Contents
Srimad Bhagavad Gita -Ramanujacharya
Chapter-3 Karma Yogaḥ
Communion through Action
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'Likewise, the ātman, rising up from the body, reaches the Supreme Light and manifests itself in its own true nature' [1]. There are also other examples — in the passage beginning with — 'The enlightened one leaves behind joy and sorrow after realising Brahman by the knowledge of the Self achieved through Yogic meditation' [2]. The knowledge of the ātman is declared as essential by the words "By cognition brought about by Yogic meditation" — because it is a preliminary stage to the knowledge of the Supreme Brahman enjoined in the words — "After knowing Brahman." The essential nature of the ātman is then inquired into in such texts as:— 'The Self is not born, nor does it die' [3] . Then beginning with the passage;— 'He is more subtle than the most subtle'[4], — the nature of the Supreme Self, meditation upon Him and the nature of mind practice through Bhakti are all elucidated by means of such texts as;— 'The wise one, after knowing Him to be the Self, who is great and omnipresent, does not grieve" [5] and 'This Self cannot be obtained through Vedic teaching, nor by meditation, nor by much hearing [of teachings]; whomsoever this Self chooses, by him alone is it reached. To him this Self reveals its own form' [6] The whole lesson is concluded with a verse that mentions the fruits of the realisation of the Supreme Brahman:— 'But the person who has discriminative understanding for his charioteer, and the mind for his reins, he reaches the destination of his journey and that is the highest abode of Vishnu." [7] The Self-realisation which is the preparation and the means of attaining Bhakti (Devotion) are explained in the next four chapters. |
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