Gita Rahasya -Tilak
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CHAPTER V
THE CONSIDERATION OF HAPPINESS AND UNHAPPINESS
(SUKHA-DUHKHA-VIVEKA) The activity of Action in the world never comes to an end. Even if man ceases to exist in this world. Matter (prakrti) will carry on its activities according to its constituent qualities ( guna-dharma ). Gross Matter would not in any way be happy or unhappy on that account. Man arrogates to himself an undue importance, and becomes attached to the activities of Matter, and in that way suffers pain and happiness. But if he gives up this attachment, and performs all his Actions in the belief that 'guna gunesu vartante', i. e., " all activities are going on according to the constituent qualities of Matter " [1], there will remain no unhappi- ness in the shape of discontent. Therefore, Vyasa has advised Yudhisthira that instead of lamenting that worldly life is principally unhappy, and attempting to give up such life, one should believe that Matter is carrying on its own activities, and that.— sukham va yadi va duhkham priyam va yadi vapriyam I praptam praptam upasita hrdayenaparajitah II [2] "that is, "one should put up with whatever takes place, whenever it takes place, without being disheartened, ( that is to say, without becoming dejected, and giving up one's duty ), whether it causes happiness or unhappiness, and whether it is pleasurable or unpleasant." The full importance of this advice will be appreciated when one bears in mind that one has to perform some duties in life, even suffering the pain which they cause. In the Bhagavadgita itself, the characteristic features of the sthitaprajna are described in the words: "yah sarvatranabhisnehas tat tat prapya subhasubham" [3], i. e., "that man who, when anything favourable or unfavourable happens, always remains unattached, and neither welcomes it nor dislikes it, is the true sthitaprajna" ; and in the fifth chapter it is stated that, "na prahrsyet priyam prapya nodvijet prapya capriyam " [4], i. e„ "when you experience happiness, you should not on that account become excited ; and when you experience unhappiness, you should also not on that account become dejected " ; and it is stated in the second chapter, that this pain and happiness must be borne with a desireless frame of mind[5] ; and the same advice has been repeatedly given in various other places [6]. In the terminology of Vedanta Philosophy, doing this is called "dedicating all Actions to the Brahman' (Brahmarpana), and in the Path of Devotion, the word ' Krsnarpana' (dedication to Krsna) is used instead of ' Brahmarpana ' (dedication to the Brahman) ; and this is the sum and substance of the whole of the preaching of the Gita. |
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