Gita Rahasya -Tilak 442

Srimad Bhagavadgita-Rahasya OR Karma-Yoga-Sastra -Bal Gangadhar Tilak

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CHAPTER XIII
THE PATH OF DEVOTION
(BHAKTI-MARGA)

sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja I
aham tva sarvapapebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah. II[1] [2]

I have so far dealt, from the Metaphysical point of view, with the question of how the Desireless Realisation of the identity of the Atman in all created beings, which is instilled into the body, is the foundation of the Karma- Yoga and of Release ; and of how this pure Reason is acquired by Realising the identity of the Atman and the Brahman ; and why every one must, so long as life lasts, perform the duties, which have befallen him according to his status in life, with his pure Reason. But, the subject-matter preached in the Bhagavadgita is not thereby exhausted ; because, although there is no doubt that the Realisation of the identity of the Brahman and the Atman is the only true Reality and the ideal, and that " there is nothing in the world which is equally holy " [3], yet, in as much as the consideration of that subject-matter, which has been made so far, as also the path or manner of acquiring that Equability of Reason, is wholly dependent on the Reason itself, ordinary persons feel a doubt as to how one can acquire that keenness of Intelligence by which that path or manner can be fully realised, and whether if somebody's Reason is not so keen, that man must be considered as lost ; and such a doubt is certainly not ill-founded.

They say : if even the greatest of Jnanins have to say ' neti, neti ' ( i. e., 'It is not this. It is not that'— Trans.) in describing that your immortal highest Brahman (Parabrahman), which is clothed in the perishable Name-d and Form-ed Maya, how are ordinary persons like us to under stand it ? Therefore, why should any one be found fault with if he asks to be shown some easy path or manner, by following which this deep knowledge of the Brahman can come within the periphery of his limited receptiveness ? It is stated in the Gita and in the Kathopanisad that though there are many who; being struck by astonishment, describe their experience of the Atman (that is, of the Brahman), and though there are others who listen to that description, yet, no one understands that Atman [4] ; and there is even a very instructive story about this in one place in the Sruti texts.


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References And Context

  1. " Give up all kinds of religions (dharma), that is, means of attaining the Paramesvara, and surrender yourself to Me alone. I shall redeem you from all sins, do not be afraid". See the explanation of the meaning of this stanza at the end of this chapter.
  2. Gi. 18.66
  3. Gi. 4. 38
  4. Gi. 2. 29 ; Katha. 2. 7

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