Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -3
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A certain commentator[1] understands the meaning of Arjuna's question differently and represents the Lord's reply as opposed to it (the question). He has also determined (in a certain way) what the purport of the GTfā-teaching is in the introduction (in his commen tary), but interprets the meaning of the question and the answer here in quite the opposite way. How? In his introduction, it is stated that the simultaneous practice of Knowledge and works is prescri bed in the Gītā-śāstra for persons in all stages of life (āśramas), and in particular that the view that moksa is attained by Knowledge alone, abandoning the works enjoined by scripture for performance throughout life, is absolutely discountenanced. But here (in Chap. Ill), by speaking of different paths for different āśramas, he admits (as proper) the renunication of those very works (enjoined by Scripture for performance throughout life)'[2] How, indeed, could the Lord have expressed to Arjuna such kind of contradictory teachings, and what sense, (or how) indeed could the hearer have made any out of (or accepted) such contradiction? Here, it might be said[3]: Let it then be thus: Moksa solely by Knowledge, preceeded by renunication of works prescribed by the Śruti, is precluded for house-holders alone, and not for those in the other āśramas (orders of life).-This also involves a contradiction between the earlier and the subsequent statements. How? Having (first) asserted that the simultaneous practice of Knowledge and works is prescribed in the Gltā-iāstra for persons of all āśramas, how can the contrary be declared now, namely that moksa solely through Knowledge is for the other orders (than the householder's)?
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