Srimad Bhagavadgita-Rahasya OR Karma-Yoga-Sastra -Bal Gangadhar Tilak
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CHAPTER XIV
THE CONTINUITY OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE GITA
Besides, when Arjuna was asking for definite guidance about one particular course of Action, it would be incorrect to imagine that, omniscient and clever Sri Krsna avoided the issue and showed him three independent and alternative courses of Action. Really speaking, the Gita. considers only the two paths of 'Renunciation' (Samnyasa), and Energism ' (Karma-Yoga), [1] ; and there has been given the definite decision that out of the two, the Path of Karma Yoga is 'the superior path [2]. Devotion has nowhere been mentioned as a third independent Nistha (Path of Release). Therefore, the theory of three independent paths of Spiritual Knowledge, Action, and Devotion, is a creation of doctrine supporting commentators; and as in their opinion the Gita considers only the means of obtaining Release, they have evidently got the idea of these three paths from the Bhagavata [3] But these commentators have not realised that the conclusions reached in the Bhagavata-Purana are not "the same as those in the Bhagavadgita. Even the author of the Bhagavata accepts the theorem that Release cannot be obtained by mere Action, and that Spiritual Knowledge is a necessity. But the Bhagavata-Purana says in addition that although Spiritual Knowledge and Desireless Action '(naiskarmya) are both productive of Release, yet, both of them (that is to say, the desireless Karma-Yoga of the Gita) are useless without Devotion — " naiskarmyam apy acyutabhavavarji- tam na sobhate jnnamalam niranjanam " [4], ( i. e., "Desireless Action unaccompanied by Devotion to the Unfallen (acyuta), does not befit pure and stainless Knowledge" — Trans. ). Prom this point of view, it is quite clear that the author of the Bhagavata considers Devotion as the only true Nistha, that is, the ultimate Release- giving state. The Bhagavata does not say that the Devotee of the Blessed Lord should not perform Action with the idea of dedicating it to the Isvara, nor does it say that Action must be performed. The Bhagavata says that whether one performs Desireless Action or not, these are all different varieties of the Path of Devotion [5] ; and that if there is no Devotion, all Karma-Yogas will bring a person back to worldly life, that is, into the cycle of Birth and Death [6]. In short, as the entire emphasis of the author of the Bhagavata is on Devotion, he has included even the Desireless Karma-Yoga into the Path of Devotion, and maintained that Devotion is the only true Nistha. But, Devotion is not the principal subject-matter of exposition in the Gita ; and therefore, interpolating this doctrine or terminology of the Bhagavata into the Gita is as improper as fixing the bark of a vata-tree on a pippala-tree. Saying that Release cannot he obtained unless one has Realised the Paramesvara, and. that Devotion is an easy way for such Realisation, is fully acceptable to the Gita. But the Gita does not insist on this particular path, and says that the Spiritual Knowledge, necessary for attaining Release should be obtained by every body by whichever path he finds easy ; and the most important issue in the Gita is whether or not one should perform Action after the Acquisition of Knowledge ( Spiritual Knowledge ).
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