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Chapter 4
Link:'—In the sixteenth verse of this chapter the Lord promised to explain the truth about actions. Having described it in detail now He concludes the topic.
evam bahuvidha yajna vitata brahmano mukhe
karmajanviddhi tansarvanevam jnatva vimokayase
Thus, many forms of sacrifice have been described in detail in the Vedas. Know them all as born of action and having (kown these as such thou shalt be liberated from the bondage of action. 32
Comment:-
Evam bahuvidha yajna vitata brabmano mukhep:—Besides, me twelve forms of sacrifice, which have been described, from the twenty-fourth verse to the thirtieth verse, there are many other forms of sacrifice, which have been explained in detail, in the Vedas. The reason is, that according to their inclination, nature and faith, strivers, follow different spiritual disciplines. In the Vedas, there is description of self-centred rituals which people perform, in order to reap their perishable fruit. So, they go to heaven and enjoy divine pleasures of the gods, there. But, having enjoyed them, when fruits of their virtuous deeds are exhausted, they return to the world of mortals, and these follow, the cycle of birth and death (Gita 9/21). Self-centred rituals, are not enunciated here. But, here is an outline of selfless sacrifice, by performing which a striver attains to the Etemal Absolute (Gila 4/31).
In the Vedas, there is not only the description of the means of enjoying heavenly pleasures, but there is also reference to spiritual practice, such as hearing of Vedic texts, cognition (reflection on what is heard), constant musing (constant and profound meditation), restraint of breath and trance (super conscious state), as the means of God-realization. These have been mentioned here, in this verse.
In the fourteenth and the fifteenth verses of the third chapter, the Lord declares, "Sacrifice is born of the Veda, and the omnipresent God, ever abides in sacrifice we should resort to such sacrifice, only for God-realization."
Karmajanviddhi tansarvanp:—The expression,ptansarvan (the alp has been used, for all the twelve sacrifices, described from the twenty-fourth to the thirtieth verse here, as well as, different forms of sacrifice described in the Vedas. The expression 'Karmajanviddhi (born of action) means, that all forms of sacrifice are born of actions. Activities undertaken with the body, words uttered with the mouth and thoughts of the mind, are all included,, in actions. The Lord declares, "Whatever action a man performs, that is undertaken by the body, speech or mind" (Gita 18/15).
Arjuna, wants to attain salvation, but he wants to renounce his duty of fighting, by regarding it, as a sin. Therefore, the Lord by using the expression 'Karmajanviddhi, , explains to him, that whatever spiritual practice he will do by renouncing war, will also be, the performance of action. The Lord declares, that it is not action, but total renunciation of affinity for actions, which leads to salvation. Therefore, he should perform his duty of fighting, remaining detached from actions, in order to attain salvation, because it is not actions but it is attachment to them, which binds him (Gita 6/4). It is also easy for him to perform the duty of fighting, because it is his natural or innate duty (specific duty).
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