Gyaneshwari -Sant Gyaneshwar
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Chapter-13
The field and the knower of the field
When the mind loses its essential nature, the activities of the senses come to a stop, like a puppet without the person who pulls its strings. If the water of a stream dries up at its very source, how can it be in its flow? How can the body move after the life has left it? In the same way, O Arjuna, all the activities of the senses originate from the mind, which acts through them. So whatever desire is held by the mind expresses itself as the activity of the senses. For this reason, if the mind is imbued with non-violence, it is conveyed to the senses, as the smell of a ripe fruit spreads out in all directions (301-305). Borrowing the capital of non-violence from the mind the sense organs deal in it. Just as the sea in tide floods the creeks, so the mind makes over its wealth of non-violence, to the sense organs. In short, as the teacher holding the hand of his pupil, makes him write the letters, so the mind transmits its kindness to the senses and makes them follow non-violence. In this way, O Arjuna, the mind directs the activities of the senses (306-310). Thus, whoever has renounced violence physically, mentally as well as in speech, know that he is the very temple of knowledge. Why say more? He is knowledge in flesh and blood. If anyone wishes to see with his own eyes non-violence about which we have heard so much or which we have discussed on the authority of scripture, he should see this person.(Jnanadeva says) I should have told you in one sentence what the Lord said. Pray forgive me for dilating upon it. You might think that as the animal while grazing forgets to go back or a bird flies in the sky along with the wind (311-315), so my intellect was carried away by the warmth of love (for the subject), resulting in the detailed description of the literary sentiments (rasas) and that I could not control myself. But, such is not the case; there is a sound reason for this expansion. Otherwise the word ahimsa is made up of only three letters and its theory can be expressed only in a few words. But one will get a clear idea of non-violence only on refutation of mistaken views about it. You would not have liked it, if I had presented my view without refuting such mistaken notions of non-violence. Only blackstones (Shaligrama) will be sold in the town of jewelers, so one should untie the bundle of such stones and not try to sell crystals there by praising them (316-320). |
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