Essays on the Gita, First Series (Arya Publishing House, 1922)

The T'eacHS first makes a distinction between the two means of salvation on which in this world men can concentrate separately, the Yoga of know- ledge, the Yc^^jwork^ the one_ i^lyS^T it is usually supposed, reniTnciation of wrks_as,^j^ WORKS AND SACRIFICE obs tacle to salvation, the ot her accept i ng works as a m eans (?^ vatibh. He does not yet insist strongly on any fusioh~of Ihem, on any reconciliation of the thought that divides them, but begins by showing that the renunciation of the Sankhyas, the physical renunciation, Sannyasa, is neither the only way,, nor at all the better way. Naishkarmya^ a calm voidness from works, is no doubt that to which the soul, the Purusha has to attain ; for it is Prakriti which d oes t he work and the ^gul ha.l tOL^me involution ^njhe^activitks QL_tb^ and attain 2to a Tree^ serenity and poise watching over the operations of Prakriti, but not affected by them. That, and not cessation of the works of Prakriti, is what is really meant by the soul's naishkarmya. Therefore it is an error to think that by not engaging in any kind of action this actionless state af the soul can be attained and enjoyed. r^unciatign. of works is not a sufficient, not even quite -proper . means salvation. “Sot by gib«tention from works does a man enjoy actionless- ness, nor by mere renunciation (of works) does he attain to his perfection." — to siddhi, the accomplish- ment of the aims of his self-discipline by Yoga. But at least it must be one necessary means, indispensable, imperative? For how, if the works 3f Prakriti continue, can the soul help being involved in them? How can I fight and yet in my ioul not think or feel that I the individual am Sghting, not desire victory nor be inwardly touched rf defeat? This is the teaching of the Sankhyas 3that the intelligence of the man who engages in the activities of Nature, is entangled in. £goism, ignora nce an d desir e and therSore ffiawn to action ; on the contrary, if the intelligence draws back, then the action must cease with the cessation of- the desire and the ignorance. Therefore the giving up of life and works is a necessary part, an inevitable circumstance and an indispensable last means of the movement to liberation. This objection of a current logic — it is not expressed by Arjuna, but it is in his mind as the turn of his subsequent utterances shows, — the Teacher immediately