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CHAPTER 18
SRIMAD BHAGAVADGITA
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुन: ।
सत्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभि: स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणै:।। 40 ।।
Translation:-(40) There is nothing on this earth or in the firmament,
or in the gods (that is, in the abode of the gods), which is
'mukta' (that is, free) from these three constituents of
Prakrti.
Description:-[From stanza 18 upto here, the Blessed Lord has
explained the different kinds of jnana, karma, karta, buddhi,
dhrti, and sukha; and placed before the eyes of Arjuna, a
picture of how diversity arises in the entire world as a
result of the difference between the three constituents of
Prakrti; and He has thereby proved, that in the case of
each of these various things, the sattvika variety is the
best and the most acceptable. The highest stage in even
these sattvika varieties, is known as the 'trigunatitavastha'
(the state of being beyond the three constituents). That,
'trigunatita' or 'nirguna' is not a fourth and independent
division according to the Gita, has been explained by
me in Chapter VII of the Gita-Rahasya[1];
and following the same argument, the sattvika condition
is also sub-divided in the Manu-Smrti into uttama
(best), madhyama (medium) and kanistha (inferior); and
'uttama sattvika' is said to be productive of Release, and
'madhyama sattvika' is said to be productive of heaven
[2]. To proceed: this finishes
the description of the diversity of Prakrti in the world.
The Blessed Lord now explains how the arrangement of the
four classes has baan mada on the basis of this division of
constituents. It has been stated over and over again, that
it is the duty of every one in this world to perform all the
'niyata' Action, that is, all Action which is prescribed for
him, according to his own status (svadharma), having given,
up the Hope of Fruit, and maintaining his steadiness,
enthusiasm, and determination[3];
but, the essential factor by which that particular Action
becomes 'niyata' (ordained) in each case, has not so far
been explained anywhere. A succinct reference to the
arrangement of the four classes has appeared before[4];
and it has been stated there that the discrimination
between the Doable and the Not-doable should be made by
reference of the Sastras[5]. But, the Scriptural
arrangement of the four classes, which has been arrived at
on the basis of the division of Action according to the
constituents, in order that the various activities of the
world should go on in an orderly way, has not been
explained in that place[6].
For this reason, the Blessed Lord now
explains the institution by means of which the duty of
everybody in society becomes 'niyata', that is, 'ordained',
namely, the four-class-arrangement, on the basis of the
divisions of Prakrti into three constituents; and He, at the
same time, also explains what duties have been 'niyata'
(ordained) for each of the four classes_]
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