Srimad Bhagavadgita-Rahasya OR Karma-Yoga-Sastra -Bal Gangadhar Tilak
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CHAPTER XI
RENUNCITATION AND KARMA-YOGA
There is a well-known treatise in the Madras Presidency known as Gurujnana-vasistha-Tattvasarayana, which is sub divided into three parts, namely, Jnana-kanda, Upasana- kanda and Karma-kanda. I have stated before that this work is not as old as it is made out to be. But, although, it might not be ancient, yet, as it accepts the position of the combina tion of Jnana and Karma, it is necessary to mention it in this place. As the Vedanta in this work is Non-Dualistic, and as it lays a speoial emphasis on Desireless Action, the doctrine supported by it may safely be said to be different from the doctrine supported by Sri Samkaracarya, and independent. This doctrine is known on the Madras side as 'Anubhava dvaita ' ; and really speaking this is only an imitation of the Karma-Yoga in the Gita. Yet, it is stated in it, that this conclusion is arrived at by all the 108 Upanisads, instead of supporting it on the authority of the Gita ; and besides, it also includes two new Gitas, namely the Rama-gita and the Surya- gita. This book will correct the impression some persons have, that accepting the Monistic (advita) theory amounts to an acceptance of the Abandonment of Action; and it will now be clear from the authorities given above, that the statement that the Desireless Karma- Yoga is supported only by the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Upanisads, the Dharma Sutras, the Manu and Yajnavalkya-Smrtis, the Mahabharata,. the Bhagavadgita, the Yoga-Vasistha, and lastly by the Tattvasarayana, but is not acceptable to the Srutis and the Smrtis, and that the Srutis and the Smrtis support only the Path of Renunciation, is without any foundation whatsoever. I have so far proved that in order to carry on the activities of the mortal world or for universal welfare, the simultaneous combination of Dasireless Action, according to one's own qualification, with Release-giving Knowledge, is necessary according to the -Gita: or as has been stated by the Maratha Poet Sivadina-kesari : "that man who has attained' the highest ideal, attending also to his worldly activities I such a man is good indeed, he is good indeed II " ; that this Path of Karma-Yoga has been in vogue from ancient times, and was accepted by Janaka and others ; and that it is also known as the Bhagavata religion, because, it was extended further and revived by the Blessed Lord. It is now necessary, from the point of view of general welfare (loka-samgraha), to deal with the question of how the scients, who follow this ' path, carry on their worldly activities simultaneously with the acquisition of the highest ideal of man. But, as the present chapter has been lengthened out to a considerable, extent, I shall deal with this subject in the nest chapter |
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