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Chapter 12
Link:- The Lord, from the eighth verse to the eleventh verse, recommended four methods, one after another, in the event of Arjuna's failure to adopt anyone. So a doubt may arise, whether the fourth, means 'renunciation of the fruit of action', is an inferior means to the other three, as the Lord described
it as the last one, and moreover He did not mention its fruit. In order to, remove this doubt the Lord glorifies renunciation and also mentions about its fruit.
sreyo hi jnanamabhyesajjnanaddhyanam visisyate
dhyanatkarmaphalatyagastyagacchantiranantaram
Better, indeed, is knowledge than practice, better in turn is meditation, better still is renunciation of fruit of action; Supreme Peace immediately follows such renunciation. 12
Comment:-
[The Lord, from the eighth verse to the eleventh verse, recommended four alternative means, in the event of Arjuna's failure to adopt the one—fixation of the mind and intellect in Him, practice, of divine name etc., performance, of action for His sake and renunciation, of the fruit of actions. So a person, may think that they have been mentioned, in the descending order of merit. Moreover, in the first three means, there is mention that these will attain Him, while in the last one, there is no mention of it. So they may think, that the discipline mentioned in the eleventh verse, is inferior to the other means.
In order to, remove this doubt the Lord in the twelfth verse, declares that renunciation of action is an excellent means, which provides Supreme Peace, immediately. So this method is, in no way, inferior to the other three. All the four means, are independent, to realize God. A striver can follow, anyone of these, according to his inclination, faith and qualifications etc.
The other three means, of God-realization are very well-known. But the last one, that God can be realized by renunciation of the fruit of actions, is not so common and familiar. Therefore, the Lord, in order to, declare its superiority, to the other three disciplines and to signify its reward, has added the twelfth verse. So the Lord makes the position clear, in the twelfth verse.]
Sreyo hi jnanamabhyasat:- According to the great sage Patanjali 'Abhyasa, consists in making effort, again and again, to be concentrate on something (Yogadardana 1113).
Here this term 'Abhyasa', does not stand for 'Abhyasayoga, it refers to practice only, because in this practice (breath restraint or control of the mind) there is no requirement of scriptural knowledge, meditation or renunciation of desire for the fruit of actions. There is 'Yoga' (union with God) only, when affinity for matter is renounced, while in such practice, there is dependence on matter (the body, senses, mind and intellect).
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