Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 162

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-4 Jñāna Vibhāga Yogaḥ

ajñāś-cāśraddhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati | nāyaṃ loko’sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ || 40 || 40. The ignorant, the faithless and the cynic perish; for the cynic there is neither this world, nor that beyond, nor happiness. Commentary The ignorant' is one that has not received knowledge through instruction, 'the faithless' is one who does not develop any faith in this teaching i.e., who does not strive for immediate improvement, and 'the cynic’ is one who is full of scepticism in regard to the teaching — such persons perish, they are lost. When this teaching about the real nature of the Self is treated with scepticism, then one fails in this material world as also the spiritual world. The meaning is that the goals of human endeavour, such as Dharma (right living), Artha (prosperity) and Kāma (pleasure) which constitute the material goals or aims of life [in this world], are not fully achieved by such a cynic. How then can the Supreme Goal — Moksha (liberation) be achieved by him? For all the goals of life can be achieved by doing the works which are prescribed by the Shastras, but their correct performance requires the firm conviction that the Self is different from the body. Therefore, even a little happiness cannot be achieved by one who has doubts concerning the true nature of the Self.