Gita Bhashya -Sankara 235

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

CHAPTER -6

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Objection - The action performed has been offered to the Lord (Iśvara)[1]; and hence his action cannot originate any fruit for the doer.

Reply - No; because it stands to reason that offering (of action) to Iśvara produces even greater result.

Objection - His action can lead only to moksa. Dedication to īśvara of duties performed by him, conjoined with Yoga, must lead only to moksa, and not to any other result; but having fallen from Yoga, it is reasonable to suppose, in his case, that he would be ruined[2].

Reply - It is not so[3]. (Also) because the passages, "Alone, with mind and body controlled, free from desire and possession"[4], and" firm in the vow of a Brahmacārin"[5], pre­ scribe the renunciation of action; and there can be no question of the need for the wife's assistance at the time of Dhyāna, by reason of which loneliness could have been enjoined (on a householder)[6]. Moreover, the phrase, "free fromderire and possession" is in­ compatible with the householder's life and the question regarding fall from both paths[7] cannot arise in his case[8].

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References and Context

  1. ↑ The person fallen from Yoga, being a seeker of liberation (mumuksu). (A)
  2. ↑ (According 10 the objector, the samuccaya-vādin) the dedication of all action to the Lord, combined with the practice of Dhyāna, leads to moksa. With the failure of the co-operating factor (Dhyāna), the means (to mokfa) become incomplete and will not lead to the fruit. (A)
  3. ↑ There is no authority for the view that dedication of one's actions to the Lord combined with dhyñna leads to moksa. The householder cannot therelore be the subject of the enquiry in verses 37 and 38. (A)
  4. ↑ VI-10
  5. ↑ VI-14
  6. ↑ For performing Agnihotra the wife's aid is necessary, but not for dhyCma; and so there would be the fallacy of prohibition of what is not a general rule (apr&pta-prat isrdha). (A)
  7. ↑ VI-38
  8. ↑ Hecause, even it the householder drops away from the action he is engaged in. he will get the fruit of the actions previously performed by him. (A)