Gita Bhashya -Sankara 32

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

CHAPTER -2

It is like the example of a person who, (initially) desiring objects such as heaven, and having consecrated the sacred fire as a preparation for the performance of Agniholra and the like which arc the means of attaining the desired end, enters upon the Agnihotra rite (or the like) as kāmya-karma (action motivated by interestedness in the result) and when the rite is half-done loses the desire for the result but nevertheless continues with the per­ formance of the Agnihotra (or the like) : (in his case) the Agnihotra (or the like) can no longer be considered as kāmya (interested rite). Accordingly, the Lord points out in various places : " though acting, he is not tainted" (V-7) ; "(The Self) neither acts, nor is tainted " (X1ĪI-31). And, as for the statements : " (Do you, therefore, perform action) as did the ancients in olden times" (IV-15), and "Verily through (with) action alone did Janaka and others aim at (abide in) perfection " (III-20)-they should be distinguished in two ways and carefully understood. Question- How is that ? Reply- In case Janaka and the others knew the Truth (about the Self) already and nevertheless engaged themselves in activity, they did so for the guidance of the world, having attained perfection with the knowledge that, "Gutias (as sense-organs) merely act on Gunas (as objects of the senses)". The meaning is that though the stage of renunciation of works had been reached they attained perfection, carrying out tasks (doing action) at the same time18—that is, without abandoning action or works formally.