Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya 417

Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya

Chapter-13 Prakṛti-Puruṣa-vivek Yogaḥ

jñeyaṃ yattat pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvāmṛtam aśnute | anādi mat-paraṃ brahma na sattannāsad ucyate || 13 || 13. I shall declare that which has to be known, knowing which, one attains immortality — It is beginningless Brahman, to which I am superior; it is said to be neither being nor non-being. Commentary “I shall now teach about the nature of the individual Self (Brahman) which is the object to be known, namely, that which is to be gained through the cultivation of the virtues like humility etc., — that, by knowing which, one attains one’s original state which is immortal, birthless, free from old age, death and such other material conditions.” Anādi — means that which has no beginning. Indeed, there is no origination for this individual Self (Brahman) and therefore no end either. The Veda also declares: 'The intelligent Self is not born, nor dies' . Matpara — means having Me as Superior. Verily, it has been said earlier:— ‘Know that My Superior Nature is different. It is the life-principle [Jīva-bhuta], by which this universe is sustained.’ . By virtue of being pervaded by the Lord, the individual Self naturally finds joy in being completely dependant upon Him. The term ‘Brahman’ means that which has the capacity for infinite expansion. It is different from the body and not conditioned by it, in other words it is the [subjective] principle which perceives the [objective] Kṣetra. The embodied state is brought about by Karma, and the ātman can again assume its infinite nature only when it is freed from the bonds of Karma. The term Brahman is also used as a synonym to designate the individual Self in Gita 14.26 & 27 Gita 18.54.