6. METHOD OF PERFORMING
ACTIONS
भवतु निश्चयदार्ढ्यादूर्ध्वं शास्त्ररक्षणम् ।। 12 ।।
12. After the determination (regarding devotion ) has become firm (one) should protect the scripture.
37. The doubts
that are already
clarified by us
don’t have any
place and that
is cleared in
the forth-coming three
aphorisms.
As the
result of establishing
only in God,
the devotee, himself,
has attained the
Form of God.
The secondary devotees (गौणभक्ताः) imagine that
they are different
from God; He
should fulfill their
desires and remove
their difficulties; and,
they perform worldly
and Vedic activities
to please God.
But, the Supreme
Devotee is not
like that; the
Lord Himself praise
him – ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् । आस्तितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् ।। गी. 7-18.
The Supreme
Devotee has the
determination : ‘I am वासुदेव , the
Lord Himself, I
am not least
different from Him’.
The Devotee has
brought this determination
firmly into his
experience.
बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते । वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ।। गी. 7-19
As the
one develops refinement (संस्कार ) of the
devotion in God
from many births,
at last he
determines that everything
is वासुदेव the Lord Himself and
nothing exists apart
from Him. Such
a magnanimous person
doesn’t have any
object of life (पुरुषार्थ) to be
achieved by performing
actions declared in
the scriptures.
न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् । जोषयेत् सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान् युक्तः समाचरन् ।। गी. 3-26.
The ignorant
who are theists
as well associated
with action – naturally have
the intelligence that
they must conduct
action; though the
wise has no
action that to
be performed, still,
the wise people
conduct their religious
duties methodically as
instructed in the
scriptures; thus, they
encourage the ignorant
also to perform
their religious duties.
If the Supreme
Devotees perform actions,
there is no overrule of
the Law; they
give up all
worldly and Vedic
activities.
अन्यथा पातित्यशङ्कया ।। 13 ।।
13. For, if
not, there would
be a doubt that
he has fallen
down.
PURPOSE OF DEVOTEES
BRINGING PEOPLE TO
THE RIGHT WAY
38. The Devotees
don’t have any
personal benefit if
they bring people
to the right
way; and, they
don’t have a
desire of fame
that the world
would praise them.
Still, as they
see everywhere only
God who is
of the Form
of Bliss; they
naturally seek welfare
of all; and,
they aspire that
everyone should see
God as they
do. When the
Lord had various
incarnations He performed
good activities wishing
that people would
follow the right
way. Similarly, the
Devotees also wish the
welfare of people.
There is a
benefit to the
one if he
brings to his
mind what the
Lord श्रीकृष्ण has
told in this
regard :-
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन । नानवाप्तवमाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ।।
यदि ह्यहं न वर्तेय जातु कर्मण्यतन्द्रितः । मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ।।
उत्सीदेयुरिमे लोका न कुर्यां कर्म चेदहम् । सङ्करस्य च स्यामुपहन्यामिमाः प्रजाः ।।
सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत । कुर्याद् विद्वांस्तथा सक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ।।
गी. 3-22 तः 25
‘O पार्थ, I don’t have
any work that
ought to be
done even in
three worlds; for,
even in – the world
of man (मनुष्यलोक),
that of manes
(पितृलोक)
and that of
gods (heaven) - all the
three worlds, I
don’t have to
obtain anything. Thus, though
I have obtained
all desires (आप्तकाम), I am
incessantly working. Without
indolence, if I
don’t engage in
actions, by that
alone, people following
that path of
Mine may be
ruined; though I
have incarnated to
bless them, contrary
to that I
would have spoiled
them ! Therefore, the
wise people who
wish the welfare
of the world
should perform good
actions without contact (संग),
whereas, the ignorant
people work with
attachment.’
In this
regard, the Devotees
follow God alone.
By performing action,
they gain nothing;
still, if they
don’t perform any
action, theists may
consider that they
have fallen; they
would not come
to the Devotees
and they would
not try to
know the Principle
of essential expedients
in the Spiritual
Path; the ignorant
see the Devotees
not doing work,
they think that
there would be
no benefit in
doing work; they
would give up
the work and
they would be
ruined. In order
to avoid this,
the Devotees should
perform actions methodically
without association and
they must encourage
people to follow
the Path of
Faith.
शान्ता महान्तो निवसन्ति सन्तो वसन्तवल्लोकहितं चरन्तः ।
तीर्णाः स्वयं भीमभवार्णवं जना-नहेतुनान्यपि तारयन्तः ।। वि. चू. 57.
Good
people(सज्जनाः)
who are eminent
personages (महापुरुषाः)
naturally, similar to
the spring season,
perform welfare activities
for the sake
of people. They,
themselves, cross the
terrible ocean of
worldly life; and,
without seeking anything
in return, they
help others to
cross it.
THE DEVOTEES DON’T
FALL DOWN BY
THE DECLINE OF
ACTION
39. Some have
interpreted this aphorism
as follows : There is
a fear of
fall to the
one, transgressing the
command of the
scripture, if he
gives up the prescribed action.
The interpretation is not suitable
one. For, the
Devotees have reached
the Abode of
God where there
is no rise
and fall. They
don’t have the
fear of ruining
by indulging in
wicked acts; and,
they don’t have
the desire of
obtaining a good
refuge (उत्तमागतिः ) by
performing good actions.
They don’t have
even a craving
of uplifting others
and of obtaining
some benefit. Their
nature is explained
in the 12th chapter
of भगवद्गीत. श्री सुरेश्वराचार्य writes
in his work
named नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिः
उत्पन्नात्मप्रबोधस्य ह्यद्वेष्टृत्वादयो गुणाः । अयत्नतो भवन्त्यस्य न तु साधनरूपिणः ।। नै. सि. 4-61.
The Devotees
who have the
Self Knowledge without
any effort obtain
the qualities like
non-hating (अद्वेष),
etc ; and, in
order to have
them, they need
not conduct any
practice.
Those who
are exclusively devoted
to the performance
of religious rites (कर्मठाः ) desire to
enjoy heaven, etc. -
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति ।
एवं त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते ।। गी. 9-21.
They, obtaining
the heaven, etc.
the fruit of
action (कर्मफल), return
to the earth
after declining of
religious merit (पुण्य ). Therefore, the
people who have
desires (कामिनः) have
the fear of
fall. But, the
Devotion is of the form
of restraint of
desires; therefore, the
Devotees don’t have
even the doubt
of falling down. It
is quite improbable
to say that
they have either
the fear of
sinfulness (प्रत्यवाय) by
the defect of
transgressing the command
of the scripture,
or the fear
of falling in
to the hell
due to the
conduct of misdeeds.
For, it is
already told that
the Devotees obtain
only the Form
of God which
is free from
doer-ship and enjoyer-ship.
They have the
vision of the Abode : तद्विष्णोः परमं पदं सदा पश्यन्ति सूरयः ।। (ऋ. मं. 1-5-22-20). According
to this श्रुति, they always
see only the
Abode of विष्णु everywhere; therefore,
from where they
have to fall ?
They don’t have
egoism, hence, they
never obtain any
fruit from an
action.
In the
scripture, it is
praised that the
wise people don’t
have an impediment
to find the
blessing (सद्गति) even
from the prohibited
action. As an
example in the कौषीतकी
उपनिषत् , इन्द्र tells
to प्रतर्दन -
स यो मां विजानीयान्नास्य केन च कर्मणा लोको मीयते ।
न मातृवधेन न पितृवधेन न स्तेयेन न भ्रूणहत्यया .....।। कौ. 3-1.
“The one
who knowing Me
worships, obtains his
desired world; and
his misdeeds like – assassination of
either mother or
father, stealing, procuring
abortion, etc – don’t become
a hindrance for
the attainment of
the fruit.” In the
भगवद्गीता this is
told –
यस्य नाहङ्कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते । हत्वापि स इमाल्लोकान्न हन्ति न निबध्यते ।। गी. 18-17.
“The one
who obtaining the
refinement of the
inner-organ (mind) becomes free
from egoism that
he is the
doer through his
own experience and
the preaching of the scripture
and the teacher;
and, he doesn’t
have least doubt
that he has
conducted the misdeed;
even if he
massacres all living
beings, he has
not killed them;
and, he is
not bound as
the result of
that deed.” The
Lord Himself has
told this statement. This
episode is only
to extol the
glory of the
Knowledge of Reality
that the Devotee
has; and, it
is not intended
there that the
Devotee really does
such barbarous deeds. The
real Devotee doesn’t
even perform scriptural
actions for his
sake; this being
the case, where
is the question
of conducting misdeeds ?
Therefore, the
Devotee certainly follows
the rules : proper and
improper actions of
the scriptures. Therefore,
though the Devotee
doesn’t need any
fruit, his observing
of rules guides
ignorant people and
that causes the
benefit of the
world. This itself
is the meaning
of these 12th and 13th aphorisms.
The doubt of
falling (पातित्यशङ्का) means
as follows : The people
of the world
may doubt a
Devotee that he
has fallen because
he has given
up the actions
and they would
miss the benefit
of his preaching;
and, an axiom
says : By any reason
the real falling
does not come
near the Devotee.
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