Gita Rahasya -Tilak 212

Gita Rahasya -Tilak

CHAPTER IX THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ABSOLUTE SELF However, before considering this matter further, let us see what the Blessed Lord has Himself said in the Gita about the mutual relationship between the Cosmos ( prakrti ), Jiva ( atman or purusa ), and Parabrahman (Paramatman or Purusottama, i.e. Absolute Atman or Absolute Spirit). My readers will see- from what follows that there is unanimity on this matter between the Gita and the Upanisads, and all the ideas in the Gita are, to be found in the Upanisads, which were earlier in point of time. In describing the Purusottama, Para-purusa, Paramatman. or Parabrahman, which is beyond both Matter and Spirit, the Bhagavadglta has first said that it has its two forms, namely the vyakta and the avyakta (that is, the one which is perceptible to the eyes, and the one which is imperceptible to the eyes). It is clear that the vyakta form out of these two, that is to say, the form which is perceptible to the organs, must be possessed of qualities (saguna). Then remains the impercep- tible form. It is true that this form is avyakta, that is, it is not perceptible to the organs ; but from the fact that it is imperceptible to the organs, it does not follow that it must be quality less ; because, though it might not be perceptible to the eyes, it can still possess all kinds of qualities in a subtle form. Therefore, the Imperceptible also has been further subdivided into sagmia (possessed of qualities), saguna-nirguna (qualified and quality less) and nirguna (qualityless ). , The word ' guna ' is here intended to mean and include all the qualities which can be perceived not only by the external organs, but also by the Mind. As the Blessed Lord Sri Krsna, who was a living incarnation of the Paramesvara, was personally standing in front of Arjuna to advise him, He has indicated Himself in the first person by referring to His perceptible form in the following phrases in various places in the Gita. " Prakrti is My form "(9. 8); "the Jlva (Self) is a part of Me " (15. 7) ; "I am the Atman inhabiting the heart of all created things " (10. 20) ; " all the various glorious (srimat) or magnificent (vibhutimat) beings which exist in the world have been created out of a part of Me " (10. 41);. "keep your mind fixed on Me and become My devotee " (9. 34) ;" in that way, you will come to be merged, in Me. I am telling you this confidently, because you are dear to Me" (18. 65); and after having satisfied Arjuna by showing him His Cosmic Form that all the moveable and the immoveable Cosmos was actually contained in His perceptible form, He has ultimately advised Arjuna, that, as it was easier to worship the perceptible form than to worship the imper- ceptible form, he should put faith in Him, and that He was the fundamental repository of the Brahman, of perennial Release, of eternal Religion and of beatific happiness . Therefore, one may safely, say that the Gita from beginning to end describes only the perceptible form of the Blessed Lord.