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CHAPTER IX The Lord is more than His Creation Highlighted Text & Comment by Dr. Radhakrishnan Sanskrit Text, Transliteration & Word Meaning by Veeraswamy Krishnaraj |
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The Sovereign
Mystery श्रीभगवानुवाच इदं तु ते
गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे
। ज्ञानं
विज्ञानसहितं
यज्ज्ञात्वा
मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात्
॥९- १॥ śrībhagavān uvāca śrībhagavān uvāca idam1
tu2 te3
guhyatamam4 pravakṣyāmi5 anasūyave6 jñānam7 vijñāna8 sahitam9 yat10 jñātvā11 mokṣyase12 aśubhāt13 9.1 śrībhagavān uvāca = Sri Bhagavan said: pravakṣyāmi5 = I shall
declare; e3 = to you;
[who are] anasūyave6 = not
jealous; [of Me]; idam1 = this; tu2 = yet; tguhyatamam4 = supreme
secret; [of] jñānam7 = knowledge; sahitam9 = with; vijñāna8 = wisdom; jñātvā11 = knowing; yat10 = which; mokṣyase12 = you shall be liberated; aśubhāt13 = from miseries. 9.1 |
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The Blessed Lord said: (9.1) To Thee, who dost not
cavil, I shall declare this profound secret of wisdom combined with knowledge, by knowing
which thou shalt be released from evil. ■ vijñāna8 sahitam9, anubhavayuktam. S. We take
jñāna, however, as meaning wisdom and vijñāna as detailed knowledge. If the former is metaphysical truth, the latter is scientific knowledge. We have at our disposal these different and complementary means of obtaining truth, an intuitive
as well as an intellectual expansion of the human mind. We must
acquire wisdom and knowledge, penetration of reality and a profound grasp of the nature of things. The philosophers prove that God exists but
their knowledge of God is indirect; the seers proclaim that they have felt the reality of God in the depths of their soul and their knowledge is direct.1 See III) 4I; VI, 8. I asti brahmeti
ced veda parokṣaṁ Jñānam
eva
tat aham (or asmi) brahmeti
ced veda aparokṣaṁ tad ucyate. |
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राजविद्या
राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम्
। प्रत्यक्षावगमं
धर्म्यं सुसुखं
कर्तुमव्ययम्
॥९- २॥ rājavidyā rājaguhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam rāja-vidyā1
rāja-guhyam2 pavitram3
idam4 uttamam5 pratyakṣa6 avagamam7 dharmyam8 susukham9 kartum10 avyayam11 9.2 idam4 = This; [is] rāja-vidyā1 = Sovereign
Knowledge; rāja-guhyam2 =
Sovereign Secret; pavitram3 = the purest;
[and] uttamam5 = the best;
[realized by] pratyakṣa6 = direct; avagamam7 = comprehension. [It is] dharmyam8 = righteous;
susukham9 =
easy; [to] kartum10 = practice; [and] avyayam11 = imperishable. 9.2 |
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(9.2) This is
sovereign knowledge, sovereign secret, supreme sanctity, known by direct experience,
in accord with the law, very easy to practice and imperishable. ■ rājavidyā rājaguhyam. literally king-knowledge, king-secret, the greatest
wisdom, the greatest secret. pratyakṣāvagamam.
It is not a matter for argument but is verified by direct experience. It is knowledge by acquaintance and not by description, hearsay or
report. The truth is there shining by its own light, waiting to be seen by
us, if the obstructing veils are removed. The Supreme is to be seen by one
as one's own self, through one's developed and purified intuition.1 Cp. pratibodhaviditam. Kena Up., II, I2. 1 na śāstrair nāpi guruṇā drśyate parameśvaraḥ drśyate svātmanaivātmā svayā
sattvasthayā dhiyā.
-- Yogavāśiṣṭha
VI, 118, 4. |
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अश्रद्दधानाः
पुरुषा धर्मस्यास्य
परन्तप । अप्राप्य
मां निवर्तन्ते
मृत्युसंसारवर्त्मनि
॥९- ३॥ aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya
paraṁtapa aśraddadhānāḥ1
puruṣāḥ2 dharmasya3
asya4 parantapa5 puruṣāḥ2 = People; aśraddadhānāḥ1 = without
faith; asya4
dharmasya3 = in Dharma
as said earlier; parantapa5= O Parantapa; [and] aprāpya6 = without attaining; mām6 = Me; nivartante7 = come back; mṛtyu8A saṁsāra8B vartmani8C = along the
path of8C the mortal world8A of Samsara
or transmigration8B. 9.3 |
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(9.3) Men
who have no faith in this way, not attaining to Me, O Oppressor
of the foe (Arjuna), return to the path of mortal living (saṁsāra). ■ The sovereign knowledge
is the identity of Kṛṣṇa, the Incarnate Lord, with Brahman
the source of all. Final illumination will dawn on us if we worship the
Incarnate with this knowledge. The direct contemplation of the Absolute is more difficult, Because Arjuna is a man of faith, he is taught this secret. The faithless who do not accept it,
do not gain release but return to birth again. The faith demanded is the
faith in the reality of saving wisdom and man's capacity to attain it. The
first step to grow into the freedom of the Divine is faith in the Godhead in us, which
supports our being and action. When we surrender ourselves to that inner
Divine, the practice of yoga becomes easy. |
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The Incarnate Lord as the Supreme Reality मया ततमिदं
सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना
। मत्स्थानि
सर्वभूतानि न
चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः
॥९- ४॥ mayā tatam idaṁ
sarvaṁ jagad avyaktamūrtinā mayā1
tatam2
idam3
sarvam4
jagat5
avyakta-mūrtinā6 idam3 = This; sarvam4 = entire; jagat5 = world,
universe; tatam2 = is pervaded; mayā1 = by My; avyakta-mūrtinā6 = unmanifest
form. sarva-bhūtāni8 = All beings; matsthāni7 = exist in Me; ca10 = and; aham11 =I; na9 = do not; avasthitaḥ13 = exist; teṣu12 = in
them. 9.4 |
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(9.4) By Me all this universe is pervaded through My unmanifested
form. All beings abide in Me but I do not abide in them. See VII. 12. This whole universe owes its being to the Transcendent Godhead
and yet the forms of this universe do not contain or express Him adequately.
His absolute reality is far above the
appearance of things in space and time. |
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न
च मत्स्थानि भूतानि
पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्
। भूतभृन्न
च भूतस्थो ममात्मा
भूतभावनः ॥९- ५॥ na ca matsthāni
bhūtāni paśya me yogam
aiśvaram na1
ca2 matsthāni3
bhūtāni4 paśya5
me6 yogam7
aiśvaram8 ca2 = And; na1 = not; bhūtāni4 = all beings; matsthāni3 = exist in Me. paśya5 = Look at; me6 = My; aiśvaram8 = divine; yogam7 = Yogic
power. [I am] bhūta-bhṛt9 = the sustainer of beings; ca11 = and; bhūta-bhāvanaḥ14 = the
Origin of all beings. mama ātmā13 =
My Atma; na10 = does not;
bhūtasthaḥ12 = remain in
the beings. 9.5 |
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(9.5) And (yet) the beings do
not dwell in Me; behold My divine mystery. My spirit which is the source
of all beings sustains the beings but does not abide in them. ■ yogam aiśvaram: divine mystery. The explanation of
the rise of the limited phenomenal universe out of the Absolute Godhead is traced to the power of the Divine. The Supreme is the
source of all phenomena
but is not touched by them. That is the yoga of
divine power. Though He creates existences, God transcends them to such a
degree that we cannot even say that He dwells in them. Even the idea of
immanence of God is, strictly speaking, untenable. All existences are due to
His double nature but as His higher proper nature is ātman which is
unconnected with the work of prakṛti, it is also true that
beings do not dwell in Him nor He in them. They are
one and yet separate. ■ ''The Jīva or
the embodied self, bearing the body and maintaining it, remains
clinging to it by ahaṁkāra
or self-sense. Unlike the Jīva, I though bearing and maintaining all beings, do not
remain in them, since I am free from ahaṁkāra or self-sense."-- Sridhara. ■ The Gītā
does not deny the world, which exists through God and
has God behind, above and before it. It exists through Him who, without the
world, would yet be in Himself no
less what He is. Unlike God, the world does not possess its specific
existence in itself. It
has therefore only limited and not absolute being. The teacher inclines not
to pantheism which asserts that everything is God but to panentheism
that denotes that everything subsists in God. The cosmic process is not a
complete manifestation of the Absolute. No finite process can
ever finally and fully express
the Absolute, though this world is a living manifestation of God. |
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यथाकाशस्थितो
नित्यं वायुः
सर्वत्रगो महान्
। तथा
सर्वाणि भूतानि
मत्स्थानीत्युपधारय
॥९- ६॥ yathākāśasthito nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatrago mahān yathā1 ākāśa-sthitaḥ2 nityam3 vāyuḥ4 sarvatragaḥ5 mahān6 yathā1 = In a manner
[as] ; mahān6 = the great; vāyuḥ4 = wind; nityam3 = ever; ākāśa-sthitaḥ2 = remaining
in the sky; sarvatragaḥ5 = moves
everywhere; tathā7 = likewise; upadhāraya12 = know or
understand; sarvāṇi8 = all; bhūtāni9 = beings; iti11 = thus; matsthānī10 = abide in
Me. 9.6 |
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(9.6) As
the mighty air moving everywhere ever, abides in the etheric space
(ākāśa), know thou that in the same manner all existences
abide in Me. ■ Space holds them
all but is touched by none. The teacher gives here an analogy. The space is
the true universal, all-pervading infinite
background on which aerial phenomena take place, but its nature is stable and
immutable. So also the Infinite Self is one, not many. Though it is immutable being, it is the support of all that moves. It is not contained
in any of the moving entities which are all ultimately
dependent on the Self. And yet the Self supports the many. Air exists in space but it does not consist of space and has nothing essentially in common with it. It is only in such a sense that we can
say things exist in God. ■ God's utter
transcendence, which is later developed by Madhva, comes
out here. Even in R.'s account, the universe is the manifestation of the
Divine; but in this verse it is said, that, while
God causes things to exist, He does not exist in them. They are there on account
of His wondrous power. God so completely transcends the universe that He is
separated from all worldly being and is opposed to it
as the "wholly other." This is the expression of a profound
religious intuition. |
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सर्वभूतानि
कौन्तेय प्रकृतिं
यान्ति मामिकाम्
। कल्पक्षये
पुनस्तानि कल्पादौ
विसृजाम्यहम्
॥९- ७॥ sarvabhūtāni kaunteya
prakṛtiṁ yānti
māmikām sarva-bhūtāni1
kaunteya2 prakṛtim3
yānti4 māmikām5 sarva-bhūtāni1 = All beings;
kaunteya2 = O son of Kunti; yānti4 = enter; māmikām5 = My; prakṛtim3 =
Nature; kalpak-kṣaye6 = at the end of the Kalpa.
punaḥ7 = Again; aham11 = I; visṛjāmi10 = create; tāni8 = the beings;
kalpādau9 = in the
beginning of the Kalpa. 9.7 |
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(9.7) All
beings, O Son of Kuntī (Arjuna), pass into nature which is My own at the
end of the cycle; and at the beginning of the (next) cycle, I send them
forth. |
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प्रकृतिं
स्वामवष्टभ्य
विसृजामि पुनः
पुनः । भूतग्राममिमं
कृत्स्नमवशं
प्रकृतेर्वशात्
॥९- ८॥ prakṛtiṁ svām avaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi
punaḥ punaḥ prakṛtim1
svām2 avaṣṭabhya3
visṛjāmi4 punaḥ
punaḥ5 avaṣṭabhya3 =
Controlling; svām2 = My own; prakṛtim1 = Prakrti; [I] visṛjāmi4 = create; punaḥ
punaḥ5 = again
and again; imam7 = this; kṛtsnam8 = entire; bhūtagrāmam6 = multitude
of beings; [who are] avaśam9 = powerless,
helpless [loosing control]; [owing to] vaśāt11 = the
sway; prakṛteḥ10 = of their
own nature. 9.8 |
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(9.8) Taking
hold of nature which is My own, I send forth again and again all this
multitude of beings which are helpless, being under the control of nature
(prakṛti). ■ The unmanifested
nature when lit up by the
Unmanifested Self produces the objective universe with its different planes.
The order and nature of development are determined by the
seeds contained in nature.
Only the Divine Self must take hold of it. ■ The ego is subject to the law of karma and is therefore
helplessly obliged to take embodiment in the cosmic
life. In IV, 6, it is said that the Divine assumes
birth through His own māyā, ātmamāyayā. Human souls
are not lords of their action. While they are subject
to nature, the Supreme controls nature and is not helplessly driven by prakṛti
through ignorance. In both cases, the means of creation is
māyā. In the divine embodiment, it is Yogamāyā,
ātmamāyā, prakṛti which is filled
with the light and joy of the Supreme and acts under His control. In human
embodiment, it is avidyā māyā. The human soul is entangled in ignorance and is helplessly bound in its
work, through its subjection to prakṛti. |
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न
च मां तानि कर्माणि
निबध्नन्ति धनंजय
। उदासीनवदासीनमसक्तं
तेषु कर्मसु ॥९-
९॥ na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanaṁjaya na1
ca2 mām3
tāni4 karmāṇi5
nibadhnanti6 dhanañjaya7 na1
ca2
tāni4 = Not all
these; karmāṇi5 = actions; nibadhnanti6 = bind; mām3 = Me; dhanañjaya7 = O Dhananjaya; āsīnam9 = remaining; asaktam10 = unattached; [and] udāsīnavat8 =
indifferent; teṣu11 = to those; karmasu12 = actions. 9.9 |
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(9.9) Nor do
these works bind Me, O winner of wealth (Arjuna), for I am seated as if
indifferent, unattached in those actions. ■ Though the Supreme controls creation and dissolution, as
their spirit and guide, He is not involved in them for He is above the procession of cosmic events. As it is the work of the nature which belongs to God, He
is to be regarded as immanent in it, and yet in His supracosrnic
side, He exceeds the cosmic series of things and events. God is thus unweariedly active in the play of the universe and yet
above the universe and free from its laws. The Self is not bound by the cosmic wheel which it projects. Countless individuals are
born, grow, strive and suffer, die and come to birth again but the Self is
forever free. They reap the fruits of their actions and are
bound by their past
acts but He is ever free. This evolution proceeds at the cosmic dawn and is withdrawn at the cosmic night. |
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Devotion to the Supreme brings its great reward: Lesser devotions bring lesser rewards. मयाध्यक्षेण
प्रकृतिः सूयते
सचराचरम् । हेतुनानेन
कौन्तेय जगद्विपरिवर्तते
॥९- १०॥ mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate
sacarācaram mayā1
adhyakṣeṇa2 prakṛtiḥ3
sūyate4 sa5
cara-acaram6 mayā1 = Under My; adhyakṣeṇa2 =
supervision; prakṛtiḥ3 = Prakrti, nature; sūyate4 = gives rise;
[to] sa5 = both; cara-acaram6 =
mobile and immobile things. hetunā7 = Because of
this reason; kaunteya9 = O son of Kunti; anena8 = this; jagat10 = world; viparivartate11 = spins or
revolves. 9.10 |
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(9.10) Under My guidance, nature (prakṛti) gives birth to all
things, moving and unmoving and by this means, O Son of Kuntī (Arjuna), the world
revolves. ■ Kṛṣṇa is here represented as the Supreme Self who pervades
the universe, who supports all beings and yet is transcendent and unaffected.
Ᾱnandagiri advises that we should not raise the question of the purpose
of creation. "We cannot say that it is meant for
the enjoyment of the Supreme; for the Supreme really enjoys nothing. It is a
pure consciousness, a mere witness. And there is no other enjoyer for there
is no other conscious entity . . . nor is creation intended to secure mokṣa
for it is opposed to mokṣa, Thus neither the question nor an answer to
it is possible and there is no occasion for it, as creation
is due to the māyā of the Supreme." Cp. Ṛg.
Veda: "Who could perceive
(it) directly, and who could declare whence born' and why this variegated creation ?"1 1 ko addhā
veda ka iha pravocat kuta ājātā, kuta iyam visṛiṣṭiḥ.
--X, 129, 6; Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa. II, 8, 9. |
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अवजानन्ति
मां मूढा मानुषीं
तनुमाश्रितम्
। परं
भावमजानन्तो
मम भूतमहेश्वरम्
॥९- ११॥ avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ
tanum āśritam avajānanti1
mām2 mūḍhāḥ3
mānuṣīm4 tanum5
āśritam6 mūḍhāḥ3 = The fools; avajānanti1 = slight; mām2 =Me; āśritam6 = appearing
in, sporting; mānuṣīm4 = human; tanum5 = body; ajānantaḥ9 = ignorant
of; mama10 = My; param7 = Supreme; bhāvam8 = Nature;
[as] bhūta-maheśvaram11 = the Great Lord of all beings. 9.11 |
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(11.11) The
deluded despise Me clad in human body, not knowing My higher
nature as Lord of all existences. ■ We see only the outward human body and not the Divine in it.
We see the outer appearance, not the inner reality, To recognize God in His
earthly disguise means effort. Unless we turn our entire existence towards
the Eternal, transcending the limits of phenomenal nature and recover the
greater consciousness by which we can
live in the Divine, we will be a prey to finite fascinations. Image worship
is to be used as a means to the Divine; otherwise it
is faulty. In the Bhāgavata the Lord is
represented as saying ''I am
present in all beings as their soul but ignoring My presence, the mortal makes
a display of image worship."1 I aham sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhūtātmā avasthitaḥ, tam avajñāya māṁ·martyaḥ kurute arcāviḍambanam.
III, 29, 21. |
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मोघाशा
मोघकर्माणो मोघज्ञाना
विचेतसः । राक्षसीमासुरीं
चैव प्रकृतिं
मोहिनीं श्रिताः
॥९- १२॥ moghāśā moghakarmāṇo
moghajñānā vicetasaḥ moghāśā1
mogha-karmāṇaḥ2
mogha-jñānāḥ3 vicetasaḥ4 moghāśā1 = With vain
desires; mogha-karmāṇaḥ2 = with useless actions; mogha-jñānāḥ3 = with
useless knowledge; [and] vicetasaḥ4 = of unsteady
mind; [they] śritāḥ11 = are possessed of; rākṣasīm5 = Raksasa, demonic; āsurīm6 = ungodly; ca7 = and; eva8 = indeed; mohinīm10 = deluded; prakṛtim9 =
nature. 9.12 |
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(9.12) Partaking of the deceptive
nature of fiends and demons, their aspirations are vain, their actions vain
and their knowledge vain and they are devoid of judgment. rākṣasīm5: fiendish;
those who are dominated by tamas and who
indulge in acts of cruelty. āsurīm6: demoniac;
those dominated by rajas and qualities
of ambition, greed and the like. Śrīdhara. They cling to the world of transient forms
and are victims of the deceitful nature (mohinī prakṛti)
and disregard the underlying Reality. |
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महात्मानस्तु
मां पार्थ दैवीं
प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः
। भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो
ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम्
॥९- १३॥ mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ mahātmānaḥ1
tu2 mām3
pārtha4 daivīm5
prakṛtim6
āśritāḥ7 tu2 = But; pārtha4 = O Partha; mahātmānaḥ1 = Great
Souls; āśritāḥ7 = possessed
of; daivīm5 = divine; prakṛtim6 = Nature; bhajanti8 = worship; mām3 = Me; ananya-manasaḥ9 =
with undistracted mind; jñātvā10 = knowing me; [as] avyayam12 = the imperishable bhūtādim11 = source of all beings and
objects. 9.13 |
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(9.I3) The
great-souled, O Pārtha (Arjuna), who abide in the divine nature, knowing
(me as) the imperishable source of all beings, worship Me with an
undistracted mind. ■ Deceitful nature, mohinī
prakṛti is contrasted with Divine nature,
daivī prakṛti. If we are of
the demoniac nature, we live in our separate ego consciousness, and make that
the center of our activities, and get lost in the fruitless cycle of saṁsāra and miss our
true destiny. On the other hand, if we are of a
divine nature, we open out to our true
self-awareness, our whole nature is turned towards the Divine and our whole
life becomes a continuous adoration of the Supreme. The endeavor to possess
the Divine in knowledge and
realize It in life succeeds
and we act in a dedicated
spirit. |
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सततं
कीर्तयन्तो मां
यतन्तश्च दृढव्रताः
। नमस्यन्तश्च
मां भक्त्या नित्ययुक्ता
उपासते ॥९- १४॥ satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍhavratāḥ satatam1
kīrtayantaḥ2 mām3
yatantaḥ4 ca5 dṛḍha-vratāḥ6 satatam1 = Constantly;
kīrtayantaḥ2 = glorifying;
mām3 = Me; ca5 = and; yatantaḥ4 = striving; dṛḍha-vratāḥ6 = the ones
with firm vows; upāsate12 = worship; namasyantaḥ7 = by paying
obeisance; mām9 = to
Me; ca8 = and; nitya-yuktāḥ11 = ever yoked [ever steadfast]; bhaktyā10 = with
devotion. 9.14 |
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(9.14) Always glorifying Me, strenuous and steadfast in
vows, bowing down to Me with devotion, they worship Me,
ever disciplined. ■ jñātvā (13) bhaktyā
... nityayuktaḥ. These words indicate how the highest perfection is a
combination of knowledge, devotion and work. |
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ज्ञानयज्ञेन
चाप्यन्ये यजन्तो
मामुपासते । एकत्वेन
पृथक्त्वेन बहुधा
विश्वतोमुखम्
॥९- १५॥ jñānayajñena cāpy anye yajanto mām upāsate jñāna-yajñena1
ca2 api3
anye4 yajantaḥ5
mām6 upāsate7 anye4 = Others; api3 = indeed; jñāna-yajñena1 = offering
sacrifice of knowledge; yajantaḥ5 = worship; mām6 = Me; ekatvena8 = in the
spirit of oneness; ca2 = and;
[others] upāsate7= worship;
[Me] pṛthaktvena9 = in many
forms; bahudhā10 = in many ways; [and] viśvataḥ-mukham11 = in
universal form [universal face]. 9.15 |
|
(9.15)
Others again sacrifice with the sacrifice of wisdom and worship Me as the
one, as the distinct and as the manifold, facing in all directions. ■ Saṁkara thinks that three
classes of worshippers are mentioned here.1 Rāmānuja
and Madhva hold that only one class is mentioned. Tilak thinks that Advaita, Dvaita and Viśiṣṭādvaita are meant. ■ Men worship the
Supreme facing us in all ways, as one with all existences and at the same
time as separate from them. 1Nilakantha
says: ekatvena aham eva bhagavān vāsudeva
ity abheden. aupaniṣadāḥ, pṛthaktvena ayam Īśvaro mama svāmīti
buddhyā prākṛtāḥ anye punar bahudhā bahuprakāraṁ viśvatomukham,
sarvair dvārair yat kiñcid dṛṣṭaṁ tad bhagavat svarūpam eva, yacchrutaṁ tat tan nāmaiva
. . . yad uktaṁ bhuktani vā, tattad arpitam evety
evaṁ viśvatomukham
yathā syāt tathā mām upāsate. |
|
अहं
क्रतुरहं यज्ञः
स्वधाहमहमौषधम्
। मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं
हुतम् ॥९- १६॥ ahaṁ kratur ahaṁ
yajñaḥ svadhāham
aham auṣadham aham1
kratuḥ2 aham3
yajñaḥ4 svadhā5
aham6 aham7
auṣadham8 aham1 = I; kratuḥ2 = am Vedic
ritual. aham3 = I; yajñaḥ4 = am
sacrifice. aham6 = I; svadhā5 = am
oblation. aham7 = I; auṣadham8 = am
medicinal herb. aham10 = I; mantraḥ9 = am
Mantra. aham11 = I; eva12 = indeed; ājyam13 = am butter. aham14 = I; agniḥ15 = am fire. aham7 = I; hutam17 = am offering. 9.16 |
|
(9.16) I am
the ritual action, I am the sacrifice, I am the ancestral oblation, I am the
(medicinal) herb, I am the (sacred) hymn, I am also the melted butter, I am
the fire and I am the offering. ■ Auṣadha or herb stands for the food of all creatures.1 The Vedic sacrifice is interpreted as an offering of our whole nature, an
entire self-giving to the Universal Self. What we receive from Him, we give
back to Him. The gift and the surrender are both His. (The Lord owns us lock,
stock and barrel.) 1 aUṣadhaṁ sarvaprāṇibhir yad adyate tad auṣadhaśabdavācyam. S. |
|
पिताहमस्य
जगतो माता धाता
पितामहः । वेद्यं
पवित्रमोंकार
ऋक्साम यजुरेव
च ॥९- १७॥ pitāham asya jagato
mātā dhātā
pitāmahaḥ pitā1 aham2
asya3 jagataḥ4
mātā5 dhātā6
pitāmahaḥ7 aham2 = I; pitā1 = the Father;
asya3 = of this; jagataḥ4 = world; mātā5 = the Mother;
dhātā6 = the
Supporter; pitāmahaḥ7 = the
Grandfather; ca15 = and; eva14 = also; vedyam8 = the
Knowable; pavitram9 = the
Purifier; oṁkāra10 = the
Syllable OM; ṛk11 = Rg; sāma12 = Sama; [and] yajuḥ13 = Yajur
[Vedas]. 9.17 |
|
(9.I7) I am
the father of this world, the mother, the supporter and
the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier. I am the
syllable Aum and I am the ṛk, the sāma and the yajus as wel1. |
|
गतिर्भर्ता
प्रभुः साक्षी
निवासः शरणं सुहृत्
। प्रभवः
प्रलयः स्थानं
निधानं बीजमव्ययम्
॥९- १८॥ gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī
nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ
suhṛt gatiḥ1 bhartā2
prabhuḥ3 sākṣī4
nivāsaḥ5 śaraṇam6
suhṛt7 [I am] gatiḥ1 = the Goal; bhartā2 = the
Sustainer; prabhuḥ3 = the Lord; sākṣī4 = the
Witness; nivāsaḥ5 = the Abode; śaraṇam6 = the Refuge;
suhṛt7 = the
selfless friend; prabhavaḥ8 = the
creation; pralayaḥ9 = the
dissolution; sthānam10 = the resting
place; nidhānam11 = the
repository; [and] avyam13 = the
imperishable; bījam12 = seed. 9.18 |
|
(9.18) (I am) the goal,
the upholder, the lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge and the friend. (1 am) the origin and the dissolution, the ground, the resting place and the imperishable
seed. Cp, "I take refuge in the Buddha. He is my
refuge."1 1buddhaṁ śaraṇam gacchāmi eṣa me śaraṇam. |
|
तपाम्यहमहं
वर्षं निगृह्णाम्युत्सृजामि
च । अमृतं चैव
मृत्युश्च सदसच्चाहमर्जुन
॥९- १९॥ tapāmy aham ahaṁ
varṣaṁ nigṛṇhāmy
utsṛjāmi ca tapāi1 aham2
aham3 varṣam4 nigṛṇhāmi5 utsṛjāmi6 ca7 aham2 = I; tapāi1 = give heat. aham3 = I; nigṛṇhāmi5 = withhold; ca7= and; utsṛjāmi6 = pour down; varṣam4 = rain. aham16 = I am; amṛtam8 = the nectar of immortality; ca9
= and; eva10 = indeed; mṛtyuḥ11 = death; ca12 = and; sat13 = Existence; ca15 = and; asat14 = non-existence; arjuna17 = O Arjuna. 9.19 |
|
(9.19) I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain.
I am immortality and also death, I am being as well as
nonbeing, O Arjuna. ■ Cp. Ṛg.Veda: yasyachāyā
amṛtaṁ yasya mṛtyuh: Sat is the absolute reality and asat
is the cosmic existence and the Supreme is both. He is being when manifested and
non-being when the world is unmanifested.1 Rāmānuja explains sat as present existence
and asat as past and future existence. The main idea is that the Supreme Lord grants our prayers in
whatever form we worship Him.2 1 kāryakārarṇe vā sad asatī. Saṁkara. 2atas teṣām viśvatomukham mamabhajanaṁ kurvatām, sarvarūpeṇāhaṁ anugraham karomītibhāvaḥ. Nīlakaṇṭha. |
|
त्रैविद्या
मां सोमपाः पूतपापा : यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा
स्वर्गतिं प्रार्थयन्ते
। ते
पुण्यमासाद्य
सुरेन्द्रलोक-: मश्नन्ति दिव्यान्दिवि
देवभोगान् ॥९-
२०॥ traividyā māṁ somapāḥ pūtapāpā
yajñair iṣṭvā
svargatiṁ prārthayante traividyā1
mām2 somapāḥ3
pūta-pāpā4 yajñaiḥ5 iṣṭvā6
svargatim7 prārthayante8 traividyā1 = The knowers
of three Vedas; somapāḥ3 = who drink
Soma juice; [and] pūta4A-pāpā4B = purified4A of sins4B; yajñaiḥ5 = by
sacrifices; iṣṭvā6 = worship; mām2 = Me; prārthayante8 = pray for; svargatim7 = goal of Svargam or heaven; [of] surendralokam12 = the world of
the chief of gods [Indra's world]. te9 = They; āsādya11 = attain; puṇyam10 = by virtue of
merit; [and] aśnanti13 = enjoy; divyān14 =divine; deva-bhogān15 = pleasures of gods; divi15 = in heaven. 9.20 |
|
(9.20) The
knowers of the three Vedas who drink the soma juice and are cleansed of sin, worshipping
Me with sacrifices, pray for the way to heaven. They reach the holy world of Indra
(the lord of heaven) and enjoy in heaven the pleasures of the gods. |
|
ते
तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं
विशालं : क्षीणे पुण्ये
मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति
। एवं
त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना : गतागतं कामकामा
लभन्ते ॥९- २१॥ te taṁ bhuktvā svargalokaṁ viśālaṁ kṣīṇe
puṇye martyalokaṁ
viśanti te1
tam2 bhuktvā3
svargalokam4 viśālam5 kṣīṇe6
puṇye7 martyalokam8
viśanti9 bhuktvā3 = Having
enjoyed; viśālam5 = the wide; svargalokam4 = world of
heaven [svarga world]; [and] kṣīṇe6 = exhausted; puṇye7 = [the
accumulated] merits; te1 = they; viśanti9 = return to;
tam2 =
that; martyalokam8 = mortal
world; evam10 = thus;
anuprapannāḥ12 = following; trayī-dharmam11 = the three doctrines of the Vedas. kāma-kāmāḥ14 =
Desiring sense pleasures; [they] labhante15 = attain
[engage in]; gatāgatam13 = going and
coming [death and rebirth]. 9.21 |
|
(9.21) Having
enjoyed the spacious world of heaven,
they enter (return to) the world of mortals, when their merit is exhausted;
thus conforming to the doctrine enjoined in the three Vedas and desirous of
enjoyments, they obtain the changeable (what is subject to birth and death). ■ The teacher here refers to the Vedic theory that those who
perform the prescribed ritual gain heavenly enjoyments after death and points
out how it cannot be regarded as the highest goal. Such men are
bound by the law of
karma as they are still lured by desire, kāma-kāmā,
and they will return to this cosmic procession since
they act from an ego-center and since their ignorance is not destroyed. If we
seek rewards in heaven, we
will gain them but we return to mortal existence so long as we do not gain
the true aim of life. Human life is an opportunity to develop out of the
imperfect material, soul's divine nature. We operate from the ego-centered
consciousness, whether we seek the pleasures of this world or of a future
paradise. |
|
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो
मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते
। तेषां
नित्याभियुक्तानां
योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम्
॥९- २२॥ ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ
paryupāsate ananyāḥ1
cintayantaḥ2 mām3
ye4 janāḥ5
paryupāsate6 ye4 = Those; janāḥ5 = people;
[who] paryupāsate6 = worship;
[and] cintayantaḥ2 = meditate; mām3 = on Me; ananyāḥ1 = excluding
all others [not inclined towards any other god]; teṣām7 = for them;
[who are] nitya8 = always; abhiyuktānām9 = engaged in
devotion; aham12 = I; vahāmi11 = will cause
to happen [confer]; yoga-kṣemam10 = attainment and preservation. 9.22 |
|
(9.22) But those
who worship Me, meditating on Me alone, to them whoever persevere, I bring attainment of what they
have not and security in what they have.1 The teacher urges that the Vedic path is a snare to be avoided by the aspirants after the highest. God takes up all the burdens and the cares of His devotees.2 To become conscious of divine
love, all other love must be abandoned.3 If we cast
ourselves entirely on the mercy of God, He bears all our cares and sorrows.
We can depend on His saving care and energizing grace. I yogo' prāptasya prāpaṇaml kṣemas tad rakṣaṇam.See III 45. 2 bhagavān eva teṣāṁ yogakṣemaṁ vahati. 3 Rābi'a was once asked: "Do you love God Almighty?'"
"Yes." "Do you hate the Devil? My love of God," she replied, "leaves me no leisure to
hate the Devil. I saw the prophet in a dream" He said, 'O Rābi'a,
do you love me?' I said, 'O Apostle of God, who does not love thee?, but love of God hath so absorbed me that neither love nor hate of
any other thing remains in my heart.' " R. A. Nicholson: A Literary History of the Arabs (1930), 234. |
|
येऽप्यन्यदेवताभक्ता
यजन्ते श्रद्धयान्विताः
। तेऽपि
मामेव कौन्तेय
यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम्
॥९- २३॥ yepy anyadevatābhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ ye1
api2 anya3
devatā4 bhaktāḥ5
yajante6 śraddhayā7
anvitāḥ8 api2 = Also,
besides; ye1 = those; bhaktāḥ5 = votaries; anvitāḥ8 = endowed
with; śraddhayā7 = faith; yajante6 = worship; anya3 =
other; devatā4 = gods;
te9 = they; api10 = also; kaunteya13 = O son of Kunti; yajanti14 = worship; mām11 = Me; eva12 = alone; avidhi-pūrvakam15 = not according to tradition or prescribed
rules. 9.23 |
|
(9.23) Even those
who are devotees of other gods, worship them with faith, they also sacrifice
to Me alone, O Son of Kuntī (Arjuna), though not according to the true
law. The author of the Gītā welcomes light
from every quarter of the heaven. It has a right to shine because it is light. |
|
अहं
हि सर्वयज्ञानां
भोक्ता च प्रभुरेव
च । न
तु मामभिजानन्ति
तत्त्वेनातश्च्यवन्ति
ते ॥९- २४॥ ahaṁ hi sarvayajñānāṁ
bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca aham1
hi2
sarva-yajñānām3 bhoktā4
ca5 prabhuḥ6
eva7 ca8 aham1 = I; [am] hi2 = certainly; bhoktā4
ca5 = the enjoyer
also, experiencer; sarva-yajñānām3 = of all sacrifices; ca8 = and; eva7 = also; prabhuḥ6 = the
Lord; tu10 = but; na9 abhijānanti12 = they
do not know; mām11 = Me; tattvena13 = in true
nature, in reality. ataḥ14 = Therefore; te16 = they; cyavanti15 = fall [into
Samsara]. 9.24 |
|
(9.24) For I am the
enjoyer and lord of all sacrifices. But these
men do not know Me in My true nature and so they fall. |
|
यान्ति
देवव्रता देवान्पितॄन्यान्ति
पितृव्रताः । भूतानि
यान्ति भूतेज्या
यान्ति मद्याजिनोऽपि
माम् ॥९- २५॥ yānti devavratā devān pitṛn yānti pitṛvratāḥ yānti1
deva-vratā2 devān3
pitṛn4 yānti5
pitṛ-vratāḥ6 deva-vratā2 =
Worshippers of gods; yānti1 = go; devān3 = to gods. pitṛ-vratāḥ6 = Worshippers
of ancestors [manes]; yānti5 = go; pitṛn4 = to the
ancestors. bhūtejyā9 = Worshippers
of spirits; yānti8 = go; bhūtāni7 = to the
spirits. api13 = But; mat11 = My; yājinaḥ12 = sacrificers or worshippers; yānti10 = go; mām14 = to Me. 9.25 |
|
(9.25) Worshippers
of the gods go to the gods, worshippers of the manes go to
the manes, sacrificers of the spirits go to the spirits
and those who sacrifice to Me come to Me. ■ The shining
gods, the spirits of the dead and the spirits in the psychic world all happen to be worshipped by men in different stages
of development but they are all limited forms
of the Supreme and cannot give the aspiring soul the peace that is beyond all understanding. The result of worship is assimilation to the form worshipped and these
limited forms give limited results. No devotion fails of its
highest reward. The lesser ones bring lesser rewards while devotion to the Supreme
brings the supreme reward. All sincere religious devotion is a seeking
after the Supreme Godhead. |
|
Devotion and Its
Effects पत्रं
पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या
प्रयच्छति । तदहं
भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि
प्रयतात्मनः
॥९- २६॥ patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ
toyaṁ yo me
bhaktyā prayacchati patram1
puṣpam2 phalam3
toyam4 yaḥ5
me6 bhaktyā7
prayacchati8 yaḥ5 = Whoever; prayacchati8 = offers; me6 = Me; patram1 = a leaf; puṣpam2 = a flower; phalam3 = a fruit; toyam4 = water; bhaktyā7 = with
devotion; aham10 = I; aśnāmi12 = accept;
tat9 = that; bhakti-upahṛtam11 = dedication in devotion; prayata-ātmanaḥ13 = from
the pure soul with love. 9.26 |
|
(9.26) Whosoever offers to Me with devotion a
leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, that offering of love, of the pure
of heart I accept. ■ However poor the
offering, if it is made with love and earnestness, it is acceptable to the
Lord. The way to the Highest is not by way of subtle metaphysics or
complicated ritual. It is by sheer
self-giving, which is symbolized by the offer of
a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water. What is necessary is a devoted heart. |
|
यत्करोषि
यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि
ददासि यत् । यत्तपस्यसि
कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व
मदर्पणम् ॥९- २७॥ yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat yat1
karoṣi2 yat3
aśnāsi4 yat5
juhoṣi6 dadāsi7
yat8 yat1 = Whatever; karoṣi2 = you do; yat3 = whatever; aśnāsi4 = you eat; yat5 = whatever; juhoṣi6 = offerings
you make; yat8 = whatever; dadāsi7 = donation
you make; yat9 = whatever; tapasyasi10 = austerities
you do; kaunteya11 = O son of Kunti; kuruṣva13 = do,
dedicate; tat12 = that; arpaṇam15 = offering; mat14 = to Me; . 9.27 |
|
(9.27) Whatever
thou doest, whatever thou eatest,
whatever thou offerest, whatever thou givest away, whatever austerities thou dost practice—do that, O Son of Kuntī (Arjuna), as
an offering to Me. ■ Self-giving
results in the consecration of all acts to God. The tide of the common tasks
of daily life must flow through the worship of God. Love of God is not an escape from the harshness of life but a
dedication for service. Karmamārga or the way of works
which starts with the duty of performance of prescribed rites concludes with the
position that all tasks are sanctified when done with disinterestedness and
dedication. ■ "My
self is Thy self, my
understanding is Pārvati (Śiva's wife), my
life functions are my comrades, the body is my home, my worship is the varied enjoyment of the sense objects, my sleep is
the condition of concentration. My steps are
movements round the temple and all utterances
are prayers. Whatever act is done by me, every one of them, O
Lord, is a worship of
Thee.''1 If you do whatever
you have to do in a spirit of
dedication, it is God's
worship; nothing separate need be done.2 I ātmā tvam, girijā matiḥ, sahacarāḥ, prāṇāḥ,
śarīraṁ gṛham pūja me viṣayopabhogaracanā, nidrā samādhi sthitiḥ saṁcāraḥ, pādayoḥ, pradakṣiṇavidhiḥ
stotraṇi sarvāgiro yadyat karma karomi
tat tad akhilaṁ śambhō
tavārādhanam. 2 Madhusūdana
says: avaśyam bhāvināṁ karmaṇām mayi paramagurau samarpaṇam eva madbhajanam, na tu tadarthaṁ pṛthak vyāpāraḥ kaścit kattavya ity abhiprāyaḥ. |
|
शुभाशुभफलैरेवं
मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः
। संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा
विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि
॥९- २८॥ śubhāśubhaphalair evaṁ mokṣyase karmabandhanaiḥ śubha-aśubha-phalaiḥ1
evam2 mokṣyase3
karma-bandhanaiḥ4 mokṣyase3 = You will be
freed; karma-bandhanaiḥ4 = from the
bondage of Karma; evam2 = thus; [bearing] śubha-aśubha-phalaiḥ1 = good and
bad results or fruits; sannyāsa-yoga-yukta-ātmā5 = with the dedicated mind of Yoga of renunciation
[renunciation-Yoga-dedicated-mind]; [and] vimuktaḥ6 = becoming
liberated; [you] upaiṣyasi8 = will attain; mām7 = to Me; . 9.28 |
|
(9.28) Thus
shalt thou be freed from the good and evil results which
are the bonds of action. With thy mind firmly set on the way of renunciation,
thou shalt become free and attain to Me. ■ By such giving and consecration, the whole life of the
soul is given to the service of the Supreme and the ego is freed from its barriers
and its acts no more bind the soul. |
|
समोऽहं
सर्वभूतेषु न
मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति
न प्रियः । ये
भजन्ति तु मां
भक्त्या मयि ते
तेषु चाप्यहम्
॥९- २९॥ samohaṁ sarvabhūteṣu na
me dveṣyosti na priyaḥ samaḥ1
aham2 sarva-bhūteṣu3
na4 me5
dveṣyaḥ6 asti7
na8 priyaḥ9 aham2 = I; [am] samaḥ1 = same;
sarva-bhūteṣu3 = to
all living beings; na4 = no
one; asti7 = is; dveṣyaḥ6 = execrable
or detestable; na8 = nor; priyaḥ9 = dear; me5 = to me; tu12 = but; ye10 = those who; bhajanti11 =
worship; mām13 = Me; bhaktyā14 = with
devotion; te16 = they; [are]
mayi15 = in Me; ca18 = and; aham20 = I; [am]; api19 = indeed; teṣu17 = in them. 9.29
|
|
(9.29) I am the same in
(alike to) all beings. None is hateful nor dear to Me. But those who worship
Me with devotion they are in Me and I also in them. ■ God has no
friends or foes. He is impartial. He
does not damn any nor elect any by His
capricious will. The only way to win His love is by faith and devotion and each must tread the path by himself. |
|
अपि
चेत्सुदुराचारो
भजते मामनन्यभाक्
। साधुरेव
स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो
हि सः ॥९- ३०॥ api cet sudurācāro
bhajate mām ananyabhāk api cet1
su-durācāraḥ2 bhajate3
mām4 ananyabhāk5 api
cet1 = Even if; su-durācāraḥ2 = one
of sinful acts; bhajate3 = worships; mām4 = Me; ananyabhāk5 = with
exclusive devotion; eva7 = indeed; saḥ8 = he; mantavyaḥ9 = is thought
of; [as] sādhuḥ6 = a holy man;
[and] saḥ13 = he; [is] samyak10 = rightly; vyavasitaḥ11 = resolved; hi12 = indeed. 9.30 |
|
(9.30) Even if a
man of the most vile conduct worships me with
undistracted devotion, he must be reckoned as righteous for he has rightly
resolved. ■ "By abandoning evil ways in his external life and by the power of his
internal right resolution. Ś. Cp. also
"If he repents after he commits the sin, he is freed
from sin; if he resolves that he will never commit the sin again, he will be purified."1 The evil of the past deeds cannot be
washed away except by his turning to
God with undivided heart. Cp, Baudhāyana
Dharma Sūtra: "Let
one feel daily repentant in mind, reflecting
over misdeeds committed and practicing austerity and vigilance. By this will he be freed from sin.2 Karma never
binds completely. The sinner in the lowest depths of
degradation has the light in him which he cannot put
out, though he may try to stifle it
and tum away from it
utterly. God holds us, fallen though we be, by the roots of our being and is ready to send His rays of light into our dark and
rebellious hearts. The very consciousness of our imperfection and sin betrays
the pressure of the Divine on our hearts. Cp. Tukārām:
"Fallen of fallen, thrice fallen am I; but do Thou raise me by Thy
power. I have neither purity of heart nor a faith firmly set at Thy feet. I am
born of sin. How often shall I repeat it? Says Tuka."
Again: I am void of understanding, needy and worse than needy. I cannot steady my mind; I cannot
stay my wayward senses. I have exhausted effort; peace and rest are far from
me. I have offered
Thee perfect faith; I have laid my life at Thy
feet. Do now as Thou wilt, I can only look to Thee. O God, I trust in Thee, I cling firmly to Thy feet. Tuka says, It is for Thee to
deal with my efforts."3 The publican, in the parable, prays from the depth of his heart,
"God, be merciful to me, a sinner." ■ This verse does
not mean that there is an easy escape from the consequences of our deeds. We cannot
prevent the cause from producing its effect. Any arbitrary interference with
the order of the world is not permitted. When the
sinner turns to God with undistracted devotion, a new cause is introduced. His redemption is conditional on his
repentance. Repentance, as we have noticed, is a genuine change of heart and
includes contrition or sorrow for the past sin and a decision to prevent a
repetition of it in the future. When once the resolution is
adopted, the transformation of the lower into the higher is steadily
effected. If we believe in human effort, the growth may he hard.
Error, imperfection and self-will are difficult to
overcome, but when the soul gives up its ego and opens itself to the Divine,
the Divine takes up the burden and lifts the soul into the spiritual plane. Tulsidās says: "A piece of charcoal
loses its blackness only when fire penetrates it."4There are no unforgivable sins. I krtvā pāpaṁ hi saṁtapya
tasmāt pāpāt pramucyate naivaṁ kuryāṁ punar iti nivrtyā pūyate tu saḥ. 2 śoceta manasā nityaṁ duṣkrtāny anucintayan tapasvī cāpramādī ca tataḥ pāpāt pramucyate. 3Fraser and Marathes:
Tukārām: I, p. 92• 4Cp, Garuḍa. purāṇa: bhaktirāṇtavidhā hy eṣā yasmin mlecchopi vartate sa viprendro muniḥ
śrīmān sa yatiḥ sa ca paṇḍitaḥ. |
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क्षिप्रं
भवति धर्मात्मा
शश्वच्छान्तिं
निगच्छति । कौन्तेय
प्रति जानीहि
न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति
॥९- ३१॥ kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvacchāntiṁ nigacchhati kṣipram1
bhavati2
dharma-ātmā3 śaśvat4
sāntim5 nigacchhati6 kṣipram1 = Soon; [he] bhavati2 = becomes; dharma-ātmā3 = righteous
soul; nigacchhati6 = he attains;
śaśvat4 =
ever-lasting; sāntim5 = peace; kaunteya7 = O son of Kunti.
pratijānīhi8 = let it be
known; me10 = My; bhaktaḥ11 = devotee; na9 = never; praṇaśyati12 = perishes. 9.31 |
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(9.31) Swiftly does he become a soul of righteousness and obtain
lasting peace. O Son of Kuntī (Arjuna), know thou for certain that My devotee perishes never.1 ■ Once we place
ourselves in the hands of
the Divine, we cannot fall into utter darkness. CP. Rama's statement: "To him who seeks My protection even once and requests help of Me saying 'I
am yours' I shall give him fearlessness from all beings. —This is My resolve.2 1pratijānīhi pratijñāṁ, kuru mad bhakto na prāṇasyati.. 2 sakṛdeva prapannāya
tavāsmīti ca yācate abhayaṁ sa1'Vabhūtebhyo dadāmy
etad virataṁ mama. Cp. the saying: na vāsudevabhaktānām
aśubhaṁ vidyate
kvacit. |
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मां
हि पार्थ व्यपाश्रित्य
येऽपि स्युः पापयोनयः
। स्त्रियो
वैश्यास्तथा
शूद्रास्तेऽपि
यान्ति परां गतिम्
॥९- ३२॥ māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya yepi syuḥ pāpayonayaḥ mām1
hi2 pārtha3
vyapāśritya4 ye5
api6 syuḥ7
pāpa-yonayaḥ8 pārtha3 = O son of Partha; api6 = even; ye5 = those; pāpa-yonayaḥ8 = born of sin; vyapāśritya4 = take refuge; mām1 = in Me; [though] hi2 = indeed. [There] syuḥ7 = are; striyaḥ9
= women; vaiśyāḥ10 = Vaisyas; tathā11 = also; śūdrāḥ12 = Sudras; api14 = even; te13 = they; yānti15 = attain
[go]; parām16 = Supreme; gatim17 = Goal. 9.32 |
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(9.32) For those who take refuge in Me, O
Pārtha (Arjuna), though they are lowly born, women, Vaiśyas, as
well as Śūdras, they also attain to the highest goal. ■ The message of the Gītā is open to
all without distinction of race, sex or caste. This verse is not to be regarded as supporting the social customs debarring
women and Śūdras from Vedic study. It refers to the
view prevalent at the time of the composition of the Gītā. The Gītā does not sanction
these social rules.1 The Gītā gets beyond racial distinctions in its emphasis on spiritual values. Its gospel of love is open to all men and women, persons of all castes as well as those
outside caste. 2 1 In the early
times, there was the tendency to look upon the non-Hindus as barbarians,
though this attitude of superiority was not confined
to the Hindus. The ancient Greeks looked upon foreigners as barbarians. The
Roman general, Quntilian Varus
said of the inhabitants of Germania: "It is true, they are men,
but except the voice and limbs of the body they have nothing of human beings in
them." The French philosopher, Montesquieu, (1689-I755), said of the
Negroes: "One cannot well imagine that God who is so wise should have
put a soul, moreover an immortal soul" into an entirely black body. It
is impossible to think that these people are human beings." 2It is a matter of deep humiliation and shame to every
sensible Hindu to think that
sometimes attempts are made to justify untouchability.
The Buddha welcomed antyajas into his sangha. In the Rāmāyaṇa,
one who will now be regarded as an untouchable took Rāmā across the
Ganges in his boat. The great teachers of bhakti, Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava, have striven for
equality and proclaimed that believers in God, whatever their origin, are the
best of the twiceborn. caṇḍālopi dvijaśreṣṭaḥaḥ, hari bhaktiparāyaṇāt. Among the followers of Caitanya were Hindus and
Moslems, robbers and prostitutes. |
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किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणाः
पुण्या भक्ता
राजर्षयस्तथा
। अनित्यमसुखं
लोकमिमं प्राप्य
भजस्व माम् ॥९-
३३॥ kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ
puṇyā bhaktā
rājarṣayas tathā kim1
punaḥ2 brāhmaṇāḥ3 puṇyā4 bhaktā5
rājarṣayaḥ6
tathā7 kim1 punaḥ2 = What is there1 to speak of2: puṇyā4 = pious; brāhmaṇāḥ3 = Brahmanas; bhaktā5 = devotees; tathā7 = [and] also; rājarṣayaḥ6 = royal sages. prāpya12 = Having reached; imam11 = this; anityam8 = impermanent; lokam10 = world; [of] asukham9 = miseries; [you] bhajasva13 = should offer worship; mām14 = to Me. 9.33 |
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(9.33) How much more then, holy Brahmins
and devoted royal saints; Having entered this impermanent sorrowful world,
do thou worship Me. ■ In other words, even those who, on account
of their past births, suffer from many disabilities, and are given to worldly
pursuits can overcome their weakness and attain the highest. The path is
easier for those Brahmins and royal sages who are spiritually disposed. anityam asukhaṁ lokam: impermanent sorrowful world. To the Orphics1 life in this world is
pain and weariness. We are bound to a wheel which turns through endless
cycles of births and deaths. Only by purification and renunciation can we
escape from the wheel and attain to the joy of union with God. John Burnet refers
to the striking similarity between the Orphic beliefs and those prevalent in
India at about the same time. Early Greek PhilosoPhy (I930), p. 82. The teaching of the Buddha has for its starting point these features of
the universe, its impermanence and pain.2 There is a Persian saying attributed to Jesus:
"The world is a bridge, pass over it but do not
build upon it." Not merely the world but every phase of the cosmic
process, every aspect of human history, every stage of man's life --the
freshness of infancy, the crudeness of boyhood, the idealism of youth, the hot
passions of adolescence and the ambitions of manhood are all bridges, meant for transit
and not permanent habitation. Modern science demonstrates how miserably
conditioned human life is. Jean-Paul Sartre's theory of existentialism
assumes that human existence is subject to certain permanent conditions. Each
of us is born, is implicated in a reality which is not dependent on him, acts
on other people and is exposed to action on their part.
He cannot escape from death. These conditions taken together make of human
existence a tragic reality. Each of us, in this desperate condition, bas to
work out his salvation by the effort of his will. For the existentialist,
man is left to his own resources. He has no faith in
the saving grace of God. The
teacher of the Gītā shows us a way out
of the transitoriness of things, the curse of age
and death, jarāmaraṇamokṣāya.3 He asks us to
take refuge in the Divine. 1Orphics pertaining to a religious or philosophical
school maintaining a form of the cult of Dionysus, or Bacchus, ascribed to
Orpheus as founder: Orphic mysteries. 2CP.XIII,8. 3 VII,29. |
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मन्मना
भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी
मां नमस्कुरु
। मामेवैष्यसि
युक्त्वैवमात्मानं
मत्परायणः ॥९-
३४॥ manmanā bhava madbhakto madyājī māṁ
namaskuru manmanā1 bhava2
madbhaktaḥ3 madyājī4 mām5
namaskuru6 manmanā1 = Always keeping Me in your mind; bhava2 = become; madbhaktaḥ3 = My devotee; [and] madyājī4 = My worshipper. namaskuru6 = Offer homage; mām5 = to Me. yuktvā10 = Absorbed in; [Me and] mat-parāyaṇaḥ13 =
holding Me as the Supreme Refuge; eṣyasi9 = you would attain; eva8 = truly; mām7 = Me; [who is] evam11 = thus; ātmānam12 = your soul. 9.34 |
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(9.34) On Me fix thy mind; to Me be devoted; worship Me; revere Me; thus having disciplined
thyself, with Me as thy goal, to Me shalt thou come. It is not the
personal Kṛṣṇa to whom we
have to give ourselves up utterly but the Unborn, Beginningless, Eternal who
speaks through Kṛṣṇa, The way to rise out
of our ego-centered consciousness to the divine plane is through the focusing
of all our energies, intellectual, emotional and volitional on God. Then our
whole being is transformed and lifted up into the unity and
universality of spirit. Knowledge, love and
power get fused in a supreme unification. Joy and peace are the
result of self-oblivion" of utter abandonment, of absolute acceptance. iti ... rājavidyārājaguhyayogo nāma navamo 'dhyāyaḥ, This is the ninth
chapter entitled The Yoga of Sovereign Knowledge and Sovereign Mystery |