Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Some wise men say, that action should be abandoned as being full of evil; and others, that the actions of sacrifice, gift, and penance ' Le. either the Braliman itself, or sacrifice, penance, and gift. * Cf. Sutta Nip4ta, p. 69. » The meaning of this whole passage seems to be that these three words, which designate the Brahman, have distinct uses, as specified. ‘Om,’ says Nilakaséha, is employed whether the action is done with any special desire or not. Those who study the Brahman there means ‘study the Vedas.’ ‘Tad’ is employed in case of actions without desires only. ‘Sat’ is employed, according to Sankara, in case of existence, such as the birth of a first son; * goodness,’ the reclamation of a bad man ; ‘auspicious acts,’ marriage, &c. The intelligent use of these terms as here specified is said to cure any defects in the actions, the various classes of wl.ich are mentioned before. 122 BHAGAVADGITA. should not be abandoned. As to that abandonment, O best of the descendants of Bharata! listen to my decision ; for abandonment, O bravest of men! is described (to be) threefold. The actions of sacrifice, gift, and penance should not be abandoned; they must needs be performed ; for sacrifices, gifts, and penances are means of sanctification to the wise. But even these actions, O son of Pvztha! should be performed, abandoning attachment and fruit; such is my excellent and decided opinion. The renunciation of prescribed action is not proper. Its abandonment through delusion! is described as of the quality of darkness. When a man abandons action, merely as being troublesome, through fear of bodily affliction, he does not obtain the fruit? of abandonment by making (such) passionate abandonment. When prescribed action is performed, O Arguna! abandoning attachment and fruit also, merely because it ought to be performed, that is deemed (to be) a good abandonment. He who is possessed of abandonment’, being full of goodness, and talented, and having his doubts destroyed, is not averse from unpleasant actions, is not attached to pleasant * (ones). Since no embodied (being) can abandon actions without exception’, he is said to be possessed of abandonment, who abandons the fruit of action. The threefold fruit of action, agreeable, disagreeable, and mixed, accrues after death to those who are not possessed of abandonment, but never to * Without delusion no such abandonment will occur. * Namely, final emancipation, by means of purity of heart. * I.e. who has the frame of mind necessary for a good abandonment. * Such as bathing at midday in summer, * Cf. p. 53 supra. CHAPTER Xviil, 18. 123
2* Namely, final emancipation, by means of purity of heart. * I.e. who has the frame of mind necessary for a good abandonment. * Such as bathing at midday in summer, * Cf. p. 53 supra. CHAPTER Xviil, 18. 123 renouncers '. Learn from me, O you of mighty arms ! these five causes of the completion of all actions, declared in the Sankhya system *. The substratum, the agent likewise, the various sorts of organs, and the various and distinct movements, and with these the deities, too, as the fifth, Whatever action, just or otherwise, a man performs with his body, speech, and mind, these five are its causes. That being so, the undiscerning man, who being of an unrefined understanding, sees the agent in the immaculate self, sees not (rightly) 2. He who has no feeling of egoism 4, and whose mind is not tainted, even though he kills (all) these people, kills not, is not fettered * (by the action). Knowledge, the object of knowledge, the knower—threefold is the prompting to action. The instrument, the action, the agent, thus in brief is action threefold. Knowledge and action and agent The original is sannyasf, but Sridhara is probably right in taking ut to mean one who has command of ‘abandonment.’ Sankara and Madhusfdana, however, take the word in its ordinary sense of ‘ ascetic.” What follows explains, says Sridhara, why ‘the fruit does not accrue to renouncers.’ * Sankara and Madhusfidana say this means Vedénta-sastra. Sridhara suggests also the alternative Sankhya-sdstra. Substratum =the body, in which desire, aversion, &c. are manifested ; agent= one who egoistically thinks himself the doer of actions; organs =senses of perception, action, &c.; movements=of the vital breaths in the body; deities= the deities which preside over the eye and other senses (as to this cf. Aitareya-upanishad, p. 45; Prasna, pp. 216, 217; Mundaka, p. 314; Aitareya-4ranyaka, pp. 88-270; and Max Miller's Hibbert Lectures, p. 204, note). * Cf. p. 106. * Egoism=the feeling that he is the doer of the action; taint= the feeling that the fruit of the action must accrue to him. * Cf. p. 45, and Dhammapada, stanza 294. * Knowledge, i.e. that something is a means to what is desired ; object is the means; the knower is he who has this knowledge. When these co-exist we have action. The instrument=senses, &c. 124 BHAGAVADGITA,
3* Cf. p. 45, and Dhammapada, stanza 294. * Knowledge, i.e. that something is a means to what is desired ; object is the means; the knower is he who has this knowledge. When these co-exist we have action. The instrument=senses, &c. 124 BHAGAVADGITA, are declared in the enumeration of qualities ' (to be) of three classes only, according to the difference of qualities. Hear about these also as they really are. Know that knowledge to be good, by which (a man) sees one entity, inexhaustible, and not different in all things (apparently) different? (from one another). Know that knowledge to be passionate, which is (based) on distinctions * (between different entities), which sees in all things various entities of different kinds. And that is described as dark, which clings to one created (thing) only as everything, which is devoid of reason, devoid of real principle, and insignificant *, That action is called good, which is prescribed, which is devoid of attachment, which is not done from (motives of) affection or aversion, (and which is done) by one not wishing for the fruit. That is described as passionate, which (occasions) much trouble, is performed by one who wishes for objects of desire, or one who is full of egotism *. The action is called dark, which is commenced through delusion, without regard to consequences, loss, injury, or strength*®. ‘That agent is called good, who has cast off attachment, who is free from egotistic talk, who is possessed of courage and energy, and unaffected by success or ill-success. That agent is called passionate, who is full of affections *, ? The system of Kapila. 2 Cf. p. 104. * Cf. Kashopanishad, p. 129. * Reason=argument in support; real principle=truth, view of things as they are; insignificant, i.e. in comprehensiveness. ® Le. ‘pride of learning,’ &c., Sankara; ‘egoism,’ Ramanuga. * Consequences= good or evil resulting; loss=of wealth or strength ; injury =to others ; strength =one’s own capacity. 7 Le. ‘for children,’ &c., according to Stidhara; ‘for the action,’ according to others. CHAPTER XVIII, 34. 125
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Some wise men say, that action should be abandoned as being full of evil; and others, that the actions of sacrifice, gift, and penance ' Le. either the Braliman itself, or sacrifice, penance, and gift. * Cf. Sutta Nip4ta, p. 69. » The meaning of this whole passage seems to be that these three words, which designate the Brahman, have distinct uses, as specified. ‘Om,’ says Nilakaséha, is employed whether the action is done with any special desire or not. Those who study the Brahman there means ‘study the Vedas.’ ‘Tad’ is employed in case of actions without desires only. ‘Sat’ is employed, according to Sankara, in case of existence, such as the birth of a first son; * goodness,’ the reclamation of a bad man ; ‘auspicious acts,’ marriage, &c. The intelligent use of these terms as here specified is said to cure any defects in the actions, the various classes of wl.ich are mentioned before. 122 BHAGAVADGITA. should not be abandoned. As to that abandonment, O best of the descendants of Bharata! listen to my decision ; for abandonment, O bravest of men! is described (to be) threefold. The actions of sacrifice, gift, and penance should not be abandoned; they must needs be performed ; for sacrifices, gifts, and penances are means of sanctification to the wise. But even these actions, O son of Pvztha! should be performed, abandoning attachment and fruit; such is my excellent and decided opinion. The renunciation of prescribed action is not proper. Its abandonment through delusion! is described as of the quality of darkness. When a man abandons action, merely as being troublesome, through fear of bodily affliction, he does not obtain the fruit? of abandonment by making (such) passionate abandonment. When prescribed action is performed, O Arguna! abandoning attachment and fruit also, merely because it ought to be performed, that is deemed (to be) a good abandonment. He who is possessed of abandonment’, being full of goodness, and talented, and having his doubts destroyed, is not averse from unpleasant actions, is not attached to pleasant * (ones). Since no embodied (being) can abandon actions without exception’, he is said to be possessed of abandonment, who abandons the fruit of action. The threefold fruit of action, agreeable, disagreeable, and mixed, accrues after death to those who are not possessed of abandonment, but never to * Without delusion no such abandonment will occur. * Namely, final emancipation, by means of purity of heart. * I.e. who has the frame of mind necessary for a good abandonment. * Such as bathing at midday in summer, * Cf. p. 53 supra. CHAPTER Xviil, 18. 123
2* Namely, final emancipation, by means of purity of heart. * I.e. who has the frame of mind necessary for a good abandonment. * Such as bathing at midday in summer, * Cf. p. 53 supra. CHAPTER Xviil, 18. 123 renouncers '. Learn from me, O you of mighty arms ! these five causes of the completion of all actions, declared in the Sankhya system *. The substratum, the agent likewise, the various sorts of organs, and the various and distinct movements, and with these the deities, too, as the fifth, Whatever action, just or otherwise, a man performs with his body, speech, and mind, these five are its causes. That being so, the undiscerning man, who being of an unrefined understanding, sees the agent in the immaculate self, sees not (rightly) 2. He who has no feeling of egoism 4, and whose mind is not tainted, even though he kills (all) these people, kills not, is not fettered * (by the action). Knowledge, the object of knowledge, the knower—threefold is the prompting to action. The instrument, the action, the agent, thus in brief is action threefold. Knowledge and action and agent The original is sannyasf, but Sridhara is probably right in taking ut to mean one who has command of ‘abandonment.’ Sankara and Madhusfdana, however, take the word in its ordinary sense of ‘ ascetic.” What follows explains, says Sridhara, why ‘the fruit does not accrue to renouncers.’ * Sankara and Madhusfidana say this means Vedénta-sastra. Sridhara suggests also the alternative Sankhya-sdstra. Substratum =the body, in which desire, aversion, &c. are manifested ; agent= one who egoistically thinks himself the doer of actions; organs =senses of perception, action, &c.; movements=of the vital breaths in the body; deities= the deities which preside over the eye and other senses (as to this cf. Aitareya-upanishad, p. 45; Prasna, pp. 216, 217; Mundaka, p. 314; Aitareya-4ranyaka, pp. 88-270; and Max Miller's Hibbert Lectures, p. 204, note). * Cf. p. 106. * Egoism=the feeling that he is the doer of the action; taint= the feeling that the fruit of the action must accrue to him. * Cf. p. 45, and Dhammapada, stanza 294. * Knowledge, i.e. that something is a means to what is desired ; object is the means; the knower is he who has this knowledge. When these co-exist we have action. The instrument=senses, &c. 124 BHAGAVADGITA,
3* Cf. p. 45, and Dhammapada, stanza 294. * Knowledge, i.e. that something is a means to what is desired ; object is the means; the knower is he who has this knowledge. When these co-exist we have action. The instrument=senses, &c. 124 BHAGAVADGITA, are declared in the enumeration of qualities ' (to be) of three classes only, according to the difference of qualities. Hear about these also as they really are. Know that knowledge to be good, by which (a man) sees one entity, inexhaustible, and not different in all things (apparently) different? (from one another). Know that knowledge to be passionate, which is (based) on distinctions * (between different entities), which sees in all things various entities of different kinds. And that is described as dark, which clings to one created (thing) only as everything, which is devoid of reason, devoid of real principle, and insignificant *, That action is called good, which is prescribed, which is devoid of attachment, which is not done from (motives of) affection or aversion, (and which is done) by one not wishing for the fruit. That is described as passionate, which (occasions) much trouble, is performed by one who wishes for objects of desire, or one who is full of egotism *. The action is called dark, which is commenced through delusion, without regard to consequences, loss, injury, or strength*®. ‘That agent is called good, who has cast off attachment, who is free from egotistic talk, who is possessed of courage and energy, and unaffected by success or ill-success. That agent is called passionate, who is full of affections *, ? The system of Kapila. 2 Cf. p. 104. * Cf. Kashopanishad, p. 129. * Reason=argument in support; real principle=truth, view of things as they are; insignificant, i.e. in comprehensiveness. ® Le. ‘pride of learning,’ &c., Sankara; ‘egoism,’ Ramanuga. * Consequences= good or evil resulting; loss=of wealth or strength ; injury =to others ; strength =one’s own capacity. 7 Le. ‘for children,’ &c., according to Stidhara; ‘for the action,’ according to others. CHAPTER XVIII, 34. 125
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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