Gita Bhashya -Sankara 158

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

CHAPTER -4

(Therefore,) he, who sees action in inaction, and vice versa, is intelligent among men, he is a Yogi, a saint who has become one with the Self, and a doer of all action (accomplisher of all objects):-thus he is glorified. Objection:-What does this incongruous teaching-'one who can see inaction in action and action in inaction mean'? Verily, action cannot become inaction, nor can inaction become action; and so, how can one understand what is (thus) incom­ patible? Reply:- That which in reality is 'inaction' (non-active) appears as with ' action ' (to be active) to the common man of the world who has a mistaken perception; so also does ' action' appear as ' inaction'. Therefore, with a view to teaching the exact truth, the Lord says, 'he who can see inaction in action, etc.'; thus, there is no incongruity. It is also appropriate that one who sees as stated should be called intelligent, etc. And the knowledge of the exact truth is what has been referred to as the(proper) object to be known (verse 17). The Lord has also stated, by knowing which you will be freed from evil (verse 16); but freedom from evil cannot be attained through wrong knowledge. There­ fore, (it is to be understood that) because action and inaction are wrongly comprehended by ordinary men, the Lord's words, "he who can sec inaction in action, etc." arc intended to remove that wrong comprehension. Moreover, here, neither is inaction the locus (receptacle) for action, nor is action the locus (receptacle) for inaction, as is indicated in the statement, ' in the basin there are jujube fruits'; for' inaction 'is (simply) the absence of action'. Therefore, (we have to conclude thai) action and inaction are wrongly comprehended by ordinary men just as water (is seen) in the mirage or silver in the mother-of-pearl.