Gita Rahasya -Tilak 55

Karma Yoga Sastra -Tilak

CHAPTER III THE SCIENCE OF RGHT ACTION (KARMA-YOGA-SASTRA) i.e., " Actions performed for the purpose of the yajna, do not create bondage ; all other Actions have a binding force " is only a repetition of the opinion of the Mimamsa school. Besides this sacrificial ritual, (being the Actions prescribed by the Vedas and the Srutis), there are other Actions, necessary from the point of view of religion, which have been prescribed by the Manu-Smrti and other religious treatises, having regard to the division of society into the four castes. For instance, fighting has been prescribed for the warrior (ksatriya), trade for the merchant (vaisya) etc. ; and, as these have been for the first time systematically prescribed in the Smrti writings, they are referred to as 'Smarta' (prescribed by the Smrtis) Actions or yajnas. There are besides these Actions prescribed by the Srutis and the Smrtis, other religious Actions, e.g., fasting, austerities etc., which have for the first time been described in detail in the Puranas and these may, therefore, be described as ' pauranika, karma ( Actions ). All these Actions are again sub-divided into- everyday (nitya), occasional (naimittika), and for-a-particular- purpose (kamya) Actions. Such Actions as must be performed every day, such as bathing and offering prayers at twilight, are called nitya-karma. By performing these, no special purpose- (artha-siddhi) is achieved; but if they are not performed, one. incurs sin. Naimittika (occasional) Actions are such as have to be performed because some occasion necessitating them has. arisen, such as, the pacification of unauspicious stars, penances etc. If that occasion for which we perform this pacification or penance had not come into existence, there would be no necessity for performing this Action. In addition to these, there are certain other Actions which we very often perform because we desire a particular thing and for acquiring that thing, as enjoined by the Sastras. These Actions are kamya (desire-prompted) actions; e.g., sacrificial ritual for causing rain or for obtaining a son. In addition to these everyday, occasional, and desire-prompted Actions, there are other Actions such as, drinking etc. which have been pronounced to be totally objectionable by the Sastras and therefore, they are- named nisiddha (objectionable) actions. Which Actions are. everyday Actions, which occasional, which desire-prompted and which objectionable has been laid down by our religious treatises ; and if any person versed in religion is asked whether a particular act performed by a particular person is sinful or virtuous, he will consider whether that particular Action is yajnartha or purusartha or nitya or naimittika or kamya or nisiddha according to the directions of the Sastras and give his opinion accordingly.