Gita Rahasya -Tilak
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CHAPTER X
THE EFFECT OF KARMA AND FREEDOM OF WILL
that is "arambha (industry), havi (corn etc), service, and prayer- are the four Yajnas, which are proper for the Ksatriyas, the- Vaisyas, the Sudras, and the Brahmins respectively. In short,, as Brahmadeva has created all the human beings in the world and with great propriety prescribed for them their various duties (Karma) in life [1], all the Kansas enjoined by the Sastras for the four classes, are Yajnas in a way; and if all these Yajnas or Sastra-enjoined Karma, or trades, or duties are not kept going by everybody according to his own status, the entire community will suffer, and will ultimately run the risk of being destroyed. It, therefore, follows that Yajnas, in this comprehensive meaning, are always necessary for public benefit. Here a question arises as follows: — as this course of life, in which predominance is given to Yajnas, and which is proper for the householder according to the Vedas and according to the arrangement of the four castes made by the Smrtis, is nothing but the performance of Karma, will a man, who performs this household Karma properly in the manner prescribed by the Sastras, that is, morally, and according to Sastric injunction, thereby escape the cycle of birth and death? And if he escapes that cycle, then where is the importance of Jnana? The Jnana-kanda and the Upanisads clearly say that unless a man realises the identity of the Brahman and the Atman, and acquires apathy towards Karma, he will not escape the cycle of birth and death, or from the Name-d and Form-ed Maya or Illusion; and if one considers the religion laid down by the Srutis and the Smrtis, it will be seen that Karma predominates the life of everybody, which (life) is nothing but a Yajna in its comprehensive meaning. Besides, it is clearly stated in the Vedas themselves, that no Karma performed for the sake of Yajna, creates bondage, and that heaven is attained only by the performance of Yajnas. Even if the question of heaven is kept aside, Brahmadeva himself has laid down the rule that rain does not fall unless India and other deities are kept satisfied, and the deities are not satisfied except by the performance of a Yajna. Then, what escape is there for anybody, unless he performs Yajnas or Karma ? The chain of creation has been described by Manu, and in the Mahabharata, the Upanisads, and even in thd Gita as follows:- agnau prastahutih samyag adityam upatisthate l adityaj jayate vrstir vrster annam tatah prajah II that is, "when the material sacrified in the Yajna reaches the Sun through the medium of the fire, the Sun causes rain, rain causes food, and the food causes living beings" [2]. And if these Yajnas are to be performed by Karma, how will it do to give up Karma?
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