Gita Bhashya -Sankara 361

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

CHAPTER -9

Moghāśa mogha-karmāno mogha-jñānā vicetasah Raksasīm-āsunm caiva prakrtim mohinīm śritah 12. Of vain hopes, of vain works, of vain knowledge, and senseless, they verily are possessed of the delusive nature of rdksasas and asuras. Of vain hopes, the hopes they cherish are to no purpose; of vain works, similarly, their actions-agnihotra and others performed by them-become fruitless actions, because of their humiliating the Lord and showing contempt for Him, their own Self; so also, of vain knowledge, even their knowledge turns out to be useless; and senseless,-the import is that they are deprived of discrimina-tion. Moreover, they are possessed of the delusive nature, that which causes delusion, namely, holding to the doctrine that the body itself is the self, of rākasas and asuras, and engage in cruel deeds, uttering the words, 'cut', 'break', ' drink', 'eat', 'take others 'property' and the like". Śruti also declares," their words are indeed demoniac ". On the other hand, they who have faith and engage themselves on the path to moksa, characterised by devotion (bhakti) to the Lord,