Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -3
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that question of Arjuna would be improper. And, if he had been taught that he should take both to Knowledge and to works, then Knowledge which'is superior to action' would also be prescribed for him ; and the enquiry 'why, then, dost thou engage me in this terrible action?' (III-l) is on no account justified. There is also no reason to suppose that, in His previous teaching, the Lord had told Arjuna that he alone should not engage in the 'superior' Knowledge, in which case the question may be justified. But, if he had been previously taught by the Lord that Knowledge and action are intended for practice by different (classes of) perfonssince devotion to (both of) them at the same time by one (and the same) person is impossible-they being mutally opposed-then, this question (III-l) becomes appropriate. Even supposing that Arjuna's question was due to ignorance,[1] the Lord's reply pointing to (two paths for) practice by different (classes of) persons is not suitable.[2] But, since it is unimaginable that the Lord's reply was due to (His) ignorance, and since His reply shows that Knowledge and action are intended for 'practice by different (classes of) persons, the impossibility of the simultaneous combination of Knowledge and action is established. Thus the settled import of the Gltās and all the Upanisads is this : that moksa is obtainable purely by Knowledge alone. |
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