Gita Rahasya -Tilak
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CHAPTER XI
RENUNCITATION AND KARMA-YOGA
I have in this chapter, later on, considered in detail, what these reasons are. For the moment, I will only say that the doctrine of the Gita was expounded for the sole purpose of explaining these reasons to Arjuna, who was desirous of becoming an ascetic ; and one cannot draw the inference that the Gita supports the Path of Renunciation, by arguing that after the purification of the Mind, performance of Action is not necessary for obtaining Release. It is true that the followers of Samkaracarya hold that after the acquisition of Knowledge, one must renounce the world and give up Action ; but on that account it does not follow, that the same is the teaching of the Gita, or that one has to interpret the Gita in a manner consistent with the doctrines laid down by Samkaracarya or some other doctrinaire, after first taking it for granted that the doctrine expounded by Samkaracarya or such other doctrinaire, is the only true doctrine. It has been definitely laid down in the Gita that even after the acquisition of of Knowledge, it is better to perform Action than to renounce the world ; then you may call it a different school of thought or give it some other name. Still, it must be borne in mind that, although according to the Gita, Energism (Karma-Yoga) is in this way stated to be superior, the Gita does not maintain like other schools, which cannot endure a different philosophy, that the Path of Renunciation is altogether objectionable; and nowhere in the Gita has any disrespect being shown for that path. On the other hand, the Blessed Lord has clearly stated that both the Path of Renunciation and the Path of Energism or Action (Karma- Yoga) equally lead to Release, that is to say, that they are both of the same value from the point of view of Release; and later on, the Blessed Lord has stated that "ekam samkhyam ca yogam ca yah pasyati sa pasyati" [1], i. e., "that man who has realised that both these paths are of equal value, has realised the true principle", as also that even in the 'Karma- Yoga,' one has to make a 'Renunciation ' of the hope for the fruit of Action — "na hy asamnyasta samkalpo yogi bhavati kas ca na" [2], (i. e., "unless a man performs a samnyasa (tyaga) of the samkalpa, that is, of the hope of reward, born of a desireful mind, he does not become a (Karma-) Yogin" — Trans.) and He has in this way skilfully harmonised as far as possible these two paths. But, though from the point of view of Release, the two paths of either abandoning Karma or continuing to perform Karma after acquiring Knowledge (and not before) may be of the same value, yet, from the point of view of worldly affairs, the most superior mode of life is to keep the Renunciation in the Mind itself, and to go on performing lifelong the Action which is beneficial to the world, through the medium of the bodily organs; because, the Blessed Lord has definitely said that in such a mode of life, both Renunciation and Action find a place ; and Arjuna has, according to this advice, become ready to fight. |
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