(Answer):— -Action is the property or attribute of the guwas, be they regarded as real things, or as things set up by avidya. It is ascribed to the Self through avidya, and it has therefore been said that no ignorant man (avidvan) can renounce action entirely even for a moment (iii. 5). On the other hand, he who knows the Self is able to renounce action entirely, inasmuch as avidya has been expelled by vidya or wisdom; for, there can be no residue left of what is ascribed by avidya. Indeed, no residue is left of the second moon created by the false vision of the ^Wra-affected eye, even after the removal of timira. Such being the case, the statements contained in v. 13, xviii. ^5, 45 are quite reasonable.
Perfection in Karma- Yoga leads to absolute Perfection.
It has been said that the perfection reached by means of Karma-Yoga consists in becoming qualified for jrcana-nishfha, the Path of. Wisdom; and it is with a view to describe, as the fruit thereof, the naishkarmyasiddhi, — perfection in the form of absolute freedom from action, known as j«ana~nishtha, — that the Lord now proceeds to teach as follows: 4g. He whose reason is not attached any- where, whose self is subdued, from whom desire has fled, he by renunciation attains the supreme state of freedom from action.
He whose reason (budhi, anta/r-kararca) is free from attachment to sons, wife, and other objects of attachment, whose self (anta&~kara«a) is brought under his own control, from whom desire for the body, for life, and for pleasures has fled, — a person of this sort who knows the Self attains to the supreme perfection, toi absolute freedom from action (naishkarmyasiddhi), by sawnyasa. In virtue of his know- ledge of the unity of the actioniess (nishkriya) Brahman and the Self, all actions have fled from him. This is known as the state of absolute freedom from action; and it is a siddhi or perfection. — - Naishkamtyasiddhi may also mean the attainment (siddhi) of naishharmya, the state in which one remains as the actioniess Self. It is supreme as distinguished from the perfection attainable by Karma- Yoga; it is the state of immediate liberation (sadyo-mukti). This state is attained by sawnyasa or right knowledge, — or better still,- by the renunciation of all actions for which one is prepared by his right knowledge, and so says the Lord in v. 13.
Now, the Lord proceeds to teach how a man who, having attained perfection (as described above in xviii. 46) by performing his duty (as taught above) in the service of the Lord, has come by the discriminative knowledge of the Self, can attain the perfection known as naishharmya or absolute freedom from action, ue^ a firm unswerving stand in the knowledge of the pure Self.
484 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS. XVIIL 50. How he who has attained perfection reaches Brahman, that in brief do thou learn from Me, O son of Kunti, — that supreme consummation of knowledge.
The perfection he has already attained consists in the body and the senses being prepared for devotion to knowledge as a result of the Grace of the Lord worshipped through his duty. Reference to this (perfection) serves as a prelude to what follows. — What is that perfection to which that reference forms a prelude? — It is the process of j«ana- nish£ha, or devotion to knowledge, by which he attains Brahman, the Supreme Self. That process, the, way to the attainment of jwana-nishiha, do thou understand with certainty from my speech. — Is it to be described at length?-*-No, says the Lord; it will be described only in brief.
Absolute perfection is the consummation of Self-knowledge.
What the attainment of Brahman—referred to in the words " how he reaches Brahman," — is, the Lord proceeds to specify in the words " that supreme consummation of know- ledge.** Consummation (nishfha) means perfection, the final or highest stage.
* (Question): — Consummation of what?
* The following discussion in the form of questions and answers is nteoded to show that the consummation of knowledge is a well-defined end as spoken of here. It is the consummation of Brahma-jwana /knowledge of Brahman). Biahma-jwana is npt different from Self- knowledge, and the nature of the Self is defined here in ii. 20 and in the Upanisbads * and it can also'ibe ascertained by reasoning upon scriptural taxtSi which describe hi as " devoid of attachment and immutable " A* 50] conclusion. 485 (Answer):— Of Brahma-jnana or knowledge of Brahman- (Question):— Of what nature is the consummation of Brahma-jnana?
(Answer): — Of the same nature as Atmajnana or Self- knowledge.
(Question):— Of what nature is the Self-knowledge?
(Answer); — Of the same nature as the Self.
(Question): — Of what nature is the Self?
(Answer):— Of the nature described by the Lord and in the passages of the Upanishads, and (ascertainable) by nyaya or reasoning (upon the scriptural texts).
Is Self -knowledge possible at all?
(Objection):-— Knowledge or cognition (jnana) is of the form of its object. But it is nowhere admitted that the Self is an object of cognition or has a form.
(Answer): — The Self has a form, as taught in the scrip, tural passages, * In colour like the sun ' (Sve. Up* 3-8); 1 Luminous in form ' (Chha. Up* 3-14-2); * Self-luminous * (Bri. Up. 4-3-9).
(Objection): — No; those passages are intended to remove the idea that the Self is of the nature of darkness CTamas). — When the Self is said to be neither of the form of a substance nor of an attribute, it would follow that the Self is of the nature of darkness: and the preventing of this idea is the aim of the descriptions such as * In colour like the sua.* Form is specifically denied, the Self being described as 1 formless ' (Katfha-Up* 3-15)« Neither is the Self an object of cognition, as taught in passages like the following: " His form stands not in (our^ ken, nor can any one see Him with the eye" (Sve. Up. 4-20); " Without sound and touch ** (Ka*ha~Up. 3-15). Wherefore it is wrong to speak of a cognition of the form of the Self.
Such being the case, how can there be a cognition of the Self? Indeed, all cognition, whatever be its object, is of the form of that object- And it has been said that the Self is formless. If both the Self and the cognition thereof be formless, how is the constant meditation of Self-knowledge or the consummation thereof to be attained?
The Self reveals Himself in Pure Reason.
(Answer); — Do not think so: for it can be shown that the Self is extremely pure, extremely clear, and extremely subtle. And Buddhi (reason) being as pure, etc., as the Self* it can put on the semblance of that aspect of the Self which is manifested as consciousness. Manas puts on a semblance of Buddhi, the sense-organs put on a semblance of Manas, and the physical body again puts on a semblance of the sense-organs. Wherefore common people look upon the mere physical body as the Self. And the Lokayatikas (mate* rialists) who argue that consciousness is a property of the physical body declare that the Purusha or Soul is identical with the physical body endued with consciousness. Simi* larly, others again argue that consciousness is a property of the senses; others again argue that consciousness is a property of Buddhi. There are a few who hold that there is something within even beyond the Buddhi, viz,, the Avyakta (the Unmanifested) also called the Avyakrita(the Undifferentiated), in the form of Avidya; and they say that the Avyaknta is the Self* Everywhere, from Buddhi down to the physical body, the cause of illusory indentification of each with the Self is its wearnig a semblance of the consciousness of the Self; and it is therefore unnecessary to impart directly a knowledge of the Self. — "What then is necessary? — What is necessary is the mere elimination of the not-Self associated with the Self, — * Those who study and contemplate upon the Cause of the universe regard the Antaryamin, the Avyakrita endued with consciousness, as the Self.— A- 50] conclusion. 487 names, forms and the like; but it is unnecessary to try and teach what the consciousness of the Self is like, inasmuch as it is invariably comprehended in association with all objects of perception which are set up by avidya. Accordingly, the Vijnanavadins, the Buddhistic Idealists, hold that there is aothing real except ideas, and that these ideas require no external evidence (to prove their existence), inasmuch as it is admitted that they are self-cognized. Therefore we have only to eliminate what is falsely ascribed to Brahman by avidya; we have to make no more effort to acquire a know- led|9 of Brahman as He is quite self-evident. Though thus quite self-evident, easily knowable, quite near, and forming the very Self, Brahman appears — to the unenlightened, to those whose reason (Buddhi) is carried away by the differen- tiated phenomena of names and forms created by avidya — as- unknown, difficult to know, very- remote, as though He were a separate thing. But to those whose reason (Buddhi) has turned away from external phenomena, who have secured the grace of the Guru and attained the serenity of the self (manas),. there is nothing else so blissful, so well-known, so easily knowaMe, and quite so near as Brahman- Accordingly, the knowledge of Brahman is said to be immediately comprehend- ed and unopposed to dharma (ix. 2-) Some conceited philosophers hold that reason ('Buddhi) cannot gc*sp the Self, as He is form el ess, and that therefore the Devotion of Bight Knowledge is impossible of attainment.
True, it is unattainable to those who have not been pro- perly initiated into the traditional knowledge by the Gurus (the Great Ones), who have not learned and studied the (teachings ojfthe) Vedanta, whose intellect is quite engrossed in the external objects of senses, and who have not been trained in th& right sources of knowledge. But, for those who are diffetently situated, (i.e.% who have been duly initiated etc,) it is qute impossible to believe in the reality of the 488 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS. XVIII.
dual — the perceiver and the perceived — of our external perception, because they perceive no reality other than the consciousness of the Self- And we have shewn in the prece- ding sections that this — not the reverse — is the truth, and the Lord also has declared the same in ii. 69- Wherefore it is only a cessation of the perception of the differentiated forma of the external world that can lead to a firm grasp of the real nature of the Self. For, the Self is not a thing unknown to anybody at any time, is not a thing to be reached or got rid of or acquired. If the Self be quite unknown, all under- takings intended for the benefit of oneself would have no meaning. It is not, indeed, possible to imagine that they are for the benefit of the physical body or the like which has no consciousness j nor is it possible to imagine that pleasure is for pleasure's sake and pain is for pains's sake* It is, moreover, the Self-knowledge which is the aim of all endeavour* Wherefore, just as there is no need for an external evidence by which to know one's own body, so there is no need for an external evidence by which to know the Self who is even nearer than the body. Thus it is clear that, to those who can discriminate, the Atma-jnana-nish^ha (devotion to Self-know- ledge) is easy of attainment Oogaition and the Cogniser are self -revealed.
Those also who had that cognition (j«ana) is formless and is not known by immediate perception must admit that, since an object of knowledge is apprehended throogh cogni- tion, cognition is quite as immediately known as pleasure or the like.
Moreover, it cannot be maintained that cognition is a thing which one seeks to know. — If cognition weie unknown, it would be a thing which has to be sought after just as an All actjoa enjoined in the srati is intended only asa means to Sel knowledge. Videt Vedanta-Sutras III- iv. 26-27 — A.
object of cognition is sought after. Just as, for example, a man seeks to reach by cognition the cognisable object such as a pot, so also would he have to seek to reach cognition by means of another cognition. But the fact is otherwise. Wherefore cognition is self-revealed, and therefore, also, is the cogniser self-revealed.
Therefore it is not for the knowledge, (of Brahman or the Self) that any effort* is needed; it is needed only to prevent as from regarding the not-Self as the Self. Therefore, Devotion to Knowledge (j«ana~msh£ha) is easily attainable.
The Path to Absolute Perfection.
How is this consummation of knowledge t to be attained? Listen: 51. Endued with a pure reason, controlling the self with firmness, abandoning sound and other objects, and laying aside love and hatred; Pure; free from illusion fmaya), from doubt and mis- conception. Beason (buddhi): the determining faculty. The Self: the aggregate of the body and the senses. Abandoning etc: (as we should understand from the context) all superflu- ous luxuries, ail objects except those only which are necessary for the bare maintenance of the body, and laying aside lorn and hatred even for those objects which appear necessary for the maintenance of the body.
* With a view to bring into existence something that does not already exist by means of an act enjoined in the Sruti. — A.
f A continuous current of the knowledge of Brahman; the reason merging in Brahman through the elimination of all alien attributes ascribed to Him.—A* 490 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS. XVIIL Then, 52. Resorting to a sequestered spot, eating but little, speech and body and mind subdued? always engaged in meditation and concentration* endued with dispassion; Besorting, etc.: ever accustomed to resort to such se- questered spots as a jungle, the sandbank of, a river, the- mountain- cave- Eating but Utile: as conducive to the sere- nity of thought by keeping off sleep and such other -evils. This devotee of. wisdom should also restrain his speech, body and mind. With all the senses thus quieted, he should always and devoutly practise Dhyana or mediation upon the nature of the Self, and Toga or concentration of the mind on the- Self. Always:: this implies that he has to do nothing else, no manirajapa (repetition of chants or mystic formulae), etc Dzspasrion.« absence of desire for visible and invisible objects* This should be a constant attitude of the mind.
Moreover, 53. Having abandoned egotism, strength^, arrogance, desire, enmity, property, free from the notion of " mine," and peaceful, he is fit for be- coming Brahman.
Egotism: identifying the Self with the body, etc. Strength: that strength which is combined with passion and desire* but not the physical or any other strength? the latter being natural, its abandonment is not possible. Arrogance s which follows the state of exultation and leads to the trans* gression of dharma, as said in the smriti.* *' When a man exults, he becomes arrogant, and when he becomes arrogant, he transgresses dharma "— Property: though a man is free from all passions of the mind and the senses, he may own so much of external belong- ings as is necessary for bodily sustenance and for the observ- ance of his duties (dharma); but even this the aspirant abandons; ue., he becomes a Paramahamsa-Parivrajaka, a samnyasin of the fourth or highest order. He does not regard even the bodily life as his. Peaceful: free from exultation and care. Such a devotee of wisdom is fit to become Brahman.
The consummation of Knowledge attained by Devotion.
In this way, 54, Becoming Brahman, of serene self, he neither grieves nor desires, treating all beings alike-; he attains supreme devotion to Me.
How who has reached Brahman and attained self-serenity does not grieve regarding his failure to accomplish an object or regarding his wants. It is not indeed possible to suppose • that he who knows Brahman can have a longing for any object unattained; therefore the words ** he neither grieves nor desires " is tantamount to saying that such is the nature of the man who has become Brahman. — Another reading makes the passage mean " he neither grieves nor exults."— Treating all 492 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS. XVIIL btingt alike: he regards the pleasure and pain of all creatures equally with his own, ue.t that they would affect them just as they affect himself). — It is not meant here that he sees the identity of the Self in all, as this will be mentioned in the next verse. — Such a devotee to wisdom attains highest devo- tion to me, the Supreme Lord, — the fourth or the highest of the four kinds of devotion, — vix., the Devotion of Knowledge, — spoken of in viu 16. Then, 55. By Devotion he knows Me in truth, what and who I am; then, knowing Me in truth, he forthwith entersinto Me.
By Bhakti, by the Devotion of Knowledge, he knows Me as I am in the diverse manifestations caused by upadhis. He knows who I am, he knows that I am devoid of all the diffe- rences caused by the upadhis, that I am the Supreme jf?urusha, that I am like unto akasa; he knows Me to be non-dual, the one Consciousness (Chaitanya), pure and simple, unborn, undecaying, undying, fearless, deathless. The knowing Me in truth, he enters into My sell immediately after attaining knowledge.
It is not meant here that the act of knowledge and the act of entering are two distinct acts.— -What then is the act of entering P— It is the knowledge itself; for, there is nothing to be effected (by knowledge) other than itself,.as the Lord has taught. " Do thou also know Me as Kshetrajfca" (xiii. 2).
(Objection): — The statelet that <l by the supreme devotion of knowledge he knows Me," involves a contradic- tion.—How P— Thus: when the knowledge of a certain object arises in the knower, then and then alone the knower knows that object; no devotion to that knowledge, no repetition of the knowledge, is necessary. Therefore, the statement that " he knows Me, not by knowledge, but by devotion to know- ledge, by a repetition of knowledge," involves a contradiction. (Answer): — This objection does not apply here; for, the word " devotion (nisb£ha)" means that +be knowledge aided by all the favourable conditions of its rise and development and freed from obstacles culminates in a firm conviction by one's own experience. When the knowledge of the unity of the individual Self (Kshetrajna) and the supreme Self (Para- matman), generated by the teachings of the Scriptures and the master under conditons favourable to the rise and ripening of that knowledge — w*., purity of mind^ humility and other attributes ixiii, 7- et $eq.) — and accompanied with the renun- ciation of all works which are associated with the idea of distinctions such as the agent and other factors of action, culminates in a firm conviction by one's own experience, then the knowledge is said to have attained supreme consumma- tion. This jnana-nisttfha (Devotion of Knowledge) is referred to as the Supreme or fourth kind of Devotion, Bhakti (vii, 17), — supreme as compared with the remaining three kinds of Devotion, with that of the distressed, etc., (vii. 16). By this supreme devotion the aspirant knows the Lord as He is, and immediately afterwards all consciousness cf difference between the Isvara and the Kshetrajna disappears altogether. Thus there is no contradiction involved in the statement that " by the Devotion of Knowledge (the aspirant knows) Me." Eennnciation of all works is necessary for absolute perfection. Then alone can the well-ascertained teaching of all acriptures^-i»*., the Upanishads, Itihasas, Pura^as and Smritis — enjoining retirement have a meaning. The scrip- tural texts are such as the following: 494 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS. XVIIL *' Knowing It, they renounce and lead a mendicant life.'* *-(Bri. Up. 3-5-9).
*' Wherefore they say that renunciation is excellent among these austerities-" — (Yajniki-Up- 79.) " Renunciation excels.'' — (Ibid, 78), " Sawnyasa is the renunciation of actions." *' Having abandoned Vedas, this world and the next," And so on. Here, in the Gita also, passages of similar import (such as v. 1 2) occur. It cannot be held that these passages are meaningless. Nor can it be held that they are arthavadas, mere explanatory or incidental remarks (not meant as obligatory injunctions); for they occur in the sections which specially treat of renunciation.
Moreover, (renunciation of works is necessary) because Moksha consists in the realisation of the immutability of one's own Inner Self. He who wishes to reach the eastern sea should not indeed travel in the opposite direction, i.e., by the same road that the man who wishes to go to the western sea chooses. And the Devotion of Knowledge (jnana-nisWha,) consists in an intent effort to establish a continuous current of the idea of the Inner Self (Pratyagatman) j and there would be a. conflict if that devotion were to be conjoined with ritual (karma), which is like going towards the western sea. It is a firm conviction of philosophers that the difference between the two is as wide as that between a mountain and a mustard seed. Hence the conclusion that the Devotion of Knowledge (jnana-nisWha) should be practised by renouncing all action.
Devotion to the Lord by works enjoined.
The perfection accruing as the fruit of that Bhakti-Yoga, which consists in worshipping the Lord through one's owa duties qualifies the aspirant for the Devotion of Knowledge which culminates in moksha. This Bhakti-Yoga, the Yoga o€ Devotion to the Lord, is extolled here, in this section which sums up the teaching of the sastra, with a view to firmly -impress that teaching.
56. Doing continually all actions whatsoever* taking refuge in Me, — by My Gxa.ce he reachesthe eternal undecaying Abode.
Doing all actions including even the prohibited actions, whoso seeks refuge in Me» Vasudeva} the Lord, with his whole self centred in Me, reaches the eternal Abode of Vishuu by the Grace of the Lord- Wherefore, 57. Mentally resigning all deeds to Me, regarding Me as the Supreme, resorting to mental concentration, do thou ever fix thy heart in Me.
Mentally: with discriminative faith.* Ml actions.: pro* ducing visible and invisible results. Me: the Lord. As taught in ix. 27, do thou dedicate all thy actions to Me. Regarding: regarding Me, Vasudeva, as the highest goal; his whole self centered in Me. Regarding, &c • resorting to the Buddhi-Yoga (samahita-buddbitva, steady-mindedaess, firm faith as thy sole refuge.
* *\ e-, the faith that knowledge alone obtainable by the Lord's Grace,—* hat not works, finally leads to salvation. — A, vtkm ^%nif3r TOranroftoftc 58. Fixing thy heart in Me, thou shalt, by My Grace, cross over all difficulties; but if from egotism thou will not hear (Me), thou shalt perish.
Difficulties: the impassable obstacles arising from (avidya), the cause of sawsara- Egotism: the idea that thou art a learned man. If thou wilt not abide by my advice,. then thou shalt be ruined.
Neither shouldst thou think, " I am independent; why should I obey the dictates of another "?
59. If, indulging egotism, thou thinkest «1 will not fight,' vain is this, thy resolve; nature will constrain thee, Thinkest, resolvest. Vain: for, thy nature as a Kshatriya will constrain thee to do so. Also because, 60. Bound (as thou art), O son of Kunti, by thy own nature-born act; that which from delusion thou likest not to do, thou shalt do, though against thy will.
Nature-bom: such as prowess, &c» mentioned above (xviii. 43). Against thy will: in subjection to some external force.
For, 61. The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, whirling by Maya all beings (as if) mounted on a machine.
The Lord (I*vara): the Ruler, Narayana. Arjuna pure in the internal self, of a pure antafc-karana. The word " Arjuna " is used in the sense of ' pure ' in the JBig-Veda. " The dark day and the light day." (6-94). He causes all beings to revolve as if — * as if* being understood— mounted on machines! like wooded dolls mounted on a machine..% Maya: by causing illusion. * Whirling * should be construed with ' dwells* 62. Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being, O Bharata; by His Gra<ce shalt thou obtain supreme peace (and) the eternal resting place.
Seek thou that Lord as thy sole Refuge with thy whole being for relief from the distress of samsara- Then by His Grace, thou shalt obtain supreme peace and attain to My — Le., Vishnu's — Supreme Eternal Abode, 63. Thus has wisdom, more secret than all that is secret, been declared to thee by Me; reflect thou over it all and act as thou pleasest.
498 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS. XVIII Me: the Omniscient Lord. B: the Sastra, the teaching declared above, All: everything that has been taught Devotion to the Lord is the Secret of success in Karma-Yoga.
Listen to what I am again going to say: 64. Hear thou again My word supreme, the most secret of all; because thou art My firm friend, therefore will I tell thee what is good.
Again: though it has been more than once declared. I do not tell thee either from fear or from hope of reward: thou art My firm friend, thou art ever beloved of Me; and for this reason I shall tell thee of the supreme good, the means of attaining knowledge. This last is, indeed, the highest of ail kinds of good.
What is it P—The Lord says: 65. Fix thy thought on Me, he devoted to Me, worship Me, do homage to Me. Thou shalt reach Myself. The truth do I declare to thee; (for) thou art dear to Me.
fltm shaU reocfc Myself: thus acting — *.«., looking up to Vasudeva alone as thy aim, means, and end— thou shalt come to Me. In this matter I make a solemn promise. — The meaning of the verse is this. Thus, knowing that the Lord's declarations are true, and being convinced that moksha Is a necessary result of devotion to the Lord, one should look to the Lord as the highest and sole Refuge.
Eight Knowledge and Renunciation.
Having thought in conclusion that the supreme secret of the Devotion of Karma-Yoga is the regarding of the Lord as the sole Refuge, the Lord now proceeds to speak of the Right Knowledge, the fruit of the Devotion of Karma- Yoga, as taught in the essential portions of all the Vedantas (Upanishads): 66. Abandoning all righteous deeds, seek me as thy sole Refuge; I will liberate thee from all sins; do thou not grieve.
Righteous deeds (dharma); including unrighteous deeds (a-dharma) also, since naishkarmya or freedom from all action is intended to be taught here. Here may be cited such passages of the sruti and the smnti as the following tS Not he who has not abstained from evil deed...can attain It."—(Ka*ha-Up. 1-2-24).
" Abandon dharma and a-dharma.,' So, the passage means " renouncing all works." Me alom; the I«vara, the Self of all, dwelling the same in all. Seek Me at thy sole Refuge: in the belief "I myself am that Isvara;" ie, do thou understand that there is naught else except Me. When thou art firm in this faith, I shall liberate thee from all sins, from ail bonds of dharma and a-dharma* by manifesting Myself as thy own Self. So it has been already said here, " I destroy the darkness born of ignorance by the lumi- nous lamp of wisdomi abiding in their self." — (x. H.) Wherefore do thou not grieve.
500 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. [DlS, XVII I* What is tlie means to the Highest Bliss,— Knowledge or Works?