Gita Rahasya -Tilak 486

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

CHAPTER XIV THE CONTINUITY OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE GITA I have used the word 'pauranika’ (i. e., "in the fashion of the Puranas" — Trans.) with reference to the catechismal exposition, in order to clearly show the difference between that method of exposition and the scientific method. It would have been absolutely impossible to go into a thorough discussion of all the various- matters which are included in a comprehensive word like- ' dharma ' (Morality) in such a Catechismal or ' pauranika ' exposition extending over only 700 stanzas. Yet, it is a matter of great surprise that all the various subjects, which arise in the Gita, have been crammed together,, without mutual conflict, in that way in the Gita though succinctly; and this proves the wonderful skill of the author of the Gita, and explains the propriety of the statement made in the beginning of the Anugita, that the advice given in the Gita was given with an 'extremely Yogic (yoga-yukta) frame of mind'. There was no reason to explain once more in detail those matters which were already known to Arjuna. "His chief difficulty was whether or not he should commit such a terrible act like warfare, and if so, how; and when Sri Krsna advanced any particular logical argument in His reply, Arjuna would raise objections to it. The exposition made in the Gita in the form of this catechism is naturally very succinct or short in some places, whereas there have been repetitions in other places. For instance, the description of the developing-out of three-constituented Matter has appeared with slight differences in two places ; whereas, although the description of the Sthitaprajna, the Bhagavad-bhakta, the Trigunatita, and the Brahma-bhuta is one and the same, yet, the same has been repeated on different occasions from different points of view. On the other hand, the doctrine that 'artha' (wealth) and 'kuma' (desire), are proper when not inconsistent with dharma (Morality), has been enunciated in the single sentence " ' dharmaviruddhah kamo'smi" (7. 11), (i. e., "I am that kama (Desire), which is not contrary to dharma (Morality)" — Trans). In consequence, although all these various subjects have appeared in the Gita, yet, the readers of the Gita get confused as a result of their not being acquainted with the traditions of the ancient doctrines of the religion of the Srutis, the religion of the Smrtis, the Bhagavata religion, the Samkhya philosophy, the Purva-Mimamsa, the ' Vedanta Philosophy, the Theory of Causality (karmacvipaka) etc.. on the authority of which the Knowledge in the Gita has been expounded ; and as they do not really understand the method of exposition, they think that the Gita, is something unintelligible ; or that it must have been expounded before the scientific method of expounding things had come into vogue, and that there are, on that account, to be found inconsistencies or an incomplete exposition in various places in the Gita ; or that at any rate, the Knowledge expound ed in it is inaccessible to their intelligence.