Srimad Bhagavadgita-Rahasya OR Karma-Yoga-Sastra -Bal Gangadhar Tilak
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CHAPTER XII
THE STATE AND THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SIDDHA (PERFECT)
It is not necessary to explain principles of Ethics in detail to that man, whose mind has become equable towards all created things, like that of a Karma-yogin Sthitaprajna or a Jivanmukta, and all whose selfish interests have been merged in the interests of others. He may be said to have become self-enlightened or a 'buddha'. As Arjuna had reached that stage, it was not necessary to give him any advice beyond, stating: "make your mind equable and steady, and instead of falling in the futile mistake of giving up Action, make your mind similar to that of the Sthitaprajna, and perform all. Action which has befallen you according to your status in life." Yet, as this Yoga in the shape of equability of mind,, cannot, as has been stated above, be attained by everyone in- one life, the life of a Sthitaprajna must be a little more minutely examined and explained for the benefit of ordinary people. But, in making this disquisition, one must also bear in mind that the Sthitaprajna, whom we are going to consider, is not a man living in a society which has reached the perfect state of the Krta-yuga, but is one who has to live in a society in this Kali-yuga, in which almost all people are steeped in. their own selfish interests. Because, however great and. complete the Knowledge of a man may be, and whatever the state of equability of Mind which he has reached, it will not. do if he adopts the practice of harmlessness, kindness, peacefulness, forgiveness etc., which are permanent virtues of the highest order, in dealing with persons whose minds are impure, and who are caught within the toils of Desire, Anger etc.[1] It need not be said that the rules of Right and Wrong, applicable to a society in which the majority is of avaricious persons, must be at least somewhat. different from the rules of Right and Wrong and of Absolute- Ethics applicable to a society in which every person is a. Sthitaprajna ; otherwise, saints will have to leave this world, and evil-doers will he the rulers everywhere. This does not mean that saints must give up their equable frame of mind ; but there are kinds and kinds of equability of mind. It is stated in the Gita that the hearts of saints are equal towards "brahmane gavi hastini" [2], i. a, "Brahmins, cows, and elephants". But if, on that account, some one feeds a Brahmin with the grass which has been brought for the cow or feeds the cow with the food which has been cooked for the Brahmin, shall we call him a wise man ? If persons following the School of Renunciation do not attach any importance to- this question, the same cannot be done by people who follow the Karma-Yoga. |
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References And Context
- ↑ " In the second place, ideal conduct such as ethical theory is concerned with, is not possible for the ideal man in the midst of men otherwise constituted. An absolutely just or perfectly sympathetic person could not live and act according to his nature in a tribe of cannibals. Among people who are treacherous and utterly without scruple, entire truthfulness and openness must bring ruin ". Spencer's Data of Ethics, Chap. XV, p. 280. Spencer has called this ' Relative Ethics '; and he says that : " On the evolution-hypothesis, the two (Absolute and Relative Ethics) presuppose one another ; and only when they co-exist, can there exist that ideal conduct which Absolute Ethics has to formulate, and which Relative Ethics has to take as the standard by which to estimate divergencies from right, or degrees of wrong".
- ↑ Gi. 5. 18