Shri Bhagavad-Gita 26 страница

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is Prakrtti or primordial matter-stuflfof which all the

foregoing are differentiations or mutations,(orseveral terms

in an evolving series).

The Senses Ten and One, and the Five Sensthles,

are the ■(material) principles which depend on Kshetra

The Five Senses, of perception (or knowledge) are the

auditory, tactual, visjual, gustatory and olfactory, senses.

The Five f=organs) of action, are the vocal, the

prehensil^le, the locomotive, the excretory and the genera

tive organs ; thus Ten. The One is the manas (=mind).

The Sensibles are the five objects of the senses, viz:

sound, touch, color (or form) taste and smell.

Lonffint^, Aversion, Jov and AMictinn-. These are said to

be the products, or the modifications of Kshetra. They are

so said to be on account of their resulting from Kshetra by

the union with it of soul, albeit, properly speaking, those

are affections which pertain to soul as its characteristics (in

its mundane state).

That Longing etc., are moods or affections of the

(ihcorporeal) .soul is .shown further on as: 'Purusha is

said tc be the cause for being the experiencer of joy and

grief.,'

SanghAtas-chetajiadhritih,:—adhrtih=adhdrah—the ba

sis=the medium or vehicle or fundamental materials. Sang'

^4/0^=the aggregateor the collocated ingredients(=body)

to work with,for theintelligent principle,the soul,either by

its aid to experience joy,griefetc., or by its aid to procure

material happiness (on Earth, and elsewhere as in Syarga

etcher to procure liberation {apavarga).

ThusKshetra or the aggregatefashioned outofthe root-

matter(=^r0^/'iVjjdown to earth-stuff,is thefoundation for

the senses;is the compound, giving birth to changes of

temperament such as longings,aversions,joys and griefs;

and the instrument for soul to experience pleasure, pain

etc., with.

This Kshetra has thus now briefly—with its variations

and its moods(or affections)—been explained.

Now the virtues or powers as will enable one to

obtain soul-knowledge,—(that the evolutes mentioned

aforesaid) of Kshetra^ can aid him to develope are now

enumerated:

&c.

7.'

Reverence,Simplicity, Harmlessness,Forbearance,

Rectitude,Teachers"service.Purity,Faith,Self-

control.

Amdnitvam=te.vetev\cQ=dib?'QncQ of affront or contu

mely for good and great men.

Simplicity=absence of ostentatkm or

show in the discharge of pious duties, in order to gain

notoriety or a namefor piety;

/4>iwwja=Harmlessness=absence of hurtfulness to

others in word,thought and deed.

Forbearance=preserving temper undisturb

ed even when molested by others.

Rectitude,or sincerity or onenessin tongue,

mind and body.

Acharyopasanam=-Teachers'service^ = By prostration,

respectful speech etc., services to the Holy Teachers im

parting instruction concerning soul.

5a«c/4awts=Purity=cultivation ofthought, speech and

deed, as dictated by ^astra so as to be fit to strive for and

acquire soul-knowledge.

=Faith=unshakable confidence in the spiri

tual teachings of Sastra.

Atma-vinigrahah=SG.\{control=the abstractingorwith

drawing the mind from pursuits other than that of the

spiritual science.

&C.

8. • Non-attachment for sense-objects,and also non-

egoism and remembrance of the evils ofbirth,

death,dotage,disease and misery.

Vairdgyams:Non-attachment^ ^Ijanegation or distaste

arising for things other than the soul, by reflecting that

they contain evil.

An-ahaMlfdra=non-egoism=the absence oftheloveof

mistaking the non-ego=body,for ego=soul. Thisisa single

illustration (to stand for all similar mis-notions). Itinclud

es the absence ofthe notion of propertyfor what is not pro

perty(

=the

mine-ness)'.

Remembrance of the evils of birth etc=the constant

pondering over the fact that so long as existence,incorpo-,

reate lasts, evils of birth etc.,cannot be averted.

&c.

9 'Relishlessness; absence ofdoting on son, wife,

home etc.,and ever keeping mind balanced, let

good or bad befal.'

/^AZ/&/r^=ReIishlessness=not wanting things other

than the soul. Anabhishvangah— ofexcessivefond

ness,or loving to extravagance, son, wife etc., beyond the

law-allowed limit of use to which they are intended.

Balance ofmind etc: Good and evil,are the outcome of

man's motivesin the mind. When these happen,to be free

from elation or dejection consequent thereon.^

&c.

10. '

Exclusive love to Me in Unerring devotion ;

resort to sequestered spots ; tastelessness for

men's society'.*

Bhakti='L.ov& to Me—the Lord of all—rendered in

onepointed and steady devotion.

Selecting places free from people, for habitation; and

avoiding the company of men.

11. 'Fixture in soul-knowledge, and meditation on

knowledge regarding (spiritual)truths. This is

declared to be knowledge; what is contrary

thereto is ignorance.'

./4i/Ayah«a-;;'^a«a=soul-knowledge=knowledge ofsoul.

Fixture {—nityatva=nish(hatva) is to be permanently es

tablished therein.

Tatva-jHdndrtha-chintanam—vci&dltdXioti or musing on

such thoughts as would subserve the purpose ofgaining

an insight into the truths ofEternal Principles {'^tatvas).

/«a«aw=knowledge=That, or the means, by which

one can achieve soul-wisdom. The aggregate ofvirtues,viz-.

Reverence etc,, aforesaid, tend to produce soul-knowledge

to the kshetra-conjoined soul (=embodied soul). And

whatever are the other qualities,opposed thereto, that the

kshetra is' capable of evolving, are obstructive to soul-

knowledge, and hence all that is ignorance.

Hereafter, the nature of kshetrajfia will be inquired

into, alluded to in:

He who knows this'{Gi: XIIlJ.

&c.

12. '

That will 1 declare which is to be known,

knowing which one tastes immortality; [that

which is) the beginningless; having Me for the

Highest;the brahma; called neither'

ens* nor

nonens.'

7hat which isto be known:is that which i.s to be gained,

viz: the nature of pratyag-atma (.soul),—to be known by

means ofthe virtues: Reverence etc.,{vide supra).

Immortality: is the immortal soul itself, exempt from

the material necessities of birth,decrepitude,death etc,

y4«a<fi=That which has no beginning; for to pratyag-

atma (soul) there is no birth ; hence it has no end; for

saysthe ^ruti:'The intelligent soul {vipaschit) is neither

born nor dieth

Mat-param=1hdX (soul) to which I am the High

\para), as declared in the Stanza:

'But know My other

Nature, superior,the jiva'{Gi:XII-5),by which,teaching

that soul-nature is in essence that which is body to, and

which depends on,the Blessed Lord.

Similarly do Srutis declare,as for example:

'Who seated in the soul; in the interior ofthe soul;

Whom the soul knows not; to Whom the soul is body;

Who rules in the inside ofthe soul etc. And also,

kshetra-kshbtrajna'or matter-spirit distinction. 423

* He is the Cause, and the Lord of the lord of the

senses; to Him there is no progenitor or lord

(He is) the Lord of matter {pradhdna)and soul {Kshetra-

jda),and the Master ofqualities.'*

Brahma which is great, because soul is an enti

ty separate from body, and is that which cannot be parted

or divided off by body etc. {Brahma=indivisible, impar-

tite). So brahma=the Category of Kshetrajfia=soul;

Sruti also declares:—'He can become infinite.'® Soul's

limitation by body is due to Karma; but limitlessness or

infinity would be its attribute when liberated. In Gita

also the term brahma is applied to designate soul jas in:

He, transcending these gunas, is fitted to be brahma'

[Gi: XIV-26);'

I am brahma's Prop,—the immortal,im

perishable (brahma)' (G#:XIV-27). '

Brahma, purified,

grieves not,craves not;same to all beings, heacquiresthe

highest love for Me'. (G/:XVIII-54)

It is called neither sateens,nor asat~non-ens,because

it is that which never undergoesthe states known as causes

and effects. The term'

Ens' comes to be applied to it

when.it(soul)assumes names and forms such as deva etc;

and when no such names and forms are donned,the name

Nonrens' comes to be applied to it. (Hence,essentially)

it is neither'

ens' nor'

non-ens.' Declare also the Srutis

thus:—

Asat(non-being) was in the beginning, from it was

sat(being) born.'*

This verily wasunfashioned,whichwas(then)fashioned

out into names and forms and soon,showingthattheoc-

currence ofstates—ascause and as effect—to soul is due to

the.enshroudment brought on by ignorance[avidyn)\ and

is• not inherent to the nature of the soul itself. Hence

soul-nature is undefinable by such terms as sat and asat.

It may be said that the Sruti:'

Asat was in the

beginning,etc'refersto tbecausalstate in which Parabrahm

(God)is; to which it is replied that the causal state of

Parabrahm is the state of Parabrahm having the princi

ples, chit and achit(soul and matter)as the body. Hence

in the causal state,the body also, vis: kshetra and kshetra-

jfia(matterand soul)are fit to be designated as asat\ but a

causal state to kshetrajfia (soul) is accounted for by

karma, the pure soul-nature itself being one which can

neither becalled'

ens'{sat)nor

non-ens'{asat).^

&c.

13. * Everywhere hands and feet,that(kshetrajfia,is);

eyes,heads and faces everywhere, and all-hea

ring; abides in the world encompassing all.'

Everywhere hands and feet^ that=The pure soul-

nature is capable of doing everywhere what hands and

feet do(in the embodied state). Similarly, it is capable

of performing the functionsof seeing,hearing etc (without

the physical organs).

ThatPara-brahm,—albeit possessingnohands,feetetc.,

is yet capable of performing the functions ofsuch mem

bers,—is declared by such Sruti passages as:

Handless,footless.Hefast moves and grasps;eyeless.

He sees;earless. He hears etc.'*

That pratyagatma (soul) also, in its pure nature,

and as co-essential with Para-brahm, has this capacity of

performing functions without organs,is a clear conclusion

from the Sruti, when it declares:

Then the wise(soul), casting off merit and demerit,

and become purified, attains transcendent equality(with

Brahm).'^

Also in the Gita; itself the Stanza further occurs:

Embracing this knowledge, whoso attain to My stan

dard of righteousness' etc.{Gi: XIV-2).

And that {or this kshetrajha), abides in the world en

compassing all: means that soul pervades all things in the

world without exception; for pure soul-nature has no

limitations of space etc., and therefore it is all-pervasive.

&c.

14. '

Shining with all the sense-faculties, without all

the senses; unaffected,assuming all; guna-less,

guna-tasting.'

Shining with all sense-faculties: that which is capable

ofshining or functioning with all thefaculties ofthe senses.

Sense-facuities=Sense-activities.

The meaning is that with such faculties also, it(soul)

is capable of perceiving objects; but by nature, it is

devoidofail senses, for without sense-faculties even, it is

by its own virtue capable of knowing all.

Asahtam^'unsiffected, or by nature unattached to

bodies such as deva etc. And yet,

Sarvabhrit=3iSSUTn\ng or capable of assuming all

bodies such as deva etc.,as declared in the $ruti:

He becomes unifid, becomes trifid etc.*

Nirgunam = guna-less or intrinsically without the

qualities such as satva etc., pertaining to matter and yet,

Guna-hhoktri—^^ enjoyer of the gunas,satva etc.

&c.

15. '

Without and within the elements; unmoving

from the Sruti, when it declares :

‘Then the wise (soul), casting off merit and demerit,

and become purified, attains transcendent equality (with

Brahm).’!

Also in the Gita. itself the Stanza further occurs:

‘Embracing this knowledge, whoso attain to My stan-

dard of righteousness’ etc. (Gi: XIV-2).

And that (or this kshetrajfa), abides in the world en-

compassing all: means that soul pervades all things in the

world without exception; for pure soul-nature has no

limitations of space etc., and therefore it is all-pervasive.

we e

AMKATUTATT &c.

14. ‘Shining withallthe sense-faculties, without all

the senses; unaffected, assuming all ; guna-less,

guna-tasting .’

Shining with all sense-faculties : that which is capable

of shining or functioning with all the faculties of the senses.

Sense-faculties = Sense-activities.

The meaning is that with such faculties also, it (soul)

is capable of perceiving objects; but by nature, it is

devoid of all senses, for without sense-faculties even, it is

by its own virtue capable of knowing all.

Asaktam=unaffected, or by nature unattached to

bodies such as deva etc. And yet,

Sarvabhrit=assuming or capable of assuming all

bodies such as deva etc., as declared in the Sruti:

‘He becomes unifid, becomes trifid etc.

Mirgunam = guna-less or intrinsically without the

qualities such as satva etc,, pertaining to matter and yet,

| Guna-hhoktri=the enjoyer of the gunas, satva ete.

Reel &c.

15. ‘Without and within the elements; unmoving

and moving; being subtle, incomprehensible;

it (soul)stands far and yet near.'"^

Without^)^& soul can exist disembodied abandoning

the elements,earth etc.,and it is within them also.

It can roam about or not at will, as stated in the l^ruti:

'Eating and playing and enjoying with partners,

equipages etc.'«

By nature, it is steady {unmoving), but moving in

the embodied state.

Being subtle, incomprehensible='Yh.Q soul-principle is

possessed ofall powers, and all knowledge, and though it

inhabits this bodily tenement, it is very subtle; and there

fore.difficult by worldly men to understand it in separation

from the body.

Itstandsfar andyetnear=It stands far to those men

who are not possessed ofthe aforesaid virtues of'Reverence'

etc., but posses.sed of vices contrary thereto; aad therefore

far to them though it is present in their own bodies.

But it is near to those who are possessed of the virtues

Reverence'etc., {Gi\ XIII-7 to 11).

^ &c.

15^. 'Undivided among beings,it abidesas divided.'

By its intrinsic property of'knower,' it is void of

divisions,abiding everywhere among creatures, deva, man

etc. But to(spiritually)unwise people,it appears divided

as:'This is deva';'

This is man'etc.

FromwhatissaidintheStanza:'Hewho/twzyjthis etc.,'

(Gi'. XIII-1),it is understood that the soul being'knower,'

it is possible to comprehend it as an entity separate from

the body, though in expressions like: 'I am deva,''

I am

man'etc., it(soul=I) is always comprehended with refer-

ence to the.body (its cloak). And now It will be shown

how to comprehend it as a distinct entity,in other ways:

&c.

16. '

And as supporter ofelements it is to be known;

as devourer and as causer.'

Inasmuch as it supports or holds together the combi

nation ofthe elements,earth etc.,known as body,it is to be

known or is capable ofbeing known as the'supporter,'as

contradistinguished from the'

supported (body).'

Similarly,it is grasishnu^AevoMter of material ele

ments such as food. And therefore it is capable of being

comprehended as the'devourer,'ascontradistinguished from

the'devoured articles.'

And causer or cause of transformations

such as devoured food undergoes, and hence'

causer' of

transformations may be inferred from the transformations

offood effected.

Inasmuch as no such properties are discovered in a

dead body, it is concluded that mere matter-combined

Kshetra'vs incapable ofbeing the'supporter,'the'devourer

causer.' (Hence soul is to be inferred as such).

&c.

17. '

It is the light even oflights and is said to be

beyond darkness (tam<xs)\ wisdom-khowable;

wisdom-gainable;centred in ever)' heart.'

Lights are such as those of sun,fire, gem etc.. Light

ofthese lights means that which illuminates these or that

by thelightof which these lights are seen,meaning light of

knowledge before which alltheluminaries,thesun etCi,shinei

As for lamp-light and the rest, they but dispel the dark

ness intervening between the senseof(sight)and its object;

the illuminating power ofthese lights is butlimited to such

work. (Not so the light ofthe soul).

It is said to be beyond darkness (tamos). The term

tamos is designatory of the subtle condition of prakfiti

(=matter). It(soul) transcends even thissubtle principle.

Hence =Comprehensible by intellect

or knowledge) as that which is characterized by intelli

gence (or cox\scio\xsness=jndndkdra),

\t\sJndnagamyam=vfisdom-ga.ina.h\e or that what can

be reached by wisdom embodied in the qualities:'Rever

ence'etc., or by qualities which constitute knowledge by

means ofwhich to gain wisdom.

Centred in every Present or seated in the hearts

of all creatures, man etc. in a pronounced form.

cim &c.

18.'In brief hasthus been told (thee whatis) Kshetra,

Knowledge and the Knowable. My Bhakta,

well knowing this,is fitted for My state.'

Thus,a concise description of what constitutes the

principle ofKshetra has been given beginning with: '

The

great Elements, Ahankara etc.,' {Gi\ XII-5).and ending

with: ' the aggregate, the basis for the soul

(Gl:XI11-6^; ofthe Knowledge-means by which to know

the Knowable soul-principle in;'

Reverence etc' (Gi-.

Xlll-y^ up to:

'Meditation ofKnowledgeregarding(spiri

tual) truths' ^Gi?;Xlll-ii) and ofthe truths regarding

the Knowable or Kshetrajfla-principle,in : '

Beginningless

having Me as Goal etc'fGi:Xlll-i2)up to: '

Centred in

every heart'(Gi: XIII-17/

My bhakta knowingthis — knowingthe truths regarding

(I)Kshetra,(2)the means by which to reach the(or realize)

soul-nature as distinct from Kshetra,and (3)Kshetrajfia.

Isfittedfor My state:My state is My nature,different

from samsara (material mundane existence). Toreach this

state he becomes competent,

Now (x)the beginninglessness of the conjoint state of

the two distinct-natured verities, matter and soul,(2)the

difference offunction which-(in union)each is supposed to

perform and (3) how these two principles came to be

conjoined, will be treated of;

19. '

Matter and Spirit, know, are both beginning-

less. Know thatpassions as well as virtues are

matter-born.'

Know that from time out of beginning,exist matter

(prakrtH)ox\^ soul(purushajenmeshed together.

Vikdtas=\\t: or spirit modifications of properties=

unspiritual tendencies or qualities=pa.ssions.

Gu^as=\iV.qualities=good qualities=virtues.Passions

are desire, hatred etc., which forge bondage {bandha);and

Virtues are 'Reverence etc,'—qualities which effectuate

liberation (moksha).

Matter in union with Soul, perpetuating from item

immemorial,—evolved as body {kshetra)—conduces by its

modifications of desire, aversion etc., to bind him (the

soul);and the same prakriti(matter), by its modifications

of '

Reverence' etc., constitutes the cause ofsoul's eman

cipation.

&c.

20. '

For creating effect and instruments, matter is

said to be the cause;for experiencing joys and

griefs,the soul is said to be the cause.'

=effect=body.

Kdraif^dni^ihcinstruments viz: the senses of percep

tion, the organs ofaction, with manas(

=mind). In the

making ofthese two(body and senses)to function the sou

envisaged matteralone is the cause. That is to say that all

work—or manifested activity—as means to afford enjoy

mentor experiences(tothe soul)is dependent on matterin

its state of'the field'impulsed by thesoul. The soul simply

carries with it the function of the'director' or'

superin

tendent'{adhishthatri). In this sense,thefollowing Vedan-

ta Aphorism applies to the soul viz;—

(The soul is) agent,because Sastra's purport is(then)

fulfilled,'^ etc.

What is agency (or being the doer), to the soul

but the being the cause of initiating effort through the

medium(or by the governing)of matter ?

The soul is the cause for experiencingjoy andgrief •.

means that the matter-consorting soul is the seat for such

experiences.*

Thus difference of function each appropriate to

matter and soul—when in conjunction,—has been men

tioned. Next it is shown how the soul which is inherently

fit for self-blessedness, comes to experience pleasures

and pains derived from objects (products of matter).

3^: &c.

20^. 'Verily being in matter planted, the soul

eats ofthe matter-bred products.'

The term ^««a=lit: quality, is figuratively used

here to represent the productsof matter.

Prakriti-sthah purusha is the soul which by its own

intrinsic (soul-) nature, is made for self-bliss; but it is now

seated in {i. e., consorts with) matter.

Matter-bred products products or manifest

effects of the gunas, satva etc., arising adventitiously

from the circumstance of the(matter-soul-) association.

Bhuhkte=&dLXs of or experiences,joys and griefs.

How this consorting (or conjunction) with matter

has come about^ is now explained:

PJW &c.

21. 'Attachment to qualities(gunas)is the cause of

births in good and evil wombs.'

This soul, born in a series of retrospective births

among devas, man etc.,—all variations of matter-forms,—

delights in(or evinces attachment for)guna-sated pleasures

etc.,varying in theirsdtvika and othercharacteristics accord

ing to the incidents ofsuch births; and in so doing laun

ches into activities, good or evil, in order to procure for

itself such pleasures. In order then to reap the fruits

ofsuch good or evil acts, it isinevitably born again in good

or evil wombs(respectively). Born,he acts again; acting,

he is born again. This circumvolution never stops till he

will take to the culture of the virtues:

Reverence etc.,'

[vide, Gi\ XIII-7 to 11)leading to soul-acquisition. (

Hence,it is declared :

'Attachment to gunas is the cause of births in good

and evil wombs.''

&c.

22. '

In this body, this soul excellent, is spectator

and permitter,supporter and enjoyer, the great

lord,and is also called p'aramatma.'

'The purusha dwelling in this body(=:soul)is specta

toror he who directs by means ofthe will,theseveral opera

tions attaching to the body; and permits them ;also is he

the prop ofthe body,alsothe enjoyer of pains and pleasures,

born ofbodily activities. Thus by virtue ofruling,support

ing, and enjoying the body, the purusha is the gieatlord

{mahesvard)ofthebody,and the sensesand the mind therein.

That he issuch a lord {isvara), is further declared thus:

'When the lord [Isvara) goes,into the body, and

when he goes out ofit, he seizes these and goes,like wind

(seizing)the scents from their seats.'{^Gi- XV-8).

Tothe body,the sensesand the mind,he is also said to

be supreme spirit,—within the limits of the

body. The term'

atma'is often applied to signify

body',

and'

mind,'as for example in:

'By meditation do some perceive soul in atma (tcdy,

by atma(mind).','f7i XIII-24).{T\iereioxeparam-dtma would

mean thesoul thattranscends both the body and the mind).

The conjunctive particle'api'=-fl/j<7, appears to refer to

the epithet'great lord,' meaning that sofar as this body is

concerned, the soul may be called the great lord, the

paramatma and so on.

Parah /«r«jAd'A=excellent soul: so called from the

natural potentialities of infinite consciousness and power

pertaining to this purusha (soul)as detailed in Stanza:—

'Beginningless,havingMe as Goal';etseq(Gi:XIII-12)

%r% &c.

23. 'Whothuskenssoul(pun(sAa)a.T\d matter(prakriit)

together with the gunas ;in whatever condition

he exist at present,he is never born again.'

7'A«^=sinthe manner described,—whoso intelligently

understands the nature of purusha (soul) and prakriti

(matter);"and also the gunas=thG humours or qualities

ofmatter as will be described furtheron{vide theSucceeding

Lecture XIV).

Whatevercondition={rciate.na\ conditions)such as being

deva, man etc.,in bodies, though(much against the will(of

the indwelling soul).

Never bom <2,^a»«=will never get into the company of

matter ; meaning that at the time when the body ceases

to exist, soul is realized, in its characteristic state of

boundless consciousness and sinlessne.ss.

&c.

24. '

By Dhyana-yoga some do mentally perceive the

soul in the body ;by Safikhya-yoga,others;and

by Karma-yoga,others again.''

Some,who are perfect in yoga, perceive the soul{aima)

by the mind (atma) in the body {dtma), by means of

Dhyana-yoga (Bhakti or Path of Love). Others, who

are unadvanced in yoga,render the mind fit for yoga by

means of Sdflkhya-yoga ■=^^^^x\^-yoo^.{=Path of Know

ledge) and perceive the soul.

Others, who are unfit for Jfiana-yoga, as well as

those who are fit but who prefer the easier road, also men

of note who have a duty to perform viz; to set an example

to others, follow Karma-yoga {= Path of Works) embody

ing knowledge, and train the mind to be fit for yoga, and

perceive the"soul.

&c.

25. 'But others who, knowing not thus, fmerely) con

template after hearing from others, do verily

(also) overcros.? death ; also thbse of (simple-)

faith in hearing (what is told them.')

Others again there are, incompetent to walk the Paths

of Karma etc,—leading to soul-vision,—who listen to the

teachings of sages, the seers oftruth ; and then by treading

the Paths of Karma etc., contemplate on atma. These

perceive atma and cross beyond death. Also those who

are able only to believe in what they hear from others,

get purged of their sins, and are gradually enabled to em

bark on the several Paths (laid down) vis., Karma-Yoga

etc., and thus pass over death.

1. All the Three Paths are here

summarized. As to what Sankhya and

Yoga mear. reaa, II-39; III-2; V-4-5

and XVIII-13 (BA: Gi).

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