Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -4
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(To explain:) Every sacrificial rite such as the agni-hotra is associated with offering through words addressed to a specific deity and such other accessories, as also with the idea of doership and the expectation of the fruit on the part of the sacrificer; and is never seen dissociated from the Various ideas of action, instrument and fruit, or devoid of the egoism of doership and expectation of the fruit. But this (Knowledge-Sacrifice) is an act in which the diverse ideas of accessories such as instrument, action and fruit have been destroyed by the comprehension of Brahman; and hence it is no-action verily. The same is shown in the verses, "He who can see inaction in action"[1], "Though engaged in action, he does not do anything "[2], "The gunas act on the gunas "[3], "The knower of Truth, centred (in the Self) should think, 'I do nothing at all' "[4], etc. Thus teaching here and there (every now and then), the Lord effaces the diverse ideas of action, accessories and result. Indeed, in the case of the kāmya-agnihotra (agni-hotra performed with the desire for the fruit) etc., it is admitted that by the destruction of the desire (for the fruit), the sacrifice itself ceases to be "kātnya-agnihotra'. So also, different results are produced by actions, according as they are done inten tionally or without any intention. Similarly, here also, the (appar ent) action of the wise man, in whom ideas of duality such as accessories, action and fruit have been effaced by his conscious ness of Brahman, and who merely executes the external move ments of the body, ceases to be action. Hence it has been declared that "his whole karma dissolves away "[5]. Some interpret this passage as follows:—What is Brahman, that is the instrument of action, etc.; in fact, Brahman alone (as they say) manifests Himself in the five forms[6]' of accessories, |
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