Gyaneshwari -Sant Gyaneshwar
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Chapter-18
Release
The occasional works are those, which are performed on the festive occasions of solar or lunar eclipse, or at the time of offerings to the dear departed (106-110) or in extending hospitality to a guest. The clouds thunder in the sky during the rainy season, or the trees get into blossoms during the spring, the body becomes comely in youth, or the moonstone oozes at the touch of the moonbeams or the lotuses bloom in the sunlight. In all this, whatever exists originally is revealed; nothing new is created. In the same way, when obligatory work has to be performed on special occasions, it receives the high-sounding name of ‘occasional’ (naimittika) action and whatever requires to be done in the morning, at noon or in the evening, know that to be the obligatory work (nitya). Just as the eye-sight does not contain anything extra added to it (111-115), or the feet have their natural movement or the lamp has its natural light, or the sandal-wood has its natural fragrance, this action has its natural prerogative. This, O Partha, is called the obligatory action. In this way, I have explained to you both the obligatory and occasional actions. Some consider these actions as barren, as they have to be necessarily performed. But as a meal satisfies hunger and makes one contented, so these actions become fruitful (116-120). When an alloyed gold is burnt in fire, its alloy gets burnt and it becomes pure gold; such is the case with these actions. Because of them, the mental defects are destroyed, the spiritual status of the doer improves and he attains to a perfect state. Even though these actions come to such good fruition, their fruit should be abandoned like the child born under an inauspicious star. The spring makes the creepers blossom and the mango trees bear abundant foliage, but goes without touching them. In the same way, one should perform these obligatory actions without transgressing their limits, but treat their fruit as worth forsaking like vomit (121-125). The learned men call this abandonment of the fruit of action as relinquishment. So I have explained to you the nature of both renunciation (sanyasa) and relinquishment (tyaga). |
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