Gita Bhashya -Sankara 222

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

CHAPTER -5

Not even a trace of any blemishcan affect them, for they do not have the conception of identifyingthe Self (themselves) with the combination of body etc. The aphorism referred to-" who honours equals in different ways ornon-equals in the same manner (commits sin)"-concerns those who entertain the idea of viewing the aggregate of body etc. asthe Self, because of the specific mention of the topic of honouring.It is indeed considered that the possession of special qualifications- such as being a knower of Brahman, one learned in the six Angas,one learned in the four Vedas, and the like-is a criterion in bestow­ing honour, gifts, etc. But Brahman is devoid of any connectionwith attributes, good and bad; hence, it has been appropriately stated that they (the Wise) rest in Brahman. Moreover, theaphorism "who honours equals, etc." is with regard to the man who is engaged in works; while the topic under consideration here, beginning from "Having renounced all actions by the mind, upto the end of the Chapter, relates to the person whohas renounced all action. Since the spotless and even Brahman is the Self, therefore-