Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -18
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Objection:- It cannot be established that all actions arc caused by avidya[1]. Reply:- No; it can be, as is the case with "the killing of the Brāhmana,' (brahmahatyā, a prohibited act) etc. Although the nitya-karma is declared by the Śāstra, it is intended only for the un-enlightened person. An act such as brahma-hatyā, productive of evil, which is declared as prohibited act in the Śasra, is com mitted only by a person who is un-enlightened and given to desire and other evil tendencies, his engagement (in that act) being other wise inexplicable. So also the obligatory (nitya), occasional (naimittika) and interested (kctmya) rites (arc possible only for the person who is un-enlightcned and has desires). Objector- There is no possibility of engaging in the per formance of nitya etc.-karmas, so long as one does not know the Self as different (from the body etc.)[2]. Reply:- Not so; because we find man engaging in action with the thought, 'I do that act'[3], which (action) being of the nature of motion is effected (only) by the not-Self (cannot be due to the agency of the Self). |
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References and Context
- ↑ since it is not reasonable to suppose that the actions learnt through Scripture are caused by avidya, (A)
- ↑ Without the knowledge that the Self is different from the body etc., engagement in actions which are productive of results in the other world is not possible; and therefore those actions cannot be due to ignorance. (A)
- ↑ Though there is the idea of the Self being different (from body, etc.)_ true Knowledge concerning the Self is absent, and so he engages in action through false knowledge (mil ftyā-j nana). (A)