Gyaneshwari -Sant Gyaneshwar
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Chapter-16
The Divine and Demoniacal Natures
I shall now tell you briefly, the characteristics of sacrifice. Beginning with brahmins and ending with women, they should observe the injunctions and perform their religious duties as laid down in the scriptures (91-95). The brahmin should perform the six duties prescribed by the scriptures and the shudra should pay homage to the brahmin, by which both of them acquire the merit of performing a sacrifice. In this way, everyone should perform a sacrifice according to his qualification, but should not pollute the sacrifice by the expectation of its fruit. He should not entertain the egoistic feeling, that he is the performer of the sacrifice, but he should follow the dictates of the Vedas in this regard. O Arjuna, this is what is called sacrifice, as laid down in the scripture and it becomes the knowledgeable guide, in the journey towards liberation. Now one throws the ball on the ground, so that it should rebound and come into the hand or the farmer sows seed in the field, in order to reap the harvest later (96-100). One takes the lamp in hand for finding a thing in the dark or one waters the tree at the roots for the growth of its branches and fruits. Likewise one willingly keeps the mirror clean, in order to see one’s face clearly in it. In the same way, one has to study the Vedas continuously, in order to comprehend the nature of God, who is propounded by them. The brahmins should, for example, study the aphorisms on the Brahman, and others should repeat the hymns and mutter the name of God. Lord Krishna says that, this is what is known as ‘sacred study’ (svadhyaya).
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