Contents
Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya
Chapter-8 Tāraka Brahma Yogaḥ
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śrī bhagavān uvāca CommentaryThat which is the Supreme and Imperishable (akṣara) has been called ‘that Brahman’. The akṣara is that which cannot be destroyed and forms the totality of all individual Selves. The Vedas [1] state: — ‘The Unmanifest (avyakta) is absorbed into the Imperishable (akṣara), the Imperishable (akṣara) is absorbed into Source (Tamas)’ The essential nature of the Jīva, disjoined from Prakrti is the supreme imperishable state (akṣara). One’s own material nature (svabhāva) is that which is spoken of as Adhyātma — that which is associated with the Jīva. This nature (svabhāva) is material. It does not constitute the Jīva but attaches itself to the Jīva in the form of subtle elements [of the body], & impressions [of the mind] etc. This has been taught in the ‘Doctrine of the Five Fires’ [2]. Both these (doctrines of the akṣara — the quintessential state, and the adhyātma — conjunction with material nature) should be learnt by the aspirants for liberation (Kaivalya-Moksha) — the former doctrine [regarding the quintessence of the Jīva] is what should be realised and the latter doctrine [the conjunction with material nature] is what should be overcome. Karma is that force which produces all mundane beings. ‘Beings’ here means entities such as humans and animals. The creative force which produces them is sexual intercourse. That procreative force is here called ‘Karma’. All the acts associated with procreation should be assiduously avoided by aspirants after Moksha. This abstention will also be taught immediately in the verse, ‘Desiring which they practice the vow of celibacy’ [3]. |
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