Gita Rahasya -Tilak
|
CHAPTER III
THE SCIENCE OF RGHT ACTION
(KARMA-YOGA-SASTRA) i. e., "Oh, Satyavikrama 1 that is dharma (duty) in which there is no contradiction ; Oh, King !, if there is such a contradiction,, then come to a decision as to the relative worth of the act and the opposition, and follow that path of duty in which, there is no opposition-". But one cannot, on that account only, say that the true test of determining the proper conduct on a doubtful occasion is to discriminate between the duty and the non-duty. Because, as we often see in ordinary life, different learned people discriminate in different ways. j,o their own lights, and arrive at several different decisions as regards the morality of a particular act ; and this is what is meant by the words, "tarko 'pratisthah " in the quotation above We must, therefore, now see whether or not there are any other means for arriving at a correct solution of these doubtful points about the duty and the non-duty ; and if so what those means are ; and if there are more than one ways,, then which is the best way of all. This is what science has to determine for us. The true characteristic feature of a science has to determine for us. The true characteristic feature of a science is : " anehasamsayocchedi paroksarthasya darsakam ", i. e., " it must remove confusion regarding matters which the mind cannot at first grasp on account of numerous doubts which spring up, and make their meaning free from doubt and easy,, and, even give a proper insight into matters which the mind cannot. be actually before the eyes or which may be matters of the future " ; and the fact that by learning astronomy, one can. predict the occurrence and the time of future eclipses justifies. the words "paroksarthasya darsakam" used in the latter part of the above definition. But in order that all these various, difficulties should be solved, one has first to see what these, difficulties are. And, therefore, ancient as also modern writers, before dealing with the subject-matter to ba proved by a science' first enumerate all the other existing aspects of the same- 'subject-matter, and show the faults or insufficiency in them. Following this method, I shall, before mentioning the YOGA or devioe established or preached in the Gits for determining the doability or non-doability. of any . particular Action, first consider the more well-known of the other devioes which are prescribed by philosophers for the same purpose. ■ It is true that thea&'other devices were not very much in vogue in India but were promulgated principally by Western philosophers. But it cannot, on that account, be said that I shquld not ^consider them in this book ; because, it is necessary to be acquainted- with these other devices, if even to a small extent, not only for the purpose of comparison, but also in order to understand the true importance of the Metaphysical ( adkyat- mika) Karma- Yoga expounded in the Glta.
avirodhat tu yo dliarmah sa dharmah satyavikrama I virodhisu mahlpala itiscitya gurulaghawm I na iadha vidyate yatra tarn dharrmni samupaearet II |
|