Contents
Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya
Chapter-2 Sankhya Yogaḥ
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CommentaryThe unreal' refers to the physical body which can never be eternal. 'The real' refers to the Self (jīva), which can never cease to exist. The final conclusion about these;— the body and the jīva, which we perceive, has been correctly realised by the seers of the Truth. The analysis has reached a definitive conclusion, therefore the term 'conclusion' (anta) is used here. The gist is this: — non-existence (ie., perishableness) is the real nature of the body which is in itself insentient matter. Existence (ie., imperishableness) is the real nature of the sentient jīva. Non-existence has, indeed, the character of destructibility, and what is Existent (Real) has the character of indestructibility, as Bhagavan Parāśara has said: — 'O Brahmin, apart from consciousness nothing else exists anywhere and at any time. Thus have I taught you what is real existence— how consciousness is real, and all else is unreal' [1]. 'The Supreme Reality is considered as imperishable by the wise. There is no doubt that what can be obtained from a perishable substance is also perishable. 'That entity which is never changed or modified by a change in time etc., is real! What is that entity, O King? (It is the jīvātman who retains its knowledge)' [2]. It is seen from the foregoing that this (i.e., perishableness of the body and imperishableness of the jīva) is the reason for designating the jīva as 'existence' (Sattva) and the body as 'non-existence' (asattva). This verse has no bearing on the doctrine of satkaryavada[3] as such a theory has no relevance here. |
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References and Context
- ↑ (V.P. 2.12 vs. 43-45)
- ↑ (V.P. 2.13.100)
- ↑ Sat-karya-vada is the doctrine common to some schools of Vedanta which holds that something cannot come out ofnothing (ex nihilo), therefore the effects are latently present in the cause. Although Rāmānuja holds with this doctrinein general, he states that there is no reference to it in this verse.