Gita Bhashya -Sankara 4

Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya

(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)

INTRODUCTION

For the attainment of the state of Brahman, that Religion indeed is fully competent and adequate' — And it is further stated therein: 'He is without (free from) merit and without demerit, without weal and without woe; 'He who may be merged in the Sole Seat, silent and conceiving nothing'; also—'Knowledge, having renunciation as its attribute' Here (the present work, Gita) also, at the end Arjuna is thus exhorted: 'Discarding all dharmas", resort to Me alone as refuge' The religious Path characterised by Action has been prescribed in respect of the (several) castes and orders of life with the object of securing their prosperity; and it is also the means of attaining the position of gods and the like. Nonetheless, if practised with the sense of dedication to the Lord and without the desire for (the enjoyment of) the fruits, it brings about purity of mind; and by him of a pure mind is gained the means for securing final beatitude, successively through the attainment of competence for the acquisi­ tion of (spiritual) Knowledge and the actual dawn of (spiritual) Knowledge. Accordingly, having in mind this very same import, the Lord says :'