentient matter, all act according to predispositions which have accrued from time immemorial. What effect can the restraint enjoined by Shastras have on those who simply follow their natural predispositions?

Sri Krishna expounds the process by which individuals are overpowered by their respective dispositions: —

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau | tayor-na vaśam āgacchet tau hyasya paripanthinau || 34 ||

34. Attachment and aversion for sense objects abide in the sense-organs; let none come under their sway; for they are one’s foes.

Commentary

An ineluctable link exists between sensory-organs like the ear, with their objects like sound; and for organs of action like the tongue towards their objects like tasty food. The desire to indulge in these objects is caused by pleasurable sub-conscious impressions [from previous experiences]. When indulgence in them causes pain — aversion is produced. Thus, these two, attraction and aversion distract the mind of the practitioner of meditation, and forcibly motivate one to engage in them, in spite of his having established some sort of control over the senses. So no meditator should come under the sway of attraction and aversion which bring ruin. These two are indeed unconquerable foes that detract one from the practice of meditation.

śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt svanuṣṭhitāt | sva-dharme nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvaḥ || 35 ||

35. Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well-done. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is fraught with fear.

Commentary

Therefore Karma Yoga [one’s own natural duty] is better than Jñāna Yoga [the duty of another]. It is one's personal duty because it is natural and easy to perform, and even if defective, it is free from possibility of interruption and fall. Jñāna Yoga (meditation on the ātman), on the other hand, though performed well for some time, constitutes an alien duty, as it is difficult to practice for one immersed in Material Nature. It is therefore subject to interruption and the possibility of error. For a Karma Yogi — practicing his natural duty, even death without success in one birth does not matter. In the next birth, with the help of the experience already gained in this birth it will be possible to perform Karma Yoga without any impediments.

arjuna uvāca atha kena prayukto’yaṃ pāpaṃ carati pūruṣaḥ | anicchann-api vārṣṇeya balādiva niyojitaḥ || 36 || Arjuna said:

36. But, impelled by what, O Krishna, does one err even against one's own will, constrained as it were, by force?

Commentary

What is it, that drives one to commit error in the form of indulging in sense-gratification, as if being forced, even though one wishes not to indulge.

śrī bhagavan uvāca kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇa samudbhavaḥ | mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhyenam-iha vairiṇam || 37 ||

The Blessed Lord said;

37. It is desire, it is anger, born of the Guna of Rajas; all-devouring, an impeller to sin. Know this to be the foe here.

Commentary

The insatiable desire-nature is born of the Rajas Guna arising from subliminal activators. It is an enemy who attracts one towards the objects of the senses. When desire is impeded it creates anger towards those persons [objects or circumstances] which are the cause of such hindrance. It incites the aspirant to harm others. Know this [desire] which is born of Rajas, to be the natural enemy of meditators on the Self (Jñāna Yogins).

dhūmenāvriyate vahnir-yathādarśo malena ca | yatholbenāvṛto garbhas-tathā tenedam-āvṛtam || 38 ||

38. As a fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion, so is this (world) enveloped by that (desire).

Commentary

The force of the desire-nature covers all beings like fire covered by smoke, as a mirror by dirt and a foetus by a sac.

āvṛtaṃ jñānam etena jñānino nitya vairiṇā | kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣpūreṇānalena ca || 39 ||

39. Wisdom is obscured by this constant enemy of the wise, O Arjuna, in the form of desire, which is as insatiable as fire.

Commentary

The embodied ātman's fundamental attribute is consciousness, but insight is concealed by this perpetual enemy — desire, which causes attachment to sense-objects. Desire is difficult to gratify, its objects are unworthy of attainment and it is insatiable, ie., can never be satisfied.

indriyāṇi mano buddhir-asyādhiṣṭhānam-ucyate | etair-vimohayaty-eṣa jñānam-āvṛtya dehinam || 40 ||

40. The senses, the mind and the intellect are said to be its accessories. By these it [desire] deludes the embodied Self by concealing its wisdom.

Commentary

By means of the senses, the mind and the intellect, which have been reduced to the position of servants through attachment to sense objects, desire deludes the embodied Self caught up in Material Nature by obscuring it’s comprehension. Desire deludes one through manifold illusions, by turning one away from the awareness of the true nature of the ātman and making one indulge in sense gratification.

tasmāt-tvam-indriyāṇyādau niyamya bharatarṣabha | pāpmānaṃ prajahi hyenaṃ jñāna vijñāna nāśanam || 41 ||

41. Therefore, O Arjuna, controlling the senses first, slay this deluding thing [desire] that destroys both knowledge and discrimination.

Thus, you too, being immersed in Material Nature and shackled to sense-activities, should at the very commencement of the journey to Liberation, control the senses by the practice of Karma Yoga, and then, you must vanquish this deluding enemy in the form of desire which destroys wisdom relating to the true nature of the ātman and the discrimination, which is the means to gain this wisdom.

Sri Krishna speaks of that which is the most important of the adversaries: — indriyāṇi parāṅyāhur-indrebhyaḥ paraṃ manaḥ | manas-astu parā buddhir-yo buddheḥ paratas-tu saḥ || 42 ||

42. It is said that the senses are supreme: the mind is superior to the senses; the intellect is higher than the mind; but what is greater than intellect is that (the desire-nature).

Commentary

The senses are called the supreme obstacles to enlightenment, because when the senses continue operating on their objects, the pure vision of the Self cannot arise.

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