Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -4
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Also, in the same way man thinks, "I shall remain quiet, so that I may be free from fatigue, doing nothing and happy" thus attributing to the Self abstinence from activity, which relates to the body and the senses, and the feeling of happiness ensuing therefrom; and prides him self: 'I am doing nothing now, T am quiet and happy". To cure mankind of this wrong perception, the Lord teaches: "he who can see inaction in action, etc." Now, 'action', being always of the nature of activity and resting on the body and the senses, is superimposed by everybody on the Self, which is devoid of action and is unchangeable; and so, even a learned man thinks, "I am doing". Thus, the meaning (of the verse) is: In action, which is considered by common folk as inherent in the Self,-just as motion in the opposite direction is attributed to the (stationary) trees on the bank of the river,-he who sees inaction, absence of action (in the Self), as is the exact truth,- just as seeing the absence of motion (in the case) of the trees; and in inaction, in the cessation of movement of the body and the senses, which also like action is attributed to the Self, sees action, productive of the self-conceit, "quiet and doing nothing, I am resting happy"; he who thus understands the difference between action and inaction, as thus explained he is intelligent among men, a pandita (wise man), he is a Yogi, and a doer of all action-he has done his duty (accomplished all objects), that is to say, he is freed from evil (falling into hell). action and inaction, as thus explained he is intelligent among men, a pandita (wise man), he is a Yogi, and a doer of all action-he has done his duty (accomplished all objects), that is to say, he is freed from evil (falling into hell). |
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