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Chapter 3
When a striver, having resolved to realize God, starts performing his duty scrupulously, he does not deviate from the performance of his duty, even in the face of adversity. He faces that adversity happily, taking it to be a penance.
When a striver, assumes the body as 'I' and 'mine', it submits to attachment and aversion. While coming under the sway of attachment and aversion, a man strays away from his duty. Had the body been 'I' (the self), it would have remained with the self, or the self would have been destroyed with the destruction of a body. But it is not so. Similarly, if the body had been mine, nothing would have remained to be acquired, after acquiring it. But, the desire to acquire more, continues. It means that the real thing has not yet been acquired, and the acquired things, such as the body etc., are not mine. How can the body be mine, when I have neither brought it with me, nor can carry it with me, nor can change it as I desire? Thus, every striver knows that a body is neither 'he' nor 'his'. But the strivers do not attach importance to this knowledge, so they cannot get rid of attachment and aversion. If a striver sometimes, happens to feel a body as 'I' and 'mine', he should instead of attaching importance to this feeling, give importance to his knowledge. By this, he realizes the self, and then he gets rid of attachment and aversion. Being free from attachment, the knowledge, of what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, is naturally revealed in his mind and accordingly actions are performed.
Paradharmo bhayavahah:—Though the performance of duty of another, appears easy, yet it is fraught with fear i.e., its consequence is disastrous. Having discarded, selfish motive, if a man performs his duty for the good of others, there is no fear for him, from any quarters.
Question:—Having described the duties, of Brahmans (priest class), Ksatriyas (warrior class), Vaisyas (trader class) and Sudras (labour class) in the forty-second, forty-third and forty-fourth verses respectively, the Lord, in the first half of the forty-seventh verse declared, "Better, is one's own duty destitute of merit, than the duty of another well performed." According to the present verse, the duty of another is said to be fraught with fear. Therefore, the duty of a Brahmana should be disastrous for others, such as the Ksatriya etc. But scriptures advise all people to inculcate the inborn qualities of a Brahmana in their lives. Why?
Answer:—Controlling of the mind and senses etc., (Gita 13/7—11; 16/1—3) are common duties, which should be performed by everyone. These are natural duties for a Brahman, so he can perform these easily, while members of other castes, may not perform these so easily. Common duties are also a part and parcel of natural duties. Besides the common duties, when a man performs duties born of his nature, he does not incur sin, though it may appear that he incurs sin. For example, if a Ksatriya fights valiantly without selfishness and malice, by regarding it as his duty he incurs no sin.
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