|
Chapter 7
Here a point needs special attention that God endowed with attributes and form is in fact only attributeless because He is free from the modes of Sattva, Raja and Tama but He possesses virtues such as glory, sweetness, beauty and generosity etc. Therefore the devotion to God Who is endowed with attributes and form, is also called `Nirguna' (free from the modes of goodness etc.,) as 'mannistham nirgunam smrtam', `manniketavt to nirgunam', `nirguno madapAsrayah', `rnatsevayam m nirguna' (Srimadbha. 11/25/24—27).
Question:—When all is God, why are Sattvika-Rajasa-Tamasa _`bhavas' (modes) to be renounced?
Answer:—As in the earth there is water everywhere but that is available in the well, similarly God exists everywhere but the place where He attained is `Yajna' (performance of duty selflessly)—`tasmatsarvagatam brahma nityaM yajne pratisthitam' (Gita 3/15). But Sattvika-Rajasa-Tamasa bhavas (entities) are not places where God is available viz., by them God is not attained (Gita 7/13). Therefore they are not useful for a striver. So the Lord has declared—Neither I am in those modes nor are they in Me.'
As in the field of millet, only millet is substantial, stalks and leaves are not substantial. The aim of the farmer is only to get millet. In order to get millet, he waters the field and manures it for nourishing the soil (field) so that he may get the millet of a good quality. Similarly a striver should aim at attaining God, not the world. In order to attain God, a striver should serve the world without any selfish motive. There is value of millet rather than of stalks and leaves, because at the beginning there is millet and in the end also millet remains. After taking out millet whatever stalks and leaves are left, they are not useful for men, but they are feeds for animals. Similarly Sattvika, Rajasa and Tamasa modes are for the deluded (unwise). These three modes bind a man (Gita 14/5). Therefore these modes in spite of being the manifestations of God are not for the self but their use with discrimination is for worldly dealings. As poison is also the manifestation of God but that is not to be taken.
As leaves and stalks also emanate from the seed of millet but there is no millet in them and in the millet there are no stalks and leaves, similarly though the Sattvika-Rajasa-Tamasa modes evolve from God, yet God is not in them and they are not in God.
|
|