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SRI  JNANADEVA'S 
BHAVARTHA  DiPIKA 

otherwise  known  as 

JNANESHWARI 


Translated  from  Marathi 
By  Ramqha,ndra  Ke&hav  Bhagwat 


WT  *ftT  d^ft 


SAMATA  BOOKS 

MADRAS 


First  Published  1954 
Samata  Edition:  1979 


C  V.  SADANAND 

Published  For  Samata  Books  By  V,  Sadanand 

The  Personal  Bookshop,  10  Congress  Building 

573  Mount  Road.  Madras  600  006,  India 

Filmset  and  printed  by  All  India  Press,  Pondicherry 

PRINTED  IN  INDIA, 


Sri  Jnanadev 


CONTENTS 


Preface 

Foreword  by  Prof.  R.D.  Ranade 

Introduction  by  Sri  R.K..  Bhagwat 

The  Bhagwad  Gita:  Historical  Background 

and  the  Context 
Life  Sketch  of  Sri  Jnanadev 
The  Sociological  Background  of  Jnaneshwari 

by  Prof.  N.K.  Bhagwat 
Sri  R.K.  Bhagwat:  A  Memoir 


.    xxiv 
.  xxxiii 


JNANESHWARI 


Chapter  I 

Arjuna  Vi$aaa  Yoga     3^f=l<4i<i4Vl:  I 

Chapter  II 

Sankhya  Yoga     -Hi«*fl*l:  I 

Chapter  III 

Karma  Yoga     t>*T*Tl«i   i 

Chapter  IV 

Jnana  Karma  Sannyasa  Yoga 

Chapter  V 

Karma  Sannyasa  Yoga     SFzrrcFTfa':  I 

Chapter  VI 

Atma  Samyama  Yoga    wi'M^i:  I 

Chapter  VII 

Jnana  Vijnana  Yoga     dMfaiilMtfNl:  I 

Chapter  VIII 

Aksara  Brahma  Yoga     3|i»K*$U>i:  I 

Chapter  IX 

Raja  Vidyd.  Raja  Guhya  Yoga 


1 
25 
60 
84 
107 
124 
164 
183 
206 


Chapter  X 

Vibhuti  Yoga     fV^f^Th:  I 

Chapter  XI 

Visvarupa  Darsana  Yoga 

Chapter  XII 

■Bhakti  Yoga     »lftwfl*l:  I 

Chapter  XIII 

Kfetra  K^etrajna  Yoga     **$N*KfW:  I 

Chapter  XIV 

Gwjtatraya  Vibhaga  Yoga     'JwM^fa'^HWHi:  I 

Chapter  XV 

Purufottama  Yoga     H,^r\Hii\*\:  \ 

Chapter  XVI 

Daivdsura  Sampad  Vibhaga  Yoga     ^l^^fe^MWHl1:  I 

Chapter  XVII 

Sraddhatraya  Vibhaga  Yoga     *J'$"l*wfa»WWM:  I 

Chapter  XVIII 

il/o^fl  Sannyasa  Yoga     4l*KMnm>l:  1 

INDEX 


244 

272 

330 

348 

..     418 

447 

486 

519 

. .     550 
675 


PREFACE 

Sri  Jnanadev  or  Jnaneshwar,  Poet  and  Yogi,  Jnani  and  Bhakta,  was 
on  this  earth  for  about  twenty  years,  nearly  seven  hundred  years  ago. 
His  brief  life  was  a  divine  event. 

The  Bhagavad  Gita  embodies  the  essence  of  the  Vedic  Religion 
within  a  short  compass  and  in  the  most  popular  form.  That  glorious 
dialogue  between  Nara  and  Narayana,  Arjuna  and  Sri  Krishna,  is 
aptly  described  as  Jnanamaya  Pradipa — the  Light  of  Knowledge. 

Jnaneshwar  Maharaj  had,  at  a  very  young  age,  a  vision  of  that  Light 
and  he  gave  discourses  on  the  Gita,  which  came  to  be  known  as 
Bhavartha  Dipika  or  Jnaneshwari,  bringing  to  light  the  deeper  mean- 
ing and  hidden  significance  of  the  dialogue  between  the  Blessed  Lord 
and  Arjuna. 

This  very  original  Commentary,  long  confined  to  Marathi  and  a 
few  other  Indian  languages  in  translation,  was  made  available  for 
the  first  time  to  the  world  at  large  by  Sri  Ramchandra  Keshav  Bhagwat 
in  a  complete  English  translation,  published  in  two  volumes  (1952, 
1954). 


Some  years  ago  when  I  called  on  Sri  S.  Duraiswami  Aiyer  of  Sri 
Aurobindo  Ashram,  Pondicherry,  I  found  him  reading  this  book. 
He  spoke  highly  of  it  but  added,  that  being  no  longer  available,  it 
was  worth  reprinting.  I  noted  down  the  name  and  address  of  the 
translator  and  wrote  to  him  on  my  return  to  Madras.  His  son,  Sri 
Bhaskar  Ramchandra  Bhagwat,  replied  offering  his  co-operation, 
and  added  with  a  touch  of  sadness  that  his  father  had  passed  away 
in  1956.  I  left  it  at  that  until  Prof.  S.  Suryaprakash  lent  me  his  copy 
of  the  book  when  we  touched  upon  the  subject  in  our  conversation. 
I  am  now  happy  to  offer  a  new  edition  of  this  English  Jnaneshwari 
encouraged  by  the  response  to  the  new  imprint,  SAMATA  BOOKS, 
and  the  two  publications,  THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA  with  the  Com- 
mentary, of  Sri  Sankaracharya,  and  DAKSHINAMURTI  STOTRA 
of  Sri  Sankaracharya. 

I  am  grateful  to  Sri  B.  R.  Bhagwat  for  his  wholehearted  co-operar 
tion  and  for  readily  granting  the  necessary  permission  for  the  reprint 
and  helping  me  with  his  personal  copies  of  the  book.  He  also  secured 
the  illustrations  that  adorn  this  great  work. 


11  JNANESHWARI 

While  Sri  R.  K.  Bhagwat's  translation  was  originally  in  progress, 
the  "Dnyaneshwari  English  Rendering  Publishing  Association"  was 
formed  with  Prof.  N.  K.  Bhagwat  as  Chairman,  Sri  B.  R.  Patwardhan, 
Sri  W.  T.  Apte,  Sri  S.  A.  Apte  and  Sri  J.  R.  Kinikar  as  members; 
Sri  S.  R.  Gurjar  and  Sri  B.  R.  Bhagwat  as  Joint  Secretaries;  and 
Sri  G.  M.  Vaidya  and  Sri  B.  B.  Mahabal  as  advisers.  Volume  I  was 
published  on  Gita  Jayanti,  27  November  1952,  and  Volume  II  on 
Gila  Jayanti,  6  December  1954. 

The  Association  acknowledged  its  gratitude  to  Dr.  R.D.  Ranade 
for  his  Foreword;  to  Prof.  S.  V.  Pandit,  Prof.  V.  V.  Dixit  and  Sri 
V.  D.  Kulkarni  for  their  editorial  work,  to  Dr.  S.  K.  Belvalkar  for 
permission  to  use  his  English  translation  of  the  Gita  and  to  Sri 
V.  A.  Patwardhan,  Shrimant  Rajasaheb  of  Jamkhandi  and  the 
Rajasaheb  of  Miraj  (Senior),  and  others  for  their  generous  help. 

Sri  R.K.  Bhagwat,  the  translator,  explained  in  his  introduction 
how  he  first  came  to  know  of  Sri  Jnaneshwar  Maharaj  from  a  booklet 
published  in  Madras.  It  is  perhaps  more  than  a  coincidence  that 
Sri  Bhagwat's  translation  of  Jnaneshwari,  first  published  from  Pune, 
is  now  being  issued  in  a  Second  Edition  from  Madras. 


I  thank  Prof.  K.  R.  Srinivasa  Iyengar  for  his  advice  and  suggestions 
and  for  his  invaluable  scholarly  help  at  a  critical  time.  1  wish  to 
place  on  record  my  gratitude  to  the  management  and  staff  of  All 
India  Press,  Pondicherry,  for  their  fine  work.  And  I  thank  him,  who 
wishes  to  remain  unnoticed,  who  has  been  an  intimate  friend  and  a 
brother  wrr  Htfw  * :  for  all  that  he  has  done  for  me  and  continues  to 
do  despite  my  failings. 

My  thanks  are  due  to  Sri  B.  R.  Bhagwat,  for  the  photograph  of 
his  father;  to  Sri  Nana  Maharaj  Sakhare  Math,  Pune,  for  the  photo- 
graph of  the  image  by  Sri.  D.  V.  Talim,  to  Vijaya  Art  Studio,  for  the 
photograph  of  the  Samadhi  at  Alandi,  and  to  Prof  N.S.  Kullur, 
Nevase,  for  the  photographs  of  the  pillar  and  the  Jnanexhwar  Temple. 

The  title  DNYANESHWARI  of  the  earlier  edition  was  in  con- 
formity with  the  Marathi  spelling  of  the  word.  It  has  now  been 
altered  to  JNANESHWARI  conforming  to  the  original  Sanskrit 
spelling. 

An  important  feature  of  this  edition  is  the  inclusion  of  the  original 
verses  of  the  Gita  in  Devanagari.  The  earlier  numbering  of  every 
tenth  OVI  has  been  omitted.  The  number  given  in  brackets,  at  the 
end  of  the  last  line  of  the  English  translation  of  the  verses,  indicates 


the  number  of  the  OVI  with  which  the  Commentary  on  the  verse  or, 
group  of  verses,  begins. 


The  Gita  has  been  studied  traditionally  as  a  book  of  three  parts 
each  of  six  chapters.  Sri  Jnaneshwar  Maharaj  deals  with  the  Gita 
as  of  two  parts,  the  first,  Purvakhanda,  consisting  of  the  first  nine 
chapters,  and  the  second  part  Uttarakhanda,  consisting  of  the  re- 
maining nine  chapters.  This  is  novel  but  very  meaningful.  The  reader 
may  also  find  the  commentary  on  VI.  12  and  the  folloMJing  verses 
very  much  out  of  the  ordinary  and  the  yogic  Kriya  exemplified  for 
the  first  time  at  such  length. 

The  Gita  may  be  said  to  begin,  in  a  sense,  with  Arjuna's  aspiration 
and  surrender  to  Sri  Krishna  in  a  state  of  perplexity  II.  7.  The  Blessed 
Lord  imparts  to  Arjuna  the  Great  Word  of  the  Supreme  Secret 
Uttamam  Rahasyam  XVIII.56.  And  the  Gita  concludes  with  Arjuna's 
declaration  in  this  greatest  self-knowledge :  Karishye  Vachanam  Tava 
XVIII73.  I  shall  fulfil  your  Word.  May  Jnaneshwari  invoke  the 
grace  of  the  Divine  and  lead  its  readers  to  that  Realization. 

GITA  JAYANTI  Velury  Sadanand 

10  December  1978 


FORWORD 


I  have  great  pleasure  in  writing  this  foreword  to  the  translation  of 
the  Jnaneshwari  by  Diwan  Bahadur  R.  K.  Bhagwat.  The  translation 
was  shown  to  me  about  three  years  ago,  and  since  then  it  has  passed 
through  revision  and  re-writing,  especially  at  the  hands  of  my  former 
student  Prof.  S.  V.  Pandit,  M.A.,  Professor  of  Philosophy,  Elphin- 
stone  College,  Bombay,  who  has  just  retired.  I  may  state  that  the 
labour  sp«nt  upon  the  revision  of  the  book  by  Prof.  Pandit  is  very 
well  deserved.  The  Jnaneshwari  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  works,  if 
not  the  greatest,  in  the  whole  of  Marathi  literature  and  especially 
spiritual  literature.  It  may  also  be  one  of  the  greatest  spiritual  books 
in  the  world.  It  is  unfortunate  that  a  full  English  translation  of  this 
work  was  not  available  till  now.  Is  it  not  a  matter  of  great  wonder 
that  a  Retired  Deputy  Collector  like  R.  K.  Bhagwat,  who  had  spent 
his  life  in  hard  official  work  for  about  forty  years,  should  immediately 
after  his  retirement  apply  himself  to  such  a  difficult  task  as  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Jnaneshwari?  He  has  told  us  how  his  mind  was  first 
attracted  towards  the  Jnaneshwari  about  forty  years  ago,  and  later 
how  he  got  an  idea  of  translating  it  from  a  small  booklet  on  the  life 
of  Jnaneshwar  published  in  Madras.  It  is  to  the  great  credit  of 
R.  K.  Bhagwat  that  he  should  have  finished  the  work  in  such  a  short 
time  as  four  years  and  eight  months.  Any  one,  who  has  had  the 
experience  of  writing  such  a  book,  can  know  that  the  time  is  indeed 
too  short  for  the  completion  of  such  a  work.  I  give,  therefore,  hearty 
compliments  to  R.  K.  Bhagwat  for  finishing  the  work  in  such  a  short 
time.  Of  course,  putting  such  a  difficult  work  as  the  JnSneshwari  in 
a  new  garb,  especially  in  the  garb  of  a  foreign  language  would  be 
rewarded  in  course  of  time  by  happy  comments  and  suggestions 
which  may  be  offered  by  eminent  critics.  In  any  case  the  work  will 
present  to  the  English  readers  a  novel  commentary  on  the  Bhagwat- 
Gita,  which  is  altogether  different  from  the  general  run  of  commen- 
taries either  in  Sanskrit  or  in  any  other  Indian  language.  We  only 
wish  that  Diwan  Bahadur's  efforts  in  the  service  of  the  Jnaneshwari 
would  be  rewarded  by  his  getting  an  insight  into  the  teaching  of  the 
.great  Saint,  what  he  stood  for,  what  his  spiritual  ideal  was,  and  how 
it  was  to  be  accomplished.  It  is  not  only  to  the  English  speaking 
people,  wherever  they  may  be,  that  the  book  might  make  an  appeal, 
but  also  to  all  those  who  take  interest  in  English  expositions  in  the 


various  parts  of  India,  and  these  latter  may  well  compare  the  book 
to  the  great  works  on  spiritual  literature  in  their  own  language. 
Finally,  I  have  to  thank  Diwan  Bahadur  R.  K.  Bhagwat  heartily, 
not  merely  for  writing  the  book,  but  also  for  arranging  that  it  sees 
the  light  of  day.  His  patience  and  labour  are  beyond  all  praise. 


Camp  Nimbal  R.  S. 

(Dist.  Bijapur) 
9th  November,  1952 


R.  D.  Ranade 

(m.  a.,  d.  litt.) 

(Emeritus  Professor  of  Philosophy,  and 

some  time  Vice-Chancellor  of  the 

Allahabad  University.) 


INTRODUCTION 


It  is  a  matter  of  supreme  gratification  to  me  that  the  service,  I 
was  inspired  to  render  at  the  feet  of  Shrl  Jnaneshwar  Maharaj-the 
very  God  of  knowledge, — in  the  form  of  an  attempt  at  rendering 
into  English  his  unique  and  invaluable. composition,  the  Bhavartha- 
Dlpika  (the  lamp,  illuminating  the  import  of  the  Gita  Teachings), 
has,  by  his  own  grace,  reached  the  stage  of  completion.  All  homage 
to  (the  sacked  memory  of)  that  Great  Preceptor-the  greatest  of  the 
Great.  Some  of  my  friends,  who  knew  of  my  attempt  and  had  seen 
some  of  my  notes,  suggested  to  me  that  it  would  only  be  in  the  fitness 
of  things,  were  I  to  place  on  record,  how  I  got  the  inspiration  to  under- 
take this  work.  I,  therefore,  simply  carry  out  that  suggestion  in  the 
following  lines,  since  I  see  nothing  unreasonable  in  it. 

My  first  acquaintance  with  the  A.  B.  Cs.  of  Jnaneshwar! 

The  first  time  I  heard  of  Jnaneshwar!  was  about  the  year  1895  a.  d., 
when  1  was  a  student  attending  a  Secondary  School.  I  had  taken 
Marathi  as  my  second  language  and  in  connection  with  that  subject, 
we  were  coached  up  in  our  School  in  some  selections  from  JnSneshwari 
(Chapter  XII,  verses  144  onwards,  commencing  with  "One  who 
never  bears  any  hatred  for  any  living  being  etc.").  contained  in  *Na- 
vamY  (i.e.,  butter  in  the  form  of  selections  from  Marathi  poets.) 
About  ten  years  later,  I  happened  to  be  working  in  a  touring  District 
Office,  where  I  had,  as  my  brother  employee,  a  venerable  looking 
old  gentleman,  a  great  admirer  of  Jnaneshwari  (later  on  known  in 
Maharashtra  as  'Govind-suta').  He  used  to  read  regularly  every 
evening,  before  retiring  to  rest,  some  portion  of  Jnaneshwari.  I 
sometimes  used  to  be  his  hearer  at  such  readings.  This  is  how  I 
first  became  acquainted  with  Jnaneshwari  and  how  I  began  to  feci 
a  regard  for  it.  In  future  years  of  my  service-life  I  could  hardly  get 
any  leisure  to  attend  to  such  things:  yet,  off  and  on,  I  used  to  read 
some  literature  on  religious  matters. 

How  I  conceived  the  idea  of  rendering  Jnaneshwari  into  English 

•*  Messrs.  G.A.Natesan  &  Co.,  of  Madras  published  a  series  of  the 
life-sketches  of  Indian  Saints  and  other  great  souls.  While  going  over 
the  pages  of  the  life-sketch  of  ShrT  Jnaneshwar  of  this  series,  I  found 
a  reference  made  in  it  to  Jnaneshwari,  with  a  footnote  as  under  by 
the  author: 


INTRODUCTION  Vll 

"Jnaneshwari  is  not,  though  it  deserves  to  be  translated  into  English, 
so  translated,  etc.  etc." 

This  note  caught  my  imagination  and  I  wondered  as  to  why  I 
should  not  try  at  it,  if  and  when  I  found  leisure.  I  could  not,  however, 
seriously  think  about  it  while  in  active  service.  When  I  was  about  to 
retire,  the  question  arose  before  me  as  to  how  I  should  utilize  my 
leisure  after  retirement,  and  then  I  was  put  in  mind  of  my  former 
idea  of  attempting  a  translation  into  English  of  Jnaneshwari,  and  I 
began  seriously  to  think  about  it  when  I  actually  retired. 

How  I  started  the  work 

When  I  actually  collected  the  material  and  was  about  to  start 
with  the  work,  I  began  to  feel  how  far  I  was  qualified  to  undertake 
it,  quite  a  layman  as  I  was.  Frankly  speaking,  I  was  not  quite  a  re- 
ligiously-inclined person,  nor  do  I  belong  to  any  particular  school 
of  religious  thought.  Besides,  I  have  had  not  the  benefit  of  any  higher 
collegiate  education,  nor  had  I  secured  any  literary  attainments 
through  any  other  means.  I  thus  began  to  feel  quite  diffident  in 
regard  to  my  capacity  to  undertake  a  work,  which  involved  this 
background  as  also  such  literary  abilities.  But  there  arose  in  me 
an  inner  urge  and  I  thought  that  there  was  positively  nothing  wrong 
in  making  an  attempt  in  that  direction.  At  the  most,  I  might  have 
to  abandon  the  attempt,  should  I,  in  course  of  time,  find  myself 
quite  unequal  to  it.  Even  Shri  Jnaneshwar  Maharaj — the  very  God 
incarnate  of  knowledge — expressed  a  sort  of  diffidence  while  starting 
the  work  of  composing  Jnaneshwari,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following 
verses: 

"...  I  have  committed  one  more  fault  and  it  is  of  venturing 
to  make  clear  the  meaning  of  GTta ...  I  have,  of  my  own  accord, 
made  myself  overbold,  without  weighing  in  my  mind  how  difficult 
it  is  to  carry  this  work  to  its  successful  completion.  Could  there 
stand  any  comparison  between  the  brilliance  of  the  Sun  and  that  ' 
of  the  glow-worm!  or  that  I,  an  ignorant  person  should  embark 
upon  the  doing  of  such  a  thing  is  like  a  lapwing  attempting  to 
empty  the  ocean  with  its  beak.  . . .  How  could  such  an  insigni- 
ficant, a  diminutive,  and  a  very  dull  being  as  myself,  compare 
before  such  a  vast  and  limitless  task,  wherein  even  the  Veda* 
lost  themselves  completely,  etc.  etc."  (Jnaneshwari,  Chapter  I, 
Verses  65-78). 

I  repeated  the  same  thing  to  myself  in  regard  to  the  work,  I  was 
venturing  to  undertake,  the  only  difference  being  that  Shri  Jnaneshwar 


Viii  JNANESHWARI 

Maharaj  said  as  above  out  of  sheer  modesty,  while,  in  the  case  of  an 
insignificant  person  like  myself,  it  painted  me  as  I  was.  However 
I  entered  upon  the  venture  and  made  an  actual  start  in  April  1943. 

The  progress  and  completion  of  the  work 

As  I  started  the  work,  someone  remarked  that  mine  would  merely 
be  a  duplication  of  work,  since  Jnaneshwari  was  already  rendered 
into  English  by  Professor  Manu  Subedar,  b.  a.,  b.  sc.  (Lond.), 
Bar-at-law,  the  well-known  Economist  of  Bombay.  In  order  to  make 
myself  certain  on  this  point,  I  secured  a  copy  of  "Gita  explained 
by  Jnaneshwar  Maharaj",  edited  by  Prof.  Subedar  and  went  through 
it.  I  found  it  to  be  unquestionably  a  specimen  of  brilliant  scholarship. 
It  was  not,  however,  a  regular  translation,  stanza  by  stanza,  of  Jnanesh- 
wari, the  thing  chiefly  aimed  at  by  me,  but  appeared  a  condensation 
more  or  less  of  the  Marathi  version  by  Pandit  Moghe  of  Sion,  Bombay. 

I  did  not  thus  think  that  mine  would  be  a  duplication  of  work  and 
so  I  resumed  my  work.  I  started  my  work  with  the  help  of  the  versified 
Marathi  version  by  the  late  Pandit  Govind  Ramchandra  Moghe  of 
Sion,  Bombay.  It  took  me  over  two  years  and  a  half  to  complete 
the  translation  work  with  the  help  of  that  version.  About  that  time, 
however,  I  happened  to  see  another  Marathi  version  of  Jnaneshwari 
by  the  late  Shri.  Balkrishna  Anant  Bhide;  and  when  I  began  just  to 
compare  the  translation  I  made  with  that  version,  I  found  great 
divergence  between  the  two.  Then  I  began  to  compare  Shri.  Moghe's 
version,  with  that  of  Shri.  Bhide,  and  found  great  divergence  between 
these  two.  It  seemed  to  me  that  Shri.  Moghc's  version,  which  was 
in  a  versified  form,  was  not  strictly  literal,  but  was,  more  or  less,  a 
free  version,  while  that  of  Shri.  Bhide  was  strictly  literal,  as  far  as 
this  became  possible  to  be  done.  At  this  I  found  myself  in  a  fix.  1 
had  thus  to  entirely  revise  the  work  already  done  and  to  have  al- 
together a  fresh  copy  made  of  the  revised  version.  Simultaneously 
with  this  revision  work,  I  thought  of  having  the  revised  portions 
typed  in  order  to  make  available  a  couple  of  extra  copies.  Luckily, 
as  I  was  on  the  look  out  for  some  one  who  could  help  me  in  this  direc- 
tion, I  met  a  young  graduate,  who  had  some  liking  for  the  subject 
matter  contained  in  the  Jnaneshwari  and  he  volunteered  to  do  this 
typing  work  as  a  labour  of  love  during  his  leisure  hours.  Thus  the 
work  of  revision,  as  also  of  typing  went  on  hand  in  hand  and  both 
these  were  completed  in  the  month  of  December  1947.  It  thus  took 
for  me  four  years  and  eight  months  from  the  very  start  to  complete 
the  translation. 


INTRODUCTION  IX 

THE  OUTCOME 

I  cannot  say  anything  as  regards  the  rendering  itself.  I  am,  however, 
painfully  aware  that  it  is  by  no  means  perfect  and  such  as  it  should  be. 
It  is  bound  to  contain  many  flaws  and  drawbacks.  It  is,  in  fact, 
simply  an  attempt  at  rendering  and  not  a  perfect  rendering.  It  has 
neither  any  style  nor  rhythm  nor  grace  in  point  of  language,  nor  has 
it  got  much  value  from  a  literary  point  of  view.  It  is  after  all  some 
"crude  material"  that  might  be  useful  for  any  one,  who  might,  later 
on,  at  some  distant  date,  think  of  utilizing  it  for  turning  out  an  au- 
thenticated and  an  authoritative  English  version  of  Jnaneshwari. 
Personally,  I  have  no  desire  to  proceed  further  in  this  matter.  But, 
in  my  opinion,  some  sort  of  crudeness  is  bound  to  be  there  in  any 
rendering,  if  it  is  to  claim  as  being  faithful  to  the  original  and  to  bear 
identity  with  the  order,  arrangement,  and  set-up  of  the  original 
composition.  To  take  an  example,  the  expression  "in  that  way", 
or  "similarly"  has  occurred  almost  in  every  alternate  verse  in  this 
rendering  and  that  became  inevitable  to  maintain  integrity  of  the 
original  in  its  rendering.  No  further  apology,  I  believe,  is  needed. 
The  present  attempt  at  rendering,  however,  made  it  imperative  on 
me  to  do  critical  reading  of  Jnaneshwari  to  be  able  to  proceed  with 
the  work.  I  would  not  otherwise  have  taken  the  trouble  of  doing 
so,  and  in  this,  I  feel  I  am  amply  rewarded  for  any  labour  that  may 
have  been  involved  in  this  work,  since  my  role  in  this  affair  is  that 
of  "one  eager  to  know  (faai^)",  the  third  class  of  doers,  as  mentioned 
in  stanza  16  of  Chapter  VII  of  Shri  Bhagavad-gM. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

I  cannot  conclude  this  narration  without  giving  expression  to  the 
sense  of  my  deep  gratitude  towards  Rao  Bahadur  G.  M.  Vaidya, 
M.  b.  E.,  retired  Controller  of  Miitary  Accounts.  It  was  his  good 
fortune  to  come  in  contact  with  the  late  Shri  Keshavrao  Maharaj 
Deshmukh,  b.  a.,  of  established  reputation  as  an  authority  on  Jnanesh- 
wari in  Poona  and  through  his  good  offices  R.  B.  Vaidya  has  been 
handling  Jnaneshwari  for  some  time  past.  I  got  R.  B.  Vaidya's 
most  valuable  guidance  during  the  revision  and  typing  of  my  rendering 
of  the  Jnaneshwari  into  English.  I  also  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to, 
my  young  friend  Mr.  S.  R.  Gurjar,  b.  a.,  who,  out  of  great  regard 
for  Jnaneshwari,  voluntarily  and  masLchcerMiy  did  the  tynins 
(work)« 

I  have  made  free  use  of  the  following  publicstiodS". 


X  JNANESHWARI 

1.  Marathi  version  of  Jnaneshwan,  by  Pandit  G.  R.  Moghe. 

2.  Similar  version,  by  Shri.  Balkrishna  Anant  Bhide,  b.  a. 

3.  English  translation  of  Bhagawadgita  by  Dr.  S.  K.  Belwalkar. 

m.  a.,  ph.  D. 
and  I  feel  sincerely  grateful  for  the  valuable  and  great  help  I  received 
from  these  and  other  Reference  Books. 

55^/2,  Shivaji  Nagar,  R.  K.  Bhagwat. 

Poona  5. 
31st  December,  1947. 


Samadhi  of  Sri  Jnanadev  at  Alandi 


Pillar  Commemorating  the  spot  in  Newase 
at  which  Jnaneshwari  was  written 


Sri  Jnaneshwar  Temple  at  Newase 


Sri  Ramchndra  Keshav  Bhagwal 


THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA 
HISTORICAL  BACKGROUND  AND  THE  CONTEXT 


"(rood  (sometimes)  comet h  out  of  evil"- -is  an  old  adage.  Good 
in  the  form  of  the  supreme  and  most  sublime  philosophy  contained 
in  the  teachings  of  "Bhagavad-Glta"  came  out  of  the  evil  in  the 
form  of  the  most  hitter  and  deadly  dispute  between  the  two 
branches  'Pandavas*  and  the  'Kauravas1  of  the  Lunar  Dynasty, 
over  shaiing  the  sovereignty  of  'Bharata'.  This  is  elaborated  below. 

There  reigned  at  Hastinapur,  about  fifty  miles  from  modern  Delhi, 
in  very  ancient  times  about  2000  years  before  the  Christian  era — 
King  Shantanu  of  the  Bharata  Dynasty.  Once  he  happened  to  see 
Ganga,  a  Goddess  and  a  holy  river  from  the  heavens,  who  had  taken 
birth  in  human  form  on  the  earth,  consequent  on  some  curse  inflicted 
on  her.  Shantanu  and  Ganga  loved  each  other  and  their  love  eventu- 
ally ripened  into  a  marriage.  Before  they  married,  it  was  agreed 
between  them  that  Ganga  should  have  the  sole  claim  over  the  progeny 
that  might  issue  as  the  result  of  their  marriage,  and  that,  should  King 
Shantanu  behave  in  any  way  against  that  agreement,  Ganga  should 
forsake  him  forth-with.  Ganga,  after  the  marriage  gave  birth  to  seven 
sons,  all  of  whom  she  consigned  to  the  river.  When  she  was  about  to 
make  the  eighth  son  meet  the  same  fate.  King  Shantanu  got  overpower- 
ed with  intense  grief,  and  begged  Ganga  not  to  consign  that  child  to  the 
river,  as  he  could  not  bear  to  see  the  loss  of  that  child.  Ganga  did  not,  at 
the  instance  of  God  Indra,  consign  that  child  to  the  river,  but  forsook 
Shantanu  according  to  the  original  agreement  between  them,  since 
Shantanu's  request  for  the  rescue  of  the  child  was  taken  as  a  breach  of 
that  agreement.  This,  in  fact,  took  place  in  accordance  with  the  pre- 
destined arrangement  by  which  Ganga  "s  curse  was  to  be  mitigated, 
and  she  was  to  be  restored  to  her  original  position  in  the  Heavens. 

That  eighth  son  was  named  Devavrata  and  was  brought  up  by 
King  Shantanu  with  the  greatest  care.  The  young  prince  attracted 
the  minds  of  the  subjects  in  the  kingdom  by  his  excellent  qualities. 
King  Shantanu  also  loved  Devavrata  very  dearly.  In  due  course 
King  Shantanu  designated  the  young  Prince  as  the  heir-apparent; 
and  entrusting  him  with  the  affairs  of  the  state,  he  gave  himself  up 
to  hunting  and  sports  of  that  kind.  While  out  hunting  one  day  he 
happened  to  see  a  poor  but  gentle  and  charming  Koli  damsel  (fisher- 
woman)  named  'SatyavatT.  Deeply  grieved  and  lonely  as  he  had 


XU  JNANESHWARI 

already  felt  at  his  separation  from  Ganga,  Shantanu  thought  of 
taking  Satyavati  in  marriage  to  mitigate  his  grief  and  loneliness, 
and  he  approached  the  girl's  father  with  the  marriage  proposal. 
Satyavati's  father  showed  himself  in  favour  of  the  proposal,  but 
stipulated  that  the  son  that  might  be  born  to  Satyavati  as  the  result 
of  their  marriage,  should  exclusively  be  the  heir-apparent.  King 
Shantanu  could  not  agree  to  this  condition  on  account  of  his  strong 
affection  for  Devav.rata,  nor  could  his  love  for  Satyavati  get  in  any 
way  diminished,  the  result  being  that  his  health  began  to  get  deteriorat- 
ed. Devav.rata  came  to  know  of  this,  and  he  did  not  like  that  he 
should  himself  be  the  cause  of  the  suffering  of  his  father.  He,  ap- 
proached Satyavati's  father  on  his  own,  and  after  discussing  the 
matter  with  him  took  the  double  vow  that  he  would  renounce  all 
his  claim  to  the  throne,  and  he  would  also  remain  for  ever  a  bachelor 
to  preclude  the  possibility  of  any  trouble  ever  arising  in  the  future 
from  his  progeny.  Satyavati's  father  thereon  agreed  to  Satyavati's 
proposed  marriage  with  Shantanu,  which  took  place  in  due  course. 
The  Gods  in  the  Heaven  expressed  their  high  appreciation  of  the 
sacrifice  made  by  Devav.rata,  and  bestowed  on  him  the  title  of  'Bhlsh- 
ma,'  on  account  of  his  dreadful  vow.  He  was  known  thus  thereafter. 
King  Shantanu  had  two  sons  born  of  Satyavati,  Chitrangada  and 
Vichitravirya.  The  King  died  a  little  later  and  BhTshma  installed  the 
elder  son  Chitrangada  on  the  throne.  Chitrangada,  however,  died 
soon  after  in  a  battle,  and  Vichitravirya  succeeded  him.  He  married 
the  two  daughters  of  King  Kashiraj,  Ambika  and  Ambalika.  Vichi- 
travlrya, however,  soon  died  without  any  issue. 

Satyavati  was  greatly  distressed  at  these  tragic  happenings. 
Bhlshma,  her  husband's  son  from  Ganga  had  already  taken  a  vow 
to  remain  a  bachelor  permanently,  while  both  her  sons  died  without 
leaving  any  heir  to  the  throne.  There  were  left  only  the  two  childless 
young  widows  Ambika  and  Ambalika.  Satyavati  therefore  laid  before 
Bhishma  alternate  proposals  viz.  (a)  that  he  (Bhlshma)  should  either 
himself  occupy  the  throne  and  get  himself  married,  or  (b)  in  the 
alternative  should  practice  'Niyoga'*  on  the  widow*  of  Vichitravirya 
and  beget  sons  in  order  to  prevent  Bharata  Dynasty  from  becoming 
extinct.  Bhlshma  replied  that  he  would  never  break  his  vow  once 
•taken.  He,  pointed  out  however  that  there  was  a  mandate  in  the 
Scriptures  that  the  Kshatriyas  should  beget  sons  through  learned 

"'Niyoga'  A  practice  prevalent  in  ancient  times,  which  permuted  i>  childless 
widow  to  have  intercourse  with  the  brother  or  a  near  kinsman  of  her  deceased  husband 
to  raise  up  issue  to  him,  the  son  so  horn  heing  culled  Kshctraia  ( «mr  > 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD-GITA  PREACHING  XU1 

and  austere  Brahmins.  This  put  SatyavatT  in  mind  of  having  got  a 
son  named  Vyasa  from  Sage  Parashar  while  in  her  virgin  state  at 
her  father's,  and  she  told  this  to  Bhlshma ;  they  both  agreed  to  make 
use  of  Vyasa  for  the  purpose.  SatyavatT  recalled  Vyasa  to  her  mind 
and  he  stood  before  her.  SatyavatT  related  to  him  the  purpose  for 
which  he  was  called,  and  he  promised  to  act  in  the  way  suggested, 
provided  the  two  ladies  concerned  would  agree  to  have  him  with 
his  ugly  appearance  and  apparel,  and  also  the  foul  smell  emanating 
from  his  person.  SatyavatT  consulted  both  her  daughters-in-law  and 
they  with  great  reluctance  agreed  to  the  proposal.  The  elder  one 
Ambika  remained  waiting  for  Vyasa,  and  when  he  actually  came 
she  saw  his  appearance  with  overgrown  hair,  reddish  colour  of  his 
matted  hair  and  red  eyes  etc.,  and  she  got  frightened  and  closed 
her  eyes  and  did  not  re-open  them  so  long  as  Vyasa  was  with  her. 
This  resulted  in  Ambika  giving  birth  to  a  blind  son,  who  was  later 
on  known  as  Dhritarashtra.  With  a  view  to  have  a  son,  good  and 
complete  in  all  respects,  in  the  royal  dynasty  SatyavatT  again  called 
Vyasa  and  requested  him  to  repeat  his  'Niyoga'  process  on  the  younger 
daughter-in-law  Ambalika  and  he  agreed.  When  Ambalika  saw  him, 
she  too  got  frightened  and  turned  white.  Vyasa  perceived  this  and 
said  that  the  son  that  would  be  born  to  her  in  such  a  state  would  be 
pale  and  this  turned  out  to  be  true.  This  son  was  later  on  called 
'Pandu'  (colourless).  SatyavatT  again  requested  her  elder  daughter- 
in-law  to  receive  Vyasa  once  more,  but  she  could  not  gather  courage 
sufficient  to  face  Vyasa  once  more,  and  she  instead  of  going  through 
the  ordeal  herself,  deputed  her  maid -servant  duly  bedecked  with 
ornaments  etc.  to  receive  Vyasa.  The  maid  received  Vyasa 
with  very  high  regard,  not  minding  his  external  appearance.  Vyasa 
told  her  that  she  would  be  blessed  with  a  son  who  would  be  highly 
talented  and  religious-minded  and  would  also  be  a  great  devotee 
of  God.  The  son  born  to  this  maid  was  named  'Vidura'. 

BhTshma  brought  up  the  three  sons  Dhritarashtra,  Pandu,  and 
Vidura  with  great  care  and  made  them  well-versed  in  Vedic  studies, 
archery,  and  the  use  of  other  arms  and  weapons.  Pandu  became 
specially  expert  in  archery,  blind  Dhritarashtra  became  very  strong 
bodily,  while  Vidura  made  a  mark  in  intellectual  feats.  BhTshma 
installed  Pandu  on  the  throne,  since  it  did  not  seem  proper  to  him  to  * 
instal  either  Dhritarashtra  or  Vidura,  the  former  being  born  blind 
and  the  latter  being  born  of  a  maid  servant.  All  the  three  sons  were 
duly  married.  Dhritarashtra' s  wife  was  named  Gandhari;  Pandu 
married  two  ladies  named  Pritha  (KuntT)  and  the  other  Madri; 


Xiv  JNANESHWARI 

while  Vidura  married  the  daughter  of  a  king  named  Devaka.  Pandu 
acquired  vast  riches  through  his  valour  and  dedicated  them  all, 
with  the  consent  of  his  elder  brother  Dhritarashtra,  to  Bhishma 
and  Satyavati  and  his  two  mothers  Ambika  and  Ambalika.  He 
then  went  for  hunting  in  the  forests  on  the  southern  slopes  of  the 
Himalayas.  While  hunting  one  day,  Pandu  missed  his  aim  and  hit 
with  his  arrow  a  sage  and  his  wife  both  of  whom  had  assumed  the 
forms  of  deer  and  were  enjoying  each  other's  company.  Before 
they  died,  however,  the  couple  inflicted  a  curse  on  Pandu  that  he  too 
would  meet  his  death  while  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  wife.  Pandu 
felt  extremely  miserable  at  this  happening  and  also  at  the  curse,  and 
began  to  observe  devout  austerity  along  with  his  wives  in  propitiation. 
As  it  was  considered  improper  to  die  childless,  Pandu  broached  the 
subject  to  his  wife  Kunti,  and  suggested  that  she  should  beget  progeny 
by  taking  resort  to  'Niyoga.'  Runt!  however  observed  that  while 
at  her  father's  home  in  her  virginity,  she  had  secured  a  boon-a  hymn 
from  sage  Durvasa,  the  recital  of  which  gave  her  the  power  of  at- 
tracting towards  herself  any  God  of  her  choice  for  begetting  progeny. 
She  added  that  she  would  avail  herself  of  that  power  (instead  of 
taking  resort  to  "Niyoga").  This  she  did  and  she  had  three  sons 
Dharma  from  Yamadharma,  BhTma  from  Vayu  and  Arjuna  from 
Indra  respectively.  The  younger  wife  Madri  followed  the  same  course 
with  the  help  of  Kunti,  the  consent  of  Pandu,  and  she  had  two  sons 
named  Nakula  and  Sahadeva  from  the  two  Ashvinis.  Thus  Pandu 
secured  in  all  five  sons,  who  became  known  as  Pandavas,  while  Dhrita- 
rashtra and  his  wife  Gandhari  got  a  progeny  of  100  sons  and  one 
daughter,  the  sons  being  known  as  Kauravas. 

No  one  can  fight  against  fate  and  this  proved  too  true  in  the  case 
of  Pandu.  Even  while  in  the  full  recollection  of  the  dagger  in  the 
form  of  the  curse  hanging  over  his  head,  he,  on  one  occasion,  became 
extremely  passion-stricken  and  in  spite  of  strong  protestation  on  the 
part  of  Madri,  began  having  sexual  intercourse  with  her,  with  the 
result  that  he  suddenly  collapsed  and  met  his  death.  Madri  entrusted 
her  two  sons  to  the  fond  care  of  Kunfi,  and  as  a  true  Satee  immolated 
hereself  on  the  pyre  of  her  husband  Pandu.  Kuntl  was  then  taken 
with  the  five  sons  to  Hastinapura  by  the  sages  where  Bhishma  brought 
Hhem  up  along  with  the  Kauravas.  Bhishma  got  both  the  Kauravas 
and  the  Pandavs  well-educated  all-round.  They  were  given  special 
training  in  archery  under  Dronacharya.  Dronacharya  noticing  the 
special  aptitude  of  Bhlma  and  Arjuna,  specially  initiated  them  in 
the  mysteries  and  secrets  of  the  art  of  archery.  The  superiority  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD-GITA  PREACHING  XV 

art  of  archery  on  the  part  of  Bhima  and  Arjuna  sowed  the  first  seed 
of  jealousy  in  the  minds  of  the  Kauravas  against  the  Pandavas.  The 
latter  being  virtuous  became  favourite  with  the  elders  and  this  led 
to  increased  bitterness  of  feelings  against  them  on  the  part  of  Kauravas. 
The  Kauravas  entertained  the  fear  that  they  would  have  to  part 
with  the  entire  kingdom,  or  at  least  half  of  it,  in  favour  of  the  Pandavas, 
should  they  happen  to  make  such  a  claim.  Shakuni,  the  wily  maternal- 
uncle  of  the  Kauravas,  fostered  this  fear  in  their  minds,  and  he  advised 
them  to  plan  the  total  destruction  of  Pandavas.  Attempts  were 
accordingly  made  to  bring  about  this  result  in  various  ways,  such  as 
by  poisoning  Bhima,  setting  fire  to  Pandavas'  dwelling,  and  also  by 
drowning  Bhima;  but  they  all  proved  abortive.  The  Pandavas,  on 
the  other  hand,  acquired  unlimited  riches  and  this  made  the  Kauravas 
feel  greater  jealously  for  the  Pandavas.  The  Kauravas,  as  the  last 
resort  stooped  to  a  device,  common  in  those  times,  of  tempting 
Dharmaraja — the  eldest  of  the  Pandavas — to  a  game  of  (loaded) 
dice,  with  the  wicked  motive  of  robbing  him,  through  gambling,  of 
all  he  possessed.  Dharma  fell  an  easy  victim  to  the  temptation, 
and  the  game  started.  Dharma  getting  intoxicated  as  the  game 
advanced,  went  on  laying  stakes  after  stakes  and  losing  heavily  each 
time.  Ultimately  he  lost  everything  leaving  nothing  that  he  could 
call  his  own  and  stake.  The  Kauravas  most  cunningly  hinted  that 
there  was  still  left  Draupadl — the  common  wife  of  the  Pandavas 
who  could  be  put  as  a  stake.  As  ill  luck  would  have  it,  in  the  heat 
of  the  moment,  Dharma  took  up  that  hint  and  staked  Draupadl, 
as  practically  the  last  stake.  That  stake  too  Dharma  lost,  and 
Draupadl  became  the  property  of  the  successful  Kauravas.  Taking 
advantage  of  that  position,  the  Kauravas  by  way  of  wreaking  bitter 
vengeance  on  Pandavas,  went  to  the  length  of  forcibly  dragging 
Draupadl  against  her  will  to  the  court-hall,  and  insulting  her  there 
in  the  open  court.  Ultimately,  the  Kauravas  stipulated  that  the 
Pandavas  by  way  of  expiation  (of  the  sin)  of  losing  all  the  stakes, 
should  go  into  exile  for  a  period  of  twelve  years,  and  should  further 
remain  incognito  for  a  period  of  one  year.  The  Pandavas  accordingly 
went  into  exile  accompanied  by  Draupadi. 

Ater  suffering  all  sorts  of  possible  hardships  and  with  the  termi- 
nation of  the  period  of  thirteen  years  made  up  of  exile  and  living* 
incognito,  the  Pandavas  returned  to  Hastinapura,  and,  they  claimed 
their  half-share  in  the  kingdom.  The  Kauravas  who  were  from  the 
beginning  against  recognizing  any  such  claim,  refused  point-blank 
to  give  any  share  of  the  kingdom  to  the  Pandavas.  The  eldest  brother 


XVi  JNANESHWARI 

Dharmaraja  suggested  a  compromise  with  a  view  to  preventing  a 
quarrel,  that  the  Pandavas  should  be  given  at  least  five  towns  and 
villages  and  they  would  rest  content  with  that.  Bhlshma,  Drona  and 
Vidura  had  all  tried  their  utmost  to  induce  the  Kauravas  and  their 
maternal  uncle  ShakunI  (the  arch  instigator)  to  agree  to  the  compro- 
mise but  to  no  purpose.  Even  the  blind  Dhritarashtra  wished  in  his 
heart  of  hearts,  that  justice  should  be  done  to  the  Pandavas,  but 
he  was  helpless  since  his  eldest  son  Duryodhana  and  his  brothers 
refused  to  hear  any  such  proposal.  Even  Lord  Krishna  (the  eighth 
incarnation  of  God  Vishnu  in  that  era)  went  to  mediate,  but  he  too 
was  not  successful.  All  efforts  at  a  compromise,  having  proved 
unavailing,  Dharmaraja,  the  eldest  of  the  Pandavas  at  last  gave  his 
consent  to  have  resort  to  warfare  on  which  the  other  Pandavas  were 
so  very  keen  and  insistent.  The  Kauravas  were  prepared  to  face  the 
ordeal  of  a  war,  and  so  both  the  parties  prepared  themselves.  The 
Kauravas  collected  an  army  of  eleven  Akshouhinis,  while  the  Panda- 
vas collected  an  army  of  seven  Akshouhinis-  -in  all  an  army  amounting 
to  eighteen  Akshouhinis*  was  collected  on  both  sides. 

Both  the  armies  stood  face  to  face  on  the  battle  field  of  Kurukshetra 
(near  modern  Delhi).  Just  as  the  fighting  was  about  to  begin,  King 
Dhritarashtra  expressed  his  longing  to  know  the  progress  of  the 
war  as  it  took  place.  Being  himself  blind  he  could  not  view  personally 
what  actually  took  place  on  the  battle-field.  Sage  Vyasa,  therefore, 
deputed  Samjaya — an  expert,  originally  engaged  for  horse-testing, 
duly  endowed  with  a  divine  vision,  which  enabled  him  to  view  clearly 
from  any  spot  of  safety  he  might  select  to  watch  from,  to  remain 
with  Dhritarashtra,  and  narrate  to  him  the  progress  of  war  as  he 
could  actually  see  it  taking  place. 

During  the  war,  Lord  Krishna  became  the  charioteer  of  Arjuna. 
Arjuna  wished  to  see  for  himself,  before  the  fighting  actully  com- 
menced, who  had  collected  on  the  battle-field  on  both  the  sides  to 
take  part  in  the  fighting.  He,  therefore,  asked  Lord  Krishna  to  take 
the  chariot  to  a  position  midway  between  the  two  armies,  which 
Lord  Krishna  did.  As  he  saw  all  around,  Arjuna  perceived  his  grand- 
fathers, uncles,  brethren,  friends,  nephews,  sons,  preceptors  and 
kinsmen-in  fact  all  his  kith  and  kin  collected  there  to  take  part  in 
i  the  warfare,  and  a  feeling  of  a  dolour  at  what  he  saw,  came  over 
his  mind.  It  was  rather  strange  that  Arjuna  who  had  already  known 

"One  Akshouhinl  (  srsftfipfl' )  means  an  army  of  2JK700,  made  up  of  ele- 
phants,  chariots,  horses  and  infantry. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD-GITA  PREACHING  XV11 

from  the  beginning  who  were  getting  together  to  take  part  in  the 
warfare,  and  who  was  himself  so  eager  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Kauravas  whom  he  hated  so  much  for  all  the  injustice  they  had  done 
to  the  Pandavas,  should,  at  the  very  eleventh  hour,  feel  nervous. 
Not  only  that,  he  began  even  to  argue  with  Lord  Krishna  on  the 
utter  impropriety  of  conducting  a  warfare  against  his  own  kith  and 
kin,  and  further  to  tender  his  own  advice  to  him.  Seeing  this  attitude 
on  the  part  of  Arjuna,  Lord  Krishna  got  puzzled  and  began  to  depre- 
cate him  for  what  he  called  his  turbid  mood.  Arjuna  had  implicit 
faith  in  Lord  Krishna  and  he  surrendered  himself  completely  to 
him  and  begged  him  to  tell  him  for  certain  what  was  better  for  him 
(whether  to  fight  or  not  to  fight)  in  the  circumstances  in  which  he 
was  placed,  as  he  had  become  incapable  of  judging  for  himself  on 
account  of  his  dolorous  state.  Hearing  Arjuna's  appeal  Lord  Krishna 
preached  the  right  course  for  him  to  follow. 

The  advice  then  given  by  Lord  Krishna  to  Arjuna,  is  contained 
in  that  portion  of  the  great  Epic  Mahabharata  composed  by  sage 
Vyasa  which  is  called  Bhagavadgita.  comprising  18  chapters  with 
700  stanzas.  That  discourse  is  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue  between 
Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  Lord  Krishna 
enquired  of  Arjuna  if  his  ignorance-grounded  misconception  has 
been  dispelled.  To  this  query  Arjuna  gave  the  following  answer: 

"Dispelled  is  mine  dilusion;  regained  by  me 
"through  THY  favour  is  the  memory  (consciousness 
"of  my  real  nature)  Oh  Achyut!  I  stand  here  firm 
"and  freed  of  doubt,  and  will  do  Thy  bidding". 

Shri  Jnanadev  Maharaj  composed  in  Marathi  in  a  versified  form 
an  illuminating  commentary  on  'Bhagavadglta'  which  was  originally 
in  Sanskrit,  and  gave  it  the  name  'Bhavartha-dlpika,'  the  lamp  illu- 
mining the  import  of  the  Teachings  of  the  Gita,  otherwise  known 
as  'Jnaneshwari.' 


SRI  JNANADEV 
A  SHORT  LIFE  SKETCH 


There  lived  in  the  village  of  Apegaon,  near  Paithan,  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  Godavari,  one  Govindpant  Kulkarni.  He  had  a  son  by 
name  Vithalpant,  the  father  of  Sri  Jnanadev.  Vithalpant  developed 
in  his  early  age  a  tendency  towards  the  study  of  the  Vedas  and  other 
Scriptures,  and  became  a  great  devotee  of  God.  He  felt  no  interest 
in  the  day-to-day  worldly  affairs,  while  his  mind  got  attracted  to- 
wards the  visiting  of  places  of  holy  waters  and  other  sacred  places, 
association  with  devotees,  and  the  rendering  of  service  to  God.  He 
left  his  parental  home  in  his  teens  and  in  the  course  of  his  visits  to 
holy  places  he  came  to  Alandi  near  Poona.  During  his  visit  to  Alandi, 
Vithalpant  attracted  the  attention  of  one  Sidhopant  of  Alandi,  who 
had  a  marriageable  daughter.  Sidhopant  opened  the  subject  to 
Vithalpant,  offering  him  his  daughter  in  marriage.  The  latter  did 
not  however  readily  assent  to  the  proposal,  but  later  on  agreed  to  it, 
having  had  a  dream-vision,  giving  him  a  mandate  to  accept  the  girl 
in  marriage.  Vithalpant  took  this  as  a  divine  mandate  and  soon 
married  Sidhopant's  daughter  and  started  his  family  life. 

Although  leading  the  family  life,  Vithalpant  felt  no  charm  for 
it  and  began  to  feel  a  sort  of  repentance  for  getting  thus  entangled. 
His  wife  Rukminibai,  who  was  a  most  devoted  wife,  found  it  rather 
difficult  to  keep  her  husband  attached  to  her.  Vithalpant  was  always 
engaged  in  God-worship,  feeling  quite  apathetic  over  family  affairs; 
visiting  holy  places  became  a  sort  of  hobby  with  him.  After  staying 
at  Alandi  for  some  days  he  once  accompanied  Sidhopant's  family 
members  on  pilgrimage  to  Pandharpur,  where  he  felt  his  stay  to 
be  full  of  bliss.  From  there  he  went  to  his  parents  at  Apegaon  along 
with  his  wife.  It  was,  however,  not  given  to  his  parents  to  enjoy  the 
happy  association  of  their  son  and  daughter-in-law  for  a  long  time, 
since  they  soon  left  this  world,  making  Vithalpant  the  head  of  the 
family.  His  ascetic  tendency,  however,  went  on  increasing  day  by 
day,  and  it  became  a  question  of  grave  anxiety  to  his  wife,-how  to 
pin  the  day  to  day  family  affairs.  Sidhopant  learnt  at  Alandi  this 
state  of  things,  and  he  went  to  Apegaon  and  brought  his  daughter 
and  son-in-law  to  Alandi.  This  change  of  station  however  did  not 
bring  about  any  change  in  Vithalpant's  ascetic  tendencies,  which 
went  on  ever  increasing.  The  absence  of  progeny  further  strengthened 


A  SHORT  LIFE  SKETCH  OF  SRI  JNANADEV  xix 

these  tendencies;  and  on  the  plea  of  going  out  to  the  river  for  a  bath, 
Vithalpant  one  day  left  the  house  and  went  straight  to  Benares,  where 
keeping  his  antecendents  quite  secret,  he  accepted  the  discipleship 
of  one  Swami  Ramananda  and  became  himself  a  Sanyasin  (an  ascetic). 
The  desertion  by  her  husband  made  Rukminibai  very  miserable, 
and  she  felt  greatly  mortified  even  to  appear  openly  in  society.  The 
uncertain  state  of  the  whereabouts  of  her  husband,  as  also  her  own 
future,  made  her  life  very  burdensome.  At  last  she  took  to  an  austere 
life,  passing  her  days  ever  thinking  of  her  absent  husband,  rendering 
service  to  God  Sidheshwar,  and  perambulating  the  Ashwattha  tree, 
taking  meals  once  in  24  hours.  As  Rukminibai  was  passing  her  days 
in  this  way,  Ramananda,  the  Preceptor  of  Vithalpant,  who  was  on 
pilgrimage  to  Rameshwar,  quite  accidentally  came  to  Alandi  and 
put  up  in  a  Maruti  temple.  As  Rukminibai  in  her  daily  rounds  of 
visits  to  temples  went  to  the  Maruti  temple  one  evening,  she  saw  an 
ascetic  sitting  there,  and  in  normal  course  she  bowed  down  at  his 
feet.  The  Swami  seeing  a  "Savashna'  (TSTW-a  lady  with  a  red  turmeric 
mark  on  her  forehead  in  token  of  her  having  a  living  husband)  bowing 
to  him,  gave  her  a  benediction  quite  in  normal  course  using  the  words 
"Be  ye  the  mother  of  a  son".  The  utter  improbability  of  the  Swami's 
benediction  coming  to  pass,  on  account  of  the  ignorance  of  the  where- 
abouts of  her  husband,  first  made  Rukminibai  to  smile  rather  amusing- 
ly; and  then  she  soon  became  grief-stricken,  and  her  eyes  got  flooded 
with  tears.  The  Swami  observed  this  state  of  Rukminibai's  feelings, 
and  made  pointed  inquiries  in  the  matter.  When  he  learned  the 
particulars  about  her  husband  from  Rukminibai,  it  occurred  to  him, 
and  he  soon  felt  certain  within  himself  that  his  newly-initiated  disciple 
'Chaitanyashram,  was  none  else  but  the  runaway  husband  of  Ruk- 
minibai. Since  however  the  disciple  was  not  with  him  in  his  pilgri- 
mage, Ramananda  returned  direct  to  Benares  and  severely  reprimand- 
ed his  new  disciple.  The  latter  confessed  his  guilt,  finding  himself 
completely  exposed.  One  deserting  his  issueless  wife,  without  her 
consent,  and  taking  to  renunciation,  as  also  the  one  admitting  him 
into  such  a  fold,  were  both  equally  guilty  and  with  the  object  of 
absolving  both  from  such  a  sin,  Ramanand  ordered  Vithal  Chaitanya 
to  return  to  Alandi  and  re-enter  family  life.  The  latter,  who  had  got 
all  dejected,  obeyed  this  mandate,  and  re-converted  himself  into  at 
family  man.  The  separation  of  the  couple  thus  terminated  and  both 
lived  together.  But  there  began  to  be  heard  the  rumblings  of  the 
approaching  social  storm.  It  was  an  unheard  of  thing  that  an  ascetic 
should  revert  to  family  life;  and  as  the  present  instance  of  it  was  likely 


XX  JNANESHWARJ 

to  bring  an  odium  on  both  the  classes,  the  Brahmins  of  Alandi  put 
a  strong  social  boycott  on  Vithalpant  and  his  wife.  He  felt  very  ill  at 
heart  at  this  treatment;  but  he  had  to  put  up  with  it  being  utterly 
helpless  in  the  matter.  In  such  a  boycotted  state  Vithalpant  passed 
his  life  in  reading,  in  spritual  meditation,  and  in  the  worship  of  God 
and  maintained  his  composure.  Rukmimbai  remained  pleased  (in 
the  satisfaction  of)  being  restored  to  the  association  of  her  husband 
and  being  thus  able  to  render  him  service.  There  was  no  issue  for 
about  twelve  years.  Later,  as  a  result  of  living  together  on  the  part 
of  the  couple,  there  commenced  the  natural  process  of  procreation, 
and  the  birth  of  children  became  a  source  of  added  worry  to  both. 
The  couple  got  in  all  four  issues,  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  at 
intervals  of  about  a  couple  of  years.  The  eldest  son,  Nivrittinath, 
was  born  in  Sake  1195,  the  next,  Jnanadev  in  Shake  1197,  the  third, 
named  Sopan  in  Shake  1 199,  while  the  fourth  and  the  last,  a  daughter 
named  Muktabai  was  born  in  Sake  1201.  (A.  D.  1273,  1275,  1277, 
1279  respectively).  Vithalpant  mentally  felt  worried  in  regard  to 
the  future  of  these  children,  all  of  whom  were  specimens  of  the  brightest 
intellect.  Being  a  man  of  means,  Vithalpant  however  found  no  diffi- 
culty in  educating  his  children  in  the  best  way  then  possible. 

When,  however,  the  eldest  Nivrittinath  reached  the  age  of  seven 
years,  the  age  of  thread  ceremony  for  a  boy  —  initiation  as  a  Brahmin 
without  which  the  status  of  a  Brahmin  could  not  be  secured,  -Vithal- 
pant became  very  nervous,  feeling  quite  helpless  and  begged  of  the 
Alandi  Brahmins  to  restore  him  to  his  original  status  of  life  as  a 
Brahmin,  —  making  him  eligible  to  sit  in  the  same  row  at  meals 
along  with  other  Brahmins.  But  none  paid  any  heed  to  his  request. 

In  such  a  dispirited  state,  Vithalpant  went  to  Triambakeshwar 
with  his  family  for  performing  certain  religious  ceremonies  and 
works  in  propitiation  of  God  (aFJSJTT).  Once,  during  their  stay  there, 
as  all  the  family  members  got  out  for  the  purpose  of  circumambulation 
of  the  deity,  they  sighted  a  tiger  taking  leaps  towards  them.  They  all 
got  terribly  frightened  at  this  danger  to  their  lives,  and  in  self-protec- 
tion, they  all  ran  about  in  whatever  direction  they  could,  and  thus 
got  scattered  and  separated  from  one  another.  In  such  a  confused 
state  Nivrittinath  lost  his  way  and  rushed  into  a  cave  in  the  Anjani 
fMountains.  That  cave  happened  to  be  inhabited  by  the  revered 
preceptor  Gahinln&th  of  the  traditional  Nath  Sect.  Gahininftth's 
mind  got  attracted  towards  Nivrittinath  as  soon  as  he  saw  him,  and 
not  minding  his  tender  age,  he  initiated  Nivrittinath  into  the  mysteries 
of  his  (Yogins')  School.  He  then  prescribed  to  him  the  group  of  words 


A  SHORT  LIFE  SKETCH  OF  SRI  JNANADEV  XXI 

'Ram  Krishna  Hari'  as  a  hymn,  to  be  chanted  constantly,  and  issued 
to  him  a  mandate  to  go  and  spread  out,  all  over  the  world,  the  worship 
of  Lord  Krishna.  Thus  Nivrittinath  got  initiated  by  his  preceptor 
at  the  tender  age  of  7  and  he  became  fully  equipped  to  undertake  the 
mission  of  world-salvation. 

As  all  the  four  children  grew  in  age  they  acquired  spiritual  as 
also  other  general  knowledge,  and  became  the  very  authorities  in  all 
branches  of  learning.  But  being  the  children  of  a  Sanyasin  they  were 
denied  the  privileges  of  Brahmins,  not  having  been  allowed  to  go 
through  the  thread  ceremony;  and  this  fact  made  Vithalpant  very 
miserable.  He  first  went  to  Apegaon  (near  Paithan),  his  native  place, 
with  all  his  family,  and  from  there  he  went  to  Paithan  to  stay  with  his 
maternal  uncle  who  lived  there.  He  told  his  uncle  that  he  had  gone 
there  to  secure  a  letter  of  purification  (^(44*0  from  the  Brahmins 
of  Paithan.  The  latter  however  told  Vithalpant  plainly  that  self- 
immolation  was  the  only  penance  for  the  expiation  of  his  sins.  At 
the  persuasion  of  Vithalpant's  maternal  uncle,  however,  a  conference 
of  the  Paithan  Brahmins  was  called  wherein  the  whole  question  of 
Vithalpant's  purification  was  discussed.  In  that  conference  Shri 
Jnanadev  (as  described  in  Chapter  XXIV  entitled  "Jnanalilamrita' 
of  an  old  and  rare  work  called  'Sahyadri  Khanda),  exhibited  the  glory 
of  his  miraculous  divine  powers  by  getting  hold  of  a  passing  he- 
buffalo  and  making  him  actually  recite  some  stanzas  from  the  sacred 
Vedas.  This  miracle  struck  awe  in  the  minds  of  the  Paithan  Brahmins 
and  convinced  them  that  the  Sanyasin's  children  were  no  ordinary 
human  beings,  but  had  something  superhuman  in  them.  They  changed 
their  original  obstinate  attitude  and  issued  a  letter  of  purification 
with  an  open  mind  to  Vithalpant.  Having  succeeded  in  his  mission 
to  Paithan,  Vithalpant  started  on  his  return  journey.  When  he  met 
his  old  preceptor  Ramananda,  who  said,  he  came  there  from  Alandi 
where  he  had  first  gone.  Ramananda  came  to  know  of  what  had 
happened  at  Paithan,  and  of  the  securing  by  Vithalpant  of  a  letter  of 
purification.  At  his  advice  Vithalpant  left  his  children  to  take  care  of 
themselves,  and  went  with  his  wife  Rukmintbai  to  Prayag  (present 
Allahabad)  where  they  both  put  an  end  to  their  lives  by  plunging 
(drowning)  themselves  in  the  sacred  Ganges.  This  "Shuddhipatra" 
(letter  of  purification)  was  secured  in  the  year  Shake  1209  (1287  A.D.\ 
After  the  departure  of  their  parents,  Nivritti,  his  brothers  and  sister 
shifted  to  Newasa,  town  in  the  Ahmednagar  district,  situated  on  both 
the  banks  of  the  river  Pravara.  Jnanadev  composed  his  "Bhavartha- 
dlpikS',  Jnaneshwarl,  in  the  temple  of  Mhaisa  (Mahalaya)  on  the 


XXU  JNANESHWARI 

Southern  bank  of  the  river.  The  work  was  completed  in  the  year  Saka 
1212  (1290  A.D.).  It  seems  obvious  from  the  references  in  his  work  that 
Jnandev  had  got  initiated  in  the  mysteries  of  the  Yoga  study  through 
his  brother  and  preceptor  Nivrittinath,  before  composing  the  work 
and  that  he  had  become  an  expert  in  it.  He  could,  however,  perceive 
that  both  the  paths  of  Yoga  and  Knowledge  were  beyond  the  capacity 
of  ordinary  human  beings,  with  average  capacity,  and  he  opened  out 
the  comparatively  easier  path  of  Devotion  as  leading  to  Deliverance. 
The  path  of  devotion  preached  by  Jnandev  was  of  devotion-cimi- 
knowledge.  Although  Jnandev  was  mainly  a  follower  of  the  Path 
of  Yoga,  he  was  also  a  follower  of  the  Path  of  Devotion  and  also  a 
'Vaishnava',  a  follower  of  the  four-fold  caste  system.  With  all  this, 
it  seems  strange  that  absolutely  no  reference  was  made  to  God  Vithoba 
of  Pandharpur  in  the  whole  of  Bhavarthadipika,  although  there  is 
an  indirect  reference  to  that  God  (vide  verses  214-218  of  Chapter  xn 
of  the  work)  in  that,  Lord  Krishna  says  that  he  holds  on  his  head  God 
Shankar,  his  great  devotee.  This  obviously  refers  to  the  fact  of  (the 
idol  of)  Shri  God  Vithoba  of  Pandharpur  having  on  his  head  the 
Pindi  {litigant  of  Shiva)— a  form  to  be  seen  nowhere  else.  The 
omission  of  the  mention  of  God  Vithoba  of  Pandharpur  in  JnSnesh- 
warl  is  explained  by  some,  suggesting  that  Jnandev  had  not,  before 
he  composed  Jnaneshwarl,  personally  visited  Pandharpur,  and  had 
not  viewed  the  glory  of  the  God  there.  It  seems  that  side  by  side  with 
the  composing  of  Jnaneshwarl,  Jnandev  used  to  preach  to  Nivrittinath 
and  other  saints  the  portions  already  composed.  It  is  suggested  that 
Saint  Namdev  formed  one  of  the  audience  at  such  preachings.  These 
meetings  afforded  opportunities  both  to  Jnandev  as  also  to  Namdev 
of  coming  in  closer  contact  with,  and  appreciating  the  merits  of  each 
other.  Subsequently  both  of  them  became  quite  intimate  associates. 
The  composition  of  Jnaneshwarl  was  completed  in  Sake  1212  viz. 
when  Jnandev  was  only  15  years  of  age.  It  seems  that  through  his 
association  with  Namdev,  Jnandev  got  admitted  into  the  Varkari 
sect  of  devotees,  the  leadership  of  which  also  soon  devolved  on  him. 
Jn§ndev  later  on  composed  other  versified  works,  known  as  *Amri- 
tanubhava',  "Changdev  Pasashti,"  as  also  other  poems  consisting 
of  Haripath  and  other  'Abhangas  and  Padas'  for  the  benefit  of  the 
jVarkari  sect.  Later  on,  Jnandev  undertook  a  long  pilgrimage  to 
far  off  places  in  Northern  India  in  the  company  of  Namdev.  In  the 
course  of  his  pilgrimage  JnSndev  spread  out  far  and  wide,  even  in 
distant  provinces  like  the  Punjab,  tenets  of  the  Varnashram  School. 
Jnandev  and  his  friends  returned  from  this  pilgrimage  to  Alandi 


A  SHORT  LIFE  SKETCH  OF  SRI  JNANADEV  XXiH 

and  on  the  dark  thirteenth  day  of  the  month  of  Kartika  of  Saka 
1218,  he  (at  Alandi),  entered  into  his  last  spiritual  meditation  pre- 
paratory to  getting  buried  alive  (Samadhi)  in  the  presence  of  his 
brothers,  sister  and  other  saints  amidst  scenes  of  bitter  grief  on  the 
part  of  the  less  perfected  ones.  The  remaining  two  brothers  and  the 
sister  left  this  mortal  world  soon  after  viz.  within  about  a  year  and 
half  of  Jnaneshwara's  Samadhi  (getting  burried  alive  while  in  medita- 
tion). 

Some  half  a  dozen  miracles  are  attributed  to  Jnandev  during 
his  life  time,  such  as  i)  making  a  he-buffalo  recite  some  stanzas  from 
the  Vedas,  ii)  bringing  to  life  again  Satchitanandbaba,  who  later  on 
copied  out  the  Jnaneshwarl,  iii)  making  an  old  mud  wall  move  on 
for  going  to  meet  Changdev,  iv)  bringing  in  physically,  the  deceased 
forefathers  of  a  Brahmin  to  attend  the  death  anniversary  dinner, 
etc.  etc.  These  are  not  mentioned  in  detail  here  since  "this  is  merely 
a  brief  sketch  of  the  life  of  Shree  Jnandev. 


THE  SOCIOLOGICAL  BACKGROUND  OF 
THE  BHAVARTHA  DIPIKA 

Prof.  N.K.  Bhagwat,  m.a. 


The  publishers  of  the  English  Rendering  of  the  Jnaneshwari  have, 
with  the  publication  of  the  Vol.  II,  completed  their  work  and  have 
had  the  satisfaction  of  carrying  to  fulfilment  the  cherished  and  some- 
what ambitious  plan  of  presenting  the  reading-public  with  a  literal 
and  readable  rendering  into  English  of  the  Marathi  Bhavartha  Dipika. 
(the  magnum  opus)  compiled  by  the  celebrated  Saint  Jnaneshwar 
of  Alandi  (Poona  District).  Other  relevant  matters,  like  a  short 
lifesketch  of  the  Poet-philosopher,  have  also  been  given  with  these 
two  volumes.  It  was,  however,  thought  necessary  to  add  a  small 
note  on  the  conditions,  prevailing  in  the  days  of  Jnaneshwar  and 
thereabout,  and  which  are  directly  or  indirectly  referred  to  by  the 
Poet-philosopher  in  the  course  of  his  composition.  In  fact,  it  is  in 
conformity  with  the  modern  conception  of  scholarship  that  such  an 
attempt,  however  humble  and  perfunctory  it  may  be,  should  be  made 
to  complete  the  work  and  offer  food  for  thought  to  the  modern  scholars 
of  history  and  sociology.  The  science  of  sociology  has  been  recognised 
as  a  patent  means  of  understanding  the  political,  economical,  social, 
moral,  intellectual  and  in  fact  every  other  aspect  of  the  life  and  con- 
ditions of  a  people  of  a  particular  locality,  place  or  country.  When  a 
writer  of  outstanding  merit  and  flashing  genius  of  the  type  of  Jnanesh- 
war composes  a  literary  work  of  art,  he  is  not  satisfied  by  merely 
playing  the  role  of  a  commentator  or  a  pundit,  but  consciously  or 
unconsciously  reflects  the  life  of  the  people  among  whom  he  resides 
and  hence  the  appreciation  of  work  like  the  Jnaneshwari  will  be  in- 
complete and  unscientific  unless  and  until  this  is  brought  prominently 
to  the  notice  of  the  enlightened  readers  of  the  Bhavartha  Dtpika.This 
effort  is  by  no  means  comprehensive  or  complete,  but  is  intended  to 
excite  and  encourage  the  reader  to  pursue  this  subject  further,  according 
to  his  capacity,  intelligence  and  level  of  understanding. 

Political  conditions  :  During  the  twelfth  century,  in  so  far  as  the 
Maharashtra  is  concerned,  there  is  not  the  shadow  of  doubt  that  there 
was  perfect  independence  and  no  foreign  power  or  element  was 
dominating  this  part  of  Bharat.  Maharashtra  was  by  this  time  ruled 
over  by  the  Yadavas,  who  had  originally  held  sway  over  the  portions. 


THE  SOCIOLOGICAL  BACKGROUND  XXV 

constituting  the  modern  Nasik  and  Khandesh  Districts.  That  portion 
was  known  as  the  Seunadesha  [%3W  ^T).  Bhillam  Yadava,  one  of 
the  most  brave  and  powerful  descendants  of  the  family  attacked 
Someshwar,  the  Chalukya  king  and  extended  his  sphere  of  supremacy 
over  the  whole  of  Maharashtra,  to  the  north  of  the  Krishna  River 
and  transferred  his  capital  from  Sinnar  to  Deogiri.  Then  followed 
a  series  of  brilliant  rulers  in  that  illustrious  family  and  by  the  time 
Jnaneshwar  existed  Ramadevaraya  became  the  ruler  of  the  glorious 
kingdom  of  Maharashtra.  It  was  many  years  after  Jnaneshwar  that 
one  of  the  commanders  of  Allauddin  Khilji,  Sardar  Malik  Kafoor, 
entered  the  Deccan.  So,  according  to  the  political  ideas,  found  in 
the  literature  of  polity  (Arthashastra),  the  king  was  regarded  as  part 
of  the  Divinity,  who  ruled  over  his  subjects  righteously  and  agreeably 
to  the  duties  and  responsibilities  entailed  upon  him  as  the  governor 
of  men.  Under  him  the  society  was  organised  in  the  four-fold  caste 
system  and  everybody  was  expected  to  behave  in  conformity  with  the 
duties  of  the  caste,  in  which  he  was  born.  We  may,  therefore,  remark 
that  in  those  days,  the  ideas  of  democracy  and  representative  institu- 
tions were  conspicuous  by  their  absence.  In  fact,  it  was  a  kind  of 
benevolent  absolute  monarchy.  The  king  was  generally  a  benevolent 
ruler  and  was  endowed  with  all  the  paraphernalia,  regarded  with  the 
highest  esteem  and  loved  by  the  subjects,  who  obeyed  him  and  served 
his  cause  with  devotion.  The  king  had  a  council  of  advisers,  whose 
advice  he  was  under  no  obligation  to  accept.  The  proper  administra- 
tion of  the  country  and  the  system  of  defence,  both  internal  and 
external,  were  strictly  according  to  the  rules,  detailed-in  the  Arthashas- 
tra. The  army  was  divided  into  the  four-fold  arrangement-cavalry 
infantry,  elephants  and  chariots.  Warriors  followed  a  code  of  honour 
and  their  rules  and  conventions.  The  class  was  characterised  by 
bravery  and  dash  and  these  were  suitably  rewarded  by  the  King. 
There  are  references  made  to  the  standard-bearers,  trumpets,  drums, 
conch-flags  (1-132),  daggers  (IV-223),  wielders  of  weapons  such  as 
bow  and  arrow  (X-254)  and  spears  (XVIII-464)  and  other  weapons 
or  arms,  horsemen  or  cavaliers  fully  clad  in  steel  armour  from  top 
to  toe  (XVIII- 1047),  carrying  on  invasions  and  plundering  (XVIII- 
464).  Wars  on  the  field  of  battle  between  two  well-equipped  and 
well-posted  camps  or  individual  hand  to  hand  fights  are  also  mentioned  t 
by  Jnaneshwar.  As  for  internal  defence  of  the  Kingdom,  night  vigil, 
searches  of  houses  (XI-586)  and  imprisonment  in  jails  (XVIII-392) 
were  common.  The  passing  references  to  Mlencchas  and  Kaikadis 
clearly  indicate"  that  the  Poet-philosopher  had  heard  about  them  or 


XXVi  JNANESHWARI 

may  have  seen  them  during  his  long  tour  through  Bharat  during  his 
life-time.  Nowadays  there  is  a  tendency  to  attribute  to  Jnaneshwar 
the  fact,  that  he  had  a  presentiment  of  the  approaching  attacks  of  the 
Muslims  in  the  Deccan  and  the  teachings  of  the  Bhavartha  Dipika, 
were  set  forth  to  prepare  and  train  the  people  of  Maharashtra  to 
stand  equal  or  rise  superior  to  the  emergency  that  ultimately  did 
arise.  Leaving  aside,  however,  this  problematical  view,  one  can 
generally  assert,  that  the  political  ideals  were  found  in  conformity 
with  the  political  peace  and  unified  control  of  one  ruler  governing 
his  nation.  The  political  conditions  were  steady  without  any  ideas 
of  a  foreign  attack  and  a  well-devised  system  of  government  made  the 
people  happy  and  contented  and  no  wonder  this  peace  and  general 
prosperity,  enabled  the  scholar  and  learned  man  to  carry  on  his 
pursuit  of  knowledge  and  produce  literature  of  merit  and  abiding 
interest. 

Economic  Conditions  :  The  Social  Economy  of  Maharashtra 
seems  to  have  been  pivoted  on  agriculture  and  indigenous  trade  and 
industries.  The  relation  oi%  the  farmer  to  the  farm  was  extremely 
intimate  and  it  was  known  that  without  concentrated  and  close  efforts 
farming  land,  gardening  could  never  be  fruitful  (XVIII-94-96).  It 
is  said  that  the  gardener  waters  a  tree  and  ceaselessly  labours  at  its 
base  for  a  reward  from  the  tree  bearing  fruit  (XVI 1 1-844).  Acquaintan- 
ce with  all  the  processes  and  implements  of  farming  are  observable 
everywhere  in  Jnaneshwari.  Technical  terms  like  hoe  (XVI-329), 
grain-pits  (XVI 1-285),  processes  of  winnowing  (11-130)  sugarcane 
crushing  and  its  various  products  like  jaggery,  sugar,  molasses  (X-32) 
paddy  and  its  crop  and  the  requirements  of  good  crop  of  paddy  are 
mentioned  (XVI 11-368).  The  Poet-philosopher  han  a  very  good  advice 
to  give  to  this  class.  Farmer  when  involved  in  debts  is  unable  to  come 
out  of  it  and  his  farming  is  permanently  ruined  and  therefore  he 
should  not  be  involved  in  debts.  In  a  beautiful  simile  Jnaneshwar 
has  used  all  technical  terms  like  Mudha  (seed  stock),  Vadupa  (rains), 
Kharape  (pieces  of  clodless  soil),  Vaphasa  (warmth  required  for 
sowing),  Chadc  (through  which  seed  is  thrown  into  soil)  and  applied 
them  to  spiritual  matters.  (VI-489  to  492).  Further  the  fanner  is 
required  to  work  in  the  open  Held  and  meets  with  mirage,  Indra's 
•  bow,  forest-fire  and  other  natural  phenomena.  On  the  whole,  the 
farmer  had  to  toil  and  moil  and  deserve  his  fruits  by  patient  and  con- 
stant attention  and  thus  be  a  successful  man.  In  the  XII Ith  adhyfiya 
all  technical  words  under  the  term  Kshetra  are  mentioned.  Agri- 
culture, on  the  whole,  seems  to  have  been  flourishing  and  the  right 


THE  SOCIOLOGICAL  BACKGROUND  XXvii 

steps  taken  at  the  right  time,  give  an  assurance  of  good  results.  Next 
to  agriculture,  references  to  trade  and  crafts  may  fitly  be  introduced. 
In  the  bazar  and  market  various  sorts  of  clothes  —  cotton,  wool,  silk, 
embroidery  and  clothing  with  designs  upon  it  are  met  with.  Business- 
men gifted  with  the  skill  of  salesmanship  are  able  to  strike  their  bargain 
and  enter  into  a  deal.  Weaver,  goldsmith  (XIII- 1037;  XVH-209), 
washerman  (XIII-466),  potter  (IX-74),  cowherd  and  cattle,  bullock- 
carts  and  their  drivers  (XIV-24I),  carpenters,  showing  dolls  with 
mechanism  (IX-30),  dancers  and  actors  (XVI-361 ;  (IV-48)  are  men- 
tioned. The  money-lender  and  all  the  terms  connected  with  the  art 
of  lending  like  capital,  usury  etc.  are  also  found  (VII-178-I79).  With- 
out the  money-lender  petty  traders  cannot  carry  on  their  avocations. 
Successful  pursuit  of  various  arts  made  life  flourshing  and  references 
to  towns,  hamlets  and  cities  are  due  to  this  condition  of  life.  City 
with  streets  and  central  chowks,  mansions  of  rich  people,  storied- 
building,  dancers,  surgeons,  harlots,  parks,  fruit-gardens  clearly 
vouchsafe  a  prosperous  life  and  flourishing  conditions  of  Industry 
and  Commerce.  Side  by  side  the  mansions  of  the  rich  (V-l  14)  there 
is  the  poor  man's  cottage  (XIV-219).  The  prosperity  is  witnessed 
by  the  two  principal  communities  of  the  town-the  goldsmith  and 
jewellers."  Go  to  their  shops  and  find  excellent  gold  of  the  best  touch 
(VI-34;  VIII-38).  Fluctuations  in  the  rates  were  noticeable.  Referen- 
ces to  gold  mines  (XVIII-514),  mints  and  minting  of  coins  (VII-22-26), 
ornaments  for  ladies  and  children  (1-5),  leather  currency  (IX-454) 
indicate  the  high  state  of  civilisation  and  culture. 

The  conditions  enumerated  above  clearly  show  that  Maharashtra 
during  the  days  of  the  Yadavas  was  prosperous  and  peaceful  life 
of  the  people  encouraged  literary  and  other  creative  activities.  The 
economic  conditions  of  the  people  caused  no  anxiety  and  gave  a 
fruitful  field  for  demoralisation  by  the  introduction  of  social  vices. 
Superstition,  religious  traffic-making  and  growth  of  diseases  and  the 
consequent  necessity  of  physicians  and  their  professional  pursuits 
are  mentioned.  The  inequality  between  the  rich  and  the  poor  is 
perceptible,  although  the  average  standard  of  life  is  not  lower  and 
means  of  subsistance  are  not  wanting.  Unless  the  economic  con- 
ditions were  stable  and  steady,  literary  activities  could  not  even 
be  conceived  of. 

Literary  and  Cultural  activities:  The  Poet-philosopher  has  in  his 
monumental  work,  proved  that  in  his  times  there  was  a  great  literary 
and  cultural  activity  in  Maharashtra.  History  also  bears  witness 
to  this.  The  Yadavas  were  the  champions  of  arts  and  learning.  They 


XXViii  JNANESHWARI 

performed  sacrifices  and  encouraged  learning.  Many  works,  bear- 
ing on  astronomy,  astrology,  music,  Vedanta,  Dharma,  Grammar 
and  medical  science,  were  composed  in  Sanskrit.  The  celebrated 
astrologer  of  Singhana,  named  Anantadeva,  had  a  son,  named  Mahesh- 
war,  who  wrote  three  works  on  astronomy  like  "Shckhara"  and  others. 
Bhaskaracharya  wrote  his  "Siddhanta  Shiromani"  "Karana  Kuthu- 
hal"  and  "Leelavati."  At  Patana  in  KMndesh,  Changadeva  (Bhas- 
karacharya's  grandson)  had  established  a  school  of  astronomy  but 
of  all  these  the  celebrated  chief  minister  of  Ramadcvaray,  Hemadri 
and  his  friend  Bopadeva  composed  literary  works  and  specially 
stimulated  knowledge.  Hemadri's  "Prashastis"  and  (he  introduction 
of  the  Modi  script  are  even  now  acclaimed  as  the  best  indication  of  the 
propagation  of  learning.  His  style  of  architecture  is  a  wonder  even 
to  the  modern  architect.  To  these  names  must  be  added  those  of  the 
Mahanubhava  poets  like  Narendra  and  Bhaskarbhatta.  Bhaskarbhat- 
ta's  poem  on  the  Xlth  Skandha  of  Shrimad  Bhagvata,  shows  the 
popularity  of  the  Krishna  cult  in  those  times.  But  this  all-embracing 
literary  spur  and  the  consequent  glory  of  this  period  could  not  be 
shared  equally  by  all.  The  political  power  and  fame  was  shared  by  the 
Kshatriyas  and  the  Brahmins,  who  served  the  former,  may  have  been 
the  participants  of  this  prosperity.  The  Vaishyas  may  have  ruled  in  the 
domain  of  commerce  and  industry  and  may  have  produced  commercial 
magnates;  but  there  was  no  social  equality,  and  inequalities  in  the 
distribution  of  wealth  produced  the  social  grades  of  high  and  low. 
Thus  literature  and  cultural  progress  did  not  meet  the  needs  of  a 
well-ordered  and  well-to-do  society.  We  now  turn,  to  the  religious 
tendencies  of  those  times,  those  sidelights  are  observable  in  the 
JnaneshwarT  and  contemporary  works  as  well. 

Religious,  Superstitious  and  Social  deterioration:  The  society 
was  governed  by  Varnashram  Dharma.  The  learned  men  of  the 
society  were  busy  in  verbal  discussions  and  refutations  about  monism, 
qualified  monism  and  dualism  and  their  learned  discussions  gave 
neither  guidance  nor  light  to  the  masses.  Their  thirst  of  human  religion 
was  not  to  be  satisfied  by  Sanskrit  works,  which  were  the  monopoly 
of  the  higher  three  castes.  They  were  left  in  doubt  and  confusion. 
This  intellectual  anarchy  has  been  well-described  by  Namadeva. 
.The  rigour  of  caste-system  was  all  the  more  felt  even  by  the  saints. 
The  touchables  and  the  untouchables  were  both  equally  hammered 
under  the  intellectual  dominance  and  the  Poet-philosopher  and  his 
brothers  and  a  sister  were  not  exempted  from  this.  The  religion  of 
intellectual  dilenttantism,  external  purity  and  excess  of  ritualism 


THE  SOCIOLOGICAL  BACKGROUND  XXIX 

paved  the  way  for  superstition,  hypocrisy  and  sectarianism.  Linga- 
yats,  Jains  and  Mahanubhavas  tried  to  satisfy  the  human  aspirations 
and  needs  of  the  lower  classes  and  they  did  attract  the  masses;  supersti- 
tious practices  are  mentioned  in  the  Jnaneshwan.  The  exorcist,  the 
spell-chanter;  the  devotee  of  Khandoba,  Bhagats,  Garudi  (Snakechar- 
mers)  (XVIII-607),  Kolhati  (acrobats)  XVIII-606),  Naked  mendicants 
(XIII-21)  —  these  are  typical  vendors  of  superstitions.  They  plied 
their  trade  playing  upon  the  credulity  of  the  masses.  The  sacred  mark 
(Tila),  long  cap  (Topi)  and  Rosary  (Mala)  —  these  were  the  symbols 
to  conjure  with  the  ignorant  and  the  superstitious.  Witchcraft  seems 
to  be  a  common  rule.  Sannyasis,  preachers,  and  worshippers  tricked 
the  poor  and  the  illiterate.  The  cult  of  Black  Magic  is  mentioned 
(XVI-398).  This  religious  travesty  and  supersitious  domination  put 
into  bolder  relief  the  social  degeneration,  degradation  and  moral 
decadence.  The  drunkard  and  the  evils  of  drink  are  shown  (XIII-533). 
Concubines  are  mentioned  and  described  (XIII-746  and  IX-329). 
Side  by  side  with  these  two  classes  there  was  a  third  class  of  people, 
who  kept  company  with  pilgrims,  travellers  and  merchants  as  com- 
panions and  when  they  entered  a  jungle  or  a  forest  pounced  upon 
them,  looted  them  and  killed  them  (XIII-337).  Popular  conventions 
and  belief  also  point  to  the  state  of  religious  dormancy  and  easiness  of 
belief. 

Family  as  the  unit  of  the  Society:  The  conditions  prevailing  in 
the  Society,  as  a  whole,  are  depicted  above.  The  point  of  view  of 
looking  at  the  householder's  life  and  the  worldly  relations  in  general 
were  governed  by  the  regressive  path  or  Nivritti.  Between  the  material 
and  the  spiritual  the  palm  of  superioritly  was  given  to  the  latter. 
To  lead  a  householder's  life,  however,  is  not  condemned.  The  Poet- 
philosopher  has  shown  in  his  great  work  that  if,  rightly  lived,  samara 
removes  pessimism  and  proves  itself  a  source  of  perennial  joy.  He  has 
not  accentuated  on  the  path  of  regression  or  sannyasa  or  renunciation. 
Play  your  part  well  leaving  everything  to  God.  He  who  is  firm  at  heart 
and  is  completely  absorbed  in  the  Supreme  deals  perfectly  with  the 
world  by  establishing  normal  relations.  He  who  does  not  command 
the  senses  nor  is  afraid  of  sensual  pleasures,  does  not  neglect  to  perform 
the  prescribed  duties  that  come  to  his  lot  (III  68).  To  a  Karmayogi, 
gifted  with  knowledge,  sansara  is  no  scarecrow.  If  you  live  in  the  . 
world  as  a  drop  of  water  on  the  lotus  leaf,  you  need  not  be  afraid  of 
sansara.  With  this  firm  belief  the  Poet-philosopher  has  proved  the 
value  of  a  strong  Family.  Let  us  begin  with  husband  and  wife.  They 
live  as  separate  entities,  yet  they  should  live  as  a  composite  whole. 


XXX  JNANESHWARI 

The  life  of  both  culminates  into  bliss,  if  the  basis  is  understood  by 
them.  In  the  Thirteenth  adhyaya,  while  detailing  the  Prakriti  and  the 
Purush,  the  creation  and  manifestation  of  the  world  is  explained  as 
the  combined  effort  of  husband  and  wife.  The  Purush  is  inactive, 
indifferent  and  not  attached  to  enjoyment  of  pleasures;  but  the  Prakriti 
is  active,  dynamic  and  creates  where  there  is  nothing.  Through  her 
the  Purusha  gets  a  local  habitation  and  a  name.  A  good  woman  is 
chaste  and  constitutes  a  deity  of  the  house.  Where  she  lives  there 
is  wealth  of  happiness  and  all  dealings  and  relations  lead  to  happiness 
(VI-448).  She  lives  with  restraints  and  modesty  in  the  world  outside; 
but  with  her  husband  she  is  free  and  frank.  Though  gifted  with  beauty, 
she  would  desire  for  none  but  her  husband.  A  noble  lady  loves  her 
husband  and  the  latter  gives  her  due  respect.  The  whole  tenor  of 
love,  community  of  interest,  and  performance  of  religious  duties  in  a 
spirit  of  service  to  God  and  the  entire  success  of  the  family  life  depends 
on  this  consumation.  The  union  of  this  pair  paves  the  way  for  parental 
affection  and  regard  and  maintenance  of  taking  good  care  of  children. 
Mother  dotes  on  her  child.  Even  though  she  is  angry,  there  is  affection 
in  her  temper  (11-88).  The  father  loves  his  son  and  the  latter  eats  from 
the  dish  of  his  father.  The  father  forgives  his  son,  if  he  is  found  guilty; 
because  he  hopes  to  reclaim  him  at  a  future  stage.  It  is  the  duty  of  the 
son  to  obey  his  father  and  tread  in  his  father's  footsteps.  There  are 
ideal  families  mentioned  and  described  in  the  Mahabharata  and  the 
RSmayaija  and  the  Poet-philosopher  wishes  to  reproduce  that  ideal 
to  strengthen  the  family-ties  and  base  the  family  on  the  strongest 
foundation  of  love,  trust,  cooperative  effort  and  general  uplifting  of 
the  society  through  the  family.  The  families  are  bound  together  by 
marriage  relations  and  the  celebrations  of  marriages  in  those  times 
have  been  referred  to  in  a  number  of  adhyayas  (IV,  VI,  VII,  VIH, 
XII,  XIII,  XVI,  XVIII).  Marriage  ceremony  with  the  various  stages 
in  the  ceremonies  — •  both  religious  and  social-like  marriage  feasts, 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  various  parties  from  the  Bride's  side 
and  the  Bridegroom's  side,  the  various  dainties  and  dishes  and  the 
basic  idea  of  marriage  in  the  task  of  preservation  and  extension  of  the 
species  are  mentioned  in  a  number  of  adhyayas  and  in  different 
contexts  (VII,  VIII.  XI,  XIV,  XVI,  XVII,  XVIII).  The  family  unit 
is  thus  mentioned,  illustrated  and  the  aims  and  objects  of  the  family 
are  given  in  clear  and  unmistakable  terms-both  spiritually  and  mater- 
nally. The  final  aim  of  the  Poet-philosopher  was  to  emphasize  the  neces- 
sity of  building  up  the  society  on  strong  basis  of  a  well-organised  and 
systematised  family  unit,  so  that  the  various  abuses  and  forces  working 


THE  SOCIOLOGICAL  BACKGROUND  XXXJ 

at  the  disintegration  of  the  family  may  be  permanently  eradicated  to 
the  lasting  good  of  the  society  through  the  urge  of  Religious  goal. 

Other  aspects  of  life  touched  on :  Over  and  above  the  brief  indication 
of  the  sidelights  of  human  life,  reflected  in  the  Jnaneshwari,  the 
monumental  work  contains  much  information  about  the  Society  and 
its  various  aspects.  Popular  beliefs  are  freely  touched  on-for  example 
a  kind  of  eye  ointment  enables  a  man  to  see  the  place,  where  treasures 
are  hidden  (VI-458),  a  slight  error  in  the  chanting  of  the  mantra 
makes  the  reciter  possessed  of  a  ghost  (1-190).  A  number  of  beliefs 
about  the  ghosts,  their  place  of  location,  the  existence  and  the  activities 
attributed  to  them  are  freely  used  by  the  Poet-philosopher  to  illustrate 
his  commentary.  Astronomical  references,  process  of  evaporation 
(XV-399)  eclipses  (XVIIM 10)  constellations  and  planets  and  astro- 
logical beliefs  in  propitious  and  unpropitious  activities,  planets  are 
not  exempt  from  the  observation  of  the  poet.  Neither  is  Jnaneshwari 
oblivious  to  the  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms.  Winged  creation 
and  Poetic  conventions  connected  with  chakora  and  chataka  bees, 
chakravaka,  tortoise,  swans  and  stork  are  scattered  throughout  the 
work.  The  references  are  scattered  and  too  numerous  to  be  given 
in  detail ;  we  can  here  make  a  general  observation  that  if  Literature  is 
the  mirror  of  life,  this  "Mirror  of  life"  is  reflected  in  full  in  the  Bhavar- 
tha  DTpika,  leaving  the  reader  in  wonder  and  astonishment  at  the 
genius  of  the  boy  prodigy.  His  observation,  strengthened  by  his 
knowledge  of  yoga  made  him  a  keen  observer  of  Nature  and  her 
ramifications  in  all  her  complexity  and  variety;  and  all  this  complex 
existence  he  has  requisitioned  while  writing  his  enclyclopaedic  com- 
mentary on  the  Divine  Song. 

In  conclusion,  an  attempt,  which  is  necessarily  and  obviously, 
not  expansive  but  which  was  necessary  in  a  work  of  this  type,  is  made 
in  this  note  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  question  of 
assessing  the  political,  economic,  social,  religious  and  sociological 
value  of  this  work.  In  general,  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  Poet- 
saint  was  a  great  reformer  and  a  reconciliationist  (Samanvyaya  vadl). 
He  found  the  various  sects,  schisms,  and  ideologies  in  his  own  times, 
carrying  on  wordy  warfare  and  great  stress  was  laid  on  these  discussions 
arguments,  and  refutations.  The  sectarian  fervour  of  the  followers  of 
Shankara,  Madhava,  and  Ramanuja  on  one  hand  and  the  Sunyavadins, 
and  the  charvarkas,  and  the  Atheist  Kapila,  on  the  other,  was  at  its 
height ;  and  consequently  the  real  value  of  religion  in  its  emotional  deve- 
lopment was  lost  sight  of  and  its  purpose  was  defeated.  On  one  hand 
there  was  a  handful  of  learned  erudites,  monopolising  the  entire  Brah- 


XXX11  JNANESHWARI 

ma-Vidya  and  ruthlessly  exploiting  the  ignorance  of  the  vast  sea  of 
credulous,  ignorant  and  simple-minded  people  of  other  castes.  To 
the  latter,  human  duties  and  relations  and  their  value  in  shaping  and 
moulding  the  life  of  the  individual  to  serve  the  larger  interests  of  the 
humanity  at  large,  was  a  Sealed  Book.  Jnaneshwar,  reminiscent  of 
the  tyranny  of  the  orthodox  and  the  bigoted  exercised  on  these  children 
of  a  sannyasi  wrote  his  commentary  in  a  spirit  of  developing  univer- 
sal consciousness  and  outlook  and  thus  in  a  way  democratised 
religion  and  opened  the  Gates  of  Immortality  to  all  without  any 
distinction  of  caste,  creed  or  sex.  He  was  the  Pioneer  among  the 
galaxy  of  saints  and  reformers  of  Maharashtra  and  hence  his  greatness 
and  the  far-reaching  effects  impressed  on  the  masses  of  population. 
He  was  a  truly  universal  Friend  and  the  Bhagavat  Dharma,  which 
he  preached  through  the  Bhagavat  Gita  was  a  genuine  Universal 
Religion  treating  the  universe  as  his  own  home. 


SRI  R.K.  BHAGWAT:  A  MEMOIR 

Born    on    16    August    1879,    Sri    Ramchandra    Keshav    Bhagwat 

qualified  for  Government  service  by  passing  the  Entrance  ex- 
amination of  the  University  of  Bombay,  but  he  could  not  proceed 
to  Collegiate  education,  owing  to  the  limited  means  of  his  parents. 
Entering  service  in  his  teens,  by  dint  of  honest  and  diligent  work,  he 
rose  from  the  clerical  level  to  a  position  of  high  responsibility  in  the 
Revenue  Department  of  the  then  Bombay  Presidency.  He  held  various 
posts  carrying  heavy  administrative  and  executive  responsibilities, 
and  retired  in  1935  as  Deputy  Collector  after  a  meritorious  career 
extending  over  35  years. 

Before  long  he  was  persuaded  to  be  the  Diwan  of  JAMKHANDI, 
a  Princely  State,  in  view  of  his  rich  experience.  Here  too  he  main- 
tained the  reputation  of  being  a  true  public  servant,  and  in  recognition 
of  his  eminent  services  both  in  British  India  and  in  the  Princely  State, 
the  Government  of  India  conferred  upon  him  the  title  of  Rao  Bahadur 
in  1937  and  of  Diwan  Bahadur  in  1943.  He  retired  as  Diwan  of 
Jamkhandi  in  1 943  and  settled  down  in  his  home  town  of  Pune. 

How  he  came  to  know  of  Sant  Jnaneshwar  Maharaj  and  how  the 
idea  of  translating  his  Bhavartha  Dipika  took  shape  in  his  mind, 
gathering  strength  over  the  years,  has  been  explained  by  Sri  Bhagwat 
in  his  introduction.  After  his  retirement,  he  dedicated  himself  heart 
and  soul  to  the  noble  task  of  translating  Jnaneshwari  into  English. 
This  labour  of  love  engaged  him  for  over  five  years,  and  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  the  publication  of  his  rendering  —  the  first 
complete  English  translation  of  the  great  Marathi  Classic  —  in  two 
volumes  in  1952  and  1954. 

Known  for  his  regular  and  simple  way  of  life,  Sri  Bhagwat  con- 
tinued to  be  healthy  and  cheerful  until  he  breathed  his  last  suddenly 
on  26  January  1956,  the  Republic  Day,  at  the  age  of  76. 


JNANESHWARI 

CHAPTER  I 

ARJUNA'S  DOLOUR 

Introduction 

3^o  O  m !  i  the  Primeval  being,  the  very  form  of  Supreme  Self,  the 
subject-matter  of  the  Vedas,  be  bowed  to.  All  glory  to  it.  Oh  you, 
the  form  of  self  who  can  be  known  from  self-experience  alone,  I  hail 
you.  Oh  God,  you  yourself  are,  as  I,  the  humble  disciple  of  Nivrit- 
tinath,  propound  that  Ganesha  who  is  the  very  light  of  the  under- 
standing power  of  all,  and  (Oh  hearers)  hear  this  attentively.  This 
entire  Vedic  literature  is,  as  it  were,  your  own  beautiful  image,  and 
its  body  in  the  form  of  orthography  is  shining  flawlessly.  The  Smritis 
(Scriptures)  are  the  very  limbs  of  that  image,  while  the  stanzas  of 
the  poetry  are  the  very  movements  of  the  limbs,  and  the  eloquence 
of  the  meaning  is  the  pose  of  their  beauty.  The  eighteen  Puranas 
(mythologies)  are  like  the  jewelled  ornaments  and  the  principles 
(and  truths)  are  the  gems,  the  phraseology  being  the  sockets  in  which 
the  gems  are  set.  The  gentle  and  beautiful  poetic  composition  is  a 
colourful  yarn  and  its  ground  in  the  form  of  literature  is  substantial 
and  bright.  See  further:  if  these  poetic  dramas  are  planned  with 
taste  they  can  constitute  jingling  bells  (^"T*")  that  create  a  jingling 
sound  in  the  form  of  meaning.  And  the  principles  and  truths  arrived 
at,  as  the  result  of  an  analysis  of  these  dramas,  if  subjected  to  skilful 
tests — the  resultant  factors  ( fc )  constitute  the  gems  set  on  jingling 
bells.  The  ideology  of  the  poets,  Vyasa  and  others,  constitutes  the 
belt  (round  the  waist)  formed  of  silken  scarf,  while  the  ends  of  its 
ornamental  border  glitter  (above  the  jingling  bells).  The  six  different 
schools  of  (Hindu)  philosophy  that  are  called  "«^«to"  (six  points 
of  view)  are  the  six  arms  (of  the  image  of  Ganesha)  and  for  the  same 
reason,  the  arms  held  in  the  six  hands  differ  from  each  other. 


1  'tf^ :  the  sacred  syllable,  uttered  as  a  holy  exclamation  previous  to  the  beginning 
of  a  prayer  or  a  sacred  work. 


2  JNANESHWARI 

The  Tarkashastra  ( cnfan^r  Logic)  is  the  battle  axe;  the  Nyayash- 
astra  frqwil^the  doctrine  of  Social  and  Political  Science)  is  Ankush 
_(3f^?r — elephant  goad).  The  Vedanta  *  is  a  sweet  juicy  pudding 
( *ft«nfr ).  The  broken  tusk  in  one  hand  represents  the  mutilated  doctrine 
of  Buddhism,  defeated  as  a  result  of  the  commentary  by  followers 
of  the  Nyaya  philosophy.  Proceeding  in  this  order,  it  naturally  follows 
that  the  logical  debate  that  establishes  Absolute  Brahman  is  the 
bountiful  hand  (WT3|[^Tof  Ganesha)  and  the  establishment  of  religion 
is  his  hand  stretched-forth  in  reassurance  or  in  token  of  favour 
(snra^cT).  Pure  and  right  thinking  is  the  straight  (elephant)  trunk 
helping  to  secure  the  Supreme  unalloyed  bliss  of  the  Absolute.  The 
talk  that  removes  all  differences  (of  opinion)  is  his  complete  (unbroken) 
and  white  tusk.  Unmeshas  ( ^T  the  thrill  of  the  lustre  of  know- 
ledge) are  the  small  glistening  eyes  of  God  Ganesha~the  remover  of 
all  obstacles.  The  introductory  as  well  as  the  concluding  portions  of 
the  Mimansa  (^fomTT  the  Science  of  interpretation  of  Vedic  texts)  are 
the  two  ears  on  which  hover  the  bees  in  the  form  of  sages,  taking  the 
juicy  honey  (oozing  from  the  temples).  Duality  and  non-duality 
are  the  two  temples  glistening  with  corals  in  the  form  of  philosophy 
and  both  these  temples,  being  quite  close  to  each  othcr,on  the  elephant 
head  of  Ganesha  appear  as  if  equipoised  and  merged  into  one.  Besides, 
the  fragrant  flowers  in  the  form  of  the  ten  Upanishads,  full  of  floral 
honey  in  the  form  of  deepest  and  truest  knowledge,  appear  beautiful 
on  the  crown.  The  syllable  "3r"  forms  the  two  feet  of  Ganesha,  the 
syllable  "^",  his  big  belly,  while  the  syllable  "T'-the  grand  crown 
of  his  head.  The  combination  of  these  three  syllables  K  "sr,  ¥  forming 
s3»  (Om),  covers  up  and  comprehends  all  the  truth  revealed  as  Divine 
word  or  word  Absolute.  I,  therefore,  bow  through  the  grace  of  the 
good  preceptor,  to  the  primary  seed  of  the  entire  Universe.  Now  I 
bow  to  the  world-attracting  Sharada  (the  Goddess  of  learning)  who 
inspires  the  diverse  and  new  expressions  of  literary  beauty  and  who 
sustains  and  fulfils  the  desire  for  truth  and  beauty.  Since  the  good 
Master  who  has  taken  me  across  to  the  other  side  of  the  ocean  of  the 
mundane  existence  is  dwelling  in  my  heart,  I  hold  in  high  regard  the 
quality  of  right  thinking.  Just  as  an  application  to  the  eyes  of  divine 
antimony  confers  on  men  the  super-human  power  and  enables  them 
to  see  big  underground  treasures  wherever  they  might  cast  their  glance, 


1  t*n*!r :  metaphysical  system  founded  upon  the  Vedas,  teaching  that  matter  i 
an  illusion  and  that  the  sole  existence  is  One  all-pervading  spirit. 


I.  arjuna's  dolour  3 

or  just  as  the  possession  of  the  gem  "Chintamani"  fructifies  all  desires, 
in  that  way,  I  Jnaneshwar  say,  that  I  have,  through  the  grace  of  Sri 
Nivrittinath,  become  fully  gratified  in  desires.  Therefore  a  wise 
one  should  worship  the  preceptor  and  realise  the  status  of  one  who 
has  realised  his  highest  duty.  The  watering  of  the  roots  makes  the 
branches  and  leaves  get  fresh,  or  a  dip  in  the  ocean  accomplishes  the 
object  of  bathing  in  all  the  holy  waters  in  the  Universe,  or  the  taking 
of  nectar  includes  taking  in  all  health-giving  juices;  in  that  way  the 
preceptor  who  makes  successful  all  my  wishes — to  that  preceptor 
Nivrittinath  I  bow  again  and  again.  Now  hear  the  very  grand  and 
solemn  tale.  It  is  the  very  birth-place  of  all  arts  and  enjoyments, 
or  it  is  a  garden  of  unique  trees  in  the  form  of  right  thinking;  or  it 
is  the  very  treasure  of  the  Supreme  truths  which  are  the  very  roots 
of  all  happiness;  or  it  is  an  ocean  filled  with  the  nectar  of  nine  artistic 
sentiments  (T3T*T — Nine  classes  of  emotions  or  feelings)-all  these 
are  this  tale.  Or  this  tale  is  the  very  place  of  salvation  or  the  original 
fountain  spring  of  all  learning  (ftrerr)  or  the  abode  of  all  groups  of 
Scriptures;  or  this  tale  is  the  mother  home  of  all  religious  thoughts, 
the  very  heart-cherished  thing  of  the  virtuous  people;  and  the  treasure 
house  of  beauty  of  Goddess  Saraswati :  or  the  very  Goddess  in  the 
form  of  the  faculty  of  speech  has  revealed  her  grandeur  in  the  form 
of  this  tale  through  her  inspiration  to  the  genius  of  sage  Vyasa.  For 
all  these  reasons  this  tale  is  the  very  queen  amongst  the  great  Epics 
and  source  of  grandeur  of  all  literary  works  and  from  this  has  been 
secured  the  sweetness  of  the  Navarasas  (Nine  Rasas)  including 
romance  etc.  Do  hear  one  more  special  feature  of  this  work.  The 
glory  of  word-beauty  has  been  rendered  pure  and  refined  through 
this  tale  and  the  tenderness  of  the  highest  wisdom  of  realisation  of 
the  Self  has  been  enhanced.  This  tale  has  made  talent  wider  or  truth 
truer  and  the  truth  has  become  more  tasteful  and  sweet,  while  the 
very  consummation  of  happiness  has  been  made  more  consummate. 
This  has  added  sweetness  to  the  sweet,  beauty  to  romantic  amours 
and  supreme  goodness  to  worthy  things,  thereby  giving  them  a  more 
pleasing  aspect.  This  tale  has  secured  the  essence  of  artistic  perfection 
for  arts,  and  unique  glory  to  merit,  and  therefore  the  sins  of  king 
Janamejaya  got  easily  washed  out.  Thinking  a  little  longer  it  would 
appear  that  by  this  tale  artistic  patterns  are  made  more  artful  and  all . 
qualities  more  lustrous.  In  short,  just  as  the  Universe  appears  more 
bright  through  the  Sun's  splendour,  in  that  way  the  Universe  has 
also  got  greatly  illumined  and  adorned  being  pervaded  by  sage 
Vyasa's  genius  or  just  as  the  seed  sown  in  a  fertile  soil  automatically 


4  JNANESHWARI 

grows  extensively,  in  that  way  all  truths  and  subjects  worth  being 
known  have  come  to  fruitful  perfection  in  the  Bharata  Epic;  or  just 
as  one  living  in  a  city  (Urban  area)  naturally  becomes  well-informed, 
gentle,  and  refined  in  conduct;  in  that  way  the  entire  Universe  has 
become  bright  and  clear  on  account  of  Vyasa's  words;  or  just  as 
the  tenderness  of  beauty  becomes  specially  visible  in  a  woman  in 
her  early  youth;  or  just  as  all  trees  and  shrubs,  big  and  small,  in  the 
garden  lands  get  abundance  of  growth  at  the  advent  of  the  spring 
season ;  or  just  as  there  appears  nothing  special  in  point  of  form  in 
a  molten  lump  of  gold,  but  the  real  beauty  comes  in  when  it  is  converted 
into  ornaments ;  in  that  way  with  the  idea  that  the  beauty  of  all  varieties 
of  patterns  of  one's  liking  could  be  expressed  by  studding  them  with 
ornaments  in  the  form  of  Vyasa's  composition,  all  story  writers  have 
approached  this  tale,  for  inspiration  and  with  the  object  of  securing 
adequate  position,  all  the  mythologies  have  accepted  even  subordina- 
tion, and  have  contributed  in  the  form  of  subnarratives  to  the  great 
Epic  Bharata,  and  therefore  it  is,  that  what  is  not  contained  in  this 
Epic,  is  not  to  be  had  anywhere  else  in  the  Universe;  and  this  has 
led  to  the  adage  "The  entire  world  of  literacy  or  universe  of  truth 
and  beauty  is  rendered  stale  by  being  tasted  by  Vyasa  {o^^wl^■">tf<-d).,, 
In  this  way  this  eloquent  tale  has  been  told  by  sage  Vaishampayan 
to  the  King  Janamejaya — the  narrative  which  is  the  very  birth-place 
of  the  highest  spirituality  in  the  Universe.  You  should  therefore 
hear  this  tale  attentively — the  tale  which  is  unparalleled,  supreme, 
full  of  great  merit,  unique,  and  the  very  home  of  Unity  with  the  very 
essence  of  divinity.  The  portion  named  Gita  preached  by  Lord  Krishna 
to  Arjuna  is  but  a  particle  of  the  pollen  dust  of  lotus  flower  in  the  form 
of  Epic  Bharata;  or  this  is  the  butter  incomparable  in  quality  in  the 
form  of  Gita  that  emerged  through  the  churning  process  lo  which 
the  talent  of  Sage  Vyasa  subjected  the  ocean  of  truth.  This  butter 
by  being  successfully  boiled  in  the  fire  of  knowledge  with  careful 
thinking  has  been  converted  into  flavoured  ghee-  that  tale  the  spiritual 
vision  of  which  the  ascetics  wish  for,  which  is  actually  experienced 
by  the  saints  and  which  is  revered  all  over  the  three  worlds,  which 
transpired  in  due  course  in  the  Bhlshmaparva,  which  is  named  Bhaga- 
vadgita,  which  is  praised  both  by  God  Brahmadev  and  God  Shankara 
*and  which  is  taken  in  with  great  regard,  by  Sanat  and  others- -the 
sweetness  of  such  a  story  should  be  enjoyed  with  refined,  equipoised 
mind  by  the  hearers,  in  the  way  the  young  ones  of  the  bird  Chakor 
pick  up  with  feeble  mind  the  tender  atoms  of  the  nectar  of  the  small 
phase  of  early  moon  in  the  "Sharat*  season.  The  narrative  is  preached 


I.  ARJUNA  S  DOLOUR  5 

(uttered)  without  words,  is  experienced  even  before  the  senses  come 
to  know  of  it;  its  subtle  truths  are  grasped  even  before  its  words 
actually  fall  into  the  ears.  Just  as  the  black  bees  carry  away  the  flower 
dust  from  the  lotuses  even  before  the  lotuses  come  to  know  of  it, 
in  that  way  becomes  the  state  of  hearers.  Only  the  Kumudini  (Lotus- 
plant)  possesses  the  skill  of  embracing  the  rising  moon  and  to  experi- 
ence his  love  without  even  leaving  her  own  place;  in  that  way  only 
that  seeker,  whose  heart  is  calm  and  steady  on  account  of  serious 
and  solemn  temper,  can  understand  the  GIta  truth.  Therefore  such 
saints  as  are  worthy  of  taking  their  place  by  the  side  of  Arjuna  on 
the  occasion  of  hearing  the  GIta  teaching,  should  kindly  pay  attention 
to  this  story.  I  might  perhaps  be  considered  a  bit  impudent,  over- 
bearing through  familiarity  in  saying  this,  yet  such  is  really  not  the 
case.  Oh  hearers,  you  possess  solemn  and  generous  hearts,  and  there- 
fore I  have  made  this  humble  request  at  your  feet.  It  is  the  nature 
of  parents  that  they  should  feel  happy  at  the  prattling  of  their  child, 
in  that  way  since  you  have  once  accepted  me  and  called  me  your  own 
favourite,  it  is  for  you  now  to  put  up  with  whatever  short-comings 
you  may  notice  in  me,  without  any  such  prayer  coming  from  me: 
but  I  have  committed  another  fault  and  it  is  of  venturing  to  illumine, 
enlighten  the  meaning  of  the  GIta  and  I  have  therefore  to  pray  to 
you  to  hear  attentively  that  illuminating  comment.  I  have  of  my 
own  accord  made  myself  overbold,  without  weighing  in  my  mind 
how  difficult  it  is  to  carry  successfully  to  its  end  this  work.  Could 
there  stand  any  comparison  between  the  brilliance  of  the  Sun  and  that 
of  the  glow-worm?  Or  that  I,  an  ignorant  person,  should  embark 
upon  the  doing  of  such  a  thing,  like  a  lapwing  trying  to  measure 
the  depth  of  the  ocean  with  her  beak !  Another  thing :  anyone  thinking 
of  holding  in  an  embrace  the  entire  sky,  must  himself  be  bigger  than 
that  sky:  in  that  way  the  work  I  have  undertaken  is  indeed  simply 
beyond  my  scope.  The  grandeur  of  its  meaning  is  well  praised  by 
God  Shankara  who  was  once  discoursing  on  the  depth  of  the  meaning 
of  the  GIta,  to  questions  asked  by  Goddess  ParvatI  who  was  dismayed 
and  felt  puzzled.  God  Shankara  then  said  "Oh  BhawanI,  the  GIta 
truth  is  as  unutterable  and  as  perennially  fresh  as  your  own  majestic 
appearance  and  beauty.  This  GIta  truth  is  the  very  word  of  the 
Almighty,  whose  very  snoring  of  sleep  threw  up  the  Veda  itself."  How  ■ 
an  insignificant,  such  a  diminutive  and  a  very  dull  thing  as  myself 
would  fare  in  such  a  vast  and  limitless  task  (I  have  undertaken)  in 
a  region  of  profoundest  mystery  wherein  even  the  Vedas  lost  them- 
selves completely?  How  to  bring  within  grasp  such  unbounded 


6  JNANESHWARI 

Glta  principles?  And  who  could  illumine  this  mighty  flame  of  un- 
common splendour?  How  can  a  small  eye-fly  hold  in  its  fist  the  big 
sky?  But  even  in  this  state  I  consider  myself  able  enough,  and  the 
only  authority  on  which  I  do  so  is  the  favour  of  good  preceptor 
Nivrittinath  towards  me,  I,  Dnyaneshwar  say.  Without  that  support 
I  am  indeed — stupid  and  thoughtless:  yet  the  lamp  of  the  saint's 
kindness  to  me  is  brilliant  and  clear.  Only  in  the  parts  (  T^r  Philoso- 
pher's stone)  lies  the  power  by  which  iron  is  converted  into  gold ;  and 
so  is  the  power  of  the  ambrosia  in  bringing  a  dead  person  back  to 
life.  If  only  the  Goddess  Saraswati  is  propitious,  even  a  dumb  one 
can  command  the  faculty  of  speech:  that  way  lies  the  power  of  certain 
things  bringing  about  certain  results,  and  if  these  take  place  in  that 
way  there  is  no  reason  to  feel  any  mystery  of  it.  One  who  has  got 
a  mother  like  the  desire-yielding  cow  (WPfrr)  could  never  be  in  want 
of  anything  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that  1  have  prepared  myself  to 
compose  this  work.  My  request  therefore  to  you  is  "It  is  up  to  you 
to  make  good  whatever  is  defective  and  to  drop  out  whatever  is  exces- 
sive in  my  work."  Now,  therefore  attend  here.  1  shall  be  able  to 
talk  only  if  you  could  make  me  talk  in  the  way  the  puppet's  move- 
ments depend  upon  the  movements  of  the  strings  on  which  they  are 
worked.  In  that  way  I  am  a  favoured  one  of  the  Saints  and  the  righte- 
ous, and  the  protege  of  their  kindness.  I  have  entirely  delivered  myself 
up  unto  them  and  they  should  adorn  me  with  ornaments  as  they  like. 
Just  at  this,  the  preceptor  said  "Suffice  now :  there  is  hardly  any  need 
for  you  to  say  all  this:  hasten  up  and  turn  your  attention  to  the  com- 
position." Dnyanadeo  felt  extremely  elated  at  the  preceptor  Nivrit- 
tinath's  words  and  he  said  "Now  hear  with  calm  and  patient  attention." 


I.  ARJUNA'S  DOLOUR 

spf$%  5^^  <OTRtaT  *J^rH«l:  I 

1  Dhritarastra  Spake  "On  that  holy  (battle) -field — at  Kuru- 
ksetra — foregathered,  (and)  lusting  for  combat,  what  did 
mine  own  (sons)  and  the  sons  of  Pandu  do,  O  Sarhjaya  ?" 

(85) 

Dhritarashtra  overcome  with  love  for  his  sons,  questions  Samjaya 
"Tell  me  the  account  of  Kurukshetra  which  is  called  the  holy  land 
and  where  mine  own  and  Pandu' s  sons  have  assembled  for  a  battle. 
Samjaya,  tell  me  immediately  what  they  are  all  doing  there  so  long 
towards  each  other." 

2  Samjaya  Spake  "Noticing  the  Panaava-host  arrayed  for 
battle,  Duryodhana  the  King  thereupon  approached  the 
Preceptor  (Drona),  and  uttered  this  word: 

3  "Behold,  Preceptor,  this  mighty  host  of  Pandu' s  sons,  drawn 
in  battle-array  by  Drupada's  son — thy  talented  disciple.    (88) 

Samjaya  then  said  "The  Pandava  Army  has  got  so  terribly  excited 
that  it  looks  like  the  mouth  of  the  destroyer  getting  widened  as  at 
the  time  of  the  world  dissolution.  In  that  way  the  immensely  massive 
army  got  suddenly  astir  just  as  the  subtle  venom  gets  out  of  control 
when  gushing  out:  or  just  as  the  forest  fire  when  fanned  and  spread- 
out  by  stormy  winds  seeketh  to  reach  the  very  heights  of  the  sky  after 
absorbing  dry  the  ocean  water.  In  that  way  the  Pandava  Army  ready 
with  impregnable  defence-arrangements  looked  formidable  at  that 
time.  Duryodhana  seeing  this  treated  it  with  contempt  in  the  way 


10  JNANESHWARI 

mmW  fcuActai  *fs  *ft*nnu finely  u  ?©  n 

3^3*  W  *l#|  XTMI*IHI*Hfcqdl:  I 
^^e)(r^«H^  ^RT:  ^  ^  ff  II   W  II 

10  'Tftus,  boundless  is  our  force  with  Bhisma  to  guard  it ;  bounded, 
however,  is  the  force  of  these  with  Bhima  to  guard  it. 

11  "Therefore,  at  all  the  points  of  entrance  (or  egress  of  our 
battle-array) ,  stationed  in  positions  as  assigned,  do  ye  just 
guard  Bhisma  (from  the  enemy)  ".  (115) 

"That  Bhlshma  who  is  so  great  in  the  Kshatriya  family  and  who 
is  the  most  well-known  of  all  the  warriors,  holds  the  authority  of 
the  Commander-in-Chief.  Under  his  command  is  placed  the  entire 
army,  arrayed  just  like  a  fortress,  before  which  the  entire  universe 
compares  small.  Already  a  vast  ocean,  no  one  can  consider  it  as 
transgressable  the  more  so  if  it  is  helped  by  a  (fabulous)  sub-marine 
fire:  or  just  as  the  destructive  fire  and  stormy  wind  should  combine, 
in  that  way  our  Commander-in-Chief,  the  son  of  the  Ganges  (is) 
unconquerable.  Who  can  take  a  firm  stand  in  war  in  front  of  such 
an  army  as  ours,  before  which  the  Pandava  army  as  assembled 
appears  insignificant  in  comparison?  With  all  this,  Bhlmasena,  who 
is  strong,  is  the  Commander  of  the  Pandava  army."  Saying  so  much 
Duryodhana  remained  momentarily  silent.  Duryodhana  then  spoke 
again,  "All  ye  army-men,  keep  your  respective  army  completely 
ready.  The  armies,  whosoever  is  in  command,  should  be  sub-divided 
and  assigned  the  respective  places  on  the  battle-field  with  their  com- 
mandants duly  appointed.  The  respective  armies  should  be  drawn 
up  and  they  should  obey  the  orders  of  Bhlshma.  Drona  should  also 
have  his  attention  over  all  and  should  protect  Bhishma  taking  him 
to  be  myself,  as  he  is  the  sole  support  of  our  army." 

fa^W  $H«M:  5T^f  ^t  MHN3H  II   ?:?  i| 

12  "Then,  to  inspire  cheer  in  him,  the  aged  grand-sire  of  the 
Kurus—he  of  great  prowess—mightily  roared  forth  the  lion's 
roar  and  blew  his  conch.  (125) 

At  these  words  of  Duryodhana  the  Commander-in-Chief,  the  son 


I.   ARJUNA'S  DOLOUR  11 

of  the  Ganges  felt  greatly  pleased  and  made  (as  it  were)  a  lion-roar 
( Rignrc  ).  It  was  such  a  wonderful  sound  that  it  reverberated  through-., 
out  the  armies  on  both  the  sides  and  got  also  outside,  the'eeho'iiQt 
remaining  confined  to  them.  With  this  tremendous  sound  the  valour 
of  Bhishma  rose  up  within  himself  and  with  that  excitement  Bhlshma 
blew  his  powerful  conch.  Both  these  sounds  getting  combined 
rendered  the  whole  universe  insensible,  giving  the  impression  that 
the  very  heavens  were  going  to  crash  down.  The  sky  thundered, 
the  ocean  swelled  and  the  universe  got  terror-stricken  and  all  trembled. 
Owing  to  this  great  sound  the  mountain  and  the  waves  got  stricken 
down  and  at  the  same  time  the  instruments  of  war-music  made  their 
sounds  throughout  the  army. 

«^«U^fr*M  H  *l«itj*HM<M  II  ^  II 

13  "Then,  of  a  sudden,  were  sounded  forth  conches  and  kettle- 
drums, tabors,  tambourines,  and  cornets;  uproarious  was 
the  din  it  made."  (131) 

As  the  different  organs  played  there  arose  a  dreadful  noise  and  even 
the  bold  feared  that  the  world  was  approaching  its  end.  What  of 
the  timid  then?  Those  of  doubtful  courage  got  blown  up  like  chaff- 
nay,  even  the  Destroyer  got  so  much  frightened  that  he  would  not 
come  forward.  As  the  flag,  kettle-drums  and  other  martial  musical 
instruments  such  as  conches,  cymbals  and  trumpets  etc.  sounded 
forth,  the  heroes  also  raised  dreadful  war  cries.  Some  began  to  pat 
loudly  their  arms.  Some  began  raising  cries  with  all  their  might. 
The  feeling  of  fear  raised  by  all  these  made  (even)  the  elephants  in 
rut  uncontrollable  and  some  died  standing,  and  the  courageous  got 
their  jaws  locked.  Even  the  brave  in  the  battle  began  to  tremble  with 
fear.  Hearing  this  tremendous  war  alarm  Brahmadev  also  got  nervous 
while  the  other  Gods  got  afraid  that  the  end  of  the  universe  had 
approached. 

?RT:  ^^^4^  T*ffi  *M*4^  R^cfl  I 

MI-*|<*HJ  gcflqUl)  ^MtI  «J#*W:  I 

tjfcf  *wft  *T^TCT^f  ?fop*>*tf  <J*U<:  II   ?K  II 


12  JNANESHWARI 

3ffi»trf?Rir  TT3TT  jj>«rft^*fi  JjfaftST:  I 

14  "Thereupon,  seated  in  an  ample  chariot  with  white  steeds 
yoked,  (Krsna,  the)  Mddhava  and  (Arjuna,  the)  Pandava 
blew  forth  their  celestial  conches: 

15  "Hrslkesa  (= Krsna)  blew  the  Pdncajanya  and  Dhanamjaya 
(= Arjuna)  the  Devadatta.  Vrkodara  (=Bhima)  of  terrific 
deeds  blew  his  great  Paundra  conch; 

16  "King  Yudhisthira  the  son  of  KuntT  (blew)  the  Anantavijaya, 
and  Nakula  and  Sahadeva  (respectively)  the  Sughosa  and 
the  Manipuspaka.  -  (137) 

While  such  was  the  state  in  the  heavens  at  seeing  this  panic,  hear  what 
took  place  on  this  side  in  the  Pandava  army.  How  can  one  adequately 
describe  the  chariot  which  was  the  very  soul  of  victory  and  the  very 
store  of  intense  splendour;  the  chariot  had  four  horses  (powerful 
like  Garud)  harnessed  to  it.  Such  a  chariot  appeared  like  a  winged 
Meru  (mountain)  and  brightened  all  the  ten  directions  with  its  power- 
ful lustre.  How  to  describe  fully  the  qualities  of  such  a  chariot  of 
which  Lord  Krishna  of  Vaikuntha  had  himself  become  the  charioteer 
(coachman)?  Maruti — God  Shankara  incarnate—was  guarding  the 
flag  staff  while  God  Sharangdhar  was  the  charioteer  with  Arjuna 
in  the  chariot.  Just  see  and  admire  the  Lord :  how  wonderful  is  his 
affection  for  his  devotees  and  in  consequence  how  he  is  doing  the 
charioteer's  duties  towards  Partha?  Lord  Krishna  placed  his  devotee 
at  his  back;  himself  remaining  in  the  forefront  easily  he  blew  his  conch 
named  Panchajanya.  As  the  dreadful  sound  of  the  conch  was  awfully 
going  round  it  drowned  and  made  inaudible  the  sounds  of  the  martial 
music  sounded  in  the  Kaurav  Army,  just  as  the  stars  become  invisible 
with  the  rise  of  the  Sun.  Simultaneously  Partha  sounded  his  own 
conch  Devadatta  making  a  great  noise.  Just  as  the  sounds  of  both 
these  wonderful  conches  blended  together  it  was  felt  as  if  the  universe 
was  being  pounded  into  hundreds  of  pieces.  Just  then  Bhlmasena 
_got  enthused  as  if  the  great  Destroyer  had  excited  him  and  he  blew 
his  own  big  conch  named  Poundra.  It  created  a  dreadful  thunder 
just  as  the  clouds  do  at  the  dissolution  of  the  world;  Yudhisthira 
sounded  his  own  conch  named  Anantavijaya;  so  also  Nakula  his 
own  named  Sughosha  and  Sahadev  Manipushpa. 


I.  arjuna's  dolour  13 

tftviAW  l^raif:  ST^fFJ  *wji  ^f^>  ^9RJ>  II  $5  II 

TfRST  *[Mf  ^N"  <J*p3t  *M«JHI<i*4«J  II   VK  II 

17  "And  Kasi's  King,  the  supreme  archer,  and  Sikhandin  the 
great  car-warrior,  and  Dhris\adyumna  and  Virata  andSatyaki 
the  unconquered: 

18  Drupada  and  the  sons  of  Draupadi,  as  also  the  long-armed 
son  of  Subhadra,  0  Lord  of  the  Earth,  blew  from  all  sides 
their  several  respective  conches. 

19  That  (resulting)  roar  cleft  the  hearts  of  Dhritarastra  's  men, 
causing — wild  as  it  was — the  Heaven  arid  the  Earth  to  resound. 

(151) 

There  were  also  other  kings  such  as  Drupada  and  Draupad:  so 
also  Kashlpati  the  great  hero,  Abhimanyu  son  of  Arjuna,  Satyaki 
the  unconquered,  Dhrishtadyumna  the  master  king,  and  also  Shik- 
handi.  Great  kings  Virata  and  others  who  were  the  leading  warriors 
were  also  sounding  several  of  their  conches  repeatedly.  Hearing 
that  very  terrible  noise,  Shesha  and  Kurma,  in  sudden  deadly  con- 
sternation, looked  like  dropping  down  the  burden  of  the  earth.  All 
the  three  worlds  got  violently  shaken,  Merumandar  (Mountains) 
became  unsteady,  and  the  ocean-water  sprouted  up  to  the  very  sky. 
It  looked  as  if  the  earth  was  getting  topsy-turvied,  the  skies  were 
crashing  down  while  the  stars  were  dropping  down  thick  and  fast 
at  that  time.  Satyaloka  got  thick  with  the  report  that  the  earth  was 
lost,  and  the  gods  had  become  supportless.  At  the  time  of  the  approach 
of  the  world  dissolution  the  Sun  sets  even  during  day-time;  in  that 
way  there  arose  a  tumult  in  all  the  three  parts  of  the  universe.  Seeing 
all  this,  Lord  Krishna  got  surprised  and  fearing  that  the  unheard  of 
sound  would  bring  about  the  end  of  the  world  stopped  it.  Thus  the 
universe  was  saved  which  would  otherwise  have  gone  to  pieces,  when 
Krishna  and  Arjuna  both  sounded  their  great  conches.  Although 


14  JNANESHWARI 

the  sound  got  smoothened  down  still  there  remained  its  echo  which 
made  the  Kaurava  armies  terror-stricken.  Just  as  a  lion  easily  destroys 
a  herd  of  elephants,  in  the  same  way  the  sound  of  the  conches  cleft  the 
hearts  of  the  Kauravas.  When  they  heard  the  wild  roar  they  lost  their 
courage  as  they  were  standing  and  warned  each  other  to  be  cautious. 

20  "Thereat,  beholding  Dhritarastra's  host  duly  mdrshalled,  he 
of  the  Ape-banner,  (Arjuna,  the)  Pandava — as  the  discharge 
of  weapons  was  about  to  commence — raised  aloft  his  bow.  (1 64) 

Those  that  were  powerful  and  great  heroes  then  re-arranged  their 
armies  and  getting  forward  advanced  with  redoubled  energy,  making 
thereby  the  universe  get  agitated.  Just  as  the  clouds  pour  down  inces- 
sant rains  at  the  approach  of  the  world-dissolution,  in  the  same  way 
all  the  heroes  poured  down  an  incessant  rain  of  arrows.  Seeing  this 
Arjuna  got  satisfied  in  his  heart  and  threw  his  glance  over  his  army 
with  great  regard.  Seeing  the  Kaurava-party  all  ready  for  the  war 
the  son  of  Pandu  easily  picked  up  and  took  into  his  hands  his  own 
bow. 

3HMlM4l4wfr  T*f  F^TO*T  ifco&pr  II  3  ?   II 
<*4m  Tfl|  Ml4«M^ft*l^  <"W*J^J*)  II  33  H 

«n#n^r  i^t^i"  fawlwtfw:  n  33  11 

H"^1"*!  ^^^?H  4|^|4>^H  WTTcT  I 
*NfN*WfrN*  fv^mflir^l  <4lr^*j  II  3*  11 

21  "And  then  addressed  these  words,  O  Lord  of  the  Earth,  unto 
(Kfsna,  the)  HrsTkesa:  'Station  my  chariot,  0  Acyuta, 
betwixt  the  two  armies. 


I.  arjuna's  dolour  15 

22  Whilst  I  just  mark  these  that  are  arrayed,  lusting  for  combat: 
(just  mark)  with  whom  I  have  to  engage  in  this  (impending) 
encounter. 

23  "/  shall  just  look  upon  these  that  have  here  foregathered  ready 
for  fight,  and  longing  to  achieve  in  battle  what  is  dear  to  the 
evil-minded  (Duryodhana),  the)  son  of  Dhritarastra." 

24  "(Krsna,  the)  Hrsikesa,  thus  addressed,  O  Descendant  of 
Bharata,  by  (Arjuna,  the)  Guddkesa,  stationed  that  excellent 
chariot  betwixt  the  two  armies."  (169) 

Arjuna  then  said,  "Lord,  take  my  chariot  and  station  it  immediately 
betwixt  the  two  armies  so  that  I  may  in  a  moment  make  a  survey 
of  all  the  heroes  that  have  arrived  here  for  the  battle.  All  seem  to 
have  come  here,  but  I  must  see  who  are  qualified  to  fight  with  me. 
Almost  ail — the  impatient  and  bad-tempered— (appear)  ambitious 
in  mind  for  a  fight  without  (possessing)  bravery.  They  have  great 
liking  for  warfare  but  lack  the  courage  to  stand  on  the  battle-field." 
Having  told  thus  to  the  king  (Dhritarashtra),  hear  now  what  Samjaya 
says  further.  Samjaya  says:  After  Arjuna  asked  him  thus,  Lord 
Krishna  drove  the  chariot  on  and  stationed  it  betwixt  the  two  armies. 
The  chariot  was  stationed  on  the  spot,  where  Arjuna  saw  facing  him 
Bhlshma,  Drona,  and  others  closely  related. 

**m  TPf  M*fldM  U**2(dH  UpsftrfcT  II  ^SC  II 

3tiTim?H  mg<4iH  ^rraFr  5^^3[  m^w  wafwn  u  \%  m 

25  "Confronting  Bhisma  and  Drona  and  all  the  Rulers  of  the 
Earth,  and  spake:  "0  (Arjuna,  thou)  Son  of  Prtha,  behold 
these  congregated  Kurus." 

26  "There  the  son  of  Prtha  beheld,  stationed,  sires  and  grand- 
sires,  preceptors,  maternal  uncles,  brothers,  sons,  grandsons, 
as  also  comrades. 


16  JNANESHWARI 

27     "Fathers-in-law,  and  benefactors  in  both  the  armies.  Perceiv- 
ing all  the  kinsmen  there  stationed,  that  son  ofKunti.      (174) 

The  chariot  was  stationed  on  the  spot  where  Arjuna  saw  face  to  face 
Bhishma,  Drona  and  others  closely  related,  as  also  several  other 
kings.  Turning  round  Dhanurdhara  viewed  the  whole  army  and 
got  embarrassed  and  said,  'See  here,  all  these  are  elderly  relatives". 
Lord  Krishna  felt  momentarily  amazed  at  Partha's  saying  such 
strange  things  and  said  to  himself,  "This  looks  surprising  that  Partha 
should  feel  in  a  way  that  cannot  be  understood."  Capable  however 
of  reading  the  future,  Lord  Krishna  understood  Partha's  mentality, 
but  remained  quiet  without  saying  anything.  Here  Partha  beheld 
standing  face  to  face  all  (closely  related  such  as)  fatherlike  elders, 
grand-fathers,  brother-disciples  (^JWJ)  maternal  uncles;  also  saw 
relatives  and  friends  as  also  youths  all  included  therein.  Dhanurdhara 
also  saw  there  well-wishing  fathers-in-law  and  other  relations,  sons, 
grandsons  (others)  who  were  once  laid  under  obligation  or  were  given 
protection  in  adversity;  whether  big  or  small  they  were  all  seen  coming 
for  fighting.  When  Partha  perceived  members  of  the  common  Gotra 
all  ready  for  fight  in  both  the  armies,  he  got  confused  in  mind  and 
unconsciously  compassion  possessed  him  entirely  with  the  result 
that  heroism  abandoned  him,  resenting  such  insult;  just  as  a  loyal 
and  faithful  wife,  born  of  the  best  family  and  possessed  of  good  qualities 
and  looks,  would  not  with  the  force  of  her  character  put  up  with  the 
upper  hand  of  anyone  else:  or  just  as  an  amorous  husband  forgets 
his  own  wife  for  the  love  of  another  youthful  woman  and  gets  blind 
and  follows  her  although  (she  is)  less  fit;  or  just  as  one,  attaining 
perfection  and  success  (^fe%fe)  on  the  strength  of  his  penance  and 
religious  austerities,  gets  deluded  and  forgets  the  success  of  his  ascet- 
ism:  in  the  same  way  Partha  lost  all  his  heroism  and  surrendered 
completely  to  compassion;  just  as  a  charmer  (Trfw)  missing  any 
word  of  his  incantation  himself  suffers  at  the  hand  of  the  spirit,  in 
the  same  way  Dhanurdhara  got  extremely  paralysed  by  a  great  delu- 
sion. (He)  lost  all  physical  energy  and  his  heart  was  greatly  melted 
just  as  a  moon-stone  (^*s4+id)  begins  to  ooze  out  with  the  touch  of 
the  moon's  rays :  in  the  same  way  Partha  getting  deluded  by  extreme 
compassion  addressed  Lord  Krishna  with  a  sad  heart. 


I.  arjuna's  dolour  17 

f  ^r  *l«Hlm3*mij  ^TCcfor  1  t  **T:  II  3°   II 

28  "Assailed  by  extreme  compassion,  spake  thus  in  dolour: 
"Seeing,  0  Krsna,  (my  own)  kith  and  kin  here  stationed  in 
eagerness  for  combat, 

29  "My  limbs  droop  down;  my  mouth  is  parched  up;  and  there 
>     comes  over  my  body  tremor  and  horripilation. 

30  "My  Gandiva  (bow)  drops  down  from  my  hand,  and  my  skin 
burns  all  over;  I  am  unable  to  keep  standing,  and  my  mind 
seems  as  though  in  a  whirl."  (193) 

"O  Lord  Krishna!  hear  me.  I  saw  all  these  men  but  they  all  appear 
to  me  to  be  members  of  the  common  lineage.  All  these  Gotra-members 
are  prepared  for  war;  but  how  would  it  be  proper  for  us  to  fight  with 
them,  I  cannot  think  of  anything,  I  have  lost  entirely  memory  of 
my  very  person  and  my  mind  is  also  not  in  its  normal  mood  at  the 
very  mention  of  war.  The  body  has  become  shaky,  the  mouth  parched, 
and  the  limbs  crippled.  There  has  come  over  my  entire  body  tremor 
and  horripilation,  and  there  has  arisen  a  feeling  of  excessive  inflam- 
mation, my  hand  has  become  powerless  even  to  hold  the  bow.  I  did 
not  come  to  know  when  it  dropped  down  from  my  hands ;  so  much 
has  my  heart  become  full  of  delusion.  I  wonder  that  this  feeling  of 
perplexity  should  become  stronger  than  my  mind  which  is  normally 
harder  than  a  stone — so  strong  and  very  ruthless."  It  is  wonderful 
that  Partha  who  once  conquered  God  Shiva  on  the  battle-field  and 
chastised  even  Yama  should  be  overpowered  by  perplexity  in  a 
moment.  A  black  bee  can  pierce  through  any  wood  however  dry, 
but  it  cannot  pierce  through  a  delicate  bud  but  gets  caught  into  it 
when  it  closes  in.  It  cannot  cut  any  part  of  a  lotus  even  though  its  life 
is  lost ;  such  is  the  soft  love  and  tender  pity  difficult  to  destroy.  Samjaya 
says  to  the  King  Dhritarashtra.  "The  natural  feeling  of  tender 
emotion,  which  was  a  power  working  as  the  Power  of  the  Creator  - 
and  which  cannot  be  kept  in  bounds  even  by  Himself,  overpowered 
Dhananjaya.  Hear  then  that  Arjuna  seeing  all  his  kith  and  kin,  forgot 
his  own  self-respect  which  is  essential  in  war.  It  is  not  understood 
how  this  feeling  of  compassion  rose  up  in  the  mind  of  Partha."  Arjuna 


18  JNANESHWARI 

then  said,  "O  Krishna,  I  do  not  feel  like  staying  here.  My  mind  has 
become  extremely  enfeebled  and  my  tongue  has  begun  to  blurt  seeing 
that  all  these  are  to  be  killed. 

^  W  #fc«f!Wft  ^CT  T^vTTOl^  II  3?   II 

31  "And  I  notice,  O  Kesava,  adverse  omens;  and  I  perceive  no 
good  from  killing  the  kin  in  the  strife."  (207) 

If  the  Kauravas  are  to  be  killed,  why  not  Dharma  and  others?  You 
know  they  are  all  our  co-Gotrajas.  Therefore  fie  upon  this  war  which 
does  not  appear  to  me  to  be  pure.  What  object  can  be  secured  by 
committing  this  great  sin?  Lord!  viewed  from  many  stand-points 
the  war  will  only  result  in  something  untoward.  It  would  be  good 
if  it  can  be  avoided  anyhow. 

f%  5ft  Tl*$T  *n0l*4  1%  wNtefffw^T  'an  II  33  U 

*taTT*F  *l38;fiffci  *ff  TT*T  WtTT:  <ysuPi  ^T  I 

cf  S^^faMcH  *J&  mwuwM^pBTT  *t*iil*i  W  II  33  II 

mgm:  «srcjrr:  iforr:  mm:  wifcMtrwi  n  3*  n 

32  "I  desire  no  victory,  O  Krsna  neither  kingdom  nor  pleasures. 
Of  what  avail,  0  Govinda,  is  the  kingdom  for  us,  or  the  enjoy- 
ments, or  (even)  life? 

33  "(Those)  for  whose  sake  the  kingdom,  the  enjoyments,  and 
the  pleasures  would  be  desired  by  us;  they  are  here  pitted  in 
battle  against  us,  prepared  to  lay  down  (their)  lives  and  posses- 
sions; 

34  "(To  wit)  preceptors,  sires,  and  sons,  no  less  than  grand- 
sires;  maternal  uncles,  fathers-in-law,  grand-sons,  brothers- 
in-law,  as  also  allies  by  matrimony."  (210) 

I  do  not  aspire  for  victory  in  this.  6f  what  use  would  it  be  to  me  to 
acquire  the  whole  kingdom?  That  I  should  enjoy  happiness  after 
killing  all  is  a  thing  I  do  not  desire  to  have.  Let  all  these  (kingdom 


I.  arjuna's  dolour  19 

etc.)  go  to  dogs,  said  Partha:  I  am  prepared  to  suffer  any  calamity 
in  place  of  such  happiness;  I  care  not  even  if  the  life  is  lost  for  it.  I 
cannot  have  it,  even  in  a  dream,  that  I  should  enjoy  the  kingdom  by 
destroying  them.  Just  tell  me  whether  it  is  worth  while  being  born 
and  continue  to  be  living,  if  I  am  to  contemplate  hostility  towards 
elders.  All  wish  to  have  sons  in  their  families.  Is  it  with  the  object 
that  they  should  kill  all  the  Gotrajas?  How  can  we  even  think  to  be 
hard  as  a  stone  towards  them?  On  the  contrary,  good  should  be 
done  to  them  if  it  could  be  done.  Whatever  we  acquire  should  be 
enjoyed  by  them.  Nay  this  very  life  should  be  spent  in  their  cause. 
Kesava!  we  should  conquer  the  kings  of  different  countries  and  keep 
pleased  our  entire  race.  But  (look  at)  the  irony  of  fate!  Those  very 
co-Gotrajas  have  all  come  here  prepared  for  war,  leaving  away  wives, 
sons  and  wealth.  How  should  I  kill  such  as  those?  Against  whom 
should  I  wield  arms?  How  should  I  destroy  men  as  dear  to  me  as 
my  own  life?  Do  you  not  know  who  they  are?  You  see  yonder, 
Bhishma  and  Drona,  who  have  placed  us  under  a  debt  of  obligation. 
Here  are  brothers-in  law,  fathers-in-law,  maternal  uncles,  brethren, 
relatives  and  also  sons  and  grand-sons,  all  appear  relations.  All 
these  are  closely  connected  and  related  to  us.  Even  uttering  harm 
to  them  would  be  nothing  less  than  sin. 

35  "Even  when  (they  are)  slaying  me,  these  do  I  not  desire  to 
slay,  O  Slayer  ofMadhu,  even  for  the  sake  of  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Three  Worlds,  what  to  say,  for  the  (merest)  Earth?" 

(225) 

Let  them  behave  improperly  or  put  us  to  death,  but  I  should  not  wish 
even  mentally  their  destruction.  I  would  never  do  such  an  improper 
deed,  even  were  I  to  secure  the  uncontested  sovereignty  of  the  three 
worlds.  Who  will  feel  any  regard  for  us  if  we  kill  them  on  battle- 
field and  when  and  how  will  we  be  able  to  show  our  face  to  you, — 
stand  up  right  before  you, — O  Ananta? 

mM^WiUt-HM  ^dMIddlfiH:  II   ^^  II 

36 -    "Having  slain  Dhritarastra's  sons,  what  joy  can  be  ours,  0 


20  JNANESHWARI 

World-destroyer  (Krsna)  ?  Arch-felons  though  they  he,  for 
slaying  them,  sin  .alone  can  accrue  unto  us."  (228) 

If  I  kill  the  gotrajas  it  would  constitute  a  hot  bed  of  sins  and  what 
is  won  out  of  your  love  to  me — will  have  kept  away  (from  me),  the 
bliss  that  I  enjoy  in  your  love.  Should  (I)  commit  family  slaughter 
and  thereby  commit  sins?  And  then  where,  how  and  by  what  path 
could  we  find  you  again?  Just  as  the  bird  nightingale  would  not 
remain  for  a  single  moment  on  the  spot,  seeing  intense  fiVe  spreading 
out  in  the  garden,  or  just  as  the  bird  Chakor  seeing  a  lake,  coveting 
it  with  a  longing,  would  leave  it  without  enjoying  it  and  fly  away  in 
the  same  way,  as  soon  as  my  good  works  are  depleted,  I  think  you 
will  have  me  at  the  mercy  of  a  delusion  and  desert  me,  utterly  and 
for  ever! 

*^«H  1^  ^T  ^c«rT  ?J%«T:  ^EJTR"  WT^f  II  ^vs  || 

37  "Hence,  we  would  do  well  not  to  slay  Dhritardstra's  sons, 
our  own  kinsmen ;  for,  how  can  we,  O  Mddhava,  feel  happy 
after  slaying  our  own  kith  and  kin?"  (233) 

Therefore  I  would  not  do  this  thing  viz.  wield  a  weapon  (in  my  hand) 
in  the  battle  since  it  appears  to  me  to  be  the  most  deadly  sin.  We 
would  lose  you,  leaving  nothing  as  our  own  and  then  our  hearts  would 
be  rent  without  you,  O  Krishna."  Arjuna  added  that  it  would  never 
happen  that  he  would  kill  the  Kauravas  and  survive  and  enjoy. 

$w<jm$a  3fa  MI^H^^I^  II  %%  II 

38  "Albeit,  with  their  minds  overpowered  by  avarice,  they  do 
not  perceive  the  guilt  resulting  from  extinction  of  families 
and  treachery  against  friends. 

39  "Why  must  WE  not  learn  to  desist  from  this  sin,  once  we 
do  realise,  O  World-destroyer,  the  guilt  resulting  from  extinc- 
tion of  families?  (236) 


I.  arjuna's  dolour  21 

"Although  these  have  become  intoxicated  and  come  over  for  a  war, 
still  we  must  know  our  own  interest..  How  should  we  commit  the 
despicable  deed  of  slaughtering  our  own  people?  Should  we,  knowing 
its  after-effects,  indulge  in  the  use  of  subtle  poison?  If  one  notices 
a  lion  coming  in  front  along  the  road  he  is  walking  on,  it  becomes 
desirable  to  avoid  that  road  as  much  as  it  could  be  avoided.  Lord ! 
just  tell  me  what  advantage  we>  would  have,  were  we  to  leave  the 
light  that  is  ours  and  go  and  sit  in  the  dark?  Seeing  conflagrations 
in  front  of  us  were  we  not  to  avoid  them  they  would  surround  us  in 
a  moment  and  burn  us.  In  the  same  way  all  these  sins,  confronting 
us  face  to  face,  are  trying  to  corrupt  us  and  knowing  this  should  we 
be  prepared  for  a  war?"  Arjuna  again  spoke  on  that  occasion  and 
said  "Hear  me,  O  Shrihari!  I  shall  just  mention  to  you  the  magnitude 
of  these  sins." 

sjvSSPl'  SH>HH4prl  IparcTRf:  tiiKiii:  I 

STflf  ^  f**  $cM*m4fcr4IWIctJri  II  *o   II 

40  "On  the  extinction  of  the  family  there  perish  the  family's 
immemorial  rites-and-customs  (Dharma);  and  when  the 
rites-and-customs  perish,  the  entire  family  is  overcome  by 
impiety.  (243) 

Fire  is  produced  by  rubbing  together  pieces  of  wood  and  when  it 
gets  ablaze  the  entire  wood  is  gutted:  in  the  same  way,  when  there 
arises  jealousy,  resulting  in  the  mutual  slaughter  of  family  members 
CfN^)  great  sin  is  created  and  the  whole  family  gets  burned.  Where 
such  sins,  leading  to  family  destruction,  take  place,  the  family's  tradi- 
tional religion  disappears  and  there  grow  up  in  the  family  anti-religious 
tendencies. 

^f  l521^  ^'^l  **N<1  <sr#fW>T:  II  ^\   II 

41  "Through  being  overcome  by  impiety,  O  Krsna  (even)  women 
of  respected  families  become  corrupt :  (and)  when  women 
become  corrupt,  there  ensues,  O  Scion  of  Vfsni's  race,  the 
intermingling  of  castes  (varnas).  (246) 

"In  such  a  state,  common  sense,  reasonable  conduct  and  duty,  all 
naturally  leave  us  far  away.  Snuffing  out  a  lamp  and  moving  out 


22  JNANESHWARI 

in  the  dark  would  naturally  make  one  grope  and  fall  down  even  on 
a  plane  level.  In  that  way,  on  the  extinction  of  the  family,  there  perish 
also  the  families'  immemorial  rites-and-customs.  What  else  could 
be  left  behind  except  sin  (when)  the  restraint  over  the  mind  and  senses 
ceases  and  the  women  of  respectable  families  become  corrupt?  The 
best  and  the  worst  get  mingled ;  so  also  all  the  castes  get  intermingled; 
then  (naturally)  all  castes  and  (prescribed)  duties  get  entirely  dis- 
located. Just  as  the  crows  from  all  directions  flock  together  seeing 
a  (rice)  oblation  placed  in  an  open  space,  in  the  same  way  great  sins 
enter  into  irreligious  families. 

Md&d  tMd<0  ffat  <dm(M<Mfl<i4hf*M4l:  II  ^  II 

42  "The  intermingling  leads  straight  to  Hell  the  family  as  well 
as  the  destroyers  of  the  family;  for,  their  Manes,  with  the 
(pious)  offerings  of  rice-balls  and  water-libations  failing, 
sink  down  (into  Hell).  (252) 

Then  the  whole  family  as  also  the  destroyers  of  the  family,  both  have 
assuredly  to  go  to  Hell.  See,  if  the  whole  lineage  (sRifawR)  gets 
sunk  down  in  this  way,  then  their  Manes  that  have  already  gone  to 
Heaven,  do  also  sink  down.  Where,  the  day-to-day  and  occasional 
(religious)  duties  cease  to  be  performed  in  various  ways,  then  who 
would  offer  to  the  Manes  the  Tilodaka  (water  and  sesame  mixed 
together)  and  what  would  the  forefathers  do  without  it,  and  how 
could  they  continue  in  Heaven?  And  so  they  too  return  to  the  family. 
Even  as  a  serpent  bites  at  the  toe-nail  only,  but  the  poison  spreads 
out  to  and  makes  the  entire  body  including  the  hair  on  the  head  to 
suffer  the  pangs,  in  the  same  way  these  sins  make  the  entire  family 
sink  into  Hell. 

<*Wd:  $<4fc4Mi  ^«W*h<*K4: 1 

>icHWI«-d  «nf?wrf:  JrifeWter  WSRTr:  II  *3  II 

•tt^  Id^d  **rat  Tsracffaijs^pr  u  v*  11 

afift  IcT  *^  *TT«f  *flf  WWfaGfT  SRI*!  | 
JMMymtftitH  %*$  *q«H*|<kU:  II  V*  || 


I.  ARJUNA'S  DOLOUR  23 

43  "By  such  transgressions  on  the  part  of  the  destroyers  of  the 
family,  leading  to  caste-intermingling,  the  caste's  and  the 
family's  immemorial  rites-and-customs  are  annihilated. 

44  "And  for  such  men-with  the  family's  rites-and-customs 
annihilated-there  ensues,  O  World-destroyer,  an  assured 
habitation  in  Hell,  as  we  have  heard. 

45  "Woe  and  alas!  We  are  engaged  in  committing  heinous  sin 
in  that,  out  of  lust  for  kingdom  and  pleasures,  we  are  striving 
to  slay  our  own  kindred! 

46  "If  Dhritarastra's  sons,  weapons  in  hand,  should,  in  battle, 
slay  me,  weaponless  and  unresisting,  that  were  happier  for 
me."  (257) 

"See  Lord,  there  gets  committed  one  more  sin  here  in  that  the  im- 
memorial rites-and-customs  get  annihilated  by  sinful  contagion. 
Just  as  an  unfortunate  fire  in  one's  house,  consumes  also  the  sur- 
rounding houses,  in  the  same  way  those,  that  establish  contact  with 
sinful  families,  also  get  similarly  affected  by  the  contact  of  the  sinful." 
Arjuna  said,  "The  whole  family  getting  affected  by  various  sorts 
of  sins  is  damned  to  suffer  dreadful  Hell;  and  once  one  gets  there, 
there  is  never  any  escape  from  there  and  in  this  way,  the  fallen  family 
suffers  throughout  all  eternity."  Arjuna  added,  "O  Chakrapani,  why 
have  you  become  as  hard-hearted  as  a  stone  and  why  do  you  not 
pay  attention  to  all  I  have  said?  Why  should  I  not  abandon  this 
faulty  thing,  knowing  that  the  motive  with  which  the  enjoyment  of 
the  kingdom  is  to  be  expected  is  all  transitory?  O  Keshav,  is  it  a 
small  sin  already  committed  that  I  viewed  all  these  elders  with  the 
idea  that  they  were  to  be  killed?  I  cannot  commit  the  dreadful  sin 
of  killing  my  own  kinsmen.  I  would  prefer  death  to  bearing  such 
sorrow."  In  this  manner,  seeing  on  the  battle-field  all  his  own  kinsmen, 
Partha  expressed  his  feelings  that  the  kingdom  was  nothing  more 
than  a  suffering  Hell. 

ftn^psr  tor  ^rnt  $itoMifiiM*iM*i:  u  **$  u 


24  JNANESHWARI 

47  "Thus  spake  Arjuna  on  the  battle-field,  and,  dropping  his 
bow  and  arrows,  sank  down  on  the  chariot-seat,  his  mind 
convulsed  with  grief."  (268) 

Samjaya  then  said  to  King  Dhritarastra,  "Hear,  Partha  spoke  thus 
to  the  Lord  on  the  battle-field.  Dhanurdhara  got  greatly  perturbed 
and  nervous  and  immediately  jumped  out  of  the  chariot.  Just  as  a 
dethroned  prince  gets  altogether  lustreless  or  just  as  the  Sun  in  eclipse 
gets  lustreless  or  just  as  one  who  has  attained  perfection  should  get 
infatuated  and  sink  into  amour  and  become  helpless,  similarly  Partha 
appeared  extremely  distressed  when  he  left  his  chariot  on  the  battle- 
field. (He)  then  threw  away  his  bow  and  arrow  and  floods  of  tears 
flowed  from  his  eyes.  O  King,  listen,  in  this  way  things  took  place 
there.  After  this,  seeing  Partha  so  much  down-hearted,  the  Vaiku- 
nthanath  will  preach  to  him  (the  subject  of)  true  spirituality.  This 
eloquent  story,  Jnandev,  the  servant  of  Nivrittinath,  will  narrate 
and  should  be  heard  with  intense  and  curious  interest.  (275) 


CHAPTER  II 
SAMKHYA— YOGA 

fatft?nTf*ra  cU4*J*f«IN  W^R":  II  \  II 

SAMJAYA  SPAKE 

1  To  him  thus  stricken  with  compassion,  with  eyes  tearful  and 
distressed,  and  giving  way  to  dolour,  (Krsna)  the  Slayer 
of  Madhu,  spake  this  word:  (1) 

Samjaya  then  said  toDhritarastra  "O  King,  hear.  Partha  getting 
distressed  began  to  shed  tears  there.  Hear  now  how  seeing  all  his 
own  kinsmen,  there  arose  within  him  wonderful  affection  which 
made  his  heart  melt.  Just  as  salt  gets  dissolved  in  water,  or  the  clouds 
get  scattered  by  wind,  in  the  same  way,  though  courageous,  his  heart 
melted  and  getting  overwhelmed  with  compassion  he  appeared 
afflicted  like  a  swan  getting  stuck  up  in  mud.  Seeing  the  son  of  Pandu 
being  shattered  by  the  great  delusion  Sharangadhar  addressed  him. 

feO'WI^H^H  I 

aHiflvri^^fl^fatK*^  u  ^  ii 

2  The  exalted  one  spake  "Whence,  at  this  odd  moment,  has 
come  over  thee  this  turbid  mood  to  which  the  Aryans  (noble) 
are  never  prone,  which  leads  not  Heavenwards,  and  which, 
O  Arjuna,  brings  on  infamy?  (6) 

"O  Arjuna,  is  it  becoming  on  your  part  in  this  situation  to  have  such 
a  piteous  action  here?  First  consider  who  and  what  you  are.  Just 
say,  what  is  the  matter  with  you:  is  there  anything  lacking  here?  Has 
there  been  any  failure  of  action — why  are  you  feeling  so  distressed? 
You  never  bethink  yourself  to  do  an  improper  action,  never  lose 


26  JNANESHWARI 

courage,  and  defeat  is  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven  by  the 
bare  utterance  of  your  name.  You  are  the  very  home  of  bravery, 
the  prince  among  the  Kshatriyas  and  the  whole  universe  is  resounding 
with  (the  praise  of)  your  valour;  you  conquered  'Hara'  on  the  battle- 
field, killed  the  demon  Niwatakavach,  and  made  the  Gandharvas 
sing  the  praise  of  your  prowess.  The  universe  pales  into  insignificance 
when  compared  to  your  prowess  that  is  so  pure  and  unalloyed.  De- 
cidely  best  is  your  valour.  But  to-day  you  have  taken  leave  of  your 
heroism  to  shed  tears  with  a  melancholy  drooping  face.  O  Partha, 
just  consider  how  helpless  you  have  become  through  compassion: 
Has  darkness  ever  eclipsed  title  Sun?  Have  the  winds  been  terrorised 
by  the  clouds  or  is  ambrosia  ever  liable  to  death?  Or  has  fire-wood 
ever  burnt  the  fire,  or  has  the  water  ever  been  dissolved  by  salt,  or  has 
the  world-destroying  poison  ever  been  destroyed  by  contact  with 
any  other  substance?  Or  has  the  frog  ever  devoured  the  serpent? 
Has  the  jackal  ever  fought  with  the  lion?  Has  any  such  paradoxical 
thing  occurred  anywhere?  But  you  have  to-day  proved  such  things 
to  be  true :  and  so  O  Arjuna,  shake  off  this  unworthy  scum  in  your 
soul,  take  courage,  and  get  awakened:  Leave  off  this  foolishness, 
get  up  and  take  in  your  hands  the  bow.  Of  what  avail  is  your  soft- 
ness on  the  battle-field?  Being  yourself  greatly  learned,  O  Partha 
why  do  you  not  consider  whether  such  tenderness  is  proper  on  a 
battle-field?  This  would  destroy  the  fame  you  have  so  far  won  and 
would  also  be  an  hindrance  in  the  way  of  your  soul's  deliverance." 
Thus  spoke  the  all-pervading  Lord  to  Arjuna  at  that  time. 

*#RT  tTT  **r  *PT:  *n*f  %T^  c«(AMMM^  I 

3  "Yield  not,  O  son  of  Prtha,  to  unmanliness:  it  is  not  meet 
in  thee.  Rid  thine  heart  of  this  paltry  craveness  and  stand 
forth,  O  Scourge  of  the  enemy".  (21) 

"Therefore  enough  of  these  lamentations;  take  complete  courage  in 
your  heart  and  leave  off  this  sorrowing,  O  Arjuna!  It  is  not  becoming 
on  your  part  and  it  will  undo  altogether  your  former  achievements 
(you  won).  Therefore  do  consider,  still,  your  own  interests.  O 
Partha ;  softness  of  heart  is  unavailing  in  war-time.  Have  they  become 
your  relatives  only  in  the  present  battle-field?  Were  you  not  aware 
of  that  before  and  did  you  not  recognise  the  Gotrajas  as  before? 
Why  then  are  you  exaggerating  this  tender  pity  unto  a  poser  only 


II.    SA.MKHYA — YOGA  27 

now?  O  Arjuna,  is  this  battle  a  new  thing  to  you  to-day?  These 
hostilities  have  always  existed  amongst  you.  Then  how  is  it  only 
now  that  this  pity  has  suddenly  sprung  I  can't  understand.  How- 
ever, O  Arjuna,  you  have  lapsed  into  an  evil  and  base  thing  here. 
The  result  of  persisting  in  this  delusion  will  be  that  the  great  name 
you  have  already  won  will  altogether  disappear  and  in  the  long  run 
(you)  stand  in  danger  of  losing,  O  Partha,  the  prospect  in  both  this 
and  the  other  world.  Feebleness  of  heart  can  never  be  the  means  of 
attaining  the  highest  good.  On  the  contrary  it  becomes  a  cause  of 
ruin  for  valiant  Kshatriyas  in  the  battle."  In  this  way  the  kind  Bhaga- 
wanta  preached  in  various  ways.  Hear  now  what  the  son  of  Pandu 
said  on  hearing  it. 

§^r*J:  xfa^c^ifa  1g(3n^NlT^?'T  II  *  || 

4  Arjuna  spake — "How  shall  I,  in  battle,  O  Slayer  of  Madhu, 
assail  with  the  arrows  Bhisma  and  Drona,  worthy  of  worship 
as  they  are,  O  Smiter  of  foes?  (30) 

"Lord,  now  hear.  This  long  talk  is  indeed  not  necessary;  first  of  all 
do  consider  if  this  could  be  called  a  war.  This  is  no  war  but  a  crime, 
despicable  if  committed,  for  thereby,  we  would  be  openly  slaughter- 
ing our  preceptors.  Are  parents  to  be  adored,  served,  kept  entirely 
pleased  and  then  to  be  killed  with  our  own  hands?  The  saints  are  to  be 
bowed  to,  and  if  possible  to  be  adored.  Should  they  also  be  spoken 
to  in  slanderous  terms  instead?  Similarly  these  our  family  preceptors 
are  always  to  be  adored;  especially  my  debt  to  Bhlshmach5rya,  and 
Drona  is  immense.  How  should  I  directly  destroy  them  in  the  battle,- 
those  about  whom  I  cannot  think  ill  even  in  a  dream?  Fie  upon  me 
that  I  should  glory  in  utilising  that  art  of  handling  weapons  in  killing 
the  very  preceptors  who  taught  that  art  to  me.  I,  Arjuna,  am  the 
disciple  of  Drona  who  taught  me  completely  the  art  of  using  arms: 
Should  I  repay  the  debt  of  my  gratitude  to  him  by  killing  him?  Arjuna 
added,  "Should  I  act  like  Bhasmasur  (VFTHfT)  by  playing  false  to 
the  revered  Master  through  whose  favour  I  secured  all  the  boons?" 


28  JNANESHWARI 

5  "For,  it  were  better  in  this  world  to  eat  even  the  beggar's 
crust,  so  I  escape  slaying  the  elders-and-preceptors-of  great 
prowess  (as  they  are);  but  having  slain  the  elders-and- 
preceptors — (on  ground,  as  may  be  urged,  that  they  are) 
swayed  by  self-inter est-I  would  be,  right  here,  enjoying 
(merely)  blood-stained  enjoyments.  (39) 

I  hear  that  the  sea  is  deep,  still  and  calm ;  it  is  only  seemingly  so,  since 
it  is  often  stormy,  while  Drona's  heart  knows  not  even  a  particle  of 
anger.  The  sky  may  be  immeasurably  high.  But  (its  height)  could  be 
measured:  But  the  heart  of  Drona  is  unfathomably  deep.  Ambrosia 
may  get  spoilt :  perchance,  thunderbolt  could  even  be  broken :  but  his 
(Drona's)  mental  equanimity  cannot  be  disturbed  even  by  provoking 
him  to  wrath.  A  mother's  attachment  is  said  to  be  the  staunchest,  and 
this  might  be  entirely  true.  But  in  Drona  exists  motherly  tenderness 
and  love  incarnate.  He  is  the  fountain  source  of  affection  and  is  a 
mine  of  all  virtues,  as  also  a  limitless  ocean  of  learning."  Arjuna 
continued,  "Dronacharya  is  such  a  great  person  and  is  all  kindness 
towards  us.  Pray,  tell  me  how  should  we  plan  his  destruction?  That 
we  should  kill  on  the  battle-field  such  (persons)  and  then  enjoy  the 
kingdom  is  a  prospect  which  I  cannot  cherish  from  the  bottom  of 
my  heart.  This  is  such  a  dreadful  deed,  that  begging  would  be  pre- 
ferable even  to  any  enjoyments  higher  than  those  of  a  kingdom.  O 
Shrihari,  I  should  forsake  the  country  or  live  in  mountain  caves 
rather  than  wield  a  weapon  against  him.  How  should  I  seek  for 
enjoyments  dipped  in  the  blood  coming  out  of  such  noble  hearts 
pierced  by  sharp  arrows?  Of  what  avail  would  such  bloodsteeped 
enjoyment  be?  My  mind  does  not,  therefore,  countenance  such 
things.,,  When  Arjuna  had  pleaded  thus  with  Lord  Krishna,  Lord 
Krishna,  although  he  heard  it  all,  did  not  relish  it.  Partha  got  fright- 
ened at  this  and  again  said  kkO  God,  why  do  you  not  pay  attention  to 
what  I  say?" 

*rMfcqdl:  **^  *ud<H$l:  II  %  II 

6  "Nor  do  we  know  which  should  outweigh  with  us;  whether 
that  WE  should  conquer  (them),  or  that  THEY  should  con- 
quer us.  Those  very  persons  whom,  having,  stain,  we  should 


II.    SAMKHYA— YOGA  29 

not  wish  to  continue  alive:  they,  the  Dhritarastrians,  are 
standing  here  pitted  against  us.  (52) 

"I  plainly  talked  to  you  what  was  in  my  mind.  You  alone  can  know 
whatever  is  truest  and  best  for  us."  There  have  arrived  here  for  war 
those  dear  to  us,  at  whose  reported  hostility  towards  us,  we  ought 
to  abandon,  at  once,  our  very  lives.  It  is  a  crucial  and  difficult  ques- 
tion— which  of  the  two  courses,  viz,  whether  we  should  kill  such  or 
we  ourselves  should  leave  the  war  and  go  away,  which  we  should 
follow. 


7  "With  my  normal-self  obsessed  by  the  foible  of  a  pitiable 
lack  of  discernment  (karpanya),  and  my  mind  perplexed 
in  regard  to  my  (proper)  duty  (Dharma),  I  inquire  of  thee. 
Do  tell  me  for  certain  what  were  the  better  for  me.  I  am  thy 
disciple:  teach  me  who  am  seeking  refuge  in  thee.        (55) 

My  mind  has  become  so  much  distressed  that  I  cannot  discern  what 
is  proper  for  us  now.  Just  as  a  thing  although  quite  at  hand  is  not 
discernible  when  the  power  of  vision  gets  dimmed,  being  surrounded 
by  darkness, — the  same  thing  has  happened  to  me, — so  I  cannot  know 
what  is  the  best  course  for  me,  my  normal  vision  having  become 
blurred.  There,  O  Lord  Krishna,  you  are  our  sole  kith  and  kin,  and 
you  are  all  in  all  to  us,  tell  me  what  is  to  our  good.  You  are  our 
preceptor,  brother,  father,  you  are  our  propitious  deity,  you  are  our 
protector  in  difficulties  at  all  times.  Just  as  a  preceptor  never  forsakes 
his  disciple  or  just  as  an  ocean  does  not  abandon  (tributary)  rivers, 
Lord  Krishna!  how  can  a  child  survive  were  the  mother  to  forsake 
it.  In  that  way.  O  God.  vou  alone  are  our  entire  (support):  If  you 
consider  m>  former  talk  unreasonable,  just  tell  me  immediately, 
O  Purushottam  what  is  better  for  me,  and  that  which  also  is  not  re- 
pugnant to  the  path  of  duty. 


30  JNANESHWARI 

8  "For,  J  fail  to  perceive  what  could  dispel  the  grief  that  would 
dry  up  all  my  senses,  even  though  I  were  to  secure  on  Earth 
an  affluent  and  rival-less  sovereignty,  or  even  the  Overlord- 
ship  of  the  Gods."  (64) 

The  distress  caused  in  my  mind  by  the  tragic  sight  of  this  whole  family 
facing  destruction  cannot  be  removed  by  any  remedy  other  than 
your  advice.  The  delusion  which  is  created  in  my  mind  can  no  longer 
be  dispelled  by  the  prospect  of  the  highest  worldly  kingdom  or  the 
very  seat  of  the  great  Indra.  Just  as  a  seed  entirely  roasted  and 
sown  even  in  a  fertile  soil  watered  plentifully  cannot  germinate; 
or  medicines  prove  unavailing  when  the  very  vitals  of  life  have  dried 
up,  there  being  only  one  thing  viz.  the  great  ambrosia  that  proves 
efficacious  there.  In  the  same  way  I  am  not  enamoured  of  the  (pros- 
pective) enjoyment  of  the  absolute  sovereignty,  the  wealth  of  your 
sympathetic  favour  being  my  sole  support  here."  Thus  said  Dhanur- 
dhara  being  momentarily  free  from  delusion ;  but  the  wave  of  illusion 
having  returned  he  again  became  overpowered.  Jnaneshwar  said, 
it  was  not  a  wave  of  stupor  but  quite  a  different  thing.  The  old  Dragon 
in  the  form  of  great  delusion  had  completely  overpowered  Partha. 
It  (Dragon)  bit  Partha  in  the  very  vitals  of  his  heart  causing  spasms 
of  grief  repeatedly.  Seeing  this  serious  occasion,  that  snake-charmer 
Shrlrang,  a  mere  glance  of  whose  eye  could  prove  an  antidote  to 
the  venom,  arrived  to  ward  off  the  danger.  Although  Partha  had 
become  so  helpless,  Lord  Krishna,  who  was  near  him  could  still 
protect  him  merely  with  a  kind  look.  (And)  therefore  (I)  knowingly 
used  that  simile  here  and  said  that  the  son  of  Pandu  was  devoured 
by  the  Dragon  in  the  form  of  delusion.  Thus  Partha  was  overpowered 
by  delusion,  just  as  the  Sun  is  screened  by  a  curtain  of  clouds;  Dhanur- 
dhara  got  extremely  distressed  just  as  a  high  mountain  is  screened 
by  the  wild  (forest)  fire  in  hot  season.  And  therefore  Meghashyama— 
Lord  Krishna— turned  towards  Arjuna  like  a  big  cloud,  being  naturally 
blue-coloured,  and  full  of  Amrita  (nectar)  water  in  the  form  of  mercy. 
Lord!  the  lustre  of  Lord  Krishna's  white  teeth  began  to  glitter  like 
lightning,  his  formidable  voice  thundering  like  clouds.  Now  that 
generous  cloud  in  the  form  of  Lord  Krishna,  will  pour  over  the  Partha 
mountain  thereby  cooling  it  and  making  it  bear  foliage  of  knowledge. 
Jnaneshwar,  the  servant  of  Nivritti,  requested  his  audience  to  hear 
with  concentration  that  story. 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  31 

»4^*I«tc^i  ^Nfcsf  ^prrftyr:  M<diM:  i 

9  Samjaya  Spake — "Gudakesa  (Arjuna),  the  Tormentor  of 
the  foes,  having  thus  addressed  Hrsikesa  (Krsna)  and  declared 
unto  him,  Govinda:  7  will  not  fight,  became  silent."       (81) 

Giving  this  account,  Samjaya  said  "O  King,  hear  what  Arjuna  said 
again,  getting  distressed  with  lamentations.  He  regretfully  requested 
Lord  Krishna  not  to  press  him  and  told  him  that  he  would  not  at  all 
enter  into  the  fight.  Speaking  out  this  ultimatum,  Arjuna  assumed 
silence.  Lord  Krishna  was  dismayed  to  see  him  in  that  mood. 

d*J«IH  g<ft$4l:  ST^ri^R"  *HKd  I 

10  "Unto  him,  O  descendant  ofBharata,  who  was  grieving  betwixt 
the  two  armies,  (Krsna,  the)  Hrsikesa,  with  something  of 
a  derisive  laugh,  spake  this  word."  (84) 

He  then  said  to  himself,  "What  on  earth  does  he  mean  by  his  unusual 
refusal?  Arjuna  does  not  see  his  way  to  his  duty;  what  should  be 
done  to  him?  Just  as  an  exorciser  makes  a  diagnosis  in  the  case  of 
a  ghost-attack,  or  a  doctor,  confronted  by  an  irremediable  disease, 
immediately  uses  as  the  last  resource  the  best  medicine  like  nectar, 
even  so  did  Ananta  standing  between  the  two  armies  began  to  think 
out  how  to  make  him  (Arjuna)  realise  the  truth  and  how  to  make 
him  take  courage  in  his  heart.  Realising  the  cause  of  the  delusion, 
Lord  Krishna  began  to  speak  apparently  wrathfully — although  in 
his  heart  he  secretly  entertained  feelings  of  kindness,  just  as  a  mother 
does  although  she  is  (outwardly)  all  wrath  (towards  a  child).  Or 
just  as  the  bitterness  of  a  drug,  although  it  contains  full  nectar,  is 
not  discernible  to  the  vision  but  is  perceptible  in  the  cure,  in  the  same 
way  Hrishlkesha  addressed  words  outwardly  harsh  but  internally 
very  sweet  in  import. 

Mdl^HMdl^ST  TT^5fNrf^ST  Mp«Sdl:  II  ?  X  II 


32  JNANESHWARI 

11  Exalted-  one  spake:  " — Thou  hast  grieved  for  those  that 
ought  not  to  be  grieved  for,  and  art  (yet)  uttering  sapient 
•words.  The  wise  (however)  grieve  not  for  the  dead,  any  more 
than  for  the  living."  (91) 

The  Chakrapani  then  said  "I  am  utterly  surprised  to  see  the  complete 
change  to  front  you  have  assumed  all  of  a  sudden.  You  lay  claim  to  a 
vision  of  truth  and  still  you  are  the  slave  of  your  ignorance.  How  am  I 
to  think  of  teaching  Truth  to  you,  you  are  yourself  talking  profusely 
of  your  own  philosophy.  Just  as  one  born  blind,  getting  mad,  runs 
about  uncontrolled,  in  the  same  way,  your  so  called  wisdom  leads  you 
to  wrong  action.  You  do  not  know  your  own  self  and  you  are  pouring 
lament  on  the  killing  of  Kauravas  to  my  utter  dismay  often  and  often. 
Oh  Arjuna,-pray  tell  me  if  this  vast  universe  owes  its  existence  to  you; 
is  the  belief  in  an  eternal  order  of  the  universe  a  mere  figment?  Is  it 
all  a  meaningless  talk  in  the  world  that  God  is  the  Omnipotent  Being, 
who  moves  and  lives,  from  whom  come  all  living  beings,  so  that  from 
now  we  must  hold  that  you  are  the  author  of  all  that  is  subject  to  birth 
and  death  and  that  birth  and  death  will  disappear  at  the  fiat  of  your 
will.  Should  you  forbear  from  killing  the  Kauravas  through  self- 
conceit  and  self-delusion,  just  say,  if  they  will  live  eternally  thereby? 
Pray,  do  not  let  yourself  be  the  victim  of  any  sucl  illusion  in  your 
heart  that  you  are  the  sole  real  destroyer  and  all  these  men  are  liable 
to  die.  Look  at  birth  and  death  as  parts  of  an  eternal  order;  indi- 
viduals come  into  existence  and  die  according  to  the  laws  of  this  eternal 
order  of  nature  and  then  tell  me  why  do  you  sorrow  over  the  inevitable. 
It  is  a  surprise  to  me  that  you  in  your  utter  ignorance  are  blind  to 
truth  and  try  to  comprehend  the  incomprehensible  and  presume  to 
impart  wisdom  to  us.  See  those  that  are  thoughtful  and  wise,  and 
realize  that  birth  and  death  are  an  error  and  mere  illusion  and  do 
not  mourn  over  either. 

^  c3«u§  «n^  TRT  ^f?^  *Mlffe(m:  I 
?T  #sr  5T  ^fatum:  ^  «UWd:  T*^  II  ?^  II 

12  "It  is  indeed  not  the  case  that  I,  ever  before,  was  not ;  nor 
thou,  nor  these  lords  of  men:  neither  is  it  the  case  that,  here- 
after, all  of  us  are  not  going  to  be.  ( \  03) 

Arjuna,  verily  I  say  to  you  further:  It  is  the  merest  delusion  to  feel 
certain  that  you  yourself,  myself,  as  well  as  all  the  kings  whom  you 
see  assembled  here  will  live  eternally,  or  would  as  surely  be  dissolved 


II.    SAMKHYA— -YOGA  33 

into  nothingness,  both  these  are  utter  unrealities.  The  generative 
creation  and  decay  are  appearances  caused  by  Maya,  Brahman 
(the  Supreme),  being  assuredly  in  itself  indestructible  and  immortal. 
Just  tell  me  whether  anything  really  is  born  when  the  wind  causes 
ripples  on  water.  Consider  further  if  any  real  thing  is  destroyed  when 
the  gust  of  wind  gets  calm  and  the  ripples  disappear  into  the  original 
stillness  of  water. 

13  "Just  as  the  body's  owner  has,  in  this  body,  boyhood  and 
youth  and  old  age,  so  also  there  is  the  taking  on  of  another 
body.  The  wise  man  is  not  therein  perplexed.  (103) 

Here  is  a  proof  direct  that  the  body  is  the  same,  yet  it'  undergoes 
changes  with  aging.  See,  it  is  childhood  in  the  beginning:  when  it 
disappears,  youth  takes  its  place.  But  there  is  no  destruction  of  the 
body  along  with  the  different  changes.  Similar  is  the  case  with  the 
soul  which  becomes  embodied  and  dwells  in  different  bodies.  Those 
who  know  this  truth  are  free  from  the  evils  of  delusion. 

aiMWimni^rHHJiwiRTir^^  wrw  ii  **  ii 

14  "It  is  (only)  the  sense-contacts,  O  Son  of  Kunti,  that  give 
cold  and  heat,  and  pleasure  and  pain.  They  come  and  go 
and  do  not  endure.  Bear  with  them  (all),  O  Scion  ofBharata. 

(Ill) 

But  the  reason  for  ignorance  on  this  subject  is  that  we  are  at  the  mercy 
of  our  sense-centres.  They  drag  the  mind  to  the  objects  of  senses 
causing  delusion.  The  senses  enjoy  their  objects,  which  create  joy 
and  sorrow.  These  make  the  mind  feel  strongly  attached  to  objects 
and  confused  by  their  association.  These  sense-objects  have  variable 
and  different  conditions  and  hence  cause  sometimes  happiness,  some- 
times grief  and  at  times  both.  For  example,  see  the  scope  of  "words". 
They  create  hatred  in  mind  on  hearing  slander  or  create  pleasure 
on  hearing  praise,  although  in  both  these  there  is  nothing  else  but 
mere  words.  Similarly  "touch"  has  two  sensations,  soft  and  hard 
and  they  cause  pleasure  and  pain  in  the  body  although  the  "■touch" 


34  JNANESHWARI 

is  the  same.  Ugly  and  handsome  are  the  correlatives  in  vision  and 
they  cause  displeasure  and  pleasure  although  the  vision  is  the  same. 
Fragrance  and  stink  are  the  correlatives  in  smell.  They  respectively 
give  joy  and  displeasure  to  us  when  inhaled  through  the  same  nose. 
Similarly  sweet  and  bitter  give  rise  respectively  to  pleasure  and  pain 
and  therefore  know  ye  that  contact  with  these  objects  of  senses  is 
the  cause  of  delusion  and  untruth.  Those  that  give  themselves  up 
to  the  senses  feel  cold  and  heat  and  automatically  get  entangled  in 
the  bonds  of  pleasure  and  pain.  It  is  the  very  nature  of  senses  that  they 
exert  a  pull  on  the  mind  and  make  it  feel  no  pleasure  anywhere  except 
in  the  sense-objects.  See  how  the  sense-objects  are  just  like  the  mirage 
of  the  noon-time  or  like  the  glory  (seen)  in  a  dream  which  are  felt 
only  momentarily.  These  sense-objects  are  just  fleeting  and  ephemeral 
and  therefore  you,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  should  entirely  rid  yourself 
of  them  and  not  associate  with  them  in  the  least. 

TTOcft  l«ltid  ?TT^t  HI*H^Tl  faciei  3W:  I 
d<n4U(M  *^H*ccH4)frdr«(<ftlffr:  II  ^  II 

15  "He,  the  manly  one,  whom  these,  O  Best  of  men  perturb  not: 
he  the  steadfast  one,  even-poised  betwixt  pain  and  pleasure, 
he  can  properly  claim  deathlessness. 

16  For  the  non-existent  there  is  no  coming  into  existence,  nor 
passing  out  of  existence  for  the  existent.  The  true  nature 
of  these  twain  has  alike  been  seen  by  the  Seers  of  Truth. 

(123) 

One  that  does  not  get  entangled  in  the  sense-objects  is  affected  neither 
by  happiness  nor  by  sorrow  and  he  is  ever  free  from  the  evil  of  being 
born  a  mother's  son.  He  does  not  get  involved  in  the  sense  objects 
for  the  pleasure  of  the  senses  and  is  alone,  know  ye,  eternal.  Now 
Arjuna,  hear  another  thing  I  tell  you.  Those  who  are  thoughtful 
.  only  know  it.  There  is  in  this  world  one  all-pervading  and  hidden 
spiritual  essence  which  only  the  learned  always  accept  as  real.  Just 
as  milk  mixed  with  water  appears  one  but  can  be  separated  by  the 
swan  alone,  or  just  as  the  intelligent  can  separate  pure  gold  from 
the  alloy  by  burning  the  latter  in  a  furnace,  or  just  as  butter  can  be 


II.    SAMKHYA— YOGA  35 

extracted  by  skilfully  churning  the  curds,  or  just  as  from  mixed  up 
seed  and  chaff,  when  winowed,  the  chaff  is  blown  away  leaving  behind 
only  the  seed — even  so  the  wise  and  the  learned  truth-seers  easily  get 
free  from  the  shackles  of  empirical  existence  seeing  it  to  be  unreal 
after  deep  thinking  and  then  their  gaze  is  fixed  on  the  real  alone. 
Therefore  the  wise  seers  have  no  attachment  for  things  which  are  not 
eternal  since  they  have  realized  that  only  the  eternal  Atman  is  real 
while  the  non-eternal  and  changing  world  of  sense  is  unreal. 

17  "Understand  THAT  to  be  indestructible  by  which  all  this 
has  been  permeated.  Of  this  indestructible  one,  none  can 
achieve  destruction.  (133) 

Considering  the  nature  of  the  essential  and  the  unessential,  you  will 
realize  that  delusion  and  error  is  related  to  the  unessential  while  what 
is  called  real  substance  is  by  its  very  nature,  eternal.  That  Brahman 
from  which  the  entire  Universe  has  shaped  and  bodied  itself  forth 
has  neither  any  name  nor  form,  nor  colour,  nor  any  characteristic. 
It  is  the  timeless,  all  pervasive  Being,  without  birth  or  death  and 
cannot  be  destroyed  even  if  an  attempt  is  made. 

3Hlftl*ihM*to*M   dHU^Wjfd  WcTI!  $5  II 

T  T£T  %frT  eMK  SEN1  H*Hr\  fpTPT  I 

3lft  eft  T  l«MM)cfi  «TFT  *#tf  T  fpi^ll  H  II. 

t  jprjfr  fr*j*n%  srcft  ti  mi 

W%  *T  5^:  «n^  W  MkHlfcl  ^tT  W$  II  "R  X  II 

18  "These  perishable  bodies  are  said  to  belong  to  that  eternal 
body-owner,  the  indestructible  one  that  passes  comprehension. 
Therefore,  do  fight,  O  Scion  of  Bharata. 


36  JNANESHWARI 

19  "He  who  understands  him  as  the  slayer,  and  he  who  deems 
him  as  the  slain :  both  these  do  not  truly  know.  This  one  slays 
not,  nor  is  slain. 

20  "He  is  not  born,  nor  does  he  at  any  time  die:  nor,  having  once 
'been',  is  he  once  again  not  going  to  'be.'  Unborn,  ,  eternal, 
everlasting  and  primeval  is  he:  he  is  not  destroyed  when  the 
body  comes  to  be  destroyed.' 

21  "Who-so  realises  him  as  the  indestructible,  eternal,  unborn, 
and  immutable:  how  and  whom  can  such  a  person,  O  son  of 
Prtha,  cause  to  be  slain,  or  slay?  (136) 

Everything  that  has  taken  a  body-form  and  shape  is  naturally  perish- 
able and  therefore  you  should  face  fighting.  With  your  self-conceit 
fastened  on  the  body  and  fixing  your  erroneous  gaze  on  the  body, 
you  are  the  slave  of  the  belief  that  you  are  the  slayer  while  the  Kauravas 
are  the  slain.  You  do  not  realise  the  essential  truth.  Were  you  to 
consider  carefully  (you  will  realise)  that  neither  you  are  the  slayer, 
nor  they  the  slain.  Just  as  in  a  dream  you  feel  the  dream  all  real, 
but  when  you  awake  and  look  out,  you  find  nothing;  in  the  same  way 
being  the  victim  of  delusion  and  Maya  you  are  enmeshed  in  this 
error  for  nothing.  Just  see  that  striking  at  the  shadow  with  a  weapon 
does  not  cause  hurt  to  the  body ;  or  that  the  disappearance  of  the  Sun's 
reflection  from  an  overturned  pitcher  full  of  water  does  not  make 
the  Sun  himself  to  disappear  along  with  the  reflection,  or  that  the 
interior  of  any  finite  thing  gives  form  to  infinite  space,  but  merges 
into  general  space  (Akash-Sky)  as  soon  as  the  finite  thing  tumbles 
down;  even  so  although  the  body  gets  destroyed  is  the  soul  in- 
destructible and  therefore,  O  Arjuna,  be  not  under  any  illusion  like 
that. 

wwtftr  vifN?fa  5rtt  (cf^m 
«i««ifo  ^«ufd  •Rbmrflu  i 

$R  (U«4P"d  snFsnfar  ##  3?Hw  HN+:  i 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  H 

22  "Just  as,  laying  aside  out-worn  vestments,  a  person  puts  on 
others,  new  ones;  so  laying  aside  out-worn  bodies,  the  body's 
owner  passes  on  into  others,  new  ones. 

23  "Him  cleave  not  weapons;  him  burns  not  fire;  neither  do 
the  waters  drench  him,  nor  does  the  wind  desiccate  him. 

24  "He  is  uncleavable;  he  is  unburnable;  he  is  undrenchable, 
as  also  undesiccatable.  Eternal  all-pervading,  stable,  im- 
mobile is  he,  enduring  from  yore. 

25  "Non-manifest-unthinkable-immutable  is  he  called,  hence  as 
thus  knowing  him,  thou  dost  not  do  well  to  grieve  after  him. 

(144) 

Just  as  we  cast  off  worn  out  vestments  and  put  on  new  ones,  in  the 
same  way  does  the  soul  cast  off  worn  out  bodies  and  take  on  new 
ones.  He  being  without  origin,  eternal,  extremely  pure  without  any 
limitations  is  ever  beyond  the  reach  of  destruction  with  any  mortal 
weapons.  This  soul  can  never  be  drenched  in  torrential  waters,  nor 
can  fire  bum  him,  nor  can  the  wind  desiccate  him.  O  Arjuna,  the 
soul  is  eternal,  stable,  immobile  and  all-pervading.  O  Kiriti,  he  is 
non-manifest  and  unthinkable.  Meditation  is  ever  eager  to  be  able 
to  see  him.  He  is  difficult  to  be  comprehended  by  mere  mental  act 
nor  can  he  be  realized  through  any  practical  means.  O  Arjuna,  he 
is  limitless  and  the  best  of  all  the  best.  He  is  unaffected  by  the  three 
Gunas  (*RT  ,  T^%  .WT^),  has  neither  a  beginning,  nor  an  end,  nor 
any  manifested  form,  nor  attribute,  but  is  all-pervading.  O  Arjuna, 
once  you  come  to  know  him  as  such,  you  will  cease  to  grieve  after 
him. 

cT*r#r  ?#  *^hi^i  tt  4fttag«jft<  ii  35  n 


38  JNANESHWARI 

26  "And  even  wert  thou  to  conceive  him  as  constantly  being 
born  and  as  constantly  dying,  even  so,  O  Longarmed,  thou 
dost  not  do  well  to  grieve.  (152) 

Or,  even  were  you  not  to  hold  the  soul  to  be  indestructible  but  hold 
him  to  be  destructible,  still  there  is  no  reason  for  you,  O  Partha,  to 
feel  distressed.  The  waters  of  the  Ganges  always  flow  uninterruptedly. 
They  flow  at  its  source  and  even  though  they  ultimately  join  the  sea 
they  continue  flowing  all  through  its  course.  So  (the  three  conditions) 
the  beginning,  the  continuance,  and  the  decay,  go  on  eternally  and 
are,  know  Ye  Partha,  entirely  inevitable  to  all  the  beings.  This  state 
of  things  (exists)  from  time  immemorial  and  therefore  you  should 
not  in  vain  lament  for  it.  Or  if  this  reasoning  does  not  appeal  to  you, 
know  Ye  then  that  all  beings  are  subject  to  birth  and  death.  The 
birth  and  death  being  inevitable,  there  is  no  reason  for  you  to  feel 
distressed. 

27  "For,  certain  unto  the  born  is  death,  and  certain  unto  the  dead 
is  birth;  so,  for  a  matter  that  is  inevitable,  thou  dost  not  do 
well  to  grieve.  (159) 

That  which  is  born  is  to  disappear  or  what  disappears  is  to  be  visible 
again.  In  this  way,  rotates  the  wheel  of  time  over  and  over  again. 
Just  as  the  sun-rise  and  sun-set,  automatically  take  place  eternally, 
so  do  the  birth  and  death  exist  of  certainty  in  the  world.  At  the  time 
of  the  world  dissolution  all  the  three  worlds  come  to  an  end,  and 
therefore  beginning  and  end  are  unavoidable  everywhere.  If  this  ap- 
peals itself  to  you  why  do  you  become  distressed  and  why  do  you  show 
ignorance,  knowing  all,  you  Dhanurdhara?  Viewed  from  the  various 
points,  there  exists  no  reason  for  you  to  lament.  Hear  also  further. 

3(*Mri»(HMHI**l^  ?TO  Wt  MfiJN'TI  II  ^tf  II 

28  "For,  non-manifest  is  the  initial  stage  of  the  created  things; 
manifest  is  their  middle  stage,  O  Scion  ofBharata:  and  non- 

,  manifest  also  their  final  stage;  what  is  therefor  lamenting 
in  such  a  case?  (164) 


II.    SAMKHYA— YOGA  39 

All  these  living  beings  had  no  form  before  their  birth.  They  received 
their  individual  forms  with  their  births.  Similarly  when  they  die, 
then  also  they  will  have  no  other  state,  but  have  to  return  to  their 
former  (formless)  condition.  That  which  becomes  manifest  between 
birth  and  death  is  the  body-form,  which,  through  delusion  is  felt 
as  being  possessed  by  the  Soul,  just  as  the  dream,  although  an  illusion, 
appears  to  be  real  to  the  one  asleep.  Or,  just  as  the  water  appears 
wavy,  when  a  breeze  causes  it  to  move  or  gold  takes  the  form  of  an 
ornament  at  the  will  of  others,  in  the  same  way  this  world  appears 
in  (various)  forms  through  illusion,  as  the  sky  gets  screened  by  clouds. 
Why  do  you  lament  for  that  which  has  even  no  beginning  (srrf^t  ?nff ). 
Keep  your  gaze  fixed  only  on  (the  Supreme  Spirit)  Brahman  that  is 
imperishable ;  that  Brahman  on  which  the  devotees  concentrate  their 
minds,  and  get  emancipated  from  illusion;  that  (Supreme  Power) 
Brahman,  for  reaching  whom  truth-seekers,  becoming  desireless, 
seek  refuge  in  forests.  Great  sages  leading  a  dedicated  life  of  celibacy 
and  practising  various  other  penances  concentrate  their  vision  on 
it  (Supreme  Power). 

29  "Rarely  does  some-one  perceive  him;  rarely  like-wise  does 
another  discourse  on  him;  and  rarely  does  anyone  hear  of 
him:  and,  even  after  hearing,  not  one  (we  can  almost  say) 
has  knowledge  of  him.  (172) 

Viewing  that  (Supreme  Power)  Brahman,  several  attained  peace 
of  mind  having  renounced  all  worldly  possessions ;  some,  while  sing- 
ing (His)  praise,  got  converted  in  mind  and  became  completely 
absorbed  permanently:  others  hearing  his  praise  became  peaceful 
(in  mind),  forgot  their  own  bodily  existence  and  getting  experience 
of  the  soul,  were  absorbed  in  the  All.  Just  as  all  rivers  flow  into  the 
sea,  none  flowing  back  because  they  could  not  be  contained,  in  the 
same  way  the  great  Yogins  become  of  one  spirit  when  their  minds 
reach  the  Supreme  Power,  Brahman,  and  then  on  the  strength  of 
their  spiritual  power  they  rid  themselves  of  re-birth. 

^jft  ftcM^uft^  ^  U<iW  TTCcT  I 

cfFTT^  H^ffar  TTFTTft  T  o*  STtfafBTpni  3°  II 


40  JNANESHWARI 

30  "The  body 's  owner  within  every  one 's  body  O  Scion  ofBharata, 
is  ever  unslayable;  therefore  thou  dost  not  do  well  to  grieve 
for  all  (these)  created  things.  (177) 

Look!  there  is  only  one  spirit  pervading  the  universe,  which  exists 
everywhere,  and  in  all  bodies  and  is  beyond  the  reach  of  destruction, 
even  if  one  were  to  attempt  it.  Every  thing  takes  place  naturally  by 
his  will-power,  what  for  do  you  then  lament  here,  pray  tell  me.  I 
do  not  see  why  this  appeal,  the  higher  truth  fails  to,  convince  you. 
Viewed  from  diverse  points,  such  lamentation  is  unworthy  of  you. 

sprinter  ^rrs^tsrtrcT  *afc^w4  «r  fsrer%  it  3?  11 

31  "Having  regard  even  for  thine  own  Dharma  (Duty),  thou 
dost  not  do  well  to  waver;  for  except  righteous  fight,  there 
exists  not,  for  a  Kshatriya  (warrior) ,  another  greater  Good. 

(180) 

Why  do  you  not  even  now  weigh  the  matter  properly?  Why  do  you 
get  obsessed  with  such  ideas?  Why  are  you  remiss  about  your  own 
duty  in  this  situation,  which  is  the  only  proper  course  of  action.  Even 
if  the  Kauravas  fare  worst,  or  some  calamity  befalls  you,  or  the  whole 
universe  is  deluged  suddenly,  still  you  ought  not  to  abandon  your 
own  religious  duty.  Will  you  find  your  salvation  by  surrendering 
to  pity  on  this  great  occasion?  O  Arjuna,  allowing  your  mind  to 
be  served  with  pity  is  not  proper  on  the  very  verge  of  war.  Just  see 
that  the  milk  of  the  cow  which  is  food  proves  a  poison  if  forcibly 
administered  in  a  pneumonic  case,  wherein  it  is  prohibited.  You 
should  therefore  be  cautious,  since  the  moral  good  is  in  danger,  if 
men  appointed  to  a  duty  do  the  wrong  thing;  why  then  bewail  in  vain? 
Just  consider,  you  would  never  be  liable  to  be  blamed  if  you 
followed  your  Kshatriya  religion  (duty  as  a  member  of  warrior- 
race).  Just  as  no  harm  is  likely  to  befall  by  walking  over  a  straight 
levelled  road  or  no  obstruction  by  carrying  a  lamp,  in  the  same  way 
O  Partha,  all  wishes  get  automatically  fulfilled  by  doing  one's  duty 
properly.  So  I  say  to  you  that  the  duty  proper  for  you  Kshatriyas 
(Warring  race)  is  nothing  else  but  warfare.  You  should  perceive  it 
directly,  and  hence  there  is  no  need  to  tell  you  that  in  the  battle-field 
you  should  be  exchanging  blows  without  harbouring  any  malicious 
feelings. 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  41 

32  "Come  upon  them  of  its  own  coming — a  gate  to  heaven  un- 
barred: blessed  the  Kshatriyas,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  who  chance 
upon  such  a  fight.  (191) 

O  Arjuna,  know  ye,  that  this  warfare  has  come  because  of  your  own 
good  luck  or,  here  is  opened  the  very  store-house  of  religious  ful- 
filment of  duties.  Why  call  it  a  fight?  The  very  Heavens  have  opened 
their  gates  and  stood  before  you  incarnate  in  the  form  of  a  fight  through 
the  force  of  your  own  bravery:  or  it  looks  as  though  on  hearing  of 
your  renowned  quality  and  valour,  Fame  herself  has  become  enam- 
oured of  you  and  has  come  to  choose  you  as  her  husband.  It  is  solely 
on  account  of  the  fruit  of  his  good  deeds  (^ec^)  tnat  a  Kshatriya 
gets  a  chance  of  a  battle,  just  as  a  way-farer  happens  luckily  to  find 
a  costly  jewel  on  the  high  street.  Or  the  opportunity  has  come  up 
just  as  nectar  should  fall  into  the  mouth  opened  out  for  yawning. 

33  "But  in  case  thou  dost  not  wage  this  righteous  war,  thou  wilt 
then  have  given  up  thy  Dharma  and  the  glory;  (and)  sin  shall 
be  thy  portion.  (196) 

Now  to  abandon  this  war  and  get  dipped  into  lamentation  over  what 
is  merely  fancied  is  like  you  yourself  courting  your  own  disaster.  O 
Arjuna,  it  would  amount  to  your  voluntarily  losing  the  fame  acquired 
by  ancestors,  were  you  to  lay  down  the  arms  in  this  battle.  (Your) 
existing  fame  will  wane  and  the  whole  world  will  censure  you  and 
serious  mortal  sins  will  seek  you  out  and  stick  to  you.  Just  as  a  widow 
is  insulted  everywhere,  so  is  the  fate  of  a  man  who  leaves  the  path 
of  religious  duty,  or  just  as  the  vultures  mangle,  from  all  sides,  a  corpse 
left  in  a  forest,  in  the  same  way,  great  sins  devour  one  devoid  of  any 
religion  of  his  own. 

aiiDfif1  xrrftr  *jciif«i  ^GiuiPci  ^srq-nT  i 


42  JNANESHWARI 

34  "The  creatures,  moreover,  will  recount  thy  undying  infamy; 
and,  for  those  that  have  been  honoured,  infamy  outweighs 
death.  (201) 

Therefore  were  you  to  forsake  your  own  duty  it  would  be  sinful  con- 
duct and  you  will  not  escape  for  all  time  the  stigma  of  ill-fame.  The 
wise  should  live  only  so  long  as  there  is  not  a  whit  of  clinging  to  one's 
name.  If  so,  just  say  how  you  will  back  out  of  this  war  now.  You 
will  no  doubt  return  from  here  without  the  least  malice,  and  with 
a  heart  full  of  pity  but  the  Kauravas  would  never,  O  Partha,  believe 
in  it.  They  will  surround  you  from  all  directions  and  will  shower 
arrows  after  arrows  on  you.  Your  pitiful  heart,  O  Partha,  will  not 
come  to  your  rescue.  Further,  even  if  you  manage  to  escape  from  this 
deadly  peril  to  your  life,  still  such  life  would  be  worse  than  death. 

*faf  ^T  c#  algid)  ^r9TT  *rrc*r%  *H4«NJ  II  3 it  II 

35  "Through  fear  holding  back  from  battle:  so  will  deem  thee 
the  mighty  car-warriors,  of  whom,  having  once  been  highly 
esteemed,  thou  wilt  incur  light  estimation.  (206) 

You  forget  one  thing  more;  you  came  here  full  of  zeal  for  fight.  Were 
you  out  of  kindness  to  start  back  tell  me,  O  Arjuna,  would  your  feelings 
of  kindness  be  believed  by  your  wicked  enemies? 

3H|-eM«||<u?H  3|pT  srf^rfcT  cMlfgdl*  | 
{h«4<tIW<*  WRV$  flcffr  f^TSR"  ^  fa*$  II  3^  II 

36  "Many  a  word  unutterable  will  they  utter:  thy  enemies, 
slandering  thy  valour.  What  indeed  more  painful  than  that? 

(208) 

They  will  shout  "Arjuna  got  frightened  and  went  away."  Is  it  an 
honourable  thing  to  leave  behind  such  a  slur  on  your  name?  O  Dha- 
nurdhara,  people  carry  on  with  a  hard  struggle  and  at  times  even 
sacrifice  their  lives,  and  leave  a  good  name  behind.  You  have  easily 
and  without  effort  won  this  fame,  which  is  as  unique  and  without  a 
parallel,  O  Partha,  as  the  sky.  All  the  three  worlds  resound  with 
your  uncomparable  fame  and  heroic  qualities.  The  kings  of  all  the 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  43 

countries  ever  sing  your  praise  on  hearing  which,  even  the  God 
of  death  and  others  are  overawed ;  so  compact  and  pure  is  your  fame 
like  the  waters  of  the  Ganges,  seeing  which  all  the  brave  in  the  universe 
get  inspiration.  Hearing  of  your  extra-ordinary  bravery  all  the  Kaura- 
vas  have  lost  all  hope  of  their  own  life.  Just  as  the  wild  elephants 
feel  the  terror  of  death  on  hearing  the  roaring  of  the  lion,  even  so 
do  all  the  Kauravas  feel  in  mortal  terror  of  you.  Just  as  the  mountain 
trembles  before  the  thunderbolt  (a  weapon  of  Indra)  or  as  a  serpent 
is  to  an  eagle,  in  the  same  way  they  all  consider  themselves  in  regard 
to  yourself.  If  you  now  return  without  giving  a  fight,  you  will  be 
jeopardising  all  your  great  name  and  will,  on  the  contrary,  degrade 
yourself  to  the  most  abject  position.  (They)  will  not  allow  you  to 
run,  but  will  capture  you  and  humiliate  you.  Then  they  will,  without 
limit,  utter  the  worst  calumnies  to  your  face,  which  will  pierce  your 
heart.  Why  not  then  fight  bravely  and  enjoy  the  kingdom  of  the 
world? 

37  "Or  slain,  thou  shalt  attain  Heaven;  or  conquering  thou 
shalt  enjoy  the  Earth.  Therefore,  arise,  O  Son  of  KuntT, 
taking  the  resolve  to  fight.  (220) 

Or  were  you  to  lose  your  life  while  fighting,  you  will  without  any 
effort  secure  everlasting  life.  Therefore,  O  Kiriti,  do  not  think  about 
this  but  get  up  and  take  up  the  bow  and  begin  to  fight  immediately. 
See,  by  doing  one's  own  duty  (moral  religion)  all  sins  are  washed 
off.  How  (then)  has  the  suspicion  of  any  sin  arisen  in  your  mind? 
Say,  would  there  be  any  drowning  by  taking  resort  to  a  boat  or  any 
obstruction  by  walking  over  a  plain  road?  This  could  only  happen 
in  the  case  of  an  ignorant  one  who  does  not  know  how  to  walk.  There 
will  be  death  by  taking  nectar  if  it  is  mixed  with  poison ;  in  the  same 
way  there  will  be  failure  if  one's  own  duty  performed  with  the  aim 
of  securing  reward  therefor.  And  therefore,  O  Partha,  there  will  be 
no  sin  if  you  do  the  fighting  bravely,  harbouring  absolutely  no  motive 
(in  such  fighting). 


44  JNANESHWARI 

38  "Make  pleasure  and  pain,  gain  and  loss,  victory  and  defeat, 
a  matter  of  indifference,  and  thereafter  engage  in  combat: 
that  way  thou  shalt  incur  no  sin.  (226) 

Do  not  exult  to  find  happy  things  nor  be  downcast  at  calamities. 
Never  count  in  your  mind  consequences  as  gain  or  loss.  Never  think 
beforehand  whether  there  will  be  victory  or  death.  Bear  patiently 
the  consequences  whatever  they  might  be  after  acting  according  to 
what  you  consider  proper  as  your  own  duty.  In  this  way,  be  of  firm 
mind  and  then  naturally  there  will  be  no  touch  of  sin  in  your  action. 
Therefore  be  now  prepared  for  fighting  entertaining  no  doubt  what- 


^qT  SJrBt  *TOT  TPf  *nfa^f  M^lfMfa  II  3£  II 

39  "This  is  the  view-point  a  la  Samkhya"  (Discriminating- 
pose)  set  forth  for  thee;  now  however,  hear  the  view-point 
a  la  'Yoga'  (Eventempered-activism)  equipped  with  which 
view-point,  O  Son  ofPrtha,  thou  shalt  rid  thyself  of  the  bondage 
ofkarman  (action).  (230) 

So  far.  (I)  preached  to  you  in  brief  the  path  of  Samkhya  Philosophy 
(Path  of  knowledge):  Now  hear  what  I  shall  tell  you  with  certainty  of 
the  Path  of  Yoga — (eventempered  activism).  When  one  is  imbued 
with  the  principle  of  duty  for  duty's  sake  (free  from  expectation  of 
any  reward),  one  is  entirely  immune  against  any  contagion  (bondage) 
of  action.  One  wearing  an  armour  of  steel,  can  bear  a  shower  of 
of  arms  and  can  come  out  with  unquestioned  victory  at  the  same  time 
protecting  himself. 

*^lfa<**HI*n!>(*d  SlcM*ll<Jt  T  $*H^  I 

HeM*<mfM  «nfor  ?tto^  *i^ft  wm  u  vo  u 

40  "Herein  there  is  no  destruction  of  initial  effort;  nor  does 
there  ensue  any  impediment  (due  to  deficiency  or  non-con- 
tinuation). Even  a  very  little  (practice)  of  this  Dharma 
(Discipline)  saves  (one)  from  greater  danger.  (233) 

In  the  same  way  (one)  walking  on  this  path  of  Yoga  without  damage  . 
to  his  worldly  happiness  can  of  certainty  attain  salvation  in  the  end, 
thus  making  the  best  of  both  the  worlds.  This  path  of  eventempered 


II.    SAMKHYA— YOGA  45 

activism  has  thus  the  Samkhya  Path  included  in  itself.  The  principle 
underlying  the  eventempered  activism  is  to  continue  doing  action 
but  not  to  harbour  any  attachment  to  the  fruit  of  action.  Just  as  an 
exorcist  is  not  liable  to  be  possessed  by  ghosts,  (in  that  way)  one  perfect 
in  the  enlightenment  of  eventempered  activism  is  not  entangled  in 
any  limitations  (^rrfr)  of  worldly  life's  action.  That  Yoga  of  dis- 
cernment (eventempered  activism)  is  above  deserts,  good  or  ill  and 
sin,  and  being  extremely  subtle  and  yet  very  firm  is  above  the  sway 
of  the  three  Gunas.  Should  you,  O  Arjuna,  be  able  to  secure  with 
the  help  of  the  merit  of  former  good  life,  even  in  a  small  measure, 
the  light  of  this  discernment  in  your  heart,  you  will  have  destroyed 
completely  for  yourself  the  danger  of  the  cycle  of  life  and  death. 

3pWT  ^M*dl£T  ^m^oimuiRhim  ii  *?  it 

41  "Herein,  0  Joy  of  the  Kurus,  the  Intellect  which  forms  the 
discriminative-determination  is  one  and  final;  whereas  many- 
branched  and  void  of  finality  are  the  intellects  of  those  not 
forming  (such)  determination.  (238) 

The  jet  of  a  lamp  although  small  (in  size)  gives  light  to  a  greater  area : 
so  is  an  enlightened  mind,  not  to  be  treated  lightly:  O  Partha,  those 
that  are  thoughtful  greatly  wish  for  this  discernment  and  vision  and 
it  is  rarely  met  with  in  the  world.  A  'Paris'  (philosophers  stone)  is 
not  to  be  had  in  a  huge  quantity  like  other  things,  or  a  droplet  of 
nectar  is  obtainable  by  sheer  good  luck.  In  that  way  a  truth  discerning 
vision  which  ultimately  aims  at  absorption,  in  the  Supreme  Being 
like  the  Ganges  meeting  the  ocean,  is  difficult  to  be  had.  O  Arjuna, 
only  one  thing  in  the  world  is  real  intellect  viz.  intellectual  passion 
for  God  which  has  no  other  goal  but  that  of  reaching  God  Almighty. 
Besides  these  there  are  other  thoughts  (evil  wishes)  which  being  liable 
to  be  perverted,  only  the  thoughtless  always  remain  pleased  with 
them  (evil  wishes).  And  therefore,  O  Partha,  they  always  desire  for 
and  get  the  Heavenly  pleasures,  worldly  pleasures,  and  also  Hell. 
They  never  get  even  a  glimpse  of  the  bliss  of  the  self. 

*llf*Wi  ^faclf  ^T#  m««<s«tm  fanner.  I 
%33TCTcfT:  *TPl  *M«4«ifcORi  «ol«H:  II  VR  II 


46  JNANESHWARI 

42  "This  florid  speech  that  they  proclaim-the  undiscerning  ones, 
addicted  to  Vedic  creed  and  maintaining,  O  Son  of  Prtha, 
that  there  exists  nothing  else.  (245) 

They  always  propound  meritorious  acts  of  ritual  on  the  authority 
of  the  Vedas  and  go  to  establish  the  superiority  of  actions;  but  in 
their  heart  of  hearts  they  crave  for  the  fruit  of  their  actions.  They 
preach  that  (one)  born  in  this  mundane  world  should  perform  sacrificial 
rites  and  other  actions,  and  should  then  enjoy  the  heavenly  bliss 
which  is  so  pleasant.  O  Arjuna,  these  evil-minded  persons  (further) 
say  that  there  is  absolutely  no  other  happiness  worth  having  except 
the  heavenly  bliss. 

*l*llcMM:  ^#rnr  *l«"H*44HN«im  I 

43  "With  their  souls  ridden  with  desires  and  yearning  for  (the 
goal  of )  Heaven- (the  speech)  concerning  (prati)  the  attain- 
ment (gatim)  of  (diverse)  enjoyments  and  lordships  through 
multifarious  specific  performances,  yielding  births  (upon 
births)  and  fruition  of  karman  (action).  (248) 

They  give  themselves  up  to  desires,  and  perform  acts,  their  hearts 
being  always  full  with  the  passion  for  enjoyment  of  the  objects  of 
the  senses.  While  performing  the  diverse  actions  they  never  neglect 
the  prescribed  forms  and  procedure,  and  are  very  particular  in  per- 
forming religious  acts  in  an  expert  way. 

44  "By  that  (speech)  their  minds  being  carried  astray,  clinging 
(as  they  do)  to  enjoyments  and  lordships,  their  intellect, 
which  is  to  form  discriminative-determination,  does  not  prove 
well  adapted  to  culminate  in  enrapt-concentration  (samadhi). 

(250) 

But  they  do  one  bad  thing.  Entertaining  in  their  minds  a  passionate 
desire  for  Heavens,  they  forget  the  Almighty,  in  whom  centre  all 
the  sacrificial  rites.  Just  as  camphor  is  piled  up  and  then  set  fire  to 
or  sumptuous  dishes  may  be  mixed  up  with  poison  or  a  pitcher  filled 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  47 

with  nectar  should  be  overturned  by  a  kick,  in  the  same  way  they 
debase  their  religious  merit  by  harbouring  the  passion  for  enjoyment 
of  the  motive  lying  behind  their  performances.  They  secure  merit 
VS"*)  bv  making  efforts.  Why  should  they  then  covet  worldly  hap- 
piness? But  alas,  O  Arjuna,  it  cannot  be  helped.  These  unlucky 
persons  do  not  realise  it.  As  a  good  cook  should  prepare  best  dishes, 
but  then  sell  them  out  in  return  for  money,  in  the  same  way  they  destroy 
the  religion  by  thoughtless  desire  for  enjoyment  of  the  sense-objects. 
And  therefore,  O  Arjuna,  I  say  that  these  people  while  engaged  in 
the  debate  over  the  interpretation  of  the  Vedas  harbour  evil  thoughts 
in  their  hearts. 

fa£'£l  PicMflr^Wt  fa*4f*l&*4  3HcH«M<J  II  *K  It 

45  "The  triad  of  Gunas  (constituent-aspects)  make  up  the 
(entire)  subject-matter  of  the  Vedas:  rid  of  that  Guna-triad 
do  thou  become:  O  Arjuna,  rid  of  dualities,  ever  abiding  in 
pure  essence  (Satva) ,  of  gaining  and  guarding,  and  master 
of  the  (true)  Self  (256) 

Know  ye  for  certainty  that  these  Vedas  are  all  pervaded  by  the  three 
Gunas  in  combination  (constituent-aspects)  (^r^-T5nT-^fW)  and  there- 
fore only  the  Upanishads  are  to  be  considered  as  possessing  the  quality 
of  Satva.  The  rest,  involved  in  the  Rajas  and  Tamas  qualities-enjoin, 
O  Dhanurdhara,  the  performance  of  actions  like  sacrificial  rites  etc. 
leading  to  enjoyment  in  the  other  world.  Therefore  know  this  ye 
Partha,  that  this  path  of  ritualistic  action  constitutes  the  very  root 
of  suffering,  joy  and  sorrow  and  so  do  not  allow  the  mind  to  be  moved 
in  their  direction.  You  do  rid  yourself  of  the  three  qualities  and  their 
tendencies,  never  allow  any  sort  of  egoistic  meum  et  tuum  to  pollute 
your  mind,  and  never  lose  sight  of,  even  for  a  single  moment,  the 
thought  of  the  ecstatic  bliss  of  self-realisation. 

cnsnf  tf#G[  ^%f  ST^TOIFT  pMWd:  II  *^  U 

46  "As  much  purpose  there  is  in  a  water-well  when  every  place 
is  over-flooded  with  water,  so  much  purpose  there  is  in  all 
the  Vedas  for  a  Brahmin  in  possessing  (Brahman-)  know- 
ledge. (260) 


48  JNANESHWARI 

Although  the  Vedas  preach  volumes  and  suggest  various  ways  still 
we  should  select  and  adopt  only  such  as  lead  to  our  own  enduring 
and  everlasting  good.  Although  with  the  rising  of  the  Sun  all  the  ways 
without  exception  become  discernible,  tell  me  if  all  these  are  ever 
(simultaneously)  trodden  over  by  people;  or  is  it  not  proper  that 
even  if  the  whole  surface  of  the  Earth  is  flooded  with  water,  we  should 
only  take  as  much  of  it  as  we  need  for  our  purposes.  In  that  way  those 
that  are  learned  ponder  over  all  that  is  contained  in  the  Vedas  and 
adopt  only  as  much  as  is  necessary  and  acceptable,  viz.  the  Eternal 
(knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Spirit  3fT5TR"). 

4h4wN(fM*K*3  TT  *K%1|  *<4WH  I 

47  "Thou  hast  a  (rightful)  title  to  action,  but  only  to  action: 
never  at  all  to  its  fruitions.  Let  not  the  fruits  of  actions  be 
thy  (inspiring-)  motive.  Nor  let  thy  attachment  be  to  in- 
action. (264) 

Therefore  O  Partha,  viewed  from  all  these  considerations  the  only 
course  proper  for  you  to  follow  is  your  own  duty  (in  this  Warfare). 
We  have  considered  this  problem  in  all  ways  and  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  you  should  not  abandon  your  own  duties  as  enjoined. 
You  should  not  harbour  any  desire  for  the  fruit  of  the  action,  nor 
have  any  tendency  towards  evil  actions,  but  you  should  go  on  doing 
good  actions  with  no  motive  whatever  for  enjoyment  except  doing 
your  duty. 

RHMfa<Hfl;  Sift  ^cSTT  **c#  *ffor  3F5qft  ||  *c;  |( 

48  "Steadfast  in  Yoga,  do  thy  actions,  O  Dhanamjaya,  relinquish- 
ing attachment  and  becoming  even-tempered  (alike)  in  at- 
tainment or  in  non-attainment:  (such)  Evenness  is  called 
'Yoga,'.  (267) 

Be  steadfast  in  Yoga  (of  duty)  with  a  single-minded  devotion  with- 
out expectation  of  any  fruit.  And  so  let  not  your  performance  of 
duty  resulting  in  success  lead  you  to  excessive  rejoicing.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  for  some  reason  or  the  other,  the  action  remains  in- 
complete, and  infructuous,  do  not  be  perturbed  in  mind  and  down- 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  49 

cast.  An  action  that  succeeds  is  certainly  serviceable,  but  even  when 
it  remains  incomplete  it  should  also  be  taken  in  mind  as  successful. 
Whatever  is  attained  by  following  one's  duty  should  be  dedicated 
to  the  primeval  author — the  Supreme  Being  (srrfopr)  and  then 
take  it  that  it  will  be  completed.  Mental  equipoise  (equanimity) 
in  the  face  of  both  success  and  defeat  in  an  action  is  described  by 
the  learned  as  the  greatest  Yoga. 

f[^T  fur  w$  t|fo*fru4«Hq  \ 

W$t  *i<wwf«(-ey  $qwr:  Mwl^cM:  II  *£  II 

ffe^rffl'  «ff1cftf  ^  ^$d£fc£>d  I 
creTreftTRT  ^arH<W  tffr:  ^«fg  *Um*<  II  *<>  II 

49  "For,  by  far,  O  Dhanamjaya,  is  the  action  (with  its  fruit) 
inferior  to  the  Yoga  of  Discernment.  Seek  refuge  in  Dis- 
cernment :  erring  wretches  are  they  that  lust  after  fruits. 

50  "United  to  this  Discernment,  one  discards  both  the  well- 
done  and  the  ill-done  of  this  world.  Therefore,  apply  thyself 
to  the  Yoga.   Yoga  in  action  bespeaks  craftsmanship. 

(273) 

O  Arjuna,  evenness  of  mind  is  the  sole  essence  of  Yoga,  wherein  are 
naturally  unity  of  vision  (illumination)  and  action.  Considered  from 
the  point  of  view  of  the  Yoga  of  Discernment,  performance  of  fruit- 
motived  action  looks  inferior  to  that  of  Yoga.  And  yet  the  performance 
of  these  actions  prepares  the  way  to  the  Yoga  of  Discernment  since 
this  Yoga  is  the  consummation  reached  through  the  performance 
of  non-motived  actions.  Therefore,  this  Yoga  of  Discernment  is 
a  strong  shelter,  and  O  Arjuna,  you  should  seek  refuge  in  it,  and  rid 
yourself  of  the  desire  for  fruit  from  the  bottom  of  your  heart.  Those 
that  apply  themselves  to  this  Yoga  of  Discernment,  cross  over  to  the 
other  bank  of  mundane  existence  and  the  shackles  of  both  merit  and 
sin  drop  off  from  them. 

qHMrtlElEnjrhl:  <TC  <MfrdMW*Hj  II  *S  II 

51  "For,  united  to  this  Discernment,  the  Sages,  relinquishing 
the  fruits  issuing  from  action,  and  liberated  from  the  bondage 
of  births,  attain  to  that  Abode  where  there  is  no  ailing.      (278) 


50  JNANESHWARI 

Even  while  they  live  on  the  plane  of  performing  actions,  they  never 
touch  the  fruit  of  their  actions  and  therefore  they  escape  from  the 
tortuous  wheel  of  birth  and  death.  These  illumined  by  this  Discern- 
ment, 0  Dhanurdhara,  reach  that  eternal  everlasting  Abode  of  Bliss. 

52  "When  thy  Discerning-power  crossed  beyond  the  morass  of 
infatuation,  then  wilt  thou  experience  a  recoil  from  (Scrip- 
tures) both  the  heard  (and followed),  and  (those)  to  be  heard. 

(280) 

You  yourself  will  also  be  so  ready  and  prepared  when  you  rid  your- 
self of  this  illusion  and  when  all  your  desires  are  relinquished.  Then 
you  will  secure  the  pure  and  deep  knowledge  of  the  Self  and  your  mind 
will  automatically  be  desireless  and  in  such  state  will  be  experienced 
the  vision  after  which  there  would  be  nothing  to  be  known  or  learnt. 

53  "When  thy  Discerning-power,  confounded  by  (dissentious) 
Scriptures,  endures,  steadfast  and  unmoving,  in  an  enrapt- 
concentration  (samadhi)  then  wilt  thou  attain  'Yoga, '  "  (283) 

The  confounded  state  of  the  mind's  power  brought  about  by  its  as- 
sociation with  the  senses  will  afterwards  be  set  right  and  your  mind 
will  look  at  the  Supreme  Self  steadily  and  as  a  whole.  When  the  dis- 
cerning power  gets  perfectly  peaceful  and  settled  in  an  enrapt — 
concentration  (Wfa)  then  only  you  will  have  attained  the  Yoga. 

54  Arjuna  Spake:— "What  language,  O  Kesav,  describes  the 
man  of  perfectly— poised  Discernment  who  has  established 
himself  in  enr apt-concentration?  What  should  this  man  of 
perfectly-poised  Discernment  speak,  what  should  he  sit-down 
to,  what  should  he  move-unto?"  (285) 


II.   SAMKHYA— YOGA  51 

Here  Arjuna  said,  "O  you  all  merciful  Being,  I  would  ask  some 
questions  about  this,  which  you  should  kindly  answer."  Hearing 
these  words  Lord  Krishna  said  with  pleasure  "O  Kiriti,  you  may 
ask,  with  gladness  of  heart,  whatever  questions  you  wish."  Then 
Partha  said  to  Sri  Krishna  "Tell  me,  O  God,  who  can  be  called 
Sthitaprajna  (One  of  perfectly-poised  discernment)  and  how  he 
should  be  known?  By  what  marks  can  he  be  identified?  Who  is 
said  to  be  (feraffe)  one  of  perfectly-poised  discernment?  Simi- 
larly in  what  state  a  man  who  constantly  enjoys  the  happiness  of 
enrapt  meditation  (fPTTfa)  exists,  what  is  his  form,  O  Lord  of  Laxmi, 
tell  me  all  this.  The  very  incarnation  of  the  Supreme  Absolute  Power 
Lord  Krishna  invested  with  all  the  divine  glory  of  the  sixteen  qualities 
then  said. 

fcftsHHM'lHcfW  I 

aMcMqMMI  ^Z:  lFWM*Hri4Ma  II  W  II 

55  The  Exalted  one  Spake  "When  he,  0  Son  ofPrtha,  renounces 
all  desires  lodged  in  the  heart,  and  is  by  himself,  content  within 
himself,  then  is  he  called  a  man  of  perfectly-poised  Discern- 
ment. (291) 

O  Arjuna!  hear,  the  one  thing  that  comes  in  the  way  of  the  happiness 
of  the  Self  is  the  strong  desires  that  exist  in  mind  for  the  objects  of  ' 
senses.  One  who  is  ever  contented  and  whose  heart  is  full  of  satisfaction 
and  who  has  completely  destroyed  the  strong  desires  for  pleasure 
which  make  him  fall  headlong  into  the  mire  of  sense-objects,  and 
whose  mind  is  absorbed  in  the  bliss  of  the  Self-such  a  one  is  Sthi- 
taprajna. 

4l<KHI*wttM;  (VMd*n<jfofr»aa  II  X%  II 

56  "With  a  mind  undetected  in  the  midst  of  sorrows,  and  im- 
mune from  cravings  in  the  midst  of  joys — he  from  whom 
passion,  fear,  and  anger  have  fled  away — he  is  said  to  be  the 
man  of  perfectly-poised  Discernment:  a  Sage.  (294) 

One  whose  mind  remains  undejected  in  the  midst  of  diverse  sorrows 
and  who  never  gets  entangled  in  the  craving  for  pleasures,  in  such 


52  JNANESHWARI 

a  man  there  hardly  remains  any  passion  and  wrath  and  he  never 
knows  any  fear,  his  mind  being  ever  full  with  the  bliss  of  the  Self. 
One  ever  remaining  in  such  a  state  is  Sthitaprajna.  Such  a  right- 
thinking  man  abides  with  no  diversity,  having  overcome  all  mundane 
difficulties. 

57  "He,  who  encountering  diverse  good  as  well  as  evil  things, 
feels  no  attachment  towards  anything,  and  neither  rejoices 

(in  the  one),  nor  loathes  (the  other,)  his  Discernment  is 
(really)  perfectly-poised.  (297) 

He  behaves  evenly  with  all,  like  the  full  (moon-day)  moon  that  gives 
light  equally  both  to  the  virtuous  or  to  the  evil-doers:  his  unfailing 
equality  towards  all  knows  no  distinction  whatever.  He  is  ever  kind 
to  all  beings,  never  making  any  distinction.  He  never  rejoices  at 
the  acquisition  of  good  nor  loathes  untoward  things.  Such  a  one, 
0  Arjuna,  who  is  free  from  joy  and  sorrow  and  ever  full  with  the 
Bliss  of  the  Self  is  Sthitabuddhi. 

§Pam'*nn-am^r+<4tti<-M  sraT  m(hR*MI  II  its  II 

58  "And  when  he  (facile)  like  the  tortoise  withdrawing  its  limbs 
from  every  side,  withdraws  his  senses  from  sense-objects, 
then  may  his  Discernment  be  said  to  be  perfectly-poised. 

(301) 

Just  as  a  tortoise  in  joyous  mood  spreads  out  or  withdraws  his  limbs 
at  his  will  and  pleasure,  even  so  the  Yogi  has  full  control  over  his 
senses  and  makes  them  act  as  he  likes;  such  a  one  has,  take  it  for 
certain,  attained  the  state  of  Sthitaprajna. 

farm  faf*ra#%  Pki^kw  %%t:  i 

T*ra#  <*T)i»U4fM  *fi  £^T  Pw£)  II  H£  II 

59  "Sense-objects  recede  from  the  body's  owner  when  he  ceases 
to  feed  upon  them,  but  leave  behind  his  relish  for  them;  even 
this  relish  ceases  after  the  vision  of  the  Supreme.         (303) 


II.    SAMKHY A—YOGA  53 

O  Arjuna,  I  shall  tell  you  one  wonderful  thing.  Persons  practising 
Yoga  abandon  sense-objects  resolutely.  Yet,  even  though  they  control 
senses  such  as  hearing,  vision,  etc.  they  are  not  able  to  control  the 
tongue  (sense  of  taste) ;  they  get  entangled  in  sense-objects  in  a  thousand 
ways.  How  can  a  tree  be  destroyed  only  by  cutting  the  top-most 
foliage,  while  its  roots  are  being  watered?  Just  as  it  (tree)  flourishes 
and  extends  on  all  sides  on  the  support  of  the  water,  in  the  same  way 
through  the  tongue  (sense  of  taste)  the  sense-objects  get  strengthened 
in  the  mind.  The  objects  of  the  other  senses  can  be  checked,  but  those 
of  the  tongue  cannot  be  checked  so  resolutely,  since,  without  feeding 
life  would  not  survive.  But  when,  O  Arjuna,  by  constant  application 
and  practice  the  experience  of  the  Supreme  Spirit  is  reached,  the  tongue 
is  also  automatically  conquered.  When  there  is  the  realisation  that 
the  Supreme  Spirit  is  not  distinct  from  one's  own  Self,  the  body  ceases 
to  function  and  the  senses  also  forget  their  objects. 

60  "For,  0  son  of  Kunti,  (even)  of  a  person  of  understanding, 
(and)  even  when  he  is  making  effort,  his  impetuous  senses 
forcibly  carry  away  his  mind.  (310) 

Even  to  those  that  always  try  to  control  the  senses,  O  Arjuna,  they 
become  uncontrollable.  Those  that  devote  themselves  to  Yoga  with 
vigilant  study  and  put  around  themselves  a  fencing  of  Yama  and 
Niyama,  and  control  over  their  minds,  are  also  oppressed  with  the 
irresistible  power  of  the  senses ;  even  an  exorcist  is  deluded  by  spirits, 
in  that  the  manner  the  desires  taking  the  garb  of  Riddhi-Siddhi  (occult 
powers)  overwhelm  the  senses  and  delude  the  persons.  On  such 
occasions  faced  with  the  power  of  the  senses  the  mind  gets  uncontrolled 
and  remains  prostrate  at  the  mercy  of  the  Senses,  making  study  futile. 
O  Arjuna,  such  is  the  strength  of  senses. 

61  "Restraining  them  all,  one  should  abide  in  Yoga,  making 
ME  his  goal;  for,  he  who  keeps  his  senses  under  control, 
his  Discernment  can  be  said  to  be  perfectly-poised.      (315) 


54  JNANESHWARI 

Therefore,  O  Partha,  one  who  rids  himself  of  the  temptations  of 
sense-objects  and  defeats  the  senses,  is  alone  of  certainty,  fit  and 
able  to  follow  the  path  of  Yoga  and  to  be  of  perfectly-poised  discern- 
ment. One  whose  heart  is  never  tempted  by  any  sense-objects  always 
secures  the  realisation  of  the  Self  and  so,  never  loses  sight  of  ME  in 
his  heart.  Otherwise  even  though  such  a  person  to  all  appearances 
never  associates  with  the  sense-objects,  still  should  there  linger  in 
his  mind  the  least  desire  for  sense-objects,  he  must  be  said  to  be  all 
worldly  from  beginning  to  end.  Just  as  a  single  drop  of  poison  taken, 
gets  circulated  all  through  the  system  and  unmistakably  results  in 
the  loss  of  life  in  that  way  even  the  slightest  desire  for  sense-objects 
lingering-  in  the  mind  completely  destroys  all  sorts  of  right  thinking. 

snpT^r  #5rm^"  mm  +mid  ^Ntsf^rsn^  it  ^  11 

62  "In  a  person  constantly  thinking  about  objects  of  sense  there 
is  born  an  attachment  for  them:  from  attachment  springs 
passion;  from  (thwarted)  passion  arises  wrath; 

63  "From  wrath  ensues  bewilderment ;  from  bewilderment,  con- 
fusion in  accumulated  knowledge  (smrti) ;  from  failure  of 
accumulated  knowledge,  crash  of  discernment :  with  discern- 
ment crashed,  he  perishes  outright.  (321) 

Even  though  there  may  be  (mere)  remembrance  of  sense-objects 
in  the  heart,  it  brings  about  association  with  them,  even  in  the  case 
of  those  that  harbour  no  attachment  for  them.  Such  association 
directly  creates  passions  and  from  passions  arises  wrath.  From  wrath 
ensues  bewilderment.  Bewilderment  destroys  memory  just  as  a 
strong  breeze  extinguishes  the  flame  of  a  lamp,  or  just  as  after  sunset 
the  night  swallows  the  splendour  of  the  sun,  to  that  same  state  (the 
blankness)  the  being  is  reduced  with  the  loss  of  memory.  Thus  blinded 
by  the  darkness  of  ignorance  the  intellect  gets  overcome  with  confusion. 
O  Arjuna,  the  intellect  then  gets  deluded  and  giddy  just  as  one  bora 
blind  takes  to  running  and  gets  helpless  and  keeps  on  running  about 
aimlessly,  with  the  intellect  getting  hard-hit  owing  to  loss  of  memory. 


II.    SAMKHYA— YOGA  55 

In  this  way  right  thinking  gets  its  bottom  knocked  off.  Just  as  the 
body  gets  still  with  the  loss  of  life  so  becomes  the  state  of  one  with 
the  loss  of  intellect.  Therefore,  know  ye,  O  Arjuna,  just  as  a  spark 
when  applied  to  a  piece  of  fire-wood  gets  spread  out  and  capable 
of  reducing  to  ashes  the  entire  Universe  in  the  same  way  should  the 
mind  ever  come  to  think  even  casually  of  sense-objects,  it  brings 
upon  itself  (such  a  big)  downfall. 

64  "Per  contra,  one,  moving  amongst  objects  of  sense,  with 
his  senses  bereft  of  (all)  attachment  and  aversion,  and  obedient 
to  his  will:  such  a  disciplined  self  attains  to  perfect  serenity. 

(331) 

Therefore,  all  the  sense-objects  should  be  completely  expelled  from 
the  mind  and  then  wrath  and  hatred  will  automatically  get  destroyed. 
O  Partha,  hear  one  important  thing;  when  wrath  and  hatred  get 
destroyed,  the  senses,  even  when  they  enjoy  the  sense-objects  do  not 
cause  harm.  The  Sun  in  the  sky  touches  the  entire  universe  with  his 
rays,  yet  he  never  gets  in  any  way  affected  by  any  sin  of  contact  (with 
impure  objects).  In  the  same  way  one  in  no  way  attached  to  the  sense- 
objects,  but  has,  on  the  contrary,  got  himself  rid  of  passions  and  wrath, 
even  abides  in  complete  bliss  of  the  Self.  Such  a  one  does  not  feel 
anything  but  the  Self  even  in  the  (sense)-objects  of  enjoyment.  Say 
then,  who  could  be  affected,  and  by  what  sense-objects?  Were  water 
to  drown  water,  fire  to  burn  fire,  then  only  one  who  has  reached  per- 
fection could  get  confused  by  the  sense-objects.  Thus  one,  who  abides 
in  the  essence  of  the  Self,  with  no  feeling  of  any  distinction,  know  ye, 
Partha,  is  of  certainty  a  Sthirabuddhi. 

STCn%  'H^^MI  ^|Pk<HIVJMW^  I 
M<w3d«fl  fXRJ  ffe:  M&lRma  II  ^*  II 

65  "On  attaining  perfect  serenity  there  results  for  him  extinction 
of  all  sorrows;  for,  the  discerning  faculty  of  the  man  with 
a  peaceful  and  serene  mind  quickly  stabilises  itself.      (338) 

The  worldly  troubles  never  enter  into  a  mind  wherein  always  dwells 
uninterrupted  bliss.  How  could  hunger  and  thirst  have  any  fear 


56  JNANESHWARI 

for  one,  in  whose  stomach  has  sprung  up  a  spring  of  nectar?  In  the 
same  way,  when  the  heart  is  ever  full  with  bliss,  how  can  it  have 
any  fear?  His  intellect  naturally  dwells  in  the  vision  of  the  Supreme. 
Just  as  a  lamp  continues  to  blaze  unflicking  in  a  breezeless  place 
in  the  same  way  the  discerning  vision  in  a  Yogi  fastens  itself  on  the 
Absolute  Being. 

66  "Such  (stable)  discernment  does  not  belong  to  one  not  practised 
in  Yoga  (sense-control) ;  and  to  one  not  practised  in  Yoga 
there  ensues  also  no  at-one-ment  (with  the  Supreme).  There 
is  no  peace  to  one  not  reaching  at-one-ment,  and  whence  can 
there  be  bliss  to  one  not  having  peace?  (342) 

One  who  does  not  possess  in  his  heart  this  strength  of  stable  discerning 
faculty,  gets  entangled  into  the  snares  of  the  sense-objects.  O  Partha, 
he  is  neither  steady  in  intellect  nor  is  there  ever  created  in  his  mind 
any  keen  desire  for  such.  Since  such  keen  desire  for  steadfastness 
never  touches  his  mind,  how  could  he,  O  Arjuna,  expect  to  have  any 
peace  of  mind?  Where  there  is  no  attachment  for  peace  of  mind, 
there  could  hardly  exist  any  remote  touch  of  happiness  even  by  mis- 
take, just  as  there  can  never  be  salvation  for  a  sinner.  A  man  with 
no  peace  of  mind  can  expect  happiness  only  if  it  be  possible  for  the 
burnt  seed  to  germinate.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  unsteady 
mind  is  the  root  of  all  miseries  and  it  is  desirable  to  keep  the  senses 
in  complete  control. 

^P-sWU"!!  %  -«Kdi  4|**4HU*jfatf|Al3  I 
fl*?M  ^TfcT  SWT  «M^H?«lf*MH-!Hffl  II  ^\9  II 

67  "For,  that  mind  which,  while  the  senses  are  moving  (amongst 
the  objects),  is  prone  to  follow  in  their  wake:  such  (mind) 
sweeps  away  one's  understanding,  as  wind  a  ship  on  the  waters. 

(348) 

Therefore  one,  who  acts  up  to  the  dictates  of  the  senses,  although  he 
seems  to  tide  over  (the  ocean  of)  mundane  existence,  does  not  really 
do  so.  Just  as  a  boat  getting  overturned  by  the  stormy  wind,  just 
near  the  bank,  gets  again  exposed  to  the  fatal  risks,  which  it  once 


II.   SAMKHYA— YOGA  57 

escaped  from  while  in  mid-river,  in  that  way  one,  who  has  already 
become  one  with  the  state  of  the  Self,  is  afflicted  by  miseries  of  mundane 
existence,  once  he  begins  to  be  indulgent  towards  the  senses  even 
for  play  or  sport. 

rRFRTaFT  +i^i«m§1  Pt^ctift  *T^5T:  I 

68  "Therefore,  0  Long-armed,  he  whose  senses  are  on  all  sides 
held  back  from  the  sense-objects,  his  discernment  is  perfectly 
poised.  (351) 

If  the  senses  are  to  surrender  themselves  up,  of  their  own  accord, 
there  remains  little  to  be  further  striven  for,  and  it  should,  O  Dhanan- 
jaya,  be  taken  as  a  thing  of  special  gratification.  Just  as  the  tortoise 
calmly  spreads  out  its  limbs  and  withdraws  them  at  will,  in  that  way 
one,  whose  senses  remain  under  his  control  and  act  up  to  what  he 
dictates — such  a  man  should  be-  considered  as  one  of  perfectly  poised 
discernment.  There  is  one  more  secret  mark  of  (knowing)  one  who 
has  reached  perfection,  of  which,  O  Arjuna,  I  shall  tell  you  listen. 

3TT  fan  ^NfrflRTWf  cTFlt  *n«ilia  #ET*ft  I 

TPTT  atlilfd  '^dlPi  M  fan  M4Hcft  *|^:  II  ^£  II 

69  "What  to  all  creatures  is  night,  therein  the  self-controlling 
Sage  bides  awake;  wherein  the  creatures  keep  wakeful,  that 
is  night  to  the  Seer  who  has  seen  (the  Supreme).  (354) 

One  who  is  ever  awake  to  the  state  of  the  Supreme,  towards  which 
all  other  beings  remain  asleep,  and  who  remains  asleep  (shuts  his 
eyes)  towards  the  sense-objects,  for  which  all  beings  remain  alert 
and  struggle  violently,  is  the  only  person  who  has  escaped  from  the 
trouble  and  has  become  one  of  perfectly  poised  discernment  and 
proves  himself  to  be  entirely  a  great  Sage. 

3t  1^4*4  l«l*HHMrd64 


58  JNANESHWARl 

70  "Just  as  the  waters  enter  into  the  ocean  that  keeps  on  being 
filled,  and  (withal)  maintains  its  bounds  undisturbed,  in  that 
wise,  he  into  whom  all  the  desires  enter — he  attains  peace: 
NOT  the  one  who  desires  the  desirables.  (356) 

O  Partha,  there  is  one  more  mark  of  knowing  such  a  person.  The 
gravity  and  solemnity  of  the  sea  is  always  unaffected.  Even  though, 
all  rivers  get  flooded  and  fall  into  the  ocean,  yet  the  ocean  neither 
swells  in  volume,  nor  transgresses  its  limits;  or,  in  the  summer  even 
the  rivers  get  dry  and  yet  the  ocean  never  gets  reduced  in  volume, 
O  Partha.  In  the  same  way  the  mind  of  the  Sthitaprajna  does  not 
get  agitated  by  the  advent  of  success  and  glory  (^iQJ'fafe),  nor  does 
he  get  downcast  in  mind  by  their  not  coming  at  all.  Does  a  small 
wick  shed  light  at  the  house  of  the  Sun?  Or  does  the  Sun  get  shut 
up  in  the  dark,  in  the  absence  of  a  lamp-wick?  Similarly  he  takes 
no  cognisance  either  of  the  coming  of  or  the  going  away  of  Riddhi- 
Siddhi,  but  remains  in  great  happiness  in  the  bliss  of  the  self.  He 
treats  as  insignificant  the  very  mansion  of  God  Indra,  as  compared 
to  his  own  house;  how  can  such  a  one  feel  enamoured  of  a  Bhil's 
hut?  He  who  finds  fault  even  with  the  nectar,  would  never  take  (even) 
the  rice-paste:  in  that  way  the  Yogi,  having  himself  experienced  bliss 
of  the  self,  hardly  sets  any  value  on  the  enjoyment  of  worldly  glory. 
It  is  therefore  no  wonder,  O  Partha,  that  he  attaches  no  importance 
to  the  worldly  Riddhi-Siddhi,  when  he  never  cares  even  for  heavenly 
bliss. 

71  "That  person  who,  renouncing  all  desires,  walks  along  freed 
of  longings  and  unswayed  by  the  "my"-ness  and  the  "I"-ness: 
he  attains  peace.  (365) 

He  alone,  know  ye,  is  a  true  Sthitaprajna  who  has  secured  the  know- 
ledge of  the  self  and  is  ever  well-fed  with  the  bliss  of  the  form  (of  the 
essence)  of  the  Supreme  Self.  He  has  dropped  all  egoism,  renounced 
all  desires,  abides  in  the  great  bliss  of  the  oneness  in  the  Universal 
life,  and  is  totally  united  with  the  Universe. 

*1*t  sr^ft  ferfa:  qT$  3*rf  stto  fa^gifd  i 


II.    SAMKHYA — YOGA  59 

72  "This  is  the  Brahmic  state,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  having  attained 
it,  one  does  not  lapse  into  delusion.  Abiding  in  this  (same 
state)  even  at  the  final  hour,  one  reaches  extinguishment 
in  Brahman."  (367) 

Such  is  the  Brahmic  state  unique  and  boundless.  Those  that  are 
desireless,  experience  it,  and  attain  the  Supreme  state  without  efforts 
in  the  long  run.  This  Brahmic  state  through  which  the  Sthitaprajna 
is  enabled  to  become  absorbed  in  the  Brahman  without  being  obstruct- 
ed by  the  agitation  of  the  heart  arising  at  the  time  of  death,  that  state 
is  personally  preached  by  Lord  Krishna  to  Arjuna" — so  said  Samjaya. 
Hearing  Lord  Krishna,  Arjuna  said  to  himself,  that  the  Lord's 
line  of  thinking  was  just  what  he  wanted  to  his  advantage.  Since 
Lord  Krishna  has  condemned  all  actions,  the  advice  that  I  should 
wage  the  war  automatically  becomes  void.  With  this  idea  Arjuna 
felt  thrilled  in  his  mind  on  hearing  Lord  Krishna,  and  he  will  now 
raise  doubts  and  ask  grave  questions.  It  will  be  a  very  beautiful 
occasion  since  the  talk  is  as  the  very  abode  of  all  religion  or  the  deep 
and  fathomless  ocean  of  the  nectar  of  true  knowledge.  The  all-knowing 
God  Almighty  will  himself  narrate  that  account  and  the  same  will 
be  narrated  by  Jnaneshwar,  the  disciple  of  Nivrittinath.  (374) 

^tCTPtfHt  TUT  fgLcfl<iU**4m:  II  ^  II 


CHAPTER  III 
KARMAYOGA 

r!^  f%  *4frl  ^sf^  *lt  f5Tsfrsra%  ^SiW  II  %  II 

Arjuna  Spake. 

1  "If  weightier  than  action  thou  wouldst  have  the  (self-poised) 
Discernment  to  be,  O  World-destroyer,  then  why  upon  such 
dread  action  dost  thou  set  me,  O  Kesava?  (1) 

Hear  ye,  now  what  Arjuna  thereon  said — "O  Lord  of  Lakshmi,  I 
have  listened  attentively  to  what  you  said.  If  you  are  yourself  definitely 
of  opinion,  that  nothing  remains  like  action  or  the  doer  of  it,  how  then 
do  you,  O  God,  tell  me  to  do  the  fighting  and  drive  me  without  any 
compunction  into  this  dreadful  affair?  O  God,  you  yourself  condemn 
all  action;  how  then  do  you  cause  me  to  do  this  murderous  act?  Just 
think  for  yourself,  O  God,  if  you  do  not  recognise  any  action  in  the 
least,  why  do  you  then  bring  about  this  carnage  at  my  hands? 

oM|fo%)u)«(   <<|ckIh  ^fg"  +fl^i|<HN  $"  I 

?[^  ^ar  Pifwcu  sfar  «Wls£Hiurjiii*^  n  ^  it 

2  "Thou  seemest  to  be  confusing  my  understanding  with  a 
riddle-like  utterance.  Declare  therefore  definitely  the  one 
thing  (only)  whereby  I  can  obtain  the  Higher  (end)."    (6) 

Should  you,  Oh  Lord,  talk  thus  puzzlingly,  how  shall  then  we,  steeped 
in  ignorance,  fare?  All  wisdom  then,  shall  I  say,  is  gone  to  pieces. 
And  if  this  be  the  very  voice  of  Precept,  how  should  sin  differ  from 
it?  Now  indeed  have  we  enjoyed  the  vision  of  the  highest  self  to 
satiety!  How  should,  pray  tell  me,  a  patient  hope  to  survive  when 
the  physician  himself  poisons  him  after  prescribing  a  cure?  Brilliant 
indeed  is  this  vision  that  has  descended  on  us  and  makes  us  feel  like 
the  blind  led  astray,  or  the  young  monkey  made  the  worse  by  liquor! 


III.    KARMA  YOGA  61 

Originally  ignorant,  Oh  Lord  Krishna,  I  was  overpowered  by  this 
blinding  passion  and  I  betook  myself  to  you  for  light.  Strange  indeed 
are  your  ways  and  intriguing  enough  are  your  words  of  precept! 
Is  this  your  dispensation  for  your  devout  servants?  All  is  lost  indeed 
if  this  be  your  assurance  to  those  who  stake  all  on  your  word.  Should 
you  yourself  preach  such  a  confused  course  of  action"  said  Arjuna, 
"little  indeed  is  the  hope  and  consolation  in  knowledge  that  brings 
more  harm  than  good!"  He  added,  "the  hope  of  securing  knowledge 
has  indeed  gone  to  pieces.  On  the  contrary  my  mind  which  was  so 
far  steady  and  quiet  is  now  getting  completely  stirred  up  and  perplexed; 
speak  to  me  in  simple  and  plain  language.  I  am  dull-witted;  so  speak, 
Oh  Krishna,  in  a  plain  and  definite  way,  so  that,  even  a  dullard  like 
myself  will  understand.  A  medical  treatment-  is  necessary  if  a  cure 
is  intended;  only  the  medicine  should  be  palatable  and  sweet.  So, 
preach  to  me  the  complete  truth  of  the  deepest  meaning,  but  in  a 
plain  way  so  that  my.  mind  can  grasp  it.  Having  secured  a  preceptor 
like  you,  why  should  I  deny  myself  the  fulfilment  of  all  my  wishes 
and  why  should  I  waver  when  you  are  to  me  the  very  divine  mother? 
If  by  good  luck  and  without  making  any  efforts  one  were  to  get  the 
Kamadhenu  (heavenly  cow  yielding  all  desires),  why  should  one 
scruple  to  desire  to  one's  heart's  content?  Were  a  Chintamani  (a 
fabulous  gem  supposed  to  yield  to  the  possessor  all  desires)  to  come 
to  hand,  why  should  there  arise  in  the  mind,  the  unhappy  idea  of 
begging,  and  why  not  ask  for  whatever  is  wished  for?  When  one 
approaches  an  ocean  of  nectar,  why  should  one  suffer  from  thirst, 
after  having  taken  the  trouble  of  going  as  far  as  that  ocean?  Thus 
I  have,  by  my  good  luck  got  access  to  your  Divine  Power  as  a  reward 
of  my  devoted  worship  to  you  during  many  lives  past.  Why  should  I 
not,  therefore,  ask  of  you  whatever  I  wish  for?  Now  that  the  day 
of  plenty  has  dawned  for  my  wishes,  my  wishes  have  now  got  a  new 
life  as  it  were.  All  my  past  merit  has  now  begun  to  ripen  and  thus 
all  my  desires  have  become  triumphantly  fructuous  and  successful. 
For  thou,  Oh  Lord,  hast  to-day  completely  been  at  my  disposal. 
O,  You  God  of  all  Gods,  I  hail  your  glory.  Just  as  the  suckling  knows 
not  (restriction  of)  any  fixed  hours  for  sucking  (milk  from)  the  breast 
of  its  mother,  in  the  same  way,  O  God,  I  am  asking  you,  O  Lord  of 
unlimited  mercy,  whatever  I  desire  and  long  for.  So  tell  me  definitely 
that  which  would  lead  to  my  good  here,  as  also  to  the  life  everlasting 
in  the  other  world. 


62  JNANESHWARI 

<yft<*>!>(fH«J  %f^TT  ^!WT  5?T  3ftrBT  ♦mil'*  I 
'dHifl^H  4li^MMI  *4ifl^uI  <ilPiim  II  3  II 

3  The  Exalted-one  spake:  "(As  current)  in  this  world,  O  Sin- 
less one,  a  two-fold  system  of  Discipline  was  by  me,  ere  this, 
announced:  of  the  Sarnkhyas  by  the  method  of  Discriminating- 
Pose,  of  the  Yoginsby  the  method  of  Even-tempered  Activism. 

(32) 

At  this  question  of  Partha,  Lord  Krishna  felt  surprised  and  said, 
"O  Arjuna,  whatever  I  said  was  said  in  brief.  While  making  clear 
the  Yoga  of  Discernment,  I  made  a  casual  mention  of  the  Sarnkhyas' 
Path  of  knowledge  and  you  became  confused  in  mind  for  nothing, 
not  having  understood  its  implications.  Know  then  this  truth  about 
both  the  paths.  O  Partha,  both  these  have  been  pathways  originally 
(emanating)  from  myself  since  the  beginning  of  time.  One  is  called 
the  Yoga  of  Knowledge;  it  is  practised  by  the  followers  of  the  Samkhya 
philosophy,  and  at  the  mere  vision  of  truth  their  souls  get  united  with 
the  Supreme  Self.  The  other  is,  know  ye,  the  path  of  action  (the  system 
of  even-tempered  activism)  and  those  God-seekers  who  betake  them- 
selves to  it,  excel  in  the  virtue  of  action  and  those  who  wish  for  eman- 
cipation reach  Divine  truth.  Both  these  appear  different  but  are  in 
fact  one  and  the  same  such  as  a  ready-made  meal  and  one  that  is  yet 
to  be  prepared,  both  have  for  their  object  the  satisfying  of  hunger. 
Rivers  appearing  to  flow  in  different  directions  for  instance  in  the 
Western  and  Eastern  directions,  ultimately  meet  when  they  flow  into 
the  ocean.  In  the  same  way  both  the  ways  of  life  lead  to  emancipating 
vision,  only  they  differ  in  the  ways  in  which  they  are  put  into  action 
according  to  the  respective  capacities  of  the  followers.  Just  see,  a 
bird  can  with  a  single  flight  reach  a  fruit.  Can  a  man  take  a  flight  like 
that  and  reach  the  fruit?  He  would  go  steadily  from  one  branch  to 
another,  follow  a  suitable  course  and  does  ultimately  reach  the  fruit 
in  due  time.  In  that  way,  adopting  the  bird's  method,  the  Sarnkhyas 
follow  the  path  of  knowledge,  and  attain  Liberation  with  a  sweep. 
The  others,  following  the  path  of  action  or  duty  perform  actions 
according  to  the  prescribed  religion  and  in  due  course  reaching  the 
stage  of  the  attainment  of  perfect  knowledge  attain  Liberation. 

T  *4«IWH  KM  1^6**4  ^tef^l 


III.    KARMAYOGA  63 

4  "Not  by  the  non-performance  of  actions  does  a  person  attain 
the  action-free  status;  nor  by  (their)  mere  renunciation  does 
he  achieve  the  goal.  (45) 

Were  one  to  renounce  actions  like  a  Yogin  without  first  performing 
his  ordained  duties,  such  a  renouncer  of  actions  cannot  attain  "action- 
free  status,"  since  it  is  foolish  to  think  that  the  "action-free  status" 
would  be  secured  merely  by  abandoning  one's  obligatory  duties. 
Could  it  be  a  wise  thing  to  abandon  a  boat  when  one,  in  a  risky  position, 
has  to  cross  a  river?  Why  should,  one  wishing  to  satisfy  his  hunger, 
not  prepare  any  food  himself  or  not  take  such  food  as  is  already  pre- 
pared? So  long  as  the  desires  have  not  been  allayed  the  bondage  of 
action  continues.  All  actions,  however,  cease  as  soon  as  one  attains 
the  state  of  eternal  contentment.  Therefore,  O  Arjuna,  bear  this 
in  mind  that  one  wishing  for  "action-free  status"  must  not  abandon 
the  duties  prescribed  by  his  religion.  Besides  it  is  a  vain  and  silly 
talk  to  say  that  actions  performed  according  to  one's  choice  or  need 
do  succeed,  and  those  abandoned  disappear.  Just  consider  and  get 
this  point  cleared,  but  bear  this  thing  in  mind  definitely,  that  one 
cannot  escape  from  actions  merely  by  abandoning  them. 

5  "For,  nobody,  even  for  a  single  moment,  can  ever  remain 
un-engaged  in  activity,  since  everyone  is  compelled,  helpless, 
to  act,  through  Nature's  constituent  aspects.  (53) 

As  long  as  we  are  under  the  sway  of  illusion  ( *TRT )  the  mother  of 
three  Gunas,  it  is  ignorance  to  speak  of  adhering  to  and  renunciation 
of  action;  for  actions  are  naturally  dependent  upon  the  three  Gunas 
(Hc^-Tsr^-cR^).  Assuming,  we  renounce  all  actions  enjoined  by  the 
Scriptures  as  duties,  would  that  serve  to  put  an  end  to  the  natural 
tendencies  of  the  senses?  Would  the  ears  leave  off  hearing,  or  eyes 
seeing,  or  would  the  nostrils  be  choked  up  and  stop  smelling — tell 
me:  or  would  the  life-winds  "Prana"  and  "Apana"  cease  to  move, 
or  the  mind  become  blank,  or  would  hunger  and  thirst  and  other 
desires  stop  functioning  or  would  slumber  or  the  wakeful  functioning 
of  mind  cease,  and  would  the  legs  forget  walking,  or  apart  from  all 
this,  would  birth  and  death  be  got  rid  ot?  If  all  these  things  cannot 
be  stopped,  then  renunciation  of  action  is  meaningless.  So  long, 


64  JNANESHWARI 

therefore,  as  there  is  the  sway  of  Maya  it  is  not  possible  to  renounce 
action.  All  actions  take  place  automatically  through  the  force  of 
Maya:  so  long,  therefore,  as  that  Maya  is  in  existence,  the  individual 
holding  to  or  renunciation  of  the  grip  of  action  proves  unavailing. 
Just  see,  even  if  one  were  to  sit  motionless  in  a  chariot,  still  he  has 
got  to  be  moving  along  with  the  chariot,  being  dependent  (on  the 
chariot).  Or  as  a  dried  up  leaf  gets  blown  away  by  wind,  and  continues 
to  float  in  the  sky-cavity  even  though  it  is  lifeless,  in  the  same  way 
under  the  influence  of  Maya  and  of  the  organs  of  action,  actions 
continue  to  be  done  automatically  even  at  the  hands  of  persons  of 
"action-free  status."  Therefore,  relinquishment  of  Kantian  cannot 
be  effected  so  long  as  there  is  the  influence  of  Maya.  In  spite  of  this, 
those  that  say  they  can  relinquish  (Karman)  are  simply  perversely 
obstinate. 

*^rfin|u|  Wf&f  T  3TTR^  TFRTT  f*KH  I 
$P-rf*JM?H  fa*J<£lc*Jl  fauiMK:  *T  ^sq^  11  \   II 

6  "(And)  he  who,  repressing  the  organs  of  action,  (yet)  con- 
tinues recalling  in  mind  their  objects,  deludes  himself  and 
is  styled  "a  man  of  false  conduct.  (64) 

There  are  those  who  aspire  to  be  "action-free"  simply  by  abandoning 
their  ordained  duties ;  and  to  that  end  only  repress  impulsive  tendencies 
of  the  organs.  But  they  do  not  succeed  in  securing  true  renunciation. 
Their  mind  goes  on  thinking  of  actions.  They  only  make  an  outward 
show  of  being  action-free,  which  is  nothing  less  than  the  merest 
travesty  of  freedom.  O  Partha,  take  it  that  such  men  are  always 
entangled  in  the  allurements  of  sense  objects,  there  is  absolutely  no 
doubt  about  it.  Now  I  take  this  occasion  of  telling  you  the'  marks 
of  true  renunciation,  Oh  best  of  bowmen,  and  hear  it  attentively. 

<*<T(rfi4:  +4*fU|JM<H x*>:  *T  firf5Psq#  II  \s  li 

7  "On  the  other  hand,  one  who,  through  the  mind,  exercises 
control  over  the  sense-centres  and,  by  his  organs  of  action, 
O  Arjuna,  performs  the  Yoga  of  Action— free  from  attachment 
— he  is  the  one  to  be  preferred.  (68) 

Such  a  one  is  firm  in  his  mind  and  is  completely  absorbed  in  the 


III.    KARMAYOGA  65 

Supreme,  and  yet  his  outward  behaviour  looks  like  that  of  an  ordinary 
human  being.  He  lets  alone  the  senses  in  their  (respective)  objects 
and  is  never  afraid  of  them:  also  never  neglects  to  perform  the  pre- 
scribed duties  that  come  to  his  lot.  He  does  not  repress  the  tendencies 
or  impulses  of  his  organs  of  action,  yet  he  never  allows  his  mind  to 
be  affected  by  their  passionate  reactions.  He  never  falls  a  victim  to 
desires  nor  does  he  get  himself  soiled  by  the  filth  of  infatuation.  Just 
as  a  floating  lotus-leaf  never  gets  wet  with  the  water,  he  remains  un- 
tainted in  the  tangle  of  worldly  affairs  and  appears  like  others.  Just 
as  the  reflection  of  the  Sun  abides  along  with  the  water,  like  all  other 
things  on  the  earth,  even  though  the  Sun  himself  does  not  really  exist 
there,  in  that  way,  to  a  casual  observer  he  appears  just  like  an  ordinary 
person.  But  no  one  succeeds  in  finding  out  his  real  attitude.  The 
person  who  is  endowed  with  such  aspects  should  alone  be  considered 
to  be  emancipated  from  the  fetters  of  hopes  and  expectations.  O 
Arjuna,  such  an  emancipated  person  alone  should  be  called  a  Yogin 
and,  therefore,  I  ask  you  to  be  such  a  Yogin.  Do  control  your  mind, 
and  keep  your  heart  peaceful  and  then  let  the  organs  of  action  indulge 
in  their  objects  with  complete  pleasure. 

ftKl^mift  W  t  *  HfauU»jfrl:  U  5  II 

8  "Do  thou  engage  in  action  that  is  appointed;  for  action  is 
greater  than  no-action.  Even  the  carrying  on  of  thy  body's 
(vital)  functions  cannot  be  achieved  by  actionlessness.      (77) 

It  is  not  possible  in  this  world  to  be  action-free.  Pray  consider  well, 
why  you  should  then  follow  the  prohibited  course?  You  should 
therefore  perform,  with  no  modifications,  whatever  duty  befalls  you 
from  time  to  time.  One  more  interesting  thing  I  tell  you,  O  Partha. 
Doing  your  duty  in  such  a  way  brings  about  emancipation  automati- 
cally. One  who  performs  his  duty  prescribed  by  the  Scriptures,  follow- 
ing the  procedure  laid  down,  without  any  object  in  view,  decidedly 
attains  salvation  through  these  actions. 

9  "This  (whole)  world  is  under  the  bondage  of  action,  save 
'    the  action  done  as  and  for  a  Sacrifice  (Yajna);  but  action 


66  JNANESHWAR1 

done  for  that  purpose,  O  Kunti's  Son,  do  thou  practise  free 
of  attachment.  (81) 

Doing  one's  duty  as  laid  down  by  one's  religion  is  in  itself  the  daily 
propitiatory  sacrifice  and  adherence  to  it  does  not  involve  any  sin. 
When  one  abandons  one's  religion  and  gives  oneself  over  to  evil 
habits  for  the  pleasure  of  doing  evil  things,  one  gets  fettered  into 
the  bonds  of  birth  and  death.  Therefore,  whoever  continues  doing 
the  sacrificial  rites  in  the  form  of  his  duties  according  to  his  own 
religion  would  never  become  entangled  into  the  meshes  of  the  mundane 
existence.  The  soul  in  this  mortal  world  is  fettered  in  bonds  of  actions, 
simply  because  he  deviates  from  the  path  of  Sacrificial  rites  in  the 
form  of  one's  religious  duties,  being  infatuated  by  Maya.  About 
this,  O  Partha,  I  shall  tell  you  an  anecdote  of  the  primeval  time  when 
God  the  creator  created  this  world  with  all  its  ordered  life  and  all 
these  institutions. 

10  "The  Creation's  Lord  (Prajapati),  aforetime,  created  the 
creatures  along  with  the  Sacrifice,  and  said:  "With  this 
do  ye  bring  forth.  May  this  prove  the  yielder  of  your  desired 
ends!  (86) 

The  creator  created  all  beings  along  with  the  day-to-day  propitiatory 
sacrificial  rites  in  the  form  of  religious  duties  prescribed  for  them. 
But  those  beings,  not  being  able  to  understand  these  Sacrificial  laws 
because  of  the  subtle,  inscrutable  difficult  nature,  prayed  to  the  Lord 
of  creation  for  enlightenment  and  life-giving  support.  Brahmadev 
replied  to  them  all — "Were  you  to  perform  your  respective  duties 
assigned  to  you  according  to  your  respective  castes  and  status  all 
your  wishes  will  be  fulfilled.  You  have  no  need  to  take  any  religious 
vows  or  penance  nor  to  undergo  any  physical  hardships,  nor  to  under- 
take pilgrimages  to  long  distances.  Beware  lest  you  should  be  tempted 
to  practise  Yogic  feats,  or  any  religious  austerities,  or  any  other  spells, 
or  magic  feats,  with  the  hope  of  reward.  You  need  not  worship  various 
other  Gods,  but  should  pray  and  worship  through  your  own  religious 
sacrificial  rites,  and  that  is  the  easiest  way.  You  should  therefore 
follow  your  own  religion  with  no  desire  for  whatsoever.  A  devoted 
wife  propitiates  her  husband  selflessly  and  devotedly:  in  the  same 


III.    KARMAYOGA  67 

way  to  follow  your  own  religion  as  the  only  sacrificial  rite  is  the  only 
duty  you  have  to  do."  The  God  Brahmadev  added,  "see,  if  you  follow 
your  own  religion  with  devotion,  that  will  prove  a  kamadhenu,  and 
will  never  forsake  you  leaving  you  helpless. 

11  "With  this  do  ye  foster  the  Gods,  and  may  the  Gods  in  turn 
foster  you!  Fostering  each  other  (thus),  ye  shall  gain  the 
Highest  Good.  (95) 

When  you  follow  your  own  religion,  all  the  deities  will  feel  propitiated 
and  will  easily  give  you  all  desired  things.  If  you  worship  the  deities 
in  the  form  of  following  your  own  religion,  they  will  certainly  provide 
you  with  the  wherewithal  with  which  to  make  your  own  living  and 
will  not  leave  you  in  need.  You  thus  worship  the  Gods  and  they  will 
be  propitious  to  you,  and  then  will  be  created  reciprocal  affection 
between  the  Gods  and  you.  When  this  is  achieved,  whatever  you 
propose  you  will  succeed  in  doing  and  all  the  desires  of  your  mind 
will  be  fulfilled.  Your  word  will  never  be  dishonoured  and  you  will 
be  powerful  enough  to  command,  and  the  Goddess  of  Prosperity 
will  be  seeking  for  your  commands,  as  the  woods  remain  waiting 
bedecked  with  flowers,  and  loads  of  fruit  etc.  at  the  door  of  the  spring 
season. 

djrlHSMlAwfl  *ft  WS#  #T^!T:  II   ^  U 

12  "For,  the  Gods,  fostered  by  Sacrifice,  shall  yield  unto  you 
the  enjoyments  desired  by  you.  When  (thus)  yielded  by  them, 
whoso,  enjoys  them  and  has  not  himself  made  a  return  to  them, 
he  is  a  downright  thief  (101) 

Similarly  your  very  luck  personified  will  itself  follow  searching  for 
you  with  all  happiness.  If  you  conduct  yourself  with  firm  faith  in 
your  religion,  be  assured  that  you  will  be  happy  in  all  respects  and 
have  no  trouble  whatever.  (If  however)  after  securing  all  glory  you 
were  to  get  tempted  towards  the  sense-objects  and  fall  victim  to  the 
sensual  enjoyment  and  omit  to  worship  the  Lord  of  the  universe  in 
the  proper  way,  using  the  wealth  and  the  glory  given  to  you  in  gift 


68  JNANESHWARI 

by  the  Gods,  feeling  pleased  at  your  performing  the  sacrificial  rites; 
similarly  were  one  not  to  offer  oblations  to  the  Fire  nor  worship  to 
the  Gods,  nor  serve  the  Brahmins  with  meals  in  due  time,  or  were 
one  to  fail  in  one's  devotion  to  one's  preceptor  or  not  extend  hospitality 
to  sacred  guests  and  persons,  keep  contented  men  of  his  own  caste 
and  religion — in  this  way  becomes  oblivious  of  his  own  religious 
duties  and  through  pride  of  riches  and  glory,  gives  himself  up  entirely 
to  enjoyments  and  pleasure;  such  a  person,  O  Arjuna,  would  bring 
down  on  his  head  the  penalty.  He  must  lose  all  the  glory  secured 
by  him.  Also  he  does  not  remain  in  a  position  to  enjoy  the  pleasures 
he  secured.  Just  as  the  spirit  leaves  the  body  of  a  person,  the  span 
of  whose  life  is  over;  or  just  as  the  goddess  of  wealth  does  not  dwell 
in  the  house  of  an  unlucky  person,  in  the  same  way,  the  very  fount 
of  happiness  gets  dried  up  where  one's  own  religion  in  the  prescribed, 
sacrificial  form  ceases  to  exist,  in  the  way  light  disappears  with  the 
extinguishing  of  a  lamp.  So  also  ye  hear  my  words,  Oh,  you,  all 
creatures — where  the  duties  according  to  one's  own  religion  have 
ceased  to  be  performed,  freedom  from  Maya  also  ceases  to  exist  there," 
so  added  Virinchi  (God  Brahmadev).  "Therefore,  O  beings!  he  who 
abandons  his  own  religion,  will  be  punished  by  the  all  consuming 
destroyer  ( *PTa5 )  and  will  be  deprived  of  all  his  possessions,  being 
taken  as  a  thief.  Like  ghosts  mustering  on  a  cemetery,  he  will  then 
be  enveloped  by  all  his  sins  and  all  the  miseries  in  the  universe  and 
whatever  other  calamities  there  exist.  To  such  a  state  is  reduced 
the  one  who  is  blinded  by  a  vain-glorious  conceit,  and  then  no  lamenta- 
tions would  be  of  any  avail  when  the  hardship  and  miseries  have 
enveloped  him.  Therefore,  do  not  abandon  your  own  religion  and 
never  allow  the  senses  to  get  unruly,"  thus  preached  the  Brahmadev 
to  the  people.  He  added :  the  fish  living  in  water  meet  instantaneous 
death  as  soon  as  they  get  out  of  water;  in  the  same  way  one  leaving 
one's  own  religion  is  utterly  annihilated.  Therefore  all  of  you  should 
always  be  busy  in  practising  your  ordained  duties  and  I  repeat  this 
to  you  again  and  again. 

13  "The  pious  who  eat  (their  food)  only  as  the  remainder  after 
the  Sacrifice,  are  freed  of  all  defilements;  those,  on  the  other 
hand,  who  cook  (exclusively)  for  themselves,  eat  of  sin,  and 
are  sinful.  (119) 


III.   KARMAYOGA  69 

One  who  performs  his  prescribed  duty  without  expectation  of  any 
fruit  out  of  it,  utilising  whatever  riches  he  has  got, — similarly  one 
who  worships  his  preceptor,  cows,  and  the  sacred  fire,  and  who  on 
suitable  occasions  worships,  and  propitiates  Brahmins,  and  also 
presents  libations  of  water  to  his  deceased  ancestors,  and  in  this  way 
performs  prescribed  sacrificial  rites,  also  makes  meals  along  with 
his  family  members,  out  of  whatever  is  left  behind  after  making 
oblations  to  the  sacred  Fire,  purifies  himself  out  of  these  sins  by  that 
holy  food.  O  Partha,  he  gets  freed  from  all  sins  by  the  eating  of  the 
remnants  of  the  sacrificial  offerings  as  nectar  cures  leprosy.  Just 
as  one,  who  is  firmly  settled  in  Brahman  knowledge,  never  gets 
even  the  touch  of  any  illusion,  in  the  same  way  sins  never  touch  one, 
who  eats  only  the  remnants  of  the  sacrificial  offerings.  Therefore 
one  should  spend  according  to  religious  commands  whatever  is  earned 
by  following  that  religion,  enjoying  contentedly  only  that  much  as 
would  be  left  over.  Therefore,  O  Partha  do  not,  in  your  conduct  of 
life,  follow  other  ways:  such  was  the  ancient  path  according  to  the 
narrative  given  by  Murari  (Lord  Krishna).  Those  that  mistake  their 
own  bodily  self  for  their  inmost  spirit  and  give  themselves  over  to 
the  enjoyment  of  sensuous  pleasures  out  of  selfish  motive,  not  minding 
anything — such  way-ward  fools  in  their  error  do  not  realize  the  secret 
of  the  observance  of  their  sacrificial  rites  and  blinded  by  egotism, 
only  wish  to  enjoy  the  pleasures.  Those  that  prepare  and  enjoy 
sumptuous  dishes  as  are  palatable  to  their  tastes  are  only  erring  persons 
who  verily  swallow  nothing  else  than  the  sins.  All  the  riches  that  one 
may  come  to  possess  are  meant  to  be  given  over  as  offerings  in  sacrificial 
rites  of  one's  own  religion,  and  are  thus  to  be  dedicated  to  the  service 
of  the  Highest  Person  in  the  form  of  Sacrificial  rites.  Leaving  these 
truths  aside,  the  fools  prepare  various  delicacies  of  food  only  to  satisfy 
themselves.  Know  this  that  the  food  is  surely  not  an  ordinary  thing 
which  helps  to  make  sacrifices  fruitful  and  to  propitiate  the  Supreme 
Lord.  It  should  be  considered  as  the  very  symbol  of  the  Supreme 
Deity  since  it  is  the  very  means  of  subsistence  of  the  universe. 

qdl^fd  qtfaft  15T:  »4q*^:  II  ?Y  II 


70  JNANESHWARI 

14  "From  food  arise  creatures;  the  origin  of  food  is  from  rain:, 
from  sacrifice  rain  is  produced:  Sacrifice  has  its  origin  from 
Karman  (action). 

15  Know  that  the  source  of  Karman  is  in  Brahman  (  =  i.  the 
Veda;  ii.  Primal  Matter)  and  that  Brahman  (in  both  senses) 
has  its  source  in  the  Aksara  (Immutable  Absolute  Highest 
Brahman).  Hence,  the  Brahman,  which  pervades  all  (this 
series),  is  ever  dominant  in  the  Sacrifice.  (134) 

All  the  living  beings  in  this  w  jrld  grow  on  this  food  that  itself  springs 
from  rains.  The  sacrifices  are  the  means  of  bringing  on  of  the  rains 
— while  sacrifices  themselves  are  fruit  of  Karman  (activism)  which 
thus  in  its  turn  takes  its  origin  from  Brahman,  which  is  revealed  in 
Vedas.  The  Vedas  are  thus  the  manifestations  of  the  Immutable 
Absolute  (Higher  Brahman)  and  therefore  the  entire  universe  im- 
moveable as  well  as  moveable  is  all  primarily  pervaded  by  the  Supreme 
Spirit.  Know  ye,  O  husband  of  Subhadra,  (Sister  of  Lord  Krishna) 
that  Sacrifices  form  the  Karman  (duty)  incarnate  and  therein  dwells 
the  Supreme  in  the  form  of  the  Sacred  Vedas. 

16  "Whoso  here,  that  does  not  co-operate  in  rotating  (anuvarta- 
yati)  the  Wheel  (of  the  Sacrifice)  thus  set  in  rotation,  he 
lives  a  life  of  sin,  finding  delight  in  (mere)  things  of  sense; 
he,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  lives  his  life  in  vain.  (138) 

Such  is  the  old  traditional  lore  of  the  sacrifices  that  I  have  told  you, 
in  brief,  Oh  Dhanurdhara;  and,  therefore,  one  who  being  blinded  by 
self-conceit  omits  to  live  in  the  path  of  prescribed  sacrifices  which 
are  the  core  of  proper  religion,  is  indeed  to  be  treated  as  a  compact 
mass  of  sins  incarnate  and  only  a  dead  burden  to  the  earth  fully  given 
up,  as  he  is,  to  indulgence  of  sensuous  pleasures.  His  existence  is 
as  barren  as  the  unseasonal  clouds  overspreading  the  sky.  One,  who 
turns  away  from  the  path  of  his  own  religious  sacrifices,  leads  a  life 
of  utter  futility  which  is  worthless  as  the  fleshy  nipples  hanging  down 
from  the  neck  of  goats  pMHHfeH).  Therefore,  hear,  Oh,  ye  Pandav, 
none  should  forsake  his  own  religion:  it  is  the  only  path  that  should 
always  be  followed  whole-heartedly.  The  soul  has  to  come  to  sojourn 
in  this  body  and  bodily  life,  and  carries  with  it  the  actions  and  duties 


III.   KARMAYOGA  71 

of  course.  Why  then  should  one  grudge  to  perform  the  duties  prescrib- 
ed for  us?  Hear,  Oh  ye  Savyasachi  (an  epithet  of  Arjuna).  Those  who 
having  reached  a  state  of  existence,  are  averse  to  perform  their  duties 
are  certainly  rustics. 

17  "He,  contrariwise,  whose  delight  is  (only)  in  the  Self— who 
is  content  with  his  Self,  and  who  remains  satisfied  only  within 
his  own  Self— to  him  there  exists  no  urge  for  action.      (146) 

Note  that  he  alone  is  free  from  the  pollution  of  action,  who  ever  abides 
in  the  blissful  knowledge  of  the  highest  Self  while  living  in  the  bodily 
life.  For  he  is  free  from  all  attachment  for  action,  dwelling  as  he 
does  now  in  the  eternal  blissful  intuition  of  the  Self,  and  having  nothing 
else  to  do  in  his  life. 

18  "Of  him  here,  by  action  done,  there  is  no  purpose  of  any  kind 
served,  nor  is  any  purpose  whatsoever  served  by  action  not 
done;  nor  does  there  exist  for  him  any  purpose  whatsoever 
depending  (for  its  fulfilment)  upon  any  of  the  creatures. 

(148) 

All  actions  come  automatically  to  an  end,  once  the  bliss  of  the  Self 
is  secured,  in  the  way  all  the  means  come  to  an  end,  once  the  object 
is  realised.  All  these  means  (in  the  form  of  observance  of  one's  own 
religion)  have  got  to  be  used  so  long,  O  Arjuna,  as  the  realisation  of 
the  Self  has  not  been  secured. 

19  "Therefore,  without  attachment,  ever  do  the  act  that  has  to 
be  done.  For,  a  person,  doing  the  act  without  attachment, 
gains  the  highest  (goal).  (150) 

Therefore,  O  Arjuna,  do  control  always  all  the  solicitations  of  the 


72  JNANESHWARI 

senses,  and  dropping  all  selfishness,  follow  the  path  of  your  own 
prescribed  religion.  Those  who  dwell  in  this  path  of  disinterested 
devotion  to  one's  duty  with  no  selfish  motive  whatever  reach  the 
emancipating  Vision  of  Supreme  Brahman. 

20  "For,  it  is  by  action  all  along  that  Janaka  and  others  achieved 
Perfection.  Moreover,  even  out  of  consideration  for  the 
conservation  of  society  (lokasamgraha),  thou  wilt  do  well 
to  act.  (152) 

Just  see,  Janaka  and  others  attained  salvation  without  in  any  way 
relinquishing  the  prescribed  actions.  Therefore,  O  Partha,  devotion 
to  duty  enjoined  by  religion  should  commend  itself  to  you  as  it  is 
bound  to  serve  one  more  cause.  By  doing  your  own  duty  disin- 
terestedly, you  will  be  giving  a  proper  lead  to  others  and  setting  an 
example  to  them.  Thus  incidentally  this  world  will  be  saved  from 
misery.  Just  consider,  even  those  that  have  reached  the  Supreme 
Brahman  and  realised  the  action-free  status,  having  reached  per- 
fection, have  yet  to  continue  in  the  path  of  devotion  to  actions  even 
after  securing  emancipation,  (with  a  view)  to  lead  others  to  the  reli- 
gious path:  just  as  a  man  with  eyes  wide  open  slowly  walks  ahead 
along  the  road  being  followed  by  the  blind,  in  the  same  way  the  wise 
men  should  take  the  ignorant  along  with  them  and  teach  them  their 
religion.  If  the  wise  one  is  not  to  act  like  this,  what  and  how  will 
the  ignorant  come  to  know  about  their  own  duties? 

ST  q^  V44|uj  igr^  Hl*t>fd4H=(^ci  II  R\   II 

21  "Whatever  the  best  (man)  does,  the  very  same  thing  does 
the  ordinary  man.  Whatever  he  sets  up  as  the  standard,  that 
the  world  conforms  to.  (158) 

Whatever  the  elders  do,  is  called  the  religion  and  it  is  followed  by 
others  (ordinary  persons).  This  is  just  in  accordance  with  the  order 
of  nature  and  therefore  especially  the  saints  of  higher  insight  should 
continue  doing  their  duties  according  to  their  own  religion  without 
hesitation. 


III.   KARMA  YOGA  73 

22  "There  exists  not  for  me,  O  Prtha's  Son,  anything  at  all  in 
the  three  worlds  that  has  to  be  done,  nor  anything  to  be  obtained 
that  has  not  been  obtained:  yet  I  continue  to  be  in  action. 

(160) 

Why  should  I,  O  Partha,  give  you  examples  of  other  people?  I  myself 
follow  in  the  same  path.  Should  it  be  possible  to  say  that  I  observe 
the  prescribed  religion  in  order  to  protect  myself  (from  coming  calam- 
ity), or  for  achieving  some  object  in  the  world?  No  one,  as  you  know, 
is  as  perfect  as  1  am,  and  none  possessed  of  such  extraordinary  power 
as  I  do  have.  (Yet)  you  have  seen  with  your  own  eyes — the  miraculous 
achievement — how  with  my  unique  power  I  recalled  to  life  (from  the 
region  of  Yama  the  God  of  Death)  the  soul  of  the  son  of  the  preceptor. 
In  this  way,  I  too  perform  dispassionately  the  prescribed  duties. 

23  "For,  were  I — if  ever — not  to  be  sleeplessly  at  work,  0 
Prtha's  Son,  men  in  every  wise  (would)  follow  in  my  track. 

(164) 

And  I  myself,  walk  in  the  path  of  my  own  religion  as  mortals,  moved 
by  desires,  would  do, — for  the  same  high  purpose — that  all  these 
creatures,  who  live  by  my  will,  shall  not  stray  from  the  right  way. 

4J*«.*M  ^T  ^>«tf  WMJM^MlRwi:  3T3TT:  ||  ^*  :|| 

24  "These  worlds  would  (then)  sink  into  ruin,  if  I  were  not  to 
be  at  work.  I  would  (thus)  be  author  of  (caste)  intermingling 
and  bring  destruction  to  these  creations.  (166) 

Were  we  in  the  fulness  of  our  satisfied  being,  to  remain  absorbed 
in  the  state  of  the  Self-realisation,  how  would  the  people  fare  in  life's 
journey?  The  people  look  up  to  us,  observe  how  we  act  and  learn 
from  us  how  to  conduct  themselves  well.  This  social  order  obtaining 
so  far  shall  not  be  disturbed.  Therefore,  O  Partha,  those  especially 
that  are  powerful  and  are  all-knowing  should  not  abandon  actions. 


JNANESHWARI 

25  '7usr  as,  O  Descendant  of  Bharata,  the  unwise  act,  with 
attachment  to  the  action,  even  so  the  wise  should  act,  (but) 
without  attachment,  with  a  view  to  achieve  conservation  of 
Society.  (169) 

Just  as  one  seeking  the  fruit  of  his  actions  performs  his  duties  (Karman) 
with  a  view  to  obtaining  the  fruit,  in  the  same  way,  the  disinterested 
man  of  vision,  with  no  fruit-motive,  should  also  lay  stress  on  the 
performance  of  actions.  This,  I  repeat,  is  necessary  to  preserve  and 
protect  the  institution  of  society.  One  should  act  up  to  the  ideals 
prescribed  in  the  codes,  and  lead  people  to  act  similarly,  and  you 
should  not  give  room  to  ordinary  mortals  to  suspect  that  you  are 
in  any  way  different  from  the  ordinary  pattern. 

26  "One  ought  not  to  create  any  discord  in  the  attitude  of  such 
ignorant  ones  as  may  be  attached  to  action.  The  wise  man 
should  make  them  willingly  take  to  all  works  (by)  himself 
doing  works  in  the  (proper)  mood  (of  equipoise).         (172) 

How  can  a  child  which  can  with  great  difficulty  suck  (the  mother's) 
breast,  take  heavy  food?  Therefore,  O  Dhanurdhara,  no  heavy 
food  should  be  given  to  such  a  child.  In  the  same  way,  those  that 
have  strength  just  enough  to  perform  actions,  should  not  even  in  a 
sporting  manner  be  asked  to  be  actionless.  They  should  be  led  to 
do  good  things,  the  value  of  good  actions  should  be  praised  before 
them,  and  they  should  be  given  models  of  disinterested  actions,  by 
the  learned  ones  in  their  own  conduct.  Even  though  the  wise  man 
performs  actions  for  the  preservation  of  the  social  order  "fl+'Htftf 
such  actions  do  not  entangle  him  in  any  way,  just  as  an  actor  ^Ifw'fl , 
although  he  assumes  the  dress  and  make-up  of,  and  plays  the  parts 
both  of  the  king  and  the  queen,  yet  does  not,  for  the  time  being,  carry 
in  his  own  mind  any  notion  of  being  either  a  male  or  a  female,  but 
only  entertains  the  spectators. 

a^iifc^aiem  +r^fafd  *Mcl  II  ^\3  II 


III.    KARMAYOGA  75 

27  "Of  actions  which,  in  every  wise,  are  the  doings  of  the  Primal 
Nature's  constituent-aspects:  one,  whose  intellect  is  deluded 
by  egotism,  regards  himself  as  their  author.  (177) 

Were  you  to  take  on  your  head,  the  load  of  another,  tell  me  O  Dhan- 
nurdhara,  whether  you  would  not  be  bent  under  it?  In  that  way 
actions  good  or  bad  arising  out  of  the  primal  nature's  constituent 
properties  are  shifted  on  to  himself  through  a  delusion  by  the  ignorant, 
who  fancies  himself  to  be  their  author.  To  the  bigoted,  selfish,  short- 
sighted and  foolish  persons,  the  mystery  of  this  spiritual  knowledge 
should  not  be  revealed :  Suffice  this  for  the  present.  O  Arjuna,  hear 
attentively  what  I  shall  now  tell  you  for  your  good. 

^PHT  ^pfcj  3#rT  f%  TTc^T  T  *(*•*» d  II  ^5  II 

28  "But  he,  O  Long-armed,  who  is  aware  of  the  truth  of  the 
differentiations  according  to  constituent-aspects  (leading  to 
differentiations  of)  activities — realising  that  (actions  proceed 
when)  constituent  aspects  (senses)  operate  upon  constituent- 
aspects   (sense-objects) — he  is  not  attached  (to  actions). 

(181) 

The  primal  nature's  body-sense  from  which  all  actions  emanate, 
drops  away  from  those  souls  that  have  realised  the  Being  of  the 
Supreme  Self.  They  drop  all  sense  of  false  pride  and  go  beyond  the 
shackles  of  Nature  and  its  Process  and  live  even  in  their  body-form 
as  spectators  fully  transcending  the  mutual  ties  between  the  Gunas 
and  actions.  Even  though,  they  exist  in  human  forms,  still  they  do 
not  get  themselves  fettered  by  actions,  just  as  the  Sun,  in  no  way  gets 
himself  affected  by  any  affairs  of  the  world,  which  are  carried  on  in 
the  light  he  sheds. 

dM£>c*Hfa?t  *4*4I«J  fvcFffaST  fq^m^  II  ^5.  II 

29  "Those  that  are  deluded  by  the  Primal  Nature's  constituent- 
aspects,  are  involved  in  an  attachment  for  the  constituent- 
aspects  and  their  resulting  actions.  These  feeble  ones,  the 
knowers  of  the  part  (truth),  one  who  knows  the  whole  (truth) 
should  not  unsettle.  (184) 


76  JNANESHWARI 

Those  that  are.  deluded  by  the  powers  of  the  Primal  Nature's  con- 
stituent aspects  (Gunas),  are  dragged  into  the  whirlpool  of  actions. 
The  senses  beihgin  contact  with  the  movements  of  the  Gunas,  function 
according  to  their  nature;  yet,  those  persons  shift,  through  a  delusion, 
to  themselves  the  authorship  of  the  actions  which  are  performed  by 
these  Gunas. 

f»Ulsnfa4*n  *Jr«nr  ^fWFRT  GMItMk:  II  3°  II 

30  "(So  then)  with  thy  thought  Self-ward  directed,  do  thou 
dedicate' all  actions  unto  Me;  rid  thyself  of  all  desire  and 
all  sense  of  'my'-ness,  and  engage  in  the  combat,  free  of  thy 
(soul's)  fever.  (186) 

So  do  you  perform  in  their  entirety,  all  the  prescribed  duties  and 
dedicate  them  all  to  me,  always  keeping  your  mind  fixed  on  the 
Supreme  Self.  Only,  do  not  allow  your  mind  to  entertain  any  egotistic 
idea  such  as  "This  is  the  action:  I  am  the  doer:  I  will  do  it."  Be  not 
under  the  sway  of  your  person,  (body,  but)  rid  yourself  of  all  selfish 
motives,  and  then  you  may  freely  enjoy  the  sense  objects  as  they  come 
and  go.  Now  take  up  this  bow  in  hand,  and  mount  the  chariot,  and 
assume  your  Kshattric  (martial)  role,  with  a  peaceful  and  firm  mind. 
Thus  you  shall  spread  your  fame  in  the  world,  heighten  the  sense  of 
respect  for  Self-religion  (duty),  and  rid  this  earth  of  the  dead  weight 
of  evil.  O  Partha,  now  knock  out  all  doubts,  direct  your  mind  to  the 
war,  and  talk  not  of  any  other  thing  but  of  war. 

^^J^triW^rdl  ^sqF^  ^sft"  15*ff*T:  II  \\  || 

31  "Those  mortals  who  always  act  up  to  this  mine  teaching, 
confiding  in  it  and  not  envious  of  it,  they  too  are  freed  from 
(the  bondage  of)  actions.  (192) 

Those  that  receive  with  devotion  this  definite  and  lasting  teaching 
of  mine  and  live  by  it,  with  full  faith,  O  Arjuna,  will  be  free  from  the 
bonds  of  all  actions  that  they  may  perform.  This,  advice,  therefore, 
is  an  absolute  rule  of  actions  to  be  fully  followed  without  any  scruple. 


HI.    KARMAYOGA  77 

32  "Those  on  the  other  hand  who,  envious  of  it,  do  not  act  up 
to  this  mine  teaching:  consider  them,  the  thoughtless  ones, 
as  doomed  to  destruction,  being  utterly  confounded  in  all 
their  wisdom.  (191) 

Those,  on  the  other  hand,  who  under  the  grip  of  delusive  Maya  give 
themselves  up  to  indulgence  to  the  senses,  and  turn  away  from  my 
teaching  or  treat  it  lightly  looking  at  it  with  a  contemptuous  eye  as 
idle  talk,  out  of  sheer  impudence,  are  evil  souls  that  are  intoxicated 
with  the  drink  of  wine  in  the  form  of  infatuation,  poisoned  with  sense- 
objects,  and  stuck  up  in  the  mire  of  ignorance.  The  fools  cannot 
appreciate  the  teaching  of  the  Yoga  of  actions,  just  as  jewels  placed 
in  the  hands  of  a  corpse  are  wasted,  or  just  as  the  blind  cannot  enjoy 
morning  light,  or  just  as  moon-light  is  of  no  use  to  a  crow.  The  fools, 
therefore,  do  not  heed  it  (teaching)  but,  on  the  contrary,  ridicule  it 
and  this  is  but  natural,  as  a  moth  cannot  bear  the  lamp-light.  It  goes 
to  embrace  the  flame  that  consumes  it:  in  the  same  way  the  enjoyment 
of  the  sense-objects  is  self-destruction  to  such  fools.  Similarly  O 
Partha,  such  ones  should  not  even  be  talked  to  as  they  get  wearied 
with  thoughts  on  spiritual  matters. 

Nfcfd  Mlf*d  ^dlfa  fa^:  f%  *hf<W4fc<  II  33  *• 

33  Man,  even  when  possessed  of  knowledge,  (ever)  acts  con- 
formably to  his  inner  nature.  Creatures  follow  out  their 
inborn  nature.  What  can  coercion  avail  (there)  ?         (202) 

Therefore,  the  learned  should  not  allow  the  senses  any  sort  of  in- 
dulgence on  any  plea,  such  as  fondness,  fun,  or  sport.  Just  say  can 
one  play  with  a  serpent?  Or  can  one  succeed  in  befriending  a  tiger? 
Or  can  one  digest  a  deadly  poison?  Uncontrollable  indeed  are  the 
flames  of  fire  getting  wild  even  if  ignited  out  of  fun :  in  the  same  way 
the  senses  used  to  indulgence  bring  in  their  train  a  great  danger.  Also 
look  at  the  matter  this  way.  The  body  is  indeed  at  the  mercy  of  alien 
Nature.  Why  should  we  then  struggle  to  give  diverse  enjoyments 
to  it?  Why  should  we,  day  in  and  day  out,  devote  ail  our  plentiful 
resources  to  the  body  that  is  not  independent?  Why  should  we  fatten 
the  body  by  making  endless  exertions  and  by  acquiring  wealth  of 
different  kinds  at  the  cost  of  our  religion?  This  body  is  made  up  of 
the  five  gross  elements,  and  it  will  get  dissolved  in  the  end  also  into 


78  JNANESHWARI 

these  five  elements.  Where  shall  we  then  go  and  seek  for  the  reward 
of  all  our  efforts  once  the  body  is  so  dissolved?  Therefore  merely 
fattening  the  body  is,-know  it-purely  self-destruction,  and  therefore 
one  should  not  put  one's  sole  heart  into  it. 

cPftf  «RPRTfp3^  eft  IjSrer  Mr<MpM«fl  H   3*  U 

34  "Of  (every)  sense-centre,  towards  its  (respective)  object 
its  passion  or  aversion  is  inherently  determined.  One,  ought 
not  to  fall  under  their  dominance ;  for,  they  are  the  two  way- 
layers  in  one's  path.  (210) 

Well  may  it  be  said  that  happiness  shall  be  our  reward  in  the  heart 
were  we  to  provide  things  according  to  the  tastes  of  the  different 
senses.  This  is  a  grievous  error,  for,  the  company  of  thieves  may 
keep  one's  mind  at  peace  only  for  a  short  time  viz.  so  long  as  the  limits 
of  the  town  are  not  crossed,  or  at  times  one  might  get  deluded  by  the 
sweet  taste  of  poison,  only  at  the  end  to  destroy  one's  life :  in  the  same 
way  the  desires  on  the  part  of  senses  for  their  (sense)  objects,  make 
them  run  after  their  pleasures  in  an  inordinate  degree ;  in  the  way  a 
bait  deludes  a  fish  that  does  not  know  the  existence  of  the  fatal  hook 
hidden  under  the  bait.  A  similar  state  is  created  on  account  of  the 
desires  for  sense-objects.  Where  there  arises  a  desire  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  sense-objects,  wrath  is  bound  to  be  simultaneously  there. 
Just  as  a  hunter  drives  in  his  prey  from  all  sides,  and  makes  it  go  to 
the  particular  spot  which  proves  fatal  to  it,  so  is  the  way  of  the  desires 
for  the  enjoyment  of  the  sense-objects,  of  cornering  and  destroying 
the  discerning  power.  Therefore,  O  Partha,  the  passion  and  the  wrath 
are  the  two  dangerous  and  treacherous  enemies,  that  thou  shalt  avoid. 
They  should  not,  therefore,  be  associated  with,  nor  should  they  even 
be  thought  of.  Let  not  the  experience  of  the  bliss  of  the  self-vision 
be  spoiled  (by  any  of  these  things). 

^THf  *^N*ff  f^p»T:  <kmh!<j  ^gfecn^r  I 
^rsrif  fat**  $xr:  qrswf  wm$  n  3*  11 

35  "Better  is  one's  own  code  of  conduct  (Dharma),  even  though 
deficient  in  quality,  than  an  alien  code  of  conduct,  be  it  ever 
so  easy  to  be  followed.  To  be  preferred  is  death  (while  engaged) 
in  one's  own  code  of  conduct.  An  alien  conduct  of  code  invites 
peril "  (219) 


III.   KARMAYOGA  79 

The  strenuous  pursuit  of  one's  own  religious  duty,  albeit  that  it  is 
full  of  shortcomings  or  hardships,  is  superior  to  another's  duty  that 
may  be  done  easily.  However  good  the  other  religions  might  appear, 
still  one  should  abide  by  one's  religion.  Just  say,  should  a  Brahmin, 
however  poor,  swallow  dainties  prepared  in  a  Sudra  family?  How 
should  one  do  a  hateful  thing?  How  should  one  wish  for  such  an 
unworthy  thing  and  how  one  accept  it  even  when  such  a  wish  is  ful- 
filled? Pray  tell  me  if  it  would  look  proper  for  one  to  dismantle  one's 
own  hay-thatched  hut,  seeing  other  peoples'  houses  built  in  mortar? 
Let  it  pass.  Mating  with  one's  lawful  wife,  even  if  she  be  ugly  to  look 
at,  is  tie  only  thing  right  and  proper:  So  one's  own  religion,  however 
risky  and  difficult  to  follow,  is  one's  true  help-mate  in  life  beyond. 
Do  you  not  see  that  the  sugar-milk  drink  well-known  for  its  sweet 
taste,  is  yet  harmful,  when  one  suffers  from  worms?  How  could 
it  (the  mixture)  be  given  to  such  a  patient?  Notwithstanding  this, 
a  patient  who  takes  it,  will  find  his  obstinacy  met  with  evil  in  the  end. 
Therefore,  he  who  desires  his  own  good,  must  not  follow  the  path 
which  is  prescribed  for  others  and  yet  is  not  proper  for  himself.  Even 
death.in  the  act  of  doing  one's  duty  is  a  noble  and  good  thing,  both 
for  success  in  this  life  and  life  beyond.  To  these  words  of  Lord  Krishna, 
the  God  of  all  Gods,  Arjuna  said,  "Oh  Lord,  I  have  heard  carefully 
all  you  have  said:  Still  I  would  now  ask  you  about  some  thing  that 
requires  explanation  to  clear  my  mind: — 

sw  $*r  >wti»W  ^rnt  prefer  3^r:  i 

36  Arjuna  spake:  "By  whom  impelled,  then,  does  this  person 
commit  sin,  even  though  not  wishing  it,  O  Scion  of  Vrsni's 
race,  as  though  by  force  constrained?"  (232) 

O  God,  how  does  it  happen  that  even  wise  men,  as  we  often  see,  fall 
from  the  right  path  and  are  found  wandering  astray?  For,  they  are 
indeed  in  possession  of  all  knowledge  and  means  to  right  conduct. 
What  indeed  may  be  the  cause  that  makes  them  transgress  their  own 
religious  duty  and  embrace  the  alien  religion?  A  blind  person  cannot 
separate  the  seed  from  the  chaff,  but  how  should  the  wise  get  confused 
and  fall  into  this  grievous  error.  Those  very  persons  that  relinquish 
the  path  of  normal  actions,  are  again  entangled  into  them  and  ever 


80  JNANESHWARI 

remain  insatiate.  Even  dwellers  in  forests  come  and  mix  with  human 
society.  Those  that  had  kept  aloof  and  completely  avoided  sinful 
things  are  dragged  to  sinful  career  knowingly.  The  things,  they  were 
disgusted  with,  and  tried  to  shun,  are  the  very  things  they  feel  an 
urge  for,  and  while  attempting  to  evade  them,  they  fall  into  the  trap 
and  embrace  sin.  In  this  way  the  wise  themselves  fall  victims  to  sin 
and  vice,  what  power  may  it  be  that  is  so  strong  that  the  wise  are  made 
prostrate;  tell  me  kindly  all  this. 

37  The  Exalted  one  spake  "It  is  this  lust — this  anger — springing 
from  the  Rajas — constituent — a  mighty  devourer  and  a 
mighty  sinner:  understand  that  to  be  the  enemy  in  this  case. 

(239) 

At  this,  the  Lord  the  Beloved  of  the  yogins  that  are  devoid  of  mortal 
love,  and  the  haven  of  rest  to  their  heart — Purushottama  said,  "Oh 
hear  what  I  say.  These — lust  and  anger  are  the  terrible  scourges  that 
have  not  got  even  a  touch  of  mercy,  they  work  like  the  very  God  of 
destruction.  They  are  like  the  dark  cobras,  keeping  vigil  on  the  buried 
treasure  of  knowledge:  (They  are)  the  tigers,  as  it  were,  in  the  valley 
of  carnal  pleasures,  or  (they  are)  the  assasins  that  way-lay  the  path 
of  devotion  to  God.  They  are  the  stones  of  the  fort  in  the  form  of  this 
mortal  body  and  the  ramparts  of  the  town  in  the  form  of  sensuous 
pleasures  that  imprison  the  soul.  They  are  a  burden  to  the  universe. 
They  are  the  demons  born  of  mind's  evil  stuff  and  possessed  by  the 
Rajas  quality,  and  they  are  fed  on  the  food  in  the  form  of  nescience. 
Although  born  of  Rajas  quality,  they  are  nursed  and  fondled  by  the 
Tamas  quality,  and  the  Tamas  quality  has  made  them  a  gift  of  pride 
and  blind  passion,  which  form  the  very  nature  of  Tamas.  Being  the 
mortal  enemies  of  Life,  they  are  held  in  great  honour  in  the  city 
of  the  God  of  Death.  When  these  monsters  get  hungry  even  the  entire 
universe  does  not  suffice  to  serve  as  a.  single  morsel  of  theirs.  As  they 
get  an  upper  hand,  their  cravings  multiply  fast.  The  younger  sister 
of  craving — the  illusion — who  is  so  very  dear  to  them  is  such,  that 
she  can  hold  all  the  fourteen  worlds  in  the  compass  of  her  fist.  This 
illusion  is  so  extraordinary  that  she  can,  in  the  light  repast  in  her 


III.    KARMA  YOGA  81 

playful  act  called  "Bhatukali,"  clean  eat  up  the  three  worlds,  while 
the  thirst  (^TT)  maintains  herself  on  the  strength  of  her  position  as 
her  (illusion's)  maid-servant.  This  apart:  the  lust  and  anger  hold 
a  position  of  honour  with  infatuation,  while  self-conceit  has  also 
business  dealings  with  them,  on  the  strength  of  which  the  self-conceit 
makes  the  universe  dance  to  its  tunes.  Hypocrisy  which  clean  cuts 
out  the  intestines  of  truth,  and  stuffs  truth's  body  with  fluffy  hay, 
is  also  made  to  rule  the  universe  by  them  (lust  and  anger).  These 
despoil  the  chaste  devoted  Lady  of  mental  peace,  and  adorn  the  Mang 
strumpet  woman  in  the  form  of  ignorance,  and  through  her  acts 
pollute  whole  bands  of  saintly  souls.  It  was  they,  lust  and  anger, 
that  knocked  the  very  bottom  off  the  discerning  intellect  and  flayed 
other-worldness,  and  have  also  broken  the  neck  of  self-control.  They 
devastated  the  forests  of  contentment  and  levelled  down  the  forts 
of  fortitude,  uprooting  the  young  plant  of  Bliss.  They  rooted  out 
sproutlings  of  spiritual  advice,  wiped  out  the  very  name  of  happiness 
and  set  fire  in  the  form  of  three  afflictions  to  the  life  of  the  universe. 
They  come  into  being  with  the  body  and  enter  into  the  very  vitals 
of  life  and  soul,  and  are  difficult  to  be  traced  even  by  God-Brahmadeva. 
They  sit  quite  close-side  by  side — with  the  knowledge  and  seem  to 
enjoy  the  same  rank  and  so,  once  they  get  wild,  become  uncontrollable 
in  their  work  of  destruction.  They  drown  without  water,  burn  without 
fire,  and  hold  in  their  all-destroying  grip  beings  without  a  limit.  They 
kill  without  weapon,  and  bind  without  ropes  and  force  capitulation 
on  the  learned  ones  with  a  bet;  (they)  make  the  beings  stuck  up  with- 
out mud,  catch  them  without  nets,  and  never  get  defeated  on  account 
of  their  toughness. 

W^\^H\^\  T^RT^T  '^^•ml*Jd*f  II  ^5  II 

38     "As  by  smoke  the  fire  is  enveloped,  and  by  dust  the  mirror; 
as  by  chorion  the  foetus  is  enveloped,  so  is  by  it  this  enveloped: 

(260) 

Just  as  a  serpent  coils  round  the  root  of  a  sandal  tree  or  the  foetus 
is  enveloped  by  chorion  in  the  womb,  or  as  there  cannot  exist  the 
Sun  without  its  rays,  or  the  fire  without  smoke,  or  a  mirror  without 
dust,  in  the  same  way  we  have  never  seen  the  knowledge  singly  and 
absolutely  free  from  lust  and  anger,  just  as  good  seed  is  ever  covered 
in  the  husk. 


82  JNANESHWARI 

et>|H^u|  «t*t«^n  gu^uiMvT'f  ^  ||  ^£  || 

39  "Is  enveloped  by  it,  O  Son  of  KuntT,  the  knowledge  of  the 
man  of  knowledge  by  this  his  eternal  enemy  in  the  form  of 
hist — by  this  insatiable  flame.  (263) 

In  the  same  way,  knowledge,  although  by  itself  quite  clear,  remains 
a  mystery,  being  enveloped  by  lust  and  anger.  If  one  says  that 
they  should  first  be  conquered  and  then  knowledge  acquired,  it  is 
not  possible  to  defeat  them.  Were  strength  to  be  acquired  in  the  body 
for  killing  them,  whatever  remedies  are  contemplated  against  them, 
the  remedies  themselves,  instead  of  getting  useful  to  the  users,  prove 
useful  to  them  (lust  and  wrath),  just  as  dry  wood  proves  to  the  fire. 

mufH  V«I%£M  IMftWHMftM^  II  V\   || 

40  '  "The  sense-centres,  the  mind,  and  the  intellect  are  said  to 

be  its  location.  Through  these  it  bewilders  the  embodied- 
soul  by  obscuring  his  knowledge. 

41  Therefore  do  thou,  O  Best  of  the  Bharatas,  restrain  at  the 
outset,  the  sense-centres,  and  kill  this  sin  which  is  the  destroyer 
both  of  (theoretical)  knowledge  as  well  as  of  its  (practical) 
realisation. 

42  The  sense-centres  are  said  to  transcend  (their  objects) ;  the 
mind  transcends  the  sense-centres;  and  the  discerning-intellect 
in  its  turn  transcends  the  mind;  the  one  who  is  beyond  the 
discerning-intellect;  that  is  HE.  (266) 

They  even  torment  the  Ha^ha-Yogm.  Yet  there  is  one  good  remedy 
even  against  this  evil,  and  I  shall  tell  it  to  you;  see  if  it  proves  agreeable 
to  you.  Those  sense-centres  are  the  places  of  origin  of  these— lust 


III.   KARMAYOGA  83 

and  anger — and  the  senses  give  rise  to  actions.  Therefore,  first  of  all 
the  senses  should  be  conquered  and  controlled,  and  when  this  is  done 
the  mind  will  automatically  stop  running  about,  and  the  discerning- 
intellect  will  be  set  free,  making  the  sinners — lust  and  anger — lose 
all  their  support. 

«f%  W£  H^H'lgl  *W^M  ^m^«|  \\  Y|   || 

43  "Accordingly,  winning  the  knowledge  of  Him  who  is  beyond 
the  discerning-intellect,  and  sustaining  the  Self  by  self-effort, 
do  thou  annihilate,  O  Long-armed  one,  this  enemy  in  the  form 
of  lust,  so  difficult  to  get  at."  (270) 

When  these  get  removed  from  the  heart,  know  ye,  that  they  become 
quite  extinct.  Just  as  a  mirage  is  not  separate  from  the  Sun's  rays,  in 
the  same  way  when  lust  and  anger  exist  no  more,  it  means  the  attain- 
ment of  the  knowledge  of  the  Self,  and  then  the  soul  abides  safe  in 
the  bliss  of  the  Self.  That  secret  of  truth  between  the  preceptor  and 
the  disciple  which  is  called  the  meeting  of  the  true  being  and  the  soul 
(mysticism),  in  that  state  the  being  will  remain  peaceful  without  getting 
disturbed."  Samjaya  said  to  Dhritarashtra.  "In  this  way  spoke  the 
master  of  all  those  that  have  reached  perfection  and  the  Lord  of  the 
Goddess  Shri  Lakshmi.  That  Eternal  Lord  Krishna  will  again  narrate 
an  important  thing,  on  which  Arjuna,  the  Son  of  Pandu,  will  ask 
questions.  The  value,  as  also  the  eloquence  of  that  talk  and  subject 
will  give  immeasurable  happiness  to  the  hearers."  Jnanadev,  the 
disciple  of  Nivritti,  said,  "Induce  an  inspiration  to  your  desire  for 
knowledge  and  then  taste  the  sweetness  of  the  dialogue  between 
Lord  Krishna  and  Partha."  (276) 

<t>4*fMfl  TfT  ?gtfWts«TW:  II   ^   II 


CHAPTER  IV 

BRAHMAYAJNA 

Introduction 

To-day  it  looks  as  though  the  sense  of  hearing  is  blessed  with  the 
vision  of  the  glory  of  a  new  dawn.  Verily,  before  it  is  laid  open  the 
treasure  of  the  GIta,  and  thus  what  was  held  to  be  a  mere  dream,  has 
come  to  be  a  fact  and  a  reality.  First  and  foremost,  spiritual  vision 
is  the  theme  of  this  dialogue;  moreover  the  supreme  person  Lord 
Krishna  reveals  it,  and  Arjuna,  the  prince  among  his  great  devotees, 
listens  to  it.  So  the  telling  of  this  wonderful  story  becomes  an  eternal 
joy — a  consummation  as  perfect  as  the  fifth  note  suffused  with  sweet 
fragrance,  or  fragrance  itself  becoming  sweet!  Oh,  what  an  extremely 
magnificent  and  happy  dispensation  of  good  fortune — the  Divine 
Ganges  is  made  to  overflow  with  nectar!  And  the  past  meritorious 
deeds  and  penances  of  hearers  have  come  to  bear  fruit !  Now,  may 
all  sense-faculties  meet  in  the  house  of  hearing,  merging  themselves 
in  the  sense  of  hearing,  and  be  regaled  with  the  extraordinary  feast 
of  this  Gita  dialogue.  Enough  of  this  loose  talk  and  digression,  says 
the  master,  begin  the  narrative  straight-away. 

As  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna  were  having  a  talk,  Samjaya  said 
to  the  King  Dhritarashtra,  "Arjuna  has  indeed  been  blessed  with 
the  pure  gift  of  spiritual  qualities,  since  Lord  Krishna,  with  great 
affection,  is  talking  to  him.  That  Secret  truth  was  not  revealed  to 
his  father  Vasudeva,  nor  to  his  mother  DevakI,  nor  to  his  brother 
Balarama.  He  reserves  it  for  Arjuna.  Partha  monopolised  the  entire 
love  of  Lord  Krishna,  which  could  not  be  won  even  by  Goddess 
lakshmT,  (so  close  to  Him).  Even  Sanaka  and  others,  who  were  devoutly 
wishing  for  it  for  ages,  could  not  bear  fruit  in  the  measure  of  Partha. 
The  affection  of  the  Lord  of  the  Universe  towards  Arjuna  is  really 
incomparable.  So  vast  is  Arjuna' s  merit !  The  formless  Lord,  assumed 
a  form  and  appeared  as  an  incarnation  for  him.  To  me  both  of  them 
appear  to  be  one  and  the  same  thing  in  essence.  Normally,  He  is 
inaccessible  to  the  vision  of  even  Yogins,  or  incomprehensible  even 
to  the  Vedas,  and  out  of  the  reach  of  the  vision  of  concentrated 
meditation.  That  Lord  Krishna  who  is  Absolute  Self,  being  without 
a  beginning,  and  unmoved  mover  has  become  so  kind  and  merciful 


IV.   BRAHMAYAJNA  85 

towards  Arjuna.  In  truth  the  entire  fabric  of  the  universe  is  enfolded 
in  the  person  of  Lord  Krishna.  For  he  is,  in  essence,  beyond  the  utter 
extremities  of  the  formed  "world — yet  assuming  a  finite  bodily  form 
for  the  love  of  Arjuna. 

*JV*W«1l^«lh*  | 

V*  f^TFSR^  Sfrt  ^T1>e|  11(5+1  «**I+J  I 

fetq*«H^  w&  sn^  *T«|f<WI*2|MI«n^  II  \   il 

The  Exalted-one  Spake: 

1  "Unto  Vivasvat  (the  shining  Sun-god)  this  ageless  Yoga 
( — teaching)  have  I  expounded.  The  Vivasvat  declared  (it) 
to  Manu,  and  Manu  communicated  (it)  to  Iksvaku.        (16) 

Then  God  said  to  the  Son  of  Pandu,  "We  once  preached  this  Yoga 
(+44Vl)  to  Vivasvat,  but  it  was  many  ages  ago.  Then  the  Sun  gave 
that  Yoga  in  detail  to  Manu.  Manu  attained  it  himself,  and  then 
preached  it  to  Ikshvaku  (Son  of  Manu-Vaivasvat).  Such  are  the 
traditions  of  this  Yoga. 

t^#  Mi^wi^fa+i  TT*n&Tt  "fog:  I 

w  +i<W^  +1^1  tffrt  Tsar:  «udM  11  ^  11 

2  "Thus  did  the  Royal  sages  come  to  know  this  (teaching), 
received  in  traditional  succession.  That  Yoga  (teaching), 
by  the  lapse  of  long  time,  disappeared  here  (on  the  earth). 
O  Tormentor  of  foes!  (19) 

Even  after  that,  many  sages  in  the  princely  order  learnt  and  mastered 
it;  but  of  late  there  do  not  appear  any,  who  know  any  thing  about 
it.  For,  mortal  souls  are  beings  inclined  to  desire  and  feel  extreme 
attachment  to  bodily  pleasures,  and  thus  they  turn  away  from  the 
way  of  the  self-knowledge.  With  a  shaky  faith  in  the  self,  men  are 
led  away,  and  betake  themselves  to  sensuous  pleasures  as  the  highest 
goal,  and  worldly  life  is  held  precious  as  the  very  breath  of  life.  But 
then,  what  need  should  there  be  felt  for  fine  clothing  in  a  place  inhabited 
by  naked  Jain  Saints?  Tell  me,  can  those  born  blind  ever  know  the 
value  of  the  sun?  What  value  would  be  set  on  music  by  an  assembly 
of  the  deaf?  Does  the  jackal  ever  feel  attraction  for  moon-light,  and 


86  JNANESHWARI 

can  the  crow  appreciate  beauty  of  the  moon,  when  he  is  blinded  even 
before  the  moon-rise?  Thus  how  could  those  that  have  never  touched 
even  the  fringe  of  asceticism  and  the  other-worldly-mindedness,  and 
who  are  utter  strangers  even  to  the  language  of  spiritual  vision — how 
could  such  benighted  souls  ever  attain  to  the  vision  of  my  Divine 
essence?  It  cannot  be  known  how  infatuation  went  on  increasing, 
causing  lapse  of  a  long  time.  Thus  disappeared  this  yoga  in  this  world. 

ST  l{4  H4  *TtrT  *TSST  *ft*T:  STTtE:  3TTCR:  i 
STrfftstW  #  SMT  %fk  <$*M  fSterpfR*[  U  3  H 

3  "That  very  same  ancient  Yoga  have  I  to-day  declared  unto 
thee,  since  thou  art  my  devotee  and  comrade,  and  since  this 
is  the  supreme  secret. "  (27) 

Now  that  very  Yoga,  we  have  preached  to  you  here,  so  you  make  no 
mistake  about  it.  This  Yoga  of  actions  is  the  innermost  secret  of  my 
life,  and  yet  I  have  not  kept  it  secret  from  you  since  you  are  very  dear 
to  Me.  You  are  indeed,  0  Dhanurdhara,  simply  the  very  embodiment 
of  Love,  and  the  very  vital  life-breath  of  God's  devotion,  and  the  vital 
spring  of  friendship.  You  are  the  very  substratum  of  faith;  how  then 
would  it  be  proper  to  conceal  anything  from  you.  Therefore,  even 
though  we  are  now  facing  a  great  battle  on  the  battle-field,  still  it  is 
necessary  to  leave  that  aside  for  a  while,  and  notwithstanding  this 
disturbance  I  must  root  out  the  ignorance  in  your  soul. 

3T^!f  «a«IW  I 
3NT  nm*\  3PT  *TT  SRT  1?WRW:  I 

4  Arjuna  spoke — "To  a  later  age  belongs  thy  birth,  to  an 
earlier  the  birth  of  Vivasvat:  How  may  I  understand  this, 
that  thou  didst  expound  (it)  in  the  beginning?"  (32) 

Arjuna  said,  "O  Shrihari,  you  are  the  unlimited  fountain  of  mercy 
and  what  wonder  then,  that  a  mother  covers  her  child  with  tender 
caresses.  You  are  the  cool  shelter  to  those  souls  who  are  tired  and 
fatigued  in  the  journey  of  worldly  life;  the  very  mother  to  those  who 
are  forsaken  in  life.  We  owe  our  very  life  to  the  divine  grace;  oh, 
you  know  well  how  a  mother  giving  birth  to  a  crippled  child,  has  to 


IV.   BRAHMAYAJtfA  87 

suffer  life-long  hardships;  such  indeed,  is  your  lot  in  relation  to  us. 
You  know  all  this  and  it  is  needless  to  say  all  this  before  You.  Now, 
my  Lord  hear  attentively  whatever  I  ask,  and  do  not  resent  it.  See, 
the  old  story  about  your  preaching  the  secret  of  Yoga  of  actions  to 
Vivasvat  you  narrated  to  us  now,  does  not  make  any  sense  to  my  mind 
even  for  a  moment,  since  who  this  Vivasvat  was,  was  not  known 
even  to  our  forefathers.  How  could  you  then  teach  that  truth  to  him? 
It  is  said  that  he  (Vivasvat)  lived  in  very  ancient  times;  while  your 
own  life  is  only  recent;  so  the  two  events  are  at  variance  with  the  fact 
that  you  told  it  to  him.  But  on  the  other  hand,  O  God,  your  own 
life  is  all  a  profound  mystery  to  us;  how  can  I,  therefore,  call  it,  at 
once  as  untrue,  what  you  have  said;  so  do  tell  me  in  a  way  that  I  can 
understand,  all  about  this  event,-that  you  gave  to  Vivasvat  this  noble 
truth. 

"Sfffa  %  *Md)dlfa  srt'MlfH  tlK  ri\^\  I 
d M(?|  %3f  <H«tT[«l  T  c«f  ifaT  M<dM  II  K.  II 

5  The  exalted-one  spake:  "Many  are  the  births,  mine  as  also 
thine,  O  Arjuna,  that  have  gone  by.  All  of  them  I  know;  but 
thou  knowest  them  not,  O  Foe-tormentor !  (41) 

Then  Lord  Srikrishna  said,  "O  Paxtha,  you  seem  to  doubt,  that  I  did 
exist  when  Vivasvat  lived.  You  are  thus  ignorant — and  fail  to  realise 
the  fact  that,  you  and  I,  have  passed  through  many  births.  I  do  fully 
recollect  whatever  incarnations  I  assumed  as  occasions  required. 

y$fd  feiwfNtAKi  u'^iujic^mw  a  ^  it 

6  "Although  I  am  the  Unborn,  and  am  immutable  in  essence, 
and  though  I  am  the  Lord  of  all  existences,  I  do  become  born, 
through  my  own  Creative-potence  (Maya),  having  assumed 
sway  over  mine  own  Nature.  (44) 

Therefore,  I  do  recollect  even  today  all  these  earlier  incarnations 
(9H«1K).  Even  though  I  am  unborn  in  essence,  I  do  suffer  birth 
through  my  own  creative  Prakriti.  And  even  when  I  am  incarnate 
my  original  uncreated  state  remains  intact,  and  uncorrupted.  My 


88  JNANESHWARI 

coming  into  incarnate  embodied  life,  and  returning  to  my  Supreme 
abode,  are  mere  reflections  and  appearances  of  my  form  felt  through 
the  sway  of  the  Gunas  of  that  Maya.  My  self-identical  essence  is 
in  no  way  affected;  and  yet  during  an  incarnation-life  I  appear  subject 
to  activity.  That  too  is  the  effect  of  illusion;  and  with  its  exit  I  abide 
formless  and  qualityless  in  my  form  of  the  Self.  One  thing  is  made 
to  appear  as  two  through  a  mirror;  and  yet  thinking  the  matter 
essentially  and  rightly  the  reflected  double  is  not  a  real  existing  second 
thing.  In  that  way,  O  Arjuna,  I  am  essentially  the  supreme  formless 
Being.  But  when  I  resort  to  Maya,  I  get  invested  with  material-bodily 
forms  for  some  special  purpose. 

SRT  T3T  ff  spfFT  HlPl4<lfd  snTcf  \ 
^WJc^M^IsHU*!  cTCTrSTR  SpnPTjpJ  II  \3  II 

7  "For,  whensoever  there  ensues  a  languishing  ofDharma  (right- 
eousness) ,  O  Descendant  ofBharata,  and  upheaval  ofAdharma 
(unrighteousness) ,  then  do  I  create  myself.  (49) 

It  is  in  accordance  with  the  primeval  order  of  things  that  the  spiritual 
structure  of  the  world  should  be  protected  by  me  from  age  to  age. 
Thus  my  uncreate  essence  I  lay  aside  and  bid  farewell  to  my  unmani- 
fest  Being,  when  evil  seems  to  vanquish  and  imperil  the  good. 

8  "For  shielding  the  good  and  destroying  the  evil-doers,  as 
well  as  for  setting  the  Dharma  firmly  afoot,  I  incarnate  myself 
age  after  age.  (51) 

Espousing  the  cause  of  the  pious  souls  who  are  my  devotees  I  appear 
as  incarnate  in  bodily  form  and  then  destory  all  darkness  in  the  form 
of  ignorance.  Then  I  demolish  irreligion  even  to  the  last  citadel, 
and  also  tear  to  pieces  the  scriptures  of  evil  doers,  and  unfurl  the 
flag  of  the  reign  of  bliss  at  the  hands  of  the  good  pious  souls.  So, 
whole  races  of  evil-doers  are  uprooted,  and  saints  are  reinstated  in 
their  honour  and  dignity;  piety  and  virtue  meet  in  a  happy  marriage. 
I  shake  off  unreason  and  unfaith,  which  soot  the  flame  of  Spirit: 
I  brighten  the  flame  of  spiritual  vision:  and  at  this,  the  Yogins  hail 
the  advent  of  the  age  of  the  eternal  Diwali  Festival.  The  whole  world 


IV.   BRAHMAYAjflA  89 

swells  with  the  bliss  of  the  self- vision,  for  nothing  but  piety  and 
religion  fills  its  life.  The  life  of  devotees  overflows  with  the  exuberance 
of  piety.  Oh,  son  of  Pandu,  mountain-high  heaps  of  sins  get  melted 
and  the  dawn  of  a  good  life  breaks  in  on  the  world,  when  I  appear 
incarnate  (in  a  bodily  form).  It  is  for  this  purpose  alone,  that  I 
incarnate  myself  from  age  to  age.  But  he  alone  is  said  to  be  a  saint 
of  true  vision  who  can  realize  this. 

oOfr^T  ^  55T#fT  #%  H\Wh  #S#T  II  £  II 

9  "Whoso  in  this  way  understands  the  true  nature  of  my  Divine 
birth  and  (Divine)  function,  he,  relinquishing  his  (present) 
body,  does  not  come  to  birth  again:  he  comes  to  Me,  O  Arjuna! 

'  (58) 

And  he  alone  is  truly  liberated  who  is  settled  in  the  vision  of  the  eternal 
truth  that  I  am  born  incarnate  though  remaining  essentially  unborn, 
and  that  I  am  essentially  actionless  though  I  appear  active.  For  such 
a  one,  even  though  living  in  this  mortal  world,  is  not  really  moved 
by  bodily  attachment  and  even  though  he  wears  a  bodily  form,  is 
not  enslaved  by  his  body  functions,  and  when  in  due  course  his  body 
gets  dissolved  in  the  five  elements,  he  merges  in  the  essence  of  my 
eternal  self. 

^cRTnTR^pt^T  WRT  *il+JMll&Wl:  I 
«l^  dPWMUl  ^rTt  ♦j^NWIrll:  II   \o  II 

10  "Many  are  they  who,  getting  rid  of  passion,  fear  and  anger, 
seek  refuge  in  Me;  become  attuned  with  Me;  and  purified 
by  the  penance  (in  the  form)  of  (the  above)  knowledge,  they 
attain  oneness  (of  essence)  with  Me.  (60) 

Those  that  are  never  worried  over  the  past  and  future  events,  and 
those  that  become  free  from  desires,  and  never  succumb  to  rage; 
also  those  that  are  free  from  attachment  to  sense-objects  and  have 
their  minds  enriched  with  the  blissful  vision  of  my  essence,  and  who 
live  only  by  service  to  God  and  thus  enjoy  the  bliss  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Supreme  Self;  those  that  are  the  treasure  house  of  the  splendour 
born  of  religious  austerities  and  have  become  the  home  of  true  know- 
ledge of  the  Supreme  Self — making  holy  waters  more  holy — such 


90  JNANESHWARI 

ones  easily  merge  with  the  essence  of  My  divine  being  and  remain 
in  me,  there  being  nothing  like  any  difference  between  us.  Just  tell 
me  what  is  the  propriety  of  going  in  search  of  gold  when  brass  is  rid 
of  its  dross  and  rust(^fO-  In  that  way  those  that  have  passed  through 
the  fiery  test  of  Yoga  penance,  and  have  their  life  purified  through 
their  religious  austerities,  and  true  knowledge,  have  doubtless  merged 
in  My  form  of  the  Self. 

Wf  <*cH?«|c|<$»tI  *?*prT:  **T^  1B#5r:  II   H  II 

11  "The  way  they  resort  unto  Me,  that  same  way  I  favour  them. 
Men,  from  all  quarters,  follow  My  path,  O  Son  of  Prtha  (66) 

And  it  is  only  natural  that  those  who  dedicate  their  life  to  me  shall 
receive  from  me  my  love  and  devotion  in  the  measure  of  their  faith. 
All  human  beings  are  naturally  inclined  to  worship  my  divine  being; 
such  of  them  as  are  corrupted  by  ignorance  and  lack  of  spirutual 
insight,  are  victims  of  divided  faith  and  they  imagine  me  to  be  of  mani- 
fold form.  They  invest  the  distinctionless  being  with  indistinct  shapes, 
give  names  to  the  nameless  spirit  of  the  Self,  and  worship  the  unname- 
able  Supreme  spirit  in  the  shape  of  many  Idols :  the  essence  of  the 
Supreme  Self  is,  in  all  places  and  at  all  times,  one  and  the  same ;  yet 
through  the  confusion  and  error  of  the  mind,  they  see  in  it  different 
divisions  like  high  and  low. 

^n^STrtf :  *4"ll  fafe  Msnrn  ^  t^tfTT:  I 

fasr  %  *iin^  *fl$  RiQj4«i(d  *4*ti  ii  \^  ii 

12  "Desiring  that  (their)  actions  bear  fruit,  they  worship  on 
earth  the  (minor)  Divinities;  for,  in  this  world  of  men,  there 
ensues  quick  fruition  of  actions.  (7 1 ) 

Out  of  diverse  motives  and  objects  in  mind  they  worship,  following 
prescribed  procedure,  their  favourite  deities,  and  they  succeed  in 
securing  all  they  expect  from  them.  But  be  sure  of  this,  that  it  is  all 
definitely  the  fruit  of  their  actions.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  giver  as 
also  the  taker  in  this  action,  are  the  actions  themselves.  Only  actions 
bear  fruit  in  this  world.  Whatever  is  sown  in  the  land,  is  to  be  reaped 
as  fruit,  or  whatever  is  held  before  the  mirror  is  alone  reflected  in  it; 
or  whatever  is  uttered,  sitting  at  the  bottom — base — of  a  mountain 


IV.    BRAHMAYAjflA  91 

is  only  reverberated.  In  that  way  although  I  am  the  basis  of  the  faith 
of  this  worship  of  the  diverse  deities,  yet  the  fruit  secured  is  just  accord- 
ing to  the  measure  of  desires  of  the  seekers. 

ere*  »dU^lM  m  fo<m*<\UHe*M*i  n  ?3  11 

13  "By  Me  has  been  dispensed  the  duty  of  the  fourfold  (order 
of)  castes  according  to  the  varying  appointment  of  their  con- 
stituents and  functions.  Of  that,  know  Me  to  be  the  author, 
and  the  no-author,  (as  being)  the  Immutable.  (77) 

The  four  castes  namely  Brahmins,  etc.  that  exist,  have  all  been  created 
by  me  according  to  their  classified  qualities  and  actions.  Due  con- 
sideration has  been  given  to  the  actions  that  have  taken  place  through 
the  support  of  the  Primal  nature  (Prakrti)  and  the  admixture  of  the 
Gunas  (constituent-aspects).  They  are  in  their  primary  essence  all 
of  one  and  the  same  stuff;  but  they  came  to  be  classified  into  four 
castes  by  reason  of  their  own  qualities  and  actions,  O  Dhanurdhara, 
and  consequently  I  am  not  the  doer  (author)  of  the  four  castes-institu- 
tion. 

^5%  w  4UfH*iHild  «*4P+^  *sr  srw^  II  \V  II 
2p5  wNfa  cfFfln^  *#  ^F:  ^4d<  $?fl|  ii  ?x,  u 

14  "Actions  cling  not  unto  Me  (as)  there  is  no  yearning  in  Me 
for  the  fruit  of  actions.  He  who  thus  recognises  Me,  is  not 
fettered  in  actions. 

15  Thus  knowing,  even  the  Ancients,  seeking  liberation,  took 
to  action.  Do  thou  therefore  just  take  to  action,  which  has 
been  performed  by  the  Ancients  (and  by  their  predecessors), 
in  (ancient  and)  still  remote  ancient  days.  (81) 

Although  all  this  ordered  life  emanated  from  Me,  yet  I  was  not  the 
author  of  it;  and  take  it  that  those  that  have  fully  realised  this  truth 
are  free  from  the  touch  of  worldly  action  and  they  have  reached  the 


92  JNANESHWARI 

stage  of  emancipatidn.  Former  seekers  of  divine  life  (striving  after 
final  emancipation)  devoted  themselves  to  action  knowing  this  my 
original  divine  essence,  O  Dhanurdhara.  Just  see,  as  burnt  seed  can 
never  germinate,  in  the  same  way,  motiveless  actions  free  from  attach- 
ment (on  their  part)  become  the  cause  of  their  emancipation.  There 
is  one  thing  more  to  be  specially  remembered  and  it  is  that  a  right- 
minded  seeker  after  truth  ought  never  to  consider  this  question  of 
action  or  inaction  according  to  his  sweet  choice  and  pleasure. 

rf^  %  W$  SMtHllft  qWJr^T  tfttKUtajim^  II  \%  II 

16  "Wherein  lies  action,  wherein  no-action:  even  the  sages  are, 
as  to  this,  confused.  That  action  will  I  expound  unto  thee, 
by  knowing  which  thou  wilt  be  delivered  from  unweal.    (85) 

Even  the  wise  get  confounded  and  embarrassed  over  this  question 
of  what  is  action  and  what  are  the  features  of  inaction.  Just  as  a 
counterfeit  coin  looks  like  a  genuine  one,  and  makes  a  person  the 
victim  of  erroneous  perception  of  the  eyes,  in  the  same  way,  the  actions' 
even  of  such  powerful  persons  as  can  rival  creator  in  shaping  a  new 
world,  have  also  been  proved  "motived"  actions,  falsely  imagined 
to  be  otherwise,  thus  involving  the  doers  in  the  meshes  of  actions. 
What  of  fools  then?  Even  far-sighted  ones  have  been  deceived  in 
regard  to  this  question.  Therefore,  I  shall  tell  you  about  the  subject 
more  clearly. 

17  "It  has  to  be  known  from  (the  side  of)  action;  to  be  known 
from  (the  side  of)  mis-action;  to  be  also  known  from  (the 
side  of)  no-action ;  the  way  of  action  is  hard  to  penetrate. 

(89) 

That,  by  which  the  entire  Universe  naturally  comes  into  being  and 
is  sustained,  is  action.  One  must  grasp— this  nature  of  action  first; 
next  should  be  learnt  along  with  its  fruit,  that  kind  of  action  which 
is  prescribed  in  the  codes  as  specially  suited  to'one's  own  particular 
caste,  in  the  four,  castes-institution.  Then  we  should  distinguish  the 
actions  that  have  been  forbidden,  so  that  one  should  not  get  entangled 


IV.    BRAHMA YAJtfA  93 

in  them.  In  truth  the  whole  Universe  is  pervaded  by  action,  so  vast 
is  its  power  and  compass.  But  let  me  first  tell  you  the  marks  of  the  sage 
relevant  to  the  present  occasion: 

18  '7/e  wAo  can  see  m  (apparent)  action  (real)  no-action,  and 
who  in  (apparent)  no-action  (real)  action:  he  amongst  men 
is  the  man  of  discernment ;  he,  the  man  set  in  Yoga;  he,  the 
doer  of  the  entire  action  (as  such).  (93) 

Such  a  sage  is  one  who  even  while  being  immersed  in  a  life  of  actions, 
has  the  full  realisation  of  his  true  nature  as  action-less,  and  does  not 
expect  any  fruit  even  while  engaged  in  actions;  and  he  is  one,  who 
performs  actions  for  no  other  motive  than  doing  his  own  duty — such 
a  one,  know  it,  is  the  true  embodiment  of  action-free-soul.  One  who 
performs  all  his  actions  strictly  and  fully  according  to  the  prescribed 
procedure  shows  these  marks  and  should  be  known  as  one  perfect 
in  knowledge.  Just  as  one  standing  near  water,  sees  his  own  reflection 
in  it,  yet  fully  knows  that  he  is  not  that  (reflection)  one,  but  that  he 
is  separate  from  it;  or  just  as  one  enjoying  boating  in  a  river,  sees 
(as  if)  the  trees  on  the  bank  (and  not  the  boat  itself)  are  running, 
yet  after  reflection  realises  that  the  trees  are  stationary;  in  the  same 
way  one  who  views  his  actions  as  unreal  considered  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  form  of  the  Self,  and  realises  the  original  form  of  his 
own  Self  is  a  real  action-free  person.  The  Sun  appears,  while  rising 
and  setting,  wending  his  way  without  (actually)  moving  in  any  way; 
similar  is  the  action-freeness  of  the  one  (perfect  in  knowledge)  even 
though  he  is  seen  performing  actions.  He  seems  to  live  his  life  like 
other  men,  and  yet  he  remains  untouched  by  human  attributes,  just 
as  the  sun's  rays  do  not  get  drenched  even  though  their  reflections 
get  into  water.  In  that  way  the  action-free  one  even  though  he  has 
realised  the  Universe,  without  going  into  it,  does  all  things,  enjoys 
all  the  enjoyments ;  yet  he  remains  neutral  in  and  detached  from  all 
these  actions.  Although  he  sits  only  in  one  place,  still  he  moves  in 
the  Universe — nay  even  he  is  completely  one  with  the  very  spirit  of 
the  Universe  itself. 


94  JNANESHWARI 

19  "He  whose  undertakings  are  all  dissociated  from  desires 
and  intentions,  and  whose  actions  are  consumed  in  the  fire 
of  knowledge;  him  the  wise  proclaim  the  man  of  true  insight. 

(103) 

The  one  who  never  feels  worried  over  any  actions  to  be  performed, 
yet  feels  no  attachment  for  the  action-fruit,  and  whose  mind  is  never 
touched  by  an  egoistic  idea  like  "I  will  perform  action  or  I  will  perform 
to  its  end  the  action  undertaken,"  and  who  has  the  dross  of  the  life 
of  actions  in  the  fire  of  all — inclusive  knowledge,  such  a  one,  know 
ye,  is  the  Supreme  Brahman  itself. 

etijfwjP+IU^TilsfM  ^W  !«r>ft*^  ^RtfcT  ST.*  II  *R°   II 

20  "Renouncing  attachment  for  the  fruits  of  actions,  ever  content, 
freed  of  all  dependence :  such  a  person,  although  engaged  in 
activity,  does  not  at  all  do  anything  whatsoever.  (106) 

He  who  is  indifferent  to  his  own  body,  quite  detached  in  regard  to 
action-fruits  and  yet  is  always  cheerful — such  a  person  abides  in  the 
central  home  of  full  contentment,  and  enjoys  the  feast  of  the  vision 
of  the  true  Self,  and  never  says  "enough"  even  when  served  unstintingly. 

SIliK  «i>«H  H$  3>4*HH)fd  Pt»R-«m*|  II  ^^   || 

*m:  r«4wfti4l  ^r  »«mfM  *  pMma  II  ^  II 

21  Rid  of  all  cravings,  with  disciplined  mind  and  body,  bereft 
of  all  (sense  of)  possession,  he,  performing  actions  by  the 
body  alone,  incurs  no  defilement. 

22  "Satisfied  by  anything  that  chance  might  bring  him,  having 
overcome  the  'dualisms'  (pairs  of  opposites),  and  void  of 
envy:  he,  even-poised  in  success  and  no-success,  is  not  fettered 
even  when  he  acts.  (108) 

He  enjoys  in  ever  increasing  scale  the  bliss  of  the  Self-vision,  leaving 
off  all  cravings,  and  waving  them  aside  along  with  egoistic  desires. 


IV.    BRAHMAYAJtfA  95 

This  makes  him  remain  contented  with  whatever  circumstances  bring 
him  as  his  lot;  for  he  is  rid  of  all  sense  of  meum  et  tuum  ("mine"  and 
"thine").  Whatever  he  sees  or  whatever  he  hears,  wherever  he  walks, 
or  whatever  he  talks,  he  takes  all  these  actions  to  be  an  expression  of 
his  inner  self — nay  he  views  the  entire  universe  as  himself  (his  own 
spirit).  How  can  such  a  one  get  fettered  by  any  action?  When  one 
gets  rid  of  the  sense  of  opposites  and  otherness  which  creates  jealousy, 
he  remains  jealousy-free;  this  does  not  need  to  be  expressed  in  words. 
There  is,  therefore,  no  doubt  that  such  a  one,  if  entirely  emancipated, 
is  action-free,  even  when  he  performs  actions ;  he  lives  beyond  good 
and  evil  although  he  moves  in  the  midst  of  such  Gunas  and  their 
mortal  evil. 

23  "When  one,  freed  from  attachment,  and  with  the  mind  firmly 
centred  in  knowledge,  has  won  deliverance,  (then)  all  the 
action,  undertaken  as  and  for  a  'sacrifice,'  entirely  melts 
away.  (115) 

Although  embodied  in  a  human  figure,  he  lives  only  as  pure  spirit. 
The  tests  of  pure  Brahman  show  him  to  be  pure  and  spotless.  Even 
so  any  sacrifices,  and  similar  actions,  religious  ceremonials  which 
he  does  in  a  playful  way  meet  their  final  end  by  merging  in  his  own 
pure  soul.  Just  as  clouds  arising  in  the  sky  out  of  season,  evaporate 
of  themselves  without  any  downpour;  in  the  same  way  the  prescribed 
religious  sacrifices  and  other  duties  performed  by  him  lose  themselves 
in  his  absolute  unitary  spirit. 

i^N"  ^r  Terser  ^^jfwjifcHi  u  ^y  w 

24  '  'For,  (his)  act  of  offering  is  Brahman,  the  oblation  is  Brahman^ 
offered  by  Brahman  itself  into  the  Fire  which  (too)  is  Brahman  ; 
(hence)  the  goal  to  be  attained  by  him  through  concentration 
upon  actions  (i.e.  act-relations)  which  are  themselves  Brahman, 
is  Brahman  itself  (1 19) 

For,  his  mind  is  never  touched  by  any  distinction  such  as  a  particular 
thing,  i.e.  the  sacrifice,  another,  the  sacrificer,  and  the  third  one, 


96  JNANESHWARI 

the  thing  sacrificed.  He  realises  all  the  sacrifices,  with  their  detailed 
forms  such  as  the  oblations  ( pt),  and  the  hymns  etc.  as  the  life  of 
the  Supreme  Self.  Hence  to  one  who  has  realised  that  these  actions 
are  rooted  in  Brahman,  O  Dhananjaya,  performance  of  actions  is 
the  same  as  action-free  life.  Now  these  have  outgrown  the  uninitiated 
age  of  childhood  and  so  are  now  wedded  to  Renunciation,  and  then 
have  started,  as  married  men  do,  maintaining  sacrificial  Fire  in  the 
form  of  Yoga;  and  then  they  take  to  sacrificial  ritual  in  the  form  of 
Yoga  and  give  oblations  of  mind  as  also  of  ignorance,  in  the  sacred 
fire  in  the  form  of  the  spiritual  preceptor's  words. 

W^M^NM}  ****  ««W«*lM<an§fn  II  ^K  II 

25  "Some  devoted  experts  there  are  who  elevate  into  the  highest 
worship  just  the  (ordinary)  sacrifice  intended  for  Gods;  others 
offer,  into  the  Fire  in  the  form  of  Brahman,  "Sacrifice"  itself 
(conceived  as  an  oblation)  by  means  of  "Sacrifice"  (con- 
ceived as  an  implement  of  offering).  (123) 

Such  ones  alone,  should  do  the  sacrifice  in  the  form  of  Yoga.  O  Son 
of  Pandu,  that  sacrifice,  the  performance  of  which  secures  for  one 
the  bliss  of  the  Self-vision  is  called  Devayajna  (%<m$ ).  Now  hear 
about  some  more  kinds  of  sacrifices.  Those  that  maintain  sacrificial 
fire  in  the  form  of  Brahman,  and  offer  into  this  fire,  the  sacrifice  itself 
(conceived  as  an  oblation),  by  means  of  sacrifice  (conceived  as  imple- 
ment of  offerings) : 

4I«4I«D^  HWRTFRT  S&jSMlfHM  «J^J%  II  ^  II 

26  "Others  offer  the  ear  and  all  other  sense — centres  (conceived 
as  oblations),  into  the  Fires  in  the  form  of  (sense — )  control. 
Others  offer  sound  and  all  other  objects  into  the  Fires  in  the 
form  of  sense-centres.  (126) 

Some  maintain  the  sacrificial  Fire  in  the  form  of  self-control  or  the 
control  of  the  mind.  They  offer  (conceived  as  oblations)  sense  pleasures 
(objects)  accompanied  by  incantation  of  hymns,  in  the  shape  of  the 
restraint  of  the  body,  speech  and  the  mind:  others,  after  the  rise  of 


IV.  BRAHMAYAJfiA  97 

the  Sun  of  Renunciation,  make  the  control  of  the  mind  as  their  abode 
of  spirit  and  prepare  there  the  Fire  of  sense-objects.  Then  with  the 
kindling  of  the  flames  of  the  sensuous  pleasures,  the  sticks  of  dry 
wood  in  the  form  of  the  fancies  get  ablaze  while  smoke  in  the  form 
of  craving,  goes  out  of  the  five  receptacles  in  the  form  of  the  five  senses 
of  the  knowledge,  leaving  them  clean  and  shining.  Then  they  (sacri- 
ficers)  recite  the  great  hymn  "I  am  the  Brahman"  and  offer  plentifully 
into  the  fire  of  sense-enjoyment,  in  the  receptacle  (in  the  form)  of  the 
heart,  the  oblations  in  the  form  of  sense-objects." 

3Mc*Wi*WiVllH\  *|^fd  HM^fa^  II  ^VS  II 

27  "Still  others  offer  all  the  functions  of  the  sense-centres  as 
well  as  the  functions  of  the  Vital  Airs  into  the  Fire  consisting 
of  the  Discipline  (Yoga)  of  concentred  meditation  on  the 
Self,  when  (the  Fire)  gets  kindled  by  knowledge.         (130) 

In  this  way,  O  Partha,  some  become  purified  and  washed  off  their 
sins  by  maintaining  sacrificial  Fire  in  the  form  of  Self-control.  Some 
others  use  the  spiritual  meditation  as  an  instrument  of  creating  fire, 
by  rubbing  on  a  piece  of  dry  wood  in  the  form  of  heart,  for  the  purpose 
of  kindling  fire  (wood).  They  tied  meditation  tightly  with-  the  rope 
in  the  form  of  their  mental  firmness  and  with  great  sternness  pressed 
it  and  churned  it  with  the  force  of  the  preceptor's  mystic  words.  With 
such  continued  and  sustained  friction  they  soon  got  its  fruit  in  the 
form  of  the  kindling  of  the  fire  of  knowledge.  But  before  this  Fire 
of  Knowledge  got  kindled  there  first  issued  a  little  smoke  and  this 
was  the  infatuating  lure  of  magic  powers.  With  the  clearing  away 
of  smoke,  the  first  spark  of  the  fire  of  knowledge  blazed  itself  forth. 
This  spark  got  an  inflammable  substance  in  the  form  of  soul  dried 
up  and  become  subtle  and  fine  on  account  of  the  control  over  it,  which 
got  kindled  and  spread  out  in  flames  and  in  this  are  burnt  the  sticks 
of  dried  wood  ( "TftraT  )  in  the  form  of  multiform  desires,  along  with 
purified  butter  in  the  form  of  secret  longings  and  passions.  The  sacri- 
ficial priest  gave  oblations  of  the  acts  of  the  senses  in  the  fire  of  know- 
ledge accompanied  by  the  recital  of  the  hymn  'I  am  the  Brahman.' 
The  last  oblation  in  the  form  of  activities  of  the  Vital  Airs  is  then  given 
into  the  Fire  together  with  the  hay-spoon  (  ^T )  and  then  took  place 
the  final  sacred  spiritual  bath  ( amfr )  following  the  conclusion  of 
the  sacrifice,  in  the  emergence  of  the  state  of  merging  off  in  the 


98  JNANESHWARI 

Brahman.  After  this,  they  took  out  the  residues  left  of  oblations  at 
the  completion  of  the  sacrifice  of  Self-control  in  the  form  of  their 
realisation  of  the  highest  self-vision.  Not  a  few  secured  emancipa- 
tion through  such  sacrifices.  Although  the  various  kinds  of  sacrifices 
so  far  mentioned  appear  different  from  each  other,  still  the  result 
of  all,  is  one  and  the  same  viz.  getting  (one  with)  the  Supreme  Brahman. 

*4IU4m?*M49ll£r  SRTO:  tiftlcHMl:  II  ^c  II 

28  "There  are  also  other  ascetics  of  austere  vows  whose  sacrifice 
consists  in  money  gifts,  whose  sacrifice  consists  in  penance, 
whose  sacrifice  consists  in  Godward  devotion  (Yoga);  like- 
wise those  whose  sacrifice  consists  in  Vedic  recitation  as  also 
in  (the  pursuit  of)  learning.  (140) 

Some  do  sacrifices  consisting  of  material  (money  gifts),  some  con- 
sisting of  penances  ( ®$\m ),  and  some  consisting  of  Godward  devo- 
tion (*ftTW).  Some  make  sacrifices  of  spoken  words  into  spoken 
words  and  it  may  be  called  Sacrifice  of  Words  (WF3?r).  The  sacrifice 
that  terminates  in  the  realisation  of  the  end  of  knowledge  (the  Brah- 
man) through  meditation,  is  called  the  Sacrifice  (consisting)  of  know- 
ledge. But,  O  Arjuna,  it  is  very  difficult  to  solve  the  riddles  of  all 
the  sacrifices.  But  such  as  have  established  full  control  over  their 
senses,  do  succeed  in  this  on  the  strength  of  their  spiritual  energy. 
Having  the  excellence  of  mental  energy  at  their  command,  and  being 
endowed  with  the  powers  of  Yoga,  they  are  able  to  sacrifice  their 
individual  souls  at  the  altar  of  the  Supreme  Soul. 

MivimM<itn  "^  wuiwwmwm:  II  ^£  II 

29  "Others,  again,  into  the  Inhalation  sacrifice  the  Exhalation, 
or  into  the  Exhalation  the  Inhalation,  having  first  restrained 
the  motions  (respectively)  of  the  Exhalation  and  the  In- 
halation, with  the  ultimate  object  of  (acquiring)  control  over 
(all)  the  Vital  Airs.  '  (144) 

Some  others  devoted  to  the  art  of  Yoga,  sacrifice  ingoing  breath 
into  the  fire  of  outgoing  breath;  others  adopt  the  reverse  process, 
while  there  are  some  who  bring  under  complete  control  both  the 


IV.  'BRAHMAYAjflA  99 

ways  (upward  and  downward)  of  vital  breath.  These  are  called 
Life-breath  controllers.  (JTPnwnft). 

STC^  ftUdl^KI:  HI"H*J  5rF»fa|  *p|%  I 
4!<&ulrl  ^f^<Tl  J|*I<m(m<M»vWII:  u  ^o  || 

30  "Others,  regulating  the  diet,  offer  the  (rest  of  the)  vital- 
functions  into  (some  one  of)  the  vital-functions.  All  these 
alike,  being  possessors  of  the  (secret  of  the)  Sacrifice,  reduce 
(all)  defilements  by  means  of  the  Sacrifice:  (146) 

Some  following  the  system  of  Hatha  (Bodily)  Yoga,  called  Vajrayoga 
(3^pftT)  regulate  their  nutritive  nature  and  sacrifice  the  various 
processes  of  the  original  vital  breath  into  vital-breath  with  great 
courage.  Thus  all  those  desirous  of  release  through  the  means  of 
sacrifices  cleanse  all  defilements  of  mind  and  prepare  for  emancipa- 
tion. These  are  souls  in  whom  all  illusions  and  limitations  of  mind 
and  ignorance  have  been  burnt  out  and  there  emerges  only  the  form 
of  the  pure  essence  of  self;  how  could  there  remain  in  such,  limiting 
restrictions  like  the  fire  and  the  sacrificer?  For,  in  them  the  supreme 
end  of  the  Sacrificers  is  achieved,  all  acts  of  sacrificing  have  come  to 
an  end,  and  the  manifold  of  actions-life  is  finally  dissolved.  There 
abides  for  ever  the  state  in  which  there  is  no  scope  for  individual  mind 
and  mind's  purposes,  and  the  soul  is  not  even  touched  by  any  strife 
of  opposites. 

*l*fl4IWI*Jd*|vifl  miGti  'SHcET  *HlcM*J  I 

31  "And,  partaking  of  the  ambrosial  remainder  of  the  Sacrifice, 
attain  the  ever  enduring  Brahman,  (Even)  this  world  (below) 
belongs  not  to  one  who  does  not  sacrifice:  whence  then  the 
next  (world),  O  Best  of  the  Kurus?  (151) 

Such  knowledge  then  as  emerges  at  the  end  of  the  sacrifice,  is  pure 
and  unsullied  as  it  is  eternal  and  without  beginning,  and  is  the  enjoy- 
ment of  souls  devoted  to  the  Supreme  Brahman,  accompanied  by 
the  recital  of  the  hymn  'I  am  the  Brahman'.  Those  that  arrive  at 
this  Supreme  satisfaction  and  are  contented  with  the  nectar  in  the 
form  of  the  residues  of  the  spiritual  sacrifices,  and  become  the  masters 
of  true  immortality,  are  easily  absorbed  in  the  Supreme  Brahman; 


100  JNANESHWARI 

while  to  those  that  never  try  the  Yoga  pathway  and  have  failed  to 
devote  themselves  to  the  Fire  in  the  form  of  Self-control  are  denied 
the  blissful  embrace  of  the  true  renunciation.  No  wonder  then  that 
those  that  cannot  well-secure  any  good  of  this  world  are  hardly  expect- 
ed to  secure  anything  in  the  other  by  way  of  Eternal  life.  So  let  it 
alone,  O  Son  of  Pandu. 

+4^M  fa%  cfFT  <Hc|f34  srfMI  ft#^%  II   3^   II 

32  "Thus  of  many  varieties  are  the  Sacrifices  offered  into  the 
mouth  of  Brahman.  Know  them  all  to  be  born  of  action.  Thus 
knowing  thou  wilt  become  free.  (155) 

I  spoke  to  you  so  far  about  so  many  varieties  of  sacrifices ;  all  these 
are  described  in  detail  in  the  Vedas,  but  we  are  not  concerned  with 
their  detailed  account  here.  The  essence  is  that  this  entire  world  of 
sacrifice  is  rooted  in  action  of  Brahman.  If  this  is  realised,  the  taint 
of  action  will  not  bind  the  soul. 

fl^  WtffilM  *?l4  Sn%  Mf<W*IIU(^  n  W  || 

33  "To  be  preferred  to  a  Sacrifice  of  material  objects  is  the 
Sacrifice  (consisting)  in  knowledge,  O  Tormentor  of  foes! 
All  actions,  becoming  freed  of  its  binding-power,  O  Son  of 
Prtha,  finds  its  culmination  in  knowledge.  (157) 

Oh  Arjuna,  all  these  ways  of  sacrifices  need  the  use  of  gross  and  material 
stuff  and  action,  that  have  their  origin  described  in  the  Vedas,  and 
have  for  their  wonderful  fruit,  the  emergence  of  a  new  power  of  com- 
manding Heavenly  enjoyments.  These  sacrifices  of  material  objects 
are  noble  as  sacrifices;  yet,  as  compared  with  the  sacrifices  rooted 
in  knowledge,  they  pale  into  insignificance  as  much  as  the  brilliance 
of  stars  looks  faint  before  that  of  the  Sun.  O  Arjuna,  that  knowledge 
proves  as  a  Divine  collyrium  to  the  spiritual  eye  of  the  inspired  soul 
and  the  Yogins  cannot  bear  to  be  without  it  any  time;  for,  with  that, 
they  are  able  to  find  out  the  hidden  treasure  in  the  form  of  supreme 
bliss.  That  Bliss  is  the  grand  end  of  the  cosmic  action,  the  rich  mine 
of  emancipation  that  is  knowledge  which  satisfies  the  spiritual 
hunger.  By  it,  appetite  becomes  feeble,  reason  loses  its  power,  the 


IV.  BRAHMAYAjtfA  101 

sense — centres  forget  their  objects,  the  minds  get  their  mind-notion 
snapped,  the  talk  loses  its  power  of  talking,  and  the  object  of  know- 
ledge is  traced — that  knowledge,  which  rewards  the  agony  of  re- 
nunciation with  a  rich  content,  satisfies  the  eager  craving  of  the  higher 
intuitive  mind,  and  brings  about  the  union  with  the  Spirit  of  the 
Supreme  Self. 

34  "Understand,  that  after  humble  prostration,  by  reverent 
questioning,  by  (devoted)  service,  those  who  have  known 
and  realised  the  Truth  will  impart  it  to  thee:  (164) 

Should  you  be  desirous  of  attaining  the  status  of  this  best  knowledge 
you  should  devote  yourself  to  the  service  of  the  saints  in  a  whole- 
hearted manner,  since  service  at  the  feet  of  saints  becomes  the  very 
threshold  of  the  temple  of  knowledge.  You  should,  therefore,  turn 
and  reach  that  position.  You  must,  for  that  purpose,  humble  yourself 
at  the  feet  of  saints,  and  do  them  wholehearted  service,  dropping  all 
sense  of  pride  and  egotism.  When  you  do  this,  the  saints  will  impart 
to  you  that  knowledge  which  you  wish  for  and  which  you  implore 
of  them  and  that  knowledge  is  such  that  once  it  illumines  the  heart, 
the  heart's  cravings  and  fantasy's  acts  come  to  a  stop. 

yw^MI  T  ^«<4T^«i  MlwRl  TT"3W  I 

35  "By  knowing  which  thou  wilt  never  again  thus  fall  into  in- 
fatuation, O  Son  ofPandu,  and  through  which  thou  wilt  be 
enabled  to  see  all  existences  without  exception  within  thine 
own  Self,  as  also  within  Me.  (168) 

And  through  light  of  the  knowledge,  themind  shedding  all  fear  becomes 
as  free  from  restraint  as  the  Supreme  Brahman.  At  this,  you  will 
realize  the  eternal  vision  of  all  separate  individual  beings  and  your- 
self, as  rooted  in  my  own  essential  being.  Such  light  of  knowledge 
will  burst  on  your  soul  and  dispel  the  darkness  of  ignorance  only 
when  the  Saint,  the  Preceptor  blesses  you  with  grace. 


102  JNANESHWARI 

36  "Wert  thou  even  the  sinfullest  of  all  sinners,  thou  wouldst 
cross  over  all  evil,  just  by  the  raft  of  wisdom.  (171) 

Were  you  even  to  be  the  sinfullest  of  all  the  sinners,  or  the  very  ocean 
of  ignorance,  or  the  very  mountain  of  illusion,  yet  all  these  will  be 
a  trifle — so  great  is  the  power  of  that  knowledge ;  such  strength  abides 
in  that  knowledge.  For  even  so  vast  an  error  as  the  belief  in  the  reality 
of  the  universe  which  is  but  a  ray  emanating  from  the  Infinite  Brah- 
man, melts  in  the  light  of  this  knowledge ;  the  washing  of  the  impurities 
of  the  mind  is  then  a  bit  of  a  trifle  for  Brahman  to  need  special  mention. 
This  is  a  silly  doubt.  There  is  nothing  else  so  big,  so  comprehensive 
in  the  world,  as  this  knowledge. 

dMlP^:  *l4*mfflM  ?flFRHR|  ^^  ^^  M  3^  H 

37  "Just  as  the  kindled  fire  reduces  to  ashes  all  fuel,  O  Arjuna, 
so  does  the  fire  of  knowledge  reduce  to  ashes  all  actions.  (175) 

Just  see,  could  the  clouds  hold  their  own  before  the  stormy  all-envelop- 
ing winds  blowing,  when  the  universal  conflagration  sends  smoke 
in  rushing  torrents  into  the  sky  at  the  dissolution  of  the  universe? 
Or  could  the  hay  and  dry  wood  ever  extinguish  the  fire  of  universal 
conflagration  fanned  by  the  stormy  winds  and  capable  even  of  burn- 
ing immense  waters? 

38  "For,  there  exists  not  here  anything  purifying  that  equals 
knowledge.  That  (knowledge) ,  one  who  has  attained  per- 
fection in  Yoga,  finds,  in  course  of  time,  spontaneously  within 
his  (own)  Self.  (177) 

These  are  utter  impossibilities,  and  do  not  even  bear  the  light  of 
reflective  thought.  Nothing  is  so  holy  and  sacred  as  knowledge. 
Knowledge  is  the  supreme  good.  What  else  can  be  on  a  par  with  it? 
No  equal  can  exist  by  the  side  of  spirit  (sentience).  If  it  be  possible 
for  the  reflection  to  be  as  brilliant  as  the  Sun  himself,  or  if  it  be  possible 
to  hold  in  embrace  the  sky,  or  if  it  be  possible  to  find  a  measure  to 
balance  the  weight  of  the  Earth,  then  only  there  could  be  found  any- 


iv.  brahmayajSa  103 

thing  in  the  universe  that  could  match  with  knowledge.  When  viewed 
from  all  sides  and  regarded  again  and  again,  the  sublimity  and  holi- 
ness of  knowledge  are  matched  only  by  knowledge  itself  and  nothing 
else.  Just  as  the  flavour  of  ambrosia  can  be  compared  only  with 
ambrosia,  in  the  same  way  knowledge  can  be  compared  only  with 
knowledge.  Now  to  say  more  is  wasting  time."  On  this,  Partha 
said  to  the  Lord,  "What  you  say  is  true."  But  the  Lord  forestalled 
Arjuna  in  making  clear  what  he  wanted  and  said,  "Now  I  tell  you 
the  only  way  by  which  knowledge  can  be  unmistakably  possessed, 
and  you  hear  it  attentively,  O  Kiriti." 

39  "One  imbued  with  faith  wins  that  knowledge  if,  having  con- 
trolled his  sense-centres,  he  is  intently  after  it.  Having  obtained 
the  knowledge,  he,  in  no  long  time,  attains  the  Peace  Supreme. 

(186) 

One  who  has  tasted  self-bliss  and  consequently  feels  aversion  for 
objects  of  senses;  one  in  whose  soul's  reckonings,  the  sense  objects 
have  no  value ;  one  who  does  not  bespeak  his  desires  to  his  own  mind : 
one  who  does  not  fall  into  error  about  illusive  things  and  who  abides 
in  the  happy  enjoyment  of  his  complete  faith — such  a  one  is  sought 
after  by  that  Eternal  Knowledge,  which  confers  infinite  endless  Bliss. 
Once  that  knowledge  is  settled  in  the  heart,  and  sprouts  into  Blissful 
joy  it  spreads  out  the  vision  of  the  Self.  When  this  happens  he  sees 
joy  and  Bljss  in  whatever  direction  he  looks  to,  and  then  drops  all 
notions  of  separate  things  such  as  Self  or  not  Self.  In  this  way  the 
ever-extending  sprouts  of  the  seed  of  knowledge  are  beyond  descrip- 
tion, and  suffice  this  for  the  present. 

40  "One  neither  possessing  knowledge  nor  having  faith,  goes 
to  perdition — his  soul  being  all  doubts.  Neither  this  world, 
nor  the  next,  nor  any  happiness  (anywhere)  falls  to  the  lot 
of  the  doubting  soul.  (192) 

That  being,  who  has  no  love  of  such  knowledge—leads  a  worthless 


104  JNANESHWARI 

life.  Death  is  better  than  a  life  of  this  kind.  The  life  of  a  man  without 
knowledge  is  rooted  in  illusion  and  ignorance — as  futile  as  a  desolate 
house  or  a  lifeless  body.  One  might  not  be  in  actual  possession  of 
knowledge,  yet  one  in  whom  there  is  some  longing  for  it — there  is 
held  out  in  the  case  of  such  a  one,  some  chance  of  reaching  knowledge. 
One  without  desire  for  knowledge — not  to  talk  of  actual  knowledge, 
such  a  creature,  take  it,  is  as  one  enveloped  in  the  fire  of  all-consuming 
doubt.  Death  is  sure  to  take  the  toll  of  such  a  person  who  has  such 
a  distaste  that  he  has  no  relish  even  for  Nectar;  in  the  same  way  take 
it  as  certain  that  a  person  is  completely  swallowed  by  doubt  when 
he  remains  pleased  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  sense-pleasures  and  feels 
a  strong  distaste  for  knowledge;  and  falling  in  doubt  is  doomed  for 
ever,  and  is  deprived  of  happiness  both  in  this  and  in  the  other  world. 
One,  with  high  fever  on,  does  not  feel  any  distinction  between  cold 
and  heat,  and  treats  both  moonlight  and  intense  heat  equally;  in  the 
same  way,  one  torn  with  doubt  knows  neither  truth  nor  untruth, 
neither  good  nor  evil,  and  neither  his  own  interests  nor  others'.  Just 
as  one  born  blind,  does  not  have  the  least  idea  of  day  and  night,  in 
the  same  way  one  full  of  doubt  is  incapable  of  understanding  anything. 

3UcM«ti  T  ?F*rffar  f*MMpH  ^T3W  II  *?   II 

41  "One  who  has  renounced  actions  through  Yoga  and  has  cleft 
his  doubts  by  knowledge  and  is  master  of  his  own  Self:  him, 
O  Dhanamjaya,  the  actions  fetter  not.  (202) 

Therefore,  there  exists  no  greater  sin  in  the  universe  than  doubt  which 
is  only  a  snare,  meant  for  catching  and  destroying  the  poor  victim. 
Therefore,  you  should  drop  all  doubt  rooted  in  ignorance  and  con- 
quer that  one  (doubt)  alone  to  begin  with.  It  is  on  the  increase  when 
there  prevails  pitchy  darkness  in  the  form  of  ignorance,  thereby  barring 
the  way  of  faith.  It  assumes  proportions  beyond  the  capacity  of  the 
heart  to  hold,  and  then  it  completely  eclipses  the  intellect,  with  the 
result  that  the  entire  universe  becomes  infected  with  the  poison  of 
doubt. 

HtHI4*IM4l\<i  fc^t  dMlfiMMW  I 

IWM  ?=RPT  4)*Wlfcll6tftlt6  WTCcT  II  *^   II 

42  "Therefore,  by  the  sword  of  knowledge,  do  thou  cleave  asunder 


Ft 


V    r^"^  IV.  BRAHMA  YAjtf  A  105 

Cf  p~jhis  doubt  that  is  born  of  ignorance,  and  betake  thyself  to 
•S  ^  this  Yoga  and  stand  forth,  O  Descendant  of  Bhdrata."  (206), 


However  big  the  doubt  might  grow,  it  can  be  overpowerect  by"  one 
remedy.  Should  one  have  in  his  hand  the  sword  of  knowledge,  the 
doubt  could  be  cut  asunder  by  that  sharp  sword,  not  a  grain  of  it 
being  left  behind.  Therefore,  O  Partha,  get  up  at  once  and  destroy 
altogether  this  doubt  that  is  dwelling  in  your  heart."  Thus  said  kindly 
to  Arjuna,  that  Lord  Krishna,  Great  amongst  the  all-knowing,  and 
the  very  Light  of  Knowledge, — O  King  Dhritarashtra. 

What  questions  the  son  of  Pandu  asked  after  pondering  over 
all  the  earlier  and  later  talks  that  took  place,  and  the  theme  of  these 
enquiries,  with  the  inner  links,  will  be  narrated  in  due  course;  for 
Jhey  are  the  very  store-house  of  ideas  and  the  very  glory  of  sentiment. 
In  this  will  come  out  in  unique  perfection,  the  sentiment  of  blissful 
grandeur,  the  eloquence  of  which  will  excel  that  of  the  other  eight 
sentiments,  which  in  fact  should  be  brushed  aside  by  the  side  of  the 
one  referred  to — the  sentiment  of  blissful  grandeur.  This  gives  relief 
to  the  soul  of  the  pious. 

That  narrative  you  should  hear  only  in  the  Marathi  phraseology 
(which  would  be)  full  of  meaning,  deeper  than  the  ocean.  Even  though 
the  disc  of  the  Sun  appears  not  greater  in  size  than  a  palm,  still  the 
three  worlds  prove  too  small  for  the  compass  of  its  light;  in  that  way 
you  will  experience  the  wide  scope  of  the  Marathi  phraseology.  The 
Kalpataru  tree  furnishes  fruit  according  to  the  desires  of  the  desirer; 
in  the  same  way  the  comprehensive  aspect  of  the  Marathi  phraseology, 
being  elastic  so  as  to  extend  or  to  curtail  according  to  the  wishes  of 
the  hearers,  the  hearers  should  be  careful  while  hearing  it.  Suffice 
it  for  the  present.  You  are  all-knowing  and  need  no  greater  detail. 
My  only  request  is  that  you  should  be  attentive.  For,  just  as  a  high- 
born woman  of  exceeding  beauty  and  purity,  is  blessed  into  (becoming) 
the  devoted  wife  of  unflinching  faith  and  spotless  virtue,  so  here  (in 
my  Marathi  rendering  of  Lord's  discourse)  the  beauty  of  words  and 
excellence  of  meaning  naturally  blossom  into  the  quiet  of  the  mystic 
vision  of  Unitary  Being.  Sugar  is  by  nature  sweet ;  can  it  fail  to  induce 
the  patient  to  take  it  joyfully  again  and  again?  The  breeze  coming 
from  the  Malbar  Ghats  is  by  nature  gentle  and  fragrant.  Were  the 
sweet  taste  of  ambrosia  and  the  sweet  sound  of  music  to  get  mixed 
with  it,  the  breeze  would,  by  its  very  touch,  create  cooling  sensation 
tin  a  heated  body,  will  make  the  tongue  dance  with  delight  on  account 


106  JNANESHWARI 

of  its  sweet  taste,  satisfy  also  the  ears,  and  gratify  them  all.  In  the 
same  way,  the  hearing  of  this  story  will  regale  the  ears  with  a  feast, 
and  remove  entirely  the  worries  of  life's  distress,  without  causing  any 
harm.  If  the  chanting  of  the  hymns  were  to  secure  the  destruction 
of  the  enemy,  where  is  the  need  of  a  dagger?  Why  should  the  juice 
of  the  bitter  "nimb"  tree  be  taken,  were  the  disease  to  be  cured  by 
a  dose  of  sugar  and  milk?  In  that  way  final  release  from  life's  misery 
would  automatically  be  secured  by  hearing  this  narrative,  without 
depressing  or  restraining  the  mind  or  without  interfering  with  the 
senses.  Jnaneshwar,  the  disciple  of  Nivrittinath,  therefore  exhorts 
the  hearers  to  hear  the  Gita  teachings  peacefully  and  with  tranquillity. 

(224) 


CHAPTER  V 
SA1V1NYASAYOGA 


Arjuna  Spake: 

1  "Renunciation  of  actions,  O  Krsna,  and  yet  again,  (even- 
tempered)  application  (to  them),  thou  dost  extol:  whichever 
of  t/ie  twain  is  better,  that  one  alone  declare  unto  me  clearly 
and  decisively."  (1) 

Then  Arjuna  said  to  Lord  Krishna,  "How  puzzling  is  all  this  your 
counsel?  Had  you  taught  me  only  one  sure  course  of  action  I  could 
have  grasped  it  in  my  mind.  First,  you  advised  in  detail  that  all 
actions  should  be  renounced;  then  in  one  breath  you  are  extolling 
with  great  zeal,  the  superior  wisdom  of  the  path  of  action.  On  account 
of  your  misleading  words  we,  being  ignorant,  are  at  our  wit's  end 
to  grasp  your  preaching  as  clearly  as  we  desire.  What  need  is  there 
for  any  one  to  tell  you,  Oh  Lord,  that  if  you  wish  to  preach  the  one 
essential  truth,  then  you  should  like-wise  be  definite  or  unambiguous. 
For  this  reason,  I  implored  you,  at  the  very  outset,  O  God,  that  this 
supreme  truth,  should  not  be  merely  hinted  at  in  a  brief  way.  Be 
it  as  it  may;  and  now  at  least  say  clearly  and  decisively  which  of  the 
ways,  renunciation  of  action  or  adherence  to  it,  is  superior  and  sure 
of  realising  the  light  which  will  last  and  at  the  same  time  be  clear 
and  easy  to  follow.  Not  only  does  a  ride  in  a  palanquin  not  disturb 
the  sleep,  but  also  quickly  furnishes  a  long  stretch  of  road-journey: 
in  the  same  manner  the  way  should  be  comfortable  and  easy.  To 
hear  Arjuna  talk  in  this  way,  Lord  Krishna  was  both  pleased  and 
amused.  For,  said  he  "Hear,  it  will  be  as  you  say".  See,  Oh  hearers, 
this  is  as  it  should  be.  The  child  indeed  gets  even  the  moon  as  a  toy 
if  it  wants  it,  when  it  is  blessed  with  the  fortune  of  Kamadhenu 
(Heavenly  cow  yielding  all  desires)  as  his  mother!!  Remember 
also  that  when  God  Shankar  became  propitious  he  gave  the  very 
ocean  of  milk  (sftnfssr)  to  Upamanyu  to  satisfy  his  desire  for  rice 
and  milk.    How  then  could  Dhanurdhara  fail  to  be  placed  at  the  very 


108  JNANESHWARI 

centre  of  all  happiness,  when  the  Lord  of  Lakshmi,  the  original  fount 
of  all  mercy  and  grace,  was  pleased  with  him  ?  What  wonder  is  there 
in  it?  With  a  master  like  Lord  Krishna  at  his  service,  he  (Arjuna) 
should  of  course  ask  for  whatever  he  wished  for.  Therefore,  Arjuna 
did  ask  for  knowledge  and  Lord  Krishna  gave  it  in  great  joy.  Now 
I  shall  narrate  what  Lord  Krishna  said. 

MfaW4M4N  I 

cimI<TJ  «mI*HJIWI<J  +44V*H  f^rf5TBE|#  II  ^  II 

2  The  Exalted  one  spake:  "Renunciation  (of  actions)  and 
(even-tempered)  application  to  actions  do  both  make  for 
the  Highest  Good.  But  out  of  these  twain,  as  compared  with 
Renunciation  of  actions,  Application  to  actions  is  specially 
preferred."  (15) 

He  (the  Lord)  said,  "0  Son  of  Kunti,  when  considered  properly 
both  the  renunciation  of  actions  and  the  even-tempered  application 
to  actions  make  for  emancipation.  Yet,  for  both  the  learned  and  the 
ignorant,  application  to  actions  is  indeed  clear  and  easy.  A  boat  is 
useful  for  ferrying  women  and  children  across  a  stream.  In  the  same 
way,  weighing  the  pros  and  cons,  application  to  actions  is  easy  for 
all  alike.  For  application  to  actions  easily  secures  for  them  the  fruit 
of  the  path  of  renunciation  of  action  too.  I  shall  now  speak  to  you 
of  the  marks  of  one  renouncing  actions  to  make  you  understand 
this,  so  that  you  can  easily  see  that  bbth  the  renunciation  of  actions 
and  even-tempered  application  to  actions  are  indistinguishable  in 


PtW  %  n^wT^t  ^  nwn^  snp^  ii  3  ii 

3  "He  is  to  be  deemed  a  person  ever  practising  renunciation 
who  (even  while  performing  the  actions)  cherishes  neither 
aversion  nor  inclination.  For,  having  reduced  the  'pairs  of 
opposites'  he,  0  Long-armed,  is  easily  released  from  bondage. 

(19) 
One  who  does  not  regret  the  loss  of  a  thing  or  does  not  hanker 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  109 

after  things  not  securable ;  who  remains  as  firm  as  the  very  mountain 
Meru;  one  in  whose  mind  there  does  not  exist  in  the  least  any  notion 
of  'me'  or  'mine'  should,  O  Partha,  be  considered  as  one  ever-prac- 
tising renunciation.  One  attaining  this  position  is,  forever,  free  from 
attachment  to  action.  He  is  thus  blessed  with  unbroken  happiness. 
Such  a  one  ever  practising  renunciation,  is  not  required  to  abandon 
home,  wife,  and  other  possessions,  since  he  abides  in  the  realisation 
that  he  is  attachment-free  being,  in  no  way  concerned  with  any  of 
them.  Just  see,  the  ashes  remaining  behind  after  the  fire  gets  ex- 
tinguished, could  be  held  in  a  pinch  along  with  cotton  (for  the  purpose 
or  spinning  and  converting  it  into  a  wick);  in  the  same  way,  one 
cherishing  neither  aversion  nor  inclination,  while  encumbered  with 
wordly  concerns,  never  gets  fettered  by  actions.  Thus  renunciation 
could  be  attained,  only  when  one  gets  rid  of  aversion  and  inclination, 
and,  for  this  reason  both  the  path  of  renunciation  of  actions  and 
the  path  of  even-tempered  action  go  together  hand  in  hand. 

3R|  «i<?A:  SITUJe)  FTFT  d^ltA<lM  *l**iri  \ 

*^M«jr»l  4j{h£i$ji  «rlxT%<inf«R^sjfcr  u  ^  11 

4  "The  unthinking  ones  speak  of  the  Samkhya  and  the  Yoga 
as  diverse  (theories),  but  not  the  men  of  understanding. 
Whoso  pursues  one  alone  (of  them)  duly  obtains  the  fruit 
of  them  both. 

5  Whatever  goal  by  the  Samkhya  (adepts)  is  attained,  that 
is  reached  even  by  the  Yoga  (adepts).  Who  so  sees  the 
Samkhya  and  the  Yoga  as  one,  he  (truly)  sees. 

6  Per  contra,  Renunciation,  0  Long-armed,  is  hard  to  attain 
if  there  be  no  Yoga;  (whereas)  a  sage,  steadied  in  Yoga, 
in  no  long  a  time,  attains  Brahman.  (26) 

O  Partha,  how  could  those  that  have  not  understood  this  main 
principle,  be  in  a  position  to  appraise  this  order  of  things  conse- 


1 10  JNANESHWARI 

crated  in  the  Samkhya  and  the  Yoga?  In  their  ignorance  they  con- 
sider these  as  different.  In  truth,  does  a  lamp  shed  a  variety  of  lights? 
The  two  paths  are  essentially  one  and  the  same  in  the  vision  of  those 
who  have  realised  the  essence  of  the  absolute  Self.  The  goal  attained 
by  the  Samkhya  (adepts)  is  also  the  goal  reached  by  the  Yoga  (adepts) 
and  therefore,  the  two  are  of  one  and  the  same  form.  Just  as  space 
and  its  void  cannot  be  separated,  in  the  same  way,  Samkhya  and 
Yoga  both  stand  united  together.  True  wisdom  and  the  light  of 
the  vision  of  true  self  have  dawned  on  the  mind  of  the  sage,  who  has 
realized  the  identity  of  Samkhya  and  Yoga'.  Oh  Partha,  one  who 
proceeds  along  the  path  of  actions  and  reaches  the  top  of  the  mountain 
of  salvation,  reaches  earlier  the  plateau  of  the  bliss  of  the  Self.  But 
he  toils  in  vain  who  does  not  succeed  in  even-tempered  application 
to  actions,  for  he  can  never  attain  the  true  renunciation  of  actions. 

sfrrppEt  i<«usic**i  faPstcuc**!  P»ic)P-fi«4:  I 
W^HdlcH^dlcHI  U#5Tfa  *T  (H<-Md  II  VS  II 

7  "One  steadied  in  Yoga,  with  pure  self  and  subdued  spirit, 
with  the  sense-centres  under  control,  and  realising  the  one- 
ness of  his  Self  with  the  Inner  Self  of  all  beings — he,  even 
when  doing  actions,  incurs  no  contamination.  (34) 

He  is  one  who  has  wrenched  out  his  mind  free  from  the  snare  of 
worldy  delusion  and  the  infatuation  of  Maya  and  has  his  mind 
cleansed  of  all  defilement  with  the  secret  initiatory  word  of  the  pre- 
ceptor, and  has  fixed  it  on  the  essence  of  the  Supreme  Self;  just  as 
salt  looks  separate  and  a  trifle,  so  long  it  has  not  fallen  into  the  ocean, 
but  once  it  drops  into  the  sea  and  is  one  with  it,  it  becomes  as  vast 
as  the  sea  itself;  in  the  same  way  one  whose  mind  has  freed  itself 
from  all  cravings  and  desires  and  has  merged  with  pure  sentience, 
such  a  one  becomes  an  absolute  universal  Presence,  although  looking 
like  others  an  individual  circumscribed  by  place,  time  and  other 
limitations.  To  such  a  one  words  like  "doer",  "actions  to  be  done" 
etc.  of  course  cease  to  have  any  meaning;  he  is  ordinarily  seen  doing 
actions  of  all  sorts  and  yet  he  abides  in  his  pure  essence  free  from 
the  fetters  of  action.  How  could,  O  Partha,  such  a  one  feel  in  him 
the  position  as  a  'doer'  when  he  is  not  aware  even  of  his  individual 
existence? 

#*  r*fc<J  *0*flfd  ^rft  W*fa  flr*fac|l 
i|4l|6^IM(«J  ^Tf^STgRRR^  W3®%  ^M^Vj^  II   K   II 


V.    SAMNY  ASA  YOGA  111 

8  7  do  not  do  any  action  at  all:'  so  should  one  intent  upon 
Yoga  think-knower  of  Truth  that  he  is — even  when,  all  the 
while,  he  is  seeing,  hearing,  touching,  tasting,  eating,  walking, 
sleeping,  breathing  : 

9  Talking,  ejecting,  grasping,  opening  (eyes)  as  also  closing 
'(them) :  holding  (always)  that  it  is  the  sense-centres  (that 

are)  busied  with  the  sense-objects.  (38) 

In  this  way  are  seen,  in  a  Karmayogl  Saint  following  the  path  of 
even-tempered  activity,  the  visible  signs  of  the  Perfect  Life  of  the 
Supreme  Invisible  Brahman,  even  before  he  leaves  his  body.  Usually 
he  could  be  seen  in  his  body-form  and  doing  all  sorts  of  actions  like 
other  persons.  The  Karmayogin,  just  as  others  do,  sees  with  his 
eyes,  hears  with  his  ears, — but  the  wonder  of  it  is  that  he  does  not 
get  entangled  into  them.  He  has  the  touch-sense  and  he  is  mindful 
of  smelling.  He  can  talk  as  suits  the  occasion.  He  takes  food,  avoids 
prohibited  things,  and  enjoys  sound  sleep  in  proper  time.  He  moves 
as  he  likes.  In  this  way  he  performs  all  the  actions.  What  more, 
he  breathes,  he  winks,  and  does  all  other  things  but  abides  forever 
as  one  free  from  action  on  the  strength  of  his  personal  pure  self- 
experience  gained  as  a  Karmayogin.  For,  now  with  the  Sunrise  of 
Pure  Knowledge  he  has  awakened  out  of  the  slumbers  which  he  had 
on  the  bed  of  ignorance  and  error  that  possessed  him  with  the  dreamy 
sense  of  happiness. 

f^aT^  T  <flT  TT^T  M^IM^lfMl*^!  II  \o  \\ 

10  ''Reposing  all  actions  in  Brahman,  he  who  does  (them) 
abjuring  all  attachment;  he,  like  a  lotus-leaf  by  the  water, 
is  not  contaminated  by  sin.  (48) 

(Even)  after  he  attains  such  a  state,  the  sense-inclinations  continue 
to  work  in  the  field  of  their  several  objects,  being  rooted  in  the  body. 
Just  as  all  routine  household  actions  go  on  with  the  light  of  the  lamp, 
in  that  way,  the  body's  actions  continue  to  be  performed  in  the  case 
of  the  Karmayogin.  He  performs  all  the  actions,  and  yet,  while 
performing  them  does  not  get  plastered  over  by  them,  like  the  lotus 


112  JNANESHWARI 

leaf,  which  while  dwelling  in  water,  does  not  yet  get  wet  or  drenched 
with  water. 

wd&  wm  *&*n  «fce(^r<ta44<fa  i 

iTtto:  *fi  f^fcr  H^f  H(*Mlc*Uj^  II   t\  II 

11  "Those  practising  Yoga  take  to  actions,  be  it  by  the  body 
(alone),  by  the  mind  (alone),  by  the  intellect  (alone),  as 
also  by  the  sense-centres  alone,  after  abjuring  all  attachment, 
with  a  view  to  realise  the  Self.  (51) 

That  is  body's  activity  in  which  the  voice  of  the  intellect  is  unheard, 
and  the  thinking  mind  has  not  yet  sprouted.  To  put  it  in  simple 
words,  the  Yogin's  actions  very  much  resemble  the  child's  playful 
and  aimless  actions.  And  when  this  material  body  composed  of 
the  five  gross  elements  falls  in  deep  slumber,  the  mind  alone  functions 
as  in  a  dream.  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  note  this  wonderful  thing— the 
beguiling  power  of  desires  in  luring  the  body  into  the  enjoyment 
of  pleasure  and  pain,  without  letting  it  have  even  a  scent  of  it.  The 
activity  then,  to  which  the  senses  are  strangers,  are  mental  acts. 
The  Yogins  do  such  mental  acts,  but  being  free  from  contact  with 
egoistic  sense,  they  in  no  way  get  enmeshed  by  them.  When  the 
mind  of  an  insane  person  is  struck  with  hallucination,  the  actions 
of  his  senses  appear  out  of  sorts.  He  can  see  the  things  and  human 
figures  round  him,  he  can  hear  if  called  on,  he  can  talk  with  his  mouth, 
but  with  all  this,  he  does  not  appear  to  understand  anything.  No 
further  elaboration  seems  needed.  In  short  any  action  done  without 
any  motive  is  pure  "sense-action".  Any  action  done  deliberately 
with  full  knowledge  is  the  real  "action  of  intellect"  so  said  Lord 
Krishna  to  Arjuna.  Lord  Krishna  again  said,  "Such  ones  perform 
actions  with  mind  knowingly  fixed  on  them,  but  they  have  an  eman- 
cipated life  being  "action-less"  in  the  direction  of  mind.  They  are 
unmindful  of  anything  like  conceit  of  intellect,  pinned  down  to  their 
body,  with  the  result  that  they  are  pure  and  spotless  even  while  per- 
forming actions.  O  Arjuna,  to  perform  actions  without  any  egoistic 
sense  is  itself  actionlessness  and  this  secret  truth  is  only  to  be  realised 
from  the  spiritual  Masters  who  have  already  seen  it.  And  when 
such  a  state  is  reached,  the  stream  of  blissful  ecstacy  overflows  its 
dams.  That  eternal  truth  which  is  beyond  the  power  of  words,  I 
have  spoken."  O  hearers,  those  of  you,  whose  senses  have  the  bottom 
of  their  intense  cravings  completley  knocked  off,  are  only  really 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  1  1  3 

qualified  for  such  knowledge.  Hearing  this  digression  the  hearers 
said,  "Enough  of  this  detailed  description,  and  do  not  cut  off  the 
thread  of  the  narrative,  lest  the  significance  of  the  verses  be  missed. 
You  have  been  able  to  narrate  to  us,  through  sheer  fortune's  favour 
of  ours  that  secret  truth  which  is  difficult  to  be  grasped  by  mind  and 
which  even  the  refined  intellect  does  not  reach.  O,  this  truth  which 
is  indeed  beyond  the  power  of  words,  has  yet  been  brought  within 
the  compass  of  your  words.  What  more  remains  to  be  done?  So 
stop  here  and  proceed  with  the  original  narrative."  Seeing  this 
ardent  desire  for  hearing  on  the  part  of  the  hearers,  Jnaneshwar, 
the  disciple  of  Nivritti,  said,  "O  Hearers,  hear  attentively  the  dialogue 
between  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna."  Lord  Krishna  then  said  to  Partha. 
"I  shall  now  tell  you  in  clear  words  the  complete  marks  of  those 
Yogins  that  have  attained  perfection;  just  listen." 

3T*grP:  **>m*l}«l  ^  HrKt  fa«|Wj3  II  ^11 

12  "One  intent  (on  Yoga)  abjures  the  action's  fruit  and  wins 
Peace  eternal;  while  one  not  intent  (on  Yoga),  because 
actuated  (in  his  actions)  by  desires,  is  attached  to  the  fruit, 
and  falls  into  fetters.  (71) 

One  whose  soul  reposes  in  this  self-vision  loathes  altogether  the 
craving  for  the  fruit  of  actions.  He  is  assuredly  sought  after  and 
espoused  by  the  Blissful  Peace,  while  others,  O  Kiriti,  are  tied  to 
the  stake  in  the  form  of  enjoyment  of  fruit  by  the  rope  in  the  form 
of  actions. 

*nart  5^  t^"  3rar  igpHr  ?r  wnrctpr  11  m  u 

13  "Inwardly  renouncing  all  actions,  the  embodied  one,  self- 
controlled,  abides  serenely  within  the  nine-gated  citadel, 
neither  doing  (anything  himself),  nor  causing  (it)  to  be  done. 

(73) 

The  Karmayogin  performs  all  actions  in  the  same  way  as  are  done 
by  others  craving  for  fruit ;  and  then  he  remains  indifferent  in  regard 
to  the  actions,  as  if  he  did  not  do  them  at  all.  In  whatever  direction 
he  then  might  turn,  he  finds  happiness  showering  on  him  and  wherever 


1 14  JNANESHWARI 

he  dwells,  there  he  finds  the  vision  of  Self  abiding.  While  abiding 
in  the  body  which  has  nine  outlets,  he  is  yet  without  a  bodily  life  and 
having  dropped  all  cravings  for  the  fruit  of  the  actions,  he  lives  as 
if  he  did  not  perform  any  actions. 


14  "Neither  the  doer's  status,  nor  the  acts  (to  be  done),  does 
the  Lord  create  for  the  people,  nor  (also)  the  joining  of  the 
fruit  to  the  action:  it  is  Nature,  however,  that  operates  (in 
the  matter).  (76) 

The  Almighty  God,  viewed  in  proper  light,  is  without  any  activity 
and  yet,  he  moves  and  is  the  author  of  everything  in  the  vast  universe. 
If  it  be  said  that  he  does  anything,  he  is  never  touched  even  by  the 
actions,  since  the  hands  and  feet  of  this  Neutral  Being  never  get 
sullied  by  actions.  The  restful  repose  of  his  Divine  Yoga  is  never 
disturbed;  nor  does  his  position  as  a  neutral  inactive  author  ever 
totter.  Yet,  it  is  He  who  raises  this  array  of  the  five  gross  elements. 
He  is  the  very  life  of  the  universe,  and  yet  does  not  get  controlled 
by  anyone.  He  has  indeed  not  even  so  much  as  awareness  that  the 
universe  is  ever  created  or  it  ends. 

15  "The  Lord  does  not  take  (upon  himself)  anybody's  evil 
deed,  nor  also  his  good  deed.  By  ignorance  is  the  knowledge 
shrouded,  and  through  it  are  all  creatures  deluded.  (80) 

All  merits  and  demerits  keep  close  to  His  Eternal  Being,  and  yet 
he  never  even  looks  at  them.  And  thus  truly  he  does  not  even  become 
the  neutral  onlooker  of  them — not  to  talk  of  other  activity.  Wearing 
personal  forms,  he  lives  sportively  the  personal  life  of  manifested 
being:  Yet,  the  state  of  his  being  formless  and  quality-less  never 
suffers  any  change.  It  is  an  idle  talk  that  he  creates  the  entire  universe, 
maintains  it  and  in  the  end  dissolves  it,  for  it  is,  forsooth  all  ignorance, 
hear  ye,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu. 

W&R  5  d«M'f*f  *fclt  *uOWd*IW*R:  t 
d«*Wlf«K*l*l*flH  M*M*wfd  ?l^  «R^  It  \%  It 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  1  1  5 

16  "But  in  the  case  of  those  by  whose  (Self)  knowledge  that 
ignorance  is  destroyed:  their  knowledge,  like  unto  the  Sun, 
lights  up  that  Supreme  (Self).  (83) 

When,  this  ignorance  is  completely  dissolved  then  only  will  the  lamp- 
soot  (of  delusion)  and  error  disappear.  Then  will  dawn  the  vision 
by  which  God  is  realized  as  not  really  the  doer  of  anything.  When 
the  soul  comes  to  realise  that  God  is  the  one  being  who  is  non-doer, 
there  follows  the  eternal  truth,  "I  am  that  very  God".  When  this 
idea  sheds  its  light  in  the  mind,  how  can  there  be  any  idea  of  separate 
beings  in  the  universe?  In  such  a  state  the  seer  settled  in  his  own 
experience  views  the  entire  world  as  rooted  in  the  essence  of  the 
Self.  Does  it  ever  happen,  that  with  the  rising  of  the  Sun  in  the  East, 
there  abides  plenty  of  light  only  in  that  sphere,  other  spheres  re- 
maining in  total  darkness  as  they  were-(before  Sun-rise)? 

17  "With  thoughts  fixed  on  That,  with  the  soul  in  tune  with 
That,  solely  devoted  to  That,  and  making  That  the  (ultimate) 
goal:  they-with  their  defilements  entirely  shaken  off  by  know- 
ledge-attain a  status  from  which  there  is  no  return.        (87) 

He  should  be  said  to  have  settled  in  a  balanced  vision  whose  intellect 
has  been  steady  in  the  Self-vision,  who  has  acquired  the  knowledge 
of  the  Self,  is  impressed  with  the  realisation  that  he  himself  is  the 
(essence  of)  Supreme  Brahman,  who  has  attained  eternal  life  and 
abides  firmly  in  the  essence  of  the  Supreme  Brahman,  and  thus  whose 
heart  is  the  final  resting  place  of  all  abiding  knowledge :  What  more 
need  be  said?  There  is  no  wonder  if  such  a  one  feels  the  unity  of  the 
entire  universe  in  the  eternal  Being  of  the  Self  as  his  own.  The  men 
of  wisdom,  annul  the  distinction  between  themselves  and  other 
beings  or  between  being  and  being,  just  as  the  goddess  of  luck  does 
not,  even  in  jest  sport  with  any  poverty,  or  just  as  the  right-thinking 
person  has  never  the  remotest  touch  of  delusion,  or  just  as  the  Sun 
does  not  even  in  dream  see  any  shadow  of  darkness,  or  just  as  to  the 
ambrosial  essence  death  is  a  strange  language  or  just  as  the  Moon 
never  remembers  anything  being  hot. 

lwi$H*j*iu$  4m$j«l  nfa  ^Rrifn  i 


116  JNANESHWARI 

18  ''Towards  a  Brahmin  endowed  with  learning  and  humility, 
towards  a  cow  or  towards  an  elephant;  towards  a  dog  or  to- 
wards a  cooker  of  dog  (-flesh),  the  men  of  wisdom  preserve 
an  even  regard.  (93) 

How  could  then  there  exist  (with  them)  any  distinction  such  as  a 
fly  against  an  elephant,  or  an  untouchable  against  the  twice-born 
(f§W)  or  a  stranger  against  one's  own  kith  and  kin,  or  a  cow  against 
a  dog,  or  a  big  thing  against  a  small  one,  or  apart  from  all  these  could 
there  be  anything  like  a  dream  to  one  fully  awake?  There  could 
be  seen  distinction,  only  if  there  would  exist  any  sense  of  separate 
egoistic  individuality;  but  that  having  already  been  got  rid  of,  how 
could  there  remain  any  distinction? 

19  "Right  here  is  the  creation  conquered  by  those  whose  mind 
is  steadied  in  equipoise;  for,  (such)  faultless  (and)  even 
(temper)  is  Brahman  (itself),  so  that  they  become  steadied 
in  Brahman.  (96) 

Therefore  know  it  that  "I  am  that  sole  one  Brahman  without  a  second, 
which  ever  abides  everywhere,  steadied  in  equipoise"  and  that  this 
secret  truth  is  the  spring  of  the  "even-eyed"  vision.  For  he  alone 
lives  the  life  of  detachment  and  freedom  from  desires  without  losing 
contact  with  the  objects  of  the  senses,  and  without  in  any  way  dropping 
the  functions  of  the  senses.  He  acts  like  other  common  persons,  but 
has  dropped  all  delusions  of  worldly  things  arising  out  of  ignorance; 
abides  in  the  body-form  but  remains  aloof  from  worldly  affairs, 
just  as  the  spirit  haunts  a  tree  but  is  not  visible  to  an  observer,  or  like 
the  water  rolling  over  other  water  on  account  of  a  gust  of  wind  to 
which  others  however  give  the  name  of  waves;  who  although  known 
under  different  names  and  forms  is  none  else  but  the  Supreme  Brah- 
man, and  whose  mind  abides  "steadied  in  equipoise"—  such  a  one, 
has  attained  vision,  steady  and  whole,  and  has  also  his  special  marks, 
which  Oh  Arjuna,  I  shall  tell  you  thus  in  brief. 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  1  17 

20  "He  should  not  be  overjoyed,  having  secured  what  is  pleasant; 
nor  be  dismayed,  coming  upon  what  is  unpleasant;  with  a 
steadied  intellect  and  free  from  confusion,  he  the  knower  of 
Brahman  (should  become)  steadied  in  Brahman.  (103) 

"One,  who  is  in  no  way  perturbed  or  moved  at  the  happening  either 
of  a  good  or  a  bad  event,  just  as  a  mountain  cannot  be  swept  out 
by  flood  of  mirage,  should  be  known  as  really  one,  who  is  even- 
tempered  and  he  is  the  very  Supreme  Brahman  incarnate"  said  Lord 
Krishna  to  the  Son  of  Pandu. 

3T  U^nft^rETcfTT  $MmH*W4^cl  II  3?  II 

21  "With  his  self  unattached  to  external  (sense-)  contacts,  a 
man  wins  what  bliss  inheres  within  his  own  self.  Such  a 
man,  with  the  self  (mind)  intently  set  in  the  Yoga  upon  Brah- 
man, enjoys  enduring  bliss.  (105) 

Is  it  a  thing  to  be  wondered  at  that  One  that  never  lives  outside  the 
eternal  life  of  the  Self,  does  not  give  himself  up  to  the  senses,  and 
never  enjoys  the  objects  of  the  senses?  One  who  is  internally  com- 
pletely happy  through  the  natural  and  unlimited  bliss  of  the  Self, 
does  never  get  out  of  this  bliss.  Would  the  bird  Chakora  who  has 
once  tasted  the  sweets  of  the  moon-rays  from  a  plate  in  the  form  of 
lotus  leaves,  ever  taste  sand  from  the  sandy  bank?  In  the  same  way 
it  is  needless  to  say  that  one  who  has  secured  the  bliss  of  the  Self, 
and  has  become  one  with  the  essence  of  the  Self,  has  escaped  from 
the  clutches  of  the  objects  of  the  senses. 

3n?RT^Tf:  eh\r^i|  ft  ^J  TR^"  TO  II  ^  II 

22  For,  the  enjoyments  that  there  are,  born  of  (sense — )  contacts, 
they  are  (all)  sheer  wombs  of  misery ;  they  have  a  beginning 
and  an  end,  O  Son  ofKunti;  a  wise  man  finds  no  joy  in  them. 

(109) 

Just  consider  well,  who  do  fall  a  prey  to  the  deceitful  pleasure  of  the 
sense-objects.  Only  those  that  have  not  yet  had  the  vision  of  the 
Essence  of  Eternal  Being  get  deluded  by  the  sense-objects.  Just  as 


118  JNANESHWARI 

a  poverty-stricken,  hungry  person  swallows  even  chaff,  or  just  as 
a  thirst-stricken  deer,  through  delusion,  forgets  the  real  form  of  water 
and  runs  towards  a  barren  tract  mistaking  it  for  water;  in  the  same 
way  only  those  that  have  never  seen  the  Eternal  Self  and  who  have 
hardly  any  idea  of  the  happiness  of  Eternal  life  of  the  Self,  feel  pleased 
with  the  pleasures  of  sense-objects.  To  speak  the  truth,  there  is 
absolutely  no  pleasure  worth  the  name  in  the  enjoyment  of  sense- 
objects.  If  there  be  any  real  happiness  in  them  why  one  could  not  as 
well  have  light  in  the  world  with  the  flash-light  of  lightning?  Where 
is  the  need  of  constructing,  in  mortar,  three-storied  buildings,  if 
the  clouds  in  the  sky  are  able  enough  to  give  shelter  with  their  shadows 
against  wind,  rain  and  heat?  The  words  "sense-objects  produce 
pleasures"  are  a  misnomer,  being  meaningless  just  as  it  is,  to  call  a 
poisonous  bulbous  root  sweet,  or  just  as  it  is  to  call  the  inauspicious 
planet  Bhauma  (Mars)  as  "Mangala"  (auspicious),  or  to  call  mirage 
as  water  through  delusion.  In  all  these  ways  it  is  fruitless  to  use  the 
word  "pleasure"  in  regard  to  sense-objects.  This  apart — just  tell  me 
what  pleasure  would  the  shadow  of  the  hood  of  a  serpent  give  to 
a  mouse?  O  Son  of  Pandu,  fleshy  coating  of  the  bait,  attached  to 
the  hook  (of  the  fishing  rod)  appears  attractive  to  a  fish  so  long  as 
it  has  not  swallowed  it.  Similar  is  the  state  of  the  sense-contacts, 
these  sense-objects  appear  fatty,  O  Kiriti,  as  appears  the  swollen 
body  of  one  affected  with  the  disease  anaemia.  Therefore,  the  illusive 
pleasure  felt  in  the  enjoyment  of  sense-objects  is  simply  pain  and 
nothing  else  from  beginning  to  end.  But  yet  what  should  the  ignorant 
do  since  they  cannot  help  enjoying  the  sense-objects?  Being  ignorant 
of  the  inner  secret,  they  enjoy  the  sense-objects  with  great  liking. 
Do  the  worms  in  the  mire  of  pus  ever  feel  any  nausea  for  it?  To  those 
miserables,  that  misery  itself  is  their  very  life  as  it  were.  They  are 
the  frogs  in  the  mire  of  the  sense-objects,— the  fish  in  the  waters 
of  the  enjoyment;  how  could  then  they  abandon  that  mire  and  water? 
These  sense-objects  are  all  sheer  hot-beds  of  misery — viz  creators  of 
misery.  Were  mortal  souls  to  remain  neutral  or  apathetic  in  regard 
to  the  enjoyment  of  sense-objects,  those  barren  enjoyments  would 
get  destroyed.  Who  would  then  be  prepared  to  drudge  along,  without 
the  least  rest,  the  difficult  tract  in  the  form  of  the  calamitous  ordeal 
of  the  stay  in  the  womb  and  hardship  of  birth  and  death?  Besides, 
were  such  souls,  strongly  attached  to  the  sense-objects,  to  abandon 
them,  where  would  then  remain  any  scope  for  the  helpless  great 
sins?  And  then  the  very  word  'earthly  existence'  would  lose  its 
meaning  and  cease  to  exist.  For  all  these  reasons  those  that  are  given 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  1  19 

to  pleasure  and  that  have  accepted  the  misery  resulting  from  the 
sense-objects,  have  themselves  secured  reality  for  the  delusive  in- 
fatuation. Therefore,  O  Great  Warrior,  these  sense-objects  being 
very  bad  things,  do  not,  even  by  mistake,  be  anywhere  nearabout 
their  track.  Persons  of  ascetic  inclinations  avoid  these  sense-objects 
as  they  would  avoid  poison  and  they  do  not  even  feel  any  misery 
confronting  them  on  account  of  their  desirelessness. 

«hH<tftfaft4«i  %*f  W  *p*>:  W  ^t  IT:  II  ^3  H 

23  "He  that  is  enabled  to  withstand,  right  here  and  ere  the  dis- 
solution of  the  body,  the  furor  produced  by  passion  and  anger: 
that  man  is  (truly)  set  in  Yoga:  is  happy.  (129) 

Men  of  wisdom  that  have  kept  under  control  all  the  ills  of  the  body, 
are  not  even  aware  of  the  existence  of  the  misery  arising  out  of  sense- 
objects.  They  do  not  even  understand  the  language  of  the  external 
objects,  having  abiding  eternal  bliss  in  the  interior.  But  their  mode 
of  enjoying  that  bliss  is  different.  They  do  not  taste  that  bliss,  as  do 
the  birds  taste  the  fruits,  but  while  enjoying  it,  forget  their  own  posi- 
tion as  the  enjoyer.  While  enjoying  the  bliss  of  the  Self  they  become 
so  much  absorbed  in  it,  that  the  last  trace  of  Separateness  gets  al- 
together removed  and  then  that  absorption  holds  them  in  embrace 
in  such  a  way  that  with  that  embrace  their  individual  souls  become 
one  with  the  Supreme  Self,  just  as  water  mingles  with  other  water. 
When  wind  is  of  one  life  with  the  sky,  the  very  difference  as  two 
separate  things  such  as  the  "wind"  and  the  "sky"  is  vain  and  void; 
in  that  way,  with  the  beings  and  their  absorption  (in  the  bliss  of  the 
Self)  getting  together,  the  abiding  result  is  only  the  happiness  in  the 
form  of  eternal  life.  With  the  elimination  of  duality,  there  remains 
only  absolute  Unity  of  Being:  but  is  there  any,  that  could  remain 
separate  as  the  experiencer  of  this? 

*T  'f^ft  fl^lPw?"!  4tgJ'<tjkiUfe«rBE9fci  II  R*  II 
fey  I'M  I  ydlcMH:  tt^*j«i^  TWtt  II  ^X  II 


120  JNANESHWARI 

24  "He  whose  bliss  is  in  himself;  whose  solace  is  in  himself; 
and  likewise  who  is  an  inner  light  unto  himself:  such  a  Yogin 
— realising  his  oneness  of  essence  with  Brahman — attains 
extinguishment  in  Brahman. 

25  "(Such)  extinguishment  in  Brahman  do  the  sages  attain 
whose  (liability  to)  defilement  is  at  an  end;  who  have  cut 
asunder  (all  sense  of)  duality;  and  who,  with  disciplined 
selves,  are  intent  upon  securing  the  weal  of  all  beings.    (136) 

Therefore,  I  say  unto  you,  that  this  is  indeed  a  vision  unspeakable 
and  truth  that  is  unutterable.  One  that  has  experienced  the  being 
of  Self,  will  be  able  to  understand  all  through  this  intimation  and 
suggestion.  Those  that  have  got  intoxicated  with  this  happiness 
of  the  Self  and  are  absorbed  in  the  Self— I  take  them  all  to  be  beings 
whose  souls  are  cast  in  essence  in  the  very  unitary  Being  of  the  Supreme 
Brahman :  they  are  the  very  embodied  manifestation  of  joy,  and  in 
them  is  the  blossom  of  happiness,  and  the  dwelling  or  abode  of  the 
realisation  of  the  Self.  They  should  be  taken  to  be  the  very  (birth-), 
place  of  true  vision,  the  very  form  itself  of  the  essence  of  the  Supreme 
Brahman,  or  the  decorated  organs  of  the  Brahman  lore.  They  should 
be  known  as  the  very  essence  that  lives  in  the  righteous  or  the  very 
life  of  sentience  itself.  The  hearers,  at  this  stage  of  the  fullness  of 
the  sermon,  intervened  and  said,  "Enough  of  this.  In  how  many 
colours  you  are  going  to  paint  one  and  the  same  idea?  You  get 
enamoured  of  the  praises  of  the  saints  and  lose  the  thread  of  the 
narrative,  and  you  feel  a  prompting  to  use  elegant  and  flowery  phraseo- 
logy in  propounding  the  qualityless  (ft$T)  theme  (of  Brahman). 
Curb  the  flow  of  this  prompting  and  brighten  the  lamp  of  the  Gfta- 
teaching  and  create  an  auspicious  dawn  in  the  temple  of  the  saints' 
hearts!"  At  this  command  of  his  master,  the  disciple  of  Nivrittinatha 
said  to  his  hearers,  "Hear  what  Lord  Krishna  said,  "Oh  Arjuna, 
those  that  have  once  reached  the  bottom  of  the  unfathomable  depth 
of  the  whole  of  the  river  in  the  form  of  the  bliss  of  the  Self,  become 
steady  there  and  get  merged  into  it;  or  one  who  sees  within  himself 
with  pure  light  of  the  knowledge  of  Self,  the  entire  Universe,  there 
is  no  objection  to  call  such  a  one  the  embodied  form  of  the  Supreme 
Brahman.  Those  that  are  desireless  only  become  qualified  for  this 
Vatan  (hereditary  birth-right)  in  the  form  of  the  Supreme  Brahman, 
which  is  all  real,  the  best  of  all,  indestructible  and  limitless.  This 
is  reserved  only  for  the  great  sages  and  comes  to  the  share  of  the 
ascetics,  its  growth  being  doubtless  perpetual. 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  121 

3Tf*lrft  ^rf^foT  ^^  fafedlr*WI*4  II  "R%  II 

26  "In  close  proximity  to  (abhitah)  the  men  of  strict  discipline 
(Yati)  who  are  freed  from  passion  and  wrath  and  who,  with 
minds  controlled,  have  realised  the  Self,  there  abides  (the 
Peace  of)  extinguishment  in  Brahman.  (148) 

Those  that  have  wrenched  out  their  minds  from  the  objects  of  senses, 
and  have  kept  them  under  their  complete  control  and  which  once 
asleep  there,  do  not  awake — such  persons  are  called  Supreme 
Brahman  Absolute.  Such  men,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  are  themselves  the 
Supreme  Brahman,  the  goal  of  those  that  have  attained  the  realisa- 
tion of  knowledge  of  the  Self.  Were  you  to  ask  me  how  these  beings, 
even  though  in  human  form,  could  attain  the  supreme  state,  I  shall 
elucidate  in  brief. 

Frerf^  ^rarr  ^(?s«i?^ii$r8p^i»TA  ^t  i 

mi«iimi«i)  H*ft  $r^T  dmiUlnHTtlfiuft  II  ^V9  \\ 

27  "Having  kept  aloof  (all)  external  (sense-)  contacts  and 
directing  the  gaze  betwixt  the  eyebrows,  making  the  exhala- 
tion and  the  inhalation  that  move  within  nostrils,  evenly 
balance  one  another. 

28  With  sense-centres,  mind  and  intellect  under  control:  the 
sage  who-making  salvation  his  goal  rids  himself  of  (all) 
desire,  fear  and  anger:  he  verily  is  ever  emancipated.    (151) 

They  on  the  strength  of  their  asceticism  drive  away  from  their  body, 
all  the  sense-objects  and  make  it  (body)  all  full  of  the  mind.  In  such 
a  state,  they  turn  and  direct  their  gaze  to  the  spot  where  the  ends 
of  the  eyebrow  meet  together  (between  the  eye-brows),  restraining 
both  the  nostrils,  they  evenly  balance  and  bring  together  the  life 
breath  Prana  and  Apana  (ingoing  and  outgoing)  and  force  them 
up  along  with  the  mind  in  the  direction  of  Brahmarandhra  (W^RET  - 
the  aperture  supposed  to  be  at  the  crown  of  the  head,  through  which 
the  soul  takes  its  flight  on  death).  Just  as  the  water-courses  from 
the  streets  go  and  join  the  Ganges,  which  along  with  them  flows 


122  JNANESHWARI 

into  the  sea,  and  then  they  cannot  be  distinguished,  in  the  same  way 
when  in  the  state  of  wrapt  concentration  the  mind  mingles  with  the 
Brahmarandhra,  being  forced  into  it  by  the  combined  strength  of 
the  life  breath  of  Prana  and  Apana,  desires  cease  to  exist.  The  linen 
in  the  form  of  the  mind  on  which  is  drawn  the  picture  of  the  mundane 
existence  then  gets  torn  and  just  as  the  reflections  (in  it)  disappear 
with  the  drying  up  of  a  lake,  in  the  same  way  when  the  mind  itself 
ceases  to  exist,  where  then  could  exist  self-conceit  or  sense  of  separate 
individual  being?  One  who  thus  experiences  the  bliss  of  the  absorption 
of  oneness  with  Brahman  becomes  himself  the  very  Being  and  Power 
of  the  Brahman,  even  though  he  be  in  a  human  form. 

29  "He,  knowing  Me  as  the  enjoy er  of  all  sacrifices  and  pen- 
ances— as  the  Almighty  Lord  of  all  the  worlds,  and  as  the 
Benefactor  of  all  beings— attains  peace, "  ( 1 58) 

We  said  before,  that  some  reach  the  state  of  Supreme  Brahman  even 
while  in  human  form;  they  attain  that  stage  in  this  way.  They  climb 
the  mountains  of  self-restraint,  and  comprehensive  self-governance, 
etc.  and  cross  over  the  ocean  of  the  study  of  the  Yoga  and  reach 
the  Supreme.  They  carry  on  their  mundane  existence,  themselves 
remaining  aloof  on  the  strength  of  the  realisation  of  the  Self  on  their 
part,  and  become  themselves  the  very  centre  (home)  of  tranquillity". 
Thus  Lord  Krishna  made  this  the  occasion  of  the  disquisition  of  the 
path  of  eventempered  devotion  to  action,  at  which  being  a  deep  and 
penetrating  hearer,  Arjuna  got  puzzled  at  this  new  truth.  Lord 
Krishna  perceiving  this,  smiled  and  said,  "Oh  Partha,  has  your 
mind  seen  the  truth  of  what  I  said?"  On  this  Arjuna  said,  "You 
are  an  adept  in  reading  the  minds  of  others  and  have  seen  through 
my  mind.  You  correctly  gauge  what  I  want  to  ask,  and  tell  me  all 
beforehand;  yet,  do  tell  it  to  me  once  more  in  clear  and  simple  words. 
The  real  thing  is,  that  the  path  you  now  preach  is  more  easy,  and  also 
simpler,  for  an  infirm  being  like  me,  than  the  path  of  Samkhya  (know- 
ledge) just  as  wading  through  water  is  easier  than  swimming  across 
the  stream.  It  is  not  such  a  difficult  thing  as  cannot  be  borne,  if  some 
time  more  is  found  for  tracing  it  out;  therefore,  do  preach  it  once 
more  in  its  entirety  and  in  extenso  in  order  to  have  it  verified  with 
all  its  side  issues."  Lord  Krishna  said,  "Is  it  so?  You  do  then  think 


V.    SAMNYASAYOGA  123 

that  this  path  is  better!  If  that  is  so,  I  am  prepared  to  preach  it  again, 
since  I  lose  nothing  thereby.  Just  hear,  I  shall  with  pleasure  tell 
you  all.  O  Arjuna,  you  love  to  hear,  and  after  hearing,  to  act  up 
to  it.  With  such  ready  preparation  why  should  I  hesitate  to  preach 
once  more  that  path?" 

Conclusion 

"O  hearers,  (there  is)  originally  a  mother's  heart;  added  to  it,  is 
her  intense  love  for  her  favourite  child;  who  would  then  be  able 
to  realise  fully  the  rising  tide  of  the  stirring  affection?  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  understand  whether  I  should  name  the  fond  gaze  of  Lord  Krishna 
towards  Arjuna  as  a  shower  of  nectar  in  the  form  of  sentiment,  grace 
and  mercy  or  a  new  world  imposed  by  unique  and  intense  love? 
That  gaze  was  as  it  were  the  very  image  cast  in  nectar,  or  it  got  so 
much  intoxicated  with  the  sentiment  of  affection  and  got  so  much 
entangled  in  the  infatuation  of  Arjuna,  that  it  was  not  possible  to 
divert  it.  The  more  I  profusely  spend  my  words,  the  greater  would 
be  the  deviation  from  the  main  topic, — without  having  a  true  picture 
in  words  of  the  intense  love.  But  there  is  no  wonder  that  any  one 
else  should  not  be  able  to  describe  adequately  what  God  is,  when 
He  Himself  fails  to  tell  it  in  words.  But  methinks  there  is  the  secret 
truth  that  Lord  Krishna  was  enamoured  of  Arjuna,  for  frequently 
in  his  previous  oft-repeated  words  he  fondly  says :  "O  Arjuna,  hear, 
do  hear  please."  Now  Lord  Krishna  will  again  say  "I  shall  gladly 
preach  the  teachings  again  in  a  way  that  would  make  you  understand 
the  subject  thoroughly,  I  shall  explain  fully  what  is  called  the  Path 
of  Yoga,  of  what  use  it  is,  and  who  are  qualified  for  it,  and  any  other 
question  that  may  be  raised  in  regard  to  it.  You  only  hear  it  atten- 
tively." The  next  chapter  deals  with  what  Lord  Krishna  said  after 
making  such  an  introduction.  I,  Jnandev,  the  disciple  of  Nivrit- 
tinath,  say  to  you  hearers,  that  I  shall  now  make  clear  to  you  Lord 
Krishna's  teachings  to  Arjuna,  how  to  attain  that  path  without 
abandoning  one's  place  in  earthly  empirical  life.  (180) 


CHAPTER  VI 
DHYANAYOGA 

Introduction 

Then  Samjaya  said  to  the  King  (Dhritarashtra),  "Hear  (about) 
the  Path  of  Yoga  Lord  Krishna  preached  to  Arjuna.  We  the  guests, 
have  indeed  arrived  just  in  time,  when  Narayan  made  Arjuna  break 
his  fast  (of  ignorance)  by  regaling  him  with  the  rich  dishes  consisting 
of  the  nectar  of  Brahman  knowledge.  Just  look  at  the  happy  stroke 
of  luck!  A  thirsty  one,  given  a  cup  of  water,  should,  just  as  he  takes 
it,  find  it  metamorphosed  into  nectar!  The  same  has  happened  to 
us  and  we  have,  without  effort,  secured  in  our  grip  the  knowledge 
of  Supreme  Brahman."  At  this  Dhritarashtra  said,  "I  never  asked 
you  about  these  things!"  Samjaya  understood  the  King's  inner 
mind  for  it  was  perturbed  on  account  of  his  love  for  his  sons.  Samjaya 
smiled  at  this  and  exclaimed  that  the  old  man  had  got  deluded  by 
paternal  affection.  Otherwise,  how  could  he  fail  to  appreciate  the 
beautiful  dialogue  between  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna?  How  could 
a  person,  born  blind,  know  what  light  is?  Samjaya  however  flinched 
from  speaking  the  plain  truth,  lest  the  king  would  feci  offended. 
For  himself  Samjaya  was  happy  in  his  own  mind  by  listening  to  the 
perfect  dialogue  between  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna.  With  his  heart 
elated  at  the  joyful  satisfaction,  Samjaya  now  goes  on  with  the  narra- 
tion, with  great  reverence,  of  what  took  place  in  the  dialogue. 
Chapter  Six  of  Glta  displays  the  grand  theme  of  superb  beauty,  for 
therein  one  sees  the  abiding  essence  of  truth,  extracted  and  fixed 
beyond  doubt.  Just  as  ambrosia  was  secured  as  the  very  essence  of 
all  gems  coming  out  of  the  churning  of  the  ocean  of  milk,  in  that 
way  this  Chapter  Six  is  the  very  refined  extract  of  the  Philosophy 
contained  in  Glta:  or  (it  is)  the  utmost  limit  of  the  occean  of  wisdom; 
or  it  opens  the  rich  treasure  of  the  grandeur  of  Yoga.  Herein  lies 
the  resting  place  of  the  Primeval,  the  final  source  of  things,  on  which 
the  Divine  word  of  the  Vedas,  is  hushed  into  eternal  silence,  and  from 
it  issues  forth  the  sprouting  of  the  creeping  plant  of  the  wisdom 
of  the  Glta.  To  it,  I  now  give  the  excellence  of  beautiful  words  and 
so,  you  do  hear  attentively.  Unadorned  and  artless  indeed  are  my 
Marathi  words,  but  skill  and  art  of  diction  will  be  so  charming  and 


VI.    DHY  ANA  YOGA  125 

bewitching  that  it  will  excel  in  taste  even  the  sweetness  of  nectar 
itself.  The  delicacy  of  the  words  will  make  the  very  soft  melodies 
of  music  look  poor,  or  the  charm  of  fragrance  will  pale  before  the 
phrases.  The  eloquence  is  of  such  sweet  taste  that  the  very  ears  put 
forth  tongues,  while  all  the  senses  quarrel  for  its  mastery.  By  nature 
"words"  belong  to  the  sense  of  hearing;  yet  the  tongue  claims,  as 
her  own  object,  the  eloquence  of  the  words,  in  taste.  Fragrance  is 
the  object  of  smell,  but  the  fragrance  of  my  Marathi  words  would 
charm  the  sense  of  smell. 

Note  one  more  marvellous  thing;  the  very  diction  of  measured 
verses  will  be  a  rich  feast  to  the  eyes,  so  that  they  would  shout  in 
joy,  "Here  is  the  very  mine  of  the  beauty  of  composition",  and  when 
a  complete  utterance  bursts  into  meaning,  the  mind  will  rush  out  to 
clasp  the  "words"  in  full  embrace.  Thus  the  senses  will  scramble 
for  their  own  enjoyment,  but  the  "words"  will  please  all  in  equal 
measure,  as  the  sun  gives  life  and  vitality  to  the  entire  universe.  So 
unusually  deep  are  the  "words"  in  meaning  for  those  who  are  adept 
in  the  art  of  such  words,  that  they  will  disclose  the  very  gem  all- 
satisfying  'Chintamanl'.  Enough  of  this  now.  In  this  literary  work, 
I  am  indeed  dishing  up  to  the  spiritually  hungry,  a  meal  consisting 
of  the  nectar  of  Brahman-knowledge.  And  he  alone  enjoys  the 
feast,  who  shutting  out  the  senses,  steals  away  the  dish  and  relishes 
it  in  the  ever-burning  steady  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Self.  Oh 
hearers,  you  must  enjoy  this  experience  with  self-luminous  power 
of  your  mind,  without  resorting  to  the  ears.  Peel  off  the  husk  of 
words  to  be  united  in  spirit  with  the  absolute  essence  of  Brahman, 
and  then  you  live  eternally  in  happiness  ever-lasting.  The  dialogue 
would  bear  fruit  only  if  the  hearers  became  so  delicately  sensitive 
to  its  meaning.  Otherwise  this  sermon  would  all  mean  the  tale  told 
.  by  the  dumb  to  the  deaf.  Enough  of  this  now;  it  is  unnecessary  to 
plead,  by  uttering  cautions,  to  my  hearers  so  plainly,  since  they  are 
naturally  adepts  in  this  lore,  being  enamoured  only  of  the  highest 
self  and  self-less  acts. 

Only  those  shall  savour  this  high  theme,  who  spurn  and  re- 
nounce all  pleasures  here,  in  this  life,  and  the  heaven,  for  their  love 
for  the  knowledge  of  the  Almighty:  none  else  will  be  able  to  enjoy 
the  sweet  taste  of  the  subject.  The  crow  cannot  sense  the  moon; 
even  so,  the  ignorant  or  the  vulgar  cannot  have  the  wits  of  this  truth. 
Moonlight  is  food  for  the  bird  Chakora ;  so  only  the  wise  men  shall 


126  JNANESHWARI 

find  their  abode  of  rest  in  the  Glta.  For  the  ignorant,  it  is  quite  a 
strange  land.  Therefore,  there  is  nothing  more  to  be  said  on  this. 
The  occasion  prompted  these  words  and  may  the  saints  and  high 
souls  pardon  them.  Now  I  turn  to  what  Shriranga  said  (to  Arjuna). 
That  talk  is  difficult  to  grasp  and  so  beyond  the  power  of  words: 
Yet,  the  grace  of  my  master  shall  be  my  light  to  see  the  truth.  What 
is  beyond  the  senses  may  be  made  accessible  without  senses— if 
the  power  of  knowledge  of  the  super-sensible  be  commanded.  Should 
a  ParTs  luckily  come  to  hand,  one  would  surely  extract  gold  from 
iron,  which  is  beyond  the  power  of  alchemy.  In  that  way,  my  Teacher's 
grace  is  on  me  and  what  is  there  that  is  attempted  and  not  realized? 
And  1  say,  that  Teacher's  grace  in  abundance  is  mine.  For  that  reason, 
I  expound  the  secret  meaning:  (I)  shall  give  visible  form  to  the  in- 
visible and  shall  make  the  senses  enjoy  all  that  is  beyond  them.  Now 
the  One  who  is  called  "Bhagawanta",  Divine  Supreme  Person,  the 
ultimate  fount  of  all — the  six  transcendent  excellences,  such  as — 
glory,  grandeur,  kindness,  omniscience,  passionlessness,  and  the 
majesty — the  best  friend  of  the  pious  men  spoke  thus  —"Oh  Arjuna, 
be  now  attentive". 


n 

*T  4H4i*n  W  'frfr  'ef  T  PkPh4  ^lf*MJ:  II  \  II 

The  Exalted-one  spake 

1  "Not  adhering  to  the  action 's  fruit,  who  does  what  need  doing, 
he  is  the  one  that  has  renounced,  as  also  the  one  that  possesses 
(even-tempered)  application:  and  not  the  one  that  relinquishes 
the  (Sacred)  Fires  or  abjures  action.  (39) 

A  (Karma)  Yogin  and  a  Sanyasin  are  seemingly  two,  but  in  essence 
they  are  one.  You  might  take  them  to  be  different,  but  think  closely 
and  they  will  be  found  to  be  one.  Leaving  aside  the  appearance  of 
two  names,  the  Karmayoga— Path  of  action —is  at  bottom  the  path 
of  renunciation  and  viewed  from  "Brahman  point  of  view",  there  is, 
know  ye,  no  difference  between  them.  One  may  address  the  same 
person  by  different  names,  one  may  reach  one's  destination  by  two 
roads;  or  the  same  water  may  fill  different  pots;  in  that  way  the  dif- 
ference between  "Yoga  and  Renunciation"  is  only  nominal  and  not 
real.  He  is  a  Yogin,  O  Arjuna,  according  to  the  general  need,  who 
performs  actions  and  yet  is  not  attached  to  the  action-fruit.  Does 


VI.    ptfYANAYOGA  127 

not  the  earth,  out  of  her  natural  stuff,  sprout  trees  and  other  plants 
without  expecting  any  fruit  or  gain  out  of  them?  That  is  the  way 
the  Yogin  performs  action  grounded  in  his  Vision  of  Soul  according 
to  his  own  station  in  life  and  in  good  time  and  is  also  free  from  selfish 
love  of  his  person,  and  who  does  not  permit  any  attachment  for  action- 
fruit  even  to  touch  his  mind — such  a  person  alone  should  be  taken  as 
a  Sanyasin,  and  he  alone  is  a  great  Yogin  in  truth.  Otherwise,  not 
realising  the  essence  of  the  Yoga,  one  who  renounces  all  actions — 
usual  as  also  occasional — in  the  belief  that  they  become  binding 
on  him,  and  yet  side  by  side  gets  fettered  in  the  bondage  of  other 
actions— this  is  just  like  washing  out  one  coating  by  another — and 
one  acting  in  such  a  perverse  way  is  handicapped  for  nothing.  Every 
one  has  already  been  burdened  with  the  worldly  duties:  in  such  a 
state  instead  of  discharging  that  duty  properly,  why  should  he  hastily 
get  himself  loaded  further  with  a  new  burden  of  iienunciation? 
Therefore  even-tempered  application  to  actions,  wilhfl^|«|i^quishing 
worship  of  the  Sacrificial  Fire  or  without  abjuring  actiba '"firescribed 
in  the  Scriptures,  is  in  itself  the  path  leading  to  happiness. 

T  ^RRRtRPPPTf  sfrft  *Mfd    4MHH  II  ^  II 

2  "What  they  commonly  designate  Renunciation,  0  Son  of 
Pandu,  understand  Yoga  (even-tempered  activism)  to  be  that 
(same) ;  for,  none  that  has  not  renounced  his  aims  and  in- 
terests can  ever  (claim  to)  be  a  Yogin.  (52) 

Who  is  commonly  designated  as  a  Sanyasin  (one  having  renounced) 
is,  O  Arjuna,  himself  the  Yogin  and  this  flag  of  Union  of  the  two 
paths  has  been  hoisted  by  different  Scriptures,  and  these  seers  and 
sages  have  also  reached  the  truth  in  essence  from  their  own  experience 
that  the  even-tempered  activity  and  Yoga  Path  begin  just  where  Uhe 
threads  of  illusory  desires  and  fancies  get  snapped  by  renunciation 
while  performing  actions. 

3  "While  the  aspirant  is  scaling  the  (ladder  of)  Yoga  (each 
antecedent  equanimous)  action  is  said  to  be  the  mark  and 
means  (unto  the  final  goal  of  perfect  equanimity) :  (and) 


128  JNANESHWARI 

after  the  same  person  has  achieved  the  ascent,  the  ensuing 
peaceful  mood  is  said  to  be  the  mark  and  means  (for  retaining 
what  he  has  gained).  (54) 

Should  one  be  desirous  of  reaching  the  top  of  the  uphill  path  of  the 
Yoga,  he  must  not  leave  off  the  step-stones  on  the  path  of  actions. 
With  the  help  of  these  steps  he  should  direct  his  course  to  the  foot- 
path of  the  Yogic-postures  along  the  foot  of  the  mountain  in  the 
form  of  self-restraint  and  comprehensive  self-governance  (wfwr). 
He  should  then  ascend  to  the  top  of  the  precipice  in  the  form  of  re- 
gulating the  breath  (STPTraTT).  There  he  is  confronted  with  a  steep 
precipice  in  the  form  of  restraining  the  senses  from  their  objects, 
which  is  so  slippery  that  even  the  intellect  cannot  fix  or  make  firm 
its  foot  on  it.  Here  the  Hathayogins  even  lose  their  balance  and  get 
themselves  precipitated  downwards.  But  with  the  constant  study 
and  practice,  the  nails  of  ascetism  could  get  fixed  up  in  the  over- 
hanging way  to  the  restraint  of  the  senses  referred  to,  and  in  this 
way  could  be  reached  the  wide  region  in  the  form  of  the  abstraction 
of  the  mind,  along  the  plateau  in  the  form  of  breath.  This  same 
region  should  be  passed  through  until  the  point  of  profound  and 
abstract  contemplation  is  reached.  Here  ends  that  way  and  also 
ceases  to  exist  one's  clinging  to  actions,  as  the  end  and  the  means  meet 
here  in  an  embrace  and  become  one  in  form.  Here  ends  all  talk  of 
taking  a  step  further,  while  past  remembrances  get  obliterated  and 
the  Yogin  abides  steady  on  the  clear  and  even  ground  of  enrapt 
concentration  of  spiritual  meditation.  I  shall  now  narrate  to  you 
the  marks  of  one,  who  has  reached  the  highest  position,  through 
rapt  concentration  of  spiritual  meditation  by  these  means  and  hear 
about  them. 

4  "For,  it  is  when  there  is  no  clinging  on  his  part  to  the  things 
of  sense  or  to  actions,  and  when  ( in  fact)  he  renounces  all 
aims  and  interests,  that  he  is  called  the  one  that  has  achieved 
(the  height  of)  Yoga.  (62) 

The  objects  of  senses  cease  to  frequent  the  sense-centres  of  such 
persons,  while  he  himself  enjoys  the  deep  rest  in  the  bliss  of  the  Self 
in  the  chamber  of  the  self-intuition.  His  mind  even  when  struck 


VI.    DHYA.NAYOGA  129 

by  pleasure  and  pain  never  gets  stirred  into  awareness,  and  he  does 
not  get  provoked  into  recognition  of  the  sense-objects  which  con- 
front him  in  an  encounter.  His  mind  feels  no  clinging  for  the  action- 
fruit,  even  though  the  senses  take  to  actions.  He  alone  is  an  adept 
settled  in  Yoga,  who,  remaining  unmindful  of  the  mass  of  the  body- 
activity,  remains  as  if  he  is  in  sleep.  Here  Arjuna  said,  ""0  Lord, 
how  wonderful  is  all  this  that  you  say !  Then  what  is  that  which  gives 
him  (such  a  person)  such  worth"? 

M\<A*i  fnCTFTt  «l«-M<Uc4d  r<^<lc*W:  II  K  II 

5  "By  his  own  self  should  he  raise  his  self;  he  should  not  cause 
his  self  to  sink  low.  For,  the  self  alone  is  the  self's  help-mate, 
and  the  self  alone  is  the  selfs  enemy.  (67) 

Lord  Krishna  smiled  at  this  and  said,  "Your  query  surprises  me. 
Who  could  give,  and  to  whom,  and  what,  where  there  abides  the 
one  being  without  a  second?  Lying  on  the  bed  of  illusion,  the  soul 
falls  into  the  sleep  of  ignorance  and  suffers  from  evil  dreams  of  birth 
and  death.  And  when  suddenly  he  wakes  up  he  realises  the  emptiness 
of  the  subject-matter  of  the  dream.  This  realisation  too  like  the 
original  delusion  is  truth  in  his  own  being.  Thus,  O  Dhananjaya, 
he  becomes  the  cause  of  his  own  ruin  through  the  error  of  self-conceit 
of  his  bodily  existence. 

6  "The  self  becomes  the  helpmate  of  that  self  who  has  by  his 
own  self  conquered  his  very  self;  but  towards  one  that  has 
not  mastered  his  own  self,  his  very  self  would  act  inimically, 
as  would  an  actual  enemy.  (71) 

One,  who  by  thought  abandons  self-conceit  and  becomes  one  with 
the  eternal  Being  of  the  Supreme  Brahman,  has  settled  himself  in 
the  highest  good.  Otherwise,  one  becomes  one's  own  enemy,  who 
like  the  silk-worm,  being  lured  by  the  elegance  of  his  own  body, 
identifies  his  self  with  his  bodily  being  and  is  encircled  and  suffocated 
in  it.  What  a  pity  it  is,  the  unfortunate  one  standing  on  the  brink 
of  good  luck  feels  like  one  blind  and  closes  his  eyes  though  he  is  yet 


130  JNANESHWARI 

in  possession  of  the  full  use  of  his  eyes :  or  one  getting  under  delu- 
sion goes  on  talking  "That  is  not  myself,  I  am  lost,  I  have  been  stolen 
away,"  and  persists  in  that  fancy.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  soul  is 
himself  the  Brahman,  yet  what  a  pity  it  is  that  his  mind  never  inclines 
in  the  direction  of  this  truth.  Does  one  meet  his  death  through  a 
stab  in  a  dream?  The  soul's  condition  is  verily  like  that  of  the  parrot 
in  the  'Parrot  &  Tube'  story.  In  that,  the  parrot  sits  on  the  tube 
(fixed  to  a  tree  by  the  hunter  to  trap  the  parrot)  and  with  its  own 
weight  the  tube  begins  to  revolve.  The  parrot  ought  to  fly  away  as 
soon  as  the  tube  begins  to  revolve  in  the  reverse  direction,  but  terror- 
stricken  as  he  is,  he  twists  his  own  neck,  wriggles  his  body  and  limbs 
and  holds  more  tightly  the  tube  in  his  beak  and  legs  and  gets  his  free 
legs  entangled  in  the  trap  in  the  false  belief  that  he  is  really  tied  down. 
Can  it  be  said  that  anyone  else  has  tied  down  such  a  one,  who  with 
no  reason  or  rhyme,  gets  himself  tied  down  of  his  own  accord?  But 
once  caught  in  such  a  delusion  he  would  not  leave  the  tube  even 
though  he  be  cut  in  two.  Therefore,  one  who  goes  on  extending  his 
wrong  ideas  and  fancies,  becomes  his  own  enemy;  while  I  hold  the 
person  as  having  realised  the  Self,  who  has  had  personal  experience 
of  "I  am  the  very  Supreme  Brahman"  and  has  never  soiled  his  mind 
with  any  untrue  notion. 

fadlcMH:  «4lltlW  m*Hcm  <H*4lff|d:  I 

7  "Of  one  who  has  conquered  his  self  and  has  attained  tran- 
quillity, his  self  abides  in  perfect  repose  in  the  presence  of 
cold-heat,  pleasure-pain  (and  other  dualities) ,  as  also  in  the 
matter  of  honour  and  dishonour.  (81) 

To  one  who  has  conquered  his  mind,  and  has  thus  all  his  desires 
fulfilled,  the  Supreme  Soul  is  neither  separate  from  his  own  essential 
being  nor  far  off.  Just  as  the  gold  gets  pure  as  soon  as  the  alloy  in 
it  is  burned  down,  so  the  finite  soul  becomes  the  Supreme  Soul  as 
soon  as  his  mind  rids  itself  of  fanciful  notions  of  worldly  being.  With 
the  crashing  of  the  pitcher  (form)  its  internal  cavity  (*)<il+l*l)  needs 
no  movement  to  become  one  with  the  infinite  space.  In  that  way, 
when  the  false  belief  of  the  bodily  existence  is  all  dropped,  the  finite 
soul  is  one  with  the  Supreme  Spirit,  since  true  Atman  is  already 
completely  and  eternally  there.  To  such  a  one  there  exists  nothing 
like  the  sensation  as  cold  or  hot  or  any  thought  of  pleasure  or  pain 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  131 

or  any  language  of  honour  or  dishonour.  Wherever  the  Sun  may 
go,  that  locality  gets  flooded  with  light;  in  that  way  whatever  such 
a  one  meets  with,  becomes  absorbed  in  him  viz,  it  becomes  one  with 
such  a  person.  Just  as  the  showers  descending  from  the  clouds  above 
do  not  pierce  the  sea,  in  the  same  way  the  good  or  evil  things  do  not 
in  any  way  touch  the  Yogin,  he  having  become  one  with  the  Supreme 
Self. 

S[tE  ^ciJ-oMri  'Ttrft"  4HM)tdl444<M-VH:  II  s  II 

8  "One  whose  self  is  content  in  knowledge  and  in  realisation, 
and  has  gained  imperturbability,  having  subjugated  all  sense- 
centres;  such  an  one  who  looks  alike  upon  an  earthclod,  a 
stone  or  gold;  he  is  steadied  in  self-control,  and  is  called  the 
man  of  Discipline  (Yogin).  (88) 

When  one,  after  deep  thinking  comes  to  the  abiding  truth  that  all 
ideas  and  desires  in  regard  to  worldly  existence,  are  empty  having  been 
born  of  delusion,  and  the  more  deeply  he  opens  his  mind  to  the  Eter- 
nal Being,  the  more  that  truth  of  being  is  seen  to  be  identical  with 
the  essence  of  the  Supreme  Self.  When  this  happens  all  doubt  and 
discussion  whether  the  essence  of  the  form  of  the  self  is  all-pervading 
or  is  limited  by  place,  time  etc.  automatically  sinks  down  there  and 
then,  and  becomes  void.  One,  who  has  in  this  way  conquered  all 
the  senses,  reaches  the  level  of  the  Supreme,  even  though  he  continues 
abiding  in  the  human  (body)  form.  Such  a  one  alone  has  conquered 
the  senses  and  he  alone  should  be  called  a  Yogin,  since  his  heart 
never  makes  any  such  distinction  as  great  and  small,  higher  and 
lower.  He  holds  alike  gold  of  the  size  of  mountain  Meru  as  also  a 
small  clod  of  earth.  He  abides  desireless  and  even-tempered  to  the 
extent  of  holding  as  a  mere  tiny  piece  of  earth,  even  a  brilliant  gem 
of  the  value  of  the  entire  world. 

44|epqft  ^T  Ml^c|  tl+iaiCsIqfclw^  II    £    II 

9  "Whoso  maintains  an  even  attitude  towards  benefactors, 
friends  (or)  foes;  (towards)  those  that  are  indifferent  (or) 
neutral,  the  hated  ones  (or)  help-mates,  towards  the  good 
no  less  than  towards  the  sinful:  such  an  one  towers  above 
the  rest.  (94) 


132  JNANESHWARI 

How  could  there  arise  in  the  mind  of  such  a  person  any  strange  idea 
of  distinction  such  as  friend  or  foe,  one's  own  or  a  stranger?  One 
who  is  in  possession  of  the  true  vision — "I  am  myself  the  entire 
universe — "  whence  there  could  remain  any  distinction  such  as 
"This  is  base  or  this  is  best".  How  could  one  find  different  degrees 
of  fineness  in  gold,  were  he  to  test  it  with  the  Paris  itself?  Whatever 
comes  to  be  rubbed  against  that  touch-stone  (Paris)  will  all  be  pure 
gold.  In  that  way  in  the  light  of  his  clear  vision  it  becomes  apparent 
that,  the  entire  universe  of  being  whether  moving  or  moveless,  is 
realised  to  be  rooted  in  his  self.  Even  though  the  ornaments  in  the 
form  of  the  universe  might  be  felt  as  of  different  forms  and  settings, 
still  to  such  a  one,  they  all  appear  to  be  made  out  of  the  same  gold 
in  the  form  of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  One  who  secures  completely 
the  Supreme  Knowledge,  can  hardly  be  deceived  by  the  outwardly 
perceptible  forms  and  shapes.  When  one  deeply  considers  the  matter, 
one  finds  that  a  piece  of  cloth  is  nothing  but  a  wide  expanse  of  threads 
woven  into  each  other  in  the  same  way  he  definitely  sees  nothing 
but  the  Supreme  Brahman,  pervading  the  universe.  He  alone  is  one 
having  equipoised  vision,  who  gets  such  total  experience.  Even- 
balanced  intellect  is  not  anything  different  from  this.  He  who  becomes 
the  very  essence  of  sacred  waters,  whose  visible  form  spells  reverence, 
and  whose  contact  bestows  the  highest  realisation  of  the  Self,  even 
on  the  benighted  soul  lost  in  ignorance,  whose  very  word  is  the  foun- 
tain of  the  religious  spirit,  and  in  whose  vision  get  born  the  eight 
marvellous  powers  (apsdwfe)  and  to  whom  heavenly  bliss  and  others 
are  mere  toys — the  very  remembrance  in  mind  of  such  a  perfect  one 
transforms  the  being  of  the  devotee  into  the  figure  and  spirit  of  the 
Perfect;  not  only  this,  singing  his  praise  is  good  for  the  singer  and 
secures  for  him  the  Spirit. 

10  "The  man  of  Discipline  should  continually  exercise  his  self, 
abiding  in  sequestered  spot,  all  alone  with  controlled  mind 
and  body,  rid  of  all  cravings  and  divested  of  all  attachments. 

(105) 

One  in  whom  dawns  the  never-setting  Sun  of  the  eternal  undivided 
Being  abides  forever  steadied  in  the  true  being  of  the  absolute  Self, 
O  Partha,  he  is  the  Soul  the  one  without  a  second,  who  experiences 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  133 

real  being  of  things  as  undivided  unity,  since  pervading  entirely 
all  the  three  worlds,  he  himself  abides  free  from  all  the  paraphernalia 
of  individual  selfish  possessions.  In  this  way,  Lord  Krishna  extolled 
the  visible  marks  which  show  the  perfect  one,  and  in  doing  this  the 
Lord  showed  the  perfect  one's  glory  to  be  even  greater  than  his  own 
divine  glory.  (Lord  Krishna  further  went  on),  "The  Yogin  is  the 
very  elect  among  the  seers,  nay,  the  very  light  of  their  vision,  and 
the  very  Almighty  Power  whose  will  brings  the  universe  into  being. 
The  fine  literary  garment  of  the  Vedic  lore  woven  in  the  market- 
place of  "Omkar",  falls  short  adequately  to  clothe  his  glory:  the 
power  of  his  light  moves  the  Sun  and  the  Moon  in  their  daily  rounds 
and  so  the  universe  will  be  reduced  to  inert  mass  of  dead  matter 
without  his  brilliance.  Not  only  this,  but  the  wide  sky  looks  small 
by  the  side  of  the  vast  glory  of  the  name  of  the  Yogin.  How  will 
you  (then)  be  able  to  grasp  individually  each  one  of  his  best  qualities? 
Enough  therefore  of  this  praise  of  the  perfect  one:  I  do  not  myself 
realise  whose  marks  I  was  extolling  and  why  I  avail  myself  of  this 
occasion  to  narrate  these  qualities.  Were  I  to  disclose  clearly  to 
you  the  Brahman-lore,  which  wipes  out  clean  the  very  last  trace  of 
plural  existence,  that  would  put  an  end  to  the  very  sweet  experience 
in  the  idea  of  Arjuna  being  my  darling.  This  talk  of  mine  is  not 
thus  a  true  account  of  the  real,  undivided,  unitary  experience;  but 
there  is  left  some  loophole  in  it,  the  motive  being  that  my  mind  should 
have  a  little  separate  existence  to  be  able  to  enjoy  the  happiness  of 
your  love  and  devotion.  Alas!  how  I  wish  that  evil  eye  (  ?gz  )  of  those 
that  are  hankering  after  release  and  are  lost  in  meditation  of  the  form 
"I  am  myself  the  Brahman"  does  not  pollute  and  snap,  the  delicate 
tie  of  love  between  yourself  and  myself.  Lord  Krishna  thought, 
"Should  the  I-ness  in  Arjuna  vanish  and  he  were  to  get  one  with  the 
essence  of  my  divine  being  as  the  result  of  this  talk  as  the  highest 
experience  of  the  one  undivided  being,  what  could  I,  alone  and  single 
handed,  do?  Who  else  would  be  left,  on  seeing  whom  I  could  have 
peace  of  mind  and  with  whom  I  could  hold  free  talk,  or  whom  I 
should  hold  in  fond  embrace?  Were  Arjuna  to  get  absorbed  in  myself, 
with  whom  I  could  talk  over  the  good  things  that  may  overflow 
my  heart?"  Overcome  with  such  feelings,  Lord  Krishna  on  the 
pretext  of  talking  on  other  topics  of  advice,  while  discoursing  on 
the  non-dual  true  being,  attracted  Arjuna's  mind  towards  his  own. 
This  sort  of  description  might  be  jarring  to  the  ears  of  hearers,  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that  Arjuna  was  the  very  embodiment  of  the 
Divine  Love  and  happiness  of  Lord  Krishna.  At  this  unique  moment 


134  JNANESHWARI 

Lord  Krishna  found  himself  in  the  very  enviable  position  of  a  barren 
old  woman,  who  being  blessed  into  a  mother  (at  such  too  advanced 
a  stage)  dances  with  the  pure  joy  of  maternal  love;  certainly  I  could 
not  have  given  such  a  description,  had  Lord  Krishna's  love  for  Arjuna, 
not  burst  in  exuberance.  Oh  how  wonderfully  unique  the  situation! 
There  is  the  roar  of  violence  and  carnage  of  battle-field  threatening 
to  envelope  the  world!  And  in  the  midst  of  it  the  high  theme  of 
divine  experience  rolls  on  and  we  see  before  us  the  dance  of  a  doll 
of  love  incarnate !  How  else  could  one  meet  with  pairs  of  opposites 
like  love  and  shame,  vice  and  exhaustion,  waywardness  and  stale 
of  awakening?  Where  there  is  love,  shame  must  make  its  exit,  ex- 
haustion must  disappear  where  there  is  vice,  while  there  could  be 
no  place  for  the  state  of  awakening  where  there  is  waywardness. 
In  short,  Arjuna  was  the  very  repository  of  the  Lord's  love,  or  the 
mirror  (reflecting)  the  interior  of  Lord  Krishna's  heart  fully  blown 
with  happiness.  Because  of  his  great  and  holy  merit,  he  became 
eligible  like  fertile  soil  into  which  was  to  be  sown  the  seed  of  devotion 
through  Lord  Krishna's  favour:  or  Arjuna  was  the  very  deity  of  the 
eighth  kind  of  worship  named  'Sakhya'  (WT — fellowship  or  familiar 
intercourse)  which  lay  at  the  foot  of  the  9th  and  last  of  the  nine  kinds 
of  worship  named  'Atmanivedana'  (suchMvi — consecration  of 
one-self  into).  Arjuna  was  such  a  favourite  of  Lord  Krishna,  that 
He  (Lord  Krishna)  permitted  the  singing  of  the  praise  of  his  servant 
Arjuna  instead  of  his  own  praise  being  sung,  although  himself  abiding 
close  by.  Just  see,  a  loyal  wife  serves  her  husband  with  exclusive 
love,  while  the  husband  holds  her  in  great  honour.  Is  not  such  a 
loyal  wife  praised  more  than  her  husband?  In  that  way  I  am  led  to 
praise  Arjuna  specially,  since  he  alone  possessed  the  merit  of  all 
the  three  worlds.  The  Supreme  Lord,  although  formeless  himself 
had  to  assume  human  form  for  the  sake  of  his  affection  for  Arjuna, 
to  whom  he  had  surrendered  himself.  (Thus)  he,  who  was  perfect 
by  himself,  was  pursued  by  intense  longing  for  Arjuna.  Hearing 
all  this  the  hearers  said,  "What  a  luck  for  us?  What  unique  excellence 
is  stored  in  these  words  of  secret  meaning  of  beauty?  Its  elegance 
exceeds  in  sweetness  even  the  melody  of  the  seven  notes  in  music. 
What  a  wonderful  thing  it  is?  This  excellence  and  grandeur  of  words 
is  hardly  to  be  met  with  in  the  common  man's  tongue.  See  how  in  a 
discourse  even  on  a  (dry)  subject  like  oneness  of  being,  it  spreads 
out  a  network  of  different  colours  in  the  form  of  diverse  metaphors 
of  exquisite  art.  Even  in  this  Marathi  language  the  moonlight  of 
divine  knowledge  is  shining  all  white,  while  the  pleasant  coolness 


VI.  DHYANAYOGA  135 

in  the  form  of  mystic  meaning  is  spread  out  all  over,  with  the  result 
that  the  lotuses  in  the  form  of  the  GIta-teachings  show  themselves 
in  fully  blown  natural  perfection".  The  great  import  of  the  words 
made  the  saintly  hearers  full  of  desire  and  their  souls  became  enrapt 
with  internal  bliss.  Perceiving  the  state  of  the  hearers  the  disciple 
of  Nivritti  said,  "Be  attentive:  what  a  wondrous  glory!  The  Sun 
of  Divine  Krishna's  grace  has  burst  into  a  dawn  of  the  morning 
for  the  Pandava  family.  DevakI  bore  Lord  Krishna  in  her  womb, 
Yeshoda  brought  him  up  with  great  exertions,  and  ultimately  his 
divine  personality  happened  to  be  at  the  service  of  the  Pandavas! 
Luckily  he  (Arjuna)  had  neither  to  serve  long  nor  to  wait  for  a  suitable 
occasion  for  making  a  request  (to  secure  the  Lord's  favour).  I  now 
end  this  digression  and  proceed  with  the  original  story.  Hearing 
Lord  Krishna's  talk,  Partha  said  fondly  "None  of  the  marks  of  a 
saint  you  talked  of  are  found  in  me.  In  truth  I  feel  myself  unworthy 
of  that  task  of  securing  even  the  first  essentials  of  these  marks,  yet 
I  shall  (try  to)  be  great  and  able  to  secure  these  through  your  words 
of  grace.  And  I  am  certain  I  shall  be  the  Supreme  Brahman  myself, 
should  you  will  it  to  make  me  so;  I  shall  act  up  to  your  words.  When 
I  praise  the  history  (description)  you  narrated,  without  even  knowing 
to  whom  it  referred,  there  would  be  no  limit  to  my  happiness,  were 
I  myself  to  be  like  him  (that  person).  Therefore,  Oh  you  good  Precep- 
tor, do  tell  me  about  the  path  that  should  make  me  reach  the  level 
of  this  perfect  person."  Lord  Krishna  smiled  at  this  and  said,  "Very 
well,  I  shall  do  as  you  desire!  Indeed,  so  long  as  one  does  not  live 
in  the  ecstasy  of  divine  contentment,  he  must  feel  the  hankering 
after  happiness.  Once  he  secures  that  contentment,  there  remains 
nothing  wanting  and  nothing  to  be  desired.  Similarly,  one  who 
lives  the  life  of  devotion  to  the  Supreme,  easily  reaches  the  state  of 
absorption  into  the  Brahman."  But  see,  how  Arjuna's  good  luck 
has  borne  abundance  of  fruit.  Words  cannot  describe  the  abundance 
of  divine  grace  by  which  Arjuna  had  at  his  service  the  mighty  power 
of  the  Supreme  Being,  whom  a  thousand  lives  of  Indra  and  others 
could  not  bring  nearer.  God,  Lord  Krishna,  fully  heard  what  Arjuna 
said,  asking  to  be  transformed  into  the  Supreme  Being.  Lord  Krishna 
thought  to  himself,  "Since  Partha  is  having  an  intense  longing — 
similar  to  the  longings  of  women  particularly  during  the  period  of 
conception,  for  being  likened  unto  the  Supreme  itself,  in  the  womb 
of  his  intellect,  renunciation  is  being  conceived.  Even  though  the 
foetus  of  asceticism  is  not  yet  fully  developed,  yet  with  the  advent 
of  the  spring  season,  it  has  overgrown  with  the  blossom  in  the  form 


136  JNANESHWARI 

of  mental  feeling  that  "I  am  the  Supreme  Brahman",  and  consequently 
it  would  not  take  him  long  to  bear  the  fruit  in  the  form  of  the  attain- 
ment of  Supreme  Brahman,  since  he  has  fully  mastered  the  spirit 
of  renunciation".  Thus  Lord  Krishna  felt  confident  about  Arjuna 
and  thought  that  (now  that  he  had  attained  perfection),  whatever 
he  (Arjuna)  would  think  of,  would  in  advance  come  to  fruition  and 
that  any  advice  on  the  study  of  Yoga  preached  to  him  would  not  be 
fruitless.  Thinking  in  this  way  Srihari  then  said,  "Hear,  O  Arjuna, 
about  the  royal  road  to  the  study  of  Yoga.  Here  at  the  foot  of  the 
tree  of  activity  can  be  seen  bunches  of  fruit  of  absoulte  quiet  and 
peace.  It  is  the  path  of  Yoga,  on  which  even  God  Mahesha  (God 
Shiva)  is  still  a  pilgrim.  In  the  beginning  many  other  Yogins  went 
astray  on  wrong  by-paths,  but  ultimately  followed  this  well-trodden 
path  after  gaining  experience.  They  left  other  ignorant  misleading 
ones,  and  went  straight  by  the  way  of  self-realisation  and  reached 
the  highest  goal.  After  them  the  great  sages  followed  the  same  course 
and  reached  perfection  through  the  stage  of  seekers.  Great  seekers 
after  'the  Self  attained  greatness  also  by  following  the  same  course. 
One  forgets  even  hunger  and  thirst,  once  he  sees  the  royal  road  to 
the  study  of  Yoga.  There  is  no  distinction  of  time  such  as  day  or 
night  on  this  road.  Wherever  one  sets  his  foot  while  proceeding 
along  the  road,  there  opens  out  a  mine  of  liberation,  and  should 
there  arise  any  obstacle  in  the  way,  at  least  the  attainment  of  the 
heavenly  bliss  is  guaranteed.  One  may  move  in  any  direction;  his 
journey  on  the  road  is  sure  of  being  peaceful  and  unerring  accomp- 
lishment, O  Dhananjaya.  Once  one  reaches  the  destination  along 
this  road,  he  himself  becomes  one  with  that  place  of  destination 
and  this  need  not  be  told  to  you,  since  you  will  come  to  know  of  it 
later  on  by  personal  experience."  Arjuna  said  on  this,  "Oh  God, 
when  that  'later  on'  would  be?  I  want  it.  I  am  sinking  in  the  ocean 
of  ardent  wish  and  should  you  not  take  me  out?"  Lord  Krishna 
then  said,  "How  do  you  talk  so  wildly?  I  am,  of  my  own  accord, 
going  to  tell  it  to  you  and  yet  you  interrupt  me  and  ask  (questions) !" 

SJ^  ^  *(n«KH"M  R4K44MH44MM:  I 

11  "On  a  pure  spot  establishing  for  himself  a  stable  seat,  neither 
too  high  nor  too  low,  upon  which  is  spread  (either)  a  (soft — ) 
cloth,  (or)  a  deer-skin,  (or)  Kusa  grass;  (163) 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  137 

I  shall  now  tell  it  in  detail,  and  it  will  bear  fruit  through  actual  ex- 
perience only.  Therefore,  for  this  study  should  first  be  selected  a 
suitable  and  secluded  resort  which  for  sheer  loveliness  rivets  any 
one  visiting  and  stimulates  in  him  unworldly,  renunciatory 
spirit.  The  resort  should  also  be  hallowed  by  the  habitation  of 
a  righteous  person  thereabout,  so  that  the  feeling  of  contentment 
grows  in  volume  and  strengthens  the  Soul's  spiritual  resolve.  In 
that  spot,  naturally  the  spiritual  hunger  for  the  Yoga  sinks  into  his 
Soul,  actual  experience  holds  the  mind  in  embrace,  while  the  lovely 
environments  make  the  heart  enjoy  the  bliss  of  the  self  (further). 
In  such  a  place,  it  should  not  be  a  wonder  that  even  an  impious  un- 
believer passing  by  it  is  provoked  into  a  penitent  mood  and  becomes 
eager  to  do  penance.  Even  a  casual  way-farer,  with  some  business 
in  hand  accidentally  approaching  the  spot,  will  forget  to  return  to 
his  home  and  family  concerns.  That  spot  will  rivet  one  intent  on 
not  staying  there,  steady  wavering  minds,  and  pat  and  caress  an 
impious  person  to  awaken  into  a  state  of  renunciation,  so  that,  even 
a  pleasure-seeker  would  feel  like  renouncing  the  very  kingdom  of 
worldly  happiness  and  chooses  to  stay  there  quietly,  once  he  sees 
the  spot.  It  should  thus  be  so  lovely,  and  yet  all  so  pure  and  holy, 
that  the  vision  is  opened  to  see  directly  to  the  very  inner-most  being 
of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  Such  -a  holy  place  should  specially  be 
apart ,  secluded ,  the  resort  of  only  the  seekers  of  Yoga-study,  and 
none  else  should  tread  on  its  holy  precincts.  Rich  growth  of  trees 
laden  with  fruit  should  be  found  to  cover  the  spot,  with  roots  and 
fruit  as  sweet  as  nectar.  There  do  flow,  at  every  step,  springs  of 
water,  watering  it,  even  in  seasons  other  than  the  monsoon.  Mild 
rays  of  the  sun  should  warm  it  and  cool  and  gentle  breezes  of  wind 
keep  it  (the  spot)  cool.  The  quiet  of  the  place  covered  with  thick 
tree  growth,  should  not  either  be  disturbed  by  beasts  or  birds,  though 
it  might  usually  be  haunted  by  parrots  and  bees.  Swans  or  a  couple 
of  birds  like  water-ducks  and  even  cuckoo  might  on  occasions  be 
visiting  guests.  Though  not  always,  it  would  not  matter  much,  if 
peacocks  frequent  the  place  now  and  then.  One  thing,  however, 
Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  is  necessary.  The  place  must  be  made  sacred  by 
a  monastery  or  temple  of  God  Shiva.  Either  of  these  as  one  may 
like,  might  be  chosen  and  be  used  for  retiring  in  solitude.  The  (best) 
way  of  selecting  a  suitable  spot  is,  that  one  should  first  try  and  see 
if  on  a  particular  spot  the  mind  remains  tranquil  and  steady,  and 
if  it  does  so,  then  he  should  select  it  finally  and  then  prepare  a  seat 
there  in  the  following  manner;  there  should  be  spread  out  on  the  top 


138  JNANESHWARI 

a  clean  deer-skin;  below  the  skin  there  should  be  in  the  middle  a 
clean  washed  and  folded  piece  of  cloth  and  below  that  viz.  at  the 
bottom  should  be  spread  a  matting  of  straight  and  uncut  kusha 
grass.  The  grass  weeds  should  be  soft,  of  uniform  length  and  thickness, 
and  should  be  so  arranged  that  they  could  remain  together  closely- 
knit.  The  seat,  if  too  high,  would  make  the  body  lose  its  balance 
and  swing  (on  one  side)  and  if,  too  low,  would  make  the  body  feel 
the  touch  of  the  ground.  It  should,  therefore,  be  a  conveniently 
raised  seat.  It  is  unnecessary  to  discuss  this  further,  the  purport  being 
that  the  seat  should  be  firm  and  comfortable. 

12  "There,  making  the  mind  one-pointed,  restraining  all  move- 
ments of  the  mind  and  the  sense-centres,  seated  upon  his 
seat,  he  should  practise  (Yogic)  concentration  for  the  attain- 
ment of  the  Self.  (186) 

Then  sitting  on  that  seat,  the  mind  is  to  be  concentrated  by  medita- 
tion of  your  preceptor  with  a  view  to  self-realisation.  This  meditation 
on  the  master  is  to  continue  till  the  finer  essence  of  pious  love  spreads 
through  the  entire  compass  of  inward  and  outward  being,  and  the  hard 
inertia  of  egotism  melts  away,  the  sense-objects  are  forgotten,  the 
restless  anguish  of  the  senses  is  calmed,  the  outgoing  mind  is  lulled 
into  a  quiet  within,  and  the  quiet  state  of  one  still  being  settles  down 
in  the  soul.  One  should  abide  in  this  sitting  posture  in  this  state  of 
self-realisation.  In  this  state,  one  begins  to  feel  that  his  body  auto- 
matically balances  itself,  while  the  life-breaths  in  the  body  hold 
together.  In  this  state,  the  impulse  towards  activity  turns  back  its 
face  and  lapses,  while  the  state  of  rapt  concentration  of  mind  or 
the  balanced  state  of  mind  comes  to  stay  undisturbed,  thus  bringing 
the  very  means  for  the  study  of  Yoga.  I  shall  now  tell  you,  and  do 
hear  how  the  visible  posture  of  the  part  of  the  body  below  the  waist 
is  to  be  fixed.  The  calves  of  the  legs  should  make  contact  with  the 
thighs,  while  the  soles  should  be  (made)  flat  and  pressed  against 
the  bottom  of  anus.  The  right  sole  (under-surface  of  the  foot)  should 
be  at  the  base  and  should  press  against  the  middle  of  the  seam  and 
the  left  one  should  automatically  rest  on  the  right  one.  There  lies 
a  space  four  inches  between  the  anus  and  the  testicles.  Leaving 
an  inch  and  a  half  on  either  side  there  remains  a  space  of  one  inch 


VI.   DHYANAYOGA  139 

in  the  middle.  Against  this  should  be  pressed  the  heel  (lower  edge) 
of  the  right  sole  and  the  entire  body  is  to  be  gathered  up  and  held 
up  balanced.  The  lower  end  of  the  back-bone  should  be  raised  so 
slightly  that  one  should  not  even  come  to  know  that  the  upper  half 
of  the  body  (above  the  waist)  gets  raised  up  and  sustained.  Then, 
both  the  ankles  should  be  raised  and  held  hanging.  By  this  process, 
O  Arjuna,  the  entire  human  (body)  frame  would  remain  suspended 
on  the  ankles.  This  is,  O  Arjuna,  the  description  of  the  (Yoga)  posture 
named  "Mulabandha"  which  is  called  "Vajrasana"  otherwise. 
When  the  upper  half  of  the  body  remains  balanced  on  the  "Adhara- 
chakra"  which  lies  in  the  middle  of  the  anus  and  the  testicles,  the 
lower  half  gets  pressed,  and  the  life-breath  called  Apana  in  the  in- 
testines moves  backwards  towards  the  interior  of  the  body. 

13  "There,  having  steadied  himself,  and  holding  the  body,  the 
head,  and  the  neck  evenly  in  a  line,  motionless,  with  the  gaze 
fixed  upon  the  tip  of  one's  nose  and  not  looking  in  the 
(different)  directions.  (201) 

Then  both  the  palms  automatically  rest  on  the  left  foot  forming  a 
bowl  (sfa),  and  the  shoulders  appear  to  get  raised.  The  head  gets 
sunken  between  the  two  raised  shoulders  and  the  eyes  automatically 
get  half-shut.  The  upper  eyelids  get  closed  while  the  lower  ones 
get  widened,  with  the  result  that  the  eyes  remain  half-open.  The 
vision  partly  inside  (closed)  and  partly  outside  (open)  gets  directed 
to  and  obstructed  at  the  tip  of  the  nose.  The  vision  thus  getting 
handicapped  for  want  of  free  scope  to  get  out  has  to  steady  itself 
on  the  tip  of  the  nose  in  a  partially  widened  condition.  It  loses  all 
its  desires  to  fix  the  gaze  in  any  quarter,  or  to  look  at  some  form  or 
shape.  The  neck  gets  contracted,  while  the  chin  lowers  down  and 
fills  the  pit  formed  by  the  collar  bones,  and  while  the  neck  getting 
stiff  presses  against  the  chest.  The  windpipe  (+6icol)  gets  shrouded 
and  the  wheel  (physical  posture)  that  gets  formed  in  this  way  is  called 
"Jalandhara."  Then  rises  up  the  navel  while  the  stomach  gets  flat 
and  the  heart  expands  in  the  interior.  The  "Bandha"  (Yogic  posture) 
formed  above  the  anus  and  below  navel  is  called sftstTFr(Uddiyan). 
While  these  Bandhas  and  Mudras  appear  on  the  exterior  of  the  body 
as  the  signs  of  practice  of  the  Yoga  study,  the  mind's  functions 
(working)  inwardly,  are  uprooted  from  their  basis. 


140  JNANESHWARI 

f^:  4mM  frf^rft  ^tB  34KJ)d  WW  II  $*  :|| 

14  "Wft/i  f/ze?  self  serene,  freed  of  fear,  constant  in  the  Vedic- 
student's  rule-of-life,  restraining  the  mind,  one  should  practise 
Yogic-discipline  entering  all  thoughts  upon  Me,  (conceived 
as)  the  Highest  Goal;  (212) 

Thus  mind's  fancy  is  brought  to  rest,  the  active  propensities  are 
brought  home  to  peace,  while  the  mind  becomes  automatically 
stilled  in  a  rhythm,  and  insensible  to  the  body's  actions.  There  re- 
mains no  feeling  of  the  pang  of  hunger,  or  of  sleep  etc.  The  life- 
breath  named  "Apana"  which  is  shut  up  by  the  'Mulabandha'  posture, 
turns  back  and  being  pressed,  gets  accumulated  and  swollen.  It 
then  gets  all  excited  and  becomes  uncontrolled  and  begins  to  make 
a  grumbling  noise  where  shut  up,  and  begins  to  struggle  with  the 
wheel  called  "Manipura"  inside  the  navel.  When  the  storm  gets 
lulled  down,  it  (wind)  stirs  up  the  entire  house  in  the  form  of  the 
body  and  expels  from  the  body  the  entire  filth  that  had  got  accumu- 
lated therein  since  childhood.  Owing  to  the  impossibility  of  its 
being  confined  in  the  (limited)  space  of  the  stomach,  it  escapes  from 
it  and  enters  into  and  spreads  all  over  the  (interior  of)  the  abdomen 
( sfTOT  ),  defeating  completely  the  asthmatic  and  bilious  tendencies. 
It  then  overturns  the  oceans  of  "Saptadhatus"  (the  seven  elementary 
substances  of  the  body)  and  reduces  to  dust,  the  mountains  in  the 
form  of  'Meda'  (fat)  and  drives  out  the  marrow  from  the  cavities 
of  the  bones.  It  then  clears  the  arteries  and  similarly  lulls  the  senses, 
frightening  the  novices  in  the  study  of  Yoga,  although  there  is  nothing 
to  fear.  Even  though  it  creates  malady,  it  soon  removes  it.  It  mixes 
togther  the  fluids  formed  from  cough  and  bile,  as  also  the  element 
of  earth  in  the  form  of  flesh,  and  marrow  from  the  bones  etc.  Mean- 
while, on  account  of  the  heat  created  in  the  body,  by  the  Yogic  posture, 
the  power  known  as  the  "Kundalini"  gets  awakened.  Just  as  a  young 
(female)  cobra  (as  if)  bathed  in  the  red  kunkum  (powder  prepared 
from  turmeric  and  coloured  red  with  lemon  juice  etc.)  should  coil 
itself  asleep,  in  the  same  way,  the  power  "Kundalini"  abides  in  sleeping 
condition  with  her  face  down-wards,  in  three  coils  and  a  half,  like 
a  female  cobra.  She  abides  tied  up  with  string  bonds  in  a  socket  in 
navel  region,  appearing  (brilliant)  like  a  ring  of  lightning  or  like  a 
roll  of  fire-flames  or  like  a  bar  of  finely  polished  gold.  She  (Kundalini) 
gets  awakened  getting  pinched  on  account  of  the  posture  called 


VI.   DHY  ANA  YOGA  141 

"Vajrasana".  The  "Kundalini"  uncoils  herself,  shakes  off  her  lethargy, 
and  stands  erect  in  the  navel,  as  if  she  was  a  bright  star  getting  dis- 
lodged from  its  place  and  shooting  down,  or  as  if  the  very  seat  of 
the  Sun  should  get  snapped,  or  as  if  the  very  seed  of  brilliance  should 
germinate  and  blossom  forth  (in  the  form  of  sparks).  Being  naturally 
hungry  for  days  together,  and  over  and  above  that,  getting  squeezed 
in  and  irritated,  she  wrathfully  opens  out  her  mouth  and  stands  erect 
with  the  open  mouth  upturned.  Just  then  the  life  breath  "Apana" 
which  has  by  then  reached  the  regions  of  the  heart,  fails  a  prey  to 
"Kundalini",  and  get  gulped  up  and  swallowed  all  round  in  the 
flames  of  fire  emanating  from  "Kundalinl's"  mouth.  The  "Kundalini" 
then  starts  devouring  lumps  of  flesh  torn  off  from  the  fleshy  parts, 
and  finally  swallows  a  couple  of  morsels  of  flesh,  even  from  the  region 
of  the  heart.  She  then  reaches  the  palms  and  soles,  tears  open  their 
upper  parts  and  goes  on  searching  joint  after  joint  and  other  parts 
of  the  body.  She  does  not  leave  off  the  lower  portions.  It  sucks  the 
vitality  from  the  nails,  and  twists  the  skin  and  finally  reaches  the 
bones.  She  scrapes  out  the  cavity  of  bones  and  carves  out  the  (in- 
terior of)  the  veins  and  arteries,  with  the  result  that  the  external 
growth  of  the  hair-roots  gets  withered.  The  "Kundalini"  being  very 
thirsty,  drinks  in  a  single  gulp,  all  the  seven  elementary  substances 
in  the  body  called  "Saptadhatu,"  creating  a  draught  resulting  from 
the  dryness  of  the  body.  The  breath  passing  out  over  a  length  of 
dozen  inches  through  the  nostrils  is  restrained  and  forced  back  in- 
side. Thus  the  life-breath  "Apana"  rising  up  from  the  lower  region 
and  another  (named  "Prana")  getting  forced  down  are  both  pressed 
on  (in  the  opposite  directions),  making  them  meet  (in  the  middle), 
but  are  obstructed  (in  their  meeting)  by  the  intervening  connecting 
chains  of  the  wheels  in  the  body1.  They  could  otherwise  easily  meet 
together  but  the  "Kundalini"  getting  displeased  remarks  that  the 
(life-breaths)  are  the  only  ones  yet  left  out.  "Kundalini"  in  fact 
consumes  completely  the  element  of  earth  in  the  body  and  then 
consumes  similarly  the  fluids  in  the  body.  Consuming  in  this  way 
both  the  kinds  of  elements  in  the  body,  she  gets  fully  satisfied  and 
then  feeling  a  bit  content  rests  near  "Sushumna"  (^Wl)2.  Feeling 

i  These  wheels  or  Chakras  (also  named  "Padmas" — lotuses)  are  supposed  to  be 
plexuses  formed  by  nerves  and  ganglia  at  different  places  of  the  body.  They  rise  one 
above  another  along  the  middle  of  the  body  and  are  linked  together.  Their  names 
and  places  are  as  under:-  (1)  "Adhara"  (srrsnr)  at  the  anus.  (2)  "Adhishthana" 
(srfspssH)  between  the  navel  and  the  penis.  (3)  "Manipura"  (^f*i|^<)  at  the  navel.  (4) 
"Anahata"  (3Rfi|?r)  at  the  heart.  (5)  "Vishuddha"  (fa^«)  in  the  throat,  and  (6)  "Agni" 


142  JNANESHWARI 

satisfied  and  contented  she  vomits  out  water  rising  in  the  mouth,  but 
that  very  water  turns  itself  into  nectar  and  saves  the  life-wind  "Prana". 
The  life- wind  emerges  out  of  the  fire  of  the  vomit  and  creates  a  cooling 
sensation  in  the  body  internally  as  also  externally.  With  this,  it 
begins  to  recoup  the  lost  strength  in  the  different  parts  of  the  body. 
But  the  pulsation  being  stopped,  all  the  nine  winds  moving  in  the 
body  disappear,  leaving  only  one  life-wind,  causing  the  stoppage 
of  all  the  functions  of  the  body.  Then  the  air  passages  named  "Ida1 
and  "Pin gala"  running  through  the  left  and  right  nostrils  meet  together, 
while  the  three  knots  get  loosened  and  the  connecting  links  between 
the  six  wheels  get  snapped.  Then  the  wind  running  through  the 
passages  of  the  nostrils,  which  are  likened  to  the  Sun  and  the  Moon, 
gets  calmed  down,  to  such  an  extent,  that  it  cannot  cause  to  flicker 
even  the  flame  of  a  lighted  lamp.  The  activities  of  the  intellect  cease 
altogether  while  the  smelling  (inhaling)  power  left  in  nostrils  gets 
extinguished  in  the  power  "KundalinI,"  which  then  enters  into  the 
central  air  passage  called  "Sushumna."  Just  then,  the  lake  filled 
with  the  nectar  of  the  seventeenth  phase  of  the  Moon,  located  in  the 
upper  region  of  the  body,  slowly  gets  turned  on  one  side,  meets  the 
power  "KundalinI"  and  pours  into  her  mouth  the  nectar.  This 
fluid  running  through  the  "KundalinI"  vein  spreads  throughout  the 
body  and  gets  absorbed  wherever  she  spreads  out  along  with  the  life- 
wind.  Just  as  tallow  gets  completely  reduced  to  ashes  in  a  heated 
mould,  leaving  the  mould  with  the  melted  metal  alone,  in  that  way, 
there  emerges  (out)  the  seventeenth  phase  of  the  moon,  namely  nectar 
in  the  form  of  the  body,  with  only  the  skin  covering  it  all  around. 
The  Sun  gets  screened  by  cloud,  but  with  the  removal  of  the  screen 
he  resumes  the  brilliance;  in  the  same  way,  the  skin  is  only  a  dry 
covering  over  the  brilliant  form  of  the  seventeeth  phase,  and  that 
skin  too  gets  dusted  out  like  chaff.  Then  the  brilliance  of  the  lustre 


(srfkT)  between  the  eyebrows.  These  are  supposed  to  be  located  behind  the  stomach 
etc.  i.e.  along  the  front  of  the  spinal  chord  from  the  head  downwards.  These  six  wheels 
find  no  place  in  the  modem  science  of  bodily  structure,  but  it  might  not  be  altogether 
incorrect  to  give  their  place  to  the  six  plexuses  in  modem  science  as  suggested  by  some 
writers. 

2  Sushumna  (i^MI),  the  air  passage  of  breath  or  air  in  the  human  body  between 
two  others  named  "Ida"  and  "Pingala".  In  the  anatomy  of  the  Yoga  school  are  parti- 
cularised three  great  passages  of  the  breath  or  air  running  from  oscoccygis  to  the  head. 
Of  these,  Ida  is  the  passage  on  the  right  side  proceeding  through  (or  springing  from) 
the  "Nabhi-chakra"  or  umbilical  region  and  through  the  nose,  and  "Pingala",  that 
on  the  left;  "Sushumna"  ascends  between  the  two,  entering  into  the  middle  of  the 
head  (%sr  fwTT  m$ft  *ffcr  $F$). 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  143 

of  the  different  parts  of  body,  begins  to  shine  out  like  the  form  of 
the  pure,  spotless  crystal  or  the  blossom  of  the  germinated  jewel 
seed;  or  it  appears  as  if,  the  body  is  made  out  of  the  colour  of  the 
sky  at  sunset  or  as  if  it  is  a  spotless  image  of  the  brilliance  of  the  in- 
ternal sentience;  or  as  if  the  body  is  filled  with  red  powder  of  tur- 
meric called  "Kumkum";  or  is  a  statue  of  molten  sentience;  (or)  I 
think  the  body  is  an  incarnation  of  tranquillity,  or  it  is  a  colourful 
piece  of  the  work  in  the  picture  of  joy,  or  the  form  of  the  self-bliss, 
or  the  young  plant  of  the  tree  of  contentment  getting  strengthened, 
or  a  bud  of  golden  tree  (named)  "Champaka",  (or  of  a  neck-orna- 
ment called  "Champak"),  or  an  idol  of  nectar  ,  or  a  fruit-bearing 
garden  of  tenderness,  or  as  if  the  Moon  has  blossomed  forth  through 
the  moisture  of  the  winter  season,  or  the  very  brilliance  incarnate 
seated  on  a  seat.  The  body  gets  full  of  brilliance  in  this  way,  when 
the  "Kundalani"  drinks  the  nectar  of  the  seventeenth  phase  of  the 
Moon  and  then  even  the  God  of  Destruction  feels  afraid  of  such  a 
body.  Both  the  states  of  old  age  and  of  youth  disappear  and  child- 
hood is  born  in  their  place.  If  judged,  only  from  the  point  of  age,  one 
appears  a  child,  but  the  reservoir  of  physical  strength  is  so  unique 
that  the  word  'Bala'  ( ^To5-  a  child)  will  have  to  be  interpreted  as  "Bala" 
(^-strength).  Just  as  the  foliage  of  the  golden  tree  issues  forth  a 
bud  of  jewel,  ever  fresh  and  unfading,  in  that  way  new  shining  nails 
begin  to  sprout  (out).  New  teeth  also  come  out;  they  are  very  small 
in  size  and  form  a  double  row  of  diamonds  set  in  both  the  jaws.  The 
entire  body  gets  spread  over  with  bristles,  appearing  like  particles 
of  gems  called  "Manik"  (ruby).  The  soles  of  the  feet  as  also  both 
the  palms  get  reddish  like  lotuses;  who  would  describe  the  brilliance 
of  the  eye  washed  in  this  "Yoga"  practice?  Just  as  pearls  getting 
fully  developed  cannot  be  contained  in  the  oyster  shell  and  the  joints 
of  the  two  parts  of  the  shell  burst  out  open,  in  the  same  way,  the 
vision  not  getting  fully  contained  in  the  two  eye-lids,  tries  vigorously 
to  get  out,  and  although  apparently  half  shut,  in  that  state  even, 
it  embraces  the  entire  atmosphere.  Remember,  the  body  of  the 
"Yogin"  possesses  the  splendour  of  gold,  yet  its  weight  is  (light) 
like  the  wind,  since  it  has  not  got  the  massiveness  of  earth-element, 
or  the  liquidity  of  water  in  it.  Then  he  ("Yogin")  can  see  (things) 
beyond  the  seas  and  can  hear  sounds  from  the  very  heavens,  and 
can  read  the  mind  even  of  an  ant.  He  then  rides  the  horse,  in  the 
form  of  the  wind,  and  walks  on  the  surface  of  water,  without  getting 
his  feet  wet  and  in  this  way  attains  great  many  powers  (%fe).  Do 
hear  more:  taking  the  supporting  hand  of  the  life-wind,  and  making 


144  JNANESHWARI 

the  base  region  of  the  heart  as  a  step,  the  power  "Kundalini"  scales 
the  ladder  of  the  middle  air  passage  called  "Sushumna",  and  reaches 
the  heart.  That  Goddess  "Kundalini"  is  verily  like  the  very  mother 
of  the  universe,  as  also  the  grandeur  of  the  Supreme  Majesty  of  Soul, 
and  the  (protecting)  shade  for  the  blossom  of  sproutling  "Om". 
She  is  the  very  seat  of  the  'Profundum'  Great  Naught  (?Rr-void), 
the  casket  image  of  the  God  Shiva,  and  the  very  birth-place  of  "Om- 
kar".  When  the  delicate  minded  "Kundalini,"  as  described  above, 
reaches  the  interior  of  the  heart,  there  arises  the  sound  of  the  wheel 
named  "Anahat",  which  is  in  the  heart.  The  spiritual  sentience  too 
is  linked  up  with  "Kundalini"  and  is  active,  and  it  partially  hears 
that  uncreated  sound.  There  are  ten  kinds  of  sounds  heard  through 
the  "Yogic"  postures,  the  first  of  which  is  called  "Para"  CTT),  and 
which  is  of  the  nature  of  "Ghosha"  (low  roar  of  the  ocean  or  the 
rumbling  of  the  low  thunder),  emanates  from  the  "Anahata"  wheel 
and  is  heard  first.  In  the  basin  (fit)  of  this  sound,  begin  to  get  im- 
pressed the  forms  of  different  stages  of  low  whispering,  sketched  on 
the  pattern  of  the  sacred  'Om'.  All  this  must  (of  course)  be  known 
by  mere  imagination ;  but  how  an  imaginative  person  is  to  know  it? 
In  fact,  it  cannot  be  known  what  the  sounds  that  arise  are  made  of. 
But  I  forgot,  O  Arjuna,  one  thing  altogether.  So  long  as  the  life- 
wind  called  "Prana"  has  not  ceased  to  exist,  there  is  to  be  a  sound 
in  the  heart  region  and  this  keeps  on  rumbling.  When  the  entire 
heart  region,  gets  filled  up  with  this  rumbling  of  the  low  thunder  of 
the  "Anahata"  wheel,  the  window  in  the  form  of  "Brahmarandhra" 
(f^FCETthe  aperture  supposed  to  be  at  the  crown  of  the  head  through 
which  the  soul  takes  its  flight  on  death)  gets  opened.  O  Arjuna, 
there  is  another  greater  void  of  space  above  the  heart  cavity  which 
is  called  "Brahmarandhra",  in  which  abides  the  sentience  without 
any  substratum.  The  Goddess  "Kundalini"  on  entering  that  greater 
void  of  space  gives  the  sentience  food  in  the  form  of  her  splendour. 
There  then  remains  not  a  trace  of  otherness  with  the  completion 
of  the  offering  of  the  pure  food  along  with  the  cooked  food  in  the 
form  of  intellect.  There  then,  the  "Kundalini"  parts  with  all  her 
brilliance  and  assumes  the  form  of  life-wind  called  "Prana".  And 
how  does  she  look  now?  (She  looks)  as  if  she  is  cast  in  the  image  of 
the  life-breath  clad  in  a  yellow  coloured  cloth  of  gold,  but  just  dis- 
carding it  and  getting  exposed,  or  as  a  lamp-flame  getting  extin- 
guished by  a  breeze  of  wind,  or  as  a  lightning  just  flashing  in  the 
sky  and  then  disappearing.  In  that  way  the  "Kundalini,"  appearing 
like  the  golden  neck-ornament  called  "Sari "  or  like  a  flowing  spring 


VI.   DHYANAYOGA  145 

of  water  in  the  form  of  light  on  the  lotus  of  the  heart,  gets  soaked 
up  in  the  cavity  of  the  heart  and  then  power  merges  into  power. 
Even  in  this  state  she  ought  to  be  called  a  power,  but  she  abides  only 
as  the  life-wind  named  "Prana",  the  sound,  the  brilliance,  and  the 
splendour  in  her,  all  ceasing  to  be  perceptible.  There  then  remains 
nothing  like  conquering  the  mind,  or  shutting  up  the  wind,  or  any 
reliance  on  meditation.  There  also  remains  nothing  like  fancies  or 
ideas.  This  state  should,  in  reality,  be  regarded  as  a  mould  for  melting 
all  the  five  gross  elements.  Absorption  of  the  body  by  the  body 
through  the  way — "Yoga"  discipline,  is  the  secret  path  of  the  "Nath"- 
sect.  But  the  Great  God  Vishnu  (Lord  Krishna)  has  just  intimated 
it  here.  And  with  such  a  worthy  band  of  customers  in  the  form  of 
hearers,  I  unfold  the  real  significance,  unpacking  the  bundle  of  the 
implications  of  Lord  Krishna's  directions. 

15  "Thus  continually  exercising  his  self,  the  man  of  Discipline, 
with  his  mind  kept  under  restraint  attains  to  that  Peace 
which  culminates  in  self-effacement  and  which  has  its  home 
in  Me.  (293) 

When  the  power  ("Kundalinl")  thus  loses  its  brilliance,  the  body 
also  loses  its  form  and  becomes  imperceptible  to  the  mortal  eye. 
It  nominally  appears  in  (human)  form  as  before,  but  appears  as  if 
made  of  wind,  or  like  the  heart  (Tr*nr )  of  the  "Kardali"  plant  (Banana 
tree),  standing  erect  after  the  dropping  down  to  the  withered  outer 
skin,  or  like  the  sky  itself  putting  forth  limbs.  When  the  body  gets 
reduced  like  this,  it  is  called  the  sky-wanderer  (#3"*:).  With  the  attain- 
ment of  such  a  status,  the  body  of  the  'Yogin'  brings  about  miracles. 
Just  see,  as  the  'Yogin'  treads,  leaving  behind  rows  of  foot  prints, 
the  eight  powers  (WTfofe)  such  as  "Anuria '  and  others,  stand  alert 
at  every  .step  with  hands  joined  in  humbleness.  But,  O  Dhanurdhara, 
what  have  we  to  do  with  these  Goddesses?  The  main  point  is  that 
the  three  gross  elements  viz  earth,  water  and  fire  get  extinguished 
in  the  body  itself.  The  portion  of  earth  element  gets  dissolved  in 
water,  the  watery  portion  gets  absorbed  in  the  heat,  while  the  heat 
portion  gets  absorbed  in  the  wind  in  the  heart.  As  a  result,  only 
the  wind  is  left  behind  surviving  in  human  form.  But  it  too  is  to  be 
absorbed  in  the  sky  after  some  time.  The  name  'Kundalinf  then 


146  JNANESHWARI 

gets  lost  and  the  name  'Maruta'  (wind)  takes  its  place.  It  retains 
its  power  until  it  is  absorbed  in  the  Supreme  Brahman.  Abandoning 
the  posture  (W%)  l,Jalandhara,5  it  then  smashes  the  mouth  of  the  air 
passage  called  "Sushumna,"  and  enters  "Brahmarandhra".  Then 
placing  its  feet  on  the  back  of  'Om\  it  crosses  "Pashyanti"  ( WRft- 
the  second  step  of  the  power  of  speech)  and  pierces  through  the 
"Brahmarandhra"  as  far  as  the  third  (syllabic)  part  Makara  (*RrrT)' 
of  the  sacred  'Om\  just  as  a  river  rushes  into  the  sea.  Making  itself 
steady  in  the  "Brahmarandhra,"  it  spreads  out  its  arms  in  the  form  of 
the  notion — "I  am  the  Supreme  Brahman",  and  embraces  the  very 
Supreme  Brahman.  The  screen  of  the  five  gross  elements  then  gets 
dropped  down  and  they  both — the  life-wind  and  the  Supreme — 
meet  together  bodily,  and  it  (wind)  along  with  the  sky  absorbs  itself 
into  the  Supreme  Brahman  getting  one  with  it.  Just  as  the  sea-water 
becomes  pure  through  the  clouds  (by  the  process  of  evaporation 
etc.),  pours  itself  down  into  rivers  and  streams  and  then  ultimately 
re-joins  the  sea,  in  the  same  way,  the  individual  soul,  with  the  help  ' 
of  the  human  form,  enters  into  the  Supreme  and  secures,  O  Son 
of  Pandu,  union  with  it  (just  as  sea-water).  At  this  stage  there  re- 
mains no  trace  or  even  shadow  of  doubt  as  to  the  existence  of  duality 
or  the  mention  of  absolute  unbroken  unity.  The  state  of  getting 
merged  in  the  absolute  void  in  this  way  can  be  well  understood  only 
when  one  actually  experiences  it  himself.  It  is  impossible  to  find 
words  lhat  could  convey  through  the  medium  of  conversation,  the 
description  of  such  a  stage.  O  Arjuna,  even  "Vaikhari"  (the  fourth 
stage  of  the  power  of  the  speech)  who  normally  boasts  of  her  quality 
of  her  expression,  becomes  powerless  in  this  subject  and  stands  at 
a  distance  (i.e.  remains  mute).  Even  the  Makara  (the  third  syllabic 
part  of  'Omkara)  finds  it  hard  to  have  access  to  the  interior  behind 
the  knitted  eye-brow.  Similarly  the  life-wind  "Prana"  experiences 
difficulties  in  passing  by  this  direction  to  the  void.  Once  it  gets  mingled 
with  the  void  in  the  'Brahmarandhra,'  there  remains  nothing  for 
words  to  describe,  and  all  their  power  disappears.  The  next  step 
is  the  elimination  of  the  void  also,  and  when  this  takes  place,  it  is 
difficult  to  trace  it  in  the  unfathomable  deep  waters  of  the  great 
"void"  (i$i*|«4)  stage.  What  of  words  then?  Therefore  this  thing, 
the  Supreme  Brahman,  is  not  one  that  could  come  within  the  scope 
of  utterance  (of  words),  or  that  could  be  grasped  by  the  sense  of 
hearing,  and  this  is  a  truth  thrice  repeated.  Should  good  luck  favour 
one,  he  would  have  actual  experience  of  it  and  get  one  with  the  Supreme 
Brahman—that  much  only  can  be  said.  O  Dhanurdhara,  there  then 


VI.   DHYANAYOGA  147 

remains  nothing  like  any  "object  of  knowledge,"  and  whatever 
further  might  be  said,  would  all  be  in  vain.  That  stage  from  where 
words  turn  back,  where  all  fancies  and  ideas  get  destroyed,  where 
even  the  remotest  touch  or  reach  of  thought  cannot  have  any  access, 
that  stage  is  the  very  beauty  of  the  fifth  stage  in  which  the  mind  gets 
absorbed  and  in  which  is  the  very  grandeur  of  the  fourth  stage,  for 
there  the  emancipation  of  the  soul  is  reached.  It  is  beginningless, 
limitless  Supreme  Spirit,  and  is  verily  the  primary  seed  of  the  Universe, 
the  ultimate  goal  of  the  Yoga-Study,  and  the  very  sentience  full  of 
bliss;  all  forms,  the  state  of  emancipation,  all  beginning  and  end 
are  all  uprooted  there.  It  is  the  original  cause  of  the  five  gross  elements, 
and  the  greatest  of  the  great  splendours — in  short,  Oh  Partha,  it  is 
my  own  essence  and  is  what  may  become  incarnate  and  assume  the 
bodily  form,  with  four  arms,  which  is  the  solace  of  my  devotees 
when  troubled  by  unbelievers — all  that  blissful  Supreme  Spirit  is 
indeed  beyond  all  words.  Those  that  strive  unflinching  till  the  end, 
reach  the  form  of  the  Self  and  secure  the  ultimate  goal.  Those  seekers, 
who  yearn  to  realise  the  supreme  purpose  of  life  and  live  (through) 
laborious  days  to  act  up  to  the  way  of  life  described  by  me,  become 
holy  and  attain  the  greatness  of  my  pure  being  and  power.  Their 
bodies  appear  brilliant,  as  if  they  were  shaped  out  of  the  essence 
of  Supreme  Spirit,  and  cast  in  the  image  of  human  form.  Once  such 
experience  illumines  the  mind,  the  entire  universe  of  appearance 
is  enveloped  in  'Brahman,'  all  as  one  "Supreme  Spirit."  Arjuna 
then  interposed  and  said,  "What  you  say  is  all  true;  by  following 
the  path  you  have  preached,  one  clearly  attains  the  Supreme  Brah- 
man. I  have  understood  from  the  description  given  by  you  that  those 
that  follow,  with  determination,  the  study  of  'Yoga',  undoubtedly 
attain  the  Supreme  Brahman.  My  mind  has  realised  the  point  even 
by  hearing  the  description  you  have  given.  What  wonder  there  is, 
then,  if  one  who  experiences  it,  becomes  completely  absorbed  in 
it?  I  have,  therefore,  (got)  nothing  (with  me)  to  ask  separately  about 
the  subject.  Yet,  I  should  say  one  thing  and  you  will  lend  your  atten- 
tion to  it  for  a  moment.  I  appreciate  entirely  the  doctrine  of  "Yoga" 
you  have  preached.  Yet,  on  account  of  the  crippled  state  of  my 
strength,  I  feel,  I  cannot  practise  that  'Yoga*.  I  shall,  with  pleasure, 
follow  that  path  should  it  be  possible  for  me  to  reach  it  with  my 
natural  strength:  or  if  I  am  not  physically  capable  of  attaining  it, 
then  I  ask  you  to  tell  me  of  such  (other)  path,  as  could  be  found  suitable 
to  my  limited  strength.  A  desire  to  that  effect  created  in  my  mind 
has  made  me  make  the  query."  Arjuna  further  said,  "Please,  there- 


148  JNANESHWARI 

fore,  attend.  I  have  heard  about  the  Path  of  lYoga\  which  you 
have  preached:  but  do  tell  me,  whether  any  one,  without  discrimina- 
tion, can  practise  it  by  study:  or  is  it  of  such  a  nature  that  it  cannot 
be  secured  unless  one  attains  a  certain  standard  of  ability  in  regard 
to  it?"  Hear  what  Lord  Krishna  said  on  this:-  "This  is  an  extremely 
difficult  thing  involving  attainment  of  the  Supreme:  yet  even  in  the 
case  of  an  ordinary  thing,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  can  one  attain  it  without 
any  ability  on  the  part  of  the  doer?  But  what  is  called  'ability'  can 
be  judged  from  the  success  of  the  thing,  since  a  thing  succeeds  only 
if  it  is  undertaken  with  (inherent)  ability.  But  there  is  no  difficulty 
of  any  such  ability  here.  Besides,  may  I  ask,  is  there  (anywhere) 
any  mine  of  ability,  so  that  once  it  is  found,  any  amount  of 
ability  cart  be  obtained  from  it?  Can  anyone  intending  to  be  indif- 
ferent to  wordly-affairs,  not  qualify  himself  by  regular  application 
to  activity  in  regard  to  enjoined  duties?  You  (yourself)  could  bring 
in  yourself,  the  required  standard  of  ability,  by  taking  to  desireless 
activity  in  regard  to  enjoined  duties."  With  these  words  Lord  Krishna 
removed  the  difficulty  in  Arjuna's  mind  and  added  "Oh  Partha, 
there  is  (however)  one  such  rule  in  this,  that  one  cannot  at  all  attain 
that  ability,  if  one  does  not  perform  the  prescribed  actions  without 
being  the  slave  of  his  desires". 

16  "Not  by  one  who  eats  in  excess,  nor  by  one  who  does  not  eat 
at  all,  is  the  Discipline  to  be  perfected;  nor  likewise  by  one 
who  is  addicted  to  excessive  sleep,  and  never,  O  Arjuna, 
by  one  who  keeps  awake  (all  the  while).  (345) 

One  who  is  a  slave  to  his  palate  or  has  sold  himself  to  sleep  is  not 
considered  qualified  for  the  study  of  Toga:1  (nor)  one  who  starves 
himself  by  confining  into  a  prison  of  perverseness  his  hunger  and 
thirst;  also  one  who  through  similar  obstinacy  and  perverseness 
always  indulges  in  depriving  himself  of  sleep.  Such  a  person  has  no 
control  over  his  body:  how  can  he  then  be  successful  in  the  Study 
of  Yoga'?  Therefore,  the  indulgence  in  the  excess  of  enjoyment 
of  the  sense-objects  is  to  be  avoided,  no  less  than  any  hatred  or  com- 
plete opposition  to  the  normal  enjoyment  of  routine  sense  life. 

JjTbttMI^NtMfM  *fftTt  Tarfcf  f33fi[T  II  ?V9  II 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  149 

17  "One  who  has  properly  regulated  his  diet  and  recreation, 
who  puts  forth  proper  effort  in  actions,  and  has  his  (period 
of)  sleep  and  wakefulness  in  due  proportion;  such  a  person 
perfects  the  Yoga  which  puts  an  end  to  (all)  sorrow.    (349) 

Food  should  be  taken,  but  it  should  be  limited  in  proper  measure. 
Similarly  should  be  regulated  all  actions.  Speech  too  should  be  a 
measured  one  and  no  less  so-walking.  Sleep  should  be  at  the  fixed 
hour,  and  sleeplessness,  when  used,  should  be  in  due  limits.  Leading 
a  life  regulated  in  this  way  helps  to  keep  up  the  normal  supply  of 
the  seven  essential  primary  fluids  (%n%)  in  the  body  in  due  proportion 
and  promotes  bodily  equilibrium.  By  providing  material  for  satisfying 
the  objects  of  senses  in  such  a  regular  way,  the  mind  also  remains 
contented. 

18  "When  (his)  mind,  properly  restrained,  remains  fixed  upon 
the  Self  only,  and  when  he  becomes  free  from  any  yearnings, 
then  is  he  called  the  one  steadied  in  (Yogic)  Discipline. 

(353) 

When  external  actions  thus  are  regulated  by  measured  means,  the 
internal  happiness  is  even  found  to  expand.  It,  in  this  wise,  opens 
the  easy  way  to  the  path  of  'Yoga',  without  any  deliberate  study  of 
it.  Just  as  with  the  rush  of  good  luck,  all  prosperity  automatically 
walks  to  your  very  doors,  all  (your  own)  efforts  simply  remaining  the 
nominal  cause  of  them,  (in  the  same  way),  one  with  regulated  actions, 
standing  face  to  face  with  the  study  (of  the  Science  of  'Yoga')  with 
great  regard,  experiences  the  realization  of  'Yoga'.  Therefore,  Oh 
Partha,  the  fortunate  one,  who  succeeds  in  regulated  activity,  would 
adorn  the  throne  of  emancipation. 

T&n  ^Ht  PHIdWf  %^  UlMHl  TfcTT  I 

19  "'Like  a  lamp  in  windless  region  that  flickers  not' — such  is 
the  simile  declared  for  the  man  of  Discipline  who  has  curbed 
his  mind,  and  is  practising  concentration  on  the  Self    (357) 

When  the  regulated  activism  joins  hands  with  the  study  of  'Yoga', 


150  JNANESHWARI 

the  body  becomes  the  very  holy  place  "Prayaga",  and  one  who 
steadies  his  mind  in  such  a  body,  with  the  firm  determination  not 
to  leave  it  till  the  body  meets  its  fall,  should  be  called  by  you  as  one 
"steadied  in  the  'Yoga'  Discipline,"  and  I  say  further,  as  the  occasion 
demands  it,  that  such  a  one,  steadied  in  the  'Yoga'  Discipline,  is 
compared  to  a  lamp-flame  in  a  breezeless  region.  Now  reading  your 
mind,  I  shall  tell  you  one  thing  more  and  do  hear  it  attentively.  In 
your  mind,  you  wish  for  success  with  the  study  of  'Yoga',  and  yet 
are  not  prepared  to  undergo  the  hardships  of  that  study.  Why?  What 
is  the  difficulty  about  it,  that  you  should  be  afraid  of?  O  Partha, 
you  need  not  entertain  in  your  mind  any  such  fear  in  the  least.  These 
wicked  organs  are  for  no  reason  ever  creating  a  goblin  (to  frighten 
you).  Does  not  the  tongue  rebelling  against  its  noxious  enemy,  even 
refuse  an  efficacious  and  divine  medicine  that  has  got  the  power  of 
(holding  out)  longevity  and  of  bringing  back  the  very  departing  soul? 
Even  so,  the  senses  always  feel  troublesome,  in  doing  such  actions 
as  help  the  attainment  of  the  greatest  good!  Otherwise,  nothing  is 
so  simple  as  (success  in  the  study  of)  'Yoga'. 

20  "Wherein  the  mind,  held  under  restraint  by  the  practice  of  Yogic 
discipline,  ceases  functioning,  and  wherein,  by  his  own  self 
seeing  the  Self  within  his  own  self,  he  finds  contentment: 

21  "Wherein,  that  paramount  bliss  that  there  exists — beyond 
the  reach  of  senses,  and  to  be  grasped  by  intellect  alone — he 
realises;  nor  does  he,  once  steadied,  swerve  from  the  Reality; 

(364) 

Therefore,  the  practising  of  the  'Yoga'  Discipline,  on  a  firm  seat  as 
indicated,  will  (alone)  secure  an  effective  restraint  over  the  senses, 
since  the  mind  enters  into  the  form  of  the  Supreme  Self,  only  when 
the  senses  get  restrained  through  the  practice  of  'Yoga'  Discipline- 
Then  it  returns  from  there  and  turns  its  back  on  it  (the  self)  and  looks 
at  its  own  Self  and  identifies  it  to  be  just  the  same  as  the  Supreme 
Self.  With  such  identification,  it  enjoys  permanent  bliss,  with  the 


VI.  DHYANAYOGA  151 

result,  that  the  mind  automatically  becomes  one  with  the  Supreme 
Spirit  of  the  Self.  It  becomes  absorbed  in  that,  beyond  which  there  is 
nothing  and  which  is  beyond  the  reach  of  the  senses  and  it  abides 
in  Self-bliss  in  its  own  Self. 

22  "Gaining  which,  no  other  gain  does  he  deem  higher  than 
that,  and  steadies,  wherein,  he  is  not  shaken  by  even  a  heavy 
calamity;  (369) 

The  mind  is  not  then  shaken,  even  mountains  of  misery  bigger  than 
even  Meru,  are  to  crash  down  on  its  person,  nor  does  that  mind 
which  is  reposing  in  the  Supreme  bliss  of  the  essence  of  the  Self,  get 
awakened  in  the  least,  even  if  cleaved  with  a  weapon  or  if  the  body 
falls  into  fire;  when  the  mind  is  thus  merged  in  the  essence  of  the 
Self,  it  does  not  even  care  to  look  in  the  direction  of  the  body.  It 
forgets  the  pains  and  pleasures  of  the  body,  having  secured  the  unique 
Self-bliss. 

*r  (HfcKlH  sitaiSETt  'ft'Ttsftfairor^craT  II  ^^  II 

23  "That,  one  should  understand  as  the  Yoga  (lit.  'joining')  tech- 
nically so  named,  consisting  as  it  does  in  disjunction  from 
conjunction  with  grief.  Such  Yoga  one  should  practise  re- 
solutely, and  with  a  mind  inaccessible  to  ennui.  (372) 

The  mind  which  was  entangled  in  bliss  of  the  sense-life  forgets  all 
desires,  once  it  tastes  the  (Self)  bliss.  That  bliss  is  the  crown  of  glory . 
and  the  royal  wealth  of  the  contentment  of  the  Yogins.  The  possession 
of  this  supreme  knowledge  consummates  in  (securing)  this  bliss. 
Such  a  bliss  is  directly  realised  by  the  study  of  the  'Yoga  Discipline,' 
and  if  it  is  thus  viewed,  one  can  become  himself  one  with  it. 

««i><!*i**i«u«j  «6Wi,«^«rr^fT  ««<T«i5tad:  I 
♦iit^Pstnvw  fqPi*t*-q  ^*rni«:  II  y*  II 

24  "Renouncing  without  residue  all  longings  that  have  their  root 
in  cherished  aims  withdrawing  from  everywhere  the  aggregate 
of  sense-centres  by  (tne  effort  of  J  one's  own  mind:      (375) 


152  JNANESHWARI 

The  study  of  'Yoga,'  which  you  consider  to  be  difficult,  is  a  simple 
thing  in  one  way.  Only  passion  and  wrath  which  are  the  progeny 
of  ego's  fancy  must  first  be  crushed  to  death,  and  the  ego's  fancy 
made  to  lament  the  loss  of  its  entire  progeny.  If  the  fancy  hears 
the  news  of  the  destruction  of  the  sense-objects,  and  if  it  sees  the  senses 
brought  completely  under  control,  it  will  break  its  heart  and  it  will 
commit  suicide.  When  the  mind  attains  such  apathy  towards  worldly 
life,  there  will  be  the  end  of  the  fancy's  pilgrimage  and  then  alone 
the  Soul's  vision  could  dwell  in  great  happiness  in  the  mansion  of 
fortitude. 

3I#:  *JA¥K*^<^I  fegfcHJ^dm  I 

STTrfRTPT  *FT:  $c3T  Hf+p4«ifM  feM^d  II  ^K  II 

ddWdl  fH^+^ctelcH*^  3f5!"  «f^!J  II  ^  II 

25  "By  slow  degrees — with  the  intellect  sustained  by  determina- 
tion-one should  inhibit  the  functioning  (of  the  senses)  and, 
steadying  the  mind  upon  the  Self,  should  not  think  of  anything 
(else)  whatsoever. 

26  "Wheresoever  the  mind  rambles  fickle  and  unsteady,  from 
there  and  thence  should  he  restrain  it,  and  bring  under  the 
Self's  own  sway.  (378) 

Should  the  higher  mind  be  settled  firmly  in  this  posture  of  resolve, 
it  will  lead  the  mind  slowly  along  the  path  of  experience,  and  will 
take  it  to  the  temple  of  the  Supreme,  and  make  it  sit  there.  You  will 
see  that  even  in  this  way,  the  attainment  of  the  (Supreme)  Self  could 
be  secured.  Should  you  fail  to  practise  it,  there  is  another  easy  way, 
and  it  is  this.  There  should  first  be  made  a  rule  in  the  mind  that  a 
resolve  once  made,  should  on  no  account  be  deviated  from.  Should 
the  mind  get  steadied  by  this  rule,  it  may  be  taken  as  useful.  If  on  the 
other  hand,  it  does  not  become  so  steadied,  it  should  be  left  to  itself. 
It  should  not  be  brought  under  restraint,  whenever  in  such  a  wayward 
state  it  wanders  away.  It  may  be  brought  back  of  itself.  In  this  way 
it  will  gradually  be  accustomed  to  become  steady. 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  153 

27  "For,  nigh  unto  the  Yogin  who  has  thoroughly  pacified  his 
mind,  who  has  appeased  the  Rajas  (passion)  in  him,  and — 
rendered  stainless — has  attained  oneness  of  essence  with 
Brahman,  draws  the  Highest  Bliss.  (383) 

With  the  help  of  such  steadfastness,  the  mind  will,  sometime  or  other, 
easily  get  near  the  Supreme  Self.  It  will  then  struggle  with  it,  with 
the  result,  that  awareness  of  duality  will  merge  in  a  total  Supreme 
awareness  of  non-duality,  lighting  all  the  three  worlds  with  the  brilliant 
vision  of  such  a  unity.  The  clouds  arising  in  the  sky  appear  distinct 
from  the  sky,  but  when  they  are  dissolved,  there  remains  behind, 
the  all-pervading  sky.  In  the  same  way  the  mind  gets  merged,  leaving 
Supreme  unitary  sentience  to  be  all  in  all.  Such  success  is  attained 
through  this  easy  way. 

?J&*T  ^rH^refacSFrT  ^pFre^"  II  ^  || 

28  "Thus  ever  discipling  his  self,  the  Yogin,  freed  of  all  defile- 
ment, attains  with  ease  that  exceeding  Bliss  of  closest  contact 
with  Brahman.  (387) 

Several  have,  in  this  easy  way,  secured  the  vision  that  brings  emancipa- 
tion, discarding  the  wealth  of  the  fancy.  When  the  mind  accompanied 
by  happiness,  enters  the  interior  of  the  Supreme  Brahman,  it  abides 
in  that  meeting,  enjoying  happiness  as  in  Divali  Festival,  in  the  temple 
of  identity  with  the  Supreme,  in  the  way  the  salt  (once  dissolved) 
in  water  does  not  separate  from  it.  Thus  one  must  walk  back  on  his 
own  legs  in  the  reverse  direction  towards  his  own  original  form  (Self). 
But  if,  you  find  it  difficult  to  follow  this  way  too,  hear  about  one  more 
way. 

fsa#  MHl<4ri»lc*4l  *HNr  ^W5#T:  11  ^£  II 
*ft  *ri  wrfcT  ^HN"  *nf  ^  T&f  wrfw  I 
rlfMl^  T  M«ttHlfa  ^"  xf  ^  T  M«l4*l(d  II  3°  II 

29  '  'His  own  self  dwelling  within  all  beings,  and  all  beings  dwelling 
within  his  own  self:  so  does  the  man  see  who  has  his  self 
(steadied)  in  Yoga,  and  who  looks  upon  everything  with  an 
even  eye. 


154  JNANESHWARI 

30  "Who  perceives  Me  (abiding)  everywhere,  and  perceives 
everything  (abiding)  in  Me:  I  do  not  get  lost  to  him,  nor 
does  he  get  lost  to  Me.  (391) 

The  truth  is  not  open  to  doubt  that  I  dwell  in  all,  as  also  that  all  beings 
live  in  Me.  Soul's  awareness  must  be  turned  to  grasp  this  truth,  that 
the  world  and  the  Supreme  being  are  one  in  this  way.  In  fact,  Oh 
Arjuna,  one  who  worships  Me,  with  the  feeling  of  union,  evenly  seeing 
Me  all  alike  in  all  living  beings,  and  in  whose  heart  there  dwells  no 
distinction  consequent  on  the  superficial  distinction  between  being 
and  being,  and  who  sees  my  Supreme  Self-Essence  everywhere,  such 
a  person  is  but  Myself.  It  need  not  be  said  that  such  a  one  and  Myself 
are  but  one.  The  same  oneness  exists  between  him  and  Myself,  as 
exists  between  the  lamp  and  its  light,  and  he  abides  in  Me  as 
I  abide  in  him.  Just  as  fluidity  exists  on  account  of  water,  or  the  cavity 
on  account  of  the  sky,  in  the  same  way,  such  a  one  abides  in  a  form 
after  Mine. 

"W&Cf  c(<$44MUIm  h  sfWt  *rf*T  sr^"  \\^\  it 

31  "Who,  comprehending  the  oneness  of  all',  adores  Me  as  abiding 
within  all  beings :  such  a  Yogin  wheresoever  he  may  be  dwelling, 
has  his  being  (ever)  in  Me.  (398) 

One  that  sees  me,  in  all  the  beings,  with  the  vision  of  the  same  oneness, 
as  that  of  the  cloth  and  yarn,  or  one  whose  (mental)  condition  has 
become  steady  on  account  of  the  feeling  of  oneness  like  that  of  gold, 
even  though  the  ornaments  prepared  out  of  it  have  got  diversity  of 
forms;  or  one  from  whom  the  sun  of  singleness  has  removed  the  night 
of  ignorance— singleness  of  the  type  of  a  tree,  which  is  one  single 
thing,  even  though  bearing  numerous  leaves  which  were  not  all  planted 
individually;  how  can  such  a  person,  although  caged  in  a  body,  con- 
structed of  five  gross  elements,  be  restrained?  He  is  just  equal  to  My 
being  through  the  greatness  of  his  experience.  He  discovers  from  the 
experience  of  the  Self,  My  power  of  pervading  and  this  naturally 
makes  him  all-pervading  even  without  My  saying  so.  Even  though 
he  abides  in  the  body  (form),  he  is  free  from  conceit  in  regard  to  it, 
and  things  would  have  been  made  (more)  clear  by  preaching,  had 
it  been  possible  to  do  so. 


VI.   DHYANAYOGA  155 

g#  3T  ^  WT  §3^  'ff  $t*ft  qnrt"  iffi":  II  3^  II 

32  "W/io  contemplates  everything,  O  Arjuna,  with  an  even  eye, 
and  in  the  likeness  of  his  own  self— be  it  happiness,  be  it  un- 
happiness — he  is  deemed  the  Supreme  Yogin."  (404) 

Suffice  this:  he  who  ever  views  the  entire  universe,  as  also  the  move- 
ables and  immoveables  as  himself,  whose  mind  never  makes  any 
distinction  such  as  pain  and  pleasure,  or  actions  auspicious  and  in- 
auspicious, who  takes  as  his  own  senses  and  organs,  all  odd  and  even 
things,  and  other  strange  things — nay — to  whose  intellect  all  the 
three  worlds  appear  to  be  his  own  form — such  a  person,  even  though 
possessing  a  body,  and  considered  in  the  worldly  affairs  as  subject 
to  pleasure  and  pain,  according  to  the  respective  occasions,  still  truly 
(such  a  person)  is  really  the  very  form  of  the  (essence  of)  Supreme 
Brahman.  Therefore,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  you  should  develop  in  your- 
self such  evenness  of  temper,  that  you  do  view  the  entire  universe 
within  yourself,  and  be  yourself  the  entire  universe.  We  have  repeatedly 
been  preaching  this  to  you  with  the  sole  object  (to  show)  that  there 
is  nothing  beyond  evenness  of  temper  to  attain  in  this  universe.  It 
is  the  only  Supreme  thing  to  be  attained. 

3T^«T  WTO  I 

33  Arjuna  spake:  "This  Yoga  of  evenness  of  temper  that,  O 
Slayer  of  Madhu,  thou  hast  declared;  for  it,  in  consequence 
of  the  unsteadiness  (of  the  mind) ,  I  see  no  stable  standing. 

34  "For,  unsteady,  O  Krsna,  is  the  mind,  impetuous,  powerful 
and  obdurate;  its  control  I  deem  very  hard  to  achieve,  like 
that  of  the  wind."  (411) 

Thereon  Arjuna  said,  "Oh  Lord,  you  have  been  talking  this  out  of 
mercy  to  us:  but  the  mind  is  naturally  such,  that  we  fail  too  short 
of  this  great  truth.  If  we  just  consider  (ponder  over  it),  we  are  unable 


156  JNANESHWARI 

to  fathom  the  nature  or  the  compass  of  it  (the  mind).  Even  all  the 
three  worlds  are  found  to  be  too  limited  for  it  to  move  about.  How 
then  to  bring  the  mind  under  control?  Could  a  monkey  ever  remain 
quiet?  Could  the  stormy  wind  be  ever  tranquil?  The  mind  that  tor- 
ments the  intellect,  makes  our  determination  unsteady,  and  gives 
a  slip  to  courage,  makes  right-thinking  to  get  deluded,  brings  stigma 
to  the  contentment  in  the  form  of  desires,  makes  one  wander  in  all 
directions,  even  though  inclined  to  sit  quiet,  which  forcibly  rushes 
out  if  curbed,  and  any  attempt  to  restrain  it  becomes  only  the  cause 
to  increase  its  vigour— such  a  thing,  the  mind — how  could  it  change 
its  fickle  nature?  It,  therefore,  seldom  happens  that  one's  mind  be- 
comes first  steady  and  then  one  attains  evenness  of  temper. 

314614  M^WI^H  Tit  %Tnv§  ^^T  I 
3TWr#rT  <J  *1*rto  3'<T«^1'  ^  *Jj£l^  II  35*.  II 

35  The  Exalted-one  spake:  "Undoubtedly,  O  Long-armed,  is 
the  mind  hard  to  restrain,  and  inconstant.  But  it  becomes, 

0  Son  ofKunti,  restrainable  by  application  and  freedom  from 
attachment.  (418) 

Thereon  Lord  Krishna  said: —  "What  you  say  is  true  indeed.  The 
mind  is  certainly  so.  To  be  fickle  is  the  very  nature  of  the  mind.  But 
if  it  is  given  the  strength  of  indifference  to  worldly  life,  and  turned 
in  the  direction  of  the  study  of  "Yoga'  discipline,  then  it  could  be 
steadied  after  some  time.  The  reason  is,  that  there  is  this  power  of 
the  mind  that,  once  it  takes  a  liking  for  a  thing,  it  develops  a  fondness 
for  it.  You  should,  therefore  coax  it  and  create  in  it  a  liking  for  the 
bliss  of  the  Self. 

36  "By  one  who  has  not  controlled  his  self,  Yogiv  discipline,  so 

1  think,  is  hard  to  be  achieved  but  by  one  whose  self  is  sub- 
missive, and  who  makes  an  effort,  it  is  possible  by  (suitable) 
method  to  achieve  it."  (421) 

We  agree  that  those  that  are  not  indifferent  to  worldly  life,  and  never 
attempt  any  (sort  of)  study,  are  not  able  to  control  this  mind.  But 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  157 

then  why  should  the  mind  be  firm,  if  we  never  proceed  along  the  path 
of  Self-restraint,  and  comprehensive  self-governance,  if  we  never 
even  care  to  remember  what  is  indifference  to  worldly  pleasures, 
but  (always)  keep  on  drowning  in  the  sea  of  sense-objects,  and  never 
apply  any  key  in  the  form  of  any  restraint  to  the  mind?  Therefore, 
start  with  some  means  that  could  put  the  mind  under  restraint,  and 
then  let  us  see  how  the  mind  does  not  get  under  your  control!  Were 
you  to  aver  that  the  mind  could  never  come  under  control,  could  it 
be  that  whatever  is  said  as  the  attainment  of  'Yoga  is  all  a  myth? 
It  is  no  myth.  The  most  you  could  say  is  that  you  yourself  are  unable 
to  succeed  in  its  study.  Could  the  fickleness  of  mind  take  a  (firm) 
stand,  if  one  were  to  attain  the  power  of  'Yoga'  discipline  ?  Is  not  such 
a  power  capable  of  securing  control  over  all,  including  the  gross 
elements?"  Arjuna  said  on  this,  "Oh  God,  what  you  say  is  correct. 
The  strength  of  mind  would  prove  helpless  before  the  power  of 'Yoga' 
discipline.  We  had  so  far  never  even  heard  by  what  means  (we  are) 
to  secure  the  'Yoga-discipline,  and  this  made  us  slaves  to  the  un- 
controlled mind.  It  is  only  now,  for  the  first  time  since  our  birth, 
that  we  have,  through  your  grace.  Oh  Purushottama,  come  to  know 
what  the  'Yoga'- discipline  is" 

x^%  *rerc  fn*r  '«d^i$Hftl«M:  1 

e«l<H4:  *i$W<H4l<KI  ^ffcrTT  T  ^JMM^Ir)  II   3£  H 

37  Arjuna  Spake :  '  'Endowed  with  faith,  but  with  the  mind  strayed 
from  Discipline  and  so  lacking  in  self-control,  should  one  be 
no  longer  able  to  achieve  perfection  in  Yoga,  what  fate,  O 
Krma  befalls  him? 

38  "Is  it  permissible  to  hope  that  he  does  not,  like  some  bank  of 
cloud  cut  adrift,  perish  outright,  severed  from  both  the  sides, 
supportless,  and  having  lost  his  bearings,  O  Long-armed, 
in  the  path  of  Brahman? 


158  JNANESHWARI 

39  "Right  here,  O  Krsna,  thou  wilt  do  well  to  completely  dispel 
my  doubt.  For,  save  thyself,  another  there  does  not  reasonably 
appear  as  the  dispeller  of  this  doubt."  (430) 

But,  Oh  God,  a  perplexing  doubt  still  haunts  me,  and  no  one  else  but 
yourself  will  be  able  to  solve  it.  Therefore,  enlighten  me,  Oh  Govinda, 
on  this  point.  Suppose,  one  endowed  with  great  faith,  but  not  knowing 
the  'Yoga' — discipline,  tries  to  reach  the  status  of  emancipation. 
He  leaves  behind,  the  place  of  habitation  of  the  senses,  and  proceeds 
along  the  path  of  faith  with  the  object  of  reaching  the  state  of  the 
(essence  of)  Supreme  Self.  But  before  reaching  the  destination,  and 
not  being  able  to  retrace  (the  step  taken),  the  sun  of  his  soul's  longevity 
sets  in  its  journey  and  he  gets  stranded.  Just  as  a  thin  layer  of  un- 
seasonal  clouds  formed  in  the  sky  neither  gathers  strength  nor  pours 
down,  in  the  same  way  such  a  person  gets  deprived  of  both  the  attain- 
ment of  the  Supreme  Self,  as  also  the  happiness  associated  with  the 
sense-contact  which  he  abandoned  on  the  strength  of  his  faith.  In 
this  way,  he  loses  both,  being  led  away  by  faith.  What  is  going  to 
be  the  fate  of  such  an  one?" 


40  The  Exalted-one  Spake:  "O  Son  of  Prtha,  neither  here  nor 
hereafter  does  destruction  overtake  him.  For,  no  one,  My 
dear  friend,  who  has  done  what  is  good,  'ever  treads  the  path 
of  woe.  (437) 

Then  Lord  Krishna  said,  "Oh  Partha,  one  who  has  a  great  longing 
for  the  bliss  of  Salvation,  what  fate,  other  than  salvation,  could  he 
have?  But  one  thing  happens  in  this,  and  it  is,  that  he  has  meanwhile 
to  undergo  vexatious  detention.  But  such  detention  also  involves 
happiness  which  even  the  Gods  do  not  secure.  Had  he  (such  person) 
in  the  ordinary  course,  followed  the  path  of 'Yoga'-study,  at  a  quicker 
pace,  he  could  have  reached  the  destination  viz.  the  state  of  ""I  am  that 
person— the  perfection"  even  before  the  setting  of  the  sun  of  his  life. 
But  not  possessing  that  much  speed,  it  is  but  apt  that  he  should  linger. 
Yet  he  is,  at  any  rate,  destined  to  attain  the  salvation  in  the  end. 


VI.    DHYANAYOGA  159 

5p^*Tt  %fl*cti  ^  4Wt* cxtlip^vju^r)  II  *?   II 

41  "Having  attained  the  regions  reserved  for  the  righteous,  and 
remained  there  many  a  year,  the  man  who  lias  strayed  from 
the  Path  of  Yoga  gets  reborn  in  the  house  of  the  pure  and  the 
prosperous.  (441) 

Just  see  the  wonder  of  such  a  person.  He  secures  without  much 
effort,  that  which  even  'Indra,'  the  doer  of  a  century  of  sacrifices, 
finds  it  hard  to  secure.  His  mind  then  gets  tired  of  the  various  undecay- 
ing  and  unique  enjoyment  in  the  respective  regions,  and  in  this  fed 
up  condition,  he  goes  on  saying  in  exasperation,  "Oh  God !  Bhagwan 
why  this  uncalled  for  obstruction  should  come  in  my  way?"  Next 
he  is  reborn  in  this  mortal  world,  into  a  family  where  there  exists  a 
rich  store  of  piety  and  spiritual  regard  for  religion,  and  (where)  there 
grows  into  a  robust  sprout  of  glory,  just  as  there  should  sprout  forth 
a  long  shoot  out  of  a  pruned  stem  of  a  crop-plant.  He  conducts  him- 
self along  the  moral  path,  always  seeks  the  truth  and  views  every- 
thing as  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures.  The  'Vedas'  are  his  living  deity, 
his  own  religion  is  the  code  of  his  conduct,  and  right  thinking  is 
his  adviser.  There  is  no  other  subject  for  meditation  but  the  (one  of) 
Almighty  God  in  his  family,  and  he  considers  all  the  family  deities 
as  constituting  all  his  glory  and  wealth.  In  this  way  he,  the  one,  inter- 
rupted in  his  preceding  birth  in  the  performance  of  the  'Yoga' 
(sfrrspss)  secures  merit,  and  enjoying  the  growing  wealth  of  happiness, 
abides  happily  in  this  birth. 

l^dQi  ^TOT  sft$  «tt  y<0^*i^  II  ¥^  II 

VR&  ^  cGTt  Wf:  «i(W)  5 ^i«^i  II  "*?  II 

42  "Or,  haply,  he  is  reborn  in  the  house  of  the  Yogins  themselves 
who  are  endowed  with  wisdom ;  for,  that  one  should  have  in 
this  world  a  birth  like  this,  is  a  lot  much  more  difficult  to  attain. 

43  "In  that  birth  does  he  recover  contact  with  the  consciousness 
that  belonged  to  him  in  the  preceding  life;  and  thereafter, 
once  again,  does  he,  O  Joy  of  the  Kurus,  put  forth  endeavour 
to  achieve  Yogic  perfection.  (449) 


160  JNANESHWARI 

(Or)  the  'Yoga-bhrashta',  takes  birth  in  a  family  of  the  "Yogins'  where 
the  sacred  fire  in  the  form  of  knowledge  is  worshipped;  where  the 
Supreme  Brahman  forms  the  subject  of  all  discourses;  where  the 
'Yogins'  are  the  hereditary  enjoyers  of  Self-bliss;  where  they  (the 
Yogins)  having  mastered  the  secrets  of  the  great  (established)  truths 
have  become,  as  it  were,  the  very  kings  of  three  worlds;  where  they 
are  felt  as  if  they  were  the  very  birds,  nightingales,  singing  the  'Pan- 
chama'  tune,  the  words  of  contentment ;  and  where  they  are  sitting 
at  the  foot  of  ever  fruit-bearing  trees  in  the  form  of  right  thinking. 
A  small  body  gets  created  of  him  and  with  it  dawns  the  knowledge 
of  Self:  just  as  the  light  spreads  out  before  the  Sun  (actually)  rises, 
in  that  way,  the  state  of  being  the  'all-knowing'  weds  him  in  his  child- 
hood before  he  gets  fully  developed  (physically)  and  without  waiting 
for  his  mature  age.  With  the  attainment  of  mature  intellect,  his  mind 
automatically  gets  learned,  with  the  result  that  Scriptures  of  all  sorts 
emanate  from  his  mouth.  Such  a  birth — a  birth,  for  securing  which, 
even  the  Gods  dwelling  in  the  Heavens  ardently  perform  worship 
and  sacrifices,  and  sing  praises  of  the  glory  of  this  mortal  world  like 
bards — such  birth,  Oh  Partha,  the  '■Yoga-bhrashta'  secures. 

44  "/«  consequence  of  the  self-same  antecedent  practice,  he  is 
carried  onwards,  even  (at  times)  against  his  own  will.  Even 
the  mere  wish  to  know  Yoga  takes  him  (through  and)  beyond 
oral  instruction  in  Brahman.  (457) 

Then  restarting  from  the  limits  which  his  good  intellect  had  reached 
in  his  preceding  birth  and  at  which  his  life  was  cut  short  he  acquires 
unlimited  new  mental  vision.  Just  as  a  fortunate  and  'Pdyalu'  (one 
coming  to  birth  with  legs  in  the  forefront)  person,  with  his  vision 
treated  with  divine  antimony,  can  easily  detect  hidden  treasures 
underground,  in  that  way,  such  a  person  grasps,  without  great  effort, 
truths  and  visions  of  God-intoxicated  life,  which  could  be  under- 
stood only  with  the  help  of  the  Preceptor;  his  senses  get  controlled 
by  his  mind,  while  that  mind  combines  itself  with  the  (life)  wind, 
and  then  that  (life)  wind  (along  with  the  mind)  gets  identified  with 
the  Supreme  Spirit.  It  is  difficult  to  understand,  if  the  study  of  the 
'Yoga'— Discipline,  brings  him  to  this  state,  or  whether  the  state 
of  enrapt  concentration  in  spiritual  meditation  goes  voluntarily 


VI.   DHYANAYOGA  161 

searching  after  the  home  of  the  mind.  Such  a  person  should  be  taken 
as  the  very  God  (Kalabhairava'^- 1 1 3  *  «T)  of  the  Yogic  seat  of  Yogic 
studies,  or  as  the  very  glory  of  the  Supreme,  or  as  the  very  incarnation 
of  experience  of  the  great  truth  of  the  path  of  renunciation.  He 
becomes  the  standard  of  measure  of  the  mundane  existence,  or  the 
island  of  the  material  necessary  for  all  the  eight  branches  of  'Yoga' 
— discipline.  As  fragrance  assumes  the  form  of  sandal  wood  he 
appears  to  be  formed  of  contentment;  or  he  appears  to  have  emerged 
out  of  the  treasure  of  success,  or  even  though  appearing  as  a  seeker, 
he  is  in  fact  clearly  felt  like  one  already  perfect  from  his  very  origin. 

45  "And  were  he  with  diligence  to  make  the  effort,  the  Yogin, 
cleared  oj  all  defilement,  and  having  reached  perfection  at 
the  end  of  a  series  of  antecedent  lives,  thereafter  gains  the 
Goal  Supreme.  (465) 

Since  he  reaches  the  bank  of  the  state  of  Self-perfection,  after  crossing 
the  barriers  of  crores  of  years,  or  of  thousands  of  births,  (it  follows 
that)  all  the  means  of  his  success  in  emancipation  automatically 
follow  him  and  consequently  he  easily  becomes  the  master  of  the 
kingdom  of  true  knowledge.  The  right  vision  of  the  Supreme  divine 
then  is  slackened  in  speed,  as  it  is  merged  in  the  Supreme  Brahman, 
which  in  itself  is  beyond  the  limits  of  thought.  There  then  are  melted 
the  clouds  of  the  mind,  and  also  are  destroyed  the  powers  of  the 
mind,  while  the  eternal  sky  is  absorbed  in  itself.  The  phrase  des- 
cribing the  deep  and  unutterable  bliss  in  which  even  the  top  of  the 
sacred  'Om'  gets  drowned,  turns  back  and  recedes.  He  becomes 
the  very  image  of  that  formless  'Brahmic'  state  which  is  (also)  called 
the  Supreme.  He  having  already  swept  out  completely  all  dirt  in 
the  water  in  the  form  of  all  sorts  of  fancies  (accumulated)  during  a 
series  of  past  births,  the  auspicious  hour  (fixed)  for  wedding  approaches 
(i^qfc^i^swljas  soon  as  he  nears  a  contact  with  such  state,  and 
then  he  gets  wedded  to  the  'Brahmic'  state,  and  is  merged  into  it. 
Just  as  the  melted  clouds  merge  in  the  sky,  in  that  way  he  himself 
becomes,  even  while  in  his  body  form,  that  Supreme  Brahman, 
from  which  the  entire  universe  springs  and  into  which  also  it  turns 
to  be  dissolved. 


162  JNANESHWARI 

*f^W4Wlfy*|  ifrrft  nt*n«l«n  1<*l^  H  *^  U 

46  'T/wj  (fcwcf  o/J  Yogin  is  superior  to  the  man  ofaskesis  (aus- 
terities) ;  superior  to  even  the  man  of  knowledge  is  he  con- 
sidered; the  Yogin  is  (likewise)  superior  to  even  the  man 
of  action :  therefore,  0  Arjuna,  do  thou  become  Yogin.    (474) 

He  himself  becomes  that  Supreme  Brahman,  with  the  hope  of  the 
attainment  of  which,  those  exact  in  the  observance  of  enjoined  rights 
and  acts,  take  a  leap  in  the  current  of  the  six  duties  appropriate  to 
Brahmins  (^i+if),  taking  as  their  support  the  hand  of  courage,  or 
for  which  the  learned,  donning  the  armour  of  knowledge,  engage 
themselves  in  duels  in  battlefields  with  the  mundance  existence,  or 
out  of  liking  for  which,  those  fixed  in  religious  austerities  struggle 
hard  to  ascend  the  partly  dislodged,  slippery  and  difficult  precipice 
in  the  form  of  austerities,  or  which  is  the  object  of  devotion  and  the 
sacrificial  deity  of  the  sacrificer — in  short  which  is  ever  proper  to  be 
worshipped.  And  since  the  very  absolute  truth  is  the  goal  of  the  seekers, 
he  becomes  worthy  of  being  bowed  to,  by  those  who  are  precise  in 
observing  enjoined  rites  and  acts,  the  object  of  knowledge  for  the 
knowers,  and  the  very  deity  of  austerity  for  the  ascetics.  One,  whose 
mind  becomes  thus  concentrated  on  the  vision  of  the  individual 
soul  and  of  the  Supreme  Soul,  attains  such  a  greatness  even  though 
living  in  (human)  bodily  form.  For  these  reasons,  1  have  always 
been  telling  you,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  that  you  should  yourself  be  a 
'Yogin' 

*I4KM«J  1*^  *Tt  it  H  ^"  ^T*>d*fl  TrT:  II  VV9  II 

47  "And  amongst  Yogins  of  all  kinds,  too,  that  one  who,  possessed 
of  faith,  adores  Me,  with  his  innermost  self  engrossed  in  Me: 
such  an  one  is  by  Me  deemed  the  best  Yogin."  (482) 

Know  ye,  that  he  who  is  called  a  'Yogin'  is  the  very  God  of  Gods, 
and  my  sole  happiness—nay  my  very  life.  It  is  the  constant  experience 
that  I  am  myself  the  triad  viz.  the  object  of  devotion,  the  devotion  and 
the  devotee,  in  the  path  of  devotion  which  abides  in  him.  The  affection 
subsisting  between  such  a  person  and  Myself  is  certainly  indescribable 
in  words,  Oh  husband  of  Subhadra;  should  there  be  any  need  of  a 


VI.  DHYANAYOGA  163 

simile  for  the  affection  arising  out  of  absorption,  a  suitable  one 
would  be,  that  I  am  the  body,  while  he  is  the  soul  in  it. 

Conclusion 

Samjaya  said  (to  Dhritarashtra) :  "thus  said  Lord  Krishna — the 
very  moon,  the  gladdener  of  the  hearts  of  the  birds  'Chakor',  in  the 
form  of  his  devotees,  and  the  ocean  of  all  the  best  qualities,  and  the 
greatest  of  all  the  great  persons  in  the  three  worlds.  The  Yadunatha 
(Lord  Krishna)  by  now  realized  that  the  longing  based  on  the  faith 
felt  by  Partha,  of  hearing  from  the  very  beginning  the  teachings  (of 
'Yoga')  was  now  greatly  strengthened.  This  greatly  pleased  his  mind. 
Just  as  a  reflection  becomes  visible  in  a  mirror,  (in  that  way)  the 
impressions  of  the  discourses  became  visible  on  Parth's  face  and  as 
a  result  of  the  gratification  felt  on  account  of  this,  Lord  Krishna 
will  discourse  in  detail  on  that  subject.  That  ocean  follows  in  the 
next  chapter,  wherein,  the  sentiment  of  tranquility  ( *li fd <u  )  will 
make  itself  so  plainly  perceptible  that  stalks  of  the  seedlings  in  the 
form  of  great  problems  to  be  proved  (sr^)  will  blossom  forth,  since 
the  beds  (of  the  garden)  in  the  form  of  minds  of  the  hearers  have 
become  ready  for  being  sown  with  seed,  the  clods  of  feelings  about 
the  Self  having  all  got  dissolved  by  the  downpour  of  righteous  feelings. 
Over  and  above  that,  the  steaming  of  the  ground  (<=ll**U)  from  rain 
in  the  form  of  concentration  of  mind  having  been  secured,  just  like 
gold,  Shri  Nivrittinath  felt  the  more  encouraged  to  sow  the  seeds 
(of  established  truths).  Jnandev  says  further  "Oh  hearers,  the  good 
preceptor  has  made  me  the  container  of  the  seed  in  the  sowing 
operations  and  has  poured  the  seed  into  myself  by  blessing  me  with 
his  palm  on  my  head.  Therefore,  whatever  falls  (down)  from  my 
(lips)  mouth,  penetrates  directly  into  the  hearts  of  the  saints.  That 
apart,  (I)  shall  now  narrate  what  Lord  Krishna  said.  The  hearers 
should  therefore  hear  it,  through  all  ears  in  the  mind,  should  see 
through  all  eyes  in  the  intellect,  should  give  me  their  attention,  think 
over  my  words  and  thus  effect  a  barter.  They  should  store  the  talk 
in  the  region  of  the  heart,  with  their  hands  in  the  form  of  concentrated 
attention,  and  then  it  will  please  the  minds  of  good  people.  The 
talk  will  secure  Self-good,  will  bring  life  into  the  results,  and  thereby 
the  mind  will  secure  unending  happiness.  Now  that  beautiful  and 
skilful  talk,  which  Mukunda  (Lord  Krishna)  had  with  Arjuna,  I 
shall  narrate  in  a  versified  form. 

**n*i«i)<n  'TRT  btb£bwuti:  II  ^  U 


CHAPTER  VII 
JNANAVIJNANAYOGA 

SRTSR  *T*W  *Tf  T^T  STTRriW  rfS^T  II   ?  II 

wemm  %%  ^Mi*didoMq4fc(^a  u  3  u 

The  Exalted -one  Spake 

1  "With  the  mind  holding  fast  unto  Me,  0  Son  of  Prtha,  and 
carrying  on  Yogic  practice,  with  Me  as  the  refuge,  the  way 
thou  wilt  know  Me  in  entirety  and  with  certainty,  do  thou 
hear: 

2  "/  shall  now  impart  unto  thee  in  its  fulness  that  knowledge, 
together  with  its  realisation,  after  knowing  which  there  does 
not  remain  here  anything  else  as  a  further  object  of 
knowledge.  (1) 

"Hear  ye  now",  Shrikrishna  then  said  to  Arjuna,  "0,  you  have  now 
certainly  come  in  the  possession  of  (the  knowledge  of)  Yoga  path. 
I  shall  now  preach  to  you  "Jnana,  (the  Secret  of  all  Knowledge) 
and  "Vijnana"  (Knowledge  of  this  world),  so  that  you  will  be  able 
to  know  me  in  entirety  as  clearly  as  the  very  jewel  placed  on  your 
palm.  You  might  feel  doubtful  about  the  necessity  of  the  empirical 
or  worldly  knowledge,  but  you  must  know  it  before  everything  else. 
For,  with  the  advent  of  the  vision  of  true  knowledge,  ordinary  aware- 
ness gets  its  eyes  dimmed,  just  as  a  boat  remains  steady,  when  kept 
resting  on  the  bank.  That  state  where  the  worldly  awareness  gets 
no  footing,  in  that  state  of  mind  even  the  thought  turns  back  and 
the  reasoning  power  even  is  crippled—well,  such  a  state  of  soul,  Oh 
Partha,  is  known  as  knowledge.  All  other  views  by  which  the  where- 
fore and  the  why  of  the  world  are  grasped,  are  entirely  different  from 
the  Supreme  Knowledge  of  being,  and  they  are  named  'Vijnana'; 


VII.  jtf  ANA  VIJNANA  YOGA  165 

and  the  belief  that  the  world  is  all  a  reality  is  ignorance.  Indeed, 
with  a  view  to  ending  that  ignorance  and  to  melting  the  worldly- 
minded  insight,  one's  soul  must  fix  itself  in  the  essence  of  Supreme 
Knowledge.  When  this  state  is  attained,  all  talk  of  the  preacher 
comes  to  a  halt,  the  craving  for  learning  on  the  part  of  the  hearers 
comes  to  an  end,  and  all  distinction,  such  as  small  and  big,  ceases 
to  exist.  Such  mystic  secret  I  am  going  to  speak  to  you  now,  and 
even  a  small  fraction  of  it,  will  make  your  mind  feel  greatly  satisfied. 

«orn*t(M  (Wiii  «hf*l«+U  %%  cirqa:  II  ^  II 

3  "Hardly  one  amongst  thousands  of  men  strives  to  achieve 
the  goal;  and  amongst  the  (few)  seekers  that  strive  (for  it), 
hardly  one  in  reality  gains  the  knowledge  of  Me  as  I  am. 

(10) 

Hardly  one  amongst  thousands  has  any  keen  desire  for,  or  passion 
for  such  Supreme  Knowledge,  and  amongst  thousands  that  have 
such  a  liking,  only  a  few  are  met  with  who  really  attain  full  Know- 
ledge. An  army  is  made  up  of  recruits  in  lakhs,  each  one  being  search- 
ed for  and  selected  on  the  score  of  valour  and  courage,  from  the  entire 
community.  Out  of  these  lakhs  of  recruits  that  make  up  the  army, 
only  (some)  one  sits  on  the  throne  of  the  Goddess  of  Victory,  in  the 
midst  of  clanging  of  swords  and  flying  of  small  bits  of  cut-flesh  on 
the  battle-field.  In  that  way,  crores  of  people  plunge  themselves  in 
the  great  flood  of  the  desire  for  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Brahman; 
yet  hardly  anyone  succeeds  in  crossing  over  the  ocean  of  existence 
to  the  other  shore.  Therefore,  it  is  not  such  an  ordinary  thing.  It  is 
a  very  deep  and  difficult  thing  for  preaching,  but  I  shall  try  to  teach 
it  to  you  and  you  simply  hear  it. 

3i^*  k  wtaf  ^  fwr  sn^fsre^rr  u  *  u 
y^Ay facu-cMi  y&$f  fafe  *fr  m<i^  i 

wiUllJdi  *I^NI^1  *flfc?  «TT^  W1Q[  II  R.  III 

4  "Earth,  Water,  Fire,  Wind,  Ether,  Mind,  Intellection,  as 
also  the  T — notion;  such  is  the  eightfold  constitution  of 
my  Nature. 


166  JNANESHWARI 

5  "This  is  (however)  the  Lower  Nature;  another  than  this 
understand  as  my  Higher  Nature,  converted  into,  the  Indivi- 
dual-souls, by  which,  O  Long-armed,  is  this  living-world 
sustained.  (15) 

Hear  O  Dhananjaya.  Just  as  the  body  casts  its  shadow,  so  this  entire 
mass  of  things  are  my  own  shadow, — my  'Maya' — Cosmic  power — 
the  form  of  gross  elements.  This  'Maya'  is  called  Prakriti  (Primeval 
Nature).  It  has  an  eightfold  form  and  from  this  springs  the  entire 
manifold  created  world.  Were  you  to  feel  any  doubt  as  to  what  these 
eight  different  parts  consist  of,  do  hear  about  them.  Water,  Fire, 
Sky  (Ether),  Earth,  Air,  Mind,  Intellect,  and  Ego  are  the  eight  dif- 
ferent constituent  parts  of  the  Prakriti.  The  state  of  equipoise  of 
these  eight  together,  constitutes  my  great  Prakriti  (matter)  and  it 
is  called  the  Life  (^fcr),  since  it  makes  the  lifeless  matter  alive,  creates 
movements  of  living  forms,  and  makes  the  mind  feel  grief  and  other 
blind  impulses.  The  very  power  of  awareness  of  the  intellect  is  the 
result  (making)  of  its  contact  with  this  'Maya',  while  the  sense  of 
the  Ego,  arising  out  of  the  Prakriti  keeps  this  universe  in  existence 
and  in  process. 

aanj  $cRFT  WfG:  3^R":  SWMWMl  II  \  II 

6  "Get  to  know  that  all  beings  have  their  womb  in  this  (twofold 
Nature).  I  am  (accordingly)  the  origin  as  well  as  the  dis- 
solution of  the  entire  universe.  (22) 

When  the  subtle  Prakriti  sportively  joins  with  the  bodies  of  dense 
and  great  elements,  there  is  set  up  an  endless  mint  of  created  things, 
bringing  forth  four  (kinds  of  stamps)  types  of  living  beings  in  the 
world.  Although  they  are  all  of  equal  worth,  yet  their  classification 
is  different.  There  are  eighty-four  lakhs  of  such  classes,  there  being 
besides,  innumerable  sub-classes  of  the  main  ones.  The  interior  of 
the  void  (seed)  that  is  qualityless,  formless,  as  also  unmanifested, 
is  thus  filled  up  with  coins  in  the  form  of  individual  beings.  In  this 
way  are  turned  out  innumerable  coins  of  equal  weight  out  of  these 
five  gross  elements,  and  then  it  is  this  Maya  alone,  that  can  make 
a  census  of  these.  The  coins  which  the  Prakriti  plans  and  strikes 
are  afterwards  melted  by  her,  who  sets  going  the  wheel  of  action 
in  accordance  with  the  Law  of  Karma  of  the  individual.  Enough 


VII.   jtfANAVUtfANAYOGA  167 

however  of  this  metaphor.  In  plain  words,  this  Prakriti  (matter) 
spreads  out  this  entire  universe  of  created  things  having  different 
names  and  forms.  And  this  Prakriti  is  an  appearance  grounded  in 
My  Divine  Being.  The  begining,  the  sustenance,  and  the  dissolution 
of  the  entire  universe  have  their  ground  in  My  Divine  Essence. 

ifa  u4fM4  sftct  ^[%  ^F*Hl<*u  $3T  ||  \9  || 

7  "As  transcending  Me  there  exists  nothing  else,  O  Dhananjaya. 
Upon  Me  is  all  this  inwoven  as  upon  the  string  the  multitude 
of  beads.  (29) 

The  origin  of  the  mirage,  when  traced  out,  is  found,  not  in  the  Sun- 
rays,  but  in  the  Sun  himself;  even  so,  O  Kiriti,  it  is  only  when  the 
universe,  which  is  created  from  this  Maya,  is  wound  up  and  put 
back  in  its  original  state,  that  it  merges  into  Me.  In  this  way,  abides 
in  Me  the  universe  first  created,  and  subsequently  dissolved.  Just 
as  a  multitude  of  beads  remains  inwoven  upon  a  thread,  in  the  same 
way  the  Universe  abides  in  Me.  Just  as  gold  beads  should  be  inwoven 
upon  a  thread  of  gold,  in  that  way,  I  hold  inwoven  the  entire  world 
in  and  out. 

"SSftS^nsj  +1«rln  SHTTf^T  STfsr^fcft":  I 
srorg-;  <^4«&Q|  5l35f:  #  ^fN^  <TO  II  s  II 

*fhi  *i4*jcl<|  cmwiR-n  crcfNi'i  u  $.  u 

8 .  "I  am  the  sapidity  in  the  Waters,  O  Son  of  KuntT;  I  am  the 
lustre  in  the  Moon  and  the  Sun;  amongst  all  the  Vedas  (I am) 
the  (syllable)  'Om';  (I  am)  the  sound  in  Ether  and  the  man- 
hood amongst  men. 

9  "Pure  smell  in  the  Earth  as  well  as  brilliance  in  Fire  I  am;  life 
in  all  beings  and  asceticism  amongst  the  ascetics  I  am.    (33) 

And  therefore  take  it,  that  I  am  the  very  essence  of  sapidity  in  Water, 
and  of  the  touch-sense  of  the  Wind,  as  also  the  lustre  in  the  Sun  and 
the  Moon;  I  am  similarly  the  pure  Smell  in  the  Earth,  the  Sound 


168  JNANESHWARI 

in  the  Ether;  I  am  also  the  Pranava  (the  monsyllable  'Om')  amongst 
the  Vedas;  I  am  the  very  essence  of  manhood  in  men,  and  I  tell  you 
the  truth  that  I  am  that  very  strength,  which  being  the  core  of  indivi- 
dual sense  is  called  Pourusha  (manhood)  (*ftw).  I  am  that  brilliance 
— that  pure  form,  that  is  left  over,  after  removing  its  outer  cover 
called  Fire.  In  this  universe,  diverse  (living)  beings  come  into  being 
in  diverse  orders,  and  live  their  life  in  their  respective,  particular 
ways;  some  live  on  wind,  some  on  hay,  some  live  on  food,  while 
several  others  are  sustained  on  water.  In  this  way,  the  different 
means  of  living  of  all  beings  appear  as  being  natural  and  in  all  these 
living  creatures  I  dwell  as  the  abiding  Self  identical  in  unity  of  being. 

^T*f  *ri"  *f4*JdMi  T9T%  TNT  *t*iKin+<  I 

^Ff  «w«*cu  ^r%  wrwTT>rf^rr5rer*r  \ 

HH?faWl  ''^f  +l4UlfH  ^Kdtfw  II  ?$  H 

10  "As  the  ever-enduring  seed  of  all  beings  know  me  O  Son  of 
Prtha;  I  am  the  talent  of  the  talented;  I  am  the  brilliance 
of  the  brilliant. 

11  "And  I  am  the  strength  of  the  strong  ones  in  so  far  as  it  is, 
O  Bull  of  the  Bharata  clan,  devoid  of  longing  and  passion. 
In  (the  heart  of  all)  beings  I  am  their  desire  in  so  far  as  it 
does  not  run  counter  to  righteousness.  (40) 

I  am  that  Self-same  and  unoriginated,  beginningless  seed  of  all  the 
universe,  which  spreads  out,  through  creation,  with  sprouts  as  wide 
as  the  endless  sky,  and  which  at  the  time  of  its  dissolution  gulps 
down  even  the  three  syllables  sr,  3",  and  ¥  forming  the  Sacred  'Om' 
and  which  appears  in  the  form  of  the  universe  as  long  as  there  exists 
the  universe  and  at  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  the  universe  appearing 
as  nothing  in  reality.  And  this  mystic  knowledge  I  am  making  easy 
for  you  to  grasp.  You  will  realise  its  real  meaning  and  value,  when 
it  is  joined  to  the  knowledge  of  discrimination  between  the  pure, 
divine  essence  (spirit)  within  us,  and  the  grosser  material  of  our 
compound  person.  Leaving  aside  all  this  irrelevant  talk,  1  tell  you 
in  short,  that  I  am  the  penance  in  the  ascetics,  I  am  the  strength  in 
the  strong  ones,  as  also  the  very  life  of  intellect  in  men  of  intellect; 
I  am  the  essence  of  desires  ( *FPT)  through  which  are  secured  the  (four) 


VII.  jtfANAVUSANAYOGA  169 

objects  of  life,  (such  as  Dharma,  and  the  three  others).  Desire  usually 
acts  according  to  the  bidding  of  the  senses  and  is  the  servant  of  feelings 
and  yet  it  does  not  allow  the  senses  to  go  against  the  law  of  duty. 
This  Kama  leaves  off  the  path  forbidden  by  Sacred  Law,  and  walks 
along  the  royal  road  of  performing  duties,  enjoined  by  scriptures, 
keeping  (itself)  constantly  in  the  light  shed  by  Law.  When  the  Kama 
moves  in  this  path,  the  law  of  the  religions  is  fulfilled  and  thus  the 
men  doing  worldly  duties  attain  the  highest  good  in  the  holy  waters 
of  liberation.  This  desire,  under  the  power  of  Vedic  Laws,  fosters 
the  growth  of  the  creeper  of  universal  life,  from  parent  to  offspring, 
on  the  path  of  actions  in  such  a  way  that  its  foliage  gets  overladen 
with  fruit,  and  it  ultimately  consummates  in  liberation.  I, — the  Sup- 
reme amongst  Yogins,  am  the  root  of  this  Kama  (desires)  from  which 
seed  are  created  in  this  way  all  the  beings.  It  need  not  be  repeated 
ever  and  anon — the  eternal  truth  is  this.  This  entire  creation,  in 
short,  spreads  out  from  me. 

TrT  t^%f?r  <tpj  fMlf  t  rani  1 

12  "Arid  those  forms  of  existence  that  there  are,  consisting  of  the 
Sattva,  Rajas,  and  Tamas  constituents:  know  that  it  is  from 
Me  alone  that  they  have  their  source:  I  am  not  (contained)  in 
them:  but  it  is  they  that  are  (contained)  in  Me.  (53) 

Also  bear  well  in  mind,  that  the  three  states  of  the  mind — Sattva, 
Rajas  and  Tamas,  come  into  being  from  My  form.  These  are  created 
out  of  My  being,  and  yet  I  am  not  wholly  in  them,  just  as  awareness 
cannot  be  flooded  in  the  deep  waters  of  dreams.  The  solid  compact 
mass  of  seed  is  formed  out  of  soft  juicy  substance  and  from  this  seed 
in  its  turn  comes  the  hard  wood  of  stem,  shoots,  and  branches;  yet 
these  cannot  show  any  trace  of  the  quality  of  the  seed.  In  that  way, 
all  change  comes  out  of  My  being,  and  yet  My  being  is  not  subject 
to  changes.  The  clouds  appear  as  changing  in  the  sky,  but  pure  sky 
is  not  in  them;  and  water  comes  from  the  clouds  and  yet  clouds  are 
not  in  the  water.  Lightning  is  produced  by  the  friction  of  the  water 
in  the  clouds  and  flashes  out  brilliance;  but  is  there  the  least  (drop  of) 
water  in  the  flash  of  the  lightning?  Smoke  rises  from  fire;  but  can 
fire  be  found  in  smoke  itself?  In  the  same  way  although  all  changing 
states  of  the  world  appear  to  come  from  My  being  still  I  am  beyond 
these  shadowy  changes. 


170  JNANESHWARI 

Tft%f  HlP+MMifa  WT^r:  M<HoM4|^  II   ^  II 

13  "By  reason  of  these  three  Guna-constituted  forms  of  existence 
is  all  this  universe  confounded,  (and  so)  perceives  not  Me 
as  the  Immutable  One  that  transcends  them.  (60) 

The  moss  grows  out  of  and  covers  water;  or  clouds  for  no  purpose 
screen  the  sky;  or  although  dreams  can  be  said  to  be  unreal,  yet  we 
think  them  real  while  we  are  dreaming,  and  thus  they  prevent  us 
from  remembering  our  own  selves.  The  eye  creates  a  film  over  itself 
(like  a  cataract)  and  that  very  film  destroys  the  vision.  In  that  way 
three  Guna-stuffed  Maya  is  my  own  shadow,  and  yet  Maya  has, 
as  it  were,  woven  herself  a  curtain  to  screen  the  substance  of  My  own 
being.  Thus  it  has  come  about  that  the  entire  world  of  created  beings 
does  not  know  Me.  They  emanate  from  Me,  and  yet  they  are  not 
My  Being.  Pearls  are  shaped  out  of  water,  yet  are  not  dissolved  in 
water,  or  a  pitcher  formed  out  of  clay,  if  immediately  afterwards 
is  mingled  with  clay  gets  completely  dissolved  with  clay;  but  if  baked 
(in  the  kiln)  and  hardened  up  it  becomes  a  different  thing.  In  that 
way,  the  entire  mass  of  created  beings  is  a  part  of  My  divine  being 
and  yet  through  my  creative  Maya,  they  wear  separate  individual 
states  of  life.  Thus  although  they  are  of  Me  they  are  not  Myself. 
Even  though  they  are  My  very  own,  they  are  not  one  with  My  essence, 
since  they  become  blind  on  account  of  sense-objects  through  self- 
forgetfulness,  attachment  and  delusion. 

14  "For,  this  mine  Guna-constituted  Cosmic- Illusion  is  hard  to 
overcome.  Only  those  that  seek  refuge  in  Me  alone,  are  able 
to  cross  this  Cosmic -Illusion.  (68) 

Now,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  how  to  conquer  this  Maya  to  attain  the  reali- 
zation of  the  vision  that  makes  you  one  with  the  essence  of  My  Eternal 
Being  is  the  question.  From  the  highlands  of  the  Most  High,  the 
river  Maya  starts  as  a  stream  of  the  weak  force;  in  this  stream  the 
gross  elements  are  a  small  bubble.  Then,  in  course  of  time,  it  rushes 
on  with  an  ever-increasing  speed  in  the  cosmic  stream  of  the  created 
things  and  wildly  comes  down,  overflowing  the  two  high  banks  in 


VII.   jtfANAVUtfANAYOGA  171 

the  form  of  action  and  quiescence.  The  Maya  then  flooded  with  the 
downpour  of  the  manifold  things — (Guna-triad,  the  three  consituent 
aspects — Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas),  and  its  over-rolling  mass  of 
water  in  the  form  of  delusive  awareness,  sweeps  away  as  it  were, 
the  human  habitations  in  the  form  of  restraint  of  mind  and  restraint 
of  senses.  There  are  then  formed  into  it,  whirlpools  in  the  form  of 
hatred,  and  its  stream  gets  obstructed  by  bends  in  the  form  of  jealousy, 
while  formidable  fish  in  the  form  of  haughtiness  keep  on  basking 
in  it.  There  are  many  turnings  and  tangles  in  it  in  the  form  of  the 
irresistible  ties  of  family  life,  while  dirt  and  fallen  leaves  and  dry 
blades  in  the  form  of  pleasure  and  pain,  keep  on  floating  over  the 
flow  of  waters  of  actions  and  inactions.  Waves  and  turnings  of 
passions  and  desires  dash  against  the  islands  of  enjoyment  of  sense- 
objects,  formed  in  the  bed  of  this  river,  while  bunches  of  foam  of 
beings  appear  to  get  obstructed  there.  There  appear  ebullitions 
arising  out  of  the  three-fold  conceit  (of  learning,  riches  and  power) 
consequent  on  the  mad  frolicks  played  by  Ego-spirit  in  this  river, 
and  there  also  rush  out  waves  of  sense-objects.  In  this  river  there 
are  created  spots  of  deep  water  (^)  in  the  form  of  cycles  of  births 
and  deaths,  as  the  result  of  floods  of  (Sun)  rise  and  (Sun)  set  and 
from  these  emerge  and  burst  bubbles  of  universe  constituted  of  the 
five  gross  elements.  Fish  in  the  form  of  blind  passions  cut  out  and 
swallow  bits  of  flesh  of  courage  and  then  these  fish  keep  on  whirling 
round  and  round  along  the  eddying  ignorance.  The  hope  of  a 
heavenly  paradise  is  but  the  furious  roar  of  this  eternal  stream  of 
Maya  with  its  water  made  muddy  by  mad  frenzy  and  flowing  unto 
the  marsh  of  quagmire  of  rituals-actions  of  Rajas  quality.  There 
are  diverse  and  forcible  currents  of  the  Tamas  quality  in  this  river, 
while  the  still  flow  of  the  Sattva  quality  proves  too  deep  to  cross 
over  to  the  other  side  (of  the  river).  Such  is  verily  the  Maya  river. 
To  ferry  over  it  is  a  task  hard  indeed.  The  rushing  torrents  of  cycles 
of  births  and  deaths  in  this  river  make  the  forts  'in  the  Satyaloka  to 
sink,  and  the  boulders  in  the  form  of  cosmic  globes  to  roll  over  on 
their  sides.  The  great  waters  of  Maya  rush  on  with  endless  energy, 
and  the  flood  does  not  show  signs  of  ebbing  yet.  Who  could  then 
swim  across  the  flood  of  the  Maya  river?  And  the  strangest  mystery 
of  this  river  is  this :  the  very  boats  shaped  to  cross  over  this  Maya 
river  turn  out  to  be  the  cause  of  sinking.  Hear,  how  this  comes  about: 
some  who  plunge  into  this  flood,  relying  on  the  powerful  arms  of 
self-confidence,  are  soon  lost  forever;  others  are  swallowed  up  by 
self-conceit  in  the  deep  waters  of  knowledge;  a  few  others  using 


172  JNANESHWARl 

the  link  of  pompions  ( UMlS  )  in  the  form  of  Vedic  Law  tied  to  the 
stone  of  Ego-sense,  are  swallowed  up  entirely  by  the  fish  of  arrogance. 
Some  take  their  stand  on  their  youth  and  give  themselves  up  to 
lust  and  passion,  with  the  result  that  they  are  devoured  by  alligators 
in  the  form  of  sense-pleasures,  and  moreover  they  are  enmeshed 
in  the  tangles  of  dotage  in  the  wave  of  old  age  in  that  river.  Then 
dashing  against  the  rocks  of  worldly  sorrows,  and  being  suffocated 
in  the  whirlpools  of  passion,  wherever  they  try  to  raise  theii  hands 
the  vultures  of  calamities  feed  on  them.  Wallowing  in  the  quagmire 
of  grief,  they  are  stuck  up  and  lost  in  the  sands  of  death.  Creatures 
steeped  in  lust  are  lost  for  ever;  some  others  use  performance  of 
sacrifices  as  a  float,  tying  it  under  their  waist  and  they  are 
shut  up  in  the  dark  chambers  of  the  Pleasures  of  Paradise:  some 
others  rely  on  the  arms  in  the  form  of  actions  with  the  object  of  securing 
salvation,  but  they  are  tossed  into  the  whirlpool  of  conflicting  duties. 
The  Maya  flood  is  thus  a  stream  wherein  renunciation  is  no  ferry 
and  wisdom  is  no  rope  to  cross  over.  'Yoga'  is  perhaps  the  path, 
but  it  is  very  rarely  used.  Crossing  this  great  stream  Maya,  to  us 
mortals,  looks  like  this.  Mortals  can  see  the  other  bank  of  the  river 
Maya, — if  a  patient  is  cured  without  a  regimen,  or  if  a  saint  can 
control  the  thoughts  of  a  crook,  or  if  a  voluptuary  in  the  lap  of  fortune 
can  forsake  the  prospect  of  enjoyment,  or  if  a  thief  can  rush  boldly 
into  an  open  meeting,  or  if  a  fish  swallows  the  bait ;  or  (if  it  be  possible) 
for  a  timid  person  to  turn  back  and  lay  low  a  ghost,  or  for  a  young 
deer  to  break  through  the  snare  of  a  hunter,  or  for  an  ant  to  transcend 
the  mountain  Meru.  Therefore,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  just  as  for  a  voluptu- 
ous man  it  is  hard  to  tame  and  subdue  his  passion  for  woman,  even 
so  the  river  of  Maya  cannot  be  forded  by  a  living  being.  Only  those 
that  worship  with  unswerving  devotion  can  with  ease  ford  this  river; 
he  (such  a  one)  is  saved  even  the  task  of  crossing  over,  since  the  flood 
of  Maya  is  all  dried  up  on  this  side  of  existence.  One  who  is  lucky 
to  get  the  boatman  in  the  form  of  a  Master-guide,  and  who  has  secur- 
ed a  strong  waist-belt  in  the  form  of  illumination  and  experience, 
and  who  has  secured  a  raft  in  the  form  of  the  realisation  of  Self,  and 
who  has  thrown  away  the  night-mare  of  self-conceit,  and  who  has 
escaped  (from)  the  gale  of  fancy,  and  who  has  turned  round  the 
strong  eddies  of  attachment  for  sense-objects,  and  who  has  reached 
landings  of  unions  and  joined  self-realisation,  and  who  has  vigorously 
crossed  over  to  the  opposite  bank  of  quiescence  --such  a  one  using 
vigorously  his  arms  in  the  form  of  renunciation,  and  floating  on  the 
strength  of  staunch  faith- i  am  myself  Supreme  Brahman' '-will 


VII.  JNANAVUN  ANA  YOGA  173 

reach  at  last  without  effort  the  other  side  of  Liberation.  Those  that 
worship  Me  in  this  way  cross  over  My  Maya.  But  such  devotees 
are  very  rare  and  are  not  to  be  met  with  in  numbers. 

mwimgcMMi  arrgr  *wwiI*mi:  ii  !H  ii 

STRff  fasTTCJTSlfcft  5rFft  ^T  ^RcT^  II   l\  II 

15  '  'Perpetrators  of  evil  deeds — the  deluded  ones — they  never  seek 
refuge  in  Me:  these  basest  of  men  bereft  of  knowledge  through 
the  (Cosmic-)  Illusion,  and  betaking  themselves  to  demoniac 
disposition. 

16  "Four  sorts  of  people,  the  doers  of  righteous  deeds,  Oh  Arjuna, 
betake  themselves  unto  Me:  the  one  in  distress,  the  one 
eager  to  know,  the  one  seeking  some  end,  and  the  man  of 
knowledge,  Oh  Bull  amongst  the  Bharatas.  (103) 

Except  such  devotees,  others  are  possessed  by  the  spirit  of  self-conceit, 
which  makes  them  forget  the  knowledge  of  the  self.  In  such  a  condi- 
tion the  sense-control  of  such  men  that  covers  the  animal  body  gets 
slackened,  and  they  cease  to  feel  ashamed  of  their  degeneration,  and 
indulge  in  acts  forbidden  (in  the  Vedas).  See  you,  O  Son  of  Pandu, 
they  set  aside  entirely  the  purpose  for  which  they  come  into  this 
world  in  the  human  form  and  indulge  in  vain  talk,  on  the  beaten 
track,  leading  to  sense-enjoyment  and  they  are  surrounded  by  clusters 
of  various  passions:  and  when  there  fall  on  them  the  blows  of  sorrow 
and  lamentation,  they  suffer  from  loss  of  memory.  The  root  cause 
of  all  this  is  this  'Maya'  (delusion)  that  makes  them  forget  Me.  There 
are  only  four  among  my  devotees  that  have  betaken  themselves  unto 
Me.  First  is  the  sick  soul  in  distress  (worldly  sorrow),  the  second  is 
one  who  is  eager  to  know  the  truth,  the  third  is  the  one  who  seeks 
some  end  and  fruit,  while  the  fourth  is  the  man  of  realisation. 


174  JNANESHWARI 

17  "Amongst  these,  the  man  of  knowledge  who  shows  constant 
application  and  has  singleness  of  devotion,  is  one  that  excels; 
for,  of  the  man  of  knowledge  I  am  exceedingly  beloved, 
and  he  too  is  beloved  of  me.  (1 10) 

The  sick  Soul  in  sorrow  worships  Me  for  securing  relief  from  distress, 
the  one  eager  to  know  does  so  out  of  longing  to  know;  the  third 
worships  Me  with  desire  to  secure  objective  good;  while  the  fourth 
has  no  desire  whatever  to  satisfy,  and  therefore,  he  alone,  the  Man 
of  knowledge — is  My  real  devotee,  since  with  the  light  of  that  know- 
ledge, he  dispels  all  darkness  due  to  distinction,  and  then  he  is  merged 
with  My  divine  essence  and  in  that  way  he  abides  as  My  devotee 
also.  A  crystal  momentarily  appears  to  the  ordinary  eye  as  water 
itself  (on  account  of  the  motion  of  water  running  over  it);  even  so 
is  the  man  of  realized  vision  and  the  wondrous  beauty  is  beyond  words. 
Let  the  wind  be  still,  and  it  is  one  with  sky.  Even  so  is  the  man  of  know- 
ledge once  he  is  merged  in  My  divine  essence,  it  is  vain  talk  to  say 
that  he  is  My  devotee.  The  wind  is  naturally  one  with  the  essence 
of  the  sky,  unless  it  is  moved  and  made  to  blow:  otherwise  both 
these  are  one  and  the  same  thing.  In  that  way,  the  man  of  knowledge 
while  performing  actions  through  his  body-form  (organs)  appears 
as  my  devotee,  yet  he  has  already  become  one  with  me  through  the 
light  of  knowledge  that  shines  in  him,  and  he  realizes  that  "I  am 
his  Soul,"  and  on  My  part,  I  hold  him  as  My  very  soul  through  My 
all-enveloping  love.  How  could  separate  dwelling  in  a  body  make 
him  other  than  my  Supreme  spirit,  when  his  acts  in  this  life  emanate 
from  this  highest  life  of  Spirit  beyond  the  limited  life  of  his  finitude. 

aiTfNcT:  H  %  *4rWc*U  *N*Nl<jTl+4i  *lfd^  II   ?«;  II 

18  "All  these  in  sooth  are  men  of  lofty  souls,  but  the  man  of  know- 
ledge is — such  is  my  opinion — my  very  self;  for  he,  with 
devoted  self,  has  set  Me  alone  as  his  Supreme  Goal.      (119) 

Anyone  then  may  indeed  try  to  cling  fast  to  Me  as  my  devotee  with 
the  object  of  securing  his  own  end.  But  the  man  of  knowledge  alone, 
whose  devotion  claims  Me  entire,  is  the  devotee  I  hold  dear.  Just 
see.  Men  tie  the  hind-legs  of  the  cow,  in  order  to  secure  her  milk; 
but  how  is  it  that  the  young  calf  gets  its  share  of  the  milk  without 
such  a  rope?  The  truth  is  that  the  calf  knows  nothing  except  its 


vii.  jSanavuSanayoga  175 

mother,  but  feels  "This  is  my  mother"  from  the  bottom  of  its  heart 
as  soon  as  it  sees  her.  The  cow  likewise  sees  that  the  young  one  is 
helpless  and  supportless  without  herself,  and  loves  it  with  all  her 
soul,  and  thus  the  saying  of  the  Lord  of  Lakshmi  is  all  true.  Let  that 
pass.  The  Lord  then  went  on  "The  other  devotees  that  I  mentioed 
are  good  in  their  own  way  and  they  are  dear  to  Me.  But  those  that 
lose  everything  including  their  (past)  self  after  knowing  Me,  like  a 
river  ending  with  its  approach  to  the  sea — those  whose  entire  love 
is  as  it  were  the  Ganges  moving  into  the  ocean  of  realization  of  the 
Absolute  Divine  Self, — such  devotees  are  none  other  but  Myself. 
Why  waste  more  words?  Really  speaking,  whosoever  attains  know- 
ledge, is  My  very  sentience-My  very  soul.  This  in  fact  is  not  a  matter 
of  words,  but  I  have  utterd  a  truth  this  is  unutterable. 

19  "(Becoming)  at  the  end  of  several  lives  the  man  of  know- 
ledge, he  betakes  himself  unto  Me  in  the  conviction, 
"Vasudeva  is  All".  Such  an  exalted  soul  is  exceedingly 
hard  to  find.  (127) 

(Such  a)  devotee  has  indeed  conquered  all  obstacles  put  by  passions 
and  desires  in  his  journey  through  the  dense  forest  of  sensuous  life 
and  has  climbed  up  the  uphill  path  of  a  resolute  will,  Oh  you,  the 
best  of  warriors!  Then  he  walks  in  the  company  of  the  righteous, 
avoiding  the  unrighteous  way  of  sin,  and  betakes  himself  to  the  royal 
road  of  the  right  actions.  He  has  continued  his  journey  along  this 
road  through  cycles  of  birth,  renouncing  all  fruit  of  actions,  as  if  he 
spurns  the  use  of  footwear.  How  could  such  a  one  count  upon  the 
fruit  of  action?  In  this  way  he  journeys  fast,  alone  in  the  dull 
night  of  ignorance  of  physical  existence,  along  the  road  of  righteous 
actions.  Then  at  last,  the  dawn  of  knowledge  proclaims  the  end  of 
the  nightly  journey,  when  all  action  is  dissolved.  Simultaneously 
comes  the  "Ushah-Kala"  (3^:Tra"—  three  fourths  of  an  hour  before 
dawn) — the  grace  of  Guru  as  if  it  were  the  ushering  in  of  day-break, 
that  brings  the  mild  rays  of  knowledge:  and  so  his  vision  meets  with 
the  glorious  treasure  of  the  unity  of  all  things.  In  such  a  pure  mind, 
wherever  he  casts  his  glance,  he  beholds  My  divine  being,  and  even 
in  motionless  repose,  without  looking  at  anything,  he  realizes  nothing 
else  than  my  own  being  in  his  heart.  Suffice  this  description.  He 
sees  nowhere  any  other  being  except  Myself.  Just  as  a  pot  drowned 


176  JNANESHWARl" 

in  water  gets  full  of  water  in  and  out ;  in  that  way  he  being  concentrated 
in  me,  I  abide  in  him  in  and  out,  but  this  state  is  not  one  that  could 
be  described  in  words.  I  would  only  say  that  once  the  treasure  house 
of  truth  is  opened  to  him,  he  uses  the  wealth  of  knowledge  in  his 
dealings  and  the  entire  universe  is  at  his  feet.  His  inner  experience 
getting  full  with  the  realization  that  this  entire  universe  is  full  with 
"Vasudeva,"  he  proves  to  be  the  king  among  the  devotees,  and  one 
of  great  knowledge.  The  wealth  of  his  experience  is  so  vast,  that  it 
can  hold  in  it  the  entire  universe  moveable  as  also  immoveable. 
But  such  a  great  soul,  O  Dhanurdhara,  is  so  rare.  There  are  many 
indeed  who  worship  Me  otherwise,  out  of  desire  for  the  fruit  and 
become  blind  by  sensuous  desire  in  the  darkness  of  worldly  hope. 

*ft  ift"  H7  STt  cTJ  T?W:  fc^lF^fa^fd  I 

20  "Those  whose  judgment  is  led  astray  by  desires  of  different 
sorts,  betake  themselves  to  other  Divinities,  following  various 
kinds  of  observances,  being  ruled  by  their  own  (inward)  bent. 

21  "Whatsover  man  of  devotion  desires  to  adore  in  faith  this 
or  that  form  of  manifestation  (of  the  Divinity),  I  make  that 
same  faith  of  such  a  man  steadfast.  (B9) 

Once  desire  for  any  fruit  enters  into  the  heart,  through  avarice,  the 
Light  that  sees  is  blown  out  by  the  violent  gale  of  that  passion.  Thus 
benighted  in  and  out,  they  are  lost  to  My  divine  being  which  is  near 
at  hand;  and  then  they  betake  themselves  to  the  worship  of  other 
deities,  heart  and  soul.  Being  already  slaves  of  'Maya'  (delusion) 
they  are  helpless  beggars  through  the  love  of  sense-enjoyment;  and 
what  a  pity,  they  covetously  abandon  themselves,  to  the  worship 
of  other  deities.  And  no  wonder,  they  of  their  own  accord  impose 
many  rules  of  worship  upon  themselves,  and  scrupulously  collect 
all  sorts  of  materials  used  in  worship,  and  dedicate  riches  to  the 
deity,  carefully  observing  the  prescribed  rales  of  procedure.  And 
yet,  I  am  the  giver  of  the  desires  and  the  fruits  of  action  to  those 
who  beg  favours  of  any  deity  whatever.  Such  devotees  have  not 
(even)  the  faith  to  see  that  I  am  the  God-head  in  all  such  deities. 


VII.  jtfANAVUtfANAYOGA  177 

They  are  always  misled  in  their  hearts  by  wrong  faith  in  the  diverse 
deties  as  distinct  from  each  other. 

^T^  W  H?T:  WTR  T^N"  faQidM  f$  cTFT  II  ^  »l 

22  ""(And)  the  man,  joined  to  that  (same)  faith,  longs  for  the 
adoration  of  that  Divinity;  and  he  does  obtain  therefrom 
(fulfilment  of)  those  desires,  seeing  that  they  are  (actually) 
granted  by  none  but  myself.  (145) 

With  such  erring  faith  in  his  mind,  he  worships  that  particular  deity 
in  the  prescribed  form,  and  persists  in  such  worship  until  he  obtains 
the  fulfilment  of  his  desires.  Such  a  devotee  succeeds  in  securing 
whatever  fruit  he  desires,  but  even  this  fruit  is  My  gift. 

23  "But  that  fruition  of  theirs  comes  to  an  end,  deficient  in 
discrimination  as  they  are.  The  worshippers  of  Gods  repair 
unto  the  Gods,  and  my  own  votaries  likewise  repair  unto 
Me.  (147) 

But  such  devotees  fail  to  reach  my  divine  essence,  since  their  faith 
is  fancy-ridden  and  gains  for  them  the  fulfilment  of  earthly  goods 
that  they  desire.  Such  devotion  is  but  a  path  to  worldly  success; 
and  enjoyment  of  fruit  thereof  is  as  short-lived  as  a  dream.  Let 
that  be  as  it  may.  Such  a  devotee  is  one  with  the  deity  he  worships. 
Others  that  whole-heartedly  follow  Me,  undoubtedly  are  merged 
into  Me — eternal  being — when  they  leave  this  earthly  journey.    (1 50) 

*fi  WWPHRnft  *WI«WH*|tW^  II  ^*  II 

24  "'The  non-manifest  has  attained  manifestness' — so  do  the 
thoughtless  ones  think  of  Me,  not  knowing  my  Highest- 
essence,  which  is  immutable  and  transcendent.  (151) 

But  ordinary  mortals  do  not  take  this  eternal  path  to  Me  and  are 
lost  to  real  good,  in  vain  like  one  trying  to  swim  in  water  held  on 


178  JNANESHWARI 

the  palm ;  why  should  one  diving  in  the  ocean  of  the  nectar  of  life  ever- 
lasting, keep  his  mouth  shut  up,  and  then  bring  to  mind  water  in  a 
pond?  Why  should  one  court  death  after  entering  into  the  nectar 
ocean?  Why  not  be  one  with  the  nectar  of  divine  life  and  live  in  that 
life  itself?  In  that  way,  why  not  escape  from  the  cage  of  desire  for 
fruit,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  and  soar  in  the  infinite  expanse  of  divine 
life  to  rule  as  its  master  there?  The  exploit  of  such  a  high  flight  opens 
such  an  endless  experience  of  Bliss,  that  in  the  thrill  of  such  a  joy, 
one  takes  flight  as  one  wishes.  Why  try  to  limit,  by  a  measure,  the 
immeasurable  bliss  of  the  Self?  Why  should  I  be  held  as  one  (to  be) 
hunted  for  in  My  manifested  incarnation  and  having  a  form,  when 
I  am  essentially  unmanifested  and  without  form?  Why  should  one 
squander  one's  energies  on  useless  and  unfruitful  means,  when  My 
divine  glory  is  self-evident  in  all  beings?  But,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
my  putting  questions  in  this  fashion  is  not  much  liked  by  these  mortals ! 

25  "/  am  not  manifest  to  every  one,  being  veiled  by  my  Yogic- 
Hlusion.  The  deluded  mankind  do  not  know  Me  as  Unborn 
and  Immutable.  (158) 

These  people  are  made  blind,  getting  shut  up  in  my  Cosmic  Yoga, 
and  they  cannot  see  Me  with  the  power  of  day  (light).  Otherwise, 
there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  world  in  which  I  am  not  abiding.  Is 
there  any  water  without  fluidity?  Is  there  anyone  who  could  not  be 
touched  by  the  wind  or  any  place  where  there  is  no  sky?  Let  that 
be  enough,  I  am  the  One  Supreme  who  pervades  the  entire  universe. 

%3T|[  to**citaif«i  «l<$*IMlfa  *I'I^H  I 

^fauilftl  tT  ajdlfa  ft  §  %S  T  *®R  II  ^  || 

26  "/  know  the  beings  that  have  been  (in  the  past) ,  and  that  are 
(now)  in  existence,  O  Arjuna,  as  also  those  that  are  yet  to 
be:  nobody,  however,  has  (any)  knowledge  of  Me.         (161) 

Whatever  beings  lived  in  the  past,  had  become  one  with  My  own 
being  and  those  too  that  are  at  present,  live  also  in  My  being  and 
those  that  will  be  born  in  future,  will  not  be  outside  Me.  All  this 
however  is  mere  talk,  nothing  really  comes  into  being  nor  does  any- 
thing cease  to  be.  Just  as  no  one  can  tell  truly  if  a  rope  (taken  through 


VII.   jtfANAVUtfANAYOGA  179 

illusion  as  a  serpent)  is  either  of  a  dark  or  gray  or  reddish  colour, 
even  so  is  the  separate  being  of  living  creatures,  false  and  unreal. 
In  this  way,  O  son  of  Pandu,  I  am  eternally  and  entirely  the  truth 
that  pervades  all  beings ;  yet  how  does  the  cycle  of  their  coming,  and 
passing  away  occur  is  a  different  tale  in  a  manner  of  speaking.  I  shall 
now  relate  that  story  briefly,  listen. 

27  "By  reason  of  the  delusion  of  the  'dualisms'  springing  from 
desires  and  aversions,  O  Scion  of  Bharata,  all  beings  are, 
at  (their)  creation,  overcome  by  confusion,  O  Tormentor  of 
foes.  (167) 

The  ego  fell  in  love  with  the  body;  out  of  that  love  is  born  the  child, 
full  of  desire.  When  this  girl  (desires)  comes  of  age  and  blooming 
youth,  she  becomes  the  wife  of  hatred.  The  offspring  of  this  union 
was  a  male  child  in  the  form  of  delusion  of  the  pairs  of  opposites 
(such  as  pleasure  and  pain,  joy  and  sorrow  etc),  which  was  nursed 
and  brought  up  by  its  grandfather — the  Ego.  In  due  course  this 
boy  (infatuation)  being  fed  up  on  the  milk  of  hope,  becomes  the 
enemy  of  firmness  of  spirit,  and  being  unruly,  is  not  curbed  by  the 
restraint  of  senses,  and  gets  intoxicated  by  the  drink  of  discontent; 
he  (the  boy)  is  never  sick  of  enjoyment  in  the  dwelling  of  senses. 
He  scatters  thorns  of  false  notions  and  ideas,  on  the  clean  path  of 
pure  feelings,  and  opens  out  all  the  crooked  ways  of  evil  actions. 
All  creatures  get  confused  thereby  (by  the  doings  of  infatuation 
etc.)  and  get  into  the  jungle  of  earthly  existence,  suffering  hard  blows 
of  misery. 

28  "But  those  people  of  righteous  deeds  whose  sin  has  reached 
its  end:  they,  freed  from  the  delusion  of  the  dualisms,  betake 
themselves  unto  Me,  being  steadfast  in  their  resolve.      (172) 

But  there  are,  however,  others  who  seeing  the  thorns  of  senseless 
ways  of  doubt  and  error,  keep  out  the  delusion  of  the  pairs  of  op- 
posites. They  walk  straight,  step  after  step  in  complete  faith,  crushing 


180  JNANESHWARI 

under  their  feet  the  thorns  of  evil  thoughts,  and  cross  the  wild  jungle 
of  great  sins.  They  then  run  along  the  road  on  the  strength  of  their 
righteous  deeds  (  5^ ),  come  near  Me,  escaping  unhurt,  from  the 
hands  of  the  robbers  in  the  guise  of  passions  and  wrath. 

29  "To  gain  release  from  old-age  and  death,  those  that  betake 
themselves  unto  Me  and  make  the  effort;  they  know  the 
Brahman,  and  the  entire  process-of-subjectivation,  and  the 
whole  (creative — )  movement.  (175) 

What  else  indeed,  O  Arjuna,  would  be  the  natural  end  to  the  story 
of  births  and  deaths?  Persons  whose  yearning  after  escape  leads 
them  to  the  pathway  of  liberation  have  at  last  their  efforts  crowned 
with  success  some  time,  and  then  the  ripe  and  complete  fruit  in  the 
form  of  the  Supreme  Brahman,  dripping  wet  with  the  juice  of  per- 
fection, drops  into  their  hands.  In  that  great  movement  the  universe 
is  filled  with  the  joy  of  realization,  the  vision  of  the  Self  reaches  its 
wondrous  perfection,  and  the  urge  of  action  loses  its  point  and  the 
mind  becomes  perfectly  tranquil  and  happy.  Oh  Dhananjaya,  those 
that  have  made  Me  the  sole  capital  of  that  business,  secure  in  this 
way  the  interest  on  that  capital  of  realization  of  the  Self.  Along 
with  the  spread  of  evenness  in  their  temper,  also  widens  the  field 
of  their  Divine  farm-produce,  in  the  form  of  union  with  the  Supreme 
Brahman,  and  there  no  longer  exists  anywhere  that  beggarly  state 
of  distinction. 

30  "Who  know  Me  as  the  inner  essence  of  the  Elemental  beings, 
and  the  inner  essence  of  the  Divine  beings,  and  the  inner 
entity  of  the  Sacrifice:  they,  with  the  minds  perfectly  attuned, 
retain  knowledge  of  Me  even  at  the  time  of  death."      (180) 

Those  (seekers)  are  not  distressed  at  the  dissolution  of  body  at  death, 
who  have,  with  self-realization  that  I  am  the  inner  essence  mani- 


VII.   JNANAVIJNANAYOGA  181 

fested  in  the  Elemental  beings  of  cosmos, — come  near  Me,  the  inner 
essence  of  Divine  beings,  and  who  have,  on  the  strength  of  their 
knowledge,  begun  to  see  in  Me,  the  inner  essence  of  the  Sacrifice. 
Indeed  are  not  even  those  beings,  not  due  to  die  (yet),  so  painfully 
agitated  and  feel  that  the  time  of  world-dissolution  has  arrived, 
at  seeing  the  pangs  of  one  about  to  have  his  life-cord  snapped?  It  is 
not  known  how,  yet  those  that  have  clung  closely  to  Me,  do  not, 
even  in  the  bustle  of  their  departure  (death)  forget  Me.  Those  that 
have  reached  perfection,  should  normally  be  taken  as  being  the 
true  Yogins,  with  their  minds  perfectly  attuned. 

Conclusion 

But  while  Lord  Krishna  was  pouring  out  the  juicy  oration  from  the 
bottle  in  the  form  of  these  words,  the  cavity  formed  by  joining  the 
two  palms  (sr^cft")  in  the  form  of  Arjuna's  attention  did  not  move 
forward  to  receive  it,  since  Arjuna's  mind  was  still  lingering  behind 
on  the  preceding  portion.  As  the  fruit  in  the  form  of  the  word  on 
Supreme  Brahman  overflowed  with  juice  in  the  form  of  deep  meaning, 
and  spreading  all  around  its  fragrance  in  the  form  of  good  feelings, 
dropped  down  at  the  gentle  breeze  of  grace,  into  the  four  mouthed- 
bag  ( 'floSt)  of  Arjuna's  ears,  from  the  tree  in  the  form  of  Lord  Krishna's 
person,  it  was  felt  as  if  they  (fruits)  were  formed  out  of  great  established 
eternal  truths  (Ri-sin)  or  were  dipped  in  the  ocean  of  Supreme  Divine 
Knowledge,  or  were  rolled  over  and  over  again  in  the  Supreme  bliss. 
Their  sweet  charm  made  Arjuna's  vision  to  take  in  gulps  of  nectar 
in  the  form  of  (pleasant)  ecstatic  wonder.  As  he  enjoyed  this  taste 
of  that  Supreme  happiness  Arjuna  even  mocked  and  mouthed 
(^Tf#nTT)  at  those  enjoying  Heavenly  paradise,  while  his  heart  was 
suffused  with  great  joy.  Then  Arjuna  felt  an  intense  longing  for 
tasting  the  juice  of  the  fruit  in  the  form  of  divine  words,  since  the 
beauty  of  the  mere  external  vision  of  it  made  his  happiness  overflow 
itself.  Therefore,  hastily  taking  in  the  hand  of  his  Intuition,  the 
fruit  in  the  form  of  Lord  Krishna's  words,  he  (Arjuna)  put  it  at  once 
into  his  mouth  of  inmost  experience.  But  the  tongue  in  the 
form  of  intellect  could  not  relish  it,  while  the  teeth  in  the 
form  of  reason  found  it  hard  to  crack  it.  At  this,  the  husband 
of  Subhadra  (Lord  Krishna's  sister)  left  off  even  sucking  it. 
Getting  surprised,  he  said  to  himself,  "Are  these  (merely)  the  glit- 
tering reflections  in  water  of  the  stars?  How  have  I  got  deceived 
by  the  external  make-up  of  the  syllables?  What  sort  of  letters  are 


1 82  JNANESHWARI 

these?  They  appear  to  be  mere  folds  of  the  sky;  my  intellect  would 
not  be  able  to  get  any  trace  of  anything,  were  it  even  to  take  a  jump 
however  high.  How  would  I  be  able  to  know  anything  about  it, 
unless  I  get  any  trace  of  it?"  With  such  thoughts  Kiriti  once  again 
turned  his  eyes  towards  Lord  Krishna,  the  Lord  of  Yadavas,  and 
resquested  him,  "Oh  God,  these  seven  (Brahma,  Karma,  Adhyatma 
and  others)  words  put  together  are  untasted  and  unique,  Otherwise, 
could  these  great  truths  have  remained  unsolved  even  after  being 
heard  with  concentrated  attention?  But  this  is  not  a  thing  of  that 
sort.  Even  surprise  got  greatly  amazed  seeing  this  string  of  words ! 
I  am  startled  and  my  mind  is  cut  into  two,  no  sooner  than  the  rays 
of  the  words  reached  my  heart  through  the  windows  of  ears.  I  have 
a  great  liking  for  hearing  the  meaning,  but  there  is  no  time  even  to 
speak  that  out.  So  God,  proceed  with  the  discourse  immediately." 
Just  see,  how  adept  is  Arjuna  in  bis  way  of  asking  questions  viz. 
first  making  sure  of  the  ground  already  covered  and  keeping  his 
gaze  further  on  the  end  and  meanwhile  mentioning  also  his  great 
love  for  the  theme;  and  never  did  he  overstep  the  limits  of  scrupulous 
modesty.  Otherwise,  he  would  have  outstretched  his  arms  and  held 
Lord  Krishna  in  an  embrace.  Arjuna  alone  knew  that  that  was  the 
only  respectful  approach  in  putting  questions  to  the  Preceptor. 
Now  the  hearers  should  turn  to  the  very  charming  manner,  in  which 
Samjaya  will  speak  of  Arjuna's  question  and  Lord  Krishna's  reply 
to  it.  This  will  all  be  told,  in  simple,  plain  Marathi  so  that  the  eyes 
have  a  vision  of  the  meaning  even  before  the  ears  grasp  it.  All  the 
senses  are  lured  by  the  beautiful  shape  of  letters,  even  before  the 
tongue  of  intellect  tastes  the  sweet  juice  of  meaning  in  the  heart  of 
the  letters.  Just  see :  not  only  that  the  buds  of  the  flower-plant  Malati 
(*ii«icil)  please  the  nostrils  with  their  fragrance,  but  the  outward 
beauty  of  their  colour  does  also  please  the  eye.  In  that  way  the  beauty 
of  the  Marathi  language  blesses  the  senses  with  the  power  to  make 
a  conquest  of  Bliss  and  may  then  enter  the  dwelling  place  of  eternal 
truths.  Thus  prays  Jnanadev  of  Nivrittinath: —  "Do  listen  to  my 
talk  of  beautiful  words  that  silences  all  talk."  (210) 


*IM(«UtMtn*n  ^n*T  Ukm"Uw4li4:  U  V9  II 


CHAPTER  VIII 
AKSARA-BRAHMAN 

Arjuna  Spake 

1  "What  is  that  Brahman,  what  the  process-of-subjectivation, 
and  what  the  (creative-)  movement,  O  Person  Supreme? 
What  is  designated  the  inner  essence  of  Elemental  beings, 
and  what  is  declared  as  the  inner  essence  of  Divine 
beings?  (1) 

Arjuna  then  said,  "Oh  Lord,  I  am  listening  eagerly  to  your  words. 
Pray  tell  me  what  I  ask  of  you  now.  Do  enlighten  me  on  (i)  Brahman 
(*¥),  (ii)  Karman  (^),  and  (iii)  Adhyatman  (3rsqnFT).  Tell  me 
also  what  is  (iv)  Adhibhuta  (srfenj^r)  and  what  is  (v)  Adhidaivata 
(3)f^5qri),  in  such  simple  and  easy  words  as  I  can  follow. 

2  The  inner  entity  of  Sacrifice:  how  and  who  is  he,  (stationed) 
within  the  body,  O  Slayer  of  Madhu?  And  how  art  Thou 
to  be  known  at  the  time  of  death  by  those  practised  in  self- 
control?"  (4) 

Oh  God,  who  this  person  that  is  called  Adhiyajna  (arfiprar)  is,  and 
how  he  comes  to  this  body,  is  indeed  beyond  the  reach  of  reason. 
Let  me  hear  too  how  you,  the  Supreme  Person,  are  known  by  devout 
souls,  adept  in  keeping  the  hearts  under  control,  when  they  depart 
this  life.  Just  see,  the  man  of  good  fortune  sleeping  in  a  house  built 
of  Chintamani  (wishing-stones) — anything  he  could  blurt  out  in 
his  dream  would  not  prove  in  vain ;  in  that  way  no  sooner  did  these 
words  come  out  of  Arjuna's  mouth,  then  they  were  met  halfway  by 
Lord  Krishna  saying,  "Hear  attentively :  I  am  just  telling  what  you 


184  JNANESHWARI 

have  asked  for."  Kirlti  was  the  very  calf  of  the  Kamadhenu  (wishing 
cow),  and  it  was  as  though  he  was  also  resting  under  the  shade  of  the 
wishing-tree  (Kalpataru).  Is  there  any  wonder  then  that  his  wishes 
are  fulfilled  with  pleasure  and  with  ease?  Even  those  whom  Lord 
Krishna  smites — out  of  wrath — would  be  one  with  the  Supreme 
eternal  everlasting  life.  How  then  would  one  to  whom  Lord  Krishna 
mercifully  preached  the  eternal  truth  fail  to  reach  it?  When  we  our- 
selves live  up  unto  Lord  Krishna,  Lord  Krishna  comes  to  dwell  in 
our  very  heart,  and  then  the  Goddesses  of  success  and  perfection 
("5£fef?T3r)  are  voluntarily  at  our  service.  Such  an  undivided  love  to- 
wards the  Lord  was  only  in  Arjuna,  and  hence,  all  his  desires  were  ful- 
filled. Therefore,  Lord  Anant,  anticipating  what  Arjuna  would  ask  for, 
held  ready  the  dish  in  the  form  of  the  reply.  The  mother  by  instinct 
feels  the  need  of  the  child,  no  sooner  than  it  puts  its  mouth  to  the 
breasts.  Does  it  ever  happen  that  the  child  first  asks  for  her  breasts, 
and  then  she  takes  it  for  feeding?  No  wonder  then  that  such  deep 
love  towards  his  disciples  is  discovered  in  the  merciful  Preceptor — the 
very  ocean  of  kindness.  But  let  that  pass.  Pray  listen  to  what  the 
Lord  said. 

3  The  Exalted  One  Spake :  "Brahman  is  the  Highest  Immutable : 
the  process-of-subjectivation  is  the  assumption  of  inwardness 
(by  it).  What  is  designated  the  (creative-)  movement  is 
the  genetic  act  which  causes  the  beings  and  forms  of  existence 
to  spring  up.  (15) 

Then  said  the  Lord  of  the  universe,  "The  Supreme  Brahman  fills  up 
the  entire  porous  body,  and  yet  does  not  ooze  out.  It  is  as  subtle  as 
the  very  void,  and  yet  it  has  been  sieved  through  the  fabric  of  Ether; 
and  yet  so  thin  and  subtle  a  stuff,  even  when  stirred,  does  not  trickle 
down  through  the  bag  (fffteSt)  of  worldly  knowledge.  And  that  self- 
contained  and  self-sustained  Being  is  Adhyatma,  Spirit,  which  is 
pure  eternal  being-in  itself,  that  knows  not  change,  when  space  and 
body  come  into  being,  or  cease  to  be.  And  now  know  'Karma' — 
action — to  be  this:  by  some  unknown  process,  at  times  the  multi- 
coloured clouds  emerge  in  the  clear  (blue)  sky.  So  come  into  being 
from  that  formless  and  pure  Brahman,  the  Prakriti  (Nature),  egotistic 


VIII.  AK§ARA-BRAHMAN  185 

sense  and  other  diverse  elements,  and  then  begins  the  process  of  the 
formation  of  the  universe.  On  the  arid  planes  of  fancy-free  Brahman 
germinates  the  seed  of  the  primeval  desire  and  there  issue  forth  shoots 
of  multiform  desire  which  soon  get  fully  laden  with  bunches  of  fruit 
in  the  form  of  universe.  Looking  carefully  at  these,  they  appear  to 
be  full  of  the  (original)  seed  viz.  the  Brahman,  but  it  appears  impossible 
to  count  the  separate  things  coming  into  being  and  then  ending  after 
a  brief  life.  The  different  particles  of  the  universe  go  on  repeating 
the  primeval  desire — "I  am  many" — and  then  goes  on  growing  in 
limitless  abundance  this  universe  in  diverse  ways.  But  all  these  are 
overfull  with  the  Supreme  Brahman,  the  plurality  and  the  distinctive- 
ness sweeping  over  it  like  floods.  Similarly  it  is  not  to  be  known, 
how  such  "even"  and  "uneven"  flux  of  things  comes  to  be  created 
in  the  universe.  May  it  be  that  this  entire  cosmic  process,  made  up 
of  the  moveables  and  immoveables,  goes  on  merely  as  a  pastime. 
Then  (why)  do  there  appear  lakhs  of  diverse  orders  of  living  beings? 
No  limit  in  regard  to  number  or  distinction  can  ordinarily  be  set  to 
these  shoots  of  beings,  but  to  trace  them  to  their  origin,  one  must 
resolve  them  in  the  eternal  void  Brahman.  Thus  where  the  author 
or  the  motive  of  the  activity  is  not  to  be  traced  and  yet,  the  effect  viz. 
the  universe  appears  suddenly  and  growing  rapidly, — with  this  mani- 
fold appearance  of  things  which  comes  from  the  formless  Brahman, 
without  its  doing  anything,  and  wears  a  form  perceptible  to  the  senses, 
is  called  Karman  (creative  movement). 

4  "The  inner  essence  of  Elemental  beings  is  the  Mutable  Ex- 
istence, and  the  inner  essence  of  Divine  beings  is  the  Purusa 
(Person).  The  inner  entity  of  the  Sacrifice  is  no  other  than 
Myself  residing,  here  within  the  body.  O  best  of  embodied 
beings.  (30) 

I  (now)  tell  you  in  brief  about  what  is  called  Adhibhuta  (inner  essence 
of  created  beings).  It  is  like  the  clouds  that  become  visible  and  then 
disappear.  It  is  that  whose  real  being  is  hollow,  the  truth  of  which 
is  that  it  never  comes  into  being,  which  has  a  visible  form  given  by 
the  five  gross  elements,  which  only  takes  the  created  things  as  its 
substratum  and  appears  through  their  coming  together  and  disappears 
as  soon  as  this  union  is  dissolved — all  this  variety  experienced  as 
name  and  form  is  called  Adhibhuta.  Adhidaivata  (inner  luminous 


186  JNANESHWARI 

soul)  is  the  Punisha,  who  experiences  whatever  is  created  by  Prakriti- 
Maya  (delusion).  This  Purusha  is  the  very  eye  of  the  sentience.  He 
is  the  chief  presiding  agent  in  the  sphere  of  the  sense-awareness  as 
also  the  tree  on  which,  at  the  time  of  the  setting  of  bodily  life,  the 
birds  in  the  form  of  unconscious  desire,  take  shelter.  He  is  in  fact 
the  Supreme  Spirit  itself,  but  he  has  become  somewhat  distinct,  getting 
drowsy  through  the  slumber  of  ego-sense  and  experiencing,  as  he  does, 
the  joy  and  grief  in  the  doings  of  the  Maya,  which  is  only  another 
sleep-condition.  What  is  ordinarily  called  the  life  (*ftsr)  is  the  Adhi- 
daivata  in  the  body  formed  of  the  five  gross  elements.  Now,  O  Son 
of  Pandu,  the  Supreme  Being  who  longs  to  rid  the  distress  of  bodily 
existence,  know  ye,  is  My  own  self  (known  as)  the  Adhiyajna,  the 
inner  entity  of  the  Sacrifice.  Both  Adhidaivata  and  Adhibhuta  are 
also  myself;  yet,  does  not  pure  gold  form  part  of  the  alloy  (also)  when 
mixed  with  such  alloy?  Pure  gold  (as  such)  never  gets  dim  nor  becomes 
part  of  the  alloy :  as  long  as  it  exists  as  alloy,  it  must  be  called  alloy. 
In  that  way  these  Adhibhuta  and  others,  as  long  as  their  true  being 
is  hidden  by  the  fabric  of  the  Prakriti-Maya,  are  to  be  held  as  separate 
from  the  Pure  Sacred  Brahman.  With  the  removal  of  the  covering  of 
ignorance  (delusion),  and  the  snapping  of  the  hunting  knot  of  dis- 
tinction, the  Adhibhuta  and  others  get  melted  together,  and  become 
one  with  the  Supreme  Brahman.  And  really  when  were  these  separate 
from  the  Supreme  and  how?  Could  they  be  separate?  A  crystal  slab 
placed  on  (a  cluster  of)  hair-combings,  looks  cracked  to  the  eye, 
but  with  the  removal  of  the  hair-combings,  (there  appear  no  cracks) 
no  one  knows  where  the  cracks  have  gone !  No :  it  (slab)  was  originally 
one  whole  (uncracked),  but  appeared  cracked  with  the  association 
of  hair-combings,  but  as  soon  as  the  latter  were  removed,  the  former 
(slab)  became  uncracked  as  before.  In  the  same  way  with  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  illusory  ego-sense  on  the  part  of  the  Adhibhuta  and  others, 
they  abide  as  one  with  the  Supreme  as  they  eternally  are,  the  true 
being  unto  whom  they  are  united  is  Myself  the  Adhiyajna.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  the  truth.  I  told  you  already  that  all  sacrifices  arise 
out  of  Karman.  I  have  thus  revealed  to  you  today,  O  Son  of  Pandu, 
the  eternal  Home  (of  Rest)  of  Souls,  the  Supreme  bliss  that  crowns 
the  path  of  attachment-free  action.  At  first,  should  be  obtained  in 
abundance,  fuel  in  the  form  of  asceticism  and  with  that  should  be 
kindled  the  fire  of  all  sense-organs,  and  there-into  should  be  released 
the  oblations  in  the  form  of  sense-objects.  Then  clearing  the  ground 
in  the  form  of  the  posture  named  Vajrasana  should  be  constructed 
on  it  the  basin  ($<A(tal)  in  the  form  of  Mulabandha  (posture  in 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  187 

which  the  upper  half  of  the  body  remains  balanced  on  the  'Adhara- 
chakra' — the  region  of  pelvis — between  the  penis  and  the  anus)  with 
the.  canopy  of  the  body  roofing  over  it.  Getting  ready  in  this  way, 
there  should  be  offered  in  abundance,  in  the  fire  basin  in  the  form 
of  restraint  of  the  senses,  the  balls  of  oblations  in  the  form  of  sense 
objects,  accompanied  by  the  recital  of  Mantras  in  the  form  of  'Yoga' 
— discipline.  Then  should  be  propitiated,  the  smokeless  fire  in  the 
form  of  knowledge,  through  the  sacrificial  material  in  the  form  of 
the  control  of  mind.  When  all  is  sacrificed  in  the  fire  of  knowledge, 
that  knowledge  becomes  one  with  the  Supreme — the  object  of  know- 
ledge (the  Brahman),  and  then  only,  this  Supreme  objective  existence 
abides  in  its  own  whole  of  pure  essence.  And  that  object  of  know- 
ledge is  called  Adhiyajna  <3TfeR^T).""  No  sooner  Lord  Krishna  said 
all  this,  than  did  Arjuna,  of  thoughtful  mind,  grasp  it  immediately. 
At  this  Lord  Krishna  said  "Well  done,  Partha!  You  grasp  it  all 
quickly."  Arjuna  was  satisfied  in  his  heart.  It  is  only  the  mother, 
who  can  realise  the  joy  (felt  by  a  mother),  at  seeing  the  babe  fully 
fed;  or  it  is  only  the  good  preceptor,  who  realises  the  pleasure  (felt 
by  a  preceptor),  of  seeing  the  disciple  getting  fully  initiated.  There- 
fore, a  wave  of  pure  and  pious  feelings  swept  over  Lord  Krishna, 
even  before  Arjuna  (had  felt  so),  with  such  exuberance  that  Tie  could 
hardly  check  it,  and  then  Lord  Krishna,  with  great  difficulty,  steadied 
himself  anyhow;  and  picking  up  the  thread  of  reasoning  spoke  again 
soft  and  plain  words  which  were  like  the  flow  of  cool  nectar  or  like 
a  fully  ripened  fragrance.  He  said,  "Oh,  hear,  ye  Dhananjaya — the 
Prince  of  hearers:  once  the  delusion  thus  begins  to  get  burnt,  along 
with  it  the  burning  knowledge  itself  too  burns  in  the  fire. 

3FrT3FT|%  tT  JR|A"4  W<«J  *|4c«1T  «t>^<*J  I 

T:  SPTT%  3T  *Hf^W  Trfw  HHrM*!  "QS&t:  H  X.  II 

5  "And  at  the  time  of  death  he  who,  mindful  of  Me  alone,  sheds 
off  his  body  and  departs,  he  attains  to  oneness  (of  essence) 
with  Me:  of  this  there  is  no  doubt.  (59) 

That,  about  which  I  told  you  just  now,  and  that  which  is  called 
Adhiyajna  is,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  only  Myself — and  those 
that  know  this,  consider  this  human  body  as  a  mere  outer  cover  ( wts), 
themselves  becoming  the  Supreme  Brahman,  and  abiding  in  it  inter- 
nally and  externally,  just  as  a  house  holds  the  atmosphere  in  itself 
and  yet  remains  itself  in  the  atmosphere.  Having  entered  the  inner- 


188  JNANESHWARI 

most  chamber  of  firm  conviction,  in  the  central  hall  of  the  house 
of  their  all-seeing  experience  of  Supreme  Brahman,  they  have  no 
awareness  of  anything  else  but  the  Supreme  Brahman.  And  when 
they,  in  this  way,  become  one  with  the  Supreme  Brahman  in  and 
out,  they  drop  down  naturally  and  without  their  coming  to  know 
of  it,  the  scabs  (W&)  in  the  form  of  human  bodies  made  up  of  the 
five  gross  elements.  They  never  cared  for  their  bodies,  even  while 
the  bodies  were  living  and  moving.  How  could  they  then  feel  any 
grief,  by  their  dropping  down  the  cover?  And  so,  even  when  the  bodies 
drop  down,  their  experiencing  the  Supreme  Brahman,  is  not  disturbed 
in  the  least.  That  experience  (of  the  Supreme  Brahman)  is,  as  it  were, 
a  cast-image  of  the  abiding  unity  rooted  in  the  heart  of  everlasting 
life,  and  having  been  submerged  clean  in  the  sea  of  identity  with  the 
Supreme  Spirit,  it  never  gets  soiled.  An  earthen  jar  dipped  and  placed 
in  deep  water  becomes  full  of  water  in  and  out,  and  even  if  it  gets 
broken  in  that  state,  the  water  (which  was  in  it)  does  not  get  broken. 
When  a  serpent  casts  off  its  wornout  skin,  or  when  one,  feeling  warm, 
casts  off  the  cloth  he  has  worn,  is  any  harm  done  to  the  limbs  in  any 
way?  Even  so,  though  the  body  bearing  name  and  form  gets  destroyed, 
yet  the  Brahman  remains  intact  in  its  essence,  even  without  that  body. 
How  could  then  the  soul  that  has  realised  itself  in  Brahman  and  become 
itself  the  Brahman,  get  perturbed?  Therefore,  those  that  are  mindful 
of  Me  at  the  time  of  the  breaking  off  of  their  bodies,  depart  from  them 
in  that  state  and  get  merged  in  Me. 

6  "In  fact,  of  whatsoever  being  a  man  is  mindful  when  he  at 
death  sheds  off  his  body  to  that  same  being  does  he  attain, 
O  Son  of  Kunti,  constantly  imbued  with  the  thought  of  that 
being.  (69) 

The  common  rule  is  that  whatever  state  the  living  being  finds  itself 
in  when  on  the  point  of  death,  into  that  very  state  he  rises  after  death. 
Just  as  a  helpless  and  frightened  one,  while  running  with  the  speed 
of  wind,  should  accidentally  and  unluckily  fall  (unawares)  into  a 
well  on  his  way,  there  being  no  other  alternative  since  there  was  no 
one  else  to  hinder  him  from  falling,  in  that  way,  whatever  idea  stands 
in  front  of  them  at  the  approach  of  death,  that  very  essence  they  can- 
not avoid  getting  one  with,  after  their  death.  Also  whatever  idea 


VIII.   AKSARA-BRAHMAN  189 

one  has  in  his  mind  while  awake,  that  very  idea  appears  in  his  dream, 
while  he  is  asleep. 

d*+iki  3Nft|  *i^n  *rw«jfm.  spar  ^  i 

7  "Therefore,  at  all  times,  do  thou  direct  thy  thought  unto  Me 
and  fight:  with  thy  mind  and  thought  dedicated  unto  Me, 
thou  wilt,  without  doubt,  attain  to  Me  exclusively.        (75) 

In  the  same  way,  whatever  desire  remains  unsatisfied,  while  alive, 
that  very  desire  gets  strengthened  at  the  time  of  death,  and  the  rule 
is,  whatever  is  uppermost  in  mind  at  the  time  of  death,  that  very  thing, 
the  soul  is  reborn  into,  and  therefore,  you  do  always  keep  steady 
in  your  mind  your  thought  on  My  Supreme  Essence.  Whatever  you 
see  with  the  eyes  and  hear  with  the  ears,  or  think  in  the  mind,  or  speak 
with  the  tongue,  should  all  solely  be  (in  regard  to)  myself,  through 
and  through  (in  and  out)  and  when  this  is  secured,  it  will  be  an  establish- 
ed truth  that  I  abide  everywhere  at  all  times.  This  secured,  Oh  Arjuna, 
you  have  nothing  to  fear  from  death,  when  your  body  gets  destroyed. 
What  is  then  there  for  you  to  fear  in  the  war?  If  you  dedicate  to  the 
Supreme  Spirit  of  My  Divine  Being,  both  your  mind  and  the  intellect, 
you  will  yourself  be  one  with  My  Divine  Being  and  this  is  My  word 
of  promise  to  you.  Were  you  still  to  feel  doubtful  as  to  how  all  this 
would  take  place,  first  try,  and  have  the  experience  of  it  by  study, 
and  then  you  may  be  all  wrath  towards  Me,  should  you  fail  in  securing 
the  fruit  of  it. 

TT*T  «JW  fsraj  1T%  TRrf^FrWT  II  =;  II 

8  ' '  With  the  mind  attuned  by  the  practice  of  Yogic  concentration, 
and  not  wandering  astray,  he,  ever  thinking  of  the  Person, 
Supreme  and  Divine,  attains  to  Him.  (81) 

By  dint  of  constant  study  in  this  way,  the  Yoga  of  Actions  makes 
the  mind  clean  and  firm.  And  such  a  devoted  Yogi,  like  a  cripple 
on  the  strength  of  the  practised  skill  climbing  a  mountain,  climbs 
the  path  of  the  Supreme  Brahman,  by  constant  study  of  the  Yoga  of 
Actions,  not  caring  in  the  least  if  the  mind  and  body  survive  or  perish. 
Who  cares  to  recollect  whether  the  body  exists  or  departs,  once 
the  mind  that  holds  the  power  of  divine  perfection,  is  concentrated 


190  JNANESHWARI 

on  the  highest  self?  Does  the  water  flowing  along  the  course  of  the 
river  and  ultimately  falling  into  the  sea,  ever  think  of  turning  back 
to  see  how  things  left  behind,  are  getting  on?  It  never  does  that, 
but  gets  one  with  the  sea.  In  that  way  the  mind  also  becomes  the 
very  sentience,  where  end  all  the  births  and  all  the  deaths,  and  which 
is  in  essence  the  one  all-pervading  Supreme  Bliss. 

9  "Whoso  would  ponder  upon  that  Primal  Architect  and  Law- 
Giver,  subtler  than  the  subtle,  the  Sustainer  of  everything, 
whose  form  transcends  thought,  and  who  is  effulgent  like  the 
Sun,  and  on  the  offside  of  darkness: 

10  "With  steadfast  mind,  fixed  in  devotion,  and  by  the  power 
of  Yogic  practice  correctly  reposing,  at  the  time  of  departure, 
the  life-function  (Prana)  betwixt  the  eyebrows:  he  attains 
that  Person,  Supreme  and  Divine.  (86) 

He,  with  tranquil  mind,  meditates  at  the  time  of  his  death,  on  the 
Perfect  Brahman, — which  is  Pure  Being  without  form  or  space, 
beyond  birth  and  death,  and  all-pervading  and  all-seeing,  which  was 
prior  to  the  sky  itself,  and  which  is  more  minute  than  an  atom,  and 
by  whose  power  the  Universe  moves,  which  creates  all  that  is  visible, 
on  which  the  entire  Universe  survives,  from  which  reason  turns  away, 
and  which  is  thus  beyond  the  power  of  thought.  It  remains  invisible 
darkness  to  the  physical  eye,  even  during  day  time,  in  the  way  the 
white  ants  cannot  enter  into  fire,  or  darkness  cannot  enter  into  bril- 
liance. It  is  Pure  Being  that  is  like  a  heap  of  pounded,  cleaned  (crushed) 
grain  in  the  form  of  Sun's  rays  and  which  is  ever  an  eternal  light  of 
seeing  to  persons  that  know,  and  in  regard  to  which  rising  and  setting 
are  meaningless  words. 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  191 

He,  at  the  time  of  his  death  remembers,  meditating  with  tranquil 
mind  (on)  the  Supreme  Brahman  of  such  flawless  and  perfect  form ; 
and  he  sits  in  the  position  named  "Padma"  ( W )  facing  north,  with 
his  mind  imbued  with  the  eternal  bliss  of  the  Yoga  of  active  life,  and 
and  there  eagerly  awaits  to  be  reabsored,  with  all  his  poses  of  mind 
united,  in  the  essence  of  the  Supreme  Self,  as  speedily  as  he  can,  through 
his  Yoga  discipline,  make  the  Sushumna  (name  of  a  nadi  or  tubular 
vessel  of  the  body)  pass  along  the  middle  passage  from  the  Adhar 
to  the  region  in  the  head  known  as  Brahmarandhra;  and  when  the 
life-wind  named  'Prana'  enters  the  sky  in  the  region  of  the  head,  he 
feels  as  merely  an  outwardly  show,  the  union  of  the  body  and  others 
with  the  mind;  but  he  sustains  himself  on  the  strength  of  the  tranquillity 
of  his  mind  and  gets  full  with  deep  devotion ;  and  he  exists  as  one 
perfect  and  ready,  getting  tried  by  the  power  of  Yogic  Discipline. 
He  extinguishes  all  that  is  dense  as  well  as  subtle  in  the  universe  and 
abides  concentrating  the  life-wind  between  the  eye-brows.  In  such 
a  tranquil  state  he  leaves  behind,  his  body  (unperceived)  in  the  way 
a  light  kept  shut  up  under  a  pot  gets  extinguished  or  in  the  way  the 
(metallic)  sound  of  a  bell  gets  extinguished  in  the  bell  itself.  Such 
a  one  is  the  very  Supreme  Brahman.  He  abides  in  the  form  of  the  Self 
which  is  self-same  and  the  very  brilliance  itself  and  which  is  known 
as  the  Supreme  Male  (Person)  (M'<H$«l). 

fcwiPn  W?PTt  4^<f<llHl:  i 

11  "That  Immutable  One  which  Veda-knowers  speak  of  that 
within  which  the  ascetics  free  of  passions  enter,  out  of  yearning 
for  which  they  take  up  the  Vedic  student's  career:  that  Abode 
I  shall  succinctly  expound  unto  thee.  (100) 

That  Being  is  given  the  name  of  Akshara  ( srerc  -Immutable)  from 
the  conviction  of  the  men  who  are  in  possession  of  the  true  knowledge 
and  it  is  the  very  mine  of  the  best  of  knowledge — and  the  be-all  and 
end-all  of  all  knowledge.  That  which  does  not  get  blown  up  even 
by  violent  wind  is  indeed  real  sky,  or  else  if  it  were  only  a  cloud  it  cannot 
hold  firm  before  the  wind:  even  so  what  the  learned  know  is  thus 
measured  by  that  knowledge;  and  what  is  not  thus  known  is  well 


192  JNANESHWARI 

called  Immutable  Being  as  the  men  of  knowledge  say:  and  therefore 
that  (which)  the  knowers  of  the  Vedas  name  Immutable  and  (which) 
is  beyond  the  Prakriti  is  the  very  essential  being  of  the  Supreme; 
It  is  the  Supreme  good  and  the  haven  of  rest,  which  recluses,  freed 
from  worldly  affection  and  passions,  biding  their  time  in  the  shadow 
of  their  bodies  in  a  perfectly  detached  condition  long  for,  for  they 
have  their  minds  rid  of  the  poison  of  the  sense-objects  and  they  are 
ever  eager  to  reach  it.  It  is  also  wished  for  by  persons  that  have  no 
desires  left  in  them,  and  My  devotees,  who  spurning  the  troubles  and 
hardships  of  a  virtuous  life  of  celibacy,  have  with  great  vigour  laid 
low  the  tyrants  of  passions.  This  highest  good — hard  to  reach  and 
to  grasp — is  of  eternal  and  unfathomable  glory,  on  the  skirts  of  which, 
even  the  Vedas  are  humbled.  It  is  secured  by  such  as  meditate  on 
Me  at  the  time  of  their  death.  Now,  Oh  Arjuna,  I  repeat  once  more 
the  description  of  that  stage."  Arjuna  there-on  said,  "Oh  Lord,  I  was 
just  going  to  ask  you  about  it,  but  since  you  yourself  are,  without  any 
prompting  from  me,  showing  such  mercy,  do  tell  me  about  it,  and  in 
a  simple  way."  There-on  the  giver  of  Light  to  the  Universe  said, 
"I  know  your  need:  hear,  I  tell  you  in  a  simple  way.  Only  beware 
that  your  mind  is  curbed  in  its  habit  of  moving  in  outward  life  and 
is  made  to  turn  inward  and  to  dive  deep  in  the  depths  of  soul-life. 

fHfiKlfiu  TOFT  *?5ft  ^fk  f5T5«T  W  \ 

12  ''Controlling  all  gateways  and  restraining  the  mind  within 
the  heart,  concentrating  his  life-function  within  the  crown 
of  his  head,  and  rapt  in  Yogic  meditation.  (112) 

This  shall  be  the  power  of  mind,  only  when  the  doors  of  senses  are 
all  tightly  shut  by  restraint.  Then  the  mind  so  shut  up  by  restraint 
is  brought  to  quiet  rest  in  the  heart,  just  as  one  crippled  of  hands  and 
feet  cannot  leave  his  place.  Once  the  mind  gets  steady,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu,  the  Pranava  (the  Sacred  Om)  should  be  steadily  meditated 
upon  with  the  power  of  the  life-breath,  and  then  the  vital  breath  should 
be  pushed  up,  step  by  step,  as  far  as  the  Brahmarandhra  (^rm~ 
supposed  aperture  at  the  crown  of  the  head).  When  it  reaches  there, 
it  should  be  sustained  there  in  a  balancing  state,  as  if  it  is  just  about 
to  get  merged  in  the  essence  of  the  pure  sky,  till  the  three  sacred  syllables 
(3T-^-*T)  get  extinguished  in  the  half  syllable. 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  193 

ST:  54 tufa  rlM«T  tjj  ^T  ItfcT  T^TT  *lfd*4  II    ?3   U 

13  "Repeating  'Om',  (which  is)  the  Brahman  (in  the  form)  of 
the  Mono-syllable,  and  meditating  upon  Me,  whoso  departs, 
shedding  off  the  body:  he  attains  the  Highest  Goal.    (117) 

Then  the  life-wind  should  be  steadied  in  the  sky  region  (in  the  head) 
so  that  as  the  union  is  complete  (with  the  sacred  'Om')  the  entire 
'Om'  (3fftr )  is  in  tune  with  the  original  Supreme  Brahman.  Then  even 
the  meditation  of  the  Sacred  Om  stops  and  the  life-breath  itself  is 
brought  to  rest;  there  is  then  left  the  pure  form  of  the  essence  of  the 
Supreme  Brahman.  What  is  called  Pranava  (Sacred  'Om')  is  only 
the  mono-syllabic  form  of  My  own  self.  And  one  who  leaves  his  body 
while  meditating  on  this  sacred  letter  'Om'  (Supreme),  definitely 
reaches  My  pure  essence  and  when  this  is  reached,  there  remains 
nothing  beyond  it  to  reach.  Now,  Oh  Arjuna,  if  there  be  a  doubt 
haunting  your  mind  as  to  how  they  remember  Me,  without  fail,  at 
the  time  of  death,-doubt  as  to  who  would  prepare  and  occupy  the 
seat,  who  would  restrain  the  senses,  what  mind  could  meditate  upon 
the  sacred  'Om',  at  a  moment  when  the  organs  are  all  out  of  joint, 
the  happy  and  contented  state  of  the  life  has  yielded  place  to  vivid 
signs  of  death  eclipsing  the  body  internally  and  externally — you 
dispel  all  doubt  in  your  mind  and  be  assured  that  at  the  ebbing  of  life 
of  one  who  uninterruptedly  dedicated  his  life  to  meditation  on  Me, 
I  am  his  servant  to  do  his  bidding. 

arfFBr^crr:  sra^  *ft  *tf  **Kfd  PtcM^i:  i 

dfJI^  ^STfl":  *n^  (HcM*ItW*I  *l)'f*H:  II   ?V  || 

HIH^lPd  -HfS IcH 'W  *ifan&  TTWt  TcTT:  II   U  II 

14  "He  who,  with  the  mind  not  straying  elsewhere,  always  and 
continuously  thinks  of  Me:  for  such  a  Yogin,  ever  diligent 
in  application,  I  remain,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  easy  of  attainment. 

15  "Having  reached  Me,  (they)  do  not  become  liable  to  re-birth, 
which  is  transient  and  an  abode  of  woe;  the  high-souled  ones 
who  have  (already)  attained  the  summum  bonum.    (124) 


194  JNANESHWARI 

Such  God-Seekers  relinquishing  all  sense  pleasures  and  delights, 
and  fettering  all  earthly  desires,  have  made  Me  the  cherished  trea- 
sure of  their  hearts:  thus  they  enjoy  the  bliss  of  My  Divine  Presence; 
while  enjoying  this  bliss,  no  wonder  that  they  forget  even  hunger 
and  thirst;  how  could  the  lure  of  visible  and  other  objects  affect  them? 
Such  Souls,  as  have  in  this  way  united  themselves  to  me  and  been 
merged  in  Me  and  live  in  Me  entirely — would  they,  at  the  time  of 
departing  this  life  be  required  to  remember  Me  for  relief?  Were  it  to 
be,  that  I  should  be  propitious  to  such  ones  only,  if  and  when  they 
remember  Me  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  their  bodies — of  what  avail 
then  would  their  entire  life  of  devotion  and  worship  be?  Any  poor 
mortal  in  distress  prays  piteously,  raising  the  cry  of  help  "Hasten, 
Oh  God,  to  save  me'\  Do  I  not  hasten  to  him  to  soothe  his  pain? 
And  if  My  lifelong  devotees  be  placed  in  this  sad  plight,  what  worth 
may  this  strife  and  strain  of  a  devoted  life  be?  Therefore,  I  say,  let 
there  be  no  such  doubt  in  your  mind  even  for  a  moment.  I  am  at 
their  service  and  ready  to  relieve  their  distress,  whenever  such  devotees 
remember  me;  for  unbearable  indeed  to  Me  is  the  burden  of  their 
unswerved  devoted  life.  With  such  a  debt  of  devotion  on  My  head, 
I  am  at  all  times  eager  to  relieve  their  suffering,  at  the  time  of  their 
end,  thus  repaying  the  debt  I  owe  to  them.  To  protect  from  bodily 
affliction,  the  tender  and  delicate  frame  of  these  dear  ones,  I  give 
them  shelter  in  the  Spiritual  encasement  of  Self-knowledge,  and  then 
covered  with  the  soothing  and  cool  shade  of  perpetual  presence  of 
My  Divine  name  and  fixed  in  their  mind  full  of  Me,  they  are  united 
to  My  essence  eternal.  Therefore,  it  never  happens  that  My  devotees 
ever  suffer  any  distress  at  the  time  of  their  death. 

I  bring  those,  dear  to  Me,  to  My  own  eternal  being.  I  get  them 
to  merge  into  My  Divine  life  by  making  them  cast  off  their  outer 
bodily  covers  after  brushing  aside  the  dust  of  their  conceit,  and  keeping 
untainted  the  purity  of  their  pure  desires.  The  devotees  too  have  left 
(in  them)  no  bodily  attachment,  and  therefore,  they  hardly  feel  any 
pangs  of  separation  from  their  bodies.  Also  having  already  become 
one  with  Me,  even  while  in  (human)  body-form,  they  naturally  have 
no  feeling  that  I  should  get  by  their  side  at  death  and  take  them  unto 
Myself.  In  truth,  their  very  sojourn  in  this  mortal  life  is  only  a  reflec- 
tion, as  it  were,  in  the  waters  in  the  form  of  their  bodies.  And  just  as 
the  reflections  of  the  moon-beams  in  water,  abide  in  the  moon  herself 
with  the  disappearance  of  the  water,  even  so  with  the  ebbing  of  their 
bodily  life,  their  sojourn  in  the  mortal  life  abides  forever  in  the  Essence 
of  the  Eternal  Self.  Their  existence  in  the  world  is,  in  fact,  not  real 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  195 

but  is  like  reflection  while  the  real  form  is  only  the  essence  of  Supreme 
Brahman.  In  this  way,  they  having  ever  become  My  own  Essence, 
I  am  always  in  their  life  and  there  is  consequently  no  doubt,  that  with 
the  fall  of  their  bodies,  they  abide  in  Me.  And  to  bodily  life  they  never 
return — those  who  have  reached  the  eternal  abode  in  Me.  For, 
verily  the  body  is  a  soil  in  which  grow  trees  of  misery  and  a  hot-bed 
of  fire  breeding  three  classes  of  affliction  (i)  physical,  (ii)  mental  and 
(iii)  Super-natural.  It  is  indeed  a  victim  («rat)  offered  to  the  carrion 
of  Death.  It  breeds  plenty  of  wretchedness,  multiplies,  and  is  the 
hot-bed  of  all  evil.  It  is  the  root  of  all  vice,  the  ripe  fruit  of  wicked 
actions  and  the  very  image  of  human  folly.  It  is  the  home  of  misery 
that  earthly  life  is,  the  garden  on  which  grow  all  lusts  and  passions, 
and  the  very  dish  in  which  food  is  given  to  all  ills  of  this  life.  The 
body  again  is  a  foul  morsel  of  rice  dish  (l^^sl),  that  all-destroying 
time  has  thrown  after  chewing.  It  is  the  ever-growing  strength  of 
the  hope  never-ending,  and  the  fertile  and  watery  soil  for  (the  breeding 
of)  births  and  deaths.  It  is  full  of  delusion  and  error,  is  cast  on  the 
stuff  of  fancies  and  is  as  it  were  the  very  underground  (grain)  pit  of 
scorpions.  It  is  the  den  of  the  tiger,  and  is  strumpet-like  in  its  action 
on  soul,  and  is  the  very  tool  of  sense  enjoyment  on  Sensuous  pleasures. 
It  is  like  the  affection  of  a  sorceress  or  like  a  sip  of  cool  poison,  or  the 
showy  (false)  faith  of  a  thug.  It  is  like  embracing  a  person  having 
white  leprosy  or  the  softness  of  a  dark-coloured  snake,  or  the  singing 
of  an  entrapper  (4>'l$4K^),  or  the  hospitality  by  an  enemy,  or  the 
welcome  from  a  vicious  person-nay  it  is  an  ocean  of  evil  things.  It 
is  like  a  dream  in  a  dream,  or  a  dense  forest  grown  on  (the  water  of) 
mirage,  or  a  sky  formed  by  the  particles  of  smoke.  To  a  body  of  this 
nature,  never  return  those,  who  have  reached  (Me)  and  become  one 
with  the  essence  of  My  Being. 

16  "The  worlds,  including  (even)  the  Realm  of  the  Brahman, 
are,  O  Arjuna,  subject  to  repeated  return ;  but,  having  attained 
unto  Me,  O  Son  of  Kunfi;  there  does  not  remain  (liability 
for)  any  re-birth.  (152) 

In  sooth  even  the  high  and  mighty  power  of  creator  God  is  not  above 
the  cycle  of  births  and  deaths.  Dead  men  cannot  suffer  from  stomach- 
ache; or  a  waking  person  is  not  drowned  in  the  high  floods  (seen) 


196  JNANESHWARI 

in  a  dream;  even  so,  those  that  have  once  come  to  abide  in  Me,  are 
not  touched  by  the  cycle  of  births  and  deaths.  The  abode  of  the  creator 
God,  is  indeed  the  crown  (head)  of  the  universe  (of  name  and  form) 
and  so  it  is  the  floor  of  all  the  eternal  immortal  abode  of  Gods,  and 
the  top  (ffcUTT)  of  the  mountain  in  the  form  of  the  three  worlds — in 
that  place  the  period  of  the  first  three  hours  (S^T)  of  the  day,  covers 
the  entire  life-time  of  God  Indra.  In  this  way  the  passage  of  a  day 
witnesses  as  many  as  fourteen  such  Indras. 

17  "The  day  that  reaches  its  termination  after  a  thousand  aeons 
(Yugas):  that  the  persons  who  possess  the  knowledge  of  day 
and  night  know  as  the  Day  of  the  Brahma,  as  also  that  as 
(his)  Night  which  comes  to  an  end  after  a  thousand  yugas. 

(156) 

One  thousand  rounds  of  the  four  aeons  ( ^t"  — yugas)  cycles,  form 
the  day  of  creator  Brahma,  and  one  thousand  similar  rounds  of  that 
cycle  make  a  night.  Those  fortunate  ones  that  live  in  a  sphere  of  such 
days  and  nights  and  yet  do  not  come  to  the  end  of  their  time,  remain 
as  the  immortal  denizens  of  the  heavenly  abode  and  abide  there  as 
spectators  of  all  time.  What  of  other  petty  Gods  then  in  this  vast 
cycle  of  time?  Just  see  the  pitiably  narrow  span  of  life  of  their  Chief 
-Indra;  as  many  as  fourteen  Indras  come  to  rule  in  a  single  day  of 
this  cosmic  time.  Yet  those  that  see  with  their  own  eyes  the  eight 
periods  of  three  hours  each  (spsEsrfT)  viz.  a  full  day  and  night  of  God 
Brahmadev,  are  named  the  knowers  of  (His)  "day  and  night"  (Aho- 
ratra-Vida-  airlift*). 

Tr5CJFI%  *i<rfl^»rl  ri:Nia|TMJ9l$  II   ?S  II 
♦uivrn:  *T  T^flf  1JF*T  ^c^T  M«ft<4cl  I 

18  "From  the  Non-manifest  all  Manifestations  spring  forth  at 
the  advent  of  the  Day;  at  the  advent  of  the  Night  they  get 
dissolved  into  that  very  same  (entity)  known  as  the  Non- 
manifest. 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  197 

19  "The  self-same  aggregate  of  beings,  after  repeatedly  coming 
into  existence,  gets  dissolved,  in  utter  helplessness,  at  the 
advent  of  the  Night,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  and  springs  into  being 
at  the  advent  of  the  Day.  (160) 

At  the  dawn  of  the  day  in  the  time  cycle  of  Brahma  the  non-manifest 
being  becomes  manifest  as  the  visible  universe  of  countless  things. 
At  the  end  of  twelve  hours  of  the  day,  this  ocean  of  countless  things 
ebbs  away  and  again  at  the  dawn  it  swells  in  high  tide.  The  clouds 
melt  into  the  sky  at  the  coming  of  the  'Sharad'  season  (about  the  month 
of  November),  and  again  take  shape  at  the  end  of  'Grishma'  season 
(about  the  months  of  July-August);  in  the  same  way,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  day  time  of  the  creator  God,  this  universe,  comes  into  being 
by  the  stuff  of  the  five  gross  elements,  and  endures  as  long  as  the  com- 
pletion of  the  thousand  rounds  of  the  four  aeon  cycle.  Then  with 
the  approach  of  the  night,  the  universe  is  dissolved  into  the  non- 
manifest  (spirit  of  the  Supreme  Brahman).  The  night  of  Brahmadev 
(also)  lasts  till  the  completion  of  thousand  rounds  of  the  four  aeon 
cycle,  and  when  these  rounds  are  completed  the  universe  gets  re- 
created as  before.  This  long  winded  story  shows  that  the  cycle  of 
creation  and  dissolution  alternates  during  one  day  and  one  night 
of  the  duration  of  the  God  Brahmadev.  Just  see,  the  measure  of  this 
life  span  of  Brahmadev  is  so  wide,  that  it  holds  in  itself  the  store- 
house of  the  seed  of  the  entire  universe:  yet  in  the  measure  (wri") 
of  the  rounds  of  the  cycle  of  birth  and  death,  this  life  span  of  Brahmadev 
becomes  only  the  last  pulse  that  completes  that  endless  measure. 
This  entire  mass  of  the  created  worlds,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  is  only 
the  outlying  environs  of  the  city  of  Brahma.  It  springs  up  at  the  dawn 
and  at  the  advent  of  the  night  it  disappears,  i.e.  gets  merged  into  its 
original  seed,  the  state  of  evenness-(¥P3T).  Just  as  a  'tree-state'  ex- 
tinguishes in  the  seed  in  the  end,  or  just  as  the  clouds  eventually  become 
dissolved  into  the  sky,  in  that  way,  the  state  into  which  are  merged 
the  manifold  becoming  of  all  things,  is  called  Samya  (WPRT-the  state 
of  unitary  being). 

20  "But  higher  than  this  Non-manifest  is  another  entity  which 
is  the  Eternal  Non-manifest,  which,  while  all  beings  perish, 
perishes  not.  (170) 


198  JNANESHWARI 

In  such  a  state  nothing  like  "great  or  small"  (in  the  Samya),  is  to  be 
found  and  so  words  like  this  and  that  all  lose  meaning  in  the  way 
milk  loses  its  name  and  form  as  soon  as  it  is  turned  into  curds.  Just 
so,  with  the  disappearance  of  the  form  of  the  universe,  is  dissolved 
its  manifold  becoming;  yet  it  remains  in  its  pure  equipoised  state  of 
being  as  seed.  Hence  it  is  properly  called  non-manifest  "Avyakta;" 
and  that  which  takes  a  local  habitation  and  place  out  of  this  non- 
manifest  is  the  manifested.  These  two  names  get  their  meaning  from 
each  other:  in  reality  these  names  are  but  appearances.  Silver  when 
melted  becomes  a  silverbar:  when  this  solid  mass  changes,  it  itself 
becomes  ornaments:  yet  these  two  changes  appear  on  the  original 
substance  of  silver:  in  that  way  the  changes  of  'manifested  and  non- 
manifested'  take  place  in  one  and  the  same  Supreme  Spirit.  But  this 
Supreme  Brahman  is  neither  manifest  nor  non-manifest — it  is  neither 
eternal  nor  perishable.  It  is  the  self-same  pure  being  beyond  changes 
and  abiding  for  ever.  It  abides  as  pure  being  even  while  the  universe 
comes  into  being,  and  does  get  destroyed  even  though  the  universe 
gets  dissolved.  Letters  once  written  may  be  wiped  off,  but  the  meaning 
remains:  waves  get  created  and  also  disappear,  yet  they  exist  eternally 
in  water  form;  in  that  way  even  though  the  beings  perish,  yet  that 
(from  which  they  are  created)  is  eternal :  or  just  as  there  exists  the 
(state  of)  gold  that  is  above  melting  in  the  ornaments  which  are  melted ; 
in  that  way  even  though  the  form  of  beings  perishes,  that  (from  which 
the  forms  are  created)  abides  in  the  immortal  state. 

3MrhU4K  3"r*|tMtf*l  If:  TT**f  *ffd*J  I 

if  snt*T  5T  Ph&tI  r\4W  T7*t  Wt  II  ^?  II 

3^ST:  H  *TT:  *TFf  WTT  H«TFc^T«TOT  I 

21  "//  is  designated  the  Immutable  Non-manifest,  and  that  is 
said  to  be  the  Highest  Goal,  having  attained  which  they  no 
longer  (have  to  J  return:  that  is  my  Highest  Abode. 

22  "He,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  is  the  Person  Supreme,  to  be  attained 
by  single-pointed  devotion:  He  within  whom  the  beings  dwell, 
and  by  whom  all  this  is  permeated.  (179) 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  199 

That  might  be  called  "Non-manifest"  in  a  witty  manner  of  speaking. 
Yet  it  is  not  an  apt  description,  since  that  pure  being  does  not  come 
within  the  grasp  of  mind  or  reason.  Its  limitless  Being  does  not  change 
even  when  it  appears  as  limited,  and  again  its  immutable  essence 
abides  eternally,  though  the  limitations  are  destroyed.  Hence  it  is 
truly  called  Akshara  (  srar  immutable),  for,  by  that  word,  its  essence 
is  grasped.  Beyond  the  Immutable,  there  is  naught,  and  so  it  is  the 
highest  haven  of  rest — the  highest  good.  But  it  spreads  in  the  entire 
life  of  this  body  and  yet  it  is  slumbering  all  the  time,  since  it  neither 
causes  anything  to  be  done  nor  itself  does  anything.  Indeed,  Oh 
Arjuna,  not  one  out  of  the  functions  of  all  the  ten  organs  and  senses 
comes  to  a  stop  and  (all)  are  being  carried  on  uninterruptedly  and 
the  routes  of  all  the  organs  overflow  ever  and  anon.  The  mind  indeed 
becomes  the  very  market  place  where  show-cases  of  sense  pleasures 
are  opened  to  view.  In  this,  the  soul  too  gets  its  due  share  of  pleasure 
and  pain.  Business  and  trade  goes  on  in  all  quarters  of  his  State  while 
the  King  lies  enjoying  his  slumber  as  people  do  their  business  just 
as  they  please.  Even  so,  the  act  of  knowing  in  the  intellect,  the  action 
of  the  mind,  the  doings  of  the  organs,  and  the  movements  of  the  (life) 
breath,  continue  even  while  the  supreme  soul  does  not  cause  them  to 
be  done.  People  carry  on  their  daily  round  of  duties,  without  the  Sun 
making  them  go  on ;  in  that  way,  O  Arjuna,  the  soul  is  called  ""Purusha," 
as  he  dwells  resting  in  the  body,  and  this  name  "Purusha"  is  also  given 
to  the  soul  for  the  reason  that  he  lives  conjugal  happiness  in  the 
company  of  the  Prakriti-Maya,  who  is  to  the  supreme  soul  as  a  faithful 
and  loyal  wife.  The  Vedas  with  their  omniscient  lore  cannot  reach 
even  the  skirts  of  the  souls'  dwelling  place — what  then  of  (reaching) 
the  house  itself?  The  boundless  sky  is  only  the  outer  garment  of  His 
glory.  Hence  the  Yogins  call  it  the  supreme  beyond  all  exuberance, 
and  yet  this  Supreme  Divine  being  comes  out  to  meet  and  find  the 
devotee  in  his  humble  dwelling.  For,  the  devotee,  wholeheartedly, 
in  mind,  body  and  speech,  surrenders  himself  exclusively  to  the 
Supreme.  The  Supreme  is  then  to  the  devotee  a  garden  of  plenty. 
It  is  the  home,  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  of  men  of  unflinching  faith:  for  they 
have  seen  that  the  whole  world  is  a  revelation  of  Purshottama  (Person 
Supreme).  The  Supreme  is  the  one  story  of  those  who  have  dropped 
self-conceit;  it  is  the  very  sentience  of  Being  without  quality,  and 
places  the  recluse  in  the  kingdom  of  the  highest  happiness  unending. 
It  is  the  richest  food  served  to  the  happy  soul,  the  mother's  love  to 
the  Blessed  poor  spirits  who  do  not  worry  about  life's  cares;  and  the 
royal  road  to  this  Supreme  Abode  is  devotion.  In  how  many  ways 


200  JNANESHWARI 

shall  I,  Oh  Dhanajaya,  repeat  this?  Suffice  to  say,  it  is  that  Abode 
by  reaching  which,  the  soul  is  united  to  and  merged  in  it.  Hot  water 
gets  cold  with  a  cold  breeze;  or  darkness  turns  into  light  with  the 
Sun  coming  to  it;  in  that  way,  this  Supreme  divine  abode  makes  of 
this  earthly  life  the  eternal  Home  of  Perfect  Freedom;  or  a  dry  wood 
falling  into  fire  becomes  itself  the  fire  and  cannot  be  brought  back 
as  fuel.  Or,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  once  sugarcane  is  turned  into  sugar, 
it  cannot  be  made  to  change  again  into  sugarcane,  however  intelligent 
and  skilful  one  (trying  it)  may  be.  Once  the  Pans  has  made  iron  into 
gold  (by  its  touch)  how  could  it  bring  back  the  lost  state  of  the  iron, 
however  much  it  (Pans)  may  try?  Therefore,  as  milk  once  converted 
into  ghee  cannot  definitely  get  back  its  state  of  milk,  in  that  way  the 
final  resting  place,  which  when  it  is  reached  leaves  not  a  trace  of  the 
distress  of  births  and  deaths,  is  the  Highest  and  My  real  Abode;  take 
this  deepest  secret  of  My  heart  that  I  am  disclosing  to  you. 

23  "As  to  the  time  when  Yogins  depart  either  to  return  again, 
or  never  to  return:  that  time  I  shall  (now)  relate,  O  Bull  of 
the  Bharata  clan.  (204) 

Similarly  it  is  easy  to  know  in  another  way  My  real  essence  where- 
to the  Yogins  are  united  at  death.  By  chance  it  might  happen,  that 
a  Yogin  might  leave  this  body  at  an  unseasonable  time  and  then  he 
has  again  to  be  reborn.  Therefore,  such,  as  leave  their  bodies  at  the 
proper  time,  as  prescribed  in  the  Scriptures,  immediately  become 
one  with  the  Supreme  Brahman:  but  others  dying  at  inauspicious 
times  have  to  come  back  to  face  the  agony  of  re-birth.  So  emancipa- 
tion and  re-birth  depend  upon  the  time  (of  death);  of  this,  I  now  tell 
you,  as  this  is  the  right  moment.  Hear  therefore,  O  good  Warrior. 
When  the  stupor  at  the  approach  of  death,  creeps  in,  the  five  gross 
elements  desert  the  body  and  go  their  way.  At  such  advent  of  death, 
the  delirious  frenzy  does  not  overpower  the  intellect,  the  memory 
does  not  become  blind,  nor  does  the  mind  lose  its  life.  Under  cover 
of  the  experience  of  the  Supreme  Brahman,  the  vital,  Sentient  powers 
keep  up  their  strength  intact.  Maintenance  until  death  of  this  vigour 
of  the  internal  senses  intact  depends  on  the  internal  fire  (Vaishvanara 
*5&FTT~Fire  abiding  in  the  body).  Just  see,  if  the  flame  of  the  lamp 
is  extinguished  by  a  strong  breeze  or  water,  and  the  lamp  loses  its 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  201 

power  (of  giving  light),  how  should  the  vision  even  of  the  most  flawless 
be  able  to  see  things?  In  that  way  at  the  time  of  departure,  the  body 
is  stuffed  with  phlegm  (^q>)  in  and  out,  causing  the  heat  of  internal 
fire  to  cool  down,  with  the  result  that  vital  life  is  almost  extinct.  Of 
what  use  would  mind  and  reason  be  then?  In  short,  there  cannot 
remain  any  life  in  the  body  when  the  bodily  warmth  disappears. 
And  of  what  avail  is  the  body  when  the  warmth  in  it  is  no  longer  there? 
It  remains  only  a  lump  of  wet  clay.  In  such  a  state  the  soul  helplessly 
flounders  in  darkness.  In  such  a  state,  how  should  the  memory  of 
the  past  be  sustained  and  how  should  one  leave  one's  body  and  merge 
in  the  supreme  self?  As  one  brings  these  things  to  mind,  life  in  the 
body  itself,  is  reduced  to  a  lump  of  clay  in  the  form  of  phlegm,  and 
is  extinguished,  and  the  memory  of  the  past  and  the  future  fades  away. 
Thus  the  study  of  the  Yoga  Discipline  secured  earlier,  gets  altogether 
lost  even  before  one  has  to  depart,  such  as  a  lamp  (light)  in  the  hand 
should  be  put  out  before  the  hoard  (under  search)  comes  to  be  actually 
seen.  In  short,  the  main  support  of  knowledge  is  internal  heat  in  the 
body,  and  it  is  necessary  to  maintain  it  in  full  measure,  at  the  time  the 
life  departs. 

24  "Fire,  Flame,  Day,  Bright  (Fortnight J,  the  Six  Months  (that 
mark)  the  Northern  Path:  the  Brahman  knowing  peoples 
who  depart  (along  the  Path  marked)  by  these,  attain  the 
Brahman.  (220) 

Inside,  there  should  be  the  light  of  the  internal  fire,  and  outside,  there 
should  be  the  bright  half  Op^tw)  and  also  the  daytime,  and  anyone 
of  the  six  months  during  which  the  Sun  is  in  the  Northern  Hemisphere. 
Those,  that  lay  down  their  bodies  at  an  auspicious  juncture,  reach  the 
Supreme  Brahman,  and  undoubtedly  become  the  Supreme  itself.  Hear, 
O  Dhanurdhara,  such  is  the  power  of -this  coincidence  of  such  favour- 
able auspices  that  it  is  the  only  straight  way  to  reach  the  Supreme. 
The  first  step  on  this  way,  is  the  internal  fire,  the  second,  its  bright 
flame,  the  third,  the  day-time,  and  the  fourth,  is  the  bright  half  of  the 
month.  One  of  the  six  months  during  which  the  sun  is  in  the  Northern 
hemisphere,  is  the  highest  step  of  the  ladder  of  five  steps,  which  the 
Yogins  scale  and  then  reach  the  home  of  salvation — absorption  in 
the  Supreme  Brahman.  This  should  be  considered  as  the  most  auspici- 


202  JNANESHWARI 

ous  time  for  dropping  down  the  body,  and  it  is  called  the  bright  "path 
way".  Now,  I  tell  you  about  the  inauspicious  time  also. 

25  ' '  Smoke,  Night,  as  also '  Dark  (Fortnight) ,  and  the  Six  Months 
(that  mark)  the  Southern  Path:  (departing  along  the  Path 
marked)  by  these,  the  Yogin  attains  the  Moon's  Light-realm, 
and  has  a  return  (thence) .  (226) 

At  the  approach  of  death  the  phlegm  and  the  wind  (^B^TxT)  over- 
power the  body  and  thereby  in  the  mind  is  spread  the  darkness  of  stu- 
por; the  organs  get  stiff  like  wood,  the  memory  is  scuttled  by  delusion, 
and  the  mind  is  deranged  while  the  life-wind  is  choked  up.  The  body's 
heat  falls  rapidly,  smoke  pervades  all  through,  and  animation  in 
the  body  is  suspended.  Just  as  it  gets  dusky,  and  there  remains  neither 
darkness  nor  bright  light  when  the  Moon  gets  behind  dense  and  watery 
clouds,  in  the  same  way,  life  gets  stiffened  and  still,  being  neither 
dead  nor  alive  but  hovering  on  the  borderline  between  life  and  death. 
The  mind,  reason,  and  senses  being  choked  up  by  the  smoke,  all 
that  is  secured  in  the  hard-worked  life-time  gets  all  lost  and  when 
what  is  already  secured  is  thus  threatened,  what  of  making  new 
acquisition?  In  short,  such  distressed  condition  prevails  at  the  time 
of  departure  of  life.  This  is  what  goes  on  inside  the  body.  Outside, 
there  is  first  the  dark  half  of  the  month  (fns°TW),  next,  the  night  time, 
and  over  and  above  that  one  of  the  six  months  when  the  Sun  is 
in  the  Southern  Hemisphere.  When  such  inauspicious  events  concur 
and  forebode  the  fated  cycle  of  rebirths  at  the  time  of  the  departure 
of  life  of  a  Yogin,  even  the  talk  of  the  attainment  of  the  Supreme 
Brahman  is  out  of  his  hearing.  One  whose  body  drops  down  at  such 
a  juncture,  reaches  as  far  as  the  region  of  the  Moon,  that  too  because 
of  his  being  a  Yogin,  and  then  he  has  after  some  time  to  dwindle  down 
from  there  to  this  world  of  life  and  death.  This  is,  know  ye,  O  Pandava, 
the  improper  time  I  made  mention  of,  and  this  is  the  smoky  (dark) 
path-way  that  leads  to  the  region  of  the  rotations  of  births  and  deaths. 
The  other  one,  is  the  bright  path,  populated,  independent,  self-same, 
and  peaceful  and  it  leads  to  absorption  into  the  Supreme  Brahman 
(fa«{fy). 

*|#H$wl  Tcfy  fSft"  «FRT:  ftllM^  1%  I 
V&m  ^lc*WI^!rl*HWm<to  5^:  II  ^  II 


VIII.  AKSARA-BRAHMAN  203 

26  "These  then  are  the  Bright  and  the  Dark  Pathways  of  the  living 
world,  which  are  deemed  eternal;  by  the  one  departing,  he 
returns  not;  by  the  other  (departing),  he  again  returns.  (238) 

These  are  the  two  pathways  from  the  beginning  of  Times — one  straight 
and  the  other  crooked;  I  have  spoken  of  them,  so  that  you  should 
know  which  is  good  and  which  is  evil,  and  what  is  real  and  what 
is  unreal,  and  you  should  find  out  what  is  your  real  good.  Just  see, 
will  anybody  take  a  leap  into  deep  waters  when  there  is  seen  available 
an  excellent  raft?  Who  would  follow  a  crooked  path  leaving  a  good 
one?  How  would  one,  able  to  discriminate  between  poison  and  nectar, 
leave  off  nectar?  In  the  same  way,  he  who  sees  a  straight  way,  would 
not  follow  a  crooked  one.  Therefore,  the  (first)  thing  one  should  do 
is  to  test  what  is  real  and  what  is  false,  and  once  this  test  is  taken, 
no  harm  shall  be  done  at  the  critical  time.  Else,  a  very  grave  danger 
awaits  the  Yogin,  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  the  body  and  there  would 
arise  a  great  confusion  about  the  two  path-ways,  and  the  study  of 
the  Yoga  Discipline  made  all  through  the  life,  will  all  be  in  jeopardy. 
If  a  being  is  to  miss  accidentally  the  straight  path-way  and  to  take 
to  the  smoky  (dark)  one,  he  will  get  tied  down  to  the  rope  (SFPT) 
to  which  all  creations  in  the  grip  of  life  and  death  have  been  tied  down, 
and  will  have  to  be  revolving  in  the  cycle  of  births  and  deaths.  Keeping 
in  mind  these  great  difficulties  and  dangers  and  wishing  to  tell  you 
how  to  escape  from  these,  I  made  clear  to  you,  in  detail,  both  the 
path-ways  of  the  Yoga.  One  leads  to  the  Supreme,  while  the  other 
entangles  you  in  the  cycle  of  births  and  deaths.  What  one  will  have, 
will  depend  upon  the  (kind  of)  path-way  he  would,  by  chance,  find 
himself  on. 

^%  ^t  m$  ^h«j  *ftft  ifrfa1  TOEFT  I 

27  "Knowing  these  Pathways,  O  Son  ofPrtha,  the  Yogin  is  never 
confounded.  Therefore,  at  all  times,  do  thou  remain  steadied 
in  Yoga.  (247) 

Let  that  pass:  for  one  cannot  be  sure  what  might  happen  at  the  time 
of  death.  Whatever  he  is  destined  to  be  by  fate  he  shall  get  (even) 
without  wishing  for  it.  How  could  it  happen  then,  that  one  would 
get  united  to  the  Supreme  Brahman,  by  following  one  of  these  path- 
ways? Whether  the  body  perishes  or  not  our  soul  is  verily  the  Supreme 


204  JNANESHWARI 

Spirit.  The  rope  itself  makes  an  end  of  the  error  taking  it  to  be  a  snake ! 
Is  the  water  ever  conscious  if  it  has  got  any  ripples  or  not?  From 
first  to  last  it  exists  in  its  own  pure  being  with  or  without  ripples.  It 
(water)  does  not  come  to  be  with  the  advent  of  ripples,  nor  does  it 
perish  with  their  disappearance.  In  that  way  those  that  get  absorbed 
in  the  Supreme  Brahman,  even  while  in  the  (human)  body-form, 
are  called  "Disembodied"  (fw^ft ).  Now  since  there  is  left  not  even 
a  trace  of  the  body  in  the  case  of  those  that  have  become  bodiless,  how 
should  anything  perish  at  any  time?  How  then  are  they  to  Search 
for  a  path-way  and  whence,  where,  and  when  (are  they)  to  go,  since 
the  place  (%5T)  and  the  time  have  all  merged  in  their  Supreme.  Just 
see.  Does  it  ever  happen  that  the  sky  (reflections)  appearing  in  an 
earthern  jar  has,  at  the  breaking  of  the  jar,  to  rise  up  quite  straight 
in  order  to  be  able  to  be  merged  in  the  unbounded  sky,  and  if  it  does 
not  do  so  does  it  fail  to  be  one  with  it?  The  fact  is  that  with  the  breaking 
of  the  jar,  only  the  form  (of  the  reflections  in  it)  is  destroyed:  yet  the 
original  pure  sky  existed,  even  before  the  jar  came  to  be  prepared 
and  continues  to  exist  (as  it  is)  even  after  its  (the  jar's)  breaking  up. 
Therefore,  those  Yogins,  that  get  absorbed  in  the  Supreme  Brahman, 
through  their  knowledge  of  the  Brahman,  never  experience  any  dif- 
ficulty in  regard  to  the  pathways  viz.  which  is  right  and  which  is  wrong. 
Therefore,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  you  be  ever  steady  in  Yoga,  and  through 
that  stage  you  will,  without  further  ado,  be  absorbed  in  the  Supreme 
Brahman  and  then  your  free  eternal  union  in  the  Brahman  will  not 
be  shaken,  whether  the  body  lives  or  dies.  Such  a  soul  united  to  the 
Supreme  Brahman  is  neither  born  at  the  time  of  creation  of  the  uni- 
verse, nor  has  it  anything  to  fear  from  death  at  the  time  of  the  world's 
dissolution:  nor  is  he  entangled,  during  the  cycle  of  coming  and  going 
between  the  creation  and  the  dissolution  of  the  universe,  in  any  such 
delusions  leading  to  heavenly  and  worldly  enjoyments.  He  alone, 
who  becomes  a  Yogin  with  the  realization  of  this  knowledge,  is  secure 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruit  of  it,  since  he  spurns  the  enjoyment  of 
the  sense  pleasures  and  attains  unto  the  form  of  the  Self.  Holding 
them  as  utter  trash  he  scorns  and  renounces  even  the  sovereign  powers 
and  enjoyments  which  are  famed  to  crown  the  heavenly  life  of  Indra 
and  other  gods. 


VIII.   AK§ARA-BRAHMAN  .      205 

28  "Through  (study  of  the)  Vedas,  through  sacrifices  'as  also 
through  austerities  and  through  gifts,  whatever  merit's  friiitiph* 
has  been  pointed  out  (as  attainable)  the  Yogin,  knowing  all 
this,  gets  beyond  it  (all),  and  gains  the  Supreme  and  Fore- 
most Abode."  (261) 

The  best  fruit  of  the  study  of  the  Vedas  or  attainment  of  immense 
meritorious  action  through  sacrificial  works  or  through  austerities 
and  charity — all  this,  with  all  its  abundant  crop  of  merits  is  but  a 
poor  thing  as  compared  to  the  glory  of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  The 
Heavenly  bliss,  (which)  when  weighed  in  the  balance  does  not  weigh 
in  any  way  lighter  than  the  Supreme  Brahman,  to  which  the  Vedas 
and  the  sacrifices  are  the  pathway,  of  which  one  never  feels  surfeit, 
nor  can  it  ever  come  to  an  end — nay  it  widens  the  field  of  enjoyment 
according  to  the  desires  of  the  enjoyer,  and  with  ever  increasing 
richness  it  begins  to  be  felt  as  not  second  to  the  Supreme  Brahman. 
That  heavenly  bliss  is  reckoned  fit  even  to  take  the  place  of  the  Supreme 
Bliss,  on  account  of  the  contentment  felt  outwardly  (from  it)  by  the 
senses.  That  heavenly  bliss  is  insecurable  even  by  performers  of 
hundred  sacrifices:  such  heavenly  bliss  when  weighed  by  the  great 
Yogins  on  their  palms  in  the  form  of  divine  vision  secured  through 
the  attainment  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme,  is  found  by  them  to 
weigh  ridiculously  light  and  consequently  holding  it  to  be  worthless, 
the  Yogins  make  of  it  only  stepping  stones,  and  raising  themselves 
high  up,  by  standing  on  these  steps,  they  ascend  the  seat  of  the  Supreme 
Brahman.  Such  (is)  the  united  glory  of  the  universe,  composed  of 
the  moveables  and  immoveables,  and  (is)  fit  to  be  prayed  for  even 
by  Gods  Brahmadev  and  Shiva.  (It  is)  the  thing  of  enjoyment  by  the 
Yogins  and  also  the  resultant  bliss  of  that  enjoyment. 

Conclusion 

That  mystery  was  unfojded  to  the  Son  of  Pandu,  by  Lord  Krishna, 
the  soul  of  all  arts,  the  Supreme  Bliss  incarnate,  the  very  means  of 
subsistence  of  all  the  living  beings  in  the  entire  universe,  the  very 
life-blood  (*foFT)  of  all  knowledge,  and  the  brilliant  lamp  of  his  own 
dynasty — such  an  account  of  Kurukshetra,  Samjaya  narrated  to  the 
King  (Dhritarashtra),  and  the  same  should  be  heard  by  the  hearers, — 
so  requested  Jnandev  of  his  hearers. 


CHAPTER  IX 

RAJAVIDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA 
Introduction 

Pray  be  ye  now  heedful  with  heart  and  soul,  and  ye  earn  the  right  to 
your  share  of  happiness  Supreme,  oh  hearers ;  and  I  say  this  as  a  solemn 
promise.  My  words  are  no  boast  before  you — revered  seers — through 
any  selfconceit.  It  is  only  an  humble  prayer  of  fondness  and  love; 
you  are  all-knowing  masters — listen  to  me.  When  one  possesses 
such  rich  parents  as  you,  that  assures  fulfilment  of  all  fond  wishes 
and  desires  of  one's  heart.  Here  are  blooming  the  arbours  of  bliss, 
through  the  coolness  shed  by  your  glances  beaming  with  blessings; 
and  under  its  cool  shade — my  soul,  distressed  and  weary  with  life's 
journey,  has  come  for  rest.  Oh  masters,  you  are  the  very  deeps  of 
everlasting  happiness,  from  where  I  desire  to  secure  freely  as  much 
cool  relief  as  I  want.  How  should  I  scruple  to  be  intimate  and  un- 
reservedly free?  Where  else  shall  my  soul  secure  peace  and  tranquillity? 
Does  not  a  mother  feel  extreme  joy  at  the  prattling  of  her  child?  Is 
she  not  happy  at  the  sight  of  its  faltering  on  its  tender  feet?  In  the 
same  way,  oh  Lord,  I  am  venturing  to  be  as  familar  and  playful  with 
you  in  the  fond  hope  that  I  should  win  your  affection  and  love.  What 
else  is  there  that  you  masters  of  knowledge  should  learn  from  words, 
such  as  mine?  Does  the  son  of  Saraswatl  (goddess  of  learning)  learn 
literary  art  by  rote?  Just  see,  however  big  a  glow-worm  might  be, 
alas  it  pales  besides  the  brilliance  of  the  sun!  And  what  dainties  are 
worthy  of  being  served  in  an  ambrosial  plate?  Is  it  not  foolish  to 
cool  the  moon  by  fanning,  or  to  thrust  music  on  sweet  melody,  or 
to  adorn  the  very  beauty  herself  with  ornaments?  Pray  tell  me,  what 
is  that  which  fragrance  itself  can  smell,  or  in  what  place  of  deep  water 
could  the  ocean  ever  take  a  bath,  or  where  is  the  place  that  could 
envelope  the  entire  sky?  Is  there  a  mortal  with  such  superb  excellence 
of  speech  that  can  win  your  ears  and  attention,  extracting  from  your 
mouth  words  of  praise  such  as  'here  is  an  ideal  oration'?  Even  if 
this  be  true,  should  not  a  devotee  wave  worshipfully  around  the  Sun, 
who  gives  to  the  entire  universe,  a  handful  of  lighted  wick  (anTcfr)? 
Or,  should  a  devotee  not  offer,  to  the  Deep,  just  a  palmful  of  water? 
Oh  masters,  you  are  the  very  image  incarnate  of  God  Shankar,  and 


IX.  rajavedya  and  rajaguhya  s  207 

I  am  an  humble  and  poor  worshipper  of  yours;  and  yet  my  words 
though  as  worthless  as  the  'nigdy'  (reed)  leaves,  you  will  (I  am  sure) 
accept.  A  child  puts  its  hand  into  the  plate  of  its  father  and  fondly 
feeds  the  father  himself.  The  father  being  pleased,  puts  forward 
his  mouth  (to  receive  it).  Even  so,  I  am  taking  liberties  with  you  in 
a  childlike  and  loving  way;  you  will,  I  have  no  doubt,  be  pleased  in 
your  heart,  for  such  is  the  way  of  love.  And  you,  oh  saints,  are  trans- 
ported with  feelings  of  love  for  me  lying  prostrate  at  your  feet:  and 
so  you  would  not  feel  in  any  way  embarassed  with  the  fond  way  in 
which  I  have  taken  liberties  with  you.  The  mere  touch  of  the  infant's 
mouth  to  the  breast  makes  the  mother  release  the  flow,  of  milk:  the 
displeasure  on  the  part  of  the  beloved  one,  makes  love  flood  with 
a  redoubled  vigour.  Even  so,  this  my  prattling  has  roused  in  you  the 
slumbering  affection  for  me,  and  knowing  this,  1  am  talking  in  this 
way.  Else,  would  the  moonlight  be  ever  put  under  any  heat  of  pressure 
for  ripening,  or  the  wind  ever  given  any  motion  in  order  to  blow 
in  a  particular  way,  or  can  anyone  enclose  the  sky  in  any  way?  One 
may  as  well  liquefy  water,  or  put  the  churning  rod  into  butter  for 
churning  it;  just  so,  my  unworthy  discourse  turns  back  in  shame 
from  the  depth  of  the  Gita.  Not  only  that,  even  the  very  great  Brahman, 
in  the  form  of  words  i.e.  the  Vedas,  is  at  the  end  of  his  tether,  and  goes 
to  the  jungle  to  rest  and  sleep  on  this  bed  of  the  Gita.  What  then 
of  my  own  capacity,  to  render  in  Marathi  the  teachings  of  the  Gita? 
My  one  desire,  in  venturing  upon  this,  is  that  I  should  render  myself 
worthy  of  your  love  and  grace  through  this  venture.  May  these  wishes 
grow  in  strength  by  winning  your  attention,  which  is  more  cooling 
than  the  moon  herself,  and  even  possesses  the  power  of  giving  ever- 
lasting life  in  greater  degree  than  ambrosia.  May  your  eyes  beaming 
with  your  kindness  and  love  shower  on  my  mind  your  favours;  so 
shall  thrive  the  crop  of  the  true  meaning  of  Gita  and  were  you  to 
deny  this  to  me  the  sprouts  of  knowledge  that  have  grown  would  dry 
up.  Pray  remember,  how  eloquence  is  fed  on  the  careful  attention 
of  the  hearer;  thus  words  are  matched  to  the  weighty  truths  they 
convey.  No  sooner  do  such  words  shape  themselves  out  than  the 
meanings  body  forth,  leading  to  an  ever-increasing  fruitful  line  of 
meanings  arrayed  in  beauty  patterns,  and  the  mind  is  covered  with 
a  wreath  of  the  full  blossom  of  flowers.  When  there  sets  in  the  favour- 
able wind  of  the  dialogue  of  speaker  and  hearer,  the  vault  of  hearts 
is  full  of  watery  cloud,  in  the  form  of  learning  and  truth,  or  else  when 
the  hearers  flag,  then  the  clouds  may  melt  away.  Indeed  the  moon- 
stone can  emit  moisture,  yet  the  power  of  making  it  moist  lies  in  the 


208  JNANESHWARI 

moon.  In  that  way,  there  cannot  be  a  real  speaker  when  there  is  no 
hearer.  Does  the  rice  ever  request  the  eater  to  make  a  sweet  meal 
out  of  it?  Do  the  dolls  (+aJ^*0  «Hg<ifl)  dancing  to  the  movements 
of  the  thread  held  by  the  puller,  ever  ask  the  puller  of  the  thread,  and 
does  he  make  the  dolls  dance  for  themselves  or  to  show  his  own  skill? 
Where  is  the  need  for  me  to  worry  about  this?  Thereon,  the  Master 
said,  "Enough  of  this  talk  now.  Let  it  be  as  you  say:  do  now  narrate 
what  Lord  Krishna  said."  Being  very  pleased,  the  Disciple  of  Nivrit- 
tinath  said,  "Yes,  I  will  do  your  bidding,"  and  further  said,  "Do 
hear,  what  Lord  Krishna  said  thereafter." 

The  Exalted  one  spake: 

1  "This,  however,  is  the  profoundest  mystery  that  I  am  about 
to  expound  unto  thee  that  art  listening  with  appreciation: 
this  knowledge  accompanied  by  realisation,  by  understanding 
which  thou  wilt  be  released  from  Unweal.  (34) 

"Oh  Arjuna,  I  speak  to  you  again  about  the  very  root  of  all  know- 
ledge, which  is  a  profound  secret  hidden  in  the  depth  of  My  heart. 
Well,  a  doubt  may  haunt  you  as  to  the  need  that  makes  Me  open  the 
secret  door  of  My  heart  and  speak  to  you  of  the  mystery  hidden  in 
it.  So  hear,  oh  you  wise  one;  you  are  the  very  incarnation  of  "eager 
desire"  (sttftt)  to  know  truth  and  will  not  be  remiss  about  precepts 
enjoined  on  you.  Therefore,  shall  the  great  mystery  be  unriddled, 
and  the  unutterable  truth  be  spoken,  by  which  the  great  secret  in 
My  heart  may,  once  for  all,  illumine  your  soul.  Oh,  ye  look  here, 
the  milk  is  hidden  in  the  breasts,  and  yet  it  is  not  food  to  the  breasts : 
let  it  then  quench  the  thirst  of  anyone  with  unswerving  love  if  such 
a  one  needs  it.  Grain  kept  for  seed  is  taken  out  from  a  Muda  (rice- 
straw  case-  iJST)  and  is  sown  in  fistfuls  in  a  seed  plot  tilled  and  prepared 
for  sowing.  Could  it  be  said  that  it  is  wasted?  Therefore,  to  one 
with  pure  mind  and  clear  discerning  power,  and  to  one  who  is  free 
from  cavil,  and  to  one  with  unflinching  devotion,  this  secret  shall 
be  freely  spoken.  And  at  present,  I  see  none  such,  except  yourself, 
and  it  will  not  be  proper  to  keep  back  that  secret  from  you.  You 


K.  rAjavidya  and  rajaguhya  209 

may  be  feeling  tired  of  hearing  the  word  "Secret — Secret"  oft-repeated; 
therefore,  I  preach  to  you  openly  knowledge  of  true  being  along  with 
its  special  branches.  Counterfeit  and  genuine  coins  mixed  together, 
must  be  distinguished,  by  scrutiny,  and  kept  apart:  even  so,  I  am 
going  to  show  you,  knowledge  and  its  special  parts  separated  from 
each  other,  as  the  swan  separates  milk  from  water  with  its  beak:  and 
then  just  as  in  the  sweeping  wind,  the  chaff  cannot  sustain  itself  (but 
is  blown  away)  leaving  behind  only  a  heap  of  solid  grain,  in  that  way, 
when  knowledge  and  its  special  branches  are  distinguished  in  full 
realised  vision,  the  cycle  of  births  and  deaths  is  dissolved  into  the 
state  of  name  and  form  only  and  that  Supreme  Knowledge  of  true 
Being  enthrones  you  as  the  glorious  majesty  of  emancipated  existence. 

rn  ^  " 


2  "It  is  a  Sovereign  Knowledge  and  a  Sovereign  Mystery:  it 
is  sanctifying  as  nothing  else,  and:  is  capable  of  realisation 
in  experience;  it  conforms  to  the  Sastra,  is  quite  easy  of  ac- 
complishment, and  infallible.  (47) 

(It  is  that)  which  is  enthroned  on  the  majestic  position  of  the  most 
High  Spiritual  Teacher,  in  the  Kingdom  of  all  knowledge  (fe^rr) 
and  which  enjoys  too  the  sovereign  place  amidst  all  secret  truths, 
and  is  also  the  holiest  of  holies,  which  is  the  fountain  of  religious 
piety  and  is  the  highest  good,  and  which  when  realised,  leaves  no 
room  for  births  and  deaths:  which  being  initiated  by  the  word  from 
the  mouth  of  the  spiritual  teacher  is  verily  revealed  as  Self-being, 
in  each  and  every  heart,  and  is  thus  easily  realised.  On  the  same 
way  of  easy  attainment,  one  meets  with  this  Brahman  as  soon  as 
one  attains  the  step  of  the  Bliss  of  the  Self,  and  then  the  triad-the 
enjoyer,  the  object  of  enjoyment,  and  the  actual  enjoyment-are  merged 
in  itself.  The  soul,  even  on  this  side  of  the  absolute  enjoyment  has 
a  foretaste  of  that  Supreme  Bliss;  such  is  then  that  knowledge,  which 
besides  being  within  easy  reach,  is  in  itself  the  Supreme  Brahman. 
This  knowledge  has  further  excellence:  once  it  is  attained,  it  does 
not  leave  you,  nor  does  it  drain  off  by  enjoyment  nor  is  it  stunted. 
Should  you  raise  a  reasonable  doubt  as  to  why  such  a  thing  (of  such 
supreme  worth)  should  be  left  out  and  spurned  by  mortals,  why  should 
those,  who  go  through  -fire  (and  water)  out  of  greed,  for  piling  up 


210  JNANESHWARI 

their  (capital)  wealth  by  usury,  deny  themselves  and  spurn  bliss  of 
the  Self  so  easily  within  their  reach,  this  is  indeed  a  reasonable 
doubt  as  to  how  the  Bliss  of  the  Self,  the  most  holy  and  the  most  lovely 
and  so  easy  of  attainment,  which  is  most  sacred  and  unites  one  to  the 
Self— such  a  thing  full  of  happiness,  should  be  left  unsecured  by  the 
people.  But  do  not  entertain  any  such  doubts. 

3  "Men  lacking  credence  in  this  Dharma,  O  Tormentor  of  foes, 
without  being  able  to  reach  Me,  return  to  the  path  of  this 
death-dominated  world.  (57) 

But  alas!  Don't  you  see,  pure  and  sweet  milk  is  there  under  the  cover- 
ing of  the  skin  (of  the  cow)?  Yet  the  tick  (*ftfos")  leaves  it  (milk)  out 
and  sucks  only  the  blood.  Or  bulbous  roots  of  lotus  and  frogs  dwell 
in  one  place:  yet  the  large  black  bee  Ostrt)  sucks  the  pollen  in  the 
lotus,  leaving  the  mud  for  the  other  (frog).  Or  in  the  house  of  the 
hopeless  beggar  may  be  hidden  an  immense  treasure;  yet  sitting 
on  it  he  starves  or  suffers.  Even  so  I,  the  home  and  fountain  of  all 
happiness,  am  dwelling  in  the  heart  of  all ;  yet  the  desires  of  the  deluded 
(ignorant)  run  towards  the  enjoyment  of  sense  pleasures.  It  is  like 
one  throwing  out  a  mouthful  of  nectar  at  the  sight  of  a  big  mirage, 
or  like  one  snapping  the  "Paris"  worn  round  the  neck,  out  of  lure 
of  a  shell.  Thus  in  the  bustle  of  self-attachment  and  self-delusion 
the  benighted  mortals  are  lost  to  My  Divine  Being,  and  deluged  in 
the  flood  between  the  two  banks  of  births  and  deaths.  To  speak  truly, 
I  am  as  the  Sun  to  men's  vision,  ever  steady  and  straight  to  the  eyes, 
and  yet  unlike  the  Sun,  that  at  times  is  seen,  at  times  not  seen,  owing 
to  clouds  or  night-fall. 


"By  Me,  in. my  non-manifest  form,  is  all  this  world  of  living 
beings  permeated;  upon  Me  resting  bide  the  beings:  I  am 
not  contained  in  them.  (64) 


IX.  rAjavidya  and  rAjaguhya  211 

And  is  not  this  entire  universe  the  manifestation  of  the  expanse  of 
My  Being?  Just  as  curds  is  the  change  in  the  outward  form  (solidified) 
of  milk,  or  just  as  a  tree  is  (another  form)  of  the  seed  itself,  or  ornaments 
are  the  different  forms  of  gold,  in  the  same  way,  this  universe  is  but 
the  expansion  of  My  one  Supreme  Self.  My  essence  is  in  a  congealed 
form  when  unmanifest  and  then  is  thinned  out  into  this  visible  universe, 
with  name  and  form,  and  (My)  invisible  self  spreads  over  this  entire 
compass  of  the  three  worlds.  Just  as  the  foam  becomes  perceptible 
on  the  water  surface  in  the  manifested  form,  in  that  way  the  entire 
mass  of  beings,  from  the  gross  elements  to  human  soul  having  names 
and  forms,  appears  reflected  in  Me.  And  just  as  there  appears  no 
existence  of  water  in  the  foam,  or  just  as  the  diverse  things  seen  in 
dreams  are  not  to  be  seen  in  the  waking  state,  in  that  way  all  visible 
changes  are  reflected  in  My  Being  and  not  I  in  them.  I  have  said  this 
to  you  before  and  to  enlarge  upon  it  once  again  would  be  repetition. 
So  suffice  it  now  to  say  only  this  "May  your  vision  enter  into  the 
essence  of  My  Self." 

*Tcr*[$r  *T  ^JcTSsft  1WTT  <WkWI<H:  II  K  II 

5  "And  yet,  the  beings  are  not  (in  sooth)  resting  upon  Me: 
observe  this  Yoga  (power  and  skill)  of  Me  the  Overlord. 
Sustainer  of  the  beings,  and  yet  not  contained  within  the  beings, 
is  the  Self  of  Me  who  have  brought  the  beings  into  being.    (7 1 ) 

Try  to  realise  My  absolute  being  beyond  the  compass  of  primal  nature 
(Prakriti),  leaving  aside  limitations  of  imagination  and  then,  the 
language  that  all  the  living  beings  abide  in  Me,  is  also  untrue,  since 
I  am  all  in  all,  there  being  nothing  besides  My  Being.  When  in  the 
dust  of  blind  will,  Fancy  creates  and  sheds  the  faint  twilight  to  obscure 
knowledge  with  ignorance  on  the  Supreme  Spirit,  the  power  of  know- 
ledge gets  dimmed,  and  at  the  eventide  of  ignorance  through  the 
illusiveness  of  the  material  world  (srfirarr),  the  entire  mass  of  created 
beings  appears  distinct  from  the  Supreme  Brahman.  But  as  the 
evening  time  closes  the  illusory  plurality  melts  into  the  Sole  Supreme 
Brahman  in  its  unmutilated,  undistorted,  pure  Essence  of  the  Self, 
such  as  the  misgiving  of  a  floral  wreath  mistaken  for  a  serpent  in  the 
dark  is  realized  in  its  true  being  that  puts  an  end  to  that  suspicion 
itself.  Do  sprouts  of  earthen  vessels  ever  spring  from  earth?  Are 
they  not  rather  shaped  out  by  the  potter's  mind?  And  are  there  any 


212  JNANESHWARI 

quarries  of  waves  on  the  bed  of  the  sea?  Is  it  not  rather  entirely  the 
doing  of  the  wind  that  moves  freely?  Does  cotton  hold  any  box  of 
readymade  cloth?  Is  it  not  rather  true  that  threads  become  cloth 
through  the  purpose  of  the  weaver?  Even  though  changed  into  an 
ornament  outwardly,  gold  does  not  lose  its  real  essence  of  gold;  the 
external  ornamental  shape  is  through  the  imaginative  vision  of  the 
wearer.  Just  tell  me,  if  what  is  echoed,  or  what  is  reflected  in  the 
mirror,  is  our  own  sound  or  light,  or  was  it  originally  there  in  itself? 
Even  so,  created  beings — many  and  separate — appear  as  real  to 
such  a  one  who  by  imagination,  works  them  up  on  My  Pure  Being 
in  itself.  When  the  action  of  this  power  of  imagination  is  spent  up, 
the  illusion  of  created  beings,  which  comes  to  naught  is  dissolved  and 
there  abides  only  My  pure  undistorted  Self  Essence.  To  one  who  gets 
diz2y  mountains  and  valleys  are  seen  as  spinning  round  and  round, 
in  that  way  it  is  the  illusion  that  by  imagination  causes  the  created 
beings  to  appear  in  My  undivided  pure  essence.  Get  rid  of  this  imagina- 
tion and  it  would  be  futile  even  to  dream  either  that  I  am  in  created 
beings  or  that  they  are  in  Me.  Therefore,  all  this  talk  that  I  am  the 
sustainer  of  all  beings,  or  that  I  dw«ll  in  them,  is  like  the  raving  of  an 
unsound  state  of  mind  caused  by  the  delirium  (  3"RT  )  induced  through 
the  power  of  fancy.  Therefore,  hear  ye  dearest  soul,  it  is  also  the 
merest  untruth  to  take  Me  as  the  soul  of  all  created  things  or  the  inward 
supporter  of  unreal  beings.  Just  as  there  comes  into  being,  unreal 
mirage  on  account  of  sun's  rays,  in  that  way  the  entire  beings  are 
falsely  ascribed  to  My  pure  being — not  only  that,  but  they  make  Me 
the  real  mover  dwelling  in  them.  I  am  thus  held  to  be  the  creator 
of  the  beings:  Yet  I  am  the  only  real  being  in  all  that  is,  just  as  the 
splendour  and  the  Sun  are  one  and  the  same  thing.  Now  have  you 
known  well  this  secret  of  innermost  glory  of  great  Power?  And  now 
say,  if  there  is  the  least  room  for  any  distinction.  Thus  the  beings  are 
not  other  than  Me  that  is  the  truth  and  so  never  hold  Me  distinct  from 
the  beings. 

6  "Just  as,  ever  reposed  within  the  Ether  is  the  great  Wind  that 
moves  everywhere;  even  so  are  all  the  beings  reposed  within 
Me:  to  this  do  thou  holdfast.  (89) 

The  air  spread  in  the  sky  is  as  wide  as  the  mighty  sky  itself  and  makes 


IX.  RAJAVIDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  213 

its  presence  felt  only  when  it  is  made  to  move.  Otherwise  the  sky 
and  the  air  are  one.  In  that  way,  all  created  beings  appear  to  be  in 
Me  as  Phantasy  pictures  them.  But  drop  that  Phantasy  and  the  beings 
melt  away:  there  then  remains  nothing  but  My  pure  Divine-Self. 
Thus  it  is  all  the  work  of  Fantasy  that  the  created  beings  are  or  are 
not.  So  when  Fantasy,  as  the  root-cause,  ceases,  what  can  be  there 
that  is  or  is  not  through  its  actions?  So  now  know  ye,  once  again 
this  Yoga  o^  glory — union  with  the  glory  of  Divine  Being  (^4^1). 
Be  thou  only  as  a  ripple  over  the  surface  of  ocean  of  Divine  Life,  and 
thou  shall  realize  thyself  as  the  all-pervading  self."  Lord  Krishna 
further  said,  "you  are  now  awakened  and  are  you  not  in  the  light 
of  the  supreme  knowledge?  The  dream  of  duality  has  it  not  now 
vanished  with  this  awakening?  Were  your  reason  to  become  drowsy 
again,  by  the  action  of  Fantasy,  this  realization  of  unity  ( srfc)  will 
again  give  place  to  the  dreamy  state.  Therefore,  I  now  disclose  to 
you  the  secret  of  Truth,  which  shall  uproot  the  path  of  the  sleep  of 
Fantasy,  and  keep  you  eternally  awake  in  the  illumination  of  the 
Absolute  Self.  Therefore,  oh  courageous  Dhanurdhara,  attend  to 
what  I  say,  that  it  is  the  Maya  (Primal  Nature)  that  makes  and  breaks 
all  the  beings. 

^cM^  ^HWlfa  *cMl<$  ftm«MM4^  II  \9  II 

7  "All  the  beings,  O  Son  of  KuntT,  return  within  my  Cosmic 
Nature  at  the  close  of  a  (  Yuga-)  cycle.  The  same  once  more, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  (Yuga-)  cycle  I  send  forth  into  being. 

(98) 

That  Maya  is  named  Prakriti,  and  as  was  said  before  it  splits  into 
two:  one  appears  in  an  eight-fold  variety  and  the  other  higher  one 
manifests  itself  as  "individual  soul"  (•aTNvjdl).  You  did  hear  all  about 
this  subject.  No  need  then  to  say  it  again.  At  the  passing  away  of 
the  world,  all  these  separate  beings  merge  into  My  Prakriti  in  its  non- 
manifest  form.  Grass  with  its  seed,  is  dissolved  into  the  earth  in  the 
extreme  heat  of  summer  "Grishma"  season;  and  do  not  the  clouds 
surging  in  the  monsoon  melt  into  the  autumnal  sky?  Or  see,  how 
the  wind  becomes  calm  and  merges  into  the  vault  of  the  sky,  or  again 
see,  the  ripples  disappear  in  water  itself,  or  the  scenes  in  the  dream 
are  dissolved  in  the  mind  itself  on  waking.  Even  so  the  beings  created 
and  made  perceptible  by  the  Maya,  merge  into  it  (Maya)  at  the  close 


214  JNANESHWA.RI 

of  the  Kalpa  (cycle).  Then  in  the  beginning  of  the  new  Kalpa  (cycle), 
so  goes  the  story,  I  create  them  all  again.  Let  me  tell  you  now  the 
truth  of  this  story. 

qdilWPw  $cH*Wi  MfM*U<$  ,|  t;  u 

8  "Thus,  holding  my  Cosmic  Nature  under  my  domination,  I 
again  and  again  send  into  being  this  entire  aggregate  of  beings, 
which  is  rendered  helpless  under  the  control  of  that  Cosmic 
Nature. 

9  "These  (generative)  acts,  however,  do  not,  O  Dhanamjaya, 
occasion  any  bondage  for  Me,  who  remain  like  one  unconcerned, 
and  not  attached  to  those  acts.  (106) 

Oh  Kiriti,  when  I  rule  over  the  Prakriti  as  my  own,  then  like  a  band 
of  threads  getting  woven  into  a  web  by  the  warp  and  woof  of  small 
squares  of  the  fibres,  the  Prakriti  herself  changes  over  into  the  five 
gross  elements  with  name  and  form  of  the  universe.  Just  as  milk 
mixed  with  leaven  clots  into  curds,  in  the  same  way  the  Prakriti 
bodies  forth  as  the  created  universe.  As  the  seed  by  contact  with 
moisture  in  soil  blossoms  forth  and  gets  spread  out  into  a  tree,  with 
branches  and  sub-branches,  in  that  way  the  universe  created  by  the 
Prakriti  owes  its  being  to  Me.  As  the  saying  is,  the  king  verily  makes 
the  town,  do  the  royal  hands  ever  toil  at  that  work?  And  indeed 
I  rule  over  the  Prakriti  not  otherwise  than  one  who  is  raised  from  a 
dream  into  wakefulness.  Now  pray  tell  me,  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  if  one 
feels  footsore  in  going  from  his  dream  into  waking.  Does  one  feel 
like  being  tired  with  anything  like  a  journey  in  a  dream?  The  truth 
of  all  this  is  that  in  the  creation  of  all  beings,  not  the  slightest  touch 
of  action  ever  reaches  me.  As  a  king  rules  over  his  subjects,  and  each 
toils  and  carries  out  his  task,  so  do  I  rule  over  the  Prakriti.  All  action 
is  the  doing  of  the  Prakriti :  it  cannot  touch  me.  Just  see,  on  the  full- 
moon  night,  with  the  meeting  of  the  moon,  the  sea  bursts  into  full 
tide:  Oh  Kiriti,  has  the  moon  ever  to  drudge  for  this?  The  iron  inert 
as  it  is,- when  placed  near  a  magnet,  does  it  not  move  ?  Does  the  magnet 


IX.  RAJAVIDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  215 

ever  suffer  in  any  way,  in  making  the  iron  move?  Even  so,  as  soon 
as  I  behold  the  Prakriti  to  rule  over  it,  the  universe  of  created  things 
begins  to  come  into  being.  Oh  Pandav,  the  mass  of  created  beings 
is  bora  of  the  Prakriti  as  this  Earth,  becomes  the  breeding  place  for 
the  seed  to  germinate  and  issue  forth  creepers,  leaves,  etc.  or  as  being 
attached  to  the  body  is  the  cause  of  childhood,  youth  and  old  age, 
or  the  clouds  are  the  cause  for  sending  down  rains  from  the  sky,  or 
sleep  is  the  cause  of  dream — in  all  these  ways,  Prakriti  is  the  cause 
of  all  the  aggregate  of  beings.  Prakriti  is  the  root  cause  of  all  move- 
able, immoveable,  big  and  small,  in  fact  of  the  entire  mass  of  created 
universe.  Therefore,  acts  like  those  of  creation  of  the  beings  or  susten- 
ance can  never  touch  My  Divine  Essence.  Although  the  rays  of  the 
moon  appear  as  spread  out  over  the  water-surface  like  creepers, 
yet  the  moon  is  not  the  maker  of  this  abundance;  in  the  same  way, 
although  all  these  actions  in  one  sense  have  their  being  in  Me,  yet 
they  remain  distinct  from  me.  Just  as  a  salt  dam  cannot  resist  the 
rising  tide  of  the  ocean,  in  that  way  all  the  actions  having  their  end 
in  Me,  cannot  affect  My  own  Personal  Being.  Can  a  cage  of  smoke 
stop  the  blowing  wind,  or  can  darkness  pierce  into  the  Sun's  rays? 
Just  as  rain  showers  cannot  break  through  the  mountain  valleys,  in 
that  way  the  acts  of  the  Prakriti  do  not  touch  Me.  Although  I  am 
the  mover  of  all  doings  on  the  part  of  Prakriti,  My  essential  being  is 
above  all  actions;  I  neither  do  anything  Myself  nor  cause  anything 
to  be  done.  A  (burning)  lamp  in  a  house  neither  prompts  nor  pre- 
vents any  one  from  doing  a  thing.  It  is  unconcerned  as  to  who  is  doing, 
and  what  is  being  done ;  it  is  a  mere  spectator,  and  yet  it  is  the  condition 
of  all  that  is  being  done :  Even  so,  though  I  am  the  source  of  the  being 
of  created  things,  still  I  am  severally  unconcerned  in  their  actions. 
Enough  of  this  repetition,  Oh  husband  of  Subhadra,  of  this  one  simple 
truth!  Know  it  now  once  for  all. 

10  "With  Me  as  the  Overlord  does  the  Cosmic  Nature  generate 
this  moveable  and  immoveable  world,  and  by  reason  of  this 
it  is,  Oh  son  ofKunti,  that  this  living  world  keeps  on  variously 
transforming.  (131) 

As  the  sun  sets  going  all  the  world's  active  life,  so  do  I,  oh  Son  of 
Pandu,  start  creation  of  the  universe.  Because  I  lord  over  the  Prakriti 
and  stir  it  up,  the  entire  mass  of  living  and  lifeless  things  comes  into 


216  JNANESHWARI 

being,  and  so  am  I  held  to  be  the  motive-power  of  all  the  universe. 
Now  behold  in  this  light  of  truth,  the  union  of  all  things  in  divine 
glory  and  then  their  being  shall  be  found  in  Me,  and  not  Mine  in  them. 
Nor  shall  you  miss  the  great  secret  that  neither  is  creation  in  Me  nor 
am  I  in  creation.  Thus  have  I  opened  up  to  you,  the  deepest  mystery 
of  My  being.  Now  hold  fast  to  it,  and  barring  out  all  sense-pleasures 
enjoy  the  vision.  So  long  as  this  secret  truth  (^t)  has  not  been  in 
one's  grip,  My  real  being,  Oh  Partha  will  not  be  known  at  all,  just 
as  a  grain-particle  (missed)  in  (a  heap  of)  husk  cannot  be  found. 
Well  may  one  from  guess-work  fancy  that  he  has  come  by  the  Know- 
ledge of  the  Supreme,  but  it  is  all  in  vain,  for  can  the  soil  ever  soak  in 
moisture  of  a  mirage?  The  Moon's  disc  seems  to  be  caught  up  in  a 
net  spread  over  water;  and  now  take  the  net  out  and  shake  it;  the 
Moon's  disc  is  not  there!  Even  so,  do  men  and  dupes  of  words  indulge 
in  tall  talk  about  experience  gained,  and  yet  the  truth  is  that  by  real 
test  they  are  found  to  be  devoid  of  it. 

TT  4l<m«IM«cn  *W  T^RP^RST  II  \%  II 

11  "Those  under  delusion,  not  cognisant  of  my  real  Nature,  mis- 
prize Me,  the  great  Lord  of  (all)  beings  who  have  assumed 
a  human  body:  (140) 

If  out  of  mortal  dread  of  mundane  existence  of  birth  and  death,  you 
shrink  from  it  and  feel  the  desire  for  uniting  with  My  own  life,  you 
must  hold  on  to  this  path-way  of  truth:  or  else  you  will  fall  into  the 
path  of  gross  error.  To  persons  affected  with  jaundice,  the  moon- 
light appears  yellow:  in  that  way  the  errant  soul  sees  in  My  pure  Es- 
sential Being  impurities  (imperfections).  To  one  who  has  his  palate 
spoilt  through  fever,  even  the  milk  tastes  bitter:  in  the  same  way, 
I  am  mistaken  for  a  personal  being  though  I  am  not  one.  Therefore, 
oh  Dhananjaya,  I  repeat  this  caution:  do  not  lose  sight  of  this  secret 
truth.  A  superficial  vision  (^pffe)  (of  seeing  Me)  or  a  crude  way 
of  knowing  comes  to  naught.  Seeing  Me  through  a  superficial  vision 
is  no  real  vision,  since  no  one  can  become  immortal  with  unreal  nectar 
(taken)  in  a  dream.  Ordinarily  people  claim  to  know  Me  from  such 
crude  and  superficial  vision;  but  this  sort  of  outward  knowing  keeps 
them  from  real  knowledge  (about  it),  just  as  the  greedy  swan  is  deluded 
and  ruined  by  mistaking  the  reflections  of  stars  in  water  for  jewels; 
of  what  avail  is  it  to  run  to  a  mirage  as  if  it  were  the  holy  Ganges, 


DC.  RAJAVBDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  217 

or  to  hold  in  hand  a  Babul  tree  taking  it  as  a  Kalpataru  (desire- 
yielding  tree),  or  to  hold  in  hand  a  boaconstrictor,  taking  it  to  be  a 
wreath  of  jewels?  What  avails  it  again  to  pick  up  flints  taking  them 
as  jewels,  or  to  hold  in  a  four-mouthed  bag  (iftosV)  live  coal  of  the 
catachu  wood,  taking  it  to  be  a  treasure  (f^rnr),  or  to  imitate  a  lion 
that  mistakes  his  own  reflection  in  a  well  for  a  real  lion  and  leaps  into 
death?  Even  so,  is  the  reflection  of  moon  in  water — not  the  moon 
—clasped  by  them  that  give  themselves  up  to  My  visible  form  in 
worldly  life.  And  to  cling  to  such  fond  conceit  blindly  is  as  vain  as 
to  make  a  porridge  meal  yield  the  effects  of  ambrosia.  How  on  earth 
would  My  everlasting  Essence  be  disclosed  to  them  that  set  their 
mind's  faith  blindly  on  things  of  the  earth?  Can  one  setting  along 
the  Easterly  direction  ever  hope  to  reach  Western  shores?  And  could 
one  ever  know  My  changeless,  pure  and  perfect  being  merely  knowing 
this  gross  universe  of  a  ceaseless  flow  of  changes?  Can  one  be  said 
to  have  drunk  water  merely  by  tasting  foam  or  froth?  Thus  it  comes 
to  pass  that  men  that  have  their  minds  blinded  by  this  delusion  try 
to  take  the  universe  as  My  real  Being,  and  then  attribute  to  Me  earthly 
fortunes  like  births  and  deaths.  Me,  whose  being  has  no  name,  they 
call  by  a  name;  to  Me  they  attribute  activity  though  I  am  free  from 
all  activity;  and  My  incorporeal  Essence  they  imagine  to  be  embodied: 
(they)  impute  form  to  My  Being  which  is  without  a  form:  My  per- 
sonality that  is  above  attribute  they  endow  with  attributes  and  make 
Me  subject  to  rules  of  duty,  though  I  am  beyond  good  and  evil:  (they) 
impute  to  Me  caste,  when  I  am  not  of  any  caste,  quality  to  one  who 
is  without  it,  feet  and  hands,  when  I  am  without  them:  also  (they) 
impute  limit  to  My  unlimited  being,  a  local  habitation  to  one  who  is 
Omnipresent  (all-pervading).  It  is  all  like  dreaming  a  forest  while 
you  are  asleep  in  your  bed.  And  further,  they  invest  Me  with  ears 
when  I  am  beyond  them,  eyes  when  I  am  free  from  this  limitation, 
and  make  Me  belong  to  a  clan  when  I  am  without  it.  They  impute 
manifestation  to  Me  who  am  non-manifest;  desire  to  one  who  is 
beyond  all  desires;  contentment  to  one  who  is  himself  the  source 
of  self-contentment.  They  offer  clothes  and  ornaments  to  Me,  who  am 
above  clothes  and  ornaments,  and  consider  Me  as  being  created  when 
I  am  the  cause  of  all.  Into  an  idol  am  I — the  self-existent — embodied 
and  installed  and  invoked.  They  invoke  Me  and  bid  Me  farewell, 
when  I  am  eternal.  I  am  eternally  self-identified,  and  yet  they  impute 
to  Me  all  stages  of  life,  such  as  childhood,  youth  and  old  age.  One 
without  a  second,  I  am  made  manifold;  free  from  all  touch  of  action, 
I  am  made  the  doer  of  action;  above  all  enjoyment.  I  am  made  the 


218  JNANESHWARI 

subject  of  enjoyment.  Eulogies  are  bestowed  on  what  is  taken  as 
My  clan  and  family,  though  I  do  not  cling  to  any  clan.  I  am  eternal, 
and  yet  they  are  distressed  at  My  passing  away.  They  fancy  Me  having 
friends  and  foes,  though  I  am  the  indweller  of  all.  I  am  the  very  abode 
of  supreme  bliss,  and  yet  they  attribute  to  Me  desire  for  different  sorts 
of  pleasures,  and  I  am  abiding  evenly  everywhere  and  yet  they  attribute 
to  Me  a  definite  place  of  residence.  Verily  I  live  in  all  beings,  yet 
they  attribute  to  Me  taking  sides  with  one  and  wrathfully  killing 
another.  Thus  I  am  made  the  subject  of  almost  all  the  human  frailties; 
such  indeed  is  their  false  belief.  They  devotedly  worship  as  God 
any  idol  they  see  before  them,  and  throw  it  away  as  Godless  as  soon 
as  it  gets  cracked.  In  such  manifold  ways  they  imagine  Me  as  an 
embodied  human  being,  and  their  erroneous  belief  keeps  out  of  their 
reach  real  knowledge  of  My  true  Being. 

12,  "(They) ,  of  futile  aspirations,  of  futile  actions,  of  futile  know- 
ledge, void  of  wisdom,  and  partaking  in  the  Demoniac  or  the 
Devilish  nature  that  deludes  (them).  (172) 

Utterly  vain  is  the  life  of  such  persons  that  have  such  erroneous  belief 
as  to  My  Being;  they  resemble  the  clouds  that  spread  in  sky  when 
there  is  no  monsoon,  or  the  glare  of  a  mirage  which  could  only  be 
seen  from  a  distance,  or  like  the  men  on  horse-back  in  the  performances 
of  mountebanks,  or  like  the  ornaments  created  by  a  juggler,  or  like' 
townwalls  of  the  towns  in  the  clouds  Cra^ifl),  which  though  not 
actually  existing  appear  to  exist,  or  like  the  'Sabar'  tree,  growing  very 
tall  but  bearing  no  fruit  and  also  hollow  in  the  interior,  or  like  the 
useless  nipples  hanging  down  from  the  neck  of  a  she-goat.  Futile 
indeed  is  the  life  of  such  persons,  their  actions  being  of  no  more  use 
than  the  fruit  of  Sabar-tree,  which  can  neither  be  given  nor  taken. 
All  their  learning  is  as  worthless  as  a  coconut  plucked  by  a  monkey, 
or  a  pearl  falling  in  the  hands  of  the  blind.  Their  entire  doctrine  and 
lore  is  as  worthless  as  weapons  in  the  hands  of  a  coy  girl,  or  holy  in- 
cantations recited  before  unholy  persons.  In  this  way,  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
to  one  whose  mind  is  not  with  real  knowledge,  neither  learning  nor 
his  action  is  of  any  worth  whatever.  The  sordid  Prakriti — nature 
is  verily  the  demon  who  eclipses  the  discerning  power  and  leaves  no 
trace  of  reason;  always  stalking  in  the  darkness  of  ignorance,  she 


IX.  RAJAVIDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  219 

has  such  souls  in  her  tight  grip,  so  their  minds  are  torn  to  pieces  and 
they  fall  into  the  jaws  of  this  demon  full  of  the  evil  quality.  From 
the  mouth  of  this  Tamas-made  monster,  violence  lolls  out  like  a 
tongue,  from  which  trickles  down  the  saliva  of  hope,  which  keeps 
on  chewing  fleshy  quid  of  discontent.  The  demon  smacks  the  lips, 
pulling  out  the  tongue  that  waves  ruinously  as  far  as  the  ears.  Thus 
the  demon  is  verily  the  deep-mouthed  den  of  the  mountains  of  tempting 
error.  Hate  makes  her  jaws  which  crush  down  knowledge.  To  the 
minds  of  dull-witted  fools,  the  demon  lends  a  sheltering  sheath  as 
does  the  skin  to  the  bones.  Those  that  fall  into  the  mouth  of  such 
a  demon,  like  victims  of  ghosts,  get  drowned  in  the  deep  waters  of 
delusion  of  ignorance.  The  helping  hand  of  reason  cannot  reach 
such  souls  as  have  fallen  into  the  pit  of  this  sordid  mass  of  ignorance. 
No  trace  of  their  whereabouts  can  be  had.  Enough  of  this  fruitless 
tale  of  fools,  as  it  would  only  tire  out  speech."  So  said  the  Lord,  to 
which  the  son  of  Pandu  agreed.  Thereon,  the  Lord  said,  "Hear  now 
the  story  of  saints  which  gives  good  relief  to  the  tongue." 

13  "The  high-souled  ones,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  partaking  in  the 
Divine  nature,  adore  Me,  single-minded,  knowing  Me  as  the 
Immutable  Source  of  (all)  beings.  (188) 

There  are  those  whose  pure  hearts  are  the  holy  places,  into  which 
I — the  Supreme  Ascetic — retire  and  dwell;  on  them  waits  the  spirit 
of  renunciation  even  in  sleep:  in  the  realm  of  their  intensely  devout 
faith  true  religion  reigns  supreme.  Their  minds  are  the  fountain 
springs  that  water  the  field  of  thought.  Ablutions  in  the  holy  waters 
of  the  Ganges  of  Knowledge  have  purified  them  and  have  raised  them 
to  the  Brahmic  state  of  perfection.  Through  them  appears  the  new 
foliage  on  the  tree  of  ever  lasting  peace.  Thus  they  flourish  like  blos- 
soms protruding,  as  it  were,  from  the  Supreme  Brahman,  wherein 
matures  the  absolute  end  of  Divine  Existence.  They  are  like  pots 
dipped  in  and  filled  with  the  water  of  the  ocean  of  bliss.  The  ecstasy 
of  the  love  of  God  makes  them  spurn  the  very  treasure  of  liberation, 
and  out  of  their  mere  sport  and  play  is  born  all  goodness  and  love. 
Their  bodily  life  is  a  vestment  adorned  with  the  beauties  of  perfect 
peace,  and  their  heart  becomes,  as  it  were,  a  wrapper  that  encases 
My  all-pervading  being.  Such  high-souled  ones  realizing  My  divine 


220  JNANESHWARl 

nature  are  the  very  consummation  into  which  My  divine  love  blooms. 
They  worship  Me  with  infinitely  growing  devotion  that  is  free  from 
all  touch  of  duality.  They,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  become  one  with  the 
essence  of  divine-life  and  yet  worship  Me.  There  is,  however,  one 
more  feature  about  this  worship,  which  do  hear. 

*W*M*?1$r  TT  *rerSrr  facM^rfel  vJMiti^  II  ?*  II 

14  "Ever  proclaiming  My  glory  and,  steady  of  purpose  striving 
for  attainment,  rendering  homage  unto  Me,  with  constant 
application,  they  in  devotion  meditate  upon  Me.        (197) 

Such  devotees  dance  with  the  joy  of  devotion  to  God  while  singing 
My  praise,  and  make  all  the  talk  of  penance  empty,  since  not  a  trace 
of  sin  is  left  in  them.  Control  of  body  and  mind  is  bereft  of  all  mean- 
ing. Yama  (punisher  of  the  wicked),  and  places  of  sacred  waters 
are  unhoused  and  thus  the  door  is  shut  upon  the  region  of  Yama, 
God  of  death;  going  thither  and  coming  thence  cease;  Yama  wonders 
whom  to  judge  and  to  restrain!  Dama  wonders  whom  to  subdue! 
The  sacred  waters  are  at  a  loss  to  find  out  what  to  wash  out  and  cleanse, 
for  not  a  jot  of  sin  remains!  In  this  way,  the  high-souled  ones,  merely 
by  singing  My  praise  heal  the  miseries  of  the  world  and  make  it  re- 
sound with  the  purest  bliss  of  the  self.  They  give  light  without  a  dawn, 
bestow  everlasting  life  without  ambrosia,  and  confer  God's  vision 
without  Yoga-practice.  They  heal  the  rich  and  the  poor  alike.  They 
do  not  make  any  distinction  between  the  high  and  the  low  and  open 
freely  the  whole  kingdom  of  pure  bliss  to  all  creatures.  Hardly,  if 
ever,  a  soul  reaches  the  abode  of  God  Vishnu  (Vaikuntha),  but  these 
devotees  have  brought  Vaikuntha  (absolute  freedom  of  Bliss)  within 
the  reach  of  all.  Thus  have  they  flooded  with  light  the  entire  universe 
by  virtue  of  the  singing  of  the  Lord's  Name.  The  Sun  is  brilliance  itself 
and  yet  suffers  from  the  drawback  of  setting;  these,  Gods'  favourites 
are  perfect  and  ever  shine.  The  Moon  appears  full  on  full-moon 
nights  only;  but  these  devotees  are  perfect  at  all  times.  Merciful 
are  the  clouds  indeed,  but  they  are  emptied  ere  long,  and  hence  cannot 
match  the  unending  treasures  of  mercy.  The  great  souls  are  as  strong 
as  lions  and  as  free  as  birds.  The  glory  of  uttering  My  name  even 
once,  is  the  reward  earned  at  the  end  of  a  cycle  of  meritorious  lives: 
yet  that  name  is  ever  dancing  on  their  tongue  to  their  breath's  tune. 
For  this  or  that  even  the  Vaikuntha  or  the  region  of  the  Sun  may  for 


IX.  RAJAVIDYA  and  rAjaguhya  221 

once  be  without  Me.  I  may  even  pass  by  the  minds  of  the  Yogins.  Yet, 
if  ever  I  appear  to  be  missing,  I  may  unmistakably  be  spotted  out 
in  that  abode  where  my  devotees  are  singing  devoutly  My  praise. 
They  are  so  enrapt  in  (singing)  My  praise,  that  they  forget  the  place 
and  the  time,  when  absorbed  in  the  supreme  bliss.  There  is  constant 
and  unbroken  stringing  together  of  the  names — Krishna,  Vishnu, 
Hari,  Govinda,  accompanied  by  holy  and  open  talk  about  My  divine 
Self-essence  and  they  sing  songs  of  My  praise  to  their  hearts'  content. 
But  enough  of  this.  Thus  singing  My  praise  these  Saints  live  and  move 
in  the  world:  and  then,  O  Arjuna,  they  gain  complete  mastery  over 
the  mind  and  the  five  life-winds  and  keep  them  under  control.  Outside, 
they  enclose  and  hedge  in,  with  the  restraint  of  the  senses,  the  bodily 
acts,  and  inside,  building  a  fort  in  the  form  of  the  posture  named 
'Vajrasana',  (they)  fix  on  it  guns  in  the  form  of  control  of  breath. 
In  this  state,  and  in  the  brilliance  of  the  rushing  power  named  Kunda- 
lini,  the  mind  and  the  life-breaths  remaining  favourable,  the  lake, 
full  of  nectar  in  the  form  of  Knowledge  of  the  Self — of  the  seventeenth 
phase  of  the  moon — (*w<lfa33)  gets  turned  on  one  side.  The  con- 
centration, and  the  withdrawal  of  the  senses  from  their  objects  reach 
their  culmination,  and  then  all  the  talk  of  disorders  such  as  passions, 
etc.,  comes  to  an  end,  and  all  the  senses  are  dragged  in  and  kept  bound 
up  in  the  heart.  Then  the  cavalry  in  the  form  of  well-developed 
sustenance  of  mind  rushes  out,  with  the  result  that  the  five  gross 
elements  get  together  and  get  extinguished  into  the  sky,  while  the 
four-fold  army  formed  of  diverse  ideas  and  fancies  is  all  destroyed. 
Then  follows  the  victory  cry,  "The  victory  is  gained"  accompanied 
by  the  beatings  of  big  kettles  in  the  form  of  meditation  and  rapt  con- 
centration of  spiritual  realisations,  and  the  flag  of  union  with  the 
Supreme  Brahman  begins  to  flutter  and  glitter.  The  Goddess  in  the 
form  of  rapt  concentration  in  spiritual  meditation  is  installed  on  the 
throne  (MglP*^*)  of  the  Empire  of  the  full  Realisation  of  the  Self. 
So  deep  and  mystic  is,  Oh  Arjuna,  the  song  of  My  praise,  and  the 
devotees  that  sing  it  realise, — that  I  am  the  one  complete  and  entire 
being  in  the  universe,  in  the  way  the  thread  pervades  the  fabric  from 
end  to  end  and  that  there  is  nothing  else  but  Myself  (in  the  universe). 
From  God  Brahmadev  down  to  the  very  fly  and  the  aggregate  of 
bemgs  between  them,  it  is  all  but  My  own  life;  and  acting  in  this  know- 
ledge they  remain  fully  balanced.  They  thereofre  make  no  distinction 
such  as  big  or  small,  with  life  or  without  life,  but  bow  straight  to  every 
visible  creation,  considering  all  as  My  own  form.  They  forget  their  own 
greatness  and  they  have  likewise  no  notion  as  regards  the  worthiness 


222  JNANESHWAJRI 

or  otherwise  of  others;  they  love  to  bow  and  show  humble  regard 
to  each  and  every  being  alike.  The  waterfall  on  a  higher  level,  of 
course,  flows  down  to  the  bottom;  in  the  same  way  to  bow  to  each 
and  every  being  seen  is  their  nature;  or  just  as  the  branch  of  a  tree 
laden  with  fruit  bends  low  (with  the  weight  of  the  fruit)  to  the  very 
ground -level;  in  that  way,  they  bow  down  their  heads  to  the  entire 
class  of  beings.  They  are  ever  without  self-conceit,  while  their  humility 
is  their  wealth,  and  they  dedicate  it  to  Me  accompanied  by  the  recital 
of  the  incantation  "Jaya-Jaya"  (Hail  to  Thee  O  God).  Having  got 
rid  of  the  (false  sense  of)  honour  and  dishonour  by  bowing  before 
all  beings  they  easily  become  absorbed  in  Me  and  remain  satisfied 
there,  ever  worshipping  Me.  I  told  you  so  far  about  the  order  of  high 
devotion;  now  hear  (what  I  tell  you)  about  those  that  worship  (Me) 
by  performing  sacrifices  (consisting)  in  knowledge.  Yet  you  know, 
Oh  Kiriti,  their  way  of  worship,  since  I  spoke  to  you  about  it  once 
before."  To  this  Arjuna  answered,  "Yes  Lord,  I  have  once  had  the 
good  nectarous  dish  of  this  divine  grace,  yet  how  can  one  say,  'I  have 
had  enough  of  it',  when  fortune  is  being  served  over  and  over  again." 
The  Lord  hearing  this,  understood  that  Arjuna  was  eager  to  listen 
and  was  already  beside  himself  (swaying  backwards  and  forwards) 
by  the  ecstatic  joy  of  internal  bliss  of  knowledge.  Lord  Krishna  then 
said,  "Well  done,  Oh  Partha,  you  have  well  said;  otherwise  this  was 
not  the  proper  occasion  for  this  theme.  Yet  the  deep  love  I  bear  to 
you  in  My  heart  makes  Me  talk  about  it."  On  this  Arjuna  said,  "Is 
the  moonlight  intended  only  for  the  bird  Chakora?  No,  it  is  the  moon's 
nature  to  give  cooling  relief  to  the  entire  universe.  The  bird  Chakora, 
with  great  delight,  turns  his  beak  upwards  towards  the  moon;  in 
that  way  I  also  make  a  small  prayer  to  you.  You  are  the  very  ocean 
of  mercy.  The  clouds  out  of  their  munificence  give  relief  to  the  afflicted. 
How  heavy  the  down-pour  of  the  clouds,  and  how  tiny  is  the  thirst 
of  the  (mere)  Chakora?  And  yet  even  for  the  small  mouthful  or 
handful  of  water  one  has  to  go  as  far  as  the  bank  of  the  river  Ganges; 
even  so  whether  the  desire  is  insignificant  or  not,  it  should  be  satisfied 
by  you,  O  Lord".  At  this  the  Lord  said,  "Enough  of  your  saying; 
I  am  fully  pleased  and  there  remains  no  necessity  of  further  praise. 
That  you  do  listen  attentively  to  what  I  say,  is  (in  itself)  an  encourage- 
ment to  Me  to  go  on  "  With  this  interlude  Shrihari  said  further: 


ix.  rajavidya  and  rajaguhya  223 

15  "Others  likewise,  worshipping  Me  with  the  Sacrifice  (con- 
sisting) of  knowledge,  in  diverse  ways  direct  meditation  upon 
Me,  possessing  multifarious  faces,  in  my  unitary  aspect  or 
in  my  distributive  aspect.  (239) 

Now  listen  to  what  I  say  about  sacrifice  that  is  performed  through 
knowledge.  The  primeval  will  is  the  very  pillar  of  this  sacrifice,  while 
the  five  gross  elements  are  the  sacrificial  hall  (^ — temporarily 
erected  open-shed).  The  separation  between  the  individual  Soul  and 
God  is  a  sacrificial  beast  (fit  to  be  offered).  The  special  qualities  of 
the  five  gross  elements  or  the  senses  and  the  life-breath  are  the  very 
materials  (tnf$c4)  of  the  sacrifice.  Ignorance  is  the  ghee  for  oblation 
and  the  mind  and  the  intellect  are  the  altar  (f^-pits)  in  which  the 
fire  of  knowledge  is  to  be  kindled.  Equanimity  is  platform  of  the 
altar  (Vedi-%#).  Reason — power  to  grasp  self  and  not  self — is 
the  very  sacrificial  Mantras  (Vedic  Hymns),  while  high  regard  for 
knowledge  and  mental  peace  are  a  sacrificial  ladle  (^=t^<=i) :  the  soul 
is  the  sacrificer  and  he  destroys  duality  (distinction  between  the  Jiva 
and  Shiva — the  being  and  the  God),  offering  it  in  oblation  to  the  sacri- 
ficial fire  at  the  altar  of  Knowledge,  using  the  sacrificial  vessels  in  the 
form  of  experience  of  Supreme  Brahman  and  chanting  the  Vedic 
hymns  in  the  shape  of  right  thinking.  Ignorance  then  is  at  an  end, 
there  remaining  neither  the  sacrificer  nor  the  sacrifice,  while  the  soul 
gets  the  final  ablutions  (s^PfT)  at  the  conclusion  of  the  sacrifice,  in 
the  waters  of  the  blissful  state  of  union  of  the  soul  and  the  sacrificial 
spirit.  Then  ceases  the  awareness  of  the  distinctions  of  separate 
beings,  the  objects  of  the  senses  as  also  the  senses  themselves,  all 
merging  in  the  Supreme  Unity  of  the  Brahman,  revealed  in  the  com- 
plete intuition  of  the  Self.  Just  as,  Oh  Arjuna,  one  awaking  from 
slumber  says,  "I  myself  became  the  wonderful  army  I  saw  while  in 
sleep :  now  that  I  am  awake,  the  army  in  the  dream  was  all  a  delusion: 
at  bottom  I  am  all  myself  the  underlying  unity  now."  In  the  same 
way,  the  sacrificer  in  the  sacrifice  (consisting)  of  knowledge,  realizes 
the  truth  that  the  entire  universe  is  all  inseparable  from  the  Supreme 
Brahman.  Then  ends  the  talk  of  the  existence  of  all  (separate)  beings 
and  all  existence  high  and  good  is  pervaded  by  the  unitary  experience 
of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  In  this  way  they  adore  Me  through  the 
path  of  sacrifice  (consisting)  of  knowledge  that  terminates  in  the  vision 
of  undivided  being.  Others  there  are  who  grant  that  the  universe 
is  beginningless;  and  in  it  things  separate  and  dormant  are  like  one 
another;  but  to  them  the  differences  are  due  to  names  and  forms. 


224  .  JNANESHWARI 

This  makes  the  universe  contain  difference  of  separate  things;  and 
yet  this  plurality  does  not  affect  the  unity  of  knowledge.  Just  as  the 
different  senses  all  belong  to  one  and  the  same  body,  or  many  branches 
big  and  small  have  their  life  in  one  and  the  same  tree,  or  again  im- 
measurable rays  all  of  one  and  the  same  Sun — in  that  way  many 
separate  things  having  diverse  names  and  different  forms  are  yet 
known  by  them  to  be  united  in  the  supreme  unity.  In  this  way,  Oh 
son  of  Pandu,  those  self-seers  that  keep  their  inner  vision  of  the  unity 
of  the  supreme  self  unbroken  by  separateness  of  created  things,  do 
perform  a  superior  kind  of  sacrificial  worship  by  knowledge  of  unity 
in  diversity.  For,  have  they  not  realized  the  highest  awareness  that 
whatever  they  meet,  at  any  time  and  place — all  in  fact — is  seen  to 
be  nought  without  Me — the  supreme  Brahman.  Just  see,  which- 
ever way  a  bubble  floats,  it  is  all  in  water,  and  whether  it  bubbles 
or  bursts,  it  has  its  being  in  water:  dust  raised  in  the  air  by  wind  does 
not  cease  to  be  earthy:  and  when  it  (dust)  falls  down,  it  must  fall  on 
the  earth.  In  that  way,  whatever  the  being  and  whatever  the  place, 
and  whatever  happens  to  it  or  does  not  happen — all  that  is  in  Me, 
for  they  have  realized  themselves  and  all  in  Me.  As  far  spread  is 
their  consciousness  as  My  universal  existence,  and  being  one  with 
all,  they  live  in  everything.  As  the  sun's  disc  is  face  to  face  with  every 
one's  eyes,  so  does  their  knowledge  mirror  in  their  realized  self  the 
entire  mass  of  existence.  There  is  nothing  like  'a  here'  or  'a  there' 
in  their  knowledge,  Oh  Arjuna,  since  it  envelopes  the  entire  universe, 
like  the  wind,  which  is  here,  there  and  every-where.  The  tether  of 
their  knowledge-being  is  so  entire  and  whole  as  My  own  complete 
Being;  hence  their  love  and  devotion  to  Me  as  complete  without 
the  least  effort.  Since  I  am  all  in  all,  can  there  be  a  creature  that  does 
not  worship  Me?  Since  I  am  the  life  of  everything  every  creature 
worships  Me.  Only  the  creatures  not  knowing  this,  fail  to  reach  Me. 
Let  this  suffice:  I  have  said  enough  of  them  that  worship  Me  through 
sacrifice  in  the  shape  of  knowledge.  Whatever  actions  are  done  by 
created  beings  are  verily,  without  further  ado,  dedicated  to  Me:  the 
fools  however  fail  to  reach  My  real  self  because  they  lack  this  know- 
ledge. 

qHTkffl^* MW^Oh <^  fcHf  II  \%  II 

16     "lam  the  Vedic  (Srauta)  Sacrifice,  lam  the  secular  (Smarta) 
Sacrifice;  I  am  the  Offer  formula  (Svadha)  for  the  Manes, 


IX.  RAJAVIDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  225 

(I  am)  the  Herb  of  medicine.  I  am  the  (Vedic)  Formula 
of  offering,  I  am  the  Clarified-butter ;  I  am  the  Fire,  and 
What-is-offered  (into  it).  (265) 

Once  the  realization  and  knowledge  of  My  being  entire  is  there,  the 
Vedas  themselves — the  fountain-source  of  all  knowledge — are  seen 
to  be  the  same  as  My  essence  and  obviously  the  Vedic  commands 
of  scriptural  lore,  are  not  different  from  Me.  And  again  is  My  spirit 
too,  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  the  sacrifice  that  springs  from  the  performance 
of  the  prescribed  actions.  I  am  also  the  Swadha-Swadha  (hymns 
of  offering  oblations  to  Gods  and  Manes  respectively).  So  too  am 
I  the  sacrificial  plant  Soma  and  also  the  Ajya  (sheep's  clarified  butter) 
and  the  Samidhas  (¥f*P=TT-sticks  of  pure  trees  for  kindling  sacrificial 
fire).  I  am  the  Vedic  hymns  and  the  articles  forming  oblations:  I  am 
the  presiding  priest  and  the  sacrificial  fire  is  My  own  spirit:  and  I  am 
thus  all  the  sacrificial  articles  required  for  and  helping  the  sacrificer. 

ftrn^TW  *imcTI  TTcTT  ^TcTT  facTR^:  I 

^T  *<R|4|4T4»K  ^?  WW  M*f}<*  W  II  ?\S  II 

17  "lam  the  Father  of  this  living  world,  the  Mother,  the  Creator 
as  well  as  Grandsire ;  I  am  the  (syllable)  'Om',  the  holy  object 
of  (Vedic)  knowledge,  as  also  the  Rg.  the  Saman,  and  the 
Yajus.  (269) 

The  creator  father  am  I,  for  my  inspiration  into  the  Prakriti  of  eight- 
fold form  gives  rise  to  this  entire  created  universe.  I  am  the  Universal 
Mother  too,  as  in  the  image  of  Ardhanari-Nateshwar  ( sn^nri"-^8R 
— the  form  of  God  Shiva  half-male  and  half-female) — one  and  the 
same  person  is  both  Male  and  Female.  And  indeed,  the  support  and 
the  spirit,  whereby  the  created  world  is  maintained,  cannot  be  any 
other  but  My  own  self.  I  am  again  the  grandfather  to  this  created 
universe,  since  from  My  pure  unconditioned  Essence  are  manifested 
— both  the  Prakriti  and  Purusha.  I  am  also  the  mystic  word  'Omkar' 
who  is  called  the  Supreme  object  of  all  knowing  and  lore,  and  in  whose 
sacred  abode  meet  tie  different  paths  leading  to  knowledge,  and  where 
different  sects  of  opinion  meet  together  and  the  different  Shastras 
(codes)  become  harmonised  with  each  other,  where  the  divergent 
paths  of  knowledge  come  together  and  which  is  therefore  called  all 
holy.  It  is  thus  the  sprout  germinating  from  the  very  root  of  the 
Supreme  Being  and  the  sacred  temple  of  Primeval  sounds.  I  am  also 


226  JNANESHWARI 

the  three  letters st,^-,  *T  abiding  in  the  womb  of  Sacred  syllable  Om, 
that  were  born  with  the  Vedas.  I  am  doubtless  the  three  Vedas — 
B-g.,  Yajus  and  Saman  (^-q^-STrr)  and  therefore  the  origin 
( Trqrr )  of  the  entire  mass  of  the  sacred  word. 

*lfd4d?  VFK  *TT5ft  1h«INI:  5IT"f  1f^[  I 
Wff^:  SRT.  ^TR  fa  MM  «fl«m®iW+J  II  \*  II 

18  "(I  am)  the  Goal,  the  Sustainer,  the  Lord,  the  Witness,  the 
Abode,  the  Rejuge,  the  Benefactor;  the  Origin,  the  Dissolu- 
tion, the  Stay,  the  Ark,  the  Seed  Imperishable.  (278) 

That  great  Abode  am  I,  where,  as  to  a  haven  of  rest  retires  the  pri- 
meval nature,  in  which  is  stored  the  entire  universe  of  living  and  non- 
living things.  I  am  in  fact  the  Lord  of  the  Goddess  of  Plenty  and 
Wealth  of  the  entire  cosmic  creation;  by  Me  the  Prakriti  lives;  by 
My  presiding  authority  she  gives  birth  to  the  universe ;  and  thus  I  am 
the  eternal  enjoyer  of  the  creations  out  of  the  three  gunas  of  Prakriti. 
I  am  the  sovereign  Lord  of  the  universe.  By  My  command,  does  she 
spread  out  everywhere.  So  does  wind  waft  unceasingly,  and  fire  burn; 
and  clouds  shower  (rain) ;  the  mountains  too  shall  not  stir  from  their 
places,  the  seas  shall  not  outflow  their  limits;  so  too  the  earth  shall 
bear  the  weight  of  all  beings — all  these  live  and  move  by  My  com- 
mand. Why,  even  the  Vedic  word  is  utterance  inspired  by  Me;  and 
the  Sun  moves  when  moved  by  Me.  The  vital  air  (Prana-  5TTW)  which 
is  the  source  of  life  in  the  world,  moves  when  moved  by  Me,  and  death 
itself  works  under  My  sway  and  lays  its  hand  on  mortals.  These 
Gods  are  then  the  servants,  who  work  at  My  behest — their  sovereign 
Lord  and  Master.  Though  I  am  the  sovereign  Lord  and  Master  over 
the  entire  creation,  yet  am  I  the  universal  spectator,  Oh  son  of  Pandu, 
like  the  sky ;  I  am  also  the  one  that  pervades  all  created  things  of  diverse 
names  and  forms  and  also  their  support.  Just  as  there  arise  ripples 
in  water  and  yet  water  fills  these  ripples,  I  am  likewise  the  support 
that  sustains  the  entire  created  world  which  thus  lives  in  Me  and  by 
Me.  One  who  dedicates  his  life  to  Me  devotedly  is  freed  by  Me  from 
the  bondage  of  birth  and  death.  I  am,  therefore,  the  sole  refuge  to 
those  who  live  by  staking  all  on  Me.  I  am  essentially  one  supreme 
unity;  yet  become  manifold  through  the  qualities  of  Prakriti  and  thus 
I  live  the  manifold  life  of  the  living  world.  Is  not  the  Sun  reflected 
(in  water)  without  distinction  of  sea  or  a  pond?  So  am  I  the  inward 
spirit  and  most  endeared  friend  of  all  alike,  from  the  God  Brahmadev 


DC.  RAJAVIDYA  and  rajaguhya  227 

downwards.  I  am  thus,  O  Pandav,  the  fountain-head  of  all  vitality 
in  the  Universe:  the  root-cause  of  creation  and  destruction  of  the 
world.  The  seed  buds  into  a  tree  and  yet  the  entire  life  of  the  tree  is 
again  stored  up  in  the  seed;  so  is  the  universe  created  from  the  pri- 
meval Will  and  in  the  end  reabsorbed  into  that  Will.  The  Will,  being 
in  essence  the  non-manifest  desires  rolled  up,  is  the  seed  of  the  uni- 
verse, and  at  the  end  of  the  cycle  of  creation  (kalpa)  reverts  to  its 
original  home  that  is  I,  The  Supreme  Lord.  Here  space  is  nought, 
and  so,  names  and  forms  cease  to  exist.  Separate  individual  things 
disappear  and  all  distinction  of  kind  too  dissolves.  At  that  time  1  am 
the  treasure-house  where,  as  to  an  antechamber  of  creations,  all  the 
Gods,  with  the  latent  powers  of  desires  rolled  into  the  will  to  create, 
retire  and  recoup  themselves  for  the  next  creation. 

19  "/  give  heat,  I  hold  back  the  shower  and  pour  it  forth;  I  am 
Immortality  as  well  as  Death;  I  am  the  Being  as  well  as  Non- 
being,  O  Arjuna.  (296) 

When  I  glow  in  the  guise  of  the  Sun,  the  world  dries  up,  and  when 
I  descend  playing  the  roll  of  Indra,  it  is  flooded.  Fire  consumes  fuel, 
which  in  its  turn  changes  into  fire;  thus  both  what  is  killed  and  that 
which  kills  are  of  My  essence;  and  therefore,  whatever  lies  within 
mortal  nature  is  My  outward  appearance,  while  that  which  is  im- 
mortal is  certainly  My  being.  To  cut  the  long  story  short,  I  can  give 
it  in  a  nut- shell  that  'Sat'  and  'Asaf  (¥^-3rcRj — real  and  unreal)  both 
are  all  My  Being.  Therefore,  Oh  Arjuna  is  there  any  nook  and  corner 
anywhere  in  which  I  am  not?  And  yet  h"ow  pitiable  is  human  lot 
indeed  that  these  creatures  fail  to  see 'Me  in  the  world!  See  how 
astonishing  it  is  that  they  are  of  My  own  being  and  yet  they  fall  into 
the  error  of  saying  that  1  am  not,  as  if  waves  should  dry  up  saying, 
there  is  no  water,  or  rays  of  the  sun  be  invisible  without  a  candle- 
light. The  whole  world,  inside  and  outside,  is  full  of  My  divine  being 
and  yet  how  cruel  is  fate  that  blinds  mortals  into  saying  that  I  am 
not!  This  is  just  like  one  falling  into  a  well  of  ambrosia  and  wishing 
himself  to  be  taken  out  of  it!  Such  an  unfortunate  one  is  simply  to 
be  pitied.  It  is  as  if  a  blind  man  running  hurriedly  for  a  morsel  of 
food,  Oh  Kiriti,  should  stumble  on  the  Chintamani  (wish-fulfilling 
stone)  and  kick  it  out  of  his  way  in  his  blindness.  Such  indeed  is  the 


228  JNANESHWARI 

lot  of  mortals  when  wisdom  leaves  them.  Therefore,  an  action  done 
without  knowledge  is  no  action  worth  the  name.  Of  what  avail  are 
the  wings  to  a  blind  eagle?  Just  so,  actions,  even  if  they  are  good 
actions,  become  vain  and  wasteful  efforts,  when  not  backed  up  by 
insight  and  wisdom. 

%  ^UWKINil  ^VjIH!*- 

TRZfaf  feoAIH  fefa  3«T<ifi*U^  II  ^o  II 

20  "Knowers  of  the  Three  Lores,  Soma-drinkers,  of  sin  purified, 
worship  Me  with  Sacrifices  and  aspire  for  Heaven  (as)  the 
goal.  They  reach  the  holy  Region  of  (Indra),  the  Lord  of 
the  Gods,  and  partake  in  Heaven  of  the  Heavenly  enjoyments, 
meat  for  Gods.  (307) 

Oh  Kiriti,  behold!  these  Vedic  Pandits  learned  in  Sacrificial  Lore, 
living  in  the  path  prescribed  by  the  religion  of  castes, — they  themselves 
furnish  the  very  touch-stone  for  religious  duties.  The  Vedas  nod 
their  admiration  for  the  perfection  of  their  sacrificial  art,  so  that  their 
works  fructifying  in  merit  stand  by  them  ever  and  anon.  Such  sacri- 
ficers  drinking  the  Soma  drink  become  themselves  the  very  incarnate 
image  of  Sacrifice.  And  yet  verily  have  they  earned  only  Sin  under 
cover  of  merit,  since  with  all  the  Lore  of  the  three  Vedas  and  the  per- 
formance of  hundreds  of  Sacrifices  they  choose  a  life  of  enjoyment 
in  heavenly  paradise,  and  thus  lose  Me,  who  am  the  goal  of  all  Sacri- 
fices. An  unlucky  wretch  sits  under  the  very  shade  of  a  Kalpataru 
(desire-fulfilling  tree)  knots  a  cloth  into  an  alms-bowl  and  goes  out 
to  beg.  Oh  Kiriti !  such  indeed  is  the  worshipping  of  Me  by  performing 
hundreds  of  Sacrifices,  and  wishing  for  enjoyment  in  Heaven.  How 
can  this  be  any  thing  but  sinful  greed  of  demerit?  Attainment  of 
heavenly  enjoyment  without  Me,  is  a  path  of  meritorious  action  for 
the  ignorant;  indeed  the  wise  man  looks  upon  it  as  the  way  of  misery 
and  distress.  Albeit  enjoyment  in  paradise  is  reckoned  happiness 
when  set  off  against  the  misery  of  hell,  pure  everlasting  bliss  is  what 
My  divine  Essence  brings.  Along  the  pathway  to  the  supreme  divine 
happiness  of  my  abode,  there  branch  off  these  two  misleading  tracks 
of  Paradise  and  Hell  used  by  the  robbers.  One  goes  to  Heavenly  para- 
dise by  virtue  of  misdeeds  in  the  guise  of  virtue,  while  evil  actions 


dc.  rajavidyA  and  rajaguhya  229 

that  are  sins  as  such,  lead  only  to  hell.  But  the  purest  way  of  spot- 
less good  life  is  that  which  brings  the  soul  to  Me.  Better  be  a  wretch, 
with  the  tongue  torn  away,  than  speak  words  that  praise  as  meri- 
torious action  any  way  of  life  that  leads  men  astray  from  My  divine 
being  in  which  they  are  rooted.  Enough  now  of  this:  let  us  return 
to  our  theme.  Behold,  these  sacrificers,  in  this  way,  worship  Me  by 
sacrifices  and  yet  yearn  for  heavenly  enjoyment.  They  come  by 
Heavenly  enjoyment,  in  virtue  of  rituals,  which  leads  them  away 
from  My  divine  Bliss  and  therefore  are  sinful  in  a  way.  In  Heaven's 
paradise,  they  are  indeed  enthroned  on  a  state  of  being  that  is  free 
from  death,  with  the  elephant  Airavata  to  ride  upon,  and  AmaravatI, 
the  city  of  Gods  to  dwell.  Here  they  have  at  their  service  treasures 
of  the  eightfold  occult-powers  and  cellars  of  nectars  and  herds  of 
Kamadhenus.  The  roads  there  are  paved  with  jewels  while  there 
abound  pleasure-gardens  with  rows  of  Kalpataru  Trees.  There  the 
Gandharvas  sing  songs  and  the  Rambhas  (dancers  in  the  court  of 
Indra)  dance,  while  on  their  pleasure  attend  celestial  women  of  beauty 
headed  by  Urvashi.  The  God  of  love  ministers  to  their  needs  in  bed- 
chamber; and  the  Moon  sprinkles  water  on  the  courtyards;  while 
messengers  as  swift  as  wind  are  at  their  beck  and  call.  There  abide 
learned  Brahmins  with  Brihaspati  as  the  chief  and  they  chant  holy 
blessings  and  multitudes  of  Gods  (  Q<*m  )  sing  as  bards.  Noble 
horse  soldiers  as  protectors  with  the  (high-mettle)  horse  'Ucchais- 
shravas'  (tf-3^  — Indra's  horse  said  to  be  churned  out  of  the  ocean) 
dance  attendance  on  them  leading  the  front.  The  sacrificers  in  this 
way  enjoy  the  highest  pleasures  which  are  the  birthright  of  Indra; 
this  enjoyment  however  lasts  as  long  as  they  have  at  their  credit,  any 
(balance  of)  merit  (^T^RT.). 

TcTPIcT  *bW+l*U  nm*^  11  ^R?  II 


21  "They,  after  enjoying  the  spacious  Heavenly  world,  as  their 
merit  gets  exhausted,  re-enter  the  region  of  mortals.  Thus 
those  who  routine-wise  (ami)  have  betaken  themselves  unto 
the  Pathway  of  the  Threefold  Lore — cherishing  desires — 
earn  (only)  the  going-up  and  the  coming-down.  (328) 


230  JNANESHWARI 

No  sooner  does  the  stock  of  merit  sink  and  dry  up  than  the  glory 
of  Indra's  majesty  fades  and  those  souls  of  sacrificial  followers  descend 
into  the  Mortal  world.  The  plight  of  these  men  of  sacrificial  faith 
is  indeed  no  less  pitiable  than  the  lot  of  vicious  man,  who,  when  he 
has  squandered  his  money  on  concubines,  is  not  allowed  even  to  tap 
their  door.  These  men  are  thus  lost  to  My  everlasting  Presence,  since 
they  are  led  astray  into  the  path  of  yearning  for  heavenly  enjoyment: 
Vain  indeed  is  their  ascent  into  the  immortal  region,  for  they  come 
back  to  the  mortal  world  in  the  end.  And  long  and  laborious  is  the 
road  to  this  mortal  world,  wending  through  the  den  of  mother's  womb 
for  nine  months  to  hatch  the  mortal  tenement  into  a  birth  in  a  cycle 
of  births  and  deaths.  One  chances  upon  a  treasure  in  a  dream  which 
is  nought  on  waking  up:  So  ephemeral  is  the  heavenly  bliss  enjoyed 
by  these  Knowers  of  Vedic  sacrifice.  Even  the  masters  of  Vedic  lore, 
Oh  Arjuna,not  realising  Me,  have  lived  a  life,  that  is  as  vain  and  hollow 
as  the  chaff  without  the  grain. 

Therefore  without  Me,  the  supreme  unity,  the  path  of  Rituals 
taught  by  the  three  Vedas  is  unavailing.  Now  know  ye  naught  but 
Me;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  eternal  bliss. 

22  "Those  people  who,  thinking  on  Me  with  singleness  of  purpose, 
offer  service  unto  Me,  and  who  are  constantly  putting  forth 
effort  (in  that  service) ;  for  their  sake  I  take  upon  myself 
(the  burthen  of  all)  earning,  and  saving.  (335) 

There  are  those,  that  have,  staking  their  full  faith  in  Me  dedicated 
their  entire  life  to  Me;  like  the  poor  life-mass  in  the  womb,  that  does 
not  know  of  stirring  into  action,  they  hold  nothing  dearer  than  Me. 
Their  very  life  they  call  by  Me— supreme  God.  Thus  they  live  in  Me 
with  their  entire  being,  and  worship  Me  in  this  way  with  singleness 
of  purpose:  of  such,  indeed,  I  am  in  turn  the  never-failing  servant. 
The  moment  they  are  one  with  My  being  and  live  in  My  path  of  devo- 
tion, all  their  cares  and  worries  become  Mine;  and  like  the  mother- 
bird  striving  for  the  offspring,  their  duties  and  tasks  become  My  own 
tasks  and  duties.  Unmindful  of  her  own  hunger  and  thirst,  she  always 
keeps  on  doing  things  that  conduce  for  the  well-being  of  her  young 
one.  So  am  I  required  to  provide  for  the  comforts  of  those  that  have 
staked  their  whole  life  on  my  devotion,  keeping  full  faith  in  Me  in 


IX.  RAJAVDDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  231 

all  ways.  Be  it  a  yearning  for  union  with  Me,  and  I  fulfill  it;  or  if  they 
choose  to  spend  their  time  in  serving  and  worshipping  me,  I  give  them 
the  life  of  Divine  love.  In  this  way,  I  provide  for  and  fulfil  whatever 
they  desire  and  also  preserve  intact  whatever  is  given  them.  Thus 
for  them  that  live  by  My  divine  support,  I  provide  whatever  they  desire 
and  preserve  whatever  they  need  for  their  life. 

$sflt  W&W  *)*rU(  ANt^Im^N^  II  ^3  H 

23  "Those  devotees  likewise  who,  endowed  with  faith,  offer 
worship  unto  other  Divinities:  they,  O  Son  of  KuntT,  offer 
service,  (albeit)  not  in  the  prescribed  mode,  unto  none  but 
myself.  (344) 

There  are  also  other  paths;  but  they  fall  short  of  realising  My  all- 
pervading  being.  They  perform  sacrifices  to  Fire,  Indra,  the  Sun  and 
the  Moon.  Those  sacrifices  (ultimately)  come  unto  Me,  since  I  am 
myself  the  entire  universe.  Yet  this  way  of  worship  is  not  a  straight 
path,  but  uneven.  Branches  and  leaves  spring  from  one  and  the  same 
tree;  yet  water  is  to  be  sucked  in  by  the  roots,  and  hence  it  is  only 
proper  to  water  the  roots;  or  there  are  the  ten  organs  of  one  and  the 
same  body,  and  everything  taken  in  by  them  goes  to  one  and  the  same 
root  of  life;  yet  would  it  do  were  one  to  stuff  rich  food  in  the  ears,  or 
flowers  tied  over  the  eyes?  Nay  the  food  must  be  relished  in  the  mouth 
and  fragrance  by  the  nose.  In  that  way  one  must  worship  Me  in  My 
being  true  and  entire.  Otherwise  any  worship  done,  not  knowing 
My  true  self,  is  a  vain  fruitless  effort,  and  so  there  must  be  for  every 
action,  the  vision  of  knowledge  and  that  vision  must  also  be  clear 
and  unblurred. 

3^  f^  ^4^ Mi   ^rhl  K  SPj^ar  W  I 

^  §  *4H4ftMM&d  dr^MldWWPd  ^  II  ^V  II 

24  "For,  I  am  the  recipient  of  all  Sacrifices,  as  also  their  Over- 
lord. They,  however,  do  not  know  Me  in  my  real  nature, 
and  hence  fall  down.  (351) 

Moreover,  bear  this  well  in  mind  that  all  these  Sacrificial  offerings 
must  reach  out  to  none  but  Myself  as  supreme  enjoyer,  I  am  the  origin 
and  the  end  of  all  the  sacrifices.  Not  realizing  this  truth,  those  be- 


232  JNANESHWARI 

nighted  followers  of  the  sacrificial  cult  worship  other  Gods,  thus 
losing  Me,  the  Supreme.  Oblations  to  Gods  and  forefathers,  of  the 
holy  waters  of  the  Ganges,  have  to  be  offered  into  the  Ganges  herself; 
in  the  same  way,  the  sacrificial  offering  to  Me — the  Supreme  God 
— are  dedicated  by  these  devotees  to  Me  in  ignorant  (spTPTt" — different) 
faith,  consequently  ever  failing  to  reach  Me;  but  they  go  to  other 
deities  for  whom  the  offerings  are  meant. 

snfcr  34fldi  t?n«!  fa^[  Tifcr  fa?[3RTr:  i 

^gwrfa  mfa  *jcMi  mfa  trerTfsFftsfir  tt*|  ti  ^k  h 

25  "Devotees  of  Gods  repair  unto  the  Gods;  the  devotees  of 
Manes  repair  unto  the  Manes;  the  worshippers  of  Elemental 
Beings  repair  unto  those  Beings:  those  who  worship  Me  like- 
wise repair  unto  Me.  (355) 

Worshippers  of  gods  are  united  at  death  to  the  gods  to  whom  they  are 
devoted  in  thought,  word  and  deed :  and  those  that  betake  themselves 
to  ancestral  worship,  at  the  end  of  their  life,  go  to  the  abode  of 
ancestors;  those  again,  that  propitiate  the  Gods  and  spirits  and  other 
petty  Gods,  as  Divine  beings  supreme,  practising  magic,  charms  and 
black  art  ^K«llK«i')  are  joined  to  the  order  of  those  Ghosts  and 
Spirits;  in  this  way  their  acts  of  faith  bear  fruit  proper  to  their  desires 
with  the  fall  of  their  bodies.  There  are  those,  whose  eyes  are  filled 
with  the  vision  of  My  presence,  and  who  hear  only  My  praise  with 
their  ears,  whose  minds  meditate  upon  Me,  and  whose  words  sing 
My  praise.  Everywhere  in  all  things  they  bow  to  My  Divine  being 
with  all  their  heart  and  soul.  All  their  charities  and  acts  of  faith  flow 
into  the  path  of  devotion  to  Me.  On  Me  centres  all  their  learning  and 
lore:  both  inward  and  outward,  their  one  exclusive  joy  is  being  one 
with  Me;  their  entire  life  is  dedicated  to  My  worship.  All  their  self- 
elation  is  turned  to  Me,  to  extol  My  divine  glory:  to  own  God's  know- 
ledge is  all  their  avarice:  they  are  passionate  with  the  passion  for  God: 
their  love  is  to  nothing  else  but  to  God:  being  lost  in  My  being  out 
of  divine  madness,  they  are  unmindful  of  the  world.  By  God-realiza- 
tion alone,  all  their  scriptural  lore  bears  fruit:  their  mystic  utterance 
of  My  name,  is  a  power  to  unite  with  Me;  thus  they  have  worshipped 
Me  in  all  their  life  and  actions.  Surely  are  they  already  united  to  Me 
on  this  side  of  death;  how  then  would  they  go  any  where  else  after 
death?  Therefore,  all  those  sacrificers  and  devotees  who  dedicate 
themselves  to  Me  in  all  actions,  are  united  with  My  eternal  life.  Oh 
Arjuna;  without  ungrudging  self-surrender  none  can  enjoy  the  supreme 


DC.  RAJAVTDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  233 

bliss  of  My  eternal  life.  No  external  ceremonial  leads  one  into  that 
eternal  life.  Little  does  he  know  indeed  that  vaunts  his  knowledge; 
the  showing  off  of  self-realization  is  itself  an  imperfection:  a  shallow 
mind  is  his  who  boasts  of  his  divine  perfection.  Similarly,  all  tall 
talk,  Oh  Kiriti,  of  their  sacrifices,  charities  and  austerities  is  not  worth 
a  straw.  Just  see,  is  there  one  who  excels  the  Vedas  in  knowledge, 
or  is  there  any  one  who  outshines  the  Shesha  in  eloquence?  That 
very  Shesha  shrinks  into  himself  under  My  divine  resting  place,  while 
the  very  Vedas  even  turn,  being  confounded,  into  saying  "Neti,  Neti" 
("Do  not  know".)  The  great  primeval  sages  like  Sanaka  and  others 
were  struck  with  maddening  wonder.  In  the  practice  of  austere 
penances,  who,  indeed,  can  hold  a  candle  to  the  God  Shiva,  the  Shoola- 
pani  (^cOTiwfl  holder  of  the  trident)?  Yet  he  too,  dropping  all  pride, 
in  all  humility  bears  on  his  head  the  holy  water  that  washes  My  feet. 
Oh,  who  indeed  is  there  that  is  richer  than  the  Goddess  Lakshmi,  in 
whose  home  the  very  deities  of  abundance  and  prosperity  (^tfef?rfe) 
work  as  maids  of  honour?  If  the  toy-houses  (^  vgoil )  made  by  them 
(Deities  Riddhi-Siddhi)  become  the  dwelling  places  of  Gods,  would 
not  the  great  Indra  and  other  Gods  become  her  playthings  ?  When 
out  of  displeasure  with  her  toys,  she  (Goddess  Lakshmi)  breaks  them 
(toy-houses)  even  the  great  Indra  and  other  Gods  turn  into  beggars, 
while  any  trees  that  chance  to  be  sighted  by  Lakshmi  are  converted  into 
Kalpataru  trees.  Even  the  principal  queen  Lakshmi,  whose  biddings 
are  done  by  such  powerful  heavenly  maids  of  honour — shrinks  into 
insignificance  as  regards  divine  worthiness.  Lakshmi  too  dropped  all 
her  pride  in  a  whole-hearted  self-surrender,  before  she  was  allowed 
by  divine  grace,  the  good  luck  of  washing  the  God's  feet.  Therefore, 
cast  off  all  pride  of  place,  throw  away  vanity  and  learning  and  bow  in 
all  humility  to  all — one  and  all  in  all,  and  then  become  worthy  of 
life  divine.  Even  the  Moon  pales  when  the  Sun  of  thousand  rays 
comes  forth;  how  then  the  glow-worm  could  go  boasting  of  its  own 
brilliance  before  the  sun?  Where  the  greatness  of  the  goddess  Lakshmi 
or  the  austerities  of  God  Shiva  are  beggared  into  nothing,  what  avails 
the  meanest  power  of  ordinary  mortals?  Therefore,  all  self-conceit 
and  pride  of  strength  must  be  left  off,  and  all'  vanity  of  virtue  and 
excellence,  and  of  good  qualities  or  vainglory  of  riches  must  be  waived 
to  become  worthy  of  union  with  Me. 

T5T  5^t  m^  cffrf  1ft  %  WfcMl  SPJ^S%  I 
cR^T  ^#cMM^d*ttHlfa  MAWIc*W:  II  ^  II 


234  JNANESHWARI 

26  "A  leaf,  a  flower,  a  fruit,  (even)  water,  whoso  offers  unto 
Me  in  devotion:  that  same,  proffered  in  devotion  by  one  whose 
soul  is  pure,  I  accept.  (382) 

Out  of  unbounded  faith  and  devotion  let  a  devotee  hold  out  before 
Me,  as  an  offering  to  Me,  even  a  little  fruit  of  a  tree,  and  I  clasp  it  in 
both  hands  (and  take  it)  and  swallow  it  without  even  removing  the 
stalk  (%5)  of  it.  Albeit  I  should  smell  a  flower  offered  in  token  of 
love,  but  I  thrust  it  into  My  mouth  and  taste  it.  And  why  a  flower 
— even  a  leaf,  fresh  or  dry,  of  whatever  tree,  when  overlaid  with  the 
milk  and  honey  of  deepest  love,  I  swallow  like  one  hungry,  who  gulps 
down  a  nectar-drink  to  his  satisfaction.  Should  per  chance,  a  leaf 
be  not  ready  at  hand,  water  at  least  may  not  be  wanting,  and  is  within 
reach  unceasingly  for  nothing;  and  when  a  devotee  of  Mine  out  of 
love  deep  and  unbounded,  offers  it  to  Me,  he  has  indeed  built  for  Me 
temples,  greater  in  grandeur  than  the  very  Vaikuntha  (paradise  of 
God  Vishnu),  offered  to  Me  jewels  of  lustre  and  purity  more  precious 
than  the  Kaustubha  (^^r — the  celebrated  gem  obtained  with 
thirteen  others  at  the  churning  of  the  ocean,  and  worn  by  Lord  Vishnu 
on  his  breast),  he  has  only  made  for  me  bed  (rooms),  more  comfortable 
than  My  resting  place  in  the  milky  ocean,  he  has  burnt  for  My  enjoy- 
ment fragrant  incense  big  as  the  mountain  Meru  consisting  of  camphor, 
sandal  wood,  etc.  and  he  has  offered  illuminations  with  stick-wicks 
(*'i*«(l«fl)  as  lustrous  and  high  as  the  Sun,  on  the  spiral  row  of  lamps 
(<lMmbd)  and  has  offered  rich  vehicles  as  glorious  as  the  very  Garuda 
(T^i- — Lord  Vishnu's  riding  bird-eagle);  or  has  offered  gardens  of 
Kalpataru  tree,  or  herd  of  Kamadhenus,  or  he  has  served  Me  rich 
dainties,  more  delicious  than  even  the  nectar.  So  rich  is  the  propitia- 
tion of  even  a  drop  of  water  devotedly  offered  in  token  of  love  by 
My  devotees;  what  more  need  be  said?  Thou  knowest  well,  O  Kiriti, 
how  impatiently  I  undid  the  knots  (of  the  bundle)  of  parched  rice 
Cft|)  brought  for  Me  by  Sudama  (Lord  Krishna's  friend  from  child- 
hood). Devotion  and  love  is  the  one  thing  that  I  prize  beyond  all 
things,  be  it  from  high  or  low.  The  ties  of  such  passionate  love  hold 
Me  bound  even  to  the  meanest  of  creatures.  Things  like  leaves  or  a 
flower  or  a  fruit  are  indeed  mere  tokens  and  the  one  single  touch- 
stone of  the  path  to  reach  Me  is  unalloyed  devotion.  Therefore,  Oh 
Arjuna,  I  tell  you  and  you  do  hear  of  the  very  easy  and  simple  way 
to  secure  it.  Make  your  mind  pure  and  fasten  it  on  Me  unceasingly. 


IX.  RAJAVEDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  235 

27  "What  thou  art  doing,  art  eating,  art  offering  in  Sacrifice, 
art  giving- away ;  what  penance,  O  Son  of  KuntT,  thou  art 
practising:  make  of  it  (all)  a  dedication  unto  Me.        (398) 

Whatever  be  the  deeds  you  do,  whatever  be  the  enjoyments  you  enjoy, 
whatever  be  the  sacrifices  you  perform,  whatever  the  charities  you 
give  away  or  the  gifts  you  give  to  your  servants,  whatever  be  the 
austerities  and  penances  you  practice — in  all  these  actions  as  they 
crop  up  in  the  natural  course  of  your  life, — let  these  be  done  with 
full  faith  in  My  name.  When  all  sense  of  self-attachment  and  egotism 
is  dropped  in  doing  actions,  the  actions  are  cleansed  and  dedicated 
to   Me. 

28  "Thus  wilt  thou  be  free  from  the  Karm-bonds  which  yield 
good  as  also  evil  fruits ;  and  with  thy  soul  attached  to  the  (Path 
of)  Renunciation  (of  fruits)  no  less  than  to  that  of  (even- 
tempered)  action,  thou  wilt,  freed  of  bondage,  come  unto 
Me.  (402) 

Then,  like  seed  roasted  in  a  fire-pot  that  cannot  sprout  any  longer, 
all  actions  done  in  My  name  bear  no  fruit  either  good  or  evil  in  the 
way  of  holding  the  doer  in  bondage  of  their  fruit.  Oh,  an  action  done 
ripens  into  fruits  of  pleasure  and  pain  that  must  be  experienced  by 
the  Soul  in  this  bodily  life.  But  once  an  action  sacrificed  at  My  feet 
and  in  My  name,  wipes  out  all  trace  of  bodily  (future)  birth  and  death, 
with  this  disappear  all  wordly  distress  and  troubles.  Here,  Oh  Arjuna, 
I  initiate  you  into  the  path  of  true  and  easy  renunciation.  In  following 
it  no  time  is  to  be  lost.  So  you  need  not  fall  into  the  shackles  of  bodily 
life  nor  need  you  drown  yourself  in  the  sea  of  pleasures  and  pains; 
by  following  this  easy  and  simple  path  merge  yourself  in  My  blessful 
eternal  being. 

$  4Mpd  <J  it  ^%*H  *ffa  %  ^  xUU4|£*J  II  ^£  II 

29  "Of  even  mind  am  I  unto  all  beings :  no  one  is  for  Me  an  object 
of  hate  or  affection;  those,  however,  who  worship  Me  in  devo- 
tion, they  (abide)  in  Me,  and  I  also  in  them.  (407) 


236  JNANESHWARI 

If  you  wish  to  know  that  eternal  being,  I  shall  say  that  it  is  the  abiding 
essence  in  all  created  things  in  which  sink  all  feelings  of  separateness 
of  'I'  and  'thou'.  And  those  seers  that  realize  My  true  and  eternal 
being,  breaking  the  sanctuary  of  all  egotism,  worship  Me  whole- 
heartedly in  thought,  word  and  deed.  They  seem  to  live  in  the  world 
in  their  bodily  life,  but  truly  abide  entirely  in  My  eternal  being  and 
no  less  surely  do  I  eternally  abide  in  them,  like  the  Banian  tree  that 
is  contained  in  a  small  seed,  which  has  sprung  from  that  Vata-tree  itself. 
Thus  I  and  My  devotees  are  separate  only  outwardly  and  in  name; 
but  in  very  truth  I  and  they  are  one ;  and  their  wearing  a  bodily  vesture 
is  as  unmeaning  and  empty  as  the  wearing  of  a  borrowed  ornament. 
It  endures  till  life's  lease  ends  like  the  flower  bereft  of  fragrance  that 
is  blown  by  the  breeze.  His  sense  of  self-hood  being  raised  to  My 
divine  eternal  self,  is  entirely  merged  in  Me. 

30  "Even  if  a  person  of  extremely  evil  conduct  were  to  be  taken 
himself  unto  Me,  seeking  refuge  in  none  else,  he  is  to  be 
reckoned  as  quite  a  good  person,  for  he  has  taken  the  right 
resolution.  (415) 

One  that  worships  Me  with  such  undivided  devotion  never  returns 
to  fleshly  existence  again,  albeit  he  belongs  to  the  lowest  caste.  Oh 
great  warrior,  even  the  worst  of  sinners  betaking  himself  to  the  path 
of  devotion  at  the  close  of  his  life,  ascends  to  the  raised  seat  of  devotion. 
Indeed  life  to  come  hereafter  is  shaped  by  the  Soul's  condition  at 
the  end  of  past  life.  Therefore,  one  who  at  the  end  of  his  life,  gives 
himself  up  in  devotional  surrender  to  Me,  though  he  be  of  evil  ways 
in  the  past,  is  regenerated  thereby  (on  account  of  the  sanctifying 
power  of  his  devotion).  Like  one  drowned  in  floods  and  (subsequently) 
emerging  safe  from  them,  are  they  who  were  really  drowned,  but 
washed  their  sins  and  evil  life  by  their  devotional  state  at  the  end  (of  past 
life).  Therefore,  one  of  corrupt  ways,  taking  bath  in  the  holy  waters 
of  repentance,  and  surrendering  himself  unto  My  being  in  complete 
devotion,  has  indeed  been  joined  to  Me.  The  race  of  such  a  one  is 
pure  and  holy :  so  his  family  is  made  spotless  and  he  himself  has  realized 
the  highest  goal  of  his  life.  He  is  to  Me  a  person  learned,  he  has  practised 
religious  austerities,  and  the  eight-fold  Yoga-discipline.  Enough  of 
this  now,  Oh  Partha.  Indeed  whoever  is  full  of  devotion  and  love 


DC.  RAJAVIDYAA  AND  RAJAGUHYA  237 

for  Me,  is  purged  of  all  taint  of  worldly  life  and  action,  for  all  his 
mind's  acts  and  reason  are  rolled  into  an  unflinching  faith  in  Me  and 
surrendered  unto  Me. 

31  "Speedily  will  he  become  a  righteous  soul  and  will  (eventually) 
attain  the  Peace  Eternal.  O  Son  of  Kunti,  recognise  full 
well  that  one  devoted  unto  Me  perishes  not.  (425) 

Do  not  be  of  the  misbelief  that  My  devotee  becomes  like  Me  at  the 
appointed  time  in  future:  for  how  can  one  immersed  in  ambrosial 
waters  suffer  death?  So  long  as  the  Sun  has  not  risen,  it  is  called  night ; 
even  so  all  actions  and  life  that  are  without  devotion  to  Me  must  be 
reckoned  sinful.  Therefore,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  My  devotee  is  united 
with  My  Divine  essence  as  soon  as  his  mind  reaches  out  to  Me  in 
intense  faith  and  devotion.  Like  two  lamps  one  kindling  the  other 
that  cannot  be  marked  off  from  the  first,  the  devotee  that  worships 
Me  with  all  his  heart,  is  thereby  inseparable  from  My  eternal  self. 
He  then  settles  down  in  My  Being,  lustre  and  eternal  Peace;  indeed 
he  lives  in  My  life.  How  often,  Oh  Partha,  should  I  repeat  the  same 
eternal  truth?  One  eager  to  realize  My  divine  life  must  not  flinch 
from  the  path  of  devotion.  What  is  the  use  of  high  birth?  Why  boast 
of  one's  family  and  breeding?  And  why  brag  of  one's  learning?  Why 
plume  oneself  on  youthful  charms?  And  wherefore  trumpet  the  pride 
of  wealth?  All  this  is  vain  and  comes  to  naught,  for  lack  of  passionate 
devotion  to  Me.  Of  what  avail  is  the  plenty  of  ears  of  corn  without 
grain?  A  beautiful  city,  if  it  is  desolate,  is  no  city.  A  dried  up  lake, 
or  the  meeting  of  two  cripples  in  a  jungle,  or  a  tree  laden  with  pro- 
fusion of  blossom  but  with  no  fruit — no  value  can  be  set  on  any  of 
these.  All  the  glory  or  pride  of  birth,  caste  and  family  is  all  vanity 
and  meanness,  when  devotion  to  Me  is  not  in  the  soul,  such  as  a  decent 
body  beautiful  but  without  life  in  it.  Cursed  be  the  life  without  devo- 
tion to  Me.  Such  life  is  nothing  other  than  a  stone-dead  life.  Just 
as  the  wise  turn  away  from  the  shade  of  prickly  pear,  even  so,  real 
merit  and  worth  (results  of  good  action)  shun  the  life  without  devotion. 
The  bitter  Nimb  tree  heavily  laden  with  (bitter)  fruit  only  becomes 
a  rich  and  sumptuous  festival  to  the  crow;  in  the  same  way,  even  a 
rich  life  without  devotion  becomes  the  hot-bed  of  sin  and  vice.  Like 
the  richest  of  the  dish  that  is  served  in  an  earthern  pot,  exposed  to  an 


238  JNANESHWARI 

open  thorough-fare  to  become  a  feast  to  the  dogs,  the  life  of  devotion- 
less  man  is  pitiable  indeed,  for  he  is  a  stranger  to  virtue  and  purity 
of  heart,  even  in  a  dream,  and  his  life  is  verily  the  bitterest  cup  of  the 
miseries  of  mortal  existence.  To  a  man  of  devotion  and  God's  love, 
the  birth  in  a  noble  family  is  a  trifle;  he  cares  not  if  he  belongs  to  the 
lowest  caste,  and  with  devotion  and  love  of  God,  he  would  be  glad 
to  dwell  even  in  the  body  of  a  beast.  Remember  how  the  elephant 
Gajendra,  seized  by  a  shark  at  the  leg,  devoutly  prayed  to  Me  for 
rescue,  shuffled  off  his  beastly  life  to  realise  the  Divine  being  in  Me. 

w  %  *TT*f  ©umPMcii  *fcfr  fj:  mmfi«w  i 

32  "For,  O  Son  of  Partha,  betaking  themselves  unto  Me — even 
though  they  be  the  (so  called)  lowly-born:  women,  Vysyas 
(producers  and  merchants)  as  also  Sudras  (menials) — yet 
shall  even  these  attain  the  Goal  Supreme.  (443) 

Many  indeed  are,  Oh  Kiriti !  the  souls  that  are  born  in  families  un- 
nameably  low  and  the  vilest  of  the  vile.  Being  slow-witted,  they  are 
as  good  as  stones;  and  yet  they  are  of  unflinching  faith  and  devotion 
to  Me.  (There  are)  others:  their  speech  is  nothing  but  My  praises; 
their  vision  is  ever  fixed  on  Me;  their  mind  ever  thinks  of  nothing  but 
Me;  their  ears  ever  listen  to  my  praises;  nothing  else  than  acts  of 
worshipful  service  decorates  their  bodies ;  their  knowledge  is  a  stranger 
to  sense-objects,  and  so  their  awareness  divines  the  sole  God  in  Me. 
Being  thus  in  Me  and  for  Me,  life  is  worth  living  (for  them);  all  else 
is  death.  Thus  have  they,  Oh  Kiriti,  made  Me,  in  entirety,  the  very 
life-breath  of  their  life.  May  such  as  these  be  the  lowest  of  the  low  and 
base-born,  may  (they)  be  reckoned  unlearned,  all  the  same,  they  are 
not  a  whit  inferior  to  Me  in  greatness.  Just  consider  the  very  demons 
( t?sr ) :  by  the  power  of  their  devotion  (to  Me),  they  made  their  rivals, 
the  Gods,  sink  into  degradation.  Born  in  the  demon  race,  My  devotee 
Prahlada  won  his  eternal  glory  by  making  Me  incarnate  as  Nrisinha. 
That  great  Prahlada  suffered  the  worst  tortures  in  God's  name,  and 
therefore,  did  by  his  mere  word  command  all  that  I  would  give. 
Born  though  he  was  of  the  demon  family,  the  very  Indra  could  not 
equal  him  in  rank  and  glory.  The  one  crucible  here,  therefore,  is 
devotion  and  passionate  love  to  God;  all  else  like  race  or  caste  is  the 
merest  trash.  A  scrap  of  leather  has  power  to  buy  all  things,  if  made 
to  wear  the  royal  insignia:  without  these  even  gold  and  silver  fail 


DC.  RAJAVIDYA  and  rajaguhya  239 

as  measure  of  things  and  the  royal  sign  then  becomes  the  proper 
measure  of  things;  and  a  piece  of  leather  bearing  such  royal  insignia, 
is  enough  to  buy  all  things.  Even  so  does  perfect  virtue  blossom  into 
eternal  life  and  infinite  knowledge  ripened  into  fulfilment.  Only  then, 
and  not  till  then — entire  soul  and  mind  is  filled  with  love  for  Me. 
Purity  of  race,  family  and  caste  is  then  all  false  and  empty.  Oh  Arjuna, 
life's  real  meaning  and  vital  essence  lies  in  being  possessed  of  My 
love  and  devotion.  Take  whatever  path  for  your  devotion,  once  the 
mind  is  filled  with  such  devotion,  the  devotee  enters  into  Me,  and  all 
his  past  sins  and  imperfections  are  wiped  off.  The  brooks  and  streams 
run  their  impure,  separate  courses  only  till  they  meet  the  Ganges: 
and  once  they  have  joined  the  Ganges,  they  become  one  with  the 
Ganges.  Sandal  wood  and  Khair  (catachu)  are  differently  named  so 
long  as  they  are  not  consumed  by  fire.  Even  so,  men  are  separate  in 
caste,  race,  family  and  sex  till  they  are  absorbed  into  My  infinite 
eternal  being.  This  feeling  (of  separation)  of  single  man  from  caste 
and  class  becomes  null  and  void,  when  caste  and  class  are  all  merged 
into  My  essential  being,  like  salt  in  the  sea.  Rivers  and  streams, 
large  and  small,  are  seen  to  flow  eastwards  and  westwards,  so  long 
as  they  have  not  flown  into  the  sea.  Whichsoever  be  the  path  by  which 
the  soul  is  drawn  to  My  being,  once  it  enters  into  My  divine  life  eternal, 
it  of  its  own  accord  becomes  one  with  Me.  Iron  changes  into  gold, 
the  moment  it  touches  the  Para-stone,  even  if  it  be  to  break  it.  And 
did  not  the  Gopis  seeking  to  win  Me  for  amorous  passion  become 
united  with  Me  in  My  divine  life?  And  did  not  Kamsa  out  of  fear, 
Shishupala  and  others  seeking  to  be  at  feud  with  Me,  become  one  with 
Me?  The  Yadavas  were  bound  to  Me  by  blood  ties,  and  Vasudeva 
and  others  by  filial  love, — they  reached  My  eternal  abode.  Narada, 
Dhruva,  Akrura,  Shuka,  Sanantkumara  all  won  eternal  life  through 
their  deep  devotion  for  Me.  In  the  same  way  the  Gopis  won  My 
divine  love  through  their  amorous  passion  for  Me,  and  Kamsa  through 
the  delusive  passion  of  terror,  while  Shishupala  and  others  through 
their  wickedness  and  enmity  towards  Me.  Verily  I  am  the  eternal 
abode  of  Peace  to  all  those  that  seek  it,  whatever  be  the  channel  of 
their  feelings  towards  Me,  be  it  devotion,  renunciation,  love,  hatred. 
Therefore  see,  Oh  Partha,  pathways  to  enter  into  My  divine  home 
are  manifold  indeed.  May  be,  the  caste  into  which  thou  art  born 
is  the  lowest,  and  may  be,  thy  ruling  passion  be  love  or  hatred;  the 
love  or  hatred  should  turn  to  Me.  Whichever  then  is  the  pathway 
by  which  thou  seekest  Me — being  one  with  Me  is  the  goal  within 
thy  reach.  Therefore,  Arjuna,  all  alike — men  and  women  of  whatever 


240  JNANESHWARI 

caste, — whether  Vaishya  or  Shudra,  or  the  meanest  shall  enter  into 
My  divine  home  as  soon  as  they  love  and  worship  Me. 

33  "How  much  more  (certainly)  then  the  pious  Brahmins  and 
the  Royal- sages  who  are  My  devotees?  Having  come  into 
this  impermanent  and  joyless  world,  do  thou  become  My 
devotee.  (475) 

How  much  more  worthily  do  the  holy  Brahmins  win  that  divine 
home?  For,  amongst  the  religious  castes,  they  indeed  are  the  princely 
majesties  enthroned  with  royal  insignia;  heavenly  paradise  is  a  free 
gift  divinely  bequeathed  to  the  Brahmins,  whose  knowledge  is  the 
mother  (fountain-spring)  of  all  sacred  lores  in  this  world.  They  are 
the  very  Gods  on  earth,  embodiment  as  it  were  in  flesh  and  blood 
of  holy  penances,  the  rising  visible  glory  of  all  sacred  waters.  In  name, 
the  holy  art  of  sacrifice  has  its  true  eternal  home,  and  the  very  Vedas 
shine  forth  as  armour-clad;  all  auspicious  array  of  things  is  reared 
in  Fortune's  lap  of  their  august  and  blissful  presence.  Virtue  and 
right  action  are  nourished  and  fostered  on  the  lap  of  their  high  resolve, 
and  truth  has  its  life-breath  by  their  firm  will.  By  the  Brahmins' 
benedictory  utterance,  fire  is  blessed  into  a  God  of  everlasting  life, 
who  then  is  given  a  resting  place  by  the  sea  out  of  love  for  the  Brahmins. 
For  the  Brahmin's  sake,  did  I  once  part  company  with  the  Goddess 
Lakshml,  take-off  my  necklace — "Kaustubha" — from  my  person, 
and  offered  My  breast-basin  to  have  the  imprint  of  the  Brahmin's 
sacred  foot.  That  sacred  imprint  have  I  since  borne  with  pride  where- 
with to  preserve  My  divine  glory.  The  Brahmin's  wrath,  Oh  thou 
excellent  warrior,  is  the  birth-place  of  the  all-consuming,  destructive 
deities  of  Time,  Fire  and  Rudra;  and  the  eightfold  supernatural  powers 
come  as  a  free  gift  of  his  benedictory  utterance.  Wherefore  then 
need  it  be  said  in  (so  many)  words  that  worthy  Brahmins  of  such 
venerable  piety,  with  an  intensely  passionate  devotion  to  Me  reach 
their  divine  home  in  Me?  For  knowest  thou  not  that  even  the  un- 
worthy Nimb  trees  nearby,  touched  off  by  the  breeze,  wafting  along 
the  sandal  trees,  rise  to  the  eminence  of  besmearing  the  foreheads 
of  Gods?  And  could  thou  doubt  that  the  sandal  wood  itself  fails 
in  reaching  that  glorious  position,  so  that  only  words  should  put 
that  truth  into  thy  mind?  The  crescent  moon  is  unceasingly  worn 


DC.  RAJAVIDYA  and  rajaguhya  241 

on  the  head  by  the  God  Shiva  in  the  hope  of  cooling  down;  how  then 
should  the  sandal  wood,  wholly  perfect  and  soothing,  and  more 
fragrant,  be  not  worthy  of  covering  the  holy  body?  When  way-side 
waters  flowing  into  the  Ganges  run  to  the  ocean  without  further  ado 
should  the  sacred  Ganges  herself  reach  other  destinations?  May 
the  devotee  be  a  Brahmin  seer  or  a  Kshatriya  prince,  I  am  in  all  things 
their  protector,  the  very  life-breath  of  their  mind  and  soul;  and  in 
truth  I  am  the  support  of  their  life.  How  strange  unconcern  would 
be  in  any  one  sailing  in  a  boat  pierced  at  hundred  places?  And  how 
should  a  man  risk  his  life  under  a  hail  storm  of  missiles?  How  should 
one,  exposed  to  an  impending  stone,  fail  to  protect  oneself?  And 
should  a  man  tormented  with  disease  be  unmindful  of  cure?  And 
it  would  be  queer  indeed,  if  one  should  not  escape  from  flames  threaten- 
ing him  on  all  sides;  and  it  is  no  less  queer  in  men  born  into  this  mortal 
world  not  to  betake  themselves  to  the  path  of  devotion.  And  what 
indeed  is  that  self-confidence  on  the  strength  of  which  earth-born 
men,  scorning  the  path  of  devotion,  feel  secure  in  the  full  enjoyment 
of  worldly  pleasures?  Or  barring  pious  devotion  to  Me,  how  should 
mortals  count  upon  youth  and  worldly  wits  to  yield  the  full  measure 
of  life's  joys?  All  that  suffering  mortals  endure  is  for  the  pleasure 
of  the  body  and  that  body  is  ever  wasting  away  in  the  jaws  of  death. 
Alas!  In  this  mortal  world  bundles  of  miseries  are  being  unloaded 
and  death  is  being  measured  out  in  huge  heaps  till  at  the  last  stage 
the  soul  arrives  in  the  human  market!  Where  life  is  not  worth  an 
hour's  purchase,  what  goods  of  happiness  can  man  expect  from  this 
warehouse?  Can  you  kindle  a  light  by  blowing  up  ashes?  As  well 
might  you  hope  to  win  your  way  to  immortal  life  by  swallowing  the 
extract  of  poisonous  root.  Sensuous  enjoyment  is  thus  a  hotbed  of 
miseries,  and  what  a  pity  indeed  that  the  benighted  human  soul  never 
loathes  it?  Happiness  in  this  mortal  world  is  as  futile  a  mockery  as 
healing  the  footrot  by  cutting  the  head.  Where  then  is  the  earth- 
born  man,  who  has  listened  to  the  tale  of  happiness,  in  this  mortal 
life?  How  can  (one)  expect  to  enjoy  sound  sleep  on  a  bed  of  embers? 
In  this  world  the  moon  herself  is  infected  with  the  wasting  disease. 
Everything  overhead  rises  to  sink,  and  utter  misery  under  the  cover 
of  pleasure  envelops  one  and  all;  it  is  here  in  mortal  life  that  even  a 
sprout  of  enjoyment  is  already  strangled  by  the  malignant  cover  of 
unlucky  turn,  and  death  steals  into  the  (secret  chamber  of  the)  womb 
to  grip  the  poor  helpless  yet  unborn  soul.  And  while  the  mortal 
sufferer  is  made  to  brood  over  fatuous  vanities,  he  is  suddenly  snatched 
away  by  death  to  a  place  of  which  little  is  known.  Not  even  the  most 


242  JNANESHWARI 

searching  glance  has  ever  come  across  a  single  return  foot-print  along 
the  manifold  exits  from  this  life,  and  all  the  myths  and  legends  of 
this  miserable  world  recount  but  untold  tales  of  mortals  who  have 
been  gathered  into  the  dateless  night.  Not  even  the  creator  in  his 
appointed  time  can,  with  any  measure  of  final  utterance,  extol  to 
the  skies  the  glorious  impermanence  of  this  world.  And  how  amazing 
is  the  utter  unconcern  of  men  born  into  this  miserable  existence? 
For  these  niggardly  wretches  stint  a  pie  towards  their  real  good  in 
this  or  other  worldly  life,  and  yet  become  munificient  in  their  evil 
designs.  In  their  eyes  men  ensnared  in  lascivious  pleasures  are  now 
at  the  summit  of  ambition  and  he  is  reckoned  worldly-wise  that  is 
enslaved  by  greed.  Aging,  that  shortens  the  lease  of  life  and  makes 
body  and  mind  shrink  in  power,  is  held  to  raise  men  to  the  eminence 
of  venerable  elders.  The  yearly  return  of  the  birth-day  of  the  child 
is  fondly  celebrated  as  a  festival,  with  total  unconcern  about  the  short- 
ened life.  From  the  birth  onwards  the  child  is  slowly  caught  in  the 
meshes  of  all-devouring  time,  and  yet  every  advancing  year  is  a  festivity. 
Alas!  While  not  putting  up  with  the  imprecation  'die',  they  lament 
the  deaths  of  kith  and  kin,  and  never  heed  that  life's  days  are  numbered. 
Even  while  the  snake  threatens  to  swallow  the  frog,  the  frog  smacks 
its  lips  at  sight  of  a  fly;  even  so,  human  mortals  are  slaves  of  their 
greed,  of  what  heaven  knows!  Alas!  How  sadly  and  monstrously 
perverse  indeed  is  the  array  of  things  in  this  mortal  world?  Being 
fated  to  be  born  into  such  a  world,  shake  off  the  dust  of  thy  feet  and 
betake  thyself  to  the  path  of  devotion  and  love;  so  shalt  thou  reach 
My  eternal  divine  abode. 

34  "Infix  thy  mind  in  Me,  be  devoted  unto  Me,  offer  service  unto 
Me,  render  homage  unto  Me,  so  wilt  thou  come  right  unto 
Me,  having  thus  attached  thyself  (to  Me)  and  accepted  Me 
as  the  Ultimate  Goal."  (517) 

Let  thy  mind  be  full  with  My  presence;  fill  thy  soul  with  My  love; 
bow  down  to  My  divine  being  in  all.  He  alone  worships  Me  by  true 
sacrifice,  who  burns  up  all  desires  in  his  unswerving  devotion  to  Me. 
Here  indeed  I  tell  thee  the  innermost  secret  truth:  with  thy  heart  full 
of  My  divine  being  thou  shalt  reach  My  eternal  home,  and  realise 
that  treasure  of  eternal  bliss,  that  is  hidden  from  all. 


DC.   RAJAVIDYA  AND  RAJAGUHYA 


CONCLUSION 


Samjaya  then  said,  "In  this  way  said  Atmaram,  the  Supreme  person 
with  dark  coloured  complexion,  the  very  Kalpataru  of  his  devotees. 
The  old  man  Dhritarashtra  heard  all  this  and  was  unmoved  like  a 
buffalo  not  budging  even  amidst  floods.  Samjaya  nodded  and  said 
to  himself,  "Inspite  of  the  down-pour  of  words  sweet  as  nectar,  he 
(Dhritarashatra)  although  present  on  the  spot,  is  miles  away  from 
here,  having  gone  out  to  a  neighbouring  place.  But  as  he  is  our  Master, 
it  would  not  be  proper  to  befoul  my  tongue  with  such  a  blunt  talk. 
That  is  his  nature.  (Yet)  it  is  my  great  luck  that  the  King  of  the  sages 
— Vyasa — has  given  me  protection  in  the  guise  of  recounting  the  tale 
of  the  battle-field."  Just  as  Samjaya  said  this,  making  his  mind  firm 
with  great  effort,  he  was  overwhelmed  with  the  emotion  of  piety  that 
he  was  beside  himself.  His  mind  was  swimming,  he  became  tongue- 
tied,  while  there  came  a  tremor,  the  hair  standing  on  end.  Tears  of 
joy  trickled  down  from  his  half-closed  eyes,  while  his  body  began  to 
shake,  as  waves  of  extremely  pious  emotion  surged  in  his  heart.  Small 
globules  of  pure  sweat  began  to  glisten  on  the  pores  all  over  his  body 
as  if  they  were  pearl-nettings  worn  on  the  body.  Losing  himself  in 
that  rapture,  he  was  prevented  from  going  ahead  with  the  story  of 
the  battle-field,  with  which  he  was  charged  by  Vyasa.  But  Samjaya 
freed  himself  from  the  emotion  and  returned  to  his  senses  on  hearing 
Lord  Krishna's  torrential  flow  of  talk  and  made  himself  ready  to  do 
his  task.  Wiping  off  his  tears  and  perspiration  all  over  his  body,  he 
requested  Dhritarashtra  to  hear  further.  There  is  the  choicest  seeding 
of  Lord  Krishna's  talk:  on  the  other  hand  there  is  the  (tilled)  soil 
in  the  form  of  Samjaya's  pious  mind,  ready  to  be  sown  with  the  seed. 
With  such  a  combination  there  would  be,  undoubtedly  a  rich  harvest 
of  eternal  truth  to  the  hearers.  Oh  you  (hearers)  were,  you  to  listen 
with  attention  to  the  story,  you  would  be  sitting  on  the  summit  of 
great  joy.  Extremely  good  luck  has  dawned  today  for  the  ears.  There- 
fore, Jnanadev,  the  disciple  of  Nivritti,  requests  (the  hearers)  to 
hear  about  that  abode — 'Divine  Manifestations' — that  the  Lord 
of  the  Perfect  will  preach  to  Arjuna. 


<MPwiKNWJ^Hfrn  *T1W  «MqUmiH:  II  t  II 


CHAPTER  X 

VIBHUTIYOGA 

Introduction 

(I)  bow  to  thee,  who  art  the  master  in  the  art  of  giving  clear  know- 
ledge and  illumination  of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  Thou  art  too,  the 
light  that  makes  the  blooming  of  the  lotus  that  is  perfect  knowledge; 
thou  art  the  adept  in  sporting  amorously  with  the  great  youthful- 
maiden  that  is  truth  beyond  words.  (I)  bow  to  thee;  all  glory  to  thee, 
the  Sun,  who  art  the  expeller  of  the  darkness  of  worldly  life,  and  person 
of  unbounded  strength,  as  thou,  who  enjoyest  the  amours  of  the 
youthful  Turya  (^rf — one  of  the  four  states  (srarsTr)  viz.  ^rnrfcr, 
^^  ,  til^and^pf) — glory  to  you — the  protector  of  the  entire  uni- 
verse— the  treasure  of  gems  of  all  blissful  things.  Thou  art  like  the 
sandal  tree,  among  the  trees,  who  are  the  virtuous  and  the  pious. 
I  bow  to  thee,  Oh  God,  who  are  the  supreme  object  of  devotion.  All 
glory  to  thee — thou  art  the  Moon,  the  source  of  embalming  delight 
to  the  Chakora  bird,  that  is  the  mind  of  the  wise.  Thou  art  the  Majestic 
King,  destroyer  of  cupid,  among  those  that  have  realised  the  Supreme 
Self — the  very  ocean  of  the  quintessence  of  revealing  knowledge. 
(I)  bow  to  you — glory  to  you — worthy  of  being  worshipped  by  the 
pious  devotees — the  destroyer  of  the  temples  (*rs*W)  of  the  elephant, 
which  is  this  worldly  life  of  birth  and  death,  the  origin  of  all  created 
things.  I  bow  to  you,  Oh  Preceptor;  Oh  Lord,  God  Ganapati  himself 
is  your  grace;  by  his  gift,  even  a  child  has  access  into  the  Sanctuary 
of  learning.  When  thy  divine  utterance  of  grace  pledges  its  word 
for  deliverance  from  fear  (evil)  one  may  easily  dive  into  the  depths 
of  the  ocean  of  the  nine  poetic  excellences  of  sentiments  and  passions 
Omsnjsnf3e0.  The  Goddess  of  Learning— SaraswatI — («*h1*i<1)  who 
comes  at  your  bidding  and  favour — would  by  her  power  enable  even 
a  dumb  man,  to  rival  even  with  Brihaspati  (4$Wdl  — the  preceptor 
of  Gods)  in  poetic  talents.  Even  a  poor  unworthy  mortal  rises  to  the 
eminence  of  God,  when  the  light  of  your  benedictory  vision  falls  on 
him;  or  the  lotus  of  your  palm  graces  his  head.  How  indeed  should 
I  extol  with  the  feeble  power  of  my  words,  such  glory  of  power  and 
grandeur?  As  well  could  one  besmear  the  body  of  the  sun  with 
fragrance.  How  indeed  can  one  decorate  with  flowers  the  Kalpataru 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  245 

tree?  With  "what  dainties  could  one  treat  the  very  ocean  of  milk? 
How  could  camphor  itself  be  made  fragrant  by  scents?  What  can 
sandal  wood  gain  when  treated  with  other  scents?  What  other  food 
could  be  made  out  of  nectar  itself?  Could  any  one  raise  a  higher  hall 
above  the  sky  itself?  Where  indeed  is  that  yardstick  that  can  measure 
the  glory  of  my  master  who  is  beyond  measure?  Knowing  this  fully, 
in  all  humility,  I  bow  down  to  Him  in  silence.  To  embolden  one  to 
extol  the  glorious  power  of  the  master,  by  the  fullness  of  wits,  is  as 
vain  as  trying  to  enliven  the  beauty  of  pearls;  all  praise  of  my  master 
is  like  silver-plating  to  gold.  It  is  wiser  (simply)  to  prostrate  oneself 
at  the  feet  of  my  master.  Jnanadev  then  said  to  his  master:  "Nath, 
Ohi  master,  thy  benignant  glances  blessed  me  into  this  condition, 
which  made  me  the  "Prayaga  Vata  tree,"  at  the  confluence  of  the  sacred 
rivers,  the  Ganges,  and  the  Jumna,  which  is  the  talk  between  Lord 
Krishna  and  Arjuna.  God  Shankar  in  times  of  yore,  dished  up  the 
very  ocean  of  milk  before  Upamanyu  who  had  asked  for  milk;  and 
the  Lord  of  Vaikuntha,  for  tender  love  humoured  the  sullen  Dhruva, 
with  the  gift  of  a  firm  seat  on  the  never-changing  (North)  Polar  Seat; 
in  that  way  (you)  made  me  sing,  in  sweet,  simple,  numbers  (verses) 
the  Bhagawadgita, — that  is  the  sovereign  ruler  of  the  kingdom  of 
"Brahman  lore"  (fl^ifa^l),  and  the  haven  of  rest  to  all  the  sacred 
Scriptures.  My  tongue  that  wandered  in  the  tangled  mass  of  words, 
with  not  a  syllable  that  bore  fruit,  blossomed  by  your  grace,  into  a 
creeper  laden  with  immortal  thoughts.  My  mind  that  was  the  slave 
of  the  body,  is  now  the  very  treasure-house  of  the  Supreme  bliss  of 
Divine  vision,  while  the  mind  is  enjoying  sleep  on  watery-bed  (*wsi*i*i) 
in  that  ocean  of  the  Glta  truths.  So  unfathomable  and  unbounded 
(  sttr  )  in  mercy  are  the  acts  of  God  (my  master) ;  how  indeed  should 
my  words  suffice  to  sing  their  glory?  Yet,  may  the  utterance  with 
which  I  have  dared  to  clothe  them  be  forgiven. 

By  your  grace  I  have  been  able,  so  far,  to  sing  in  short,  sweet 
measures,  the  first  part  (^  #§")  of  Bhagawad-Gita  with  extreme  joy. 
In  chapter  One,  was  described  the  direful  anguish  of  Arjuna  at  the 
product  of  war  with  his  kith  and  kin:  in  the  Second  was  treated  the 
Yoga  of  actions,  marking  it  off  from  the  Yoga  of  knowledge.  The 
simple  way  of  action  is  settled  in  the  Third,  while  in  the  Fourth  was 
revealed  the  way  of  action  in  alliance  with  the  way  of  knowledge. 
The  Fifth  belauds  the  path  of  Yoga.  And  the  Sixth  works  out  the 
theme  from  the  very  postures  of  the  body,  right  up  to  the  final  union 
of  soul  with  the  Supreme  Atman;  further,  the  Sixth  discourse  extols 
the  Yoga  Union,  and  talks  of  the  state  to  which  returns  the  soul  of 


246  JNANESHWARI 

seekers  fallen  from  the  Yoga  path.  In  the  Seventh  are  set  forth  the 
four  kinds  of  devotees,  who  first  making  a  triumphant  conquest  of 
the  illusion,  betake  themselves  to  God.  The  Eighth  raises  the  seven 
questions  and  unravels  them,  showing  the  state  of  the  soul  at  the 
time  of  its  final  parting  from  the  body.  Now  the  Mahabharata  in 
its  hundred-thousand  verses  rolls  out  in  a  compact  mass,  the  truth 
that  ripens  in  the  unlimited  utterances  of  the  Vedas.  The  full  meaning 
of  the  Mahabharata  is  disclosed  in  the  GIta  discourse  of  Lord  Krishna; 
and  this  eternal  truth  of  Lord  Krishna's  word,  is  rolled  into  the  Ninth 
Chapter.  Where  Arjuna  himself  was  chary  of  laying  his  finger  on 
the  inner  meaning  of  this  chapter,  how  should  I  vaunt  of  laying  it 
bare?  Made  of  the  same  juice,  lumps  of  jaggery  and  sugar  are  yet 
of  different  flavour  and  sweet  taste :  even  so  all  the  chapters  of  the 
GIta  sing  of  the  Brahman  knowledge;  yet,  some  chapters,  replete 
with  full  knowledge,  directly  reveal  the  essence  of  the  Supreme  Brah- 
man as  realized,  while  a  few  others  only  intimate  it  by  hinting  forth- 
with :  while  yet  in  others  Brahman  knowledge  in  its  flight  to  the  highest 
abode  gets  lost  in  that  which  they  comprehend.  So  varied  is  the  excel- 
lence of  the  quality.  Yet  the  glory  of  the  ninth  amongst  them  is  verily 
unutterable;  yet  by  your  grace,  Oh  my  master,  have  I  laid  open  the 
glorious  truth.  The  chhati  (wl" — flowing  outer  garment)  of  one 
(sage  Vashistha)  vied  with  the  Sun's  self-luminous  rays  in  shedding 
light;  while  yet  another  (sage  Vishwamitra)  rivalled  the  very  creator 
in  setting  up  a  new  order  of  created  beings :  one  (Lord  Ramchandra) 
led  his  monkey-army  (on  foot)  across  the  sea,  on  a  stone-bridge  built 
on  it.  The  monkey  god  (Maruti)  flew  into  the  sky  to  catch  the  very 
Sun;  another  (Sage  Agastya)  made  a  mouthful  of  the  whole  sea- 
water  (^feff);  in  that  way  you  made  a  mute  creature  like  myself  speak 
the  unutterable  truth,  a  spiritual  discourse,  to  which  it  is  hard  to  rind 
a  parallel.  And  just  as  the  warfare  between  Rama  and  Ravana 
(having  no  parallel)  can  only  be  matched  by  a  conflict  between  Rama 
and  Ravana,  in  the  same  way  Lord  Krishna's  utterance  in  Chapter 
Nine  is  only  matched  by  nothing  but  itself.  All  truth-seers  who  have 
the  GIta  teachings  (truths)  at  their  finger's  ends  realize  this.  So  I 
have  extolled  the  glorious  meaning  of  the  first  nine  chapters,  according 
to  my  lights;  now  I  begin  the  second  half  of  the  GIta  and  pray  that 
you  lend  me  your  ears.  Now  I  shall  speak  in  sweet  words  of  beauty 
the  divine  manifestations,  great  and  small,  which  Lord  Krishna  re- 
counts to  Arjuna.  By  the  excellence  of  the  mother  tongue  (Marathi) 
the  sentiment  of  serenity  is  sure  to  outvie  the  sentiment  of  love;  so 
shall  my  Marathi  verse  shine  like  a  crown  on  the  head  of  the  Muse. 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  247 

Hard  indeed  would  it  be  then  to  mark  off  the  original  Sanskrit  from 
the  Marathi  verse,  when  this  latter  illumines  the  GIta  truths  descend- 
ing on  the  mind  that  reads  both  with  zealous  care.  Bodily  charms 
enbellish  the  very  ornaments  and  make  it  hard  to  say  which  adorns 
which;  in  the  same  way,  the  divine  utterance  in  Sanskrit  and  my 
Marathi  verse  meet  in  lovely  alliance  to  iilumine  and  adorn  the  very 
soul  of  the  Truth.  Pray  listen  with  care.  Let  a  luxuriant  wealth  of 
meaning  surge  in  the  mind  and  words  of  beauty  will  overflow  in 
rapturous  emotions  to  bring  the  very  wisdom  to  its  original  home. 
So  shall  the  beauty  and  youthful  vigour  of  my  mother-tongue  body 
forth  the  unlimited  treasure  of  the  GIta.  Hear  now  what  spoke  the 
Lord  of  Yadavas,  the  Great  Master  of  the  entire  universe,  and  the  giver 
of  miraculous  joy  to  the  enlightened  souls.  Dnyandeo,  the  disciple 
of  NivrittI,  said  that  Shrihari  then  spoke  "Oh  Arjuna,  with  thy  entire 
mind  and  soul  steady  and  balanced  you  have  indeed  become  fit  to 
receive  the  deepest  secret  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Self. 

The  Exalted  one  Spake: 

1  "Yet  again,  listen,  O  Long-armed  one,  to  my  supreme  word 
that,  unto  thee  that  dost  find  delight  therein,  I  am  going  to 
speak  in  my  desire  for  thy  weal.  (50) 

What  I  have  set  forth  in  my  talk  has  indeed  put  to  test  the  tether  of 
thy  wit  which  shows  itself  to  be  complete  and  entire.  An  earthen 
pot  that  does  not  leak  with  a  few  drops,  is  then  made  full  with  water. 
In  that  way,  finding  you  fitted  by  the  earlier  talk  to  receive  the  know- 
ledge of  God,  I  am  yearning  to  utter  fully  the  entire  truth.  A  newly 
levied  servant,  tried  by  temptations  put  in  his  way  and  found  worthy 
of  reliance,  is  then  invested  with  the  rank  of  the  very  treasurer.  In 
that  way,  Oh  Kiriti,  you  have  now  become  the  master  of  my  true  and 
final  abode".  Thus  spoke  to  Arjuna  the  supreme  Lord  of  all,  being 
moved  by  extreme  love,  like  the  clouds  that  swell  towards  the  moun- 
tains. The  merciful  Lord  then  said  "Hear,  you  mighty-armed,  hear, 
I  repeat  what  I  have  already  spoken.  Sowing  with  untiring  zeal,  year 
after  year,  the  same  field  that  yields  ever  increasing  crops,  is  no  burden; 


248  JNANESHWARI 

or  again,  one  would  fain  purify  gold,  which  when  heated  over  and  over 
again  gains  lustre.  Even  so,  Oh  Partha,  I  love  to  dwell  on  the  same 
great  truths,  rather  for  my  self-satisfaction  than  for  thy  benefit.  Her- 
self-a  stranger  to  the  joy,  the  child  beautified ,  by'  ornaments  is  yet 
the  cause  of  exultation  in  the  mother:  in  the  same  way,  the  more 
surely  thou  art  settled  in  the  enjoyment  of  thy  good,  the  greater  is 
my  joy  in  my  realization.  Enough  of  flowery  talk.  My  love  towards 
thee,  that  is  unbounded,  makes  the  attainment  of  satisfaction  recede 
the  further  away  from  me,  the  more  lavishly  I  speak  to  thee.  For 
no  other  reason  than  this,  I  talk  to  thee  about  the  same  thing  over 
and  over  again.  So  now,  without  further  ado,  do  hear  attentively 
my  words  on  the  mysterious  truth.  Do  bear  in  mind  my  great  word, 
which  is  truth  absolute,  made  flesh  to  hold  thee  in  love's  embrace. 
Verily,  Oh  Kiriti,  you  do  not  yet  know  my  real  essence.  Oh, 
what  you  see  of  my  person  in  this  body  of  flesh  here  and  now  is  the 
very  be-all  of  the  universe. 

3T^rrfe%  ^«4Mi  -M^Nfun  ^  prefer:  u  ^  u 

2  "Neither  the  Hosts  of  Heaven  nor  the  great  Sages  know  my 
birth;  for,  I  am,  in  all  respects,  the  beginning  of  the  Gods 
and  of  the  great  Sages.  (64) 

Here  in  declaring  my  glory  the  very  Vedas  were  struck  dumb.  Mind 
and  vital  breath  were  crippled  in  their  effort  to  reach  Me;  and  the 
Sun  and  the  Moon  suffered  an  eclipse  even  without  the  night.  It 
is  as  vain  for  the  offspring  in  the  womb  to  gauge  the  mother's  age, 
as  for  all  the  Gods  to  know  me.  As  well  might  fish  of  the  sea  fathom 
the  depth  of  waters  or  the  fly  cover  the  very  canopy  of  sky;  so,  not 
all  the  wisdom  of  the  great  Sages  can  penetrate  into  my  being.  Kalpas- 
Aeons  (^qr  — one  thousand  Yugas  or  432  million  years  make  a  Kalpa) 
have  rolled  on  in  the  march  of  time  and  have  been  spent  in  peeping 
into  mysteries  as  to  who  I  am,  how  great,  of  whose  making,  and  of 
what  age.  The  truth  is  that  neither  the  great  Sages  and  Gods,  nor 
all  the  living  beings  could  have  access  to  my  eternal  being,  Oh  Pandav, 
since  I  am  the  beginning  of  them  all.  If  water  running  down-hill 
ever  rise  up  to  the  top,  or  the  up-growing  tree  ever  start  down-spread- 
ing and  reach  the  very  roots,  then  only  can  the  world,  of  created  things 
hope  to  have  access,  to  my  being.  Or  were  the  seedling  ever  to  cover 
the  entire  world-globe  to  be  covered  up  in  one  single  atom,  then  only 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  249 

may  all  created  beings  formed  out  of  myself,  the  Gods,  the  Sages, 
and  all  others  be  able  to  know  Me. 

SRfTJ^:  W  HzH*i  u4mA:  MH-e^  II  3   II 

3  "Whoso  amongst  the  mortals  knows  Me  as  uncaused  and  with- 
out beginning,  and  as  the  Supreme  Lord  of  the  worlds;  he 
— delusion-free — is  delivered  from  all  sins.  (72) 

So  incomprehensible  is  my  absolute  divine  being,  and  is  yet  accessible 
to  that  rare  seeker,  who  relinquishing  all  onward  march  of  worldly 
life  sets  himself  against  all  the  sensuous  enjoyment,  or  even  when 
engaged  in  world-activities  drops  his  selfhood  and  plants  himself 
on  the  crown  of  the  five  elements  of  all  material  nature.  Elevated 
to  that  supra-mundane  existence  with  the  pure  light  of  self-knowledge, 
he  sets  his  eyes  on  my  divine  essence  beyond  birth  and  death.  The  one, 
that  thus  knows  Me  as  the  pivotal  Being  beyond  all  change  and  begin- 
ning, as  also  the  Supreme  Lord  of  all  worlds  is  indeed  as  a  Paris, 
(a  rarity)  discovered  amidst  dead  mass  of  living  beings;  also  take 
My  word  for  it  that  he  is  part  of  the  divine  essence  amongst  mortals 
as  nectar  is  amongst  liquids.  Such  a  human  being  is  the  very  embodi- 
ment of  pure  knowledge  living  and  moving.  His  bodily  life  is,  as  it 
were,  the  very  blossoming  of  supreme  rapture  of  happiness;  and  his 
being  in  a  human  body  otherwise  is  but  another  name  for  common 
delusion.  A  diamond  that  flashes  out  by  chance  in  camphor  does 
not  dissolve  in  water  dropped  on  it;  in  the  same  way,  living  and  moving 
like  all  earthly  mortals,  he  yet  is  an  utter  stranger  to  all  taint  of  illusion 
of  Prakrit! 

As  a  serpent  flees  from  a  burning  sandal  tree,  all  sin,  for  very 
fear,  keeps  itself  from  touching  a  God-seeing  man,  and  all  sensual 
desires  and  passions  leave  him  aside.  And  may  not  your  mind  be 
desirous  of  knowing  the  way  to  secure  this  all-seeing  vision  of  My 
true  and  entire  being?  As  to  this,  you  will  now  hear  about  My  divine 
essence  and  its  emanations.  These  emanations  have  spread  out  amidst 
the  created  beings  in  all  the  three  worlds,  according  to  their  several 
natures. 

•ff^faR^nrt^;  sfrt  w*i  3*t:  sit:  i 


250  JNANESHWARI 

^rsrf^T  ^m  Tjarrt  irr  t^t  frfrrer:  it  x  u 

4  "Discrimination,  knowledge,  (and)  undeluded  vision;  un- 
ruffled temper,  truthfulness,  self-restraint,  inward  calm;  so 
also,  pleasure  and  pain,  elation  and  depression,  fear  and  fear- 
lessness; 

5  "Non-injury,  equanimity,  contentment,  austerity,  (and) 
charity,  (and  the  resulting)  success  (or)  failure  (therefrom) : 
all  these  diverse  dispositions  of  beings  proceed  from  Me 
alone.  (82) 

The  first  and  the  foremost  amongst  these  is  intellect  ( «£% ).  Next 
come  unbounded  knowledge  (  5TTT ),  unerring  vision  and  truth  (St^'+Tlg ), 
endurance  (^t^FPiifaraT),  forgiveness  ( *&R ),  truthfulness  ( *nr ),  then 
both  inward  calm  and  self-restraint  (si+^+i),  as  also,  Oh  Arjuna, 
pleasure,  pain,  birth  and  death;  these  too — are  among  the  emana- 
tions. Then  fear  and  fearlessness,  non-injury,  equanimity,  content- 
ment, and  austerity,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  so  also  charity,  and  fame  and 
obloquy — these  qualities  that  show  themselves  in  created  things 
have  emanated  indeed  from  no  other  source  than  My  eternal  being. 
Individual  created  beings  are  different;  so  too  are  my  manifold 
emanations.  (Of  these)  some  take  their  origin  in  the  knowledge  of 
My  divine  being;  others  are  rooted  in  ignorance.  Light  that  bursts 
at  sunrise  and  darkness  that  spreads  at  sunset — both  are  caused  by 
the  sun.  So,  are  knowing  Me  and  not  knowing  Me  the  fruit  of  actions 
of  past  births  and  hence  emanations  become  different  in  diverse 
created  beings. 

In  this  way  the  entire  universe  of  living  beings  is  wrought  up 
within  My  emanations,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  Now  then,  let  me  speak 
of  the  eleven  emanations  that  are  the  guardians  of  creation.  By  their 
command  the  created  beings  do  live  and  move. 

*4^,wi  *4wui  snflT  star  iafa»  3*ni:  srerr:  u  ^  it 


6  "The  seven  mighty  Sages  of  yore,  as  also  the  four  Manus, 
have  been  bom  from  Me — as  mind  born  entities  of  whom  des- 
cended are  (all)  these  creatures  in  this  world.  (92) 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  251 

(They  are)  Kashyapa  and  other  celebrated  seven  Sages;  they  are  fully 
invested  with  all  powers  and  among  the  sages  are  the  most  perfect 
in  wisdom.  Besides  these,  the  four  principal  of  the  fourteen  Manus, 
the  first  and  primeval  being  "Swayambhu,\  these  eleven  in  all,  emanate 
from  my  mind,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  for  the  control  and  preservation 
of  the  order  of  the  created  universe.  Ere  the  worlds  were  yet  not 
shaped  and  the  three  regions  were  not  laid  out  in  full  expanse,  and 
the  stuff  of  five  gross  elements  was  waiting  to  be  formed,  these  celestial 
beings  sprang  into  existence,  and  formed  the  worlds  with  guardian 
deities  to  protect  them,  and  they  presided  over  their  destinies.  In 
this  way,  these  beings  are  rulers,  with  the  entire  universe  as  their 
subjects.  Thus  know  then,  the  entire  universe  to  be  the  spreading 
out  of  My  Pure  Being.  Behold,  there  is  at  the  start  one  single  germ, 
which  shooting  forth  becomes  a  stem  and  then  grows  into  a  seedling 
of  branches.  From  the  branches  come  out  twigs  and  subtwigs  and 
on  these  flourish  the  leaves  and  the  foliage.  From  this  foliage  blossom 
flowers  and  fruit.  Thus  grows  the  entire  tree:  and  yet  strictly  con- 
sidered, it  is  but  the  single  germ  spreading  out.  In  that  way,  I  am  the 
Primal  Being  that  gives  birth  to  Mind,  and  from  that  Mind  came 
into  being,  the  seven  Sages  and  the  four  Manus.  They  created  the 
guardian  deities  presiding  over  the  worlds,  which  in  their  turn,  added 
the  world  from  which  the  whole  group  of  created  things  sprang.  Thus 
the  entire  universe  is  nothing  but  the  outward  spreading  of  My  Being 
and  only  those  that  have  faith  in  My  Being  and  its  emanations  may 
be  blessed  with  this  insight. 

7  "This  Creative-manifestation  of  Me,  and  my  even-tempered 
activism,  he  who  realises  in  its  true-nature,  he  becomes  linked 
(with  Me)  in  unswerving  union;  of  this  there  is  no  doubt. 

(104) 

Therefore,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  these  emanations  and  their  specific 
manifestations  are  My  own  reflexions  that  have  pervaded  the  entire 
universe.  Hence  right  from  the  very  God  Brahmadev,  down  to  the 
tiny  ant,  verily  there  is  nothing  (in  this  universe)  except  My  divine 
self.  One  who  realises  this,  has  indeed  awakened  to  see  the  light  of 
illumination  into  which  evaporate  the  bad  dream  that  causes  the 
error  of  plurality  and  distinction  of  better  and  worse.  Through  his 


252  JNANESHWARI 

insight  born  of  Yogic  illumination,  he  sees  the  unity  in  My  divine 
being  of  these  created  manifestations,  as  also  all  created  individuals, 
born  of  these  manifestations.  Being  free  from  all  doubt  and  error, 
through  his  yogic  experience  of  unity,  his  mind  becomes  one  with 
My  spirit  and  undoubtedly  he  has  become  completely  purified  and 
perfect.  And  there  in  the  sanctuary  that  such  a  yogin  builds  out  of 
his  devotional  strains  coming  from  his  vision  of  God's  Pure  Unity, 
I  would  fain  make  My  home.  I  have  already  said  enough  in  Chapter 
six  how  the  devotional  path  that  starts  from  the  yoga  of  God's  unity, 
must  bring  him  to  Me  unswervingly,  even  if  he  drops  his  body  on 
the  way.  To  satisfy  your  yearning  to  know  more  of  this  devotional 
yoga  of  God's  unity,  I  speak  these  words  which  you  hear. 

ffcT  WWl  W3F%  Tt  «pT  WR*TWfN?TT:  II  s  II 

8  "  7  am  the  source  of  everything:  from  Me  everything  proceeds ' 
— thus  thinking,  do  the  men  of  enlightenment,  imbued  with 
fervour,  adore  Me.  (112) 

Therefore,  I  am  the  only  source,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  from  which  the 
entire  universe  takes  its  birth  and  sustenance  too.  Just  see  a  stream 
of  waves;  they  arise  out  of  water  and  are  supported  and  sustained 
by  water.  And  as  the  waves  have  all  their  being  in  water,  so  there  is 
no  real  being  but  Myself  in  this  universe.  There  are  then  those  that 
realize  Me  as  being  everywhere  in  created  things  one  and  all,  and 
worship  Me,  with  the  most  fervent  love  and  intense  devotion  surging 
in  soul,  and  dissolving  in  My  being  as  air  in  space,  all  feeling  of  place, 
time,  and  circumstances  (^-^Pm-cic^M).  Thus  realizing  their 
true  self  in  Me,  these  devotees  treasure  Me  up  in  their  heart,  and  live 
in  all  worlds  their  happy  life  as  a  perfect  sport,  prostrating  them- 
selves before  all  creatures  as  very  God.  Such  a  way  of  life,  know  ye 
definitely,  is  true  Yoga  of  devotion. 

9  "With  their  mind  rivetted  on  Me — with  their  life  absorbed 
in  Me— enlightening  each  other  (by  mutual  instruction) 
—and  ever  recounting  tales  of  Me:  (such  men)  find  (therein) 
contentment  and  joy.  (119) 


x.  vibhQtiyoga  253 

Those  that  in  heart  and  soul  are  fully  united  to  Me  and  have  found 
their  highest  contentment  in  Me,  have  by  lure  of  self-knowledge  un- 
learnt all  sense  of  life  and  death.  And  in  the  sheer  ecstasy  of  self- 
knowledge,  they  dance  with  the  joy  of  converse  that  gives  and  takes 
self-knowledge.  When  two  close-lying  lakes  are  heavily  flooded  to 
overflowing  into  each  other,  the  breakers  are  joined  in  mutual  em- 
brace: so  in  the  union  of  souls  waking  up  the  self-vision,  the  surgings 
of  Divine  ecstasy  are  woven  into  the  harmony  of  the  purest  joy,  whereby 
the  grandeur  of  self-vision  displays  itself  in  the  lustrous  beauties  of 
self-vision.  As  if  one  sun  goes  out  to  dance  himself  into  rapturous 
worship  of  another  sun;  or  as  if  one  moon  holds  another  in  embrace; 
or  again  as  if  two  streams  of  equal  might  have  rushed  into  each  other; 
in  that  way,  the  coming  together  of  such  blessed  souls  reveals  a  con- 
fluence of  sacred  streams  of  Divine  life,  throwing  up  on  its  surface 
dross  of  the  eight-fold  bodily  flushing  and  the  suffusion  of  Sattwa. 
Then  they  (the  devotees — men  of  God-seeing  wisdom)  become,  as 
it  were,  the  presiding  deities,  on  the  high  road  of  dialogue  of  soul  and 
soul.  Overflowing  with  this  Supreme  bliss  of  self-vision  and  the 
rapturous  transport  of  being  one  with  Me,  they  outrun  the  precincts 
of  their  bodily  life  and  shout  for  joy  of  having  seen  God,  in  a  thundrous 
voice,  proclaiming  to  the  whole  world  the  secret  and  mystic  word 
of  truth,  which  only  the  master  discloses  in  solitude  to  the  initiated 
one.  As  the  blooming  bud  of  a  lotus  unable  to  hold  its  sweet  smell 
in  itself,  wafts  it  liberally  to  all,  high  and  low,  those  devotees  extol 
Me  to  the  world,  and  extolling,  are  hushed  into  eternal  silence  of 
soul's  joy,  and  lose  their  earthly  body  and  mind  in  that  eternal  silence. 
Utterly  oblivious  of  time's  flow  day  and  night,  in  the  bliss  of  this 
overflow  of  God's  love,  they  are  settled  in  the  enjoyment  of  ever- 
lasting bliss  in  union  with  Me. 

4<H$i  «jfe4W  cf  $*T  *ll*|M4J(fcd  ^"  II   \o  II 

10  "In  such  persons  of  constant  application  who  adore  Me  in 
lovingness,  I  cause  to  arise  that  mental-absorption  by  virtue 
of  which  they  come  unto  Me.  (130) 

Then,  Oh  Arjuna,  of  whatever  gifts  I  should  bestow  on  them,  the 
choicest  one  of  picked  quality,  is  already  theirs.  Both  heavenly 
paradise  and  final  liberation  are  seen  to  dwindle  into  two  by-ways 


254  JNANESHWARI 

that  stray  from  the  royal  high  road  they  have  chosen  to  tread.  There- 
fore, the  (devotional)  love  they  have  borne  to  Me  is  a  debt  that  I  must 
repay  by  My  love  for  them;  but  this  too  they  have  at  their  bidding. 
Hence,  hereafter,  to  make  that  bliss  of  love  grow  on  end,  and  to  save 
it  from  all-devouring  time,  is  all  that  needs  to  be  done  by  Me.  Just 
as  a  mother,  Oh  Kiriti,  wrapped  up  in  her  pet  child  at  play,  and  cover- 
ing it  with  her  loving  gaze,  runs  at  the  child's  bidding,  to  amuse  it 
with  whatever  toys  it  asks  for;  in  that  way  it  is  My  pleasure  to  upbear 
the  glorious  path  of  devotion  and  to  make  it  glow  with  lustre.  It  is 
then  My  labour  of  love  to  bedeck  the  path  of  devotion;  so  shall  My 
devotees  come  to  Me  with  ease.  Oh,  my  devotees  love  me,  and  so 
am  I  all-absorbed  in  My  loving  concern  for  them.  For,  a  devotee 
in  distress  rends  my  own  home  in  two.  Behold,  how  the  two  well- 
trodden  paths  of  heavenly  paradise  and  liberation  comfort  the  ordinary 
worshipper  that  may  claim  in  the  end,  even  My  person  with  Lakshmi; 
that  Supreme  bliss  of  soul's  self-vision  is  set  apart  for  My  devotees. 
So  dearly  I  love  them  and  unite  these  loving  devotees,  Oh  Kiriti,  to 
My  true  Being.  This  love  is,  however,  beyond  the  power  of  utterance. 

11  "Out  of  compassion  for  these  very  persons,  I,  stationed  within 
their  very  Self  cause  their  ignorance-born  darkness  to  dissipate 
by  the  blazing  lamp  of  knowledge."  (141) 

Therefore,  there  are  those  that  have  made  devotional  faith  in  Me— 
the  supreme  self— the  very  life-breath  of  their  existence,  so  that  all 
else  becomes  as  nought  in  their  eyes.  These  lovers  of  divine  truth 
have  Myself  as  their  torch-bearer,  walking  in  front  of  them  with  the 
torch  of  camphor.  Dispelling  the  mass  of  darkness  in  the  ancient 
night  of  primeval  ignorance,  I  usher  in  eternal  light  before  their  vis- 
sion.  As  Purushottama  the  supreme  self,  the  beloved  of  his  devotees 
spoke  thus,  Arjuna  said  "Oh  God,  my  soul  is  now  set  at  rest.  Pray 
hear  thou  my  words.  Well  hast  thou  shaken,  with  a  sweeping  stroke, 
the  dirt  of  worldly  existence  and  brought  my  Soul,  Oh  Lord,  through 
the  consuming  flames  of  being  bom  of  a  mother's  womb.  To-day, 
indeed,  my  eyes  have  seen  through  the  whys  and  wherefores  of  my 
life,  and  verily,  life  eternal  is  come  to  my  hand  unsparingly.  Now 
has  the  grace  of  thy  divine  word  effected  the  purpose  of  my  life  and 


x.  vibhutiyoga  255 

brought  my  Fortune  to  its  acme.  The  illumination  of  thy  word  has 
dispelled  darkness  that  thickened  my  Soul  inside  and  outside,  and  so 
have  I  a  vision  of  thy  Pure  being  divine. 

it  s^r  *rt  ^nr  mf^i*i  t?it  wpt  i  7 

12  Arjuna  spake:  "The  Highest  Brahman,  the  Highest  Abode, 
the  greatest  Purifier  art  thou.  The  Eternal  Purusa,  the 
Radiant,  and  Primal  Divinity,  the  All-permeating  Un- 
born; (149) 

Oh  God,  thou  art  indeed  the  Supreme  Brahman,  the  haven  of  rest, 
where-unto  return  these  primeval  great  elements  of  the  world,  and, 
Oh  Lord  of  the  world,  Thou  art  the  holiest  of  holies.  Thou  art  the 
Supreme  Deity  of  the  triad  (God  Brahmadev,  Vishnu,  and  Mahesh). 
Thou  art  Thyself  the  Supreme  Soul  absolute,  eternally  standing  behind 
the  veil  of  Prakriti.  Now,  have  I  seen  the  truth  that  thou  art  the  Master 
of  the  Universe,  uncreate  and  self-existent,  whom  birth  and  decay 
touch  not.  Clearly  indeed  has  the  vision  gleamed  on  my  mind  that 
Thou  art  the  great  Being  that  pulls  the  strings  of  past,  present  and 
future  time,  the  guardian  spirit  of  all  that  throbs  with  life,  and  of  the 
entire  sphere  of  the  Universe. 

m f*i eft  ^Hl  'sqnrcr:  *3*r  xNr  *rHw  ^  it  \^  u 

13  "(So)  do  all  the  Sages  declare  Thee,  as  also  the  Divine  Sage 
Narada,  Devala,  the  Asita,  and  Vyasa.  Further,  Thou  Thy- 
self dost  so  speak  unto  me.  (153) 

The  same  great  truth  further  comes  home  to  me,  thiswise.  Sages 
in  the  past  too  declared  Thee,  the  glorious  Being  absolute.  And  I 
have,  Oh  Thou  my  master,  realized  now  the  truth  in  my  heart  of 
hearts  by  thy  grace. -During  his  frequent  visits  to  our  home,  the  Sage 
Narada  has  ever  extolled  Thy  glories:  the  music  of  his  sweet  song 
won  the  ear,  though  the  deeper  meaning  touched  not  my  heart.  The 


256  JNANESHWARI 

Sun  may  visit,  in  person,  the  home  of  the  blind  who  feels  only  the 
warmth;  but  what  indeed  is  light  to  him?  Even  so,  did  the  sweet 
melodies  of  Narada's  divine  song  touch  my  ear;  his  meaning  did 
not  reach  my  heart.  The  Sages  Asita  and  Devala  too  praised  Thy 
divine  glory;  but  then  my  mind  was  smitten  with  the  poison  of  sensuous 
pleasures.  And  so  deadly  is  the  action  of  these  pleasures  that  it  makes 
man  averse  to  God's  truth,  and  sensuous  pleasures  hold  him  in  their 
grip  of  sweet  enjoyment.  Why  talk  of  others?  Even  the  saintly  Vyasa 
in  person  came  to  our  place  and  praised  Thy  name  and  glorious  life. 
Yet,  it  was  like  the  chintamani  on  which  I  stumbled  in  dark,  failing 
to  value  it  as  such  till  daylight  showed  its  lustre.  In  that  way  talks 
of  Vyas  and  others  were  the  mines  of  jewels  and  divine  knowledge, 
and  yet  were  brushed  aside  in  the  absence  of  the  light  of  the  glorious 
Sun  of  Thy  Divine  Person,  Oh  Lord  Krishna. 

fl^Wdgd  *Rfr  SFTt  ^3T%  ^T^  I 

*T  f^  ^  ''<H*M'«$  «Eri%>  feg&ll  «T  4M4I:  II   ?V  II 

14  "All  this  I  hold  to  be  true  that  Thou  hast  spoken  unto  me,  0 
Kesava.  For,  neither  the  Gods  nor  the  Danu-bom  (Demons), 
0  Lord  Blessed,  comprehend  Thy  Manifestation.  (163) 

Now,  these  rays  beaming  from  Thy  words  have  spread  out  and  cleared 
up  the  mystery  of  the  uncouth  paths  held  out  by  the  sages.  These 
talks  of  the  sages  did  indeed  sow  the  seed  of  knowledge  that  had  gone 
deep  into  my  heart.  Now  has  the  seed,  moistened  by  Thy  grace, 
sprouted  into  fruition  by  Thy  converse  divine.  The  sages  like  Narada 
poured  out  their  teachings  that  flowed  into  river-streams  to  meet 
the  mighty  main,  that  swells  with  the  Majestic  bliss  of  Thy  divine 
theme.  Meritorious  acts  in  all  my  life,  have  it  not  in  their  power  to 
give  what  Thou,  my  master,  art  blessing  me  with.  For,  I  have  been 
ever  hearing  the  elders  extol  your  glory  to  little  avail,  and  the  dark 
night  of  soul  lingered  on;  the  one  thing  wanting  was  the  light  of  Thy 
grace.  Hence  just  as  one's  efforts  are  crowned  with  success  when 
luck  attends  him,  so  learning  and  lore  all  in  one,  comes  to  final  fruition 
with  the  gift  of  the  master's  grace.  The  gardener  tends  a  garden, 
toiling  day  after  day  and  sweating,  to  water  the  trees;  yet  the  trees 
yield  fruit  only  on  the  arrival  of  the  spring.  A  patient  can  taste  a 
sweet  thing  as  sweet  only  when  the  fever'abates.  A  drug  is  not  sweet 
until  it  cures  the  evil  and  restores  health.  Sense,  vital  breath  and 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  257 

speech — the  all  and  the  one,  fulfil  their  being  when  spirit  moves  them. 
Inthe  same  way  the  scriptures,  learning  and  excellence  in  Yoga  path, 
are  adorned  with  their  masterful  crown,  only  when  the  master  utters 
his  grace  and  benediction  on  them.  With  these  words,  Arjuna  went 
into  raptures  of  that  experience  which  made  him  dance  like  a  toy 
baby  with  the  conviction  of  inner  light  and  went  on,  "Oh  God,  Thy 
words  are  verily  come  home  to  me:  Oh  Thou  the  giver  of  liberation 
— Thy  divine  being  is  past  the  wit  of  either  Gods  or  demons.  I  have 
now  realized  that  in  sore  plight  would  he  find  himself  who  ventured 
upon  knowing  thee  by  his  own  reckoning,  uninitiated  by  Thy  word." 

?e( *i«ta icHmrHM  iter  rSf  J^G?)tW  I 
^rTflTraT  ^RRtel"  teJ%9T  oHIcMci  II   %%.  II 

15  "Thyself  alone,  0  Best  amongst  the  Purusas,  dost  know  Thy- 
self through  Thy  own  self:  O  Thou  that  art  the  Originator  of 
beings,  the  God  of  the  Gods,  and  the  Lord  of  the  world.    (176) 

Just  as  the  sky  itself  can  know  its  boundless  expanse  or,  the  earth  itself 
can  feel  the  entire  bulk  of  its  mass,  in  that  way,  Oh  Lord  of  Lakshmi, 
Thyself  knowest  Thine  being  and  power;  vain  indeed  is  the  boast 
of  all  the  wits  like  the  Vedas  themselves  that  lay  claim  to  have  known 
Thine  being.  How  indeed  can  one  outstrip  the  mind  in  speed?  Or 
how  can  any  one  clasp  the  wind  within  one's  arms?  Or  how  again 
can  one  swim  across,  with  unaided  arms,  the  ocean  of  primeval  void 
(srrfoRT)?  Equally  hard  is  knowing  Thee  in  full — indeed  beyond 
any  mortal's  ken.  Nothing  less  than  Thy  infinite  knowledge  is  equal 
to  the  task  of  realizing  Thy  true  being.  By  Thee  alone  is  Thy  real 
self  known :  Thou  too  hast  the  power  of  Thy  word,  to  make  others 
realise  Thee  in  Thine  own  being.  I  pray  then,  do  Thou  wipe  away 
the  sweat  on  my  brow  of  life's  yearning  to  see  Thee  (make  me  see 
Thee).  Thou  hearest  my  words,  oh  Thou  creator  of  the  universe, 
the  lion  who  destroys  the  elephant  of  illusory  worldly  life,  the 
great  and  one  object  of  worship  to  all  Gods  and  spirits,  and  Thou 
supreme  master  of  the  universe!  Standing  ever  in  the  presence  of 
Thy  glory  as  we  do,  we  yet  sink  into  nothingness  whereby  we  cannot 
hold  a  candle  to  Thy  infinite  light.  But  to  flinch,  for  fear  of  this  un- 
'  worthiness,  from  beseeching  a  favour  of  Thee,  would  make  us  utterly 
helpless.  For  the  bird  'Chakor',  all  the  deep  waters  of  the  oceans 
and  rivers  are  indeed  dried  up,  until  the  clouds  sprinkle  a  few  drops 


258  JNANESHWARI 

into  his  mouth.  In  that  way,  although  many  are  the  spiritual  preceptors 
near  and  far,  yet  Thou,  Oh  Lord  Krishna,  art  the  one  be-all  and  end- 
all  of  our  existence.  Let  this  be  enough;  now  tell  me  about  your  emana- 
tions. 

16  "Deign  therefore  to  declare  exhaustively— for  they  are  Divine  : 
those  Thine  own  Forms-qf-Manifestation,  through  which 
[Forms-of-Manifestation]  Thou  dost  permeate  all  these  worlds, 
and  remain  (over  and  beyond) .  (185) 

You  do  show  forth  your  emanations,  that  have  by  their  divine  lustre 
and  power  become  all  abiding.  Speak  to  me  about  the  chief,  note- 
worthy ones  from  amongst  them,  through  which  Thou  fillst  all  the 
unending  worlds. 

$^  %^  W  4J|c|«|  forciflif^  WFF[  WX\  II   ^V9  II 

17  "How  may  I,  constantly  meditating  on  Thee,  comprehend 
Thee,  Thou  Master  of  the  Yoga?  In  what  forms  of  being, 
0  Lord  Blessed,  art  Thou  to  be  thought  of  by  me?      (187) 

Say,  how  I  should  feel  Thy  August  Presence?  What  presence  so 
felt  thus  should  I  meditate  upon?  To  take  Thee  as  the  All  and  the 
One  would  leave  little  room  for  meditation.  Therefore,  do  once 
tell  me  all  those  emanations  in  detail  of  which  Thou  spoke  briefly. 
And  thus  unfold  the  path  of  uniting  with  Thee  by  making  meditation 
on  them  easy. 

Riw}<michh\  sfri  f«r+ifd  ^  vmiIh  I 

Wt:  WW  dRdi$  4JU4<ft  Hlfed  *)^d^  n    ?*•  ,[ 

18  "In  detail  Thy  Yoga  (Wondrous  Power)  and  Thy  self-mani- 
festation, O  World-destroyer,  once  again  do  Thou  recount: 
for,  never  am  I  sated  whilst  I  am  listening  to  Thy  ambrosial 
(speech)."  (190) 


X.  VIBHUTIYOGA  259 

Oh  (Master  of  the  entire  class  of  beings),  do  tell  me  all  the  emanations 
which  I  ask  Thee  (about);  and  pray  do  not  hesitate  and  say  "Why 
tell  them  over  and  over  again",?  Let  not  such  doubts  touch  Thy 
mind,  Oh  Janardana.  None  can  be  glutted  even  with  the  usual  drink- 
beloved  of  God — that  nectar  which  is  a  twin  of  the  all-devouring- 
poison  (Kalakuta) — that  nectar  which  was  drunk  by  the  Gods  for 
fear  of  very  death;  and  yet  as  many  as  14  Indras  rise  and  fall  from 
that  seat  of  immortality  during  the  time  span  of  the  creator's  day. 
A  mere  extract  churned  out  of  the  sea  of  milk,  it  deluded  mortal  men 
into  the  belief  that  it  is  the  giver  of  immortality.  Even  such  a  sweet 
taste— a  trivial  drink  cannot  clog  any  one,  and  is  held  in  such  high 
esteem.  What  a  glorious  drink  then  is  Thy  sacred  Words?  It 
is  verily  super-nectarine.  It  is  of  eternity,  self-existent  and  self-same, 
and  not  made  by  churning  of  the  sea  of  milk  with  the  churning  rod 
'Mandaragrri'  mountain.  It  is  neither  thin  nor  thick;  it  is  without 
any  taste  or  smell  and  is  one  which  is  within  easy  reach  of  any  one  who 
yearns  for  it.  No  sooner  does  Thy  sweet  word  meet  the  ear,  than  the 
entire  worldly  life  vanishes  like  an  empty  dream  and  the  soul  ever 
grows  from  strength  to  strength  of  its  deathless  eternal  life;  of  the 
talk  of  birth  and  death,  no  trace  remains;  and  the  supreme  bliss  of 
self-realization  reigns,  in  and  out.  And  any  one  who  by  good  luck 
drinks  in  that  super-nectar  of  Thy  word,  he  is  thereby  raised  to  the 
Divine  Being  itself.  It  is  no  wonder  then  that  I  cannot  take  it  to  satiety 
when  Thou  art  the  giver  of  it.  By  the  love  of  Thy  dearest  name,  have 
I  lived  all  my  days.  So  at  last  did  I  find  Thee  and  live  in  Thy  very 
presence;  and  now  Thy  talk  is  a  flow  of  soul  out  of  the  ecstasy  of 
bliss.  I  know  not  words  befitting  this  great  joy  that  is  beyond  compare; 
I  am  thus  eagerly  yearning  to  hear  the  same  words  from  Thee  over 
again.  Is  the  Sun  that  rises  every  day  ever  stale,  or  otherwise  the 
worse  for  age?  Can  any  one  treat  the  all-purifying  fire  as  unholy 
or  befouled?  Or  can  any  one  dub  the  ever-flowing  holy  Ganges  as 
unwashed  and  musty?  The  supreme  nectar  (of  words)  which  has 
been  flowing  from  Thy  mouth,  is  the  very  Absolute  Brahman  Word, 
made  flesh  and  blood,  and  bodying  forth;  and  I  feel  as  if  I  am  enjoying 
the  fragrance  of  the  flower  of  the  sandal  tree!"  At  these  words  of 
Arjuna,  Lord  Krishna's  body  began  to  quiver  with  joy  of  divine  ecstasy. 
Said  he  to  himself  "This  Arjuna  has  become  a  true  nursery  for  the 
plant  of  God's  devotional  knowledge."  Thus  Lord  Krishna's  mind 
was  full  to  overflowing  with  the  joy  of  divine  vision  at  sight  of  the  great 
love  felt  by  Arjuna.  The  Lord  checked  that  feeling  and  spoke  thus: 


260  JNANESHWARI 

19  77ie  Exalted-one  Spake:  "Right  Ho!  I  will  recount— for, 
Divine  are  my  Self-manifestations — such  as  are  the  most 
important,  O  Noblest  of  Kurus.  Of  Me  there  can  be  no  end 
to  the  detail.  (206) 

Knowing  too  well  and  yet  unmindful  of  his  being  the  very  Father 
of  the  Creator  himself,  Lord  Krishna  said  to  Arjuna,  "Well  done 
(said),  "(srrMi^dV),  Ba,  Son  of  Pandu."  And  can  we  wonder  at 
Lord  Krishna  calling  Arjuna  as  'Ba'  (^T  — father)?  Did  he  not  play 
himself  that  part  of  the  son  of  Nanda?  These  words  came  from  his 
unbounded  love;  let  it  pass.  Then  he,  Lord  Krishna  went  on,  "Oh 
Dhanurdhara,  give  me  thy  ear  to  what  I  say.  The  emanations  of 
My  Divine  Being,  thou  art  intent  on  learning,  Oh  husband  of  Subhadra, 
countless  is  indeed  their  number;  of  My  own  essence,  they  yet  out- 
range My  mind's  reckoning.  One  might  as  well  count  the  hair  on 
one's  own  person.  Thus  My  own  emanations  are  to  myself  un- 
measured. In  sooth  the  nature  and  vastness  of  My  own  Divine  Being 
is  but  dimly  present  to  My  own  mind,  and  therefore,  thou  shalt  hear 
only  of  such  of  them  as  are  foremost  and  renowned.  These  being 
known,  Oh  Kiriti,  it  will  make  the  entire  mass  of  them  easy  of  access 
like  the  tree  that  is  summed  up  in  the  seed,  or  like  the  garden,  which 
being  owned,  serves  you  with  plenty  of  flowers  and  fruits.  So  by 
these  emanations,  shalt  thou  grasp  the  entire  universe;  else,  Oh  Dha- 
nanjaya,  there  can  be  no  bounds  to  the  compass  of  My  Being;  indeed 
the  limitless  vault  of  heaven  takes  cover  in  My  Divine  essence. 

20  "/  am  the  soul,  0  Gudakesa,  abiding  within  the  heart  of  all 
the  beings;  I  am,  of  the  (animate—)  beings,  the  origin,  the 
mid-stay,  as  also  the  end.  (215) 

Hear  thou,  who  wear  the  curly  black  hair  on  thy  head,  who  art  the  very 
Shiva  amongst  archers.  I  abide  as  the  eternal  'Atman'  in  each  and 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  261 

every  living  being.  Inside,  I  am  the  Supreme  Soul  in  the  heart  of 
hearts  of  these  beings;  outside  too  their  lives  are  wrapped  up  in  My 
being.  I  am  indeed  the  very  beginning,  the  absolute  end,  as  also  the 
life  that  lives  in  the  mid-stream  of  existence.  To  the  clouds,  up  and 
down,  inside  and  outside — the  sky  is  every-where.  Born  of  the  vault 
of  space,  they  float  and  move  in  it,  and  melting  they  return  into  it. 
Even  so,  I  am  the  creator,  the  support,  and  the  destroyer  of  all  the 
living  beings.  Thou  shalt  know  by  this  unitary  vision  of  emanations, 
the  boundless  infinitude  and  all-filling  quality  of  My  essence.  There- 
fore, hear  thou  ye,  being  all  ears  with  the  soul!  Now  let  me  speak 
of  the  principal  emanations  of  My  Divine  Being. 

fferarroi  HHfciifi-H  *jjdMwR*i  %?rt  u  ^  u 

21  Of  Adityas  I  am  Vishnu,  of  luminaries  the  Sun  (named) 
Amsumat;  I  am  Marici  of  the  Maruts,  and  the  Moon  amongst 
the  stellar  bodies. 

22  "/  am,  of  the  Vedas,  the  Samaveda,  of  the  Gods  I  am  Indra; 
of  the  sense-centres  I  am  the  Mind,  and  of  the  living  beings 
their  Sentiency.  (221) 

So  saying,  the  kind  (God)  said,  "I  am  Vishnu  amongst  the  Adityas; 
(Twelve  sons  of  Aditi,  the  wife  of  progenitor  Kashyapa) ;  of  the  lustrous 
things  I  am  the  Sun  beaming  with  rays;  and  of  the  host  of  gods  I  am 
the  Marichi-Patriarchal  (first-born)  beings.  I  am  Samaveda  amongst 
the  Vedas."  said  Govinda,  "Indra,  the  brother  of  Maruta  amongst 
Gods;  the  mind,  the  eleventh  organ  amongst  the  organs  of  sense, 
and  life-breath  of  all  living  beings. 

23  "Of  the  Rudras  I  am  Sarhkara,  and  (Kubera),  the  Lord  of 
Wealth  of  the  Yaksas  and  Raksases;  and  of  the  Vasus  I  am 
Pavaka,  and  I  the  Mem  of  the  crested  crags.  (225) 


262  JNANESHWARI 

"Amongst  the  fourteen  Rudras,  I  am  Shankara,  the  enemy  of  cupid, 
do  not  doubt  it.  I  am  Kubera,  the  wealthy  friend  of  Shambhu  (God 
Shiva)  amongst  Yaksha-Rakshas  order  of  spirits,"  said  Ananta. 
"I  am  Pavaka  (fire)  amongst  the  eight  Vasus,  and  I  am  also  the  Meru 
amongst  the  (seven)  mountain-peaks)." 

3«(l«tiHWg  *****''  tKUWfe-H  WFIT:  II  ^*  II 

wirf  *my*ftsf4+r  FTrarrPit  f^iw:  u  ^K  11 

24  "As  the  Chief  of  the  officiating  priests,  as  Brihaspati,  know 
me,  0  Son  of  Prtha;  of  the  army-leaders  I  am  Skanda,  of 
water-reservoirs  I  am  the  Ocean. 

25  "Of  Great  Sages  I  am  Bhrgu,  of  utterances  I  am  the  Unitary 
Syllable  ("Om"J ;  of  sacrifices  I  am  the  Sacrifice  of  Montr  a- 
repetitions,  of  stationary  masses  the  Himalaya.  (228) 

Of  the  high  priests  ministering  at  the  altar  I  am  the  Brhaspati,  the 
ally  of  all  the  Lord  of  the  Heavens  and  the  home  of  all-seeing  light. 
I  am  Skanda  (Kartikeya)  the  great  master  Mind  amongst  the  army 
chiefs  in  the  three  worlds,  who  took  his  birth  with  fire  in  "Krttika" 
from  the  seed  of  Hara  (Lord  Shiva).  I  am  the  Sea,  the  great  ocean 
of  water  amongst  all  lakes.  I  am  also  the  Sage  Bhrgu — the  very  treasure 
of  austerities  amongst  the  great  Sages.  Of  the  entire  mass  of  Word 
Creations,  I  am  the  one  Syllable  OM  from  which  springs  forth  the 
dancing  sport  of  truth,  said  the  Lord  of  Vaikuntha.  "I  am  the  Japa- 
Yajna,  Sacrifice  by  meditation  in  this  world,  the  supreme  sacrifice 
of  all;  raised  through  the  renunciation  of  all  actions,  from  the  medita- 
tion on  OM  the  great  Namajapayajna,  the  Prime  Sacrifice,  that  with- 
out unsettling  the  daily  round  of  ceremonials,  sanctifies  both  piety 
and  impiety  and  is,  in  the  Veda,  known  to  be  the  Supreme  Brahman. 
Among  the  immovables  of  the  earth  I  am  the  Himalaya,  the  holiest 
treasure  of  sanctity"  said  the  husband  of  Goddess  Lakshmi. 

vt-c^Uj  fa^T:  fa^Hi  *fa<?n  ifr:  II  ^\  || 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  263 

t}<|4M  *fr>nHU|l   TTmt  ^  H<t^lM*|  II  ^\9  II 

26  "Of  all  the  trees  the  Asvattha  (Ficus  Religiosa),  of  the 
Heavenly  Sages  Narada;  of  the  (Heavenly)  Musicians 
(Gandharvas)  Citraratha,  of  Perfectioned-beings  (Siddhas) 
Sage  Kapila. 

27  "Of  horses  know  me  as  the  Highly-extolled  (Uccaihsravas), 
in  origin  the  peer  of  Ambrosia;  as  Airavata,  of  the  Lordly 
elephants  and  of  men  as  Ruler  of  mankind.  (235) 

Parijata  takes  the  foremost  rank  amongst  the  heavenly  trees 
that  grow  in  paradise  while  sandal  is  celebrated  for  its  quality  (fra- 
grance). Yet,  I  am  the  Ashwattha  of  all  trees.  Know  me,  Oh  Pandava, 
as  Narada  amongst  the  Heavenly  sages,  as  Chitraratha  amongst 
the  Gandharvas  (Heavenly  musicians),  as  Kapilacharya,  the  celebrated 
amongst  the  perfected  beings  (Siddha — semi-divine  beings  supposed 
to  be  possessed  of  great  purity  and  holiness  and  said  to  be  particularly 
characterised  by  eight  supernatural  faculties  called  Siddhis).  I  am 
Uccaishravas  amongst  horses,  Oh  Arjuna.  I  am  Airavata  amongst 
the  elephants — the  glory  of  kings.  I  am  ambrosia  secured  from  the 
churning  of  the  sea.  I  am  amongst  all  men,  the  King,  a  manifestation 
of  spiritual  power,  who  is  served  by  all  his  subjects. 

M*HfcUfc*4  *^:  *W?«ir*llfM  *U<jf*:  II  ^«;  II 
3H«-d*mfffT  TFTRf  ^WTt  <«ww^  I 

28  "Of  missiles  I  am  the  Vajra  (thunderbolt) ,  of  milch-cows  I 
am  the  Wish-milching  (cow).  I  am  Love  the  procreator. 
Of  serpents  I  am  Vasuki. 

29  "Ananta  I  am  of  the  Nagas  (dragons),  and  I  am  Varuna  of 
the  aquatics;  of  the  Manes  I  am  Aryaman,  I  am  Abstention 
(Yama)  amongst  the  (mind)  curbing  (Yogic-aids).    (240) 


264  JNANESHWARI 

Amongst  the  weapons,  I  am,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  the  thunderbolt, 
that  is  flourished  in  the  hands  of  Indra,  the  performer  of  a  hundred 
sacrifices;  Kamadhenu  amongst  cows.  I  am  the  God  of  Love  amongst 
those  that  procreate.  I  am  Vasuki  the  chief  of  the  serpent  race;  I  am 
Ananta  (Shesha)  amongst  the  Nagas  (dragons-serpents-semi-gods 
having  bodies  of  serpents  and  faces  of  men).  I  am  Varuna  the  master 
beloved  of  the  Maiden — "West-sky" — amongst  the  maids,"  said 
Ananta.  "I  am  Aryama,  the  Chief  Pitara  amongst  Manes  (Pitaras 
— ancestors  or  departed  progenitors  of  human  families).  And  I  am 
that  Yama  (the  chief  of  the  arbiters  of  men  who  set  down  all  good 
and  evil  actions  of  souls,  keep  vigil  over  the  searching  of  the  hearts 
of  all  beings  and  requite  them  for  their  actions  by  strict  rules).  I  am 
then  the  (Yama)  Dharma,  the  great  judge  of  all  actions,"  said  Rama, 
the  husband  of  Rama  (TTFRfr ). 

M^UXlfcH  ^cMMi  T1H:  *<?WcU*mj  ' 
^ll«ll  ^  JjJinfkef  ^HcUlST  mRhiHHJ  II  ^o  II 

30  "And  Prahlada  I  am  of  the  Diti-born  (Demons),  I  am  Time 
of  the  calculation-makers;  of  wild  beasts  I  am  Lion  (the  Lord 
of  beasts),  and  the  Vinata-bom  (Eagle)  of  the  winged  ones. 

(247) 

Know  that  of  the  Daitya  race  (Demons  race)  I  am  Prahlada  who 
thus  was  unsullied  by  the  stuff  the  demons  are  made  of.  1  am  the 
Great  Kala  (Time)",  said  Gopala  "amongst  those  that  wrap  and 
wear  all  things  away,(+(ekH4Wl»ty.I  am  the  Tiger  0*nfsr).  (Note- 
It  is  lion — Mrigendra  in  the  original  Gita)  amongst  the  wild  beasts. 
Amongst  the  winged  creatures  I  am  Garuda,  who  thus  has  the  power 
to  carry  me  on  his  back. 

T^R:  M«MHlflH  TFT:  ^l^^jdW^  I 

swmi  *4*<*U*5  ^tcWWtW  mII^cO  II  3 ?  II 

31  "Wind  am  I  of  those  that  speed,  I  am  Rama  (of  the  Axe) 
amongst  the  weapon-wielders ;  of  fishes  I  am  the  Crocodile 
(Makara),  of  streams  I  am  the  Jahnu-born  (Ganges).    (250) 

I  am,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  the  wind  amongst  the  swift-footed  beings, 
that  encircles  the  earth  and  encompasses  the  seven  seas  with  one 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  265 

bound  in  a  flash.  Amongst  warriors  (wielders  of  weapons)  I  am 
Rama  (that  Rama)  who  in  "Treta-yuga",  finding  religion's  holy 
cause  in  peril  came  to  its  rescue  by  using  his  very  person  as  bow,  left 
no  choice  to  the  Goddess  of  victory  but  to  crown  him, — who  standing 
on  the  top  of  the  mountain  named  "SuvehV  cut  off  the  heads  of  the 
mighty  Lord  of  Lanka  and  offered  them  as  sacrificial  oblations,  into 
the  hands  of  creatures  that  shouted  his  glorious  victory;  Rama  indeed 
reinstated  Gods  to  the  rightful  place  of  dignity  and  honour,  gave  new 
life  to  religion's  sacred  trust  and  became  the  very  luminary  truly  born 
of  the  solar  race  (^4^ft). 

The  Supreme  one  amongst  the  wielders  of  weapons,  indeed 
Ramachandra,  the  husband  of  Sita,  is  myself.  And  crocodile  I  am 
amongst  the  tailed  sea-animals.  I  am,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  the  greatest 
of  all  the  streams  in  the  three  worlds,  the  Ganges,  which  while  being 
brought  to  the  earth  by  King  Bhaglratha,  was  swallowed  by  King 
Jahnu  (3F|)  but  which  God  released  from  his  body  by  ripping  open 
his  thigh.  Such  are  my  different  manifestations  in  the  universe  and 
not  even  half  of  these  could  be  fully  described  during  a  thousand 
births. 

awKimw»i<M*q  -&%:  mmfmw  *  1 

32  "Of  (inanimate)  Creations,  the  Beginning,  the  End,  as  also 
the  Mid-stay  I  am,  O  Arjuna;  of  lores  I  am  the  Atmic-Lore, 
of  controversialists  I  am  the  (truth- seeking)  Dialectic. 

33  "Of  letters  I  am  'A'  and  of  the  group  of  compounds  I  am  the 
Copulative  Compound.  I  alone  am  the  Exhaustless  Time, 
and  I  the  Omni-facing  (Creator).  (259) 

Just  as  a  soul  yearning  to  pluck  at  aH  the  stars  in  the  heaven  must 
tie  up  the  whole  sky  in  his  bag;  or  one  must  clasp  in  his  armpit  the 
entire  global  earth  before  the  atoms  of  the  earth  are  numbered,  even 
so,  he  that  longs  to  behold  the  full  expanse  of  My  divine  manifesta- 
tions, shall  know  the  all  and  the  one  of  My  real  being.  The  entire 
tree  must  be  uprooted  to  make  it  yield  the  branches,  the  flowers,  and 


266  JNANESHWARI 

the  fruits  all  at  once:  So  My  real  being,  pure  and  entire,  shall  have 
to  be  known  to  be  able  to  visualise  all  My  manifestations.  Or  else 
how  endlessly  long  should  you  hear  of  them  separately.  Therefore, 
know  ye,  once  for  all,  that  I  am  all  in  all  like  the  threads  that  make 
the  web  by  warp  and  woof.  I  am,  O,  Kirlti,  the  beginning,  the  middle 
and  the  end,  of  the  entire  universe.  Once  awakened  to  My  all  per- 
vasive divine  being,  how  trivial  indeed  would  be  the  recounting  of 
manifold  manifestations?  But  that  is  yet  beyond  thy  tether,  so  let 
it  pass.  Since  you  ask  Me  about  the  manifestations,  do  hear  now,  Oh 
husband  of  Subhadra,  that  I  am  the  Atman  knowledge  (3iwjk*i  f^rr) 
amongst  all  lores.  And  argumentation  am  I  in  those  that  love  to 
talk;  for  with  them  it  never  comes  to  an  end  even  with  the  consensus 
of  all  the  sciences.  Rather  it  widens  its  horizon  with  every  attempt 
to  close  it,  increases  the  argument,  giving  greater  scope  to  eloquent 
oration,  which  the  orators  so  much  love.  The  controversy  in  the 
arguments  is  myself,"  said  Govinda,  "I  am  the  letter  'A'  amongst 
the  letters  of  the  Alphabet;  amongst  compounds  I  am  definitely 
Dwandwa  (ts  — formed  of  two  syllables — suggesting  dual  existence 
in  the  world);  I  am  Time  (Kala)  who  devours  all — from  the  very 
fly  to  the  Creator  God  Brahmadev.  I  am  also  the  inexhaustible  Time, 
who  dissolves  the  entire  universe  including  the  mountains  Meru  and 
Mandara,  who  swallows  the  boundless  floods  that  deluge  the  universe 
at  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  the  world,  who  clasps  the  very  fire 
of  universal  conflagration  and  devours  the  wind,  and  who  also  holds 
the  sky  in  his  womb  at  the  end  of  the  world,"  said  the  husband  of 
Goddess  Lakshmi  and  added,  "I  am  also  the  creator  who  revives 
again  the  entire  universe." 

34  "Death  the  All-ravisher  I  am,  and  also  the  Originating-cause 
of  those  that  are  to  be.  Of  the  women  I  am  (their)  Good 
Report,  Grace,  Eloquence,  Presence-of-mind,  Retentive-power, 
Endurance,  and  Forgiveness.  (274) 

I  create  all  beings,  I  am  their  support  too,  and  when  they  meet  with 
their  appointed  end,  I  am  their  all-devouring  death.  Amongst  things 
viewed  as  of  female  sex,  I  have  seven  principal  manifestations;  and 
with  delight  I  shall  speak  of  them  which  listen.  Fame  and  renown 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  267 

that  flourishes  ever  green,  is  the  very  image  of  My  divine  being,  Oh 
Arjuna,  while  wealth  and  property  when  allied  to  generosity,  is  also 
Myself  too.  I  am  that  power  of  eloquent  speech,  which  being  en- 
throned on  the  seat  of  reason,  treads  along  the  path  of  wisdom  and 


And  know  this  well,  that  I  am  the  power  by  which  men  at  sight 
of  the  world  bethink  themselves  of  Me,  the  author  of  their  being. 
I  am  also  the  power  of  judging,  that  is  alert  in  guarding  self-interest. 
I  am  also  the  fortitude  in  the  universe  (that  makes  men  endure),  as 
also  the  forgiveness. 

In  this  way,  there  are  seven  manifestations  of  mine  in  the  female 
kind,"  said  the  Lord — the  Lion — the  destroyer  of  the  elephant  that 
is  the  form  of  mundane  existence. 

35  "So  too,  of  the  Psalms,  I  am  the  Brhatsaman,  of  metres  I  am 
the  Gayatri;  of  months  I  am  the  Margasirsa,  of  seasons  the 
Flower-abounding  (Spring).  (281) 

I  am,  O  my  dear  friend,  Brihatsaman,  of  the  psalms  (Vedas).  I  am 
also  the  Gayatri  amongst  the  metres  (  ¥  )  without  doubt.  I  am  (the 
month  of)  Margashlrsha  amongst  the  months  and  the  Vasanta  (Spring) 
the  flourisher  of  flowers — amongst  the  seasons  of  the  year. 

'BET  wiMawfw  d*i*d<aifwit«i^  I 

upftsfer  **Hfl l4UU+l  Wri  ttr44dH1£l|  II  3^  II 

«|wfMl  «U«^cflsft*j  mu^MI  SR3TO":  I 
4£fflfi|44U|^  «TRT:  %4)HHJ*MI  Wfal  II  ^VS  II 

36  "Of  deceivers  I  am  the  Gamble  of  the  Throw.  The  Glory 
of  the  glorious  I  am.  I  am,  of  the  Sattva-possessing  stalwarts, 
their  Success,  their  Perseverance,  as  also  their  Sattvic  nature. 

37  "Of  the  Vrsnis  I  am  Vasudeva,  of  the  Pandavas,  Dhananjaya 
(Arjuna) ;  of  the  Sages  likewise  I  am  Vyasa,  of  Seers  the 
Seer  Usanas.  (284) 


268  JNANESHWARI 

I  am  the  Gamble  of  the  throw,  amongst  the  deceitful  arts  that  beguile 
men.  Thus  it  is  that  a  victim  of  a  highway  robbery  by  gambling  can- 
not be  saved.  I  am  in  sooth  the  Splendour  (  ^r )  of  the  luminaries. 
I  am  also  the  Success  in  all  undertakings.  The  endeavour  in  all  acts 
that  moves  in  the  path  of  rightousness  is  indeed  my  manifestation", 
said  the  Supreme  Lord  of  all  Gods.  t4I  am  the  righteousness  in  the 
righteous,  also  the  most  prosperous  among  the  Yadavas;  coming 
into  the  world  for  Vasudeva  and  Devaki,  and  then  being  removed 
to  Gokula  to  take  the  place  of  the  daughter  of  Yashoda,  I  sucked  in 
(milk  of)  Putana  to  her  death:  and  even  while  childhood's  bud  was 
half-blown,  cleared  the  whole  earth  of  Daityas  (demons)  and  measured 
power  with  the  great  might  of  Indra  by  lifting  on  the  palm  of  my  hand 
the  mountain  Govardhana.  I  pulled  out  cobra  Kalia  that  wa$  the 
thorn  in  the  bosom  of  the  river  Yamuna,  and  preserved  the  entire 
Gokula  unscathed  in  burning  flames;  and  out-juggling  the  plunder 
of  calves  and  kine  by  replacing  them,  outwitted  the  very  creator  and 
sent  him  off.  And  who,  at  the  very  dawn  of  his  childhood,  crushed 
out  for  mere  sport,  formidable  foes  and  invulnerable  enemies  like 
Kamsa?  Why  wax  tedious  over  all  this?  You  have  seen  and  heard 
all  about  this.  That  Krishna  in  all  the  Yadavas  is  My  divine  mani- 
festation. I  am  the  Arjuna  amongst  you  Pandavas,  born  of  the  lunar 
race  (^2Wt")  and  therefore  it  is  that  our  love  knows  naught  of  a  break 
or  a  breach.  Feigning  to  be  ascetic,  you  did  indeed  steal  away  my 
sister;  yet  doubts  as  to  thy  virtue  never  touched  my  mind,  we  both 
being  one  and  the  same  soul  in  two  bodies.  I  am  Vyasa  amongst 
Great  Sages,"  said  the  King  of  Yadavas  "and  Sage  Ushanacharya 
the  most  courageous  amongst  the  wisest  of  men." 

*fH  4«U&M  JJ^IMi  5TTT  *IM4clH4^  II   ^«?  II 

38  "I  am  the  Sceptre  of  the  chastisers,  of  the  triumph-seekers 
the  State-craft;  and  I  am  the  Silence  of  the  secrets  and  Know- 
ledge of  those  that  know.  (296) 

Amongst  rulers  that  hold  royal  sway  by  sceptre  of  chastisement, 
I  am  that  very  inexorable  retribution  that  requites  all  created  beings 
from  the  ant  to  the  creator  God  in  the  appointed  time.  I  am  that 
State-craft  amongst  arts  that  decide  good  and  evil  in  conduct  by 
the  righteous  standard  of  sacred  religion.  I  am  Silence,  Oh  my  friend, 
the  greatest  of  all  mysteries  and  so,  before  those  that  think  in  silence, 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  269 

even  God  Brahmadev  pales  into  an  illiterate  being.  I  am  also  the 
Knowledge  which  abides  in  the  all-knowing.  Let  this  alone.  There 
is  then  no  end  to  these  manifestations. 

39  "And  further,  whatsoever  is  the  seed  of  all  beings,  that  am 
I,  O  Arjuna.  There  does  not  exist  any  moving  or  unmoving 
being  that  can  subsist  without  Me. 

40  "There  is  no  end  to  my  Divine  Forms  of  Manifestations,  O 
Tormentor  of  foes.  Here  is  declared  the  extent  of  my  Self- 
manifestations  only  by  (diverse)  illustrative  examples.  (300) 

The  rain  showers  could  (perchance)  be  counted,  O  Dhanurdhara, 
and  even  the  sprouts  of  grass  on  the  earth  could  be  numbered.  But 
as  innumerable  as  the  waves  of  the  ocean,  are  My  separate  mani- 
festations in  the  world.  Yet  the  more  important — seventy-five  (HTcT 
Thr)  of  these  are  recounted  to  you,  O  Arjuna,  with  a  view  to  satisfying 
your  desire;  that  indeed  has  been  a  vain  attempt;  for,  the  extent  of 
My  remaining  manifestations  are  limitless;  how  many  should  I  speak 
of  and  of  how  many  should  you  hear?  Let  me,  therefore,  cut  the  whole 
story  short  by  telling  you  the  deepest  secret,  that  I  am  that  primary 
seed  from  which  sprout  forth  all  the  generations  of  created  beings. 
Therefore,  do  not  treat  anything  as  small  or  great,  cast  aside  all  grades 
as.  high  and  low,  but  take  the  entire  universe  of  things  as  My  Presence. 
Over  and  above  this,  there  is,  O  Arjuna,  this  general  mark  by  which, 
you  should  know  generally  My  manifestations. 

dTi^ll^HI^  c#  T*T  d^ifem  **«<«$  II  "* $   II 

41  "Whatsoever  entity  of  outstanding  essence,  grandeur-ful  or 
possessed  of  high  spirit  there  be;  each  such  know  thou  to  be 
bom  from  a  phase  of  my  Radiant  Potence.  (307) 


270  JNANESHWARI 


In  whatever  person  or  thing  dwell  both  prosperity  and  glory,  going 
hand  in  hand  with  large-heartedne*ss,  know  ye  that,  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
to  be  My  manifestation. 

fat>dU| l^fM«4  fTHT^FRtT  f^Rft  *R?T  II  Y^   || 

42  "Or  rather,  what  profit  unto  thee,  O  Arjuna,  by  knowing  more 
of  this?  By  just  a  part  of  Me  do  I  permeate  and  sustain  all 
this  universe,  and  abide  (over  and  beyond)."  (308) 

But  one  Sun's  disc  swings  in  the  sky;  yet  its  light  fills  the  entire  universe; 
in  that  way,  he  is  neither  lonely  nor  destitute  whose  commands  sway 
and  move  all  the  world.  Does  Kamadhenu  (wish-fulfilling  cow) 
carry  with  her  carloads  of  materials?  No,  with  her  horn  of  plenty 
she  serves  all  and  sundry  with  an  overflowing  store  of  whatever  things 
are  desired  from  her  at  all  times.  In  their  person  (My  manitestation) 
is  the  dwelling  place  of  the  entire  glory  of  the  universe.  The  one  single 
mark  and  visible  sign  is  that  the  entire  world  prostrates  itself  before 
such  a  person,  and  his  word  is  law;  and  such  ones  should  be  known 
as  My  incarnations.  Since  My  universal  presence  is  there  in  the  uni- 
verse, it  is  a  sin  to  discriminate  one  (manifestation)  as  common  (low) 
and  another  as  special  (high).  Why  then  befoul  your  mind  with  such 
profane  distinctions  of  high  and  low?  Why  should  one  churn  the 
clarified  butter;  and  why  should  you  boil  nectar  and  lose  half  of  it? 
Is  there  in  the  wind  a  right  and  a  left?  Were  one  (to  try)  to  sunder 
the  front  and  back  of  the  sun,  it  would  only  make  you  blind;  even 
so,  there  are  absolutely  no  grades  as  high  and  low  in  My  divine  being. 
How  many  of  these  infinite  presences  can  you  count  and  number 
separately?  Therefore,  Oh  husband  of  Subhadra,  enough  of  this  vain 
venture.  The  whole  universe  has  been  filled  but  by  an  insignificant 
fraction  of  My  divine  essence;  and  therefore  worship  Me  without 
distinction  as  one  in  all  and  all  in  one. 

Conclusion 

Thus  said  Lord  Shri  Krishna  of  divine  majesty,  who  is  the  very  spring 
of  the  pleasant  garden  of  knowledge,  the  great  mysterious  Presence 
who  reveals  himself  in  solitude  to  the  ascetics.  On  this  Arjuna  said, 
"Oh  master,  how  wildly  you  tell  me  that  we  should  drop  all  distinctions. 


x.  vibhOtiyoga  271 

As  well  might  the  sun  at  day-break  ask  the  world  to  drive  all  darkness. 
Rash  indeed  would  it  be  on  my  part  to  speak  thus  to  you  and  call 
you  wild  and  thoughtless.  Let  Thy  holy  name  but  once  touch  the 
ear  or  lips  of  Thy  devotee  and  all  egoistic  sense  of  distinction  drops 
off  from  his  heart.  By  free  gift  of  my  luck,  Thou — the  Absolute  Brah- 
man incarnate — hast  come  to  my  hand.  How  then  should  any  dis- 
tinction remain  now  to  blur  my  vision?  Should  any  one  dwelling 
inside  of  the  Moon  still  be  affected  by  heat?  It  is  but  wild  talk  coming 
from  you  Oh  High  One".  At  these  words,  Lord  Krishna  was  over- 
joyed, and  clasped  Arjuna  in  a  hearty  embrace.  The  Lord  then  said, 
"Be  not  angry  at  my  words.  The  story  of  my  manifold  presences 
have  I  recounted  in  the  guise  of  the  distinctions  of  My  divine  mani- 
festation; with  words  of  distinction  have  I  tested  and  seen  that  the 
undivided  unity  of  My  divine  being  has  gone  deep  into  your  heart 
in  truth."  Thereupon  Arjuna  said,  "Oh  God,  it  is  for  Thee  to  see; 
on  my  side,  I  feel  now  the  whole  universe  is  filled  by  Thy  Divine  pre- 
sence". King  Dhritarashtra  remained  unmoved  by  the  account  when 
Sanjaya  told  him,  that  Arjuna  was  rising  to  that  vision  of  God's  uni- 
versal Presence.  Sanjaya,  sore  of  heart  about  this  sight,  exclaimed 
to  himself;  "How  amazing  indeed  for  any  one  to  cast  aside  such  a 
(fruition)  good  luck?"  He  further  bethought  himself  that  the  King 
(Dhritarashtra)  was  probably  a  seeing  soul.  Now  it  turns  out  that 
he  was  blind  no  less  inwardly  than  outwardly.  Leave  him  aside  and 
turn  to  Arjuna,  who  is  now  yearning  to  enrich  the  full  measure  of 
his  good  fortune;  for  there  sprang  in  his  heart  an  ardent  passion  and 
he  said,  "Oh  God,  in  my  mind  there  has  stirred  up  an  intense  longing 
for  the  vision,-directly  with  my  (physical)  eyes,  in  this  very  visible 
world, — of  the  (internal)  realization  in  my  heart  that  all  is  God." — 
being  Fortune's  favourite,  he  (Arjuna)  asked  thus  fired  with  the 
ambition  that  his  eyes  should  now  dwell  on  a  direct  cosmic  vision 
of  the  Omnipresent  God.  Oh  hearers,  he  was,  as  it  were,  a  branch 
of  the  Kalpataru  (wish-fulfilling  tree):  his  desires  could  not  fail  to 
bear  fruit.  Whatever  words,  therefore,  he  utters  come  true  as  Lord 
Krishna  is  ready  to  fulfil  them.  For,  Lord  Krishna  is  his  Great  Master, 
who  at  the  bidding  of  Prahlada  became  himself  the  poison.  Jnandev 
of  Nivritti  will  next  narrate  in  what  words  Partha  made  a  request 
for  the  total  vision  of  the  Omnipresent  God. 


P*«5Ja*n«ri  •TTR"  «Nb**uti:  H   ?o  II 


CHAPTER  XI 

VISVARUPADARSANA 

Introduction 

Now,  woven  in  the  story  of  the  eleventh  chapter  are  two  sentiments 
which  describe  the  vision  of  the  Omnipresent  Deity  revealed  to  Partha. 
While  the  sentiment  of  serenity  hails  the  miraculous  as  guest,  the 
other  sentiments  too  share  the  honour  of  wheeling  into  the  illustrious 
line.  As  at  a  nuptial  festivity,  the  medley  of  revellers  too  are  recipients 
of  gifts  or  the  finery  which  they  show  off,  so  does  the  entire  galaxy 
of  the  nine  elevated  sentiments  of  art  (Rasas)  adorn  the  splendid 
throne  of  my  mother-tongue.  From  the  brilliant  cluster,  however, 
the  serene  and  the  miraculous  stand  out  in  full  relief  as  if  for  the  very 
eyes  to  drink  in,  like  the  gods  Vishnu  and  Shankara,  affectionately 
holding  each  other  in  fond  embrace.  Or  again  in  the  narrative  of 
the  eleventh,  the  serene  and  the  miraculous  blend  like  the  spheres  of  the 
Sun  and  the  Moon,  meeting  on  the  New  Moon  day.  Like  the  sacred 
streams  of  Ganges  and  Jamna  joining  to  make  the  holy  place  Prayag 
(Modern  Allahabad)  the  two  elevated  sentiments  of  the  serene  and  the 
illustrious  have  here  blended  to  make  another  Prayag  for  the  whole 
world  to  take  a  holy  bath  in  and  to  purify  itself.  Here,  indeed,  is 
another  veritable  Triveni  (confluence  of  the  Ganges,  the  Jamna, 
and  the  Saraswati)  since  amidst  these  two  visible  streams  of  senti- 
ments of  the  serene  and  the  miraculous,  the  GIta  as  Saraswati,  is 
hidden.  The  name  of  Ganges,  especially  applies  to  it  at  Prayag,  where 
it  meets  the  Jamna  and  is  supposed  to  receive  underground,  the  Saras- 
wati. Verily  says  Jnandev  "My  merciful  preceptor  has  inspired 
me  to  make  immersion  into  holy  waters  safe  and  secure  for  all  by  the 
door  of  hearing.  By  the  grace  of  Shri  Nivrittinath,  through  the  high- 
levelled  banks  of  Sanskrit  text,  hard  of  access,  an  easy  pathway  of 
Marathi  words  is  cut  out,  that  leads  to  the  treasure  house  of  Divine 
Truth.  So  to  one  that  lives  up  to  the  best  of  his  faith,  is  held  out  the 
promise  that  a  dip  in  these  holy  waters  shall  secure  him  the  vision  of 
the  Omnipresent  Madhava  of  this  Prayaga,  by  which  he  shall  re- 
nounce (IdaJMaSI)  all  worldly  life.  Let  that  pass!  Here  in  this  chapter 
have  burst  in  full  bloom  the  most  elevated  of  such  visible  beauty  that 
a  whole  realm  of  resounding  joy  has  been  won  for  the  ear  of  Mankind 


xi.  visvarupadarsana  273 

for  here,  both  the  Shanta  and  the  Adbhuta  sentiments  (Serene  and 
miraculous)  move  in  their  palpable  beauty  and  heighten  the  other 
sentiments  too:  this  is  little  praise  indeed,  for  it  opens  the  prospect 
of  nothing  less  than  absolute  liberation.  This  is  that  eleventh  chapter 
whereto  the  Supreme  Person  (Lord  Krishna)  retires  as  his  abode 
of  rest;  and  Arjuna  too,  the  Prince  amongst  fortune's  favourites, 
is  here  (to  claim  his  share).  Why  mention  only  Arjuna  who  is  present 
at  this  supreme  hour?  For  one  and  all  here  is  a  prospect  of  abundance 
of  Supreme  bliss,  now  that  the  Gita  teachings  are  made  to  appear 
in  Marathi  garb.  Therefore,  Oh,  my  master,  this  is  my  earnest  prayer 
that  you  listen  with  open  ears.  Also  my  taking  liberties  ill  becomes 
the  honour  of  a  saintly  gathering  like  this;  yet  shall  I  beseach  you, 
sirs,  that  you  treat  me  as  your  child.  Why  indeed  one  does  receive 
with  an  admiring  nod  a  parrot  taught  by  oneself?  And  does  not  a 
mother's  heart  rejoice  in  the  sportive  pranks  of  her  child?  (In  that 
way)  Oh,  my  masters,  all  my  childish  chatter  is  of  your  making.  So 
will  you  be  pleased  to  listen  to  your  own  talk?  You  have  yourself 
planted  this  beautiful  plant  of  eloquence,  and  may  it  now  be  reared 
and  nurtured  with  the  ambrosial  waters  streaming  from  your  rapt 
attention.  And  then  it  will  blossom  into  beautiful  flowers  of  elevated 
poetic  sentiments  and  yield  a  rich  crop  of  spiritual  meanings:  So 
shall  the  world  be  blessed  with  abundance  of  happiness.  My  saintly 
masters,  rejoiced  at  these  words  and  said,  "Mightily  pleased  we  are 
with  thy  well-tuned  words;  now  tell  us  what  Arjuna  said  further." 
Then  the  disciple  of  Nivritti  said,  "Oh,  that  an  unlettered  man  like 
me  could  set  forth  the  deep  meaning  of  Lord  Krishna's  words  to 
Arjuna! !  You  give  me  the  power  to  clothe  that  meaning  in  words! 
Oh,  did  not  the  very  king  of  Lanka  suffer  annihilation  by  the  hands 
of  forest  monkeys  living  on  leaves?  And  was  not  Partha  single  hand- 
ed as  he  was,  armed  with  power  to  vanquish  an  army  of  eleven  Akshou- 
hinis  (iHl^^Fl-21780  chariots,  an  equal  number  of  elephants,  thrice 
that  number  of  horses,  five  times  that  number  of  infantry — 218700 
total  strength  of  the  army)?  Thus,  whatever  the  Almighty  Lord 
ordains,  nothing  in  the  world  can  prevent.  In  this  wise,  make  me, 
Oh  saints,  give  utterance  to  the  Lord's  teaching.  Now  listen  to  my 
words  as  these  set  forth  the  teachings  of  the  Gita  that  flowed  from 
the  mouth  of  Lord  of  Vaikuntha.  Oh,  what  a  mighty  wonder  (the 
book  of)  the  Gita  is?  The  speaker  here  is  Lord  Krishna  Himself, 
the  Supreme  Person  and  Deity,  whom  the  very  Vedas  quest  and  extol. 
How  indeed  may  the  glory  thereof  be  aptly  sung — the  glory  that  eludes 
and  baffles  the  mighty  mind  of  Lord  Shjva?  Meet  it  is  for  me  then  to 


274  JNANESHWARI 

prostrate  myself  in  utter  humility  of  soul  before  that  augustly  glorious 
presence.  So,  hear  then  how  Kiriti  yearning  to  gaze  on  the  visible 
presence  of  the  Omnipresent  Lord  comes  out  with  his  prayer:  By 
inward  realization  he  had  experienced  the  truth  that  the  entire  universe 
had  its  being  in  God;  and  may  not  that  realization  also  spread  out 
as  a  vision  for  the  bodily  eye  to  dwell  upon?  This  was  the  deepest 
yearning  of  his  life.  Yet  the  profoundest  mystery  of  the  Omnipresence 
of  Divinity  made  him  chary  in  asking  that  supreme  favour  of  God. 
For  he  said  to  himself:  "How  should  I  beg  straightaway  a  favour 
that  none  of  God's  favourites  ever  asked  before?  Love  forsooth 
binds  me  to  my  Lord,  but  not  so  deeply  as  his  mother;  and  even  she 
shrank  from  asking  for  this  vast  vision.  Faithfully  have  I  served 
my  God;  yet  in  my  service  at  best,  I  cannot  touch  Garuda  and  even 
Garuda  did  not  dare  utter  a  word  on  this  great  vision.  Am  I  nearer 
(to  God)  than  his  devotees  like  Sanaka  and  others?  Yet  never  once 
did  they  fondly  cherish  such  a  fantasy.  How  may  I  be  more  beloved 
of  the  Lord  than  the  amorous  souls  of  Gokul?  Yet,  they  too,  were 
gulled  with  the  puerile  frolicks  of  the  Lord  as  child;  for  another  devotee, 
the  Lord  suffered  the  agonies  of  life's  journey  through  mother's 
womb  and  yet  held  back  the  vision  of  Omnipresence  as  the  deepest 
secret  from  one  and  all.  How  then  shall  I  dare  to  ask  unwaveringly 
for  this  innermost  secret  of  his  Divine  life?  And  yet,  if  I  flinch 
from  this  venture,  happiness  for  me  there  shall  be  none — nay  life 
may  become  an  uncertainty.  So  shall  I  moot  the  question  with  caution 
and  leave  the  rest  to  the  Lord's  will:  Not  a  little  agitated  in  mind, 
Arjuna,  therefore,  spoke  out  his  desire,  with  that  knack  of  artful 
words  which  moved  Lord  Krishna  to  unveil  with  a  rush  the  entire 
Omnipresent  vision  in  a  few  glimpses  of  his  words.  The  mere  sight 
of  the  calf  stirs  up  the  mother  cow  into  an  outburst  of  love.  Would 
she  then  hold  in  the  flow  of  milk  from  the  udder  as  the  calf  sucks  it? 
Did  not  Lord  Krishna  dash  up  into  the  woods  to  succour  the  Pan- 
dawas?  How  should  He  then  stand  the  strain  of  Arjuna's  earnest 
prayer?  Lord  Krishna  is,  in  sooth,  the  very  incarnation  of  love: 
that  Arjuna's  love  is  like  wild  leaven  that  leavens  Lord's  love.  In 
such  union  of  souls  it  is  indeed  a  miracle  that  they  appear  separate. 
Therefore,  on  the  word  coming  from  Arjuna,  Lord  Krishna  shall 
straightway  reveal  Himself  as  omnipresent  deity.  Pray  listen,  how 
the  great  Divine  event  began. 


xi.  visVarOpadarsana  275 

*H^4lflH4  ^nt  ^fJTC^TRTOflfcnf  I 

srj  d4)Th  ^r^t  *ft*Hyj  f^nft  TO  II  ?  II 

Arjuna  Spake: 

1  "To  confer  favour  upon  me,  the  supremely  secret  word  desig- 
nated as  the  Adhyatma  (concerning  the  Atman)  which  Thou 
hast  uttered:  thereby  is  my  delusion  all  dissipated.  (44) 

Then  Arjuna  said  to  the  Lord,  "O  my  Lord  the  treasure  house  of 
Mercy,  thou  for  my  sake,  hast  given  utterance  to  the  deepest  truths 
that  are  beyond  words.  That  is  the  last  abode  of  rest  whereto  all 
Gods  retire  when  the  five  gross  elements  dissolve  in  Brahman  and  even 
the  last  traces  of  the  play  of  soul  and  Prakrit!  are  wiped  out.  That 
truth  treasured  in  thy  heart  like  the  miser's  hoard,  and  held  back 
as  the  deepest  secret  even  from  the  Vedas  is  the  truth  for  which  God 
Shiva,  spurning  at  all  divine  grandeur,  became  the  hermit.  That  great 
mystery  of  thy  divine  Being,  thou  hast  laid  bare  at  one  stretch  before 
me.  Yet  being  united  to  thy  divine  Being,  how  can  I  bethink  myself 
and  speak  thus?  Thou  hast  indeed  rescued  me  as  I  was  plunged  head 
foremost  in  the  great  ocean  of  ignorance  and  error.  Except  thy  divine 
Being  in  this  universe  there  is  nought  else  that  can  be  so  much  as 
named?  Yet  how  relentless  is  cruel  fate  that  makes  us  the  victims 
of  this  illusion  of  bodily  self.  There  swelled  in  me  the  self-conceit 
that  in  this  world,  I  am  somebody  famed  as  Arjuna,  and  I  held  the 
Kauravas  as  my  own  kinsmen.  On  the  top  of  that,  I  was  the  victim 
of  the  most  grievous  dream,  that  by  slaying  them,  I  was  plunging 
myself  into  sin.  Just  then,  thou  hast  indeed  waked  me  up.  Leaving, 
Oh  God  my  real  abode,  I  entered  the  imaginary  city  in  clouds  { *M"- 
*W# ),  and  was  swallowing  a  drought  of  mirage.  Albeit  made  of 
rags,  the  serpent  made  me  wrench  as  of  a  real  serpent  bite,  and  it  is 
to  thine  eternal  glory  that  thou  saved  my  soul  that  was  all  but  ruined 
for  nothing.  Like  a  lion  who  being  duped  by  his  own  image  in  water 
jumps  into  the  well  I  was  drawn  on  the  verge  of  self-destruction; 
Thou,  Oh  Anant,  hast  saved  me.  Otherwise  I  would  have  rather 
preferred  the  waters  of  the  seven  oceans  to  meet  and  deluge  the  world, 
or  the  heavens  fall  in  a  crack  of  doom  than  have  any  warfare  with 
my  kith  and  kin;  so  unflinchingly  I  had  set  my  face  against  such  war- 


276  JNANESHWARI 

fare.  Self-conceit  had  plunged  me  headlong  into  the  abysmal  depth 
of  obstinacy:  and  Thou  standing  close  by  hast  rescued  me;  who  else 
could  have  saved  me  from  destruction?  A  mere  nothing  as  it  is,  my 
own  self  I  counted  as  real  and  dubbed  the  wrong  men  my  kinsmen. 
Indeed  sheer  madness  had  possessed  me  and  you  saved  me.  Once 
didst  thou  take  us  safe  from  lac-made  burning  house,  which  was  a 
danger  only  to  the  body.  But  here  was  a  disaster  of  the  soul-destroying 
fire  of  delusion.  As  Hiranyaksha  f!r?TOT$r — brother  of  Hiranyaka- 
shyapu  l^wj+W^  seized  upon  the  earth  and  putting  it  under  his  arms 
hid  himself  in  ocean,  so  did  perverse  error  snatch  my  wits  away  and 
smother  them  in  the  subterranean  abyss  of  ignorance.  By  thy 
Supreme  power,  Oh  my  master,  my  wits  have  been  restored  to  my 
soul.  You  have  thus  had  to  pass  through  another  incarnation  of 
Varaha  (Boar).  Boundless  has  been  Thy  mercy  to  me  and  its  handi- 
work is  beyond  the  power  of  my  words.  Thou  hast  indeed  offered 
Thy  very  life-breath  for  my  sake!  And  never  a  whit  of  thy  work  is 
lost;  for,  to  thy  eternal  glory  it  has  borne  rich  fruit  by  uprooting  the 
illusion  from  my  soul.  In  the  lake  of  eternal  bliss  are  blooming  these 
lotuses  of  thine  eyes.  Let  them  but  beam  with  glances  of  grace  to 
dwell  on  that  blessed  soul  and  what  a  futile  mockery  would  it  be  to 
talk  of  the  soul  as  wrapped  up  in  ignorance!  How  indeed  can  a 
shower  of  mirage  touch  the  submarine  fire?  As  for  me,  Oh  Thou 
merciful  God,  I  have  entered  the  innermost  sanctuary  of  thy  heavenly 
grace,  to  experience  complete  union  with  Thy  Divine  self;  what  wonder 
then  that  my  ignorance  is  dispelled,  and  I  am  finally  delivered  from 
that  ignorance  by  the  mere  touch  of  Thy  feet! 

2  "The  becoming  and  passing-away  of  beings  have-  been  heard 
in  detail  by  me  from  Thee,  whose  eyes  are  like  lotus-petals, 
as  also  (Thine)  imperishable  greatness  (69) 

Oh  Thou  Supreme  Lord,  with  eyes  like  lotus-petals  and  splendour 
of  millions  of  Suns,  I  heard  from  Thee,  at  length,  of  the  very  Prakriti 
by  which  all  created  beings  come  into  being  and  pass  away.  The  entire 
domain  of  illusory  Prakriti  has  been  searched  to  reveal  the  inner- 
most sanctuary  of  the  Supreme  Spirit  ( $W),  whose  glory  the  very 
Vedas  hold  up  as  a  garment  to  cover  up  the  poverty  of  their  unclad 


XL   VIsVaRUPADAR^ANA  277 

person.  And  this  great  treasure  of  the  sacred  word  springs  and  flou- 
rishes, and  gives  birth  to  precious  religious  truths,  because  it  is  sup- 
pliant at  thy  feet.  Thou  hast  so  far  shown  to  me  the  unfathomable 
glory  that  is  the  one  Supreme  quest  of  all  spiritual  paths  and  to  be 
realized  in  (self)  intuition.  The  eye  meets  the  Sun  as  the  clouds  clear 
away:  or  the  water  is  exposed  to  view  as  the  moss  is  swept  off;  the 
sandal  comes  into  one's  grasp  after  serpent's  coil  is  untwined,  as  a 
treasure  hidden  underground  falls  into  one's  hands  after  the  spirit 
guarding  it  is  charmed  away;  even  so,  Oh  Lord,  thou  hast  blotted 
out  of  existence  the  illusion  of  Prakriti  that  had  blocked  my  vision: 
thus  hast  Thou  made  my  soul  rest  in  the  absolute  bliss  of  Brahman. 
This  has  made  assurance  of  thy  power  doubly  sure,  but  it  has  kindled 
one  more  yearning  in  my  soul.  Shall  I,  out  of  shyness,  shrink  from 
asking  thee?  Where  else  then  am  I  to  seek  what  I  want?  Except 
thee,  I  know  not  of  another  refuge  to  fall  back  upon.  Were  a  fish 
to  feel  shy  towards  water,  or  were  a  child  to  shrink  from  sucking 
(the  mother's)  breasts,  what  else  would  be  there,  Oh  Shrihari,  in  the 
world  to  support  its  life?  Therefore,  unfalteringly  I  must  speak  out  the 
innermost  longing  of  my  soul."  "Enough  of  this  talk,"  said  the  Lord; 
"speak  out  your  wishes." 

rifedfo-eBlfo  %  Wlfoi  3<sM>tW  II  3  II 

3  "Thus  it  verily  is  as  Thou  hast  declared  Thine  self  (to  be), 
O  Lord  Supreme.  I  desire  to  behold  Thy  Divine  Form,  O 
Person  Transcendent.  (81) 

Then  KIriti  said,  "O  God,  Thy  words  have  indeed  made  my  eye  of 
inward  vision  satiated  with  contentment.  My  soul  is  eager  to  behold 
thine  all-pervasive  Supreme  Personality,  whose  divine  purpose  moves 
the  entire  universe  by  creation  and  destruction,  and  of  which  thou 
speakest  as  thine  innermost  self:  that  primeval  Essence  from  which 
proceed  all  thine  incarnations — two-handed  or  four-  handed — for 
warding  off  the  evils  that  threaten  Gods  and  to  which  thou  returnest 
(after  thy  sport,  beginning  from  thy  rest  on  a  watery  bed,  and  moving 
out  in  the  shape  offish  and  crocodile  is  done);  that  Supreme  Presence 
whose  praises  are  sung  by  the  Upanishads  and  which  the  yogins  be- 
hold in  their  heart  with  (their)  vision  turned  inside;  and  whom  devotees 
like  Sanaka  and  others  embrace  in  a  mystic  union,  I  am  eager  to  set 


278  JNANESHWARI 

my  eyes  on  this  Universal  Presence  of  which  so  much  is  heard.  Since 
thou  hast  unreservedly  asked  me  to  say  my  heart's  wish,  this  then  is 
the  one  object  of  my  desire.  All  my  hopes  are  intent  on  this  prospect 
of  a  direct  vision  of  thine  Omnipresence. 

*tftajT  XZt  $  c#  <«?4UcHM^Am  II  *  II 

4  "In  case  thou  deemest  it  capable  of  being  beholden  by  me, 
O  Lord,  in  that  case,  O  Master  of  Yoga,  do  Thou  reveal  unto 
me  Thine  Immutable  Self. "  (89) 

May  be,  a  doubt  lingers  in  my  mind.  Am  I  worthy  of  receiving  such 
a  vision  of  thine  Omnipresent  manifestation?  Hardly  do  I  know 
this.  If,  Oh  God,  thou  asked  why  I  do  not  know,  I  would  answer 
thus:  Can  a  patient  himself  diagnose  his  own  ailment?  The  urge 
of  my  yearning  to  have  the  vision,  made  me  blind  to  my  fitness  for 
that  grand  vision,  as  to  a  man  that  is  thirsty,  even  the  sea  is  not  enough. 
Urged  by  my  ardent  longing,  I  lost  my  balance  and  became  blind  to 
my  worthiness.  Only  the  mother  knows  best  the  tether  of  her  child: 
therefore  it  is  up  to  thee,  Oh  Janardana,  to  gauge  my  worth  and  fit- 
ness for  the  vision,  before  thou  reveal  it  to  mine  eyes.  Bless  me,  Oh 
God,  with  this  vision  if  thou  holdest  me  worthy  of  it;  or  else  withhold 
thy  hand!  Why  waste  one's  breath  in  singing  sweet  melodies  to  the 
deaf?  And  how  indeed  should  one  think  that  the  clouds  pour  down 
only  for  the  bird  chataka,  and  not  for  the  rest  of  the  world?  And 
yet  such  a  downpour  falling  on  a  rock  runs  to  waste !  The  bird  Chakora 
is  indeed  known  to  feast  on  the  nectar  of  the  moonlight;  and  surely 
other  birds  are  not  made  to  swerve  off  that  enjoyment!  But  without 
eyes  to  see  the  dawn  gleaming  is  of  little  avail.  Therefore,  I  doubt 
not  but  that  thou  wilt  reveal  thine  Omnipresent  vision,  for  thou  art 
fresh  and  new  ever  more  to  thef  knowing  and  ignorant  alike.  Thy 
mercy  knows  no  bounds;  its  gifts  are  free,  seeking  not  worth  or  demerit. 
The  holiest  of  bliss  that  comes  of  final  emancipation  (Moksha),  thou 
hast  given  to  thine  enemies.  Arduous  is  the  path  to  emancipation 
which  yet  humbles  itself  at  thy  feet  and  so  waits  upon  any  soul  at 
thy  bidding.  Intent  on  slaving  thee,  fiendish  Putana  made  thee  suck 
the  baneful  milk,  and  was  forthwith  exalted  (like  Sanatkumara)  to 
the  blissful  state  of  union  with  thy  perfect  being.  Even  Shishupala 


xi.  viSvarOpadarsana  279 

who,  before  a  large  gathering  of  all  Gods  and  sages  at  the  Rajasuya 
sacrifice,  railed  and  hurled  hundreds  of  affronts  at,  thee — a  hardened 
sinner  like  him  was  installed  in  thine  abode  of  Bliss!  And  look  at 
the  son  of  king  Uttanapada;  did  he  ever  so  much  as  dream  of  soaring 
to  thee,  and  look  at  the  acme  of  glories  of  steadfast  abode  on  the  Polar 
star?  He  went  out  in  the  woods  to  wrest  back  his  rightful  immobile 
place  on  his  father's  lap.  And  thou  raised  him  to  preeminence,  even 
beyond  the  Sun  and  the  Moon,  crowning  him  on  the  (polar)  seat. 
Thus  to  all  souls  in  distress,  thou  art  the  one  giver  of  free  grace! 
Fondly  uttering  'Narayana'  as  his  son's  name,  Ajamila  was  raised 
to  the  glory  of  emancipation  by  union  with  thee.  You  still  wear  as 
a  mark  of  proud  dignity,  the  footprint  of  the  sage  Bhrugu  who  kicked 
you.  And  the  conch — the  relic  of  thine  erstwhile  foeman,  thou  does 
not  leave  off  and  is  held  ever  more  as  a  token  of  love.  Thus  even  evil- 
doers are  recipients  of  thy  grace  and  thy  gifts  are  freely  given  un- 
merited; Bali  gave  thee  his  all  as  alms,  thou  gladly  served  him  as  his 
door-keeper.  The  harlot  had  never  worshipped  thee  nor  listened  to 
thy  glories  sung;  she  only  used  thy  name  in  tutoring  the  parrot,  and 
was  rewarded  with  Supreme  bliss  in  Vaikuntha  (thy  divine  home). 
For  these  merest  trifles  thy  hand  has  given  the  highest  bliss  of  emancipa- 
tion to  many  by  their  union  with  thy  divine  essence.  How  then  should 
I  fare  otherwise  at  thy  hands?  The  Kamadhenu,  by  her  plenty  milk 
brings  relief  to  the  whole  world  in  distress;  how  then  should  her  young 
calf  suffer  the  pangs  of  hunger?  So  it  cannot  be,  that  thou  withhold 
from  me  the  gift  I  have  asked  for.  Only  you  have  first  to  make  me  fit 
to  receive  it.  If  in  thine  eyes  my  vision  has  strength  to  behold  the 
omnipresent  revelations,  then  I  pray  that  thou  show  it  and  fulfil  my 
wishes."  When  the  husband  of  Subhadra  devoutly  made  such  earnest 
entreaties  in  a  direct  and  straight  way,  the  Supreme  Lord,  the  sovereign 
master  of  the  sixfold  divine  attributes  (wnJr-^wff)  could  no  longer 
contain  himself  (for  love).  (It  was  as  if)  The  Lord  appeared  to  be  the 
clouds  seething  with  waters  of  divine  mercy's  nectar,  and  Arjuna's 
capacity  seemed  to  be  the  approach  of  monsoon;  (as  if)  Lord  Krishna 
was  the  nightingale,  while  Arjuna  moved  like  the  Season  Vasant 
(spring);  it  was  as  if  the  ocean  rose  in  high  tide,  seeing  the  complete 
orb  of  the  full  moon.  Thus  Lord  Krishna  was  possessed  with  the 
passion  of  divine  love  that  was  at  the  moment  more  than  redoubled 
in  vigour,  and  in  that  surging  of  high  exaltation  of  mind,  spake  these 
words  full  of  mercy,  loudly  "Oh  Arjuna,  now  behold  divine  Omni- 
presences without  number."  The  Pandava  desired  to  set  his  eyes 
on  one  omnipresence  of  the  Lord,  yet  the  Lord  disclosed  the  entire 


280  JNANESHWARI 

created  universe  as  full  of  divine  Omnipresences  untold.  How  wonder- 
ful is  the  unbounded  generosity  of  the  Almighty  God?  Let  the  devotee 
earnestly  and  devoutly  pray  for  a  boon,  and  the  Lord  (God)  gives 
all  his  richest  treasures,  increasing  them  thousand  fold.  Lo  and  Be- 
hold! That  deepest  of  mysteries,  which  was  shut  out  from  even  the 
thousand  eyes  of  Shesha  and  which  chided  the  very  Vedas,  which 
was  kept  as  a  secret  from  the  Goddess  of  wealth  Lakshmi  herself — 
that  mystery  was  now  displayed  in  myriad  forms.  It  was  a  grand  traffic 
in  Divine  Omnipresence,  exhibited  by  Lord  Krishna;  how  wonderfully 
majestic  Partha  had  his  great  luck.  Like  a  waking  soul  that  lapses  into 
a  dream  and  becomes  himself  all  that  he  sees  in  the  dream,  (Lord 
Krishna)  himself  became  the  myriad  universes.  All  of  a  sudden  drop- 
ping down  his  human  bodily  form,  the  Lord  tore  off  the  curtain  of 
gross  physical  vision  and  behold,  there  opened  out  an  infinite  vista 
of  yogic  revelation  in  all  its  richness  and  grandeur,  not  stopping  to 
mind,  if  he  (Partha)  has  the  eyes  to  behold  that  vision;  the  Lord  was 
overpowered  with  his  divine  ecstasy  and  said  at  once.  "Well  now 
behold  these  omnipresences." 

5  The  Exalted-one  Spake:  "Behold,  thou  Son  of  Prtha,  my 
Forms  by  hundreds  and  thousands:  of  many  varieties,  radiant, 
and  possessing  manifold  colours  and  shapes.  (123) 

"Arjuna,  you  asked  (me)  to  show  you  only  (one  single)  Omnipresence. 
Where  is  the  sense  of  it  if  only  that  is  revealed?  Now  see,  the  all  and 
the  one  as  filled  by  my  Divine  forms.  Some  lean,  some  bulky;  some 
short,  some  long;  some  broad,  some  straight;  some  unbounded: 
some  wild  and  unwieldy  (3MI«K);  some  erect  and  upright;  some  on 
the  move,  some  still;  some  unconcerned  and  passive,  some  loving; 
some  vary  harsh;  some  stupefied  and  bereft  of  sense;  some  alert,  some 
shallow;  some  grave;  some  generous,  some  stingy;  some  wrathful, 
some  tranquil;  some  impassioned,  some  quiet;  some  jolly,  some 
noisy,  some  silent,  and  some  mild  and  tame.  Some  wishful,  some 
abstinent;  some  wakeful,  some  asleep;  some  contented,  some  dis- 
tressed; some  rejoicing,  some  unarmed,  some  armed;  some  dreadful, 


xi.  visvarOpadarsana  281 

some  friendly;  some  terrific,  some  strange;  some  entranced  in  medita- 
tion (^nrrfsTPT);  some  sporting  with  procreative  work,  and  some  in 
protecting  offspring  tenderly;  some  violently  destructive  of  people 
and  some  only  as  unconcerned  spectators.  Thus  varied  and  count- 
less are  these  forms  and  some  are  gloriously  bright  with  divine  lustre 
displaying  variegated  colours.  Some  are  like  red-hot  gold,  some  of 
greatly  tawny  colour;  some  are  coloured  like  sky  painted  with  red 
lead  ( ^ffT )  as  at  the  time  of  the  setting  of  the  Sun.  Some  have  an 
artless  beauty  as  if  the  entire  canopy  of  heaven  and  earth  was  bedecked 
with  rubies,  (Manika  gems)  while  some  are  glistening  in  red  turmeric 
colour,  radiant  —like  the  morning  Sun.  Some  are  crystal-clear,  some 
blue  like  sapphire,  some  deep  dark  like  lampblack,  while  some  are 
blood-coloured.  Some  yellow  like  brilliant  gold,  some  dusky  like 
clouds,  some  fair,  pale-yellow  like  flowers  of  'Sonckapha"  while  some 
are  simply  deep  green.  Some  are  like  red-hot  copper,  while  some 
are  white  like  the  Moon.  Of  diverse  colours  are  thus  my  forms  which 
you  do  see.  They  are  also  of  as  varied  shapes  as  of  variegated  colours. 
Some  are  of  such  peerless  beauty  that  brings  cupid  himself  on  his 
knees.  Some  are  very  handsome  by  their  figures  and  features,  while 
others  have  bodies  of  such  alluring  charm  and  superb  beauty  as  if 
here  is  opened  a  treasure-house  of  the  Goddess  of  love  (JfmrsftJNty 
There  are  some  that  have  plump  rounded  limbs,  while  some  are  gaunt 
and  lean.  Some  are  frightful  <&ni*»raJfa"'*roft),  some  long-necked,  and 
some  have  (abnormally)  big  heads,  while  some  are  weirdly  ill-shaped. 
There  indeed  is  no  end  to  these  forms  and  shapes  of  innumerably 
diverse  kinds,  and  in  a  single  limb  of  each  one  of  these  forms  you 
shall  behold  the  whole  universe. 

qgrngocvjqfpM  <J44l&m?f<i|  WTCtT  II  ^  II 

6  "Behold  the  Adityas,  the  Vasus,  the  Rudras,  the  Asvins  Twain, 
as  also  the  Maruts;  many  wonders  that  hitherto  have  not 
been  seen,  behold  (now)  O  Scion  of  Bharata.  (141) 

Where  the  merest  blinking  casts  its  gleam,  there  unfolds  a  whole 
creation  of  a  brilliant  array  of  Suns;  and  as  the  eye  shuts,  all  is  forthwith 
swallowed  up  in  final  extinction.  A  hot  puff  of  breath  from  the  mouth 
wraps  every  thing  in  flames  from  which,  emerge  the  groups  of  all 
(eight)  Vasus,  including  Pawak  and  others,  and  when  the  closely- 


282  JNANESHWARI 

knit  eyebrows  frown  their  wrath,  bands  of  the  terrific  Rudras  swoop 
down.  And  when  tender  mercy  moistens  my  face,  innumerable  givers 
of  life  like  "Ashwinikumaras"  spring  forth;  and  from  the  ears  are 
set  going  all  winds  and  air  currents.  In  this  way  are  begotten  races 
of  Gods  and  perfect  celestial  beings  from  the  mere  sporting  of  a  single 
Divine  Presence,  and  the  essences  are  indeed  without  end.  Just  see 
them.  The  very  Vedas  babble  poetry  of  these;  for  beholding  them, 
the  whole  of  eternal  duration  shrinks  into  but  a  span,  while  the  creator 
himself  is  baffled  in  fathoming  its  depths.  Thou  behold  now  with 
thine  eyes  what  the  three  Vedas  could  not  hear  of;  and  feast  thine 
eyes  on  these  greatest  of  miracles  and  wonders  of  my  sportive  creation. 

7  "Here  concentred  in  one  (place)  the  entire  universe,  moving 
and  not-moving,  do  thou  this  day  behold,  (here)  in  my  body, 
O  Gudakesa  (Arjuna).  Also  anything  else  thou  desirest  to 
behold.  (148) 

Oh  Kiriti,  you  now  do  sight  the  entire  created  universe  shooting  forth 
from  the  roots  of  hair  like  sprouts  of  grass  at  the  foot  of  the  Kalpataru 
tree.  Like  motes  floating  in  the  Sun-beams  (coming  in  through 
windows),  entire  universes,  appear  floating  at  the  joints  of  the  limbs 
(of  this  figure).  Thou  do  seest  in  each  single  recess  of  the  body  the 
spreading  universe,  and  should  thou  also  desire  to  set  thine  eyes  on 
what  abides  beyond  the  universe,  nothing  blocks  thy  vision.  Let 
thine  eyes  feast  on  whatever  thou  wish  to  see  in  this  Omnipresence 
of  Divine  being."  So  said  the  Omnipresent  Deity  (R(*y4Td )  with 
His  great  kindness.  At  this  he  (Arjuna)  did  not  say  if  he  saw  or  saw 
it  not.  Lord  Krishna  wondered  as  to  why  he  (Arjuna)  was  mute 
(Pw$«fl).  He,  therefore,  turned  his  eyes  to  him  (still)  as  eager  (for 
the  vision  of  the  Omnipresent  as  he  was  before.) 

fksti  44lfa  $"  ^RT:  qreq"  3"  iTmA^H^  It  *;  II 

8  "But  thou  wilt  not  be  able  to  behold  Me  just  with  this  thine 
own  eye.  I  give  thee  the  eye  Divine.  Behold  (now)  my  Divine 
and  Transcendent  Yoga."  (154) 


XI.   VISVARUPADARSANA  283 

Then  said  Lord  Krishna  to  himself,  "His  desire  has  not  abated  nor 
has  he  yet  found  his  way  to  blessedness.  I  revealed  my  omnipresent 
vision,  he  does  not  see  it.  With  these  words  the  Lord  smiled,  and 
spoke  to  the  beholder  (Arjuna),  "I  have  just  now  revealed  the  Omni- 
present vision  but  you  are  not  beholding  it."  At  this  the  wise  Arjuna 
said,  "And  who  is  in  fault  indeed?  As  well  might  a  crane  be  lured 
away  to  feast  on  moonlight  (which  is  the  birthright  of  the  swan). 
Thou  art  indeed  holding  a  cleansed  mirror,  before  a  blind  person; 
and  singing  sweet  melodies,  Oh  Hrishikesha,  to  the  deaf  and  thou  art 
knowingly  wasting  the  pollen  of  flowers  before  a  toad  (by  making 
him  to  take  it);  why  then  be  wrathful  at  others?  Thou  hast  opened 
up  before  the  outer  eyes  (^4-q^)  that  which  has  been  set  down  as 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  senses  and  which  is  unfolded  only  to  the  eyes 
of  the  inward  intuition  of  knowledge:  how  should  I  then  behold  it? 
It  is,  however,  meet  that  I  forbear  from  blaming  thee,  and  mutely 
suffer  all  this."  At  this  the  Lord  said,  "truly,  it  is  as  thou  hast  said. 
Rapt  away  in  love's  ecstatic  delight  as  I  was  I  forgot  to  bestow  on 
thee  the  power  of  beholding  the  revelation  of  the  Omnipresent  Deity. 
What  wonder  then  that  it  was  in  vain  as  time  wasted  on  a  seedling 
sown  on  untilled  soil.  Now  I  endow  thee  with  that  spiritual  vision 
by  which  thou  shalt  behold  the  Omnipresent  Deity.  With  that  spiritual 
eye,  thou,  Oh  Pandava,  shall  behold  to  its  entirety  the  grandeur  of 
my  divine  yoga  and  realise  it  in  thine  experience  of  the  self."  Thus 
spake  Lord  Krishna, — the  supreme  Person  known  in  Brahman  Lore, 
who  is  the  very  beginning  of  the  entire  universe  and  the  holiest  object 
of  devotional  love  to  the  entire  world. 

cRfawrcr  mwUi  *r*t  ^mA^^  u  £  \\ 

9  Sanjaya  spake,  "Having  spoken  thus,  O  King,  Hari,  the 
great  Master  of  Yoga,  then,  unto  Prtha's  son,  revealed  His 
Highest  Divine  Form;  (165) 

(Then  Sanjaya  said  to  king  Dhritarashtra)  "Oh  King,  the  Lord  Para- 
mount (^*t>«tdT)  of  Kaurava  Dynasty,  in  perpetual  wonderment 
I  have  ever  asked  myself,  what  being,  in  all  the  three  worlds,  other 
than  the  Goddess  Lakshmi,  is  more  favoured  of  fortune?  Is  there  any- 
one on  earth  except  the  Vedas  that  sing  the  deepest,  inmost  truths 


284  JNANESHWARI 

of  the  Atman?  And  can  any  one  outdo  the  'Shesha'  in  giving  personal 
service  to  God?  Who  else  is  there  other  than  Garuda,  that  like  the 
yogins,  toils  day  and  night  ceaselessly  up  the  path  of  passionate  devo- 
tion to  God?  Yet  forsaking  them  all,  all  the  joys  of  Krishna's  divine- 
love,  from  the  day  of  the  Pandavas'  birth  have  knit  together  round 
them.  And  to  Arjuna  of  them  all,  like  a  gallant  enslaved  by  the  chains 
of  his  sweetheart,  Lord  Krishna  has  wholly  abandoned  himself. 
Neither  a  bird  nor  a  beast,  trained  to  vocal  utterance  and  sport,  is 
at  its  master's  beck  and  call  as  much  as  was  Lord  Krishna  ready  to 
do  as  he  was  bid.  It  is  amazingly  mysterious  how  Fates  were  so  pro- 
pitious to  Arjuna!  Here  is  Lord  Krishna — Himself  pure  Brahman 
incarnate:  and  Arjuna  the  favourite  of  propitious  fortune,  is  alone 
worthy  of  feasting  his  eyes  on  the  Lord's  Divine  grandeur:  so  the 
Lord  lavishes  caresses  profusely  on  him  and  pampers  him.  Lord 
•Krishna  puts  up  with  him  when  he  is  ill-tempered,  and  fondles  him 
when  he  is  like  a  wayward  and  perverse  child.  It  is  amazing  how  the 
Lord  has  gone  mad  after  Partha.  Those  spiritual  giants  like  Shuka 
and  others  who  were  born  to  ascetic  conquest  of  amorous  pleasures, 
became  Lord  Krishna's  Bards  and  took  to  singing  rhapsodies  of  the 
Lord's  amorous  sports.  Likewise  Lord  Krishna  is  the  supreme  treasure 
in  which  the  yogins'  meditative  raptures  are  absorbed:  and  now  this 
supreme  Lord  gives  himself  up  completely  to  Arjuna!  I  shall  never 
cease  to  wonder  at  this."  Sanjaya  added,  "Oh,  what  is  there  to  be 
wondered  at,  Oh  king  of  Kauravas?  The  fates  are  propitious  to  them 
that  are  chosen  by  Lord  Krishna."  And  hence  the  supreme  Lord 
said,  "Oh  Partha,  I  give  thee  a  second  sight  by  which  thou  shalt  behold 
Omnipresent  vision."  No  sooner  did  these  words  fall  from  the  Lord's 
mouth,  than  all  of  a  sudden  the  darkness  of  ignorance  vanished; 
Oh,  verily,  the  usual  trite  utterances,  the  Lord's  words  were  not.  They 
were  the  rays  of  spiritual  light  kindled  by  Lord  Krishna,  to  illumine 
the  majestic  empire  of  the  Omnipresent  Brahman. 

Then  there  flashed  forth  the  light  of  that  spiritual  eye,  and  the 
inward  vision  of  knowledge  burst  up  into  a  flame,  and  thus  did  Lord 
Krishna  present  to  Arjuna  the  majestic  grandeur  of  his  all-pervading 
spirit.  Narayana,  the  Lord  of  Vaikuntha,  opened  out  to  Arjuna  the 
Omnipresent  vision-that  eternal  ground  on  which  is  painted,  as  on 
a  canvas,  the  whole  creation  of  that  infinite  ocean — in  which  the  divine 
incarnations  are  as  flood-tides  of  that  eternal  Sun  in  which  is  imaged 
the  mirage  of  the  universe.  Once  Lord  Krishna,  while  yet  a  child, 
swallowed  earth,  and  angry  Yashoda  seized  him  to  chide.  Feigning 
to  give  unerring  proof  of  his  frightened  innocence,  (Lord  Krishna) 


xi.  vis"varOpadar3ana  285 

opened  his  mouth,  and  lo  and  behold!  there  Yashoda  set  her  eyes 
on  the  fourteen  regions  of  the  creation;  again  Lord  Krishna  touched 
Dhruva  on  the  cheek  with  his  conch,  and  Dhruva  gave  utterance 
to  divine  Truth,  that  lies  beyond  the  grasp  of  the  Vedas  themselves. 
Such  unique  blessedness,  Oh  King,  iShrihari  bestowed  on  Dhananjaya. 
Then,  nowhere,  could  anything  like  Maya  or  illusion  touch  him, 
even  so  much  as  in  name.  There  dawned  then  on  his  eyes  the 
divine  splendour  of  Lord  Krishna:  he  was  immersed  in  one  whole 
ocean  of  miracles  all  round,  and  his  mind  was  plunged  into  the  flood 
of  amazement.  As  Markandeya  was  once  engulfed  alone  in  the  uni- 
versal deluge  of  water,  right  up  to  the  limits  of  Satyaloka,  Arjuna 
tossed  about  in  the  divine  sport  of  Omnipresent  vision.  For,  quoth 
he,  "what  an  immense  expanse  of  sky  was  here?  Who  has  whisked 
it  away  and  where?  What  has  become  of  the  great  elements — the 
stuff  of  living  and  lifeless  creation?  The  four  quarters  have  their 
bottom  knocked  out;  one  knows  not  what  has  happened  to 
things  that  were  scattered  up  and  down.  The  very  shapes  of  things 
have  vanished  like  a  dream  after  waking;  or  verily  like  the  sun  coming 
forth  to  swallow  up  the  moon  and  the  whole  cluster  of  stars,  the  whole 
order  of  created  universe  is  engulfed  in  the  vastness  of  Omnipresent 
vision.  Arjuna's  mind  lost  its  bearings,  his  intellect  itself  began  to 
lose  ground;  the  outgoing  rays  of  the  five  senses  turned  back  inwardly 
to  fill  up  the  mind:  Still  meditation  itself  became  still:  quiescence 
of  mind  was  made  quiescent,  as  if  the  whole  mass  of  thoughts  was 
charmed  away;  astonished  gaze  cast  a  longing  glance  at  the  lovely 
four-armed  figure  of  Lord  Krishna;  that  very  figure  spread  in  myriad 
shapes  on  all  sides.  Like  the  clouds  filling  the  monsoon  sky,  or  splen- 
dour of  the  sun  that  envelopes  heaven  and  earth  at  dissolution,  that 
same  figure  of  Lord  Krishna  left  nothing  except  itself  in  that  vision. 
With  the  first  rush  of  the  afflatus,  Arjuna  stood  quiescent  in  the  full 
blessedness  of  self-knowledge,  and  as  he  opened  his  eyes  he  beheld 
the  Omnipresent  vision  of  the  Lord.  He  had  yearned  for  a  visible 
Omnipresence  of  God  direct  and  immediate  and  thus  did  Lord  Krishna 
fondly  bless  him  with  loving  fulfilment  of  his  joys. 

•  10  "Possessing  many  mouths  and  eyes — of  manifold  and  ponder- 
ous aspects — wearing  numerous  celestial  ornaments  brandish- 
ing many  a  Divine  weapon,  (197) 


286  JNANESHWARI 

Then  there  did  Arjuna  gaze  on  myriads  of  faces  that  shone  like  the 
stately  mansions  of  the  Lord  of  Lakshmi;  splendid  treasures  of  radiant 
beauty  flung  wide  open;  so  superbly  charming  did  he  behold  the  faces 
of  Hari  that  looked  like  blooming  woodlands  of  bliss  or  like  beauty 
crowned  and  enthroned.  Amidst  these  beautiful  faces  there  appeared 
not  a  few  that  wore  horrid  looks  as  if  they  were  legions  of  grim  death 
rushing  out  for  destruction;  or  as  if  they  were  the  very  jaws  of  death's 
yawning;  or  as  if  they  were  citadels  of  the  king  of  terror — death,  or 
big  pouches  jetting  out  fire  of  world  conflagration.  The  brave  (Arjuna) 
there  beheld  such  horrid  faces  in  that  Omnipresent  vision;  there 
were  innumerable  others  too  that  were  singularly  bedecked  and  serene. 
And  even  to  the  'eye  of  knowledge,'  the  end  of  the  faces  for  ever 
remained  out  of  sight.  Arjuna  then  turned  his  astonished  gaze  to 
the  eyes  of  the  Omnipresent  Lord.  And  he  there  beheld  myriads  of 
eyes  like  so  many  rows  of  suns  that  resembled  full-blown  lotus 
flowers  of  varied  colours.  And  from  below  the  eyebrows  beamed 
forth  brownish  rays  of  fiery  eyes  that  looked  like  lightning  flashes 
shot  from  clusters  of  clouds  for  the  universal  conflagration.  The 
sight  of  these  wonderful  marvels  brought  home  to  the  son  of  Pandu 
the  boundless  variety  of  visions  in  one  divine  Omnipresence.  He 
then  eagerly  asked  himself,  "where  then  are  his  feet,  where  is  his  crown, 
and  where  are  his  arms?"  And  so  ever  increasing  became  bis  longing 
to  behold  them.  And  how  should  the  desire  of  Partha — the  favourite 
of  supremely  good  fortune— fall  short  of  fulfilment?  Could  the  quiver 
of  God  Siva  ever  send  forth  a  missile  that  is  futile  or  that  misfires? 
And  could  the  lips  of  Brahma  ever  utter  syllables  that  are  empty? 
Arjuna  thus  had  a  vision  full  and  complete  of  the  limitless  Omni- 
presence. His  sight,  at  a  glance,  feasted  on  all  the  limbs  of  that  supreme 
presence  which  even  the  Vedas  could  not  comprehend.  From  top 
to  toe  his  eyes  surveyed  the  majestic  grandeur  of  that  Omnipresence 
bedecked  with  many  jewelled  ornaments.  As  the  supreme  Brahman 
appeared  as  a  visible  person  bestrewn  with  the  splendour  of  decoration 
made  of  his  perfect  being,  it  is  indeed  beyond  the  power  of  words  to 
say  what  that  shining  beauty  looked  like.  The  glorious  splendour 
is  the  light  by  which  the  very  Sun  and  Moon  shine  and  by  whose  life- 
sustaining  power  the  whole  universe  is  made  manifest.  Where  is 
that  mind  that  can  picture  the  refulgence  of  the  beauty  that  surrounded 
the  supreme  person?  Arjuna  beheld  Brahman  itself  adorning  Brah- 
man. And  as  he  then  glanced  with  the  inward  eyes  the  long  and  straight 
arms  of  that  Person,  he  beheld  them  flashing  weapons  that  cut  the 
very  world-consuming  fire.  Arjuna  then  said  that  the  supreme  God 


XI.   VI^VARtJPADARiANA  287 

filled  the  entire  universe,  so  that  He  himself  was  alike  body  and  soul, 
arms  and  weapons,  body  and  beauty.  The  rays  of  that  light  became 
a  furnace  in  which  the  very  stars  burst  into  pieces  like  parched  gram 
( Tprot" ),  or  the  fire  itself,  scorched  by  the  touch,  was  frightened  into 
hiding  under  the  surface  of  the  sea.  Then  he  (Arjuna)  saw  the  im- 
measurable hands  of  that  All-pervading  Person — hands  as  though 
besmeared  with  vapours  of  the  deadliest  poison,  or  brandishing  wea- 
pons that  looked  advancing  forests  of  lightning. 

11  "Bedecked  with  Heavenly  flowers  and  raiments — anointed 
with  Divine  perfumes — instinct  with  every  marvel — the  God 
Infinite,  facing  everyway.  (2 1 8) 

Then  withdrawing  his  vision  for  fear  (from  the  hands)  Kiriti  glanced 
over  the  neck  and  the  crown  where  he  saw  wreaths  of  flowers — beauti- 
ful flowers — which  Arjuna  mused  with  wonder,  to  be  the  source 
from  which  the  Kalpa-tree  (desire-fulfilling  divine  tree)  takes  root, 
on  the  very  original  fountainhead  (^fte)  of  the  great  occult  powers, 
(or)  the  very  home  to  which  the  tired  Goddess  Lakshmi  repairs  for  rest. 
Such  lotuses  the  supreme  person  wore.  Bunches  of  flowers  hung  out 
from  the  crown;  on  the  limbs  rolled  flower  armlets  and  plated  net- 
work, wreaths  dangled  down  the  back.  The  sparkling  yellowish 
silken  raiment,  girded  the  waist  down  to  the  loins  like  the  splendour 
of  the  sun  filling  the  sky.  Further  he  beheld  the  divine  Omnipresent 
Person — anointed  with  sandalpaste  that  looked  like  the  mount  Meru 
covered  with  gold  plate,  or  Shiva  bedaubed  with  camphor,  or  the 
milky  ocean  wrapped  with  milky  white  cloth,  or  the  sky  overlaid  with 
a  cloth  unfolded  of  moon  light.  And  what  fragrance  it  was  beggars 
description — fragrance  that  brightens  the  very  lustre  of  self-illumi- 
nation, that  cools  the  warmth  and  sweat  of  divine  ecstasy,  that  embalms 
the  sweet  fragrance  of  earth,  that  enthralls  even  the  ascetic  recluse, 
and  that  besmears  the  very  person  of  cupid.  Arjuna  with  his  astonished 
gaze  fixed  on  the  entrancing  vision  of  surpassing  grandeur,  was  at 
his  wits'  end  to  make  out  if  the  supreme  person  was  standing  up, 
or  sitting,  or  lying  down.  All  around,  the  image  of  the  supreme 
Presence  met  the  eye  as  Arjuna  opened  it  outside;  shutting  it  out 
in  silent  wonder,  he  stood  face  to  face  with  the  supreme  Person's 


288  JNANESHWARI 

Presence  over  again.  In  front,  the  supreme  Person  confronted  him 
with  countless  faces;  and  as  he  turned  back  in  dismay,  there  too  Arjuna 
beheld  the  same  sight  of  Omnipresence  with  innumerable  faces,  hands 
and  feet.  Indeed,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  all-pervading  Deity  appeared 
in  that  vision  when  Arjuna  opened  his  eyes;  that  the  Omnipresence 
was  visible  even  when  the  eyes  were  shut,  is  a  veritable  miracle.  How 
gracious  was  Lord  Narayana?  For  he  made  himself  manifest  as 
filling  all  being-both  what  fell  within  Arjuna's  seeing  and  what  did 
not.  Thus  then  did  Arjuna  struggle  through  a  flood  of  wonders  to 
get  a  foothold  as  solid  ground;  and  suddenly  he  found  himself  thrown 
headlong  into  an  ocean  of  miracles.  With  such  uncommonly  superb 
workmanship  of  his  myriad  forms  did  Narayana  wrap  Arjuna  in  that 
Omnipresent  vission.  In  his  own  being,  the  Lord  is  an  all-pervading 
presence,  and  was  now  besought  by  the  Son  of  Pandu  to  reveal  himself 
in  a  direct  vision  of  universal  Presence.  Hence  the  Lord  became  one 
and  all.  And  the  sight  which  the  Lord  of  Vaikunth  bestowed  on 
Arjuna,  is  not  sight  that  sees  with  the  help  of  candle-light,  or  daylight, 
nor  does  it  cease  to  work  when  shut.  Therefore,  Kiriti  saw  the  Omni- 
presence at  either  end  and  even  in  the  dark.  "Hear  this,  Oh  King 
Dhritarashtra."  So  Sanjaya  said  to  King  Dhritarashtra  at  Hastina- 
pura.  Sanjaya  added  "Oh  king,  do  bear  this  in  mind,  that  Partha 
beheld  the  vision  of  the  divine  Omnipresence  with  myriad  faces  bedeck- 
ed with  ornaments  of  varied  kinds." 


vfo  ^T:  ti^H  HT  t-m^itmi**!  +t§ic*ii:  II  ?^  II 

12  "Could  there  have  been  in  Heaven  the  simultaneously  up- 
spreading  radiance  of  a  thousand  Suns,  then  might  that  radiance 
have  resembled  the  radiance  of  that  Mighty  Being.  (237) 

And  where  indeed,  Oh  King,  is  the  thing  which  the  radiant  beauty 
of  the  Omnipresent  Divine  Person  looked  like?  Before  that  radiance 
pales  even  the  world-destroying  light  of  the  twelve  Suns  together, 
appearing  in  myriad  of  clusters  in  a  single  moment.  Fancy  all  the 
lightnings  in  the  universe  gathered  together  and  mixed  with  the  stuff 
of  the  world-consuming  fire,  and  add  to  it  the  tenfold  heavenly  light; 
such  radiance  may  perhaps  partly  come  nearer  to  the  radiance  of  the 
Divine  Omnipresence.  So  transcendent  is  the  divine  glory  of  Shrihari ; 


XI.   VlgVAROPADARSANA  289 

by  the  grace  of  that  great  sage  Vyasa,  I  beheld  that  all-surpassing 
brilliance  emanating  from  the  Lord's  entire  person," — (added  San- 
jaya). 


W#JR3i  WTr[  SrFT  MEnkMfrH>«n'  I 

13  "There-concentred  in  one  place-within  the  body  of  that  Deity 
of  Deities,  the  son  of  Pandu  beheld  the  entire  Universe  in  its 
manifold  divisions.  (242) 

And  in  one  corner  of  that  Omnipresent  vision,  was  stored  up  the 
whole  expanse  of  the  created  universe  in  its  manifold  variety.  And 
like  bubbles  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  or  like  a  Gandharva- 
-nagar  Cf*r#  'mr — the  enchanted  city  of  Gandharvas,  heavenly 
musicians,  believed  to  appear  and  disappear  suddenly)  suddenly 
tossing  in  the  sky,  or  again  an  ant-hill  on  earth  built  by  ants  or  like 
atoms  (of  earth)  clustering  on  the  Mountain  Meru,  Arjuna  beheld 
the  entire  universe  within  the  body  of  the  Supreme  Person  (Deity 
of  Deities). 

cTcT:  *T  fclW4iJci«xn  ^WiVm  *H*W  I 
5TO«r  fsRHT  %t  *dl»M«&K*U«W  II   $V  II 

14  "There-in  stark  amazement- Dhanamjaya  (Arjuna)  his  hair 
standing  on  end,  bowed  down  with  his  head,  and,  with  folded 
hands,  thus  addressed  the  Deity:"  (245) 

What  little  pulse  of  feeling,  still  lingered  in  him,  making  him  distinct 
from  the  universe,  was  at  last  silenced ;  and  his  heart  too,  all  of  a  sudden, 
melted.  Inward,  rapture  of  bliss  rushed  into  his  soul;  outside,  the 
senses  were  benumbed;  hair  stood  on  end  all  over  his  body  from  top 
to  toe,  like  tender  sprouts  of  grass  shooting  all  over  the  surface  of 
mountains  washed  by  the  outbreak  of  monsoons.  And  like  the  Moon- 
stone that  moistens  at  the  touch  of  Moonlight,  Arjuna's  body  was 
bedewed  with  drops  of  sweat.  And  as  the  lotus  bud  is  made  to  sway 
to  and  fro  over  a  sheet  of  water  by  the  clusters  of  bees  CfT )  caught 
therein  (bud),  in  that  way  on  Arjuna's  visible  body  spread  the  thrill 
of  the  rushing  of  the  wave  of  the  ecstasy  of  Bliss.  From  his  eyes  trickled 


290  JNANESHWARI 

down  drops  of  tears  that  looked  like  camphor  dust  coming  out  of 
the  dry  skin  of  the  camphor  tree  bursting  open.  Ever  and  anon  his 
soul  surged  with  wave  of  bliss,  like  the  ocean  full  to  the  brim  rising 
to  the  flood-tide  at  moonrise.  So  did  the  eight-fold  signs,  betokening 
exalted  feeling  of  bliss,  vie  with  each  other,  and  enjoy  the  mastery 
of  sovereign  bliss  of  divine  ecstasy.  But  even  after  such  ecstatic  bliss 
of  union  with  God,  he  had  a  sense  of  otherness  from  the  Deity;  thereat 
heaving  a  sigh,  he  looked  around  and  bowed  down  'his  head  in 
the  direction  in  which  (the  Lord)  was  sitting,  and  with  folded  hands 
addressed  him  (thus): 

W$foZ(  4l«lty<<|jwr  f«J«*N«j[  II   ?*t  II 

15  Arjuna  spake:  "I  behold  all  the  Gods,  0  Deity,  within  Thy 
body,  as  also  congregations  of  the  various  (orders  of)  beings: 
Lord  Brahmadeva,  enthroned  upon  a  lotus-seat,  and  Sages 
all,  and  Divine  Serpents.  (255) 

All  glory  to  thee,  Oh  my  master!  By  the  miracle  of  thy  grace,  the 
merest  mortal  that  I  am,  I  have  set  my  eyes  on  the  all-pervading 
Divine-Presence.  Thy  favour  has  altogether  worked  for  good  and 
makes  my  heart  easefully  rejoice,  Oh  God,  that  I  have  beheld  in  thee, 
the  mainstay  of  this  created  universe.  Oh  God,  like  herds  of  beasts 
browsing  on  the  top  of  the  mountain  Mandara,  whole  universes 
seem  to  be  scattered  on  thy  Person.  Or  like  clusters  of  stars  up  and 
down  the  wide  expanse  of  the  sky;  like  nests  of  birds  hanging  down 
from  the  big  trees,  Oh  Shrihari,  there  appears  in  thy  cosmic  Person 
the  very  heavenly  abode  of  Paradise  with  its  hosts  of  gods.  1  see  here, 
Oh  Lord,  myriads  of  quintuplets  of  the  five  gross  elements  as  also 
of  (various  orders  of)  beings  in  the  universe.  In  thy  body  dwells  the 
Heaven  of  Satya-loka  region  itself.  How  then  could  it  be  without 
the  God  Brahmadev  (Td,<MH)  Himself  visible  here?  Looking  in 
the  other  direction,  I  see  the  very  Kailasa  (Lord  Shankara's  house): 
here  (I)  see  also  Lord  Shankara  along  with  Goddess  Bhavani  (Parvati) 


XI.   VlgVAROPADARSANA  291 

in  a  tiny  corner  of  thy  body:  so  too,  Oh  Hrishikesha,  I  see  thyself 
in  this  Cosmic  Person.  I  behold  here  whole  clans  and  families  of 
Sages  like  Kashyapa  and  others,  and  the  regions  under  the  Earth 
(nmiai)  along  with  the  (groups  of)  Divine  serpents.  In  brief,  Oh 
Lord  of  the  three  worlds,  whole  universes  of  fourteen  worlds  seem 
to  be  portrayed  on  the  canvas  of  a  single  limb  of  thy  Person;  so  also 
do  appear  sketched  thereon,  the  created  beings  dwelling  in  these 
worlds.  I  am  thus  beholding  the  uncommonly  fathomless  depths  of 
thy  being. 

MWlf+l  c^T  ^4cfM*d^M*j[  I 

MWifa  WNt  f^re^r  ii  \%  n 

16  "With  manifold  arms,  bellies,  mouths  and  eyes,  Thee  possessing 
countless  forms,  I  behold  in  all  directions.  Neither  end,  nor ' 
middle,  nor  again  any  beginning  of  Thee  do  I  behold,  O  Lord 
of  the  universe,  that  dost  possess  every  form  (in  the  universe). 

(266) 

Looking  around  with  the  light  of  the  spiritual  eye,  I  see  myriads  of 
arms  as  if  the  whole  space  of  the  sky  was  shooting  forth  arms  on  all 
sides.  So  too  I  behold  thy  hands  busy,  doing  all  actions  in  one  and 
the  same  moment.  And  boundless  are  thy  bellies,  meeting  my  eyes 
like  treasures  of  whole  universes  opened  on  the  great  void  (the  un- 
manifested  Brahman).  And  a  single  glance  meets  a  thousand  of  the 
heads  that  turn  up  by  crores  in  a  moment  as  if  the  tree  of  the  supreme 
Brahman,  laden  with  fruit  borne  on  thousands  of  heads,  has  bent 
low.  Thus,  Oh  Omnipresent  Lord,  are  visible  on  all  sides  myriads 
of  faces  as  also  multitudes  of  rows  of  their  eyes.  This  is  nothing: 
even  all  talk  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  nether  regions  and  the  eight 
quarters  and  mid-air  (sky)  has  ceased,  and  I  behold  all  and  the  one 
in  the  image  of  the  Divine  Presence,  curiously  wondering  if  there 
be  a  secluded  nook,  as  small  as  an  atom,  wherein  you  are  not.  I  find 
none  such:  so  fully  you  have  pervaded  all  being.  By  thine  infinite 
Presence,  I  behold,  Oh  Anant,  is  packed  the  entire  extent  of  Being 
— a  compact  mass  of  the  five  gross  elements  stored  in  the  world. 
I  mused,  whence  thou  mayst  be  coming,  whether  thou  art  standing 


292  JNANESHWARI 

or  sitting,  what  mother's  womb  bore  thee,  how  big  is  thy  figure,  of 
what  age  mayst  thou  be,  and  of  what  appearance,  and  what  may  be 
beyond  this,  and  what  indeed  may  be  thy  support;  now  as  I  behold 
the  light  that  illumines  all,  thyself  are  thine  own  support;  born  of 
no  other  being,  thou  art  the  self-existent  being  without  beginning, 
self-same  for  all  time:  neither  standing  nor  sitting,  neither  tall  nor 
short:  Oh  God,  thou  art  all  everywhere,  below  and  above.  Oh,  thou 
art  like  thyself  than  anything  else:  thou  art  as  old  as  Eternal  Being 
and  thy  parts  are  thy  own  Being.  In  short,  oh  Anant,  as  I  see  again 
and  again,  thyself  art  everything  that  belongs  to  thee.  Yet,  one  blemish 
do  I  see  in  thine  all-pervading  Presence — Naught  it  has,  a  beginning 
or  a  middle,  or  an  end.  These  have  I  searched  in  all  places,  and  not 
a  trace  of  these  is  visible:  without  doubt,  there  thou  art  without  beginn- 
ing, middle  and  without  end.  Thus  have  I  seen  thee  All-pervading 
Being.  From  thine  all-filling  Presence  body  forth  severally  many 
incarnations,  making  thee  as  it  were  clothed  in  myriad  coloured  gar- 
ments; or  as  if  the  separate  beings  were  the  trees  and  creepers  growing 
on  thy  mountain-high  Presence,  and  the  splendid  ornaments  are 
the  flower  and  fruit  thereof.  Oh  Lord  thou  art  the  big  ocean  of  Being, 
on  which  are  tossed  separate  beings  as  waves:  or,  thou  art  a  big  tree 
laden  with  fruit  of  these  separate  images:  or  thou  art  like  the  earth, 
peopled  with  all  kinds  of  beings,  or  like  the  sky  studded  with  clusters 
of  stars.  So  is  thine  all-pervading  Presence  revealing  myriads  of 
divine  images.  On  thy  body  these  spring  like  hair.  A  single  part  of 
this  presence  witnesses  the  birth  and  decay  of  whole  universes.  And 
who  may  this  supreme  Person  be,  that  pervades  all  universes  on  all 
sides?  Well,  it  is  none  other  than  the  self-same  person  that  drives 
the  chariot  for  me  (Lord  Krishna).  And  methinks,  Oh  Mukunda, 
the  all-pervading  spirit  of  the  universe,  thou  yet  reveal  thyself  in  this 
limited  form  of  bewitching  beauty  to  make  thy  devotees  blessed  in 
thy  grace.  Oh  how  beauteous  is  thy  four-armed  person  of  brownish 
colour,  so  charming  to  eyes  and  mind  alike,  so  easily  to  be  clasped 
by  two  hands  in  an  embrace.  Oh  Thou,  the  Omnipresent  Lord  of 
the  entire  Universe!  Thou  wear  this  beautiful  body  out  of  thy  divine 
grace,  and  what  a  pity  that  mortal  men  reckon  thee  no  better!  May 
that  be  as  it  is!  The  blemish  of  my  human  vision  is  now  washed  off: 
thou  hast  fitted  my  eyes  with  divine  transcendent  sight:  so  here  I  am 
seeing  thy  divine  glory  in  full  and  in  its  grandeur.  Only  this  day  did 
I  realise  that  this  human  figure  sitting  behind  the  crocodile-shaped 
front  of  the  chariot  is  verily  the  Divine  Spirit  that  fills  the  universe. 


XI.  VI^VARtJPADAldANA  293 

17  "Wearing  a  crown,  with  mace  and  discus  (in  the  right  hands) ; 
a  mass  of  radiance  blazing  forth  in  all  directions:  I  behold 
Thee — to  be  beheld  with  difficulty — all  around  tne,  dazzling 
like  a  blazing  fire  (or)  the  Sun,  beyond  all  (power  of)  com- 
prehension. (294) 

Oh  Shri  Hari,  is  it  not  the  same  old  crown  that  adorns  thy  head  now? 
How  wonderful  then  that  it  shades  with  a  lustre  and  glory  unknown 
before?  And  is  this  not  thine  ever  whirling  wheel  in  thy  upper  hand? 
Oh  Omnipresent  Lord!  I  can  recognise  it  as  thy  hand  does  not  stop 
steadying  it  in  its  unnecessary  motion.  And  is  this  not  thy  well-known 
mace  to  be  seen  in  thy  other  hand?  Are  not  both  these  lower  hands 
without  a  missile,  left  free  to  hold  the  reins  (of  the  horses)?  Now 
have  I  realised  that,  to  fulfil  my  Prayer,  Thou,  Oh  Universal  Spirit 
and  the  Lord  of  the  universe,  hast  revealed,  all  of  a  sudden  thine 
Omnipresent  grandeur.  How  surpassingly  transcendent  is  this  great 
miralce ! 

I  have  hardly  the  strength  to  stand  fast  in  this  sea  of  wonder- 
ment: the  mind  itself  is  losing  its  bearings  in  this  astonishment  that 
leaves  little  time  to  take  breath  and  bethink  myself  if  there  exists  any- 
thing around  me.  Oh,  what  brilliance  of  thy  Being  Divine!  It  fills 
all.  Before  it,  even  the  light  of  fire  is  dazzled:  and  the  very  sun  pales 
like  a  glow-worm.  Such  divine  brilliance  is  this  splendour.  Oh, 
behold,  how  the  entire  created  universe  is  engulfed  in  this  ocean  of 
Light  of  thy  Being,  and  the  entire  space  is  wrapped  up  in  an  array  of 
world-destroying  lightning:  or  as  if  a  bed-post  (cot-WR")  has  been 
raised  on  high  in  sky  with  the  flames  of  world-consuming  fires.  And 
the  divine  eye  too  can  hardly  bear  the  sight.  Every  moment,  the 
splendour  is  increasing  its  refulgence  and  warmth;  the  body  cannot 
stand  it  and  even  the  divine  sight  is  struck  with  its  dazzling  glory. 
It  looks  as  though  the  terrific  blaze  of  the  fire  of  world-destruction 
that  lay  smouldering  in  the  "third  eye"  of  Maharudra  (Lord  Shiva) 
has  rushed  out  with  its  opening  and  with  the  spread  of  this  burning 
light,  the  all-consuming  flames  of  the  five  fires  (<Hi<»fl)  have  set 


294  JNANESHWARI 

out  to  burn  the  whole  created  world  to  ashes.  O  Lord,  such  a 
miraculous  mass  of  radiance  your  divine  splendour  is.  For  the  first 
time  in  my  life  have  I  set  my  eyes  on  this  unusual  light.  Oh,  verily  this 
all-filling  light  and  splendour  is  without  bounds. 


18  "Thou  art  the  Imperishable,  the  Highest  Entity  to  be  known; 
Thou  art,  of  this  universe,  the  Ultimate  Ark;  Thou  art  the 
standing  Guardian  of  the  Eternal  Dharma.  Thou  art,  as  I 
believe,  the  Eternal  Spirit  in  person,  (307) 

Oh  God,  thou  art  the  Immutable  Brahman,  beyond  the  bounds  of 
the  three  and  a  half  syllables  of  the  sacred  "Om",  and  the  very  Vedas 
have  been  in  eternal  quest  of  that  final  abode.  Thou  art  the  original 
home  in  which  dwells  all  space,  and  in  which  the  entire  universe  is 
stored  up.  Thou  art  that  eternal,  fathomless  and  imperishable  Being. 
Thou  art  the  very  life-blood  (aft^rrwT)  of  religion,  the  self-existent, 
eternally  new:  and  I  now  see  the  Eternal  Supreme  Person — the  thirty- 
seventh  (the  crown  of  the  thirty-six  known  essences). 


t^ctatu  fa*Mf«W  d4*d*[  It  H  II 

19  "Without  beginning,  middle,  or  end;  of  exhaust  less  potence, 
countless — armed,  with  the  Moon  and  the  Sun  for  Thine 
eyes;  I  behold  Thee,  with  the  blazing  Oblation — consumer 
(Fire)  for  Thy  mouth,  and,  in  Thine  own  radiance,  searing-up 
the  universe.  (310) 

Thou  art  without  beginning,  middle  or  end:  thou  art  of  unfathomed 
might  that  works  by  myriads  of  hands  and  feet  spread  in  the  whole 


XI.  VlgVAROPADAR&VNA  295 

universe.  The  moon  and  the  sun  are  thine  eyes  that  sportively  bespeak 
thy  mercy  and  wrath;  the  fury  of  the  one  frowns  chastisement  on 
some,  while  the  benign  glance  of  the  other  bedews  another  with  pro- 
tective grace.  In  sooth  I  behold  the  fulfilling  of  thy  will  in  these  many 
ways.  Thy  mouth  is  emitting  light  like  the  all-consuming  flames  of 
the  world-destroying  fire,  like  the  wild  flames  of  (forest)  fire  on  a 
mountain  that  envelope  whatever  comes  in  their  way.  Thy  tongue 
lolls  between  (the  rows  of)  teeth,  licking  the  jaws.  And  caught  in 
the  all  consuming  fire  of  its  flames  the  whole  universe  is  being  tormented 
with  a  scarring  that  threatens  to  destroy  it. 

<4ta4|4J  M«^r^d  *^r*F|  II  ^o  M 

20  "This  mid-space  between  Heaven  and  Earth  has,  by  Thee 
alone,  been  filled,  as  also  all  the  quarters.  Beholding  this 
Thine  wonderous,  terrific  Form,  the  world-triad  is  in  trepida- 
tion, O  Mighty  Spirit.  (315) 

Here  indeed  in  wonderment  do  I  behold  thine  Omnipresent  Divine 
spirit  rilling  the  heaven,  the  nether  regions,  and  the  earth,  with  the 
mid-space  between  these,  and  all  the  ten  quarters  encircling  hold 
to  the  edge  of  the  horizon;  but  all  this  with  the  entire  space  is  being 
submerged  in  thy  terrific  conflagration:  or  it  seems  as  though  all 
the  rings  of  the  fourteen  worlds  have  been  caught  up  in  waves  of  the 
mighty  ocean  of  thy  miraculous  Being.  How  then  should  my  mind, 
in  its  lone  helplessness,  take  in  this  vision  of  the  astounding  miracle? 
Thine  all-filling  presence  defies  all  bounds:  the  fierce  heat  of  this 
divine  radiance  is  beyond  all  endurance  of  sight;  all  talk  of  happiness 
in  this  world  in  this  plight  is  at  an  end;  the  world  is  straggling  for  its 
very  life  that  is  now  in  peril.  And  it  is  no  less  of  a  mystery  how  at 
the  sight  of  thine  eternal  being,  my  mind  is  engulfed  in  terror! !  Yet 
true  it  is  that  all  the  worlds  are  being  drowned  in  the  saddest  plight. 
But  why  with  the  divine  glory  of  thy  being  in  sight,  should  there  be 
a  touch  of  evil  like  terror?  Yet  undoubtedly,  that  which  fills  my  mind 
now  at  experiencing  this  great  vision,  is  not  joy  or  happiness  of  any 
kind. 


296  JNANESHWARI 

Worldly  pleasures  of  life  are  a  lure  to  the  soul,  only  so  long  as 
he  has  not  set  his  eyes  on  thy  Pure  Being.  And  now  with  the  realization 
of  thine  Omnipresent  vision  a  loathly  feeling  towards  worldly  pleasures 
torments  my  soul.  And  may  I  not  after  seeing  thine  Omnipresent 
vision  yearn  to  hold  thee  in  embrace ;  and  if  I  am  denied  this  embrace, 
how  could  I  struggle  to  live  in  such  a  grievous  distress?  A  retreat 
at  this  stage  is  threatened  with  the  unrelenting  affliction  of  earthly 
life  and  death;  and  were  I  to  go  ahead,  thine  unbounded  Omnipresent 
vision  would  be  beyond  my  reach.  Alas,  this  poor  mortal  world  that  is 
thus  being  parched  between  two  fires!  To  such  extreme  plight  my 
passion  for  thy  divine  vision  has  brought  my  soul.  Just  as  one  scorched 
by  fire  turns  for  cooling  himself  to  the  sea,  and  is  threatened  by  the 
terrific  rushing  waves,  such  verily  is  the  pitiable  plight  of  the  universe 
that  is  now  being  tormented  to  extinction  in  thine  all-filling  vision. 


21  "For,  here  are  entering  within  Thee  the  hosts  of  Gods,  some 
in  fright,  with  folded  hands,  hymning  Thy  praise.  The  con- 
gregations of  the  great  Sages  and  Siddhas  (  Perfect  ioned- 
Beings)  crying  'All  Hail!'  eulogise  Thee  with  abundant 
eulogies.  (327) 

Look  yonder  at  the  hosts  of  wisdom-loving  Gods !  In  all  devotion 
of  love  they  are  entering  into  thy  divine  Being,  having  burnt  in  thy 
spiritual  splendour  the  seeds  of  all  actions.  And  not  a  few  seem  to 
be  frightened,  who  are  turning  towards  you  and  offering  devout 
prayers,  with  folded  hands.  They  pray,  "Oh  Lord!  we  are  fallen  low 
in  the  great  deep  ocean  of  ignorance,  and  being  entrapped  in  the 
snares  of  earthly  pleasures,  we  have  been  trammelled  in  the  cycles 
of  birth  and  pleasure  of  heavenly  paradise :  who  else  but  thyself  would 
deliver  us  up  from  these?  We  resign  ourselves  wholeheartedly  to 
Thy  Will."  They  are  thus  beseeching  you.  Oh  God,  assemblies  of 
great  Sages  and  Siddhas  (perfectioned  beings)  and  masters  of  divine 
love  too  are  on  this  side  crying,  "All  Hail"  and  praising  thy  great 
name. 


xi.  vi^varCtpadarsana  297 

22  "The  Rudras,  the  Adityas,  the  Vasus,  and  those  known  as 
Sadhyas  (Perfection-seekers),  the  All  (Gods),  the  Asvins 
Twain,  the  Maruts,  and  (the  Manes)  that  drink  the  tepid 
water-libations;  the  Congregations  of  the  Gandharvas  (Heav- 
enly Musicians),  Yaksas  (Sprites),  Asuras  (Demons)  and 
Siddhas  (Perfectioned-Beirigs) :  they  all  gaze  upon  Thee  in 
stark  amazement.  (332) 

Congregations  of  Rudras  and  Adityas,  the  (eight)  Vasus,  all  the 
Sadhyas  (perfection-seekers),  the  two  Ashvins,  the  All-gods  and 
Maruts  (winds),  so  also  the  Manes,  the  Gandharvas  (Heavenly 
Musicians),  the  Yaksas  (Sprites)  and  the  Demons,  all  the  Gods  headed 
by  Indra,  and  the  Siddhas  (perfectioned  beings) — all  these  are  be- 
holding with  astonished  looks,  from  their  allotted  regions,  thine 
incredibly  wonderful  divine  grandeur  of  this  Omnipresence.  With 
their  hearts  struck  with  amazement,  every  moment  they  gaze  upon 
thee  and  lay  suppliantly  their  crowned  heads  low  at  thy  feet.  The 
whole  expanse  of  (seven)  Heavens  resounds  with  their  loud  accla- 
mations Maya  Jaya'  (All  Hail)  uttered  with  folded  hands,  touching 
their  heads  in  devout  salutation.  This,  their  devout  supplication  at 
thy  feet,  is  verily  like  a  sylvan  iris  where-in  the  trees  bloom  with  the 
vernal  flowers  of  (eight-fold)  thrills  of  pious  joy;  and  these  flowers 
have  borne  the  fruit  of  this  realising  vision  of  thy  Presence. 

*4^WI^  4g4l£4MH<4  * 

l^T  sftaT:  SHUftdlfeWlgq  II  33  II 

23  "Beholding  Thy  prodigious  Form  with  many  mouths  and 
eyes,  O  Thou  of  mighty  arms,  with  many  arms  and  thighs 
and  feet,  with  many  bellies,  and  gruesome  with  many  jaws, 
the  worlds  are  in  trepidation,  and  so  also  myself.         (338) 


298  JNANESHWARI 

Good  luck  seems  to  have  propitiously  smiled  on  them  with  this  vision 
for  the  eyes  to  feast  on,  by  which  the  mind  sights  a  new  dawn  of  bliss 
in  beholding  thine  unfathomed  all-filling  Presence.  That  Presence, 
pervading  all  the  worlds,  makes  even  the  Gods  awe-struck,  and  yet 
now  the  merest  of  mortals  is  blessed  with  a  face  to  face  Vision  of  it. 
One  single  Presence  it  is,  and  yet  opens  up  with  myriads  of  dreadful 
mouths,  glances  with  many  eyes,  and  wields  weapons  in  countless 
arms.  Bearing  innumerable  thighs,  feet,  and  many  bellies  and  different 
colours,  savage  vehemence  seems  to  burst  out  from  each  single  mouth, 
as  if  the  wrathful  Yama  (God  of  death),  at  impending  world-destruc- 
tion, is  hurling  all  round  fire  jets,  or  as  if  the  destructive  missiles  of 
the  world-destroying  Rudras,  are  being  flung  on  all  sides,  or  as  if, 
the  bands  of  Bhairavas  (inferior  manifestations  of  God  Shiva),  are 
being  rushed  forward,  or  as  if,  guns  of  world-destroying  power  are 
hurling  cannonballs  for  the  carnage  of  all  living  creatures;  in  this 
wise,  O  Lord,  these  thy  dreadful  mouths  are  gaping  on  all  around, 
and  like  the  ferocious  lions  that  are  crammed  out  of  their  dens  which 
cannot  hold  them  thy  teeth  flashing  their  fury  are  sticking  out  of 
the  mouth.  And  these  jaws  in  thy  mouths:  these  have  turned  pitch- 
black  with  the  blood  of  world-destruction  and  verily  seem  to  be  the 
very  night-spirits  and  demons — that  move  out  in  the  dark  night  of 
destruction  in  their  wicked  glee.  And  as  if  this  is  not  enough,  thy 
mouth  is  yawning  that  terror  that  spreads  when  the  universal  destroyer 
Time  is  out  for  a  ravaging  war,  and  envelopes  all  creations  in  destruc- 
tion. The  poor  created  universe  in  its  entire  variety,  at  the  merest 
touch  of  thy  vision,  shrivels  like  the  trees  on  the  banks  of  the  Jumna 
that  were  scorched  by  poison  of  Kaliya.  In  this  great  ocean  of  thine 
all-pervading  being  that  appears  strewn  with  universal  wrecks,  the 
life  of  the  created  universe  is  verily  like  a  tiny  boat  that  is  perpetually 
tossed  and  swung  on  the  waves  of  agony  and  distress.  Oh!  Lord 
of  Vaikuntha,  pray  do  not  tax  me  in  wrath,  not  to  bethink  myself 
on  the  world's  agony,  and  to  rest  myself  in  the  peaceful  enjoyment 
of  the  meditation  on  thy  divine  all-pervading  life.  I  am  indeed  offer- 
ing, on  behalf  of  the  world,  my  prayers  which  are  only  a  mask  for  my 
own  helplessness  with  fright.  I  am  praying  for  my  own  life.  Meeting 
me  face  to  face  in  all  thine  awful  vision,  thou  hast  brought  me  (both 
inside  and  outside)  to  an  utterly  pitiful  plight,  though  I  held  even  the 
world-destroying  Rudra  terror-stricken  and  have  defied  Death  Himself. 
But  the  strangest  of  miracles,  Oh  Lord,  is  this  All-pervading  divine 
vision  as  it  is  named;  it  is  yet  the  great  destroyer  (^mi<i),  and  has 
with  its  awful  dread  foiled  and  baffled  terror  itself. 


XI.  VISVARtJPAD arsana  299 

24  "For,  as  /  behold  Thee,  radiant,  touching  the  skies,  of  mani- 
fold hide,  with  gaping  mouths  and  large  blazing  eyes,  I,  with 
my  inmost  soul  in  trepidation,  find  neither  courage  nor  tran- 
quillity, 0  Vishnu.  (353) 

Thou  hast  indeed  these  several  angry  mouths  and  faces,  which  have 
beaten  hollow  the  great  destroyer  Himself  in  striking  terror,  and  with 
their  ever-widening  gape  have  made  the  very  sky  itself  shrink.  The 
great  expanse  of  sky  itself  limits  it  not,  nor  does  the  wind  careering 
in  the  three  worlds  enfold  it;  and  see  how  the  vapours  that  can  con- 
sume fire  itself,  are  cracking  all  around.  And  again,  not  one  is  like 
another,  being  of  diverse  colours;  thus  helped  by  these  colours,  the 
world-destroying  fires  dissolve  the  world.  Of  such  unmeasurable 
heat  are  these  vapours  that  they  might  turn  the  whole  frame  of  the 
universe  to  ashes,  and  yet  in  the  mouths  the  teeth  and  the  jaws  are 
visible.  (It  looks)  as  though  the  very  wind  is  being  convulsed  into 
spasms:  or  the  very  sea  is  being  swallowed  by  an  inflow  of  high  floods, 
or  that  the  fire  of  the  all-consuming  poison  is  out  to  destroy  with  the 
help  of  the  sea-stirring  fire,  or  again  as  though  the  deadliest  poison 
is  drunken  with  fire,  or  death  itself  has  started  as  an  unrelenting  carn- 
age. Such  an  all-devouring  mouth  has  gaped  forth  as  it  were,  under 
the  cover  of  the  deadly  fire  of  this  thy  person.  And  it  is  as  wide  as  the 
cavity  of  the  sky  itself  when  it  is  torn  asunder  and  bursts  open:  or 
it  looks  as  though  the  deep  void  of  the  nether  world  is  rent  open  by 
Lord  Shiva,  when  Hiranyaksha  (brother  of  Hiranyakashyapu)  whisked 
off  the  earth  under  his  armpit  and  took  shelter  in  a  hold  underground. 
So  vastly  stretches  out  from  end  to  end  to  infinity  this  mouth  with 
the  tongues  lolling  out  so  furiously.  The  whole  universe  cannot  make 
a  single  morsel  for  it,  and  is  thus  saved  from  its  ravenous  sport.  And 
in  the  cavity  of  the  jaws  yawning  the  valley  of  Death,  the  tongue  lolling 
looks  like  the  venomous  flames  reaching  out  into  the  sky  from  the 
hissing  dragons  of  the  nether  world.  The  teeth  too  in  their  glowing 
lustre  stick  out  on  the  lips  and  resemble  the  ramparts  in  the  city  of 
clouds  decorated  with  bands  of  world-consuming  lightnings.  And 
how  horrid  the  eyes  look  out  from  the  hollow  of  the  forehead  and 


300  JNANESHWARl 

frightening  terror  itself  as  if  the  violent  outburst  of  death  incarnate 
is  blazing  out  from  the  dark.  What  mayest  thou  intend  to  fulfil  by 
this  mask  of  terror  is  indeed  out  of  my  ken.  Yet  certain  it  is  that  I  am 
struck  with  death-terror.  In  fond  conceit  did  I  yearn  to  set  my  eyes 
on  thine  all-filling  presence,  and  how  richly  have  I  deserved  all  this 
as  the  fruit  of  that  unearthly  longing!  What  an  exquisite  vision, 
O  Lord,  have  I  beheld  of  thine  all-filling  presence! !  My  eyes  are 
now  sated  with  that  pleasure.  Earthy  is  this  body,  and  who  indeed 
cares  if  it  perishes?  Now  my  very  soul  and  spirit  is  in  peril,  and  I 
gravely  doubt  if  that  spirit  would  remain.  For,  terror  may  shake 
the  body,  or  at  most  might  distress  the  mind,  and  even  unnerve  the 
intellect :  but  now  the  inner  soul  itself,  that  is  beyond  and  above  all 
these,  enjoying  its  blissful  state — that  very  tranquil  soul  is  a  sickening 
sight :  or  what  a  tremendous  power  this  realisation  of  thine  all  per- 
vading Presence  is?  It  has  even  dislodged  the  illumination  of  self- 
knowledge;  and  my  tie  of  discipleship  to  thee — my  divine  master — 
is  itself  in  peril.  Oh  God,  in  the  presence  of  thy  all-pervading  being, 
my  heart  is  almost  in  a  dead  faint  and  I  am  struggling  to  gird  it  with 
courage.  Courage  has  lost  her  ground  in  my  name  and  then  I  have 
had  this  vision  of  thine  all-pervading  Presence.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
thy  spiritual  precept  has  totally  bewildered  me.  Oh,  my  poor  helpless 
soul,  that  is  running  wild,  eager  to  find  a  heaven  of  rest  and  finds  it 
not.  Life  itself  has  fled  before  this  great  rack  and  ruin  in  the  shape 
of  this  spectacle  of  thine  all-filling  divinity.  How  then  should  I  live 
at  all  if  I  were  to  keep  quiet? 


25  "And  Thine  mouths  with  the  gruesome  jaws,  and  resembling 
the  Fires  of  Doom;  the  moment  I  behold  them,  I  cease  to 
know  my  bearings,  and  find  no  solace.  Be  gracious,  O  Master 
Deity,  Thou  that  dwellest  within  the  universe.  (375) 

I  see  unceasingly  before  mine  eyes  these  formidable  gaping  mouths 
of  thine,  which  look  like  vessels  of  terror  that  have  burst  upon  my 


xi.  veSvarOpadar^ana  301 

view.  And  the  dense  mass  of  teeth  and  jaws,  too  thick  to  be  held 
between  the  two  lips,  are  striking  out  on  the  lips  to  form,  as  it  were, 
the  thickest  hedge  around  sharp  deadly  weapons.  These  awful  mouths 
of  thine  overflowing  with  furious  vehemence  are  indeed  raining  tor- 
rential death  on  us,  as  if  they  are  like  the  Taks'haka,  the  deadliest 
viper  replenished  with  venom,  or  the  very  night  of  universal  Death 
possessed  by  Ghosts ;  or  the  very  fire  of  lightning  that  is  flourishing 
fiery  weapons.  What  things  should  indeed  survive  that  universal 
holocaust  in  which  the  flames  of  the  fire  of  world-conflagration  are 
fanned  by  the  tempestuous  whirl- wind  of  world  annihilation?  So 
horridly  destructive  are  these  mouths  of  thine;  at  their  sight  all  courage 
has  left  me;  a  grievous  delusion  has  come  upon  me  and  I  have  lost 
my  bearing  knowing  neither  myself  nor  where  and  how  I  stand. 
No  sooner  did  my  eyes  catch  a  glimpse  of  this  all-pervading  presence 
of  thine,  than  is  totally  dried  up  the  fount  of  happiness  in  me. 

Now  hold  thy  hand  in  this  topsy-turvy  welter  of  things.  Know- 
ing full  well  as  I  do,  that  thou  wilt  forbear,  I  am  nevertheless  asking 
for  this  immediate  relief;  and  I  pray:  Thou  save  my  life  from  this 
utter  extinction  by  being  swallowed  up  in  thine  divine  being.  As 
thou  art  our  master,  Oh  Anant,  I  pray  to  thee  to  overlay  my  life  as 
with  a  shield  to  rescue  it  from  destruction  and  stop  this  career  of  total 
annihilation.  Oh  Thou,  the  supreme  Lord  of  all  Gods,  by  thy  divine 
spirit  does  the  world  live;  how  then  should  thou,  unmindful  of  all 
this,  take  to  this  wake  of  destruction?  Therefore,  Oh  God,  may  thy 
grace  forthwith  dawn  on  me  tearing  off  the  veil  of  illusion  (thy  Maya) 
and  save  me  from  this  perilous  plight.  All  this  while  piteous  have 
been  my  repeated  prayers  to  thee;  because,  terror-stricken  I  stand  at 
the  sight  of  this  all-filling  image  of  divinity.  Though  thrusting  myself 
into  the  jaws  of  death  itself,  single-handed  I  repelled  the  attack  on 
the  city  of  Indra.  But,  Oh  God,  what  I  stand  fronting  is  not  on  a  level 
with  those  deeds  of  valour.  Here  outdoing  Death  himself,  thou  hast 
set  about  swallowing  all  of  us  along  with  the  universe  entire.  The 
time  was  not  indeed  ripe  for  world-dissolution;  yet  all  of  a  sudden, 
the  world  strangely  enough  is  running  down  to  its  annihilation  at 
thy  hands — yourself  being  the  Protector;  alas,  how  cruel  for  the  poor 
world  that  has  had  such  a  short  life?  Yearning  for  blissful  peace, 
I  longed  to  have  a  vision  of  the  all-pervading  image  of  Divinity;  and 
what  a  disaster  meets  my  eyes?  Alas,  the  whole  world  is  now  going 
to  rack  and  ruin,  and  is  being  swallowed  by  thee.  Do  I  not  see  with 
my  eyes  that  into  thine  innumerable  gaping  mouths  all  these  armies 
are  being  swallowed  swiftly? 


302  JNANESHWARI 

«£N"**4)*Ufa  mI^<?4:  II  ^\  U 

26  "j4«d  here  are  the  sons  of  Dhrtarastra,  all,  together,  also 
with  congregated  Riders  of  the  Earth,  BhTsma,  Drona,  like- 
wise this  (Kama)  son  of  the  charioteer:  along  too  with  the 
chief  warriors  belonging  to  us  (392) 

Are  not  these  the  warriors  of  the  Kaurava  dynasty?  and  the  sons 
of  the  blind  King  Dhrtarashtra?  They  have  been  hurried  fast  along 
with  their  retinues  into  thy  mouths !  The  assembled  kings  of  several 
countries  too  that  came  as  allies,  are  being  wholly  gulped  down; 
not  one  is  spared  to  return  to  tell  the  story  of  their  sad  fate. 

And  thou  art  gulping  down  greedily  swarms  of  elephants  in  rut, 
and  art  revenging  their  Mahouts  (rider-keeper)  too.  [Note:  There 
is  *H3"fe:  in  Kunte  Edition  the  word  is  srrcoft  (f§T)  while  in  the  Bhide 
Edition  the  word  is  ^imk"!!  ( H igd  )].  Crowds  of  Artillery  men  and 
gunners,  no  less  than  multitudes  as  of  infantry-men,  are  being  lost 
in  thy  mouths.  Myriads  of  deadly  weapons  are  being  swallowed  up 
in  thy  mouths,  although  they  are  twin-brothers  of  Yama — God  of 
death-and  each  single  weapon  is  capable  of  consuming  the  entire 
universe.  And  the  four-armed  vast  hosts  in  battle  array  ( 5^ftT  #T ), 
along  with  the  equipped  chariots  with  horses  harnessed  to  them,  are 
being  taken  in  greedily  without  being  worked  about  between  teeth. 
How  well-pleased  thou  art  with  aH  this  carnage?  Alas,  here  thou 
hast  finished  Bhishma,  than  whom  no  better  lover  of  truth  and  valour 
is  met  with:  and  that  Brahmin  Drona  too  is  slain.  Oh,  what  a  pity; 
even  the  warrior  Kama,  born  of  the  Sun,  has  disappeared — gone 
completely — the  same  way;  while  the  principal  warriors  on  our  side 
(too)  are  being  blown  off  like  dust.  Oh  my  God!  Strange  indeed  is 
the  upshot  of  this  divine  grace!  I  prayed  for  a  vision  of  Divine  Omni- 
presence, and  brought  down  death  and  destruction  on  the  whole 
universe.  Erstwhile  the  Lord  recounted  his  principal  divine  emana- 
tions; not  content  with  this,  I  importuned  the  Lord  for  direct  visions 
thereof.  One  cannot  but  suffer  what  is  foreordained  by  fate  that  shapes 
our  wills.  How  then  can  I  escape  from  the  guilt  that  must  rest  on  my 
head;  in  days  of  yore,  the  Gods  who  churned  the  occean  were  blessed 
in  the  possession  of  nectar;  not  content  with  the  gift,  the  Gods  went 


XI.   VISVARtJPADARSANA  303 

on  churning,  till  the  occean  turned  up  the  Poison  of  deadly  virulence. 
In  a  way  that  grievous  disaster  was,  as  it  turned  out,  a  bit  of  a  trifle, 
since  it  was  warded  off,  and  Lord  Shankara  saved  the  world  from  the 
danger.  But  who  can  quench  this  holocaust  of  blazing  blast,  and  who 
can  swallow  up  the  whole  vault  of  heaven,  brimming  over  with  poison, 
and  who  indeed  has  the  gigantic  strength  to  wrestle  with  the  great 
destructor?  Thus  did  Arjuna  sorrow  over  the  great  vision,  and  was 
distressed  in  soul;  but  he  could  not  catch  on  the  inner  motive  of  the 
Lord.  Seized  with  the  delusive  phantom,  Arjuna  had  imagined  him- 
self as  the  slayer  and  the  Kauravas  as  the  slain! 

By  this  mighty  vision  of  His  Divine  Omnipresence,  the  Infinite 
Maker,  smashed  the  delusion.  Under  the  cover  of  that  vision  of  his 
Omnipresent  might,  Lord  Hari  revealed  the  great  truth  that  none 
other  was  the  slayer,  and  the  Lord  Himself  in  good  sooth  blots  all 
things  out  of  existence.  The  son  of  Pandu  was  ill  at  ease  to  lay  hold 
on  this  truth,  and  with  great  affliction  of  soul  he  quailed  ever  and 
anon  before  that  prodigious  vision. 

wh^nyuPi  '4HlM<Mp|  I 

27  "They  hurry  forward  and  enter  Thy  mouths  of  gruesome 
jaws,  awe-aspiring.  Some,  caught  within  the  interstices  bet- 
wixt the  teeth,  are  seen  with  their  heads  crunched  to  powder. 

(410) 

And  then 'he  said,  "Oh  look  here;  like  clouds  melting  suddenly  in 
the  sky  the  armies  on  both  the  sides,  with  their  swords  and  armours, 
have  disappeared  in  thy  mouth.  Or,  as  at  the  end  of  the  world-cycle, 
the  great  destroyer,  all  wroth  with  the  universe,  clasps  in  a  single 
deadly  embrace  all  the  twenty  one  heavenly  vaults  along  with  the 
nether  region  to  crush  them  out,  or  as  the  pomp  and  prosperity  of 
hoarded  wealth  of  niggards  vanish  all  of  a  sudden,  the  moment  the 
fates  become  unpropitious,  in  the  same  way,  the  fully  equipped  armies 
assembled  here,  have  disappeared  into  thy  mouth:  alas  the  pity  of 
it,  how  relentlessly  they  are  bound  by  karma?  Not  a  single  of  these 
could  escape  (safe)  from  the  mouths.  Like  the  tender  shoots  of  the 


304  JNANESHWARI 

Ashoka  tree  which  a  camel  grabs  and  chews,  all  these  men  are  lost 
forever  in  the  mouths.  And  see  how  the  crowned  heads  are  being 
pounded  between  the  pincers  of  the  jaws?  Some  of  the  pounded 
crowned  jewels  seem  to  have  stuck  up  in  the  interstices  between  the 
teeth  while  some  crunched  to  powder  have  spread  out  over  the  bottoms 
of  the  tongues,  while  others  are  stuck  up  to  the  pointed  ends  of  the 
jaws.  Indeed  the  great  Destroyer  the  Omnipresent  Deity  has  gulped 
down  the  able-bodied  men  and  yet  their  heads  He  has  kept  together. 
In  truth  the  heads  are  the  best  part  of  the  body  and  so  could  survive 
the  wholesale  slaughter  in  the  destructive  mouths.  Arjuna  went  on 
"Earth-born  creatures  have  no  other  course  open  to  them  and  thus 
the  whole  world  becomes  an  easy  prey  in  the  abyss  of  these  mouths. 
The  entire  creation  goes  the  way  of  this  abysmal  death  and  the  De- 
stroyer Omnipresent  Deity  is  standing  unmoved  where  He  is,  and  is 
gathering  in  quietly  everything  that  finds  its  way  to  his  jaws.  All 
the  Gods  of  the  heavenly  region,  including  the  creator  himself,  are 
entering  into  the  upper  mouths,  while  the  common  warriors  are 
rushing  into  the  mouths  lower  down.  And  myriad  of  smaller  creatures 
are  being  finished  just  as  they  are  born.  So  not  one  slips  out  of  the 
strangle-hold  of  these  mouths : 

cTOT  cWI*(l  *K?TM>4Ul 

fa*l(*d  ^44HWir*ifah«Mpd  II  ^c;  II 

28  "As  of  the  rivers  their  water-rapids  race  onward  heading 
sheer  for  the  ocean,  so  these  heroes  of  the  world  of  men  enter 
Thy  fierce-flaming  mouths.  (423) 

Just  as  the  courses  of  big  rivers  move  gently  and  easily  into  the  ocean, 
so  the  entire  universe  on  all  sides  is  rushing  into  these  mouths.  All 
created  beings  moving  along  the  pathway  of  life  are  speedily  treading 
the  footsteps  of  days  and  nights,  to  bring  to  consummation  the 
journey's  end  by  being  united  with  thy  mouth. 

*HIT  U^Hci  *^*H  Md^-l 
f««if*ti  TRTra"  W|4^4||:  I 
W^N"  iriw  RttlPri  «Ttf>T- 
itWlfll  TOnfiT  «4£4«l<ll:  II  ^£  II 


xi.  viSvarCpadar&vna  305 

29  "As  within  the  blazing  fires  the  moths,  with  accelerated  velocity, 
enter  for  destruction,  Just  so,  for  their  destruction,  enter  the 
peoples  right  within  Thy  mouths,  with  accelerated  velocity. 

(425) 

Like  swarms  of  moths  falling  into  the  blazing  valleys  of  burning 
mountains,  all  these  men  are  falling  into  these  mouths,  and  whatever 
enters  these  mouths  is  wiped  out  of  existence  with  their  ver^jiames, 
like  water  falling  on  red-hot  iron.  .^s**3  J 

%fa|I%  iWHM:  WWH- 


30  "Ever  and  anon  dost  Thou  lick  up  (Thy  lips)  all  around,  as 
Thou  devourest  with  Thy  blazing  mouths  the  entire  worlds. 
With  Thy  radiances  filling  to  brim  the  entire  universe,  Thy 
fierce  rays  cause  excessive  burnings,  O  Vishnu.  (427) 

And  what  an  uncommonly  ravenous  hunger  has  been  stirred  up  here, 
that  is  not  appeased  with  so  much  victuals.  See  how  the  tongues  are 
seen  lolling  out  to  smack  the  lips,  as  though  a  patient,  recovering 
from  illness,  is  glutting  himself  with  food,  or  as  though  a  starving 
beggar  were  faring  in  a  famine-stricken  land.  What  a  voracious 
appetite  it  must  be  that  is  gorged  with  food  from  which  nothing  is 
excepted.  How  unquenchable  is  this  greed  of  thine  on  all  sides  that 
is  impatient  to  suck  the  ocean  dry  in  a  single  draught,  or  make  but 
a  single  morsel  of  a  whole  mountain,  or  grind  the  whole  frame  of 
heaven  and  earth  (si^Wdl^)  under  the  jaws,  or  gulp  down  all  the  four 
quarters  (of  the  compass)  or  lick  off  the  starry  vault  above?  Indulgence 
inflames  passions,  or  as  fire  blazes  up  with  fuel,  so  the  ravenous  hunger 
is  glutting  the  mouths  the  more  voraciously,  the  more  they  are  devour- 
ing the  victims.  Behold,  how  a  single  mouth  yawning  to  make  the 
entire  universe  rest  on  the  tip  of  its  tongue,  as  if  it  were  a  wood-apple 
( ^rs)  thrown  into  the  submarine  fire.  And  myriads  of  such  mouths 
are  opening  in  this  Omnipresent  Deity;  but  where  are  the  universes 
to  feed  them?  And  one  knows  not  why  they  are  so  many  with  no 
food  to  feed  them! !  Oh  Lord,  the  entire  mass  of  created  beings  is 


306  JNANESHWARI 

caught  up  in  the  flames  of  these  mouths,  as  if  flocks  of  deer  are  trapped 
in  forest  fires..  The  entire  universe  is  for  the  present  brought  to  this 
wretched  plight.  This  indeed,  is  not  Omnipresent  Lord  God,  but 
in  truth,  relentless  Destiny,  as  though,  like  fish,  in  the  net  of  the  world- 
destroyer,  are  caught  the  created  beings.  How  are  these  poor  created 
beings  to  come  out  of  the  meshes  of  the  lustre  of  this  Divine  Body? 
Indeed  these  are  not  the  mouths  of  the  Divine  Person;  rather,  they 
are  so  many  burning  lac-made  houses  hurled  at  the  world.  The  fire 
knows  not  the  pangs  of  being  burnt  alive;  Yet  whatever  creature  is 
touched  by  fire,  cannot  but  lose  life.  Oh,  the  sharp  weapon  is  hardly 
aware  of  its  lethal  power,  nor  indeed,  the  deadly  poison  of  its  baneful 
work;  in  that  way,  Oh  Lord,  art  thou  unmindful  of  the  fury  raging 
in  thy  mouths,  but  the  worlds  in  the  mouths  are  simply  burnt  to  ashes. 
Oh,  thou  art  the  unitary  Being,  the  Great  Soul,  by  which  lives  and 
moves  the  whole  universe.  Then  how  art  thou  raining  death  and 
destruction  on  us?  I  have  now  given  up  all  hope  of  life,  and  thou 
too,  I  beseech  thee,  be  pleased  unshrinkingly  to  tell  me  all  that  is 
in  your  mind.  Where  indeed  wilt  thou  withhold  thy  hand  from  this 
raging  fury?  I  pray,  thou  remember  thine  abiding  mercy  as  Protector; 
may  Thy  grace  be  turned  at  least  to  me. 

31  "Relate  unto  me  who  Thou  art,  Thou  of  fierce  form.  A  saluta- 
tion unto  Thee,  O  Foremost  of  the  Gods.  Be  gracious;  I  desire 
to  know  in  fulness  Thee  that  art  the  Primal  One,  as  I  do  not 
understand  (the purpose  of )  Thy  actions."  (444) 

Therefore,  Oh  thou  Almighty  that  art  known  only'  by  the  Vedas, 
the  Primal  source  of  the  three  worlds ;  Oh  thou  Supreme  Being  adored 
by  the  Universe,  do  but  once  listen  to  my  prayers".  So  saying  the 
hero  bowed  down  his  head  (and  placed  it)  at  the  feet  of  the  Lord  and 
said,  "Oh,  Lord  of  all,  do  hear  my  request.  I  asked  for  the  vision  of 
the  Omnipresence  for  peace  of  mind,  and  thou  hast  stood  up  all  of 
a  sudden  swallowing  all  the  worlds.  So  (tell  me)  who  thou  art  and 
to  what  purpose  thou  joinst  many  dreadful  mouths?  Why  art  thou 


XI.   VISVARUPADARSANA  307 

wielding  all  these  weapons  in  all  thy  hands?  Oh,  thou  in  full  wrath 
hast  grown  to  such  giant  size  that  the  very  sky  is  made  to  look  small, 
and  why  art  thou  frightening  me  with  thy  angry  stare  at  me?  And 
why  Oh  Lord,  art  thou  vying  with  that  all  destructive  Yama  (frrtrT)? 
Do  tell  me  all  that  is  in  thy  mind."  At  this  Anant  said:  "You  ask 
me  who  I  am  and  why  I  have  grown  with  such  raging  fury." 

gffrWUHqN  I 

^detain  r*T  «T  *i(q°Mpti  ?3Rf 
^Sarf^raT:  5T?CFft^  TJtaT:  II  ^  II 

32  "The  Exalted-one  spake:  "I  am  the  Time  (Spirit),  grown 
to  maturity  and  causing  the  destruction  of  the  worlds,  who 
am  busy  (now)  in  withdrawing  the  world  (within  Me).  Even 
without  thee  they  would  cease  to  be:  all  the  warriors  that 
are  stationed  in  the  hostile  armies.  (451) 

Hear  then,  "I  am  in  very  truth  the  Time  (-Spirit-^Toy)  that  has  grown 
to  fullness  for  world  destruction.  See  these  innumerable  mouths 
of  mine  that  have  yawned  and  I  shall  now  swallow  the  universe." 
At  this  Arjuna  said,  "Alas,  in  my  first  distress,  I  turned  to  Lord 
Krishna  for  help,  and  besought  Him  for  relief;  and  with  what  a 
tremendous  fury  He  has  burst  upon  me! !"  Lord  Krishna  too  fearing, 
that  His  harsh  words  might  cut  Arjuna  to  the  heart,  spake  thus: — 
"Mark  ye,  Oh  Kiriti,  one  thing  that  relieves  the  fury  of  this  destruc- 
tion; ye  Pandavas  shall  enjoy  a  secure  existence  out  of  this  universal 
destruction."  These  words  gave  Arjuna  a  fresh  lease  of  life  that  was 
almost  departing,  for  he  was  indeed  in  the  very  clutches  of  death; 
and  now  recalled  to  life,  he  became  heedful  of  Lord  Krishna's  words. 
Lord  Krishna  said,  "Oh  Arjuna,  mark  ye,  that  ye  Pandavas  are  dear 
to  Me;  so  you  Pandavas  shall  be  safe,  while  everything  else  is  being 
engulfed  by  me.  The  universe  you  have  seen  going  into  my  mouths, 
is  verily  like  a  morsel  of  butter,  falling  into  the  dreadful  thunder- 
bolt fire,  and  doubt  not  for  a  moment  what  is  hidden  behind  this 
terrific  sight.  These  armies  are  vainly  indulging  in  empty  talk.  On 
the  strength  of  this  four-limbed  army,  they  are  vying  with  the  great 
destroyer,  being  infatuated  with  the  conceit  of  their  power!   They 


308  JNANESHWARI 

aver  that  they  counter-plot  the  creation  of  a  new  universe  itself 
(  qmlctfl  ^ffe?),  and  would  vow  vengeance  against  the  great  slayer, 
and  would'  drain  to  the  dregs,  in  a  single  draught,  the  entire  world. 
They  would  gulp  down  the  entire  earth,  would  burn  the  very  canopy 
of  sky,  just  as  it  hangs,  and  nail  down  with  arrows  the  wind  to  one 
single  spot.  Thus  these  assembled  hosts  of  warriors  are  seething 
with  the  lust  of  battle  and  vaunting  their  valour  to  scoff  at  the  God 
of  Death.  With  their  words  cutting  sharper  than  their  weapons, 
and  with  their  eyes  glowing  with  a  glare,  fiercer  than  fire,  they  make 
the  malignant  virulence  of  even  the  deadliest  poison  taste  sweet. 
But  know  these  to  be  nothing  more  than  mansions  in  air-cities  of 
cloud-land,  or  mere  men  of  straw  stuffed  with  void.  Or  they  are  like 
paper-fruits  drawn  in  pictures.  It  is  as  though  a  mirage  is  in  floods; 
or  a  snake  made  of  rags  and  not  a  real  army  is  facing  you.  They  are 
thus  mere  well-decorated  puppet  show. 

far*u  snf^  *$&&  ti^t  *np^  I 
*<44cl  fa?jcU:  ^Nfcr 

33  "Therefore,  do  thou  stand  up  and  win  glory:  overcome  the 
enemies  and  enjoy  an  opulent  kingdom.  By  Myself  they  have 
even  been  already  killed:  a  mere  instrument  (for  it)  do  thou 
become,  O  Ambi-dexterous  (archer).  (466) 

But  in  truth,  the  power  that  moves  and  lives  in  them  has  long  since 
been  absorbed  by  me,  and  now  these  warriors  are  a  lifeless  mass  of 
puppet  show,  like  the  figures  of  a  potter.  The  puppets  that  dance 
by  the  pulling  of  strings,  tumble  down  by  the  merest  touch,  when 
the  strings  snap;  so  these  armies  arrayed  in  a  stately  show,  shall  ere 
long  be  shattered.  Rise  up  then  and  act  like  a  truly  wise  man.  On 
the  occasion  of  'Go-grahana'  (''D^gur)  thou  thyself  hurled  at  this 
Kaurava  Army,  the  magic  missile  that  infatuated  them;  thus  thou 
denuded  them  at  the  hands  of  that  faint-hearted  Uttara  of  Virat. 
But  here  the  present  army  is  (already)  bereft  of  life  and  you  shall 
easily  destroy  it  without  any  effort  and  win  eternal  glory  "Single 
handed  did  Arjuna  vanquish  the  enemy  and  win  victory."  And 
this  shall  not  be  a  mere  victory,  for  it  brings  along  with  it  the  entire 
kingdom,  so  shalt  thou  be  a  mere  tool,  in  my  hand,  oh  Savyasachi. 


xi.  vi^varOpadar^ana  309 

TOT  ^cfRr#  «I%  fT  oq&°6i 
^WJ***  #cn%  T«fr  WMHIH[  II   ^Y  II 

34  "Drona  and  Bhishma  and  Jayadratha  and  Kama,  as  also  the 
other  warrior  heroes,  have  been  by  me  (doomed  to  be)  killed; 
them  do  thou  kill.  Feel  not  distressed.  Fight:  thou  shall 
in  battle  vanquish  thy  opponents."  (472) 

Stand  not  in  awe  of  Drona,  and  be  not  terror-stricken  in  the  presence 
of  Bhishma,  and  do  not  scruple  to  hurl  thy  missiles  at  Kama.  Be 
not  distressed  in  mind  as  to  how  best  to  get  rid  of  Jayadratha  and  other 
warriors  of  fame  here.  They  are  now  one  and  all  little  more  than 
portraits  of  lions,  that  could  be  rinsed  by  the  merest  touch  of  a  moist 
hand.  Now,  Oh  Pandav,  after  this  despicable  lot,  to  which  they  are 
doomed,  of  what  avail  is  all  this  battle  array?  It  is  all  illusory  phantom; 
their  real  essence  is  engulfed  by  me.  Their  brief  span  of  life  ended 
the  very  moment  when  you  saw  them  falling  into  my  mouths.  What 
remains  of  them  now,  is  but  empty  rind  pealed  and  withered.  There- 
fore, now  rise  forthwith,  and  kill  them  that  are  already  slain  by  me. 
Do  not  bemoan  an  imaginary  grievous  disaster.  An  archer  himself 
fastens  a  target  and  shoots  the  mark  triumphantly.  So  you  behold 
me  as  the  real  cause  of  all,  and  you  shall  be  a  tool  in  my  hand.  Oh, 
dear  Arjuna,  all  that  waged  war  on  thee  has  been  now  rooted  out, 
and  thou  art  now  the  master  of  complete  victory,  that  brings  thee 
to  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  Royal  state.  On  the  annals  of  this  universe, 
let  this  be  written  that  thy  kinsmen  of  evil  mind,  who  swollen  with 
the  lust  of  power  had  shaken  the  world  with  their  unvulnerable  might, 
were  swept  away  without  much  ado. 

*f*PT  vHM  I 

tppBBcSTT  "BfrR  4Ul3WI 
$d lA-^fri «Tm4M:  f*<0<^  I 
*W*1j>c4l  Wf  VHf[%  f»"0T 
WI^I4  *0d'4ld:  WW**  II  ^K  II 


310  JNANESHWARI 

35  Samjaya  spake: —  "Having  heard  this  word  of  Keshav 
(Krishna),  the  Diademed-Prince  (Arjuna)  with  folded  hands 
and  in  trepidation,  having  once  again  proferred  obeisance, 
in  extreme  fear  and  with  voice  choked  and  trembling,  said 
unto  Krishna."  (482) 

Jnanadev  says,  "(Oh  hearers)  Sanjaya  narrated  this  whole  story 
to  Dhritarashtra,  the  king  of  the  Kaurawas,  who  was  full  of  dispon- 
dence  and  sorrow  at  heart.  And  the  words  of  the  unfathomed  Omni- 
present Anant — the  Primeval  Supreme  Lord  of  the  universe,  were 
solemn  and  deep  sounding.  These  words  of  profound  import  flowed 
with  a  sound  that  resembled  the  torrential  waters  of  the  Ganges  rush- 
ing down  from  the  regions  of  Satya-loka,  or  the  loud  thunders  of 
big  clouds  storming  suddenly  from  all  quarters,  on  the  deep  sounding 
boom  of  the  Milk-ocean  churned  by  the  Mount  Meru.  Arjuna  caught 
at  the  words  that  were  thus  uttered:  and  his  whole  body  shook,  be 
it  from  fear  or  ecstatic  joy.  Bending  low  in  devout  earnestness,  he 
lay  prostrate  again  and  again  with  folded  hands.  Struggling  to  speak 
out,  he  felt  the  words  sticking  in  the  throat  for  fear  or  joy  one  may 
guess.  The  words  in  the  verse  show  how  deeply  Arjuna  felt  at  the 
words  of  the  Lord.  And  then  folding  his  hands  as  before  and  touching 
the  feet  of  the  Lord  in  reverential  dread,  Arjuna  spoke  thus: — 

3f^*f  *qit|  I 
«f^  Xfc°M<M«J<<.vw4cl  'tT  I 

*Nf  »W"Mf*d  ^T  ft<4U>gl:  II  "$%  II 

36  Arjuna  spake— "Quite  in  place  it  is,  O  Hrsikesa  (Krishna) 
that  in  glorifying  Thee  the  world  finds  supreme  joy  and  be- 
comes passionately  attached.  The  Evil  Sprites,  frightened, 
flee  in  (all)  directions  and  all  the  gathering  crowds  of  the 
Siddhas   ( Perfectioned  -Beings)   proffer,   obeisance.    (491) 

Immutable  we  hold  is  the  great  truth  clothed  in  thy  words-'l  am 
the  great  Destroyer  Time  and  destruction  of  all  things  is  my  sport." 
And  yet,  hardly  does  it  stand  to  reason,  that  'Kala'  the  great  Destroyer 


XI.  VlgVAROPADARgANA  311 

as  thou  art,  Thou  shouldst  swallow  up  the  Universe  at  the  time  when 
it  must  live  and  thrive.  How  should  enlivening  vigour  of  youth  ebb 
away  all  of  a  sudden  and  yield  place  to  untimely  age  and  decay?  And 
so  what  thou  wiliest  shall  not  in  all  probability  befall  this  Universe. 
Oh  Anant,  can  the  sun  ever  set  at  noon  before  the  measure  of  four 
Praharas  of  the  day  is  up?  Indeed,  in  Thee,  who  art  the  neverceasing 
'Kala'  (everlasting  time)  the  three  cycles,  Past,  Present  and  Future- 
unfold  and  work  out  in  action  at  the  appointed  hour.  When  things 
are  in  generation,  (^3r<T%)  the  powers  swaying  sustenance  and  decay 
are  held  in  abeyance;  and  during  sustenance-cycle,  generation  and 
decay  cannot  hold  sway:  during  disolution,  powers  of  generation 
and  sustenance  are  made  to  cease  from  action.  And  this  order  has 
existed  in  all  eternity  and  is  unshakeable.  Therefore,  the  prospect 
of  the  Universe  being  swallowed  by  thee  at  the  time  of  its  full  flush 
and  bloom  of  life  and  enjoyment,  jars  on  my  soul".  At  this,  the  Lord 
nodded  his  assent  saying,  "Oh,  a  direct  vision  I  have  given  thee  of 
the  two  armies  which  are  fatally  fronting  towards  their  doom;  all 
else  will  go  the  appointed  round  of  destiny."  No  sooner  had  Lord 
Krishna  finished  titan  did  Arjuna  glance  his  eyes  back  to  behold  the 
order  of  the  Universe,  with  all  things  unimpaired  and  untouched  as 
before.  Then  he  said,  "Oh  God,  Thou  art,  in  truth,  the  mover  who 
pulls  the  strings  of  all  things  on  the  stage  of  this  universe;  and  so  the 
universe  has  now  been  restored  to  its  proper  place  as  ordained.  This 
however  recalls  to  my  mind  the  glory  of  thine  acts  by  which  thou 
savest  earth-born  mortals  thrown  into  the  ocean  of  misery  of  this 
life;  and  frequently  recollecting  these  deeds  jof  thine  exalted  glory, 
I  rejoice  in  the  ecstasy  of  blessedness  and  roll  in  full  swing  on  the 
waves  of  that  everlasting  joy.  Oh  God,  the  universe  being  made 
blessed  by  the  new  lease  of  life,  is  seen  to  be  bound  to  thy  feet  by  the 
ties  of  love,  and  evil-doers  are  being  chastised  evermore,  Thou  art 
a  terror  to  the  wicked  demons  in  the  three  worlds  and  so  they  are  seen 
to  flee  before  thee  beyond  all  quarters.  Here  the  Gods,  heavenly 
beings,  the  human  beings — nay  the  entire  universe  of  created  beings 
are  exulting  to  find  their  life  in  thee  and  are  doing  obeisance  to  Thee. 


312  JNANESHWARI 

37  "Wherefore  should  they  not  have  proffered  obeisance  unto 
Thee,  O  Mighty  Being,  who  art  greater  than  even  Brahmadeva, 
the  Prime  Creator?  O  Infinite  Being,  Supreme  Deity  that 
dwellest  within  the  universe,  Thou  art  the  Imperishable,  the 
Existent  and  the  Non-existent  and  what  is  beyond  them  (both) . 

(507) 

Oh  Narayana,  why  indeed  are  these  demons  flinching  from  thy  feet? 
Why  have  they  betaken  themselves  to  flight?  But  one  need  not  ask 
Thee.  We  can  know  for  certain  that  darkness  cannot  but  be  dis- 
pelled at  sunrise.  Thou  art  the  very  fount  of  all  light,  and  at  thine 
all-filling  light,  spread  before  our  eyes,  the  evil-doers  (the  demons) 
are  simply  swept  away  like  dust.  What  remained  beyond  our  ken 
all  these  days,  Oh  Shri  Rama,  we  have  come  to  see  in  thine  awful 
grandeur  and  glory.  Thy  divine  Will  gave  birth  to  the  Mahat-Brahman 
(Absolute  Primeval  Matter)  which  has  in  it  the  seeds  of  bringing  forth 
whole  cycles  of  universes  and  spreading  out  the  creepers  in  the  shape 
of  creatures  all  round.  Oh  God,  thou  art  the  Supreme  Essence  un- 
limited and  self  existent.  Thine  attributes,  Oh  Lord,  are  unlimited 
and  infinite.  Oh  God,  Thou  art  the  limitless  and  eternal  Self-poised 
spirit,  and  the  Supreme  God  of  all  Gods.  Oh  God,  thou  art  the  very 
fount  of  life  in  all  the  three  worlds.  Thou  art  the  immutable,  un- 
ceasing spring  of  eternal  bliss.  Thou  art  both  the  existent  and  non- 
existent and  what  is  beyond  both. 


WPT  3cf  (4»VJ4H*d^M  II  3«;  II 

38  "Thou  art  the  First  of  the  Gods,  the  Most  Ancient  Spirit; 
Thou  art,  of  this  universe,  the  Ultimate  Ark.  Thou  art  the 
knower  and  the  known,  and  the  Highest  Abode.  By  Thee 
is  the  universe  pervaded,  O  Thou  (Person)  Omniform.    (514) 

Thou  art  the  very  Source  of  the  Prakriti  (matter)  and  of  Purusha 
(spirit).  Thou  art  the  ultimate,  that  limits  the  sphere  of  Mahat.  Thou 
art  without  beginning;  and  the  ageless  Spirit  Thou  art.  Thou  art, 
indeed,  the  very  spring  of  vital  life  of  the  entire  universe:  Thou  art 


XI.   VISVARffPADAR^ANA  313 

the  ultimate  treasure  of  happiness  (forR-)  to  created  beings. 

By  thy  hand  is  wrought  the  knowledge  of  the  dateles  past  and 
of  the  infinite  future.  Thou  art,  Oh  Thou  Spirit  Absolute — the  un- 
divided Unity  of  all  Being  in  the  eyes  of  the  'Shruti',  and  Thou  art 
the  pure  Bliss  that  comes  from  meditation  on  essential  Self.  Thou 
too  art  thyself  the  support  of  the  foundation  of  all  the  three  created 
worlds  and  truly  art  thou  said  to  be  the  ultimate  abiding  Abode. 
Into  thine  own  being  enters  and  is  absorbed  the  Mahamaya  (World- 
illusion)  at  the  end  of  the  world.  In  brief,  Oh  God,  created  by  thee, 
the  universe  is  grown  and  pervaded  by  thee.  Who  then,  Oh  Omni- 
present Lord,  would  be  able  to  aptly  set  forth  in  words  thy  glories? 

«Uq44kPH4w  STSTTf: 
UoUmRwc*  MfMdl-H^  I 

*pW  wftsft  *Tflt  4Hfcl  II   3£  H 
<H^  fPTTtsftftr  tidlili  *w:  II  Yo  || 


39  "Vayu  (Wind  God),  Yama  (God  of  Death),  Agni  (Fire 
God),  Varuna  (God  of  Ocean),  the  Hare-marked  (Moon 
God),  and  Prajapati  (Lord  of  Creation)  art  Thou,  as  also 
the  Great-Grandsire.  Obeisance,  Obeisance  let  there  be  unto 
Thee  a  thousand  times,  and  yet  once  more  obeisance  unto 
Thee:  Obeisance. 

40  Obeisance  before  Thee,  and  obeisance  behind  Thee:  let  there 
be  unto  Thee  obeisance  from  all  (sides),  O  Thou  that  art 
the  All.  Thou  art  of  infinite  potence  and  (unbounded)  valour, 
and  as  Thou  dost  attain  the  All,  Thou  art  Thyself  the  All. 
Thou  pervadest  the  All,  and  art  hence  the  All.  (519) 

And  is  there  anything  indeed  that  is  not  in  thee,  and  is  there  a  single 
spot,  wherein  thou  dost  not  dwell?  So  let  that  be.  I  bow  to  thee, 


314  JNANESHWARI 

just  as  thou  art  visible  now !  Oh,  Infinite  Lord,  Anant,  thou  art  the 
Vayu  (wind  God),  thou  art  the  Yama  (who  adjudges  according  to 
desserts);  thou  art  the  Agni,  that  animates  all  living  creations.  Thou 
art  the  'Varuna',  (God,  ruling  the  great  deep  Ocean),  as  also  the  'Soma' 
(the  God  Moon).  Thou  art  God  Brahma,  the  creator  of  the  universe; 
thou  art  also  the  Primeval  Supreme  Being  who  created  Brahma. 
And  in  whatever  other  visible  or  invisible  Presence  Thou  manifest 
Thy  self,  I  bow,  Oh  Master  of  the  Universe  (wHi*u*l),"  So  with  devout 
heart  did  the  Son  of  Pandu  bow  to  the  Lord,  and  repeatedly  he  said, 
"Obeisance  to  thee,  Oh  Lord.  My  obeisances  again  and  again." 
Glancing  then  with  eager  eyes  over  the  Omnipresent  Deity  from  head 
to  foot,  he  again  repeated  obeisance-obeisance  unto  thee,  Oh  Lord". 
As  he  beheld  the  Deity,  turning  his  glances  over  the  diverse  parts, 
his  mind  was  enraptured,  and  he  spoke  again,  "Obeisance-obeisance 
unto  Thee  Oh  Lord".  And  there  beholding  in  the  person  of  the  Deity 
all  the  created  beings  in  the  universe-animate  and  inanimate  alike, 
he  said,  "I  bow  down  to  Thee-I  bow  down  to  thee,  Oh  Lord".  As 
all  these  miraculously  wonderful  myriads  of  manifestations  of  the 
Lord's  Omnipresence  stirred  up  before  his  vision  ever  and  anon, 
he  repeated  "Obeisance-obeisance  unto  thee,  Oh  Lord".  Baffled 
though  he  was  in  any  further  invocation  of  the  Lord's  praises,  he 
could  not  contain  himself  for  joy,  and  in  the  ecstatic  rapture  of  his 
devout  passion  for  God,  scarcely  could  he  be  aware  how  he  was  burst- 
ing into  song.  Thus,  in  brief,  a  thousandfold  bows,  he  made,  and  went 
on,  "Oh  Shri  Hari  I  bow  to  thee  as  thou  standest  face  to  face  before 
me.  In  vain  might  we  ask  if  the  Lord  Almighty  has  a  front  and  a 
rear:  So  do  I  offer  my  obeisance  from  the  rear  too;  standing  in  the 
rear,  Thou  mayst  be  said  to  be  at  my  back,  albeit  to  the  world,  thou 
art  neither  in  front  nor  in  the  rear.  To  recount  thy  diverse  parts  several- 
ly is,  Oh  Lord,  beyond  the  power  of  my  words.  Therefore,  I  bow  to 
thee,  the  Be-all,  and  the  Soul  of  all  at  once.  My  obeisance  unto  thee, 
Oh  Lord;  there  is  no  limit  to  the  glory  of  thy  Majesty.  Thy  might  is 
unfathomed:  Thou  art  the  self-same  abiding  Essence  at  all  times. 
Thou  art  the  universal  Presence  everywhere.  The  sky  itself  becomes 
all  the  spaces  in  the  vault  of  heaven,  and  abides  as  all-pervading  sky: 
even  Thou  art  the  Be-all  of  all  things,  and  pervadest  all  things,  and 
art  the  Unity  of  all  things.  In  short,  thou  art  the  entire  universe  thy 
self,  much  as  the  waves  sweeping  over  the  ocean  of  milk  are  nothing 
but  milk.  Therefore,  Oh  God,  I  have  now  realised  the  great  truth 
that  thou  art  not  other  than  the  universe.  Thou  art  hence  the  Be-all 
of  the  entire  universe. 


XI.   VI^VARtJPADAjdANA  315 

^i%  iran  srcnf  if# 
^  fwr  ^  tost  ^  «$Qi  » 

3MMdl  Tf^TR  &i 

WH  3PTRT^[  x«i*ta  ^Tft"  II  *$  II 

41  "Deeming  Thee  as  a  comrade,  whatever  of  uncivil  I  have 
spoken,  (to  wit)  '0  Krishna,'  'O  Scion  of  Yadu,'  or  'O  Com- 
rade': it  is  as  not  knowing  Thine  greatness  that  it  was  thus 
spoken  by  me,  through  heedlessness  or  may  be,  through 
fondness. 

But  of  this  thine  exalted  eminence,  Oh  Master,  we  knew  little,  and 
dealt  by  thee,  reckoning  thee  as  but  a  kinsman!  How  grievous  have 
been  our  misdeeds?  We  wasted  away  ambrosial  drink  on  dusting 
and  brooming  floors  (  ^PTT^T  ),  we  bartered  away  a  wish-fulfilling 
cow  (  «w*h3«i  )  for  a  lamb.  We  chanced  upon  a  rock  of  Paris  (Stone 
which  changes  other  metals  into  gold)  but  we  broke  it  into  metal 
for  ground-work.  We  cut  down  a  Kalpataru  tree  for  fencing  in 
our  fields.  We  fooled  away  thy  Presence  with  us  simply  as  mere 
friendship,  as  one  stumbling  upon  a  mine  of  Chintamani  gems  might 
waste  them  away  .for  the  purpose  of  hurling  them  at  stray  cattle 
to  scare  them  away.  Why  go  so  far  as  that?  Just  take  the 
present  occasion.  What  a  paltry  business  of  warfare!  Yet  we  have 
dragged  thee  down,  the  very  Supreme  Brahman,  to  become  a  cha- 
rioteer. We  sent  you,  Oh  generous  one,  to  the  house  of  the  wicked 
Kauravas,  as  arbitrator  of  our  quarrel.  In  this  way,  alas  Oh  Lord 
of  the  Universe,  thou  hast  been  bartered  away  by  us  for  paltry  gains. 
To  the  yogic  seers,  Thou  art  the  blissful  raptures  of  Samadhi  (Medi- 
tations), and  what  a  pity  it  is  that  unmindful  of  all  this,  I  gloated 
over  jesting  talk  with  thee. 

y^N^WI^Urfcdlsfa 

^  QHW)  c*U*l£KM+Uj^  II  *^  II 

42  "Further,  in  sheer  merriment,  whatever  disrespectful  treat- 
ment has  been  shown  unto  Thee,  be  it  in  the  sports,  while 
lying  down  or  seated,  or  at  banquets,  O  Acyuta;  when  Thou 


316  JNANESHWARI 

wast  alone,  or  there  in  company:  for  all  that  do  I  beseech 
forgiveness,  O  Thou  that  eludest  definition.  (544) 

Of  this  universe,  Thou  art  indeed  the  Supreme  Being  uncreate  and 
existing  without  beginning;  and  being  ignorant,  what  recklessness  it 
was  that  we  talked  jestingly  to  Thee  as  to  a  common-place  kinsman! 
During  the  frequent  visits  to  Thy  palace,  a  glad  reception,  with  all  due 
honours  at  Thy  hands  greeted  us,  and  shouldst  thou  be  remiss,  indig- 
nantly we  departed  from  Thee,  as  from  a  chum,  thus  bringing  thee, 
Oh  Lord,  to  thy  knees  to  coax  and  blandish  on  so  many  occasions. 
Arrogating  wisdom,  often  did  I  turn  my  face  away  from  Thee;  was 
such  haughty  act  befitting  my  unworthy  self,  Oh  Lord  of  Vaikunth? 
But  alas !  I  have  been  guilty  of  such  profanity.  With  thee,  the  Supreme 
Lord  of  the  universe,  at  times,  I  had  sporting  contests  in  wrestling, 
and  wielding  the  bludgeon,  we  spurned  at  Thee  and  furiously  duelled 
with  Thee;  and  in  playing  a  game  with  dice  often  did  I  unblusbingly 
claim  for  myself  the  best  things  and  durst  to  counsel  Thee,  the  Su- 
preme Deity.  At  times,  I  bade  defiance  of  Thee  bragging  "I  owe 
Thee  nothing."  So  grave  have  been  our  offences,  that  their  enormity 
has  outstepped  the  very  bounds  of  the  three  worlds:  but  I  will  swear 
on  Thy  feet,  that  they  arose  from  my  ignorance  of  Thine  Infinity 
Divine.  At  meal  time  Thou  didst  turn  Thy  loving  remembrance  to 
me,  wanting  to  share  the  meal  with  me,  yet  vain  arrogance  swelled 
in  my  breast  and  left  me  in  a  sullen  mood.  I  never  scrupled  to  play 
and  sport  in  the  precincts  of  Thy  chamber,  and  had  no  qualms  in 
retiring  in  thy  own  bed.  I  called  Thee  'Krishna'  and  deemed  Thee 
as  no  better  than  one  amongst  the  Yadavas:  and  swearing  Thee  in 
my  own  name  did  I  stop  Thee  from  going  away.  Often  did  I  take 
liberties  with  Thee,  and  shared  with  Thee  the  same  seat.  Often  did 
I  slight  Thy  bidding,  and  all  this  happened  by  sheer  force  of  close 
familiarity.  Oh  Anant,  how  many  misdeeds  may  indeed  by  counted? 
I  am  nothing  other  than  a  pile  of  these.  Therefore,  Oh  Lord,  pardon 
me  my  indiscretions,  whether  done  before  Thine  eyes  or  behind 
your  back,  and  stomach  these  affronts  as  would  a  true  mother.  Now 
and  then  rivers  rush  past  with  muddy  waters,  which  the  sea  cannot 
but  swallow.  Even  so  forgive  me,  Oh  Mukund,  the  rude  words  I 
said  to  Thee  through  love  or  indiscretion.  By  the  power  of  Thy 
Divine  forgiveness,  hangs  this  pendulous  earth  to  bear  the  weight 
of  all  creatures  and  whatever  we  pray  for  shall  not  fail  to  be  given. 
Therefore,  Oh,  thou  Lord  of  Incomprehensible  Majesty,  I  prostrate 


XI.   VlgVARtJPADARSANA  317 

myself  before  Thy  Divine  seat  of  mercy,  and  pray  that  all  my  evil 
deeds  be  pardoned. 


43  "Father  Thou  art  unto  this  world  of  the  moving  and  the 
non-moving.  Thou  art  of  it  the  revered  and  the  mighty  Precep- 
tor. There  exists  not  another  Thy  equal;  whence  then  can 
there  exist,  0  Thou  of  Peerless  Potence,  Thine  superior  in 
this  world-triad?  (561) 

I  have  beheld  Thee,  Oh  Lord,  in  Thy  true  and  perfect  glory;  the 
whole  world  of  living  creatures  and  lifeless  matter  is  borne  by  Thee. 
Thou  art  the  Supreme  God  Almighty  of  all  Gods,  including  Hari 
(God  Vishnu)  and  Hara  (God  Shiva).  Thou  art  the  first  primeval 
preceptor  in  the  world,  from  whom  the  very  Vedas  received  illumi- 
nation. Oh  Shri  Rama,  Thou  art  the  Supreme  soul,  profound  and 
Inscrutable;  evenly  just  to  all  living  creatures.  Thou  art  indeed 
matchlessly  unequalled  in  all  superb  perfections,  and  thus  the  Ab- 
solute person  without  a  second.  No  need  to  give  the  why  and  where- 
fore of  this,  for  by  thee  is  generated  the  vault  of  heaven  that  holds 
the  entire  universe.  Any  being  equal  to  Thee,  we  should  blush  to 
own;  why  then  vainly  talk  of  any  being  higher  than  Thee?  Therefore, 
Thou  art  the  Supreme  Being  in  all  the  three  worlds,  none  like  Thee, 
much  less  greater  than  Thee.  Immeasurably  surpassing  is  Thy  Divine 
Majesty,  beggaring  my  description. 

cif*iiH  STTT  ufumui  *n*r 
Mtii«*l  HW^4Ul+ft*V|*J  I 
facta  $^FT  *WN-TO$ 
1w  fsPTRl^fa  %W  ift^m  II  Ytf  H 

44  "Therefore,  in  homage,  prostrating  myself  before  Thee,  I 
beseech  grace  of  Thee  that  art  the  Lord  Adored.  As  a  father 


318  JNANESHWARI 

of  the  son,  as  a  comrade  of  the  comrade,  as  a  loving-one  of 
the  loved-one:  so,  O  God,  it  behoves  Thee  to  bear  with  me. 

•  (567) 

With  these  words  Arjuna  prostrated  himself  before  the  Lord  and 
his  body  throbbed  with  the  eight-fold  thrills  of  ecstatic  joy  of  piety. 
He  spoke  the  words  choking  in  his  throat,  "May  Thy  grace  enfold 
me  and  save  me  from  drowning  in  the  Sea  of  my  mis-deeds.  Thee, 
the  benefactor  of  the  Universe,  we  misdeemed  as  our  kinsfolk,  and 
scant  of  devout  reverence  towards  The,  we  often  wondered  if  Thou 
be  really  the  Supreme  Lord  of  the  Universe.  While  in  truth,  in  God's 
name  we  should  adore  and  sing  Thy  praises,  Thyself  for  love  didst 
give  public  utterance  to  my  praises,  which  yet  made  me  rave  against 
Thee  more  and  more!  Oh  Mukunda,  numerous  have  been  the 
lapses  I  am  guilty  of.  Do  forgive  me,  I  pray  to  Thee,  these  Sins. 
How  unworthy  I  am  even  to  lay  claim  to  Thy  mercy?  Yet,  like  a 
child  tenderly  babbling  to  the  father,  I  am  entreating  thee;  and  treat 
me  forbearingly  with  all  my  misdeeds  like  a  father,  whose  unwarped 
tender  love  pardons  the  erring  son  all  his  lapses.  Do  have  mercy, 
and  put  with  my  faults  much  as  a  friend  stomachs  an  affront  from 
a  friend.  And  verily  like  a  true  friend  who  heeds  not  honour  due* 
from  his  mate,  Thou  didst  cleanse  dinner  plates  and  Thou  didst 
scrub  the  floor.  Pardon  me  all  such  indignities  inflicted  on  Thee. 
A  distressed  soul  meeting  his  kith  and  kin,  as  dear  as  life  itself,  does 
not  scruple  to  open  his  heart;  or  a  wife  whole-heartedly  devoted 
in  body  and  soul  to  her  master,  cannot  but  lay  bare  her  heart  to 
him.  Even  so,  Oh  Master,  am  I  entreating  Thee.  There  is  one  more 
reason  for  (saying)  all  this. 

45  "Having  beholden  what  has  never  been  beheld  before,  I  am 
exhilarated,  and  anon  is  my  mind  distraught  with  fear.  The 
very  same  form,  O  God,  do  Thou,  graciously,  show  unto 
me,  Thou  God  Supreme  that  dwellest  within  the  Universe. 

(579) 


xi.  visVarOpadarsana  319 

With  Thee,  the  Lord  of  the  Universe,  did  I  triflingly  toy  like  a  child, 
and  with  my  fond  entreaties  for  a  vision  of  Thine  Omnipresence 
did  I  ply  Thee  hard:  with  Thine  unbounded  love  of  a  true  parent, 
Thou  did  fulfil  my  prayer,  as  if  I  besought  Thee  for  wish-fulfilling 
trees  to  be  planted  in  my  garden ;  or  as  if  I  asked  for  a  calf  of  the  wish- 
fulfilling  Cow  as  a  play-mate,  or  I  yearned  for  the  very  stars  in  heaven 
to  play  dice  with;  again  I  wished  the  very  moon  to  come  down  as 
a  play  ball.  Thou,  Oh  my  Divine  mother,  has  brought  all  these  desires 
to  fruition.  How  hard-earned  is  a  single  drop  of  ambrosia?  Yet 
Thy  grace  has,  as  it  were,  filled  the  whole  earth  to  overflowing  with 
a  season's  flood  of  ambrosia,  to  water  seed-beds  of  desire-fulfilling 
jewels.  In  this  way,  Oh  my  Divine  Master,  by  Thy  lavish,  fond, 
over-indulgence,  Thou  hast  made  me  reach  the  consummate  goal 
of  my  vocation,  and  my  eyes  have  feasted  on  a  vision  of  Thine  Omni- 
presence, of  which  neither  God  Shankara  nor  the  God  Brahma  has 
so  much  as  heard;  how  vain  for  them  to  have  a  glimpse  of  that  inner- 
most secret  of  the  Spirit  which  has  baffled  the  Upanishads!  Thou 
has  unwrapped  the  great  secret  for  me!  Right  from  the  beginning 
of  creation  to  the  present,  countless  have  been  the  incarnations 
through  which  I  have  journeyed;  I  have  rummaged  them  one  and 
all,  and  not  even  one  incarnation  witnesses  to  the  tale  of  Thy  Omni- 
presence being  ever  seen  or  heard  of.  Even  the  outskirts  of  that 
Omnipresence  lie  beyond  the  ken  of  reason:  and  not  a  breath  of 
its  whisper  is  heard  by  the  heart.  Wherefore  then  indulge  in  vain 
talk  of  mortal  eyes  gazing  on  it?  Verily  none  has  ever  set  his  eyes 
on  it;  none  has  ever  heard  of  it.  Such  wondrous  Omnipresent  vision 
thou  hast  unveiled  before  mine  eyes,  and  my  mind  is  made  blissful. 
But  now  I  yearn  to  commune  with  Thee,  to  consort  with  Thee,  to 
embrace  Thee.  With  Omnipresent  Person,  not  one  of  these  ineffable 
joys  can  suffuse  my  soul,  for  to  which  of  these  countless  mouths  shall 
I  talk  and  which  of  these  bodies  shall  I  hold  in  embrace?  Thou  art 
indeed  the  limitless  Being.  How  indeed  can  any  one  race  with  the 
wind;  and  how  can  one  hold  the  sky  in  embrace?  And  how  can  one 
make  sport  of  swimming  across  the  sea?  Therefore,  Oh  Lord,  this 
all-filling  Presence  strikes  me  with  awe.  Therefore  may  Thine  over- 
flowing love  grant  my  prayer,  and  make  an  end  of  this  Omnipresent 
vision.  A  pilgrim  who  treads  down  the  earth  from  end  to  end  for  the 
joy  of  it,  reaps  the  harvest  of  pleasure  on  reaching  home;  even  so 
do  we  reach  our  haven  of  rest  in  thy  four-armed  Image.  In  the  ecstatic 
vision  of  that  image  Divine,  is  the  fruition  of  the  travail  of  all  Yoga; 
and  in  the  image  lies  the  consummation  of  the  sacred  lore  that  illu- 


320  JNANESHWARI 

mines  eternal  truth.  In  this  Divine  Image  are  borne  the  fruits  of  all 
Sacrificial  acts;  in  that  image  is  the  reward  that  crowns  all  pilgrimage 
to  holy  places  and  all  acts  of  charity  and  merit. 

My  soul  yearns  to  have  a  sight  of  that  Image  Incarnate,  and  her 
impatience  shall  not  brook  delay,  so  I  pray  help  me  out  of  this  dis- 
tress of  soul  to  set  mine  eyes  on  Thine  Image.  Oh  Thou  God  of 
Gods,  the  indwelling  Soul  of  souls,  the  Supreme  Being  by  which 
the  whole  universe  comes  to  be, — let  Thy  Divine  Grace  bless  thy 
worshipper  with  a  vision  of  that  Divine  Incarnate  Image. 

46  "Wearing  a  crown,  with  mace  and  discus  in  hand,  thus  I 
desire  to  behold  Thee,  just  this  very  wise.  In  that  same  four- 
armed  form,  0  Thou  of  thousand  arms,  do  Thou  appear, 
Thou  that  assumest  every  form".  (600) 

And  what  a  lustre  is  shed  by  that  Body.  That  lustre  is  the  very  fount 
of  the  colour  of  the  blue  lotus  and  the  azure  of  the  sky,  the  splendour 
of  sapphire  itself  (the  jewel  called  Indramani).  The  graceful  twist 
and  bent  of  waist  above  the  knees,  Cupid  himself  simulates,  and  it 
appears  as  though  emerald  is  whipping  fragrant  odour  and  as  though 
blissful  rapture  has  bodied  itself  forth  in  sprouting  arms.  And  the 
mind  waveringly  asks — does  the  head  wear  the  crown  or  is  the  crown 
adorned  by  the  head;  in  truth  thy  Body's  splendour  adds  lustre  to 
the  ornaments.  Here  Sharangpani  has  worn  round  his  neck  the 
necklace  Vaijayanti  (3*T*Rft)  that  resembles  clouds  clustering  round 
the  arch  of  the  rainbow  on  the  firmament  And  how  is  that  mace 
of  Thine,  which  makes  even  the  demons  as  blessed  in  the  gift  of  salva- 
tion, and  how  softly  lustrous  is  that  wheel  Thy  hand  wields.  That 
divine  Body  incarnate,  Oh  Master,  I  have  become  impatient  to  be- 
hold, and  so  I  pray,  be  merciful  and  reveal  Thyself  in  that  incarnate 
body.  My  eyes  are  now  sated  with  this  festival  of  vision  of  thine 
Omnipresent  Image,  I  am  now  thirsting  to  behold  the  Divine  Image 
of  Lord  Krishna  incarnate.  Naught  but  this  Divine  Body  of  Lord 


XI.   VlgVAROPADARSANA  321 

Krishna,  I  yearn  to  behold;  all  is  void,  if  Lord  Krishna's  body  does 
not  meet  my  eyes. 

Both  worldly  joy  and  release  from  birth  and  death  are  nought  without 
the  divine  Image  of  Lord  Krishna  incarnate.  Be  merciful  and  take 
this  away  to  become  Lord  Krishna  in  body. 

TF$  c^H  *  t**^  II  **  II 

47  The  exalted  one  spake: — "By  Me,  being  propitious  has  been 
here  revealed  unto  thee,  O  Arjuna,  through  My  own  Mystic 
Power,  My  Transcendent  Form,  universal  all-luminous,  in- 
finite, primeval — which  Form  of  mine  by  another  save  Thee, 
has  not  been  beheld  hitherto.  (609) 

At  these  words  of  Arjuna  the  Omnipresent  Deity,  in  utter  amaze- 
ment, replied: — "Never  have  I  met  with  an  indiscreet  soul  like  thee. 
Oh  what  a  treasure  of  sublime  grandeur  has  been  opened  to  Thy 
vision!  What  a  pity  your  heart  is  not  filled  with  wondrous  exulta- 
tion! Instead,  fear  makes  you  chatter  like  a  cross-grained  rustic. 
Wherever  I  am  propitious  to  devotees,  by  the  cheap  and  easy  path, 
gifts  and  favours  of  outward  (bodily)  glory  do  I  give  them  in  abundance. 
How  few  are  those  to  whom  the  Supreme  gift  of  the  soul's  deepest 
secret  is  unbosomed?  Only  now  for  your  sake  have  I  wrought  up, 
out  of  the  very  quintessence  of  soul-life,  this  vision  of  my  Divine 
Omnipresent  Incarnation.  How  wondrously  indeed  has  your  devo- 
tion caught  my  fancy,  whereby  running  mad  after  your  heart's  desire, 
I  have  unfurled  before  the  world  this  ensign  of  the  deepest  secret 
of  the  mystery  of  existence!!  This  is  the  unfathomable  existence — 
beyond  the  unbounded — my  Supreme  Divine  existence  higher  than 
the  highest;  from  this  existence  have  emanated  Krishna  and  other 
Incarnations.  Of,  the  glorious  splendours  of  knowledge  it  is  wholly 
made.  All-pervading,  it  is  Infinite  and  Immutable,  and  the  timeless 
beginning  of  all  things.  None  else  except  yourself,  Oh  Arjuna,  has 


322  JNANESHWARI 

ever  set  his  eyes  on  it,  or  heard  about  it  before;  for  no  pathway  is 
known  to  attain  to  it. 

3  xr  faanfMr  dMli*H3:  I 
sTBJ  c44<-£M  ^5RTT  II  *^  II 

48  "Neither  by  (reciting)  Vedas,  nor  by  sacrifices,  nor  by 
(sastric)  studies — neither  (again)  by  almsgivings,  nor  by 
(ritual)  acts,  nor  by  fierce  askesis,  am  I  capable,  in  this 
world  of  mortals,  of  being  beheld  in  this  Form,  O  Foremost 
Hero  of  the  Kurus,  by  anyone  save  thyself.  (617) 

Coming  in  sight  of  this  Omnipresent  Divinity,  the  very  Vedas  were 
struck  dumb,  and  the  votaries  of  the  sacrificial  path  shrank  back 
and  halted  at  Heavenly  paradises.  Such  God-seekers  too,  as  had 
bethought  themselves  of  the  Yoga,  faltered  along  the  arduous  path 
and  flinched  in  despair,  for  Lore  and  Learning  are  of  no  avail.  Even 
those  who  trod  the  path  of  Works  of  unexcelled  piety,  hurried  for- 
ward under  a  strange  delusion,  and  with  all  their  sweat  and  toil  could 
only  touch  the  precincts  of  Satya-loka.  And  no  sooner  did  the  grand- 
eur of  this  Omnipresent  Deity  meet  the  eye  of  the  austere  hermits, 
than  their  austerities  quit  them,  standing  wonderstruck.  In  this  way 
does  this  Omnipresent  vision  lie  beyond  the  ken  of  austerities.  That 
Omnipresent  Deity,  thine  eyes  have  been  blessed  with,  for  thy  merest 
wish,  and  no  mortal  has  ever  set  his  eyes  on  this  Supreme  vision. 
You  are  the  one  person  chosen  to  be  the  master  of  this  great  treasure 
of  mystic  vision,  that  is  denied  even  to  the  God  Brahmadev. 

ITT  *T  5JFTT  ITT  W  R<4j44<|cfl 
«4^d*iU  iftd+H  I:  ^d*r4 

*rtsr  %  ^qt«R  srrsm  11  vs.  11 

49  "Yield  not  to  distress,  nor  to  any  sense  of  perplexity,  upon 
beholding  such  a  terrific  manifestation  of  my  Form.  Rid  of 


xi.  visVarOpadarSana  323 

fright,  in  a  mood  of  gladness,  do  thou  once  again,  attentively 
behold  that  same  Form  of  mine."  (623) 

Be,  therefore,  blessed  in  the  possession  of  this  Omnipresence-revela- 
tion. Do  cast  off  all  feeling  of  fear  and  misgiving.  Let  not  your 
mind  cherish  anything  else  than  this  matchless  treasure.  Just  see 
one  chances  upon  a  sea  of  nectar  all  of  a  sudden;  would  such  a  one 
keep  clear  of  it  for  fear  of  being  drowned?  Or,  would  any  soul  sighting 
a  mountain  of  gold,  cast  it  off  as  load  that  he  cannot  pull?  Or  one 
has  the  luck  to  come  by  the  Chintamani  jewel:  would  he  wear  it 
or  throw  it  away  as  a  mere  burden?  Should  one  put  aside  a  Kama- 
dhenu  for  fear  of  living  in  the  direst  want?  And  were  the  moon  to 
visit  our  house,  soothing  us  with  her  light,  should  we  turn  her  away 
with  words  in  reproof  of  her  scorching  heat?  Or  shall  we  spurn  at 
the  sun  reproachfully  for  casting  shadows?  Thus  has  the  Omni- 
present Deity  Incarnate,  in  all  his  majestic  splendour,  stood  before 
you  within  easy  reach;  wherefore  then  this  terror  has  seized  you  and 
driven  you  out  of  your  senses?  How  wroth  I  am;  for,  strangely 
pitiful  and  stupid  is  your  talk  like  an  obtuse  minded  cripple.  You 
are  indeed  catching  at  a  shadow,  spurning  the  substance — the  living 
God.  This  four-armed  image  incarnate,  is  not  my  divine  self  pure 
and  true.  But,  giving  way  to  fright,  your  mind  has  become  frail, 
and  it  is  clinging  to  that  Image  incarnate,  that  is  but  a  puppet  show 
and  sham.  So,  Oh  Partha,  pray  drop  it  and  tear  off  yourself  from 
this  doting  upon  the  Image.  Terrific  and  horridly  weird  and  un- 
shapely as  this  Omnipresent  Divinity  is,  let  thy  mind  pin  its  faith 
on  this,  as  the  one  haven  of  rest.  As  a  miser  rivets  his  mind  and  soul 
on  his  hoarded  treasure,  and  unheedingly  lives  and  moves  in  out- 
ward body;  or  just  as  the  female  bird  takes  her  bodily  flight  to  the 
sky,  while  keeping  her  soul  hovering  about  the  nestlings  in  the  nest; 
or  just  as  the  cow  grazes  down  the  distant  hills,  fastening  her  motherly 
affection  on  the  young  calf;  so  screw  up  your  divine  passion  on  this 
Omnipresent  Deity,  and  then  let  your  outward  mind  enfold  the  visible 
four-armed  Image  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  bliss  of  meditative  union. 
And  lest  you  should  forget  this,  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  let  me  repeat  my 
words — do  not  swerve  an  inch  from  your  faith  in  this  real  Divine 
Essence.  Rid  yourself  of  that  terrible  fright  which  seized  your  mind 
at  the  sight  of  that  Divine  afflatus,  never  experienced  before;  and 
let  your  mind  flow  with  love  for  this  Divine  Being.  Now  here  I  fulfil 
your  wishes,"  said  the  Divine  Presence,  and  "you  behold  the  I 
sight  of  my  Incarnate  Image  of  four-armed  embodied  Person." 


324  JNANESHWARI 

*3*T  ^«f  4*faWW  TO:  I 

^T  g?T:  tfMq^lcHl  II  *o  II 

50  Samjaya  spake: — "Having  said  thus  unto  Arjuna,  Vasudeva 
once  more  revealed  (before  Arjuna)  his  own  proper  Form: 
and  that  Mighty  Spirit  gave  assurance  once  again  to  him 
who  was  frightened,  by  assuming,  yet  again,  a  milder  Form 
of  manifestation. ' '  (640) 

And  as  the  Lord  was  uttering  these  words,  he  suddenly  appeared 
in  human  incarnation;  and  in  this  there  is  nothing  to  be  wondered 
at;  wondrous  is  indeed  the  manner  in  which  the  Lord  is  enamoured 
of  his  devotees.  Lord  Shri  Krishna  is  in  very  truth  the  final  Abode 
of  Spirit  Absolute  and  the  quintessence  of  his  Absolute  Life  Divine, 
he  revealed  to  Arjuna  in  the  Omnipresence-vision.  Arjuna  was  at 
last  wearied  of  that  mighty  spectacle.  It  was  like  throwing  away 
what  he  had  yearned  after,  or  like  being  overnice  about  a  gem,  or 
like  seeking  and  finding  an  excellent  match  in  a  girl,  and  then  spurning 
her.  So  unbounded  was  Lord  Krishna's  love  for  Arjuna,  on  whom 
he  did  lavish  the  choicest  spiritual  gift  in  the  shape  of  His  Omni- 
present Incarnation.  As  a  gold  chip  is  beaten  into  a  sheet  and  then 
wrought  up  as  an  ornament  to  taste,  and  failing  this,  is  again  melted, 
— so  did  the  Lord,  for  the  deep  love  to  his  devotee,  unfold  his  (Krish- 
na's) incarnate  figure  into  that  Omnipresent  Deity.  Arjuna  surfeit 
with  this  sight  turned  his  back  upon  it  and  the  Lord  became  Shri 
Krishna  again."  And  in  what  quarters  of  the  world,  asks  Sanjaya 
in  wonder,  are  to  be  found  such  spiritual  masters  ever  ready  to  bear 
and  dance  to  the  tune  of  the  beloved  disciple's  fancy?  So  unfathom- 
able are  the  ways  of  Lord  Krishna's  love  for  Arjuna.  That  divine 
light  which  had  erstwhile  burst  in  all  its  glory,  flooding  the  entire 
universe,  withdrew  to  merge  itself  in  Lord  Krishna's  body.  As  all 
that  is  averred  by  the  word  "Twam"  (?# — Thou)  is  merged  in  the 
word  Tat'  (?Tf ),  the  Brahman  Absolute,  or  as  the  entire  tree  is  con- 
centrated in  the  seed,  or  as  the  waking  soul  swallows  up  the  fantasies 
of  dream,  in  that  way,  in  Lord  Krishna's  incarnate  divine  body, 
the  Omnipresent  manifestation  entire  was  suddenly  absorbed.  It  was 


XI.   VlgVARtJPADAldANA  325 

as  though  the  splendour  of  the  sun  sank  into  the  sun  himself,  or 
the  clouds  merged  in  the  sky,  or  the  tide  of  the  sea  flew  back  into  the 
sea.  It  seems  the  rolls  of  the  Omnipresent  vision  of  Divinity  lay 
unfolded  and  were  reembodied  in  the  figure  of  Lord  Krishna,  and 
for  the  pleasure  of  Arjuna,  they  were  now  unrolled.  And  Arjuna 
the  queer  customer,  casting  his  eyes  on  the  colourful  pageantry 
on  a  vast  scale,  shrank  from  the  deal:  so  Lord  Krishna  wrapped 
up  the  rolls  again.  And  what  by  its  infinite  grandeur  had  swallowed 
up  the  entire  universe,  appeared  in  a  shapely  and  serene  human 
figure  of  extreme  beauty.  In  brief,  the  Infinite  God  was  pleased  to 
wear  the  tiny  human  figure  to  sooth  and  compose  the  frightened 
Arjuna;  and  then  Kiriti  cast  an  astonished  gaze  all  round  like  one 
waking  from  a  dream  of  a  visit  to  Heaven;  or  did  the  son  of  Pandu 
indeed  behold  the  Deity  Incarnate,  like  one  from  whose  soul  (at  the 
touch  of  the  master's  grace)  the  flood-tide  of  world  appearance  ebbs 
away,  yielding  place  to  the  vision  of  eternal  truth.  And  his  heart  re- 
joiced mightily  that  the  curtain  of  the  Lord's  Omnipresent  Image  was 
drawn  back  to  reveal  Krishna,  the  God  incarnate;  he  was  then  blessed 
in  that  vision  as  if  he  had  triumphed  over  Death,  or  as  if  he  had  out- 
stripped a  raging  stormy  wind,  or  as  if  paddling  with  his  arms  he 
had  swum  across  the  seven  seas.  He  then  saw  this  solid  earth  peopled 
with  its  denizens  like  stars  slowly  coming  into  view  at  sunset.  As 
he  cast  his  glance  around,  he  found  himself  on  the  same  former 
Kurukshetra,  with  the  same  kinsmen  facing  enemies  in  battle  array 
and  the  warriors  in  groups  hurling  missiles  at  each  other.  He  like- 
wise saw  as  before,  himself  inside  own  his  chariot,  under  a  canopy 
of  arrows,  with  the  Lord  of  Goddess  Lakshmi  as  charioteer  sitting  in 
front. 

3f^JT  *«iN  I 

ISfftaffT  WfHC  W^cIT:  9$%  TcT:  II  %.\  II 

51  Arjuna  spake — "Beholding  this  Thine  peaceful  human  Form, 
O  World-destroyer,  now  have  J  here  become  collected  in 
mind,  and  am  restored  to  my  normal  nature. "  (663) 

Thus  that  paragon  of  warriors  (Arjuna)  beheld  what  he  had  prayed 
for,  and  then  said,  "So  now  it  comes  to  pass  that  I  am  recalled  to 
life.  The  state  of  the  body  did  indeed  suffer  a  tumultuous  upheaval, 


326  JNANESHWARI 

for  all  knowledge  frightened  out  of  its  home  in  reason,  strayed  into 
wilderness;  mind  with  its  self-sense  was  uprooted  and  fled;  senses 
lost  their  way,  and  speech  was  struck  dumb.  All  these  have  now 
come  to  life  and  resumed  their  work.  Thus  the  Lord's  human  in- 
carnate image  has  kindled  a  new  life  in  me. 

With  such  soul-stirring  rejoining  of  heart,  he  spake  to  Lord  Krishna 
thus: — "Now  do  I  behold  thine  image  in  human  carnation,  Oh 
God.  Revealing  Thyself  in  this  image  is  verily  reuniting,  (to  the 
mother)  a  child  that  had  lost  its  way  to  the  mother  and  that  is  com- 
forted by  sucking  the  mothers  breast.  Oh,  tossed  on  the  waves  of 
the  ocean  of  the  Omnipresent  Image.  I  helplessly  counted  and  re- 
counted those  waves  and  struggled  for  very  life;  in  the  vision  of 
thine  Incarnate  Image,  I  am  planting  my  feet  on  the  shore,  Oh,  Thou 
Friend  living  in  Dwaraka.  This  is  not  a  vision;  it  is  verily  a  down- 
pour of  rain  on  me,  who  suffered  like  a  withered  plant.  Afficted 
with  thirst,  I  was  brought  to  the  ocean  of  nectar  in  the  vision  of  Thine- 
Incarnate  Image,  which  now  makes  life's  assurance  double  sure. 
The  creepers  of  these  rejoicings  are  planted  in  my  heart's  bed;  to 
bliss  I  am  now  wedded. 


52  The  Exalted-one  spake — "Extremely  hard  to  behold  is  this 
Form  of  mine  which  thou  hast  just  beholden.  Even  the  Gods 
are  constantly  pining  for  a  vision  of  this  Form.  (673) 

At  these  words  of  Partha,  the  Lord  said— "Why  should  you  talk 
thus,  I  wonder.  How  can  you  be  unheedful  of  what  I  counselled 
you  to  do,  Oh  Lord  of  Subhadra?  Pin  your  love  and  faith  on  the 
Omnipresent  Divinity,  and  then  turn  to  commune  with  this  Incarnate 
God  outwards  with  untrammelled  bodily  act.  Oh  you  unseeing 
Arjuna,  sheer  delusion  of  mind  makes  one  spurn  at  even  the  golden 
mountain  of  Meru,  once  it  is  within  easy  reach  of  hand.  So,  such 
Omnipresent  vision  of  Deity  as  was  revealed  to  you  has  tried  the 
very  austere  penances  of  the  God  Shambhu.  Even  the  Yogins,  who, 
Oh  Kiriti,  toiling  with  mortifications  of  flesh  with  the  eight-fold 


xi.  vi£var(3padar£ana  327 

modes  of  Yoga,  have  ever  fallen  short  of  a  chance  to  gaze  on  this 
Omnipresence;  in  the  mere  hope  of  being  blessed  with  a  glimpse 
of  it,  the  very  Gods  wait  tantalizingly  for  whole  epochs  of  their  in- 
finite life.  Thus  Gods,  no  less  than  men,  like  the  'chatak'  scanning 
the  horizon  for  a  cloud  of  rain,  with  hands,  full  of  hope,  joined  to 
the  heart,  keep  muttering  in  anxious  suspense  for  all  time  the  cry 
of  this  vision.  And  this  great  vision,  which  is  denied  to  them,  even 
in  a  dream,  was  brought  within  an  easy  grasp  of  your  direct  sight 

«*T|f  ^«?  ciMttt  <T  A&A  <T  4)3BNf|  I 

53  "Not  by  (reciting)  Vedas,  not  by  askesis,  not  by  alms-givings, 
nor  also  by  worship  am  I  capable  of  being  beheld  the  way 
thou  hast  beholden  Me.  (682) 

O  Thou  great  warrior,  thus  utterly  futile  are  all  means  of  finding  a 
pathway  leading  here.  So,  even  the  Vedas,  with  their  sixfold  lores, 
turn  their  back  upon  this  great  vision  in  despair.  Even  the  hosts 
of  austere  penances  are  maimed  in  walking  the  path  to  my  Omni- 
present Divinity.  To  charities  too,  that  Divinity  is  a  sealed  book; 
nor  do  the  sacrificial  works  unravel  that  mysterious  all-filling  vision, 
on  which  your  eyes  have  so  sumptuously  feasted.  There  is  one  path- 
way that  leads  to  that  vision  unfailingly,  you  hear  my  words.  It  is 
the  path  that  opens  up  where  mind  and  soul  are  enwrapped  in  de- 
votional love. 

Ht^  "SG&  *%  <it^«i  SRfcj  ^  M<dM  II  %*  II 

54  "It  is  single-pointed  Devotion  alone  that  I  am  capable,  in 
this  manner,  O  Arjuna,  of  being  known,  of  being  seen,  in 
My  true  essence,  and  of  being  entered  into,  O  Tormentor 
of  foes.  (686) 

But  like  the  shower  of  rain  dropped  down  from  the  cloud  which 
cannot  but  reach  the  earth,  this  devotion  unswerving  reaches  for- 
ward to  Me  as  its  home  of  rest;  or  like  the  river  Ganges  in  spate 
which,  with  full  floodtide  rushes  forward  and  flows  into  the  sea  for 
ever:  and  for  ever  he,  with  the  full  swell  of  all  his  emotions  blending 


328  JNANESHWARI 

into  love  to  me  and  breaking  the  bounds  of  his  soul,  becomes  one 
with  Me  and  lives  and  moves  in  my  divine  being.  And  my  divine 
being  is  the  same  being  of  love  all  round  like  the  ocean  of  milk-that 
is  milk  in  the  mid-ocean  and  on  the  outskirts.  Therefore,  from  the 
tiniest  creature  up  to  Divinity — to  him  every  thing  is  full  of  my 
Divine  essence;  and  in  that  moment  as  his  love  to  me  comprehends 
this  my  Infinite  Being,  he  becomes  one  with  Me  and  realizes  my 
Omnipresent  Being.  And  then,  as  with  the  kindling  of  the  fire  in  the 
firewood,  all  fuel  and  firewood  itself  is  consumed  by  fire  and  becomes 
fire  leaving  not  a  trace  of  the  word  fuel:  or  as  the  vault  of  space  is 
itself  darkness  before  the  sun  comes  forth,  and  with  its  glorious  light, 
all  is  light  everywhere  when  the  sun  sheds  its  lustre;  even  so,  with 
the  vision  of  my  Divine  being,  all  egotism  drops  with  its  trappings 
of  coming  and  going  through  birth  and  death,  and  with  it,  all  duality 
is  at  an  end.  At  that  supreme  moment,  he  and  the  universe  is  nothing 
other  than  my  Divine  Being  pure  and  perfect.  He  is  united  to  my 
Being  pure  and  entire. 

55  "One  who  performs  acts  dedicated  to  Me,  conceiving  Me  as 
the  Highest  Goal:  My  devotee  who  is  bereft  of  every  attach- 
ment (and)  is  without  the  least  enmity  towards  any  being 
whatsoever:  he  comes  unto  Me,  O  Son  of  Pandit".        (696) 

"Verily,  into  my  Divine  Being  does  that  devotee  enter,  all  whose 
deeds  are  dedicated  to  my  service  and  in  whose  eyes  the  entire  universe 
holds  nothing  of  such  supreme  worth  and  beauty  as  my  Being.  To 
such  a  devotee,  all  the  joys  of  the  earth  and  in  the  other  world  flow 
into  my  Divine  Being;  to  him  the  supreme  worth  of  life  is  but  another 
name  of  Divine  life.  No  object  ever  meets  his  eyes,  but  what  is  my 
Divinity,  and  therefore,  he  is  a  stranger  to  all  sense  of  otherness 
and  created  beings.  Therefore,  is  he  free  from  all  ill-will  to  all  creations. 
And  seeing  me  in  all  beings,  he  worships  me  in  them  all.  And  on 
the  dissolution  of  his  body  made  up  of  the  three  fluids,  he  is  merged 
into  My  Being,  Oh  son  of  Pandu.',  Samjaya  then  said,  "thus  spake 
Lord  Krishna,  the  supreme  Godhead  made  big-bellied  by  the  creation 
of  the  universe,  whose  utterance  is  sweetened  by  bis  Divine  love." 
Thereon,  the  son  of  Pandu  swelled  with  the  wealth  of  blissful  re- 


XI.   VISVARtJPADARSANA  329 

joicing;  and  in  the  entire  world,  he  remains  the  unsurpassed  master 
of  wisdom  of  adoring  Lord  Krishna.  As  he  cast  the  meditative 
glance  at  the  Omnipresent  Vision  of  the  image  incarnate,  he  reckoned 
the  Image  Incarnate  of  (God)  Bhagwan  in  turn  as  of  superior  worth. 
But  the  God  did  not  bear  out  his  preference;  for,  Omnipresent  Being 
is  all-pervading.  The  Image  Incarnate  was  limited  to  a  given  body. 
And  Lord  Krishna  illumined  the  talk  with  proper  reasons.  Hearing 
these,  the  husband  of  Subhadra,  thought  over  in  his  mind  and  decided 
to  question  the  Lord  further,  for  guidance  in  choosing  between  the 
two.  Reflecting,  Arjuna  now  sets  out  towards  his  query  in  a  sweet 
manner.  This  part  of  the  story  is  well  worthy  of  being  heard  in  easy 
'ovi'  rhymes  that  are  delightful  to  the  hearing,  and  I  shall  narrate 
by  the  grace  of  my  master  Shri  Nivritti.  At  the  feet  of  the  Omni- 
present Deity,  do  I  dedicate  these  flowers  of  "ovi" — rhymes,  freely 
scattered  from  the  palm  made  by  my  feelings  of  piety  and  faith. 


ftN*M4ftW  Hl4*W4Hsw4W:  II   %\  II 


CHAPTER  XII 
BHAKTIYOGA 

Introduction 

Hail  you,  Oh,  Kindness  of  the  Preceptor,  holy,  and  famous  as  being 
generous.  You  always  shower  joy.  The  fact  that  a  man's  limbs  do 
not  get  stiffened  after  being  bitten  by  the  posisonous  snake  in  the 
form  of  the  objects  of  senses,  and  that  the  poison  has  no  effect  on 
him,  is  all  due  to  your  grace.  Who  could  then  suffer  from  the  heat 
(of  anger)  or  get  burned  with  grief,  should  the  waves  of  your  kindness 
come  rushing  on  in  tumultuous  floods?  It  is  through  your  kindness 
that  your  disciples  enjoy  the  supreme  bliss  resulting  from  the  practi- 
sing of  Yoga  discipline,  and  their  fond  longing  for  being  one  with 
the  Supreme  is  also  satisfied  by  you.  You  accommodate  them 
(disciples)  and  fondly  maintain  and  make  them  grow  in  the  lap  of 
the  power  in  the  form  of  the  'Adhar'  (3TTsnT-the  circle  of  pelvis), 
and  placing  them  in  the  cradle  in  the  form  of  the  sky-region  of  the 
heart,  you  give  them  swings  in  the  form  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Self.  You  wave  around  them  the  individual  souls,  and  give  them 
mind  and  life-wind  for  playing  with  and  make  them  wear  on  their 
persons  tiny  ornaments  in  the  form  of  the  Self-bliss.  You  feed  them 
with  milk  from  the  bosom  of  the  seventeenth  phase  (extra  brilliance) 
of  the  Moon,  and  sing  to  them  the  song  in  the  form  of  'Anahata' 
sound  (in  the  heart  region)  and  lull  them  into  slumber,  in  the  form 
of  enwrapped  concentration  in  spiritual  meditation.  You  are  the 
sole  mother  to  the  seekers:  art  and  culture  germinate  and  grow  under 
the  shelter  of  your  feet.  I  shall  consequently  never  forsake  your 
cool  shade.  Oh  you  the  Kindness  of  the  worthy  Preceptor,  one  who 
secures  your  compassion  becomes  the  very  God  Brahmadev,  having 
the  power  of  creating  culture  in  all  its  branches.  Therefore,  O  you 
goddess  possessed  of  all  wealth,  and  acting  like  the  Kalpatara  creeping 
plant  to  her  servants,  give  me  a  mandate  to  discourse  on  this  cultural 
work  (W*).  Oh  mother,  let  there  be  created  oceans  of  the  nine  senti- 
ments in  my  discourse,  and  let  it  become  a  storage  of  the  best  gems, 
and  let  there  be  created  mountains  of  interpretations  conveying  real 
meaning  (as  meant  by  Bhagwan).  Let  there  be  opened  in  the  land 
of  the  mother  tongue  (3*1^1^11)  mines  of  gold  in  the  form  of  literature, 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  331 

and  let  there  be  planted  rows  after  rows  of  the  creeping  plant  in  the 
form  of  right  thinking.  Let  there  be  wreathed  garlands  of  serious 
problems  to  be  settled  (sr^r),  with  plenty  of  fruit  in  the  form  of 
discussions.  Let  the  den  of  the  heterodox,  the  crooked  ways  of  those 
indulging  in  vexatious  wranglings,  and  the  wicked  animals  in  the 
form  of  wicked  thinkers  be  all  demolished  and  destroyed.  Endow 
me  with  a  capacity  of  describing  correctly  the  superb  qualities  of 
Lord  Krishna,  and  let  the  hearers  also  secure  the  kingdom  in  the 
form  of  the  bliss  resulting  from  hearing  them  (qualities).  Let  there 
be  super-abundance  of  Brahman-Lore  (metaphysics)  in  the  town  of 
this  Marathi  language;  and  let  the  people  living  there  have  all  their 
dealings  to  their  heart's  content  in  the  bliss  of  the  learning.  Oh  Mother, 
I  shall  bring  about  all  this  instantaneously,  should  1  be  so  lucky 
as  to  be  enveloped  (sheltered)  in  the  affectionate  skirt  of  your  gar- 
ments. Hearing  this  request  of  the  disciple,  the  preceptor,  throwing 
a  kindly  glance  at  him  said,  "Get  you  along  with  your  sermon  on  the 
teachings  of  Gita,  without  saying  anything  further."  "Very  well, 
this  is  a  great  boon  from  you",  said  the  disciple  feeling  very  pleased, 
and  said  to  the  hearers,  "Now  I  begin  with  the  discourse  and  you  be 
attentive." 


Arjuna  spake: 

1  "Thus,  ever  steadied  in  Yoga,  the  devotees  who  seek  Thee 
in  service,  and  those  likewise  who  (seek)  the  Unmanifest 
Immutable:  of  these,  which  ones  are  the  best  knowers  of 
the  Yoga?';  (20) 

Then  the  son  of  Pandu,  the  greatest  amongst  the  heroes,  and  the 
very  emblem  of  victory  in  the  'Soma'  dynasty,  thus  spoke  to  Lord 
Krishna.  "Oh  have  you  heard  (what  I  said)!  You  made  available 
for  me,  the  vision  of  the  Omniform:  it  was  wonderful  and  my  mind 
got  frightened  at  it.  Being  accustomed  to  (seeing)  your  Krishna 
form,  I  (my  life)  thought  of  taking  its  protection:  but  the  God  cen- 
sured me  and  told  me  not  to  do  so.  But  manifest  or  non-manifest, 


332  JNANESHWARI 

both  these  are  your  own  forms,  the  former  attainable  by  devotion 
and  the  latter  by  Yoga  (discipline).  Both  these  are  ways  of  approach- 
ing your  paradise  (Vaikuntha),  while  the  manifest  or  the  non-mani- 
fest are  only  the  two  thresholds  there.  The  fineness  of  a  bar  of  gold 
weighing  a  hundred  tolas  is  the  same  as  that  of  a  piece,  weighing  only 
one  'WaT  (WM — about  l/50th  of  a  tola)  out  of  it  tested  separately. 
Thus  the  value  of  the  manifest,  a  simple  entity,  and  of  the  all-per- 
vading non-manifest,  is  one  and  the  same.  The  same  degree  of  power 
(to  confer  immortality)  as  is  found  in  an  ocean  of  nectar,  can  be 
found  in  a  single  mouthful  (^)  taken  out  of  a  nectar  wave.  My 
mind  has  reached  this  conviction  definitely.  Yet  I  ask  this  question, 
Oh  the  Master  of  the  Yoga,  only  with  the  object  to  know  whether 
the  Omniform,  you  had  for  a  little  while  assumed,  was  a  real  thing 
or  only  an  assumed  guise.  But  (there  are)  such  ones  as  perform  all 
actions  solely  on  your  account,  and  to  whom  you  are  the  greatest 
of  all,  and  who  have  also  surrendered  their  minds  to  devotion,  and 
who  in  all  these  ways  worship  you,  chaining  you  to  their  heart  and 
soul.  And  (there  are  likewise  others)  men  of  knowledge  who  worship, 
with  the  conception  that  they  themselves  are  He  (the  Deity),  and 
He  is  they  themselves  ( «V*i3),  (they  are)  also  that,  which  is  beyond 
the  sacred  syllable  4Om'  (the  mystic  name  of  the  Hindu  triad)  which 
is  unsecurable  even  by  the  clear  faculties  of  speech,  and  which  is 
uncomparable,  and  which  is  immutable  and  non-manifest,  beyond 
description,  and  without  a  place.  O  Anant,  now  do  tell  me,  which 
of  these — those  steadied  in  Yoga,  or  the  devotees  that  seek  you  in 
service — are  considered  the  best  knowers  of  Yoga."  At  these  words 
of  Kiriti,  the  Lord  of  the  universe  felt  pleased  and  said,  "You  know 
best  how  to  question!" 

4{U(|4ta4  *nt  $•  tr  ftrmjrET  4Mlticl  I 
«RRT  «K*fWdHkl  $  ^faWI  URTT:  II  ^  II 

2  The  Exalted-one  spake:  "Fixing  their  minds  upon  Me,  those 
who,  ever  steadied  in  Yoga,  seek  Me  in  service,  being  en- 
dowed with  supreme  faith:  they  are  deemed  of  Me  the  best 
knowers  of  Yoga.  (35) 

"So  hear;  as  the  Sun  goes  behind  the  western  hills,  his  rays  also 
follow  him  though  he  is  not  seen;  or  just  as  O  Son  of  Pandu,  a  river 


XII.    BHAKTIYOGA  333 

begins  to  get  swollen  in  the  rainy  season,  in  that  way,  the  faith  goes 
on  increasing  as  (the  devotee)  continues  in  my  worship.  The  devotion 
is  like  that  forceful  tidal  flow  of  river  water  which  continues  in  its 
full  force  even  though  the  river  comes  near  its  place  of  falling  into  the 
sea.  In  that  way  those  that  fix  their  minds  on  me  and  worship  me 
day  and  night,  along  with  all  the  senses, — those  devotees  that  in  this 
way  give  themselves  unto  me,  I  consider  as  the  best  knowers  of  Yoga. 

3  "Those,  on  the  other  hand,  who  seek  in  service  the  Unmanifest 
Immutable  that  eludes  (all)  definition,  that  is  Omnipresent, 
beyond  thought,  imperturbably  set,  unshakable  and  firm, 

4  "By  controlling  the  crowd  of  sense-centres  and  cultivating  an 
ever-present  equanimity  of  disposition:  they  also,  intent  upon 
securing  the  weal  of  all  beings,  attain  just  Mine  own  Self.  (40) 

And  (there  are)  others,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  that  abide  in  the  concep- 
tion that  they  are  themselves  the  Supreme  Brahman,  and  cling  to 
the  non-manifest  Immutable.  Is  it  ever  possible  for  the  senses  to 
attain  that,  where  neither  the  mind  can  stick  its  nail  nor  the  dis- 
cerning power  can  get  an  entrance?  Not  only  that;  even  profound 
concentration  on  spiritual  meditation  cannot  have  any  trace  of  it; 
consequently  no  one  can  hold  it  in  his  grasp,  nor  could  it  exist  in 
any  form.  It  pervades  everywhere  and  at  all  times,  but  even  the 
thinking  power  becomes  helpless  there.  It  can  neither  be  said  to 
exist  nor  not  to  exist.  It  neither  is  nor  is  not,  with  the  result  that 
no  means  prove  effective  in  attaining  it:  it  neither  moves  nor  gets 
removed  and  neither  ends  nor  gets  soiled.  Yet  those  (others)  have 
brought  this  under  their  control.  They  have  burnt  the  groups  of 
sense-objects  in  the  intensive  fire  of  asceticism,  and  have  with  great 
fortitude  put  a  restraint  on  the  parched  senses.  They  have,  on  the 
strength  of  their  sense-control,  twisted  reversely  the  senses  (which 


334  JNANESHWARI 

naturally  are  attracted  towards  external  objects),  and  kept  them 
shut  up  in  the  cave  of  their  heart.  They  build  the  tower  in  the  form 
of  the  posture  'Mulabandha',  also  called  'Vajrasana'  (  Mai*  ^ 
snsrraFT)  after  securing  properly  the  postures  and  attitudes  (smRTTST), 
and  after  closing  tightly  the  outlet  of  Apdna  wind.  They  snap  the 
bonds  of  hope,  blast  the  rocks  of  timidity  and  completely  dispel  the 
darkness  of  the  sleep  of  ignorance.  With  the  help  of  the  (internal) 
fire  flames,  resulting  from  the  Mulabandha  posture,  they  burn  all  the 
seven  primary  fluids  and  juices — the  essential  ingredients  of  the  body 
( W^ ),  and  bombard  all  the  diseases  with  the  artillery  in  the  form 
of  six  circles  (^-plexuses).  Then  they  erect  the  brilliant  torch  in 
the  form  of  the  thrilling  power,  Kundalini,  on  the  Adhar  and  with 
its  Light,  illuminate  the  entire  region  of  the  body  right  upto  the  head. 
They  then  close  the  nine  gates  of  the  senses,  putting  cross-bars  and 
bolts  in  the  form  of  determination,  and  keep  open  only  the  wicket 
for  the  Susumna  Nadi  (breath-passage).  They  give  as  oblations  the 
head  of  the  demon  buffalo  (after  first  cutting  it)  in  the  form  of  mind 
and  also  the  ram  (after  first  killing  it)  in  the  form  of  fancy,  to  the 
Goddess  Chamundi  in  the  form  of  the  powerful  life-wind.  The 
breath-passages  Ida  and  Pingala — also  called  the  Moon  and  the 
Sun — are  then  joined  together  by  them,  and  then  they  secure  speedily 
the  water  of  the  nectar  of  the  seventeenth  phase  of  the  Moon,  and 
ascending  the  flight  of  steps  carved  out  in  the  breath-passage  of 
Madhyama  or  Susumna,  they  reach  the  Brahmarandhra  (the  apertue 
supposed  to  be  at  the  crown  of  the  head  through  which  the  soul 
takes  its  flight  on  death).  Not  only  that:  but  ascending  the  flight 
of  steps  in  the  passage  of  Madhyama  or  Susumna  and  putting  under 
their  arms  the  sky  region  of  their  head,  they  get  themselves  absorbed 
in  the  Supreme  Brahman.  And  those  that  have  in  these  ways  secured 
equanimity  of  disposition,  followed  and  made  it  their  own,  the  rugged 
path  of  the  study  of  Yoga  discipline,  in  order  to  secure  immediately 
the  realization  of  the  Supreme  Brahman  and  have  in  exchange  of 
their  lives,  secured  instantaneously  the  qualityless  and  formless 
great  void  ( W*f  — a  term  for  Brahman),-Oh  Kiriti,  they  also  come 
unto  me.  Do  not  be  under  the  impression  that  they  secure  anything 
more  than  this  on  the  strength  of  the  Yoga-discipline:  if  there  is 
anything  extra  to  their  credit,  it  is  only  the  toil. 

r  %  *rfsfsf  tylf^WWIcI  II  *  II 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  335 

5  "Theirs  (however)  is  the  greatest  toil,  since  their  thoughts 
are  fixed  upon  the  Unmanifest ;  for,  passage  into  the  Un- 
manifest  is  with  difficulty  attainable  by  those  who  are  (tram- 
melled) with  this  body.  (60) 

There  are  (those)  that  wish  to  attain,  without  resorting  to  devotion, 
the  (supportlessr  and  nonmanifest)  essence  which  does  good  to  all 
the  living  beings.  But  the  office  of  God  Indra  delivers  attacks  on 
them  (i.e.  tempts  them  in  order  to  cause  their  downfall),  so  also 
come  in  their  way  Riddhi  and  Siddhi  (Goddesses  of  success  and 
prosperity).  The  passions  and  anger  cause  them  nuisance  and  they 
have  got  to  fight  them  out,  relying  on  the  power  of  the  great  void, 
the  Supreme  Brahman.  The  thirst  is  required  to  be  quenched  with 
thirst  only,  and  the  hunger  to  be  satisfied  with  hunger,  and  the  wind 
has  to  be  kept  stirring  up  (blowing)  with  both  the  hands.  They  have 
to  sleep  in  the  Sun  during  day-time  and  to  enjoy  the  happiness  of 
the  restraint  of  the  senses  and  to  form  friendship  with  trees.  They 
have  to  wear  the  cold  and  the  heat  (Sun)  as  garments,  (i.e.  expose 
their  limbs  to  cold  and  heat)  and  live  in  a  continuous  drizzle  of  rain. 
In  short,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  this  is  somewhat  like  entering  into  a 
pyre  (in  the  manner  of  a  sati)  by  a  woman  without  having  a  husband. 
Oh,  in  this  path  of  Yoga  (there  is)  nothing  like  serving  the  cause  of 
the  master,  or  any  plea  of  observing  the  family  rites  and  customs, 
but  it  involves  a  continuous  struggle  with  death.  Why  should  one 
take  such  boiling  poison  which  is  even  more  subtle  than  death  itself? 
Would  not  the  mouth  get  torn  were  one  to  try  to  swallow  a  hill?  There- 
fore, those  that  follow  this  path  of  Yoga,  have  got  to  share  the  hardest 
lot  of  misery.  Just  you  consider,  were  one,  with  mouth  hollow  with- 
out teeth,  compelled  to  swallow  a  (grains  of)  gram  of  iron  would 
that  satisfy  his  hunger  or  put  him  to  death?  Is  it  possible  for  one 
to  swim  across  the  sea  (solely)  on  the  strength  of  his  own  arms?  Is 
it  ever  possible  to  walk  in  the  sky?  Once  one  leaps  into  the  arena 
of  the  battlefield,  is  it  possible  for  him  to  ascend  the  steps  of  the 
Sun-region  without  receiving  a  single  stick-blow  (on  his  person)? 
Therefore,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  just  as  it  is  impudent  for  a  cripple  to 
contest  with  the  wind,  similarly  it  is  sheer  fool-hardiness  for  an  em- 
bodied being  to  worship  the  unmanifest.  But  those  who  venture 
and  get  themselves  prepared  to  struggle  with  the  great  void  (Supreme 
Brahman)  have  necessarily  to  suffer  extreme  misery.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  other  Yogins  that  have  taken  to  the  path  of  devotion  are 
never  called  upon  to  experience  such  misery. 


336  JNANESHWARI 

3!T^#ar  iftift  Tt  WHTOftT  dMWcl  II  %  II 

Hm{k  Hfcil^  TPfr  *HMI^ftlci«ld4H*(  II  \S  II 

6  "But  those  who  dedicate  all  actions  unto  Me,  and  with  Me 
as  their  goal,  render  service  unto  Me,  meditating  upon  Me 
in  single-pointed  concentration  (in  Yoga)  : 

7  "Of  them  I  become  the  Liberator  from  the  Ocean  of  Death 
and  Mundane  Existence,  in  no  length  of  time,  O  Son  ofPrtha; 
of  them  whose  thoughts  are  rooted  in  Me.  (76) 

There  are  those  who  perform  regularly — with  pleasure  and  with  the 
help  of  their  senses  of  action,  actions  (duties)  falling  to  their  lot  as 
prescribed  by  the  four-castes-religion,  following  the  Scriptures 
(Codes),  abandoning  all  forbidden  actions,  and  burning  all  the  action- 
fruit  by  dedicating  it  all  to  me;  and  further  who  undoing  all  their 
actions  also  thus  dedicating  them  all  to  me,  and  taking  no  other 
direction  than  the  one  towards  me,  ignoring  the  urge  of  all  contrary 
feelings  and  sentiments  issuing  from  the  body,  the  tongue,  and  mind 
— they  thus  worship  me  uninterruptedly  and  they  have  become  my 
very  home  on  account  of  their  meditation  of  me — they  that  are 
wholly  bent  upon  establishing  communion  with  me  by  means  of 
great  devotion,  leaving  off  other  frail  and  poor  clients  («p£)  like 
enjoyment  of  sense-objects  and  emancipation  etc. — such  persons  as 
have,  with  single-pointed  devotion,  entrusted  to  me  exclusively  then- 
very  life,  mind,  and  body — how  could  I  speak  about  them?  What 
words  can  adequately  describe  my  feelings  towards  them?  In  fine 
I  have  got  to  do  all  they  wish  for.  Briefly  speaking,  Oh  Dhanurdhara, 
need  it  be  said,  how  dear  a  child  is  to  the  mother,  the  child  which 
is  born  of  her?  In  that  way  the  devotees  are  dear  to  me  as  (to  the 
extent)  they  are  devoted  to  me.  I  have  as  it  were  taken  out  a  charter 
to  protect  my  devotees,  defeating  their  enemies.  But  even  without 
that,  the  very  idea  of  my  devotees  being  plunged  into  anxiety  for 
the  welfare  of  their  family  appears  ludicrous.  Does  the  wife  of  a 
great  (rich)  one  ever  have  to  go  abegging  for  undressed  corn  (*ki«)? 
Similarly  my  devotees  are  (like)  my  wife  (body),  I  feel  my  honour 
is  at  stake  whenever  they  (devotees)  are  likely  to  suffer  disgrace. 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  337 

Seeing  the  waves  of  birth  and  death  storming  over  the  entire  world, 
I  fear,  my  devotees  would  get  frightened,  for  who  is  there  who  would 
not  get  confused  with  fear  in  the  tumult  of  the  ocean  of  world  affairs? 
Therefore,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  I  come  in  haste  (from  time  to  time)  to 
their  places  assuming  different  forms  of  incarnations.  My  different 
names  (such  as  Rama,  Krishna,  and  others)  are,  know  it,  (as  it  were) 
thousands  of  small  boats,  and  keeping  them  ever  ready  in  the  ocean 
of  world  affairs,  I  have  become  the  saviour  (of  the  devotees).  Such 
(of  those  devotees)  as  are  quite  unattached,  get  clung  into  protection 
through  meditation  while  those  who  are  attached  to  worldly  affairs 
are  put  on  board  the  small  boats.  Floats  ($it)  in  the  form  of  affection 
are  tied  under  the  bellies  of  some,  and  in  this  way  I  take  all  my  devotees, 
over  to  the  other  bank  in  the  form  of  absorption  into  the  essence 
of  Brahman  (TT^qr).  Even  the  four-legged  animals  that  become  my 
devotees  are  placed  in  the  higher  grade  in  the  empire  of  Vaikuntha 
(the  abode  of  Lord  Vishnu).  Therefore,  there  remains  not  a  single 
(cause  of)  anxiety  for  my  devotees:  I  am  ever  ready  for  their  protec- 
tion. And  the  moment  they  dedicate  their  minds  to  me,  they  (make 
me)  join  and  take  part  in  all  their  sport  of  worldly  affairs.  Therefore, 
O  Dhanurdhara,  you  should  commit  to  your  memory  the  hymn 
(dictum)  that  it  is  only  when  one  follows  the  path  of  devotion,  that 
one  becomes  a  great  devotee. 

8  "In  Me  alone  (therefore)  infix  thy  mind:  make  thine  in- 
tellect find  its  home  in  Me,  and  then,  ever  afterwards,  thou 
shall  doubtless  dwell  within  Me  alone.  (97) 

Oh  you,  with  the  firm  determination  of  your  intellect,  do  infix  your 
mind  on  me.  When  both  your  mind  and  intellect  happily  dwell  with 
me,  you  will  certainly  attain  unto  me.  Once  the  mind  and  the  in- 
tellect make  their  home  in  me,  then  there  is  absolutely  no  scope 
left  for  the  notion  'Mine  and  Thine'.  When  the  (lighted)  lamp  is  put 
out  by  a  breeze  set  in  motion  by  waving  the  skirt  of  a  garment,  its 
brilliance  disappears;  or  the  daylight  disappears  with  the  Sunset; 
or  when  the  life-wind  begins  to  escape  from  the  body,  the  senses 
also  leave  the  body.  In  that  way,  the  egotism  also  automatically 
accompanies  the  mind  and  the  intellect.  Therefore,  dissolve  your 


338  JNANESHWARI 

mind  and  intellect  into  Me,  and  make  me  their  home  and  then  you 
will  also  be  (as)  all-pervading  as  myself.  There  exists  nothing  else 
than  this  truth  in  the  world;  I  declare  this  on  my  own  oath. 

9  "In  case  thou  art  not  able  to  steadily  fix  thy  mind  in  Me, 
then,  seek  to  attain  Me,  O  Dhanamjaya,  by  the  Yoga  of 
Steady-practice.  (104) 

Or  should  you  not  be  able  to  deliver  up  in  my  Charge,  in  its  entirety, 
your  heart  along  with  your  mind  and  intellect,  then  do  this  viz., 
dedicate  them  to  me  at  least  for  one  moment  out  of  the  eight  Prahars 
(periods  of  three  hours)  of  the  day.  You  will  then  feel  an  aversion 
for  the  sense-objects,  during  at  least  those  moments  when  you  are 
fully  immersed  in  the  trance  of  devotion.  (And  then)  just  as  at  the 
approach  of  the  winter,  the  water  level  in  rivers  begins  to  get  low, 
in  the  same  way,  your  mind  will  liberate  itself  speedily  from  the 
bonds  of  mundane  existence,  and  then  just  as  the  disc  of  the  Moon 
loses  her  phases  day  by  day,  from  the  Full  Moon  day,  and  totally 
disappears  on  the  Amavasya  day  (last  day  of  the  lunar  month),  in 
that  way  your  heart,  as  it  gradually  sets  itself  loose  from  the  sense- 
objects,  will  get  into  me  and  be  one  with  me  ultimately,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu.  What  is  called  the  Yoga  of  steady-practice  is  only  this  very 
thing,  and  there  is  nothing  (in  the  world)  that  cannot  be  attained,  once 
it  is  realised.  (It  is)  on  the  strength  of  this  study  that  some  walk  in  the 
air,  while  some  tame  tigers  and  serpents;  some  digest  poison,  while 
some  wade  through  the  sea.  (There  are)  some  who  on  the  strength 
of  this  study  make  the  Vedas  their  own.  Therefore,  there  is  nothing 
entirely  difficult  to  secure  by  study,  and  therefore,  you  do  attain  unto 
me  by  the  (Yoga  of)  study. 

10  "In  case  thou  art  unable  to  achieve  Steady-practice,  make  the 
details  of  My  worship  thine  sole  (immediate)  concern;  (for), 
even  carrying  out  these  details  for  My  sake,  thou  shalt  gain 
the  Highest  Perfection.  (114) 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  339 

If  you  have  no  capacity  even  for  study,  then  better  to  continue  to 
be  what  you  are.  Do  not  restrain  the  senses,  do  not  interfere  with 
the  enjoyment  of  sense-objects,  and  do  not  leave  off  the  pride  of 
your  own  caste.  Follow  your  family  rites  and  customs,  and  observe 
the  enjoined  traditions,  and  then  you  have  the  liberty  of  following 
freely  your  own  course.  Only  do  not  say,  "I  am  doing  it",  whatever 
may  be  the  action  you  perform  through  the  agency  of  your  body, 
tongue  and  mind.  The  Supreme  Soul,  who  conducts  the  entire  uni- 
verse (affairs)  alone,  knows  what  action  is  right -and  what  is  not. 
Never  even  think  in  your  mind  about  any  particular  action  being 
defective  (incomplete)  or  complete.  You  carry  on  your  living  (ex- 
istence) in  a  way  that  would  make  you  attain  unto  its  proper  purpose. 
The  water  flow  quietly  follows  the  gardener,  wherever  he  conducts 
it;  you  should  be  pliant  like  that  water  flow  (dropping  all  egoistic 
sense  of  your  capacity  for  action).  Do  not  encumber  your  heart 
with  loads  such  as  activism  and  renunciation,  but  fix  up  your  heart 
unceasingly  unto  me.  Does  the  chariot,  Oh  great  hero,  ever  worry 
itself,  if  the  road  is  straight  or  crooked?  And  whatever  (action)  is 
turned  out,  do  dedicate  all  quietly  unto  me.  Make  no  attempt  to 
weigh  it  in  a  balance.  With  such  a  conviction  of  mind  you  will,  Oh 
Arjuna,  come  unto  Me,  the  Home  of  the  Union  of  the  Supreme  and 
the  individual  souls,  when  you  discard  your  body. 

**4*4MwW(Wi  cfcf:  |p5  *i<uc*ieu^  II   ??   II 

11  "And  in  case  thou  art  not  able  to  accomplish  even  this  by 
cultivating  the  singleness  of  attention  towards  Me  (that  it 
demands),  then  (at  least)  renounce  the  fruit  of  every  action 
with  a  resolute  mind.  (125) 

Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  should  you  not  be  able  even  to  do  this,  viz.  dedi- 
cate all  your  actions  to  me,  then  (at  least)  you  do  worship  me.  If 
you  find  it  difficult,  O  Kiriti,  even  to  remember  me,  with  full  intellect 
at  the  beginning  and  at  the  end  of  the  actions,  leave  it  alone  too. 
At  least  let  your  intellect  be  alive  in  regard  to  putting  restraint  on 
your  senses,  never  mind  if  you  leave  aside  my  remembrance.  And 
then  whenever  and  whatever  actions  might  be  done  by  you,  abandon 
all  thought  about  their  fruit.  Just  as  the  trees  or  creepers  drop  down 
all  their  fruit  they  yield,  in  that  way,  you  renounce  all  the  fruit  of 


340  JNANESHWARI 

action  that  may  be  successfully  performed.  Not  only  that:  let  there 
even  be  no  notion  that  I  should  be  remembered,  or  that  the  actions 
have  to  be  done  on  my  own  account.  Let  them  all  be  extinguished 
into  the  great  Void,  together  with  their  fruit.  Consider  all  your 
actions  as  fruitless,  as  an  empty  dream,  (or)  like  rainfall  on  a  rock 
or  like  the  sowing  of  seeds  in  burning  fire.  A  father  never  entertains 
any  (sexual)  craving  in  regard  to  his  daughter;  in  that  way  you  must 
always  be  motive-free  in  regard  to  all  your  actions.  Let  all  your 
actions  get  absorbed  in  the  great  Void,  just  as  the  flames  of  the  fire 
all  get  extinguished  in  the  sky.  Oh  Arjuna,  even  though  the  renun- 
ciation of  fruit  might  appear  a  simple  thing,  yet  it  is  the  greatest 
among  all  the  Yogas.  The  actions  that  once  are  dropped  down 
through  renunciation  of  fruit  never  grow  up  (again).  A  cluster  of 
bamboo  trees  gets  barren  once  it  gives  a  yield,  so  with  the  dropping 
down  of  the  existing  body,  consequent  on  renunciation  of  fruit, 
there  is  no  coming  into  body-form  again — nay  the  cycle  of  births  and 
deaths  comes  to  an  end  altogether.  Oh  Kiriti,  one  can  reach  the 
knowledge  after  ascending  the  steps  in  the  form  of  the  Yoga  of  Steady- 
practice,  and  one  can  attain  meditation  through  knowledge.  When 
the  diverse  mental  states  get  extinguished  in  meditation,  then  the 
aggregate  of  all  actions  goes  and  stands  aloof,  and  when  the  actions 
stand  aloof,  renunciation  of  fruit  automatically  comes  in  and  thereby 
one  secures  the  eternal  peace  and  tranquillity  of  mind.  Therefore, 
Oh  husband  of  Subhadra,  this  is  th'i  only  course  (open)  for  securing 
tranquillity  of  mind,  and  therefore,  it  is  now  the  fitting  thing  to  take 
recourse  to  Steady-practice  (Study). 

$tit  f$  «U«WmWMIMI4*IM  faft»M4tl  I 
WMl^  »4MH<qHlft*U<lh«l£tHH«TH^  II  \R  II 

12  "For,  worthier  is  knowledge  than  practice ;  more  t)  n  know- 
ledge is  concentred-meditation  to  be  preferred,  from  con- 
centred— meditation  ensures  renunciation  of  actions'  fruits ; 
and  following  upon  such  renunciation  comes  Peace.        (141) 

Oh  Partha,  knowledge  is  more  difficult  for  comprehension  than 
study,  while  meditation  is  still  more  difficult  than  knowledge.  Re- 
nunciation of  action-fruit  is  superior  to  meditation,  while  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  bliss  of  the  tranquillity  of  the  mind  is  even  more  superior. 
Such  is  the  ascending  course,  and  it  is  through  attainment  of  these 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  341 

different  stages  that  one  can  reach  the  abode  of  tranquillity  (Supreme 
Bliss). 


4^i:  STCTcf  JlWt  ■MdlcHl  f^f^WT:  I 
+HUfMd*IH^!4irf  H^tH:  3T  #  f5W:  II  ?V  II 

13  "Mm  conceiving  hatred  towards  any  being,  with  a  friendly 
disposition,  and  ever  compassionate;  rid  of  all  "My"-ness 
and  rid  of  all  "I"-ness,  even-poised  in  weal  and  woe,  full  of 
forbearance: 

14  "Ever  content,  the  Yogin  possessing  self-control  and  a  firm 
resolve:  having  dedicated  unto  Me  all  mind  and  intellect — 
he  that  is  (thus J  devoted  to  Me,  is  dear  unto  Me;         (144) 

One  (who)  never  bears  any  hatred  towards  any  living  being,  and 
one  who  never  harbours  differential  feelings  in  his  mind  between 
his  possessions  and  those  of  others,  like  the  all-pervading  sentience: 
just  as  the  earth  never  knows  to  sustain  only  the  superior,  and  to 
reject  the  inferior,  or  just  as  the  life-wind  does  not  know  to  abide 
only  in  the  king's  body  to  the  exclusion  of  the  plebeian  ones,  or  just 
as  the  water  never  thinks  of  quenching  the  thirst  of  the  kine  only, 
turning  itself  into  poison  to  kill  tigers — in  that  way  one  who  be- 
friends the  entire  class  of  living  beings,  and  is  kind  evenly  to  all: 
one  to  whom  the  thought  of  myself  and  mine  is  ever  foreign  or  who 
is  never  affected  by  happiness  or  sorrow:  or  one  who,  in  point  of 
forgiveness,  is  like  the  earth  which  has  made  itself  the  abode  of  happi- 
ness for  all:  one  who  is  thoroughly  saturated  with  contentment 
without  any  device  ( ^TFT  ),  just  as  the  ocean  is  ever  full  of  water 
even  in  the  absence  of  rains:  one  who  controls  his  heart,  taking  a 
vow  to  do  so,  and  whose  firmness  lasts  uninterruptedly:  one  in  whose 
heart  dwell  in  perfect  unison  both  the  individual  and  the  supreme 
soul,  occupying  the  common  seat,  and  getting  steadied  in  Yoga, 
he  who  dedicates  devoutly  to  me  his  mind  and  intellect,  and  being 
in  this  way  full  of  Yoga  internally  and  externally,  remains  ever  pleased 
in  my  affectionate  devotion.  Oh  Arjuna,  such  a  devotee  alone  is 


342  JNANESHWARI 

a  real  Yogjn — an  emancipated  one,  and  I  become  so  fond  of  him, 
as  if  he  were  the  wife  and  I  the  husband.  But  nay  I  am  not  content 
with  the  simile  that  "he  is  dearer  to  me  than  my  own  wife."  It  falls 
short  of  the  sense  (it  does  not  accurately  represent  the  real  state). 
But  this  account  of  affection  is  a  sort  of  magical  infatuation  and 
should  not  have  been  uttered  in  words  (because  words  fail  here). 
Whatever  short  description  of  it  is,  however,  given,  is  solely  on  the 
strength  of  the  strong  faith.  This  simile  (of  husband  and  wife)  came 
out  from  my  lips  only  in  exuberance.  Otherwise  can  it  be  suitably 
described  in  words?  Let  this  alone  now.  My  affection  (for  my  de- 
votees) is  doubly  increased  whenever  the  subject  of  such  dear  ones 
is  broached.  And  if  a  loving  hearer  happens  by  chance  to  be  near, 
where  could  be  found  a  pair  of  scales  to  weigh  the  mellifluent  eloqu- 
ence that  flows?  Therefore,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  you  are  the  loving 
one  as  also  the  hearer,  and  there  besides  having  arisen  an  occasion 
for  describing  a  loving  devotion,  I  naturally  got,  in  the  course  of 
our  talk,  immersed  in  the  happiness  (I  felt)  in  giving  the  description. 
With  these  words,  the  God  began  happily  to  sway  backwards  and 
forwards,  and  said,  "Know  now  the  indications  of  that  devotee,  to 
whom  I  offer  a  seat  in  my  heart." 

ffriq$mft|Aj|Tti  u:  sr  *r  ^  fsnr:  \\  u  n 

15  "From  whom  the  world  shrinks  not  in  disgust,  and  who, 
from  the  world  shrinks  not  in  disgust;  one  that  is  free  from 
elation,  intolerance,  fear  and  disgust:  he  that  is  (thus)  devoted 
to  Me  is,  dear  unto  Me:  (165) 

The  storming  of  the  sea  neither  creates  any  fear  in  aquatic  animals, 
nor  does  the  sea  itself  get  tired  of  such  animals;  in  that  way  one  who 
does  neither  feel  unhappy  at  the  arrogance  of  the  world,  nor  does 
the  world  itself  feel  troubled  by  his  association;  nay,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu,  just  as  body  does  not  feel  any  disgust  for  the  limbs,  in  that 
way  one  does  not  feel  any  disgust  for  the  beings,  but  identifies  him- 
self with  all  of  them:  one  who  looks  upon  the  universe  as  his  own 
body  and  has  consequently  lost  the  distinction  such  as  this  is  dear, 
that  is  not  dear:  one  in  whom  is  also  left  no  trace  of  joy  or  anger, 
in  the  absence  of  duality;  one  being  thus  free  from  the  clutches  of 
the  pairs  of  opposites,  there  remains  in  him  neither  fear  nor  discom- 


XII.  BHAKTIYOGA  343 

posure,  and  he  has  besides  become  my  devotee.  Towards  such  a 
one,  I  feel  attracted,  and  how  can  I  describe  this  attraction!  He  is 
the  heart  of  my  heart — one  who  is  fully  contented  with  the  bliss 
of  the  Self,  and  has  come  to  birth  merely  as  nature's  effect,  and  who 
has  reached  perfection  and  become  dear  to  me. 

3R*Nr:  srfo&T  ^<l*n*fi  MdoM'M:  I 

16  "He  who  looks-out  for  nothing,  is  pure,  heedful,  unconcerned, 
unworried;  who  has  renounced  all  undertakings  (as  such  J  : 
he  that  is  (thus)  devoted  to  Me,  is  dear  unto  Me:         (172) 

Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  one  in  whom  expectancy  gets  no  entrance,  and 
whose  existence  is  a  series  of  ascending  bliss  (of  the  Self);  the  holy 
place  of  Kashi  generously  gives  salvation,  but  only  to  those  who 
lay  down  their  bodies  there;  the  Mountain  Himalaya  also  removes 
sin,  but  in  doing  so  (in  going  up  the  Himalayas)  there  is  the  (risk  of) 
loss  of  life.  But  the  purity  in  the  saints  is  not  of  that  type.  The  holy 
Ganges  purifies  through  her  own  purity,  and  destroys  all  the  sins 
and  other  afflictions,  but  that  process  involves  the  (risk  of)  drowning. 
But  the  river  of  devotion,  although  it  is  fathomless,  at  no  time  drowns 
the  devotee.  He  directly  secures  emancipation  without  meeting 
death.  The  Ganges  secures  her  purity  through  (her  association) 
with  the  saints.  Of  what  greater  superiority  must  be  the  purity  of  the 
saints  themselves?  Therefore,  one  who  with  his  own  purity  lends 
support  to  the  holy  water,  and  the  defilement  of  whose  mind  has 
been  driven  away  to  the  limbo:  one  who  is  as  clean  and  untainted 
in  and  out  as  the  Sun  himself:  one  who  experiences  the  secret  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Supreme,  in  the  way  one  bom  with  his  legs  fore- 
most (mwioo)  possesses  the  power  of  seeing  the  (hidden)  treasures: 
one  whose  mind  is  all-pervading  yet  unattached  like  the  sky,  which 
although  all-pervading  is  free  from  all:  one  who  has  liberated  himself 
from  worldly  cares  and  remains  perfectly  detached  like  a  bird  that 
has  escaped  from  the  hands  of  the  hunter;  one  who  is  free  from 
prickings,  being  immersed  in  the  bliss  of  the  self;  one  who  like  a 
dead  body  remains  untouched  by  any  sense  of  shame;  one  who  is 
never  affected  by  egotism  in  regard  to  the  commencement  of  any 
action  in  the  way  the  fire  gets  extinguished  if  not  fed  by  firewood: 
one  to  whose  lot  has  fallen  tranquillity  so  necessary  for  the  secure- 


344  JNANESHWARI 

ment  of  emancipation;  one  O  Arjuna,  who  is  so  thoroughly  replete 
with  the  sense  of  union  with  the  Supreme  Brahman  as  actually  to 
experience  such  an  ecstatic  state  and  has  reached  the  other  bank  of 
duality  i.e.  (transcends  duality):  or  one  who  in  order  to  be  able  to 
experience  the  bliss  of  devotion,  divides  himself  into  two,  ordaining 
one  division  as  a  servant,  and  designating  the  other  part  as  myself 
viz.  'God,'  and  then  makes  the  non-devotee  realise  the  glory  of  devo- 
tion—I  feel  a  great  hankering  (^FT^)  after  such  a  devotee  and  I 
meditate  upon  such  a  devotee— nay  I  feel  satisfied  only  when  I  secure 
such  a  devotee.  For  him,  I  am  required  to  assume  incarnation  and 
I  move  about  in  this  world  and  he  is  so  dear  to  me  that  I  wave  around 
him,  my  own  life  by  way  of  lustration. 


17  "He  who  is  not  elated—does  not  hate — does  not  grieve 
does  not  yearn,  renouncing  (alike)  the  good  and  the  evil: 
He  that  is  (thus)  full  of  devotion,  is  dear  unto  Me:      (190) 

One  who  considers  nothing  as  good  as  the  attainment  of  the  Supreme, 
and  therefore,  does  not  feel  (derive)  any  delight  from  the  enjoyment 
of  the  sense-objects;  one  in  whom  no  hatred  finds  any  room  since 
all  distinction  has  vanished  for  him  on  account  of  the  knowledge 
(he  has  secured)  that  he  himself  is  the  entire  universe:  one  who  never 
grieves  for  the  past  (or  for  the  lost)  in  the  full  confidence  that  what 
is  really  his  own  would  not  be  lost  even  at  the  end  of  the  Kalpa  (a 
day  of  God  Brahmdev — 432  Million  years  of  mortals):  one  who 
never  aspires  for  anything,  since  there  already  exists  within  his  own- 
self,  that  beyond  which  there  exists  nothing:  one  never  feels  any 
distinction  such  as  'good  or  bad',  in  the  way  there  is  nothing  like 
night  or  day  with  the  Sun.  Such  a  one  who  has  become  the  very  , 
knowledge  incarnate,  and  has  besides  been  my  loving  devotee  there 
is  nothing  so  dear  to  me  as  this  devotee,  and  taking  an  oath  in  your 
name,  I  am  telling  you  this  real  truth. 

W£  Wft  V  feft  ^T  wm  MMIMMMift:  I 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  345 

srf^f:  1^**4  Id  4fam^  #  fswt  TT:  II  U  II 

18  "He  who  is  the  same  to  an  enemy  or  to  a  friend,  same  also 
in  honour  and  dishonour;  who  is  the  same  in  cold  and  heat, 
weal  and  woe,  and  is  free  from  attachment: 

19  "To  whom  all  alike  is  censure  as  well  as  praise,  and  who 
maintains  silence,  being  content  with  anything  whatsoever; 
not  cumbered  by  a  home,  firm  in  judgment:  he  that  is  (thus) 
devoted  to  Me,  is  dear  unto  Me.  (197) 

Oh  Partha,  one  in  whom  there  is  absolutely  no  feeling  of  differen- 
tiation, and  who  treats  alike  both  his  foes  and  friends;  one  who 
like  a  (lit)  lamp  does  not  possess  the  narrow  outlook  of  giving  light 
to  those  of  his  own  household,  and  withholding  it  from  strangers: 
(one  who  like)  a  tree  gives  an  equal  shade  to  both  viz.  the  person 
who  proceeds  to  cut  that  very  tree  with  an  axe,  and  the  one  who 
planted  it:  or  (one  who  like)  the  sugarcane  does  not  give  sweet  taste 
only  to  one  who  waters  and  grows  it,  and  bitter  taste  to  the  other 
who  puts  it  in  a  press  and  squeezes  it:  one  who  conducts  himself 
evenly  with  both  the  foes  and  friends,  and  has  the  same  feeling  in 
the  case  of  honour  or  dishonour;  one  who  remains  the  same  in  all 
the  three  seasons  just  as  the  sky  does;  one  who  faces  (firmly  and 
serenely)  both  pleasures  and  pain  that  confront  him  in  natural  course, 
in  the  way  the  Mountain  Meru  does,  when  facing  the  northern  and 
southern  winds:  one  who  conducts  himself  evenly  with  all  the  living 
beings,  in  the  way  the  lunar  rays  give  the  same  pleasure  both  to  the 
king  and  the  poorest :  one  who  is  considered  necessary  (or  is  desired 
for)  by  all  the  three  worlds,  just  as  water  is  by  the  entire  world:  one 
who  remains  pleased  and  tranquil  within  his  own  self,  dropping  all 
the  attachment  for  the  enjoyment  of  sense-objects;  one  who  neither 
minds  any  slander  nor  feels  elated  by  praise,  as  the  sky  remains, 
unbesmeared  by  the  clouds,  and  treats  both  slander  and  praise  on 
the  same  level,  and  moves  about  with  a  steady  temper  both  in  public 
and  in  solitary  woods:  one  whose  silence  remains  unbroken  even 
though  some  of  his  utterances  might  be  true  and  some  false,  and 
never  turns  his  back  while  experiencing  the  Brahmic  stage  named 
Unmani  ( y^nl ),  one  who  never  feels  joy  at  any  gain  nor  feels  any 
grief  at  any  loss,  in  the  way  the  sea  never  gets  dry  (even)  if  there  be 
no  rains:  one  who  never  takes  any  resort  in  a  house,  just  as  the  wind 


346  JNANESHWARI 

does  not  remain  confined  to  any  particular  place:  one  who  makes 
the  entire  world  his  abode,  in  the  way  the  winds  ever  pervade  the 
entire  sky:  one  whose  mind  has  become  steady  (in  the  knowledge) 
that,  "the  entire  universe  is  his  home" — nay  he  has  himself  become 
the  entire  universe  both  moveable  and  immoveable,  and  Oh  Partha, 
one,  who  even  having  reached  this  stage  feels  great  pleasure  and 
faith  in  my  worship — I  place  such  a  one  on  my  head  as  a  crown. 
Is  there  anything  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  head  should  be  bent 
low  before  what  is  (considered  to  be)  exalted?  Yet  I,  the  very  water 
touched  by  whose  foot  is  held  in  high  regard  in  all  the  three  worlds, 
entertain  great  respect  for  my  devotees  of  high  faith,  and  to  be  able 
to  know  to  what  extent  I  do  so,  one  has  to  secure  'Sadashiva'  (God 
Shankar)  as  his  preceptor.  Let  that  however  alone:  to  praise  God 
Mahesh  (God  Shiva)  is  really  to  indulge  in  self-praise.  Therefore" 
said  Lord  Krishna,  the  Lord  of  Rama,  "I  would  not  refer  to  it  but 
(would  say  this  much)  that  I  hold  such  a  devotee  on  my  head.  Oh 
Arjuna:  one,  who  enters  into  the  path  of  devotion  and  holding  in 
his  hand  emancipation  (  *fter  ),  the  fourth  object  of  man's  existence, 
goes  on  dispensing  it  to  all  the  worlds :  one  who  brings  in  his  grasp 
the  absorption  into  the  divine  essence,  and  handles  freely  (*ft€taf*ft) 
the  wealth  in  the  form  of  emancipation,  and  yet  accepts  for  himself 
the  position  of  the  lowest  level,  like  the  flow  of  water :  to  such  a  devotee 
I  bow  and  carry  him  on  my  head  as  a  crown,  and  bear  his  kicks  on 
my  chest:  I  adorn  my  faculty  of  speech  by  the  singing  of  his  praise, 
and  deck  the  ears  with  ornaments  in  the  form  of  hearing  of  his  praise. 
Although  without  eyes,  I  have  got  a  vision  in  order  to  satisfy  the 
longing  for  beholding  such  a  devotee.  I  worship  him  with  the  lotus 
in  my  adorned  hand.  I  have  come  (equipped)  with  one  more  pair 
of  arms  over  the  usual  two,  in  order  to  be  able  to  embrace  his  body 
(simultaneously  on  both  the  sides).  Though  bodiless,  I  have  assumed 
the  body-form  to  be  able  to  enjoy  the  happiness  of  his  association. 
In  short,  it  is  not  possible  to  describe  adequately  by  any  simile,  the 
extent  of  my  love  for  such  a  devotee.  There  is  nothing  strange  in 
that;  he  is  such  a  friend  of  mine:  yet  those  that  hear  as  also  sing  the 
life-history  of  such  a  devotee,  are  undoubtedly  dearer  to  me  than 
my  life.  Oh  Arjuna,  I  have  told  you  in  detail  this  Yoga  of  devotion 
— the  greatest  of  all  the  Yogas — that  Yoga  on  account  of  which 
I  hold  the  devotee  in  love,  meditate  upon  him,  and  hold  him  on  my 
head, — that  Yoga  which  possesses  such  a  great  strength. 

*t^MWI  *fcM<*ll  ^ThNttafl*  ^  1SRT:  II  ^o  || 


XII.   BHAKTIYOGA  347 

20  "And  those  who  betake  themselves,  as  aforesaid,  to  this 
"Ambrosia  of  Righteousness,"  full  of  faith  and  making  Me 
as  their  Highest  Goal:  those  that  are  (thus)  devoted  to  Me, 
they  are  exceedingly  dear  unto  Me. "  (230) 

Those  that  hear  this  delightful  narrative  which  is  sweet  like  the  shower 
of  nectar  and  turn  it  into  self-experience,  and  in  whom  it  expands 
itself  through  a  liking  for  the  greatest  of  faith,  and  those  who  follow 
it,  giving  it  an  eternal  place  in  their  heart,  and  who,  even  though 
they  have  attained  the  condition  of  the  mind  as  described  above  and 
have  derived  the  best  fruit  like  the  (best)  seed  sown  in  a  fertile  soil, 
and  who  yet  consider  me  very  great  and  entertain  an  affection  and 
devotion  for  me  and  take  me  as  their  all-in-all,  Oh  Partha,  such 
ones  are  the  real  devotees  and  Yogins  in  this  world,  and  it  is  these 
for  whom  I  feel  an  eternal  longing.  Such  ones  as  have  great  friendly 
feeling  ( $W )  for  devotional  stories,  are  in  themselves  holy  waters 
and  places  of  pilgrimage,  and  they  are  really  the  holy  ones  in  the  world. 
We  meditate  upon  them;  they  are  our  worshipful  Gods,  and  we 
consider  nothing  else  as  superior  to  them.  We  hanker  after  them, 
they  are  our  very  hoards — nay  we  feel  satisfaction  only  when  we 
secure  them.  Those,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  that  sing  their  loving  accounts 
are  respected  by  me  as  great  Gods."  "So  spake  to  (Arjuna)  that 
Mukund,  the  giver  of  joy  to  his  devotees,  the  primeval  bulbous  root 
of  the  universe,"  said  Samjaya  (to  Dhritarashtra)  and  added,  "Oh 
King,  he  (Lord  Krishna)  pure,  stainless,  kind  to  the  world,  maintainer 
and  protector  of  those  that  have  surrendered  themselves  to  him; 
and  whose  constant  sport  is  to  render  help  to  the  Gods  to  maintain 
and  bring  up  the  world  and  to  protect  it:  whose  religious  fame  is 
spotless:  who  is  straightforward,  with  unbounded  generosity,  whose 
strength  is  unlimited  and  who  brings  under  bis  bondage  the  (arrogant) 
mighty:  who  is  kind  to  his  devotees  and  friendly  to  those  that  love 
him;  (who  is)  the  supporter  of  true  ones  and  the  very  storehouse 
of  art  and  skill; — That  Lord  Krishna  of  Vaikuntha,  the  Lord  Para- 
mount (-<4*MdT)  of  his  devotees  said  all  this  while  the  lucky  (Arjuna) 
heard  it.  Now  I  narrate  the  subsequent  account",  said  Samjaya  to 
Dhritarashtra.  That  very  eloquent  narrative  will  now  be  told  in 
Maratbi  and  the  hearers  should  give  their  attention  to  it.  Jnanadev 
said,  "Oh  (that)  I  should  surrender  myself  to  you — the  saints  and 
render  service  unto  you,  is  the  (only)  thing  taught  to  me  by  God 
Nivritti." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJNA 

Introduction 

"Having  paid  homage  to  God  Ganesh,  who  is  identical  with  Self 
I  bow  at  the  feet  of  the  good  preceptor,  which  is  the  abode  of  all 
lores,  thinking  about  which,  the  art  of  composition  is  mastered, 
and  the  store  of  learning  gets  on  the  tip  of  the  tongue.  Eloquence 
out-matches  even  nectar  in  point  of  sweetness,  while  the  nine  Rasas 
(sentiments)  bend  low  for  service  to  every  letter.  The  interpretations 
come  out  spontaneously  and  these  are  impressed  on  the  mind,  making 
it  attain  complete  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Self.  Were  the  very 
feet  of  the  good  preceptor  to  be  meditated  upon,  witil  devotion, 
that  would  make  the  glorious  knowledge  dawn  fully."  Bowing  at  the 
preceptor's  feet  Jnanadev  said  that  Lord  Krishna — husband  of 
Lakshmi  and  the  father  of  Brahmadev  spake  thus : — 

MHhhhcjh  I 

T^ft  %frT  ti  snf:  SlW  ffw  cT%*:  II   ?   II 

The  Exalted-one  spake: 

1  "This  body,  O  Son  of  KuntT,  is  designated  the  'Field';  who 
knows  this,  him,  those  conversant  with  the  subject,  call  the 
'Field-knower. '  (7) 

"Hear  Oh  Partha,  this  body  is  called  the  'Kshetra'  (field)  and  the 
one  who  knows  of  it  (the  field)  is  called  'Kshetrajna'  (Field-knower). 

2  "Know  me  to  be  likewise  the  Field-knower  within  all  the 
Fields,  O  Scion  of  Bharata.  The  knowledge  that  relates  to 
the  Field  and  the  Field-knower,  that  is  of  Me  deemed  the 
(true)  knowledge.  (8) 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJlsiA  349 

"I  am  that  "Kshetrajna'  referred  to  here,  know  ye  definitely  who 
protects  all  the  fields  (  sfa  ).  To  know  the  field  and  the  field-knower 
correctly,  I  consider  as  the  (true)  knowledge. 

*r  ^f  zft  -UrM'HW'Jef  cIcT  *i«ii3i  3"  3p>|  II   3   II 

3  "That  Field:  what  it  is,  what-like  it  is,  with  what  changing 
forms,  and  which,  and  from  whence  (originated) ;  likewise, 
who  that  (Field-knower)  is,  and  of  what  potence:  that  in 
substance  hear  from  Me.  (10) 

Now  I  (am  going  to)  tell  you  all  the  implications  of  what  I  said  of 
the  body  being  the  'Kshetra'  (field),  why  is  it  called  a  Kshetra,  how 
it  originates,  and  what  modifications  tend  to  develop  it  here  and  by 
whom.  It  only  measures  three  and  a  half  cubits  and  whether  so 
much  (extensive)  soil  is  barren  or  fertile  and  to  whom  it  belongs — 
all  these  details  I  shall  tell  you  and  so  give  your  attention.  It  is  only 
this  field  that  the  Shruti  (Vedas)  is  ever  clamouring  about,  while 
the  science  of  logic  (  ?p£  )  carries  on  incessant  debate  to  determine 
it.  Scriptures  on  all  the  (six)  subjects  (  ^>ft  )  came  to  the  end  of  their 
wits  while  discussing  this  (field),  and  yet  there  is  no  unanimity  amongst 
them  about  it.  It  was  on  account  of  this  that  the  different  Scriptures 
got  in  touch  with  each  other  and  discussions  were  held  over  this 
alone,  all  over  the  world.  Yet  there  has  neither  been  any  agreement, 
nor  any  common  feature  in  the  (different)  talks.  Only  arguments 
aud  counter-arguments  have  increased  for  no  (valid)  reason.  No 
one  knows  whom  this  field  belongs  to:  yet  it  is  coveted  for  so  much 
that  there  are  acute  and  violent  scrambles  over  it  in  each  and  every 
house.  The  Vedas  wield  great  strength  to  fight  the  unbelievers,  at 
which  these  unbelievers  utter  nonsensical  things.  They  say  that  the 
Vedas  (i.e.  the  statements  made  therein)  are  without  foundation 
and  they  (Vedas)  only  spin  out  cobwebs  of  propaganda,  and  if  they 
(unbelievers)  are  accused  of  making  a  false  statement,  they  lay  down 
a  betel  nut  (by  way  of  a  wager)  and  take  a  vow  to  substantiate  their 
charge.  These  unbelievers  assume  nudity  and  become  bald-headed 
by  violently  uprooting  their  hair.  How  can  these  acts  make  their 
hollow  dogma  in  any  way  sound  and  reasonable?  Fearing  that  death 
might  overtake  their  fields  (living  bodies)  laying  them  waste  for 
nothing,  the  Yogins  start  to  protect  them.  They  accept  solitude, 
getting  afraid  of  death  and  collect  all  the  means  necessary  for  ob- 


350  JNANESHWARI 

serving  Yama-Niyama  (^prfrsTT — Self-control).  (Even)  Lord  Shan- 
kara  abandoned  his  kingdom  in  order  to  annihilate  passion  for 
this  very  field,  and  accepted  a  stay  in  a  funeral  yard,  for  snapping 
all  worldly  attractions.  And  in  order  to  prove  true  to  the  vow  he 
(Lord  Shankara)  also  assumed  nudity  (lit.  wears  ten  quarters)  and 
burnt  Cupid  to  cinders  because  he  tried  to  seduce  him  (Shankara). 
Brahmadev  (Lord  of  Satya-loka)  was  endowed  with  four  mouths, 
in  order  to  have  a  decisive  debate  on  the  subject,  but  he  too  was  unable 
to  know  it  properly. 

^Efafa^fprr  "far  ^?tfsri%fMr:  ^p^r  \ 

4  "By  the  Sages  it  is  severally  recited  in  manifold  ways  and 
in  different  metrical  compositions,  as  also  in  the  Brahmasutra- 
containing  (cogent)  reasonings  and  definite  (in  import).    (27) 

One  (advocate  of  action)  says  that  this'  field  entirely  belongs  to  the 
individual  soul  C^ffa)  and  further  that  the  main  life-wind  (srrnr)  is 
its  agent.  In  his  house,  labour  his  four  brothers  (the  remaining 
four  life-winds)  while  the  farmer  in  the  form  of  mind,  manages  the 
whole  affair.  He  makes  the  pairs  of  bull<  ;ks  in  the  form  of  the  two 
sets  of  organs — five  sense-organs  and  five  organs  of  actions — work 
day  and  night  and  gets  thoroughly  ploughed  the  field  of  the  objects 
( fwr).  He  fails  to  take  advantage  of  the  seasonal  atmosphere  of 
industry  (i.e.  fails  to  perform  actions  accordirg  to  scriptural  in- 
junction) and  sows  seeds  of  injustice,  and  treats  them  with  fertilizing 
manures  (TR")  in  the  form  of  evil  actions.  The  crop  of  great  sins 
flourishes  abundantly  from  them,  with  the  result  that  the  individual 
soul  has  to  suffer  pain  throughout  crores  of  births.  If,  in  the  right  at- 
mosphere of  seasonal  industry,  the  seeds  of  good  actions  are  sown,  the 
soul  would  enjoy  pleasures  throughout  crores  of  births.  In  regard  to 
this,  others  (Htws-  followers  of  the  path  of  metaphysical  knowledge) 
assert  that  this  field  ( $T )  is  not  under  the  supremacy  of  soul  (  sfN" ), 
and  that  they  themselves  should  be  referred  to  for  obtaining  all 
information  about  this  field.  (They  further  say)  "Know  ye,  this 
soul  is  simply  apathetic,  and  only  stays  in  the  field  like  a  way-farer 
(*feai--«ftt'  fiw  <u?«iki),  the  life-wind  Csrmr)  remains  all  alert  (srnt) 
having  a  vested  interest  in  it  (field),  Prakriti  (matter)  whose  fame  is 
sung  by  the  Samkhya-preachers,  is  definitely  the  owner  (with  here- 
ditary rights)  of  the  field,  and  she,  being  always  possessed  of  the 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAjSlA  351 

necessary  implements,  herself  cultivates  the  field  at  home.  The  three 
original  tenants  (of  the  field)  viz.  Satva,  Rajas  and  Tamas  (Hr^, 
7S5rcr,'T*TCr.  of  spiritual,  material,  and  vicious  or  wayward  tendencies 
respectively),  from  the  time  the  universe  was  created,  were  born  only 
of  her  (Prakriti).  Whatever  is  sown  by  Rajas  is  protected  by  the 
Satva,  while  the  Tamas  alone  collects  the  entire  yield.  Preparing 
the  threshing  ground  of  Mahat  ( Tfrj  modified  form  of  Primeval 
Matter),  he  gets  the  threshing  done  by  the  lusty  bullock  in  the  form 
of  Time  (3>To5),  when  there  is  formed  a  big  heap  of  the  unmanifest". 
The  talented  ones  resentfully  opposed  this,  and  retorted  that  this 
was  all  a  modern  idea.  They  argued  how  long  could  this  Prakriti 
(matter)  take  a  stand  before  the  Supreme  and  asked  that  they  should 
be  heard  about  the  entire  position  of  this  field.  (They  say)  "the 
powerful  fancy  was  sleeping  happily  on  the  plank  in  the  form  of  the 
Great  void  ( ^pffam )  in  the  sleeping  saloon  in  the  form  of  illusion 
(TFTT).  It  suddenly  awoke  and  being  ever  active  in  the  performance 
of  its  duty,  it  secures  the  treasure  ( %3T  of  the  world),  in  conformity 
with  its  desire.  There  was  the  habitation  of  qualityless  aspect,  as 
extensive  as  the  universe,  which  having  consorted  with  it  (fancy) 
assumed  name  and  form.  Then  the  five  great  elements  getting  to- 
gether coil  round  this  unfertile  land,  with  the  result  that  four  kinds 
of  living  beings  [those  born  of  embryo-sheath,  those  born  of  sweat, 
those  born  of  eggs,  and  those  bom  of  soil,  *("  *KI^ "-"  ^^sr"_ 
"3f33r'-"^n$0Ji  ")  are  created  therefrom.  Then  in  these  living  beings, 
speech  and  other  objects  of  (action)  organs  arise.  On  both  the  sides  of 
mankind,  fortifications  in  the  form  of  good  and  evil  are  erected,  leaving 
a  barren  land  (lower  animals).  Then  fancy  (illusion)  constructs  a  path 
in  the  form  of  births  and  deaths  for  going  to  and  fro  constantly.  Then 
the  fancy  forms  close  friendship  with  egoism,  and  through  the  agency 
of  intellect  occupies  the  entire  universe.  Thus  shoots  forth,  from 
the  sentient  void  a  separate  branch  in  the  form  of  fancy,  and  there- 
fore fancy  is  at  the  root  of  worldly  existence".  Hearing  this  talk 
of  the  advocates  of  Maya  (illusion),  the  Samkhyas  (advocates  of 
Samkhya  doctrine)  get  wrathful  and  retort,  "well,  sir,  you  do  not 
exhibit  any  discrimination  at  all!  If  your  fancy  can  find  an  abode 
in  the  locality  of  the  Supreme,  why  can  the  Prakriti  (nature)  of  the 
Samkhyas  not  do  the  same?  But  this  is  not  correct,  you  should 
keep  away  from  such  abstruse  problem.  We  alone  can  give  the  right 
explanation  and  do  hear  it.  Now  say,  who  makes  of  the  clouds  in 
the  sky  full  of  water,  and  who  supports  the  stars  hanging  in  the  sky? 
Who  is  he  that  stretches  out  the  canopy  of  the  sky?  Who  is  he  that 


352  JNANESHWARI 

has  ordained  that  the  wind  should  always  blow?  Who  creates  the 
tremor  and  horripilation?  Who  fills  up  the  ocean  with  water?  Who 
creates  rain-showers?  Like  all  these  events  the  condition  of  the 
field  is  (only)  natural.  No  one  has  got  a  proprietary  right  over  it. 
Those  who  exert  get  the  fruit,  the  idlers  getting  nothing".  On  this, 
the  advocates  of  the  Kala  (destroyer)  theory  wrathfully  say,  "Is  it 
all  you  have  learnt?  If  it  is  true,  why  has  Kala  (the  destroyer)  kept 
his  mastery  over  it  (field)?"  The  attack  of  Kala  is  very  formidable 
and  knowing  this,  these  men,  (opponents  of  Kala  theory)  take  pride 
in  (sticking  to)  their  own  doctrines.  This  dreadful  death  is  the  very 
den  of  lions.  Knowing  this  (they)  indulge  in  their  lofty  but  empty 
talk  which  avails  them  nothing.  The  Kala  (the  destroyer  lion)  is 
such  that  he  will  in  a  moment  hold  in  a  coil  (W3),  even  bigger  than 
that  of  the  great  destructor  as  at  the  end  of  the  world,  O^rr  4>eMimM)) 
the  elephant  in  the  form  of  the  region  of  the  God  Brahma.  On  reaching 
the  heavenly  woods,  he  destroys  incessantly  the  eight  guardians  of 
the  eight  cardinal  points  (as  they  finish  their  term)  (3^*fl+Ml«s),  and 
also  the  (eight)  elephants.  Similarly  he  (it  is)  by  whose  breath,  the 
deer  in  the  form  of  living  beings  get  nervous,  whirl  round  and  round 
and  fall  into  the  pit  (cavity)  of  births  and  deaths.  Just  see  how  wide 
Kala  has  spread  out  his  palm  and  has  held  in  it  (the  world  form) 
as  big  as  the  elephant.  And  therefore  the  destroyer's  supremacy  is 
the  whole  and  sole  truth."  Thus  there  are  different  opinions  about 
the  field,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  The  old  historical  records  (l^t)  also 
prove  that  there  were  many  controversial  discussions  over  this  amongst 
the  sages  in  the  'Naimisha'  Forest.  Even  the  eight  Chhandas  in  the 
Vedas  have  propounded  over  this  in  many  ways  and  yet  they  (the 
different  schools  of  opinion)  continue  to  hold  discussion  over  it  on 
account  of  conceit.  Even  the  'Brihatsamasutra'  in  the  Veda,  which 
is  so  holy  from  the  point  of  view  of  knowledge  has  not  been  able  to 
know  about  this  field.  Many  other  talented  great  poets  have  laboured 
over  the  discussions  of  this  field.  But  this  being  a  very  deep  subject, 
none  could  know  for  certain  anything  about  it.  Now  I  tell  you  in 
detail  about  this  field  such  as  it  is. 

SPdMlfui  3^N*  W  VW  ^PsWfbKl:  II  K.  H 

1^  frif  SWrifcT  «fa*K4|4l£d^  II  %  II 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJNA  353 

5  "The  Gross  Elements,  the  "I"-notion,  and  the  Intellection, 
as  also  the  Unmanifest;  the  Sense-Centres  ten,  plus  the  one 
(Mind),  and  the  fire  Objects  of  Sense- (-perception ) : 

6  "Desire,  Aversion;  Pleasure,  Pain;  the  (harmonious  Collo- 
cation (of  all  the  faculties) ;  Sentiency,  and  (Self-)  Susten- 
ance: all  this  is  the  Field  summarily  enumerated,  together 
with  its  changing  forms.  (72) 

First  the  five  great  elements:  then  T  notion — (egoism),  the  intellec- 
tion, and  the  unmanifest  (Maya  or  illusion);  then  the  ten  organs: 
then  the  mind,  the  ten  objects  (of  the  senses);  then  the  group  of  aver- 
sion, pleasure  and  pains  and  also  desires:  (and  lastly)  sentiency 
and  sustenance.  These  are  all  the  constituents  of  the  field  and  have 
been  mentioned  to  you.  Now  I  tell  you  one  by  one,  what  are  the 
great  elements,  what  the  objects  are,  and  how  they  are.  The 
great  elements  mentioned  are  the  Earth,  the  Water,  the  Fire,  the 
Wind  and  the  Sky.  Just  as  the  dream  is  hidden  in  the  awakened 
state,  or  just  as  the  moon  is  invisible  on  Amavasya  (fcprraw—  the 
last  day  of  the  lunar  month)  or  just  as  youth  remains  hidden  in  a 
child  of  tender  age  or  just  as  the  fragrance  remains  latent  while  the 
flower  is  yet  in  an  unblown  condition,  or  just  as  the  fire  is  latent 
in  the  wood;  Oh  Kiriti,  in  that  way,  the  T-notion  is  latent  in  the 
interior  (stomach)  of  'Prakrlti'  (Nature).  Just  as  fever  only  waits 
for  some  irregularity  ($h«-m)  to  occur  and  as  soon  as  it  takes  place, 
it  makes  itself  felt,  in  the  same  way,  the  body  is  formed  as  soon  as 
the  five  elements  combine,  and  then  what  makes  the  body  active 
everywhere  is  the  T-notion  (or  egoism).  The  amazing  feature  of 
this  T-notion  is  that  it  does  not  affect  so  much  the  ignorant,  but 
embracing  firmly  the  neck  of  the  'knowing  person',  "throws"  him 
in  the  whirlpool  of  many  difficulties.  Now  as  regards  the  intellection, 
hear  its  symptoms",  said  the  King  of  the  Yadavas  (Lord  Krishna). 
When  Cupid  gets  strong,  that  which  with  the  aid  of  the  functions 
of  other  senses  conquers  the  Bastilles  of  desires,  that  which 
enables  the  living  beings  to  discriminate  between  good  and  bad,  and 
when  enjoyments  involving  pleasure  and  pain  are  offered  to  them; 
that  which  distinguishes  pleasure  from  pain,  piety  (^f)  from  sin, 
the  clean  from  the  filthy;  through  which  the  living  beings  come  to 
know  what  is  inferior  and  superior,  big  and  small,  and  which  can 
test  the  characteristics  of  different  objects;  that  which  is  the  origin 
of  the  power  of  knowledge,  which  enhances  the  quality  of  being 


354  JNANESHWARI 

pious,  and  which  resides  on  the  borderline  of  individual  soul  and 
Atman  (pure  spirit)  know  you  Arjuna-all  these  indicate  the  intellec- 
tion; and  now  do  hear  how  to  know  the  unmanifest.  That  which 
the  Samkhyas  designate  as  the  'Prakriti',  the  origin  of  the  world-you 
take  that  Prakriti  as  the  Maya  (illusion)  or  the  Unmanifest  here. 
You  were  made  to  hear  formerly  (in  Chapter  VII)  about  the  Samkhya's 
and  the  yoga's  opinion  of  Prakriti,  and  in  the  same  place  you  were 
told  in  detail  about  the  two  types  of  it.  The  second  (the  higher  type) 
variety  of  Prakriti  mentioned  there  is  'Jivadasha'.  That  same  (Jiva- 
dasha),  Oh  the  best  among  the  heroes,  is  the  Unmanifest  here,  in 
other  words.  Just  as  the  stars  disappear  with  the  close  of  the  night, 
or  just  as  the  activity  of  the  people  comes  to  an  end  at  sunset,  or  just 
as  at  the  fall  of  the  body,  the  physical  form  with  its  desires  and  feelings 
is  merged  into  the  totality  of  past  actions,  or  just  as  the  tree  is  entirely 
contained  in  its  seed-form,  or  just  as  the  entire  (piece  of)  cloth  is 
contained  in  the  yarn-form,  so  the  sphere  where  the  great  elements, 
together  with  all  created  things  sink  after  abandoning  their  gross 
form  and  assuming  the  subtle  one — that  same  (sphere)  should  be 
known  by  the  designation  'unmanifest'.  Now  hear  the  distinction 
between  the  different  organs.  Eyes,  ears,  skin,  tongue  and  nose- 
these  are  the  sense  organs.  It  is  through  these  entrances  that  the 
intellection  thinks  of  pleasure  and  pain  when  the  five  elements  combine 
together.  In  the  same  way  tongue,  hands,  feet,  anus  and  the  sexual 
organs,  these  are  five  more  organs  and  these  are  what  are  called  the 
action  organs  and  you  hear  about  them",  said  the  Lord  of  Kaivalya 
(perfect  isolation).  The  power  of  action  which  is  the  wife  of  Prana 
(the  principal  life-wind)  constantly  goes  out  and  comes  in  through 
these  entrances  of  action  organs.  I  have  described  to  you  the  ten 
organs;  you  now  do  hear  the  attributes  of  the  mind.  It  is  located  at 
the  junction  of  the  organs  and  intellection  and  plays  its  part  by  riding 
on  the  shoulders  of  the  'Rajas'  (Tsrcr)  quality.  Mind  is  constituted 
by  the  fickle  upsurge  of  the  wind  («1MMK<I<I)  just  like  the  apparent 
bluish  tinge  of  the  sky  or  like  the  unreal  waves  of  the  mirage.  With 
the  mingling  together  of  the  semen  and  ovum  (blood),  is  formed 
the  body-frame,  inclusive  of  the  five  elements,  and  one  life-wind 
principle  is  metamorphosed  into  ten  kinds.  These  ten  kinds  of  life- 
winds  get  steady  in  their  respective  places  in  the  body  according  to 
their  nature.  Owing  to  the  perpetual  existence  of  fickleness  in  these 
places,  there  arises  the  strength  of  the  'Rajas'  quality.  Outside  the 
intellection,  this  fickleness  plays  a  powerfull  part  closely  clinging 
to  egoism.  This  fickleness  bears  the  pseudonym  of  mind,  but  it  is 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  355 

in  fact  the  fancy  incarnate  that  is  responsible  for  the  embodiment 
of  the  soul.  That  which  is  the  source  of  power  of  action  and  also 
the  tower  of  strength  to  desires  and  which  always  fights  with  the 
egoism:  that  which  increases  desires  and  strengthens  hope  and  which 
reinforces  fear:  that  from  which  'duality'  springs  up  and  which 
fattens  nescience  and  which  pushes  the  senses  into  the  objects  of 
senses:  that  which  forms  the  world  with  the  help  of  fancy  and  very 
soon  dismantles  it  with  the  help  of  antifancy  and  erects  as  well  as 
pulls  down  piles  of  castles  in  the  air:  that  which  is  the  very  store- 
house of  delusion  and  the  very  essence  of  the  element-wind,  and 
which  shuts  up  the  doors  of  the  intellection:  (i.e.  imprisons  the  reason- 
ing faculty)  that  Oh  Kiriti,  is  the  mind,  there  being  no  doubt  about 
it.  Now  hear  about  the  objects  (of  senses)  with  their  distinctive 
features.  The  knowledge  of  touch,  speech,  sight,  taste  and  smell  are 
the  objects  of  the  organs  of  senses.  The  knowledge  wanders  out 
through  these  five  doors,  just  as  the  animals  get  confounded  and 
roam  at  random  after  green  grass.  Then  (the  utterance  of)  vowels 
and  consonants  etc.  as  also  the  acceptance  or  rejection  (of  things) 
and  movement  and  discharge  of  excrement  and  urine — these  are  the 
five  objects  of  the  organs  of  action  and  through  these,  actions  issue 
forth.  These  are  the  ten  objects  in  the  body  and  now  I  shall  describe 
the  nature  of  desires.  The  recollection  of  past  enjoyments  or  hearing 
of  past  events,  creates  a  thrill  in  the  functions  and  these  get  awakened 
when  the  organs  and  their  objects  meet  and  are  strengthened  with  the 
support  of  the  willing  faculty.  At  the  awakening  of  the  functions 
(dispositions),  the  mind  runs  helter-skelter,  the  organs  intrude  upon 
forbidden  ground  to  taste  sinful  pleasure.  On  account  of  its  great 
liking  for  the  functions,  the  intellection  gets  deluded  and  that  which 
feels  love  for  these  objects  is  the  desire.  If  the  organs  fail  to  secure 
their  respective  objects,  immediately  after  the  generation  of  desire, 
the  feeling  that  is  created  is  hatred.  Now  see  the  symptoms  of  what 
is  called  pleasure.  It  is  that  which  makes  life  forget  everything  (else) 
when  it  is  attained.  It  administers  its  oath  to  the  body,  tongue,  and 
mind,  causing  the  body  even  to  forget  itself.  With  its  advent,  it  makes 
the  cripple  to  be  the  very  life  (i.e.  full  of  vitality)  and  the  righteous, 
more  than  double  the  quantity  of  their  happiness.  It  even  makes 
all  functions  of  the  senses  to  lie  dormant  (fast  asleep)  in  the  solitude 
of  heart.  In  short,  the  state  of  feeling  that  arises  when  the  individual 
soul  is  in  intimate  association  with  the  Atman  is  happiness.  And 
that  state  of  feeling  which  is  created  as  a  result  of  failure  to  secure 
the  happiness  mentioned  above  is  pain.  Ordinarily,  happiness  is  a 


356  JNANESHWARI 

normal  thing,  but  it  is  spoilt  on  account  of  attachment  to  desires. 
The  pain  and  pleasure  thus  go  respectively  with  the  attachment  to 
and  the  abandoning  of  desires.  That  supreme  existence  in  the  body, 
which  standing  quite  aloof  and  all-knowing  (STsftw),  is  named 
sentiency.  It  pervades  the  body  cap-a-pie  and  is  ever  awake  and 
remains  unaltered  through  the  three  stages  (areFsmpfr).  It  keeps  the 
mind  and  the  intellect  fresh  and  keeps  in  a  lovely  condition  the  garden 
of  PrakritI  as  in  Spring.  A  portion  of  it  which  verily  pervades 
alike  both  the  inanimate  and  the  animate  creation  himsl)  is  called 
sentiency.  The  King  may  not  be  acquainted  with  his  army,  yet  his 
word  of  command  brings  about  the  destruction  of  the  enemy:  or  the 
sea  gets  in  full  tide  at  the  appearance  of  the  (full)  moon:  or  proximity 
of  the  magnet  imparts  motion  to  iron :  or  the  sunshine  induces  people 
to  go  ahout  their  business:  or  the  female  tortoise  feeds  and  brings 
up  her  young  one  merely  by  looking  at  it  without  putting  into  its 
mouth  the  nipple  of  her  breast.  In  that  way,  the  association  of  Atman 
with  the  body  creates  life  in  inanimate  things.  And  this  is  what  is 
called  sentiency,  Oh  Arjuna.  Now  hear  the  exposition  and  analysis 
of  self-sustenance.  The  elements  are  opposed  to  each  other  by  nature. 
Does  not  water  destroy  the  earth?  The  fire  dries  up  the  water,  the 
wind  conquers  the  fire  while  the  sky  devours  the  wind.  The  sky 
(ether  or  space)  does  not  combine  with  any  other  substance  but 
pervades  all;  yet  it  is  ever  free  (from  all).  In  this  way  although  op- 
posed to  one  another,  they  (elements)  contrive  to  remain  in  unison 
in  the  body.  Thus  leaving  all  sense  of  duality,  they  dwell  together  and 
become  feeders  of  each  other  by  their  natural  qualities.  That,  which 
brings  about  a  friendship  amongst  opposing  elements,  is  called  Dhriti 
(spft—  sustenance).  The  coming  together  of  thirty-six  principles, 
together  with  life  is  collocation,  Oh  Pandava.  In  this  way  you  are 
told  distinctly  of  the  thirty-six  components  which  taken  together 
are  called  what  is  known  as  the  'field'.  Just  as  the  assemblage  of  the 
component  parts  of  a  chariot,  when  complete,  can  be  called  a  chariot, 
Oh  Pandava,  or  the  lower  and  upper  limbs — from  the  feet  unto  the 
very  head — are  designated  as  'body',  or  the  chariots,  horses,  elephants, 
infantry,  when  they  form  an  assemblage,  can  derive  the  name  'the 
army',  or  a  combination  of  letters  can  be  called  a  sentence;  or  all 
the  clouds  taken  together  get  the  name  (cloudy)  'sky' :  or  all  the  visible 
living  beings  can  be  called  the  world:  or  oil,  wick  and  fire,  coming 
in  one  place,  get  the  name  'lamp'  in  the  world.  In  this  way  the  thirty- 
six  principles,  when  they  are  fused  together,  go  by  the  name  of  'field'. 
The  crop  of  evil  or  good  (MiHjwo  ripens  there  (in  the  field)  according 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJflA  357 

to  the  nature  of  the  living  beings,  and  I  therefore  call  it  a  'field'  in 
wonderment.  Similarly  some  name  this  field  as  'body'.  There  are 
thus  many  names  to  this.  In  fact  excepting  the  Supreme  Spirit, 
everything  in  the  cosmos  beginning  from  Brahma  and  ending  with 
stocks  and  stones,  whatever  is  born  and  meets  death,  constitutes 
a  field.  Coming  to  birth  either  in  Genus  (*ftft)  of  Gods  or  men  or 
the  serpents  takes  place  according  to  the  combined  qualities  and 
actions  (in  the  past).  Elaborate  discussion  about  these  qualities  will 
be  made  later  on.  Oh  Arjuna,  we  would  now  show  you  the  aspects 
of  what  is  called  knowledge.  So  far  I  have  explained  (to  you)  in 
detail  the  field  with  its  attributes  and  now  hear  about  grand  and 
exalted  knowledge.  For  the  sake  of  this  knowledge,  the  Yogins 
by-pass  the  Heavens  and  mount  over  the  celestial  sky.  They  dis- 
regard tifisRi(«  (the  Goddesses  of  growth  and  success)  and  consider 
as  beneath  their  notice  the  hardest  penance  such  as  the  'Yoga'.  They 
cross  over  the  difficult  fortress  of  austerities  as  also  cast  away  (ail^lfoidl) 
crores  of  sacrifices  and  root  out  the  plant  of  action.  Some  follow 
the  devotional  path,  while  some  live  in  a  naked  state  and  some  follow 
the  secret  path  towards  'Sushumna  (a  particular  artery  of  the  human 
body).  In  short  the  great  sages,  with  the  intense  desire  of  securing 
knowledge,  rummage  through  leaf  after  leaf  of  the  tree  in  the  form 
of  the  Vedas.  They  abandon  the  stores  of  thousand  lives  with  the 
intensive  idea  that  the  preceptor's  grace  would  secure  all  for  them. 
With  the  advent  of  knowledge  ignorance  is  destroyed  and  a  complete 
identity  is  established  between  the  soul  and  Atman.  It  closes  the 
doors  of  the  senses,  (i.e.  prevents  their  hankering  after  objects), 
breaks  the  legs  of  action  and  dispels  the  helplessness  of  the  mind. 
Similarly  the  power  of  knowledge  renders  scarce  the  feeling  of  duality 
and  creates  in  abundance  evenness  of  outlook.  It  removes  all  trace 
of  conceit,  devours  primeval  illusion  and  banishes  from  phraseology 
words  like  'mine'  or  'of  others'.  It  snaps  the  net  of  worldly  affairs, 
washes  out  the  filth  of  fancy  and  embraces  the  all-pervading  supreme 
spirit.  Its  attainment  cripples  the  life-wind  (which  represents  the 
Willing  faculty),  and  upon  whose  existence  depend  the  affairs  of  the 
world.  The  intellect  gets  pure  by  its  splendour  and  the  life  rolls  in 
great  joy.  In  this  way,  knowledge,  the  sole  reservoir  of  sanctity, 
renders  the  mind  clean,  which  is  soiled  by  the  objects  (of  senses). 
Pure  Atman  has  apparently  contracted  the  disease  of  consumption; 
as  a  result  it  imputes  to  itself  the  limited  existence  of  the  individual 
soul.  It  finds  complete  cure  in  the  association  of  this  knowledge. 
The  knowledge  is  an  unteachable  thing;  yet  I  ask  you  to  fix  your 


358  JNANESHWARI 

mind  on  it.  Knowledge  is  not  a  thing  which  can  be  seen  with  (physical) 
eyes.  Yet  when  it  makes  its  entry  into  the  body  its  symptoms  are 
visible  through  the  actions  of  the  organs.  Just  as  the  getting  into 
blossom  of  trees  indicates  the  advent  of  Spring  (season)  in  that  way 
the  actions  of  the  organs  bear  evidence  of  knowledge:  or  just  as  when 
the  roots  under  the  soil  of  the  twigs  of  all  branches,  or  just  as  the 
softness  of  the  blossom  makes  known  also  the  softness  of  the  soil, 
or  just  as  the  magnanimity  and  nobility  of  conduct  is  an  index  to 
good  breeding,  or  just  as  the  manner  of  reception  (offered  to  a  guest) 
indicates  affection  (in  one's  heart),  or  just  as  on  meeting  a  person 
if  feelings  of  welcome  and  cordiality  express  themselves  automatically, 
and  one's  mind  is  also  simultaneously  satisfied,  one  knows  he  has 
met  a  pious  person,  or  just  as  the  production  of  camphor  in  the 
'Kardali'  (plantain)  plant  makes  itself  felt  by  its  fragrance.,  or  just 
as  the  placing  of  a  lamp  inside  a  glass  pot  makes  it  reflect  its  light 
around,  in  that  way,  the  attributes  by  which  the  knowledge  inside  the 
heart  expresses  itself  outside,  I  shall  now  tell  you  and  hear  attentively. 

aiMHlfMMM  5ftw  ^4*l(cMfafail^:  II  \9  II 

7  "Non-arrogance,  Guilelessness,  Non-violence,  Forbearance 
Rectitude;  Devoted  service  to  the  Preceptor,  Purity,  Stead- 
fastness, Self-restraint:  (185) 

(One  possessed  of  knowledge  can  be  identified  by  the  following 
symptoms).  He  does  not  relish  in  the  least,  the  idea  of  identifying 
himself  with  any  business,  or  feels  it  a  burden,  if  any  one  attributes 
respectability  to  him.  If  any  one  commends  his  virtues  or  to  hold 
him  in  respect  or  to  describe  his  qualities,  he  gets  nervous  like 
a  deer  blocked  by  a  hunter  or  like  a  swimmer  in  a  river  caught  in 
a  whirlpool.  Oh  Partha,  he  feels  it  a  difficult  position  to  be  the  object 
of  people's  applause  and  would  not  allow  any  importance  being 
attached  to  him.  He  would  not  like  to  see  any  feeling  of  reverence 
displayed  towards  him  or  would  not  allow  his  ears  to  hear  his  own 
praises  and  would  not  like  the  people  even  to  remember  that  he  is 
any  particular  person.  He  feels  it  a  death  if  any  one  bows  to  him 
and  does  not  relish  any  honour  being  done  to  him  or  any  regard  being 
shown  for  him.  Although  his  knowledge  is  encyclopaedic  like  Bri- 
haspati's  (the  Preceptor  of  the  Gods)  he  conceals  his  true  personality 
under  the  guise  of  idiocy  for  fear  of  (becoming  a)  celebrity.  He 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND   KSETRAJNA  359 

does  not  display  his  skill,  always  hides  his  greatness  and  likes  to 
wander  about  like  a  mad  man.  He  feels  unhappy  in  mind  at  his 
fame,  neglects  discussion  on  Scriptures,  and  entertains  a  great  liking 
for  quietude  (■H^dl).  He  heartily  wishes  that  he  should  be  insulted 
by  the  world  and  his  own  people  (kinsmen)  should  not  be  near  him. 
Although  all  humility  at  heart,  he  outwardly  shows  indifference 
and  generally  behaves  accordingly.  He  always  wishes  to  behave  in 
a  way  that  people  care  little  to  see  if  he  is  alive  or  not.  He  conducts 
himself  in  a  way  that  people  doubt  whether  he  is  walking  or  borne 
by  the  wind.  He  endeavours  CRf%%)  that  his  existence  should  be 
ignored  and  people  should  even  forget  his  name  and  that  no  living 
being  should  feel  any  fear  on  his  account,  and  he  feels  glad  to  hear 
about  uninhabited  places  and  even  to  live  in  solitude.  He  forms 
friendship  with  the  wind  and  loves  to  talk  to  the  sky  and  loves  the 
trees  more  than  his  own  life.  In  short,  he  should  be  known  as  having 
secured  'knowledge'  who  shows  such  symptoms.  By  these  symptoms 
should  be  known  one  who  possesses  'Amanitvc?  (srnrfiR^"  -non- ar- 
rogance). Now  is  described  'Adambhitva'  (SRftoT-guilelessness). 
Adambhitva  can  be  likened  to  the  mind  of  a  miser  who  would  not  show 
his  treasures  to  any  one  even  though  threatened  with  the  loss  of  his 
life.  In  that  way,  Oh  Arjuna,  even  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  he  would 
not  himself  make  known  his  own  good  actions  like,  Oh  Arjuna,  a 
naughty  cow  who  would  resist  and  hold  back  the  natural  flow  of  her 
milk,  or  like  a  harlot  (<t<hjhmi)  who  would  not  disclose  her  (real) 
advanced  age,  or  like  a  rich  person  who  would  keep  secure  his  riches 
while  passing  through  woods  or  like  a  married  girl  from  a  respectable 
family  who  would  not  allow  her  limbs  to  be  exposed,  or  like  a  cul- 
tivator who  sows  the  corn  and  covers  it  up  with  earth,  (like  that) 
he  keeps  secret  his  charity  and  good  actions.  He  does  not  adorn 
his  person,  nor  does  he  flatter  (any  one)  and  does  not  make  a  parade 
of  his  pious  acts.  Similarly  he  does  not  speak  about  his  good  actions 
towards  others,  nor  make  an  open  boast  of  the  knowledge  secured, 
and  he  never  sells  for  fame  his  knowledge.  He  behaves  like  a  miser 
in  regard  to  enjoyments  for  his  own  person,  while  he  never  shows 
a  niggardly  hand  when  spending  on  charity.  In  domestic  matters 
he  shows  scarcity  of  wealth,  while  in  physique  he  appears  lean:  (yet) 
in  point  of  doing  charities,  he  would  spend  on  a  scale  that  would 
compete  even  with  a  Kalpataru  (Heavenly  tree  supposed  to  yield 
all  desires).  He  is  serious  in  point  of  doing  his  own  duty  as  prescribed 
by  religion,  and  also  very  liberal  on  the  right  occasions.  He  is  well- 
versed  in  holding  discussions  on  the  knowledge  of  Self  (arrFflGTR), 


360  JNANESHWARI 

but  otherwise  looks  like  a  mad  man.  Apparently  he  seems  like  a 
plantain  tree  which  outwardly  appears  hollow  and  soft,  yet  bears 
bumper  fruit  full  of  juicy  sweet,  or  like  clouds  which  appear  small 
and  can  be  scattered  by  the  wind,  yet  give  wonderfully  copious  rain- 
fall. Seeing  him  full  of  good  things  ($»%)  in  this  way,  the  heart  gets 
pleased;  yet  outwardly  he  appears  Misery  incarnate.  With  such 
symptoms  appearing  in  him  in  full  measure,  he  should  be  taken  to 
have  acquired  (full)  knowledge.  You  have  in  this  way  been  told 
about  the  Adambhitva  (3»<«far«j  -guilelessness)  and  now  hear  about 
"Ahimsa1  (<tff^Hl  -non-violence).  This  non-violence  has  been  described 
in  different  ways  by  different  schools  of  opinion,  and  now  hear  about 
it.  See  it  in  this  form:  as  if  the  branches  of  a  tree  should  be  cut  off 
for  making  a  fence  for  its  own  stump,  or  just  as  the  arms  should  be 
lopped  off  and  cooked  for  satisfying  the  pangs  of  hunger,  or  just  as 
the  temples  should  be  pulled  down  and  (with  that  material)  a  pandal 
erected  in  front  of  the  inner  sancturay.  In  that  way  Purva  Mimansa 
('^■WWwi'an  authoritative  work  dealing  with  the  science  of  Vedic 
sacrifice)  declares  "when  sacrificial  victims  are  slaughtered  at  a 
sacrifice,  it  does  not  technically  constitue  Killing"  (i.e.  Non-Killing 
is  the  result  of  Killing!)  When  the  entire  world  is  tormented  by  severe 
scarcity  of  rainfall,  they  perform  sacrifices  to  get  rain.  But  a  direct 
animal  slaughter  is  involved  at  the  very  base  of  sacrifice.  How  is  it 
possible  then  to  get  even  a  faint  glimpse  of  Ahimsa  (non-violence) 
in  the  process?  Can  non-violence  grow  where  there  is  directly  sown 
(the  seed  of)  violence  and  yet  the  wonder  is  that  the  sacrificers  give 
such  a  decision  (in  the  case  of  ritual  violence).  And  the  medical 
science  countenances  the  same  theory,  Oh  Pandava,  viz.,  for  saving 
one  life  it  is  permissible  to  sacrifice  another.  The  doctors  prescribe 
different  drugs  to  alleviate  the  suffering  of  persons  afflicted  with 
different  diseases  and  experiencing  intense  torments.  These  prescrip- 
tions contain  roots  and  entire  shrubs  with  bulbous  roots,  some  of 
which  are  ordered  to  be  dug  out  completely,  while  some  are  entirely 
cut  off  with  the  leaves.  They  cut  several  trees,  strip  others  of  their  • 
bark,  and  slowly  bake  others,  laden  with  the  fruit,  putting  them  in 
an  air-tight  receptacle.  The  innocent  trees  which  bear  no  enmity 
to  any  one,  are  stabbed  all  over  rendering  them  lifeless  and  dry, 
Oh  Dhanurdhar!  They  insert  their  hands  into  the  bowels  of  living 
beings  and  taking  out  bile  from  them,  they  save  other  lives  suffering 
from  maladies.  Happy  homes  are  pulled  down  and  temples  are 
constructed  (from  the  debris);  or  moneylenders  are  robbed  and 
with  their  money  are  opened  free  kitchens;  covering  only  the  head, 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJNA  361 

the  remaining  parts  of  the  body  are  kept  entirely  naked;  or  pulling 
down  the  house  and  covering  only  the  court-yard  with  a  pandal; 
burning  all  the  garments  and  making  a  fire  for  warming  or  bathing 
an  elephant;  all  these  acts  are  useless:  to  sell  the  bullock  and  (with 
the  money)  construct  a  stable;  or  exchange  a  parrot  for  a  cage — are 
not  all  these  actions  mere  mockeries  and  do  they  not  excite  our 
laughter?  Some  use  water  after  straining  it  through  a  piece  of  cloth 
according  to  the  injunction  of  scriptures,  but  do  not  see  how  many 
little  lives  are  lost  in  the  process  of  twisting  the  cloth  dry.  Some 
do  not  cook  or  roast  the  grain  for  fear  of  causing  'HimsiT  (violence), 
and  thereby  put  life  to  torture,  which  act  in  itself  amounts  to  *Himsa\ 
In  this  way  they  commit  violence  and  consider  their  actions  as  non- 
violence. Such  perverse  propositions  are  deduced  logically  in  lPurva 
MJmansa\  know  ye,  O  sensible  one.  When  I  first  referred  to  non-vio- 
lence, I  thought  of  telling  you  about  the  real  non-violence;  but  I  next 
thought  I  should  not  omit  any  mention  of  the  contrary  thing  (i.e,the 
bogus  non-violence)  and  so  I  concluded  that  I  should  first  tell  you  about 
it  (the  contrary  thing)  with  the  specific  object  of  enlightening  you  on 
the  point.  And  that  was  the  reason  of  my  detailed  explanation  about 
it.  Who  would  otherwise  like  to  deviate  from  the  straightforward 
course?  Moreover  it  is  necessary  to  expatiate  on  the  relevant  doc- 
trines of  different  schools  with  a  view  to  enunciate  our  own  proposi- 
tion clearly:  and  this  is  the  usual  procedure  of  discussing  subjects. 
Now  turning  to  the  main  topic  (non-violence),  hear  my  opinion  about 
it,  which  also  makes  clear  the  aspect  of  (true)  non-violence,  and  once 
one  is  impressed  with  it,  knowledge  can  be  easily  realised.  Whether 
it  is  properly  realised  or  not  can  be  judged  from  actions,  just  as  the 
purity  of  gold  can  be  tested  by  using  the  touch-stone.  With  the  know- 
ledge and  mind  coming  together,  there  arises  a  clear  vision  of  non- 
violence. Oh  KirTtU  now  hear  how  this  happens.  Just  as  the  bird 
crane  fixing  his  eye  on  the  prey — (fish)  swiftly  but  cautiously  puts 
his  feet  into  water  without  disturbing  in  the  least  the  water-ripples, 
or  not  allowing  to  break,  and  disturb  the  stillness  of  the  water:  or 
just  as  the  black  bee  alights  steadily  and  cautiously  on  the  lotus  for 
fear  of  hurting  the  pollen (Wf) of  it:  in  that  way  he  places  his  feet 
(on  the  ground)  with  the  full  knowledge  that  there  are  in  profusion 
very  minute  lives  in  the  atoms  filling  the  atmosphere,  and  feeling 
compassion  for  them,  they  (men  of  nonviolence)  tread  over  the  paths 
of  kindness  and  fill  up  with  affection  the  space  covered  by  the  ten 
directions  and  protect  and  show  more  regard  toward  all  other  lives 
than  their  own.  Oh  Partha,  the  extent  of  non-violence  of  those  persons, 


362  JNANESHWARI 

who  conduct  themselves  so  superbly,  is  boundless  (words  fail  to 
describe  its  magnitude)1.  A  female  cat  holds  her  kittens  in  her  teeth 
lovingly  without  allowing  the  points  of  her  teeth  to  hurt  them  in  any 
way;  or  a  fond  mother  anxiously  looks  forward  for  her  child  with  a 
vision  that  is  full  of  affection:  a  gentle  breeze  with  a  fan  of  lotus 
leaf  is  wafted  over  a  sore  eyelid  in  order  to  give  it  some  relief:  so 
gently  they  place  their  feet  upon  the  ground  while  walking  along, 
with  the  result  that  the  creatures  coming  into  contact  with  them 
feel  happy.  While  walking  lightly  in  this  way,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
were  he  (one  of  them)  to  see  any  worm  or  insect  he  would  slowly 
turn  around.  He  argues  that  with  the  noise  of  his  steps  the  living 
creature  (the  Lord)  would  lose  his  sleep  and  he  would  be  disturbed 
in  his  tranquil  state  with  the  breach  of  sleep.  Influenced  by  such 
tender  sentiments,  he  would  turn  around,  abstaining  from  treading 
over  any  life.  He  would  not  allow  his  feet  even  to  touch  grass  for  fear 
of  hurting  any  life.  How  is  it  possible  then  that  he  would  pass  by 
not  taking  any  cognisance  of  living  creatures?  He  cannot  walk 
over  any  life,  just  as  an  ant  connot  ascend  the  mountain  Meru  or 
just  as  a  fly  cannot  cross  the  sea.  Such  is  his  habitual  tendency,  the 
very  kindness  dawns  in  him  and  you  can  see  its  aspects  directly  in 
his  speech.  His  very  breath  is  tender,  his  mouth  the  very  abode  of 
Charm,  while  his  teeth  are  the  very  sprouts  of  sweetness.  Love  is 
first  created  and  it  begins  to  ooze  out  from  his  mind,  then  follows 
the  utterance  of  kind  words,  bringing  up  the  rear  from  the  mouth. 
Naturally  reluctant  to  speak,  if  (at  all)  inclined  to  speak,  he  is  afraid 
lest  his  talk  would  displease  any  one.  If  any  new  point  arises  during 
the  talk,  (he  feels)  his  speech  should  not  hurt  any  one  or  should  not 
create  and  doubt  in  any  one's  heart,  lest  it  might  frustrate  the  plans 
(of  anybody)  or  cause  fear  to  any  person.  He  would  not  mind  if 
people  despised  his  words,  but  he  would,  on  no  account,  suffer  his 
speech  to  cause  pain  to  any  one  or  give  an  occasion  for  the  creation 
of  hostile  feelings  in  the  minds  of  others  (indicated  by  the  frown). 
He  prefers  silence.  If,  however,  pressed  he  would  talk  lovingly  of 
others,  and  his  words  would  give  pleasure  as  if  they  were  (coming) 
from  one's  parents.  (It  would  look)  as  if  the  very  mystic  sound  (the 
symbol  of  Brahman)  has  assumed  a  form,  or  the  sacred  water  of  the 
Ganges  has  splashed  up,  or  a  chaste  lady  has  grown  old;  in  that  way 
his  words  are  felt  as  truthful  and  straight  and  measured,  (also)  sweet 
and  full  of  meaning,  and  gentle  as  the  very  waves  of  nectar.  He 
avoids  uttering  words  that  are  satiric  or  controversial,  or  likely  to 
pause  trouble,  and  touch  a  person  to  the  quick,  being  full  of  slander 


XIII.    KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJNA  363 

etc.  Similarly  (he  avoids  words)  that  are  full  of  opposition,  force, 
malice,  greed,  doubt,  and  deceit,  since  such  delinquencies  have  been 
given  up  once  for  all  by  his  tongue.  Similarly,  Oh  Kinti,  his  vision 
is  always  pleasing  and  his  eye-brows  stand  out  free  and  straight. 
He  generally  avoids  meeting  any  one  lest  his  visit  might  cause  dis- 
turbance to  the  soul  enshrined  in  the  living  being.  Were  he  perchance 
to  open  his  eyes,  feeling  pleased  in  his  heart,  his  glance  would  be  like 
a  shower  of  sweet  ambrosia  descending  down  from  the  rays  of  the 
moon  which  though  not  perceptible  to  the  eye  proves  fully  nourishing 
to  the  bird  Chakor.  Whatever  being  he  may  look  at  through  his 
pleasing  glance,  that  being  would  feel  fully  satisfied;  his  being  the 
sort  of  pleasing  glance  which  even  a  she-tortoise  would  not  be  able 
to  know.  He  looks  with  such  a  pleasing  eye  almost  at  all  living  beings : 
so  also  are  his  hands  (liberal)  to  all.  His  hands  are  always  unoccupied 
like  the  minds  of  those  that  have  attained  the  Supreme.  Just  as  one 
born  blind  should  leave  off  looking  at  anything,  or  as  the  fire  should 
get  extinguished  for  want  of  fuel  or  a  dumb  man  should  assume 
silence,  in  that  way  his  hands  having  left  nothing  for  them  to  do 
with,  remain  inactive  in  the  sphere  of  inertia.  He  does  not  even 
move  his  hands  lest  they  hurt  the  wind,  or  the  sky  will  get  a  scratch 
with  his  nails.  How  is  it  possible  for  him  to  frighten  away  the  (tiny) 
lives  sitting  on  his  person,  entering  into  his  eyes,  or  animals  and 
birds  coming  in  his  way,  since  he  never  likes  to  handle  a  chastising 
rod  much  less  a  lethal  weapon— a  mention  of  which,  Oh  Kiriti,  is  even 
superfluous.  He  does  not  play  with  the  lotus  flowers  much  less  in- 
dulge in  flinging  up  and  catching  wreaths  of  flowers,  since  doing 
this  would  appear  like  shooting  with  a  sling  (*ftar<n").  Fearing  that 
the  hair  on  the  body  would  get  hurt,  he  does  not  caress  the  body 
and  allows  his  nails  to  grow  up  (not  cutting  them).  Normally  he 
keeps  his  hands  all  unengaged:  if  at  all  he  moves  them,  it  is  for  joining 
them  together  for  the  purpose  of  bowing,  or  he  lifts  them  up  as  a 
sign  invoking  freedom  from  fear,  or  for  lending  help  to  a  falling 
one,  or  to  caress  a  person  in  misery.  This  too  he  does  with  great 
reluctance,  yet  he  removes  the  sufferings  with  that  (mobile)  ten- 
derness which  cannot  be  secured  even  from  the  rays  of  the  Moon. 
Having  experienced  the  touch  (of  his  hand),  even  the  soft  breeze 
from  the  Malaya-mountain  appears  harsh  and  rough-such  is  the 
unique  tenderness  of  his  touch  when  he  caresses  (domestic)  animals. 
His  hands,  although  actionless,  are  cool  like  sandal  wood  and  not 
yet  fruitless  like  sandal  tress;  and  although  they  (hands)  bear  no 
fruit  are  yet  not  fruitless.  I  have  elaborated  this  point  too  much. 


364  JNANESHWARl 

The  hands  (palms)  of  pious  persons  are  in  perfect  harmony  with 
their  temperament  (cool).  How  is  his  mind?  Need  this  be  told 
separately?  To  whom  else  does  all  that  is  described  so  far  refer 
to?  Do  the  branches  not  represent  the  tree?  Can  there  be  a  sea 
without  water?  Can  the  sun  ever  be  different  from  its  brilliance? 
Are  the  limbs  and  the  body  separate?  So  also  are  the  fluids  and 
water  different?  Therefore  whatever  has  been  told  to  you  about 
his  external  conduct,  is  in  itself  his  mind,  know  ye.  Whatever  seed 
has  been  sown  in  the  soil  grows  up  with  the  tree:  so  whatever  is  done 
through  the  organs  constitutes  the  actions  of  the  mind.  If  there  is 
no  trace  of  non-violence  in  the  interior  itself,  how  can  it  (non-vio- 
lence) overflow  through  the  organs  outside?  Oh  Kiriti,  any  bias 
(toward  a  thing)  springs  up  first  from  the  mind  and  the  same  is  later 
revealed  in  the  form  of  action,  either  through  the  agency  of  mouth, 
eyes  or  hands.  How  can  a  thing  issue  from  the  mind  if  it  is  not  origi- 
nally in  it?  Can  a  seedling  ever  grow  up  without  any  seed  in  the  soil? 
When  the  mind  is  paralysed  (ceases  to  function  normally)  the  organs 
become  actionless  as  is  the  case  with  the  dolls  dancing  on  strings, 
without  the  person  holding  the  strings.  When  the  water  of  a  stream 
dries  up  at  its  source  how  can  it  flow?  How  can  the  body  move  if 
the  life  has  left  it?  In  that  way  the  mind,  Oh  Pandava,  is  the  origin 
of  all  the  desires  on  the  part  of  all  the  organs  and  it  (the  mind)  causes 
all  the  organs  to  execute  all  actions.  Therefore,  whatever  may  be 
the  form  that  the  mind  assumes  internally,  it  is  faithfully  reproduced 
externally  by  actions.  If,  therefore,  non-violence  gets  strong  in  the 
interior,  the  organs  also  develop  the  same  tendency  just  as  the  rich 
fragrance  of  ripe  fruit  spreads  out  all  around.  Once  the  organs  are 
habituated  to  the  notion  that  non-violence  is  the  sole  wealth,  they 
too  turn  their  actions  in  that  direction.  With  the  open  sea  in  tide 
the  creeks  too  get  flooded,  in  that  way  once  the  mind  is  fixed  upon 
non-violence,  the  organs  too  enjoy  its  glory.  A  teacher,  although 
he  holds  the  hand  of  the  pupil  while  teaching  him  to  write,  still  it  is 
he  himself  (and  not  the  pupil)  who  writes  down  beautiful  and  clear 
lines.  In  that  way  the  mind  transmits  its  kindness  to  the  hands  and 
feet,  creating  in  them  non-violence  in  consequence.  Therefore,  Oh 
Kinti,  whatever  has  been  preached  to  you  as  being  the  tendencies 
of  the  organs  are  in  principle  the  tendencies  of  the  mind  itself.  There- 
fore, one  who  has  renounced  violence  bodily  and  mentally  as  well  as 
in  speech  and  the  one  in  whose  actions  you  will  perceive  this  (effect), 
know  such  a,  person  as  the  very  pleasure-house  of  knowledge,  nay 
the  embodiment  of  knowledge  itself.  Should  you  desire  to  see  non- 


XIII.    KSETRA  AND   KSETRAJNA  365 

violence  about  which  your  ears  have  heard  so  much  or  which  is 
discussed  on  the  authority  of  Scriptures,  you  need  only  see  that 
person.  (Jnanadev  now  adds  in  reference  to  himself.)  "What  God 
said  to  Partha  can  be  told  (to  you)  in  one  word,  yet  I  have  stretched 
it  too  far,  for  which  you  must  pardon  me.  An  animal  (cattle)  brow- 
sing on  a  green  meadow  forgets  the  path  it  has  trodden,  or  a  bird 
moves  in  the  sky  along  with  the  wind:  in  that  way,  you  will  say,  my 
eloquence  expanded  in  the  warmth  of  love  (for  the  subject)  and 
I  could  not  control  my  intellect.  But,  Oh  Saints,  such  is  not  the 
case:  there  is  reason  for  this  expansion;  the  word  non-violence  (srflFrr) 
is  made  only  of  three  letters.  This  theory  of  non-violence  can  be 
explained  in  a  short  form;  but  then  the  invasion  of  the  conundrums 
of  divergent  opinions  (about  it)  has  to  be  dealt  with;  unless  that 
is  done  the  explanation  of  non-violence  is  not  clear.  Were  I  to  preach 
to  you  about  non-violence,  neglecting  the  prevailing  notions  about 
it,  you  would  not  like  my  sermon.  The  (sacred)  stone  from  the  river 
Gandaki  Ofs#)  may  be  sold  at  the  price  of  a  jewel  in  the  hamlet  of 
jewel-experts:  but  how  can  a  crystal  fetch  similar  value?  How  can 
flour  be  sold  because  of  its  (non-existing)  fragrance  where  camphor 
full  of  fragrance  itself  can  with  great  difficulty  find  customers?  There- 
fore, Oh  my  masters,  you  would  not  like  it,  were  I  to  preach  before 
you  feeling  proud  about  (my)  oration  alone.  You  will  not  be  prepared 
even  to  hear  me,  were  I  to  blend  into  one  mass  general  and  particular 
points.  Your  attention  will  stray  off,  if  pure  propositions  (settled 
theories)  are  made  obscure  with  doubts.  Will  the  swan  ever  look 
at  the  water  the  surface  of  which  is  covered  with  moss  (^taioi)?  The 
bird  Chakor  would  not  like  even  to  open  its  beak  (mouth)  even  if 
there  be  clear  moon-shine  behind  the  clouds.  In  that  way  instead  of 
feeling  any  respect  for  the  book,  you  will,  on  the  contrary,  get  all 
wrath  (at  it),  if  my  exposition  is  not  perfect  and  faultless;  and  more- 
over if  I  fail  to  present  to  you  a  clear  picture  of  divergent  doctrines,  it 
will  be  difficult  to  refute  the  controversial  dogmas  (of  the  opponents). 
Such  a  defective  sermon  will  have  no  appeal  to  your  mind  (it  will 
not  carry  conviction).  And  Oh  you  saints,  the  sole  purpose  of  my 
whole  harangue  (composition)  is  directed  to  win  your  good  opinion 
and  favour.  I  started  preaching  on  the  Gita,  knowing  full  well  that 
you  are  ardent  admirers  of  the  Gita-teachings.  You  will  be  prepared 
to  give  all  to  secure  the  (teachings  of)  Gita,  not  becuase  it  is  a  scrip- 
tural work,  but  because  it  is  the  guarantee  of  God's  grace,  I  hold. 
(On  the  other  hand)  were  you  to  covet  and  stick  to  all  you  possess, 
and  abandon  the  (teachings  of)  Gita,  then  certainly  both  the  Gita 


366  JNAN.ESHWARI 

as  also  myself  would  be  reduced  to  the  same  state  (of  nullity).  There 
is  no  need  to  say  more,  but  I  started  preaching  the  Gita,  making  it 
only  a  plea,  but  (really)  in  order  to  secure  your  sympathy.  Because 
you  are  an  audience  of  connoisseurs,  I  have  got  to  make  the  sermon 
— worthy  of  you — and  consequently  I  discussed  the  divergent  in- 
terpretations of  non-violence.  That  involved  expansion  of  the  story 
entailing  a  digression  from  the  interpretation  of  the  original  verse 
and  therefore  you  will  pardon  me,  a  child  as  I  am.  If  one  is  to  find 
small  bits  of  stones  while  chewing  a  morsel  of  food,  time  has  got  to 
be  spent  in  casting  them  away  and  it  can  not  be  called  a  waste  of 
time.  Will  a  mother  get  angry  with  her  child  because  it  took  an 
unduly  long  time  in  returning  to  her  safe  after  evading  robbers  on  the 
way;  will  she  not  rather  receive  him  (joyfully)  with  auspicious  rites 
(fadltil  ^rf^T)  ?  But  all  these  examples  are'  needless  since  you  have 
already  pardoned  me.  Now  hear  what  Lord  (Krishna)  said,  "Oh  you, 
the  best  eye  of  knowledge,  Oh  Arjuna,  be  now  attentive.  I  now 
mention  those  signs  by  which  you  will  be  able  to  identify  knowledge, 
know  ye.  Where  there  exists  forbearance  free  from  lamentation 
(3fl*fhi),  there  is  knowledge,  just  as  there  dwell  the  lotus  plants  in 
a  deep  lake,  or  wealth  in  the  house  of  a  fortunate  person.  Oh  Partha, 
now  I  speak  to  you  of  the  attributes  of  one  in  whom  there  grows 
forbearance  in  abundance.  He  bears  all  with  the  same  good  cheer 
with  which  (people)  wear  clothes  and  ornaments  of  (their)  choice. 
He  never  gets  perturbed  CT^WTf^T%)  when  faced  with  the  three 
classes  of  afflictions  (viz  corporal,  elemental  or  supernatural). 
His  mind  faces  any  adversity  befalling  him,  with  the  same  content- 
ment with  which  he  faces  the  advent  of  any  expected  good  turn. 
He  quietly  bears  honour  and  dishonour,  suffers  alike  pleasure  and 
pain,  and  treats  with  even  temper  both  abuse  and  praise.  He  does 
not  get  warm  with  the  heat  of  the  Sun,  nor  does  he  shiver  in  cold, 
nor  does  he  get  frightened  by  anything.  Just  as  the  mountain  Meru 
does  not  feel  in  the  least  the  burden  of  its  peaks,  or  just  as  the  incarna- 
tion Varaha  does  not  feel  the  burden  of  the  earth,  or  just  as  the  earth 
does  not  feel  the  burden  of  living  beings  and  inanimate  things  on 
it,  in  that  way  the  pairs  of  opposites  like  pleasure  and  pain  never 
even  touch  him;  or  just  as  the  sea  expands  its  bosom  to  receive  floods 
of  water  swept  by  a  multitude  of  big  and  small  rivers,  in  that  way 
there  is  nothing  which  he  cannot  accommodate,  (the  wonder  is  that) 
his  heart  does  not  even  remember  this  accommodating  capacity  of 
his.  Whatever  the  body  has  to  face  is  accepted  by  him  quietly  as 
being  part  of  his  self,  and  there  remains  no  cause  for  feeling  any 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJtfA  367 

pride  for  the  sufferance  on  his  part.  Oh  my  beloved  one,  one  in 
whom  there  dwells  such  unsullied  forbearance — such  a  person  only 
adds  to  the  glory  of  knowledge.  Such  a  person,  Oh  Pandava,  is  the 
very  support  ( aftowi )  of  knowledge.  Now  we  shall  preach  about 
rectitude  (3rr#r)  and  you  hear  of  its  attributes.  Just  as  the  life  (wind) 
shows  the  same  affability  ( *ft*\*M  )  towards  all,  the  Sun  does  not 
give  light  merely  by  looking  at  faces  (meaning  in  a  spirit  of  partiality), 
the  sky  is  everywhere  the  same  throughout  the  world;  in  that  way, 
the  mental  attitude  of  such  a  person  does  not  vary  with  individuals, 
but  his  behaviour  with  all  is  uniform.  Possessed  of  the  perfect  know- 
ledge of  the  world,  he  knows  well  the  world  already  to  be  his  old 
kith  and  kin,  with  the  result  that  terms  like  'mine'  or  'of  others'  are 
unknown  to  him.  He  gets  assimilated  with  anyone  like  water  and 
harbours  no  bias  in  his  mind  against  anyone.  His  nature  runs  as 
straight  as  the  sweep  of  wind,  and  he  is  free  from  suspicion  and  greed. 
Just  as  a  child  feels  no  diffidence  in  approaching  its  mother,  so  he 
feels  no  diffidence  in  placing  his  opinions  before  the  world.  Just  as 
no  part  of  a  lotus  remains  concealed,  once  it  is  fully  blown,  in  that 
way,  Oh  Dhanurdhar,  his  mind  is  open  in  and  out,  revealing  every 
nook  and  corner  in  it.  There  is  already  the  clarity  of  a  jewel  and  the 
jewel  sends  forth  a  brilliant  ray,  in  that  way,  with  his  mind  already 
clear,  the  actions  issuing  from  his  mind  naturally  prove  equally 
clean.  He  never  wavers,  (is  ignorant  of  deliberation)  but  lays  bare 
his  actual  experience,  his  mind  being  free  and  not  knowing  any  un- 
certainty. His  vision  is  never  shy  (blurred)  (ft°i*0)  nor  his  talk  vague 
and  he  never  harbours  any  evil  intention  while  dealing  with  any 
person.  All  his  ten  senses  are  straightforward,  free  from  worldly 
affairs,  and  pure,  while  the  five  skirts  of  life  (life-winds)  are  free  and 
open  throughour  the  eight  Prahars  of  the  day.  His  interior  (heart) 
is  as  straight  as  the  descending  showers  of  nectar,  nay  he  is  in  fact 
the  parental  home  of  all  these  attributes.  Oh,  the  best  amongst 
warriors,  such  a  person  is  rectitude  incarnate  and  knowledge  has 
made  its  home  in  him.  Now,  Oh  most  skilful  of  the  skilful,  hear 
what  I  tell  you  about  devoted  service  to  the  preceptor;  that  service 
you  perceive  is  the  very  birth-place  of  all  the  good  luck,  since  it  con- 
verts into  the  supreme  Being  even  those  that  are  afflicted  with  misery. 
I  now  reveal  to  you  that  service  of  the  preceptor;  you  concentrate 
your  mind  on  it.  Just  as  the  holy  Ganges,  taking  along  with  herself 
all  other  water  courses,  flows  towards  the  sea,  or  just  as  the  Vedas 
arrive  and  steady  themselves  at  the  feet  of  the  Supreme,  or  just  as  the 
loyal  wife  dedicates  to  her  husband  all  her  qualities  as  also  her  five 


368  JNANESHWARI 

life-winds,  welding  them  into  a  mass — the  one  who  in  that  way 
dedicates  to  his  preceptor's  dynasty  all  he  owns  and  makes  himself 
the  very  temple  of  devotion  (to  his  preceptor) :  he  ever  thinks  in  his 
mind  of  the  landscape  in  which  exists  the  house  of  his  preceptor, 
like  a  wife  who  always  keeps  thinking  about  her  absent  husband; 
he  runs  forward  and  welcomes  the  very  wind  coming  from  the  direction 
of  the  preceptor's  house,  and  requests  it  (wind)  to  visit  his  house; 
getting  deluded  through  his  01  re  love,  he  likes  to  talk  in  the  direction 
of  the  preceptor's  house  and  makes  his  very  life  to  fix  its  station  in 
the  preceptor's  house.  Because  of  the  binding  force  of  the  command 
of  the  preceptor,  his  physical  body  remains  alone  away  at  his  place, 
just  as  the  calf  remains  in  the  stable  (because  of  his  being)  tied  down 
with  a  rope;  he  is  ever  anxious  for  the  loosening  of  the  noose  of  the 
preceptor's  command  and  to  see  the  preceptor  and  with  such  intense 
longing  considers  even  a  moment  longer  than  a  Yuga.  In  such  a 
state  should  there  arrive  anyone  from  the  preceptor's  place,  or  should 
any  one  happen  to  be  sent  to  him  by  the  preceptor  himself,  he  feels 
like  a  person  who  has  got  a  fresh  lease  of  life  when  he  is  on  the 
point  of  death,  or  as  there  should  descend  a  shower  of  nectar  on  a 
withering  seedling,  or  just  like  a  fish  in  scanty-watered  pond  finding 
itself  in  an  ocean,  or  like  a  beggar  discovering  a  hoard,  or  like  a  blind- 
born  man  getting  a  vision,  or  like  a  mendicant  securing  the  very  seat 
of  Indra;  (i.e.  sovereignty  in  Heaven)  in  that  way  he  feels  getting- 
big  (in  size)  so  much  at  the  very  mention  of  his  preceptor's  name, 
as  to  be  able  to  embrace  the  very  sky.  One  in  whom  you  happen 
to  see  such  a  love  for  the  family  of  the  preceptor,  take  it  definitely, 
that  the  knowledge  ,works  as  his  footman.  He  places  permanently 
the  image  of  the  preceptor  in  his  heart  on  the  strength  of  his  love 
(for  him),  and  worships  him  by  meditating  upon  him.  He  permanently 
instals  as  the  Pole-star  (Dhruwa),  his  adored  preceptor  in  the  enclosure 
in  the  form  of  the  purity  of  his  heart,  and  becomes  himself  all  his 
paraphernalia  with  all  devotion;  or  he  pours  a  continuous  stream 
of  nectar  in  the  form  of  meditation  on  the  soul  of  the  preceptor, 
installing  him  in  the  temple  of  the  self-bliss  erected  on  the  plinth 
of  Supreme  Brahman,  he  fills  up  the  receptacle  in  the  form  of  his 
intellect  with  righteous  feelings  and  dedicates  it  to  God  Shiva  in  the 
form  of  the  preceptor  a  lakh  of  times.  Thrice  at  the  enjoined  holy 
hours  of  the  day  viz.  morning,  noon  and  evening,  he  burns  the  incense 
in  the  form  of  personal  consciousness  as  a  real  entity  and  waves 
around  God  the  preceptor,  the  lamp  of  knowledge.  He  offers  in 
its  entirety  the  dish  in  the  form  of  the  union  with  Supreme  Brahman, 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJNA  369 

acting  as  the  worshipper  and  making  the  preceptor  the  emblem  of 
worship;  or  at  times,  his  intellect  enjoys  the  bliss  of  the  association 
of  the  preceptor  on  the  bed  of  his  soul,  imagining  him  as  (her)  husband 
and  experiences  the  glory  of  his  love.  At  times  his  mind  gets  so  much 
flooded  with  love  (for  the  preceptor)  that  he  calls  it  the  sea  of  milk. 
In  the  waters  of  this  sea  of  love,  Narayana  in  the  form  of  the  preceptor, 
enjoys  slumber  reclining  on  'Shesha'  bedstead  in  the  form  of  medita- 
tion and  he  (the  disciple)  himself  plays  the  role  of  Lakshmi,  shampooing 
his  (Narayana's)  feet,  as  also  the  role  of  Garuda,  ever  standing  nearby 
(with  folded  hands).  He  also  imagines  himself  as  the  God  Brahmadev 
springing  up  (from  the  lotus)  in  the  navel  of  Narayana  in  the  form 
of  the  preceptor.  In  this  way  he  enjoys  the  mental  experience  of 
meditation  through  his  love  for  preceptor.  At  one  time  he  fancies 
the  preceptor  is  his  mother,  and  rolls  in  his  lap,  enjoying  the  happiness 
(as  if)  of  breastsuck;  or  he  considers  himself  a  calf,  following  the 
(preceptor)  cow  (in  the  cool  shade)  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  of  know- 
ledge (%FT)  Oh  Kiriti.  At  times  he  considers  himself  a  fish  (swimming) 
in  the  waters  in  the  form  of  the  preceptor's  grace;  sometimes  he 
considers  himself  a  small  plant  in  the  form  of  the  attitude  of  service 
nourished  with  the  showers  of  nectar  in  the  form  of  preceptor's 
kindness;  thus  one  imagery  succeeds  another  in  his  mind.  He  con- 
siders himself  as  a  young  bird,  with  no  eyes  and  wings.  Just  see  the 
sort  of  (queer)  liking  on  his  part — (he)  sees  the  preceptor  as  a  mother- 
bird,  he  (the  youngling)  snatching  feed  from  her  beak:  or  taking 
the  preceptor  as  a  boat  (he)  clings  to  her  rudder.  In  this  way  one 
spectacle  produces  another,  forming  a  series  out  of  love,  just  as 
there  arise  waves  after  waves  in  the  tumult  when  the  sea  is  in  high 
tide.  Thus  he  harbours  in  his  heart  the  preceptor  in  diverse  forms, 
and  now  hear  about  his  external  (visible)  service.  He  entertains 
the  ambition  that  he  would  render  the  best  of  service  to  the  preceptor 
in  such  a  way  that  he  should  be  pleased  and  should  say,  "Ask  (for 
some  boon)"  and  when  he  really  gets  so  much  pleased,  I  shall  make 
this  request: — "I  should  alone  constitute  in  its  entirety,  Oh  master, 
whatever  paraphernalia  there  may  be  of  yours,  and  that  whatever 
articles  and  equipment  there  might  be  of  your  use,  should  all  be  so 
many  different  forms  of  mine."  When  I  ask  for  such  a  boon  the 
preceptor  will  say,  "Amen"  and  then  I  shall  alone  be  his  entire 
paraphernalia.  When  I  (thus)  become  each  and  every  article  forming 
his  equipment,  then  the  real  glory  of  (the  preceptor's)  service  will 
be  manifest.  The  preceptor  is  the  mother  (inspirer)  of  the  many 
(disciples)  but  I  shall,  through  his  kindness,  claim  him  as  my  monopoly. 


370  JNANESHWARI 

I  shall  attract  his  love  to  such  an  extent  that  he  will  be  compelled 
to  take  the  vow  of  a  monogamist,  (myself  being  his  only  spiritual 
spouse)  and  conduct  himself  in  such  a  way  that  his  love  will  be  ex- 
clusively reserved  forme  (sN*Ml*fl *pt^ *>iYw+*«0).I  shall  be  a  cage 
for  his  kindness  like  the  four  quarters  out  of  which  the  wind  even 
cannot  escape.  I  shall  decorate  the  mistress  in  the  form  of  the  loyal 
service  to  the  preceptor,  with  my  good  qualities  so  that  I  should  be 
the  case  (cover)  containing  the  devotion  of  the  preceptor.  I  shall 
be  the  earth  for  receiving  the  (rain)  showers  of  the  preceptor's  kind- 
ness; thus  I  construct  in  my  heart  countless  "castles  in  the  air". 
He  further  says,  "I  shall  be  the  preceptor's  house  and  becoming 
(also)  his  servant  there,  render  him  service.  I  shall  be  the  threshold, 
which  the  preceptor  crosses  when  entering  the  house  and  going 
out  (of  it),  as  also  the  doors  and  shall  also  be  the  door-keeper.  I 
shall  be  his  wooden  sandals  and  I  shall  make  him  wear  them.  I  shall 
be  his  umbrella  (itself)  and  shall  simultaneously  hold  it  as  the  um- 
brella-bearer. I  shall  be  the  cautioner  (to  caution  him)  of  high 
and  low  levels  as  also  be  his  chowri-beaxer  ('tftft — chowri-bushy 
tail  of  chamaras  (yak)  used  as  a  fly-flap  and  reckoned  as  one  of  the 
insignia  of  royalty)  and  also  the  hands  supporting  him,  and  shall 
also  be  his  torch-bearer  walking  ahead  of  the  master.  I  shall  be  his 
globular  vessel  with  a  spout  (mft)  and  (with  that)  rinse  his  mouth 
and  shall  also  be  the  (dirty)  water  jetted  out  (^5Pft)  as  also  the  wooden 
spittoon  (mRjwi)  to  receive  it.  I  shall  be  the  casket  to  hold  his  betel 
leaves,  and  shall  take  in  the  residue  of  the  chewn  betel-leaves,  and 
shall  make  all  preparations  for  his  bath.  I  shall  be  the  preceptor's 
seat,  as  also  his  ornaments  and  his  clothes  and  also  the  sandal  paste 
etc.  with  which  to  decorate  him.  I  shall  be  his  cook  and  shall  serve 
him  a  meal  and  shall  wave  (my  soul)  around  the  preceptor 
(  afMleft).  I  shall  keep  him  company  while  he  is  at  the  meal  and  after 
his  meal  I  shall  move  forward  to  give  him  Tambul  ( crtfsr  — betel- 
leaf,  nut  etc.).  I  shall  remove  the  dish  used  for  meal  and  shall  arrange 
his  bed  and  shall  also  shampoo  his  feet.  I  shall  be  his  throne  (sofa) 
on  which  the  preceptor  takes  his  seat,  and  in  this  way  I  shall  reach 
perfection  in  the  preceptor's  service.  I  shall  myself  be  that  striking 
subject  in  which  the  preceptor  might  feel  interested.  I  shall  transform 
myself  into  countless  words  for  the  audition  of  the  preceptor.  I 
shall  be  also  the  touch-sense  when  he  scratches  any  part  of  his  body, 
and  I  shall  assume  all  those  forms,  at  which  the  preceptor's  eyes 
look  with  an  affectionate  glance.  I  shall  be  that  dainty  which  will 
be  relished  by  his  tongue,  and  shall  be  that  fragrance  that  would 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  371 

find  favour  with  his  nostrils.  In  this  way  I  shall  be  everything,  and 
through  it,  monopolise  the  preceptor's  entire  visible  service."  (Says 
the  disciple  to  himself).  In  this  way  he  goes  on  serving  till  his  body 
remains  in  existence,  and  afterwards,  other  novel  ways  suggest  them- 
selves to  his  intellect.  (He  says)  "I  shall  make  the  dust  of  this  body 
mingle  with  the  earth  of  the  spot  on  which  the  preceptor's  feet  stand. 
I  shall  make  the  portion  of  water  in  this  body  mingle  with  that  water 
which  the  preceptor  might  at  his  pleasure  touch.  I  shall  add  the 
portion  of  light  in  my  body  to  that  of  the  lamp  that  the  preceptor 
waves  around  (  sffaTSt ).  and  also  those  that  light  his  house.  I  shall 
place  my  vital  airs  in  the  chowrie  and  'vinzan'  (f%3TO"—  fan),  so  that 
I  shall  secure  both  the  service  and  also  the  touch-sense  of  the  pre- 
ceptor's body.  Wherever  the  preceptor  may  be  with  his  paraphernalia, 
I  shall  make  the  sky-element  in  my  body  to  mingle  with  the  local  sky- 
element;  whether  alive  or  dead  I  shall  not  abandon  this  vow  of  the 
preceptor's  service  and  will  not  allow  anyone  else  to  serve  him,  even 
for  a  moment  out  of  the  crores  of  Kalpas  (^?"T  — a  day  of  God  Brah- 
madev-100  Yugas  or  432  million  years  of  mortals)  of  such  service." 
His  heart  throbs  with  zeal  so  fervently;  verily  his  spirit  of  service 
is  boundless.  He  knows  neither  day  nor  night  nor  more  nor  less: 
(on  the  contrary)  on  hearing  a  call  for  service,  he  girds  his  loins. 
Let  the  preceptor's  service  be  greater  even  than  the  sky,  he  executes 
it  all  himself,  single-handed,  at  one  stretch.  No  sooner  than  the  pre- 
ceptor orders  a  certain  thing  to  be  done,  his  body  runs  ahead  of  his 
mind  and  executes  the  mandate  competing  with  the  mind.  Sometimes 
he  is  prepared  to  sacrifice  even  his  life  (tf>l*<l)  while  fulfilling  a 
playful  wish  of  his  revered  master.  He  gets  lean  in  the  service  of  his 
preceptor,  but  he  is  nourished  by  his  love  and  becomes  the  abode 
of  the  preceptor's  command.  He  thinks  he  belongs  to  an  exalted 
and  respectable  family  on  account  of  his  intimate  association  with 
the  preceptor's  family,  and  his  courteous  behaviour  with  his  brother- 
disciples  makes  him  virtuous;  while  rendering  service  to  the  preceptor 
is  an  eternal  hobby  («*RR")  with  him  he  looks  upon  the  tenets  and 
rituals  enjoined  by  his  preceptor  as  constituting  his  religious  duty 
in  full.  Devotional  service  to  the  preceptor  becomes  his  constant 
daily  duty.  The  preceptor  is  for  him  a  holy  place,  he  is  his  God, 
mother  and  father,  he  knows  no  other  path  (leading  to  salvation) 
but  the  one  of  his  service.  He  considers  the  preceptor's  door  as 
the  quaint  essence  of  every  thing  and  behaves  lovingly  with  the  servants 
of  the  preceptor  as  if  they  were  his  full  brothers  and  sisters.  His 
entire  talk  consists  of  repeating  the  esoteric  formulae  in  the  form  of 


372  JNANESHWARI 

the  preceptor's  name  and  never  touches  any  other  Scripture  but  the 
one  of  the  preceptor's  precepts.  He  considers  even  ordinary  water 
touched  by  the  preceptor's  foot,  superior  in  sanctity  to  all  the  holy 
waters  in  the  three  worlds.  He  will  develop  a  distaste  for  and  abandon 
even  his  deep  meditation,  ( ^FfNt ),  if  he  is  perchance  to  get  half- 
tasted  and  left-out  food  ("&&)  of  the  preceptor.  He  joyfully  accepts 
on  his  head  the  particles  of  dust  raised  by  his  (Preceptor's)  feet  while 
walking  for  salvation.  Let  this  suffice  now;  how  far  can  I  dilate 
upon  it:  There  is  no  limit  to  the  subject  of  devotion  to  the  preceptor. 
This  detailed  talk  is  but  the  result  of  the  exuberance  flowing  from 
the  devotion  for  the  preceptor.  One  who  has  a  keen  regard  and  anxiety 
for  devotion,  feels  no  pleasure  in  anything  else  but  the  service  of  the 
preceptor.  Such  a  person  is  the  very  foundation  of  philosophy  and 
imparts  to  knowledge  a  definite  form — nay  such  a  devotee  of  know- 
ledge is  God.  Know  it  definitely,  that  in  such  a  person,  knowledge 
dwells  with  open  doors  (freely),  and  is  adequate  (even)  to  satisfy 
the  needs  of  the  entire  world."  (Jnanadev  says)  "I  have  gone  out 
of  the  way  to  treat  this  subject  so  elaborately,  since  my  heart  is  very 
much  enamoured  of  the  idea  of  service  to  the  preceptor.  I  am  other- 
wise armless  even  with  arms,  blind  in  keeping  alert  in  regard  to  the 
singing  of  the  praise,  and  a  cripple  in  regard  to  service — dullest  of 
the  dull,  dumb  in  point  of  describing  the  preceptor,  lazy,  undeser- 
vedly fed,  yet,  with  the  purest  of  love,  unbounded  for  the  preceptor 
in  my  heart:  and  it  (love  for  the  preceptor,)  is  the  sole  purpose  for 
which  I  have  sustained  this  mortal  (physical  frame  (F^"  Tta%)," 
Jnanadev  says.  (He  adds)  "But  you  should  tolerate  all  this  talk 
and  give  me  (sufficient)  scope  for  rendering  service.  I  shall  now 
preach  the  correct  interpretation  of  the  Scripture.  Hear,  Oh  hear, 
what  Lord  Krishna,  the  incarnation  of  Vishnu,  the  sympathetic 
bearer  of  the  world's  troubles,  narrates  and  Arjuna  hears.  His  (of 
the  man  of  knowledge)  purity  is  so  great,  as  if  his  very  body  and 
mind  were  made  of  camphor,  and  clear  in  and  out  like  a  cluster  of 
jewels,  or  brilliant  in  and  out  like  the  Sun.  He  attains  purity  both 
externaly — being  washed  clean  by  the  performance  of  pious  actions, 
and  internally — being  enlightened  by  knowledge.  He  removes  his 
bodily  filth  by  the  use  of  earth  and  water  and  becomes  spiritually 
clean  by  virtue  of  reciting  the  Vedas,  just  as  a  mirror  is  cleansed  by 
the  intelligent  use  of  sand-dust,  or  as  the  dirty  spots  are  removed 
from  the  linen  by  (the  use  of)  the  laundry-kettle.  With  the  exterior 
cleansed  in  this  way,  and  being  enlightened  internally  by  the  lamp 
of  knowledge,  he  is  thoroughly  purified.  Otherwise,  Oh  son  of  Pandu, 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJNA  373 

it  would  be  only  a  mockery  to  perform  acts  of  piety  so  long  as  the 
interior  (heart)  remains  impure.  (It  would  be)  like  adorning  a  corpse, 
or  like  bathing  a  donkey  in  the  holy  waters,  or  like  plastering  the  ex- 
terior of  a  bitter  gourd  offaoCT)  with  jaggery,  or  like  adorning  a  deserted 
house  with  an  ornamental  arch  («Ti*ui),  or  like  plastering  with  food 
the  exterior  of  an  empty  stomach  (of  a  hungty  man),  or  like  decorating 
the  fore-head  of  a  widow  with  red  turmeric  powder  (3ffpT)  and  red- 
lead  power  (3ffT).  Fie  upon  the  tawdry  brilliance  of  the  hollow 
gilded  spires  (3>oftr),  or  the  imitation  (wooden)  fruit  stuffed  inside 
with  dried  cow-dung.  The  same  is  the  case  with  the  pious  works. 
An  inferior  sort  cannot  fetch  a  high  value.  A  pitcher  full  of  liquor 
cannot  be  rendered  holy  even  if  dipped  into  the  sacred  Ganges. 
Therefore,  there  must  first  be  knowledge  in  the  interior,  and  then 
external  purity  will  follow  automatically.  Is  it  ever  possible  to  secure 
knowledge  internally  merely  by  external  purifying  action?  Therefore, 
one  who  has  washed  out  his  exterior  with  good  actions,  and  has 
removed  the  internal  dirt-spots  with  knowledge,  in  such  a  person 
alone,  all  distinction  such  as  external  or  internal  vanishes,  leaving 
one  solid  mass  of  cleanliness — nay  there  remains  only  purity.  Thus 
the  internal  pure  feelings  become  transparent  and  are  manifested 
outside,  just  as  the  lights  in  a  crystal  house  do.  Even  though  he  hears 
about,  or  sees  directly,  or  meets  with  matters  creating  dubiousness  or 
false  notions,  or  that  yield  blossoms  of  bad  action,  they  create  no 
effect  on  his  mind,  just  as  the  sky  does  not  get  defiled  by  the  different 
colours  of  clouds.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  is  deeply  immersed  in  the 
objects  of  the  senses  along  with  the  senses;  yet,  is  not  contaminated 
in  the  least  by  their  corrupting  influence  (fof>TC).  He  behaves  like 
one,  who  meeting  on  his  way  a  chaste  or  Mahar  (low  caste)  woman 
entertains  no  desire  for  her.  One  and  the  same  young  woman  holds 
in  embrace  both  her  husband  as  well  as  her  son;  yet  no  sexual  feeling 
ever  touches  her  mind  while  holding  in  embrace  her  son.  In  that 
way  when  the  heart  is  pure,  fancies  and  ideas  are  appraised  properly 
and  such  a  one  knows  clearly  what  is  worth  doing  and  what  is  other- 
wise. A  diamond  does  not  get  wet  (soaked)  in  water,  or  stones  are 
not  softened  when  boiled  in  water;  in  that  way  his  mentality  (attitude) 
does  not  get  besmeared  by  disorders.  And  this,  Oh  Partha,  is  what 
is  called  "purity",  and  wherever  you  see  it  in  full,  know  that  know- 
ledge exists  there.  One  who  is  the  home  of  steadfastness,  is  the  very 
life  of  knowledge.  Although  his  physical  body  in  its  own  way  moves 
outwardly,  still  the  steadfastness  of  his  mind  does  in  no  way  get 
disturbed.  The  love  of  a  cow  for  its  calf  does  not  wander  about 


374  JNANESHWARI 

(while  it  is  grazing)  in  the  jungle;  or  a  'sati,'  facing  calmly  the  pangs 
of  self-immolation  on  the  pyre  of  her  deceased  husband  after  finishing 
her  toilet,  is  not  prompted  by  any  expectation  of  sex-enjoyment, 
or  just  as  the  mind  of  a  miser  remains  entangled  in  his  (treasure) 
hole,  even  though  his  physical  body  wanders  far  away,  in  that  way, 
his  mind  remains  steady,  even  though  the  physical  body  moves  about. 
Just  as  the  sky  does  not  move  along  with  the  running  clouds,  or  just 
as  Dhruva  (North-polar  star)  does  not  move  along  a  circular  orbit 
with  the  other  stars,  or  just  as  the  road  does  not  move  along  with  the 
wayfarer  or  just  as,  Oh  Dhanurdhar,  the  trees  do  not  have  any  motion, 
in  that  way  even  though  his  body  is  formed  of  five  gross  elements 
and  makes  all  movements,  yet  his  mind  is  not  ruffled  by  any  outburst 
(natural  undulation)  on  the  part  of  the  elements.  The  earth  does 
not  swerve  from  its  position  in  any  way  by  the  impact  of  whirlwinds, 
similarly  the  powerful  upheavals  of  exciting  passions  and  events 
(which  torment  worldly  men)  make  no  impression  whatsoever  on 
him.  Want  and  misery  do  not  vex  him,  nor  do  fear  and  sorrow  make 
him  tremble,  and  he  experiences  no  fear  even  if  faced  with  death. 
His  straight  mind  does  not  turn  in  the  reverse  direction  or  aside, 
confronted  with  the  fury  of  desires,  inordinate  hopes,  or  the  clamour 
of  age  and  disease.  His  mind  does  not  swerve  even  a  hair-breadth 
because  of  slander,  dishonour  or  punishment,  or  when  passion  and 
greed  attain  great  intensity.  His  mind  never  turns  back  even  at  the 
crashing  down  of  the  sky  or  at  the  earth  getting  dissolved.  Just  as 
an  elephant  does  not  turn  sideways  when  struck  with  a  bunch  of 
flowers,  in  that  way,  he  does  not  get  perturbed  a  bit  even  -if  teased 
with  arrows  in  the  form  of  foul  words.  The  mountain  Mandara 
did  not  tremble  in  the  tumult  created  by  the  waves  of  the  ocean  of 
milk  at  its  churning,  nor  is  the  sky  burnt  by  conflagration;  in  that 
way  his  mind  maintains  its  equilibrium  although  swept  by  the  waves 
of  pleasure  and  pain,  however  numerous — nay,  his  fortitude  and 
tolerance  remain  even  at  the  time  of  world  dissolution.  What  is 
mentioned  as  steadfastness  is  this  state  of  the  mind  and  understand 
it  well.  One  endowed  with  such  a  firm  steadfastness,  physically  as 
also  mentally,  is,  know  ye,  an  open  hoard  of  the  riches  of  knowledge. 
Just  as  the  ghost  (of  a  deceased  Brahmin)  does  not  allow  the  person 
possessed  by  itself  (*rr)  to  be  out  of  sight,  or  a  warrior  his  arms, 
or  a  miser  his  hoard,  even  for  a  moment,  or  just  as  a  mother  scru- 
pulously and  attentively  guards  her  only  child,  or  just  as  the  bee  is 
greedy  in  regard  to  honey,  in  that  way,  Oh  Arjuna,  he  closely  guards 
his  mind,  does  not  allow  it  even  to  stand  at  the  doors  of  title  (five) 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  375 

senses  lest  the  'goblin'  passion  might  hear  of  the  child's  name,  (fame 
of  the  man)  or  the  (evil)  eye  of  the  female  ghost  "hope"  might  turn 
towards  it  (man)  and  it  might  breathe  its  last.  He  keeps  under  firm 
control  his  inborn  inclination  to  concupiscence,  just  as  a  sturdy  and 
strong-willed  husband  strictly  restricts  the  movements  of  his  adulterous 
wife  (to  protect  her  from  mischief).  He  restrains  and  keeps  under 
perfect  control  his  senses,  even  though  his  living  body  is  weakened 
to  the  point  of  maximum  exhaustion.  He  keeps  constantly  awake 
and  standing  two  guards  in  the  form  of  self-restraint  and  self-govern- 
ance in  his  body  (wftw)  at  the  main  gate  of  mind,  as  also  at  the 
station  of  the  withdrawal  of  sense  organs  (from  their  respective 
objects:  »cqi§!<).  Fixing  the  bodily  postures  (Bandhas)  (1)  Vajra, 
(2)  Uddlyana  and  (3)  Jalandhar,  in  the  wheels  (1)  Adhar,  (2)  Mani- 
pura,  (3)  Vishuddha,  respectively,  he  concentrates  his  mind  on  the 
loop  formed  by  the  air  passages  named  (1)  Ida  and  (2)  Pingala, 
(otherwise  named  also  the  Sun  and  the  Moon)  and  binds  down  medi- 
tation on  the  bed  in  the  form  of  ecstacy  with  the  result  that  the  mind 
disappears,  being  completely  blended  with  the  Supreme  Spirit. 

vHrH^Mt < W I faf US 4\q [H<*U*\  II  e;  II 

8  "Absence  of  attachment  towards  objects  of  sense,  likewise 
too,  Freedom  from  egotism,  and  Repeated-contemplation  upon 
the  Impediments  (in  the  shape  of)  the  miseries  of  Birth, 
Death,  Old-age,  and  Disease :  (5 1 3) 

One  who  has  attained  this  condition  of  mind  which  is  called  heart- 
control  is  the  victory  incarnate  of  knowledge.  One  whose  mandates 
are  quietly  and  submissively  obeyed  by  his  heart  should  be  known 
as  the  very  knowledge  itself  in  human  form. 

In  his  heart  awake  is  the  complete  absence  of  attachment  towards 
the  objects  of  the  senses.  In  the  way  the  tongue  never  hankers  after 
food  vomitted  out,  or  in  the  way  one  does  not  stretch  forward  his 
limbs  (arms  etc.,)  for  embracing  a  dead  body,  or  in  the  way  one  cannot 
swallow  poison  for  fear  of  death,  or  in  the  way  one  cannot  enter 
a  burning  house,  or  live  in  the  den  of  a  tiger,  or  in  the  way  one  cannot 
take  a  leap  into  molten  iron,  or  cannot  make  a  cushion  of  a  boa- 
constrictor  (3RTC),  in  the  same  way,  Arjuna,  he  does  not  like  any- 
thing connected  with  the  sense-objects,  and  does  not  permit  the 


376  JNANESHWARI 

sense-centres  to  contact  (and  relish  even  a  bit  of)  their  objects.  He 
is  apathetic  in  regard  to  sense  objects,  appears  lean  in  physique, 
yet  feels  great  pleasure  in  sense  restraint.  In  him  meet  all  the  religious 
austerities,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  he  feels  as  if  a  Yuga  (aeon)  has 
come  to  an  end  if  he  is  ever  required  to  go  and  live  in  an  inhabitated 
locality  (*fi%).  He  has  a  strong  craving  for  the  study  of  Yoga  and 
for  that  purpose,  he  runs  to  solitary  places,  not  bearing  even  to  hear 
the  mention  of  a  crowd.  He  looks  upon  worldly  enjoyments  as 
lying  on  a  bed  of  arrows  or  as  rolling  in  the  mire  of  pus.  He  regards 
the  idea  of  attaining  heaven  to  be  as  despicable  and  filthy,  as  the 
rotten  flesh  of  a  dog.  This  sort  of  indifference  towards  sense-objects 
connotes  good  luck  of  securing  self-attainment,  and  makes  the  souls 
eligible  for  the  Supreme  Bliss.  Where  there  exists  a  positive  dislike 
for  enjoyments  in  this  as  also  in  the  other  world,  in  such  a  person, 
know  ye,  knowledge  takes  its  residence.  He  performs  acts  of  charity 
leading  to  public  welfare  with  the  same  zeal  as  that  of  an  ardent 
seeker,  yet  does  not  harbour  any  boast  for  such  performances,  He 
does  not  fail  to  observe  the  ordinary  day-to-day  and  occasional 
rites  as  prescribed  and  commended  by  the  religion  founded  on  the 
basis  of  four  castes  and  four  stages  (eprfaR);  yet  he  never  harbours 
any  feeling  that  he  has  performed  a  particular  action,  or  its  success 
is  due  to  him  only,  in  the  way  the  blowing  of  the  wind  or  the  rising 
of  the  Sun  takes  place  in  natural  course  without  any  sort  of  fanfare. 
He  behaves  well  in  the  world  with  absolutely  no  feeling  of  'pride' 
just  as  the  Shruti  preaches  (knowledge)  in  natural  course  or  the 
sacred  Ganges  flows  disinterestedly.  The  trees  bear  fruit  in  due 
course  of  nature  according  to  seasons,  without  themselves  coming 
to  know  about  their  fruition.  His  nature,  like  these  trees,  makes 
him  ever  perform  actions  (without  any  egoistic  feelings).  Conceit, 
action  and  talk,  drop  down  from  his  mind,  as  naturally  as  the  pearls 
or  beads  do,  when  the  connecting  thread  is  removed  from  the  necklace. 
Just  as  the  clouds  remain  suspended  without  being  linked  with  the 
sky,  in  that  way  his  actions  remain  unconnected  with  the,  body. 
A  garment  on  the  person  of  a  drunkard,  or  a  weapon  in  the  hands 
of  a  picture,  or  a  Scripture  (loaded)  on  the  back  of  a  bullock, — just 
like  any  of  these,  he  lacks  the  remembrance  even  of  his  own  existence 
in  human  form,  and  this  is  what  is  called  freedom  from  egotism. 
There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  knowledge  exists  only  where  all 
these  (attributes)  are  noticeable.  Birth,  death,  misery,  disease,  old 
age  and  sins,  all  these  he  sees  only  from  a  distance,  without  allowing 
them  even  to  touch  him  in  the  way  the  exorcizer  wards  off  ghost- 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND   KSETRAJ^A  377 

troubles,  or  a  Yogin  soothes  misery,  or  a  mason's  plummet  tests 
the  perpendicularity  of  walls  without  itself  getting  affected  in  any 
way.  Just  as  the  memory  of  enmities  belonging  to  past  births  remains 
fresh  in  a  reptile's  mind,  in  that  way,  he  carries  with  him  the  memory 
of  his  defects  in  his  past  lives.  He  does  not  forget  the  miseries  of 
his  (past)  births,  just  as  a  small  particle  of  sand  getting  into  an  eye 
is  not  dissolved  there,  just  as  the  point  of  an  arrow  does  not  get  ab- 
sorbed in  the  wound.  He  ever  harps  on  his  say  that  he  was  developed 
(in  the  embryo)  in  a  pit  of  pus,  got  out  from  it  through  the  urine- 
outlet  ( wtsr )  and  alas,  licked  up  with  relish  the  sweat  on  the  mother's 
breast.  He  abhors  (his)  birth  on  account  of  such  ideas  and  feelings, 
and  says  he  would  not  do  anything  that  would  result  in  the  repetition 
of  this  (birth).  Just  as  a  gambler  is  prepared  to  gamble  again  in  order 
to  recover  what  he  has  lost,  or  just  as  the  son  keenly  watches  for 
(an  opportunity  to  take)  vengeance  on  his  father's  enemy,  or  just 
as  the  enraged  person  wrathfully  pursues  one  who  has  stricken  him, 
in  that  way,  he  fights  against  rebirth  with  great  vigour.  The  sense 
of  shame  for  his  birth  never  leaves  his  heart,  just  as  a  respectable 
person  cannot  forget  an  insult  (which  always  rankles  in  his  mind). 
He  remains  ever  alert  from  even  now  (beforehand),  knowing  fully 
well  that  death  is  to  come  presently,  or  at  the  time  of  the  world  dis- 
solution. Just  as  a  swimmer,  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  being  told  that  the 
depth  of  the  water  (in  the  middle)  is  unfathomable,  begins,  while 
yet  on  the  bank,  arranging  and  making  tight  at  the  back  ( ^FE€t ) 
his  loin  cloth  or  just  as  a  fighter,  even  before  entering  the  battle-field, 
steadies  his  pose  or  wields  his  shield  properly  (to  ward  off)  even 
before  a  (hostile)  blow  actually  descends  on  him;  or  just  as  a  traveller 
is  cautious  beforehand  about  an  impending  risk  at  his  next  day's- 
camp;  or  just  as  one  has  to  run  promptly  for  medical  help  while  yet 
there  is  life  (in  the  patient);  otherwise  it  so  happens  (that  he  is  caught 
unawares)  like  one  who  finds  himself  inside  a  burning  house  and  his 
wish  to  dig  a  well  (for  getting  water  to  extinguish  the  fire)  is  then  of 
no  avail.  Just  as  a  stone  falls  and  sinks  in  a  deep  water-spot  (^f), 
he  is  engulfed  and  drowned  in  the  sea  of  worldly  existence  (*rcnr) 
inspite  of  his  loud  lamentations,  without  leaving  a  trace;  who 
cares  to  take  any  notice  of  him?  He  remains  vigilant  throughout 
the  eight  Prahars  of  day  and  night,  like  one,  who  has  a  powerful 
person  as  whetted  sword.  He  (constantly)  keeps  before  his  mental 
vision,  the  advent  of  death,  and  acts  accordingly  even  before  it  actually 
comes,  just  as  a  betrothed  female  (remains  prepared  for  a  separation 
from  her  parental  home),  or  just  as  an  ascetic  remains  prepared  for 


378  JNANESHWARI 

renouncing  the  worldly  affairs;  in  that  way,  he  wards  off  future 
births  and  kills  future  deaths  through  his  present  birth  and  (impending) 
death,  and  abides  in  the  form  of  the  Self.  One,  who  is  thus  relieved 
of  the  misery  of  birth,  does  not  experience  any  lack  of  knowledge 
personally.  Similarly,  when  he  is  still  in  the  flower  of  youth  and  the 
icy  hand  of  old  age  has  not  yet  touched  (and  blasted)  his  bodily  frame, 
he  reflects.  Says  he  "the  fat  in  my  body  will  be  dried  up  like  vegetable 
chops  exposed  to  the  sun  ( ^fnren:),  and  my  hands  and  feet  will  some 
time  get  powerless  and  unavailing  like  the  business  of  an  unlucky 
person,  my  physical  strength  will  be  reduced  to  the  state  of  a  king, 
with  no  ministers  (to  counsel  him),  my  head  which  is  so  fond  of 
flowers,  will  be  rugged  with  swellings  all  over  it  like  the  knees  of  a 
camel  and  will  get  disease  just  like  the  hoofs  of  cattle  that  get  disease 
in  the  month  of  Ashadh  (July-monsoon);  (Further)  these  mine 
eyes,  which  at  present  vie  with  the  lotus-petals,  will  be  lustreless 
like  ripe  Padval  (M-s<»o4-a  vegetable  fruit),  the  eyebrows  will  hang 
down  over  the  eyes  like  the  stale  rind,  while  the  chest  will  get  rotten, 
with  the  (constant)  falling  of  tears  on  it;  the  mouth  (and  also  the  face) 
will  get  sticky  with  the  oo2ing  of  saliva  just  as  the  trunk  of  a  Babul 
tree  gets  slushy  and  slippery  with  the  saliva  of  the  chameleon;  the 
ugly  nose  will  be  full  of  snot,  just  as  the  space  in  front  of  a  cooking 
hearth  gets  dirty  with  filthy  water  (<am^);  the  lips  which  at  persent 
get  painted  (red)  with  the  chewing  of  betel  nut  and  leaves  (cTf^T) 
while  the  beauteous  rows  of  my  teeth  are  displayed  in  the  act  of 
smiling  and  make  the  pronunciation  of  the  alphabet  quite  clear  and 
distinct;  that  very  mouth  will  get  full  of  a  flow  of  gobs  of  phlegm, 
while  all  the  molar  and  other  teeth  will  become  feeble  and  fall  off. 
Just  as  a  farmer  sinks  low  under  the  burden  of  debts,  or  just  as  the 
animals  sink  down  and  become  unable  to  stand  on  their  (weakened) 
legs  through  constant  falling  of  rain,  in  that  way  the  tongue  will  get 
feeble  and  unable  to  move,  whatever  remedies  be  made  to  make  it 
move.  Just  as  the  fibres  of  dry  husk  (f^)  are  blown  off  and  scattered 
all  over  the  hillock  with  the  blowing  of  the  wind,  in  that  way  the  hair 
on  the  face  will  all  drop  down.  Just  as  the  mountain  peaks  ooze 
out  water-springs  in  the  month  of  Ashadha  (July-monsoon)  in  that 
way  will  flow  out  floods  of  saliva  through  the  valley  of  the  mouth. 
The  organ  of  speech  will  develop  an  incoherent  babble,  the  ears  will 
get  deaf,  while  the  entire  body  will  look  like  a  baboon.  Just  as  a 
scarecrow  made  of  (^3T^)  swings  backwards  and  forwards  in  the 
gust  so  my  entire  body  will  quiver.  The  legs  will  totter  while  the 
hands  (and  fingers)  will  get  curved.  In  this  way  the  entire  show  of 


XIII.    KSETRA  AND   KSETRAJIsfA  379 

beauty  will  be  lost  (by  old  age).  The  organs  letting  out  the  excreta 
(urine  and  faeces)  will  be  powerless  and  stop  functioning,  while 
others  (my  kith  and  kin)  will  pray  to  God  earnestly  desiring  my 
early  death.  Looking  at  my  plight,  people  will  spit  (with  a  feeling 
of  disgust)  and  the  very  death  will  have  to  be  sought  after  and  prayed 
for  to  come,  while  the  kith  and  kin  will  get  tired  of  me.  The  female 
folk  will  call  me  a  ghost,  while  the  children  will  faint  at  my  sight, 
and  I  shall  be  a  subject  of  loath-some  feeling.  My  coughing  fits 
will  tire  out  the  people  in  the  adjoining  houses  by  disturbing  their 
sleep  and  they  will  exclaim,  "He  will  be  a  nuisance  to  so  many." 
He  (such  a  one)  takes  into  account  before  hand,  while  he  is  in  his 
youth,  these  coming  symptoms  of  old  age  and  developes  a  disgust 
for  them.  He  questions  himself,  "See  all  this  (state)  is  going  to  come 
and  end  the  existing  bodily  enjoyments!  What  is  going  to  remain 
with  me  that  would  secure  my  good?  I  should  therefore  hear  all 
(that  is  worth  hearing)  before  I  get  deaf;  I  should  walk  and  reach 
the  destination  before  I  get  crippled  in  the  feet;  I  should  see  (things 
that  count)  as  much  as  I  can,  while  yet  the  vision  is  intact;  my  speech 
should  overflow  with  good  words  before  I  become  dumb;  I  should 
engage  my  hands  in  distributing  charities  and  doing  good  actions 
before,  as  I  know  for  certain,  they  are  paralysed;  I  should  think 
out  (and  secure)  the  best  knowledge  of  Atman  beforehand,  since 
(such)  a  state  is  going  to  come  when  the  mind  will  be  quite  insane." 
(He  further  says)  "(It  is  better  that)  the  riches  should  be  concealed 
this  day  if  it  is  learnt  that  the  thieves  are  going  to  attack  and  rob 
one  on  the  morrow:  it  is  advisable  to  keep  things  (grain  and  other 
articles  of  food)  well  covered  (cared  for)  before  the  lights  are  all 
out;  realising  the  fact  that  the  body  (along  with  its  present  exuberant 
energy)  will  be  scarcely  of  any  utility  at  the  advent  of  old  age  when 
its  energy  is  very  nearly  exhausted,  he  makes  the  best  use  of  it  (to 
attain  salvation)  here  and  now;  he  courts  complete  ruin,  who  sees 
that  the  trees  in  the  forest  are  all  in  a  devastated  condition,  or  the 
birds  are  speedily  flying  back  (to  their  nests),  a  warning  that  a  storm 
is  imminent,  and  yet  neglects  the  warning  and  starts  on  bis  journey; 
in  that  way  the  body  breaks  down  with  the  advent  of  old  age  even 
though  he  (the  embodied  one)  might  be  having  longevity  of  a  century, 
and  yet  this  is  not  realized!  With  the  advent  of  old  age,  one  even  with 
a  longevity  of  hundred  years,  is  unable  to  do  anything,  in  the  way 
no  additional  seed  drops  down  from  a  sesame  follicle,  which  is  already 
thrashed  (and  therefore  empty),  or  in  the  way,  the  fire  cannot  bum 
the  ash.  Therefore,  that  person  should  be  known  as  possessing  real 


380  JNANESHWARI 

knowledge,  who  ever  keeps  fresh  the  memory  of  the  advent  of  old 
age  and  leads  such  a  life,  while  yet  in  youth,  that  would  enable  him 
to  keep  out  of  its  (old  age)  clutches.  Similarly,  he  makes  the  best 
use  of  his  healthy  body  before  the  diverse  diseases  come  and  paralyse 
it.  A  wise  man  throws  away  the  morsel  of  food  chewn  by  a  serpent; 
similarly  he  discards  all  attachment  for  the  objects  separation  from 
which  brings  about  sorrow,  distress  and  lamentation,  and  getting 
indifferent  about  them,  abides  all  happy  (in  the  bliss  of  the  self).  He 
hermitically  closes  the  doors  of  actions  by  stuffiing  into  them  round 
stones  in  the  form  of  self-restraint  and  comprehensive  self-governance 
(wfriTR") — the  doors  through  which  the  sins  try  to  gain  entrance. 
One,  who  with  such  devices,  conducts  himself  cautiously  is  alone 
the  master  of  the  riches  in  the  form  of  knowledge.  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
I  shall  tell  you  one  more  unique  quality  and  hear  it. 

9  "Absence  of  fondness  and  of  passionate  clinging  towards 
son,  wife,  home  and  the  like;  and  a  constant  Equanimity 
of  disposition  under  all  desired  and  undesired  continge- 
ncies: (594) 

He  remains  apathetic  in  regard  to  his  person  in  the  way  a  wayfarer 
sits  (resting)  in  a  carvansari.  He  does  not  harbour  even  as  much 
attachment  for  his  own  household  as  one  would  for  the  shade  of  a 
tree  under  which  he  rests  on  his  way.  He  never  feels  any  attraction 
for  his  wife  in  the  way  one  does  not  notice  his  own  shadow  even 
though  it  is  ever  by  his  side.  He  treats  his  progeny  as  if  they  were 
wayfarers  only  (temporarily)  staying  with  him,  or  as  if  they  were 
herds  of  cattle  resting  at  noon  time  under  a  tree-shade.  Even  though 
in  the  midst  of  riches,  he  appears,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  as  if  he  is  there 
as  a  mere  onlooker  passing  by.  In  short,  he  abides  strictly  following 
the  directions  contained  in  the  Vedas,  as  if  he  is  a  parrot  confined 
to  a  cage.  Even  though  he  never  gets  entangled  in  any  fondness  or 
passionate  clinging  towards  his  wife,  home,  or  son,  yet  he  is  the  foster- 
mother  (resting  place)  of  knowledge.  To  him  both  good  and  evil 
(things)  are  the  same,  in  the  way  the  summer  and  the  rainy  season 
are  to  the  ocean.  Pleasure  and  pain  make  no  difference  to  his  mind, 
in  the  way  the  three  periods  of  the  day  (morning,  noon  and  evening) 


XIII.    KSETRA  AND   KSETRAJtfA  381 

make  no  difference  to  the  Sun.  One  in  whom  there  is  never  found 
wanting  evenness  of  disposition  like  the  sky — in  such  a  one  dwells 
incarnate,  sterling  knowledge,  know  ye. 

10  "Further,  unswerving  Devotion  towards  Me  in  concentred- 
application  ( Yoga) ,  Retiring  to  secluded  spots,  Dislike  for 
worldly-haunts:  (604) 

His  firm  notion  (in  body,  speech  and  mind)  is  that  there  is  nothing 
else  in  the  world,  that  is  superior  to  'Me'  (Supreme  Sprit).  His  body, 
speech  and  mind  have  drunk  deep  the  truth  in  the  firm  determination 
of  seeing  no  other  path  but  the  one  leading  to  Me.  In  fine  one,  whose 
heart  is  ever  associated  with  Me,  has  prepared  a  common  bed  to  be 
shared  by  us  both.  Just  as  a  wife  does  not  feel  any  diffidence,  either 
physically  or  mentally,  in  making  contact  with  her  husband,  in  that 
way,  he  makes  contact  (with  me)  with  an  open  and  free  mind.  The 
waters  of  the  Ganges  join  and  become  identical  with  the  sea.  (In 
that  way)  he  becomes  one  with  my  essence  and  worships  me  whole- 
heartedly. To  rise,  as  also  to  set  along  with  the  sun, — such  an  entire 
dependence  only  adorns  the  (sun's)  splendour.  The  rising  over  its 
surface  on  the  part  of  the  water  is  popularly  called  a  ripple,  even 
though  it  is  the  same  water.  In  that  way,  one,  who  has  thus  set  his 
heart  wholly  on  me,  and  worships  me  even  after  dissolving  his  per- 
sonality into  mine,  is  the  very  idol  of  knowledge.  One  who  has  a 
liking  for  staying  in  sacred  places  such  as  the  banks  of  holy  waters 
and  rivers  and  in  clean  dense  forests  and  mountain  caves,  and  who 
with  great  regard,  resorts  to  mountain  valleys  and  places  bordering 
on  water  reservoirs,  and  never  visits  inhabited  localities,  such  as 
villages  and  towns,  and  who  feels  great  love  for  seclusion  and  (simul- 
taneous) disgust  for  human  habitation,  such  a  one,  know  ye,  is  know- 
ledge itself  in  human  form.  Now  I  shall  tell  you  about  further  at- 
tributes of  knowledge  to  elucidate  the  subject. 

l^d^Mfafd  sftrMMM  <14<fts«4im  II    \\  II 

11  "Ceaseless  pursuit  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Self,  and  Insight, 
into  the  end  of  the  knowledge  of  Reality:  all  this  is  declared 


382  JNANESHWARI 

to  be  Knowledge  (as  such);  what  is  otherwise  than  this, 
is  Nescience.  (616) 

He  is  firmly  of  the  belief  that  there  exists  only  one  princple  (known 
as)  Supreme  Soul,  and  it  can  be  seen;  and  that  knowledge  through 
which  it  can  be  seen  is  the  real  knowledge,  other  (kinds  of)  knowledge, 
such  as  of  mundane  existence  and  of  heaven,  being  in  fact  only  ignor- 
ance. He  casts  away  the  very  idea  of  the  attainment  of  heaven,  and 
refuses  to  hear  (pay  attention  to)  any  talk  pertaining  to  mundane 
existence,  and  with  righteous  feelings  sinks  deep  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  Supreme  (^ic^nl).  just  as  a  traveller  should  seek  out  and 
follow  the  right  royal  road,  avoiding  the  bypaths,  where  the  road 
diverges  into  several  sideways,  in  that  way  he  leads  his  mind  and  in- 
tellect straight  into  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme,  casting  aside 
all  other  knowledge.  He  affirms  (in  his  mind)  that,  that  is  the  only 
truth,  all  other  things  being  mere  illusions,  and  with  such  a  resolute 
notion  he  remains  firm  (in  mind)  like  the  mountain  Meru.  In  this 
way  his  belief  remains  fixed  at  the  door  of  the  knowledge  of  the  self, 
like  Dhruva  (the  North-Polar  star)  in  the  sky.  There  can  never  be 
any  doubt  of  the  fact  that  the  real  knowledge  abides  in  such  a  one, 
since  he  already  becomes  knowledge  itself,  when  his  mind  steadies 
itself  into  it  (and  I — the  Supreme — am  that  knowledge).  Now  the 
end  (the  Supreme)  that  is  revealed  after  the  steady  pose  of  the  mind, 
cannot  be  realised  merely  by  verbal  understanding  of  the  process; 
still  (even)  that  verbal  understanding  resembles  knowledge  in  so 
far  as  it  is  a  means  to  achieve  the  end.  Besides,  he  sees  straight  (before 
his  eyes)  the  object  of  knowledge,  which  is  in  fact,  the  fruit  of  pure 
(religious)  philosophy.  Otherwise,  should  one  not  be  able  to  see 
directly  the  object  of  knowledge  when  he  has  apparently  imbibed 
knowledge,  it  cannot  be  said  that  he  has  attained  knowledge.  Of 
what  avail  is  a  lamp  in  the  hands  of  a  blind  person?  In  that  way, 
should  the  object  of  knowledge  be  not  visible,  the  so-called  attain- 
ment of  knowledge  is  of  no  avail  whatever.  If  the  Supreme  Spirit 
cannot  be  revealed  by  the  Light  of  Knowledge,  that  inspiration  of 
knowledge  (intellect)  must  be  called  blind.  Therefore,  the  intellect 
(inspiration  of  knowledge)  should  be  so  clear  that  it  should  be  able 
to  reflect  (only)  the  form  of  the  essence  of  Supreme  that  knowledge 
would  show.  Therefore,  (only)  the  one,  whose  inspiration  (intellect) 
has  become  so  clear,  reflects  the  object  of  knowledge  (the  Supreme 
Spirit)  shown  by  pure  knowledge.  It  hardly  needs  telling  that  he  is 
the  very  incarnation  of  knowledge,  whose  intellect  is  as  extensive 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJ^A  383 

(as  to  be  able  to  see  the  Supreme  Spirit)  as  knowledge  itself.  One 
whose  intellect  attains  the  object  of  knowledge,  along  with  the 
splendour  of  knowledge,  makes  contact  with  and  joins  hands  with 
the  Supreme,  And  what  wonder  it  is,  if  he  is  called  the  very  knowledge 
incarnate,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu?  Need  the  Sun  be  called  the  Sun?" 
At  this  stage  the  hearers  (of  Jnanadev)  said,  "Let  it  alone.  Do  not 
preach  in  extenso.  Why  create  obstacles  in  the  preaching  of  this 
Scripture?  We  have  had  a  good  reception  from  you  in  the  form 
of  your  oration  in  the  great  and  detailed  sermon  on  knowledge. 
You  have  adopted  the  poet's  (usual)  style  .of  introducing  ample 
eloquence  in  the  description.  But  now  that  you  have  invited  us, 
why  make  an  enemy  of  us  (by  creating  obstacles)?  Were  (a  lady) 
to  take  away  the  very  food  cooked  and  ready  for  being  served,  as 
one  takes  his  seat  for  a  meal,  of  what  value  would  her  polite  mode 
of  reception  in  other  ways  be?  However  good  in  other  respects  a 
cow  be,  who  would  feed  such  a  kicker  that  resists  (with  kicks)  while 
being  milked?  In  that  way  (some),  in  whose  intellect  there  has  not 
been  any  spreading  out  (enlightenment)  of  knowledge,  do  utter 
meaningless  words  (using  them  as  counters)  that  carry  no  signi- 
ficance; but  let  that  alone.  You  have  delivered  the  sermon  in  a  very 
nice,  lucid  way.  That  subject  of  knowledge,  for  securing  a  particle 
of  which,  one  has  to  undergo  very  great  labour  and  trouble  in  the 
form  of  the  study  of  the  Yoga  Discipline,  is  in  itself  very  interesting; 
over  and  above  that  there  is  an  eloquent  preaching  (like  that) 
of  yours.  Who  would  grumble  and  complain  if  there  were  a 
constant  shower  of  nectar?  Or  would  anyone  impatiently  count 
days  (getting  tired)  of  happiness,  even  were  such  days  to  swell 
into  crores?  Would  not  the  bird  Chakor  keep  on  constantly 
looking  at  the  (full)  Moon,  on  a  full  moon- night,  even  were 
such  a  night  to  last  for  an  entire  Yuga  (Age)?  In  that  way  there 
is  already  your  sermon  on  the  subject  of  knowledge,  and  added 
to  that  there  is  (your)  eloquence;  who  would  then  say  "Enough 
of  it"  while  hearing  it?  (There  is)  a  lucky  guest  (capable  of  doing 
full  justice  to  food),  and  the  hostess  happens  to  be  a  lady  well- 
versed  in  cooking;  with  such  a  combination,  what  wonder  is 
there  if  it  is  felt  to  be  of  a  short  duration,  however  prolonged 
the  meal  may  be?  Similar  is  the  present  occasion.  We  entertained 
already  a  keen  desire  for  knowledge,  and  added  to  that  there  is  a 
liking  on  your  part  for  preaching  that  subject  (with  full  interest).  This 
has  multiplied  four-fold  our  interest  and  attention  to  the  sermon 
and  we  cannot  help  saying  that  you  really  are  "the  seer  of  knowledge". 


384  JNANESHWARI 

Now,  therefore,  do  enter  into  the  central  hall  (kernel)  of  your  intellect 
and  through  its  (intellect's)  glory  proceed  with  the  full  preaching 
of  the  sub-stanza  (relating  to  ignorance)."  At  these  words  of  the 
saints,  Jnanadev,  the  disciple  of  Nivritti,  said,  "Yes,  I  also  desire 
the  same  thing;  Oh  saints,  since  you  direct  me,  I  would  not  prolong 
the  talk  needlessly.  So  now  hear.  Lord  Krishna  thus  narrated  to 
Dhanurdhara  the  eighteen  attributes  of  knowledge.  Then  the  Lord 
added  "Knowledge  should  be  known  by  all  these  (attributes).  This 
is  my  view  and  it  is  confirmed  by  all  the  learned.  Just  as  the  round 
Avala  (3TFTo5r)  fruit,  placed  on  a  palm  can  be  vividly  seen  rocking, 
even  so  I  have  shown  you  knowledge  in  a  way  that  can  make  your 
eyes  see  it  (vividly).  Now,  Oh  highly  talented  Dhananjaya,  I  shall 
tell  you,  with  its  symptoms,  what  is  called  nescience  (3T5TPT).  Ordi- 
narily, once  the  knowledge  is  known,  nescience  can  also  easily  be 
known  since,  what  is  not  knowledge  is  automatically  nescience. 
Just  see,  with  the  end  of  the  day  there  only  remains  the  turn  of  the 
night  to  follow,  there  being  no  third  thing  intervening.  In  that  way, 
where  there  is  no  knowledge,  there  is  only  nescience;  yet  I  tell  you 
some  of  its  (glaring)  symptoms.  One  who  expects  to  be  treated 
respectably  and  keenly  desires  honour  and  feels  pleased  at  proper 
reception:  one  who  never  likes  to  climb  down  from  a  high  ranking 
position  like  the  stiff  peaks  (  Ri<sA )  of  mountains:  In  such  a  one 
dwells  complete  nescience.  He  erects  aloft  (in  the  form  of  tall  talk) 
his  acts  of  charity,  woven  in  flowery  language,  like  the  string  of  grass 
inwoven  with  leaves  of  Pimpal  tree  and  hung  high  on  a  broom  stick 
in  a  temple.  He  makes  a  great  show  of  his  learning  and  indulges 
in  tom-tomming  his  good  actions,  while  all  his  efforts  are  directed 
towards  attaining  honours  and  fame.  He  adorns  his  person  lavishly 
with  fine  things  (fragrant  unguents),  but  displays  the  spirit  of  a  miser 
in  offering  hospitality  to  people  (guests).  Such  a  one  is  a  regular 
mine  of  nescience,  know  ye.  Just  as  the  wild  forest  fire  causes  the 
burning  of  the  (neighbouring)  movables  and  immovables  (trees  and 
animals),  in  that  way  the  world  has  to  suffer  misery  from  the  actions 
of  such  a  person.  Even  his  casual  talk  pinches  more  (acutely)  than 
does  a  pointed  iron  bar,  while  his  thoughts  and  feelings  are  more 
deadly  than  even  poison.  Great  nescience  dwells  in  him;  in  fact 
he  is  the  very  hoard  of  nescience,  since  his  life  is  the  very  rest-house 
of  violence.  In  the  way  the  bellows  get  full  when  the  wind  is  pumped 
in  and  get  empty, when  the  wind  is  pumped  out,  he  gets  elated  at 
gains  and  despondent  at  losses.  Just  as  the  dust,  being  entangled 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJtiA  385 

in  a  whirlwind,  ascends  high  up  in  the  sky,  in  that  way  he  is  trans- 
ported at  his  praise  and  gets  miserable,  pressing  his  forehead  with 
his  palms,  at  hearing  him-self  slandered,  like  the  mud  which  oozes 
with  a  little  water  and  dries  with  a  light  breeze.  He  behaves  like  that 
when  he  is  honoured  and  dishonoured:  he  cannot  withstand  any 
onslaught  (on  his)  feelings  and  there  dwells  complete  nescience  in 
him.  Internally  his  mind  is  knotty  (crooked),  though  outwardly  his 
talk  and  glance  appear  frank.  He  would  embrace  one  (as  a  token 
of  love  and  friendship),  but  in  practice  whole-heartedly  help  another 
(one's  rival).  Like  the  spreading  out  of  feed  by  a  hunter  in  order  to 
inveigle  his  prey,  he  outwardly  shows  cordiality  (in  his  behaviour) 
and  wins  the  heart  of  good  people.  His  outward  actions  appear 
perfectly  good,  like  a  flint  appearing  green  with  the  growth  of  moss 
over  it,  or  like  the  ripe  yellow  fruit  of  the  bitter  neem  (Margosa) 
tree.  Nescience  is  fully  stored  up  with  such  persons,  there  is  no  doubt 
about  it ;  take  it  to  be  the  truth.  He  feels  ashamed  of  the  family  (name) 
of  his  preceptor,  and  considers  any  act  of  devotion  to  him  as  a  great 
nuisance.  He  only  secures  his  learning  (knowledge)  from  the  preceptor 
and  then  turning  hostile  shows  arrogance  towards  him:  The  mere 
mention  of  such  a  one  (by  the  tongue)  is  as  heinous  as  swallowing 
the  food  (cooked  by)  of  a  pariah;  but  such  a  mention  becomes  neces- 
sary while  exhaustively  enumerating  the  symptoms  of  Nescience. 
Now  we  shall  describe  the  devotion  towards  the  preceptor,  which 
(action)  will  operate  as  an  expiation  (STPTf^f)  for  the  tongue,  since 
the  remembrance  of  the  preceptor's  name  is  as  much  Light-giving 
(purificatory)  to  the  disciple  as  the  Sun  is  generally  to  all.  This  ex- 
piation will  enable  one  to  get  safely  through  (RtttAsi)  the  sin  that 
has  been  committed  by  the  tongue  in  making  a  mention  of  (the  name 
of)  one  bearing  malice  against  the  preceptor.  This  (remembrance 
of  the  name  of  the  preceptor)  will  clean  wash  off  the  sins  committed 
by  (mentioning)  the  name  of  that  malice-bearing  one.  Now  hear 
some  more  symptoms  of  nescience.  He  (one  with  nescience)  is  weak 
in  (conducting)  his  actions,  while  his  mind  is  full  of  suspicion  like 
an  out-of-the-way  well  (which  is  considered  inauspicious)  in  the 
wilderness,  the  opening  of  which  is  covered  with  thorny  bush  while 
the  interior  is  full  exclusively  of  bones :  like  that  well  he  is  internally 
and  externally  most  unholy.  Just  as  a  hungry  dog  cares  little  (to  see) 
if  the  food  he  devours  is  kept  well-covered  or  uncovered,  in  that 
way,  while  (engaged  in)  securing  wealth  he  cares  little  to  see  if  it  is 
(rightfully)  his  own  or  belongs  to  some  one  else.  Similarly,  just  as 


386  JNANESHWARI 

there  is  little  consideration  with  village  pigs  regarding  the  suitability 
or  otherwise  of  the  place  for  sexual  intercourse,  (in  the  same  way) 
he  is  never  thoughtful  where  females  are  concerned.  He  never  feels 
sorry  in  the  least  if  he  is  to  miss  the  (due)  time  of  the  performance 
of  actions  or  omits  to  perform  his  enjoined  day-to-day  or  occasional 
duties.  He  neither  feels  ashamed  of  committing  sins  nor  feels  any 
regard  for  good  actions  ( $T )  and  his  mind  is  ever  flooded  with  evil 
notions.  Such  a  one,  know  ye,  is  the  very  idol  of  nescience,  and  his 
eye  is  ever  greedily  fixed  on  the  acquisition  of  wealth.  He  deviates 
from  courage  (the  path  of  virtue)  even  for  a  bit  of  gain,  just  as  the 
grass-seed  drops  down  from  the  grass  even  with  a  jerk  of  an  ant. 
Just  as  a  puddle  gets  stirred-up  (and  muddled)  with  the  dipping  of 
a  foot  into  it,  in  that  way  he  gets  terror-stricken  even  at  the  mention 
of  danger.  His  mind  is  carried  away  along  with  the  forceful  current 
of  "castles  in  the  air"  just  as  a  melon  (ffw)  falling  into  floods  is 
carried  away  along  with  the  current.  Just  as  dust  is  driven  off  to 
a  great  distance  in  the  sky  (air)  along  with  a  strong  breeze,  so  his 
mind  is  violently  deranged  at  hearing  any  sorrowful  news.  Like 
a  dust-storm,  he  never  remains  steady  anywhere  and  never  thinks 
of  staying  at  places  of  pilgrimage  or  holy  waters  or  in  any  town  or 
city.  He  ever  remains  wandering  fruitlessly  like  a  puffed  up  chameleon 
keeping  ever  running  from  the  top  to  the  foot  and  from  the  foot  to 
the  top  of  a  tree,  Just  as  an  earthen  jar  (<H1)  does  not  stand  steady 
unless  part-buried  (settled)  in  the  ground,  in  that  way,  he  keeps  on 
wandering  about;  he  is  at  rest  only  when  asleep.  There  dwells  in 
him  nescience  in  abundance,  while  in  point  of  fickleness,  he  is  the 
very  brother  of  a  monkey.  And,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  he  does  not 
exercise  the  least  degree  of  self-control  over  his  mind.  He  never 
feels  afraid  in  any  way  to  face  censure  in  the  way  the  strong  current 
of  a  brook  defies  (and  breaks  through)  a  bund  of  sand.  By  his  actions, 
he  breaks  his  religious  vows  (3%),  kicks  (disregards  and  insults) 
his  own  religion  and  transgresses  the  rules  (laid  down  by  scriptures). 
He  is  never  sick  of  sins,  nor  does  he  feel  any  regard  for  good  actions 
i1!®*),  and  roots  out  all  sense  of  shame.  He  turns  his  back  on  family 
(religious)  usages  and  keeps  far  away  from  the  mandates  of  the  Vedas, 
and  never  knows  (how)  to  discriminate  between  good  and  bad  actions. 
He  is  uncontrolled  like  a  stray  (free)  bullock  (dedicated  to  God), 
or  wild  like  the  strong  wind,  and  (uncontrolled)  like  a  water  channel 
whose  banks  are  cut  (by  the  flood).  His  mind  runs  amuck  after  the 
objects  of  the  senses  just  like  a  blind  elephant  in  rut,  or  like  a  con- 
flagration on  a  mountain.  Is  there  anything  not  liable  to  be  flung 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJtfA  '  387 

on  a  dung  hill  (^Phst),  or  who  will  not  discover  a  (lost)  thing  lying 
in  an  open  unprotected  place  (  4l+ld  ),  or  who  will  not  cross  the 
threshold  of  the  town-gate?  It  is  open  to  anyone  to  take  food  in 
a  free  kitchen  (3t^*ii1);  a  low  person,  when  suddenly  elevated  to 
a  high  rank  and  power,  enjoys  his  position  recklessly;  any  man  may 
enter  the  house  of  a  prostitute,  his  mind  is  like  that,  and  there  is  in 
it,  know  ye,  an  abundance  of  complete  nescience.  He  does  not  ab- 
andon his  great  liking  for  the  objects  of  the  senses  whether  alive 
or  dead,  and  makes  preparation  even  while  here  (on  the  earth)  to  be 
able  to  have  enjoyments  in  Heaven.  Ever  taking  particular  care  of 
enjoyment,  he  has  the  vicious  hobby  of  performing  fruit-motived 
actions,  and  takes  a  cleansing  bath  should  he  see  the  face  of  an  ascetic 
(teKrb).  The  objects  of  the  senses  might  themselves  get  tired  (of 
him);  yet  he  himself  is  never  tired  (of  them),  but  he  fails  to  realise  this 
ludicrous  stituation,  in  the  way  a  leper  never  feels  in  any  way  repug- 
nant at  having  to  eat  with  his  leprous  hand.  A  she-donkey  does  not 
allow  a  male-donkey  running  after  her  (in  lust)  even  to  touch  her, 
and  further  smashes  his  nose  by  her  kicks;  yet  he  does  not  turn  back 
but  continues  to  run  after  her.  In  that  way  he  takes  a  leap  into  burning 
fire  (i.e.  is  ready  to  run  any  risk)  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  sense-objects 
and  makes  a  parade  of  diverse  vices,  proudly  looking  upon  them 
as  his  ornaments.  A  deer  runs  in  full  speed  (after  a  mirage)  till  it 
breaks  its  blood  vessel,  with  an  ardent  desire  for  water,  yet  it  never 
comes  to  think  that  it  (mirage)  is  not  real  water,  but  is  only  an  optical 
illusion  (mirage).  In  that  way  even  though  troubled  in  various  ways 
by  the  objects  of  the  senses,  from  birth  to  death,  he  never  feels  nausea 
for  them,  but  on  the  contrary,  clings  to  them  with  greater  love.  In 
the  initial  stage  of  his  childhood,  he  is  mad  with  affection  for  his 
parents,  and  when  this  affection  comes  to  an  end,  he  stands  charmed 
with  the  person  of  his  youthful  wife.  While  he  is  enjoying  the  charms 
of  his  wife,  old  age  slowly  creeps  in,  and  with  its  coming  that  love 
(for  the  wife)  is  transferred  to  the  offspring.  He  remains  huddled 
up  in  the  house  in  the  company  of  his  children,  like  the  blind-born 
young  (of  a  cat  or  a  dog),  yet  he  never  feels  tired  (of  that  enjoyment) 
of  the  sense-objects  till  the  end  of  his  life.  Know  ye,  there  is  no  limit 
to  the  nescience  of  such  a  man.  I  shall  now  mention  some  more 
symptoms  (of  such  a  one).  He  begins  his  actions  with  the  (wrong) 
assumption  that  the  body  is  the  soul  and  throbs  (with  pleasure)  at 
the  exhibition  of  whatever  defective  or  effective  actions  he  performs. 
He  walks  erect  and  stiff  in  the  conceit  of  his  youth  and  learning, 
as  a  devotee  ("TTcT)  does  as  soon  as  the  image  of  God  comes  to  be 


388  JNANESHWARI 

placed  on  his  head.  He  boasts  and  says,  "I  am  the  only  rich  person 
having  wealth  in  my  house,  who  else  can  possibly  reach  my  standard 
so  far  as  conduct  and  practice  are  concerned?  No  one  is  as  great  as 
I  am.  I  am  all-knowing  and  whatever  I  say  is  accepted  (by  others)". 
He  swells  with  satisfaction  and  vanity,  being  infected  with  superiority- 
complex.  Just  as  one  suffering  from  a  malady  cannot  relish  any 
sort  of  enjoyment,  in  that  way,  he  cannot  bear  the  sight  of  the  well- 
being  (good)  of  anyone  else.  Just  see,  a  (burning)  lamp  consumes 
the  wick,  as  also  the  entire  oil,  and  wherever  placed,  that  place  gets 
blackened  just  like  carbon.  It  makes  a  cracking  sound  if  water  is 
sprinkled  on  it  and  is  extinguished  by  a  sniff;  if  it  comes  into  contact 
with  anything,  it  does  not  leave  (unconsumed)  even  a  particle  (^rrgt) 
of  it.  Even  though  it  gives  a  mild  light,  it  (lamp)  creates  warmth 
(heat);  like  such  a  lamp  he  becomes  intolerable  with  such  (scanty) 
learning.  Milk  administered  (even)  as  a  medicine  to  a  person  suffering 
from  typhus  produces  evil  consequences  (by  intensifying  the  disease), 
or  if  given  to  a  serpent  (and  drunk  by  it)  it  turns  into  poison ;  in  that 
way  he  is  spiteful  even  though  possessing  good  qualities,  is  full  of 
conceit  even  though  learned,  and  is  greatly  rigid  and  stiff  in  spite  of 
his  austerities  and  knowledge.  He  is  found  puffed  up  with  pride 
like  a  low-born  person  (3T?*F3r)  seated  on  a  throne,  or  like  a  python 
who  has  swallowed  a  pillar  (supporting  the  churning  handle).  He 
is  just  as  unbending  (stiff)  as  a  wooden  roller  (?TTSW),  his  heart  like 
a  stone,  never  melts  (with  pity)  and  he  never  submits  to  one  possessing 
good  quality,  just  as  the  reptile  called  "Furase"  (a  species  of  coluber) 
does  not  yield  to  the  incantation  of  a  snake-charmer.  In  short  nesci- 
ence is  ever  on  the  increase  in  the  case  of  such  a  one,  I  tell  you  of 
certainty  and  further,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  even  though  he  takes  great 
care  of  his  body  and  his  house  yet  never  cares  to  look  at  his  past  and 
future  (births)  but  forgets  them  just  as  an  ungrateful  person  forgets 
his  obligations  for  good  done  to  him,  or  as  a  thief  forgets  the  riches 
entrusted  to  him,  or  as  a  shameless  person  forgets  the  reproof  ad- 
ministered to  him.  Just  as  a  roving  dog,  once  driven  away  from  the 
house  with  his  tail  and  ears  cut,  returns  to  it  again  alomst  immediately, 
even  before  the  blood  of  its  wounds  is  dry:  or  as  a  toad  even  while 
it  is  itself  swallowed  by  a  snake,  does  not  forget  the  flies,  but  lolls 
up  its  tongue  to  catch  them;  in  that  way  he  does  not  feel  any  distress 
in  the  least  at  the  cutaneous  disease  brought  on  by  the  oozing  out 
of  the  nine  gates  of  the  body.  He  was  nearly  boiled  in  the  heated 
atmosphere,  full  of  layers  of  faeces,  during  his  nine  months'  stay  in 
the  mother's  womb,  yet  he  never  recollects  in  the  least  his  sufferings 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJNA  389 

during  that  stage  nor  yet  his  birth  pangs.  His  mouth  never  spits 
(out)  nor  does  he  feel  any  disgust  at  the  sight  of  a  child  lying  on  the 
lap  and  rolling  in  its  faeces  and  urine.  He  never  even  thinks  of  his 
(previous)  life  that  has  just  come  to  an  end  or  of  the  new  one  that  is 
(just  about)  to  come:  Similarly  he  never  worries  himself  about  the 
coming  death  in  the  din  of  the  prosperity  during  his  present  life. 
His  mind  is  not  even  prepared  to  admit  the  existence  of  any  state 
like  death,  feeling  confident  of  the  existing  state  of  his  being  alive  and 
its  continuance.  Just  as  the  fish  in  the  pond  with  a  scanty  supply 
of  water,  does  not  go  to  any  other  place  of  deep  water,  sticking  on 
(where  he  is)  in  the  vain  hope  that  it  (pond)  would  never  go  dry;  or 
just  as  a  deer  enchanted  with  music  does  not  perceive  the  approach 
of  a  hunter;  or  just  as  a  fish  not  perceiving  the  deadly  hook  (secreted 
inside)  swallows  the  bait:  or  just  as  the  moth  lured  by  the  brilliance 
of  the  lamp,  does  not  realise  that  the  intense  heat  of  the  burning  lamp 
would  burn  it;  or  just  as  a  lazy  person  in  the  pleasure  of  sound  sleep 
does  not  see  that  the  house  is  on  fire ;  or  just  as  food  should  unknowingly 
be  cooked  along  with  poison;  in  that  way  he  does  not  realise,  while 
immersed  in  the  Rajas  (worldly)  pleasures  that  the  very  Death  has 
come  in  the  guise  of  life  (birth).  He  considers  the  growth  of  his  body, 
the  passing  of  days  and  nights  and  the  glory  of  the  enjoyment  of 
sense-objects  as  real  events.  Poor  fellow!  he  does  not  know  that  a 
complete  surrender  to  him  by  a  prostitute  along  with  all  that  is  hers, 
means  nothing  else  but  making  him  utterly  destitute.  The  friendly 
association  by  a  traveller  with  a  thief  spells  his  own  death :  (so  also) 
to  wash  off  the  dirt  from  a  picture  painted  on  a  (mud)  wall  is  nothing 
else  but  its  destruction  (effacement).  It  is  (a  sign  of)  death  (and  not 
health)  for  an  anaemic  patient  to  have  a  swollen  body;  in  that  way 
he  gets  deluded,  his  thought  never  going  beyond  eating  and  sleeping, 
but  does  not  realize  it.  A  person,  running  fast  towards  a  stake,  stand- 
ing in  front  of  him  and  on  which  criminals  are  impaled,  brings  nearer 
at  each  step  his  own  death;  in  that  way,  the  more  the  body  grows 
(and  ages)  or  the  more  the  days  pass  on  and  the  more  pleasant  the 
enjoyment  of  sense-objects  becomes,  the  more  (rapidly)  death  conquers 
(devours)  the  span  of  the  life.  Just  as  water  goes  on  dissolving  salt, 
life  wastes  away,  the  destroyer  (God  of  Death)  looking  him  in  the 
face;  yet  he  does  not  realize  this  thing  taking  place  directly  before 
him  so  vividly.  In  short,  O  Son  of  Pandu,  he  does  not  see,  getting 
deluded  by  sense-objects,  the  death  that  is  ever  present  in  his  body. 
There  can  hardly  be  any  difference  of  opinion  in  the  say  that  he  (such 
a  one)  is  the  king  of  the  country  of  the  ignorant.  He  does  not  see 


390  JNANESHWARI 

death  (while)  engrossed  completely  in  the  exuberance  of  life,  so 
also  he  does  not  take  into  account  the  (coming)  old  age,  in  the  fulness 
and  pride  of  his  youth.  He  does  not  see  the  old  age  that  confronts 
him  in  the  way  a  cart  rolled  down  from  the  precipice,  or  a  boulder 
released  and  shooting  down  from  a  mountain-top,  does  not  see  what 
lies  in  front  of  it.  He  becomes  uncontrollable  through  the  fury  of 
youth  like  the  sudden  floods  pouring  into  brooks  and  low-lying 
grounds,  or  two  bullocks  fighting  each  other  (become  unruly).  He 
goes  on  expanding  his  worldly  affairs  even  though  the  stout  body 
loses  its  vigour  and  lustre,  the  head  begins  to  shake,  the  beard  gets 
grey,  while  the  neck  rocks  to  and  fro.  A  blind  man  cannot  see  any- 
thing in  front  of  him  till  it  actually  knocks  aginst  his  breast;  or  a 
lazy  fellow  feels  pleased  with  the  drowsiness  coming  over  his  eyes: 
in  that  way  he  does  not  see  the  (approaching)  old  age  while  in  the 
enjoyment  of  his  existing  youth,  and  such  a  one,  know  ye,  is  really 
one  full  of  nescience.  He  mocks  at  (seeing)  the  infirm  and  the  crippled 
out  of  conceit,  never  taking  into  consideration  the  fact,  that  his  own 
condition  too  is  going  to  be  like  that  (one  day).  The  illusion  of  youth 
does  not  leave  him,  even  though  there  appear  (coming)  signs  of  old 
age,  heralding  the  approach  of  death.  Such  a  one  is  the  home  of 
nescience  and  take  this  as  a  correct  reply.  Now  hear  some  more 
glaring  symptoms  of  nescience.  A  bullock,  who  grazes  in  and  returns 
safe  and  sound  (by  chance)  from  a  forest  inhabited  by  a  tiger,  and 
yet  goes  there  again  in  the  full  confidence  (of  returning  safe);  one 
who  goes  and  brings  without  getting  bitten,  a  hoard  from  a  house 
guarded  by  a  serpent  and  makes  a  bold  assertion  from  this  circumstance 
that  there  was  no  serpent  there  at  all:  one  who  luckily  escapes  once 
or  twice  (from)  getting  ill,  even  after  indulging  in  practices  injurious 
to  health,  and  infers  from  this,  the  absence  of  any  sort  of  sickness: 
one  who,  because  his  enemy  is  enjoying  sleep,  fancies  that  all  his 
enmity  as  also  the  resultant  troubles  have  come  to  an  end  and  presently 
(unexpectedly)  loses  his  own  life,  his  offspring  meeting  the  same 
fate:  one  who  does  not  take  due  precaution  against  (any  possible) 
disease,  simply  because  he  is  having  a  good  appetite  and  sleep  and 
is  consequently  keeping  perfectly  healthy:  one  who  gets  more  and 
more  blind  through  the  supremacy  of  Rajas-quality  the  more  he 
comes  by  riches,  while  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  company  of  wife  and 
children,  and  yet  never  foresees  the  coming  misery  that  is  to  befall 
him  with  his  sudden  separation  from  these  one  day :  such  a  one  (coming 
under  any  one  of  these  categories)  is  nescience  itself  and  along  with 
him  also  one,  who  feeds  his  senses,  out  of  all  proportion,  with  the 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJ^A  391 

enjoyment  of  their  (respective)  objects.  In  the  flush  of  youth  and 
(also)  with  the  possession  of  riches,  he  goes  on  recklessly,  without 
considering  the  worthiness  or  otherwise  of  carnal  pleasures  that  are 
enjoyed  by  him  (^TT^D.  He  (such  a  one)  does  what  should  not  be 
done,  aspires  for  impossible  things,  while  his  intellect  keeps  on  ponder- 
ing over  things  that  should  not  even  be  thought  of.  He  enters  where 
he  should  not,  demands  things  that  ought  not  to  be  received,  makes 
contacts  with  persons  or  things  which  ought  not  to  be  touched, 
even  indirectly,  either  physically  or  mentally,  goes  to  a  forbidden 
place,  beholds  spectacles  that  he  should  shun,  eats  viands  that  are 
forbidden  (by  scriptures)-and  which  alone  please  him,  forms  friend- 
ship that  he  should  avoid,  follows  the  path  that  should  not  be  followed, 
listens  to  what  he  should  not,  talks  thoughtlessly  of  things  which  he 
should  not  utter,  and  yet  does  not  see  the  evils  arising  out  of  such 
conduct.  The  sole  criterion  of  conduct  for  him  is  the  imparting, 
of  a  pleasurable  sensation  to  his  body  and  mind;  therefore,  while 
performing  actions,  he  completely  loses  sight  of  what  is  just  or  un- 
just, and  thinks  he  is  doing  the  right  thing  when  in  reality  he  is  acting 
perversely.  He  does  not  care  to  see  (think),  whether  he  would  (there- 
by) be  committing  sins  or  courting  the  miseries  of  hell  eventually. 
Association  with  such  a  person  emboldens  (invigorates)  nescience 
in  the  world  to  such  an  extent  that  it  dares  even  wrestle  with  (those 
possessing)  knowledge.  Let  this  alone:  I  shall  tell  you  some  more 
symptoms  of  nescience,  so  that  you  can  know  it  (more)  exactly. 
His  attachment  for  his  homestead  is  like  the  female  black  bee  that 
gets  enamoured  of  the  pollen  in  fragrant  flowers  fr=Pfsr  %¥Tl).  His 
mind  remains  ever  engrossed  in  keeping  pleased  a  female's  (wife's) 
mind  in  the  way  a  fly  sitting  on  a  heap  of  sugar  does  not  stir  away 
from  it.  He  cannot  let  go  his  grip  on  the  idea  of  home  throughout 
life,  intellectually  or  emotionally,  just  as  a  frog  remains  in  a  pond 
or  just  as  a  fly  gets  entangled  in  snot  (sffS")  or  just  as  an  animal  gets 
stuck  up  in  mud  with  a  thud;  he  remains  chained  to  his  house  in  the 
way  a  serpent  is  confined  to  barren  rocky  soil.  He  holds  on  to  his 
cottage  (*9h<Tl)  with  all  the  force  of  his  life,  in  the  way  a  wife  holds 
firmly  her  husband  embracing  him  with  her  arms  encircling  his  neck. 
He  (exerts  and)  guards  his  house  in  the  way  a  bee  exerts  for  securing 
honey.  He  feels  greatly  attached  to  his  house,  and  knows  nothing 
else  but  his  wife — in  the  way  the  parents  feel  attached  to. a  son  born 
to  them,  through  good  luck,  late  in  their  old  age.  Similarly  he  is 
riveted  to  the  person  of  his  wife  with  heart  and  soul  to  such  an  extent 
that  he  completely  loses  all  cognisance  as  to  who  he  is  or  what  he  ought 


392  JNANESHWARI 

to  do.  The  mind  of  a  great  man  (saint)  remains  ever  merged  in  the 
Supreme  spirit  and  all  his  activism  comes  to  a  stand-still;  in  that 
way  he  (possessed  of  nescience)  devotes  all  his  senses  solely  to  the 
thought  of  sex  (senses  are  identified  with  words)  without  feeling 
in  any  way  ashamed  of  it,  or  without  caring  what  others  say  about  it. 
His  mind  is  ever  engaged  in  the  adoration  of  females  and  he  dances 
to  their  tunes  as  does  the  monkey  to  the  tunes  of  the  juggler  ( TP^t- ). 
A  miser  bears  all  hardships  and  also  hurts  the  feelings  of  his  kith 
and  kin,  but  goes  on  increasing  his  wealth  cowrie  by  cowrie  (a  tiny 
unit  of  currency)  and  in  that  way,  he  curtails  (cuts  off)  charities, 
religious  rites  and  alms  and  cheats  his  relatives;  yet  he  spares  no 
expenditure  meeting  in  full  the  demands  of  his  wife  (maintaining 
her  high  status).  He  treats  poorly  the  deities  to  be  adored  and  deceives 
his  preceptor  with  (sweet)  talk  and  pleads  (falsely)  poverty  before 
his  parents:  yet  he  secures  for  the  enjoyment  of  his  wife,  at  any  cost 
whatever  the  best  things  he  sees.  He  worships  his  wife  in  the  way  a 
loving  devotee  worships  his  family  God.  He  preserves  for  his  wife 
whatever  is  genuine  and  the  best  and  yet  treats  others  in  a  niggardly 
way.  He  feels  as  it  were  the  world  is  threatened  with  total  destruction 
(deluge),  if  any  one  is  to  talk  wrathfully  to  his  wife  or  oppose  her. 
He  is  alert  in  attending  even  to  the  least  wishes  of  his  wife,  in  the 
way  people  do  not  break  their  vows  of  dedicating  to  deities  silver 
(made)  images  of  cobra,  for  warding  off  the  fear  of  the  skin-disease 
ringworm  (TTzrt').  In  short,  Oh,  Dhananjaya,  his  wife  is  all  in  all  to 
him,  while  he  showers  his  love  on  her  progeny.  He  values,  more 
than  his  own  life,  all  and  sundry  that  is  hers,  including  her  wealth. 
Such  a  one  is  the  very  origin  of  nescience  and  through  him  it  gets 
strengthened — nay  he  is  himself  the  nescience  incarnate.  He  is 
transported  to  the  seventh  Heaven  when  he  secures  any  object  dear 
to  his  heart,  in  the  way  a  floating  boat  swings  up  and  down,  back- 
wards and  forwards,  along  with  the  waves  in  a  stormy  ocean;  while 
he  finds  himself  in  the  lowest  Hell  at  the  happening  of  any  unpleasant 
thing.  One  whose  heart  is,  in  this  way,  tied  with  ropes  in  the  form 
of  feelings  of  distinction,  must  be  taken  to  be  one  possessed  by  ne- 
science, however  talented  he  may  be.  He  worships  me  with  a  motive 
for  fruit  in  the  way  one  assumes  the  garb  of  a  (sham)  ascetic  (4<mD  ) 
in  order  to  get  money,  or  in  the  way  a  faithless  wife  captivates  the 
heart  of  her  husband  by  (a  show  of)  being  faithful  to  him  in  order 
to  faciliate  her  visits  to  her  paramour.  He  (of  nescience)  in  such 
a  way  worships  me,  Oh  Kiriti;  yet  all  the  while  his  heart  is  fixed  on 
securing  the  enjoyment  of  the  sense-objects:  (and)  if  he  does  not 


XIII.    KSETRA  AND   KSETRAJNA  393 

succeed  in  securing  the  wished-for  object  through  such  worship, 
he  denounces  it  as  all  futile  and  gives  it  up.  He  then  takes  to  new 
Gods,  in  the  way  a  cultivator  (always)  takes  to  bringing  under  culti- 
vation new  areas,  and  worships  them  in  the  same  manner  in  which 
he  used  to  worship  the  former  ones.  Were  he  to  see  a  preceptor 
with  some  pomp  about  him  he  would  accept  his  (preceptor's)  spiritual 
guidance  and  get  himself  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  the  sect, 
disregarding  others  (spiritual  guides).  He  treats  all  living  beings 
cruelly;  yet  worships  with  great  devotion,  immovable  objects  (such 
as  trees,  rocks,  etc.)  but  is  wanting  in  unswerving  faith  anywhere. 
He  prepares  an  idol  of  mine  and  instals  it  in  a  corner  of  his  home, 
and  yet  he  himself  goes  out  on  pilgrimage  to  other  Gods.  He  con- 
stantly worships  Me,  as  also  the  family  Gods  on  auspicious  occasions, 
and  on  special  days,  goes  and  adores  other  Gods  altogether.  He 
keeps  me  installed  in  his  house,  while  he  makes  vows  to  other  Gods, 
and  on  occasions  of  the  death-anniversaries  of  his  ancestors,  he 
becomes  their  devotee.  He  worships  me  with  devotion  on  Ekadashi 
days  (eleventh  day  of  each  fortnight  of  the  lunnar  month)  and  wor- 
ships with  the  same  devotion  the  cobra  on  the  Cobra-Festival  Day 
(WMt-the  fifth  day  of  the  bright  fornight  of  the  month  Shravan). 
He  becomes  a  devotee  of  God  Ganapati  on  "Ganesh-Chaturthi" 
(the  fourth  day  of  the  bright  fortnight  of  the  month  of  Bhadrapada), 
while  on  Chaturdashi  (the  fourteenth  day)  he  would  worship  the 
Goddess  Amba  and  address  her  as  his  mother,  saying,  "I  am  wholly 
yours"  (dedicated  to  your  service).  On  the  NavamI  (ninth  day) 
discarding  his  daily  prayers  and  occasional  duties  he  settles  down 
and  recites  "Navachandi"  (Tsr^' -versified  praise  of  Goddess  Durga), 
while  on  Sundays  (he)  serves  meals  in  honour  of  God  Bhairava 
(a  form  of  God  Shiva).  As  Monday  follows,  he  runs,  Bel-leaves 
(which  are  sacred  to  God  Shiva)  in  hand,  to  (the  temple  of)  God 
Shiva,  (worshipped  in  the  form  of  linga)  and  in  this  way  he  (one 
single  person)  treats  all  the  Gods.  Thus  he  goes  on  worshipping 
uninterruptedly  without  a  moment's  break.  A  devotee,  who  keeps 
on  running  greedily  after  each  and  every  deity,  in  the  way  a  village 
harlot  unceasingly  keeps  on  hovering  near  about  the  village  gate, 
should  be  known  as  an  idol  of  nescience  incarnate.  So  should  be 
considered  also  one,  who  feels  dislike  for  penance-groves  with  solitude 
reigning  supreme,  as  also  for  places  of  holy  waters  and  river  banks: 
similarly  one,  who  feels  pleasure  in  society,  and  who  is  titillated 
amidst  the  din  of  busy  wordly  life,  and  who  ardently  likes  to  discuss 
matters  forming  the  subject  of  public  talk.  When  he  hears  about 


394  JNANESHWARI 

that  lore  which  enables  one  to  have  a  vision  of  the  (Supreme)  soul, 
he  laughs  contemptuously,  being  proud  of  his  (superior)  learing. 
He  does  not  even  look  at  the  Upanishads ;  the  Yoga-precept  is  not  to 
his  taste:  his  mind  has  got  absolutely  no  tendency  towards  the  spiritual 
knowledge.  His  intellect  roams  at  random  confusedly  (like  stray 
cattle),  after  dismantling  and  out-stepping  the  protective  wall  (en- 
closure) of  firm  conviction  that  the  metaphysical  discussion  on  the 
nature  of  Self  (Highest  Reality)  is  a  matter  of  supreme  importance. 
He  fully  knows  the  science  dealing  with  the  performance  of  religious 
acts  (^  35t5"),  knows  by  heart  all  the  mythologies,  and  so  wonder- 
ful is  his  skill  in  astrology  that  his  predictions  are  always  found  correct. 
He  is  a  master-hand  in  sculpture  (and  other  crafts)  and  also  expert 
in  the  culinary  art  and  has  at  his  fingers'  end  (the  black  and  white 
magic  contained  in)  the  'Atharva  Veda'.  There  is  nothing  which 
he  has  yet  to  learn  in  the  field  of  sexology  and  love.  He  has  made  a 
thorough  reading  of  the  great  Epic  Bharata,  while  all  the  scriptures 
(Agamas:  works  dealing  with  the  production,  installation  and  worship 
of  idols)  come  and  stand  before  him  incarnate.  He  is  expert  in  moral 
and  political  sciences,  and  knows  well  the  medical  science,,  and  no 
one  can  compete  with  him  in  poetry  and  drama.  He  can  deliver  a 
discourse  on  the  "Smrutis"  (Ancient  Law-books)  and  knows  well 
the  secrets  of  the  science  of  'jugglery'  (Trssf^irT).  The  exegesis  of 
Vedic  lexicon  is  a  child's  play  for  his  scholarship.  He  is  a  great  gram- 
marian and  an  excellent  logician,  but  in  point  of  spiritual  knowledge 
is  born  blind  (alsolutely  stupid).  He  is  capable  of  inventing  and 
establishing  new  theories  and  methods  in  all  different  sciences,  except 
the  one  that  pertains  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Spirit.  But 
fie  upon  it  all !  It  (erudition)  is  as  unworthy  of  being  looked  at  as 
a  child  born  on  the  "Mtila  Nakshatra"  (t&5  ^TSTsr — the  19th  in  the 
present  series  of  the  27  lunar  mansions — very  inauspicious,  a  birth 
during  the  passage  of  the  Moon  through  which  is  supposed  to  be 
fatal  to  either  of  the  parents  or  to  other  close  relatives).  All  his1  learning 
is  of  the  type  of  the  "eyes"  spread  all  over  the  plumage  of  a  peacock, 
not  a  single  one  of  which  has  got  the  power  of  vision.  If  even  a  small 
bit  of  the  root  Samjlvani  (a  kind  of  elixir  supposed  to  restore  life) 
could  be  secured,  where  is  the  need  of  having  cartloads  of  other 
medical  drugs?  Virtues  (auspicious  marks  on  the  palm,  head  etc.) 
without  prolonged  life,  ornaments  on  the  body  without  a  head,  or 
a  marriage  procession  accompanied  by  music  but  without  the  newly 
wedded  couple,  are  simply  a  mockery.  In  that  way,  all  scriptures, 
without  the  one  conveying  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Self,  are 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJNA  395 

quite  untrue  (srsraFT).  On  account  of  this,  Oh  Arjuna,  the  body  of 
one,  who  is  not  steadfast  on  the  (study  of)  spiritual  knowledge,  even 
though  he  recites  the  scriptures,  (without  understanding  a  bit  of 
them)  is  (as  it  were)  the  germinated  seed  of  nescience  and  his  scholar- 
ship (°^H*M)  has  developed  into  the  creeping  plant  of  nescience. 
Whatever  he  talks  is  the  flower  of  the  nescience  while  the  fruit  he 
derives  from  his  good  actions  is  also  nescience.  It  needs  no  saying, 
that  one  who  has  not  got  (a  drop  of)  regard  for  spiritual  knowledge, 
is  incapable  of  understanding  the  real  objective  or  end  of  knowledge. 
How  can  one,  who  runs  back  before  even  reaching  the  bank  on  this 
side,  come  to  know  of  what  is  on  the  other  (beyond  the  bed)  bank; 
or  how  could  one  see  what  is  inside  the  house  when  his  feet  have 
been  tied  down  (nailed  down)  at  the  very  threshold  (of  the  house)? 
In  that  way  what  means,  indeed,  are  accessible  to  one,  who  is  quite 
ignorant  of*  metaphysics,  for  understanding  the  true  import  and  the 
end  of  knowledge!  It  requires  therefore  no  concrete  or  direct  evidence 
to  make  it  clear  to  you,  that  such  a  person  does  not  understand  the 
real  essence  of  knowledge.  With  the  food  served  to  a  pregnant  woman, 
gets  also  fed  the  foetus;  in  that  way  was  included  nescience,  in  the 
discourse  of  knowledge  held  before.  An  invitation  given  to  a  blind 
person,  naturally  brings  along  with  him,  another  person  with  good 
vision;  in  that  way  with  the  preaching  on  the  symptoms  of  the  ne- 
science, the  distinguising  marks,  attributes  of  knowledge  invariably 
accompany.  Therefore  in  this  portion,  I  described  the  symptoms  of 
nescience  as  being  otherwise  than  the  distinguished  marks  of  knowledge 
such  as  non-arrogance,  etc.  The  eighteen  attributes  of  knowledge  (pre- 
ached), when  turned  into  their  negatives,  (in  the  reverse  way)  automati- 
cally constitute  the  science  of  nescience.  Shri  Mukunda,  in  the  fourth 
foot  (ar^rff )  of  a  former  verse  preached  "everything  opposed  to  the 
attributes  of  knowledge  is  nescience"  and  therefore,  following  the 
same  method,  I  detailed  the  symptoms  of  nescience.  Had  this  method 
not  been  originally  used,  I  would  not  have  swollen  the  subject-matter 
with  any  loose  talk  of  my  own,  in  the  way  the  volume  of  milk  is  in- 
creased by  adding  water.  I  have  only  done  the  duty  of  amplifying  the 
meaning  conveyed  in  the  original  verses,  without  transgressing  the 
limit  of  original  wording.  At  this  the  hearers  said,  "Enough  of  this 
(explanation) ;  there  is  no  need  of  maintaining  by  arguments  (what 
you  have  done).  Why  are  you  needlessly  afraid,  Oh  the  support  of 
poets,  (that  your  sermon  will  be  considered  verbose)?  Shri  Murari 
(Lord  Krishna)  desired  you  to  expound  the  interpretation,  which  he 
had  kept  secret  (in  his  heart)  and  you  have  been  fulfilling  the  inten- 


396  JNANESHWARI 

tions  of  God;  but  you  will  be  overcome  (with  feelings)  if  we 
express  thus.  Therefore  we  would  not  say  it;  let  it  alone.  But  we 
have  felt  completely  pleased  at  hearing  (your  sermon)  which  has, 
as  it  were,  secured  for  us  a  boat  of  knowledge.  Now  tell  us  promptly 
what  Hari  said  afterwards.  Hearing  these  words  of  the  saints,  the 
disciple  of  Nivritti  said,  "Hear  now  attentively  what  Lord  Krishna 
said  to  Arjuna."  God  said,  "Oh  son  of  Pandu,  the  entire  group 
of  symptoms  you  now  heard  is  of  nescience.  You  should  now  turn 
your  back  on  the  nescience  and  be  quite  firm  in  regard  to  knowledge. 
Arjuna  felt  anxious  to  know  how  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  will 
enable  him  to  attain  the  object  of  knowledge.  Realizing  this  wish, 
the  master  of  all  the  'all-knowing'  said,  "Hear  now  (what)  I  tell 
you  about  the  Object  of  Knowledge. 

12  "That  which  constitutes  the  Object  of  Knowledge  I  shall 
(now)  expound:  that  by  knowing  which  one  attains  the 
'immortal'  (It  is)  that  which  is  other  than  the  things  with 
a  beginning,  the  Highest  Brahman  which  is  said  to  be  neither 
the  existent  nor  the  non-existent:  (865) 

Supreme  Spirit  is  called  the  object  of  knowledge,  simply  because 
it  is  not  securable  except  through  knowledge,  and  once  this  knowledge 
is  secured,  there  remains  nothing  for  one  to  do,  since  with  the  at- 
tainment of  knowledge  one  gets  absorbed  into  it  (the  object  of  know-  • 
ledge).  The  seeker,  once  he  secures  this  knowledge,  is  enabled  to 
keep  the  mundane  existence  (bundled  up)  on  the  bank  of  the  sea  of 
eternal  bliss  and  with  a  dive,  is  merged  into  it.  That  object  of  know- 
ledge is  such  that  it  has  no  beginning,  and  is  by  itself  called  'Supreme 
Spirit'.  If  it  is  said  that  it  is  non-existent,  then  it  actually  appears 
to  the  vision  in  the  form  of  the  universe,  whereas  if  one  calls  it  the 
universe  itself,  the  universe  is  all  illusion.  It  has  neither  form,  nor 
colour  nor  manifest  existence.  It  can  neither  be  an  object  of  percep- 
tion, or  the  perceiver,  or  the  act  of  perception;  who  can  then  say  and 
how,  that  it  does  exist?  And  if  really  it  is  non-existent,  whence  and 
how  arose  this  formation  of  the  (manifest)  primeval  principle  and 
its  derivatives  («h§«5i£)  and  what  (else)  really  exists  besides  it?  There- 
fore all  talk  of  'existent'  or  'non-existent'  is  silenced  with  the  attain- 
ment (vision)  of  knowledge  (of  object  of  knowledge)  and  there  the 


XIII.  KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJffiA  397 

power  of  thinking  comes  to  a  dead  halt  (at  the  end  of  a  blind  lane). 
Just  as  the  element  of  earth  abides  in  the  respective  forms  of  pots 
or  earthen  jars  etc.  so  abides  eternally  the  Supreme  Spirit  in  all  things 
and  is  Omnipresent. 

13  "Having  hands  and  feet  on  every  side  (of  us),  having  eyes 
and  heads  and  mouths  on  every  side  (of  us) ;  being  endowed 
with  (power  of)  hearing  in  every  direction,  and  which  abides 
enveloping  everything  in  the  world:  (874) 

That  action,  which  takes  place  through  beings,  gross  or  subtle,  at 
all  places  and  at  all  times,  without  separating  itself  from  the  places 
or  times — that  action  is  the  "hands"  of  the  Supreme  Spirit.  Supreme 
Brahman  is  therefore  called  the  'Omnihands',  since  it  keeps  on 
doing  all  actions  at  all  times  and  in  all  forms.  It  has  also  got 
the  name  'Omnifeet',  since  O  Dhananjaya,  it  abides  in  all  places 
simultaneously  at  one  and  the  same  time.  The  Sun  has  not  got  separate 
organs  such  as  eyes  etc.  in  its  disc,  but  the  entire  disc  (as  one  whole) 
illuminates  the  universe  and  sees  it;  in  the  same  way  viz.  Supreme 
Spirit  as  one  whole  becomes  the  seer  of  the  universe,  illuminates  and 
sees  it.  Therefore,  the  Vedas  have,  with  great  circumspection,  called 
the  visionless  Supreme  Brahman  as  'Omnivision'.  It  is  called  'Omni- 
head'  since  it  ever  rules  over  the  heads  of  the  entire  universe.  The 
entire  form  of  fire  constitutes  its  mouth,  in  that  way,  the  Supreme 
as  one  whole  devours  all;  therefore,  Oh,  Arjuna,  the  Shruti  (Scripture) 
has  named  it  'Omnimouth'.  As  the  sky  abides  in  all  things  it  (the 
Supreme  Brahman)  has  got  its  ears  corresponding  to  the  totality 
of  words  and  sounds  uttered.  Therefore,  we  call  the  Supreme  Brah- 
man as  'all  hearing'  and  in  this  way,  it  pervades  all  (the  entire  uni- 
verse). In  fact,  Oh  Talented  one,  (Arjuna),  what  the  Shruti  Scripture 
meant  to  convey  by  using  the  figurative  term  'Omnivision'  was 
its  omnipresence  (boundless  pervasion).  In  fact  Supreme  Brahman 
has  got  no  hands,  no  eyes,  and  no  feet:  how  could  then  the  figurative 
language  be  made  applicable  to  it  (Supreme  Brahman)  when  even 
describing  it  as  absolute  zero  (void)  is  not  tolerated  by  it  (i.e.  is  quite 
inappropriate  and  misleading)?  Although  it  is  perceived  that  one 
wave  swallows  another  wave,  yet  is  the  'swallower'  or  the  'swallowed' 
anything  different  (from  the  water)?  In  that  way,  Supreme  Brahman 


398  JNANESHWARI 

being  as  it  is  one  absolute  Truth,  there  is  no  scope  for  dualism  like 
the  field  of  pervasion  and  its  pervader.  We  are  compelled  to  make 
use  of  symbolic  expressions  (involving  the  notion  of  dualism)  for 
conveying  the  idea  (of  unity).  Just  see,  even  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
presenting a  zero,  it  becomes  necessary  to  mark  a  'cypher'  as  a  token, 
in  that  way,  the  language  of  duality  is  required  to  be  used  for  ex- 
pounding, in  words,  monism.  Otherwise,  Oh  Partha,  institutions 
like  the  preceptor  and  the  disciple  will  cease  to  exist  and  all  talk 
will  come  to  a  standstill.  Therefore,  the  Scripture  (Shruti)  started 
the  path  (method)  of  propounding  monism  through  the  (figurative 
language)  of  duality.  Now  do  hear,  how  the  object  of  knowledge 
(Supreme  Brahman)  abides,  pervading  all  forms  perceptible  to  the 
eye  (and  other  sense  organs). 

14  "That  which  is  revealed  (as  the  basis)  of  all  sense-func- 
tionings,  that  which  is  (itself  J  beyond  the  ken  of  all  senses; 
detached  (and  yet)  supporting  everything;  so  likewise,  devoid 
of  the  Gunas  (Constituent-aspects)  and  (yet)  the  experiencer 
of  them:  (892) 

"Oh  Kirlti  it  (Supreme  Brahman)  pervades  the  universe  just  as  the 
sky  pervades  all  space;  or  just  as  the  thread  pervades  the  entire  linen 
in  the  form  of  chequered  cloth;  or  just  as  liquidity  dwells  in  water 
in  the  watery  form;  or  just  as  light  dwells  in  the  lamp  in  the  lamp- 
form;  or  just  as  the  fragrance  of  camphor  exists  in  camphor  in  the 
camphor-form;  or  just  as  actions  dwell  in  the  body  in  the  body- 
form;  in  short,  Oh  Pandava,  just  as  gold  abides  in  every  particle 
of  gold,  in  that  way  the  Supreme  Brahman  pervades  all  externally 
and  internally.  Yet,  so  long  as  gold  is  in  the  particle  form  (T^t) 
we  call  it  particle,  but  as  soon  as  that  form  is  changed,  it  becomes 
only  gold.  Even  though  the  current  might  run  in  a  zig-zag  course, 
yet  the  original  water  (flow)  remains  straight;  or  even  though  the 
iron  gets  red  hot  by  fire  (heat),  yet  fire  does  not  constitute  iron;  or 
the  sky  appears  round  when  enclosed  in  an  earthen  pot  or  appears 
four-cornered  when  seen  from  the  interior  of  a  (four-cornered  house); 
but  those  round  and  square  forms  are  not  of  the  sky  itself;  in  that 
way  Supreme  Brahman,  even  though  apparently  undergoing  trans- 
mutations, yet  in  reality  is  never  so  affected.  Supreme  Brahman, 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  399 

Oh  Dhananjaya,  is  felt  to  be  formed  out  of  the  mind,  the  senses, 
and  the  three  Gunas  (constituent  aspects)  yet  neither  the  Gunas 
nor  the  senses  consitute  Supreme  Brahman,  in  the  way  the  sweet 
taste  of  the  jaggery  does  not  exist  in  the  form  of  its  mould  (but  exists 
in  the  jaggery  itself).  Clarified  butter  exists  in  milk,  in  milk  form, 
yet  milk  is  not  certainly  the  clarified  butter.  In  that  way,  the  (qualifying) 
attributes  such  as  the  Gunas  and  the  senses,  in  no  way  affect  Supreme 
Brahman,  (and)  bear  this  in  mind.  We  give  different  names,  such 
as  (screw)  flower  etc.  (Iw +1-4  ^)  to  different  forms  (ornaments)  of 
gold,  yet  the  original  gold  remains  as  original  gold  in  any  such  form. 
To  speak  in  plain  Marathi  language,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  Supreme 
Brahman  is  entirely  distinct  from  the  three  Gunas  and  the  senses. 
Name,  aspect,  genus,  action  and  (all  such)  distinctions  are  all  at- 
tributes of  the  forms  and  do  not  apply  to  the  essence  (Supreme  Brah- 
man). Supreme  Brahman  is  neither  the  Gunas  themselves  nor  is  it 
in  any  way,  connected  with  Gunas:  yet  the  Gunas  (erroneously) 
appear  to  be  in  Supreme  Brahman.  It  is  on  account  of  such  (erroneous) 
appearance,  Oh  Kiriti,  that  the  deluded  ones  hold  that  the  Guna 
attributes  reside  in  Supreme  Brahman.  Supreme  Brahman  possesses 
(them)  hi  the  way  the  sky  supports  the  clouds  or  the  mirror  supports 
the  reflection,  or  in  the  way  the  Sun-reflections  are  supported  by 
water  or  the  Sun's  rays  support  the  mirage.  In  that  way  the  un- 
manifest  (Supreme  Brahman)  supports  the  Guna  attributes  without 
in  any  way  contacting  them.  But  it  is  unsubstantial  and  unreal  even 
though  perceptible  to  the  illusive  vision.  The  experiencing  of  the 
Gunas  by  the  qualityless,  is  like  a  poverty-stricken  person  enjoying 
sovereignty  in  a  dream.  Therefore,  let  there  be  no  mention  even 
of  the  association  with,  or  experiencing  of,  Gunas  by  the  qualityless. 

15  "(That  which  is)  outside  and  inside  (all)  beings;  not  moving 
and  yet  moving;  which,  because  of  its  subtility,  is  incom- 
prehensible; which,  is  far-situate  and  (yet)  close  at  hand:  (913) 

That  which  abides  in  every  created  being,  (endowed  with  motion 
or  stationary)  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  just  as  does  the  heat  evenly  in  all 
diverse  fires  and  similarly  pervades  all  in  imperishable  and  subtle 
form — should  be  known  as  the  object  of  knowledge.  It  is  one,  (and 
the  same)  in  and  out,  and  far  and  near,  and  never  undergoes  any 
change  in  its  aspects. 


400  JNANESHWARI 

16  "Undivided  amongst  the  beings,  and  withal  as  though  divided, 
it  abides.  As  the  Sustainer  of  the  beings  it  is  to  be  understood: 
as  (their)  devourer  and procreator.  (916) 

It  is  not  (the  thing)  that  the  sweetness  of  the  sea  of  milk  is  greater 
in  the  deep  middle  and  less  near  the  shore;  in  that  way  it  is  equally 
perfect  everywhere.  There  is  never  any  stoppage  or  break  in  its 
state  of  pervasion  in  all  the  diverse  orders  of  beings,  such  as  insect 
class  engendered  by  sweat  and  others  (-^e^i^si^d)).  Oh  you,  the 
leading  one  amongst  the  hearers  ^f^rwfeswr)  the  moonshine  is  all 
one  without  distinction  even  in  thousands  of  earthen  pots  full  of 
water,  or  the  salt  (taste)  pervades  each  and  every  particle  forming 
heaps  of  salt,  and  is  of  one  and  the  same  kind;  or  there  is  the  same  sweet 
taste  in  each  and  every  (Jointed)  part  (W&)  of  sugar-can.  Likewise, 
the  Supreme  Brahman  pervades  as  the  One  single  entity  in  all 
beings  of  diverse  orders  and  is  also  the  root  cause  of  the  universe, 
Oh!  Sensible  One.  Therefore,  it  is  the  support  of  all  the  diverse 
beings  with  names  and  forms  that  get  created  from  it,  in  the  way  the 
sea  is  (the  support)  of  all  the  waves  (which  get  created  from  the  sea). 
It  abides  uninterruptedly  the  same  (in  the  beings)  throughout  the 
three  stages  viz.  creation,  maintenance  and  destruction  (of  their 
lives)  in  the  way  the  body  is  the  same  all  through  its  three  stages  such 
as  childhood  etc.  Or  in  the  way  the  sky  does  not  change  with  the 
three  stages  of  the  day  viz.  evening,  morning  and  noon.  It  (Supreme 
Brahman)  is  called  Brahmadev  when  it  creates  the  universe,  it  is 
named  God  Vishnu  when  it  maintains  it  and  it  is  named  Rudra  when 
it  destroys  it:  when  all  these  three  Gunas  or  sta;  •  disappear,  it 
abides  in  the  zero  (^  -void).  That  zero  state  (void)  which  remains 
behind  after  the  triad  of  the  three  Gunas  ceases  to  exist-that  very 
zero  state  (void)  is  what  is  propounded  in  and  accepted  by  the  Shruti 
(Scripture)  as  the  "GREAT  ZERO"-  (  W^  Great  Void)  state. 

ww  sfa  *im*i*4  ^r  u4hi  fMs5?r»f  u  X^  \\ 

17  "It  is  the  very  light  of  the  luminaries  themselves;  it  is  said 
to  be  on  the  off-side  of  darkness;  it  is  the  knowledge,  the 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJNA  401 

object  of  knowledge,  and  the  goal  of  knowledge:  within  the 
heart  of  each  it  is  severally  dwelling.  (927) 

That  which  is  the  inflaming  of  the  fire,  the  nectar  of  the  moon,  and 
from  which  the  Sun  derives  the  power  of  lighting  (the  universe), 
that  which  illuminates  all  the  stars  by  its  lustre  and  enables  the 
splendour  to  parade  at  pleasure  in  the  universe;  that  which  is  the  origin 
of  the  original,  the  expansion  of  the  expanded,  the  intellect  of  the 
intelligent  and  the  life  of  the  living:  that  which  is  the  mind  of  the 
mind,  the  eyes  of  the  eyes,  the  ears  of  the  ears,  the  tongue  of  the  tongue 
(faculty  of  speech):  that  which  is  the  very  life  of  the  living,  the  feet 
of  the  things  moving,  that  which  is  the  activism  of  the  actions:  that 
which  gives  form  to  the  form,  enables  the  expansion  to  expand  and 
the  destruction  to  destroy:  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  that  which  is  the  earth 
(sustainer)  of  the  earth,  the  water  in  the  waters,  and  the  splendour 
in  the  illuminated:  that  which  is  the  very  breath  of  the  wind,  the  sky 
of  the  sky:  it  is  in  short  the  seed  of  life  in  all  which  enables  all  to  make 
that  existence  felt-nay-Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  it  abides  all  in  all,  allowing 
no  entrance  to  duality,  With  its  vision,  one  experiences  a  complete 
fusion  of  both  the  object  of  seeing,  the  seer  and  then  developes  into 
that  very  state  of  triad  (viz)  knowledge,  the  knowing  agent  as  also 
the  object  of  knowledge,  which  is  to  be  attained  through  knowledge. 
With  the  final  making  up  of  (abstract)  accounts  and  their  tally,  the 
internal  details  cease  to  have  separate  existence;  in  that  way,  when 
Supreme  Brahman  is  attained,  the  goal  and  the  means  of  attaining 
it  are  all  united  together.  (Finally)  Oh  Arjuna,  that  Supreme  Brahman 
which  is  above  even  the  mention  of  any  sort  of  duality  abides  in  the 
hearts  of  all. 

1%  SN1  WTT  5TTT  ^t  T^tt>  *i*n«a:  I 

18  "Thus,  the  Field  of  Knowledge,  and  the  object  to  be  known 
have  been  succinctly  stated.  My  devotee,  knowing  this, 
attains  oneness  of  essence  with  Me.  f940 ) 

Thus,  I  first  made  clear  to  you,  by  pointing  out  its  differentia  Oh 
you  wise  one,  what  is  (called)  Kshetra  (field);.  So  also  after  Kshetra, 
I  preached  to  you  (the  attributes  of)  knowledge,  Oh  Kiriti,  in  the  way 
you  can  see  it  clearly.  Then  I  narrated  to  you  in  detail  all  the  symptoms 
of  nescience,  until  you  got  contented  and  said,  "Enough  of  it,"  and 


402  JNANESHWARI 

lastly  I  preached  you  elaborately,  giving  cogent  reasoning  (to  establish 
its  theory),  what  is  called  the  object  of  knowledge.  When  this  preach- 
ing, Oh  Arjuna,  is  indelibly  impressed  on  the  intellect,  an  anxious 
yearning  for  attaining  unto  Me  is  engendered  in  my  devotees.  Those 
that  have  renounced  their  bodies  and  other  paraphernalia,  and  have 
devoted  their  lives  to  my  service-those  devotees  of  mine,  Oh  Kiriti, 
know  the  essence  of  my  Supreme  Self,  and  at  the  end  of  their  life 
forget  their  individuality  and  come  and  merge  into  Me.  Oh!  bear 
this  chiefly  in  mind  that  to  come  and  to  get  merged  into  me  is  the 
easy  way  prepared  by  me,  in  the  way  there  should  be  prepared  a  series 
of  steps  to  (ascend)  a  precipice,  or  a  scaffolding  is  constructed  for 
supporting  men  high  up  in  the  void  or  a  small  boat  is  floated  for 
navigating  deep  waters.  Otherwise,  simply  preaching  to  you,  Oh 
Great  warrior,  that  everything  is  Atman  would  not  have  brought  the 
truth  home  to  you.  We  described  to  you  one  and  the  same  Supreme 
in  four  different  aspects  to  enable  your  intellect  to  grasp  the  totality 
(with  ease).  Just  as  one  (big)  morsel  is  split  up  into  twenty  small  ones 
when  feeding  a  small  child,  in  that  way,  the  (theme  of)  Brahman, 
although  a  single  one,  was  preached  to  you  in  four  different  aspects  — 
(i)  the  field,  (ii)  knowledge  (iii)  the  object  of  knowledge  and  (iv)  nes- 
cience—  in  these  four  divisions,  realizing  your  mental  capacity. 
If,  in  spite  of  all  this,  Oh  Partha,  your  mind  has  not  still  grasped  the 
preaching,  I  shall  once  again  tell  you  about  this  arrangement.  Now 
instead  of  making  it  into  four  parts,  or  treating  the  subject  as  a  single  * 
one,  I  would  consider,  in  a  common  measure,  both  the  soul  and  the 
gross  or  material  (part)  of  the  compound  person.  You  must  only 
comply  with  one  thing  I  demand  of  you,  viz.  you  should  name  (treat) 
your  ear  as  your  'self.  Hearing  Lord  Krishna  talking  in  this  way, 
there  came  over  Partha's  body  tremor  and  horripilation,  and  seeing 
this,  God  said,  (to  himself)  "well,  he  appears  to  be  highly  excited;" 
seeing  (Arjuna)  in  that  (overwrought)  state  (Lord  Krishna  himself 
was  profoundly  overwhelmed  but  restraining  himself),  Shrirang 
said,- "I  would  now  preach  you,  separating  'Purusha'  from  'Prakriti' 
and  hear  it;  that  path  which  the  ascetics  describe  as  Sankhya  in  this 
world,  and  for  preaching  the  importance  of  which,  I  became,  (incar- 
nated myself  as)  the  sage  Kapila  —  that  flawless  discourse  on 
Purusha  and  Prakriti,  do  now  hear"  said  the  Primeval  Person  ( srrfaj^r 
Lord  of  creation)  to  Arjuna. 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAjtfA  403 

19  "  The  Prakriti  (Primal  Nature)  and  the  Purusa  (person)  : 
understand  them  both  as  being  without  a  beginning.  The 
Modifications  and  Constituent-aspects:  understand  them  as 
born  of  the  Primal  Nature.  (960) 

So,  Purusha  is  beginningless,  and  closely  attached  to  him  is  Prakriti; 
both  these  pass  on  together  like  day  and  night.  The  form  (of  any- 
thing) is  not  unreal.  Yet  it  is  accompanied  by  the  shadow;  or  in 
the  ear  of  corn  there  grows  also  the  husk  along  with  the  grain;  in  that 
way  both  Purusha  and  Prakriti  are  like  (Siamese)  twins,  and  they  are 
(in  existence)  from  times  immemorial.  Similarly  everything  that  is 
stated  under  the  category  of  Kshetra  is  all  this  Prakriti,  and  what  is 
called  Kshetrajna  is  this  Purusha,  and  this  need  not  be  told  separately. 
Although  they  have  got  different  names,  yet  the  principle  underlying 
them  is  one  and  the  same,  and  this  aspect  should  not  be  lost  sight  of, 
I  tell  you  again  and  again.  The  sole  entity  therein  is  Purusha,  Oh  Son 
of  Pandu,  and  the  totality  of  actions  is  Prakriti.  The  intellect,  the 
senses,  the  heart  —  all  these  attributes  and  the  three  Gunas  (consti- 
tuent-aspects) such  as  Satva  and  others  —  the  whole  of  this  group 
is  created  from  Prakriti,  who  is  the  source  of  all  activism. 

20  "In  the  matter  of  the  origination  of  the  body  and  the  sense- 
centres,  the  Prakriti  is  said  to  be  the  cause;  the  Purusha  is 
said  to  be  the  cause  in  the  matter  of  (the  consciousness  of) 
being  the  experiencer  of  all  pleasure  and  pain.  (969) 

There  then  (Prakriti)  creates  desires  and  intellect  along  with  egotism, 
and  then  she  leads  them  on  to  willing  (things).  The  thread  (agency) 
that  is  used  as  the  means  for  making  successful  the  willing,  is  called, 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  effect  (^nf ).  Then  what  makes  the  mind  active 
(to  rise  up),  through  the  intoxicated  stage  of  desires  and  thus  sets 
the  senses  to  work,  is  capability  (functioning).  "Therefore,"  the  king 
among  the  perfected  ones  said,  "the  Prakriti  is  the  origin  of  all  the 
aggregate  effects,  capability,  and  the  cause;  (wf .,  3>^\,  ^TTT). 
Through  this  triad,  Prakriti  gets  into  activism.  But  her  nature  conforms 
to  that  Guna  which  is  dominant.  The  actions  performed  under  the 
domination  of  'Satva-Guna',  are  good  ones;  those  performed  under 
the  domination  of  'Rajas'  are  ordinary  ones,  those  taking  place 


404  JNANESHWARI 

under  the  domination  of  'Tamas'  are  definitely  those  prohibited  and 
irreligious  ones.  In  this  way  take  place  actions,  good  or  bad,  through 
the  agency  of  Prakriti,  while  the  actions  result  in  pleasure  and  pain. 
Wicked  a.tions  result  in  misery,  while  good  actions  create  happiness, 
and  Purusha  experiences  both  these.  Prakriti  goes  on  performing 
actions  and  Purusha  experiences  their  fruit,  so  long  as  pleasure  and 
pain  are  created  in  a  (normal)  straight  way.  This  arrangement  of 
affairs  between  Prakriti  and  Purusha  appears  inconsistent  in  the 
narrative  since  whatever  the  wife  earns,  the  husband  simply  enjoys. 
The  wife  and  the  husband  do  not  associate  with  each  other,  nor  do 
they  agree  (they  are  poles  apart),  yet  the  wife  gives  birth  to  the  entire 
universe;  and  here  is  the  wonder  of  the  whole  thing! 

+  K«l  M«m^h*M  y<4fl*npM«+l^  II  ^\  II 

21  "For,  it  is  when  the  Purusha  dwells  within  the  Prakriti  that 
he  experiences  the  Prakriti-bom  (modifications  of  the) 
Constituent-aspects.  It  is  his  attachment  to  these  Constituent- 
aspects  that  becomes  the  cause  in  the  matter  of  his  births 
into  good  or  evil  orders  of  beings.  (981) 

He  (Purusha)  is  bodiless  and  crippled;  (He)  is  poverty-stricken, 
worn-out,  and  the  oldest  of  all  (the  old).  He  is  male  only  in  name, 
is  neither  a  female  nor  a  neuter,  in  short  we  cannot  predicate  anything 
definite  about  him.  He  has  neither  ears  nor  eyes,  neither  hands  nor 
feet,  neither  any  form  nor  any  colour,  and  exists  only  in  name.  Oh 
Arjuna,  but  mark  that  (this  one)  however,  has  nothing  (that  is  cognis- 
able); in  him  is  the  husband  of  Prakriti.  Yet  he  has  got  to  experience 
pleasure  and  pain  inspite  of  his  nature  described  above.  As  for  himself 
he  is  non-active,  apathetic,  and  non-enjoyer,  yet  his  faithful  wife 
(Maya)  makes  him  enjoy  all.  She  makes  some  movements  with  the 
small  proportion  of  form  and  quality  she  possesses,  and  makes  a 
display  of  queer  (wonderful)  games.  This  Prakriti  is  called  "Guna- 
mayi"  ^nnft'-Consisting  of  qualities)-  nay  she  is  the  Gunas  incarnate. 
She  makes  herself  felt  in  diverse  for-  and  qualities,  and  changing 
every  moment,  makes  the  material  world  arrogant  through  her  ar- 
rogance. She  gives  publicity  to  names,  creates  love  through  (her) 
affection,  and  awakens  the  senses.  It  is  quite  absurd  to  call  the  mind 
neuter,  since  Prakriti  makes  it  enjoy  all  the  three  worlds.  She  is  as 
it  were  a  big  island  of  hallucination  and  she  is  pervasion  incarnate  and 


XIII.    KSErRA  AND   KSETRAjSfA  405 

from  her  are  created  innumerable  mental  disorders  (fa+K).  She  is 
the  very  bower  of  the  creeper-plant  in  the  form  of  desires,  the  very 
spring  season  in  the  woods  of  infatuation,  and  is  well  known  by  the 
name  of 'Divine  Illusion'.  She  develops  literature,  creates  this  universe 
of  forms  and  (names),  brings  perpetual  raids  of  mundane  existence 
(makes  it  possible  to  have  an  unbroken  experience  of  this  world). 
The  arts  emanate  from  her,  the  lores  are  made  by  her,  while  the  desires, 
perception,  and  actions  are  born  of  her.  She  is  the  very  mint  of  all 
the  sounds  as  also  the  abode  of  all  miracles-nay  she  is  the  very  author 
of  the  entire  world-drama.  The  creation  and  dissolution  (of  the 
universe)  are  her  morning  and  evening  occupations.  This  apart-she 
is  a  wonderful  fascination  (*ft5pr)  in  the  world.  She  is  the  helpmate 
to  the  unique-Brahman  @*snrr%  <pr^:)  and  the  kith  and  kin  of  the 
unattached  (W),  since  she  herself  stays  in  a  house  in  the  sphere  of 
zero  (void).  Such  being  the  enormity  of  her  power  (of  her  ^farPT- 
the  glorious  state  of  wifehood),  she  can  control  the  uncontrollable 
(Purusha).  In  fact,  there  are  no  attributes  (wfa)  to  Purusha.  There 
exists  nothing  in  him:  he  is  perfectly  apathetic:  yet  Prakriti  herself 
entirely  becomes  all  (that  pertains)  to  him.  Prakriti  herself  becomes 
the  origin  of  the  self-born,  the  form  of  the  formless,  and  his  state 
and  position.  She  also  becomes  the  desires  of  the  desireless,  the. 
contentment  of  the  complete,  the  race  and  kindred  of  the  raceless 
(and  kinless).  (She  also  becomes)  the  symbol  of  the  indescribable, 
the  measure  of  the  measureless,  the  mind  of  the  mindless  and  also 
his  intellect.  She  stands  as  the  form  of  the  formless,  action  of  the 
actionless,  and  the  egotism  of  the  non-egoist.  She  becomes  the  name 
of  the  nameless,  the  birth  of  the  birthless,  as  also  the  processes  of  the 
action  itself.  (She  also  becomes)  the  quality  of  the  qualityless,  the 
feet  of  the  feetless,  the  ears  of  the  earless  and  the  eyes  of  the  eyeless. 
(She  is)  the  feelings  of  the  unfeeling,  limbs  of  the  limbless  —  in  fact 
she  becomes  all  (the  attributes)  of  Purusha.  Such  is  Prakriti,  that 
pervades  and  drags  the  attributeless  into  attributes.  Whatever  the 
inherent  quality  exists  in  him  (Purusha)  is  eclipsed  and  transfigured 
into  the  quality  of  Prakriti.  Just  as  the  Moon  gets  invisible  on  the 
Amavasya  day,  or  just  as  pure  gold  mixed  with  one  'VaP  (*rm)- 
alloy,  gets  reduced  to  five  from  fifteen  points  of  fineness,  or  just  as 
the  pious  one  gets  deluded  (and  defiled)  when  possessed  by  a  ghost, 
or  just  as  the  clouds  arising  in  the  sky  transform  a  good  (bright) 
day  into  a  bad  (dull  and  gloomy)  one,  or  like  the  milk  in  the  abdomen 
(udder)  of  the  cow  or  the  fire  remaining  latent  in  the  firewood  or  like 
the  brilliance  (light)  of  a  jewel  covered  in  a  linen,  or  like  a  king  reduced 


406  JNANESHWARI 

to  the  state  of  helplessness,  or  like  a  lion  overwhelmed  by  malady, — 
in  all  these  ways  Purusha  loses  all  his  splendour,  after  identifying 
himself  with  Prakriti.  A  man  wide  awake,  after  suddenly  falling 
asleep,  is  compelled  to  experience  various  events  during  his  dream 
state;  in  that  way  Purusha  has  got  to  experience  the  Gunas  because 
he  identifies  himself  with  Prakriti.  Just  as  one  indifferent  to  worldly 
affairs,  gets  fettered  on  account  of  his  association  with  a  woman,  so 
becomes  the  state  of  the  birthless  and  eternal  Purusha  and  he  has  to 
bear  the  blows  of  births  and  deaths  on  account  of  his  association  with 
the  Gunas.  But,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  it  is  just  like  this  viz  —  when  red 
hot  iron  is  hammered  on,  it  is  said  that  the  hammer  blows  are  suffered 
by  the  fire;  or  with  the  disturbance  of  water,  the  moon-reflections 
in  it  appear  more  than  one,  and  this  plurality,  the  ignorant  attribute 
to  the  moon;  or  when  there  is  a  mirror  near  by,  there  appear  two  faces 
(one  the  original  and  the  other  its  reflection  in  the  mirror);  or  as  the 
surface  of  a  crystal  appears  to  be  of  reddish  colour  in  the  proximity 
of  red  turmeric  powder.  In  that  way,  the  birthless  one  appears  to 
have  diverse  births  on  account  of  his  association  with  the  Gunas,  but 
in  reality  he  transcends  them  (births).  In  that  manner  take  it  that 
he  (Purusha)  too  feels  he  is  getting  births  in  high  and  low  (good  or 
evil)  orders  (in  the  social  scale  and  the  world  of  lower  animals),  in  the 
way  a  (casteless)  ascetic,  while  in  a  dream  should  feel  that  he  is  of  the 
lowest  caste.  Therefore,  Purusha  in  his  pristine  nature,  (who  is  one 
with  the  Supreme  Essence)  has  never  to  experience  becoming  and 
vicissitudes  (births  and  deaths),  the  whole  conception  of  his  ex- 
periencing (these  births  and  deaths)  having  its  origin  in  his  association 
with  the  .Gunas. 

M<mcAld  ■«Hil*Jt^  %^sfc*TS[  g^sr:  qr:  II  ^  II 

22  "Witness  at  close  quarters,  Giver  of  assent,  Sustainer,  Ex- 
periencer,  the  Great  Lord,  as  also  the  Higher  Self;  thus  is 
the  Person  Supreme  designated  when  indwelling  within  this 
body.  (1022) 

He  *  (Purusha)  stands  stiff  and  erect  in  Prakriti  (as  her  Sustainer) 
in  the  way  does  the  supporting  pole  of  the  creeper-plant  ,'Jai'  (^nf ), 
but  their  nature  is  as  divergent  as  that  of  the  earth  and  the  sky.  He 
stands,  Oh  Kiriti,  firm  and  immovable  like  the  Mountain  Mem, 
on  the  bank  of  the  river  in  the  form  of  Prakriti,  and  casts  his  reflection 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  407 

in  it  (river)  but  does  not  drift  along  with  its  current.  Prakriti  appears 
and  vanishes  but  (on  the  contrary)  Purusha  is  already  eternal,  and  as 
such  he  is  the  dictator  of  all  things  from  the  God  Brahma  down  to 
insignificant  grass  ( FTR").  Prakriti  exists  solely  because  of  him  and 
gives  birth  to  the  entire  universe  through  his  power  and  therefore  he 
is  Prakriti's  husband.  The  universe  she  has  created  since  time  im- 
memorial, Oh  Kiriti,  is  dissolved  in  Purusha  at  the  end  of  each  aeon. 
He  is  the  Supreme  Lord  of  Prakriti  —  (^<^§i -Supreme  Brahma) 
and  the  control  of  the  entire  universe  rests  in  his  hands,  and  with  his 
unbounded  pervasion  he  can  measure  the  entire  world-(affairs).  He 
is  that  person  Supreme,  designated  as  dwelling  within  the  (living) 
body,  It  is  said  there  is  a  person  who  exists  beyond  the  bounds  of 
Prakriti  and  he  is  this  Purusha. 

23  "He  who  thus  understands  the  Purusha  and  the  Prakrti 
along  with  the  Constituent-aspects:  in  whatsoever  way  he 
may  behave  in  the  present,  he  is  not  liable  to  another  birth. 

(1030) 

One,  who  thus  clearly  understands  Purusha,  also  understands  that 
the  entire  Guna-ridden  universe  is  all  born  of  this  Prakriti.  Just  as 
we  discriminate,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  this  is  the  original  form  and  that 
is  its  shadow;  this  is  a  mirage,  the  (real)  water  spring  lies  far  away, 
in  that  way  one  who  has  realized  in  his  mind,  the  sharp  difference 
between  Prakriti  and  Purusha,  (such  a  one)  although  performing  all 
worldly  actions,  being  restricted  to  a  particular  body,  does  not  get 
defiled  by  them  in  the  way  the  sky  does  not  get  defiled  by  the  mist. 
He  does  not  fall  a  victim  to  the  infatuation  (urges)  of  his  body  so 
long  as  it  exists  and  after  its  fall  does  not  assume  any  birth  again. 
This  sole  (mental)  act  cf  clearly  distinguishing  the  divergent  roles 
played  by  Prakriti  and  Purusha  confers  extraordinary  (super-mundane) 
advantages  upon  its  agent.  Now  there  are  various  means  through 
which  such  a  discrimination  rises,  like  the  Sun,  in  the  heart  and  hear 
about  them. 

W4l^Hlc*4Pl  MftJlPri  $kwirHW*4lcMHl  I     ' 
3^  ^HI^HtH  «il«l«i  *44WUI  MIM^  II  ^y  II 


408  JNANESHWARI 

24  "Few  there  be  who,  by  their  own  effort,  realise,  by  means 
of  concentred-meditation,  the  Self  within  their  own  self-a 
moiety  (of  them)  by  following  the  Method  of  Discriminating- 
Pose,  moiety  by  (following  the  Method  of)  Even  tempered — 
Activism.  (1037) 

Some,  Oh,  the  best  of  warriors,  kindle  the  fire  of  reason  and  therein 
give  a  coating  (of  knowledge)  to  the  impure  (portion)  in  regard  to 
the  spiritual  and  the  non-spiritual,  and  thus  separate  pure  gold 
(in  the  form  of  Supreme  Brahman)  by  removing  the  thirty-six  different 
shades  of  fineness,  and  then  through  the  vision  of  concentrated  medi- 
tation see  within  Supreme  Brahman,  their  own  self.  Others  through 
good  luck  concentrate  on  Supreme  Brahman  through  the  Samkhya 
Path,  while  some  others  secure  it  by  following  the  path  of  eventem- 
pered  activism, 

ftsftr  «bu Riding  *P5  ^TTTwrr:  u  ^h.  h 

25  "The  rest,  unable  to  attain  such  (realisation) ,  learn  from 
others  by  hearsay,  and  so  proffer  worship.  They  too,  steadily 
pursuing  what  they  had  taken  on  trust,  do,  all  the  same,  cross- 
over beyond  (the  ocean  of)  Death.  (1041) 

In  such  diverse  ways,  the  seekers  get  safely  through  the  whirlpools 
.  in  the  ocean  of  mundane  existence.  But  they  do  so  by  banishing  all 
conceit  and  placing  all  reliance  with  complete  faith,  on  the  advice 
of  some  single  person.  They  hear  with  great  reverence  and  con- 
centrate their  minds  on  the  advice  coming  out  from  the  mouths  of 
such  persons  who  can  discriminate  between  good  and  evil  and  are 
tender-hearted  and  enquire  after  and  redress  miseries  and  give  happi- 
ness. They  respect  the  advice  with  faith,  believing  it  to  be  their  sum- 
mum  bonum  and  wave  their  very  lives  around  the  very  letters  of 
such  advice.  Such  ones  (of  firm  faith),  in  the  end,  oh!  you  'having 
a  monkey  as  your  banner  on  your  chariot' !  get  safe  and  sound  through 
this  ocean  of  (births  and)  deaths.  There  are  thus  diverse  ways  of 
realising  the  Supreme  Brahman.  Enough  of  this.  I  shall  now  give 
you  the  butter  in  the  form  of  conclusion  (Ri4M)  arrived  at  after 
churning  (wr-research)  all  the  Scriptures,  and  that  will,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu,  give  you  experience  and  enable  you  to  secure  without  much 
effort,  the  attainment  of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  And  therefore,  I 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJNA  409 

I  now  treat  that  same  subject,  ripping  all  (perverse)  dissensions  and 
take  out  from  the  interior  the  pure  truth  (essence). 

JMotatUUftJII^  crfg%  ^T^tflT  II  ^%  II 

26  "Any  entity  whatsoever,  immobile  or  mobile,  that  comes 
into  being;  understand,  O  Bull  of  Bharata  (clan),  that  it 
does  so  through  the  conjunction  of  the  Field  with  the  Field- 
knower.  (1051) 

You  have  already  been  preached  the  'Self  —  which  is  otherwise 
known  as  the  Kshetrajna  (&W-knower  of  the  field),  as  also  the 
'Kshetra'  (^r-Field).  The  aggregate  of  the  beings  is  created  from 
the  union  of  these  two.  Just  as  the  waves  are  created  in  water,  when 
it  is  associated  with  the  wind  or  just  as  floods  of  mirage  are  created 
with  the  coming  together  of  (Sun's)  rays  and  the  heated  barren  plains 
or  just  as  with  the  copious  showers  from  the  clouds  the  earth  gets 
soaked  with  water,  and  sprouts  forth  shoots  of  different  plants;  in 
the  same  way,  know  ye,  the  entire  universe  consisting  of  movables 
and  immovables-all  that  is  designated  as  living  organism  —  is  created 
through  the  union  of  both  (the  Kshetra  and  the  Kshetrajna),  and 
therefore,  Oh  Arjuna,  the  entire  class  of  beings  (with  names  and 
forms)  is  not  distinct  from  Kshetrajna,  and  primeval  matter  (Prakriti). 

f^R^r^ff^nSW  *:  <TOTfa  W  WT%  II  ^  II 

27  "Evenly  abiding  within  all  beings,  the  Highest  Lord,  not 
liable  to  destruction  in  the  midst  of  objects  that  meet  their 
destruction:  Him,  who  so  perceives  as  such  truly  perceives. 

(1057) 

The  fabric  is  not  the  yarn  itself,  yet  it  is  made  perceptible  through  the 
yarn;  in  that  way  must  be  viewed  the  unity  of  Kshetra  and  Kshetrajna 
with  a  deep  insight.  All  the  beings  emanate  from  only  one  common 
Source  (they  are  made  of  the  same  stuff)  but  individual  organisms 
derive  varying  traits  (hence  arise  differences)  and  you  should  get 
experience  of  it.  These  beings  have  got  different  names  as  also  dif- 
ferent ways  of  conducting  themselves  and  different  forms  and  colours. 
Were  you,  Oh  Kiriti,  to  give  scope  for  distinction  in  view  of  these 


410  JNANESHWARI 

diversities,  you  would  not  be  able  to  get  out  of  this  worldly  life  even 
after  (passing  through)  crores  of  births.  Just  as  the  gourd  creeping- 
plant  bears  fruit  of  different  forms— some  long,  some  crooked,  some 
round,  etc.  serving  different  purposes,  or  just  as  jujube  fruit  whether 
of  normal  (spherical)  or  regular  shape  are  all  of  one  jujube  tree,  in 
that  way  even  though  beings  be  of  different  forms  and  moulds,  yet 
their  common  origin  —  the  Supreme  Self — is  simple  and  uniform. 
Even  though  there  be  numerous  and  different  particles  of  fire,  yet 
the  heat  in  them  all  is  the  same:  in  that  way  at  the  core  of  the  aggregate 
of  multiformed  beings  abides  the  Supreme  Soul.  Even  though  the 
rainshowers  are  spread  all  over  the  sky,  yet  the  water  in  them  all, 
Oh  Warrior,  is  the  same;  in  the  same  way  the  soul  although  abiding 
separately  in  different  forms  of  beings  is  only  one  and  the  same. 
Even  though  the  groups  of  beings  are  different  in  form  and  colour 
from  one  another,  yet  the  (Supreme)  Soul  abiding  in  them  is  one  and 
the  same,  in  the  way  the  sky  (space)  appears  different  in  different 
pots  and  hermitages  and  is  yet  one  and  the  same.  Even  though  the 
armlet  and  other  ornaments  are  of  different  forms  and  fashions 
(changing  from  time  to  time),  the  fineness  of  gold  in  them  is  never 
changed;  in  that  way,  the  indwelling  soul  is  imperishable  even  though 
the  illusive  aggregate  of  beings,  within  whom  he  dwells,  perishes. 
One  who  realises  that  the  Supreme  Self  is  entirely  aloof  from  the 
natural  properties  of  the  being,  yet  not  distinct  from  the  being  itself 
—  such  a  one  should  be  known  (as  a  seer)  to  be  possessed  of  good 
eyes  amongst  men  of  knowledge,  such  a  one  is  the  very  'eye  of  know- 
ledge'— one  with  the  best  vision  amongst  those  possessed  of  the 
power  of  vision,  Oh  Head  amongst  the  warriors,  and  this  is  not  only 
a  formal  praise;  such  a  one  is  really  very  lucky. 

T  f^M^cMlcHHIrUM  tfcff  *T!%  ^RT  1%^  II  ^s  II 

28  "For,  perceiving  with  an  even  outlook  the  Lord  who  evenly 
(Aides  everywhere,  he  becomes  incapable  of  injuring  the 
Self  by  his  own  self;  and  accordingly,  he  attains  the  Highest 
Goal  (1069) 

This  body  is  a  bag  filled  with  the  three  Gunas  and  the  senses;  It  is 
a  trio  of  the  humours  (phlegm,  wind  and  bile)  and  an  assemblage 
of  the  five  elements  and  is  bad  and  dangerous.  It  is  obviously  a 
scorpion  with  five  stinging  tails  or  five  fires  enveloping  from  five 


XIII.   KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  411 

sides,  or  the  shelter  in  the  form  of  deer  discovered  by  a  lion  in  the 
form  of  soul.  Abiding  in  such  a -body  who  would  not  pierce  into  the 
bowels  of  the  non-eternal,  the  dagger  in  the  form  of  the  eternal  know- 
ledge (of  the  Supreme  Self)?  But  one  possessed  of  knowledge,  Oh 
Son  of  Pandu,  while  dwelling  in  such  a  body,  never  permits  the  destruc- 
tion of  his  own  Soul,  and  at  the  end  of  his  worldly  career  merges  into 
it.  After  crossing  over  crores  of  births  the  Yogins,  through  their 
Yoga-practice,  take  a  plunge  into  the  unfathomable  from  where 
there  is  no  returning  as  they  claim, —  that  principle  which  is  beyond 
the  universe  of  beings  having  names  and  forms  and  also  on  the  other 
side  of  the  'sound',  and  which  is  the  inmost  sanctuary  of  Turya- 
vastha  (^rfaPTT-the  fourth  stage  of  meditation  in  which  the  soul 
becomes  one  with  Supreme  Brahman)  and  which  is  Supreme  Brah- 
man itself,  and  wherein  come  for  rest  the  different  goals  such  as 
emancipation  etc,  in  the  way,  the  Ganges  and  other  rivers  finally 
merge  into  the  sea.  The  bliss  of  the  attainment  unto  Supreme  Brahman 
comes  of  its  own  accord  to  flash  the  feet  of  him,  who  making  no 
distinction  between  being  and  being,  conducts  himself  evenly  as  with 
his  own  self.  As  Light  (lustre)  is  one  and  the  same  even  in  crores  of 
lamps,  the  Supreme  God  abides  everywhere.  One,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
who  even  while  alive,  experiences  such  evenness,  is  not  fettered  by 
future  births  and  deaths.  And,  therefore,  I  extol  again  and  again  the 
unique  fortune  of  such  a  one,  since  his  vision  is  ever  fixed  on  evenness. 

29  That  the  (various)  acts  which  are  being  accomplished,  are 
in  every  wise  accomplished  by  the  'Prakrti;  who  so  perceives 
this,  and  also  perceives  the  self  as  really  non-agent ;  he  truly 
perceives.  (1080) 

He  truly  perceives,  who  realises  that  the  various  actions  are  all  per- 
formed by  Prakriti,  through  the  agency  of  the  mind,  intellect  and 
the  organs  of  actions.  (It  is)  the  occupants  of  a  house,  that  move 
about  in  the  house,  the  house  itself  doing  nothing;  (so  also)  the  clouds 
run  about  in  the  sky,  while  the  sky  itself  remains  inactive.  In  that 
way  Prakriti,  enlightened  by  the  soul  and  with  the  help  of  the  Gunas, 
plays  all  these  games,  the  soul  remaining  firm  like  a  pillar,  in  no  way 
knowing  the  games  played  by  Prakriti.  One,  in  whom  there  has 
arisen  the  Light  of  Knowledge  of  these  decisions,  has  truly  perceived 
the  theory  of  the  soul  being  the  non-agent  (know  it). 


JNANESHWARI 

30  "When  he  by  degrees  comes  to  perceive  the  diversity  of  beings 
as  rooted  in  unity,  and  (perceives)  the  spreading  out  (of  it) 
from  that  same,  then  does  he  attain  Brahman.  (1084) 

It  is  only  then,  Oh  Arjuna,  when  the  diversity  of  forms  of  the  beings 
are  viewed  as  components  of  a  grand  totality,  that  the  state  of  their 
having  attained  the  Supreme  Brahman  is  experienced.  Just  as  there 
are  ripples  in  water,  or  atoms  in  the  earth,  or  rays  in  the  sun,  or  different 
organs  in  the  body,  or  different  sorts  of  feelings  in  the  mind,  different 
sparks  in  one  fire, —  in  that  way  the  diverse  forms  of  the  beings  are 
of  only  one  single  soul  and  when  this  is  perceived  through  the  vision 
of  knowledge,  then  only,  the  ship  containing  the  wealth  (in  the  form) 
of  Supreme  Brahman  comes  into  one's  possession.  And  then  where- 
soever one  casts  his  glance  one  sees  and  discovers  nothing  else  but 
the  Supreme  Brahman;  in  short  this  brings  him  infinite  Bliss.  In 
this  way,  Oh  Partha,  has  been  explained  and  brought  home  to  you, 
the  entire  arrangement  in  regard  to  Prakriti  and  Purusha,  through 
a  vivid  description  of  its  working  in  each  and  every  branch.  You 
should  consider  it  as  an  achievement  of  as  much  concern  and  im- 
portance as  you  would,  the  acquisition  of  a  mouthful  of  nectar, 
or  the  discovery  of  a  hidden  treasure.  You  will  certainly  not  be  called 
upon,  Oh  husband  of  Subhadra,  to  construct  your  metaphysical 
theory  before  getting  full  realisation  about  this  subject  (that  is  yet 
to  come).  I  have,  however,  to  say  a  couple  of  words  of  profound 
import  to  you,  but  before  you  hear  them  you  first  do  deliver  up  to 
me,  as  a  guarantee,  your  mind  in  its  entirety."  The  Lord  said  this 
and  then  started  his  discourse,  which  Partha  heard  with  perfect 
concentration. 

3Ml(4c«ll{*HJ<Mc«IUJ  M<*4lcHW'H«AW:  I 

31  "As  having  no  beginning  and  no  Gunas,  the  Highest  Self 
is  not  liable  to  mutation;  (and  so)  although  situate  within 
the  body,  Oh  Son  of  Kunti,  He  does  nothing  and  is  affected 
by  nothing.  .   (1094) 

What  is  called  Supreme  Soul  is  like  the  Sun,  who  is  not  coated  with 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND   KSETRAJNA  413 

water  (even  though  getting  reflected  in  it).  The  Sun  has  already  been 
in  existence,  Oh  KLIrlti,  both  before  and  after  (his)  reflection;  only 
he  appears  to  others  reflected  in  water  between  these  two  (stages). 
In  that  way,  it  is  not  true  to  say  that  the  soul  exists  in  the  body.  He  is 
permanently  there  where  he  is  all  by  himself.  Just  as.  what  appears 
in  the  mirror  as  face  is  only  its  reflection  there,  in  that  way  is  the  habita- 
tion of  the  soul  in  the  body.  It  is  a  meaningless  talk  to  affirm  that 
the  body  and  soul  meet  each  other.  Could  the  sand  and  wind  ever 
meet  together?  How  could  fire  and  cotton  be  inwoven  on  a  thread? 
How  could  the  sky  and  earth  be  joined  together?  This  connection 
(between  the  soul  and  the  body)  is  like  the  meeting  together  of  two  . . 
one  going  to  the  East  and  the  other  to  the  West.  The  common  feature 
between  the  soul  and  the  body  is  that  existing  between  light  and 
darkness,  or  between  a  dead  and  a  living  (standing)  body.  There  is 
the  same  difference  between  the-two  (soul  and  body)  as  that  existing 
between  the  night  and  the  day  or  between  gold  and  cotton.  The  body 
is  formed  of  the  five  gross  elements  and  is  tied  with  the  rope  or  thread 
in  the  form  of  actions  (of  the  previous  and  present  lives)  and  is  ever 
revolving  on  the  wheel  of  births  and  deaths.  It  (body)  is  (like)  a 
small  lump  of  butter  placed  in  the  mouth  of  the  fire  in  the  form  of 
time  (spirit  — ^ifiai)  where  it  is  consumed  in  a  trice,  that  duration  of 
time  as  is  taken  by  a  fly  for  shaking  its  wings.  This  (body)  if  it  perchance 
falls  into  fire  will  be  reduced  to  ashes;  but  if  it  gets  into  the  jaws  of 
a  dog,  it  will  be  transformed  into  dung.  Escaping  both  these  (fates) 
it  will  get  reduced  to  a  cluster  of  germs  and  insects  —  in  short  what- 
ever end  it  may  meet  with,  would  be  quite  repulsive.  Such  is  the 
condition  of  the  body;  while  the  soul  is  such  that  being  beginnuigless, 
he  is  eternal  and  self-same.  (He)  is  neither  possessed  of  quality  nor 
qualityless,  and  is  neither  lean  nor  fat.  He  is  neither  felt  nor  unfelt, 
neither  luminous  nor  non-luminous,  neither  minute  nor  extensive, 
and  he  transcends  form.  He  is  neither  empty  nor  full,  neither  alone 
nor  in  company,  neither  with  form  nor  without  form  and  abides  in 
the  zero  (void)  state  (which  is  the  negation  of  all  attributes).  He  is 
neither  joyous  nor  joyless,  neither  singular  nor  plural,  neither  free 
nor  fettered  and  exists  as  self-same.  He  is  neither  'this  much'  nor 
'that  much',  neither  self-made  nor  made  by  any  body  else,  neither 
talkative  nor  dumb  and  is  above  any  characteristic  mark.  He  is 
neither  created  along  with  the  universe  nor  is  he  exhausted  (finished) 
with  the  end  of  the  world  and  is  himself  the  constituent  ground  and 
source  of  both  existence  and  non-existence.  He  could  neither  be 
measured  nor  described,  he  neither  increases  nor  decreases,  neither 


414  JNANESHWARI 

fades  nor  is  finished  being  immutable.  Such  is  the  aspect  of  the  soul 
and  those  that  say,  Oh  dear,  that  he  dwells  in  the  body,  talk  of  the 
sky  as  having  the  dimensions  (as  seen  through)  of  a  hut  (hermitage). 
Thus  his  (soul's)  all  pervading  nature  makes  the  creation  and  the  end 
of  different  bodies  possible  but  he  remains  unaffected  by  their  varying 
conditions;  he  exists  (intact)  as  he  is.  The  day  and  the  night  rotate 
in  the  sky,  and  in  that  way,  bodies  come  and  go  under  the  Supremacy 
of  the  soul.  Therefore  even  while  abiding  in  the  body  he  neither  acts 
nor  causes  (any  one)  to  act ;  nor  does  he  take  upon  himself  the  res- 
ponsibility of  any  actions  confronting  him,  remaining  quite  neutral. 
Consequently,  there  is  no  change  in  his  aspect  and  even  though  abiding 
in  the  body,  is  not  affected  by  bodily  attributes. 

32  "Just  as  the  all-permeating  Ether,  by  reason  of  its  subtility, 
is  not  (liable  to  be)  affected,  so,  although  abiding  everywhere 
within  the  body,  the  Self  is  not  (liable  to  be)  affected.    (1 120) 

It  never  happens  that  the  sky  does  not  exist  in  any  place;  yet  it  never 
gets  defiled  by  the  dirt  (evils)  of  any  place.  In  that  way,  although 
abiding  in  all  bodies  everywhere,  the  soul  never  gets  besmeared  in 
any  way  with  the  sin  of  the  association.  This  is  being  clarified  to  you 
again  and  again,  so  that  you  should  know  that  the  Kshetrajna  is 
kshetra-less. 

5N  $Nt  WIT  |»r**r  y+liWfd  ^TRcTH  33  H 

33  "Just  as  the  one  Sun  illumines  this  entire  world,  so  does  the 
field-knower  illumine  the  entire  Field,  O  Scion  of  Bharata. 

(1123) 

Iron  is  set  into  motion  by  the  contact  of  a  magnet,  yet  iron  is  not 
magnet.  Similar  is  the  relationship  between  the  body  and  the  soul. 
The  domestic  duties  are  all  performed  (in  the  house)  with  the  help 
of  the  light  shed  by  the  lamp  (flame),  yet  there  is  an  immeasurable 
difference  between  the  lamp  and  the  house.  Although  fire  dwells 
in  a  latent  form  in  the  wood,  Oh  Kiriti,  yet  the  wood  is  not  fire,  and 
the  soul  should  be  viwed  from  this  standpoint.  The  same  difference 


XIII.    KSETRA   AND  KSETRAJ^A  415 

that  exists  between  the  sky  and  the  clouds,  or  between  the  sun  and 
the  mirage,  does  exist  (between  the  body  and  the  soul)  as  can  be 
be  perceived.  (In  short)  just  as  the  Sun  in  the  sky  illuminates  different 
spheres  in  the  universe  so  does  the  Field  -knower  illumine  the  entire 
(seeming)  field,  and  raise  no  further  doubt  about  it. 

34  "The  distinction  between  the  Field  and  the  Field-knower, 
they  who  by  their  eye  of  knowledge  understand,  as  also  deliver- 
ance from  the  Prakriti  (the  root-cause)  of  beings:  they  reach 
the  Highest.  (1129) 

That  intellect  which  has  come  to  realize  the  distinction  between 
the  Kshetra  and  the  Kshetrajna,  is  the  one  that  truely  sees,  and  it  alone 
can  grasp  the  essence  of  the  interpretations  of  the  words.  The  skilled 
(wise)  ones  worship  the  very  doors  of  the  men  of  knowledge,  to  be 
able  to  understand  this  distinction  between  the  two.  It  is  for  this 
that  the  wise  (igrft)  hoard  the  wealth  of  tranquillity  and  feed  in  their 
homes  the  milch  cattle  (cow)  in  the  form  of  Scriptures.  It  is  with  the 
expectation  to  know  this  that  some  persons  spiritedly  undertake  the 
hazardous  work  of  girdling  the  sky  in  the  form  of  practising  the 
Yoga  -  discipline.  Some  treat  as  mere  straw  all  their  possessions 
including  the  body,  and  take  to  service  devoutly  and  meekly  at  the 
feet  of  the  saints.  In  such  diverse  ways  do  people  try  the  secure  know- 
ledge with  the  longing  for  it  and  then  they  really  come  to  see  the 
distinction  between  the  Kshetra  and  the  Kshetrajna;  around  the 
mystic  vision  of  such  persons  we  wave  our  knowledge  (as  in  arati 
to  keep  such  ones  safe  from  the  evil  eye).  They  that  realize  in  their 
heart  that  the  Prakriti  is  quite  distinct  (from  the  Purusha)  —  that 
false  and  illusive  Prakriti  that  has  ramified  herself  through  the  five 
gross  elements  and  other  distinctions, —  (that  Prakriti)  that  has 
spread  herself  out  in  the  universe  and  catches  each  and  everyone  in- 
her  cage  (clutches)  like  the  parrot  —  'in  the  parrot  and  tube  story  — 
which  although  in  no  way  bound  to  the  tube  feels  through  fright, 
to  be  so  bound  and  clings  to  it  frantically  —  in  the  way  the  real  state 
of  its  (garland's)  being  a  floral  garland  becomes  perceptible  when  the 
delusion  of  its  being  a  snake  is  removed  —  or  in  the  way  the  fact  of 
the  shell  (mother  of  pearls)  being  only  a  shell  and  not  silver  is  realized 
when  the  delusion  (of  its  being  silver)  disappears.  I  proclaim  that 


416  JNANESHWARI 

they  attain  the  Supreme  Brahman ,  that  Supreme  Brahman  which  is 
greater  than  the  sky,  which  is  beyond  the  borderline  of  the  non- 
manifest  Prakriti  Maya  (Delusion),*  and  which  once  secured  leaves 
no  room  for  any  distinction  such  as  difference  or  identity  to  survive, 
and  where  end  all  forms,  and  where  get  dissolved  the  state  of  being 
as  also  duality,  and  which  is  solely  and  wholly  dualityless  and  which 
Supreme  Brahman  is  attained,  Oh  Partha,  only  by  those  who  have 
realized  the  spiritual  as  also  the  non-spiritual  and  who  can  like  a  swan 
separate  real  (essence)  from  the  unreal. 

Conclusion 

In  this  way  Lord  ShrT  Krishna  made  it  clear  to  one  who  was  dear  to 
his  heart,  the  Son  of  Pandu, — (the  entire  position  in  regard  to  the 
spiritual  and  non-spiritual).  Lord  Hari  thus  imparted  to  Arjuna 
the  knowledge  (of  the  Self)  in  the  way  water  from  one  jug  is  poured 
into  another.  But  who  imparted  (and)  to  whom?  Really  speaking 
this  phrase  is  incorrect  (since)  Nara  (Arjuna)  is  also  Narayana  (Lord 
Krishna),  and  this  is  affirmed  by  Lord  Krishna  with  the  remark.— 
"I  am  Arjuna  myself.  Enough  of  this  digression;  why  should  I 
say  more  unasked?  In  short,  the  Lord  gave  to  Arjuna  all  that  he  had. 
Yet  the  mind  of  Partha  was  not  satisfied;  (on  the  contrary)  his  longing 
to  hear  more  and  more  was  intensified.  With  oil  replenished,  as  the 
lamp  illuminates  with  greater  brilliance,  the  longing  in  Arjuna's 
heart  to  hear  more  and  more  got  intensified.  Here  is  an  expert  (in 
cooking)  and  liberal-minded  hostess;  there  are  on  the  other  hand 
guests  (fully)  qualified  to  relish  (food);  with  such  a  combination  as 
this,  it  hardly  needs  telling  that  the  hands  on  both  the  sides  get  to  work 
freely  (they  mutually  cooperate  giving  rise  to  immense  satisfaction). 
So  happened  to  the  Lord:  At  the  hearer's  eagerness  to  hear  he  too  felt 
thrilled  fourfold  to  prolong  his  discourse.  With  favourable  wind  the 
clouds  rise  up  fast,  or  the  sea  gets  into  full  tide  at  the  appearance  of 
the  full  moon;  in  that  way  on  account  of  the  regard  shown  by  the 
hearers,  the  orator's  eloquence  waxes."  Samjaya  then  said,  "Now 
God  will  make  joyous  the  entire  universe,  and  you,  Oh  King,  hear 
that  account."  (It  is)  that  story  which  the  most  talented  sage  Vyasa 
narrated  in  the  portion  named  Bbishma-Parva  of  the  Great  Epic 
'Mahabharata",  and  that  dialogue  between  Lord  Krishna  and 
Arjuna  I  shall  now  expound  in  Marathi  in  a  versified  form.  The 
narrative  is  one  full  only  with  one  sentiment  of  tranquillity  ( $lifcu«); 
yet  by  the  way  I  shall  expound  it,  the  sentiment  of  tranquillity  will 


XIII.   KSETRA  AND  KSETRAJNA  417 

tread  over  (be  superior  to)  the  head  of  the  erotic  sentiment  ( *j*u<m  ). 
It  is  only  the  (ordinary)  Marathi  language;  yet  I  shall  set  it  out  so 
skilfully  that  it  will  put  life  into  (light)  literature  and  will  make  even 
the  nectar's  taste  insipid  in  point  of  sweetness  (eloquence).  The 
phraseology  will  come  up  to  the  level  of  the  Moon  in  point  of  soft, 
(moist)  pleasant,  coolness  and  will  make  even  the  Divine  resonance 
(music  of  the  spheres)  assume  silence  before  its  infatuating  eloquence. 
It  will  cause  even  the  ghostly  order  to  make  their  hearts  ooze  out 
righteous  feelings  and  will  make  the  good  minds  (saints)  enter  into 
rapt  concentration  on  spiritual  meditation.  I  shall  now  expand  the 
grandeur  of  speech  in  such  a  way,  that  the  entire  universe  will  be 
stuffed  with  Gita- interpretations,  and  will  erect  an  enclosure  (amiTF) 
full  of  great  joy  for  the  world.  May  the  discreet  thought  disport  in 
high  spirit;  let  the  ears  and  the  mind  have  their  object  of  life  completely 
accomplished;  and  let  every  one  who  may  have  a  liking  for  the  subject 
be  able  to  see  the  mind  of  the  Brahmic  Lore.  Let  the  Supreme  Spirit 
be  discernible  to  the  vision  of  all,  ushering  in  a  festival  of  happiness 
for  all  to  enjoy,  and  let  the  universe  enter  (experience)  the  days  of 
plenty  and  prosperity  in  the  form  of  great  (Supreme)  understanding. 
Now  I,  who  am  favoured  by  the  grace  of  the  Great  Guru  Shri  Nivri- 
tinath,  shall  hold  the  discourse  in  a  way  that  will  bring  about  all  this 
(I  have  said).  I  shall  disentangle  the  (complication  resulting  from) 
the  jumble  of  similies  and  puns  explaining  the  significance  of  each 
and  every  word  and  bring  out  vividly  the  meaning  of  the  Scripture. 
My  Grand  preceptor  has  made  me  perfect  by  equipping  me  with 
literary  craftsmanship  and  ability,  sufficient  to  carry  me  through  to 
the  destination.  Through  the  grace  of  the  preceptor,  whatever  I 
preach  becomes  acceptable  and  this  has  prepared  me  to  hold  the  dis- 
course on  the  Gita-interpretations  in  your  conference:  Now  that 
I  have  come  up  at  your  feet,  there  is  no  obstruction  in  my  way.  Oh 
masters,  is  it  ever  possible  that  Saraswatl  the  Goddess  of  learning, 
will  ever  give  birth  to  a  dumb  child;  so  also  could  Lakshml  the  Goddess 
of  riches,  be  ever  wanting  in  (auspicious)  physical  signs.  In  that  way 
there  could  hardly  be  any  room  for  a  mere  mention  of  ignorance 
where  you  are  present  and  therefore  I  shall  make  all  the  nine  Rasas 
(sentiments)  to  rain  down  copiously  (through  my  discourse).  In 
short,  I  may,  Oh  God,  be  allowed  some  rest  and  I  shall  start  preaching 
the  Scriptures  in  the  right  wayT  said  Jnanadev 

efasNswt'Tt  5TPT  *J*rt4*ns>W4W:  II  \\  II 


CHAPTER  XIV 
GWATRAYAVIBHAGA 

Introduction 

Hail,  Preceptor,  the  God  of  all  Gods,  the  morning  Sun  in  the  form 
of  the  splendour  of  intellect,  the  dawn  of  happiness.  Hail  the  Abode 
of  the  Refuge  of  the  entire  universe;  the  very  incarnation  of  the 
majestic  idea,  "I  am  myself  Supreme  Brahman";  the  sea  on  which 
roll  the  waves  in  the  form  of  diverse  worlds;  all  glory  to  you.  Hear, 
ye,  the  brother  (reliever)  of  the  distressed,  the  eternal  sea  of  compassion, 
and  the  Lord  of  the  bride  in  the  form  of  pure  and  holy  lores.  To  those, 
from  whom  you  keep  hidden  your  'self,  you  only  show  this  universe. 
Deluding  the  vision  of  others  is  called  mesmerism;  yet  your  own  skill 
is  so  wonderful  that  it  enables  you  to  keep  hidden  your  real  aspect 
from  others.  You  are  all-in-all  in  the  (entire)  universe.  (The  state 
of  things)  that  you  enable  some  people  to  realise  the  Supreme  Self, 
while  to  others  you  (simultaneously)  show  only  illusive  worldly  drama 
is  all  your  craft  (WTW) — to  you  (such  a  one)  I  bow.  We  know  this 
much  that  in  the  world  the  quality  of  sweetness  in  water,  as  also  the 
forgiveness  in  the  Earth  are  secured  by  them  through  you.  The  bril- 
liant mother  of  pearls-the  Sun  and  the  Moon  that  arise  and  illumine 
the  three  worlds  have  derived  their  lustre  through  your  splendour. 
The  blowing  of  the  wind  is  also  through  your  divine  power,  while 
the  game  of  hide-and-seek  played  by  the  sky  is  also  through  your 
support.  In  short  it  is  through  your  power  that  nescience  becomes 
mighty  (all-pervading)  and  knowledge  secures  the  power  of  vision. 
Enough,  however,  of  this  extolling,  since  even  the  Shruti  (Vedas) 
got  fatigued  while  describing  you.  The  Vedas  proceed  well  with  the 
description  so  long  as  the  essence  of  your  'sellP  is  not  attained;  but 
once  it  is  attained  both  the  Vedas  and  we  find  ourselves  on  the  com- 
mon plane  of  muteness.  With  the  sea  overflowing  all,  one  can  hardly 
distinguish  individually  even  drops  of  water,  what  then  of  a  big  river? 
With  the  rising  of  the  Sun,  the  Moon  appears  like  a  glow-worm:  we 
both-ourselves  and  the  Vedas-get  reduced  to  the  same  position  when 
matched  with  your  'self.  When  there  remains  no  trace  whatever 
of  duality,  and  when  both  the  Para  and  Vaikhari,  (W  ^  $wft)  the 
first  and  last  stages  of  speech  cease  functioning,  under  these  condi- 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  419 

tions  through  what  mouth  could  we  extol  you?  No  fitting  words 
can  be  found  by  me  to  describe  your  personality.  It  is,  therefore, 
the  best  course  to  stop  all  praise  and  place  our  (fore)  head  silently 
at  your  feet.  Therefore,  obeisance  to  you  O  preceptor,  in  whatever 
form  you  may  be.  (You)  now  be  my  creditor  for  making  fruitful  my 
(business  of)  composition  and  release  the  capital  in  the  form  of  your 
kindness  and  pour  it  out  into  the  bag  (in  the  form)  of  my  intellect, 
securing  for  me  the  gift  of  versified  knowledge.  With  its  help,  I  shall 
carry  on  my  business  and  shall  adorn  the  ears  of  the  saints  with  aus- 
picious ear-ornaments  (in  the  form)  of  right  discrimination.  My 
mind  wishes  to  lay  open  the  hidden  treasure  (in  the  form)  of  the 
mystic  meaning  of  the  Gita-teachings,  and  would  pray  to  you  to  treat 
my  eyes  with  collyrium  in  the  form  of  your  affection  (to  enable  me 
to  see  the  treasures).  You  should  rise  up,  with  the  clear  disc  of  your 
pure  compassion,  so  that  my  intellectual  vision  would  be  able  to  per- 
ceive at  a  single  glance,  the  entire  literary  (poetic)  creation.  You 
should  be  the  spring  (season),  the  crown-jewel  amongst  the  loving, 
to  make  the  charming  creeping  plant,  in  the  form  of  my  intellect 
abundantly  fruitful  with  poetry.  With  your  generous  and  kind  vision, 
rain  down  copiously,  so  that  the  Ganges  (in  the  form)  of  my  intellect 
should  register  the  highest  flood  in  the  form  of  problems  (to  be  solved) 
and  established  truths.  O,  you,  the  sole  resting  place  of  the  universe, 
let  the  Moon  of  your  favour  endow  me  with  a  Full-Moon  night  in 
the  form  of  vigorous  inspiration  so  that,  at  its  sight  the  sea  of  know- 
ledge should  swell  into  full  tide,  making  the  channels  of  the  nine 
Rasas  (sentiments)  over-flow  themselves.  Hearing  this  the  Preceptor 
got  pleased  and  said,  "You  have  again  started  praising  (me)  on  the 
pretext  of  making  a  request  (and  thus  have  been  displaying  a  sense 
of  duality).  Let  that  unavailing  talk  alone,  and  proceed  seriously 
with  the  revelation  of  the  Scripture — making  its  sense  lovely  (easily 
comprehensible).  Do  not  allow  the  deep  interest  (of  the  audience) 
to  flag.  Thereupon  Shri  Jnaneshwar  said,  I  was  only  waiting  to 
see  the  words  'Go  on  with  the  preaching  of  the  Scripture'  coming  out 
from  (your)  illustrious  mouth.  The  sprouts  of  the  bent  grass  (|3f )  are 
naturally  ever  green;  over  and  above  that  they  get  flooded  with  nectar. 
In  that  way  through  (your)  kindness  I  shall  now  expound  the  original 
Scriptural  phrases  and  words  in  an  eloquent  and  lucid  way.  Yet 
my  only  wish  is  that  there  should  be  developed,  through  the  grace 
of  the  preceptor,  in  my  faculty  of  speech,  such  eloquence,  as  would 
be  able  to  drown  the  small  boat  of  dubiousness  (persisting)  in  the 
heart  of  beings  and  would  also  whet  their  appetite  for  hearing.  In 


420  JNANESHWARI 

Chapter  XIII,  Lord  Krishna  preached  to  Arjuna  that  the  universe 
gets  created  through  (the  union  of)the  Field  and  the  Field-knower, 
and  that  the  Self,  getting  associated  with  the  Gunas,  has  to  get  into 
the  worldly  affairs;  this  identification  (of  the  self)  with  Prakrti  is  the 
sole  cause  of  this  pleasurable  and  painful  experience.  Otherwise, 
he  is  above  the  Gunas,  absorbed  as  he  is  into  the  divine  essence.  How 
the  non-attached  gets  attached,  how  the  Field  and  the  Field-knower 
get  together,  how  they  have  to  experience  pleasure  and  pain,  what 
is  the  nature  and  number  of  the  Gunas,  how  they  fetter  and  what 
are  the  characteristics  of  one  who  transcends  these  Gunas  etc.  etc. 
— the  elucidation  of  these  points  forms  the  theme  of  Chapter  XIV. 
Now  you  do  hear  what  the  teachings  of  the  God  of  Vaikuntha  on 
these  are.  Then  the  Lord  said,  "Oh  Arjuna,  you  assemble  together 
the  entire  army  in  the  form  of  your  attention  and  let  it  cling  closely 
to  knowledge.  I  (We)  have  on  former  occasions  explained  to  you 
in  many  ways,  this  theory  (of  knowledge),  yet  you  have  not  been 
able  to  realize  it  within  yourself. 

J4<*9Hc«ii  *pni:  *r?  *ttt  ffcrfigrfaft  THT:  II  $  II 
The  Exalted-One  Spake: 

1  "Once  again,  of  knowledges  the  supreme  and  the  most  ex- 
cellent Knowledge  shall  I  expound,  by  knowing  which  the 
Sages  have  all  reached  hence  the  Highest  Perfection.      (41) 

Therefore,  I  shall  again  tell  you  next  about  what  Shruti  Scriptures 
have  repeatedly  proclaimed  as  fcpara  (TT-Highest).  In  fact  this  know- 
ledge is  our  own,  yet,  it  becomes  'para'  (TT-Beyond-foreign)  to  us, 
because  of  our  having  taken  a  liking  for  this  world  as  also  for  the 
heavens.  Oh,  it  is  for  this  reason  that  I  call  it  best  in  its  entirety,  since 
this  knowledge  is  like  fire  (burning  others)  while  others  (types  of  know- 
ledge) are  like  straw  (before  it),  since  they  recognise  as  real  only  this 
world  as  also  the  heavens  and  further  say  that  the  sacrifices  etc.  alone 
are  good  and  consider  duality  to  be  real  through  distinctions.  All 
other  types  of  knowledge  prove  to  be  dreams  (unsubstantial)  before 
this  knowledge.  Just  as  the  wind  is  ultimately  dissolved  in  the  sky, 
or  just  as,  with  the  rising  of  the  Sun  in  the  sky,  the  brilliance  of  the 
Moon  and  the  other  stars  gets  dimmed,  or  just  as  all  the  rivers,  big 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  421 

and  small,  get  merged  in  the  waters  of  the  deluge  at  the  time  of  world- 
dissolution,  in  that  way  with  the  rise  of  this  knowledge,  other  types 
of  knowledge  get  extinguished,  and  therefore,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  this 
(knowledge)  is  the  best.  That  originless,  emancipated  and  pristine 
state  of  ours,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  that  state  called  the  'complete  de- 
liverance' is  attained  through  this  knowledge.  With  the  realization 
of  this  knowledge,  thoughtful  persons  do  not  allow  the  mundane 
existence  even  to  raise  its  head.  Those  that  have  secured  rest  through 
the  restraint  of  the  mind — such  persons  even  though  in  the  body- 
form,  do  not  get  under  the  sway  of  the  body.  Then  they  cross  over 
once  for  all  the  body-hedge  and  come  up  to  the  same  level  as  myself 
with  the  perfect  balancing  (of  the  mind). 

««T>Im  «iV4vlN4«3  3FS&  «T  *M*lPd  ^  II  R  It 

2  "Betaking  themselves  to  this  Knowledge  and  attaining  simi- 
larity of  essence  with  Me,  they  do  not  become  born  even  at 
the  (Cosmic)  Creation,  and  are  not,  at  the  (Cosmic)  Dis- 
solution, distressed.  (52) 

They  become  eternal  through  my  eternity  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  get 
perfect  through  my  perfection.  They  become  as  really  accomplished 
with  eternal  bliss  as  I  am,  there  remaining  no  distinction  whatsoever 
between  us.  They  attain  the  aspect,  of  the  same  magnitude  and  nature 
as  my  own,  just  as  the  sky  visible  in  the  earthen  jar  gets  extinguished 
in  the  sky  with  the  breaking  of  the  jar  or  just  as  the  light  of  the  several 
other  (lamp-)  flames,  is  merged  into  that  of  the  original  lamp-flame 
when  mingled  together.  In  that  way,  Oh  Arjuna,  with  the  extinction 
of  all  duality  all  names  and  forms  are  merged  into  one  mass,  occupy- 
ing the  same  status  without  any  distinction  such  as  T  or  'you'.  And 
for  this  very  reason  they  have  not  got  to  subject  themselves  to  the 
process  at  the  advent  of  world-creation.  Thus  (they)  being  unfettered 
with  the  body-form  at  the  creation  of  the  world-how  is  it  possible 
for  them  to  meet  death  at  the  world-dissolution?  Those,  therefore, 
that  follow  this  knowledge,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  become  one  with  me, 
having  transcended  (the  cycle  of)  births  and  deaths."  In  this  way, 
the  Lord  praised  with  great  liking  the  greatness  of  knowledge  in  order 
to  create  a  taste  (predilection)  for  it  in  the  mind  of  PErtha.  At  this, 
he  (Partha)  got  into  a  wonderful  state,  as  if  there  were  created  ears 
all  over  his  body  and  he  himself  got  into  rapt  concentration.  (Arjuna) 


422  JNANESHWARI 

got  so  much  pervaded  with  the  God's  affection  for  him,  that  its  descrip- 
tion could  not  be  contained  even  in  the  sky.  God  said,  "Oh  you, 
the  master-talent,  my  oration  has  become  glorified  to-day,  since  I 
have  secured  in  you  a  hearer  equal  to  the  discourse  itself.  I  shall 
now  tell  you,  and  you  do  hear  how,  even  though  all  single,  I  have  got 
myself  entangled  in  the  body-form  through  the  agency  of  the  hunters 
in  the  form  of  the  three  Gunas  and  how,  with  my  union  with  the  Field 
(Prakriti)  the  entire  universe  gets  created.  It  is  because  the  entire 
crop  in  the  form  of  the  beings  is  created  from  the  seed  in  the  form 
of  my  union  with  Prakriti,  that  the  latter  (9I>%)  is  called  the  'Field'. 

SHPT:  fl4*JdMf  cTrft  Wlfa  ^Kd  II  3  II 

3  "My  womb  is  the  'Gross-Brahman'  wherein  I  deposit  the 
embryo.  The  origination  of  all  beings  proceeds  therefrom, 
O  Scion  of  Bharata.  (67) 

This  (Prakriti-Maya)  is  called  'Gross-Brahman'  C^^T),  since 
she  is  the  resting  place  of  the  gross  elements  such  as  'Mahat'  and 
others.  Oh  Arjuna,  all  (mental)  functions  get  strengthened  because 
of  her  and  so  she  is  'the  Gross-Brahman*.  The  non-manifestists 
give  it  the  name  'unmanifested',  while  what  Samkhyas  call  'Prakriti' 
is  also  the  same.  Oh,  the  great-talented  one,  the  Vedantis  (Upani- 
shadic  philosophers)  call  it  'Maya';  why  waste  words  over  it?  This 
Maya  is  nothing  else  but  Nescience  itself  (3TWR),  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
and  nescience  is  only  forgetting  one's  own  'self.  There  is  one  more 
feature  about  it  viz.  it  is  not  even  discernible  while  the  reason  is  at 
work,  just  as  darkness  is-  not  discernible  while  there  is  light.  The 
cream  gets  dissolved  in  milk,  when  it  is  stirred  up  in  it,  but  it  gathers 
itself  if  left  undisturbed.  This  nescience  is  like  sound  sleep  (^jfer) 
wherein  there  is  neither  dream  nor  wakefulness  nor  yet  rapt  con- 
centration; or  like  the  sky  which  remains  undisturbed  and  quiet 
when  there  is  no  blowing  of  the  wind.  One  cannot  be  definite  as  to 
whether  there  is  standing  yonder,  a  pillar  or  a  human  being,  but  only 
feels  that  something  is  there;  in  that  way,  not  only  that  one  cannot 
discern  the  'self  in  its  real  aspect,  but  cannot  even  see  definitely  if 
if  it  is  something  else :  just  as  there  exists  the  transition  period  (between 
the  day  and  the  night)  called  the  'evening'  which  is  neither  the  day 
nor  the  night,  (in  that  way),  there  exists  nescience  which  is  neither 
knowledge  nor  its  contrary.  Such  a  state  of  dubiousness  in  regard 


XIV.  GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  423 

to  the  real  and  unreal  knowledge  (of  the  self)  is  called  nescience,  and 
the  spirit  ('self)  that  is  shrouded  in  this  nescience  is  called  the  'Field- 
knower'.  Strengthening  only  nescience  and  not  knowing  his  own 
self  should  be  known  as  the  special  features  of  the  'Field-knower'. 
This  is  what  is  called,  Oh  my  darling,  the  union  ( 'frr )  of  the  two 
(Prakriti  and  Purusha)-grasp  this  fact  firmly-and  this  is  the  natural 
disposition  of  the  highest  entity-the  'self.  Following  nescience,  the 
soul  (proceeds  to)  view  his  own  aspect,  but  there  appear  to  him  many 
such  (aspects  of  his  own)  and  he  is  at  a  loss  to  know  which  of  them 
is  the  real  one.  It  is  just  like  a  poverty-stricken  man,  getting  mad 
and  raving,  "behold  the  king  is  coming  (I  am  the  king)"  or  like  one 
recovering  from  unconscious  state  and  asserting  that  he  had  been 
to  Heaven.  In  that  way,  whatever  is  perceived  through  the  deluded 
vision  viz.  this  whole  objectified  universe,  is  all  created  from  myself 
(the  Supreme).  Just  as  a  single  person  under  delusion  while  he  is  in 
a  dream,  witnesses  himself  in  diverse  forms,  so  happens  to  the  soul, 
the  forgetting  of  his  own  'self.  This  very  problem  is  being  clarified 
further  to  make  it  free  from  confusion,  and  do  experience  it.  This 
'Avidya'  (srfwr  -ignorance  as  opposed  to  knowledge)  is  my  house- 
wife beginningless,  ever  young,  and  possessed  of  qualities  that  defy 
description.  "No  form  whatever"  is  her  form;  her  sphere  (for  activity) 
is  quite  immeasurable.  She  abides  by  those  that  are  asleep  (ignorant) 
while  she  keeps  herself  far  away  from  the  wakeful  (Seers.)  She  keeps 
herself  wide  awake  while  I  am  asleep  and  she  conceives  by  virtue 
of  her  union  with  the  Highest  reality — (the  'self).  She  nourishes 
and  develops  the  embryo  in  the  'Gross-Brahman'  womb,  with  her 
eight-fold  constitution.  With  the  union  of  these  two  (Prakriti  and 
Purusha)  gets  first  created  the  element  intellect  and  thence  is  born 
the  mind,  fully  stuffed  with  the  principle  of  intellect.  Energetic  con- 
sciousness (wife)  of  mind  gives  birth  to  the  element  egoism,  from 
which  come,  into  being  the  gross  elements.  It  is  the  nature  of  these 
elements  to  be  invariably  associated  with  the  sense-centres  and  objects; 
so  the  sense-centres  as  also  their  objects  are  generated  along  with 
the  elements.  Violent  disturbance  in  the  functioning  of  sense-objects 
is  followed  by  the  advent  of  the  three  Guna-constituents,  which  begin 
to  make  movements  through  embryonic  (incipient)  desires;  this  is 
the  genesis  of  the  individual  soul.  Just  as  a  seed  (particle),  as  soon  as  it 
comes  in  contact  with  water,  begins  to  formulate  the  structure  of  the 
tree,  in  that  way,  with  her  union  with  me  Maya  (ignorance)  herself 
begins  to  sprout  out  diverse  shoots  in  the  form  of  the  universe.  Now, 
Oh  you  King  of  the  Good,  do  hear  how  the  embryo  develops 


424  JNANESHWARI 

into  different  forms  (foetuses).  There  get  developed  foetuses  of  dif- 
ferent orders  namely  'Manija,'  Crf^R"),  'Swedaja,'  (<^*t),  'Udbhija' 
(S^fa^T )  and  Jaraja  (  wttst  ).  "Manija'  is  formed  chiefly  by  the  com- 
bination of  the  elements  of  the  sky  and  the  wind  with  the  embryo. 
The  'Swedaja'  is  created  by  the  rushing  of  the  element  water  and  fire 
in  combination  with  the  'Rajas'  and  'Tamas'  Gunas.  The  stationary 
'Udbhija'  results  from  the  predominant  elements  of  water  and  earth 
when  combined  with  the  'Tamas'  Guna  of  inferior  grade,  while  the 
'Jaraja'  is  formed  by  the  mutual  co-operation  of  the  five  sense-organs 
and  the  five  organs  of  action  as  also  the  mind  and  the  intellect.  These 
four  classes  form  as  it  were  the  hands  and  feet,  while  Prakriti  having 
the  eight-fold  constitution  is  the  head;  activism  is  the  belly,  while 
renunciation  is  the  back;  the  eight  godly  orders  occupy  the  portion 
of  the  body  above  the  waist,  the  heaven  is  the  throat  region,  the  mortal 
world  is  the  waist,  the  region  under  the  earth  (4M!«>)  being  the  but- 
tocks. A  queer  child  constituted  of  such  limbs  and  parts  of  the  body 
is  born  (of  Maya).  The  three  worlds  form  the  plumpness  («iiaKl ) 
of  that  child,  the  eighty-four  lakhs  of  species  (of  the  beginnings)  form 
the  ligaments  of  the  small  and  large  bones,  and  this  child  grows  day 
by  day.  The  different  limbs  of  the  body  are  adorned  with  ornaments 
in  the  form  of  diverse  names,  while  Maya  feeds  (the  child)  by  making 
it  suck  her  breast  in  the  form  of  ever  new  infatuations.  She  has  adorned 
the  child's  fingers  with  rings  in  the  form  of  diverse  worlds,  the  bril- 
liance of  each  of  these  being  different  from  one  another.  She  (Maya) 
feels  greatly  glorified  having  given  birth  to  such  an  only  child — beauti- 
ful above  description — in  the  form  of  this  universe  formed  of  many 
movables  and  immovables.  God  Brahmadev  is  the  morning,  God 
Vishnu  the  noon,  while  God  Shiva,  the  evening  to  this  child.  It  plays 
and  (after  getting  fatigued)  sleeps  soundly  on  the  bed  of  the  great 
world-dissolution.  It  arises  again  at  the  dawn  of  the  new  age  ( WT )  in 
infatuation  (fwr  5rr^).  In  this  way  Oh  Arjuna  (grows  and)  walks 
sportively  (this  child)  step  by  step  in  the  form  of  recurring  succession 
of  aeons,  in  the  house  of  false  vision.  Fancy  is  its  great  friend,  while 
egoism  is  its  playmate  and  such  a  child  meets  its  end  only  through 
(real)  knowledge.  Enough  of  this  elaboration.  In  this  way,  was  born 
this  unhorse  to  Maya,  and  therein  proved  of  great  help  to  my  own 
power. 

^Wtf^  *^*rto  'fcfo  tfwPtl  SIT:  I 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  425 

4  "In  all  the  (several)  wombs,  O  Son  of  Kunti,  the  concrete 
manifestations  that  spring  up:  of  them  the  "Gross- Brahman" 
is  the  (Primal)   Womb,  and  I  the  seed-implanting  Father. 

(116) 

For  this  reason,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  I  am  the  Father,  and  the  Gross- 
Brahman  (Maya)  the  mother,  and  the  entire  universe,  the  off-spring. 
Don't  get  confounded  in  your  mind  at  seeing  the  diverse  bodies  in 
the  world,  since  the  mind  and  the  intellect  in  all  the  beings,  are  in 
principle  one  and  the  same.  Are  there  not  different  organs  in  one 
and  the  same  body?  In  that  way  this  universe,  although  manifested 
in  different  forms,  is  in  principle  all  one  and  the  same.  Branches 
high  and  low,  even  and  uneven,  (of  a  tree)  are  all  created  from  one 
and  the  same  seed :  or  an  earthen  pot  is  the  child  of  clay  or  the  (checker- 
ed) cloth  the  grand-child  of  cotton;  or  in  the  way  the  diverse  waves 
become  the  progeny  of  the  sea-in  a  similar  relationship  I  stand  to 
the  entire  universe.  In  the  way  fire  and  flames  are  but  one  fire,  in 
that  same  relationship,  I  stand  towards  the  entire  universe.  Were 
my  form  (essence)  suppressed  as  a  result  of  the  creation  of  the  unfverse, 
then  by  whose  glory  (splendour)  does  the  world  expand  and  project 
itself?  Can  a  ruby  be  lost  in  its  own  lustre?  Does  gold  lose  its  gold- 
properties  by  its  conversion  into  ornaments?  Or  does  a  lotus  lose 
its  lotus-qualities  by  its  getting  fully  opened?  Do  tell  me,  Oh  Dhanan- 
jaya  does  the  body  (possessor  of  organs)  cease  to  be  perceptible  because 
of  its  organs  or  does  it  (body)  exist  in  the  body-form  (with  the  organs) 
by  itself?  When  a  grain  of  Jwdri  (a  kind  food  grain)  is  sown  and  it 
germinates  and  sprouts,  yielding  an  ear  of  corn,  can  we  say  it  has 
exhausted  itself;  is  it  not  rather  that  it  has  multiplied  (expanded) 
itself?  My  form  (essence)  is  not  such  as  could  be  viewed  separately 
by  laying  aside  (the  curtain  of)  the  universe.  This  entire  universe, 
in  and  out,  is  all  my  own  self.  Keep  this  pure  and  definite  knowledge 
firmly  fixed  in  your  mind.  (True)  I  make  myself  felt  as  abiding  separate- 
ly in  different  body-forms,  but  it  is  because  I  have  (by  my  own  doings) 
got  myself  fettered  by  the  Gunas,  Oh,  you  having  a  monkey-ban- 
ner hoisted  on  your  chariot,  just  as  one  gets  up  in  a  dream  and  ex- 
periences his  own  death  (in  the  dream  itself),  or  just  as  one  suffering 
from  jaundice,  has  his  eyes  turned  yellow  and  everything  he  sees 
appears  to  him  yellow,  or  just  as  the  clouds  could  be  seen  with  the 
rising  of  the  Sun,  while  the  screening  of  the  Sun  himself  by  the  clouds 
also  becomes  perceptible  with  the  same  sunlight,  or  as  one  should 
feel  afraid  of  the  shadow  cast  by  himself,  raising  the  question  if  he 


426  JNANESHWARI 

himself  is  distinct  from  the  shadow-in  all  these  ways,  I  give  rise  to 
diversities  by  displaying  myself  in  different  body-forms.  There  is 
also  one  restriction  in  this  and  hear  about  it.  The  question  whether 
I  am  fettered  or  emancipated  arises  out  of  ignorance  as  regards  the 
form  of  one's  own  self.  Therefore,  O  divine  Arjuna,  do  hear  by  what 
Guna  I  get  myself  fettered.  You  do  hear  the  secret  of  all  this  viz. 
how  many  Gunas  there  are,  what  are  their  properties,  their  charac- 
teristic colour  and  names,  and  also  from  where  they  come  into  being. 

5  "Sattva,  Rajas,  and  Tamos  are  the  (three)  constituent  aspects 
that  originate  from  the  Primal  Nature.  It  is  they,  O  Long- 
armed,  that  fetter  within  the  body  the  Immutable  Body- 
owner.  (138) 

'Sattva',  'Rajas'  and  'Tamas'  are  the  three  names  of  the  Gunas  (Con- 
stituent-aspects) and  their  birth-place  is  Prakriti.  Of  these  three, 
'Sattva'  is  the  best,  'Rajas'  of  middle  quality  and  'Tamas'  the  most 
inferior  of  the  three.  All  these  three  dwell  together  in  one  and  the  same 
mind,  in  the  way  one  and  the  same  body  has  to  experience  childhood, 
youth  and  old  age;  or  in  the  way  one  and  the  same  pure  gold  is  degraded 
in  point  of  fineness  and  reaches  point  five,  as  alloy  is  mixed  with  it, 
or  in  the  way  the  state  of  alertness,  shrouded  by  laziness  (drowsiness) 
makes  room  for  sound  sleep — in  that  way  any  disposition  growing 
intense  and  strong  through  embracing  nescience,  reaches  the  'Tamas' 
passing  through  the  (intermediate)  doors  of  Sattva  and  Rajas  Gunas. 
Know  ye,  O  Arjuna,  that  these  (mental  conditions)  are  named  the 
Gunas,  and  now  hear  how  they  fetter  (the  soul).  The  soul  as  the  Field- 
knower,  as  soon  as  it  enters  the  bodyform,  as  the  individual  soul, 
begins  to  identify  the  body  with  himself.  Then  as  soon  as  he  em- 
braces egoism  in  regard  to  all  his  bodily  functions  from  birth  to  death, 
the  individual  soul  is  entrapped,  and  then  the  soul  is  caught  like  a 
deer  in  their  meshes,  in  the  way  the  fisherman  gives  a  sudden  jerk 
and  gathers  in  his  net,  as  soon  as  the  fish  has  swallowed  the  bait  with 
the  hook  hidden  inside. 

^a«^  ^SfTfk  dMU^H  "*NM  II  %  II 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  427 

6  "Of  them,  the  Sattva,  because  of  its  taintlessness,  is  luminous 
and  free  from  disorder;  through  fondness  for  comfort  it  fetters, 
and  through  fondness  for  knowledge,  O  Sinless  One.    (148) 

The  hunter  Sattva  begins  to  gather  in  the  snares  in  the  form  of  pleasure 
and  knowledge,  then  he  (individual  soul)  goes  on  indulging  in  loose 
and  vain  talk  in  his  conceit  as  being  one  of  knowledge,  chafes  and 
kicks  (struggles  vainly)  as  he  realises  his  actual  state  and  thus  banishes 
that  autochthonous  bliss  of  the  self  which  was  already  his.  He  feels 
greatly  pleased  when  honoured  as  being  a  learned  person,  is  elated 
at  every  trifling  gain,  and  begins  to  boast  of  being  a  really  happy 
person.  He  says,  "Is  it  not  a  great  luck  of  mine?  Who  else  is  as  happy 
as  myself,"  and  while  indulging  in  such  talks  the  eight  affections  of 
the  body  (considered  as)  indicating  the  prevalence  of  Sattva  quality 
begin  to  surge  up  all  through  his  body.  The  matter  does  not  stop 
here.  Another  sticky  thing  gets  at  him,  viz.  the  ghost  in  the  form  of 
his  erudition  possesses  him.  He  does  not  feel  sorry  in  the  least  for  ignor- 
ing the  fact  that  he  himself  is  the  essence  of  knowledge,  but  he  has 
lost  that  primal  nature  of  his  and  feels  he  is  distended  infinitely  like 
the  sky  with  the  mundane  knowledge  of  sense-objects.  It  is  just  like 
a  king  turned  into  a  beggar  in  his  dreams  and  then  making  a  boast 
of  being  as  lucky  as  God  Indra  on  his  going  around  abegging  in  his 
capital  and  securing  a  little  grain.  In  that  way  one  above  form,  getting 
into  form  (body)  thus  gets  (deluded)  by  external  knowledge.  He 
becomes  expert  in  active  worldly  life,  well-versed  in  sacrificial  learn- 
ing, nay  he  considers  even  heaven  as  too  low  in  magnitude  for  himself. 
And  then  he  boasts,  "No  one  else  has  got  as  much  knowledge  as  I 
have"  and  says,  "my  mind  is  (as  boundless  as)  the  sky  which  harbours 
the  moon  in  the  form  of  dexterity" .  In  this  way  the  Sattva  Guna  drags 
the  soul  with  a  chord  of  happiness  and  knowledge  tied  round  his 
ears,  in  the  way  a  decorated  bull  is  reduced  to  a  (helpless)  state  by 
his  trainer.  Now  I  tell  you  and  you  do  hear  how  this  embodied  soul 
is  fettered  by  the  Rajas  Guna. 

7  "Understand  the  Rajas  to  be  compact  of  (all)  passions,  (and) 
the  source  of  longing  and  attachment;  it  fetters-down  the 
Body-owner,  O  Son  of  KuntT,  by  fondness  for  actions.  (160) 


428  JNANESHWARI 

It  is  called  Rajas  as  it  amuses  the  soul  and  keeps  ever  fresh  and  strong 
in  him  the  desires  for  sense-objects. .  This  Rajas  makes  a  minute  entry 
in  him  (soul)  and  getting  on  the  way  to  sense-objects  rides  on  the  high 
wind  of  desires  (for  sense-objects).  Just  as  a  sacrificial  fire  in  the 
receptacle,  when  soaked  with  clarified  butter  and  full  of  live  coal 
in  it,  bursts  into  a  mighty  blaze,  in  that  way,  the  desires  for  sense- 
objects  get  wild  and  then  the  sense-objects  even  though  mixed  (tainted) 
with  misery  are  felt  sweet,  even  the  glory  (and  wealth)  of  God  Indra 
is  looked  upon  as  inadequate  and  rather  trifling.  With  the  greed 
(thirst)  inflamed,  (he  is  not  satisfied)  even  if  the  mountain  Meru  falls 
into  his  hands,  and  says  that  he  will  even  resort  to  any  dreadful  thing 
(to  satisfy  his  greed).  He  gets  prepared  even  to  wave  his  very  life, 
treating  it  like  a  cowrie,  (^=r^ -smallest  coin)  and  considers  the  object 
of  (his)  life  to  be  fully  accomplished  were  he  to  secure  even  a  straw. 
He  extends  the  scope  of  his  dealings  with  extraordinary  zeal,  to  provide 
for  the  morrow,  not  caring  if  all  he  possessed  today  were  squandered 
that  very  day.  He  says,  "It  is  alright  to  go  to  Heaven,  but  on  what 
to  live  after  going  there,  and  for  this  he  makes  haste,  arranging  for 
performance  of  sacrifices  to  be  able  to  provide  for  the  days  of  stay 
in  Heaven."  He  takes  to  religious  observances  and  vows  one  after 
another,  undertakes  sacrifices  and  the  construction  of  works  of  public 
weal,  but  would  not  touch  (perform)  a  single  act  unless  it  be  fruit- 
motived.  The  strong  wind  blowing  at  the  close  of  the  Grlshma  season 
(summer,  about  the  end  of  July),  Oh  Warrior,  knows  no  rest;  in  that 
way  he  does  not  mind  if  it  is  night  or  day  time  while  rushing  through 
business.  The  movements  of  the  fish  in  the  water,  or  the  fickleness 
of  the  leer  of  a  youthful  woman  or  the  flashing  of  the  lightning  would 
not  even  be  as  subtle  and  quick  as  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  the  being 
filled  with  desires.  With  such  extraordinary  haste  he  rushes  head- 
long into  the  fire  of  activism  out  of  covetuous  longing  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  sense-objects,  in  this  world  as  also  in  Heaven.  In  this  way 
the  embodied  soul  although  himself  entirely  distinct  from  body, 
gets  himself  chained  with  the  fetters  of  longing  and  desires  and  carries 
the  big  load  of  worldly  dealings  around  his  neck.  And  thus  the  em- 
bodied soul  is  tied  down  by  the  dreadful  bondage  of  the  Rajas  Guna. 
Now  hear  about  the  binding  power  of  Tamas. 

8    "The  Tamas,  however,  understand  as  bom  of  nescience,  and 


xiv.  gunatrayavibhSga  429 

causing  infatuation  to  all  body-owners.  Through  heedlessness, 
indolence,  and  slumber  does  it  fetter-down,  O  Scion  ofBharata. 

(174) 

That  which  dims  the  vision  of  commonsense,  that  which  is  the  dark 
cloud  of  the  night  of  infatuation,  that  which  makes  one  feel  strong 
attachment  for  nescience  and  has  deluded  the  universe  and  made  it 
dance  (active),  that  which  is  the  great  mystic  formula  of  thought- 
lessness and  is  a  jug  of  the  wine  in  the  form  of  stupidity — nay  which 
is  a  missile  (in  the  form  of)  infatuation  (H^l«)  for  the  being-all 
that,  Oh  Partha,  is  Tamas,  and  with  its  skill,  it  entangles  the  egoistic 
body-owner.  Once  it  begins  to  grow  up  in  all  created  things,  there 
remains  no  scope  for  anyone  else  (to  grow).  It  renders  the  organs 
dull,  the  mind  foolish,  and  strengthens  indolence.  Then  the  being 
begins  to  turn  and  twist  his  body,  feels  aversion  for  any  sort  of  work 
and  then  there  ensues  abundance  of  yawning.  He  cannot  then,  Oh 
Kirtlti,  see  anything  with  his  eyes  even  though  (they  are)  open,  and 
gets  up  and  responds  to  a  call  even  though  there  is  actually  none. 
A  stone  slab  falling  on  one  of  its  sides,  does  not  move  to  any  other; 
in  that  way,  once  rolled  up  in  drowsiness  he  cannot  unroll  himself. 
The  earth  might  sink  low  into  the  lower  region  (MldloJ)  or  heavens 
might  crash  down  upon  him,  yet  he  does  not  feel  like  getting  up.  He, 
feeling  drowsy  and  sleepy,  cannot  recollect  what  is  proper  or  improper, 
but  only  feels  great  liking  for  remaining  in  a  rolling  position.  He 
raises  his  palms  and  rests  his  cheeks  on  them,  and  uses  his  legs  as 
supporting  cushions,  and  he  is  so  very  fond  of  slumber  that  he  con- 
siders it  superior  to  heavenly  bliss,  were  he  to  have  a  godd  slumber. 
He  has  no  other  addiction  but  that  of  having  the  longevity  of  God 
Brahmadev,  and  of  passing  it  in  slumber.  Were  he  casually  to  rest 
while  wending  his  way  he  feels  sleepy,  and  were  he  to  feel  drowsy  he 
would  not  wake  up  even  for  taking  a  sip  of  nectar  (if  it  is  offered  to 
him).  If  on  occasions  he  is  forced  to  work,  he  gets  blind  with  rage. 
He  does  not  even  know  how  to  behave  himself,  and  with  whom  to 
talk  and  what,  and  cannot  know  if  a  certain  action  is  possible  or  im- 
possible. Just  as  a  moth  should  entertain  the  ambition  of  putting 
out,  with  the  help  of  its  wings,  a  wild  fire,  in  that  way  he  becomes 
prepared  to  run  risks  and  audaciously  puts  his  hand  to  things  that 
could  not  (or  should  not)  be  done;  in  short  he  likes  to  do  wrong 
(thoughtless)  actions.  In  this  way,  the  Tamas  quality  fetters  the  at- 
tributeless  and  pure  soul  with  a  bondage  of  triple  plait  in  the  form 
of  slumber,  indolence  and  wrongful  actions.  When  fire  pervades 


430  JNANESHWARI 

an  entire  piece  of  wood,  it  appears  to  have  the  shape  of  that  piece, 
or  the  sky  gets  the  name  of  Ghatakash  ("sm^nJT-earthen-pot-shaped 
sky),  when  contained  (seen)  in  the  earthen  pot:  or  when  a  lake  is 
full  of  water,  then  there  appears  reflected  in  it  the  Moon;  in  all  these 
ways  the  soul  appears  to  be  modified  (bound)  by  the  semblance  of 
the  Gunas. 

Wr$  *f£"  Uo-wWfd  TIT:  *4fl»l  ^RTOT  I 
?IM44l«(cM  f  cPT:  5HTT%  «*^*4c^d  II  5.  II 

<vrt+cWWlfa'MHM  ^^  H4$i  ^flfRW  I 

T3T.  flr#  Wnfa  cfT:  WrQ  T3TRWT  II   ?o   II 

9  "The  Sattva  causes  addiction  to  comfort;  the  Rajas,  O  Scion 
of  Bharata,  to  action;  but  the  Tamas,  obscuring  knowledge, 
causes  in  addition  addiction  to  heedlessness. 

10  "Overcoming  Rajas  and  Tamas,  the  Sattva  prevails,  O  Scion 
of  Bharata;  the  Rajas  (by  overcoming)  Sattva  and  Tamas: 
The  Tamas  (by  overcoming)  Sattva  as  well  as  Rajas.  (196) 

When  the  bile  strengthens  itself  by  pushing  aside  phlegm  and  wind 
(+H)«lld)  it  makes  hot  (inflames)  the  entire  body;  or  when  at  the  end 
of  hot  and  monsoon  seasons,  cold  season  sets  in,  the  sky  also  is  full 
of  cold,  or  when  the  dreamy  and  wakeful  states  disappear,  there  only 
remains  the  deep  slumber,  and  the  mental  attitude  takes  on  the  same 
hue,  in  that  way  when  the  Sattva  Guna  overpowers  the  Rajas  and 
Tamas  Gunas,  (then)  the  soul  says,  "how  happy  am  I"!  Similarly 
when  the  Tamas  gets  strong  overpowering  the  Sattva  and  Rajas  Gunas, 
it  naturally  causes  the  being  to  commit  errors.  In  that  same  way 
with  the  overpowering  of  Sattva  and  Tamas  Gunas,  the  Rajas  gets 
strong  and  then  the  embodied  soul-the  king  of  the  body-feels  that 
nothing  is  more  desirable  than  activism.  I  have  discoursed,  in  three 
verses,  on  the  special  characteristics  of  the  three  Gunas,  you  do  now 
hear  attentively  about  the  symptoms  of  the  growth  of  the  Sattva  and 
others  (Gunas). 

*t%t^[  5JU(t*<^  wrer  ^m*hwcI  i 

ITR  *J3T  <TCT  f^3lffjL«£4  Ur^far^H  II   ??   II 

<*K^difH  «ttof#  fa^  Tra^N'  ii  ?3  ii 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  431 

sraT  sf%  sra^  §  srasf  UT%  ^ir^i 

n^lTi«i(ci«i  <rfl+M+MI^  MfdM^k)  II   ?*  II 

v*fti  sr*t  ic^r  +4«P^  *rn#  i 

rRT  SkAHW^Ri  +J<ft4tPl*l  «TW^  II   $*  II 

1 1  "When,  in  this  body,  at  all  the  gateways  (of  sense)  light  shines 
forth — the  (light  of)  knowledge — then  should  one  under- 
stand the  Sattva  to  have  waxed  strong. 

12  "Greed,  urge  (to  action),  starting  (action),  non-cessation  of 
action,  craving:  these  spring  forth  when  the  Rajas  waxes 
strong,  0  Bull  of  the  Bharata  (clan). 

13  "Forgginess  and  aversion  to  action,  heedlessness  and  even  in- 
fatuation: these  spring  forth  when  the  Tamos  waxes  strong, 
O  Gladdener  of  the  Kurus. 

14  "When,  with  the  Sattva  waxing  strong,  the  body's  tenant  goes 
to  dissolution,  then,  unto  the  taintless  regions  of  the  knowers 
of  the  Highest,  does  he  attain. 

15  "Going  to  dissolution  when  the  Rajas  (is  waxing  strong),  he 
gets  born  amongst  those  addicted  to  action.  So,  too,  being 
dissolved  with  the  Tamos  (waxing  strong) ,  he  gets  born  amongst 
the  non-sentient  orders  of  beings.  (204) 

After  getting  victory  over  the  Tamas  and  Rajas  when  the  Sattva  domi- 
nates over  the  body,  the  following  signs  appear  in  the  body.  In  the 
spring  season  the  fragrance  in  lotuses  spreads  out  all  around  (unable 
to  contain  itself  in  the  lotus),  in  that  way  (the  light  of)  knowledge 
floods  in  the  exterior,  unable  to  contain  itself  in  the  interior.  Then 
the  reason  remains  watchful  in  all  the  sense  centres  and  the  hands 
and  feet  seem  to  have  secured  a  wonderful  vision.  The  beak  of  a 
swan  decides  the  question  (if  any  is  raised  before  the  swan),  as  to  which 
is  milk  and  which  is  water;  in  that  way  the  senses  themselves  test  and 
decide  what  is  proper  and  what  is  improper,  which  is  sin  and  which 
is  merit,  while  comprehensive  self-governance  (fWT)  attends  as 
their  footman.  The  ears  instinctively  abandon  what  ought  not  to 


432  JNANESHWARI 

be  heard,  the  eyes  eschew  what  ought  not  to  be  seen  while  the  tongue 
avoids  giving  utterance  to  what  ought  not  to  be  uttered.  Just  as  dark- 
ness runs  far  away  from  the  light  (of*  a  lamp),  so  the  prohibited  things 
dare  not  stand  before  (his)  senses.  Just  as  a  big  river  inundates  (the 
banks)  during  monsoon,  so  his  intellect  expands  (comprehends)  in 
all  sciences.  Just  as  the  brilliance  of  the  moon  rushes  into  the  sky 
on  a  full  moon  night,  so  the  faculty  of  intellect  spreads  out  freely  in 
the  region  of  knowledge.  The  desires  get  contracted,  activism  ebbs 
away,  while  the  mind  feels  aversion  for  the  enjoyment  of  sense-objects. 
In  short,  these  are  the  signs  of  expansion  of  the  Sattva  Guna,  and 
should  death  intervene  just  at  this  juncture  (during  the  expansion  of 
Sattva),  it  should  be  considered  as  an  occasion  for  festivity,  like  the 
arrival  of  guests  from  the  heaven  (i.e.  rare  and  exalted  guests),  just 
when  there  is  a  bumper  harvest  season  and  there  should  be  ready- 
cooked  delicious  and  flavoury  dishes.  Should  there  exist  (in  one's 
mind)  generosity  and  courage  in  the  same  proportion  as  the  riches 
in  the  house,  why  could  not  one  secure  the  other  world  (Heaven) 
as  also  good  fame  here  (in  this  world  too)?  Could  such  a  one  stand 
any  comparison,  Oh  Dhananjaya?  Similarly  what  other  fate  could 
one,  possessed  of  the  Sattva  Guna,  have  when  the  embodied  soul 
leaves  his  cottage  in  the  form  of  the  body-the  enjoyer  of  sense  objects 
carrying  along  with  him  the  pure  and  manifested  Sattva  quality; 
and  he  actually  quits  the  body  in  such  (Sattwic)  state,  he  is  the  very 
idol  of  the  Sattva  Guna-nay  he  takes  his  next  birth  amongst  men 
of  knowledge.  Tell  me,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  were  a  king  in  his  role 
as  the  king,  to  go  and  sit  on  a  hill  top,  would  he  be  less  of  a  king  there? 
Were  a  light  from  here  (one  place)  to  be  removed  to  a  neighbouring 
village,  could  it  not  continue  to  be  the  (same)  lamp  there  too,  Oh 
Son  of  Pandu?  In  the  same  way  the  pure  Sattva  Guna  brings  about 
an  extraordinary  increase  in  the  knowledge  with  the  result  that  the 
intellect  begins  to  float  over  the  discerning  power.  Then  fully  study- 
ing the  aspects  of  all  the  elements,  the  soul  along  with  such  a  study 
dissolves  itself  into  the  Self.  That  which  is  the  37th  beyond  the  36 
(vide  Chapter  XIII.  5-6),  or  25th  beyond  the  24  (according  to  Sam- 
khyas)  elements  or  the  fourth  beyond  the  three  (fjpnr—  the  three 
qualities  or  Gunas  such  as  Sattva,  etc)  or — the  three  stages  of  human 
life  such  as  youth,  etc.  or  the  three  states  such  as  walking,  etc.)— 
one  who  has  attained  that  one— the  best  of  all— secures,  on  the  strength 
of  this  best  Sattva  Guna,  a  body  that  stands  no  comparison  in  the 
universe.  In  the  same  way  when  the  Rajas  waxes  strong  suppressing 
the  Tamas  and  Sattva  Gunas,  he  runs  riot  in  the  locality  in  the  form 


xiv.  gunatrayavibhXga  433 

of  the  body  with  his  own  programme  works,  the  sense  of  which  (you) 
now  hear.  Just  as  in  a  hurricane  all  things  are  rushed  through  and 
wound  up  together  and  whirled  round  and  round  in  the  sky,  in  that 
way  with  the  force  of  the  Rajas  all  the  senses  are  let  loose  on  their 
objects.  He  does  not  consider  it  in  any  way  (morally)  objectionable 
to  cast  a  lustful  eye  on  another  man's  wife,  and  goes  on  allowing  the 
senses  to  indulge  unrestrained  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  objects, 
like  the  mouth  of  a  sheep,  that  strays  out  grazing  on  whatever  comes 
in  its  way.  His  greed  increases  so  much  that  anything  that  lies  beyond 
the  reach  of  his  grasp  alone  escapes  him.  His  natural  tendencies 
do  not  permit  him,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  to  keep  his  hands  off  any  out- 
of-the-way  sort  of  business  transactions  he  may  undertake.  Similarly 
building  a  palace  or  performing  an  Ashvamedha  sacrifice  (Great 
Horse  Sacrifice) — such  extraordinary  plans  possess  him  completely. 
He  undertakes  works  of  vast  magnitude,  like  planning  towns,  con- 
structing big  reservoirs,  planting  forests  and  laying  out  big  gardens, 
(yet)  his  desires  for  happiness  in  this  as  also  in  the  other  world  are 
not  quenched.  There  moves  about  in  his  heart  a  greed  for  happiness 
of  such  a  boundless  and  tremendous  magnitude,  that  the  extent  and 
depth  of  an  ocean  falls  short  in  comparison,  or  the  burning  power 
of  fire  proves  too  mild  and  tame  before  it.  Very  strong  desires  for 
enjoyment  gallop  abreast  of  the  mind  with  great  hope  and,  while 
wandering  in  this  way,  it  treads  over  (traverses)  the  entire  universe. 
These  signs  become  perceptible  when  the  Rajas  waxes  strong  and  were 
he  to  die  in  this  state,  he  would  have  along  with  his  greed  and  other 
companions,  a  new  body  in  the  human  order.  Oh  see,  could  a  beggar 
be  a  king  were  he  to  go  in  a  palace  furnished  with  all  royal  splendour? 
The  bullocks,  were  they  to  carry  a  marriage  party  of  even  the  rich, 
could  have  nothing  else  but  Kadbi  fodder  (for  their  feed).  Therefore, 
he  (one  meeting  death  while  the  Rajas  waxes  strong)  gets  yoked  along 
with  such  as  are  engaged,  without  a  moment's  rest,  in  worldly  affairs 
day  and  night.  In  short,  one  being  drowned  and  dead  in  the  deep 
waters  in  the  form  of  the  Rajas  attributes,  takes  birth  amongst  persons 
heavily  loaded  with  actions.  In  a  similar  way  the  Tamas  waxes  strong 
after  swallowing  the  Rajas  and  Sattva  Gunas.  The  signs  that  then 
appear  inside  and  outside  the  body,  I  now  narrate  to  you  and  do  hear 
attentively.  The  mind  in  the  Tamas  stage  becomes  like  the  sky  on 
an  Amavasya  night  (the  last  day  of  the  lunar  month)  having  neither 
the  Sun  nor  the  Moon.  Similarly  the  heart  becomes  blank,  inactive 
and  dull,  there  remaining  no  vivacity  in  it,  while  the  language  (all 
vestige)  of  reasoning  is  lost.  The  intellect  loses  all  its  elasticity  and 


434  JNANESHWARI 

becomes  so  hard  that  even  a  stone  cannot  compare  with  it,  while  the 
memory  goes  into  oblivion.  The  arrogance  of  thoughtlessness  re- 
sounds through  the  body  (in  and  out)  while  the  being  goes  on  doing 
('give  and  take')  transactions  full  of  sheer  foolishness.  The  bones, 
in  the  form  of  breaches  of  good  manners,  give  (painful)  pricking  to 
the  senses  and  yet  he  continues  to  behave  along  the  same  line  even 
though  it  gives  mortal  agonies.  There  is  one  more  novel  thing  about 
it;  the  mind  of  the  Tamas-ridden  being  gets  enlivened  while  doing 
wicked  actions,  in  the  way  an  owl  gets  vision  in  the  dark.  Similarly 
his  mind  is  fired  with  wild  expectations  when  confronted  with  the 
idea  of  an  act  that  is  forbidden  and  the  senses  also  go  galloping  in 
hot  pursuit  of  the  same.  In  this  way  the  being  staggers  without  being 
drunk,  raves  without  being  delirious  in  high  fever,  and  gets  infatuated 
even  in  the  absense  of  love  like  a  mad  man.  He  is  in  an  eestasy  which 
is  not,  however,  due  to  the  mind  getting  enwrapped  in  concentrated 
meditation.  In  this  way,  he  is  possessed  by  insolent  infatuation. 
In  short,  these  signs  are  developed,  when  the  Tamas  waxes  stronger 
and  stronger,  along  with  his  paraphernalia.  And  were  the  being 
perchance  to  get  a  call  from  death  on  such  an  occasion,  he  gets  out 
of  the  body  along  with  the  Tamas.  A  small  raz-seed  gets  dried  up 
(and  dead)  retaining  in  itself  its  rai  property;  would  that  same  seed, 
when  sown,  germinate  and  develop  into  any  other  plant  but  the  rai 
one?  Even  though  the  fire  with  which  a  lamp  is  lighted  gets  extinguish- 
ed, still  so  long  as  the  kindled  flame  of  the  lamp  is  burning,  therein 
does  exist  the  .property  of  the  original  fire.  Therefore,  when  the  being 
quits  the  body  along  with  the  Tamas-ridden  fancies,  bundled  up  in 
a  leather  bucket  cfte")  in  the  form  of  Tamas,  he  secures  for  himself 
again  a  Tamas-ridden  body.  There  is  no  point  in  elaborating  further 
this  subject.  One  dying,  while  Tamas  waxes  strong,  is  bom  in  any 
of  the  orders  like  the  animal,  bird,  tree,  or  insect. 

<*W*3  ^  §^*RTFf  cWW:  %&*$  II  \%  II 

16  "Of  an  act  well  done,  they  say,  the  fruit  is  pure,  as  proceeding 
from  the  Sattva;  of  the  Rajas  the  fruit  is  sorrow,  whereas 
nescience  is  the  fruit  of  the  Tamas.  (260) 

For  this  reason,  that  which  is  produced  through  the  Sattva  quality 
is  called  a  virtuous  action  by  the  group  of  Shruti  and  other  Scriptures. 
Therefore,  the  unique  fruit,  full  of  happiness  and  knowledge  easily 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  435 

secured  through  the  pure  Sattvic  Guna,  is  called  the  Sattvic  fruit. 
All  actions  arising  out  of  Rajas  Guna  are  like  the  fruit  of  the  Vrindavan 
tree  outwardly  giving  pleasure  (to  look  at)  but  resulting  in  pain  (on 
account  of  the  internal  bitterness).  The  ripe  rich  fruit  of  the  neem 
tree,  is  sweet  (fine)  as  outwardly  seen,  but  is  internally  of  a  bitter  taste 
(poison) ;  of  the  same  type  is  the  fruit  of  actions  arising  out  of  Rajas 
Guna.  All  actions  arising  out  of  Tamas,  yield  nescience  as  their  fruit, 
just  as  a  poisonous  fruit  is  the  yield  of  a  poisonous  tree. 

17  "From  the  Sattva  proceeds  knowledge,  and  from  the  Rajas 
only  greed.  Heedlessness  and  infatuation  spring  from  the 
Tamas,  as  also  nescience  itself.  (265) 

Therefore,  O  Arjuna,  the  Sattva  quality  is  the  root-cause  of  know- 
ledge, in  the  way  the  Sun  is  the  cause  of  the  day.  And  in  the  same  way, 
also  know,  that  Rajas  is  the  cause  of  grief,  in  the  way  forgetfulness 
of  one's  own  self  is  (the  cause)  of  duality.  Infatuation,  nescience, 
heedlessness  (WR-) — the  collection  of  these  three  faults  springs 
from  the  Tamas  Guna,  wise  one!  I  have  preached  to  you  separately 
the  different  signs  of  each  of  the  three  Gunas  in  a  way  that  would 
make  your  discerning  power  see  them  clearly  like  the  Avala  fruit 
placed  on  an  open  palm.  Thus  the  Rajas  and  Tamas  are  observed 
to  be  the  means  leading  to  (man's)  moral  fall;  none  but  the  Sattva 
can  lead  the  individual  soul  to  knowledge.  It  is  on  account  of  this, 
that  so  many  follow  the  tenets  of  Sattva  Guna  throughout  their  life 
just  as  some  follow  through  the  path  of  absolute  renunciation — the 
fourth  kind  of  devotion,  (which  consists  of  identification  of  the  in- 
dividual soul  with  Supreme  Spirit). 

18  "An  upward  urge  have  those  that  abide  in  Sattva;  the  Rajas- 
dominated  remain  in  between:  (while),  swayed  by  the  working 
of  the  lowest  Guna,  the  Tamas-dominated  went  down  (and 
down)  (271) 

Those  that  conduct  themselves  in  the  Sattvic  way,  assuredly  become 


436  JNANESHWARI 

the  kings  of  the  Heaven  after  abandoning  their  body:  similarly  those 
living  and  then  dying  in  Rajas  Guna  get  born  in  the  human  order 
in  this  mortal  world,  where  they  have  to  take  on  one  and  the  same 
plate,  a  meal  consisting  of  cooked  mixture  of  rice  and  pulse  (fc^sl) 
in  the  form  of  the  mixture  of  pleasure  and  pain  and  from  where  death, 
which  lies  in  the  way,  does  not  move  away.  Those  that  grow  in  Tamas 
and  get  out  of  the  enjoyment-enduring  body  while  the  Tamas  do- 
minates, they  attain  the  Tamas  and  become  the  possessors  of  the 
Charter  of  the  land  of  Hell.  In  this  way,  has  been  made  clear  to  you, 
with  reasons,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  the  relative  connection,  the  three 
Gunas  (Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas)  bear  towards  the  supremacy  of 
Brahman.  Although  Supreme  Brahman  abides  in  its  own  aspect 
(without  any  change),  yet  it  of  itself  acts  as  the  respective  occasion 
requires,  according  to  the  aspects  of  the  three  Gunas.  One  becomes 
a  king  in  a  dream  and  then  sees  advancing  the  hostile  army,  and  lastly 
wins  victory  or  sustains  defeat;  it  is  (that)  one  and  the  same  person 
who  passes  through  all  these  stages.  In  that  way,  the  respective  high, 
middle  and  inferior  qualities  of  the  three  Gunas  that  become  ap- 
parent, appear  so  only  outwardly;  otherwise  the  aspect  of  the  Supreme 
is  all  firm  and  pure,  devoid  of  all  distinction  and  variegated  perspective. 

19  "When  the  percipient  comes  to  see  that  there  is  no  agent 
other  than  the  Gunas,  and  (when  he)  realises  Him  who  is 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Gunas,  then  does  he  attain  oneness 
of  essence  with  Me.  (279) 

Yet  enough  of  this  discussion.  Only  give  recognition  to  none  else 
but  the  Supreme.  Now  I  shall  tell  you  and  hear  the  account  already 
narrated  to  you.  Know  this,  that  all  these  three  Gunas  make  them- 
selves felt  through  the  instrumentality  (mask)  of  the  body  owing 
to  the  power  solely  of  highest  Reality.  The  fire  assumes  the  shape 
of  the  fire-wood  it  pervades,  or  the  fertility  of  the  soil  becomes  per- 
ceptible in  the  form  of  a  tree  (growing  on  it),  or  milk  takes  the  form 
of  curds,  or  sweetness  becomes  felt  in  the  form  of  sugarcane.  In  that 
way  the  triad  of  the  Gunas  assumes  the  body-form  accompanied  by 
the  inner  sense  (mind)  and  therefore  becomes  the  cause  of  the  bondage. 
But  the  wonder  of  it,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  is  that  this  entanglement  of 
the  Gunas  and  the  body  in  no  way  affects  the  independence  of  the 


XIV.  GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  437 

Self.  All  the  three  Gunas  while  playing  their  part  in  the  body  accord- 
ing to  their  respective  properties,  in  no  way  affect  the  qualityless 
state  of  the  (Supreme)  Self.  Complete  deliverance  is  thus  easy  and 
this  you  would  (be  made  to)  hear,  you  who  are  the  large  black  bee 
in  the  lotus  in  the  form  of  knowledge.  This  is  like  what  was  preached 
to  you  before,  viz.  the  sentience,  although  abiding  among  the  Gunas, 
does  not  follow  them,  and  this  is  realized,  Oh  Partha,  when  the  human 
being  attains  the  Self.  One  realizes  the  unreality  of  a  dream  when 
he  awakes  from  sleep;  one  realizes,  when  he  stands  on  the  bank  (of 
a  river)  looking  at  his  own  image,  that  what  is  broken  into  sundry 
images  on  the  surface  of  the  water  at  the  upsurge  of  ripples  is  un- 
substantial, or  an  actor  is  not  deceived  by  his  own  skill  in  the  art  of 
dressing  and' make-up;  in  that  way  the  individual  soul  should  view 
the  Gunas  without  getting  absorbed  in  them.  The  sky  experiences 
all  the  three  seasons;  yet  it  does  not  permit  any  defect  in  its  own  from 
or  be  in  any  way  different.  In  that  way,  the  self-same  (Supreme) 
Self,  above  the  Gunas,  even  though  abiding  admidst  them  (Gunas), 
continues  to  occupy  its  original  seat  in  the  form  of  the  notion,  "I  am 
myself  Supreme  Brahman".  Viewing  from  that  original  seat  it  says, 
"I  am  only  an  on-looker,  myself  doing  absolutely  nothing.  It  is  these 
Gunas  that  set  up  this  array  of  activism.  The  scope  of  the  activism 
gets  widened  up  through  the  different  properties  of  the  three  Gunas- 
Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas.  The  activism  (**f+l«^)  is  the  disorder  of 
the  Gunas.  (Were  you  to  ask  me)  how  I  am  in  the  tangle,  (the  answer 
is)  I  am  (with  reference  to  the  tangle)  what  the  spring  season  is  to  the 
loveliness  of  the  woods  (or)  what  the  sunrise  is  to  (the  getting)  dim 
of  the  brilliance  of  the  stars,  or  the  brightening  of  the  Sun-stone 
(^4+id )  or  the  blowing  fully  open  of  the  lotus  or  the  expulsion  of 
the  darkness,  just  as  for  these  results  (consequent  on  the  sunrise) 
the  sun  himself  is  not  the  direct  cause,  in  that  way,  as  a  non-doer 
I  abide  in  the  body-form  in  my  pristine  state.  Yet,  in  no  way  I  am 
affected  by  the  actions.  The  Gunas  become  perceptible,  because 
I  display  them:  (also)  I  maintain  their  power,  and  what  remains  behind 
after  their  total  extinction,  (subtraction)  is  myself,  the  qualityless, 
and  the  eternal  Supreme  Spirit.  One,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  who  rises 
high  through  such  discriminating  power,  goes  higher  up  following 
the  ascending  path  beyond  these  Gunas.  , 


438  JNANESHWARI 

20  "Having  transcended  these  three  Gunas  that  are  the  root 
cause  of  the  body,  the  embodied  (self)  becomes  released 
from  the  miseries  of  birth,  death,  old-age  and  disease  and 
attains  the  Immortal."  (300) 

Now,  what  exists  as  qualityless  Brahman,  becomes  known  to  him 
unerringly,  since  the  knowledge  itself  has  impressed  its  own  stamp 
on  him.  Nay,  Oh  son  of  Pandu,  such  a  person  of  knowledge  becomes 
one  with  me  in  the  way  a  river  joins  the  sea  and  becomes  one  with 
it.  Just  as  the  parrot  (in  the  parrot  and  tube  story)  should  extricate 
itself  from  the  tube  and  sit  with  a  free  mind  on  a  tree-branch,  in  that 
way,  the  one  possessed  of  knowledge,  getting  rid  of  the  Maya  (il- 
lusion) takes  a  seat  on  the  original  site  in  the  form  of  the  notion  "I 
am  myself  Supreme  Brahman".  One  who  was  snoring  loudly  in 
slumber  in  the  form  of  nescience  is  completely  awake,  having  realised 
(the  essence  of)  the  Supreme  Self.  The  mirror  in  the  form  of  infatua- 
tion leading  to  a  wavering  of  the  mind,  O  the  Lord  of  warriors,  having 
dropped  down  from  his  hand,  he  is  deprived  even  of  the  semblance 
of  any  sort  of  reflection.  The  fury  of  the  storm  in  the  form  of  the 
conceit  for  the  body-form,  having  abated,  O  warrior,  the  individual 
soul  and  the  Supreme  Soul  get  united  like  the  waves  and  the  sea  with 
the  result  that  the  individual  soul  is  immediately  merged  in  the  Supreme 
Spirit  (Brahman),  in  the  way  the  clouds  get  extinguished  in  the  sky 
at  the  end  of  the  monsoon.  And  even  after  being  merged  into  the 
Supreme  Brahman,  the  individual  soul  has  to  continue  in  the  body 
(till  its  fall)  still  he  does  not  go  under  the  sway  of  the  Gunas  that  spring 
up  in  the  body.  Just  as  the  light  of  the  lamp  placed  in  a  glass-house, 
cannot  be  restrained  (from  penetrating  outside),  or  just  as  the  sub- 
marine fire  does  not  get  extinguished  by  the  sea-water,  the  coming 
and  going  (ebb  and  flow)  of  the  Gunas  does  not  in  any  way  defile 
the  realization  on  his  part  of  the  Supreme  Self.  The  Moon  in  the  sky 
continues  unbesmeared  even  though  she  is  reflected  in  water,  in  that 
way,  even  though  he  seems  to  be  continuing  in  the  body-form,  he 
is  not  affected  by  any  body-attributes.  The  three  Gunas,  according 
to  their  whims  and  bias,  play  their  role  in  the  body,  yet  he  (one  of 
knowledge)  does  not  waste  even  a  moment  in  looking  at  them  leaving 
aside  his  notion  of  being  himself  the  Supreme  Brahman.  The  Self 
is  so  much  stabilised  in  his  heart  that  he  is  not  even  cognisant  of  what 
takes  place  in  his  body.  A  serpent  discards  his  slough  (3iiR|-«ft  ^ftoft) 
and  enters  into  the  region  under  the  earth  (TRTtoS):  who  then  takes 
care  of  (what  does  it  care  for)  the  discarded  slough?  So  happens 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  439 

here:  the  fragrance  of  a  fully  blown  but  withered  lotus  spreads  out 
and  gets  extinguished  in  the  sky  b,ut  never  returns  to  the  lotus  itself; 
in  that  way  one  merged  in  Supreme  Brahman,  does  not  even  know 
what  the  body  is  or  what  its  functions  are.  Therefore  birth,  old  age, 
death,  and  other  states  five  in  all,  remain  only  in  the  body  itself,  the 
learned  one  remaining  unconcerned  in  regard  to  them.  When  an 
earthen  jar  cracks  and  is  broken  into  pieces,  the  sky  seen  therein 
automatically  merges  into  the  wide  sky;  in  that  way  with  the  conscious- 
ness of  the  body  having  gone  and  the  oneness  with  the  Supreme 
established,  what  else  but  the  Supreme  Self  could  remain  (behind)? 
I  call  such  a  one  "Above  the  Gunas"  since  he  continues  in  the  em- 
bodied condition  fully  possessed  of  the  realization  of  Supreme 
Self".  Partha  felt  extremely  happy  at  these  words  (of  Lord  Krishna), 
as  a  peacock  does  on  hearing  a  direct  call  from  the  (thundering) 
cloud. 

21  Arjuna  spake — "By  what  marks  (characterised)  is  the  man 
who  transcends  these  Gunas,  O  Lord?  What  is  his  mode  of 
conduct?  And  how  does  he  transcend  these  three  Gunas?" 

(320) 

Feeling  pleased  (at  the  Lord's  words)  the  warrior  (Arjuna)  spake, 
"What  are  the  distinguishing  marks  that  appear  in  one  in  whom  such 
realization  of  the  Self  gets  deep-rooted,  how  the  qualityless  one  con- 
ducts himself  and  how  he  transcends  the  Gunas-all  this  should  be 
told  to  me  by  the  parental  home  of  kindness."  Hearing  Arjuna's 
question,  the  King  possessed  of  the  six  qualities,  spake-"Oh  Partha, 
it  is  a  novel  thing  that  you  are  asking  only  so  much  (and  not  more). 
Just  see,  the  very  name  "Above  the  Gunas"  is  unreal  in  such  a  case. 
One  who  is  above  quality  must,  either  be  not  dominated  by  the  Gunas 
and  even  w^ere  he  to  be  amidst  them,  their  contact  must,  in  no  way, 
affect  him.  Yet  how  to  know  whether  he  is  so  affected  by  the  Gunas 
or  is  not  so  affected,  when  he  is  amidst  their  turmoil  (W^)1  If  this 
be  the  only  doubt,  you  are  welcome  to  ask  about  it:  and  now  hear 
the  signs  I  tell  you. 


440  JNANESHWARI 

22  The  Exalted-one  spake — "The  light  (of  knowledge),  the 
urge  for  action,  and  even  infatuation,  O  Son  of  Pdndu,  as 
they  (with  the  respective  Gunas  dominating)  start  into  opera- 
tion, he  does  not  hate:  nor  does  he  long  (for  them)  when  they 
desist.  (327) 

One  whom  the  notion  that  he  alone  is  the  'master  action-doer,'  does 
not  even  touch,  when  the  Rajas  waxes  strong  and  the  body  issues 
forth  blossoms  of  activism  and  activity  encircles  the  being;  or  who 
does  not  worry  himself  if  action  bears  no  fruit  at  all;  or  who  does 
not  get  puffed  up  at  his  own  state  of  being  learned  when  the  Sattva 
waxes  strong  and  all  the  sense-centres  get  illuminated  with  the  light 
of  knowledge;  or  who  does  not  fall  a  victim  to  infatuation,  or  does 
not  worry  over  nescience  when  Tamas  waxes  strong.  One  who  does 
not  hanker  after  knowledge  while  under  infatuation,  or  does  not 
attach  any  importance  to  activism  while  possessed  of  knowledge, 
but  (at  the  same  time)  does  not  feel  sorry  if  actions  take  place,  one 
who  makes  no  differentiation,  in  the  way  the  Sun  takes  no  account 
of  the  three  stages-evening,  morning  and  noon:  is  there  any  need 
for  such  a  one  of  any  other  light  of  knowledge  to  make  him  possessed 
of  knowledge?  Does  the  ocean  stand  in  need  of  rain  water  to  get  into 
tide?  Or,  even  were  he  to  perform  actions,  will  the  activism  stick  to 
him?  Just  tell  me  if  the  mighty  Himalaya  Mountain  ever  shivers 
with  cold.  Or  will  it  make  him  lose  his  knowledge  were  he  faced  with 
infatuation?  Could  the  intense  heat  of  summer  ever  bake  (scald) 
the  fire? 

^tt  ^#tt  "soft  'terfoissfcT  %^=%u  ^3  u 

23  "Remaining  like  one  unconcerned,  (one)  who  is  not  perturbed 
by  the  Gunas:  who,  in  the  sole  thought  that  it  is  the  Gunas 
that  are  (at  work),  abides  firm  and  does  not  move:         (336) 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  441 

So  also  he  considers  the  totality  of  the  doings  of  the  Gunas  as  con- 
stituting his  own  self  and  does  not  therefore  bring  about  any  separa- 
tion (from  them).  With  such  full  realization,  he  lives  in  the  body 
in  the  way  a  traveller  lives  in  some  rest-house  on  his  way.  The  battle- 
field itself  never  takes  any  part  either  in  victory  or  in  defeat;  in  that 
way  he  takes  no  part  either  in  gains  or  losses  or  gets  in  no  way  mixed 
up  with  the  Gunas.  He  remains  as  indifferent  as  the  life  in  the  body 
or  as  a  passing  Brahmin  (uninvited)  guest  or  as  a  signpost  in  a  public 
place.  He  (man  of  knowledge)  remains  unperturbed  in  his  heart 
at  the  ingress  and  egress  of  the  Gunas,  just  as  the  Mountain  Mem 
does  not  totter  by  the  flood  of  a  mirage.  Enough  of  this  description. 
The  wind  does  not  make  the  sky  flutter;  can  the  darkness  ever  devour 
the  Sun?  The  dream  does  not  deceive  one  who  is  wide  awake;  in 
that  way  a  man  of  knowledge  is  not  fettered  by  the  Gunas.  He  is 
never  caught  by  the  Gunas  but  as  he  sees  them  from  a  distance,  he 
marks  their  deeds  in  the  way  a  spectator  in  a  theatre  views  indifferently 
the  dancing  of  the  dolls.  The  Sattva  remains  engaged  in  good  actions, 
the  Rajas  in  objects  pertaining  to  Rajas,  while  the  Tamas  in  actions 
involved  in  infatuation,  nescience,  etc.  All  these  different  dealings 
on  the  part  of  the  Gunas,  know  it  well,  are  due  to  the  power  of  the 
Supreme  Brahman,  in  the  way  the  world  transactions  all  do  take  place 
because  of  the  Sun  (he  remaining  quite  neutral).  The  coming  into 
tide  on  tr%part  of  the  sea,  the  oozing  out  on  the  part  of  the  Moon- 
stone, and  getting  full-blown  on  the  part  of  the  white  (night)  lotuses 
are  all  because  of  the  Moon,  she  remaining  all  inactive.  The  sky 
remains  calm,  even  though  the  winds  blow  violently  and  get  lulled 
down  in  it;  in  that  way  he  (the  one  of  knowledge)  remains  unstaggered 
in  spite  of  the  buzzing  of  the  Gunas.  Oh  Arjuna,  these  are  the  marks 
by  which  one  can  recognise  a  person  who  has  transcended  the  (three) 
Gunas.  Now  hear  how  he  conducts  himself. 

24  "Even  (-poised)  in  woe  and  weal,  stabilised  in  self,  holding 
equal  a  clod,  a  stone,  or  gold;  putting  the  loved  and  the  un- 
loved on  the  same  level:  the  man  of  wisdom  whom  censure 
and  personal  commendation  affect  alike:  (349) 

Just  as  there  is  nothing  else  in  the  fabric,  Oh  Kirlti,  but  yarn  in  and 


442  JNANESHWARI 

out,  so  he  (man  of  knowledge)  sees  that  there  is  nothing  else  in  the 
entire  universe  but  my  own  'Self.  Lord  Hari  makes  gifts  in  equal 
proportions  both  to  foes  and  friends;  in  the  same  way  he,  like  a  balance 
with  two  pans  treats  equally  both  pleasure  and  pain.  Normally  the 
being  must  experience  pleasure  and  pain  while  going  about  in  the 
body — form,  in  the  way  the  fish  does  in  the  water.  But  he,  (the  man 
of  knowledge)  has  dropped  it  all  (all  feelings,  etc.  in  regard  to  body) 
and  has  attained  unto  Supreme  Self.  The  grain  inside  (seed)  becomes 
visible  when  the  external  chaff  is  removed;  or  the  rippling  (noise), 
the  hurry  and  the  bustle  of  a  river-flow,  subside  as  soon  as  the  river 
falls  into  the  sea.  In  that  way,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  in  the  case  of  one  who 
has  attained  unto  Supreme  Self,  the  pleasure  and  pain  automatically 
abide  quietly  in  the  body  without  making  their  presence  felt  in  any 
way.  Day  and  night  are  both  treated  alike  by  a  pillar  in  the  house. 
In  that  way  the  embodied  one  who  has  already  become  one  with 
Supreme  Self,  treats  alike  all  pairs  of  opposites  (like  woe  and  weal, 
etc.).  The  bodily  contact  with  a  serpent  or  UrvashI  (the  Heavenly 
nymph)  are  both  one  and  the  same  to  one  in  deep  slumber,  in  that 
way  the  bodily  duals  pairs  of  opposite  sentiments  (  ££  )  such  as 
pleasure  and  pain  etc.  are  one  and  the  same  to  one  that  has  become 
one  with  the  Supreme  Self.  The  vision  of  such  a  one  makes  no  dis- 
tinction between  an  animal  dung  and  gold  and  between  gems  and 
pebbles.  His  Brahmic  equanimity  (even-poised  self)  is  never  dis- 
turbed were  the  very  Heavens  to  visit  his  house  or  a  ferocious  tiger 
to  raid  it.  The  evenness  of  his  temper  never  gets  ruffled  in  the  way 
a  corpse  cannot  rise  up  again  or  the  baked  seed  cannot  germinate. 
Whether  praised  as  God  Brahmdeo  or  slandered  as  one  base,  he 
remains  (as  unaffected  as)  a  mass  of  ashes  neither  burning  nor  getting 
extinguished.  Similarly  neither  slander  nor  praise  (of  any  one  else) 
emerges  out  of  him  in  the  way  there  is  neither  darkness  nor  a  lighted 
lamp  (wick)  in  the  house  of  the  Sun. 

25  "Just  the  same  towards  honour  and  dishonour,  just  the  same 
towards  the  friendly  or  the  inimical  sides:  renouncing  all 
undertakings  (as  such) :  he  is  called  the  one  who  has  transcend- 
ed the  Gunas.  (362) 

Might  he  be  worshipped  as  God  or  tormented  as  a  thief,  or  surrounded 


XIV.   GUNATRAYAVIBHAGA  443 

by  oxen  and  elephants,  or  be  made  a  king  or  encircled  by  friends  or 
attacked  by  enemies,  his  mind  does  not  know  any  defilement  in  the 
way  the  splendour  of  the  Sun  does  not  know  night  or  dawn  or  the  sky 
remains  unaffected  even  though  the  six  seasons  come  and  go.  And 
hear  of  one  more  (characteristic)  mark  of  him.  He  is  never  seen  doing 
any  sort  of  action.  He  knocks  out  all  actions  and  removes  the  very 
root  of  activism;  the  fruit  of  all  his  actions  gets  burnt,  since  he  be- 
comes (like)  fire  on  account  of  the  knowledge  he  has  acquired.  The 
feelings  such  as  (this  is)  spiritual  or  temporal  take  no  root  in  his  heart, 
with  the  result  that  whatever  comes  to  him  in  the  natural  course  he 
accepts  with  resignation.  He  feels  neither  pleasure  nor  pain,  his 
mind  having  dropped  all  fancies  and  ideas  and  become  as  it  were  a 
stone.  Enough  however  of  this.  Know  it  that  such  a  one  alone  is, 
"Above  the  Gunas",  as  conducts  himself  in  this  way.  Now  hear  by 
what  means  and  ways  he  transcends  the  three  Gunas,"  said  Lord 
Krishna. 

W  «4«u^  *iHdta4dl«J  4^|4J4im  *cMri  II  ^  II 

26  "Further,  who  serves  Me  by  the  Path  of  unswerving  Devotion: 
he,  having  fully  transcended  these  Gunas,  becomes  qualified 
to  realise  his  oneness  of  essence  with  the  Brahman.    (371) 

One  who  renders  service  unto  me  with  unswerving  mind  and  devotion 
is  alone  able  to  burn  the  Gunas.  It  is  now  necessary  to  make  it  clear 
to  you  who  I  am,  what  is  the  nature  of  devotion  to  me,  and  what  is 
unswerving  devotion.  So  hear,  Oh  Partha,  I  am  in  this  universe  in 
the  way  the  gem  and  its  brilliance  are  one;  or  (I  am)  what  is  liquidity 
is  water  or  what  is  cavity  is  the  sky  or  what  is  sweetness  is  the  sugar 
or  as  flames  mean  fire  or  the  petals  mean  lotus  or  the  branches  and  the 
fruit  mean  the  tree:  or  the  massing  together  of  snow  means  the  Hima- 
laya or  the  curdled  milk  means  curds,  in  all  these  ways  what  is  called 
universe  is  all  only  myself.  It  is  not  necessary  to  peal  off  the  Moon- 
disc  (in  order  to  see  the  Moon) ;  or  getting  frozen  on  the  part  of  clarified 
butter  does  not  make  it  lose  its  quality  (of  clarified  butter);  or  a  wristlet 
of  gold,  even  if  not  melted,  remains  all  gold  as  it  is;  or  a  piece  of  cloth 
even  without  being  unravelled  is  all  yarn ;  or  an  earthen  jar  even  with- 
out being  dissolved  (into  its  original  state)  is  all  earth.  Therefore,  it  is 
not  stipulated  that  one  should  set  aside  the  phenomenal  world  to  be 


444  JNANESHWARI 

able  to  secure  me,  since  I  am  all-inclusive  (of  all  this).  To  know  in  this 
way  is  the  only  "unswerving  devotion  to  me".  To  make  any  devia- 
tion from  this  or  allow  any  drawback  to  creep  into  it,  is. swerving 
devotion.  Therefore,  dropping  all  distinctions,  you  should  view  me 
along  with  yourself.  Were  a  small  speck  ( f&P )  of  gold  soldered  to 
another  piece  of  gold  (both  these  do  no  more  remain  separate),  in 
that  way  it  is  not  proper  (for  one)  to  take  himself  to  be  distinct  from 
the  universe.  A  streak  or  a  band  of  splendour  emanating  from  and 
coming  back  to  get  extinguished  into  the  (same)  splendour,  is  called 
a  ray;  the  same  is  the  aspect  of  the  Self  and  the  universe.  There  are 
atoms  at  the  core  of  the  earth  or  particles  of  snow  in  the  Himalaya, 
in  that  way  there  is  "Self  (sTf)  in  me.  A  ripple,  however  small, 
is  not  distinct  from  the  (mass  of  the)  sea;  in  that  way,  the  'Self  is 
not  distinct  from  the  Supreme  God.  The  enlightened  and  joyous 
state  of  vision,  emanating  from  this  consciousness  of  full  identity, 
is  what  we  call  devotion.  The  essence  of  knowledge  and  the  entirely 
of  the  Yoga,  constitute  this  enlightened  and  joyous  vision.  This 
enlightened  and  joyous  state  (of  vision)  abides,  Oh  Warrior,  like  the 
uninterrupted  showers  descending  from  the  clouds  to  the  sea  (leaving 
no  gap  between  them).  There  is  no  joint  (as  such)  connecting  the  mouth 
of  a  well  with  the  sky,  but  they  both  are  one  without  any  such  joint; 
of  that  type  is  the  oneness  between  a  man  of  knowledge  and  the 
Supreme  God.  Light  is  stretched  out  straight  between  the  Sun  and 
his  reflection  (in  water),  in  that  way  the  notion,  "I  am  myself  Supreme 
Brahman"  is  stretched  outside  (filling  the  cavity)  between  the  individual 
soul  and  the  Supreme  Self.  With  such  a  notion  once  formed  reci- 
procally, he  (the  man  of  knowledge)  automatically  gets  merged  into 
Supreme  Spirit  along  with  that  notion.  When  a  crystal  of  salt  is  once 
dissolved  in  the  sea  (water),  its  property  (act)  of  dissolution  ceases 
to  exist,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu:  or  the  fire  gets  extinguished  with  the  reduc- 
ing of  dry  grass  to  ashes:  in  that  way  once  all  sense  of  distinction  is 
destroyed  through  knowledge,  that  knowledge  itself  ceases  to  exist. 
The  idea  that  I  am  on  the  yonder  side,  while  the  devotee  is  on  this 
side  (of  the  sea  in  the  form  of  mundane  existence)  ceases  to  exist  and 
there  remains  behind  only  the  original  eternal  union  between  the  two. 
With  such  an  embrace,  in  the  form  of  this  union,  all  talk,  Oh  Kiriti, 
of  conquering  the  Gunas  ceases  to  exist.  In  short,  such  a  state  is  the 
Brahmic  state,  Oh  Knower  of  essence,  and  this  is  attained  only  by 
such  a  one  as  worships  Me.  I  further  proclaim  that  to  one  who  is 
my  devotee  in  this  universe,  this  Brahmic  state  will  serve  as  a  loyal 
and  faithful  wife.  The  water  making  the  rippling  noise  and  flowing 


xiv.  gunatrayavibhaga  445 

along  the  bed  of  the  Ganges  has  no  other  (final)  place  but  the  sea. 
In  that  way  one  rendering  me  service,  Oh  Kiriti,  with  the  vision  of 
knowledge  becomes  the  gem  in  'the  diadem  of  the  Brahmic  state. 
Oh  Partha,  this  Brahmic  state  (state  of  Supreme  Brahman)  is  what 
is  called  "Sayujya"  (^rppr-the  absorption  of  the  soul  into  the  state 
of  Supreme  Brahman)  and  it  is  (also  named  emancipation)  the  fourth 
of  the  four  principal  objects  of  human  life  (4+>Ni4).  But  my  worship 
is  the  path  (stair)  leading  to  the  Brahmic  state;  but  do  not  hold  (Me) 
as  only  a  "means".  The  Brahman  is  not  anything  distinct  from  Me 
(I  tell  you),  since  such  a  misconception  (of  my  being  only  a  means) 
might  possibly  spread  in  your  heart. 

27  "For,  of  the  Immortal  and  Immutable  Brahman,  I  am  the 
embodiment,  as  also  of  the  Law  Eternal,  and  the  Bliss  Un- 
varying. "  (404) 

In  short  Brahman  means  only  my  own  Self,  Oh  Pandav,  and  that 
very  meaning  I  have  made  clear  in  this  discourse.  The  Moon  and 
her  disc  are  not  distinct  (from  each  other);  in  that  way  there  is  no 
distinction  between  myself  and  the  Brahman.  It  is  Eternal,  unshaky 
and  vivid,  the  very  religion  incarnate,  (giver  of)  unique  and  unbound- 
ed Bliss,  the  place  where  discrimination  after  completing  its  prescribed 
functions,  comes  to  repose — it  is  that  place  of  established  truths 
which  is  in  fact  myself." 

Conclusion 

The  (closest)  relation  of  His  faithful  devotees,  spoke  thus  to  the 
Hero  (Arjuna).  Here  Dhritarashtra  said,  "Who  asked  you,  Oh  Sam- 
jaya,  (to  narrate)  all  this?  Why  do  you  talk  in  vain  unasked?  Only 
remove  my  present  anxiety  by  telling  me  about  the  victory  (of  my 
sons)."  Hearing  this,  Samjaya  said  secretly  to  himself,  "(You)  leave 
off  these  matters  (of  victory)".  Samjaya  got  much  surprised  and  said 
to  himself,  "(look,)  How  he  is  harbouring  rank  hatred  for  God!  Yet, 
let  the  kind  God  have  mercy  on  him  and  give  him  a  dose  (^tit)  of 
discrimination,  and  destroy  his  malady  of  infatuation."  While  think- 
ing in  this  way,  Samjaya  recollected  the  talk  and  his  mind  was  swept 


446  JNANESHWARI 

off  its  feet  by  the  powerful  flood  of  joy,  and  riding  on  the  same  joyful 
tide,  Samjaya  will  now  tell  Dhritarashtra  what  further  Lord  Krishna 
said.  I  shall  make  you  realise  the  substance  of  it  and  you  hear  it," 
said  Jnanadev,  the  disciple  of  Nivrittinath. 


CHAPTER  XV 

PURUSOTTAMAYOGA 

Introduction 

Now,  cleansing  the  heart  and  making  it  a  boarded  frame  with  feet 
(5^T>r),  let  there  be  installed  on  it  the  preceptor's  feet  (foot-prints). 
Filling  the  cavity  formed  by  putting  the  hands  side  by  side  hollowing 
the  palms  (3f^ft)  in  the  form  of  union,  with  partially  blown  flowers 
in  the  form  of  all  of  sense-centres,  let  the  floral  oblations  be  dedicated 
at  the  feet  of  the  preceptor.  Let  the  body  of  the  preceptor  be  smeared 
with  fragrant  sandal  paste  in  the  form  of  single-pointed  desire  (to 
render  service),  cleansed  with  water  in  form  of  deep  devotion.  Let 
the  tender  feet  of  the  preceptor  be  adorned  with  jingling  anklets  pre- 
pared of  gold  in  the  form  of  unalloyed  love.  Let  the  preceptor's  toes 
be  adorned  with  rings  in  the  form  of  deep  and  unswerving  devotion. 
Let  there  be  placed  on  the  feet  of  the  worthy  preceptor,  fully  blown 
lotus  having  eight  petals  constituted  of  the  eight  righteous  feelings, 
laden  with  fragrance  in  the  form  of  righteous  joy.  Let  there  be  burnt 
before  him  incense  in  the  form  of  conceit  and  let  there  be  waved  round 
him  the  lighted  lamp — (fa<*H)  in  the  form  of  the  notion,  "I  am  my- 
self Supreme  Brahman."  Let  the  preceptor's  feet  be  closely  embraced 
with  the  feelings  of  complete  identity.  Let  the  feet  of  the  preceptor 
wear  the  pair  of  wooden  sandals  in  the  form  of  my  body  and  life  and 
let  enjoyment  and  liberation  be  waved  around  them.  I  should  be 
eligible  to  (render)  the  service  of  the  preceptor  in  such  a  way,  that 
I  should  secure  through  such  service  all  the  qualifications  for  (at- 
tainment of)  all  the  (four)  objects  of  existence  of  man.  The  blaze 
of  knowledge  should  go  up  straight  to  the  abode  of  rest  of  Supreme 
Brahman  in  such  a  way  that  the  faculty  of  speech  is  immediately 
transformed  into  the  sea  of  nectar.  Each  letter  (uttered)  should  have 
eloquence  of  such  a  type  that  crores  of  full-moons  should  be  waved 
around  it.  When  the  East  is  dominated  by  the  Sun  it  gives  an  empire 
of  light  to  the  entire  universe;  in  that  way  the  (faculty  of)  speech 
should  be  able  to  make  a  gift  of  Diwali-festival  in  the  form  of  know- 
ledge to  the  entire  society  of  listeners.  By  offering  service  to  the  feet 
of  the  preceptor,  the  (faculty  of)  speech  attains  a  unique  luck — luck 
that  brings  out  words  from  the  mouth  that  make  the  divine  resonance 


448  JNANESHWARI 

(HKd^l)  look  small  before  them,  and  to  whose  level  cannot  come 
up  even  the  dignity  of  the  oneness  of  the  Deity; — luck  that  makes 
the  creeping  plant  of  oration  grow  in  abundance,  so  that  the  entire 
universe  enjoys  a  lovely  scenery  of  the  spring  season  under  its  bower 
in  the  form  of  hearing, — luck  that  brings  about  the  miracle  of  the 
words  (oration)  securing  Supreme  Brahman,  which  the  mind  along 
with  speech  was  unable  even  to  trace  and  they  had  to  come  back 
disappointed; — luck  that  makes  it  possible  for  the  words  to  store 
in  themselves  the  Supreme  Spirit  which  is  not  intelligible  to  know- 
ledge and  also  not  securable  by  meditation.  That  the  speech  (of  the 
disciple)  is  invested  with  such  infinite  beauty  is  due  to  the  grace  of 
the  pollen  of  the  lotus  in  the  form  of  the  dust  of  the  preceptor's  foot. 
What  more  should  be  said;  it  (preceptor's  love)  is  not  securable  any- 
where else  but  in  the  "mother"  declared  Jnanadev.  (He  said  further) 
"I  am  only  an  infant,  while  the  preceptor  is  the  mother  with  an  only 
child,  with  the  result  that  the  flow  of  her  affection  turns  solely  towards 
me.  Oh  hearers,  the  preceptor  has  showered  his  kindness  on  me, 
in  the  way  the  cloud  pours  down  all  its  water-store  for  the  sake  of 
the  bird  Chatak.  Therefore,  even  from  the  stray  talk  in  which  the 
unengaged  mouth  (the  uncultivated  tongue)  might  indulge,  an  eloquent 
discourse,  like  that  on  the  Gita,  emerges.  When  luck  is  favourable, 
even  sand  could  be  converted  into  gems,  and  when  (with)  the  longevity 
of  life  (it)  has  not  ended,  even  as  assassin  turns  friendly.  Were  the 
master  of  the  universe  to  be  pleased  and  give  food  for  satisfying  hunger, 
even  small  bits  of  stone  turn  into  nectar  (sweetened)  rice  when  boiled. 
In  that  way  when  the  good  preceptor  calls  one  his  own,  then  even  the 
mundane  existence  leads  to  liberation.  Just  see,  did  Lord  Krishna 
— the  incarnation  of  Narayana;  the  primeval  man(4,<l«l  4,^  -God) 
the  one  (all-)  revered  by  the  entire  universe — did  he  permit  the 
Pandavas  to  be  ever  in  want  of  anything?  In  that  way,  Shri  Nivrit- 
tinath  brought  up  and  exalted  my  ignorance  to  (the  same)  level  of 
knowledge.  But  enough  of  this;  I  am  overcome  with  feelings  of 
affection  while  speaking.  Whoever  does  possess,  knowledge  to  extol 
adequately  the  greatness  of  the  preceptor?  Now,  through  his  grace, 
I  am  dedicating  at  the  feet  of  you,  saints,  the  interpretation  of  the 
Gita.  At  the  end  of  Chapter  XIV  the  Lord  of  the  Union  (of  the  in- 
dividual soul  with  the  Diety)  declared,  as  an  established  truth,  that 
the  man  of  knowledge  is  as  much  the  master  of  deliverance  as  the 
God  Indra  is  of  the  riches  of  the  Heavens ;  or  that  one  who  performs 
religious  duties  enjoined  to  Brahmins  (*^*4)  throughout  a  hundred 
births,  alone  becomes  God  Brahmadev  and  none  else;  or  that  the 


XV.    PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  449 

bliss  of  emancipation  goes  to  the  lot  of  the  man  of  knowledge  alone, 
in  the  way  the  light  of  the  Sun  becomes  availabale  only  to  the  one  having 
vision,  and  to  none  else.  Looking  (mentally)  round  for  one  who 
becomes  qualified  to  attain  such  knowledge,  (the  Lord)  found  only 
one  such.  The  magical  collyrium  shows  treasures  hidden  under- 
ground, but  the  seer  must  be  one  born  with  feet  foremost.  There  is 
thus  no  doubt  that  the  mind  must  be  very  pure  to  enable  knowledge 
to  get  deeply  impressed  on  it.  The  Lord  has,  after  careful  considera- 
tion, laid  down  as  an  established  truth,  that  knowledge  cannot  be 
firmly  impressed,  unless  there  is  asceticism.  Lord  Hari  has  further 
thought  out  how  the  mind  can  get  asceticism.  Should  one  come  to 
know  that  food  has  been  cooked,  mixed  with  poison,  he  walks  away 
pushing  aside  (untouched)  the  plate  (in  which  the  food  has  been  served). 
In  that  way,  once  the  fact  of  the  mundane  existence  being  only  transi- 
tory, is  firmly  impressed  on  the  mind,  asceticism,  even  though  pushed 
away  would  closely  follow  you.  The  Lord  is  preaching  in  Chapter 
XV,  how  it  (mundane  existence)  is  transitory,  by  giving  it  the  form 
of  a  sham  tree.  A  (common)  tree,  if  pulled  out  and  re-planted  with 
the  roots  upwards  and  the  top  downwards  withers  away;  but  this 
tree  is  not  like  that.  With  the  aid  of  this  simile  (of  a  tree)  the  Lord 
has  skilfully  swept  out  clean  the  cycle  of  mundane  existence.  This 
Chapter  XV  is  intended  to  prove  the  nullity  of  the  mundane  existence 
and  to  establish  in  one's  self  the  truth  of  the  proposition  viz.  "I  am 
myself  Supreme  Brahman."  I  am  now  going  heartily  to  lay  bare  the 
Secret  of  the  Sacred  Work  (Glta)  and  do  hear  about  it."  The  King 
of  Dwaraka. — the  full  moon,  bringing  into  full  tide  the  ocean  of  bliss, 
further  said,  "Oh  Son  of  Pandu  (there  is)  the  semblance  of  the  universe 
that  obstructs  the  way  leading  to  the  abode  of  the  Supreme  Self; 
this  universe  of  vast  expanse  is  not  the  mundane  existence,  this  is 
the  form  of  a  giant  tree,  which  is  static.  But  is  it  not  like  other  trees, 
that  have  their  roots  at  the  base  and  the  branches  upwards;  and  con- 
sequently it  cannot  normally  be  brought  under  control.  However 
extensive  the  top,  were  an  axe  to  be  applied  at  the  base  or  a  fire  applied 
there,  the  tree  is  cut  at  the  base  and  topples  down  with  its  branches. 
But  this  tree  cannot  be  easily  felled  down.  Oh  Arjuna,  it  is  such  a 
novel  tale  to  narrate  that  all  is  extraordinary  with  this  tree.. The 
growth  of  this  tree  is  all  directed  downwards.  The  Sun  is  at  an  im- 
measurable height,  while  his  rays  spread  out  downwards;  in  that 
way  the  growth  of  this  tree  is  downwards  in  a  very  curious  way. 
The  floods  of  water  occupy  the  entire  cavity  of  the  sky  at  the  time  of 
world  dissolution;  in  that  way  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  universe 


450  JNANESHWARI 

is  stuffed  with  this  tree;  or  after  sunset,  the  night  gets  fully  stuffed 
with  darkness;  in  that  way  the  sky  (space)  is  packed  to  its  fullest 
capacity  by  this  tree.  It  (tree)  bears  neither  any  fruit  that  could  be 
tasted  nor  any  flower  that  could  be  smelt.  What  exists  is  this  tree  by 
itself  all  alone,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  It  is  top-rooted;  yet  it  is  not  (first) 
up-rooted  and  (then)  placed  in  that  (topsy-turvy)  position;  and  con- 
sequently it  is  ever  fresh  and  green.  Even  though  truly  called  up- 
rooted, still,  it  has  also  got  innumerable  roots  at  the  base.  Owing 
to  rank  growth  of  grass  (round  about)  there,  grow  its  branches  in 
the  tuft  of  its  descending  shoots  (HK*ni).  As  in  the  case  of  Pimpal, 
Vata  and  other  trees,  similarly,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  it  is  also  not  the  case 
that  it  has  got  branches  only  at  the  base.  There  appear  in  abundance 
branches  on  the  top-side  also.  It  looks  as  if  the  very  sky  has  become 
its  (tree's)  foliage  or  the  wind  has  taken  the  tree-form  or  the  three 
different  states  (namely  creation,  sustenance  and  end)  have  appeared 
in  incarnation  (in  the  form  of  this  tree).  Such  a  big  (world-tree),  with 
its  upwending  roots  has  come  into  existence.  What  is  its  top,  what 
are  the  marks  of  the  base,  how  and  why  it  is  down-spreading,  and  how 
are  its  branches,  what  are  the  roots  at  the  base,  what  and  how  are 
the  branches  in  the  upper  region,  and  why  it  is  called  'Ashvattha' 
— all  these  queries  have  been  answered  by  that  self-knowing  God. 
All  this  I  would  make  clear  in  select  and  choice  phraseology,  so  that 
you  will  be  able  to  realize  it  fully.  Hear  you,  Oh  lucky  one;  this  is 
a  befitting  occasion  for  you;  so  hear  it  attentively,  creating  ears  (to 
hear)  all  over  your  body!  At  these  words  dripping  wet  with  affection 
for  the  hero  amongst  Yadavas,  Arjuna  became  attention  incarnate. 
His  longing  for  hearing  got  as  widely  spread  out  as  if  all  the  ten  direc- 
tions wanted  to  embrace  the  sky  with  the  result  that  what  was  preached 
by  God  (Lord  Krishna)  was  felt  (by  Arjuna)  as  too  scanty.  Lord 
Krishna's  discourse  was  as  wide  as  the  ocean;  but  a  second  sage 
Agastya  was  created  in  the  form  of  Arjuna,  who  wanted  to  sip  it  at 
a  single  draught  (ocean  in  the  form  of  discourse).  The  Lord  perceived 
a  strong  and  sweeping  wave  of  longing  rising  in  Arjuna's  heart  at 
which  the  Lord  got  pleased  and  waved  around  him  (his  own  happi- 
ness). 


xv.  purusottamayoga  451 

The  Exalted -one  spake: 

1  "With  up-wending  roots  and  down-spreading  branches,  they 
speak  of  an  Imperishable  Asvathha  Tree,  whose  leaves  are 
the  Vedic  Mantras:  who  so  knows  it,  (truly)  knows  the 
Veda.  (72) 

Bhagawan  then  said,  "Oh  Dhananjaya,  (monistic)  Supreme  Brahman 
is  the  topmost  level  of  this  tree  and  it  (Supreme  Brahman)  has  derived 
this  position  only  on  account  of  this  tree.  Ordinarily,  there  exist 
no  distinctions  such  as  middle,  top,  or  bottom  in  regard  to  a  single 
entity — monistic  Supreme  Spirit.  It  is  a  sound  that  cannot  be  heard 
(by  the  ears),  the  nectar  (fragrance)  in  a  flower  that  cannot  be  inhaled 
(by  the  nostrils),  and  the  bliss  experienced  without  sexual  enjoyment. 
It  is  on  this  side  as  also  on  the  other,  in  front  as  also  at  the  back,  it 
exists  by  itself;  it  is  invisible,  yet  can  only  be  seen  without  a  seer.  It 
gets  converted  into  universe  with  names  and  forms  on  account  of  its 
attributes.  It  is  knowledge  without  a  knower  as  also  without  the 
object  of  knowledge,  and  it  is  the  sky  stuffed  with  unalloyed  bliss. 
It  is  neither  the  effect  nor  the  cause,  it  is  neither  qualified  by  dualism 
nor  monism  and  exists  by  itself  all  alone.  Such  is  Supreme  Brahman; 
it  is  the  topmost  level  of  this  tree.  And  now  hear  how  the  up-wending 
roots  blossom  forth.  That  what  is  known  as  Maya,  is  unreal,  nothing 
else  but  illusion,  and  can  (as  well)  be  described  as  the  progeny  of  a 
barren  woman;  and  has  in  vain  got  the  name  Maya.  It  is  neither  true 
nor  untrue  and  cannot  bear  even  an  iota  of  reason,  and  yet  it  is  said 
to  exist  from  time  immemorial.  It  is  the  chest  (full)  of  diversities, 
it  is  the  sky  having  the  clouds  in  the  form  of  the  world-lives,  or  a  folded 
piece  of  cloth  in  the  shape  of  the  totality  of  forms.  It  is  a  small  seed 
of  the  world-tree,  the  canvas  or  the  wall  on  which  the  picture  of  worldly 
existence  is  painted;  it  is  the  lamp  of  perverse  knowledge  (infatuation) 
in  a  solid,  massive  form.  That  Maya  abides  in  Supreme  Brahman 
practically  in  a  non-abiding  condition,  and,  therefore,  whatever 
transactions  take  place  at  her  hands  are  all  through  the  splendour 
(power)  of  Supreme  Brahman.  (It  is  like)  one  (over-taken  by  sleep 
(who)  feels  stupid  and  dull,  or  like  the  snuff  (of  the  wick)  of  a  lamp 
that  dims  its  light,  or  like  a  lover,  finding  in  a  dream  a  young  woman 
asleep  by  his  side  sharing  his  bed,  and  then  fancying  her  suddenly 
awake  and  embracing  him  (although  there  is  no  such  actual  em- 
bracing), and  yet  he  feels  the  act  satisfying  his  passion: — all  these 
bear  the  same  relation  to  Supreme  Brahman,  and,  Oh  Dhananjaya, 


452  JNANESHWARI 

the  non-cognisance  of  Supreme  Brahman  itself,  is  the  root  of  this 
(mundane  existence)  tree.  This  deep  ignorance  (on  the  part  of  the  soul) 
of  Supreme  Brahman,  constitutes  the  bulbous  root  at  the  bottom 
(of  this  tree)  and  is  named  the  seed-form  («n*wi«l)  in  the  Vedas.  (This) 
profound  slumber  in  the  form  of  deep  ignorance  is  called  the  seedling 
(blossom-sfM i$ <v M ),  and  from  this  arise  states  of  sleep  and  awaken- 
ing which  are  called  the  fruit  (<+>«5"<m«l)  of  Sushupti  (^ffer-slumber). 
These  are  the  different  terms  used  in  discourses  of  the  Vedas.  Yet 
that  apart:  nescience  in  short  is  the  root  (of  this  world-tree).  The 
upper  part  of  it  is  the  pure  soul  and  below  it  the  shooting  roots  that 
grow  thickly  in  the  cavity  ( QfaS  -made  around  the  foot  of  the  tree  to 
receive  water)  in  the  form  of  Maya.  Downwards  get  created  in- 
numerable and  diverse  bodies  from  which  issue  forth  shoots  all  around 
wending  downwards  vigorously.  In  this  way,  roots  of  the  world- 
tree  derive  strength  at  the  top  (from  Supreme  Brahman)  and  then 
there  is  formed  downwards  a  tuft  of  sprouts.  The  first  of  these  sprouts 
is  intellect  (M^H)  that  tender  leaf  developed  out  of  self-consciousness 
(fa^rfa).  Lower  down  shoots  up  another  sprout  with  three  leaves. 
This  sprout  is  egotism  while  the  three  leaves  are  the  three  Gunas- 
Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas.  This  sprout  (egotism)  creates  a  twig  in 
the  form  of  intellect  and  fosters  diverse  feelings  giving  freshness  to 
another  tender  twig  issuing  forth  called  the  mind.  In  this  way  issue 
forth  from  this  tree,  through  the  strength  of  the  upwending  roots, 
tender  twigs  in  the  form  the  aggregate  of  the  four  internal  organs 
(fa'tN'^W'-l.  ^fe  (intellect),  2.  *nr  (Mind),  3.  31^+K  (egotism), 
4.  fw  (heart)  dripping  wet  with  the  juice  (in  the  form)  of  mental 
fancies  (fsRvPTOT).  Then  issue  forth  the  long  and  straight  branches 
of  the  five  gross  elements  viz.  the  sky,  wind,  fire,  water,  and  the  earth. 
On  these  shoots  grow  wondrous,  tender  and  very  soft  leaves  in  the 
form  of  ears  and  other  sense-organs  with  their  objects.  Then  issues 
forth  a  shoot  of  (the  organ  of)  speech  (*l«*i$<)  and  with  this,  increases 
doubly  the  growth  of  the  organ  of  the  hearing  and  there  appear  further 
shoots  of  roots  ( wi" )  in  the  form  of  desires.  Then  issue  forth  creepers 
and  leaves  in  the  form  of  the  body  and  the  skin  and  from  these  further 
issue  forth  sprouts  of  touch-sense  and  there  then  arise  excitement 
and  passions  in  profusion.  There  then  follows  the  foliage  in  the  form 
of  diverse  forms,  (to  see  which)  stretch  out  long  shoots  of  roots  in 
the  form  of  eyes  (vision)  which  run  after  (various  forms)  with  intense 
infatuation.  Then  issue  forth  different  branches  in  the  form  of  taste 
from  the  tongue  with  the  result  that  foliage  in  the  form  of  desires  grow 
in  profusion  on  the  tongue.  With  the  issue  of  a  sprout  in  the  form 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  453 

of  smelling,  the  shoot  in  the  form  of  the  organ  of  smelling  gets  strong 
and  there  is  created  a  greed  in  it.  In  short,  these  eight  viz,  intellect, 
egotism,  mind,  and  the  five  gross  Elements  promote  a  vigorous  growth 
in  the  world-tree-nay  the  tree  gets  greatly  extended  through  the 
combination  of  these  eight.  The  semblance  as  silver  of  the  mother- 
of-pearl  makes  that  silver  take  the  shape  of  the  shell  itself;  or  the 
expanse  of  the  waves  is  proportionate  to  the  wide  sea-surface;  in 
that  way,  the  Sole  Brahman  takes  the  form  of  the  world-tree  born 
of  nescience.  While  in  a  dream,  although  all  alone  by  himself,  one 
becomes  the  entire  paraphernalia,  and  dream-stuff  himself;  in  that 
way  the  entire  growth  and  expansion  of  this  tree  is  nothing  else  but 
Supreme  Spirit  itself.  Enough,  however,  of  this.  Such  a  wonderful 
tree  is  created,  its  sprouts  in  the  form  of  intellect,  etc.  growing  down- 
wards. And  now  I  tell  you  and  hear:  why  the  learned  have  named 
it  as  'Ashvattha'.  "Shva"  (*sr-)  means  the  (next)  morning:  yet  the 
world-tree  has  no  certaitny  of  surviving  till  then.  The  clouds  change 
colour  almost  every  moment,  or  a  lightening  does  not  exist  in  a 
complete  form  even  for  one  moment,  or  water  cannot  sustain  itself 
on  a  quivering  lotus  leaf  or,  the  mind  of  a  man  in  distress  cannot 
remain  steady.  Similar  is  the  state  of  this  tree.  It  gets  destroyed  at 
every  moment  and  therefore  it  is  named  'Ashvattha'.  Some  name 
Pipal  tree  as  'Ashvattha',  but  the  Lord  Shri  Hari  does  not  hold  this 
view.  Even  if  it  is  called  Pipal,  it  (the  name)  would  also  be  made  to 
fit  in;  but  we  are  not  concerned  with  how  the  people  name  it.  There- 
fore (you  hearers  you  do)  hear  of  this  unique  theme  (W);  this  world- 
tree  should  be  called  'Ashvattha'  consequent  on  its  momentary  exist- 
ence. There  is,  moreover,  the  great  celebrity  of  its  being  'Imperish- 
able'. But  its  esoteric  meaning  is  like  this:  On  the  one  hand  the  sea 
loses  its  volume  (getting  evaporated  and  formed  into  clouds),  while 
on  the  other  hand  it  gets  replenished  through  the  rivers  (water  that 
runs  into  it).  Consequently  it  neither  gets  reduced  nor  increased,  but 
remains  full;  but  this  is  subject  to  the  clouds  and  the  rivers  continuing 
their  correlated  activity.  In  that  way  coming  into  existence  and  ceasing 
to  exist,  on  the  part  of  this  tree,  take  place  so  rapidly  as  could  hardly 
be  perceived  (<r^)  and  therefore  the  people  call  it  Imperishable. 
A  charitably-disposed  person  spends  all  his  (wealth)  yet  in  a  way 
saves  (in  the  form  of  securing  merit):  in  that  way  this  tree  appears 
imperishable  through  its  (perpetual)  dissipation.  The  wheels  of  a 
chariot  moving  very  fast  appear  stationary  and  stuck  up  to  the  ground; 
in  that  way,  in  course  of  time,  a  branch  of  the  world-tree  in  the  form 
of  beings  gets  withered  and  drops  down,  but  is  replaced  by  crores 


454  JNANESHWARI 

of  new  sprouts.  Yet  it  is  not  perceived  when  it  (one  set)  disappears 
and  crores  of  others  take  its  place,  like  the  piles  of  clouds  (appearing 
in  the  sky)  in  the  month  of  Ashadhk  (June-July),  At  the  completion 
of  the  world-dissolution  the  entire  universe  is  extinguished:  simultane- 
ously however  new  (branches)  forests  of  the  budding  universe  spring 
up.  (Similarly)  at  the  time  of  the  world-dissolution,  the  destructive 
stormy  winds  make  the  bark  of  the  universe  (tree)  fall  off,  but  clusters 
of  new  aeons,  begin  to  blossom  forth  simultaneously.  The  reign  of 
a  (New)  Manu  (*Md<)  follows  that  of  the  preceding  (outgoing)  Manu 
or  one  reign  succeeds  another;  in  this  way  go  on  the  cycles  of  Manu's 
and  races  in  the  way  new  shoots  (joints:  parts)  issue  forth  from  the 
existing  shoot  (joint)  of  Sugar-cane.  At  the  end  of  Kaliyuga  (the  last 
of  four  ages  of  the  world- f*r  -%rr  -stttt-  ^wt,)  the  dry  barks  of 
the  four  Yugas  drop  down.  Simultaneously,  however,  the  bark  of 
the  incoming  new  Yuga  (fcr)  is  formed  in  double  proportion.  The 
current  year  comes  to  a  close  and  the  new  one  is  ushered  in.  Similarly 
a  day  passes  away  and  a  new  one  comes  in,  but  all  this  is  not  perceived; 
or  in  the  case  of  breezes  of  wind  where  one  ends  and  where  the  other 
begins  is  not  understood.  (In  that  way),  it  cannot  be  known  when 
and  how  many  branches  fall  off  and  new  ones  come  in.  A  young 
shoot  (fsri-)  in  the  form  of  a  body  drops  down  and  instantaneously 
many  new  ones  sprout  out  (in  its  place),  and  therefore,  this  world- 
tree  is  considered  imperishable.  The  flow  of  water  of  one  current 
passes  away  fast  and  is  followed  and  joined  immediately  by  another 
(and  in  this  way  the  current  appears  unbroken  and  continuous  per- 
petually). So  it  happens  in  the  case  of  this  world-tree  and  the  world 
considers  this  non-perpetual  thing  as  a  perpetual  one.  Crores  of  ripples 
arise  and  disappear  (in  the  sea)  within  the  space  of  time  taken  by  an 
eye  to  open  and  to  close;  yet  the  ignorant  think  that  the  ripples  are 
perpetual.  The  crow  with  one  common  eye-ball  in  both  the  eyes 
turns  it  from  one  «to  the  other  and  vice-versa  in  a  moment's  time, 
with  the  result  that  people  are  erroneously  led  to  believe  that  there 
are  two  eye-balls  (one  in  each  eye).  A  whirling  top  (wt^RT),  when  in 
a  well-balanced  position,  is  felt  to  be  stationary  and  stuck  up  to  the 
ground  although  actually  fast  whirling,  because  of  its  rapid  motion. 
Why  go  searching  far  off  (to  find  out  parallel  events):  a  fire  brand, 
(*\<H<0 )  waived  fast  round  and  round  in  darkness,  looks  like  an  un- 
broken circular  line  of  fire;  in  that  way  the  creation  and  end  of  this 
tree  are  not  perceived,  with  the  result  that  the  ignorant  call  it  imperish- 
able. Yet  the  learned  see  its  fast  motion,  realize  its  transitory  tenure 
and  know  that  its  creation  and  end  take  place  crores  of  times  within 


XV.  PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  455 

(a  space  of)  one  instant.  One  that  has  realized  that  this  world-tree 
has  its  root  in  nothing  else  but  nescience  and  that  its  existence  is  un- 
real and  only  momentary — such  a  one  I  call,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  'All- 
knowing':  and  he  alone  is  revered  in  the  theories  and  established 
truths  propounded  in  the  Vedas.  To  the  credit  of  such  a  man  of  know- 
ledge alone  goes  the  fruit  (reward)  of  all  Yogas — nay  such  a  one 
alone  keeps  knowledge  alive.  Enough  of  this  however.  Who  could 
praise  in  adequate  terms  (the  greatness  of)  one  who  realizes  the 
transitory  tenure  of  this  world-tree? 

STOW  *jMI*'M*!*iddlfar 

i>«*T«i«i«ftPi  4*«j6n*n$  u  ^  u 

2  "Downwards  as  well  as  upwards  are  its  branches  extended, 
waxing  strong  by  the  Gunas,  with  the  sense-objects  for  their 
leafage.  Downwards  do  the  roots  (and  rootlets)  successively 
spread — being  tethered-on  to  the  Karmans — into  (this) 
world  of  humanity.  (144) 

This  world-tree  which  has  got  branches  extending  downwards,  has 
also  got  plenty  of  branches  shooting  straight  upwards.  The  branches 
that  have  shot  upwards  have  also  got  roots  issuing  from  them  and 
from  their  bottom  also  issue  forth  and  spread  out  creepers  and  foliage. 
This  we  have  already  said  before  in  the  beginning  and  hear  it  over 
again  explained  in  simple  words.  There  is  created  from  Nescience- 
the  admitted  root  of  this  tree-(Maya)  the  eight  constituents  such 
as  intellect  and  others  along  with  vast  woods  in  the  form  of  Vedic 
knowledge.  First  shoots  out  from  the  bottom  (of  the  tree)  a  great 
polygon  consisting  of  four  orders  1)  Swedaja  (?3%*r-born  from 
sweat),  2)  Jarayuja  (*rcrw-born  from  womb),  3)  Udbhija  (^fw- 
a  plant  or  tree  bursting  forth  from  soil),  4)  Andaja  ( sf^sr -produced 
from  egg).  From  each  of  these  springs  forth  84  lakhs  of  sub-orders; 
each  sub-order  or  species  has  infinite  twigs  in  the  form  of  individuals 
belonging  to  it.  Some  of  the  branches  shoot  up  straight,  and  on  these, 
there  arise  crosswise  sub-branches  and  twigs  of  different  worlds, 
and  these  constitute  the  grades  of  different  classes  and  sub-classes 
of  beings.  The  individual  distinctions  such  as  female,  male,  or  neuter 
are  then  stamped  (on  these)  according  to  their  respective  nature. 


456  JNANESHWARI 

The  aggregate  of  beings  with  forms  waxes  strong  during  the  stage 
of  Nescience,  in  the  way  dark  and  new  clouds  crowd  in  the  sky  during 
the  Monsoon  season.  Then  the  overgrown  branches  of  the  tree  get 
bent  down  with  their  own  weight,  and  also  get  entangled  into  each 
other  with  the  result  that  the  Gunas  (Constituent-aspects)  become 
excited  and  the  winds  in  the  form  of  their  excitement  begin  to  blow 
violently.  With  the  stormy  blowing  of  these  winds  in  the  form  of  the 
excitement  of  the  Gunas,  the  world-tree  with  roots  up-wending  gets 
torn  in  three  different  places  in  the  form  of  different  worlds.  With 
the  breeze  of  the  Rajas  Guna  dashing  violently,  the  branch  represent- 
ing human  order  gets  fat.  That  branch  neither  ascends  up  nor  curves 
down,  with  the  result  that  it  gets  crammed  in  the  middle,  and  sub- 
branches  in  the  form  of  four  castes  issue  forth  cross-wise  from  it. 
There  then  spring  forth  and  sway  backwards  and  forwards  plump 
and  fresh-looking  twigs,  adding  beauty  to  the  branch,  in  the  form  of 
Vedic  dicta  full  of  foliage  in  the  form  of  mandatory  and  prohibitory 
injunctions  (precepts).  Riches  and  passion  then  spread  out,  and 
from  these,  keep  on  shooting  out,  ever  new  sprouts  in  the  form  of 
enjoyment  of  worldly  pleasures  of  momentary  duration.  Prakriti 
then  waxes  strong  and  there  issue  forth  countless  sprouts  of  action — 
good  and  bad.  No  sooner  the  old  and  worn  out  bodies,  rendered 
feeble,  consequent  on  the  enjoyment  (of  sense-objects)  drop  down, 
than  new  ones  spring  up  and  grow  fast.  Similarly,  new  and  beautiful 
foliage  in  the  form  of  sense-objects  such  as  speech  etc,  glittering  in 
their  natural  and  attractive  colours,  keep  on  springing  up.  With 
the  Rajas  storming  violently  in  this  way,  the  tuft  of  the  human  (order) 
branch  has  extensive  growth,  and  the  mortal  world  gets  properly 
set  up.  When  the  storm  of  Rajas  subsides  for  a  while,  the  Tamas 
waxes  strong  and  begins  to  roar.  With  this,  new  foliage  in  the  form 
of  wicked  desires  begins  to  spring  forth  on  the  lower  side  of  the  human 
order-branch,  while  twigs  of  evil  actions  begin  sprouting  out.  Rough 
and  rugged  shoots  of  evil  actions  sprout  out  straight  and  the  twigs 
appear  full  of  foliage  in  the  form  of  errors.  The  three  Vedas — the 
Rik.,  the  Yajus,  and  the  Sama — which  lay  down  positive  precepts 
and  prohibitory  injunctions,  should  be  taken  as  the  leaves  oscillating 
on  the  tips  of  the  branches.  The  Atharva  Veda  (Agamas)  which 
propounds  black  magic — the  cause  of  great  harm  to  others — issues 
forth,  on  which  thrive  the  creepers  of  desires.  As  this  process  continues, 
the  bottoms  (roots)  of  the  plants  of  evil  actions  get  strengthened, 
while  the  branches  in  the  form  of  metempsychoses  multiply  fast. 
Then  shoots  up  another  big  branch  representing  very  heinous  and 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  457 

wicked  class  of  beings  (^i^mi^O),  in  the  jumble  of  which  are  entangled 
those  that  fail  to  perform  the  prescribed  actions  owing  to  infatuation. 
Then  arises  and  spreads  out,  a  rahk  growth  of  innumerable  and  cross- 
wise branches  in  the  form  of  animals,  birds,  swine,  tigers,  serpents, 
scorpions,  etc.  etc.  All  these  branches,  Oh  Pandava,  remain  ever 
fresh  and  blooming  and  they  get  laden  with  bumper  fruit  in  the  form 
of  (sufferings  of)  hell.  The  shoots  in  the  form  of  evil  actions,  in- 
volving also  violence,  go  on  fast  growing  throughout  life  after  life. 
In  a  similar  way,  spring  up  branches  representing  trees,  grass,  iron, 
earth,  stone,  etc.  and  they  are  also  laden  with  fruit.  In  this  way,  Oh 
Arjuna,  go  on  growing  down-spreading  branches  representing  (from) 
the  human  order  down  to  the  very  immovables.  Therefore  the 
branches  representing  human  order  should  be  considered  as  the 
starting  point  of  the  lower  portion  from  which  the  world-tree  begins 
to  expand  downwards.  Otherwise,  Oh  Partha,  considered  from  the 
point  of  view  of  the  original  root  at  the  top,  the  middle  branches 
have  to  be  taken  as  the  lower  ones.  But  the  branches  of  Tamas  and 
Sattva  Gunas  in  the  form  of  actions  good  and  bad,  have  spread  out 
upwards  as  also  downwards  in  this  tree.  The  foliage  of  this  tree-the 
three  Vedas-blossoming  out,  Oh  Arjuna,  can  have  no  existence  except 
for  the  human  order.  Therefore,  the  branch  of  the  human  bodies 
although  arising  out  of  the  upwending  root,  is  itself  the  root  ojf  the 
growth  of  activism.  The  state  of  things  in  regard  to  the  tree  in  general 
is  also  similar.  As  the  branches  go  on  getting  strength,  the  roots  go 
deeper  and  get  more  strong  and  as  these  roots  get  strong,  the  tree 
spreads  out  more  widely.  So  also  this  (human)  body.  There  is  the 
activism,  so  long  as  there  is  the  continuity  of  human  body,  while 
transactions  (actions)  do  take  place  and  there  is  no  stopping  of  them 
so  long  as  there  is  the  body.  Therefore,  the  Lord  of  the  Universe, 
says  that  the  (human)  body  is  the  root  of  the  world-expansion.  With 
the  subsidence  of  the  Tamas  form,  the  Sattva  Guna  begins  to  blow 
violently.  At  this,  blossoms  of  righteous  acts  spring  forth  from  the 
branch  of  the  human  race,  and  there  is  a  rush  of  shoots  of  good  actions. 
Then  dawns  knowledge  and  with  it  the  intellect  becomes  stronger, 
with  the  result  that  there  is  created  a  tuft  of  new  shoots  (of  intellect). 
The  long  and  thick  shoots  (wte)  of  intellect  get  strengthened  and 
there  issue  forth  sub-branches  of  inspiration,  and  the  light  of  the 
dawn  of  the  intellect  spreads  out  with  the  support  of  the  power  of 
discrimination.  There  then  issue  forth  straight  and  beautiful  shoots 
of  righteous  disposition  through  the  foliage  of  devotion  dripping 
(wet)  with  the  juice  of  (sacred)  intellect.  The  sound  of  the  Vedic 


458  JNANESHWARI 

Teachings  resounds  on  the  tips  of  rank  shoots  of  good  conduct.  Then 
there  issue  forth  innumerable  leaves  and  foliage  in  the  form  of  good 
manners,  Veda-enjoined  duties  and  Sacrificial  rituals,  etc.  Then  issue 
forth  twigs  of  austerity  laden  with  sense-control  and  comprehensive 
self-governance,  and  these  twigs  give  birth  to  tender  but  big  branches 
of  asceticism.  Shoots  of  special  penances  issue  forth  from  the  sharp 
ends  of  the  blossom  of  fortitude  and  wend  upwards  straight  to  a  great 
height.  They  bear  a  thick  foliage  in  the  form  of  Vedas  which  makes 
a  fluttering  noise  of  learning  when  the  winds  of  Sattva  blow  violently. 
Then  begins  to  grow  up  the  extensive  branch  of  religion  and  from  it 
sprout  out  straight  branches  of  birth,  having  cross-branches  yielding 
the  fruit  of  (residence  in)  heaven  and  other  worlds.  There  is  another 
branch  of  salvation  (through  holy  conduct)  which  is  full  of  ruddy 
tender  leaves  in  the  form  of  absolute  indifference  to  worldly  pleasures. 
The  side-shoots  of  the  Sun,  the  Moon,  and  other  stars,  also  the  manes 
and  sages  and  the  learned  sect  (fairraT — a  type  of  Demi-  Gods)  also 
begin  to  sprout  out.  High  up  over  and  above  these,  are  the  tufts  of 
the  branches  of  heavens  covered  up  by  bunches  of  fruit,  and  higher 
up  still  rise  the  big  branches  strengthened  by  austerities  of  sages 
Maricha,  Kashyapa,  etc.  In  this  way  spread  out  one  over  the  other, 
upwending  branches,  slender  at  the  bottom  and  heavy  at  the  top, 
being  laden  with  rich  fruit-growth.  Besides,  from  the  tips  of  the 
fruit-growth  that  takes  place  on  the  upwending  branches,  issue 
forth  sprouts,  Oh  Kirlti,  of  Gods  Brahmadev,  Shankara  and  others. 
The  heavy  load  of  fruit-growth,  makes  the  branches  double  (fold 
over)  and  they  rest  on  the  roots.  Similar  is  the  state  of  the  ordinary 
tree.  When  overloaded  with  fruit,  the  branches  automatically  bend 
low  and  rest  on  the  base  of  the  trunk.  In  the  same  way  when  the  world- 
tree  gets  laden  with  increased  knowledge,  its  growth,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
bends  down  and  finally  rests  on  its  root  from  which  the  tree  has  sprung 
up.  Therefore,  there  is  no  scope  for  the  growth  of  beings  higher  up 
than  the  regions  of  God  Brahmadev  and  Shiva.  Once  these  heights 
are  reached,  there  is  then  only  Supreme  Brahman  above  (which  the 
being  attains).  But  this  apart:  even  the  Gods  Brahmadev  and  others, 
with  all  their  power,  cannot  come  up  to  the  level  of  the  upwending 
roots.  There  are  still  higher  branches  well-known  by  the  names  Sanaka 
and  others,  but  these  are  not  encumbered  by  any  fruit-growth  and 
so  instead  of  bending  low,  they  grow  straight  higher  up  and  enter 
into  the  region  of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  In  this  way,  on  account 
of  the  foliage,  all  branches  from  the  human  order  (in  the  middle) 
up  to  the  branches  of  Gods,  Brahmadev  and  others,— all -get  shot 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  459 

up  very  high.  The  topmost  branches,  Oh  Partha,  of  God  Brahmadev 
and  others  having  all  issued  forth  from  the  human  order,  the  human 
order  branch  is  called  the  lower  root.  In  this  way,  we  have  described 
to  you  this  unique  world-tree-with  branches  at  the  top  as  well  as 
at  the  base  and  the  roots  at  the  top.  So  also  we  discoursed  clearly 
on  the  roots  that  lie  at  the  base  of  the  tree;  and  now  I  shall  preach 
how  the  tree  could  be  uprooted  and  do  hear  about  it. 

W^TC^T  £%T  fer^T  II  3  II 

3  "Here  (however)  is  its  (real)  form  as  aforesaid  not  encounter- 
ed: neither  its  end,  nor  its  beginning,  nor  again  its  static  mid- 
dle. This  Ashvattha  with  its  roots  firmly  infixed,  one  should 
first  cut  down  with  the  hard  weapon  of  'Non-attachment': 

(210) 

Oh  Kiriti,  here  will  arise  in  your  mind  a  doubt — whether  there  could 
exist  any  means  through  which  such  a  big  tree  could  be  uprooted, 
— a  tree  whose  top  branches  have  reached  the  very  region  of  God 
Brahmadev,  while  the  root  is  infixed  in  the  formless  Supreme  Brahman 
at  the  top — a  tree,  the  branches  at  the  base  of  which  have  pierced  the 
very  earth,  while  the  branches  growing  at  the  middle  form  the  human 
order.  Do  not  harbour  any  such  doubts,  as  to  how  such  a  vast  and 
strong  tree  could  be  felled  down.  It  will  hardly  involve  any  trouble 
to  cut  down  this  tree.  Is  it  ever  necessary  (physically)  to  drive  out 
a  (imaginary)  goblin  in  order  to  remove  children's  fright?  Does  it 
ever  involve  any  trouble  to  pull  down  the  fortified  city  of  the  Gandhar- 
vas  (ifspforft — a  fanciful  city  in  the  cloud-land)  or  to  break  the  horns 
of  the  hare,  or  ro  pluck  the  flower  "of  the  sky?  In  that  way,  know  ye 
Warrior,  this  world  tree  is  an  unreality.  Wherefore  the  fear  to  destroy 
it?  What  we  described  as  the  branches  and  the  roots  (of  the  world 
tree)  is  like  filling  the  house  with  the  progeny  of  a  barren  woman. 
Could  the  talks  in  a  dream  be  ever  realized  in  the  awakened  state? 
In  that  way,  the  story  about  the  tree  is  as  feeble  (as  the  dream).  Had 
it  not  been  like  this  as  described  and  on  the  contrary  had  the  roots 
of  the  tree  as  also  the  tree  been  really  firm,  who  is  there,  born  away 
us,  (mrk)  who  could  dare  uproot  it?  Could  the  sky  ever  disappear 


460  JNANESHWARI 

merely  by  puffing  it  out?  Therefore,  O  Dhananjaya,  the  form  of 
the  tree  we  described  is  all  an  illusion,  like  serving  to  a  king,  clarified 
butter  (prepared  from  the  milk)  of  £  tortoise.  Lakes  of  mirage  (water) 
appear  to  the  vision  (as  existing)  only  from  a  distance:  could  rice 
and  plantain  be  grown  on  that  water?  If  Nescience  itself  is  unreal, 
much  more  so  must  be  the  effects  resulting  from  it.  Considered  from 
this  correct  standpoint,  the  world-tree  proves  wholly  unreal.  The 
tree  is  said  to  be  endless,  and  in  one  sense  it  is  true.  Could  slumber 
ever  come  to  an  end  so  long  as  there  is  no  awakening  (from  the  sleep)? 
Or  could  there  be  a  dawn,  while  yet  it  is  night  and  it  (night)  has  not 
ended?  In  that  way,  so  long  as  the  illusion  is  not  removed  by  right 
thinking  (fo%*F),  there  would  be  no  end  to  the  world-tree-Ashvattha. 
So  long  as  the  stormy  wind  does  not  stop  blowing  and  get  calm,  there 
must  roll  unceasingly  (over  the  ocean)  innumerable  waves.  With 
the  Sunset  disappears  the  illusive  mirage;  or  the  light  disappears 
when  the  lamp  (flame)  is  sniffed  out.  In  that  way  it  is  only  when  the 
knowledge,  (which  devours  pristine  Nescience)  stands  out  (arises), 
that  there  is  an  end  to  the  world-tree,  and  not  till  then.  Similarly 
it  (the  tree)  is  said  to  be  beginningless  and  if  viewed  from  that  stand- 
point, it  is  not  an  imputation  (3TTc5 ),  but  (is)  a  fact.  There  is  not  a 
particle  of  reality  in  this  world-tree.  Therefore,  how  could  there  be 
any  beginning  for  a  thing  that  exists  not  at  all.  It  would  be  reasonable 
to  attribute  beginning  to  a  thing  that  really  is  created  somewhere: 
but  where  could  there  be  a  beginning  for  a  thing  which  never  existed 
at  all.  How  could  there  be  a  mother  for  one  who  is  never  born  at  all? 
In  short,  there  being  no  world-tree  at  all,  it  proves  itself  to  be  beginning- 
less.  How  could  there  exist  any  horoscope  for  a  son  born  of  a  barren 
mother?  How  could  one  imagine  the  existence  of  blue  ground  in 
the  sky?  Who  could  pluck  the  stem  of  a  sky-flower?  Therefore, 
how  could  there  be  a  beginning  for  the  world-tree  which  exists  not 
at  all?  The  non-existence  of  an  earthen  pot  is  self-established  (axio- 
matic), so  long  as  one  is  not  prepared  at  all  (out  of  clay):  so  is  this 
tree,  entire  with  its  roots,  without  a  beginning  (it  being  non-existent). 
In  this  way,  Oh  Arjuna,  just  see;  it  has  neither  a  beginning  nor  an 
end:  there  is  merely  a  semblance  of  its  existence  in  between  but  it  is 
all  a  false  one.  The  worldly  existence  (tree)  like  the  mirage,  which 
neither  starts  from  the  Brahman  mountain,  nor  goes  and  enters  into 
the  sea,  but  is  felt  as  existing  in  between,  has  neither  a  beginning  nor 
an  end.  In  fact  it  never  exists  at  all.  The  novelty  of  the  existence  of 
such  (mundane  existence)  is  falsely  felt  at  times.  The  man  of  Nescience 
feels  (as  real)  the  mundane  existence  in  the  way  is  felt  the  existence 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  461 

of  a  multicoloured  rainbow.  The  (tree  of)  worldly  affairs  deludes 
the  vision  of  the  ignorant  (by  making  them  believe  in  its  existence) 
just  as  a  skilful  actor  deludes  the  spectator  (by  playing  different  roles 
in  different  costumes).  The  sky  appears  dark-coloured  (witHi) 
even  though  it  is  not  so;  yet  it  appears  so  only  momentarily  (that 
state  not  lasting  long).  An  unreal  tiling  seen  in  a  dream  is  considered 
real  (in  that  state);  yet  is  that  (feeling)  capable  of  achieving  any  per- 
manence and  continuity?  In  that  way  its  (world-tree's)  momentary 
semblance  is  also  unreal.  It  appears  to  the  vision  as  existing,  yet  it 
cannot  be  grasped  (even  if  one  tries  to  grasp  it)  like  the  reflections 
in  water  of  the  pranks  of  a  monkey.  The  semblance  comes  and  goes 
so  rapidly,  that  its  speed  cannot  be  compared  even  to  the  fickleness 
of  the  ripples  on  water  or  to  the  quick  movements  of  lightning.  One 
cannot  know  if  the  stormy  wind  at  the  close  of  summer  (Grishma 
season)  is  coming  from  the  front  or  from  the  back:  similar  is  the  state 
of  this  world-tree.  In  short  it  has  neither  a  beginning  nor  an  end; 
it  has  neither  any  form  nor  any  state.  Why  then  should  there  be  any 
trouble  in  felling  it  down?  This  unreal  tree  grows  continuously 
(without  stop)  on  account  of  one's  nescience:  therefore,  O  Kiriti, 
cleave  it  with  the  weapon  in  the  form  of  the  knowledge  of  Supreme 
Self.  Otherwise,  the  greater  use  you  make  of  remedies  other  than 
that  of  the  Knowledge  of  Supreme  Self— the  more  entangled  you 
will  get  in  the  meshes  of  the  tree,  and  when  once  (you  are)  so  entangled 
there  will  be  no  limit  to  your  wanderings  up  and  down  amongst  the 
branches.  Therefore,  hue  down  its  (the  tree's)  root — the  nescience- 
completely,  with  the  real  knowledge  of  the  self.  It  is  sheer  waste  of 
energy  to  try  and  collect  sticks  to  kill  an  (illusory)  serpent  (created 
in  imagination  out  of  a  rope.  (It  would  be  like)  one  getting  drowned 
in  a  real  streamlet  while  running  about  in  search  of  a  raft  for  crossing 
over  the  river  Ganges  in  the  form  of  a  mirage.  In  that  way  (it  is  like 
this  that)  while  devising  means  of  destroying  the  unreal  world-affairs, 
one  should  experience  a  reverse  and  have  to  face  the  strong  wind  in 
the  form  of  the  notion,  "the  world-affairs  are  all  real".  The  only 
remedy  to  heal  up  a  wound  caused  in  a  dream  is  to  awake.  In  that  way, 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  Knowledge  is  the  only  sword  to  cut  down  the  root 
viz.  the  Nescience.  One's  intellect  ought  to  secure  an  ever  new  and 
unbreakable  strength  of  asceticism,  so  that  one  can  easily  handle 
the  same  (sword).  With  its  advent  asceticism  discards  the  triad 
(Religion,  Riches  and  Passions)  in  the  way  a  dog  vomits  out  foul 
and  undigested  food.  The  sweep  of  asceticism  should  be  so  strong 
that  it  should  make  one  feel  nausea  for  everything.  Then  should  be 


462  JNANESHWARI 

cast  off  the  covering  in  the  form  of  the  conceit  for  the  body,  and  this 
weapon  of  knowledge  should  be  held  firmly  in  the  hand  (palm)  of 
the  inward  perception.  It  (the  weapon)  should  be  rubbed  on  the 
whetstone  of  discrimination  and  sharpened  with  the  notion,  "I  am 
myself  Supreme  Brahman",  and  cleansed  with  the  polish  of  the 
realization  of  the  Self.  Even  after  this,  one  should  weigh  ones  own 
strength  by  holding  it  (weapon)  in  the  firm  grip  of  his  fist  in  the  form 
of  resolve  and  then  try  it  once  or  twice.  Then  one  should  balance 
it  in  his  hand  with  the  strength  of  contemplation.  When  the  weapon 
and  the  wielder  have  become  one  by  constant  contemplation,  then 
there  would  then  be  nothing  (in  the  universe)  that  can  withstand  its 
onslaught.  The  weapon  in  the  form  of  the  Knowledge  of  Supreme 
Self,  will  not,  with  its  sharpness  in  the  form  of  non-dualism,  allow 
the  world-tree  to  exist  anywhere,  in  the  way  the  wind  at  the  beginning 
of  Sharat  (autumn)  season  clears  the  sky  of  all  clouds,  or  just  as  the 
sunrise  devours  darkness,  or  just  as  the  state  of  awakening  does  not 
allow  the  dreamy  state  to  survive.  In  that  way,  the  sharpness  of  the 
weapon  in  the  form  of  the  realization  of  the  Self  will  do  its  work. 
Then  would  cease  to  appear  altogether,  the  top-roots  as  also  the  tuft 
of  the  down-wending  branches  etc,  just  as  the  mirage  ceases  to  appear 
in  the  moonlight.  In  this  way,  Oh  Master  Warrior,  should  be  cloven 
clean,  with  the  weapon  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Self,  the 
world-tree  Ashvattha  of  the  top  roots. 

*t(Wi  IcTT  T  fa*l<$Pd  ^T:  I 

w*Nr  'bTTet  $^r  w& 

ilcf:  aejfri:  STCJcTT  ^iiwfl  II  *  II 

4  "And  then  should  one  explore  that  place,  where  reaching, 
they  have  not  to  return  (down)  again,  (having  reached  the 
inward  conviction:)  'I  am  attaining  to  that  same  Primordial 
Purusafrom  whom  had  proceeded  the  Creative-urge  of  yore.' 

(267) 

Then  comes  to  be  realised  the  form  of  the  Self,  which  is  self-same 
and  cannot  be  referred  to  as  "this  or  that.'  But  the  fools  create  another 
one  (of  the  same  form)  by  looking  into  a  mirror;  you  should  refrain 
from  taking  to  duality  in  the  way  these  (fools)  do.  The  proper  way 
of  viewing  it  is,  as  you  would  (view):  1)  the  subsoil  water-springs 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  463 

remaining  stored  up  in  themselves  in  the  absence  of  a  dug  up  well 
(on  the  spot),  or  2)  the  reflection  of  the  disc  (of  the  Sun  or  the  Moon) 
getting  extinguished  in  the  original  (disc)  after  the  water  dries  up, 
or  3)  the  merging  into  the  (big)  sky,  the  small  one  appearing  in  an 
earthen  pot  after  the  smashing  of  the  pot,  or  4)  the  extinguishing 
into  itself  of  fire  after  the  tinder  is  completely  burnt.  The  Self  must 
be  viewed,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  in  these  ways.  This  Self-viewing  is  like 
the  tongue  tasting  its  own  self,  or  the  eye  seeing  its  own  eye-ball  or 
like  splendour  getting  merged  into  itself,  or  the  sky  rolling  on  itself, 
or  the  water  rushing  into  a  water  bag.  The  viewing  of  one's  own  self 
with  non-dual  vision  is  like  all  these,  I  declare.  That  which  should 
be  seen  without  seeing,  or  known  without  knowing,  and  that  what 
is  called  the  place  of  Adyapurusha  (3TRpp*r — Primordial  Purusha) 
— in  regard  to  such,  the  Shruti  (Vedas)  has  had  to  take  the  supporting 
pillar  in  the  form  of  attributes  and  then  it  (Shruti)  raises  its  tongue 
for  delivering  a  discourse  and  vainly  indulges  in  the  loud  and  pompous 
chatter  of  name  and  form.  The  seekers  getting  tired  of  the  pleasures 
of  this  world  as  also  of  the  Heavens  turn  to  the  path  of  the  knowledge 
of  Yoga  (Union  with  Supreme  Self),  taking  a  vow  that  they  would 
reach  the  place  and  would  not  return  from  it.  Laying  a  wager  of 
complete  indifference  towards  worldly  affections,  they  start  from 
the  base  of  worldly  affairs  and  transcending  the  precipice  in  the  form 
of  activism  in  the  region  of  God  Brahmadev,  leave  it  behind.  Then 
sweeping  clean  all  egotism,  they  secure  a  mandate  to  reach  the  original 
Home  of  the  Supreme — that  home  from  which  emanate  the  expansion 
of  a  series  of  worlds  like  the  vain  but  expanding  (dry)  hopes  of  an 
unlucky  person,  that  Supreme  Home,  out  of  the  ignorance  in  regard 
to  which  is  felt,  as  existing,  this  limitless  expansion  of  the  universe 
and  there  dwells  the  false  notion  of  dflality  such  as  T  and  'You'. 
That  Primeval  Supreme  form  of  the  Self,  Oh  Partha,  should  be  viewed 
by  one's  own  self,  like  the  snow  getting  frozen  by  itself.  There  is  one 
more  mark,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  of  such  viewing  of  that  Self,  and  it  is 
that  there  is  no  returning  from  it,  once  it  is  reached.  But  such  reaching 
can  be  secured  only  by  persons  who  are  completely  saturated  with 
knowledge  in  and  out  like  the  waters  of  the  deluge  at  the  world- 
dissolution. 


464  JNANESHWARI 

5  "Rid  of  (all)  arrogance  and  infatuation — having  conquered 
the  foible  of  attachment — incessantly  absorbed  in  the  Self 
— with  the  passions  driven  backwards — released  of  (all) 
dualisms  known  as  'pleasure-pain'  (and  the  like) — they,  the 
unbewildered,  attain  that  Place  Immutable.  (285) 

Only  those  whose  minds  have  dropped  all  sense  of  dignity  and  in- 
fatuation, in  the  way  clouds  clear  out  from  the  sky  at  the  close  of 
the  monsoon;  or  those  that  never  get  into  the  clutches  of  emotions 
and  passions  that  surround  them  in  the  way  kinsmen  discard  poverty- 
stricken  and  cruel  ones  getting  sick  of  them;  or  those  whose  activism 
has  gradually  dropped  down  on  account  of  their  powerful  attainment 
of  the  Supreme  Self  in  the  way  a  plantain  tree  topples  down  after 
bearing  fruit;  or  those  whom  all  fancies  and  ideas  have  left  altogether 
in  the  way  the  birds  leave  off  and  fly  away  from  a  tree  on  fire ;  or  those 
in  whose  mind  is  not  left  even  an  iota  of  that  distinction  on  the  soil 
of  which  grass  in  the  form  of  weak  points  and  shortcomings  sprout 
out  vigorously;  or  those  from  whom  conceit  for  the  body  as  also 
ignorance  have  run  away  like  darkness  from  the  Sun;  or  those  whom 
the  duality  full  of  ignorance  has  altogether  deserted  in  the  way  the 
body  of  a  being  suddenly  drops  down  with  the  expiry  of  the  life- 
period;  or  those  with  whom  there  is  a  perpetual  famine  of  dualism 
in  the  way  there  is  (famine)  of  iron  in  relation  to  'Paris'  (<tfw),  or 
of  darkness  with  the  Sun;  or  those,  before  whom  do  not  stand,  even 
for  a  moment,  the  pairs  of  opposites  such  as  pleasure  and  pain  (and 
others)  that  are  always  perceived  in  the  human  body;  or  those  that 
are  not  attacked  by  pairs  of  opposites  like  pleasure  and  pain  and 
others  in  the  way  securing  a  kingdom  or  meeting  death,  both  seen 
in  a  dream,  do  not  with  the  return  of  the  awakened  state  cause  any 
delight  or  sorrow;  or  those  swans  in  the  form  of  contemplative  men 
that  have  taken  in  the  milk  of  the  Bliss  of  the  Supreme  Self  separating 
(and  discarding)  water  in  the  form  of  things  not  spiritual;  or  those 
that  have  with  the  vision  of  knowledge  brought  together  and  con- 
solidated into  an  undivided  solid  mass  the  Supreme  Self,  which  out 
of  Nescience,  appears  to  have  been  scattered  in  a  dozen  (myriad) 
different  directions,  in  the  way  the  Sun  showers  down  rain  (water) 
on  the  earth  and  through  his  rays  gets  it  back  again  to  his  own  disc 
(by  the  process  of  evaporation);  or  those  whom  right  thinking  im- 
merses into  the  determination  of  the  Self,  in  the  way  the  flow  of  the 
Ganges  does  into  the  sea;  or  those  in  whom  there  remains  no  greed 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  465 

for  anything,  being  able  to  perceive  that  they  themselves  are  all  in 
all,  (fully  perfect)  in  the  way  the  sky  does  not  need  shifting  to  any 
yonder  place,  (the  very  idea  of  yonder,  here,  there  etc.  being  impos- 
sible) ;  or  those  in  whose  mind  never  arise  any  ill-feelings  in  the  way 
there  cannot  sprout  out  any  seedlings  on  a  volcano;  or  those  whose 
minds  are  never  agitated  with  passions  or  any  other  sort  of  feelings, 
in  the  way  the  ocean  of  milk  remains  calm  and  steady,  once  the  churn- 
ing rod  in  the  form  of  mountain  Mandar  is  taken  from  it;  or  those 
in  whom  can  be  traced  no  shortcomings  in  the  form  of  desires  in  the 
way  no  imperfection  can  be  traced  in  the  full  Moon  complete  in  all 
(her)  16  phases.  But  to  what  length  one  may  carry  this  incomparable 
subject?  In  short,  before  such  (people)  the  objects  of  senses  cannot 
take  a  stand,  in  the  way  small  particles  cannot  take  a  stand  before 
(violent)  wind.  Those  that  get  purified,  with  the  alloy  (in  them)  burnt 
up  in  the  fire  of  knowledge,  get  merged  in  'there'  (Supreme  Self) 
in  the  way  pure  gold  is  mingled  with  pure  gold.  Now  were  you  to 
ask  what  place  the  term  'there'  (used  above)  represents,  know  it  then 
that  'there'  means  that  which  is  'Immutable';  that  which  is  neither 
an  object  of  vision  nor  an  object  of  knowledge,  nor  yet  anything  that 
can  be  particularised. 

6  "That  (Place)  neither  does  the  Sun  illumine,  nor  the  Moon, 
nor  the  Fire;  (and)  attaining  which  they  return  nevermore: 
such  is  My  Highest  Abode.  (308) 

That  (Place)  is  only  felt  and  not  illuminated  in  the  way  are  ordinarily 
illuminated  (other  things)  by  a  bright  lamp,  or  by  the  Moon  or  even 
by  the  Sun  who  illuminates  the  universe.  It  remains  itself  unseen 
but  makes  itself  felt  in  the  entire  universe.  The  more  the  shell-form 
ceases  to  be  felt  the  more  begins  to  be  felt  the  silver-form,  or  the  more 
the  rope-form  disappears  the  serpent-form  becomes  more  dominant. 
In  that  way,  the  powerful  luminaries — the  Moon  and  the  Sun  and 
others  illumine,  because  of  their  remaining  screened  at  That  (place) 
which  is  one  mass  of  splendour,  pervading  all  the  beings,  and  giving 
brilliance  to  the  Sun  and  the  Moon.  Both  these  are,  therefore,  mere 
reflected  lights  of  that  (place),  and  therefore  the  brilliance  of  the  Sun 
and  the  Moon  is  but  a  part  of  the  brilliance  of  that  (place).  The  entire . 


466  JNANESHWARI 

universe  along  with  the  Sun  and  the  Moon  gets  extinguished  in  the 
light  of  that  place  when  it  arises,  in  the  way  the  Moon  and  the  other 
stars  get  extinguished  in  the  light  of  the  Sun  when  he  arises;  or  in 
the  way  the  (false)  show  in  the  dream  disappears  when  one  gets  awake, 
or  in  the  way  a  mirage  disappears  when  the  evening  sets  in.  In  that 
way  That  place,  which  leaves  no  scope  for  any  hallucination,  is  my 
Highest  Abode.  Those  that  attain  it  never  return  from  there,  like  the 
streams  that  never  return  once  they  get  merged  into  the  sea,  or  like 
the  salt-statue  of  a  female  elephant  that  never  returns  once  it  is  con- 
signed to  the  sea,  or  like  the  flames  of  the  fire  that  never  return  once 
they  ascend  in  the  sky,  or  like  the  water  that  never  comes  back  once 
it  is  poured  on  the  red  hot  iron.  In  these  ways  they  become  one  with 
Me  on  the  strength  of  pure  knowledge  and  get  their  way  back  (to  the 
cycle  of  births  and  deaths)  completely  broken  up".  Hearing  this, 
the  King  of  the  earth  in  the  form  of  talent — Partha  said,  "you  have 
indeed  done  (me)  a  great  favour,  yet  I  have  got  one  request  (to  make) 
and  it  should  be  attended  to.  Those  that  become  one  with  God  and 
never  come  back — do  they  abide  as  distinct  from  God  or  abide  as 
one  (merged  in)  God?  If  they  remain  distinct,  being  independent 
entities  throughout  eternity,  the  talk  (the  statement)  that  they  do 
not  return  is  untenable,  since  a  black  bee  could  never  become  a  flower 
in  itself  simply  because  it  makes  contact  with  the  flower.  The  arrows, 
which  are  quite  distinct  from  the  target,  make  a  contact  with  the  target 
and  then  fall  back:  in  that  way  those  beings  must  necessarily  return 
after  reaching  you  and  making  a  contact  with  you.  Or  if  you  and  the 
beings  are  in  their  nature  one  (identical),  then  who  is  to  make  contact 
and  with  whom?  Can  a  weapon  pierce  itself?  There  can  be  no  talk 
of  meeting  or  separation  between  the  organs  and  the  body;  in  that 
way  any  talk  of  union  or  separatian  between  those  that  are  not  distinct 
from  you,  does  not  appeal  to  reason  (it  being  self-contradictory). 
And  those  that  are  ever  distinct  from  you,  shall  never  be  united  to 
you  at  any  time.  It  is,  therefore,  quite  futile  to  raise  the  point  whether 
they  return  or  not  after  attaining  you.  Therefore  enlighten  me,  Oh 
God,  (lit.  omnifaced  one)  on  the  point  as  to  who  they  are  that  do  not 
return  after  attaining  you."  Hearing  this  doubt  of  Arjuna,  the  crown 
jewel  of  the  all-knowing  felt  greatly  pleased,  since  it  showed  the  dis- 
ciple's wisdom.  Then  he  said,  "Oh  you  of  great  Talent,  those  that 
attain  to  me  and  do  not  return,  are  both  distinct  as  also  not  distinct 
from  me.  When  considered  profoundly,  myself  and  they  are  naturally 
one  and  not  at  all  distinct:  but  considered,  prima  facie,  one  feels  we 
(They  and  I)  are  distinct.  Ripples  that  sparkle  on  the  water  appear 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  467 

distinct  (from  water);  yet  they  are  all  the  self-same  water:  or  the  orna- 
ments (prepared  out  of  gold)  appear  distinct  from  gold,  yet  considered 
properly  they  are  all  the  same  gold.  In  that  way,  O  Kiriti,  if  viewed 
with  the  vision  of  knowledge,  they  are  not  distinct  from  Me  and  what- 
ever distinction  is  felt  is  merely  the  result  of  Nescience.  Considered 
from  the  point  of  view  of  Supreme  Brahman,  how  could  there  exist 
in  Me,  who  am  single,  another  (entity)  that  can  be  distinguished  in 
a  distinctive  way  as  different  or  alike?  Were  the  Sun-disc  to  pervade 
the  entire  sky  and  form  one  solid  mass  (ball),  where  could  there  then 
arise  his  reflections  and  where  should  his  rays  penetrate?  Could  there 
exist  anything  like  ebb  and  tide,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  to  the  deluge  at 
the  (time  of  the)  world-dissolution?  In  that  way  how  could  there  be 
any  component  parts  in  me  who  am  single  and  immutable?  Even 
the  straight  water-stream  assumes  the  shape  of  a  curve  when  two 
currents  meet  together;  (also)  on  account  of  water  there  is  produced 
a  second  Sun  in  the  form  of  his  reflection  (in  water).  It  cannot  be 
said  if  the  sky  is  square  or  round  in  form  and  yet  it  can  be  described 
as  such  when  enclosed  in  an  earthera  pot  or  a  Math  (hermitage). 
One  sees  himself  (become)  a  king  in  a  dream;  does  he  not  himself, 
in  that  dreamy  state  constitute  all — the  entire  world,  and  pervade 
it?  When  mixed  with  alloy,  even  pure  gold  shows  a  different  (degree 
of)  fineness.;  in  that  way  my  pure  and  holy  form  (essence)  when 
enveloped  by  Maya  (ignorance),  gives  birth  to  Nescience  and  that 
Nescience  embraces  the  mental  disorder  (confusion)  in  the  form  of 
'who  am  I?'  and  being  enmeshed  in  it  (confusion)  gives  the  decision 
that  'I  am  the  body'. 

«*4«ii*ft  «TN<yft^>  «i\«nj5i:  tHM*i:  I 

7  "Of  mine  own  Self  a  portion — ever  enduring — it  is  which, 
in  the  world  of  the  living,  has  transformed  itself  into  the  In- 
dividual Soul.  He  draws  (in  his  service)  the  Senses  (five) 
with  the  Mind  for  the  sixth,  which  inhere  in  the  Prakriti.  (343) 

When  in  this  way,  the  knowledge  of  the  Self  gets  limited  to  the  body- 
form,  then  it  is  perceived  as  a  portion  of  my  own  self  on  account  of 
its  minuteness.  Through  a  breeze  the  sea  appears  to  be  full  of  ripples 
and  it  is  felt  on  account  of  narrow  thinking  that  the  ripples  are  a  por- 
tion of  the  sea.  In  that  way  as  a  giver  of  life  to  the  senseless  and  dull 
(matter)  as  also  the  creator  of  egoism  in  the  body  I  appear,  in  the 


468  JNANESHWARI 

world  of  the  living,  as  the  individual  soul  (in  the  body  itself),  Oh  son 
of  Pandu.  The  activity  that  appears  going  on  round  about,  to  the 
limited  discerning  power  of  the  living  being,  is  called  the  world  of 
the  living.  To  take  birth  and  die — to  consider  these  as  real  is  what 
I  call  the  world  of  the  living  or  the  mundane  existence.  You  should 
view  me  in  this  world  of  the  living,  as  the  Moon  (as  reflected)  in  water 
even  though  the  Moon  is  outside  the  water,  or  as  a  crystal  placed  on 
red  turmeric  powder,  Oh,  son  of  Pandu,  which  to  ordinary  vision 
appears  red  even  though  it  is  not  itself  red.  In  that  way,  it  is  an  illusion 
that  I  appear  as  a  doer  or  experiencer,  even  though  the  state  of  my 
being  beginningless  and  a  non-doer  remains  unaffected.  Apparently, 
the  pure  soul  getting  united  with  the  Prakriti,  himself  starts  this  flow 
in  the  form  of  the  functioning  of  Prakriti.  Then  taking  the  six  senses 
— mind  and  others,  as  also  the  sense  of  hearing  and  others — Prakriti's 
products  as  his  own,  he,  (the  Soul)  begins  worldly  dealings.  As  an 
ascetic  should  in  a  dream  himself  become  his  own  family  and  then 
should  run  about  in  his  anxiety  for  the  family  and  also  out  of  greed; 
in  that  way  the  soul  frogets  its  self,  and  taking  itself  as  Prakriti  it 
dances  attendance  on  her.  It  then  rides  a  chariot  in  the  form  of  mind, 
passes  out  through  the  ears  and  enters  into  the  wood  in  the  form  of 
speech.  It  then  holds  the  strings  of  Prakriti,  and  turns  in  the  direction 
of  the  skin  and  enters  the  wild  forest  in  the  form  of  touch-sense.  At 
times,  it  enters  the  doors  of  the  eyes  and  from  there  wanders  astray 
on  the  mountain  in  the  form  of  the  objects  of  vision;  or  (sometimes) 
entering  into  the  field  of  taste,  Oh  Warrior,  it  squeezes  (himself) 
into  the  glen  of  the  objects  of  taste.  Similarly  when  this  (egoistic 
soul)  body-holder  enters  the  doors  of  the  nose,  it  wades  through  the 
jungle  of  fragrance.  In  that  way  making  contact  with  the  mind,  it 
enjoys  the  Group  of  Sense-objects. 

SlfiT  1444  Ml  fd  Hw||U|c«H^cnv^:  I 
*n(W4mPi  WJlfd  4Hj4«tMf*HI4H4ld  II  s  II 

8  "Whenever  the  Master  (of  these  six)  attains  to  a  (new)  body, 
or  departs  (from  an  old  one),  he  moves  in  company,  taking 
them  along,  like  unto  the  Wind  (that  takes  along)  the  odours 
from  their  source.  (361) 

Yet  when  the  (individual)  soul  enters  (and  dwells)  into  a  particular 
body  then  only,  he  begins  to  feel  that  he  is  the  doer  as  also  the  enjoyer. 


XV.  PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  469 

It  is  only,  O  Dhananjaya,  when  one  dwells  in  a  place  that  is  replete 
with  royal  splendour  (lit.  fit  and  worthy  to  be  the  abode  of  a  king) 
that  he  becomes  known  as  a  rich*  one  enjoying  himself.  In  that  way, 
it  is  only  when  he  (the  soul)  dwells  in  the  body  that  the  notion,  "I 
am  the  doer"  gets  strengthened;  while  the  senses  and  their  objects 
begin  to  run  riot.  Or  when  he  (the  soul)  departs  from  that  body, 
he  takes  along  with  him,  the  train  (retinue)  of  the  senses.  A  travelling 
uninvited  guest  (srftfsr),  if  dishonoured,  (denied  reception)  takes 
along  with  him  the  host's  merit  (  3*7  ):  or  the  connecting  thread 
of  the  dancing  doll  stops  all  the  doll's  movements  (when  snapped 
or  disconnected):  or  the  Sun  takes  with  him  the  vision  of  the  world; 
or  the  blowing  wind  carries  with  it  the  fragrance  of  flowers.  In  all 
these  ways,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  soul,  when  departing  from  the  body 
carries  along  with  him,  the  five  senses  and  the  mind  as  the  sixth. 

SffspSOTT  «11WIM    Iqqtil^M^^   II    €.    II 

9  "Indwelling  in  the  ear,  the  eye,  the  touch'sense,  the  taste- 
sense,  and  the  nose, — as  also  in  the  mind — he  experiences 
the  objects.  (368) 

Then  either  here  (in  the  world  of  the  living)  or  in  the  Heaven,  whatever 
bodies  he  dwells  in,  in  them  he  spreads  out  i.e.  adjusts  his  mind  and 
other  senses.  When  put  out,  a  lamp  takes  away  the  light,  Oh  Pandava, 
but  with  its  re-kindling,  it  (brings  back  the  light),  and  spreads  it  out. 
Of  the  same  type  is  the  above  course.  This  much  only  appears  to  the 
vision  of  such  as  do  not  consider  this  properly  (lit-  who  are  devoid 
of  discrimination)  Oh  Kiriti.  They  consider  all  this,  viz.  that  the  soul 
enters  the  body,  enjoys  the  objects  of  senses,  and  then  leaves  the  body 
— to  be  real.  The  soul  in  fact  recognises  that  this  coming,  going, 
doing  and  enjoying  is  all  the  doing  of  the  Prakriti  (Maya). 

ftHJdl  HhJMWPd  MftHpd  *n*reiq|«Jt:  II   \o  II 


470  JNANESHWARI 

10  "As  he  departs  (from  the  body),  or  sojourns  (within  it),  or 
has  the  sense-experiences  in  association  with  the  Gunas,  the 
deluded  ones  do  not  perceive  him:  (but)  those  with  the  eye 
of  wisdom  perceive. 

11  "The  Sages,  striving  (through  concentrated  meditation),  like- 
wise behold  Him  as  dwelling  within;  but  those,  the  thought- 
less ones,  that  have  not  redeemed  their  self,  are  not  able, 
although  striving  to  behold  Him.  (373) 

But  with  "the  bundle  (frame)  of  the  body  standing  erect,  with  the 
sentiency  visible  in  its  movements,  the  world  says  that  the  soul  has 
come  (to  birth):  Similarly  the  senses,  in  association  with  the  body, 
function  in  their  respective  objects,  and  this  is  called  the  enjoyment, 
Oh  husband  of  Subhadra.  Then  the  body  getting  infirm  and  feeble 
through  exhaustion  consequent  on  the  enjoyment  (of  sense-objects), 
becomes  still  and  then  they  loudly  lament  that  the  soul  (active 
principle)  has  gone.  Would  it  be  right  to  believe  that  the  wind  is 
blowing  only  if  the  tree  is  seen  shaking  and  fluttering,  and  to  say  that 
there  is  no  wind  because  the  tree  is  not  shaking,  Oh  son  of  Pandu? 
With  a  mirror  placed  in  front,  one  sees  his  (external)  appearance 
(reflected)  in  it.  Is  it  right  to  suppose  that  the  appearance  came  into 
existence  only  then,  and  did  not  exist  before?  Similarly,  with  the 
removal  of  the  mirror,  one's  reflection  naturally  disappears:  is  it  to 
be  deduced  (from  this)  that  the  (original)  thing  has  ceased  to  exist? 
The  sound  is  the  property  of  the  sky;  but  it  is  imposed  on  the  clouds 
giving  it  the  name  'thunder':  the  clouds  pass  with  great  speed  over 
the  Moon,  but  it  is  commonly  believed  that  it  is  the  Moon  that  runs 
(and  not  the  clouds).  In  these  ways  the  coming  (into  being)  and 
departing  (perishing)  of  the  body  is,  through  illusion,  imposed  by 
the  ignorant  (the  blind)  on  the  powerful,  attributeless  soul  (without 
any  just  cause).  There  is  a  separate  class  of  (right)  thinking  persons, 
who  discern  that  the  soul  ever  abides  in  its  own  (right)  place,  while 
the  bodily  functions  abide  in  the  body  itself.  (Such)  persons,  whose 
vision  is  not  shrouded  in  the  body-case  owing  to  the  attainment  of 
knowledge  by  them,  and  whose  awakened  mind — inspiration  (F$RT) 
— is  firmly  fixed  in  Supreme  Self,  their  discerning  power  having  spread 
out  like  the  scorching  rays  of  the  summer  sun,  such  men  of  know- 
ledge alone  view  the  Soul  in  this  light.  The  sky  packed  with  stars 
gets  reflected  in  the  sea;  yet  the  fact  that  it  has  not  broken  and  col- 


XV.  PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  471 

lapsed  into  the  sea  is  evident.  The  sky  remains  in  the  sky  itself,  its 
semblance  in  the  sea  being  unreal.  In  that  way  the  encasement  of 
the  soul  in  the  body  is  also  a  semblance.  The  roar  and  bellow  of  water 
remains  restricted  to  the  water  itself  and  does  not  affect  the  Moon, 
who  remains  all  still  where  she  is,  even  though  her  reflection  appears 
oscillating  in  the  water;  or  a  puddle  may  get  full  of  water  or  may  get 
dried  up,  and  the  Sun's  reflection  (appearing  in  it)  may  accordingly 
appear  or  disappear;  yet  the  Sun  remains  unaffected  where  he  is. 
In  that  way,  the  knowing  ones  view  me  as  I  am  even  though  the  body 
comes  into  existence  or  ceases  to  exist.  An  earthen  pot  and  a  cottage 
may  be  fashioned  and  then  smashed;  the  sky  (which  appears  or  ceases 
to  appear  in  the  pot  and  the  cottage),  remains  self-same  as  and  where 
it  is:  in  that  way,  the  existence  of  the  soul  is  unending  and  everlasting: 
while  the  body's  (existence)  conceived  through  nescience  gets  into 
being  and  ends,  and  this  the  men  of  knowledge  do  perceive.  The 
men  of  knowledge  perceive  with  the  help  of  pure  knowledge  that 
sentiency  neither  floods  nor  ebbs — also  neither  does  it  any  action 
nor  cause  any  to  be  done.  One  may  secure  knowledge,  possess  keen 
intellect  to  be  able  to  account  even  for  an  atom,  or  may  be  throughly 
versed  in  all  sciences, — yet,  were  he,  with  all  this,  wanting  in  asceticism 
(lit.  if  asceticism  does  not  penetrate  and  permeate  the  mind)  he  would 
not  be  able  to  attain  Me — the  Omnipresent.  One  may  talk  volumes 
of  reason,  yet  if  the  sense-objects  have  taken  complete  hold  of  his 
heart,  he  will,  I  affirm  emphatically,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  never  attain 
me,  (I  repeat  it  thrice).  Would  the  composition  of  one's  talk  in  a 
dream,  ever  help  to  disentangle,  the  tangle  of  the  worldly  existence ; 
or  could  it  amount  to  reading  a  book  were  one  merely  to  touch  it? 
Could  any  man,  applying  a  bandage  to  his  eyes,  appraise  the  worth 
of  (a  set  of)  pearls  merely  by  putting  them  to  his  nose?  In  that  way, 
one  cannot  attain  me,  even  after  a  crore  of  rebirths,  simply  by  re- 
peating with  his  tongue  the  different  Scriptures,  but  with  the  heart 
full  of  egotism.  Now  I  make  clear  to  you  (how)  I  pervade  the  aggregate 
of  beings  all  single  as  I  am. 

12  "The  radiance  belonging  to  the  Sun  that  illumines  the  entire 
world;  that  which  is  in  the  Moon,  and  in  the  Fire;  that  radiance, 
understand,  is  Mine  own.  (398) 


472  JNANESHWARI 

All  radiance  that  illumines  the  entire  structure  of  Universe  including 
that  of  the  Sun,  is  all  Mine  own,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  On 
the  Moon  there  is  my  radiance — the  Moon  that  provides  moisture 
to  the  universe,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  after  it  is  dried  up  by  the  Sun 
(through  the  process  of  evaporation) :  and  the  intense  heat  in  the  fire, 
that  burns  and  digests,  is  also  Mine  own. 

tpjnfar  wfarsft:  *raf:  Hfeffr  ^r  thicrwt:  m  $3  11 

13  "Permeating  the  Earth  I  sustain  the  beings  through  My  vital- 
force.  I  also  nourish  the  herbs  all,  by  becoming  Soma,  whose 
essence  is  the  sap.  (401) 

I  permeate  the  earth;  therefore  even  though  (it  be)  like  a  lump  of 
particles,  it  is  not  dissolved  in  the  water  of  the  ocean.  I  permeate 
the  earth  and  enable  it  to  sustain  the  countless  beings  that  are  ap- 
parently sustained  by  the  earth.  I  am,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  the  vast 
moving  lake  full  of  nectar  in  the  form  of  the  Moon.  I  nourish  all 
the  herbs,  and  medicinal  plants,  by  providing  them  with  water  in 
the  form  of  lunar  rays  through  the  channels  from  the  Moon-lake. 
Similarly,  I  nourish  all  kinds  of  grain  (crops)  making  them  abundant 
and  thus  protect  all  beings  by  providing  them  with  food.  Even  though 
food  is  produced,  will  it  suffice  if  (it  is)  not  supplemented  by  the  fire 
of  hunger  that  brings  about  digestion  and  makes  the  beings  enjoy 
satisfaction? 

MIUMHH<WH|Th:  miww  ^gfiwq  II  **  II 

14  '7,  becoming  the  Vaisvdnara  (Fire),  abide  within  the  body 
of  animals,  and,  in  association  with  the  out-going  and  in- 
coming Vital  Airs,  effect  the  digestion  of  the  fourfold  food. 

(407) 

Therefore,  I  become  the  fire  by  kindling  it,  Oh  Kiriti,  in  the  navel 
region  of  the  body  of  all  beings,  and  working  day  and  night  the  pair 
of  bellows  (a  contrivance  to  drive  air  into  the  fire)  in  the  form  of  Prana 
and  Apana  (incoming  and  outgoing  Vital  airs),  effect  digestion  of 
unlimited  volume  of  food.  I  digest  all  the  fourfold  food  viz.  dry, 
oily,  well-cooked,  or  badly-cooked.  In  short,  I  am  the  entire  world 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  473 

as  also  the  feed  supplied  to  it,  and  I  am  likewise  the  fire,  the  principal 
means  of  digesting  that  feed.  Now  with  all  this,  to  what  length  I 
should  preach  to  you  the  novelty  of  my  pervasion.  There  is  nothing 
else  but  myself  and  I  pervade  all.  Why  is  it  then  that  some  are  happy 
and  some  miserable  in  the  world?  How  is  it  that  some  of  the  lamps* 
should  be  without  light  when  all  lamps  in  the  town  derive  light  from 
one  and  the  same  source?  Were  any  such  doubt  to  arise  in  your  mind, 
I  now  clear  such  doubts  and  hear.  I  am  everywhere  and  there  is  nothing 
else  except  myself.  Yet,  I  appear  (in  different  ways)  to  different  people, 
according  to  their  (respective)  discerning  powers  (ffe).  Sound  is 
the  sole  property  of  the  sky:  but  there  naturally  arise  different  sorts 
of  sounds  in  it  according  to  the  varieties  of  the  musical  instruments: 
or  there  arises  only  one  Sun,  quite  aloof  from  world  transactions : 
yet  he  (Sun)  is  useful  for  (diverse)  world-transactions :  or  water  takes 
the  form  of  different  trees,  according  to  the  properties  of  the  (different) 
seeds.  In  that  way  my  spirit  (which  is  homogeneous)  is  metamor- 
phosed into  heterogeneous  manifestation  of  diverse  beings.  It  is 
like  this:  There  were  two  men,  one  an  ignorant  fool  and  the  other 
a  knowing  one;  they  perceived  a  double  braided  necklace  of  blue 
gems;  the  ignorant  took  it  as  a  serpent  (and  got  frightened),  while 
the  knowing  one  felt  happy  coming  to  know  of  its  real  nature;  or 
the  same  'Swati'  (one  of  the  27  lunar  mansions)  rain-water  gets  con- 
verted into  pearls  in  a  pearl-oyster,  as  also  into  poison  in  serpents: 
in  that  way,  I  become  the  cause  of  pleasure  to  the  wise,  while  of  pain 
to  the  ignorant. 

15  "And  I  am  enshrined  within  the  heart  of  every  one.  From  Me 
(proceeds)  memory,  knowledge,  and  their  frustration.  Of 
all  the  Vedas  I  am  the  sole  subject  of  treatment.  I  make  the 
Vedas'  end,  and  also  find  the  Vedas  (anew).  (421) 

The  consciousness  that  throbs  day  and  night  in  the  heart  region  that 
"I  am  a  particular  individual"  is  myself.  The  association  with  the 
saints,  the  practising  of  the  Yoga  discipline,  and  the  worshipping 
at  the  feet  of  the  preceptor  with  mind  detached  from  all  worldly  affairs, 


474  JNANESHWARI 

— all  these  secure  complete  removal  of  nescience  and  make  the 
egotism  in  one  take  (final)  rest  in  my  own  self.  Such  ones  come  to 
know  me  automatically  and  become  ever  happy  by  getting  to  know 
my  own  self.  Who  else  is  there  to  bring  about  such  a  state?  The 
Sun  is  seen  with  his  own  light  at  sunrise,  Oh  Dhananjaya;  in  that 
way  I  am  the  means  of  attaining  knowledge  in  regard  to  myself.  (On 
the  other  hand)  those,  whose  egotism  has  been  merged  in  their  own 
body  on  account  of  their  having  embraced  conceit  for  their  body, 
'  and  on  account  of  their  ever  hearing  the  praise  of  the  worldly  affairs 
— such  ones,  as  they  set  about  taking  to  activism  for  securing  happiness 
here  as  also  in  the  other  world,  come  to  share  only  misery.  But  of 
knowledge  and  ignorance  also,  I  am  solely  the  cause,  Oh  Arjuna, 
just  as  wakeful  condition  is  at  the  root  of  both  sleep  and  dream.  A 
cloud  makes  day-light  dim,  yet  that  cloud  itself  can  be  seen  on  account 
of  the  day-light;  in  that  way  it  is  on  account  of  my-self  only  that  the 
being  perceives  the  worldly  affairs  (as  real),  being  oblivious  of  my 
presence.  In  short  I  am  the  root  cause  of  knowledge  or  ignorance 
on  the  part  of  the  beings,  in  the  way  sentiency  is  the  cause  of  slumber 
or  wakefulness.  The  rope,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  is  the  root  cause  of 
the  illusion  of  the  rope  being  taken  as  a  serpent  as  also  of  the  know- 
ledge that  it  is  only  the  rope  (and  not  a  serpent) ;  in  that  way,  I  am 
the  root  cause  of  knowledge  or  ignorance  on  which  the  (fiction  of) 
worldly  existence  is  based.  Therefore,  not  knowing  the  (real)  nature 
of  my  form  the  Vedas  made  an  attempt  to  know  Me.  But  the  result 
was  that  (instead  of  knowing  me),  different  branches  blossomed 
forth  from  them  (Vedas).  Yet,  these  only  impart  knowledge  in  regard 
to  myself,  since  rivers  going  eastwards  or  westwards  have  only  one 
end  viz.  the  sea.  The  Shrutis  (Vedas)  lose  their  power  of  speech, 
and  are  reduced  to  a  nonplus  at  the  point,  "I  am  myself  Supreme 
Brahman,"  in  the  way  the  fragrant  breeze  gets  extinguished  in  the  sky. 
In  this  manner,  when  the  Shrutis,  as  if  overwhelmed  by  the  sense  of 
shame,  are  transfixed  I  reveal  myself,  helping  them  (Shrutis)  to  explain 
My  nature  correctly,  I  am,  the  knower  of  that  pure  knowledge,  at 
the  advent  of  which  the  Shrutis  together  with  the  entire  universe 
are  reduced  to  zero.  Nothing  seen  in  a  dream  remains  stuck  up  (to 
the  dreamer)  when  one  wakes  up  from  sleep  and  he  realizes  that  he 
is  all  alone  (in  regard  to  it) :  in  that  way,  I  realise  my  own  monistic 
(non-dualistic)  state  without  any  delusion  and  I  am  myself  the  cause 
of  self-realization.  When  this  state  arises  there  remains  nothing  like 
existence  or  non-existence,  the  knowledge  which  destroys  all  nes- 
cience having  itself  ceased  to  exist,  in  the  way  there  remains  neither 


XV.    PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  475 

snuff  nor  fire  when  camphor  is  burnt  out.  How  is  it  possible  to  trace 
the  thief  that  has  taken  away  the  entire  universe,  leaving  behind  no 
trail  whatsoever?  There  exists  such  a  thing  viz,  the  pure  state  (of 
knowledge)  and  I  am  that  state.  While  describing  in  this  way,  the 
universal  permeation  of  the  inanimate  as  also  of  the  animate  things, 
the  Lord  of  the  Absolute  preached  his  own  state  which  is  totally  at- 
tributeless.  (Were  one  to  ask)  how  far  this  preaching  got  itself  im- 
pressed on  Arjuna's  mind,  (the  answer  is) :  as  the  rising  Moon  in  the 
sky  is  reflected  in  the  sea  or  as  the  picture  reflects  itself  in  a  polished 
and  glistening  wall  in  front.  So  Sri  Krishna's  teaching  was  trans- 
planted to  the  mind  of  Arjuna.  The  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Self 
is  so  wonderful  that — the  more  it  is  attained  (tasted)  the  greater  is 
the  liking  felt  for  it.  Consequently  Arjuna, — the  king  amongst  those 
that  have  realized  the  Self — said,  "Oh  God,  while  discoursing  on 
the  magnitude  of  your  pervasion,  you  referred  to  some  attributeless 
form:  do  make  that  form  clear  to  me  once  for  all  in  (comprehensible), 
unambiguous  terms.  On  this  the  Lord  of  Dwaraka  said,  "Well  done 
(asked):  We  (I)  also  like  always  to  talk  with  fervour  on  this  topic, 
but  feel  handicapped  as  we  (I)  do  not  get  clean  (cure)  seekers  (eager 
to  know  like  you)  anywhere.  To-day  my  wish  has  borne  "fruit  in  you, 
who  are  asking  me  'mouthful'  (to  your  heart's  content)  questions 
with  a  free  mind.  You  have  made  me  supremely  happy  by  seeking 
information  about  the  clean  and  attributeless  form  which  can  be 
realized  only  after  attaining  monism.  I  have  found  today,  Oh  you 
— the  head  (crest-jewel)  amongst  the  pure — one  with  whom  to  con- 
verse is  as  delightful  as  seeing  one's  own  eye  (reflected  in  a  mirror  placed 
in  front.)  There  is  no  formality,  in  our  relation,  that  you  should 
through  ignorance,  ask  me,  and  then  I  should  settle  down  in  a  pose 
to  teach  you,  Oh  beloved  one."  Speaking,  in  this  way,  Lord  Krishna 
embraced  Arjuna,  looked  at  him  with  a  fond  eye  and  then  said, 
"Although  (there  are)  two  lips,  the  talk  coming  out  of  them  is  one  and 
the  same;  so  also  although  (there  are)  two  feet,  yet  the  act  of  walking 
is  one  and  indivisible;  of  that  type  is  the  questioning  and  answering 
between  us.  In  short,  yourself  and  myself  should  look  forward  only 
to  one  object,  so  that  the  one  asking  and  the  other  answering  would 
both  be  only  one."  While  talking  in  this  way  the  Lord  got  infatuated 
with  great  affection  and  embraced  Arjuna  and  remained  still  in  that 
position.  Experiencing  a  bit  of  fear,  he  thought  to  himself  that  such 
an  (exhibition  of)  affection  on  his  part  was  not  proper.  While  pre- 
paring jaggery-lump  from  sugar-cane  juice,  salt  is  added  to  prevent 
it  from  spoiling;  in  that  way  this,  (infatuation)  if  not  checked,  will 


476  JNANESHWARI 

only  spoil  the  sweetness  of  the  talk.  Lord  Krishna  further  said, 
"Although  there  exists  no  room  for  any  distinction  between  us,  we 
being  (in  former  times)  Nara  and-  Narayana,  I  must  absorb  within 
myself  this  eifusion  of  love."  Placing  this  consideration  promptly 
before  him  (his  mind)  Lord  Krishna  asked,  "Oh  Arjuna  (the  best 
of  warriors),  what  was  your  question  (pretending  he  did  not  grasp 
it  fully)?  Arjuna,  who  having  dissolved  his  separate  personality, 
was  on  the  point  of  merging  into  the  personality  of  Lord  Krishna, 
revived  (regained  his  personality)  and  turned  to  hear  the  question. 
He  replied  in  words,  whose  tone  was  modified  owing  to  his  tearful 
throat — being  swayed  by  powerful  love  "Oh  Master,  I  said,  'Tell 
me  about  your  attributeless  form,".  Hearing  this  Lord  Sharangadhar 
(Krishna)  started  discoursing  on  the  theme  of  attributes  (classifying 
.  them)  in  two  categories.  One  might  wonder  why  he  (Lord  Krishna) 
talked  of  attributes  when  he  was  asked  about  the  attributeless  form. 
Here  is  the  answer.  To  separate  essence  from  the  (churned)  butter- 
milk is  called  taking  out  butter:  to  burn  out  alloy  (from  the  gold) 
is  purifying  the  gold  itself:  one  can  reach  water  only  after  pushing 
aside  the  moss  gathered  over  it:  there  remains  behind  the  clear  sky, 
when  the  clouds  have  passed'away  from  it :  it  causes  no  delay  in  securing 
the  grain  once  the  husk  is  removed.  In  the  same  way,  it  hardly  needs 
telling  that  "attributeless"  is  what  remains  behind  after  removing 
the  attributes  from  a  thing  (having  attributes).  A  young  girl  (while 
repeating  whatever  names  she  is  asked  to  repeat)  just  stops  and 
remains  silent  (when  there  comes  the  turn  of  a  particular  name  being 
repeated)  and  thereby  makes  (indirectly)  known  her  husband's  name. 
In  that  way  the  faculty  of  speech  displays,  by  remaining  mute,  the 
unmanifested  (indescribable)  form  of  the  Supreme  Self.  Narayana 
first  started  with  the  discussion  of  attributes  since  he  has  had  to  dis- 
course on  that  which  could  not  be  discoursed  upon.  The  arc  of  the 
New  Moon  has  (on  account  of  its  very  small  and  dim  size)  to  be  pointed 
out  against  the  background  of  some  tree-branch:  in  that  way  the  dis- 
course on  attributes  would  be  helpful  in  the  discourse  on  the  attribute- 
less. 

SIT:  flsrfiw  ^dl(d  'SgZF^fT  -d-cMcl  II  \%  || 

16    "Two  are  the  Purushas  (Self-subsisting  Entities)  in  this  world: 
the  Mutable  and  the  Immutable.  The  Mutable  is  (the  totality 


XV.  PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  477 

of)  all  beings ;  what  stays  unperturbed  is  called  the  Immutable 

(471) 

Then  God  said,  Oh  "Savyasachi  (an  epithet  of  Arjuna)  the  popu- 
lation of  this  town  of  the  world-affairs  is  very  small,  there  dwelling 
only  two  Purushas  there.  Both  these  live  in  the  capital  town  of  world- 
affairs,  as  both  the  light  and  the  darkness  dwell  in  the  sky.  There 
is  also  a  third  Purusha,  who  does  not  even  bear  (to  hear)  the  names 
of  these  two,  and  who  with  his  eyes  (on  his  arrival)  immediately  devours 
both  these  along  with  the  town.  Let  that  be  kept  apart  for  the  time- 
being.  First,  hear  about  these  two  who  have  come  to  reside  in  this 
town.  One  of  these  is  blind,  idiotic,  and  cripple,  while  the  other  is 
fully  developed  in  bodily  form.  They  have  come  into  close  association 
with  each  other,  residing  as  they  do  in  one  and  the  same  town.  The 
one  is  called  'Kshara'  (ere  -Mutable)  and  the  other  is  called  'Akshara' 
(3TSTT  -Immutable)  and  these  two,  between  themselves,  pervade  the 
entire  town  (mundane  affairs).  I  now  expound  to  you  in  detail  which 
of  these  is  'Kshara'  and  what  is  the  aspect  of  'Akshara'.  That  which 
exists — from  the  primeval  intellect  (Mahattatva-^rr^)  down  to 
the  very  straw,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  that  small  and  big,  mobile  and 
immobile  (there  exists) — nay  all  that  which  is  preceptible  to  the  mind 
and  to  the  intellect;  that  which  is  formed  from  the  five  gross  elements 
and  has  got  form  and  name,  and  falls  into  the  clutches  of  the  three 
Gunas  (Constituent-aspects):  that  gold  from  which  are  minted  all 
the  coins  in  the  form  of  the  entire  class  of  beings,  and  those  'cowries' 
(W^t  -substitute  for  dice  in  gambling)  with  which  gambles  the  'Kala' 
(Time) :  that  which  is  known  through  perverse  knowledge  (delusion) : 
that  which  gets  created  and  destroyed  almost  every  moment:  that 
which  having  created  forests  of  delusion  constructs  the  (body)  form 
of  the  universe — in  fact  all  that  which  is  called  nature:  that  which 
is  shown  (before)  as  the  Prakriti  (nature)  of  eightfold  constitution 
or  which  is  described  as  Kshetra  (field)  constituted  of  36  elements 
— how  far  to  repeat  what  has  already  been  preached  before,  and  which 
has  again  just  been  preached  to  you,  under  the  allegory  of  a  tree. 
Taking  all  this  (having  form)  as  its  place  the  sentience  has  itself  taken 
that  form.  A  lion  sees  his  own  form  reflected  in  a  well  (full  of  water) 
and  mistaking  it  for  another  lion,  he  is  highly  excited  and  vehemently 
leaps  into  the  well ;  or  the  reflection  of  the  sky  falls  on  the  water  which 
has  that  very  sky  as  one  of  its  component  parts;  in  that  way,  the  sen- 
tience although  non-dual,  assumes  duality.  The  soul,  Oh  Arjuna, 


478  JNANESHWARI 

fancying  the  town  with  form  in  this  light  (as  his  own  place  of  living) 
forgets  itself  and  goes  and  sleeps  there.  Just  as  one  should,  in  a  dream, 
see  a  bedroom  and  then  should  go  and  sleep  there,  in  that  way,  the 
soul  goes  and  sleeps  in  that  imaginary  town.  Then  in  deep  slumber 
he  snores  and  blurts  out  'I  am  happy' — 'I  am  miserable'  and  talks 
loudly  in  sleep  in  the  phraseology  of  'I-ness'  and  'My-ness,'  such  as, 
'This  is  my  father,  my  mother,  this  is  myself,  fair  or  defective  (in  some 
limb)  son,  riches  and  wife — are  these  things  not  mine  own?'  Labour- 
ing under  such  a  dream  he  runs  wildly  through  the  wood  in  the  form 
of  this  world,  and  the  heaven.  Such  a  sentience,  is  called  'Kshara' 
(mutable)  Purusha.  Now  the  one  who  is  called  the  field-owner  (sfasr) 
and  whose  state  of  being  is  called  the  'soul'  ( wter )  and  who  forgets 
himself  and  dances  to  the  tune  of  the  Gunas  in  all  the  beings,  that 
individual  soul  is  called  Kshara  Purusha.  Since  he  himself  constitutes 
Supreme  Brahman  the  name  Purusha  becomes  him.  Besides,  since 
he  abides  in  a  sleeping  condition  in  the  body,  he  is  eligible  to  be  called 
Purusha:  so  also  being  a  slave  to  the  attributes,  he  becomes  subject 
to  the  false  accusation  of  being  mutable,  prone  to  decay,  as  also  non- 
eternal.  Just  as  the  reflection  of  the  moon  appears  swinging  back- 
ward and  forward  along  with  rippling  water,  in  that  way  it  appears 
as  if  he  is  swiftly  changing  owing  to  the  disorders  (i.e.  mutations) 
of  the  attributes.  When  the  rippling  water-flow  gets  dried  up,  the 
reflection  of  the  moon  also  disappears,  and  in  that  way,  when  the 
attributes  are  destroyed,  the  mutations  created  by  them  also  cease 
to  appear.  In  this  way,  he  appears  to  be  endowed  with  momentary 
existence  on  account  of  the  powerful  influence  of  the  attributes,  and 
this  weakness  in  him  secures  for  him  the  name  'mutable'.  Therefore 
the  totality  of  embodied  sentience  should  be  known  as  Kshara  person 
( sn:  $W  (Mutable) ).  I  shall  make  it  clear  to  you  now  what  is  'Akshara' 
(3Tsit  -Immutable).  Another  person  who  is  also  called  'Akshara' 
is,  O  Dhanurdara,  situated  in  the  middle  part  (of  the  body)  as  is  the 
Meru,  amongst  the  mountains.  Just  as  the  Mem  stands  the  same 
(unconcerned)  in  relation  to  all  the  three  divisions  of  the  universe, 
viz.  Earth,  Patala  (mdioi  — the  region  under  the  earth),  and  Heavens, 
in  that  way  the  Immutable  Purusha  stands  unconcerned  in  relation 
to  both  Knowledge  and  Nescience.  Real  knowledge  does  not  achieve 
his  unity,  nor  is  nescience  capable  of  differentiating  him.  Such  pure 
(unalloyed)  unknowingness  is  his  form.  Earth's  loose  particles  cease 
completely  to  be  particles,  and  pots  and  other  things  are  not  yet 
fashioned  out  of  the  (wet)  lump;  this  person  sitting  in  the  middle 
part  is  like  such  a  (wet)  lump  of  earth.  With  the  sea  getting  dried  up, 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  479 

there  remain  neither  waves  nor  water:  such  is  the  formless  state  of 
this  Madhyama  Purusha  (T^PRT  gw—  Man  in  the  middle).  He  can 
be  likened  to  that  state  of  sleepy  drowsiness,  that  lies  between  the 
passing  away  of  the  state  of  waking  and  the  coming  of  the  dreamy 
state.  That  state  of  entire  ignorance  (absence  of  consciousness)  is 
called  '  Akshara'  that  lies  between  the  elimination  of  illusive  existence 
of  the  universe  and  the  dawn  of  knowledge  of  the  self.  This  aspect 
of  the  'Akshara'  is  like  that  of  the  Moon  on  the  Amavasya  Night 
(last  night  of  the  lunar  month)  completely  stripped  off  of  all  her  phases. 
The  tree  (state)  is  merged  in  the  seed  when  the  fruit  ripens;  in  that 
way  that  in  which  the  state  of  living  gets  extinguished  after  the  destruc- 
tion of  all  the  attributes,  (that  place)  is  called  'the  unmanifested' 
(arsqrfi).  The  state  of  deep  ignorance — deep  slumber,  is  called  the 
seed  while  the  states  of  dream  and  wakefulness;  are  its  fruit.  That 
which  is  called  the  seed-state  («fM*n«0  in  the  Vedanta  Scripture, 
is  the  abode  of  the  'Akshara  Purusha'  (Immutable  person).  That 
from  which  issues  perverse  knowledge,  which  is  responsible  for  the 
states  of  wakefulness  and  dream  and  from  which  arises  the  forest 
in  the  form  of  multiplex  ideas  and  fancy — that  stage,  Oh  Kiriti,  from 
which  the  sentient  principle  springs  up,  simultaneously  moulding 
along  with  itself  the  entire  world  of  beings,  where  meet  together  the 
non-manifested  and  manifested  (duality  and  non-duality) — that 
state  is  the  'Akshara  Purusha' :  that  from  which  are  created  the  two 
states  of  wakefulness  and  dream,  which  are  made  the  subject  of  play 
(activity)  by  the  other  'Kshara'  Purusha  (Mutable  person),  that  state 
which  is  known  as  deep  slumber,  arising  out  of  ignorance-,  which 
stands  on  a  lower  plane  than  that  of  Supreme  Brahman,  and  which, 
had  it  not  been  followed  by  the  other  states  of  dream  and  wakeful- 
ness, would  aptly  have  been  designated  'Supreme  Brahman' ; — that 
state  in  the  form  of  the  sky  in  which  arise  two  clouds  in  the  form  of 
Prakriti  and  Purusha;  and  which  (state)  witnesses  the  field  and  the 
field-knower  in  a  dream — in  short,  that  which  is  the  root  of  the  world 
tree  that  has  spread  out  its  branches — that  is  the  form  of  Akshara 
Purusha.  With  such  a  perfect  form  of  Self,  why  is  he  called  Purusha? 
(The  answer  is)  because  he  indulges  in  slumber  in  the  town  of  Maya 
(illusion),  the  slumber  in  which  (state)  are  not  experienced  the  activities 
of  emotions,  another  type  of  perverse  knowledge:  therefore  he  is 
never  modified  by  virtue  of  his  nature,  nor  does  he  perish  for  want 
of  knowledge.  Therefore,  with  great  fanfare  he  is  declared  'Akshara' 
Purusha  in  the  sphere  of  the  theories  of  the  Vedanta  Philosophy. 
In  short,  that  Akshara  Purusha,  who  is  the  cause  of  the  embodied 


480  JNANESHWARI 

souls  (and  the  rest  of  the  creation)  through  his  association  with  Maya 
(illusion),  is  none  else  than  sentience  (3cW ). 

17  "But  there  is  still  another,  the  Highest  Purusa,  who  is  pro- 
claimed as  the  Supreme  Self  who,  permeating  the  world — 
triad,  sustains  it  as  the  Eternal  Lord.  (526) 

Now  these  two  states  of  wakefulness  and  dream  which  are  created 
in  the  world  from  perverse  knowledge  get  extinguished  in  the  deep 
nescience;  when  that  nescience  loses  itself  in  (the  sea  of)  knowledge 
(lit.  when  it  is  dissolved  in  knowledge)  it  (Wtt)  secures  the  Supreme 
Self,  and  then  it  itself  ceases  to  exist  in  the  way  the  fire  ceases  to  exist 
after  burning  out  tinder.  That  which  remains  behind  without  know- 
ledge (after  it  ceases  to  exist) — that  state  is  the  Best  (higher)  Purusha 
(person)  who  coming  out  as  an  established  truth — is  the  third — 
independent  of  the  two  already  mentioned  (Kshara  and  Akshara 
persons).  Wakefulness,  O  Arjuna,  is  entirely  a  different  state  from 
either  the  deep  slumber  or  the  dream;  (Or)  the  magnitude  of  the  disc 
of  the  Sun  is  entirely  different  from  his  rays  and  mirage.  Similarly 
different  from  the  other  two  is  the  Best  Person.  The  Fire  (abiding 
latent)  in  dry  wood  is  distinct  from  the  dried  wood  itself;  in  that  way 
the  Best  Person  is  distinct  from  'Akshara'  and  'Kshara.'  The  deluge 
at  world-dissolution,  transgresses  all  limits,  converting  all  rivers 
and  rivulets  into  one  big  mass  of  water  (leaving  no  trace  of  the  rivers 
or  rivulets);  in  that  way  there  remains  no  trace  of  dream  or  of  deep 
slumber  or  of  wakefulness,  in  the  way  day  and  night  are  devoured 
by  the  destructive  heat  at  the  time  of  world  dissolution.  All  states 
having  got  extinguished,  conditions  like  monism  or  duality  in  no 
way  come  to  be  experienced:  such  a  state  of  things  that  exists  should 
be  known  as  (of)  this  Best  Person.  To  give  that  name  (Best  Person) 
to  the  Supreme  Soul  without  getting  merged  into  it,  is  only  possible 
by  remaining  in  the  state  of  living  beings,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  in  the 
way  any  talk  of  drowning  in  water  is  only  possible  for  one  standing 
(safe)  on  its  (water's)  bank  (and  not  for  one  getting  drowned  in  the 
water).  The  Vedas  can  talk  of  matters  relating  to  this  or  the  yonder 
side  only  while  standing  on  the  bank  of  discrimination,  and,  there- 
fore, placing  both  Kshara  and  Akshara  persons  on  a  lower  plane, 
they  (Vedas)  call  the  person  on  the  higher  plane  as  Supreme  (Form 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  481 

of  the)  Self.  Therefore,  keep  weH-in  mind,  O  Arjuna,  (the  term)  'Best 
Person'  suggests  itself  from  the  term  'Supreme  Self.'  The  place  where 
'no  talk'  is  the  talk,  'knowing  nothing'  is  knowledge,  and  nothing 
happening  is  happening — where  ceases  to  exist  the  very  notion  'I 
am  myself  Supreme  Brahman,'  where  the  one  who  tells  and  the  one 
who  is  told,  (or)  where  the  seer  and  the  object  seen  both  get  extinguish- 
ed— under  these  circumstances  whatever  comes  actually  to  be  ex- 
perienced, should  be  taken  as  its  form,  since  it  would  not  be  right 
to  say  that  there  exists  no  light  at  all  because  the  light  of  the  Sun  and 
his  reflection  have  ceased  to  be  perceived,  or  there  exists  no  fragrance 
at  all  because  the  fragrance  abiding  between  the  nostrils  and  the 
flowers  cannot  be  perceived,  or  there  exists  nothing  whatever,  because 
the  seer  and  the  object  of  seeing  have  both  ceased  to  appear.  That 
which  is  illuminator  in  the  absence  of  the  objects  to  be  illuminated, 
or  that  which  is  sovereign  (regulator)  in  the  absence  of  things  to  be 
controlled  (governed),  or  that  which  abides  in  its  awn  self  in  the  form 
of  Supreme  Being,  that  which  makes  the  very  Sound  to  hear  sound, 
makes  flavour  to  taste  itself,  and  bliss  to  enjoy  itself,  the  Best  Person 
who  is  the  very  perfection  of  the  Perfect,  the  very  rest  in  restfulness, 
who  is  the  happiness  in  the  happy,  the  splendour  in  the  splendid  and 
the  zero  (void)  in  the  great  zero;  who  transcends  the  very  expansion, 
and  devours  the  devourer  and  who  is  quantitatively  far  greater  than 
the  greatest; — which  besides,  brings  to  the  experience  of  the  ignorant 
(the  appearance)  as  the  silver  of  mother-of-pearl  without  the  latter's 
actual  conversion  into  silver; — that  which  becomes  the  support  to 
the  semblance  of  the  universe,  without  dropping  its  own  form  or 
without  itself  mixing  with  the  universe,  in  the  way  gold  assumes  the 
form  of  the  ornaments,  without  in  any  way  losing  its  property  as 
gold; — or  that  which  itself  imparts  reality  and  light  to  the  world  in 
the  way  there  is  no  distinction  between  water  and  ripples ;— that 
which  even  though  to  a  certain  extent  becomes  perceptible  in  the  form 
of  the  universe,  in  the  way  the  Moon  becomes  the  cause  of  contraction 
or  expansion  of  a  reflection  in  water,  it  does  not  disappear  along 
with  the  world  when  it  (the  world)  disappears.  The  Sun  does  not 
assume  two  different  forms  during  the  day  and  the  night  (but  remains 
one  and  the  same);  in  that  way  there  is  no  place  where  it  does  not  exist 
nor  is  there  any  thing  which  can  waste  or  spoil  it:  he  alone  can  be 
compared  to  himself. 


482  JNANESHWARI 

18  "Since  I  have  transcended  the  Mutable  and  am  even  superior 
to  the  Immutable,  therefore  it  is  that,  both  in  the  world  and 
in  the  Veda,  I  am  proclaimed  as  the  Purushottam  (Highest 
Person).  (557) 

Oh  Dhananjaya,  he  illumines  himself — in  fact,  there  is  no  need  to 
say  more,  there  is  no  duality  in  him.  I  (myself)  am  that  one  attribute- 
less — superior  to  the  Kshara  as  well  as  Akshara  and  the  sole  single 
one:  and  therefore  it  is,  that  both  the  Vedas  and  the  world  proclaim 
me  as  'Purushottama'  (Highest  Person). 

19  "He  who,  freed  of  delusion,  thus  knows  Me  as  the  Purushottam  : 
he,  having  discovered  the  All,  proffers  with  his  whole  being 
service  unto  Me,  O  Scion  of  Bharata.  (559) 

Let  this  talk  alone  (as  it  is) :  one  that  has  come  to  know  me  after  the 
Sun  of  knowledge  has  dawned  in  him,— when  one  has  gained  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  personality,  the  vision  of  the  dream  vanishes; 
similarly  knowledge  having  awakened  in  him,  he  looks  upon  the 
three  worlds  as  nought, — one  that  does  not  get  entangled  in  the 
clutches  of  this  false  mundane  existence,  having  secured  real  know- 
ledge in  regard  to  myself  in  the  way  the  illusion  as  a  serpent  is  dis- 
pelled when  the  wreath  is  actually  taken  into  hand; — one  that  has 
dropped  all  distinction  having  realized  myself,  in  the  way  one  calls 
an  ornament  as  unreal,  knowing  that  the  ornament  is  itself  gold: 
one  who  says :  "I  am  myself  all-pervading,  real,  sentient,  joyful  and 
self-same,  and  never  harbours  the  notion  that  he  himself  is  anything 
distinct  (from  my  nature),  and  knows  my  real  form;  such  a  one  alone 
has  come  to  know  me.  But  this  say  also  is  inadequate  since  no  duality 
remains  in  him — the  duality  which  becomes  the  subject  of  talk.  There- 
fore, O  Arjuna,  such  a  one  alone  is  qualified  to  worship  me,  just  as 
the  sky  is  alone  qualified  to  embrace  (pervade)  the  entire  sky.  Just 
as  the  ocean  of  milk  should  be  given  a  feast  of  milk,  or  the  nectar 
should  merge  in  nectar,  or  just  as  pure  gold  being  mingled  with  pure 
gold — the  mixtures  also  become  pure,  in  that  way  one  who  has  become 
one  with  me  can  alone  worship  me.  Were  the  sacred  Ganges  not  the 
same  as  the  sea,  how  could  it  be  merged  into  the  sea — (and  be  one 
with  it);  in  that  way  how  could  there  arise  devotion  for  me,  were  there 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  483 

no  unity  with  my  form?  Therefore,  one  who  sings  my  praise,  with 
singleness  of  heart,  in  the  way  the  ripples  in  their  entirety  become 
one  with  the  sea — the  devotion  of  such  a  one  myself  stand  in  relation 
to  each  other,  as  do  the  splendour  of  the  Sun  and  the  Sun  himself 
(in  relation  to  each  other). 

*Pg^T  ffSTT^  WV$  $d£>cH$T  ?TTTW  H  Ro  II 

20  "Thus  is  this  most  secret  teaching  imparted  by  Me  (unto  thee) , 
Oh  Sinless  One.  Understanding  this,  one  should  become 
the  man  of  (true)  understanding,  who  has  also  fulfilled  his 
task,  O  Scion  of  Bharata. "  (571) 

The  great  truth  that  is  securable  from  all  Scriptures  has,  in  this  way, 
been  propounded  from  the  beginning  of  this  Chapter.  It  makes  the 
Upanishads  fragrant  like  the  fragrance  of  the  lotus.  We  have  pre- 
sented to  you  the  essence  of  the  Vedas,  ready-churned  out  by  the  hand 
in  the  form  of  the  talent  of  the  Great  Sage  Shri  Vyasa.  It  is  the  Ganges 
full  of  nectar  in  the  form  of  knowledge,  or  the  17th  phase  of  the  Moon 
in  the  form  of  bliss;  or  a  new  Lakshml  (Goddess  of  Riches)  churned 
out  of  the  sea  of  milk  in  the  form  of  right  thinking.  Therefore,  she, 
(Goddess  Lakshml)  does  not  know  anything  else  but  my  own  self — in 
words,  letters  and  interpretations.  Both  Kshara  and  Akshara  are 
standing  in  front  of  her;  but  discarding  their  position  as  Purushas, 
she  dedicated  all  (herself)  to  me — Purushottama — the  Highest  Per- 
son. Therefore,  the  Gita-teaching  which  you  have  just  heard,  is 
proclaimed  in  the  world  as  my  loyal  and  faithful  wife.  It  really  is 
not  a  Scripture  that  could  be  explained  in  words  (spoken),  but  is  a 
weapon  to  conquer  the  worldly  existence:  it  is  an  incantation  that 
creates  an  awakening  of  the  soul :  such  are  the  letters  of  this  Gita. 
My  discourse  on  the  Gita  to  you  is  just  like  my  taking  out  and  laying 
bare  before  you,  my  hidden  treasure.  You  have,  Oh  Partha,  become 
the  very  sage  Gautama,  to  draw  out  the  sacred  Ganges  in  the  form 
of  the  Gita  teachings,  kept  hidden  in  the  matted  hair  of  Lord  Shiva, 
in  the  form  of  sentience,  You  have,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  become  the  very 
mirror  kept  in  front,  to  enable  me  to  take  proper  account  of  the  pure 
form  of  my  own  self.  The  sky  packed  up  with  stars  is  brought  down 
(in  the  form  of  reflection)  into  its  bosom  by  the  sea;  in  that  way  you 
have  made  me,  together  with  the  Gita,  to  reflect  myself  in  your  heart. 
Having  swept  out  from  your  heart  the  triad  (of  Gunas  (or)  of  afflictions 


484  JNANESHWARI 

—  f^RPT — Rifafci  ?mr)  you  have  become  the  very  abode  of  both  my- 
self and  the  GIta.  To  what  extent  should  I  extol  the  Gita?  One  who 
knows  well  this  creeping  plant  of -inspired  knowledge,  gets  entirely 
free  from  all  sorts  of  infatuation.  A  drink  from  the  river  of  nectar 
makes  one,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  immune  to  disease  as  also  immortal. 
One  knowing  Glta-teaching  thoroughly  becomes  free  from  infatua- 
tion; is  there  any  wonder  about  it?  The  knowledge  of  the  self  secured 
(through  the  Glta-teachings)  will  also  secure  union  with  the  self; 
with  the  attainment  of  the  knowledge  of  the  self  the  activism  also  is 
extinguished,  knowing  that  its  life  (time)  has  ended  in  that  know- 
ledge. With  the  recovery  of  the  lost  article,  (further)  search  for  it 
comes  to  an  end;  in  that  way  when  knowledge  becomes  the  pinnacle 
of  the  mansion  of  activism,  there  ends  the  performance  of  any  action 
for  one  who  has  attained  knowledge."  So  said,  the  Lord,  the  friend 
of  the  helpless. 


Conclusion 

That  nectar  in  the  form  of  Lord  Krishna's  sermon  filled  to  over- 
flowing the  heart  of  Partha,  and  it  became  available  also  to  Samjaya 
through  the  grace  of  Sage  Vyasa.  Samjaya  offered  it  to  King  Dhri- 
tarashtra  for  drinking,  and  therefore  his  (latter' s)  end  did  not  prove 
so  hard  for  him  (at  the  end  of  his  life).  Even  though  a  hearer  might 
ordinarily  be  considered  unqualified  to  hear  the  Glta-teaching  while 
hearing  it,  yet,  it  (teaching)  proves  useful  to  him  in  the  end.  When 
milk  is  poured  at  the  foot  of  the  creeping  plant  of  grapes,  it  might 
be  considered  as  wasted.  Yet  it  serves  its  purpose  by  doubling  the 
growth  (both  in  quantity  and  quality)  of  the  grape  bunches :  in  that 
way  Samjaya  narrated  with  great  regard  the  discourse  delivered  by 
Shrihari,  with  the  result  that  the  blind  (Dhritarashtra)  attained  hap- 
piness in  course  of  time.  That  same  (Jnaneshwar  said)  I  have  nar- 
rated in  the  Marathi  language  in  a  crude  way  according  to  my  own 
(doubtful)  abilities.  The  form  of  the  Shevanti-flower  does  not  strike 
one,  with  no  appreciation  for  it,  as  having  anything  special  about 
it;  yet  those  like  the  black-bees,  that  recognise  its  merit,  realize  its 
fragrance  and  carry  it  away  freely.  In  that  way,  you  should  accept 
such  of  these  propositions  as  are  deemed  acceptable  by  you,  leaving 
to  me  (i.e.  rejecting)  whatever  might  be  found  defective.  To  be  "Not 
knowing"  is  the  common  feature  of  an  ignorant  (child)  (like  myself). 
The  sight  of  a  child,  even  though  an  ignorant  one,  gives  supreme 
happiness  to  its  parents— happiness  that  cannot  be  contained  in 


XV.   PURUSOTTAMAYOGA  485 

their  heart,  and  they  fondle  the  child;  in  that  way  you  saints  are  my 
parental  home.  I  become  overfondled  when  I  meet  you,  and  the 
present  discourse  on  the  Gita-teaching  by  me  is  an  example  of  such 
over-fondling.  Now  may  the  Omniform — my  great  Preceptor — 
Shri  Nivrittinath,  accept  this  worship  of  mine  in  the  form  of  the  dis- 
course", concluded  Jnanadev. 


tpfftrppfrrt  tft  Ma-etejjfbwrrcr:  u  \x  \\ 


CHAPTER  XVI 

DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA 

Introduction 

Obeisance  to  the  wonderful  rising  Sun  (in  the  form  of)  the  preceptor, 
who  dispels  the  illusion  of  the  world-existence  and  blows  open  the 
lotus  of  monism.  He  dispels  the  night  of  ignorance,  and  extinguish- 
ing the  stars  in  the  form  of  both  knowledge  and  ignorance,  shows  to 
the  learned,  the  auspicious  day  of  self-realization.  His  appearance 
in  the  morning  gives  vision  of  knowledge  of  the  Self,  making  the  birds 
in  the  form  of  beings  leave  their  nests  in  the  form  of  conceit  for  their 
bodies.  The  black  bee  in  the  form  of  sentience,  shut  up  in  the  lotus 
in  the  form  of  human  body,  is  released  from  imprisonment  at  the 
(Sun)  rise  of  the  preceptor.  The  couple  of  Chakravaka  birds  ('snpsnrcr- 
-the  Brahmany  goose)  in  the  form  of  intellect  and  knowledge  (srf^h-r), 
getting  trapped  in  the  difficult  situation  in  the  form  of  Scriptures 
involving  infatuation  of  intellect,  lament  their  separation  from  each 
other,  on  either  bank  of  the  river  in  the  form  of  distinction;  that  couple 
secures  happiness  in  the  form  of  getting  re-united  with  the  rise  of 
the  Sun,  who  illumines  the  entire  sky  in  the  form  of  sentience,  just 
as  the  lamp  lights  a  house.  With  the  dawn  (appearance  of  the  Sun), 
the  fearful  time  of  thieves  in  the  form  of  distinction  vanishes  and 
then  the  wayfarer- Yogin- walks  along  the  path  of  the  realisation 
of  the  Supreme  Self.  With  the  touch  of  the  Sun's  rays  in  the  form  of 
right  discrimination,  sparks  issue  forth  from  the  Suryakanta  (  qfoiff- 
a  fabulous  stone  bright  and  glittering  and  sending  forth  flames  when 
sunbeams  strike  upon  it)  in  the  form  of  knowledge,  and  burn  the 
forests  of  world-affairs.  There  is  a  flood  of  the  mirage  in  the  form 
of  occult  powers  when  the  cluster  of  his  (Sun's)  rays  gets  hardened 
(becomes  fierce)  and  steadies  itself  on  the  sandy  plain  in  the  form  of 
the  Self;  but  when  the  (Sun)  gets  to  the  top  of  the  Knowledge  of  the 
Self  and  sparkles  at  the  meridian  in  the  form  of  Brahmic  state,  the 
shadow  of  the  soul  in  the  form  of  illusion  hides  itself  (i.e.  becomes 
non-existent)  under  his  own  feet  (rays).  Where  could  then  the  dream 
of  the  universe,  as  also  the  slumber  of  the  adverse  knowledge  get 
any  shelter,  when  there  exists  no  longer  the  night  of  illusion,  with 
the  result  that  dealing  in  the  form  of  experience  of  happiness  becomes 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  487 

dull,  the  town  of  the  realization  of  monism  being  fully  packed  up 
with  Supreme  Bliss.  In  short,  with  the  light  of  the  Sun  (preceptor) 
is  secured  the  perpetual  benefit  -of  the  auspicious  day  of  complete 
liberation.  The  moment  he,  the  king  of  the  Sky,  in  the  form  of  the 
abode  of  the  Self,  rises  all  trace,  not  only  of  the  rising  and  of  the  setting, 
but  even  of  all  directions  such  as  the  East  and  others,  vanishes.  He 
dispels  both  the  knowledge  as  also  the  ignorance,  and  displays  the 
spirit  of  the  Self,  which  had  remained  hidden  under  them,  and  in  this 
way,  creates  a  unique  dawn;  what  to  say  more?  Who  is  able  enough 
to  see  such  a  Sun  of  knowledge,  far  beyond  the  region  of  day  and 
night-the  Sun  who  is  a  globe  of  illumination  without  being  a  thing' 
that  could  be  illuminated?  To  such  a  Sun  of  knowledge  of  the  Supreme 
(  Pm<^4  )  —  ShrT  Nivrittinath  —  I  bow  again  and  again,  since  words  are 
routed  (prove  too  feeble),  when  one  attempts  to  praise  him  through 
their  medium.  Were  the  object  of  the  praise  as  also  the  intellect  (of 
the  composer  of  praise),  to  identify  themselves  with  each  other,  realiz- 
ing in  the  heart  the  glory  of  the  preceptor,  then  only  the  praise  would 
attain  excellence.  He  can  be  known  only  with  the  wiping  off  of  name 
and  form,  and  can  be  praised  while  in  the  embrace  of  silence,  and 
can  be  attained  by  the  experience  of  forgetting  one's  egoism  (in  the 
Self). -While  singing  your  praise  adequately,  the  *Para'  and  'Vai- 
khari'  enter  into  the  womb  of  'PashyantI'  and  'Madhyama'  and  get 
extinguished  there.  Such  a  one  you  are  and  I,  as  your  devoted  servant, 
shall  make  you  wear  ornaments  in  the  form  of  praise  sung  by  me,  which 
(you)  Oh  preceptor,  do  please  accept  even  though  doing  such  a  thing 
will  amount  to  bringing  ridicule  to  the  bliss  of  non-duality  (preceptor). 
An  humble  person,  seeing  the  ocean  of  nectar,  gets  confounded  and 
forgetting  the  proper  form  of  reception  runs  about  to  extend  a  wel- 
come to  it  by  offering  vegetable  dishes!  But  on  an  occasion  like  this, 
the  vegetable  offerings  should  be  considered  greatly  befitting,  taking 
into  account  the  fervent  joy  the  person  feels  in  offering  it.  In  that 
way  you  should  light  up  your  own  splendour  and  view  the  stickwick 
(*l^<Nld )  in  the  form  of  my  devotion.  Who  could  call  it  a  small  child, 
were  it  to  realize  what  is  desirable  (and  what  is  not  so)  for  it;  yet,  in 
truth,  its  mother  feels  gratified  at  it  (inspite  of  its  ignorance).  Oh, 
the  dirty  water  of  a  village  site  flows  and  treads  over  (runs  into)  the 
holy  Ganges:  does  the  Ganges  ever  tell  it  to  go  back?  Oh,  what  a 
grave  offence  did  sage  Bhrigu  commit  in  giving  a  kick  (to  Lord  Vishnu) ! 
Yet,  did  not  God  Vishnu  (^TRTstt)  take  it  as  an  affectionate  treat- 
ment and  receive  it  with  satisfaction  considering  it  a  mark  of  honour? 
Does  the  Sun  ever  ask  contemptuously  the  sky-which  is  overcast 


488  JNANESHWARI 

with  darkness  and  which  confronts  him-to  move  away?  In  that 
way,  you  should  put  up  (with  my  action)  were  I,  once  in  a  way,  to 
weigh  you  in  the  (pair  of)  scales  in»the  form  a  pun  (  3%*r )  in  regard 
to  the  Sun,  hung  on  the  beam  in  the  form  of  duality.  The  Yogins 
discerned  you  through  their  concentrated  meditation  of  you,  and 
the  Vedas  praised  you  in  words  (spoken) ;  and  you  have  put  up  with 
all  this!  In  the  same  way  put  up  also  with  me.  I  have  taken  to  singing 
fondly  your  praise;  and  (you)  do  not  count  it  as  an  offence  on  my 
part.  Whatever  you  might  do,  I  would  not  rise  up  (from  here)  half- 
fed  (i.e.  I  would  sing  your  praises  to  my  satisfaction).  By  my  good 
luck,  my  strength  is  increased  two-fold,  just  as  I  began  singing,  with 
great  liking,  the  praise  of  your  gift  of  nectar  in  the  form  of  Gita- 
teaching.  I  have  secured  this  fruit  in  the  form  of  a  great  island  named 
Gita,  as  the  result  of  austerities  I  observed  for  ages,  of  speaking  only 
the  truth.  The  inordinate  merit,  I  have  been  able  to  secure  so  far, 
has  this  day,  discharged  its  obligations  to  me,  by  making  me  sing 
your  praise.  I  was  fettered  in  the  town  of  Death,  having  entered  into 
the  forest  of  living  beings.  I  am  now  discharged  from  that  predica- 
ment. I  have  now  been  enabled  to  sing  your  fame,  which  is  well- 
known  by  the  name  of  Gita  teaching  and  which  possesses  the  power 
of  vanquishing  the  sturdy  and  rude  Ignorance.  When  the  Goddess 
of  Riches — the  Great  Lakshmi — visits  the  house  of  a  poor  man  how 
could  such  a  one  be  called  poverty-stricken?  or  were  the  Sun  to  visit 
the  house  of  darkness,  could  not  that  very  darkness  give  light  to  the 
world?  The  entire  world  could  not  compare  even  as  a  small  atom, 
placed  side  by  side  with  the  glory  of  God;  yet  what  form  would  He 
(God)  not  assume  for  the  sake  of  his  devotee,  once  He  finds  Himself 
in  the  flood  of  His  devotion.  In  that  way,  my  preaching  the  Gita, 
is  like  smelling  the  sky-flower;  yet  your  strength  has  gratified  this 
ambition  on  my  part.  Therefore  Jnaneshwar  said,  'I  shall,  through 
your  grace,  preach  in  an  easy  and  clear  way,  the  Gita  verses  whose 
sense  is  so  profound  (unfathomable).  In  Chapter  XV  Lord  Krishna 
preached  the  established  truths  (theorems — fa«ia)  contained  in 
different  Scriptures.  He  (Lord  Krishna)  discoursed  in  figurative 
language,  on  the  entire  universe  full  of  attributes  by  resorting  to  the 
metaphor  of  a  tree  naming  its  soul  as  'Purusha' — the  unperturbed 
Akshara  (Immutable),  in  the  way  a  good  doctor  diagnoses  a  chronic 
disease  (of  a  patient).  He  also  preached  how  the  attributes  permeated 
the  sentience  (by  making  it  take  a  form),  and  then  giving  it  the  name 
'Highest  Person'  (Purushottam),  he  explained  the  clear  essence  of 
his  own  Self.  Next,  he  explained  in  a  clear  way  how  knowledge  is 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  489 

the  strong  internal  means  for  securing  the  Self.  There  is  thus  left 
nothing  (new)  to  be  preached  in  this  Chapter.  (There  have  only  re- 
mained) the  cordial  relation  between  the  preceptor  and  the  disciple. 
The  learned  and  the  wise  have  thus  fully  understood  the  subject; 
yet  there  are  other  seekers,  who  have  got  doubts  lingering  in  their 
minds.  In  the  previous  Chapter  the  Lord  of  the  three  worlds  said, 
"He  is  all-knowing,  and  he  alone  has  reached  the  acme  of  (my)  devotion 
who  has  through  knowledge  attained  me — the  'Highest  Person', 
and  has  described  in  different  ways  the  importance  of  knowledge. 
God  said  that  there  was  no  other  (more)  effective  remedy  than  know- 
ledge— in  fact  the  very  king  amongst  all  the  remedies — that  could 
bring  about  results  such  as  the  dissolution  of  all  worries  arising  out 
of  wordly  affairs,  the  union  of  the  seer  and  the  object  of  seeing  as  also 
securing  mastery  over  the  empire  of  Supreme  Bliss.  Those  that  were 
eager  to  secure  knowledge,  waved  their  very  lives  around  it  (know- 
ledge) with  great  regard  and  with  minds  all  pleased.  The  more  the 
mind  feels  a  liking  for  a  subject,  the  more  that  subject  enters  into 
the  mind,  this  is  what  is  called  'love'  (3fcr).  Therefore,  such  of  those 
as  are  eager,  but  have  not  experienced  any  such  love  of  knowledge, 
naturally  felt  anxious  as  to  how  to  secure  it  and  having  secured  it, 
how  to  retain  the  same  (knowledge).  It  must,  therefore,  first  be  con- 
sidered how  right  knowledge  could  be  secured  and  how  it  could  be 
increased  once  it  is  secured :  or  why  knowledge  could  not  be  secured 
or  whether  there  is  any  strong  anti-knowledge  agency  or  force  that 
would  lead  astray,  (into  wrong  channels)  knowledge  which  is  already 
secured.  These  (forces)  which  stand  blocking  the  way — these  that 
are  obstructions  to  knowledge  must  be  cleared  off;  then  we  should 
take  zealously  into  consideration,  such  (forces)  as  are  conducive 
to  the  increase  of  it  (knowledge).  Oh  for  you  all,  who  cherish  in  your 
hearts  the  desire  to  have  knowledge,  the  Lord  of  Lakshmi  will  now  hold 
a  discourse  in  order  to  fulfill  your  desire.  He  will  sing  the  glory  of 
the  'Divine  Estate'  that  gives  birth  to  knowledge  and  also  increases 
the  peace  of  mind.  He  will  also  describe  the  terrible  aspect  of  the 
'Demoniac  Estate'  that  lends  support  to  the  disorders  such  as  wrath 
and  hatred,  with  the  help  of  knowledge  of  sense-objects.  It  has,  by 
way  of  an  introduction  to  the  subject,  been  mentioned  in  Chapter 
IX  before,  that  both  these  (Divine  and  Demoniac)  Estates  that  as- 
sume airs  and  affectations,  lead  naturally  to  the  performance  of  good 
and  evil  acts  respectively.  It  was  proposed  to  deal  with  these  directly 
there;  but  other  subjects  intervened  and  (this  topic  was  crowded 
out  and)  so  God  is  preaching  that  subject  now.  This  Chapter  XVI 


490  JNANESHWARI 

should,  therefore,  be  taken  as  a  continuation  of  the  former  portion. 
Suffice  this  for  the  present.  Both  these  Estates  alone  are  capable 
of  being  conducive  to  and  destructive  of  knowledge  respectively. 
Hear  now  first  about  the  'Divine  Estate',  which  leads  the  seekers  to 
the  path  of  salvation  and  like  (the  flame  of)  a  holy  lamp  sheds  light 
on  the  darkness  of  the  night  of  infatuation.  To  bring  together  into 
one  place,  diverse  matters  mutually  supporting  one  another,  is  what 
is  popularly  called  an  'Estate'.  Because  it  produces  divine  happiness 
and  since  in  it  alone  are  concentrated  (all)  Godly  virtues,  it  is  (called) 
'Divine  Estate'. 

The  Exalted  -  one  spake: 

1  "Fearlessness,  Purity  of  inward  disposition,  Steady-pursuit 
of  Knowledge  and  its  Realisation;  Charity,  Self-restraint, 
Sacrifice,  Study,  Austerity,   Uprightness;  (68) 

That  quality  which  gets  priority  amongst  the  qualities  constituting 
'Divine  Estate',  is  fearlessness  (3PPT).  One  that  does  not  (dare)  take 
a  leap  in  high  floods  is  never  touched  by  any  fear  of  getting  drowned: 
one  who  strictly  observes  the  regimen  prescribed,  is  hardly  subject 
to  any  bodily  disease.  In  that  way  one  who  does  not  allow  the  self- 
conceit  (egotism)  to  cross  the  way  of  actions,  has  nothing  to  fear  from 
worldly  affairs;  or  one  who  entertains  the  all-embracing  notion  of 
Self  (oneness)  towards  one  and  all,  on  account  of  monism  rooted 
in  him,  dispels  all  fears  in  different  directions:  or  just  as  water  should 
go  to  dissolve  salt  and  salt  should  (before  that)  itself  become  (one 
with)  water;  in  that  way  (when)  all  is  equated  to  Self  through  monism, 
it  destroys  all  fear.  Know  ye,  all  this  (stated  above)  is  what  is  called 
'fearlessness'.  All  this  is,  of  course,  in  the  usual  routine  of  know- 
ledge. Now  what  is  called  'purity  of  inward  disposition'  (flr^fe) 
should  be  known  from  the  characteristics  next  mentioned.  (It  is 
like)  ashes  that  neither  burn  nor  get  extinguished :  or  just  as  the  Moon 
in  her  extremely  subtle  form  abides  in  the  mid-state  with  neither 
waxing  phase  of  the  New  Moon  day,  nor  in  the  waning  one  of  the 
Last  Day  of  the  lunar  month:  or  like  the  Ganges  flowing  steadily 
in  normal  condition,  with  neither  the  monsoon  flooding  nor  the  sum- 
mer drying  up:  or  like  the  intellect  that  remains  steady  harbouring 
a  liking  for  its  own  pristine  nature  (meditation  on  Self)  and  dropping 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  491 

the  Kawadi  ("+lq«l — a  bamboo  lath  carrying  pitchers  suspended 
at  both  ends)  carrying  pitchers  in  the  form  of  Rajas  and  Tamas 
qualities  full  of  fancies  and  ideas :  or  like  the  mind  feeling  no  sur- 
prise at  all  at  the  sense-objects — desirable  or  undesirable — displayed 
by  the  senses:  or  as  a  faithful  wife  remaining  utterly  indifferent  to 
any  loss  or  gain,  while  her  husband  is  away  at  a  distant  place  and  her 
mind  is  feeling  lonely  and  unhappy.  The  state  of  the  intellect — 
intellect  which  is  deeply  in  love  with  the  Highest  Reality,  getting 
absorbed  and  extinguished  in  the  (form  of)  Supreme  Self,  is  what 
is  called  'the  purity  of  inward  disposition"  said  Lord  Keshihanta 
(%5ft^crT)— killer  of  demon  Keshi).  For  attaining  (Supreme  Self), 
one  should  first  select,  according  to  one's  natural  trend  of  mind, 
the  path  either  of  knowledge  or  activism,  and  there  one  should  sacri- 
fice (abandon)  all  worldly  ideas  and  notions,  with  a  mind  free  from 
all  passions,  in  the  way  the  last  (concluding)  oblation  is  offered  to 
the  Fire  at  the  conclusion  of  the  sacrifice,  or  in  the  way  the  father 
belonging  to  a  noble  family  should  rest  peacefully  after  giving  away 
his  (marriageable)  daughter  to  one  from  a  good  family,  or  in  the 
way  the  Goddess  Lakshmi  remains  all-absorbed  in  Lord  Vishnu.  To 
conduct  oneself  along  the  path  of  (Motive-free)  activism  or  of  know- 
ledge with  a  mind  completely  free  from  (mundane)  fancies  and  ideas 
is  what  is  called  'steady  pursuit  of  knowledge'  and  its  realisation 
(?lM^I°iH**m) — the  third  quality,"  said  Lord  Krishna.  "Not,  to 
refuse  help  through  body,  speech,  mind  or  riches,  to  one  in  distress 
even  though  he  be  an  enemy,  imitating  the  behaviour  of  the  road- 
side tree,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  which  never  hesitates  (fails)  to  give  to  a 
passer-by  either  its  leaf,  flower,  shade,  fruit,  or  root;  in  that  way  to 
offer  whole-heartedly  whatever  may  be  available  in  the  form  of  corn 
or  money,  to  a  wearied  one, — that  is  'charity'  (^T)  and  this  is  a  sort 
of  antimony  (3T5FT)  that  enables  one  to  get  a  vision  of  the  hoard  in 
the  form  of  liberation.  Now  hear  the  signs  of  self-restraint  (3*T). 
To  cleave  clean  the  combinations  (joining  firmly)  the  senses  and  their 
objects,  in  the  way,  a  warrior  with  a  sword  in  his  hand  clean  cuts 
his  enemy:  similarly  to  fetter  together  all  the  senses  and  to  hand  them 
over  to  abstraction  (McMgK),  so  that  the  storm  of  the  sense-objects 
should  not  dash  against  (the  doors  of)  the  senses.  When  the  fire  of 
non-attachment  is  applied  at  the  ten  gates  of  the  senses,  the  natural 
propensity  (to  acquire  things  and  enjoy  them)  clinging  eternally  to 
one's  mind  takes  to  its  heels  (departs  forever).  He  then  takes  rigid 
religious  vows,  even  greater  in  point  of  continuity,  than  the  act  of 
breathing  and  observes  them  ceaselessly  day  and  night.  What  is 


492  JNANESHWARI 

called  self-restraint  is  this  and  bear  well  in  mind  its  signs.  Now  I 
shall  tell  you  in  brief  what  is  'sacrifice'  (*TPTFf ).  The  Brahmin  occupy- 
ing the  premier  status,  women  and-other  (low  castes),  who  are  at  the 
lowest  end  (of  the  social  strata)  and  those  who  occupy  the  inter- 
mediate rank — each  of  them  have  to  fulfil  obligations  according  to 
their  rank.  They  should  worship  such  Gods  as  they  consider  best  and 
adorable  according  to  the  rites  laid  down  by  Scriptures — that  Brahmin 
who  performs  all  the  six  duties  following  strictly  the  procedure 
laid  down  in  the  Vedas,  and  the  Sudra  who  pays  the  Brahmin  homage 
— both  these  secure  'sacrifice'  in  equal  proportion,  since  both  conduct 
themselves  according  to  their  respective  functions  (assigned  to  them) 
and  ultimately  derive  the  same  (identical)  fruit  of  their  sacrifice. 
Similarly  it  is  the  duty  of  all  to  perform  sacrifices  as  they  are  qualified 
to  perform,  but  these  (sacrifices)  should  not  be  poisoned  (polluted) 
with  any  expectation  of  the  fruit  of  sacrifices.  Ordinarily  every  one 
must  act  up  to  the  dictates  of  the  Vedas :  only  he  should  not  allow 
the  egoistic  feeling  of  being  a  sacrificer,  to  touch  his  mind  out  of  con- 
ceit for  the  body.  This  is,  Oh  Arjuna,  what  is  called,  and  universally 
known  as  'sacrifice'  (prescribed  in  the  Scriptures),  and  it  is  a  road- 
companion  (guide)  knowing  all  about  the  road  to  emancipation. 
Now  a  ball  is  dashed  down  on  the  ground,  not  for  the  purpose  of 
striking  the  ground,  but  with  the  idea  that  it  should  rebound  and  come 
back  into  the  hands:  or  the  seed  is  sown  in  the  field,  with  an  eye  on 
the  crop  that  is  to  yield  or  a  lamp  is  welcome  for  finding  a  thing  placed 
in  the  dark:  water  is  sprinkled  at  the  roots  of  a  tree  for  the  growth 
of  fruit  on  its  branches.  In  short  the  mirror  is  kept  again  and  again 
clean  in  order  to  enable  (one)  to  see  one's  face  (reflection)  in  it  (at  any 
time):  in  that  way  it  is  necessary  that  one  should  ever  be  studying  the 
Shruti  Scriptures  to  be  able  to  discern  God  propounded  in  the  Vedas. 
The  Brahmasutra  (in  the  Vedas)  for  the  twice-born  and  the  hymns 
or  simply  the  name  (of  the  Lord)  for  others,  are  the  best  and  the  holiest 
to  incant  for  attaining  the  Supreme  Brahman.  This  is  Oh  Partha, 
what  is  called  'study'  (Wiwiw),  and  now  hear  about  the  essence  of 
the  austerity  ( cFT ).  To  give  away  all  in  charity  is  using  it  properly, 
in  the  way  a  herb  gets  withered  after  bearing  fruit  or  in'  the  way  the 
incense  (f7 )  gets  extinguished  in  fire  (to  give  good  smell  to  others), 
or  in  the  way  gold  is  reduced  in  weight  by  burning  out  the  alloy  in 
it,  or  in  the  way  the  Moon  wanes  in  the  dark  fortnight  of  the  lunar 
month,  by  giving  feed  of  nectar  to  the  Manes.  In  all  these  ways,  to 
wear  out  one's  life,  senses  and  body,  for  the  attainment  of  the  Supreme 
Brahman,  is,  Oh  Warrior,  what  is  called,  austerity.  There  are  also 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  493 

other  forms  of  austerity.  The  bird  swan  uses  his  beak  for  separating 
milk  from  water;  in  that  way  one  should  keep  alert  in  his  heart  that 
right  thinking  which  can  skilfully  pick  out  the  soul,  separating  the 
element  of  body  when  both  these  are  mixed  up.  The  intellect  contracts 
and  withdraws  itself  (from  the  sphere  of  mundane  things)  when  it 
(intellect)  fixes  its  gaze  on  self,  even  as  slumber  and  dream  contract 
and  vanish  in  wakeful  condition.  One  who  makes  full  use  of  his 
right  thinking  for  attaining  the  Self,  can  alone  succeed  in  securing 
austerities,  Oh  Dhanurdhara.  The  (milk  in  the  female)  breast  is  solely 
good  for  the  infant:  or  even  though  there  is  a  diversity  of  beings  yet 
sentience  abides  equally  in  all;  in  that  way  to  behave  courteously 
with  all  giving  beings  is  what  is  called  'uprightness'  (sTFfq-). 

2  "Non-violence,  Veracity,  Absence  of  wrath,  Self-abandon- 
ment, Peacefulness,  Absence  of  slander,  Compassion  towards 
beings,  Non-covetousness,  Gentleness,  Modesty,  Absence  of 
fitfulness;  (114) 

To  conduct  oneself  bodily,  in  speech  and  in  mind,  with  the  sole  object 
of  making  the  world  happy  is  the  form  of  Non-violence  (srf^n"). 
The  bud  of  jasmine  (flower)  although  pointed,  is  by  nature  soft;  or 
the  moonlight  although  lustrous  is  cool;  there  does  not  exist  any 
medicine  that  stops  ailment  merely  by  looking  at  it  or  which  does 
not  even  taste  bitter.  How  can  such  a  medicine  (that  does  not  exist 
at  all)  be  made  use  of  for  comparison  (with  a  non-violent  person)? 
Water  on  account  of  its  softness  causes  no  hurt  to  an  eye-ball  while 
struggling  (coming  into  contact)  with  it;  (yet)  the  same  (water)  pierces 
through  hard  rocks.  In  that  way  the  speech)  that  proves  as  hard  as 
iron  in  cutting  through  doubt  should  sound  sweet  to  the  ears,  so  much 
so  that  the  ears  should  get  mouths  created  on  them  (to  taste  the  sweet- 
ness of  speech):  yet  it  should  pierce  through  (point  the  way)  to  attain 
Supreme  Brahman  on  the  strength  of  its  own  truthfulness.  In  short 
it  (speech)  should  not  mislead  anyone,  even  though  (it  is)  pleasant 
and  sweet,  and  should  not  also  prick  (wound  the  feelings  of  the 
hearers)  even  though  true.  The  hunter's  song  is  sweet  to  the  ears; 
still  it  proves  disastrous  to  the  deer:  or,  although  fire  does  the  work 
of  purification  still  it  completely  burns  the  thing;  fie  upon  such  out- 
rageous, plain  truth  (which  is  devastating  like  fire).  A  speech  although 


494  JNANESHWARI 

it  is  sweet  to  hear,  yet  its  import  cuts  the  heart  to  pieces ;  such  a  speech 
cannot  be  said  to  be  eloquent,  but  must  be  compared  to  a  demoness. 
A  mother  shows  wrath  at  an  undesirable  and  shameful  act  on  the  part 
of  a  child;  yet  she  is  tender  even  more  than  a  flower  in  upbraiding 
the  child.  The  speech  should  be  like  a  mother's  talk  pleasing  to  hear 
and  prove  wholesome  in  its  consequence,  but  should  at  the  same  time 
be  free  from  any  tinge  of  evil  feelings  (such  as  passion,  etc.).  Such 
a  speech  indeed  is  "veracity"  (?IW).  There  could  never  shoot  up 
any  sprouts  from  a  rock,  even  though  it  is  watered  copiously:  or 
there  could  not  be  secured  any  butter  by  churning  gruel  (^rsft). 
The  (worn  out  and  discarded)  skin  of  a  serpent  cannot  raise  its  hood 
even  though  it  is  trampled  under  foot ;  or  the  sky  cannot  yield  flowers 
even  in  the  spring  season:  or  even  the  sight  of  the  beautiful  face  of 
Rambha  (a  nymph  of  Heaven)  cannot  excite  any  passion  in  the  mind 
of  the  sage  Shuka:  or  the  pouring  of  clarified  butter  over  fire  reduced 
to  ashes  cannot  make  the  fire  blaze  forth:  in  that  way  the  words,  the 
mere  utterance  of  which  is  bound  to  create  passion  and  wrath  in 
others,  even  if  spoken  to  him  in  volumes  do  not  create  any  sort  of  wrath 
(in  him)  just  as  a  dead  one  cannot  rise  again  even  if  you  implore  by 
prostrating  before  God  Brahmadev :  such  a  state  of  mind",  said  Lord 
Shrinivas  (Krishna)  "is  what  is  called  'absence  of  wrath'  (ai^w). 
The  abandonment  of  1)  clay  or  2)  thread,  or  3)  seed,  or  4)  a  wall, 
or  5)  sleep,  or  6)  water,  or  7)  monsoon,  or  8)  riches,  automatically 
brings  about  the  abandonment  respectively  of  1)  earthen  pot,  2)  fabric 
3)  tree,  4)  painting,  5)  dream,  6)  ripples,  7)  clouds,  8)  and  enjoyment 
of  (sense)  objects.  In  that  way,  dropping  of  all  conceit  for  the  body, 
sweeping  out  all  worldly  affairs,  by  men  of  intellect,  is  what  is  called 
'self-abandonment'  (c*nr)"  said  the  Lord  of  Sacrifices:  Getting 
inwardly  impressed,  lucky  Arjuna  said,  "Tell  me  more  clearly  the 
signs  of  peacefulness",  at  which  God  said,  "Very  good :  hear  thou 
attentively.  When  the  man  of  knowledge  and  knowledge  itself  both 
secure  the  object  of  knowledge,  and  then  they  themselves  get  extin- 
guished, that  state  is  called  'peacefulness'  (wfir).  The  waters  of 
deluge  at  the  time  of  world  dissolution,  drown  the  entire  universe 
and  pervade  through  and  through  everywhere.  There  then  remains 
no  trace  whatever  of  the  distinctive  terms,  such  as  'source',  'current,' 
or  'sea,'  there  pervading  only  one  uniform  sheet  of  water  everywhere: 
nay,  there  survives  no  one  to  know  of  that  state  (deluge).  In  that 
way  with  the  attainment  of  the  object  of  knowledge,  the  state  of  being 
the  knower  also  ceases  to  exist:  what  then  is  left  behind,  Oh  Kiriti,  is 
the  aspect  of  peacefulness.  (Now  hear  what  constitutes  absence  of 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  495 

slander).  A  good  physician  keenly  desirous  of  curing  a  malady  does 
not  pause,  before  giving  treatment,  to  find  out  if  the  patient  belongs 
to  his  own  (circle),  or  is  a  stranger;  one  seeing  a  cow  stuck  up  in  mud, 
feels  greatly  afflicted  at  (the  sight  of)  her  sufferings,  without  pausing 
to  see  if  she  is  a  milch  or  a  barren  animal ;  or  a  man,  full  of  compassion, 
seeing  someone  getting  drowned  in  water  thinks  (as  his  duty)  only 
of  going  to  his  rescue  and  save  his  life,  without  inquiring  if  he  is  a 
Brahmin  or  a  person  of  the  lowest  caste:  or  a  true  gentleman  would 
never  think  of  looking  at  a  female,  made  stark  naked  by  some  wicked 
person  in  a  dreadful  forest — before  she  is  furnished  with  and  actually 
dressed  up  in  a  garment.  In  that  way,  they  (men  without  slander) 
give  away  all  theirs  to  those  that  are  ignorant  and  full  of  faults  and 
who  through  their  (evil)  destiny  are  entirely  addicted  to  despicable 
acts,  and  communicating  to  them  their  benevolent  disposition  make 
them  forget  the  miseries  that  rankled  in  their  heart.  They  remove 
by  their  favourable  glance  the  weak  points  in  others,  and  then  look 
at  them  as  good  people;  or  they  worship  the  Gods  and  then  meditate 
upon  them;  or  sow  the  field  and  then  go  to  look  after  the  crop;  or 
secure  his  (guest's)  blessing  by  satisfying  him,  by  their  welcome  to 
him,  an  uninvited  guest.  In  that  way  they  make  up  first  the  deficiency 
in  others  by  their  own  merit  and  then  look  at  them  with  favour;  or 
they  never  cause  pain  to  anyone  by  taunting,  wounding  deeply  their 
heart,  never  entangle  anyone  in  evil  action  nor  address  anybody  in 
a  way  that  reminds  him  of  his  weak  points.  The  tendency  of  such 
a  person  is  to  raise  up  one  who  has  fallen  down  and  also  to  support 
him,  but  he  never  thinks  of  stabbing  one  in  the  heart  (vital  parts). 
It  is  never  in  his  nature  to  treat  one  as  insignificant  indirectly,  by 
treating  another  as  important,  Oh  Kirlti.  His  vision  never  engages 
itself  in  searching  out  the  faults  of  others.  All  these  constitute  'absence 
of  slander,'  (  st^PT  )  Oh  Arjuna,  and  know  further  that  this  is  a  princi- 
pal place  of  (taking)  rest,  on  the  road  to  liberation.  Now  about  'com- 
passion towards  beings'  (^rr  ^"|).  It  is  like  the  moon  of  the  Full 
Moon  day,  who  makes  no  distinction  such  as  this  is  an  insignificant 
or  a  great  person  or  thing,  while  dispensing  comforting  coolness. 
Similarly,  he  never  thinks  of  making  any  discrimination  such  as  this 
is  the  best  or  the  worst,  while  relieving  the  miseries  of  the  distressed. 
Even  a  (common)  thing  like  water,  while  spending  itself  out,  keeps 
alive  the  straw  that  was  withering.  In  that  way,  he  feels  so  much 
compassion  for  the  sufferings  of  others,  that  he  considers  (it)  as  a 
very  small  sacrifice,  if  he  gives  all  he  has  in  its  entirety  in  securing 
relief  to  the  sufferers.  A  flow  of  water  coming  across  a  ditch  in  its 


496  JNANESHWARI 

course,  does  not  proceed  a  step  further,  before  filling  up  the  ditch 
first;  in  the  same  way  he  takes  a  step  forward  only  after  making  one 
contented  who  is  coming  in  front  of  him.  A  thorn  piercing  one's 
sole  gives  pain  which  is  (immediately)  impressed  on  his  (mind)  face; 
in  that  way  his  heart  burns  (feels  acute  pangs)  at  seeing  other  people 
suffering.  He  feels  very  happy  himself  at  seeing  others  happy,  just 
as  ihe  eyes  get -the  benefit  of  cooling  sensation  as  the  result  of  cool 
and  soothing  treatment  applied  to  the  sole;  nay  his  very  living  is  entire- 
ly for  (removing)  the  miseries  of  others,  in  the  way,  water  is  created 
in  the  world  for  the  thirsty.  Such  a  person,  Oh  Warrior,  is  com- 
passion incarnate  and  I  feel  indebted  to  him  lifelong.  (Now  hear 
about  'non-covetousness' — 3i<il*iHcq).  Although  the  blowing  fully 
open  on  the  part  of  a  lotus  follows  the  sunrise,  yet,  the  Sun  never 
even  touches  its  fragrance;  or  even  though  the  loveliness  of  the  wood 
is  infinitely  enhanced  at  the  advent  of  Vasant  (Spring  season),  and 
although  it  stands  face  to  face  with  it,  yet  the  Spring  season  passes 
on  without  enjoying  that  loveliness;  or  even  though  Shri  Lakshmi 
(Goddess  of  Wealth)  accompanied  by  all  the  occult  powers  (  M^lRlfe  ) 
approaches  Lord  Vishnu,  still  Lord  Vishnu  takes  no  count  of  her 
(but  retains  his  tranquillity).  In  that  way,  even  though  the  pleasures 
of  this  world  as  also  in  the  Heavens  become  his  willing  servants,  yet 
it  never  pleases  his  mind  to  enjoy  them.  In  short,  when  the  stage  is 
reached  in  the  being  in  which  there  remains  no  greedy  desire  for  the 
enjoyment  of  any  (sense)  objects — that  stage  is  what  is  known  as 
'non-covetousness'.  (Now  hear  about  'gentleness' — ^rr^sr).  (It  is) 
what  the  honeycomb  is  to  the  bees  or  water  to  aquatic  animals,  or 
the  sky  (cavity)  to  the  birds  or  the  mother's  fondling  to  an  infant, 
or  the  gentle  touch  of  Vasant  (Spring  season)  to  the  soft  Malaya 
(southern  mountain)  breeze,  or  the  sight  of  dear  ones  to  the  eyes,  or 
the  (fond)  look  of  a  (female)  tortoise  to  her  young  ones — in  that 
way  gentleness  is  universal  softness  (kindness)  towards  the  entire 
class  of  beings;  Camphor,  so  soft  for  touch,  savoury  to  the  mouth 
(tongue),  fragrant  to  nostrils,  clean  and  clear  in  appearance — that 
camphor,  had  it  been  harmless  even  if  taken  in  any  desired  quantity, 
it  would  have  served  the  purpose  of  a  simile  (for  the  gentleness).  It 
would  carry  all  the  gross  elements  in  its  stomach  (compass),  or  be 
contained  even  in  a  small  atom,  or  can  be  spread  out  into  a  world- 
form  (like  the  sky) — what  more  should  I  say!  That  which  in  this  way 
conducts  itself  heart  and  soul  with  the  entire  world — that,  I  name 
as  'gentleness'  (TT^r).  (Now  I  define  modesty— ff-WM).  A  king 
when  defeated  feels  depressed  and  mortified;  or  one  with  a  deep 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  497 

sense  of  self-respect  (*TFft)  is  dispirited  (PktW)  when  reduced  to 
the  lowest  position;  or  a  worthy  ascetic  (Sanyasi)  feels  ashamed  in 
mind  at  finding  himself,  by  mistake,  at  the  house  of  a  low  caste  person ; 
or,  just  as  it  is  intolerable  to  see  the  shameful  episode  of  a  member 
of  warrior  class  fleeing  from  battle-field;  or  a  great  Sati  (a  virtuous 
woman  with  the  husband  living)  exposed  to  a  call  of  widowhood : 
or  a  handsome  person  feels  it  a  deathblow  to  contract  the  taint  of 
white  leprosy;  and  a  respectable  person  has  the  same  feeling  when 
(he  is)  accused  of  a  heinous  act.  In  that  way,  he  (one  of  modesty) 
feels  it  a  great  shame  to  live  as  a  corpse  in  a  three  and  a  half  cubit 
(high)  body  and  to  take  birth  and  die  again  and  again  and  to  be  a 
statue  cast  of  blood  and  urine  in  a  fatty  mould  in  the  form  of  a  womb. 
In  short,  there  is  nothing  more  disgraceful  than  to  get  into  such  a 
body  and  assume  name  and  form.  The  nausea  felt  for  such  a  ghastly 
body  is  'modesty'  (*TT3T),  and  it  is  felt  by  clean  (hearted)  persons 
while  the  shameless  consider  it  (body)  as  an  abode  of  pleasure.  (Now 
hear  about  'absence  of  fitfulness')!  The  movements  of  a  dancing 
doll  are  stopped  with  the  snapping  of  the  thread  connecting  it  (with 
the  thread-puller);  in  that  way  with  the  control  of  the  life-wind 
(!T|u|n4a|),  come  to  a  stand  still  the  functions  of  the  organs  of  action; 
or  with  the  setting  of  the  Sun  ends  the  spreading  out  of  his  rays:  such 
is  the  state  of  (sense-organs)  with  the  restraint  of  the  mind.  In  short, 
with  the  conquest  of  the  mind  and  the  lifewind  all  the  ten  senses  are  thus 
reduced  to  complete  inactivity  and  this  state  is  'absence  of  fitfulness' 
(  3Hm<»ij  ). 

^*T:  SHTT  ffflT:  sfNci^ft  Hlfd*4lPidl  I 
H*i{^  WT*  k4\H{k*\M1M  ^Kd  II  3  H 

3  "High  spirit,  forbearance,  Sustaining  power,  Purity,  Absence 
of  malice,  and  Freedom  from  excessive  Self-conceit:  these 
belong  to  one  who  is,  O  Scion  of  Bnarata,  bom  to  the  Divine 
Estate.  .  (186) 

One  with  a  firm  mind  proceeding  along  the  path  of  knowledge  with 
a  view  to  attaining  the  Supreme,  never  feels  the  want  of  strength. 
Death  is  in  itself  a  great  evil  and  the  more  so  if  it  is  to  be  accomplished 
through  the  agency  of  fire  (auto-da-fe),  yet  a  Sati  (a  loyal  and  virtuous 
wife)  takes  no  count  of  it  (since  it  is  a  sacrifice)  for  the  sake  of  her 
husband.  In  that  way  the  being,  out  of  anxious  desire  for  attaining 
the  (supreme)  self,  first  destroys  the  poison  in  the  form  of  sense- 


498  JNANESHWARI 

objects  and  then  runs  along  the  difficult  path  in  the  form  of  concentrat- 
ed meditation  leading  to  the  great  void  Brahman  ( ^r ).  He  is  neither 
deterred  by  protests  nor  does  he  Waver  on  account  of  any  precepts, 
nor  yet  does  there  arise  in  him  any  longing  for  occult  powers  (Tfrftrfe). 
In  that  way,  of  its  own  accord,  his  mind  runs  towards  the  Supreme 
and  this  is  what  is  called  'spiritual  fervour'  (  ^r ).  Now  Jiot  to  feel 
any  conceit  being  the  highest  (quality)  amongst  those  bearing  this 
disposition,  is  called  'forbearance'  (SHTT ).  There  are  thousands  of 
hairs  on  the  body;  yet  the  body  does  not  even  know  that  it  is  carrying 
their  weight:  wild  passions  (generated  by  the  senses)  get  out  of  con- 
trol, or  the  old  dormant  diseases  in  the  body  raise  their  heads,  or 
one  is  confronted  with  the  separation  of  dear  and  near  ones,  or  the 
association  with  undesirable  ones — if  the  mighty  and  simultane- 
ous flood  of  such  calamities  overtakes  one,  he  stands  out  firm  and 
fast  unperturbed  like  the  sage  Agastya.  There  should  rise  up  a  big 
column  of  smoke  in  the  sky  and  it  should  be  easily  gulped  by  a  single 
breeze  of  wind;  similarly,  should  there  simultaneously  arise,  Oh 
son  of  Pandu,  the  three  classes  of  affliction  viz.  corporal,  physical 
and  supernatural  these  should  be  swallowed  and  digested.  To  take 
courage  and  stand  steadfast  on  such  occasions  of  mental  perturba- 
tion is  called  'sustaining  power'  (ffa"),  hear  this,  Oh  ye  (Arjuna). 
(Now  about  'Purity'-  ?fM" ).  (It  is  like)  a  burnished  gold  pot  filled 
with  nectar  in  the  form  of  the  water  of  the  Ganges.  Taking  to  motive- 
free  activism  and  conducting  oneself  with  discrimination-is  the  inner 
and  outer  form  of  purity.  The  holy  water  of  the  Ganges  while  flowing 
to  join  the  sea,  cools  down  the  heat  (pain)  arising  out  of  the  sins  of 
beings,  and  also  provides  moisture  to  the  trees  on  the  banks:  or  the 
sun  while  on  his  rounds  around  the  earth  removes  the  blindness  (dark- 
ness) in  the  world,  and  also  opens  out  the  temples  of  riches.  In  that 
way,  (he)  liberates  the  fettered  ones,  takes  out  the  drowning  ones 
and  relieves  the  sufferings  of  the  distressed.  Nay,  he  secures  his  own 
end,  while  advancing  day  and  night,  the  happiness  and  prosperity 
of  others.  He  never  even  conceives  the  idea  of  doing  any  harm  to 
other  beings  to  secure  his  own  ends.  These  are  the  signs  of  'absence 
of  hatred'  ($sfigc<0,  which  you  have  heard  so  far,  Oh  Kiriti,  and 
you  will  be  able  to  view  them  in  the  same  light  as  I  have  preached 
you.  The  holy  Ganges  felt  abashed  (*Nt%)  when  Lord  Shankar 
bore  her  (it)  on  his  head,  Oh  Arjuna;  feeling  abashed  in  that  way 
when  honoured,  know  ye,  Oh  Good  Talent,  again  and  again,  is  that 
freedom  from  self-conceit  (3Wlfa<tf)  of  which  I  spoke  to  you  earlier 
and  I  shall  not  repeat  the  same.  These  twenty-six  qualities  thus  con- 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVTBHAGA  499 

stitute  the  'Divine  Estate',  which  forms,  as  it  were,  the  hereditary 
gift  (sra^R  -villages  or  lands  assigned  to  Brahmins  for  their  main- 
tenance) given  by  the  Lord  Paramount  in  the  form  of  emancipation: 
or  the  Divine  Estate  should  be  looked  upon  as  the  Ganges  ever  full 
with  holy  waters  in  the  form  of  the  (twenty-six)  qualities,  luckily 
sweeping  over  the  bodies  of  the  sons  of  King  Sagara  in  the  form  of 
asceticism;  or  as  if  the  maiden  (bride)  in  the  form  of  liberation,  with 
a  floral  wreath  in  her  hands,  is  on  the  look-out  for  a  tranquil  ascetic 
around  whose  neck  she  wishes  to  place  it:  or  as  if  the  wife  in  the  form 
of  Glta,  with  a  lamp  ( PkUm)  having  (twenty-six)  flames  in  the  form  of 
(twenty-six)  Gunas,  has  come  to  wave  it  (lamp)  around  the  face  of  her 
Lord  the  (Supreme)  Soul;  or  as  if  these  qualities  are  pure  unspotted 
pearls  (dropped  down)  from  the  mother-of-pearl  in  the  form  of  the 
Divine  Estate  and  churned  out  of  the  ocean  in  the  form  of  Gita.  To 
what  length  should  I  describe  it  further?  I  have  preached  the  Divine 
Estate,  a  heap  of  (twenty-six)  qualities,  so  lucidly  that  it  would  be 
easily  realised.  Now  the  'Demoniacal  Estate',  even  though  a  creeper 
plant  full  of  miseries  and  thorns  in  the  form  of  demerits,  has  got  to  be 
discoursed  on  in  the  course  of  a  sermon.  A  thing,  even  though  of  no  use 
and  only  fit  to  be  abandoned,  must  be  known,  in  order  that  it  might  be 
abandoned.  Even  though  full  of  evil  it  is  proper  to  hear  about  it  atten- 
tively, this  'Demoniacal  Estate'  is  a  veritable  collection  of  dreadful 
demerits  (since)  lumped  together  to  constitute  the  great  misery  of  life  in 
hell:  or  all  the  poisons  blended  together  from  what  is  known  as  the 
deadly  poison  ( 31^);  in  that  way  the  big  assemblage  of  all  sins 
brought  together  is  (named)  the  "Demonical  Estate". 

.  4  "Hypocrisy,  Arrogance,  excessive  Self-conceit,  Wrath,  Harsh- 
ness, and  (above  all)  Nescience,  belong,  O  Son  of  Pandu, 
to  one  born  to  the  Demoniac  Estate.  (217) 

Of  the  demerits  of  the  Demoniacal  Estate  the  one  that  is  most  notorious 
for  its  power  is  'hypocrisy'  (^r ),  which  I  describe  first.  One's  mother 
although  as  sacred  as  holy  waters,  becomes  the  cause  of  taking  one 
to  hell  if  displayed  in  public  in  a  naked  condition;  the  preceptor's 
(esoteric)  teaching  even  though  leading  to  good  results,  produces 
evil  consequences  if  proclaimed  publicly.  Just  as  a  boat  rescues  a 
drowning  person  caught  in  a  great  flood  and  quickly  carries  him 


500  JNANESHWARI 

safe  to  the  (other)  bank;  but  the  same  boat,  if  (it  is)  fastened  to  his 
head,  drowns  him.  Or  it  is  like  food,  which  although  known  as  the 
means  of  subsistence  (of  life)  becomes  poison,  if  taken  in  excess  because 
it  is  good  and  palatable.  Therefore,  religion  (religious  acts)  which 
is  a  friend,  in  this  as  also  in  the  next  world,  if  made  the  subject  of  tom- 
toming  by  a  person  (blowing  his  own  trumpet),  becomes  the  cause 
of  blame  (sin)  even  though  religion  by  itself  is  protective.  If  the 
religious  acts  performed  by  one,  are  given  wide  publicity  by  means 
of  copious  and  eloquent  words,  they  become  impious,  Oh  Warrior, 
and  that  is  what  is  called  hypocrisy  ( ^T ).  (Now  hear  about  arrogance- 
s' ).  A  fool  whose  tongue  has  hardly  learnt  the  very  ABC  (of  general 
education)  treats  with  contempt  the  conference  of  persons  knowing 
the  Brahmic  Lore.  The  horse  of  an  expert  horseman  scoffs  at  the  very 
"Airavata"  (Indra's  elephant);  or  the  chameleon  over  the  thorny 
hedge  considers  the  very  Heaven  as  too  low  (in  height).  The  fire 
(flames)  of  burning  grass  reach  even  the  sky  or  a  fish  in  a  small  pond 
does  not  count  much  even  the  sea.  One  (of  arrogance)  is  intoxicated 
with  the  possession  of  women,  riches,  education,  praise  and  great 
honour,  in  the  way  a  mendicant  thinks  himself  very  great  being  posses- 
sed of  (surplus)  food  given  by  others,  that  would  suffice  for  one  day. 
(It  is  as  if)  an  unfortunate  one  should  dismantle  his  own  house  because 
of  the  cool  shade  of  clouds,  or  a  fool  should  destroy  a  cistern  of  water 
after  looking  at  and  depending  upon  the  water  of  a  mirage.  In  short 
to  be  stiff  and  overweening  at  the  acquisition  of  riches,  is  arrogance 
^  ,  and  make  no  exception  to  this.  (Now  hear  about  excessive  Self- 
conceit-arf^PTPT).  The  world  has  got  full  faith  in  the  Vedas  and  in 
this  faith  God  is  held  in  high  reverence:  and  that  God  is  the  Sun  who 
gives  light  to  the  universe.  The  world  aspires  for  the  sovereignty 
over  the  entire  universe:  the  world  (also)  likes  that  it  should  not  meet 
death,  what  wonder  is  there  then  if  the  world  (with  these  motives) 
begins  to  sing  zealously  the  praises  of  God  and  worships  Him.  But 
even  the  hearing  of  such  praise  creates  jealousy  in  one  of  the  demonia- 
cal tendencies  and  that  feeling  of  jealousy  goes  on  increasing.  He 
says  he  would  swallow  and  digest  God,  and  poison  the  Vedas;  he 
tries  to  annihilate  His  protection  (which  people  secure)  through 
laudation.  He  does  not  tolerate  (to  hear)  even  the  name  of  God, 
through  illusion  or  conceit  in  the  way  the  moth  dislikes  the  lamp- 
flame  or  a  glow-worm  hates  the  Sun,  or  the  lapwing  bears  enmity 
towards  the  Sea.  He  considers  even  his  own  father  a  rival  (co-wife 
*TW)  (because  he  would  be  a  sharer  in  the  estate).  One  stiff  with  self- 
sufficiency,  self-conceited  and  overbearing  should  be  known  as  the 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVTOHAGA  501 

trodden  (royal)  road  leading  to  Hell.  (Now  hear  about  wrath-  ^N"). 
The  mind  of  a  Demoniac  person  is  saturated  with  the  fiery  poison  of 
anger  simply  because  he  happens*  to  see  others  enjoying  happiness. 
Adding  a  drop  of  water  to  boiling  oil,  makes  the  oil  burst  into  flames; 
or  the  jackal  suffers  from  heart-burning  at  seeing  the  Moon;  or  the 
sinful  owl  loses  its  vision  at  the  rise  of  the  Sun;  or  the  morning  time 
which  is  so  very  cool  and  refreshing  to  the  ordinary  world,  is  more 
painful  than  death  to  a  thief;  or  the  milk  is  turned  into  subtle  poison 
in  the  stomach  of  a  serpent;  or  the  submarine  fire  gets  more  wild  with 
the  drink  of  sea  water  and  does  not  cool  down.  In  that  way,  when 
one's  wrath  (inward  burning)  is  greatly  increased  at  seeing  the  learn- 
ing, good  humour  and  prosperity  (happiness)  of  others  that  emotion 
is  called  'Wrath'  C*to).  (Now  hear  about  harshness-TTPT)  One 
whose  mind  is  just  like  the  hidden  hole  of  serpents,  whose  vision  is 
fiery  as  sharp-pointed  arrows,  whose  speech  is  like  a  shower  of  live 
coal,  while  all  other  actions  of  his  are  like  a  rugged  saw  possessing 
sharp  teeth — one  with  such  fierce  temperament  is  the  most  heinous 
of  all  the  human  beings,  and  is  also  harshness  incarnate.  (Now  hear 
the  signs  of  Nescience-  3MFT).  A,  rock  knows  no  sense  of  touch  such 
as  cold  or  heat,  or  a  person  born  blind  knows  no  distinction  such 
as  day  or  night.  The  fire  while  it  rages  wild,  makes  no  distinction 
between  things  consumable  or  otherwise,  or  the  Paris  (an  imaginary 
thing,  the  touch  of  which  converts  iron  into  gold)  knows  no  distinction 
between  iron  and  gold:  or  a  ladle  although  immersed  into  dishes 
of  diverse  tastes,  itself  knows  not  their  taste:  or  the  wind  cannot  dis- 
tinguish between  a  fine  road  or  a  crooked  one.  In  that  way  utter 
ignorance  (blindness)  in  regard  to  choice  of  actions,  from  among 
the  mass  of  right  and  wrong  ones,  or  the  putting  into  its  mouth,  on 
the  part  of  a  child,  anything  that  it  sees,  (lays  its  hands  on),  without 
knowing  if  such  a  thing  is  clean  or  unclean,  or  the  state  of  the  mind 
in  which  it  cannot,  while  consuming,  taste  the  sweetness  or  the  bitter- 
ness of  the  mixture  made  up  of  merits  and  sins-that  state  is  called 
'Nescience'  and  there  is  no  doubt  about  it.  Thus  I  have  explained 
to  you  the  signs  of  all  the  six  demerits.  Even  though  only  six  in  number, 
these  add  great  strength  to  the  'Demoniacal  Estate',  in  the  way  the 
cobra  although  he  has  a  small  body,  has  very  subtle  poison  in  it,  or 
in  the  way  the  three  kinds  of  fire.  1)  the  one  at  the  time  of  world  dis- 
solution, 2)  the  lightning  and  3)  the  (fabulous)  submarine  fire, 
although  constituting  a  small  row  (of  figures)  find  that  even  the  whole 
universe  is  not  sufficient  to  form  the  tiny  morsel  (taken  at  the  com- 
mencement of  a  meal  as  a  ritual  offering  to  Prana-one  of  the  five 


502  JNANESHWARI 

deities)  i.e.  the  universe  barely  satisfies  an  infintesimal  requirement 
of  their-(fires')-hunger  when  they  get  into  full  play.  When  the  three 
(deranged)  humours  in  the  body  (Fhlegm-windbile)  combine  in  one, 
he  cannot  escape  death,  even  were  he  to  surrender  himself  completely" 
to  God  Brahmadev  and  seek  protection.  These  six  (constituting  the 
Demoniacal  Estate)  are  twice  in  number  of  that  triad.  The  Demonia- 
cal Estate  is  founded  on  these  six  demerits  and  consequently,  it  never 
in  any  way  gets  weak.  The  evil-fierce-planets  (at  times)  should 
cluster  together  in  some  single  sign  of  the  Zodiac  ( TT# ),  or  all  the 
sins  should  come  to  the  slanderer,  or  all  sorts  of  diseases  should 
occupy  the  body  of  a  dying  person,  or  all  the  inauspicious  astro- 
logical combinations  ( WW )  should  concentrate  at  some  ill-omened 
time,  or  one  reposing  full  trust  should  be  delivered  up  to  the  thieves, 
or  an  exhausted  person  should  be  pushed  into  high  flood  —  in  all  these 
ways,  these  six  demerits  put  a  person  into  evil  situations.  All  these 
six  amass  themselves  in  a  human  being  in  the  way  a  seven-stinged 
scorpion  should  sting  a  dying  sheep.  These  six  combine  together 
and  add  to  the  strength  of  such  as  sink  into  worldly  affairs,  and  say 
that  they  would  not  take  to  the  path  of  liberation  (even  though  in- 
clined a  bit  in  that  direction);  and  such  persons  are  ultimately  forced 
to  occupy  a  position  on  a  plane  lower  than  that  of  immovables  (such 
as  stones  and  trees),  descending  (meanwhile)  gradually  step  by  step 
and  taking  births  in  heinous  orders  one  after  another.  Thus  we 
have  made  clear  to  you  distinctly  the  different  signs  of  the  two 
Estates. 

HT  5pT:  #re  t^tafawRfts%  1IW  II  K  II 

5  "The  Divine  Estate  works  for  Salvation:  the  Demoniac  is 
considered  as  leading  to  bondage.  Grieve  not.  Thou  art  heir 
to  the  Divine  Estate,  0  Son  of  Pandu.  (265) 

Know  that,  of  the  two,  the  first,  the  Divine  Estate  described  to  you, 
—is  the  very  night  that  has  seen  the  dawn  of  the  rising  Sun  in  the  form 
of  salvation.  Similarly,  the  other  Estate,  named  Demoniacal  is  really 
(like)  iron  chains  in  the  form  of  infatuation  that  fetters  the  soul.  Hear- 
ing this  you  will  (perhaps)  at  once  be  shocked  in  mind:  but  does  the 
day  ever  feel  afraid  of  the  night?  This  Demonical  Estate  fetters  only 
those,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  that  allow  the  six  demerits  to  seek  a  shelter 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  503 

in  them,  and  protect  them:  and,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  you  who  are  an 
excellent  treasure  of  sterling  virtues  are  yourself  born  (idol)  in  the 
Divine  Estate,  just  mentioned:  and  therefore,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
you  should  be  the  master  of  the  Divine  Estate  and  come  to  enjoy 
happiness  in  the  house  of  the  Supreme  ultimately. 

6  "There  are  two  (types  of)  created  beings  in  this  world:  the 
Divine  as  also  the  Demoniac.  The  Divine  has  been  already 
stated  in  detail:  now  hear  of  Me  the  Demoniac,  O  Son  of 
Prtha.  (271) 

The  flow  of  actions  on  the  part  of  beings,  pertaining  to  the  two  classes, 
the  Divine  and  the  Demoniacal  Estates,  is  wending  its  course  from 
time  immemorial.  The  night-wanderers  (viz.  the  ghostly  orders, 
etc.)  do  their  business  during  the  night,  while  the  human  orders  trans- 
act their  business  during  the  day:  in  that  way,  Oh  Kiriti,  the  Divine 
and  Demoniacal  orders  both  transact  their  business  in  their  own 
respective  ways.  The  Divine  (Estate)  has  been  referred  to  earlier 
in  detail  while  discoursing  on  knowledge  etc.  Now  I  discourse  on 
the  Demoniacal  world  to  which  do  lend  your  attentive  ear.  There 
can  neither  be  (musical)  sound  without  a  musical  instrument,  nor 
any  fragrance  without  flowers:  in  that  way  the  Demoniacal  nature 
does  not  become  perceptible  by  itself  alone,  unless  it  has  pervaded 
any  body-form.  But  when  the  Demoniac,  once  gets  hold  of  the  body 
of  any  being,  it  is  seen  ruling  over  it  in  the  way  the  fire  pervades  the 
entire  dry  wood  (it  has  consumed).  It  then  goes  on  expanding  as 
the  body  grows,  in  the  way  the  juice  of  sugar-cane  increases  as  the 
cane  grows  in  its  size.  I  tell  you  now,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  signs  of 
beings  that  are  possessed  by  the  Demoniacal  group  of  sins. 

7  "(Right)  activism  and  (right)  abstention,  the  men  of  Demoniac 
disposition  do  not  know;  neither  is  purity,  nor  (right)  conduct, 
nor  veracity  found  amongst  them.  (281) 

The  mind  of  such  a  one  is  entirely  in  the  deep  dark  (night)  in  regard 


504  JNANESHWARI 

to  the  realization  of  the  desirability  of  taking  to  good  actions  and 
abstention  from  committing  sinful  acts.  An  insect  shut  up  in  a  cocoon 
has  hardly  any  keen  feeling  for  gettjng  out  of  it  or  for  reentering  into 
it:  or  a  fool,  without  considering  whether  money  advanced  will  ever 
be  returned,  delivers  his  capital  over  to  a  thief:  in  that  way  the  De- 
moniacal people  do  not  even  know  either  of  right  activism  or  absten- 
tion, nor  do  they  see  even  in  a  dream  what  purity  is  like.  Coal  might 
(at  times)  abandon  its  dark  colour;  or  the  crow  might  even  secure 
white  colour  (for  its  complexion);  or  a  monster  might  even  feel  sick 
of  meat,  but  the  Demoniac,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  would  never  have  any 
purity,  just  as  a  liquor  pot  can  never  have  any  holiness  about  it.  They 
never  know  what  it  is  to  feel  any  liking  for  the  (dictates  of  the)  Scrip- 
tures, follow  the  wishes  of  the  elders  and  be  of  good  conduct.  In 
the  way  the  sheep  go  on  grazing  unrestrained,  or  the  wind  blows 
(according  to  its  sweet  will),  or  the  fire  goes  on  burning  (unchecked) 
the  Demoniacs  behave  unrestrained  and  develop  hostility  towards 
the  truth.  If  a  scorpion  could  ever  tickle  with  its  sting,  then  only 
these  Demons  would  speak  the  truth:  or  if  the  wind  released  through 
the  Apana  outlet  (SPTRTRT— anus),  be  ever  fragrant,  then  only  there 
could  be  found  any  veracity  in  demoniacal  persons.  Even  otherwise 
without  any  of  these  things)  they  are  naturally  bad  (tempered).  Now 
I  tell  you  about  the  novel  way  of  their  talk.  Could  there  be  found  a 
single  limb  in  a  camel,  that  could  ever  be  called  decent  looking?  So 
are  the  demoniacal  persons  (warped  and  twisted).  I  shall  tell  you 
something  about  it  as  the  occasion  demands.  Their  words  are  like 
the  columns  of  dark  and  dense  smoke  that  shoot  up  from  the  mouth 
of  a  chimney.  Now  I  shall  tell  you  about  them. 

8  "Void  of  Truth,  without  any  (moral)  foundation,  they  declare 
the  world  to  be, — and  without  any  Divine  controller:  it 
originates,  (they  say),  without  any  causal  relationship  betwixt 
one  thing  and  another:  with  (random)  lust — what  else? — as 
.75  creative  force.  (295) 

The  world  exists  from  times  immemorial,  while  God  is  its  ruling 
king,  and  there  the  Vedas  (Supreme  Court)  give  decision  as  to  what 
is  just  or  what  is  unjust.  Those  that  are  adjudged  guilty  by  the  Vedas, 
have  to  suffer  the  penalty  of  hell-life,  while  those  adjudged  as  just, 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  505 

get  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  to  live  happily  in.  Such  Universal  Govern- 
ment, which  exists  throughout  eternity,  Oh  Partha,— they  (Demoniacs) 
call  simply  "false  and  vain".  (They  further  say)  the  foolish  sacrifices 
are  deceived  by  the  sacrifices:  those  mad  after  God  are  cheated  (are 
led  into  error)  in  the  act  of  idol-worship,  while  the  Yogins  clad  in 
orange-coloured  garments,  get  into  difficulties  through  the  delusion 
of  ecstacy  (concentrated  meditation).  (They  add)  whatever  could 
be  secured  through  one's  own  strength,  should  all  be  enjoyed  boldly, 
there  being  no  greater  good  in  the  world  than  this  (lit.  wherein  does 
merit  of  good  lie,  if  not  in  this?)  It  is  a  sin  and  misfortune  to  be  simply 
chafing  for  want  of  enjoyment  of  (sense)  objects,  because  one  cannot 
bring  them  all  together  on  account  of  one's  physical  debility.  Even 
though  it  be  a  sin  (as  people  think)  to  kill  the  rich,  yet  it  is  surely  the 
fruit  of  their  merit,  that  thereby  they  secure  all  they — the  rich — 
possessed.  If  it  be  a  harmful  thing  that  the  strong  should  devour 
the  weak,  how  is  it  then  (they  ask)  that  fish  species  is  not  totally  an- 
nihilated, since  the  strong  fish  devour  the  weak  ones !  Young  couples 
are  wedded  into  marriages  on  auspicious  occasions  after  enquiries 
are  made  into  the  (respectability  of)  the  families  on  both  sides,  with 
the  object  of  begetting  progeny.  There  are  (on  the  other  hand)  other 
orders,  such  as  beasts,  birds,  and  other  classes  of  beings,  amongst 
whom  there  take  place  innumerable  births:  who  gets  them  married 
(amongst  themselves)  according  to  the  Scriptures?  Do  the  riches 
acquired  by  theft  ever  prove  poisonous  to  anyone?  Do  such,  as  out 
of  love  commit  adultery,  ever  get  affected  by  white  leprosy?  (It  is 
said)  that  there  is  God  who  rules  over  all,  and  makes  the  beings  ex- 
perience the  fruit  of  all  their  actions — religious  or  irreligious, — that 
the  doer  of  the  act  has  to  taste  the  fruit  of  whatever  action,  committed 
in  this  world  and  in  the  other  world;  but  really  speaking  one  can  see 
neither  the  next  world  nor  God!  Therefore  the  theory  has  no  basis 
in  reality.  When  the  very  existence  of  the  doer  comes  to  an  end  (by 
death)  what  is  the  locus  wherein  the  action-fruit  can  manifest  itself? 
As  one  sees,  the  worm  remains  pleased  in  the  excreta  as  much  as 
Indra  does  in  the  Heavens,  in  the  company  of  Urvashi!  Therefore, 
hell  or  heaven  is  not  a  reward  either  of  sin  or  merit,  since  the  carnal 
passion  is  equally  satisfied  in  the  case  of  these  (Hell  and  Heaven). 
The  entire  world  is  born  and  sustained  through  men  and  women 
— males  and  females — contacting  each  other  under  the  urge  of  passion. 
Whatever  becomes  mighty  (stout)  on  account  of  mutual  greed  as  a 
result  of  passion  through  selfish  motives,  is  ultimately  destroyed  at 
the  hands  of  the  same  passion  through  mutual  hatred.  In  short, 


506  JNANESHWARI 

passions  are  the  root  cause  of  the  entire  world  creation,  so  say  those 
of  Demoniacal  disposition.  Enough  of  this  odious  subject.  Further 
dilation  on  it  means  only  trouble  to  the  tongue. 

5PM«ci|tM»*iTui:  stout  «rnwtsf|ciT:  u  5.  11 

9  "To  such  a  view  firmly  clinging,  these  lost  souls  of  deficient 
intellect,  fierce  in  their  deeds,  and  enemies  (of  mankind), 
prevail  for  the  destruction  of  the  world.  (314) 

They  feel  disgust  for  God  and  indulge  only  in  vain  talk.  There  seems 
nothing  like  fixity  of  purpose  in  them.  Nay — they  openly  espouse 
and  accept  in  practice  the  theory  of  nihilism  and  plant  firmly  the 
doctrine  (the  bone)  of  atheism  in  their  heart.  Shoots  (faint  glimmering) 
of  regard  for  the  Heavens,  or  dread  for  the  Hell  (in  them,  if  any)  have 
completely  withered.  They  thus  naturally  remain  fettered  in  the  stocks 
{Wtzr)  in  the  form  of  the  body  form,  like  a  bubble  of  dirty  water  and 
sink  in  the  mire  of  sense  objects.  The  fishermen  gather  around  a 
deep  water-spot  at  the  approach  of  death  to  the  aquatic  animals, 
consequent  on  the  drying  up  of  water  (on  that  spot) :  or  all  the  diseases 
raise  their  heads  up  in  the  human  body  at  its  approaching  fall,  or 
the  comet  arises  (over  the  horizon),  portending  evil  to  the  world: 
in  that  way  they  (Demoniacs)  come  to  birth  for  causing  destruction 
to  creatures  in  the  world.  Such  persons  are  as  it  were  the  shoots  that 
sprout  from  the  seed  in  the  form  of  inauspiciousness — in  fact  they 
are  monumental  pillars  in  motion  and  erected  in  honour  of  sins. 
The  fire  knows  nothing  else  but  burning  (things)  all  around;  in  that 
way  they  are  pastmasters  in  the  art  of  committing  misdeeds.  But 
with  what  thoughtless  and  confused  enthusiasm  they  felicitate  them- 
selves on  performing  such  acts — "hear,  Oh  Partha",  said  Shrinivas 
(Lord  Krishna). 

10  "Given  to  insatiable  lust,  and  full  of  ostentatation,  pride,  and 
arrogance;  adopting,  through  infatuation,  perverse  views: 
they  of  impure  ways  of  life  engage  themselves  in  activities. 

(323) 

A  net  cannot  be  filled  with  water,  nor  can  fire-wood  be  ever  sufficient 


XVI.   DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  507 

(in  quantity)  to  satisfy  (insatiable)  fire.  Similarly  lust  (of  Demoniacal 
Estate)  deserves  to  rank  first,  as  a  hungry  one,  amongst  objects  with 
bellies  (interior)  difficult  to  fill  up*  These  demoniacs  always  harbour 
lust  in  their  heart,  and  gather  round  them  a  group  of  hypocrites  and 
egotists.  An  elephant  already  in  rut  gets  more  wild  if  given  an  alcoholic 
drink;  in  that  way  they  get  more  stiff  with  pride  even  as  they  get  old. 
Already  perverse,  if  folly  is  added  (to  perversity)  there  remains  hardly 
any  limit  to  obstinacy  (in  those  of  Demonical  Estate).  They  are  from 
their  very  birth  adept  in  acts  that  cause  troubles  to  others  and  crush 
their  lives.  They  proclaim  (from  house-tops)  their  exploits,  and  look 
down  with  contempt  upon  the  world  (people).  They  further  spread 
out  the  net  of  their  desires  in  all  the  ten  directions.  In  short,  they  go 
on  increasing  their  sins  in  these  ways,  just  as  the  hoe  in  the  form  of 
the  mouth  of  a  stray  cow,  goes  on  scraping  up  anything  that  comes 
in  its  way. 

WH\*\Hi*W<H\  I{dl«lftfc1  fafeldl:  II  ??  II 

11  "Engrossed  in  countless  anxieties,  which  can  only  terminate 
with  (the  world's)  dissolution;  making  gratification  of  desires 
their  highest  (aim),  in  the  firm  conviction  that  that  is  the 
only  thing.  (330) 

They  conduct  all  their  affairs,  keeping  this  aim  in  view,  and  also  feel 
anxious  for  after-life  conditions  (of  affairs  with  which  they  are  con- 
cerned in  their  life-time).  They  go  on  ever  increasing  their  limitless 
anxiety — anxiety  deeper  than  the  region  under  the  earth  (TRTTcS) 
and  higher  than  the.  sky,  and  of  a  magnitude  before  which  even  the 
three  worlds  would,  in  comparison,  appear  smaller  than  an  atom 
— unique  anxiety  (of  the  kind)  felt  by  the  Yogins  for  scaling  the  (razor 
blade)  ladder  (path)  of  yoga;  (Note— In  Moghe  edition  the  Patha 
(TlS)  is  'Yogapatha,'  while  in  Bhide  edition  the  Patha  is  'Bhoga- 
patha') — anxiety  (of  the  kind)  and  which  does  not  permit  (a  faithful 
wife)  to  part  with  her  husband's  body  (even  if  it  becomes  lifeless). 
They  remain  engrossed  in  anxieties  for  the  enjoyment  of  sense-objects. 
(They  are  fond  of)  hearing  women  sing,  beholding  intently  their 
personal  beauty,  and  holding  them  in  close  embrace  (*t«T(s«—  in  a 
way  to  bring  all  their  limbs  in  close  bodily  contact).  They  wave  the 
very  nectar  around  them  (women)  and  remain  firmly  convinced  in 
their  mind  that  no  other  happiness  is  greater  or  more  real  than  that 


508  "  JNANESHWARI 

(obtained  out)  of  women,  and  then  run  for  (securing)  that  enjoyment, 
even  beyond  the  ten  directions — to  the  region  under  the  earth  and 
heaven. 

12  "Entangled  in  hundreds  of  snares  of  expectations,  making 
lust  and  wrath  as  the  ultimate  springs  of  actions;  they,  for 
the  gratification  of  their  desires,  strive  for  the  unjust  amassing 
of  wealth.  (337) 

They  meet  the  same  fate  by  sticking  fast  to  lust,  like  the  fish  that 
(thoughtlessly)  swallows  the  bait  with  the  iron  hook  (hidden  inside). 
Even  if  they  do  not  succeed  in  securing  the  wished-for  gratification, 
they  become  (like)  cocoon  insects  (which  go  on  spinning  a  web  around 
them)  and  indulge  in  ever  increasing  dry  (futile)  hopes.  Their  ever- 
increasing  desires,  not  being  gratified,  they  (desires)  are  converted 
into  hatred,  and  then  there  remains  no  other  worthy  goal  in  life  for 
them  except  lust  and  wrath.  A  guard  at  the  station  has  to  walk  to 
and  fro  during  the  day  time,  and  keep  awake  during  the  night — thus 
getting  no  rest,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  throughout  the  day  and  the  night. 
In  that  way,  with  the  lust  not  getting  satiated,  they  are  thrown  down 
from  a  great  height  (of  high  expectations),  and  dash  against  a  hillock 
(on  a  lower  height)  in  the  form  of  wrath,  and  inspite  of  this  their  love 
for  wrath  and  hatred  knows  no  bounds.  The  greed  of  mind  makes 
them  speculate  upon  the  gratification  of  their  passions:  but  how  to 
gratify  their  desires  without  wealth  (is  the  problem  facing  them). 
Therefore  they  scramble  helter-skelter  in  the  world  for  the  acquisition 
of  wealth,  sufficient  for  the  gratification  of  their  passions.  They  seek 
opportunities  (hatch  a  plot)  and  kill  one,  completely  rob  another, 
and  set  up  instruments  for  torturing  a  third.  Just  as  the  hunters  go 
out  for  the  mountain-hunt,  armed  with  snares,  nets,  dogs,  sacks, 
falcons,  pairs  of  tongs,  spears,  etc.  etc.  and  feed  themselves  on  whatever 
animals  they  kill;  the  demoniacs  likewise  commit  evil  acts.  Now 
hear  how  their  minds  are  delighted  with  the  riches  acquired  by  them 
by  destroying  the  lives  of  numerous  creatures. 

13  "This  much  to-day  has  been  (already)  gained  by  me;"  'I 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  509 

am  sure  forthwith  to  attain  my  mind's  desire.'  'This  much 
(of  wealth)  is  (already)  mine:'  this  much  wealth  likewise 
shall  furthermore  be  mine,'.  (348) 

(The  Demoniac  says)  "Today  I  have  got  in  my  hand  the  riches  belong- 
ing to  many  (others).  Is  it  not  certainly  a  glory  for  me?"  And  the 
more  he  indulges  in  such  glorification  the  more  his  mind  wanders 
in  that  direction,  and  he  says  he  would  see  if  he  could  bring  the  riches 
(robbed)  of  others  also.  (He  further  says)  "With  the  capital  of  riches 
so  far  acquired  I  shall  secure  whatever  remains  either  of  movables 
or  immovables  in  the  world.  In  this  way,  I  shall  (alone)  be  the  master 
of  the  world's  riches  and  I  shall  not  suffer  any  one  coming  within 
the  range  of  my  vision  to  go  out  of  my  clutches." 

sreft  WH  IStT:  *I^(hwJ  tHM<h(m  I 

14  "This  enemy  has  been  (already)  killed  by  me:"  7  will  kill 
the  others  likewise.' — 7  am  the  master — the  one  whose  lot 
is  enjoyment:'  7  have  achieved  success;'  7  am  endowed  with 
strength  and  happiness: '  (352) 

"The  enemies  I  have  killed  already  are  very  few:  I  shall  kill  still  more 
of  these  and  then  my  own  fame  alone  will  resound  throughout  the 
world.  I  shall  then  kill  all  excepting  those  that  would  be  my  servants, 
and  then  shall  I  myself  be  God  of  the  entire  universe.  I  shall  be  the 
king  of  this  earth  of  enjoyment,  and  the  home  of  all  pleasures,  so 
that  even  Indra  might  look  insignificant  before  my  glory.  How  could 
it  be,  that  whatever  I  might  be  prepared  to  (plan  and)  do  in  mind, 
speech  and  body  would  not  be  executed  to  its  completion?  And 
there  is  none  else  beside  me  whose  commands  are  implicitly  obeyed. 
The  destructor  might  parade  himself  as  powerful,  so  long  as  he  has 
not  seen  my  prowess.  I  am  the  sole  repository  of  the  cream  of  all 
happiness  (in  this  world). 

15  'Affluent  am  I,  and  of  distinguished  parentage:'  "Who  else 
is  there  to  equal  me?' — /,  shall  perform  sacrifices;'  7  shall 
make  gifts:'  7  shall  enjoy:'  deluded  by  such  erroneous  views; 

(357) 


510  JNANESHWARI 

Kubera  is  no  doubt  rich,  yet  he  does  not  know  the  extent  of  my  riches. 
Even  the  Lord  of  Goddess  Lakshmi  cannot  come  up  to  my  level  in  point 
of  riches.  Even  God  Brahmdev  would  look  small  compared  to  the 
greatness  and  extent  of  my  race  and  kinsmen.  Therefore  none  of 
those  (devotees)  that  in  vain  parade  the  name  of  God,  (can)  come 
up  to  my  worth.  I  shall  now  revive  the  Black  Magic  (srftpnr)  that 
has  become  extinct,  and  establish  sacrificial  institutions  that  would 
cause  torture  (pain)  to  the  beings.  I  shall  give  whatever  is  asked  for 
to  such  as  sing  my  praise,  and  entertain  and  amuse  me  with  their 
dances  accompanied  by  acting.  I  shall  be  the  bliss  incarnate  in  all 
the  three  worlds,  invigorating  myself  with  diverse  intoxicating  dishes 
and  drinks  and  enjoying  the  close  embraces  of  females."  Why  pro- 
long this  talk!  These  mad  men  of  demoniacal  temperament  look 
forward  with  greed  to  smelling  the  (imaginary)  sky-flowers! 

3|*N>PeMf«rt4WI  4ft(MH4WK|Hl:  I 
3W3RT:  IWH)^  MdPn  *n*>wr«n  II  \%  II 

16  "Distraught  by  manifold  designs;  enveloped  in  snares  of  in- 
fatuation; intent  upon  the  gratification  of  desires;  they  fall 
into  loathsome  Hell.  (364) 

They  (Demoniacal  persons)  rave  fancifuHy  at  random,  in  the  way 
do  the  sick  in  delirious  fever.  They  find  themselves  in  the  whirlwind 
of  hope  owing  to  the  acquisition  (in  them)  of  the  dust  of  ignorance, 
with  the  result  that  they  keep  on  whirling  round  and  round  in  the  (sup- 
portless)  cavity  in  the  form  of  designs.  Then  they  build  castles  in 
the  air  in  regard  to  innumerable  desires,  in  the  way  there  arise  in- 
numerable clouds  in  the  sky  in  the  month  of  Ashadha  (July),  or  in 
the  way  there  is  the  uninterrupted  continuity  of  waves  in  the  sea.  Then 
there  is  formed  in  the  being  a  thick  cluster  of  creepers  in  the  form  of 
desires  and  the  being  is  mutilated  in  the  way  the  lotuses  are  when 
dragged  over  thorny  bushes,  or  is  broken  to  bits,  Oh  Arjuna,  like 
an  earthen  pot  dashing  against  a  rock.  In  such  a  state  the  infatuation 
in  their  (men  of  demonical  Estate)  hearts  goes  on  increasing,  as 
does  the  intensity  of  darkness  as  night  advances.  The  greater  the 
infatuation,  the  greater  the  liking  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  sense- 
objects,  and  associated  with  sense-objects  invariably  abide  sins, 
and  when  the  sins  get  strengthened  and  crowd  together,  one  experiences 
Hell-life  even  in  the  world  of  mortals.  Therefore,  Oh  Good  Talent 
(Arjuna),  the  Demoniacs  that  harbour  wicked  desires  come  to  dwell 


XVI.  DAIvASURASAMPADVffiHAGA  511 

in  the  locality  where  abound,  trees  with  sharp-edged  leaves  like  swords, 
mountains  of  Khadir  ( ^rfer  -—  agaciacatachus)  live  charcoal,  and 
rushing  (boisterous)  seas  of  boiling  oil;  where  there  exist  a  graduated 
series  of  agonies  as  also  ever  new  sorts  of  tortures  (arranged)  by  the 
God  of  Death-Yama.  Into  such  a  dreadful  Hell  they  fall.  Although 
born  in  this  world  and  destined  to  the  select  region  of  Hell,  yet  even 
they  are  seen  taking  to  sacrifices  in  an  infatuated  state.  Ordinarily, 
these  sacrifices  and  other  rites  by  themselves,  are  (all  in  order)  as 
they  should  be  as  enjoined;  yet  they  prove  fruitless,  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
performed  as  they  are  by  them  (demoniacs)  like  dramatic  performances 
(of  actors)  on  a  stage,  or  like  a  prostitute  living  under  the  protection 
of  her  lover,  but  parading  as  a  loyal  wife  and  remaining  content  in 
the  delusive  glory  of  her  Saubhagya  (tffaFsr — wifehood  of  a  living 
husband). 

*M«rl  TPR#F#  4^Hlfafa^«|«M4  ||   \\q  \{ 

17  "Honoured  (but)  in  their  own  conceit,  stiff,  swayed  by  wealth, 
pride,  and  arrogance,  they  perform  sacrifices  which  are  the 
(mere)  pageants  of  sacrifices,  with  ostentation,  and  NOT 
in  the  prescribed  mode.  (378) 

In  that  way  (that  of  the  prostitute)  they  assume  greatness  and  get 
puffed  up  with  extraordinary  pride.  In  that  state,  they  do  not  know 
how  to  bend  down  like  a  cast  iron  pillar  or  like  piles  of  (mountain) 
rock  rising  high  up  in  the  sky.  So  also  they  are  fully  satisfied  and 
convinced  (in  their  mind)  that  they  are  the  best-behaved  persons, 
and  consequently  they  treat  all  others  as  if  (they  are)  more  worthless 
than  even  grass.  Over  and  above  this  they  get  so  much  intoxicated 
under  the  influence  of  liquor  in  the  form  of  riches,  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
that  they  do  not  even  look  to  what  is  proper  and  what  is  not.  How 
could  such  a  mentality  rooted  in  them  be  expected  to  take  to  sacrifices? 
There  is  no  knowing  what  such  demoniacal  madmen  would  not  do! 
Thus  at  times,  out  of  mischievous  tendencies,  they  do  think  of  per- 
forming (sham)  sacrifices,  under  the  influence  of  liquor  in  the  form 
of  foolishness.  They  need  neither  Kunda  ( «p  -open  receptacle  in 
the  ground),  nor  shed  ( WT  ):  they  need  neither  altar  ( %3t  )  nor  the 
usual  assemblage  of  materials  required  for  sacrifices:  they  are  ever 
in  opposition  to  the  injunctions  of  Scriptures.  They  cannot  bear 
even  the  breeze  that  carries  with  it  the  (sound  of)  names  of  Gods  or 
Brahmins  (uttered  by  any).  Who  would  then  like  to  go  near  such  a 


512  JNANESHWARI 

place  (of  sacrifice)?  Intelligent  men  stuff  the  skin  of  a  dead  calf 
by  padding  of  grass,  making  it  look  like  a  live  calf,  stand  it  in  front 
of  the  cow  and  then  milk  the  cow;  in  that  way  under  the  pretext  of 
issuing  invitations  to  the  sacrifice,  they  bring  together  a  big  con- 
course of  people  greedily  and  exact  from  them  levies  in  the  form  of 
presents  (  3f|r  ).  In  this  way,  they  perform  sacrifices  at  times  with 
an  eye  to  profit  and  desire  and  total  ruin  to  several  beings. 


18  "Dominated  by  egotism,  power,  pride,  lust  and  wrath  such 
traducers  feel  extreme  hatred  for  Me,  who  (actually)  am 
dwelling  within  their  own  body  as  well  as  that  of  others.  (389) 

Then  with  big  kettle-drums  and  flags  in  front  they  parade  their  own 
role  of  being  the  conductors  of  the  sacrifice — but  all  in  vain.  With 
such  (parading  of)  importance,  their  egotism  gets  increased.  The 
coating  of  lamp-black  given  to  darkness  renders  the  latter  more  dark; 
in  that  way  their  folly.thickens,  their  arrogance  is  heightened,  egotism 
.  is  doubled,  and  thoughtlessness  is  strengthened.  Their  prowess  gets 
additional  strength,  so  that  none  else  should  be  strong  enough  to 
raise  his  head  up.  With  a  coupling  together  of  egotism  and  power 
in  this  way,  the  sea  of  pride  rushes  past  its  limits.  Then  with  pride 
thus  overflowing  (exuberant),  lust  also  gets  wild,  and  its  heat  kindles 
the  fire  of  wrath.  The  big  store  of  oil  and  ghee  (blazing)  catches  fire 
in  the  hot  season,  and  simultaneously  blows  a  strong  breeze  of  wind 
to  fan  it  (fire):  in  that  way,  egotism  gets  strengthened  while  pride 
gets  shrouded  in  lust  and  wrath,  and  then  they  are  both  united  in 
them  (demoniacal  persons).  Will  they  then  hesitate  to  commit  violence 
following  their  wayward  impulse?  First,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  they  (get 
prepared  to)  wrench  out  (and  offer  as  a  sacrifice)  their  own  blood  and 
flesh  to  secure  success  in  the  art  of  incantation  and  charms  to  destroy 
and  injure  others  (ik«i*ik«i).  In  this  (masochistic)  process  they 
torture  the  body  in  which  I  dwell  (as  Atman),  the  wounds  inflicted 
on  the  body  being  felt  as  blows  struck  at  Me  (Atman);  and  to  whom- 
soever, these  enchanters  and  black  magicians  cause  hurt — all  that 
causes  pain  to  me  abiding  in  them  all  as  I  do,  as  sentience;  and  whoso- 
ever is  luckily  saved  from  the  harmful  effects  of  their  machinations, 
(that  person)  is  pelted  with  brickbats  (by  the  black  magicians)  in 
the  form  of  vile  slander.  Virtuous  women,  saints,  men  of  charitable 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHXGA  513 

disposition,  sacrificers,  unique  persons  practising  austerities,  and 
ascetics,  as  also  other  devotees  and  great  souls,  who  are  the  favourite 
places  of  my  abode,  and  through  whose  performance  of  sacrificial 
rites  as  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures,  these  (places)  are  rendered  holy 
— against  such  also  these  demoniacal  persons  discharge  arrows  in 
the  form  of  slander,  poisoned  and  sharpened  with  deep  and  bitter 
hatred. 

19  "These  my  haters,  cruel  and  unholy  as  they  are, — the  vilest 
of  men — /  continually  hurl  down,  amongst  the  mundane 
existences,   invariably   into,   the  Demoniac  wombs.      (405) 

Now  hear  as  to  how  I  deal  with  those  that  behave  thus  inimically 
towards  me.  They  abide  in  human  form  and  behave  indifferently 
with  the  world  (i.e.  turn  their  face  against  humanity)  and  therefore 
I  deprive  them  of  the  form  and  deal  with  them  (as  I  do).  I  make  those 
fools  abide  in  Tamasic  orders  that  constitute  the  dunghill  of  the 
locality  of  misery,  and  wherein  flows  the  dirty  water  of  towns  in  the 
form  of  worldly  affairs.  I  make  them  tigers  and  scorpions  in  barren 
tracts,  which  cannot  grow  even  grass.  Suffering  intensely  from  the 
pangs  of  hunger  they  wrench  out  and  eat  their  own  flesh  and  die, 
and  come  to  birth  again  in  the  same  order  over  and  over  again:  or 
I  give  them  birth  in  reptile  orders  and  shut  them  up  in  their  suffocating 
narrow  holes  ( fasfc ),  where  on  account  of  the  heat  of  their  own  poison, 
their  very  skin  gets  burnt.  These  wicked  men  do  not  get  rest  even  for 
a  small  measure  of  time  required  for  exhalation  (of  breath).  In  this 
way  I  do  not  release  them  from  these  miseries  for  inordinately  long 
periods  of  time  before  which  even  crores  of  Kalpas  (one  Kalpa  or 
432  millions  years =1  day  of  Brahmadev)  would  compare  short. 
This  in  fact  is  the  first  stage  of  the  long  journey  leading  to  their  ultimate 
destination.  How  could  they  then  not  be  made  to  suffer  more  dreadful 
miseries  after  they  reach  the  ultimate  destination? 

20  "Entering  the  Demoniac  wombs,  these  deluded  creatures, 
life  in,  life  out,  fail  ever  to  reach  Me,  O  Son  of  Kunti,  and 
from  thence  sink  into  the  vilest  state.  (414) 


514  JNANESHWARI 

They  (Demoniacal  persons)  sink  to  this  vilest  state  on  account  of 
the  Demoniacal  Estate.  After  they  reach  their  ultimate  destination, 
I  deprive  them  even  of  that  little  scope  for  solace  they  have  in  the  body 
-form  of  tiger  and  other  wild  animal  orders,  and  then  they  become 
completely  the  Tamas — Tamas  that  darkens  even  darkness  making 
it  more  gloomy.  All  these  Demons — whose  association  even  is  shun- 
ned with  disgust  by  the  Sins — who  are  dreaded  even  by  Hell, — fatigue 
on  whose  account  faints  (with  exhausation), — by  whose  filthy  con- 
tact, even  dirt  gets  more  dirty, — the  heat  of  whose  contact  burns 
even  the  element  of  heat, — whose  contact  makes  even  the  great  fears 
tremble — who  are  hated  even  by  the  sins  and  who  are  felt  inauspicious 
even  by  the  inauspicious, — whose  contact  even  is  dreaded  by  profane 
touch, — such  demons,  the  vilest  of  the  vile  in  the  entire  universe, 
get  born  in  diverse  Tamasic  orders,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  and  become 
Tamas  (itself)  ultimately.  The  faculty  of  speech  moans  mournfully 
while  describing  them,  and  the  mind  is  repelled  (with  a  feeling  of  shock) 
while  remembering  them,  and  one  exclaims,  'alas  how  these  fools 
have  earned  for  themselves  the  Hell' !  It  is  not  understood,  how  and 
why  these  cherish  in  their  hearts  this  Demoniacal  (evil)  Estate,  which 
leads  to  such  a  dreadful  fall.  Therefore,  Oh  Dhanurdhara,  you  should 
never  follow  that  path:  it  is  only  fit  that  you  should  avoid  (visiting) 
the  site  where  abide  people  of  demoniacal  dispositon;  is  it  needful 
to  remark  that  you  should  shun  (the  company  of)  those  in  whom 
there  dwell  in  their  entirety  all  the  six  demerits  headed  by  hypocrisy? 

faf*^  «K*f*W  "SIT  HI4M*Hc*H:  I 

21  "This  is  the  threefold  gate  to  Hell  that  brings  ruin  upon  the 
self:  (to  wit),  Passion,  Wrath,  and  Greed.  Therefore  should 
one  renounce  this  triad.  (425) 

Know  it,  that  wherever  these  three  viz.  Passion,  Wrath  and  Greed 
predominate,  there  is  sure  to  be  abundant  growth  of  evil  things.  These 
three  are,  as  it  were,  posted  as  "road-guides"  ( wrai")  by  all  the  miseries 
in  the  world,  to  guide  the  beings,  if  they  like  to  meet  them:  or  this 
triad  is  a  sturdy  and  strong  assemblage  of  sins,  to  push  the  sinner 
into  the  Hell.  The  existence  of  Hell  is  not  known  beyond  the  Scriptures 
so  long  as  they  (triad)  have  not  arisen  in  one's  mind.  With  their  advent, 
all  sorts  of  harm  come  and  stick  to  the  body  and  hardships  are  (at 
the  threshold)  made  quite  cheap.  What  is  ordinarily  called  harm 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  515 

is  not  really  so:  this  triad  constitutes  genuine  harm.  What  more 
should  I  say,  Oh  Warrior!  The  three-pointed  spear  (fa^ff )  formed 
of  these  three  (viz.  Passion,  Wrath,  and  Greed)  constitutes  the  very 
threshold  of  the  worst  of  all  Hells.  The  person,  standing  whole- 
heartedly on  the  threshold  of  these  three,  gets  (experiences)  a  position 
of  honour  in  the  conference  of  Hell  while  yet  living  here.  Therefore, 
I  repeat  again  and  again,  Oh  Kiriti,  that  this  faulty  triad  of  Passion, 
Wrath  and  Greed  should  be  rooted  out  at  all  times. 

4N<rHlciM:  ^Wt  *n%  TO  *rf?T^  II  3^  II 

22  '  'Released,  O  Son  ofKunti,  from  these  three  gates  of  darkness, 
(if)  a  man  works  and  follows  his  higher  good,  he  thereupon 
attains  the  Highest  Goal.  (433) 

"One  should  think  of  the  Four  Objects  of  Life  (of  a  human  being) 
such  as  Religion  and  others,  only  after  abandoning  this  triad  (of 
demerits).  My  ears  refuse  to  hear  of  anybody  being  able  to  secure 
good  (a  state  of  bliss)  so  long  as  these  three  are  awake  (active)  in  that 
being,"  said  the  Lord.  He  further  said,  "One  who  has  some  regard 
for  his  soul,  and  feels  afraid  of  self-destruction,  should  be  careful 
and  avoid  association  with  them.  To  expect  any  success  in  one's 
undertaking,  while  associating  with  Passion,  Wrath  and  Greed,  is 
like  trying  to  swim,  on  the  strength  of  one's  arms,  with  a  stone  tied 
round  one's  abdomen,  or  like  having  a  meal  of  deadly  poision  for 
saving  one's  life:  and  so  (even)  the  least  trace  of  them  should  be  wiped 
out  altogether.  If  ever  this  chain  of  three  links  gets  snapped,  then 
only  can  one  walk  along  his  path  very  comfortably.  One  whom  the 
triad  of  passions,  etc.  has  forsaken,  becomes  happy  like  a  body  freed 
from  the  three  bodily  humours  (in  disorder),  or  like  a  town  free  from 
the  triad  of  (i)  malicious  disclosure  of  misdeeds  (^fTfrsV),  (ii)  theft 
(^ftft" )  (iii)  harlotry  (RKoi+1),  or  like  a  heart  free  from  the  three  afflic- 
tions (viz.  «ii***iRh^ — Corporal, arrf^nftf^ — physical,  and  3offcf$fa+ 
— Supernatural),  and  secures  the  association  of  the  righteous  along 
the  road  to  liberation.  So  also  on  the  might  of  the  company  of  the 
virtuous  and  on  the  strength  of  good  and  Scriptural  guidance,  one 
can  transcend  the  rocky  and  barren  woods  in  the  form  of  births  and 
deaths.  And  then  he  reaches,  through  the  grace  of  the  preceptor, 
the  town  where  abides  eternal  bliss  of  the  Self.  There  he  meets  the 
Self,  the  Mother,  the  highest  (ultimate)  limit  of  love,  and  with  that 


516  JNANESHWARI 

meeting,  is  heard  no  more  the  (jaring)  sound  of  the  beating  of  the 
kettle  drums  of  mundane  existence.  And  he  alone,  who  frees  himself 
hy  sweeping  away  the  triad  of  Passion,  Wrath  and  Greed,  becomes 
the  master  of  such  a  great  gift. 

23  "Whosoever,  relinquishing  the  prescribed  ways  of  the  Shastra, 
acts  under  the  promptings  of  lust,  he  does  not  achieve  success, 
nor  happiness,  nor  the  Highest  Goal.  (445) 

And  (there  is)  that  self-destroyer  (stealer),  who  does  not  like  all  this 
and  who  reclining  (and  thus  supporting)  his  head  on  passion  and 
other  demerits,  defies  the  fatherly  Vedas,  which  are  uniformly  kind 
to  all  and  which  are  the  headlights,  showing  what  is  (wholesome) 
to  one's  advantage  and  what  is  not.  He  who  shows  no  respect  for 
the  mandates  of  the  Scriptures,  neglects  his  own  interests,  and  goes 
on  indulging  the  senses;  he  who  never  lets  go  his  grip  on  Passion, 
Wrath  and  Greed  keeps  his  promise  (word)  with  them  and  who  wanders 
freely  through  the  jungle  of  unrestrained  way-ward  conduct — such 
a  one  does  not  get  a  single  drop  of  water  (to  drink)  of  the  river  of  libera- 
tion, what  to  say  then  of  (the  bliss  of  swimming  in)  the  river  itself, 
which  he  cannot  enjoy  even  in  a  dream.  He  cannot  have  the  enjoy- 
ment even  of  the  ordinary,  common  objects  of  the  world ;  what  then 
of  enjoyments  pertaining  to  the  other  world  (from  which  he  is  defi- 
nitely excluded)?  Getting  deluded  at  seeing  a  fish  (on  the  surface 
of  the  water)  a  Brahmin  dives  in  with  the  greed  of  catching  the  fish; 
but  instead  of  catching  it  he  only  incurs  the  risk  of  losing  his  own 
life:  in  that  way,  one  just  tries  hard  for  the  attainment  of  the  other 
world,  solely  out  of  temptation  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  sense-objects; 
but  while  so  striving,  Death  snatches  him  away  somewhere  else  (before 
his  desire  is  satisfied).  In  short  he  gets  neither  Heaven's  nor  this  world's 
enjoyments;  what  then  of  securing  liberation?  Therefore,  one  who 
on  account  of  the  strength  of  desires,  strives  for  the  enjoyment  of  the 
sense-objects,  gets  neither  the  enjoyment  nor  the  Heaven,  nor  yet 
can  he  ever  expect  to  have  salvation. 

dtHMMtsi  STOFT  ft  *wf«M4*U^lf^cfl  I 
*ii«i  $U4-*lf<IMMV*  W$  1><|f*1gl{Rl  II  ??  II 


XVI.  DAIVASURASAMPADVIBHAGA  517 

24  "Therefore,  the  Shastra  is  thine  authority  in  determining  what 
to  do  and  what  not  to  do.  So,  after  knowing  what  is  declared 
by  the  Shastric  prescription,  thou  wilt  here  do  well  to  perform 
the  act."  (455) 

For  this  reason,  one  who  feels  any  pity  for  his  own  self,  should  not 
show  any  disregard  for  the  dictates  of  the  Vedas.  A  loyal  wife  follows 
(respects)  the  inclinations  of  her  husband  and  automatically  secures 
self-good:  or  a  disciple  who  keeps  an  attentive  eye  on  the  observance 
of  the  preceptor's  words,  secures  a  seat  in  the  mansion  of  the  Self; 
or  one  has  to  hold  out  light  with  great  care  (regard),  should  he  wish 
to  get  back  his  own  hoard  kept  hidden  in  a  dark  place.  In  that  way, 
one  who  desires  to  have  a  mastery  over  all  the  (Four)  Objects  of  Life 
(of  a  human  being),  must  hold  in  high  respect  the  dicta  of  the  Shruti 
and  Smriti  Scriptures.  He  should  renounce  what  is  forbidden  by 
the  Scriptures,  and  should  hold  it  as  mere  straw  even  though  it  might 
happen  to  be  a  kingdom;  and  he  should  accept  such  as  is  enjoined 
by  the  Scriptures,  even  though  it  be  damned  poison.  With  such  a 
staunch  faith  in  Vedic  Scriptures,  could  one  ever  be  confronted  by 
any  evil,  Oh  Warrior?  There  is  no  mother  in  the  world  greater  than 
the  Shruti  Scriptures,  who  protects  her  child  from  evil  influences  and 
saves  and  brings  (it)  up  by  giving  wholesome  things:  One  should 
not  therefore  abandon  the  Shruti,  which  leads  to  the  attainment  of 
the  Supreme,  and  you  too  should  worship  it  with  special  devotion. 
You  are,  Oh  Arjuna,  born  in  this  world,  on  the  strength  of  your  re- 
ligious acts  (in  the  preceding  lives)  for  making  the  scriptures  significant 
'  (by  furnishing  a  direct  proof  of  their  validity).  You  have,  in  natural 
sequence,  won  for  yourself  the  designation  "younger  brother"  of 
religion  (snrfa*r — the  follower  of  ^:  note  the  pun  on  the  word  *# 
meaning  religion,  and  Arjuna's  eldest  brother)  and  so  you  should 
not  act  adversely.  You  should  take  decisions  "strictly  as  authorised 
by  the  Scriptures,  while  considering  the  fitness  and  propriety  of  actions, 
and  you  should  absolutely  avoid  doing  things  definitely  adjudged 
as  evil  acts.  .You  should  then  carry  out  to  its  completion,  with  great 
regard  and  using  all  your  strength,  that  which  may  be  declared  as 
the  true  duty.  There  is  in  your  possession,  (lit.  hand),  Oh  Great 
Talent,  the  signet  ring  in  the  form  of  pure  intellect  with  which  to  set 
the  seal  of  absolute-universal-validity  (on  actions  good  and  evil) 
and  (so)  you  are  perfectly  qualified  to  guide  and  direct  people. 


518  jnaneshwar! 

Conclusion 

Thus  the  Lord  preached  to  the  Son  'of  Pandu,  the  signs  of  the  demonia- 
cal disposition  and  how  one  should  escape  from  it.  Next,  the  Son 
of  Pandu  (will)  ask  questions  about  the  "good  faith"  on  the  part 
of  the  beings :  (T^jwt  fa<flil),  which  you  do  hear  through  ears  in 
the  form  of  sentience.  Sanjaya  narrated  to  the  King  (Dhritarashtra) 
what  the  Sage  Vyasa  wrote  down  (ftftrr)  and  I  shall  tell  it  to  you 
through  the  favour  of  the  preceptor,  Nivrittinath.  O  saints,  if  you 
shower  down  on  me  your  kind  glances,  I  shall  also  be  as  great  (and 
able  an  orator)  as  you  will  like  me  to  be.  You  should  therefore  give 
me  your  attention  by  way  of  charity,  (as  a  token  of  your  grace— 
wnrenRT)  and  then  I  shall  be  really  blessed,"  said  Jnanadev.     (473) 


chapter  xvii 
sraddhAtrayavibhAga 

Introduction 

Obeisance  to  you,  Oh  Indra  (King)  amongst  the  Ganas  (Ganesha's 
attendants)  —  the  Preceptor  —  you  whose  concentrated  meditation 
(jfhT^rsT)  releases  the  hold  of  the  Universe  of  names  and  forms.  The 
individual  soul  in  the  form  of  Shankara  surrounded  by  the  three 
Gunas  in  the  form  of  Tripura  (Demons)  and  detained  in  the  fortress 
in  the  form  of  individual  existence  is  released  by  your  remembrance 
(in  the  way  Lord  Shiva,  surrounded  by  Tripura  Demons  and  shut 
up  in  a  fortress,  was  released  by  the  remembrance  of  Ganesha.) 
You  are  therefore  in  your  capacity  as  the  Preceptor,  weightier  than 
Lord  Shiva  if  weighed  side  by  side  in  a  pair  of  scales;  and  yet  you  are 
light  enough  (like  a  raft)  to  carry  safe  across  the  waters  of  worldly 
delusion.  To  those,  that  are  ignorant  about  your  true  nature,  you 
look  as  one  having  a  crooked  face  (this  refers  to  Ganapati's  bent 
trunk):  yet  to  the  learned  you  ever  appear  quite  straight  C^f—  not 
crooked).  Your  Divine  eyes  (vision)  look  small :  yet  with  their  open- 
ing and  closing  you  easily  bring  about  respectively  the  creation  and 
the  dissolution  of  the  Universe.  With  the  napping  of  your  (right) 
ear,  in  the  form  of  activism  (swfd),  there  blows  the  wind  rendered 
fragrant  by  the  ichor  (*TT)  oozing)  from  the  temple,  and  then  the 
black  bees  in  the  form  of  the  beings,  sit  on  your  forehead,  as  if  decora- 
ting it  with  a  wreath  of  blue  lotuses  offered  in  worship.  But  when  the 
other  (left)  ear  flaps  about,  the  flowers  offered  in  worship  are  scattered 
and  disappear  and  then  the  grandeur  of  your  bodily  form  is  revealed 
in  its  pristine  glory.  The  sportive  (graceful)  movements  of  the  deft 
dance,  visible  on  the  left  side  of  your  body,  (this  refers  to  the  twisting 
motion  of  the  trunk  on  the  left  side)  which  represents  the  false  show 
of  mundane  activities,  is  displayed  by  you  as  an  exquisite  piece  of 
art  as  it  were  of  forceful  manly  dance.  That  apart:  the  wonderful 
thing  is  that  with  whomsoever  you  form  a  relationship,  that  person 
is  at  once  deprived  of  that  relationship.  As  soon  as  you  remove  the 
fetters  (of  mundane  existence),  the  feeling  that  you  are  the  very  brother 
of  the  world  is  created  and  the  sense  of  gratification  felt  by  your 
devotees  comes  and  sticks  up  to  your  person.  With  the  eradication 


520  JNANESHWARI 

of  the  sense  of  duality — that  duality  through  which  you  had  created 
separation,  he  (the  devotee)  forgets  the  existence  of  his  (separate) 
body-form.  You  remain  too  far  behind  (i.e.  hidden)  for  those  that 
look  at  you  as  distinct  from  their  own  selves,  and  keeping  you  straight 
before  their  gaze,  run  after  you  by  diverse  means  to  reach  you.  You 
never  even  remain  in  the  region  of  those  that  meditate  upon  you  with 
wrapt  concentration:  yet  that  one  becomes  dear  to  you  who  forgets 
such  meditations  (through  his  oneness  with  you).  One  thai  does 
not  know  that  you  are  eternally  self-same,  conducts  himself  (as  if) 
he  is  all-knowing.  (How  can  you  be  expected  to  hear  such  a  one 
since)  you  are  not  prepared  to  lend  your  ear  even  to  the  Vedas  that 
propound  You.  You  pass  by  the  name  "Silence"  (Tft?r)  on  account 
of  the  Rashi  (TT^T-  the  sign  of  the  Zodiac)  in  which  you  were  born. 
How  could  then  one  harbour  the  ambition  of  singing  your  praise? 
Whatever  is  perceptible  is  all  born  of  Maya  (illusion):  how  and  in 
what  way  should  then  one  worship  you?  Looking  upon  you  as  Deity, 
if  I  seek  to  be  your  servant  then  it  would  mean  taking  myself  to  be 
distinct  from  you  and  laying  myself  open  to  the  charge  of  being 
disloyal  to  you.  It  would  therefore  be  only  proper  not  to  establish 
any  kind  of  relationship  in  regard  to  you.  It  is  only  when  one  drops 
all  distinctions,  that  one  can  attain  you,  Oh  one  without  duality! 
I  have  now  come  to  know  of  this  secret  of  yours,  you  O  adorable  one! 
The  salt  does  not  exist  separately  but  gets  dissolved  in  the  (cooked) 
food:  treat  (accept)  my  obeisance  to  you  in  that  way -what  more 
should  I  say?  An  earthen  jar  dipped  in  water  comes  up  overflowing 
with  water  when  drawn  out:  or  a  wick  becomes — the  lamp  itself 
by  associating  with  a  (lighted)  lamp:  In  that  way,  O  Preceptor  Nivrt- 
tinath,  I  have  attained  perfection  by  bowing  to  you.  I  now  set  myself 
to  (the  work  of)  interpreting  the  Teaching  of  the  Gita.  In  the  con- 
cluding stanza  of  Chapter  XVI,  the  Lord  gave  the  ever-abiding 
decision  viz.  "Oh  Partha,  the  Scriptures  should  be  thine  sole  authority 
for  determining  what  is  proper  to  be  done  and  what  is  not."  On  this, 
Arjuna  thought  to  himself,  "How  is  this?  Is  there  no  other  alter- 
native, but  the  Scriptures  alone,  for  action?  It  is  like  (insisting  on) 
wrenching  out  the  snake-gem  (*Ff*rftr)  from  the  hood  of  Takshaka 
— the  mighty  Cobra  (by  stamping  on  its  hood),  and  pulling  out  the 
hair  from  the  nostrils  of  a  lion,  and  then  knitting  these  together  into 
an  ornament  for  wearing  round  the  neck:  and  if  that  be  not  possible 
then  to  remain  bare-necked  is  highly  degrading!  Who  would  be 
able  and  how  to  bundle  up  (bring  together)  the  loose,  different  (diver- 
gent) opinions  propounded  in  different  Scriptures  and  secure  the 


XVII.   SRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  521 

fruit  (a  clear  conclusion)  as  a  result  of  their  reconciliation?  Assuming 
that  such  a  reconciliation  is  secured,  is  there  time  available,  sufficient 
to  follow  (i.e.  to  give  a  concrete  s,hape  to)  that  decision?  How  can 
one  find  leisure  in  his  life  time  to  get  through  such  an  intricate  affair? 
And  how  would  everybody  be  able  (and  fortunate  enough)  to  secure 
the  means  to  bring  about  the  co-ordination  and  use  for  a  common 
purpose  of  (i)  the  Scriptures,  (ii)  their  interpretations,  (iii)  the 
place  and  (iv)  the  time?  It  is  thus  very  difficult  to  perform  actions 
strictly  according  to  Scriptures,  and  under  these  conditions,  how- 
are  the  dull-witted  ( ^  )  seekers  to  fare?  The  solution  (to  this) 
which  Arjuna  is  going  to  ask  about,  is  discussed  in  this  (XVII)  Chapter. 
Arjuna,  who  is  desireless  in  regard  to  all  objects,  and  well-versed  in 
all  arts,  who  in  his  role  as  Arjuna  has  become  a  second  Krishna 
(one  who  attracts) ;  who  is  the  main  support  of  bravery,  as  also  the 
ornament  of  the  Soma  (Lunar)  Dynasty  and  to  whom  the  enjoyment 
of  pleasures  is  but  a  child's  play;  who  is  the  master  intellect  and  the 
very  resting  place  of  the  Brahmic  Lore,  and  whose  mind  worked  in 
close  association  with  the  mind  of  God — (such  Arjuna  spake)! " 

3T^T  44  N  I 

*tat  fa*>6l  §  *FT  f»*T  WrapnSTt  T5RtW:  It   ?   II 

Arjuna  spake: 

1  "Those  who,  having  abandoned  prescribed  ways  of  the  Shas- 
tras,  proffer  worship,  endowed  with  faith:  to  what  category 
does  their  way  of  life  belong:  Sattva,  Rajas,  or  Tamps?"  (34) 

That  Arjuna  said,  "Oh  Lord,  dark-coloured  like  the  leaf  of  'Laurus 
cassia'  (d*tM**imi),  and  the  embodiment  of  Supreme  Brahman,  (per- 
ceptible to  the  senses),  I  have  some  expectancy  about  what  you  said. 
In  what  sense  did  you  say  that  there  was  no  other  way  to  liberation 
for  a  being,  but  the  one  through  the  Scriptures?  Should  there  not 
be  available  a  suitable  place,  sufficient  time  and  a  suitable  teacher 
at  hand  for  teaching  the  Scriptures,  as  also  the  equipment  helpful  to 
such  a  study;  similarly  why  should  there  be  wanting  the  strength  of 
the  merit  of  the  former  lives  (Luck)  as  also  the  necessary  intelligence? 
—in  short,  if  these  are  not  there,  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  (in  the 
case  of  such  men)  must  of  necessity  come  to  a  standstill :  Such  ones 
(and  there  are  also  others),  in  whose  case,  the  (stone-cutter's)  chisel 


522  JNANESHWARI 

(T#)  has  not  even  touched  (the  rock  in  the  form  of  the  study  of) 
the  Scriptures  (no  foundation  of  study  is  even  laid)  and  who  have  in 
consequence  left  off  all  discussions  over  the  subject;  yet  they  long 
to  be  like  those  that  attain  the  real  happiness  of  the  other  world, 
by  taking  to  activism,  strictly  deducing  the  conclusion  from  the 
Shastras  and  practising  holy  rites  in  accordance  with  it.  A  child 
writes  (copies)  letters  (underneath)  following  the  specimen  writing 
(above)  by  an  expert  writer,  or  a  blind  one  walks  behind  and  follows 
the  lead  of  one  (with  good  vision)  walking  ahead:  in  that  way,  holding 
as  authority  the  behaviour  of  those  that  are  experts  in  Shastras,  they  in 
full  faith  follow  their  course.  Then  they  worship  with  great  devotion, 
Gods  such  as  Lord  Shiva  and  others,  give  liberal  charity  like  gifts 
of  land,  etc.,  make  daily  offerings  to  the  sacred  fire  and  perform  other 
sacrifices.  Now  tell  me,  Oh  Purushottama  (the  Best  Person)  under 
which  of  the  categories  viz.  Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas,  such  men  are 
classed."  At  this  Lord  Krishna,  the  master  of  the  seat  of  Vaikuntha, 
who  is  the  pollen  in  the  lotus  flower  in  the  form  of  the  Vedas,  under 
whose  shade  (protection)  this  Universe  survives,  who  is  stuffed  with 
the  power  that  secures  commendation  for  Kala  (Time),  who  is  naturally 
powerful,  unique  and  grand,  and  who  is  obstruse  and  blissful — that 
Lord  Krishna  himself  spake  in  reply. 

fUfr^wH  TFSrcft  #T  cH*4*fl  %%  eft  3p>|  II  ^  II 

2  The  Exalted-One  Spake:  "Of  three  kinds  is  the  faith  that 
naturally  belongs  to  embodied  souls:  Satvika,  Rajasa  and 
Tamasa:  Listen  as  I  describe  it  now.  (49) 

Shri  Bhagawan  said,  "Oh  Partha,  I  have  come  to  know  the  bent  of 
your  mind:  you  are  feeling  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  as  a  great 
handicap.  You  appear  to  cling  fast  only  to  'faith'  for  the  attainment 
of  the  great  seat  (Supreme  Brahman).  But  it  is  not,  Oh  Wise  one,  so 
easy.  It  is  not  proper,  Oh  Kiriti,  merely  to  say  'I  have  got  faith," 
and  depend  upon  it.  Were  a  twice-born  (Brahmin)  to  associate  himself 
intimately  with  the  lowest  caste  person,  would  he  not  be  reduced  to 
the  status  of  that  caste?  Just  think:  one  ought  not  to  take  (drink  or 
eat)  anything  contained  in  a  liquor  pot,  even  though  it  might  be  the 
holy  water  of  the  Ganges.  Does  not  sandal  wood,  even  though 


xvii.  Sraddhatrayavibhaga  523 

pleasantly  cool  by  itself,  burn  the  fingers  holding  it,  once  it  is  set  on 
fire?  Or,  if  pure  gold  is  mixed  up  with  an  alloy,  melted  in  a  mould  and 
taken  as  pure  gold,  would  that,  Oh  Kiriti,  not  cause  a  loss?  'Faith' 
by  itself  is  a  very  fine  (pure)  principle;  yet  the  being,  to  whose  lot  it 
goes,  is  naturally  constituted  of  the  three  Gunas  (Constituent  aspects), 
by  the  power  of  Maya  (Illusion)  which  exists  from  all  eternity.  Of  the 
three,  two  get  weakened,  while  the  third  gets  strong  and  dominates 
over  the  tendency  of  the  being.  The  mind  follows  these  tendencies, 
while  the  actions  follow  the  mind,  and  then  after  death  the  being 
takes  (re)  birth  in  a  new  body-form  in  accordance  with  the  actions 
in  his  past  life.  The  seed  (form)  is  disintegrated  and  developes  into  a 
tree:  the  tree  (form)  ends  and  is  stored  up  in  the  seed  (form):  and 
this  rotation  goes  on  for  crores  of  Kalpas:  yet  the-tree  genus  does  not 
become  extinct.  In  that  way,  there  take  place  innumerable  births 
and  deaths,  and  yet  the  being  is  invariably  accompanied  by  the  three 
Gunas  (constituting  the  being).  Therefore,  whatever  may  be  the 
faith  that  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  being  it  is  you  may  see  moulded, 
according  to  the  individual  combination  of  the  three  Gunas.  Should, 
by  chance,  the  Sattva  Guna  dominate,  it  invites  knowledge;  yet  there 
are  the  two  others  (Rajas  and  Tamas)  destructive  to  the  third  (Sattva). 
With  the  help  of  Sattva  the  faith  enters  on  the  way  leading  to  libera- 
tion :  yet  there  stand  the  Rajas  and  Tamas  that  are  adverse  to  Sattva; 
how  could  they  rest  quiet?  The  Rajas  defeats  the  Sattva  and  gets 
the  upper  hand  (ascends  the  sky)  with  the  result  that  the  faith  is 
reduced  to  (the  position  of)  a  broom  for  clearing  (performing) 
actions.  Then  the  Tamas  rises  into  power,  and  transforms  the  faith 
into  a  new  type  in  which  it  goes  after  undesirable  enjoyment  (of 
sense-objects). 

3  "The  faith  of  each  one,  O  Scion  of  Bharata,  is  in  accordance 
with  his  inner  constitution.  A  person  is  just  the  totality  of 
his  beliefs:  whatsoever  one  believes  in,  just  that  he  actually 
becomes. 

In  short,  there  is  no  separate  existence,  Oh  you  Righteous  One, 
for  faith,  independent  of  the  Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas  Gunas,  in 
the  assemblage  of  the  beings.  Therefore  even  though  the  faith  is  . 


524  JNANESHWARl 

natural,  yet  being  coloured  by  the  three  Gunas  it  has  also  distinctions 
such  as  Sattva,  Rajas  and  Tamas.  Water,  although  a  life  preserver, 
becomes  fatal  if  mixed  with  poison,  or  becomes  pungent  if  mixed  with 
black  pepper,  or  becomes  sweet  if  mixed  with  sugar-cane  (juice). 
In  that  way,  one  dominated  by  Tamas  gets  born  and  dies  again  and 
again  and  his  faith  also  takes  the  Tamas  form.  One  can  make  no 
distinction  between  lamp-black  and  soot;  in  that  way  when  the  faith 
becomes  Tamas-ridden,  there  exists  nothing  else  in  it  but  the  Tamas. 
Similarly,  in  the  case  of  Rajas-ridden  beings,  the  faith  is  of  the  Rajas 
quality  while  that  in  a  Sattva-dominated  person  is  of  the  Sattva 
kind.  In  this  way  the  entire  universe  is  cast  solely  in  the  mould  of 
faith.  But  note  the  fact  that  Faith  is  stamped  with  three  different 
marks  being  over-ridden  by  the  three  Gunas.  A  tree  is  identified 
(known)  by  its  flowers,  or  the  mind  known  from  the  talk,  while  actions 
of  past  lives  are  known  from  the  sort  of  pleasure  and  pain  one  ex- 
periences in  the  present  life.  In  that  way  three  kinds  of  faith  are  known 
from  different  signs  about  which  do  hear  now. 

W*%  ^lfr^+1  ^«H^  WTSrtfa  TROT:  I 

4  "The  Sattva-dominated  persons  proffer  worship  unto  the 
God;  the  Rajas-dominated  unto  the  Yaksas;  the  rest  who 
are  Tamas-dominated  proffer  worship  unto  Departed-Spirits 
and  Ghostly-Hordes. 

Those  moulded  of  Sattva  faith  have  generally  the  liking  for  Heaven. 
They  master  all  arts  and  sciences,  perform  select  sacrificial  rites-nay 
they  even  get  admission  in  the  region  of  Gods.  Those,  Oh  Warrior, 
that  are  formed  of  Rajas  faith,  worship  the  demons  and  other  spirits 
(living  in  ethereal  regions).  Now,  about  the  Tamas-dominated  faith. 
It  is  a  (regular)  heap  of  sins,  very  rugged  and  cruel.  They  (of  Tamas 
faith)  kill  beings  for  making  ritual  offerings  and  worship  on  dirty 
funeral  grounds  at  evening  hours,  assemblages  of  ghostly  orders  and 
corpses  (departed  spirits).  Such  beings,  should  be  known  (as  if) 
formed  out  of  the  essence  extracted  from  the  Tamas  quality  and  are 
the  very  home  of  the  Tamas  (-ridden)  faith.  These  are  the  three-fold 
classes  of  the  faith  found  (abiding)  in  (three)  different  signs  in  the 
world  and  I  have  explained  them  to  you  with  the  sole  object  that  you 
should  preserve  only  the  Sattva  faith,  casting  away  the  remaining 
two— the  opposing  ones.  Those  that  claim  the  Sattva-faith  as  their 


XVII.   SRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  525 

protector  have,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  nothing  to  fear  (as  coming  in  the 
way  as  a  goblin)  of  their  becoming  one  with  the  Deity  (feqr)  even 
though  they  might  not  have  studied  the  Brahma-Sutras,  (a  standard 
work  on  metaphysics)  or  might  *not  be  well-versed  in  the  Shastras 
(Scriptures),  or  might  not  have  grasped  the  great  theories  (f+j^id- 
Established  Truths).  But  one  who  acts  with  perfect  Sattva  faith  and 
follows  in  the  footsteps  of  those  elders  who  are  themselves  the  very 
interpretation  incarnate  of  the  Shruti  and  Smriti  Scriptures,  and  set 
an  example  of  righteous  conduct  to  others  (by  their  own  acts) — such 
a  one  acting  as  he  does  following  their  way  of  conduct,  automatically 
secures  the  same  fruit  as  the  wise  do  (secure  through  their  study  of  the 
Scriptures).  One  succeeds  with  great  difficulty  in  lighting  a  lamp 
while  another  without  any  trouble  lights  another  (his  own)  lamp  on 
the  first:  does  the  latter  in  any  way  get  cheated  in  respect  of  the  light? 
Or,  one  builds  a  (big)  house  spending  unlimited  money  over  it;  could 
not  another  (a  stranger)  dwelling  in  that  house,  experience  the  same 
amount  of  comfort?  That  apart:  would  a  tank  satisfy  the  thirst  only 
of  him  who  constructed  it  and  of  no  one  else?  Or  would  the  only  one 
who  cooked  food  (in  a  house)  get  it  there  (for  eating)  and  none  else? 
No  need  to  say  more:  yet,  would  the  Ganges  (Godavari)  be  the 
holy  waters  of  the  Ganges  only  for  the  Sage  Goutama  (who  with 
great  effort  brought  it  to  the  earth)  and  prove  to  be  an  ordinary 
stream  to  others  in  the  world?  Therefore,  one  who  follows  in  firm 
faith  another  knowing  (better)  the  methods  in  the  Scriptures,  ac- 
cording to  one's  own  intellect,  secures  liberation  even  though  he 
be  illiterate  (^). 

4mifoKtiqtt>l:  »HKHMHlfcldl:  II  *  II 

5  "Those  persons  who  practise  dreadful  austerity,  not  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Shastra's  prescriptions,  being  dominated 
by  hypocrisy  and  egotism  and  impelled  by  the  force  of  their 
desires  and  passions:  (93) 

(Now  as  regards)  those  that  do  not  even  know  how  to  clear  their 
throat  (tune  their  vocal  chords)  in  order  to  utter  distinctly  even  the 
word  'Shastras'  (Scriptures)  and  who  are  not  prepared  to  permit 
the  Sh&stra-knowing  persons  even  to  approach  (touch)  their 
periphery  (i.e.  who  keep  them  at  a  safe  distance);  or  those  that  grin 
and  mouth  (wr?ftwrf^rm)  in  mockery  of  their  elders  (seeing  their 
acts),  and  scoff  at  the  learned  by  indulging  in  snapping  of  their  thumbs 


526  JNANESHWARI 

and  fingers  (^ijRi^HMfacfl);  those  that  follow  religious  austerities 
practised  by  the  atheists  in  the  conceit  of  their  greatness  and  in  the 
arrogance  consequent  on  their  possession  of  great  riches;  those  that 
use  the  woodbill  (^dl)  and  take  out  flesh  and  blood  from  their 
own  bodies  and  from  those  of  others,  and  with  these  fill  up  to  the 
brim  the  sacrificial  pot,  and  pour  it  into  the  burning  (sacrificial) 
receptacles  or  into  the  mouth  of  the  Spirit  of  a  deceased  Brahmin 
(3W):  those  that  dedicate  child-victims  in  fulfilment  of  the  vows 
taken  by  them;  those  that  perversely  remain  without  food  and  observe 
complete  fast  for  seven  days  at  a  time  for  securing  a  boon  from  some 
petty  deities — such  (men)  sow  the  seed  of  torment  to  themselves 
and  also  to  others  in  the  Tamas  field,  and  then  the  seed  germinates 
and  gives  yield  of  the  same  sort.  Then  such  ones  get  reduced  to  the 
state  of  one,  who  finds  himself  in  the  sea.  and  yet  has  neither  the 
strength  of  arms  to  swim  across,  nor  does  he  take  to  the  use  of  a  boat; 
or  of  a  sick  person,  who  is  cross  with  the  doctor  and  kicks  out  the 
medicine  (offered),  and  then  suffers  the  pangs  due  to  the  pain  (of  the 
disease);  or  of  one  who  (being  unable  to  take  revenge)  retaliates 
spitefully  by  removing  his  own  eyes  and  getting  thus  blind,  is  com- 
pelled to  embrace  the  rigorous  vow  (of  confinement)  in  his  own  house; 
to  such  a  state  are  reduced  those  demons  that  discard  with  scorn 
the  Scriptures,  and  getting  infatuated,  wander  about  aimlessly  through 
out-of-the-way  tracts.  They  act  as  the  desires  for  sense-objects  dictate 
to  them,  and  belabour  others  as  directed  by  their  wrath  to  be  bela- 
boured: not  only  that,  but  they  bury  me  (who  lives  as  the  soul  in  the 
body-form)  too  deep  under  the  boulder-heap  in  the  form  of  miseries. 

6  "These  insensate  persons,  coercing  the  aggregate  of  elemental 
constitutions  that  make  up  their  body — and  Me  too  who  dwell 
within  the  body:  understand  them  to  be  of  Demoniac  con- 
victions. (105) 

Whatever  afflictions  they  cause  to  their  own  bodies  or  to  those  of 
others,  all  such  cause  exhaustion  to  me — the  soul.  Such  sinners 
do  not  deserve  even  to  be  touched  by  the  faculty  of  speech,  but  have 
to  be  mentioned  in  order  that  you  may  avoid  them.  (Things 
like)  (i)  removing  a  corpse  (with  one's  own  hands)  (ii)  holding 
conversation  with  one  of  the  lowest  class  in  order  to  avoid  his  touch, 


xvii.  sraddhatrayavibhaga  527 

(iii)  washing  off  with  one's  own  hands  the  filth  (of  the  body) — are 
required  to  be  done  since  there  exists  the  hope  of  (thereby)  bringing 
about  cleanliness,  and  are  not  therefore  to  be  considered  as  unclean. 
In  that  way  they  (of  demoniacal  tendencies)  are  mentioned  here,  so 
that  they  should  be  avoided.  Whenever,  therefore,  you  come  across 
such  sinful  persons,  do  remember  Me  in  your  mind,  Oh  Arjuna,  since 
there  is  no  other  expiation  for  such  a  sin.  And  for  this  purpose  do 
conserve,  in  all  ways  possible,  that  Sattva  faith  which  I  am  now  going 
to  preach  to  you.  You  should  always  have  such  associations  as  would 
conduce  to  the  strengthening  of  the  Sattva  disposition,  and  take  only 
such  food  as  would  foster  growth  of  Sattva  quality,  since  there  is  no 
other  remedy  more  powerful  (efficient)  than  the  food  you  take  for 
strengthening  the  disposition.  A  vivid  example  of  this,  as  can  be 
seen  readily,  is  of  a  sober  person  who  gets  intoxicated  and 
arrogant  as  soon  as  he  gets  drunk.  One  who  takes  food  constantly 
naturally  gets  affected  by  wind  and  phlegm  (SfTcT^f).  Would  fever 
ever  cool  down  by  taking  milk,  etc.?  The  nectar  prevents  death  when 
taken,  or  the  poison  renders  poisonous  the  interior  when  taken  in: 
in  that  way  the  (seven)  primary  fluids  or  juices — essential  ingredients 
of  the  body  (?RraT^)  are  formed  according  to  the  kind  of  the  food 
one  takes,  and  the  emotions  are  fostered  in  the  interior  (mind)  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  of  the  primary  fluids  (9Tf )  thus  formed.  As 
the  pot  (containing  water)  is  heated  the  water  in  it  also  becomes  hot, 
in  that  way,  the  emotions  (thought-waves)  in  the  mind  are  conditioned 
by  the  fluids.  Therefore,  when  the  Sattva  food  is  taken,  then  only 
Sattva  emotions  are  developed.  Similarly,  if  other  kinds  of  food  are 
taken,  Rajas  and  Tamas  natures  are  formed.  Therefore  I  shall  now 
tell  you  what  is  Sattva  food  and  what  are  the  forms  of  Rajas  and 
Tamas  food,  and  hear  attentively. 

aU^K^fil  *****  fafoft  *RC%  to:  I 

*wwm*cW  3TR  for  iUftw  spj  u  V9  u 

7  "As  to  the  Diet  also,  it  is  of  three  kinds,  and  is  found  (severally) 
to  appeal  to  all  men.  So  the  Sacrifice,  Austerity  and  Charity: 
Listen  to  their  division  (now):  (120) 

Now  I  shall  make  it  clear  to  you,  Oh  Warrior,  how  one  and  the 
same  diet  becomes  of  three  kinds.  The  preparation  of  the  diet  follows 
the  taste  of  the  one  taking  it,  and  he  (the  eater)  becomes  the  very 
servant  of  the  three  Gunas.  The  being  who  is  the  doer  and  the  enjoyer, 


528  JNANESHWARI 

naturally  develops  his  disposition  according  to  the  three  kinds  of 
Gunas  and  also  acts  in  three  different  ways.  Therefore  the  diet  is  of 
three  different  kinds.  So  also  are  (of  three  kinds)  the  sacrifices, 
the  charities  and  the  austerities.  Now  I  shall  tell  you  the  signs  (charac- 
teristics) of  diet  first  as  promised,  which  hear  as  I  make  them  clear. 

8  "Longevity,  inner  basic  constitution  (sattva),  strength,  health, 
happiness,  and  cheerfulness:  such  foods  as  promote  these, 
and  are  savoury,  succulent,  sustaining  and  satisfying,  are 
dear  to  those  of  Sattvika  temperament.  (125) 

Should  the  enjoyer  be  luckily  inclined  towards  Sattva  qualities, 
his  liking  for  sweet  articles  of  food  increases;  food  articles  which  by 
themselves  are  savoury,  sweet,  and  well-cooked,  well-shaped, 
soft  to  touch  and  succulent  and  flavoury  to  the  tongue, — articles  that 
are  full  of  syrup  (T^FTT^ )  inside,  and  with  soft  exterior  and  with  the 
internal  liquidity  thickened  by  heat,  but  not  over-cooked  articles 
although  small  in  size  (are)  big  (highly  invigorating)  in  effect,  like  a 
single  letter  alphabet  from  the  mouth  of  the  preceptor,  which  though 
small  gives  immense  internal  satisfaction — articles  that  are  as  bene- 
ficial to  the  interior  as  they  are  sweet  (tasteful)  to  the  mouth:  such 
sorts  of  edible  articles  are  greatly  liked  by  the  beings  of  Sattvic  nature. 
Food  possessing  such  signs  should  be  known  as  Sattvic  food.  It 
conserves  longevity.  When  the  cloud  in  the  form  of  such  flavoury 
sattvic  liquid  food  showers  the  interior  of  the  body,  the  river  of 
longevity  gets  swollen  day  by  day.  The  Sun  is  the  cause  of  the  advance 
of  the  day;  in  that  way  such  kind  of  diet  is  most  suitable  for  preserving 
the  Sattvic  quality.  Such  (kind  of  food)  is  also  a  great  support  for 
strengthening  the  mind  as  also  the  body  and  with  such  food  the  ail- 
ments find  no  scope  whatsoever  (to  attack  the  body).  When  one 
gets  such  Sattvic  food,  then  only  can  one  enjoy  sound  health  and  the 
star  in  the  form  of  goodluck  is  in  the  ascendant  for  the  body:  and  it 
is  with  such  food  alone  that  a  person  gets  scope  for  doing  such  acts 
as  make  him  happy,  and  this  happiness  is  firmly  wedded  to  joy  (lit. 
happiness  augments  its  intimacy  with  joy).  The  Sattvic  food  proves 
in  the  long  run  thus  great  and  beneficial  to  the  body  both  externally 
and  internally.  Now  I  tell  you,  as  the  occasion  demands,  the  diet 
dear  to  the  Rajas — tempered  persons. 


XVII.   SRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  529 

3TT^RT  TTSra^^T  f^D+UWiKU  II  £  II 

9  "Bitter,  sour,  salt,  over-hot,  pungent,  dry,  and  burning; 
and  such  as  cause  pain,  repentance  and  ill-health,  are  the 
foods  desired  by  those  of  Rajasa  temperament.  (139) 

It  surpasses  even  the  subtle  poison  in  point  of  bitterness  and  is  more 
burning  than  lime  and  is  also  sour.  Salt  is  added  to  it  in  the  proportion 
in  which  water  is  added  to  flour  (for  forming  it  into  a  lump).  In  the 
same  proportion  are  also  added  other  kinds  of  salt  to  it.  Such  exces- 
sively salt  articles  of  food  are  liked  by  him  (Rajas-tempered  person), 
and  on  the  plea  of  having  hot  food  he  swallows  articles  of  food  as 
hot  as  the  very  fire.  A  Rajas  person  demands  articles  of  food  so  hot 
that  at  the  point  of  the  steam  arising  out  of  them,  a  wick  can  even  be 
ignited.  Food  as  hard  as  an  iron  crowbar  which  even  breaks  a  rock 
and  is  so  well  known  for  its  hardness, — such  hard  food  he  takes,  and 
it  pierces  his  stomach  without  causing  any  stab  or  injury.  The  food 
is  as  parched  as  the  very  ashes  in  and  out,  and  he  likes  that  burning 
sensation  which  is  caused  to  the  tongue  while  taking  such  food.  He 
feels  great  pleasure  in  putting  into  his  mouth  food  that  makes  gnashing 
sound  of  teeth  while  it  is  being  chewed.  Already  smarting  (as  the 
dishes  are),  he  adds  mustard  (to  them),  the  fumes  of  which  cause 
acute  pain  in  the  nostrils  and  the  mouth  while  swallowing.  Over 
and  above  this  Rajas  likes  to  have  "Rayate"  (tft^ — a  condiment) 
which  excels  even  fire  in  point  of  (throat)  burning  sensation.  It  is 
dearer  to  him  than  his  life.  Possessing  a  voracious  mouth,  his  tongue 
makes  him  mad  and  he  goes  on  swallowing  fi.2  in  the  form  of  food. 
This  makes  him  feel  so  hot,  that  he  does  not  feel  any  cooling  sensation 
even  on  the  (bare)  floor  or  on  a  bed,  and  he  cannot  keep  aside  (for  any 
length  of  time)  from  his  lips  a  drinking  pot  filled  with  water.  These 
things  cannot  be  called  feasts,  but  they  are  (as  it  were)  dormant 
serpents  in  the  form  of  diseases,  and  intoxicants  are  put  in  the  belly 
in  order  to  excite  them  (to  activity).  With  such  intoxicants,  disease 
after  disease  raises  its  head  vying  with  each  other,  and  in  this  way  the 
Rajas  food  yields  nothing  else  but  the  fruit  of  misery.  Oh  Dhanur- 
dhara,  thus  has  been  made  clear  to  you  in  detail,  together  with  its 
effects,  the  nature  of  Rajas  diet.  Now  about  the  diet  which  is  liked 
by  the  Tamas- ridden  person  and  you  might  feel  nausea  while  listening 
to  it. 


530  JNANESHWARI 

10  "Void  of  freshness,  no  longer  savoury,  foul  smelling ;  and  what 
has  stayed  overnight;  what  has  been  left  part-eaten  and  is 
unholy:  such  the  fare  favoured  by  those  of  Tamasa  tem- 
perament. (1 54) 

He  (Tamas-tempered  person)  feels  no  repugnance  while  eating 
rotten,  defiled,  and  left  part-eaten  food,  in  the  way,  a  she-buffalo 
does  not  feel  (repugnance)  while  consuming  mash  of  grain,  bran 
etc.,  laid  before  it  (sHfa).  A  Tamas-tempered  person  takes  un- 
grudgingly food  that  was  cooked  in  the  morning  or  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  previous  day..  He  also  takes  food  that  is  imperfectly  cooked 
or  is  over-cooked;  also  that  which  is  no  longer  savoury.  The  proper 
type  of  food  is  that  which  is  well-cooked  and  has  become  fully  savoury. 
The  Tamas-tempered  one  is  not  convinced  about  it  (he  holds  a  dif- 
ferent view);  were  he  by  chance  to  get  fresh  and  nice  food  to  eat,  he 
would  not  take  it  until  it  became  foul-smelling  in  the  way  a  tiger  does. 
Food  that  has  been  cooked  days  back,  (food)  that  has  lost  all  its 
flavour,  (food)  that  has  completely  dried  up,  (food)  that  has  rotten 
or  fermented  or  swollen,  (food)  that  has  been  squeezed  and  crushed 
by  children  like  clay,  or  that  has  been  mixed  up  (rubbed  in  together) 
as  an  oblation  to  family-Goddess  by  (five)  married  women  and  a 
virgin  all  sitting  in  company  ( ^l^T)  it  is  only  when  he  takes  such 
a  foul  and  dirty  food  that  he  feels  he  has  had  a  happy  meal;  yet  even 
with  this  the  sinner  (the  wretch)  does  not  feel  really  satisfied.  Just 
see,  the  wonder  of  it  is  that  his  longing  for  food  and  drink  that  is 
prohibited  by  the  Scriptures,  and  which  is  also  unwholesome  and 
unfit  to  be  taken,  becomes  extremely  intense.  Such  is  the  liking, 
Oh  Warrior,  of  one  who  has  taken  to  Tamas  sort  of  food.  It  however 
takes  no  time  for  such  a  one  to  reap  the  fruit  of  such  tendencies  on 
his  part,  since  he  becomes  the  receptacle  of  sins,  the  moment  his 
mouth  comes  in  touch  with  such  unholy  drink  and  food.  Whatever 
he  takes  in  as  food  should  not  be  considered  as  feeding  (i.e.  an  aid  to 
vitality),  but  (should  be  taken)  as  mere  stuffiing  in  (impending)  troub- 
les. Will  any  one  like  to  go  through  the  ordeal  of  cutting  one's  throat 
(head)  or  entering  a  blazing  fire,  simply  to  have  a  taste  of  it?  But 
he  (a  Tamas  ridden  person)  continually  suffers  bitter  pangs  of  the 
same  nature  (as  a  result  of  this  diet).  Thus  the  effects  of  the  Tamas 
sort  of  food  cannot,  Oh,  Arjuna,  be  distinguished  from  the  Tamas- 


xvn.  SraddhAtrayavibhaga  531 

ridden  disposition  itself,"  said  the  Lord.  (God  further  said)  "The 
sacrifices  are  also  of  three  kinds  like  the  diet,  and  you  attend  to  the 
subject.  The  first  of  these  is  Sattyic  sacrifice  and  you  hear  about  the 
mystic  significance  (the  touchy  point-*nf)  of  it,  Oh,  the  (head)  gem 
(ftrffwt)  among  the  famous. 

11  "The  sacrifice  which  is  performed  as  shown  by  precept  by 
those  not  yearning  for  its  fruit,  with  the  mind  at  peace,  and 
(in  the  faith,)  that  the  sacrifice  has  to  be  performed  (for 
its  own  sake) ;  that  (sacrifice)  is  Sattva-dominated.        (171) 

Not  to  allow  the  least  germination  or  growth  of  any  desire  for  anyone 
else  but  her  own  dear  husband  is  the  natural  bent  of  mind  of  a  loyal 
wife:  the  holy  Ganges,  once  it  joins  the  seas  does  not  flow  further: 
or  once  the  Supreme  Self  is  discerned,  the  Vedas  (their  function  being 
completed)  come  to  a  standstill:  in  any  of  these  ways  they  (Sattvics) 
dedicate  all  their  mind  to  attaining  their  goal,  dropping  all  egotism 
for  the  fruit.  A  water-flow  once  it  reaches  the  bottom  of  a  tree,  does 
not  recede,  but  gets  absorbed  there  only  (fostering  the  growth  of  that 
tree  without  expecting  any  return).  In  that  way  those  that  get  absorbed 
in  sacrifices,  keeping  firm  faith  in  them,  and  with  the  body  and  the 
mind  devoted  to  them  without  expecting  in  the  least  any  return, — 
any  sacrifices  performed  by  such  ones  after  dropping,  and  remaining 
detached  from,  all  desires  for  fruit  or  any  other  thing  but  their  own 
religion  (duty),  are  the  best  performed  in  all  ways  and  also  according 
to  the  enjoined  forms.  One  should  view  his  own  eyes  in  a  mirror, 
or  should  behold  in  the  light  of  a  lamp  a  gem  placed  on  his  own  palm, 
or  should  discern  his  intended  way  with  (the  light  of)  the  rise  of  the 
Sun;  in  that  way  were  one  to  study  the  injunctions  of  the  Vedas  with 
firm  faith  and  assemble  all  equipment  such  as  receptacles  (ft), 
temporary  sheds  (WT),  altars  (%^"),  as  also  other  materials  necessary 
for  a  sacrifice  and  arrange  them  methodically  in  their  proper  order 
and  place  (in  the  way)  as  different  ornaments  should  be  properly 
worn  on  the  respective  limbs,  -in  what  ways  and  terms  to  extol  the 
greatness  of  such  a  thing?  It  is  as  if  the  very  Goddess  of  sacrificial 
lore,  bedecked  all  over  with  ornaments,  has  appeared  in  the  form 
(disguise)  of  sacrifice.  Such  a  sacrifice,  perfect  in  all  ways  and  not 
germinating  and  issuing  forth  any  blossom  in  the  form  of  desires 


532  JNANESHWARI 

for  any  fruit — such  a  sacrifice,  free  from  motive  and  fruit,  is  performed 
in  the  way  a  person  (constructs  and)  maintains  a  canal  for  watering 
the  bed  of  Tulsi  plants  even  though  ,(he  knows)  he  cannot  get  (by  way 
of  return)  any  flowers,  fruit  or  shade  out  of  it.  Such  a  sacrifice  should 
be  known  as  Sattvic  Sacrifice. 

3tfa«im<<  <|  W  4*4H4*4fM  xfa  T^T  I 
f*^  ^Tcf^SS  ct  q*f  fafe  TTiTOTr  II   ?^  II 

12  "But  that  which  is  performed  with  an  eye  for  the  fruit,  and 
also  for  the  sake  of  ostentation,  O  Foremost  of  the  Bharat 
(clan) ;  that  sacrifice  understand  as  Rajas-dominated.    (185) 

Now,  Oh  the  Best  of  the  Warriors,  a  sacrifice  of  the  same  sort  is 
also  performed  but  it  is  like  an  invitation  to  attend  a  death  anniver- 
sary given  to  a  king,  with  the  idea  that  the  King's  visit  to  one's  home 
would  be  very  useful,  it  would  bring  about  celebrity,  causing  at  the 
same  time  no  detriment  to  the  celebration  of  the  anniversary.  With 
such  an  idea  in  mind  he  (sacrificer)  speculates  that  he  would  attain 
Heaven  through  the  sacrifice,  he  would  be  honoured  in  the  world 
as  a  pious  man  because  he  has  received  initiation  (stfSRT),  and  he 
would  also  have  the  sacrifice  performed.  Such  a  sacrifice,  O  Partha 
performed  for  the  sake  of  fruit  as  also  for  securing  importance  is 
a  Rajas-dominated  sacrifice. 

13  "Deficient  in  prescribed  procedure,  without  food-offerings, 
deficient  in  Mantra-recitation  without  largesses,  and  al- 
together lacking  faith:  that  sacrifice  they  speak  of  as  Tamas- 
dominated.  (189) 

In  the  mating  (marriages)  of  animals  and  birds  the  aid  of  an  astrologer 
is  not  solicited,  lust  alone  suffices  (it  determines  the  time) !  In  that  way, 
in  the  Tamas-dominated  sacrifices,  perversity  (3JTO?)  is  the  only 
root  cause.  If  it  ever  be  necessary  for  the  wind  to  search  its  own  way 
for  blowing,  or  for  Death  to  come  after  ascertaining  a  propitious 
time  (*jg# ),  or  for  the  fire  to  feel  afraid  to  burn  an  unholy  thing, 
then  only  the  conduct  of  the  Tamas-dominated  sacrifices  could  be 
according  to  precepts:  (otherwise)  the  Tamasic  one  is  all  unrestrained, 


xvn.  sraddhatrayavibhaga  533 

Oh  Dhanurdhara.  He  cares  neither  for  the  prescribed  procedure 
nor  for  the  proper  incantation  of  Mantras,  just  as  a  fly  puts  her  mouth 
in  any  sort  of  food  she  comes  across  without  caring  to  think  (about 
its  suitability  etc.)  in  any  way.  Where  the  Brahmins  are  looked 
down  with  the  feeling  of  enmity  (by  the  Tamas-ridden)  what  scope 
is  left  for  giving  any  largesses?  In  the  fulness  of  his  self-conceit  he 
goes  on  squandering  away  whatever  he  has  got,  like  the  fire  getting 
entangled  in  a  whirl-wind.  Thus  with  absolutely  no  faith  (in  such 
sacrifices)  enormous  wealth  is  squandered  in  vain,  in  the  way  is 
plundered  the  house  of  a  dying  person  without  issue.  Such  a  semblance 
of  sacrifice  is  called  Tamas-dominated  sacrifice,"  said  the  Lord  of 
Goddess  Lakshmi.  (He  further  said),  "The  water  of  the  Ganges  is 
all  one  and  the  same ;  yet  it  flows  through  different  courses  carrying 
dirt  in  some  places  while  remaining  clean  and  pure  in  others.  In  that 
way  the  austerities  are  three-fold,  according  to  the  three  Gunas 
(Sattva,  Rajas,  Tamas).  The  performance  of  one  (type  of  austerities) 
yields  sin,  and  the  other  leads  to  emancipation.  Should  you  be  desirous 
of  knowing  how  these  three  classes  of  austerities  came  into  being, 
know  first  what  is  austerity.  I  preach  it  to  you  first  and  I  shall  then 
explain  how  Gunas  have  classified  it  into  three  different  kinds.  What 
is  called  austerity  is,  hear  ye,  three-fold  (i)  of  body,  (ii)  mind  and 
(iii)  speech. 

fl^Hjfoffol  ^  5IRH  <W  3^  II   ?Y  II 

14  "Adoring  the  Gods,  the  Twice-born,  the  Elders,  and  the  Wise- 
men;  cleanliness,  straightforwardness,  continence,  and  non- 
violence: these  are  designated  austerity  of  the  body.    (201) 

Of  the  three  first  hear  of  the  austerity  of  the  body.  His  feet  know 
no  other  work  throughout  the  eight  Prahars  (three  hours'  period) 
of  the  day  excepting  that  of  visiting  (the  temples  of)  either  Lord 
Shiva  or  Lord  Hari  whichever  he  likes.  His  hands  are  well  engaged 
in  decorating  temple  premises,  in  collecting  and  supplying  articles, 
(flowers,  etc.)  necessary  for  worship,  and  in  doing  other  things  he 
is  called  on  to  do.  At  the  very  sight  of  the  image  of  the  Linga  (of 
God  Shiva),  or  the  image  of  God  Vishnu,  his  body  automatically 
sinks  down  and  lays  prostrate  like  a  stick  dropped  down  on  the  floor. 
He  renders  devoted  service  to  such  Brahmins  who  have,  through  their 
pious  acts,  humility  and  other  good  qualities  risen  to  the  position  of 


534  JNANESHWARI 

high  honour.  He  renders  happy  such  as  are  in  distress  either  through 
the  fatigue  of  travel  or  disease.  He  waves  his  body  to  the  service  of 
his  parents  who  stand  foremost  among  the  group  of  all  sacred  and 
holy  places.  He  worships  the  good  preceptor,  who  imparts  know- 
ledge liberally  and  seeing  whom  all  the  fatigue  of  the  dreadful  mundane 
existence  is  relieved.  He  burns  to  ashes  in  the  furnace  of  his  own 
righteous  acts  (religion),  the  alloy  in  the  form  of  the  conceit  of  the 
body,  by  giving  coatings  of  constant  study  (of  Scriptures).  With 
the  full  knowledge  that  the  Supreme  Spirit  abides  in  all  beings,  he 
bows  to  them  and  goes  on  serving  others  in  all  possible  ways  while 
he  himself  remains  particular  in  restraining  his  senses  (specially  where 
females  are  concerned).  His  only  contact  with  the  female  was  when 
he  was  born:  after  that  he  remains  clean  and  aloof  (from  the  contact) 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  avoids  even  walking  over 
(green)  grass  on  the  ground  of  its  being  a  living  entity:  not  only  that, 
but  he  avoids  cutting  and  dissecting  it.  It  is  only  when  the  body 
conducts  itself  naturally  in  such  a  pure  and  simple  way  that  the  bodily 
austerities  can  be  said  to  have  attained  perfection.  In  all  these  actions 
the  body  is  the  main  actor  and  so  I  call  them  the  austerity  of  the 
body,  Oh  Partha.  Thus  has  been  preached  to  you  what  is  called 
the  austerity  of  the  body .  Now  hear  the  signs  of  the  austerity  of  Speech. 

3h£h<*><  ^tot  ^j  fsprffTfi  ^  3E|  i 
Himimm*H  #ar  wmm  err  w£  u  U  ii 

15  "Speech  not  wounding  feelings,  and  which  is  (withal)  truthful, 
pleasing  and  beneficial;  also  the  regular  study  of  one's  own 
Scripture:  these  are  designated  austerity  of  utterance.  (216) 

The  'Paris'  C*1%)  converts  iron  into  gold  without  tearing  any  piece 
out  of  it:  in  that  way  is  discerned  one's  saintly  character  through 
his  talk,  which  gives  pleasure  to  those  near  about,  (without  hurting 
anyone).  Water,  while  going  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  watering  a 
tree  also  gives  life  (moisture)  to  the  grass  that  grows  in  its  course; 
in  that  way  his  talk  intended  for  a  particular  individual,  also  proves 
beneficial  to  all  others.  The  holy  Ganges  in  the  form  of  the  nectar 
makes  immortal  all  the  beings,  renders  pure  and  holy  all  by  its  bath, 
washing  off  all  sins  and  troubles,  and  gives  a  sweet  taste  (when  it  is 
drunk).  In  that  way  his  talk  removes  nescience,  brings  about  one's 
reunion  (meeting)  with  the  Supreme  Self,  and  is  such  that  one  never 
feels  in  any  way  bored  by  hearing  it,  just  as  one  never  feels  tired  of  a 


XVII.   SRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  535 

drink  of  nectar.  He  talks  (only)  if  and  when  questioned  or  asked 
about  anything:  otherwise  he  is  engaged  in  reciting  the  Vedas  again 
and  again  or  in  singing  the  praise  and  the  name  of  God.  All  the  three 
Vedas  including  the  Rigveda,  are  as  it  were  installed  in  the  home  in  the 
form  of  his  speech,  while  his  mouth  is  as  it  were  a  school  for  the 
study  of  Vedic  philosophy.  To  be  always  reciting  and  repeating 
anyone  of  the  names  of  Gods  Shiva-Vishnu,  is  what  is  called  the 
austerity  of  Speech.  Now  you  hear  about  the  austerity  of  the  mind,"' 
said  the  Lord,  the  Master  of  the  protectors  of  the  worlds  H"Him  ). 

WPSRf^f^fTr^TtJ  flFft  TFRW^%  II  m%  II 

-16     '  'Serenity  of  mind,  gentility,  taciturnity,  self-control,  and  purity 
of  disposition:  these  are  designated  austerity  of  the  mind.  (225) 

His  mind  remains  steady  in  the  Supreme  Self, — getting  freed  from  the 
webs  of  diverse  ideas  and  fancies  (leaving  him),  in  the  way  the  waves 
leave  a  lake,  or  the  cloud  leaves  the  sky,  or  snakes  leave  the  sandal-tree 
forest,  or  the  uneven  phases  leave  the  moon,  or  mental  worry  leaves  a 
king,  or  the  churning  rod  in  the  form  of  Mountain  Mandara  leaves 
the  sea  of  milk.  He  attains  the  blissful  self  and  rids  himself  of  his 
temper,  like  the  light  without  heat  or  food-flavour  without  density 
or  the  sky  without  cavity,  or  in  the  way  the  (already)  benumbed 
limbs  are  not  affected  by  cold.  His  mind  then  becomes  clean  and 
beautiful  like  the  firm,  unspotted  and  perfect  moon.  In  such  a  state 
the  hardship  of  asceticism  is  no  more  felt,  the  toilsome  quest  ceases 
and  the  trepidation  of  the  mind  is  gone  and  there  remains  only  in 
perfect  form  the  realization  of  the  self.  The  mouth,  which  was  (for- 
merly) always  used  as  an  instrument  and  vehicle  for  the  faculty  of 
speech  in  order  to  ponder  over  and  expound  the  Scriptures — the  same 
mouth  now  absolutely  refuses  to  make  use  of  the  faculty  of  speech. 
Having  secured  the  realisation  of  the  Supreme  Self  the  mind  loses 
its  nature— it  is  devitalized — and  remains  merged  in  the  self  in  the 
way  salt  becomes  one  with  water  and  gets  itself  extinguished  in  it. 
In  such  a  state,  whence  could  arise  the  emotions  that  rush  along  the 
road  of  the  senses  to  the  town  of  the  sense-objects  and  reach  it?  Thus  • 
the  mind  rids  itself  of  feelings  and  gets  pure  in  the  way  the  palm  of 
the  hand  is  pure  (free)  from  hair.  No  need  to  say  further,  Oh  Arjuna. 
When  the  mind  attains  such  a  stage  it  becomes  eligible  to  the  name 
"austerity  of  mind".  Suffice  this  sermon:  the  aspects  of  the  austerity 


536  JNANESHWARI 

of  the  mind  have  been  preached  to  you  in  their  entirety."  God  said. 
(God  further  said),  "You  have  been  made  to  hear  what  are  ordinarily 
the  three  classes  of  austerities  viz.  of  body,  speech  and  mind.  Now 
will  be  explained  to  you  how  this  '(division  into)  three-fold  austerity 
gets  formed  through  its  association  with  the  three  Gunas,  and  hear  it 
(and  digest  it)  with  your  powerful  intellect. 

sqpTT  *RTT  W^  dMWd  fafa^  it:  I 
3*<+HI+l&ryfa4rl>:  HTfWF  MfV<l<Hc)  H   ^  II 

17  "This  three-fold  austerity,  when  practised  by  men  with  high 
faith,  with  minds  attuned,  and  without  longing  for  the  (re- 
sulting) fruit:  that  is  pronounced  to  be  Sattva-dominated. 

(240) 

The  three  kinds  of  austerities  explained  to  you  should  be  practised 
with  complete  faith,  dropping  all  longing  for  the  fruit.  And  when  it 
is  practised  in  a  righteous  and  pure  way  and  with  full  faith  in  theism, 
wise  men  call  it  a  Sattva-dominated  austerity. 

faaj%  crfe$  sftaJ  ti«tct  ^wsj^  n  \*  n 

18  "When,  to  win  reverence,  honour,  or  adoration,  austerity  is 
practised,  or  through  ostentation:  that  (austerity)  is  here 
declared  as  Rajas-dominated  (as)  being  transient  and  un- 
steady. (242) 

Austerities  practised  at  great  hardship  and  posing  one's  superiority 
(creating  duality)  are  Rajas-dominated  for  establishing  austerity  to  be 
able  to  occupy  the  top-ranking  position,  or  for  securing  the  first  seat  of 
honour  in  conferences  and  dinner  parties  without  allowing  anyone 
else  to  secure  it,  or  (practised)  with  the  motive  that  one  should  be  quali- 
fied for  universal  praise  or  that  the  universe  should  make  his  home  a 
place  of  pilgrimage,  or  for  enabling  himself  to  enjoy,  to  the  exclusion  of 
others,  all  homage  from  the  people  and  all  ceremonial,  or  for  enhancing 
his  own  (market)  value  by  giving  bis  body  and  speech  a  coating  of  aus- 
terity, in  the  way  an  ugly-looking  one  should  adorn  himself  with  fine 
dress  and  ornaments.  In  short  any  austerities  practised  with  a  longing 
for  riches  and  honour  are  called  Rajas  austerities.  An  animal  affec- 
ted with  cattle  disease  (Pahurnj-qfraft)  yields  no  milk  even  after 


XVII.   gRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  537 

giving  birth  to  its  young:  or  a  standing-crop  in  a  field  does  not 
come  to  maturity  or  yield  any  grain  if  allowed  to  be  grazed  by  cattle 
in  its  premature  stage.  In  that  way,  any  austerities  practised  with 
great  tom-tomming  and  pomp,  become  entirely  fruitless;  and  seeing 
that  his  austerities  are  futile,  he  leaves  them  incomplete,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu;  therefore  they  have  no  steadfastness  about  them.  Unseasonal 
clouds,  covering  a  vast  area  and  making  a  deep  and  powerful  thunder 
in  the  sky,  disturb  the  universe;  yet  do  they  last  long?  In  that  way, 
the  Rajas-austerity  turns  out  fruitless  and  barren,  and  is  not  besides, 
practised  to  its  completion.  And  if  it  is  a  Tamas  activity,  it  deprives 
one  of  fame  in  this  world  as  well  as  in  the  other  world  (Heaven). 

<U*mVU4Hi4  3T  cT^T  diq«*|<^d^  II   H  II 

19  "When,  with  silly  obstinacy,  austerity  is  practised,  for  self- 
torture  or  to  encompass  another's  ruin,  it  is  proclaimed  as 
Tamas-dominated.  (254) 

(Now  as  regards  one  practising  Tamas  austerities).  He  harbours, 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  wind  of  foolishness  and  treats  his  body  as. an 
enemy.  He  applies  the  flame  of  the  five  sacred  fires  (m^iRt)  to  his 
person  and  kindles  such  internal  heat  as  would  burn  the  body.  He 
burns  fragrant  gum  <$*$$)  on  his  head,  and  pricks  his  back  with  iron 
hooks  and  burns  his  body  by  keeping  blazing  tire  all  around  himself. 
He  suspends  breathing,  and  in  vain  observes  fasts,  and  also  inhales 
smoke  with  head  hanging  downwards.  He  stands  on  the  rocky 
embankment  of  a  river,  its  (icy)  cold  water  reaching  as  far  as  his  neck, 
and  tears  out  his  own  flesh.  In  this  way  he  inflicts  self-torture  in 
various  ways,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  and  practises  austerities  solely  for  the 
purpose  of  causing  destruction  of  others.  A  big  and  heavy  boulder 
getting  dislodged  from  its  position  crashes  down  (from  a  great  height), 
gets  broken  into  fragments,  and  in  addition  crushes  down  whatever 
comes  in  its  way.  In  that  way  he  causes  torture  to  the  happily  abiding 
soul,  and  practises  austerities  for  the  glory  of  conquering  others. 
The  austerities  that  emerge  out  of  such  dreadful  torture  of  one's  body 
are  called  Tamas-austerities,  O  Kiriti.  I  have  thus  made  clear  to  you 
how  the  three  kinds  of  austerities  classified  according  to  the  Sattva 
and  other  Gunas  take  place.  Now  as  the  occasion  demands  I  shall 
tell  you  the  aspects  of  the  three  classes  of  charity.  Here  also  charity 


538  JNANESHWARI 

is  divided  into  three  categories  on  account  of  the  three  Gunas.  Hear 
first  about  the  Sattva-dommated  one. 

^  *>!%  ^"  TT^"  ^"  cffR  OTf^F  **jn*j  II  ^o  II 

20  "When,  with  the  sole  thought  of  giving  away,  a  gift  is  given, 
to  one  who  has  not  (previously)  obliged  (the  giver),  and  with 
(due  consideration  of  propriety  as  regards)  place,  time, 
and  recipient:  that  gift  is  pronounced  as  Sattva-dominated. 

(266) 

(In  the  case  of  Sattvic  charities) :  He  gives  away  in  charity  with  the 
greatest  regard,  whatever  wealth  he  earns  acting  strictly  according 
to  his  own  religion  (duty).  If  good  seed  is.  available,  there  is  (often) 
felt  the  want  of  good  fertile  soil;  similar  is  the  state  experienced  in 
regard  to  charity.  If  one  (luckily)  secures  an  invaluable  gem,  one 
finds  it  difficult  to  get  gold  for  preparing  a  socket  for  setting  it  (gem) 
in.  If  both  these  (gem  as  also  gold)  are  at  hand,  a  (beautiful)  body 
(limb)  for  wearing  such  an  ornament  is  needed.  When  luck  is  in 
ascendance,  there  automatically  comes  in  an  assembly  of  a  holiday, 
a  dear  one  and  also  riches.  In  that  way  when  the  Sattva  Guna  comes  to 
the  help  of  charities,  there  automatically  assemble  together  place,  time, 
recipient  and  riches, — all  suitable  for  the  purposes  of  charity.  There- 
fore, for  making  suitable  charities,  one  must  try  and  seek  out  either 
Kurukshetra  or  Kashi,  but  in  the  absence  of  these,  one  may  resort 
to  any  other  place  of  similar  sanctity.  Then  one  should  find  out  an 
auspicious  occasion  such  as  the  eclipse  of  the  Sun  or  the  Moon,  or  any 
other  pure  and  holy  occasion  like  that,  at  such  a  time  and  place  should 
be  found  a  person  deserving  of  being  given  charities — one  who  is 
purity  incarnate.  He  should  be  the  very  abode  of  good  conduct, 
commercial  centre  (for  the  dissemination)  of  Vedic  knowledge,  and 
also  a  holy  gem  amongst  Brahmins.  Then  one  should  completely 
surrender  to  such  a  one  (donor's)  ownership  and  mastery  over  the 
riches  in  the  way  a  wife  surrenders  her  person  to  her  beloved  Lord 
(husband),  or  in  the  way  a  righteous  person  returns  to  the  depositor 
his  deposit  kept  in  trust  with  him,  and  becomes  free  and  absolved, 
or  in  the  way  the  royal  page  after  tendering  to  the  king  TambuT 
(cri^5r-betel-leaf  with  betel-nut  etc.  prepared  for  chewing)  rests  at 
ease.  In  that  way  should  be  given  charities  in  the  form  of  land,  etc. 
with  a  motive-free  mind,  nay,  no  expectation  whatever  of  a  fruit 


XVII.   SRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  539 

should  in  fact  be  allowed  to  arise  in  the  mind.  The  recipient  selected 
should  also  be  such  that  there  should  not  exist  any  possibility  of  the 
return  by  him  of  the  charities  in  one  form  or  the  other.  No  reply  is 
ever  received  to  a  call  made  to  the  sky,  or  no  reflection  could  ever  be 
seen  on  the  reverse  side  of  a  mirror;  or  a  ball  dashed  against  marshy 
ground  does  not  rebound  and  get  back  into  the  hands  of  the  one 
dashing  it;  or  fodder  placed  for  consumption  before  a  dedicated  bull, 
or  an  honour  done  to  an  ungrateful  person  never  displays  any  sort 
of  reciprocity.  In  that  way,  (it  should  be  seen  that)  charity  once 
given  does  in  no  way  and  in  no  form  whatever  come  back  to  the  giver. 
There  should  not  also  linger  in  the  mind  any  distinctive  feeling  that 
one  is  the  donor  and  the  other  is  the  'donee'.  Charity  given  under 
such  requisite  conditions  is,  Oh  Warrior,  Sattva — dominated  one, 
and  is  the  best  amongst  all  charities.  A  Charity  made  under  condi- 
tions in  every  way  suitable  in  regard  to  the  place,  time  and  the  (worth 
of)  the  recipient,  constitutes  a  pure  and  justifiable  (following  the 
Scriptures)  charity. 

<&$  W  MfiOwtZ  cT^FT  TTiRt  **ffl^  H  R$  II 

21  "But  that  which  by  way  of  a  return  obligation,  or  with  an  eye 
to  subsequent  gain,  is  given,  grudgingly  and  scantily;  that 
gift  is  pronounced  Rajas-dominated.  (285) 

(As  regards  the  Rajas-dominated  charity):  Feeding  a  cow  in  the 
expectation  of  milk  to  come,  sowing  land  with  the  object  of  filling 
in  grain  pits  $%)  with  the  yield  secured;  or  inviting  relations  to  a 
ceremonial  function  with  an  eye  to  the  (expected)  presents  (an^T), 
or  sendirig  charities  to  the  house  of  one  under  a  religious  vow  ( ^tafw ) 
(not  to  retain  any  such),  or  recovering  interest  in  advance  and  then 
lending  (monetary)  help  to  others,  or  recovering  medical  fees  first 
and  then  giving  medicine  to  the  patient;  or  giving  charity  with  the 
object  that  the  giver  should  be  able  to  feed  himself  on  the  recipient 
through  what  is  given  in  charity;  or  coming  across  an  itinerant  Brah- 
min all-deserving,  but  not  in  a  position  to  return  any  obligation 
(charity)  made  to  him  and  then  giving  him  a  mere  trifle  (Kavadi, 
the  smallest  legal  tender)  on  his  own  account  and  on  behalf  of  all 
the  members  of  the  family  Cftr)  in  expiation  of  all  the  past  sins  of 
commission  and  omission;  or  giving  charity  so  scantily  as  to  be 
hardly  enough  even  for  a  single  meal,  and  expecting  in  return  the 


540  JNANESHWARI 

reward  of  various  enjoyments  in  Heaven;  (that  apart),  and  when 
this  miserly  charity  is  being  taken  away  (by  the  recipient)  the  donor 
feels  so  sad  at  heart  on  account  of  that  loss,  as  if  he  has  been  robbed 
(by  robbers),  of  all  his  possessions.  What  more  should  I  say,  Oh 
Good  Talent!  Giving  charity  with  such  a  mentality  (as  described 
above)  is  known  in  all  the  three  worlds  as  Rajas-dominated. 

22  "When,  at  improper  place  and  time,  a  gift  is  given,  to  unworthy 
recipients,  uncourteously  and  disrespectfully;  that  is  declared 
to  be  Tamas-dominated.  (294) 

(Now  as  regards  Tamas-dominated  charity):  Giving  in  charity, 
riches  secured  by  commiting  theft,  during  evening  hours  or  during 
the  night, — at  places  which  are  habitations  of  foreigners  or  in  forests, 
or  at  unclean  and  unholy  spots,  or  in  tents  and  public  places  in  towns 
and  cities,  to  persons  that  are  bards  (W ),  jugglers,  snake-charmers, 
prostitutes,  gamblers  and  persons  practising  black  magic  (cons- 
titutes Tamas-dominated  charity).  (In  the  case  of  such  charities) 
the  donor  (often)  gets  infatuated  with  the  personal  beauty,  as  enhanced 
by  the  art  of  dancing,  of  the  donee,  and  in  this  state  there  further 
linger  in  his  ears  the  soft  tones  of  his  own  praise  being  sung  by  flatterers. 
Added  to  this,  the  fragrance  of  flowers  or  cosmetics  create  in  him 
(donor)  the  'VetaP  (^TToff  — the  King  of  ghosts)  in  the  form  of  greed 
for  (the  enjoyment  of)  the  sense-objects.  Giving  away,  in  such  a 
mental  condition  riches  acquired  by  robbing  the  world  is  like  conduct- 
ing a  free  boarding  house  by  Mangs  (persons  belonging  to  the  lowest 
class,  hang-man  by  profession).  In  short,  gifts  given  in  such  ways 
I  call  'Tamas-dominated'  charities.  Also  hear  of  another  kind  of 
incident  that  luckily  takes  place"  said  God,  "A  Tamasic  person,  by 
pure  chance  finds  himself  in  a  holy  place,  at  a  particularly  auspicious 
time,  in  the  way  an  insect  should  carve  by  chance  letters  on  a  piece  of 
wood,  or  in  the  way  a  crow  should  find  himself  in  a  Tal  (zr&t — 
between  the  two  palms  while  they  are  striking  against  each  other), 
and  just  then,  there  should  happen  to  arrive  a  proper  (worthy)  person 
to  beg  for  charity  and  the  donor,  although  in  an  obstreperous  mood, 
resolves  to  make  a  gift,  being  incited  by  vanity.  (Even  though  all 
these  incidents  take  place)  yet,  there  does  not  arise  any  sort  of  faith 
in  his  mind;  not  only  that  he  does  not  himself  bend  down  his  head 


xvii.  Sraddhatrayavebhaga  541 

before  him,  and  extend  him  welcome  by  formally  offering  him  water 
and  other  things  but  also  does  not  allow  anyone  else  to  do  so.  He 
does  not  even  spread  out  any  (sort  of)  carpet  or  any  other  thing 
for  him  to  sit  upon;  what  of  showing  reverence  towards  him  then 
with  sandal  paste  and  rice  (*fsrrcRrr)?  The  Tamasic  one  thus  behaves 
rudely  and  insultingly  towards  him  (one  that  has  come  begging). 
If  at  all  he  gets  rid  of  him  like  a  debtor,  placing  something  on  his 
palm,  he  uses,  while  doing  so,  all  sorts  of  insulting  and  foul  words 
to  him.  And  whatever  is  thus  given  to  him  in  charity  is  mentioned 
again  and  again  and  repeated  in  so  many  words  by  the  Tamasic 
donor,  with  the  addition  of  foul  insulting  words.  Enough  however  of 
this:  giving  money  in  charity  of  this  way  is  what  they  call  Tamas- 
dominated  charity  (in  the  world).  You  have  now  been  told  about  the 
three  kinds  of  charities — Sattva,  Rajas,  Tamas  with  their  respective 
names  and  signs.  Here  you  might,  I  know,  raise  a  doubt  (in  your 
mind),  as  to  why  I  mentioned  to  you  other  objectionable  and  faulty 
actions,  when  the  Sattvic  actions  were  alone  capable  of  freeing  one 
from  worldly  fetters.  One  cannot  get  hold  of  hoarded  money  unless 
and  until  he  first  drives  away  the  female  goblin  (sitting  on  it),  or 
just  as  a  lamp-wick  cannot  blaze  out  without  first  bearing  (the  trouble 
of)  smoke.  In  that  way,  how  can  it  be  deemed  an  objectionable  act, 
if  I  first  break  open  the  doors  of  Rajas  and  Tamas  that  stand  in  the 
way  of  pure  Sattva?  I  have  mentioned  in  stanzas  2 — 22,  that  the 
aggregate  of  actions  from  faith  to  charities  were  all  pervaded  by  the 
three  Gunas.  In  fact,  I  (once)  thought  of  not  making  a  mention  of 
all  the  three,  yet  mentioned  the  other  two,  (Rajas  and  Tamas)  to  show 
clearly  the  Sattva  quality.  When  a  (third)  thing  lies  between  two 
(others),  it  can  be  seen  clearly  when  the  other  two  are  removed,  in  the 
way  the  evening  becomes  discernible  at  the  close  of  the  day  and  before 
nightfall.  In  that  way  with  the  elimination  of  Rajas  and  Tamas, 
the  third,  viz.  Sattva,  which  alone  survives  automatically,  appears 
in  its  noblest  aspect.  In  short,  Rajas  and  Tamas  have  been  mentioned 
to  show  you  the  Sattva:  so  abandon  the  two  (others)  and  take  to 
Sattva  alone  to  secure  all  your  objects.  You  should  perform  all 
your  actions  including  sacrifices,  being  dominated  by  the  pure  Sattva 
quality,  so  that  you  would  easily  attain  your  pristine  Self.  When  there 
is  the  Sun  himself  to  show  you,  what  is  there  that  cannot  be  seen? 
In  that  way,  when  there  is  the  Sattva  quality  to  guide,  what  fruit 
exists  that  lies  beyond  one's  reach?  It  is  definite  that  the  Sattva 
quality  does  possess  the  requisite  power.  Yet  there  is  something 
else  that  helps  (the  Sattva)  to  secure  emancipation  and  to  merge  in 


542  JNANESHWARI 

the  Supreme  Self,  and  when  that  is  secured,  one  enters  into  the  region 
of  deliverance.  There  may  be  the  purest  gold  (fetching  the  highest 
rate  Rs.  15/-  per  tola  prevailing  in  Shri  Jnaneshwar's  days),  but  it 
is  only  when  there  is  impressed  on  it  the  royal  insignia,  that  it  serves 
the  purpose  of  currency.  There  may  be  pure,  cool,  fragrant  water 
giving  pleasure,  yet  it  attains  holiness  only  if  and  when  it  gets  connec- 
ted with  some  holy  waters.  However  great  (big)  an  ordinary  river 
might  be,  it  can  fall  into  the  sea,  only  after  getting  united  with  the 
Ganges  (or  some  big  river  flowing  direct  into  the  sea).  In  that  way, 
Oh  Kiriti,  nothing  comes  in  the  way  of  one  seeking  emancipation 
through  Sattvic  acts;  but  it  is  entirely  a  different  subject.  Hearing 
this  Arjuna's  eagerness  could  not  be  restrained  within  himself  and 
he  said.  "Oh  God,  tell  me  what  it  is."  At  this  the  kind  Lord  Para- 
mount said,  "Hear  the  exposition  of  that  which  helps  the  Sattvic 
ones  to  secure  the  gem  of  emancipation." 

tfi$iwu*t)»i  %3to  wrc*  ftfgdi:  grr  u  ^3  11 

23  "'Om-Tat-Sat':  is  the  three-fold  symbol  indicative  of 
Brahman ;  by  it,  the  Brahmin  sacrifices,  the  Vedic-Mantras, 
and  the  Sacrifices  were  created  aforetime.  (328) 

The  Supreme  Brahman  of  all  eternity,  the  very  abode  of  rest  of  the 
entire  universe,  has  got  only  one  name  which  is  three-fold.  It  has 
in  fact  neither  any  name  nor  any  caste;  but  in  order  to  give  some 
identity  to  it,  in  the  darkness  of  infatuation  born  of  the  Maya,  the 
Shruti  Scriptures  have  given  it  a  token  name.  A  child  does  not  bring 
along  with  its  birth,  a  name.  It  answers  and  gets  up  when  called 
by  a  (particular)  name  given  to  it.  In  that  way,  beings  getting  tired 
with  the  mundane  worries  approach  Supreme  Brahman  for  ventilat- 
ing their  grievances,  (and  call  out  by  some  token  name).  The  token 
name  which  evoked  a  response  from  Brahman,  became  its  conven- 
tional name.  The  Vedas  out  of  great  kindness  for  the  world  have 
discerned  with  divine  vision  a  Sacred  Formula  (Mantra)  that  could 
break  the  silence  of  Supreme  Brahman,  and  make  its  monistic  aspect 
directly  perceptible.  Supreme  Brahman,  if  entreated  through  the 
chanting  of  this  formula,  comes  and  stands  in  front  face  to  face  from 
the  rear.  But  only  those  that  do  sit  side  by  side,  in  the  same  row 
(level)  as  the  God  Brahmadev  in  the  city  in  the  form  of  the  (the  princip- 


XVII.   SRADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  543 

les  of)  Upanishad  Scriptures,  on  the  top  of  the  high  mountain  in  the 
form  of  the  Vedas,  know  of  this  formula.  Nay — even  the  God  Brah- 
madev  secured  his  power  of  creating  this  universe  by  chanting  this 
formula  only  once.  Oh,  the  Best  of  the  Warriors,  God  Brahmadev 
was  a  solitary  figure,  very  much  confused  and  mad  before  this  universe 
was  created  (by  him).  He  had  clean  forgotten  Me — God,  and  was 
unable  to  create  the  universe;  but  the  chanting  of  the  name  (formula) 
made  him  pre-eminent  (endowed  with  that  power).  He  secured 
the  power  of  creating  the  universe  through  constant  thinking  of  the 
meaning  of  it  (formula)  and  chanting  again  and  again  the  three  syllables 
composing  it.  He  then  created  the  Brahmins  giving  them  a  direction 
to  follow  the  Vedas  and  furnished  them  the  means  in  the  form  of  the 
sacrifices  for  their  livelihood.  He  then  created  more  people-innumer- 
able to  count  and  gave  them  in  gift  (for  their  livelihood)  the  three 
worlds,  to  be  held  and  enjoyed  by  them  hereditarily  and  in  perpetuity. 
Now  hear  about  the  aspect  of  the  name  the  chanting  of  which  enabled 
God  Brahmadev  to  bring  about  a  miracle",  said  the  Lord  of  Shri. 
(He  further  said,  "Om  (afff )  Pranava,  the  King  of  all  the  hymns, 
is  the  first  syllable  of  this  (name)  know  it;  "Tat"  (rRT>  is  the  second  while 
'Sat'  ^R0  is  the  third.  Thus  Om-Tat-Sat  ( sfr^-crST-SRj; )  is  the  three- 
fold name  of  Supreme  Brahman,  the  beautiful  flower  of  the  Upanishad 
Scriptures,  which  you  now  smell.  Sattvic  actions  performed  after 
getting  one  with  that  name  makes  the  'Kaivalya'  {%*&\  -absorption 
into  Divine  Essence)  the  domestic  servant  (of  the  performer).  Good 
luck  might  secure  ornaments  of  camphor  for  one;  yet  it  is  difficult 
for  him  to  know  how  to  wear  them.  In  that  way,  one  can  perform 
good  actions  and  even  chant  the  name  of  Supreme  Brahman;  yet  if 
one  does  not  know  the  secret  of  its  proper  application  (as  laid  down 
in  the  Scriptures),  it  becomes  all  fruitless.  One  stands  to  lose  all 
merit,  if  the  saintly  persons  visiting  one's  house  are  not  accorded 
proper  reception;  or  one,  out  of  longing  for  wearing  ornaments  in 
a  fitting  manner,  should  bundle  them  up  and  hang  them  around  his 
neck.  In  that  way,  even  if  the  mouth  chants  the  name  of  Supreme 
Brahman,  and  the  hands  also  perform  good  actions,  yet  it  is  of  no 
avail  if  one  does  not  know  its  proper  application.  Oh,  there  is  food 
as  also  hunger  side  by  side.  Yet  if  a  child  does  not  know  how  to  make 
a  meal  (of  it)  it  necessarily  starves ;  or  a  wick,  oil  and  fire  are  all  available 
in  one  place;  yet  if  the  process  (  smile)  of  preparing  a  light  (with  the 
use  of  these)  is  not  known,  no  light  could  be  had.  In  that  way  even 
though  there  is  the  timely  action,  as  also  the  remembrance  of  the 
formula,  yet  in  the  absence  of  (the  knowledge  of)  proper  application, 


544  JNANESHWARI 

all  becomes  useless,  Therefore  now  hear  about  the  proper  application 
of  the  trilettered  name  (symbol)  of  Supreme  Brahman. 

24  "Therefore,  it  is  after  pronouncing  'OM'  that  the  activities 
relating  to  sacrifices,  gifts,  and  austerities — performed  ac- 
cording to  prescribed  mode  continually  start  into  being  in 
the  case  of  the  Brahman-knowers.  (354) 

The  three  letters  composing  that  name  should  be  used  in  the  three 
stages  viz.  in  the  beginning,  in  the  middle,  and  at  the  end  of  all  actions. 
Those  who  know  already  (the  nature  of)  Supreme  Brahman  follow 
this  method  and  meet  Supreme  Brahman.  Those  that  are  well  versed 
in  the  Scriptures,  do  not  abstain  from  performing  the  sacrifices  for 
becoming  one  with  Supreme  Brahman.  They  first  meditate  on  the 
Omkar,  make  it  visible  to'  their  mental  eye  and  then  pronounce  it 
with  their  tongue  and  with  their  meditation  accompanied  by  a  visible 
symbol  and  clear  pronunciation  (with  the  organ  of  speech)  of  Pranava 
(the  symbol  (OM')  set  out  with  the  performance  of  actions.  The 
utterance  of  Pranava  at  the  beginning  of  actions,  is  as  valuable  as  a 
lamp  with  a  steady  light  in  deep  darkness  or  an  able-bodied  com- 
panion (while  travelling)  in  a  jungle.  They  make  oblations  of  various 
ingredients  obtained  justly,  through  Brahmins  in  the  (sacrificial) 
fire  invoking  the  desired  deities.  They  make  (oblations)  offering  in 
accordance  with  due  rites  made  of  various  kinds  of  ingredients  ( sr^T) 
to  the  three  sacred  fires  ( 3 l^4^-<li^ry-?f$P*r ).  They  take  to 
various  kinds  of  sacrifices  (in  their  prescribed  modes)  and  abandon 
worldly  worries  which  are  hated  by  them:  or  they  give  away  in  charity 
at  suitable  places  and  on  suitable  occasions,  to  worthy  recipients, 
riches  as  also  lands  etc.  earned  judiciously;  or  they  take  food  on 
alternate  days,  practise  month  by  month  the  Chandrayana,  Hiaw- 
expiatory  penance  by  regulating  food  by  the  Moon's  periods  of 
waxing  and  waning),  and  sap  (i.e.  purify  by  purging  the  dross)  the 
seven  primary  fluids — essential  ingredients  in  the  body  (W4l<|)  by 
practising  rigid  austerities.  Sacrifices,  charities  and  austerities  are  the 
well-known  means  of  binding  men  to  mundane  existence  (by  their 
rewards):  yet  these  accompanied  by  Pranava  make  it  easy  for  them 
to  secure  emancipation.  We  float  on  water  in  small  boats,  which  are 
ordinarily  (on  land)  felt  heavy:  in  that  way  the  constant  remembrance 


xvii.  sraddhatrayavibhaga  545 

of  this  (Omkar)  name  effects  deliverance  from  fettering  actions.  Sac- 
rifices, charities  and  austerities  and  other  actions  get  well-performed 
and  supported  by  Omkar.  It  is  only  when  these  actions  show  signs 
of  coming  to  fruition  that  the  second  letter  Tat'  (cRj;)  is  put  into  ap- 
plication. 

25  "'Tat'— uttering  this  (symbol),  without  aiming  at  their 
fruit,  the  activities  relating  to  sacrifices  and  austerities,  and 
the  various  activities  relating  to  gifts,  are  undertaken  by 
those  seeking  Salvation.  (369) 

They  (the  righteous  seekers)  meditate  upon  that  Supreme  Brahman 
as  the  origin  of  all  and  they  clearly  visualise  it  mentally  by  uttering 
its  name,  which  is  beyond  the  universe,  which  alone  is  omniscient 
and  which  is  expressed  by  the  word  Tat'.  They  say,  "Let  all  the 
actions  with  their  fruit  be  dedicated  to  the  Tat'  which  represents 
Supreme  Brahman,  leaving  no  residue  for  us  to  enjoy.  Thus  they 
dedicate  all  actions  to  Supreme  Brahman  as  represented  by  the 
word  Tat',  and  shake  off  all  liability  (thus  absolving  themselves)  by 
uttering  the  words  'Not  Mine'.  Now  an  action  started  with  'Omkar' 
and  dedicated  to  Supreme  Brahman  with  'TAT',  attains  Supreme 
Brahman  (status).  Yet,  this  is  so  far  as  the  action  that  is  perceptible 
is  concerned.  Yet  that  is  not  sufficient.  The  egoistic  duality 
on  the  part  of  the  doer  as  being  the  doer  (of  actions),  still  abides 
in  the  doer  (and  does  not  merge  in  Supreme  Brahman  by  the 
dedication  of  the  action  itself)-  Salt  gets  dissolved  in  water,  still 
its  saltish  taste  remains  behind;  in  that  way  the  sense  of  duality  as 
being  the  doer  remains  in  one  who  has  dedicated  all  his  actions  to 
Supreme  Brahman,  and  so  long  as  this  consciousness  of  duality 
remains  intact,  the  dread  of  mundane  existence  accompanies  (persists) ; 
and  this  is  being  declared  by  the  Vedas,  that  are  the  mouth  (piece) 
of  God  Almighty.  Therefore,  the  word  'Sat'  is  reserved  with  the 
object  that  the  Supreme  Brahman,  which  is  fell  as  being  something 
distinct  from  one  through  egotism  as  being  the  doer,  should  be  ex- 
perienced (by  the  doer)  as  his  very  self.  "The  actions  that  have  merged 
in  Brahman  through  words  'Om'  and  'Tat',  are  commended  in  the 
word  'right'  (proper).  (And  with  regard  to  such  'right'  actions)  the 
word  'Sat'  has  a  special  application.  And  that  very  word  I  shall 
now  make  plain  as  it  is,  hear  (about  it). 


546  JNANESHWARI 

26  "For  (denoting)  the  idea  of  existence,  or  the  idea  of  goodness, 
the( symbol)  'SAT  is  employed;  so  also,  for  (denoting)  a 
praiseworthy  act,  the  word  SA  V  is,  Oh  Son  of  Prtha,  em- 
ployed. (380) 

The  word  'Serf'  signifies  complete  evaporation — disappearance  of 
the  counterfeit  coin  viz.  the  illusive  appearance  of  this  universe  and 
it  exhibits  in  its  entirety  the  nature  of  Absolute  Existence.  That 
'Sat'  undergoes  no  change  whatever  on  account  of  place  and  time, 
but  remains  intact  as  it  is  throughout  eternity.  All  that  is  perceptible 
(to  the  senses)  being  'Asat'  (Non-eternal)  is  not  classed  under  that 
'Sat';  that  is  only  known  with  the  attainment  of  Supreme  Brahman 
(in  essence),  and  the  actions  sanctioned  by  (such)  'Sat'  get  united 
with  Supreme  Self  and  appear  as  Supreme  Brahman  itself.  All  the 
actions  that  become  Supreme  Brahman  on  account  of  the  letters 
'Om'  and  Tat',  get  merged  in  and  appear  as  'Sat'  pure  and  simple. 
Such  is  the  esoteric  application  of  the  word  'Sat'  which  please  note," 
said  Lord  Krishna.  "It  is  not  I  who  say  this  (added  Jnanadev). 
But  if  I  say  it  is  not  I  who  declare  it,  it  will  be  infected  with  the  taint 
of  duality  vis-a-vis  Shriranga,  and  so  it  is  unquestionably  God's 
revelation."  "There  is  one  more  application  of  this  'SAT'  which 
puts  the  Sattvic  and  pure  actions  under  obligation,  and  hear  about 
it.  If,  while  being  performed,  in  the  proper  way,  according  to  the 
respective  qualifications  of  the  doers,  the  actions  get  defective  in 
any  way,  such  defect  transforms  even  a  good  act  into  a  faulty  one 
in  the  way  any  defect  in  a  physical  organ  makes  the  entire  body  come 
to  a  standstill  or  in  the  way  the  want  of  one  wheel  makes  the  entire 
chariot  come  to  a  dead  halt.  On  such  an  occasion  chanting  the  letter 
'Om'  along  with  the  word  'Tat',  with  the  further  help  of  the  word 
'Sat',  rejuvenates  (makes  perfect)  the  defective  actions.  Thus  the 
symbol  'Sat',  removes  the  defects  from  the  action,  and  brings  to 
it  the  glory  of  'Sat'  like  its  own  self.  What  is  Divine  Medicine  to  a 
diseased  person,  or  some  sort  of  help  to  a  broken  (vanquished)  person, 
the  symbol  'Sat'  is  to  the  defective  action  and  brings  perfection  to  it. 
Or,  owing  to  some  mistake,  if  any  action  takes  a  wrong  path  trans- 
gressing the  enjoinments  of  the  Scriptures,  there  being  no  certainty 
that  mistakes  would  not  occur,  since  it  is  not  uncommon  for  a  wayfarer 
to  miss  his  way  or  a  scrotiniser  (connoisseur)  to  get  confused.  There- 


xvii.  ^raddhatrayavibhAga  547 

fore  where  an  action  misses  its  own  boundary  through  thoughtlessness 
and  tends  to  incur  the  infamous  repute  of  evil  action-at  this  stage 
any  resort  to  the  word  'Sat'  -rather  than  to  the  words  'Om'  and 
'Tat'  -brings  holiness  and  purity  to  such  actions.  The  application 
of  the  word  'Sat'  to  a  faulty  action  confers,  O  Warrior,  benefit  upon 
it,  in  the  way  does  the  rubbing  of  Paris  ("rfbr)  on  iron  or  the  joining 
with  the  Ganges  of  a  brook,  or  a  shower  of  nectar  on  the  dead.  Such 
is  the  glory  of  this  word  'Sat'.  In  short,  recognising  the  essence  of 
the  above  exposition,  if  you  keep  thinking  about  that  name  you  will 
realize  that  it  is  nothing  pise  but  Supreme  Brahman  itself.  The  chant- 
ing of  the  group  of  the  words  'Om-Tat-Sat'  takes  the  being  to  the 
place  whence  arises  the  entire  aggregate  that  bears  name  and  form. 
That  place  is  nothing  else  but  the  immutable,  pure,  Supreme  Brahman 
and  the  symbol  of  its  inherent  power  is  this  name  ('Om-Tat-Sat). 
The  sky  is  its  own  support,  in  that  way  this  name  has  got  an  uninterrup- 
ted support  in  itself.  The  sun  rising  in  the  sky,  sheds  light  on  himself, 
in  that  way  this  (tri-lettered)  name  sheds  light  on  Supreme  Brahman. 

27  "In  sacrifice,  austerity  and  gift,  maintaining  unswerving 
attitude  is  likewise  called  'SAT;  and  (every)  action  intended 
for  that  purpose  is  also  designated  'Sat '.  (405) 

Therefore,  this  name  is  not  only  a  group  of  three  syllables,  but  is 
Supreme  Brahman  itself.  In  that  way,  whatever  action  is  performed, 
whether  it  is  a  sacrifice,  or  an  act  of  charity  or  austerity,  or  a  deed 
of  deep  piety;  and  whether  it  reaches  its  successful. termination  or 
getting  defective,  remains  incomplete-all  such  acts,  if  dedicated 
to  Supreme  Brahman,  become  Supreme  Brahman  in  essence,  in  the 
way,  in  the  test  by  Paris  (^rfw )  (process  of  converting  iron  into  gold) 
there  remains  nothing  distinctive  like  pure  gold  or  alloyed  gold. 
Rivers,  once  they  fall  into  the  sea,  cannot  be  identified  individually; 
in  that  way,  when  actions  are  dedicated  to  Supreme  Brahman,  there 
remains  no  distinction  in  them  such  as  perfect  or  imperfect.  Thus 
has  been  preached  to  you,  O  Wise  Partha,  the  power  of  the  name  of 
Supreme  Brahman.  I  have  also  preached  in  detail,  the  way  in  which 
each  word  of  the  name  is  to  be  made  use  of.  In  short,  the  symbolic 
name  is  thus  of  great  importance  and  so  it  is  given  the  name  of  'Sup- 
reme Brahman'.  Have  you  now  come  to  know  its  essence,  Oh  Prince? 


548  JNANESHWARI 

Let  complete  faith  in  regard  to  that  name  be  perpetually  spread  out 
in  you,  since  once  it  dawns,  it  removes  all  trace  of  the  bonds  of  birth, 
etc.  Actions,  in  which  the  word  uSat'  has  been  properly  used,  are 
all  performed  strictly  as  laid  down  In  the  Vedas. 

swgiri  fct  sir  dMwm'  f?w  xr  i^  i 
srcrfec^Gt^  tt#  Ttr^  iter  ?ft  ^  n  ^  u 

28  "What  is  (in  Fire)  preferred,  or  given  away — whatever 
austerity  is  practised  or  act  performed  —  (but)  without 
faith;  that  is,  O  Son,  of  Prtha,  called  'Asat'.  That  (avails) 
neither  hereafter  nor  here."  (414) 

Performance  of  crores  of  sacrifices,  making  charity  consisting  of 
gem-stuffed  earth  or  practising  austerities  by  balancing  the  body  on 
a  single  toe  lasting  thousands  of  Tapa  (cpr~  equal  to  a  period  of  12 
years),  or  constructing  reservoirs  of  water  of  the  magnitude  of  the 
sea- actions  like  these  when  performed,  discarding  this  (above-men- 
tioned) arrangement,  or  breaking  the  very  backbone  of  faith,  or 
increasing  the  conceit  of  perverseness-are  all  of  no  avail.  They  are 
like  rain  fallen  on  rock,  or  oblations  made  on  ash,  or  like  trying  to 
embrace  a  shadow  or  like  slapping  the  sky,  Oh  Arjuna.  All  pomp 
and  labours  pertaining  to  them  prove  useless.  Such  actions  only 
bring  on  poverty,  just  as  by  crushing  stones  in  an  oil-mill  (one)  gains 
neither  oil  nor  oil-cake.  If  a  man,  tying  a  potsherd  in  the  hem  of  his 
garment,  goes  round  his  own  country  or  that  of  others  (for  selling  it), 
it  would  fetch  no  value  whatever,  but  would  on  the  contrary  bring 
starvation.  In  that  way  performance  of  actions  in  such  a  way  (with 
no  faith  absolutely)  gives  no  enjoyment  of  happiness  here,  in  this 
world;  what  then  of  the  other  world?  Therefore,  transactions  done 
with  no  faith  whatever  in  Supreme  Brahman,  prove  only  a  source  of 
worry  in  this  as  well  as  in  the  other  world. 

Conclusion 

So  spake  the  Lion,  the  destroyer  of  the  elephant  in  the  form  of  sins, 
the  Sun,  the  expeller  of  the  darkness  in  the  form  of  the  three  kinds 
of  afflictions,  the  Lord  of  Goddess  Lakshml,  the  warrior  Narahari 
—Lord  Krishna.  At  this,  Arjuna  found  himself  engulfed  in  the  bliss 
of  the  Self  in  the  way  the  Moon  gets  gulped  in  moonlight.  A  war  is  a 
sort  of  merchant,  who  measures,  with  the  measure  (in  the  form) 


XVII.   &RADDHATRAYAVIBHAGA  549 

of  sharp  points  of  arrows,  the  flesh  of  fallen  victims,  one  after  another. 
In  such  a  terrible  crisis  how  could  Arjuna  (afford  to)  enjoy  the  kingdom 
of  Self-bliss?  Nowhere  else  could.be  found  such  a  unique  rise  of  luck. 
Samjaya  said,  "O  King  of  Kauravas,  my  heart  melts  at  the  sight  of 
such  a  merit  in  an  enemy,  and  he  has  become  (as  it  were)  our  Preceptor 
preaching  us  happiness,  for  had  he  not  asked  any  questions  of  the 
Lord  how  would  the  latter  have  given  out  the  secret  of  his  heart, 
and  how  could  we  have  got  the  vision  of  the  Supreme.  We  were  in 
a  darkness  of  ignorance,  rotating  in  the  wheel  of  births,  and  he  brought 
us  into  the  temple  of  the  Light  of  Supreme  Brahman.  Arjuna  has 
put  us — you  and  me,  under  such  great  obligation  and  so  he  must  be 
looked  upon  as  the  very  brother  of  sage  Vyasa  in  relationship  to 
preceptorship.  At  that  stage  Samjaya  thought  to  himself  that  that 
sort  of  extravagance  (in  this  regard  to  Arjun's  praise)  would  only 
prick  (wound)  the  heart  of  Dhritarashtra,  and  consequently  he  had 
better  stop  it  there.  Dropping  therefore  that  subject  Samjaya  started 
with  the  topic  of  which  Ptrtha  asked  Lord  Krishna.  Jnanadev, 
the  disciple  of  Nivrttlnath,  said,  "I  shall  also  follow  his  (Samjaya's) 
course  and  be  attentive."  (433) 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA 

Introduction 

Hail  ye,  Pure  Holy  God,  all-auspicious  to  your  devotees, — the  strong 
wind  dispelling  the  clouds  in  the  form  of  birth  and  old  age.  Hail 
ye,  Oh  Powerful  God,  destroyer  of  all  that  is  inauspicious,  and  giver 
of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  in  the  form  of  the  Vedic  Scriptures.  Hail  ye, 
O  God,  All  in  all-you  who  are  kind  to  those  that  you  are  separated 
from  (i.e.  that  have  discarded)  all  the  sense-objects-you,  who  control 
the  display  of  time  (Kala)  and  are  above  all  modifications  (the  arts): 
Hail  ye,  Oh  God,  you,  who  are  steady,  yet  appear  corpulent  (big) 
having  drunk  the  fickle  mind.  You  expand  this  universe,  and  pervad- 
ing it  through  and  through  love  to  sport  in  it:  Hail  ye,  Oh  God,  you, 
who  are  incomprehensible  ( Pt<*ti<M  ),  saturated  with  the  thrilling  and 
intense  joy  (of  self-bliss),  who  are  the  perpetual  destroyer  of  all  the 
faults  and  sins,  and  the  principal  support  of  the  world:  Hail  ye,  Oh 
God,  you  are  self-illumining,  the  sky  giving  shelter  to  the  clouds  in 
the  form  of  the  worlds,  the  primal  pillar  on  which  is  erected  the  world 
creation,  and  the  destroyer  of  the  mundane  existence:  Hail  ye,  Oh 
God,  you,  who  are  perfectly  pure-the  elephant  destroyer  of  the  garden 
(not  only  of  Nescience  but  also)  of  knowledge,  the  conqueror  of 
passions  (lit-  of  the  intoxication  caused  by  Cupid)  through  tranquillity 
and  self-restraint  (*w«*0,  you  are  the  very  ocean  of  kindness:  Hail 
ye,  Oh  God,  you,  who  are  the  All,  One  and  Single,  defiant  at  the  con- 
ceit of  the  serpent  in  the  form  of  the  God  of  Love  ( WT ),  as  also  the 
lamp  giving  light  to  the  temple  in  the  form  of  the  heart  of  your  devotees. 
You  are  also  the  redresser  of  their  troubles:  Hail  ye,  Oh  God,  you 
are  simply  unique,  loving  only  those  that  .have  reached  perfection 
(in  point  of  mental  peace).  You  are  under  the  sway  of  your  devotees, 
knowable  only  through  devotion,  but  a  mystery  to  the  deluded:  Hail 
ye,  Oh  God,  in  the  form  of  the  preceptor,  you  are  the  very  'Kalpataru' 
(W*cTC — an  imaginary  tree  yielding  all  desired  objects)  tree  itself, 
with  this  difference  that  you  yield  fruit  beyond  one's  imagination. 
You  are  the  fertile  soil  in  which  blossoms  forth  the  germinated  seed 
of  the  tree  of  knowledge  (of  the  Self).  In  how  many  ways  should  I 
compose  your  songs,  grouping  words  in  diverse  systems  in  praise 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  551 

of  you,  whose  speciality  can  neither  be  known  nor  uttered  in  words. 
Whatever  adjectives  I  (may)  use  (to  describe  your  speciality),  they 
do  not  (adequately)  represent  your  true  aspect;  and  when  I  realize 
this,  I  feel  ashamed  in  regard  to*  such  descriptions.  The  sea  is  said 
to  have  its  limits ;  but  this  fame  of  it  lasts  only  so  long  as  there  has 
not  arisen  the  Moon.  The  Moon-stone  (tTk^id)  does  not,  of  its  own 
accord,  offer  oblations  (3j<sikh)  to  the  Moon  of  water  oozing  out 
of  itself;  but  it  is  the  Moon  that  makes  the  moon-stone  ooze.  At 
the  advent  of  Spring  the  trees  automatically  get  new  foliage;  but  they 
themselves  do  not  know  of  it ;  or  the  lotus  never  feels  in  any  way  shy 
but  gets  fully  blown  open  as  soon  as  the  morning  sun's  rays  touch 
it;  or  the  salt  does  not  sustain  its  (crystal)  form  but  gets  dissolved  as 
soon  as  water  touches  it.  In  that  way,  I  entirely  forget  myself  at  your 
remembrance  (Oh  you  preceptor)  as  one  gets  suffocated  through 
eructation  after  an  over-full  meal.  You  have  reduced  me  to  such  a 
stage  by  scattering  away  my  'I-ness'  to  the  winds  and  have  made 
my  tongue  mad  with  the  singing  of  your  praise.  Were  I  to  sing  your 
praise,  maintaining  my  individual  consciousness,  it  would  be  vitiated 
by  the  (false)  distinction  such  as  'the  quality'  itself  and  the  'one  quali- 
fied.' As  a  matter  of  fact  you  are  the  one  single  (Supreme),  Self,  and 
how  could  I  make  any  distinction  such  as  'quality'  and  the  'one  quali- 
fied' in  you?  Is  it  advisable  to  cut  into  two  halves  a  pearl  and  then 
rejoin  them,  or  to  keep  the  pearl  intact  as  it  is?  It  would  not  amount 
to  your  praise,  were  I  to  call  you  my  father  and  mother,  since  that 
would  be  wrongly  imposing  on  you  the  attribute  in  the  form  of  possess- 
ing a  child.  Were  I  to  hold  myself  as  your  servant,  that  would  be 
fraught  with  the  attribute  of  preceptorship;  how  can  I  sing  your  praise 
by  using  that  unworthy  (state)  attribute?  Were  I  to  name  you  'the 
all-abiding  soul,'  it  would  mean  expelling  you  out  from  my  interior. 
I  thus  see  no  scope  in  this  world  to  praise  you  properly;  you  do  not 
permit  yourself  to  be  decorated  with  any  sort  of  ornament,  but  one 
of  utter  silence  (on  our  part).  (Thus)  Silence  constitutes  your  praise, 
doing  no  action  is  your  worship,  and  getting  merged  in  you  after 
negating  one's  personality  means  real  association  with  you.  There- 
fore, whatever  the  praise  of  you,  the  infatuation  of  love  for  you  forces 
itself  out  from  me  (my  mouth)  should  all  be  borne  by  you  (patiently), 
since  you  are  the  very  mother  (in  the  form  of)  kindness.  Now  you 
should  put  a  firm  seal  in  the  form  of  the  GIta  teachings  on  my  expansive 
talk,  that  would  please  the  minds  of  the  righteous  hearers."  At  this, 
Shri  Nivrittinath  said,  "No  need  of  this  repetition.  Is  it  necessary 
to  rub  the  'Paris'  against  iron  over  and  over  again?"  On  this  Jnanesh- 


552  JNANESHWARI 

war  said,  "This  is  the  boon  I  have  been  seeking.  Now  O  God,  do 
attend  to  the  composition  (  W  ).  This  (Chapter)  is  the  very  pinnacle 
(fsrar)  constructed  of  Chintamani  stones  (fwwt" — Heavenly  gem 
supposed  to  yield  to  its  possessor  everything  wanted)  in  the  form  of 
interpretations  of  the  Gita-temple,  studded  with  gems  which  will 
guide  you  to  have  direct  vision  of  the  Gita-teachings.  The  top  (of 
the  temple)  is  ordinarily  discerned  from  a  distance,  and  with  its  vision, 
God  himself  (inside  the  temple)  is  taken  as  viewed.  The  same  parallel 
holds  good  in  regard  to  this,  since  the  reading  of  this  Chapter  alone, 
brings  within  purview  the  entire  Gita  teachings.  And  for  this  very 
reason  I  say  that  the  Sage  Badarayana-Vyasa-has  made  this  Chapter 
to  top  (as  the  pinnacle)  the  GTta-temple.  With  the  erection  of  the 
top,  there  remains  no  further  (construction)  work  and  this  has  been 
made  plain  from  the  epilogue  (of  the  Gita)  added  at  the  conclusion 
of  this  Chapter.  The  Sage  Vyasa  naturally  a  great  and  skilful  architect 
(^i+K)  excavated  (a  quarry  in)  the  rocky  plain  in  the  form  of  the 
Upanishads,  on  the  mountain  of  the  gems  in  the  form  of  the  Vedas. 
From  this  excavation  became  available  an  unlimited  supply  of  rubble 
in  the  form  of  the  three  objects  of  Life  (ftwf )_  «nf  (Religion), 
snf  (Riches),  WT  (Passion) — with  which  he  built  up  a  big  fortifica- 
tion around  (the  rocky  plain)  in  the  form  of  the  Mahabharata,  the 
great  and  famous  Epic.  The  rocky  plain  in  the  form  of  the  Knowledge 
of  the  Self,  inside  the  fortification,  was  then  (levelled  up  and)  swept 
clean  and  clear  with  great  skill  in  the  form  of  the  dialogue  between 
Partha  and  Lord  Krishna.  Then  releasing  (stretching)  the  rope  in 
the  form  of  asceticism  and  taking  the  help  of  other  Scriptures,  he 
(made  a  survey  and)  drew  lines  and  fixed  up  the  lay-out  of  the  Temple 
of  Salvation.  Built,  thus  on  the  cleared  ground,  the  temple  structure 
was  completed  with  15  layers  in  the  form  of  15  Chapters.  Chapter 
xvi  provided  a  dome  (for  fixing  in  the  top  the  suspended  temple 
bell)  while  Chapter  xvn  provided  the  frame-work  for  basing  the 
pinnacle  on.  Next  (came)  Chapter  xvm  the  pinnacle  fixed  on  the 
basic  frame,  over  which  remains  hoisted  Sage  Vyasa's  flag  in  the  form 
of  the  Gita.  Therefore,  all  the  previous  Chapters  constitute  (as  it 
were)  the  forms  of  storeys  (layers)  raised  one  over  the  other,  their 
completion  being  shown  by  the  present  Chapter.  The  top  shows 
vividly,  without  keeping  it  secret,  the  successful  completion  of  the 
work  done:  In  that  way  Chapter  xvm  gives  an  exposition  of  the  entire 
Gita.  Thus  sage  Vyasa  completed  the  erection  of  the  Temple  of  Gita 
and  protected  the  beings  in  diverse  ways.  Some  walk  round  the 
exterior  of  the  temple  by  reciting  Gita,  while  others  take  shelter  under 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  553 

its  shadow  by  hearing  it  (Gita)  recited.  Some  enter  straight  into  the 
temple  in  the  form  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Gita,  with  a  (small)  present 
of  a  pice  (smallest  copper  coin),  and  a  betel-nut  placed  on  betel  leaves 
in  the  form  of  the  concentration  of  mind.  Such  (last  named)  persons 
succeed  in  getting  immediate  access  to  Lord  Shrihari,  on  the  strength 
of  their  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Self:  Yet,  one  and  all  get  access 
to  the  Temple  of  Salvation  equally  well.  One  and  the  same  kind  of 
food  is  served  to  all  alike,  irrespective  of  the  fact  whether  one  occupies 
a  seat  at  the  head  or  at  the  end  of  the  row,  at  dinners  given  by  the  rich: 
in  the  same  way  the  same  (sort  of)  salvation  is  secured  (either)  by 
hearing,  or  by  reciting,  or  by  learning  the  interpretations  of  the  Gita. 
I  have  made  mention  of  Gita  as  being  the  temple  of  Lord  Vishnu, 
and  Chapter  xvm  as  being  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  knowing  well 
this  distinction.  I  shall  now  explain  the  occasions  that  led  to  the  linking 
chapter  by  chapter,  of  chapters  upto  the  17th,  in  a  way  you  will  be 
able  clearly  to  understand.  The  waters  of  the  Ganges  and  the  Jumna 
(at  the  holy  place  Prayaga-modern  Allahabad)  appear  distinct  from 
each  other  on  account  of  their  different  water  courses,  water  being 
their  common  element  viz.  they  are  yet  one  and  the  same;  in  the  case 
of  ArdhanarinUteshwar—z&* 1 0 *i I >sr-— epithet  of  Lord  Shiva;  a 
form  of  Shiva  half  male  and  half  female  the  body  form  is  one  and  same 
without  losing  its  twin  (distinctive)  features  as  male  and  female:  or 
in  the  case  of  the  Moon  (in  the  bright  half  of  the  lunar  month)  her 
phases  go  on  expanding  day  by  day,  yet  they  do  not  appear  on  the 
disc  piled  up  in  distinctive  layers.  The  stanzas  appear  distinct  from 
one  another  on  account  of  their  respective  quarters  C^1?),  while 
the  Chapters  appear  different  on  account  of  their  constituent  verses, 
yet  the  problems  (tried  to  be)  proved  and  established  in  them  all  are 
(the  same  and)  not  different,  in  the  way  the  thread  on  which  are  in- 
woven gems  of  different  kinds,  is  one  and  the  same,  or  in  the  way  the 
beauty  of  different  pearls  inwoven  in  the  single  wreath  (on  a  thread) 
appears  one  as  a  whole:  or  in  the  way  flowers  and  wreaths  of  flowers 
can  be  counted  separately,  yet  there  is  not  the  slightest  difference 
in  the  quality  of  their  fragrance:  it  requires  only  one  finger  for  count- 
ing and  never  the  second  one  (if  it  is  counted  on  fingers).  The  stanzas 
and  chapters  have  the  same  common  principle  underlying  them. 
The  Gita  is  composed  of  700  stanzas  with  18  chapters,  yet  the  theme 
God  preached  in  them  all  is  one  and  the  same  and  not  any  other. 
I  have  made  clear  the  interpretations  without  departing  from  that 
order  and  following  the  same  line  now  I  proceed  with  the  preaching 
and  do  hear  it.  At  the  end  of  Chapter  xvn  God  said,  "All  actions 


554  JNANESHWARI 

performed,  Oh  Arjuna,  without  the  least  faith  in  the  name  (Om- 
Tat-Sat)  of  Supreme  Brahman,  prove  entirely  'Asat'  (wicked  and 
false)".  Hearing  these  words  of  God,  Arjuna  felt  happy;  he  appeared 
to  think  that  God  deprecated  those  that  took  to  activism.  (He  further 
thought)  "The  poor  doer  of  actions  gets  blinded  with  ignorance  and 
hardly  knows  God  himself:  in  such  a  state,  how  can  he  know,  'Om- 
Tat-Sat',  the  name  of  Supreme  Brahman?  So  long  as  the  Tamas 
and  the  Rajas  have  not  been  completely  got  rid  of,  his  (doer's)  faith 
necessarily  remains  weak  and  he  cannot  feel  attached  to  the  name 
of  Supreme  Brahman.  Embracing  a  sharp-edged  weapon,  or  running 
on  an  (horizontally-suspended)  rope,  or  playing  with  a  female  cobra 
is  fatal  to  life:  in  that  way,  the  actions  are  very  naughty.  Dangers 
difficult  to  surmount,  such  as  birth  and  death  lie  in  these  very  actions. 
If  luckily  they  get  properly  performed,  they  make  the  doer  qualified 
for  knowledge:  otherwise  they  lead  to  Hell  (complete  downfall). 
There  are  so  many  obstructions  in  the  way  of  successful  action :  how 
could  then  those  given  to  activism  have  their  turn  of  getting  emancipat- 
ed? Therefore,  one  should  be  free  from  the  shackles  of  activism, 
relinquish  actions  altogether,  and  take  to  complete  renunciation  which 
is  free  from  faults.  Renunciation  and  Relinquishment — these  two 
which  are  free  from  any  fear  of  getting  affected  by  actions,  which 
help  to  secure  the  knowledge  of  Supreme  Brahman,  which  are  the 
very  incantations  inviting  knowledge,  which  are  the  fertile  fields  of 
growing  knowledge  or  which  are  the  very  strings  for  drawing  near 
(attracting)  knowledge — it  would  be  desirable  to  ask  the  Lord  to 
make  clear  the  aspects  of  these  two  that  bring  about  deliverance  if 
followed.  Forming  such  an  idea,  Partha  questioned  Lord  Krishna 
(and  requested)  to  be  enlightened  on  the  arrangement  in  regard  to 
the  renunciation  and  relinquishment.  The  reply  that  Lord  Krishna 
gave  (to  Arjuna's  question)  appears  in  Chapter  xvm.  In  this  way, 
following  the  law  of  causality  (the  relationship  between  one  born 
and  another  its  father,)  one  chapter  gave  birth  to  another.  Now 
listen  to  the  query  Arjuna  made.  The  son  of  Pandu,  having  heard 
the  last  words  (at  the  end  of  Chapter  xvn)  of  the  Lord  pondered  over 
them,  felt  a  shade  of  sorrow  in  his  .heart  and  thought  he  had  thoroughly 
grasped  the  philosophical  principles  (expounded).  Yet  he  could  not 
bear  to  see  God  ceasing  to  speak.  A  calf  even  though  fully  fed  and 
satisfied,  would  not  have  the  cow  get  (far)  away  from  it:  and  this 
is  always  the  case  with  exclusive  love.  It  talks  without  (due)  cause, 
wishes  to  see  over  and  over  again  what  has  already  been  seen  and 
heightens  (doubles)  one's  attachment  for  the  object  of  love  while  it 


xviH.  moksasamnyasayoga  555 

is  being  enjoyed.  Such  is  the  trait  of  love,  while  Partha  was  the  very 
love  incarnate.  That  being  the  case,  he  felt  miserable  at  Lord  Krishna's 
silence.  Arjuna  was  enjoying  the  direct  vision,  as  one  sees  one's  own 
face  in  a  mirror,  through  the  medium  of  the  dialogue  of  the  highest 
metaphysical  Reality.  That  dialogue  came  to  an  end,  and  with  that 
came  to  a  dead  stop,  the  experience  (of  the  Bliss  of  Hearing).  How 
could  Arjuna,  who  had  got  enamoured  of  it,  bear  to  see  that  happiness 
stopped?  On  the  plea*  therefore,  of  asking  for  the  elucidation  in 
regard  to  relinquishment  and  renunciation,  he  re-opened  the  folded 
cloth  in  the  form  of  the  Gita.  Oh,  the  18th  is  not  a  chapter,  but 
it  is  the  entire  GTta  condensed  in  one  chapter.  When  the  calf  itself 
begins  to  milch  the  cow  (by  sucking),  how  could  there  be  any  delay 
in  the  release  by  the  cow  of  her  milk?  In  that  way,  (Arjuna)  called 
back  the  Gita  as  it  was  nearing  its  end,  and  this  shows  how  the  masters 
honour  their  servants'  words!  But  let  that  alone.  Arjuna  asked 
that  the  master  of  the  universe  should  listen  to  a  request  of  his  own. 

SH^T  xi«tN  I 

Arjuna  Spake: 

1  "Of  Renunciation,  O  Long-armed-  One,  I  want  to  know  the 
real  essence;  and  of  Relinquishment,  O  Hrisikesa  (Krishna): 
(each)  severally,  O  Slayer  of  Kesin."  (87) 

In  truth  'Renunciation'  and  'Relinquishment' — both  these  words 
convey  only  one  meaning,  in  the  way  both  "Samghata"  and  'Sangha' 
mean  only  what  is  called  'Samghata'  CPTRT — Union).  In  that  way, 
as  I  understand,  Relinquishment  and  Renunciation  mean  only  what 
is  called  relinquishment  ( ^rnr ).  However,  if  there  be  any  distinction 
in  the  meaning  of  these  two,  O  God,  do  please  clarify  it.  At  this 
Shri  Mukunda  said,  that  they  do  have  distinct  meanings.  (God  further 
said),  "I  do  believe,  O  Arjuna,  that  to  your  mind  relinquishment 
and  renunciation  appear  to  have  one  and  the  same  meaning.  It  is 
a  fact  that  both  the  words  convey  the  sense  of  relinquishment:  but 
the  only  reason  for  the  distinction  is  that  discarding  activism  in  toto 
is  renunciation,  while  abandoning  only  the  fruit  of  action  is  relinquish- 
ment. Now  I  shall  preach  clearly  to  you  and  do  hear  attentively  about 
the  actions  in  which  only  the  action-fruit  should  be  relinquished 


556  JNANESHWARI 

and  of  others  in  which  actions  themselves  should  be  relinquished. 
Abundant  and  limitless  free  growth  takes  place  in  woods  and  jungles . 
on  mountains,  without  anyone  growing  any  plantations  there.  Rice 
and  garden  trees  do  not  however  grow  in  that  way  (they  have  got  to 
be  planted).  There  takes  place  a  rank  growth  of  grass  without  any 
sowing:  yet  the  rice  seedlings  do  not  sprout  until  the  soil  is  first  burnt 
with  the  help  of  loppings,  leaves,  grass  and  rubbish  before  sowing 
and  then  the  seed  is  sown  etc. :  or  the  human  body  develops  naturally, 
yet  the  ornaments  (to  be  donned)  are  required  to  be  manufactured: 
or  a  river  flows  its  natural  course,  yet  a  well  is  required  to  be  sunk. 
In  that  way  the  routine  day-to-day  and  occasional  actions  take  place 
in  the  natural  course  and  when  done  without  any  fruit-motive,  they 
do  not  become  fruit-motived  (*lP<+),  (and  do  not  also  fetter  the 
doer). 

«M«4Mi  «M$<MI  TTCf  4M4W  <M*fi  faf" :  \ 
^4+-4M><Hc*JHi  MlgfcMIM  feH*H<Ml:  II  ^  II 

2  The  Exalted -one  spake:  "The  renouncing  of  fruit-motivated 
actions  the  sages  understand  as  'Renunciation':  while  re- 
linquishing the  fruit  of  ALL  actions  is  declared  by  discerning 
people  to  be  'Relinquishment.'  (98) 

Actions  prompted  by  strong  desires,  involving  performance  of 
sacrifices  such  as  Ashvamedha  (srserfcr)  and  others,  or  undertaking 
works  such  as  constructing  wells,  paying  out  pleasure-gardens,  or 
making  (charitable)  grants  of  lands  and  villages,  and  making  a  display 
of  diverse  vows  and  austerities-all  such  actions  which  have  their 
origin  in  fruit-motive,  fetter  the  doers  and  make  them  experience 
their  fruit.  One  getting  in  a  body-form  cannot,  Oh!  Dhananjaya, 
escape  the  ordeals  of  birth  and  death;  or  one  cannot  efface  what  is 
written  on  his  forehead  (luck);  or  one  cannot  wash  off  his  natural 
complexion — in  all  these  ways  one  cannot  evade  experiencing  the 
fruit  of  motived  actions.  One  cannot  be  free  unless  he  pays  off  all 
his  debts :  in  that  way  one  has  no  escape  from  experiencing  the  fruit 
of  his  actions,  since  such  fruit  persists  in  getting  experienced,  or  even 
if  a  fruit-motivated  action  gets  casually  performed  without  being 
specifically  intended  to  be  fruit-motived,  it  does  become  binding,, 
Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  in  the  way  a  fight  even  with  blunt  arrows  indulged 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  557 

in  sportingly,  does  cause  injury;  or  a  piece  of  coarse  sugar,  put  into 
mouth  unknowingly,  does  taste  sweet,  or  a  live-coal  thrust  (into  the 
mouth)  taking  it  to  be  mere  ashes  does  cause  burning  sensation. 
Fettering  being  the  natural  power  In  a  fruit-motived  action,  a  seeker 
after  emancipation  should  not,  even  out  of  fun,  take  to  it.  Not  only 
this,  but  such  a  fruit-motived  action  should,  O  Partha,  be  vomitted 
out  as  if  it  were  poison:  and  such  relinquishment  is  called  renuncia- 
tion," said  Lord  Krishna — the  discerner  of  all  hearts.  (Lord  Krishna 
further  said),  "The  relinquishment  of  fruit-motived  actions  means 
rooting  out  the  fruit-motive,  in  the  way  abandonment  of  riches  (by 
a  wayfarer)  means  removal  of  all  fear  of  thieves  (on  the  way).  The 
religious  observances  on  the  occasions  of  eclipses  of  the  Sun  and  the 
Moon,  offering  obsequial  oblations  in  honour  of  the  spirits  of  the 
departed  parents  on  the  anniversary  of  their  death,  or  giving  proper 
reception  to  a  guest  (3?f?rftr)  coming  uninvited  at  the  meal  hour  all 
these  are  occasional  actions.  The  thundering  of  the  sky  during  mon- 
soon, or  trees  getting  into  full  blown  foliage  during  the  Spring,  or 
the  oozing  on  the  part  of  the  moon-stone  touched  by  the  Moon-beams 
or  the  lotuses  getting  fully  opened  out  with  the  rise  of  the  Sun's  rays 
— in  all  these  reactions,  nothing  altogether  new  comes  in,  but  objects 
that  already  exist  get  only  expanded  in  the  (respective)  special  con- 
ditions mentioned,  In  that  way,  ordinary  day-to-day  actions  recurring 
on  special  occasions,  rise  to  the  higher  rank  of  "Occasional"  ones. 
Actions  that  must  necessarily  be  performed  every  morning,  noon 
and  evening  have  got  nothing  added  to  them  by  way  of  supplement, 
but  are  by  themselves  powerful  enough,  in  the  way  vision  is  not  a 
thing  added  to  the  eyes  for  seeing  or  in  the  way  the  feet  have  naturally 
got  the  motive  power,  without  any  new  power  acquired  or  in  the  way 
a  lighted  wick  has  naturally  got  lustre  in  it  or  in  the  way  the  sandal- 
wood has  got  natural  fragrance  without  any  outside  artificial  scent 
applied  to  it.  Such  actions  (as  have  no  alternative  but  their  perform- 
ance) are  called  day-to-day  actions.  In  this  way  are  explained  to 
you  clearly,  action  i)  that  are  from  day-to-day  and  ii)  that  are  oc- 
casional. These  day-to-day  and  occasional  actions,  must  necessarily 
be  performed  and  hence  are  called  by  some  as  barren  (unfruitful). 
A  meal  brings  on  contentment  and  also  satisfies  hunger;  in  that  way 
these  day-to-day  and  occasional  actions  bring  on  all-round  fruition. 
When  alloyed  gold  drops  into  fire,  all  its  alloy  gets  burnt  and  then 
the  gold  increases  in  fineness.  Those  actions  get  such  kinds  of  fruit, 
—all  defects  get  removed,  brightening  (the  doer's)  authority  i.e. 
exalting  his  spiritual  status,  with  the  result  that  emancipation  is 


558  JNANESHWARI 

secured  forthwith.  Even  though  the  fruit  of  these  day-to-day  and 
occasional  actions  is  so  great,  yet  it  should  be  relinquished  in  the  way 
one  abandons  the  child  born  during  the  Moon's  passage  through 
'Mula'  (^g5 — lunar  mansion — ^fsnr).  The  Mango  trees  and  other 
creeper  plants  go  on  bearing  new  foliage  in  abundance,  during  the 
spring  season,  until  they  completely  come  to  fruition;  the  spring 
season  however  drops  all  of  them  down  without  touching  a  single 
one  of  these  fruits;  in  that  way,  one  should  attentively  perform  all 
the  day-to-day  and  occasional  actions,  without  transgressing  their 
limits,  and  then  should  treat  their  fruit  as  nauseous  and  fit  to  be 
abandoned,  as  the  very  vomit.  Such  abandonment  of  action- fruit 
is  called  relinquishment.  I  have  thus  made  you  understand  (hear) 
what  are  'renunciation  and  relinquishment.'  It  is  only  when  renuncia- 
tion is  followed,  that  the  fruit-motived  actions  do  not  fetter  (the  doer). 
Actions,  that  have  been  prohibited,  deserve  in  themselves  to  be 
abandoned.  When  the  head  is  rolled  (*frfe*T)  the  trunk  automati- 
cally follows  suit,  in  that  way,  with  the  relinquishment  of  the  action- 
fruit,  the  day-to-day  and  other  actions,  become  as  though  not  per- 
formed at  all.  With  the  coming  to  maturity  of  (food)  grains,  the  crops 
wither  away;  in  that,  way  with  the  subsidence  of  actions  (by  relinquish- 
ment of  fruit),  the  knowledge  of  Supreme  Self  automatically  comes 
(to  the  doer)  searching  for  him.  Those  who  in  such  ways  follow  both 
relinquishment  and  renunciation,  secure  the  very  means  of  the  attain- 
ment of  the  knowledge  of  Supreme  Self.  But  such,  as  miss  (in)  these 
ways  and  follow  reliquishment  haphazardly,  secure  no  (regular  and 
proper)  relinquishment  at  all,  but  get  only  entangled  (in  the  meshes 
of  fruit)  all  the  more.  Any  medicine  administered  without  making 
a  proper  diagnosis  of  the  disease,  only  proves  (fatal  like)  poison; 
on  the  other  hand,  would  not  one  perish  of  hunger  were  he  to  abandon 
food?  Therefore,  that  which  is  not  abandonable,  should  not  be 
abandoned,  while  that  which  is  abandonable  should  not  be  greedily 
sought.  Total  relinquishment  done  without  realizing  the  real  signifi- 
cance of  relinquishment,  proves  only  a  hindrance  (burden).  Therefore, 
those  that  are  really  indifferent  to  worldly  affairs,  have  ever  to  struggle 
against  actions  that  are  prohibited  (viz.  deserve  to  be  relinquished). 

*4?WMdM:*4  W  cMMlfald  WPTk  II  3  H 

3    "Action  (as  such),  as  possessing  an  element  of  evil,  should 
be  relinquished,  (so)  some  thoughtful  men  declare;  that 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  559 

the  activity  relating  to  Sacrifice,  Charity,  and  Austerity  should 
not  be  relinquished,  declare  some  others.  (135) 

Some  are  not  able  to  abandon  tlieir  attachment  for  (action)-fruit 
and  so  they  say  that  all  actions  are  fettering  even  as  one,  going  about 
wildly  in  a  naked  condition,  calls  others  (who  rebuke  him)  quarrel- 
some: or  one  affected  with  a  disease  but  having  no  control  whatever 
over  his  tongue  (palate)  finds  fault,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  with  food:  or 
one  with  white  leprosy,  instead  of  resenting  his  own  skin,  gets  angry 
with  the  flies  (that  swarm  and  make  a  buzzing  noise  on  the  skin). 
In  that  way  the  weak  ones  greedy  for  fruit  and  unable  to  relinquish 
action-fruit  condemn  the  very  activism  as  being  wicked  and  declare 
their  decision  in  favour  of  complete  relinquishment  of  actions  them- 
selves. Some  declare  that  Sacrifices,  etc.  should  necessarily  be  per- 
formed since  there  are  no  other  means  for  securing  purification  of 
the  mind:  (they  add)  those  keen  on  having  speedy  success*  in  the  way 
leading  to  mental  purification  should  never  be  idle  in  regard  to  activism. 
One  wishing  to  purify  gold  must  undergo  the  trouble  of  passing  it 
through  the  furnace  (fire);  or  if  one  wants  to  have  the  mirror  cleaned 
(for  looking  into)  he  must  use  greater  amount  of  ash  for  polishing 
it.  Or  should  one  desire  to  have  clean  clothing  he  must  not  mind  as 
unclean,  the  laundry-kettle.  In  that  way  actions  should  not  be 
neglected  because  they  cause  affliction.  Could  delicacies  be  ever 
available  without  cooking  (and  boiling)  them  etc.?  Some  people  bolster 
up  activism  indulging  in  such  types  of  talk.  Owing  to  such  difference 
of  opinion,  the  subject  of  relinquishment  has  become  controversial. 
In  order,  therefore,  to  strip  it  of  all  doubts  and  to  make  the  subject 
of  relinquishment  quite  definite,  I  propose  discussing  it  in  clear  terms, 
and  now  attend  to  it. 

cm«it  %  3WHTTST    fafq«f:  HSPfltfacT:  M  *  II 

4  "My  decision  as  regards  that  relinquishment  do  thou  hear, 
O  Best  of  the  Bharata  (clan).  Relinquishment,  O  Tiger 
amongst  men,  is  pronounced  to  be  of  three  kinds.         (145) 

Now,  relinquishment,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  is  three-fold,  and  I  now 
preach  to  you  the  different  signs  of  the  triad.  Even  though  there 
are  the  three  kinds  of  relinquishment,  the  gist  of  all  is  only  this,  which 
bear  well  in  mind.  I  am  the  All-knowing,  and  you  first  hear,  what 


560  JNANESHWARI 

according  to  my  intellect,  is  the  definite  and  firm  essence.  The  seeker 
who  wishes  to  be  ever  alert  in  regard  to  his  deliverance,  should  wholly 
conduct  himself  realizing  fully  this  essence  of  relinquishment. 

Tmt  3R  WEJfe  MI«MlfH  *<«fll*l»IH$  II  K  II 

5  "Activity  relating  to  Sacrifice,  Charity,  and  Austerity  should 
not  be  relinquished,  but  should  assuredly  be  carried  out.  Sacri- 
fice, Charity,  as  also  Austerity  are  means  of  purification  for 
the  thoughtful.  (149) 

One  should  not  relinquish  Sacrifices,  (making)  Charities,  and  Austeri- 
ties, which  are  all  necessary  actions,  in  the  way  a  wayfarer  (wishing 
to  reach  his  destination)  should  not  stop  taking  steps  forward.  The 
search  of  a  thing  lost  should  not  be  given  up  until  it  is  found  out; 
or  one  should  not  push  aside  his  (food)  dish  until  his  hunger  is  satisfied : 
or  one  should  not  desert  (i.e.  get  out  of)  a  boat  he  is  rowing  in,  till 
he  reaches  the  bank;  or  a  plantain  tree  should  not  be  cut  down  until 
it  bears  fruit;  or  a  light  should  not  be  put  out  before  seeing  (finding) 
a  thing  placed  (in  a  particular  place).  In  that  way,  one  should  not  be 
indifferent  to  sacrifices,  so  long  as  he  is  not  quite  definite  within  him- 
self, in  regard  to  the  knowledge  of  the  (Supreme)  Self,  but  should 
continue  performing  sacrifices  or  giving  charities  and  practising 
austerities  with  ardent  application  to  the  extent  he  is  qualified  to  do. 
The  faster  the  walk,  the  nearer  comes  (the  time  for  taking)  rest;  in 
that  way,  full  measure  of  actions  becomes  useful  in  attaining  'action- 
free'  status.  The  greater  the  readiness  one  shows  for  taking  medicines, 
the  greater  the  freedom  from  ailments  one  secures;  in  that  way  the 
more  speedily  and  the  more  carefully  the  actions  are  performed,  the 
more  effectively  and  totally,  Rajas  and  Tamas  get  swept  out.  The 
more  the  gold  is  given  acid  coatings,  the  more  speedily  is  destroyed 
the  alloy,  making  the  gold  quite  pure.  In  that  way  the  performance 
of  actions  with  firm  faith  sweeps  out  Rajas  and  Tamas,  bringing 
within  (easy)  view  the  Temple  of  the  purity  of  Sattva  (righteousness). 
Therefore,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  actions  come  up  to  the  level  of  the 
holy  waters  and  secure  the  purity  of  righteousness.  The  holy  waters 
wash  out  the  external  filth  while  actions  brighten  the  interior;  Thus 
it  is  only  the  right  actions,  that  are  fit  to  be  called  pure  holy  waters. 
(It  is  like)  a  thirsty  person  being  provided  with  a  nectar-drink  by 
hot  breeze  (of  the  Sun)  in  a  dry  (waterless)  region,  or  the  eyes  of  a 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  561 

blind  one  securing  the  lustre  of  the  Sun,  or  the  river  itself  running 
to  the  rescue  of  one  getting  drowned,  or  the  very  earth  sustaining  one 
about  to  fall  down,  or  the  very,  death  prolonging  (increasing)  the 
longevity  of  one  on  the  point  of  death.  In  that  way  activism  itself 
rescues  the  seekers  from  the  fetters  of  the  action,  in  the  way  mercury 
(which  in  itself  is  a  poison),  when  it  is  turned  into  a  life-giving  medicine 
through  chemical  process,  saves  a  dying  person.  1  now  explain  to 
you  in  the  best  way  possible,  Oh  Kiriti,  that  process  by  which  the 
(fetters  of)  actions  are  removed  by  the  actions  themselves. 

»<fcqi»flid  %  ^  ftfWcT  Hd^J^  U  ^  || 

6  "But  even  these  activities  should  be  performed  after  relinquish- 
ing attachment  andjruits:  thus,  O  Son  ofPrtha,  is  my  definite 
and  ultimate  conclusion.  (166) 

The  conceit,  that  one  is  the  doer,  should  not  be  permitted  even  to 
stick  to  him  while  the  actions,  headed  by  a  great  sacrifice,  are  being 
performed  with  absolutely  no  flaw  in  them.  One  visiting  holy  places, 
as  a  hired  agent,  feels  no  egoistic  satisfaction  of  being  himself  the 
person  undertaking  the  pilgrimage;  or  when  a  person,  under  the 
authority  derived  from  the  powerful  (King),  overpowers  his  adversary 
single-handed  even  the  king  (who  authorised  him),  cannot  boast 
of  being  himself  the  conqueror;  or  one  crossing  over  a  river  clinging 
to  the  waist  of  the  other  (swimmer),  cannot  boast  of  being  himself 
the  swimmer  or  a  family  priest  distributing  charities  on  behalf  of 
his  master,  cannot  assume  the  airs  of  being  the  donor.  In  that  way, 
one  should  move  the  chessman  (*flf^ — hinder  piece  at  chess)  in  the 
form  of  actions,  at  the  appropriate  moment  by  performing  them  with- 
out allowing  any  conceit,  as  being  the  doer,  even  to  touch  himself, 
and  should  not  allow  the  mind  even  to  countenance  the  fruit  that 
may  be  borne  by  the  actions  performed,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  One 
should  begin  the  performance  of  actions,  first  relinquishing  the 
expectations  of  fruit,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  in  the  way  a  (wet)  nurse  feeds 
(by  allowing  her  breast  to  be  sucked)  another  woman's  child,  with 
absolutetely  a  blank  mind.  The  action  should  be  performed,  with 
complete  abstention  from  fruit-motive,  in  the  way  a  Pimple-tree 
is  watered  with  no  expectation  of  any  fruit.  A  cowherd  collects  and 
takes  out  for  grazing  all  the  village  cows,  dropping  all  desire  for  milk. 
The  same  attitude  should  be  adopted  in  regard  to  action-fruit.  Those 
that  perform  actions  adopting  this  process,  secure  a  meeting  with 


562  JNANESHWARI 

their  Self  i.e.,  get  a  vision  of  their  Self.  Therefore  my  best  message 
to  all  is  that  they  should  perform  all  actions,  dropping  all  physical 
attachment  (which  harbours  a  craving  for  the  fruit).  I  repeat  over 
and  over  again  that  one,  who  is  tired  of  this  fettering  life  and  feels 
anxious  for  his  deliverance,  should  not  neglect  this  say  of  Mine. 

ift^  <TC*f  Mft^mfdWfl:  Mfcftldd:  II  \a  II 

7  "As  to  the  Renunciation  of  action  that  is  obligatory,  that  does 
not  stand  to  reason;  and  the  relinquishing  of  it  through  infatua- 
tion is  pronounced  as  Tamas-dominated.  (178) 

One  who  relinquishes  all  actions  out  of  hatred  for  them,  in  the  way 
one  getting  all  wrath  with  the  darkness  should  pierce  his  nails  into 
his  own  eyes — I  call  this  relinquishment  on  his  part  as  Tamas-domi- 
nated, and  it  is  like  cutting  one's  own  head  out  of  wrath  arising  from 
(pain  of)  shooting  headache,  Even  though  a  road  be  difficult  (rough 
and  uneven  etc.),  one  has  got  to  try  and  make  his  feet  ready  to  walk 
over  it  anyhow;  would  it  be  right  (for  him)  to  cut  off  the  feet  for  the 
fault  of  the  road?  Some  sort  of  food-hot  or  cold  whatever  it  be — 
is  laid  before  a  hungry  person:  he  will  have  to  go  without  food  starving 
himself,  he  kicks  it  off!  In  that  way,  the  fettering  effect  of  actions 
should  be  removed  only  by  performing  those  actions.  But  the  Tamas- 
dominated  one  does  not  know  this  touchy  point,  being  under  infatua- 
tion, since  he  relinquishes  even  such  actions  as  come  to  his  lot  in 
natural  course  and  acquires  demerit  (sin)  resulting  from  the  abandon- 
ment of  actions  under  the  influence  of  Tamas. 

*r  ?>?9nr  TTsra1  r*n*r  $m  cMWbH  ^r^  u  c  w 

8  "Merely  on  the  ground  that  it  is  painful,  whichever  action  one 
would  relinquish,  through  fear  of  bodily  suffering:  (of  that 
action,)  he  (thereby)  makes  a  Rajas- dominated  relinquish- 
ment, and  would  not  by  any  means  obtain  the  fruit  of  its 
(regular  and  proper)  relinquishment.  (184) 

One  entertains  aversion  (in  regard  to  their  performance)  on  account 
of  the  difficult  nature  of  the  actions,  even  though  he  knows  fully  well 
his  compentence  to  perform  them  (successfully)  and  also  realizes 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNY  ASA  YOGA  563 

his  own  duty  in  regard  to  them.  (No  doubt)  for  some  time  in  the 
initial  stage  an  action  is  felt  difficult.  One  feels  it  a  burden  to  carry 
on  his  person  the  pot  containing  food  (for  his  own  use)  or  the  'nimb' 
tastes  bitter,  or  the  chebulic  Myrobalan  tastes  astringent  (in  the  begin- 
ning): in  that  way  an  action  in  its  initial  stage  is  felt  hard.  A  naughty 
milch-cow  has  vicious  horns,  or  a  fragrant  (thorny)  'Shevanti' -flower 
has  got  a  thorny  base,  or  there  is  the  bother  of  cooking  before  one  gets 
the  happiness  of  a  meal.  Like  all  these  things  an  action  imposes 
physical  exertion  on  the  doer  and,  therefore,  he  often  feels  it  very 
difficult  in  its  initial  stage.  He  begins  to  perform  it  as  his  enjoined 
duty,  but  gets  terrified  if  he  feels  (meanwhile)  troubled  a  bit  and 
then  he  drops  (part-done)  the  action  already  started,  as  one  would 
drop  down  a  scorching  hot  thing.  He  argues  that  having,  through 
great  luck,  secured  a  thing  like  the  (human)  body,  why  should  he, 
as  a  sinner  would,  put  it  to  hardship  by  performing  actions?  Why 
not  enjoy  today  the  luxuries  already  within  his  grasp,  rather  than  do 
actions,  and  then  wait  anxiously  for  the  enjoyments  to  come  as  the 
fruit  of  the  actions?  Such  relinquishment  of  actions,  for  fear  of  bodily 
suffering,  hear  ye,  Oh  the  best  among  Warriors,  is  Rajas-dominated 
relinquishment.  This  is  also  a  (sort  of)  relinquishment,  but  it  carries 
no  fruit  of  (regular  and  proper)  relinquishment.  The  boiling  over 
(and  falling)  into  fire  (of  ghee)  does  not  constitute  an  oblation,  or 
if  one  (accidentally)  loses  his  life  by  drowning,  it  does  not  amount 
to  freeing  oneself  from  the  trouble  of  mundane  life  by  the  meritorious 
act  of  voluntary  yogic  self-immersion  0m"l«4*T  1w$T),  but  it  must 
be  taken  as  an  evil  type  of  death.  In  that  way  one  relinquishing  en- 
joined actions  for  the  love  of  his  body-form,  cannot  attain  the  fruit 
of  regular  and  prpper  relinquishment  of  actions.  In  short,  just  as 
the  morning  light  gulps  up  the  stars,  in  that  way  the  dawn  of  the  Know- 
ledge of  Supreme  Self  gulps  up  all  actions  together  with  Nescience: 
and  that  is  a  regular  and  proper  relinquishment  of  actions,  and  that 
(alone)  bears  fruit  in  the  form  of  emancipation.  One  relinquishing 
actions  through  Nescience  does  not  attain  such  emancipation,  Oh 
Arjuna.  Therefore  such  Rajasic  relinquishment  should  not  be  taken 
as  a  regular  and  proper  one.  Now  I  tell  you  and  you  do  hear,  as  the 
occasion  demands,  by  what  kind  of  relinquishment  emancipation 
comes  (to  your)  home. 


564  JNANESHWARI 

9  "Merely  on  the  ground  that  it  ought  to  be  done,  whichever 
obligatory  act,  O  Arjuna,  is  performed,  relinquishing  both 
attachment  as  well  as  frurit;  such  a  relinquishing  is  deemed 
Sattva-dominated.  (200) 

The  (Sattvic)  one  performs  with  great  skill  and  as  prescribed  in  the 
Scriptures,  actions  that  come  to  his  lot  in  natural  course  accord- 
ing to  his  (innate)  status,  but  drops  all  egotism  as,  being  their  doer 
as  also  the  expectation  of  their  fruit.  To  disregard  one's  mother's 
words  and  to  entertain  passion  towards  her-both  these  lead  to  one's 
complete  downfall.  Both  these  should,  therefore,  be  avoided  and 
service  should  be  rendered  to  the  mother.  Should  a  cow  be  discarded 
altogether,  simply  because  her  mouth  is  unholy?  or  should  the  entire 
(jack)-fruit  be  thrown  away  because  its  rind  and  the  seed  (inside  it) 
are  not  fit  for  eating?  In  that  way  the  egotism  of  the  doer,  as  also 
the  tempting  taste  of  the  fruit,  constitute  the  fettering  elements  in 
an  action.  A  father  never  entertains  any  passion  for  his  daughter; 
in  that  way  when  both  these  elements  are  not  permitted  to  take  a 
root  in  the  mind,  the  action  as  prescribed  never  leads  to  any  misery: 
Such  a  relinquishment  is  the  very  Supreme  tree  yielding  fruit  in  the 
form  of  salvation  and  is  well-known  as  'Sattvic'  in  the  world.  When 
the  seed  is  baked,  the  prospective  entire  tree-growth  becomes  extinct 
(ft^r):  in  that  way,  he  who  is  free  from  the  fetters  of  the  actions 
having  renounced  their  fruit,  is  the  one  in  whom  the  Rajas  and  the 
Tamas  have  both  been  destroyed,  in  the  way  the  iron  gets  rid  of  its 
odious  dark  colour  by  a  touch  of  the  'Paris'.  To  the  one  whose  eyes 
of  the  Knowledge  of  the  Self  have  been  fully  opened  on  account  of 
the  pure  Sattvic  quality,  the  non-existing  but  deceptive  appearance 
of  the  vast  universe  confronting  such  a  one  disappears  just  as  the 
mirage  does  (in  a  desert)  in  the  evening,  and  such  a  one  ceases  to  see 
the  deceptive  appearance  (of  the  universe)  like  the  (cavity  of)  sky. 

10  "He  conceives  no  aversion  for  an  unpleasing  action,  and  is 
not  addicted  to  one  that  is  pleasing:  that  relinquisher,  who, 
possessing  talent  and  having  his  doubts  shattered,  is  imbued 
with  Sattva-temperament.  (212) 

Therefore,  whatever  actions,  good  or  bad,  that  he  has  to  perform 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  565 

as  the  result  of  his  past  (life's)  actions,  get  dissolved  (before  him)  in 
the  way  clouds  get  dissolved  in  the  sky.  In  that  way,  the  actions  getting 
purified  by  his  (serene)  vision  become  incapable  of  entangling  him 
in  pleasure  and  pain.  It  never  happens  that  such  actions  as  are  auspi- 
cious are  cheerfully  performed  by  him,  while  other  actions  are  hated 
by  him  because'they  are  inauspicious.  In  fact  he  never  feels  any  sort 
of  wavering  or  doubt  in  regard  to  these,  in  the  way,  one  does  not 
think  at  all  of  things  seen  in  a  dream  after  waking  up.  Therefore 
that  relinquishment  that  knows  of  no  such  duality  as  the  "action 
done"  and  the  "doer"  should  be  known  as  Sattvic  (Relinquishment), 
Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  Therefore,  Oh  Partha,  actions  relinquished  in 
this  way,  do  get  really  relinquished:  if  they  are  relinquished  in  any 
other  way  they  become  more  injurious  than  their  performance  would 
have  been. 

11  "For,  by  one  while  dwelling  within  the  body,  it  is  not  possible 
to  renounce  actions  in  their  entirety.  But  he  who  relinquishes 
the  fruits  of  actions,  is  designated  the  relinquisher.      (218) 

And,  O  Arjuna  (srswN^*)  anyone  feeling  an  aversion  for  actions, 
having  got  into  the  body,  must  be  taken  as  thoughtless.  What  would 
an  earthen  pot  do  by  feeling  aversion  for  clay?  Or  where  would  a 
piece  of  cloth  be  were  it  to  hate  thread?  Would  things  holding  fire 
in  them  feel  troubled  by  their  own  heat?  Or  would  a  (burning)  lamp 
ever  hate  light?  How  could  asafoetida  (f?T)  ever  bring  fragrance 
to  itself  simply  by  feeling  disgust  for  its  obnoxious  smell?  Or  how 
could  water  exist  leaving  its  fluidity?  In  all  these  ways,  so  long  there- 
fore as  there  exists  the  semblance  of  the  body-form,  what  point  is 
there  in  entertaining  the  silly  ideas  of  relinquishing  (all)  actions. 
One  can  efface  the  mark  ( fesr )  on  his  forehead  put  by  himself  and 
put  it  there  again  and  again ;  but  could  he  scratch  out  the  very  forehead 
and  replace  it?  In  that  way  precribed  actions  started  by  a  person 
voluntarily,  could  at  most  be  relinquished;  but  how  could  actions 
that  are  natural  (automatic)  in  the  body  itself  be  relinquished?  Actions 
such  as  breathing,  etc.  go  on  functioning  even  during  sleep,  and  this 
holds  good  even  in  the  case  of  the  one  who  performs  no  action  what- 
ever. Thus  activism  in  its  entirety  closely  follows  (the  being)  on  the 
plea  of  his  body-form.  Thus  neither  the  living  nor  the  dead  can  escape 


566  JNANESHWARI 

it.  There  is  only  one  device  by  which  persons  can  escape  from  the 
clutches  of  activism  in  this  world  and  it  is  this :  One  must  not  fall 
a  victim  to  the  greed  for  fruir  while  performing  actions.  When  the 
action-fruit  is  dedicated  to  God,  there  dawns  the  realisation  of  know- 
ledge through  His  grace,  and  when  this  takes  place,  nescience  together 
with  the  actions  gets  destroyed  through  knowledge,  in  the  way  the 
delusion  of  there  being  a  serpent  gets  removed  with  the  knowledge 
of  (its  being)  the  rope;  and  the  relinquishment  that  in  this  way  takes 
place  is  the  regular  and  proper  relinquishment,  O  Partha.  There- 
fore, only  such  a  person  who  relinquishes  actions  is  in  this  way  a 
great  and  true  relinquisher.  Otherwise  it  would  be  like  treating  the 
unconsciousness  on  the  part  of  a  patient  as  being  restful  sleep,  or 
like  engaging  oneself  in  another  action  (by  way  of  diversion)  getting 
fatigued  with  the  first,  and  calling  the  latter  as  rest.  But  all  this  is 
like  putting  up  with  fist  blows,  in  order  to  escape  from  the  blows 
with  a  cudgel.  Enough  however  of  this.  He  alone,  I  repeat,  is  the 
(proper)  relinquisher  in  all  the  three  worlds,  who  has  relinquished 
the  action-fruit  and  (thereby)  reduced  activism  to  nullity. 

sritfGSfot;  fasj"  ^r  fafaw  +4"l:  WJ  \ 

12  "XJndesired,  desired,  and  mixed:  thus  threefold  the  fruit  of 
action  to  which  hereafter  those  that  do  not  practise  relinquish- 
ment are  liable;  but  nowhere  (neither  here  nor  hereafter) 
is  this  so  in  the  case  of  those  that  have  relinquished  (the  fruit 
altogether).  (233) 

Otherwise,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  fruit  of  action  is  threefold  and  it 
is  required  to  be  experienced  only  by  such  as  have  not  relinquished 
it  (fruit-action).  A  father  gives  birth  to  a  daughter  and  gives  her 
away  to  another  saying,  "She  is  no  more  mine"  and  thus  gets  absolved 
from  all  responsibilities  in  regard  to  her:  but  only  the  son-in-law 
who  accepts  her  gets  entangled.  Growers  of  poisonous  plants  and 
roots  sell  them  and  live  happily  in  luxury  (on  the  sale-proceeds); 
yet  those  that  purchase  the  product  paying  heavily  and  swallow  them, 
lose  their  lives.  In  that  way  one  (doer)  may  perform  actions,  thinking 
proudly  he  is  the  doer,  another  may  do  action  with  perfect  detach- 
ment (without  egotism),  not  entertaining  any  desire  for  action-fruit, 
yet  none  of  the  two  can  altogether  refrain  from  performing  actions. 
The  fruit  (getting  ripe)  of  a  road-side  tree,  can  be  had  by  anyone 


XVIII.  MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  567 

passing  by  if  he  wishes  for  it:  in  that  way  action-fruit  can  be  had  by 
anyone  desiring  for  it.  Yet  one  who  performs  actions  but  abstains 
from  (having)  the  action-fruit,  does  not  get  entangled  in  the  wheel 
of  the  mundane  existence,  since  the  three-fold-world  is  all  (by  itself) 
a  fruit  of  action.  Gods,  the  human  beings  and  the  immovables,  all 
constitute  what  is  named  as  the  Universe,  while  all  these  are  but  the 
three  kinds  of  action-fruit.  It  (action-fruit)  is  (also)  threefold  viz. 
i)  undesired,  ii)  desired,  and  iii)  mixed.  But  when  the  discerning 
power  gets  under  the  sway  of  the  sense-objects  and  the  beings  prone 
to  evil,  do  prohibited  actions,  then  they  (the  beings)  get  their  body- 
form  in  a  very  low  order  such  as  vermin,  insects,  and  earth,  and  this 
is  called  the  undesired  fruit.  Now  respect  their  own  religion,  keep 
in  view  their  own  qualifications  and  perform  good  actions  as  laid 
down  in  the  Vedas, — beings  Oh  Savyasachi,  get  born  in  the  body- 
form  of  Indra  and  other  Gods,  and  such  kind  of  action -frutt  is  the 
"desired"  one.  By  mixing  together  sweet  and  sour  juices,  an  altogether 
different  and  (more)  tasty  juice  is  created:  or  exhalation  ( ^RT  ) 
effected  while  practising  Yoga-discipline,  becomes  useful  in  suspending 
the  breath  (f^F):  in  that  way  truth  and  untruth  mixed  together 
create  quite  a  queer  thing  altogether  different  from  those  two.  Con- 
sequently the  mixing  together  in  equal  proportion  of  the  action- 
fruit  of  both  the  auspicious  as  also  the  inauspicious,  creates  different 
action-fruit  which  gives  birth  to  the  human  body-form  and  this  sort 
of  action-fruit  is  the  mixed  one.  Such  is  the  three-fold  action-fruit 
spread  out  all  over  the  universe.  Beings  that  are  after  (it  in)  expecta- 
tion have  no  escape  from  experiencing  it.  While  the  tongue  (mouth) 
waters,  one  feels  great  pleasure  in  swallowing  (unwholesome)  articles 
of  food,  but  its  ultimate  effect  is  certain  death.  The  company  of  a 
thief  might  be  felt  agreeable  so  long  as  the  forest  limits  are  not  reached : 
or  a  prostitute  is  charming  to  look  at,  so  long  as  no  actual  contact 
takes  place  with  her  person.  In  that  way  the  body  feels  a  thrill  of 
greatness  while  actions  are  being  performed;  but  with  the  approach 
of  death  all  the  action-fruit  comes  swarming.  When  a  powerful 
creditor  arrives  (at  the  door  of  a  debtor)  to  demand  repayment  of 
his  debts  at  the  stipulated  time,  he  cannot  be  evaded;  in  that  way  the 
being  (cannot  escape  and)  has  to  experience  the  action-fruit.  A  grain 
(seed)  drops  down  on  the  soil  from  the  ear  of  the  corn,  germinates,  and 
grows  into  an  ear  of  corn  from  which  the  grain  (seed)  again  drops  down 
and  grows  into  another  ear  of  corn  and  this  cyclic  process  goes  on  ad 
infinitum.  In  that  way  while  experiencing  the  fruit  of  (past)  actions 
a  being  creates  various  other  fruits  of  actions,  in  the  way  one  goes 


568  JNANESHWARI 

on  taking  one  step  after  another  while  wending  his  way.  To  a  raft 
(boat)  running  to  and  fro  between  two  banks,  the  bank  it  touches 
becomes  the  near  one  (^-fH' — on  this  side)  while  the  other  bank 
(opposite)  becomes  the  distant  orie.  In  that  way  the  pulling  force 
( shf )  of  experiencing  the  fruit  of  the  action  is  ever  on  the  increase 
in  the  form  of  'end  and  the  means  to  secure  it,'  with  the  result  that 
one  not  relinquishing  the  fruit  of  the  action,  gets  entangled  more  and 
more  in  the  net  in  the  form  of  the  mundane  existence.  The  blowing 
open  of  the  'Jai'  flower,  is  in  itself  its  (subsequent)  withering:  in  that 
way  the  relinquishment  of  (action-)  fruit — itself  means  non-per- 
formance of  actions  (though  performed).  Consuming  for  the  sake 
of  subsistence,  corn  preserved  to  be  used  as  seeds,  means  the  stopping 
altogether  of  the  further  field-operations  such  as  ploughing,  sowing 
etc. ;  in  that  way  the  relinquishment  of  the  fruit  ends  all  actions,  Such 
ones  (relinquishing  fruit  of  actions)  gain  added  strength  with  the  help 
of  the  purification  of  their  inward  disposition  and  with  the  spraying 
of  nectar  in  the  form  of  the  preceptor's  grace,  and  thereby  they  are 
deeply  imbued  with  the  Knowledge  (of  Self)  and  consequently  the 
piteous  (melancholy)  condition  in  the  form  of  duality  recedes  (van- 
ishes). Then  also  gets  destroyed  that  threefold  action-fruit,  which 
is  felt  as  existing  through  the  infatuation  of  the  world  affairs  and 
automatically  in  such  a  state  cease  to  exist,  (the  dualistic  ideas  of) 
the  enjoyer — and  the  thing  to  be  enjoyed.  Those  that  secure  such 
renouncement  mainly  brought  about  through  knowledge,  get,  Oh 
Warrior,  free  from  the  sufferings  of  the  action-fruit.  When  through 
such  renunciation,  one's  vision  spreads  on,  to  the  (essence)  of  Supreme 
Self,  one  sees  that  actions  have  no  independent  existence  (apart  from 
the  Supreme  Self).  The  paintings  on  the  wall  get  reduced  to  dust 
with  the  collapse  of  the  wall  itself,  or  there  remains  no  room  for  dark- 
ness with  the  rising  of  the  Sun.  How  can  a  shadow  exist,  when  the 
original  thing  (material  body)  is  absent?  Wherein  would  the  face 
be  reflected  if  were  there  no  mirror?  How  can  a  dream  get  a  foot- 
ing when  sleep  is  broken?  And  is  not  all  controversial  talk  about 
the  dream  being  true  or  false  quite  futile  then?  In  that  way  with  the 
advent  of  renunciation,  the  very  life  of  the  original  nescience  ceases 
to  exist.  Who  is  then  (left)  to  receive  in  the  spirit  of  a  bargain  the  action 
(with  its  concomitant  fruit)  which  is  after  all  a  product  of  nescience? 
Therefore  actions  are  rendered  helpless  before  one  who  has  taken 
to  renunciation.  Yet,  so  long  as  there  exists  Nescience  in  the  body, 
so  long  as  the  soul  runs  after  actions,  good  or  bad,  full  of  conceit, 
thinking  he  is  their  doer,  or  so  long  as  the  vision  remains  under  the 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  569 

sway  of  distinction,  duality  is  bound  to  exist  between  the  soul  and 
the  action,  Oh  Righteous  One,  in  the  way  there  exists  the  distinction 
between  the  East  and  the  West,  or  between  the  sky  and  the  cavity, 
or  between  the  sun  and  the  mirage  "or  between  the  earth  and  the  wind. 
Although  the  rock  remains  in  the  river  enveloped  by  river  water, 
yet  there  exists  the  natural  difference  between  them  (rock  and  water) 
in  crores  of  points.  Although  moss  grows  on  the  surface  of  water 
itself,  it  is  yet  distinct  from  water:  or  even  though  there  is  always 
the  snuff  on  the  (lighted)  wick,  still  it  cannot  be  the  light  itself;  there 
are  spots  on  the  Moon,  yet  they  bear  no  identity  with  the  Moon: 
or  there  is,  further,  the  great  difference  between  the  vision  and  the 
eyes  themselves,  or  between  the  water-course  and  the  object  flowing 
through  it,  or  between  the  mirror  and  the  one  looking  into  it.  In 
the  same  proportion  there  is  the  difference  between  the  soul  and  the 
actions;  yet  it  (the  soul)  is  wrongly  identified  with  them  owing  to 
nescience.  The  lotus  creeper  in  a  lake  makes  its  flowers  blow  fully 
open  suggesting  thereby  the  rise  of  the  Sun,  and  then  makes  the  black 
bee  to  enjoy  their  fragrance;  in  that  way  even  though  the  soul  seems 
to  be  the  doer  of  the  actions,  yet  there  are  other  causes,  five  in  number, 
that  bring  about  their  happening,  and  now  their  aspects. 

tpldlPi  T^rai^t  <M<V||fH  (H«hy  *fr  I 

13  "These  five,  O  Long-armed,  learn  from  me  as  the  causes, — 
declared  in  the  Samkhya  doctrinal  system — (as  operating) 
in  the  accomplishment  of  all  actions:  (278) 

You  might  even  know  the  five  causes  which  the  Scriptures  have 
described  with  upraised  arms.  These  are  proclaimed  loudly  through 
the  beating  of  the  big  drums  in  the  form  of  preaching,  in  the  palace 
in  the  form  of  Samkhya  philosophy,  in  the  capital  town  of  the  King 
the  Vedas.  Since  these  alone  are  the  root  causes  in  this  world  of  the 
genesis  of  all  actions,  the  attributeless  soul  should  not  in  any  way 
be  connected  with  them.  These  (causes)  are  well  known  in  the  world, 
Oh  Kiriti,  since  they  have  been  proclaimed,  accompanied  by  such 
tom-tom  and  it  is  but  fitting  that  they  should  be  wafted  to  your  ears. 
Possessing  in  your  hands  as  you  do,  the  supreme  gem  of  knowledge 
in  the  form  of  myself,  why  should  you  be  burdened  with  hearing 
(about  them)  through  other  sources?  With  a  mirror  placed  in  front 
of  you,  why  give  importance  to  the  vision  of  others,  and  importune 


570  JNANESHWARI 

them  to  see  and'  tell  you  how  you  look?  I  assume  that  very  form, 
and  appear  in  that  particular  direction,  realizing  the  aim  and  the 
object  with  which  my  devotee  looks  in  a  particular  direction  for  a 
particular  form.  That  selfsame  person  (i.e.  myself)  has  today  become 
a  plaything  in  your  hands".  Lord  Krishna  forgot  himself  while  talking 
in  this  way  in  the  rush  of  affection,  while  (Arjuna)  on  the  other  hand, 
got  dissolved  in  bliss.  A  mountain  of  moonstone,  oozes  out  and  gets 
dissolved  forming  a  lake  with  a  copious  shower  of  moonshine;  in 
that  way  Arjuna  became  the  very  idol  of  happiness,  the  barriers 
(walls)  between  happiness  and  self-realization  getting  smashed.  The 
Lord  being  himself  all-powerful  and  all-knowing,  regained  his  normal 
self  and  ran  forward  spiritedly  to  drag  out  (Arjuna)  as  he  was  getting 
drowned  in  the  ocean  of  pleasure.  The  rushing  torrent  of  pleasure 
was  so  strong  and  powerful  that  Arjuna,  although  a  prodigy  of  talent, 
was  engulfed  in  it  having  lost  self-consciousness:  yet  Lord  Krishna 
checked  it  (torrent)  and  said,  "Oh  Partha,  see  (do  not  lose  sight  of) 
your  own  self!  At  this,  Arjuna  heaved  a  sigh  and  bending  low  his 
neck  said,  "You  are  a  generous  donor  and  you  already  know,  that 
I  got  tired  of  living  with  you  on  the  plane  of  duality  as  a  separate 
individual,  and  I  was  trying  to  attain  unison,  which  is  the  primal 
state,  with  you.  Should  you  feel  pleased  to  look  with  fervour  on  such 
a  state  of  mind,  why  then  remind  me  over  and  over  again  of  my  state 
as  a  (individual)  being?"  Hearing  this,  Lord  Krishna  said,  "You 
silly  one,  you  have  not  come  yet  to  know  this  properly:  Are  the  Moon 
and  her  splendour  distinct  from  each  other?  Having  spoken  of  this 
(inner)  identity  (subsisting  between  us),  I  feel  really  afraid  lest  you 
experience  the  same  and  resent  this  (behaviour  of  mine);  the  bond 
(of  love)  is  greatly  strengthened  thereby,  such  is  the  unique  nature 
of  the  love  I  bear  towards  you:  and  so  long  as  our  mutual  affection 
is  intact  the  distinction  as  individual  and  individual  between  us  is 
bound  to  remain,  and  therefore  let  this  discussion  stop  here.  We 
were,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  just  now  talking  of  the  actions  being  distinct 
from  the  soul."  Arjuna  said  at  this,  "You  have  read  my  mind  correctly 
and  well  introduced  this  problem  to  be  solved.  You  promised  to 
explain  to  me  how  there  were  five  causes  that  were  at  the  root  of 
all  actions,  and  you  have  also  to  explain  to  me  what  you  said  about 
the  soul  being  in  no  way  concerned  with  the  actions."  At  this,  the 
Lord  of  the  Universe  said  with  great  pleasure,  "Where  (else)  could 
there  be  found  one  (hearer)  who  would  be  firmly  importunate  and 
persist  in  asking  questions  on  this  topic.  Therefore,  Oh  Arjuna,  I 
shall  now  tell  you  as  I  said  I  would;  but  that  will  mean  putting  an 


XVIH.    MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  571 

additional  burden  (debt)  of  affection  on  you."  At  this  Arjuna  said, 
"Oh  God,  have  you  forgotten  what  was  said  (by  you)  before?  It  is 
for  this  (affection)  that  you  are  maintaining  the  distinction  between 
you  and  me."  At  this  Lord  Krishna  said,  "Is  it  so?  Well,  I  now  broach 
what  I  began  before  and  hear  it  lending  full  attention.  Oh  Dha- 
nurdhara,  verily  the  five  causes  bring  about  the  event  of  actions, 
without  the  soul  getting  any  cognisance  of  it.  These  five  causes  com- 
bine together  and  give  formation  to  the  actions,  and  five  causes  are 
patently  at  the  root  of  all  actions.  Distinct  from  these  is  the  spirit 
of  the  self  (soul),  which  abides  neutral.  It  (soul)  is  neither  the  instru- 
mental nor  the  material  cause,  nor  does  it  ever  exert  itself  in  bringing 
about  the  formation  of  actions.  The  actions  good  or  bad  take  place 
(in  the  soul)  in  the  way  night  and  day  take  place  in  the  sky.  Water, 
heat  and  smoke  (vapour)  getting  combined  with  the  wind  create 
clouds  in  the  sky;  yet  the  sky  knows  nothing  about  it.  A  small  boat 
is  built  of  several  wooden  planks  and  is  rowed  by  the  boatman  or 
moved  by  the  breeze,  water  remaining  only  a  neutral  onlooker:  or 
an  earthen  pot  is  moulded  out  of  a  lump  of  clay  which  is  placed  on 
a  wheel  and  is  whirled  round  and  round  with  a  stick  fixed  in  it,  along 
with  the  wheel.  Here  all  this  is  the  doing  of  the  potter,  the  earth  taking 
no  other  part  but  the  one  of  giving  support.  Just  consider  all  this: 
let  this  however  alone.  All.  the  diverse  world  affairs  are  carried  on 
in  the  light  of  the  Sun;  does  the  Sun  ever  take  any  part  in  all  this? 
In  that  way,  the  creeping  plants  of  actions  get  firmly  fixed  (in  the  soil) 
through  these  five  causes  only,  when  they  are  in  union,  the  soul  keeping 
itself  entirely  aloof.  Now  I  shall  describe  the  five  causes,  each  one 
separately,  in  the  way  pearls  should  be  picked  up  and  weighed  each 
one  separately. 

STf^SSFT  «TTT  f>rlf  <*><<M  ^T  i*«P«i«t«j  \ 

14  "(To  wit),  the  locus  (of  the  action,  viz.  the  body),  the  agent, 
the  diverse  means  of  action  (viz.,  bodily  organs),  and  the 
diverse  and  distinct  operations;  and,  further,  the  Destiny 
(the  supernatural  factor)  as  the  fifth.  (314) 

Hear  now  also  of  the  characteristics  of  the  five  causes  of  actions. 
The  body  is  the  first  of  these.  It  is  called  the  'Locus',  for  the  reason 
that  the  enjoyer  lives  in  it  together  with  the  objects  to  be  enjoyed. 
Prakriti  secures  pleasures  and  pains  with  the  help  of  ten  hands  in  the 


572  JNANESHWARI 

form  of  the  (bodily)  organs,  exerting  herself  day  and  night.  Purusha 
has  no_other  place  but  the  body  where  he  could  experience  these, 
and  therefore  the  body  is  called  the  'Locus'.  This  is  the  home  of  the 
family  in  the  form  of  all  the  24  elements,  and  here  are  disentangled 
the  tangle  of  fetters  and  deliverance.  Nay,  this  (body)  being  also 
the  locus  of  the  three  states  (viz.  wakeful,  sleepy  and  dreamy)  it  is, 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  aptly  given  the  same  name.  And  the  doer  (agent) 
is  the  second  cause  of  the  actions,  and  he  is  called  the  reflection  of 
the  sentience.  The  rains  descend  from  the  sky  and  form  a  lake  on 
the  earth,  and  then  reflected  in  it  the  sky  assumes  the  form  of  the  lake; 
or  a  king  loses  cognisance  of  his  own  position  (as  the  king)  when  in 
profound  sleep  and  experiences  in  a  dream  the  state  of  a  poverty- 
stricken  person.  The  sentience  also  in  the  same  way  forgets  its  own 
self  and  there  is  created  in  it  an  illusion  of  a  body-form  and  then  it 
identifies  itself  with  that  body-form.  The  sentience,  on  account  of 
forgetfulness  on  its  part  of  its  own  self,  is  known  in  the  parlance  of 
philosophy  as  the  (personal)  soul,  who  has  tacitly  agreed  to  associate 
himself  intimately  with  the  body-form  in  all  matters.  Really  it  is 
Prakriti  that  does  all  the  actions,  yet,  through  illusion,  the  (individual) 
soul  says  that  he  does  them  all.  Therefore  the  soul  is  called  the  doer 
(agent).  Vision  is  only  one  single  faculty,  yet  it  appears  torn  ( f^H*Hl 
-split  up)  as  a  Chowri  (^iO  -made  of  the  tail  of  Bosgrun-neeus) 
on  account  of  the  eye-lashes.  The  lamp  (wick)  inside  a  house  is  only 
one,  yet  it  appears  more  than  one  on  account  of  the  plurality  of  inter- 
stices in  the  lattice — windows  through  which  it  is  seen:  or  one  and 
the  same  man  (actor)  making  a  display  (through  his  skill  of  acting) 
of  the  nine  different  emotional  states  (such  as  the  erotic —  ?pmT  and 
others)  is  felt  as  possessing  a  nine-fold  personality:  in  that  way,  the 
discerning  power  of  the  intellect  is  only  one,  yet  it  displays  itself  in 
different  forms  through  different  senses  such  as  ears,  eyes,  etc.  There- 
fore, the  different  body-organs  constitute  the  third  cause,  know  ye, 
Prince  (Arjuna).  Water-flows  (currents),  running  separately  towards 
the  Eastern  and  Western  directions,  combine  together  and  their  water, 
even  though  one  and  the  same,  appears  different  in  the  form  of  big 
and  small  rivers.  In  that  way  the  power  of  functioning  pertaining  to 
wind  is  constant,  but  when  it  operates  in  different  spheres  (of  the  body) 
it  appears  to  be  of  different  types.  Operating  through  the  faculty 
of  speech  it  brings  about  talk,  operating  through  the  hands  it  brings 
about  'give-and-take'  transactions,  operating  through  the  feet  it 
results  in  a  walk  (motion),  while  operating  through  both  the  lower 
outlets  (annus,  etc.)  it  results  in  making  urine  and  excreta  to  trickle 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  573 

down.  When  operating  in  the  region  between  the  navel  and  the  heart 
it  displays  'Pranava'  (3fN>K)  and  there  it  is  called  the  life- wind  (STPT); 
when  it  forces  itself  in  the  upward  direction  it  is  called  'Udana'  ( ^5R ) ; 
when  it  descends  in  the  downward  direction,  through  the  anus  it 
is  called  'Ap&na'  (3FTFT );  when  it  pervades  the  entire  body,  it  is  called 
'Vyana'  ( sqw ).  It  distributes  to  the  several  parts  of  the  body  (the 
energy  produced  from)  the  food  taken  in  and  consumed,  and  pervades 
every  joint  (nook  and  corner)  of  the  body.  When  in  this  way  it  (the 
wind)  conducts  all  its  activities  and  then  steadies  itself  in  the  navel 
it  is  called  'Samana'  (^PTPT  ),  Oh  Kiriti.  The  actions  such  as  yawning, 
sneezing,  belching,  etc.  that  take  place,  are  respectively  called  "Naga 
(^TTT),  'Kurma  (^)  and  'Krikara'  (WfK)\  Thus  the  activity  of 
the  wind  even  though  one  and  the  same  derives  different  names  from 
the  part  it  plays.  This  power  of  the  wind  appearing  in  different  forms, 
according  to  different  functions,  is  the  fourth  cause  of  actions,  know 
ye.  Imagine  the  best  amongst  the  six  seasons  the  Sharad  (  5TC5  ),  and 
then  a  night  not  only  Moon  lit,  a  night  of  the  Full  Moon;  in  it  is  a 
lovely  garden  in  the  Vasant  (Spring)  season  and  added  to  is  the  sweet 
company  of  the  beloved,  and  further,  the  presence  of  all  the  ap- 
purtenances necessary  for  erotic  enjoyment  (^il<), — in  such  an 
assemblage  there  is  no  limit  to  the  happiness  one  feels.  Or  it  is  a 
lotus,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  that  too  fully  open  and  accompanied  with 
abundance  of  fragrance  scattered  from  its  pollen:  or  again  the  poetic 
power  in  the  faculty  of  speech  and  added  to  it  is  the  charm  of  the 
poetry  and  that  charm  is  impregnated  (touched)  with  the  highest  spiri- 
tual truth.  In  that  way  the  intellect  is  superior  to  all  the  glorious  emo- 
tions (of  the  body)  and  its  glory  is  enhanced  with  the  happy  concord  of 
the  senses,  and  this  concord  of  the  senses  is  adorned  by  (the  agreeable 
disposition  of)  the  respective  Gods  and  Goddesses  presiding  over 
and  supporting  the  different  senses.  There  is,  therefore,  the  assemblage 
of  Gods  and  Goddesses  viz.  the  Sun  and  others,  that  support  through 
their  favour  the  ten  senses  viz.  the  eyes  and  others  standing  at  their 
bases.  And  this  assemblage  of  Gods  and  Goddesses  is  the  fifth  cause 
of  the  actions,  Oh  Arjuna,"  God  said.  (He  again  said)  "In  this  way 
has  been  made  clear  to  you  in  detail  and  in  a  way  you  can  understand, 
the  underlying  principle  (mine)  of  the  causes  of  all  the  actions  and 
you  have  heard  it  all.  With  the  expansion  of  this  mine  (of  causes), 
takes  place  the  creation  of  the  action-world.  I  shall  now  expose 
(lay  bare)  to  you  lucidly  the  rationale  of  the  five-fold  cause. 

5i0^qi»«i«i)r*i4^  'fnf  STRT#  IT:  I 


574  JNANESHWARI 

15  "By  body,  speech,  or  the  mind,  whatever  act  man  takes  up 
or  rightful,  or  its  reverse-these  five  are  the  causes  operating 
therein.  _  (354) 

The  sudden  advent  of  Spring  is  the  efficient  cause  of  the  new  foliage 
(sprouting  on  the  trees),  bringing  in  its  wake  flowers  and  fruits.  The 
monsoons  bring  clouds,  and  the  clouds  the  rain,  and  the  rain  the 
abundance  of  corn:  or  the  East  gives  birth  to  the  dawn  (ar^w )  while 
the  dawn  brings  the  sunrise  and  the  day  gets  fully  lighted  owing  to 
the  Sun;  similarly  the  mind  is  the  efficient  cause,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
of  all  the  thoughts  and  ideas  of  actions,  and  these  ideas  kindle  the  lamp 
of  the  faculty  of  speech.  When  the  lamp  brightens  the  path  of  the 
aggregate  of  actions  (to  be  performed),  the  doer  (agent)  sets  about 
performing  actions.  The  body  with  the  group  of  organs  thus  becomes 
the  cause  of  the  bodily  actions,  in  the  way  the  (very)  iron-hammer 
hammers  out  iron,  or  in  the  way  the  threads  inter-woven  crosswise 
with  other  threads  give  the  entire  thread  group  the  appearance  of  a 
piece  of  cloth.  Similarly  all  actions  performed  by  the  mind,  speech 
and  the  body  spring  from  mind,  speech  and  body,  in  the  way  the  very 
gems  constitute  the  gem-studded  ornament.  Certain  persons  might 
raise  the  doubt  as  to  how  the  body  and  others  which  are  the  cause, 
could  also  be  responsible  for  actions.  Such  ones  should  listen  (to 
the  explanation).  The  Sun  alone  is  the  instrumental  cause,  as  also 
the  material  cause  of  the  light  of  the  Sun,  or  the  joints  (in  the  sugar- 
cane) perform  the  same  function  with  respect  to  the  growth  of  the 
sugarcane,  or  the  faculty  of  speech  is  resorted  to  for  singing  the  praise 
of  the  Goddess  of  Learning  (Speech),  or  the  greatness  of  the  Vedas 
is  required  to  be  expressed  by  the  Vedas  themselves.  In  that  way 
as  we  do  know  that  the  body-group  is  the  material  cause  of  the  actions, 
so  also  is  the  unerring  fact  that  the  body  etc.  is  also  the  instrumental 
cause  of  actions  and  when  the  two  causes  (both  constituted  of  the  body- 
group)  combine  together,  there  is  set  up  the  aggregate  of  actions  and 
if  this  aggregate  of  actions  strictly  follows  the  course  enjoined  by 
the  Scriptures,  it  becomes  rightful  (just),  and  is  productive  of  right- 
fulness. The  rain-water  automatically  flows  into  a  rice-field  and  gets 
absorbed  there:  yet  in  doing  so  it  proves  of  immense  use  (to  the  crop); 
or  one  of  unsound  mind  in  the  heat  of  wrath,  thoughtlessly  walks 
out  of  his  house  and  (by  sheer  chance)  happens  to  proceed  along  the  • 
road  leading  to  Dwaraka;  here  although  he  gets  physically  tired, 
yet,  not  a  single  step  of  his  can  be  said  to  be  fruitless.  In  that  way  any 
action  that  issues  from  the  combination  of  the  causes  and  intentions 


XVIII.   MOK5ASAMNYASAYOGA  575 

is  simply  blind;  yet  if  it  is  done  strictly  according  to  the  enjoinments 
of  the  Scriptures,  it  is  said  to  be  done  rightfully.  If  milk  while  being 
served,  drops  directly  into  the  dish  itself,  it  is  spent;  it  is  also  spent 
when  it  is  overboiled  (falling  outside  the  pot),  but  the  latter  does  not 
constitute  its  proper  spending.  In  that  way,  if  actions  performed 
otherwise  than  as  prescribed  in  the  Scriptures,  do  not  prove  fruitless, 
why  riches  stolen  away  by  the  thieves  should  not  be  debited  (in  ac- 
counts) as  spent  in  charity?  Whatever  the  hymn,  it  can  never  be 
composed  of  alphabet  outside  the  52  (known)  letters,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu;  and  is  there  any  person,  who,  on  some  occasion  or  the  other, 
has  not  uttered  (all  of)  these  52  letters  of  the  alphabet?  Yet,  so  long 
as  there  is  no  understanding  in  the  heart,  of  the  essence  of  the  hymn, 
there  cannot  be  secured,  Oh  Kodandapani,  (epithet  of  Arjuna)  the 
(due)  fruit  (of  chanting  the  hymn),  even  by  one  uttering  entire  the 
alphabet!  In  that  way,  so  long  as  actions  are  performed  out  of  erratic 
whim  through  the  combination  of  the  causes  but  are  not  (done)  as 
prescribed  in  the  Scriptures,  they  are  not  actions  (truly)  done  even 
though  they  might  be  (technically  termed)  actions;  in  fact  such  an 
action  is  sinful  (unjust)  being  a  product  of  sin. 

fT^W  SrfcF  «hdf<-HlcMM  $«W  §  *T:  I 
M^cHfrd^fec^  H  TOrfcT  fifiW:  II   \%  II 

16  "The  case  being  thus,  he  who,  owing  to  untrained  judgment, 
views  the  self  as  the  exclusive  agent;  he,  the  man  of  bad  judg- 
ment, does  not  view  (aright).  (377) 

There  are  thus  five  causes  for  the  action  consisting  of  five-fold  cause. 
Now  just  see  how  the  soul  has  found  itself  in  their  clutches.  The 
Sun  assumes  no  form;  yet  he  makes  discernible  the  eyes  and  forms. 
In  that  way  the  soul  does  not  itself  perform  any  action,  but  he  reveals 
them  all.  Although  not  himself  either  the  reflection  or  the  mirror, 
one  looking  into  a  mirror,  Oh  Warrior,  makes  them  discernible: 
or  the  Sun  without  himself  experiencing  either  the  day  or  the  night, 
creates  them,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu;  in  that  way  the  soul,  without  being 
himself  the  doer  (of  actions)  and  actions,  makes  them  discernible. 
But  getting  infatuated  with  the  conceit  viz.  I  am  the  body-form,  his 
intellect  gets  entangled  in  the  body  itself,  with  the  result  that  he  remains 
in  total  darkness  (like  that  of  the  midnight)  in  regard  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  Self.  One  whose  conception  of  sentience,  God,  and  Supreme 
Brahman,  does  not  extend  beyond  the  idea  that  they  are  entities 


576  JNANESHWARI 

invested  with  a  body,  considers  it  as  established  and  firm  truth  that 
the  soul  is  the  doer  of  actions.  He  has  really  no  (firm)  conviction 
that  the  soul  alone  is  the  doer;  he  rather  thinks,  "I  am  myself  the  body 
— the  doer  of  actions."  He  is  never  prepared  even  to  hear  with  his 
ears  the  language  viz.  "I  am  that  soul  which  is  above  (transcends^ 
actions  and  a  neutral  on-looker  in  regard  to  all  actions".  Therefore, 
there  is  nothing  strange  in  it  that  he  should  equate  his  infinite  self 
(soul)  with  his  (finite)  body.  Does  not  the  owl  convert  the  broad 
day  into  a  dark  night?  Why  should  a  person  who  has  never  seen 
the  real  Sun,  not  call  his  (Sun's)  reflection  in  the  pond  as  the  real 
Sun?  He  is  bound  to  hold  the  belief  that  1)  the  Sun  exists  because 
there  is  the  pond,  2)  with  its  (pond's)  disappearance,  he  (the  Sun) 
will  cease  to  exist,  and  3)  the  vibration  (of  water)  in  the  pond  is  respon- 
sible for  the  flickerings  of  the  Sun  himself.  So  long  as  the  one  asleep 
is  not  awakened,  he  is  bound  to  feel  as  real  (whatever  he  sees  in)  his 
dream.  Is  there  any  wonder  that  a  rope  should  be  mistaken  for  a 
serpent,  and  fear  felt  for  it,  so  long  as  there  does  not  dawn  the  know- 
ledge that  it  is  only  a  rope.  The  Moon  is  bound  to  appear  yellow, 
so  long  as  there  is  the  jaundiced  eye.  It  is  not  surprising  that  deer 
should  be  allured  by  a  mirage.  He  only  leads  a  fool's  life,  who  does 
not  permit  even  the  breeze  wafting  the  name  (i.e.  even  a  casual  reference 
is  detested)  either  of  the  Scriptures  or  of  the  Preceptor  to  touch  his 
body.  The  jackals  impute  motion  to  the  moon,  which  (really)  belongs 
to  the  clouds;  in  that  way  he  covers  and  entangles  the  soul  with  a 
net  in  the  form  of  the  body  on  account  of  his  (wrong)  view  that  the 
body  is  the  soul.  With  such  a  (false)  impression,  he  (soul)  gets  fettered, 
Oh  Kirlti,  in  the  prison  in  the  form  of  the  body,  with  the  strong  bonds 
of  activism.  Just  see,  does  not  the  parrot  (in  the  parrot  and  tube 
story)  go  on  holding  fast  to  the  tube,  in  the  belief  that  his  feet  are  tied 
down  to  it,  and  does  not  free  (move  away)  his  feet  from  it  (tube)  even 
though  not  tied  down!  Therefore,  one  attributing  to  the  spotless 
and  clean  soul  the  actions  done  through  Nescience,  one  abides  counting 
them  by  crores.  Now  I  shall  tell  you  the  signs  by  which  you  can  rec- 
ognise one  who  remains  quite  untouched  by  actions  even  while  abiding 
in  them  in  the  way  the  submarine  fire,  even  though  in  the  sea  itself, 
does  not  get  touched  by  the  sea-water,  and  also  abides  independently 
of  the  actions  even  though  in  their  midst.  One  attains  deliverance 
by  always)  contemplating  the  merits  of  those  that  have  already 
secured  deliverance:  just  as  one  discovers  a  lost  article  by  keeping 
on  searching  for  it  in  lamplight ;  (or)  one  can  see  clearly  one's  own 
reflection  in  a  mirror  by  rubbing  it  clean  with  a  polishing  composition 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  577 

(^if );  (or)  salt  becomes  water  itself  forthwith  it  is  put  into  it;  or 
a  reflection  turning  back  to  see  the  disc  (its  original)  automatically 
becomes  itself  the  original;  in  all  these  ways  a  person  can  get  restored 
to  himself  the  missing  (essence  of  Supreme  Brahman)  by  beholding 
the  saints;  and  so  he  should  ever  sing  their  praises  and  hear  their 
sermons  only.  The  (faculty  of)  vision  abiding  in  the  physical  eyes 
is  not  intercepted  by  the  outer  skin-lids;  in  that  way  one,  even  while 
immersed  in  the  actions  themselves,  does  not  get  fettered  by  them 
— the  signs  of  such  a  liberated  one,  I  now  preach  to  you  expounding 
fully  coherent  reasons. 

17  "He  that  has  not  the  ego-dominated  disposition,  and  (hence) 
whose  intellect  is  undefiled,  were  he  even  to  slay  these  worlds, 
he  would  neither  have  slain  nor  would  be  fettered.         (403) 

The  being  (whose  pristine  nature  is  sentient — lit.  wakeful)  who  was, 
from  all  eternity  wandering  through  and  enjoying  the  world-dream, 
in  the  deep  slumber  of  Nescience,  was  suddenly  awakened,  Oh  Dhan- 
anjaya,  from  that  sleep  in  the  blissful  state  of  distinctionlessness, 
(he)  being  addressed  by  the  name  of  the  great  (sacred)  words,  '-Tat- 
Twam-Asi'  and  receiving  a  boon  (indicated  by  the  Preceptor  placing 
his  palm  on  the  disciple's  head)  through  the  power  of  the  preceptor's 
grace,  in  the  manner  of  a  person  asleep  who  is  patted  on  the  head 
(by  some  one)  to  break  off  his  slumber  and  in  such  a  state  there  remains 
no  egotism  in  that  being:  or  in  the  way  floods  of  mirage,  which  appear 
as  if  making  one  continuous  and  vast  sheet  of  water,  disappear  al- 
together with  the  spreading  out  of  the  Moon's  rays;  or  in  the  way 
there  remains  no  place  for  (the  fear  of)  a  goblin,  with  the  departure 
of  childhood;  or  in  the  way  the  state  of  fire-wood  cannot  be  restored, 
once  it  (firewood)  gets  completely  burnt;  or  in  the  way  a  dream  can 
no  longer  be  witnessed  with  the  awakening.  Even  though  the  Sun 
were  to  go  into  a  deep  cave  in  search  of  darkness,  it  (darkness)  would 
not  be  discovered  by  him  (come  to  his  share)  even  there:  in  that  way, 
one  who  has  attained  the  Supreme  Self  finds  that  each  and  every 
discernible  object  he  may  look  at  assumes  the  form  of  the  very  seer 
(Self)  and  they  become  one  with  him.  Whatever  object  the  fire  makes 
contact  with  becomes  itself  the  fire,  and  then  the  distinction  such  as 
the  object  to  be  consumed  by  the  fire  and  their  consuming  it  ceases 


578  JNANESHWARI 

to  exist.  In  that  way,  the  conception  of  duality  involved  in  the  action 
is  accompanied  with  the  complementary  and  false  idea  that  the  Self 
is  the  doer.  This  is  the  perdition  of  the  soul.  When  that  false  idea 
is  destroyed,  whatever  remains  as  residue  is  the  very  state  of  the 
Supreme  Self:  could  one,  securing  mastery  over  this  state,  ever  remain 
confined  to  the  body-form?  Could  the  all-pervading  upsurge  of 
the  waters  at  world-dissolution  ever  hold  in  any  regard  (identify 
itself  with)  a  petty  brook?  In  that  way  could  the  all-pervading  cogni- 
tion of  being  Brahman  be  controlled  by  the  petty  body-form,  Oh 
Son  of  Pandu?  Is  it  possible  to  control  the  Sun  by  capturing  his 
reflected  image  (in  water  etc.)?  Could  butter,  churned  out  (of  curds), 
be  ever  mingled  again  with  butter-milk,  having  once  been  separated 
from  it?  Or  could  the  fire  abiding  latent  in  fire-wood,  once  released 
from  it,  get  back  into  it  and  remain  latent  (shut  up)  again,  Oh  War- 
rior? Or  how  can  the  Sun  entertain  any  cognition  of  the  night,  the 
Sun  who  issues  from  the  womb  of  the  night?  In  that  way  how  could 
one,  who  has  swallowed  (as  a  morsel)  the  very  distinction  such  as  the 
object  of  knowledge  together  with  the  knowing  agent,  feel  any  conceit 
as  being  himself  the  very  body?  The  sky  remains  equally  full  every-r 
where  it  goes  (i.e.  the  sky-space  has  no  real  motion)  and  so  it  re- 
mains all-pervading.  In  that  way,  whatever  (actions)  one  does  is 
inherently  his  own  self;  in  what  way  then,  could  he  get  entangled 
in  the  action  as  a  doer?  There  is  no  spot  transcending  the  sky,  the 
ocean  has  got  no  flow,  while  the  (north)  polar  star  cannot  move  away 
anywhere  else:  such  is  his  state  (of  being  action-free).  Even  one, 
in  whom  the  conceit  (of  the  body  being  the  soul)  has  vanished  owing 
to  the  realization  of  the  Self,  has  also  got  to  be  doing  actions,  so  long 
as  he  is  in  the  body-form.  Even  though  the  wind  ceases  to  blow, 
still  the  flutter  of  the  tree  (foliage)  continues  for  some  time;  or  even 
though  camphor  gets  completely  evaporated,  still  its  fragrance  re- 
mains behind  in  the  casket  for  sometime ;  or  even  though  the  singing 
stops,  yet  the  thrilling  sensation  created  by  it  in  the  mind  continues 
for  some  time;  or  the  moisture  remains  behind  even  after  the  water- 
flow  passes  on;  or  even  though  the  Sun  sets  in  the  West  still  there 
remains  behind  glowing  the  twilight;  or  the  arrow  rushes  forward 
even  after  hitting  (past)  the  target  till  the  momentum  in  it  gets  exhaust- 
ed; or  even  though  the  potter  takes  the  earthen  pot  (after  its  complete 
moulding)  off  the  wheel,  still  the  wheel  keeps  on  revolving  for  some 
time  more,  till  the  motion  already  gained  by  it  is  all  spent  up.  In  that 
way  all  the  egotism  vanishes,  still  the  nature  (Prakriti)  that  brought 
on  the  present  body-form  makes  the  body  continue  performing  actions. 


xviii.  moksasamnyasayoga  579 

The  dreams  appear  (during  slumber)  without  any  premeditation, 
or  the  bushes  grow  without  any  premeditated  plantation;  or  the  clouds 
(^fspfrr^R  -aerial  mansion  of  celestial  choir)  get  formed  without  any 
structural  work;  in  that  way,  the  aggregate  of  actions  is  performed 
.  on  account  of  the  five  causes  including  the  body  itself  without  the 
soul  doing  anything  himself.  The  five  causes  together  with  the  mode 
of  causation  combine  together  and  bring  about  the  formation  of 
actions  (as  become  due)  consequent  on  the  actions  during  past  lives 
(the  latent  energy  left  as  residue  is  transformed  into  kinetic  energy), 
— irrespective  of  the  result  they  may  produce;  it  may  be  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  universe  or  the  creation  of  a  good  new  one.  The  Sun  never 
concerns  himself  how  the  lotus  flower  gets  withered  during  the  night 
or  the  lotus  gets  fully  blown  up  during  the  day  (even  though  he  be- 
comes the  cause  of  these);  or  the  sky  never  concerns  itself,  whether 
the  earth  is  shattered  to  pieces  by  the  thunderbolt  or  it  is  covered 
with  the  growth  of  a  fine  meadow  consequent  on  steady  and  cool 
rain-showers.  In  that  way,  he  remains  disembodied  in  his  outlook, 
even  while  in  the  bodyform,  and  never  cares  to  see  the  vicissitudes 
in  worldly  affairs  produced  by  the  actions  taking  place  through  his 
body  etc.  in  the  way  one  awakened  from  sleep  does  not  visualize  one's 
dream.  He  appears  engaged  in  actions  (as  a  doer)  to  those  who  are 
not  able  to  see  beyond  the  body-form,  as  they  view  him  merely 
through  the  physical  eyes.  Does  not  a  fox  believe  it  to  be  the  real 
guard — the  dummy  human  form  (prepared  of  grass)  and  placed 
on  the  border  of  the  field  (to  scare  away  the  birds  etc.)?  It  is  for  the 
sane  persons  to  see  if  one  of  unsound  mind  wanders  about  dressed 
or  in  naked  condition  (the  latter  remaining  indifferent  about  it); 
or  it  is  for  others  to  care  and  to  count  the  wounds  of  one  killed  on 
a  battle-field  (the  dead  "one  knowing  nothing  about  it).  It  is  for  the 
spectators  and  others  to  look  (with  reverential  admiration)  at  the 
terrible  ordeal  a  Satee  (wife),  seeking  self-immolation  on  the  pyre  of 
her  deceased  husband,  passes  through  she  herself  remaining  blind  to 
the  terrible  flames  of  fire  or  to  her  own  (delicate)  person,  or  to  the 
(grieving)  spectators.  In  that  way  one,  who  has  realized  his  own  self, 
and  whose  role  as  a  seer  has  become  one  with  the  object  to  be  seen 
and  who  has  got  merged  into  it,  does  not  know  what  actions  get  per- 
formed by  his  body-organs.  When  small  ripples  of  water  get  merged 
into  big  waves,  persons  standing  on  the  bank  think  that  particular 
small  ripples  have  merged  into  particular  big  ones;  yet  from  the  stand- 
point of  water  itself  (as  such)  the  notion  of  a  big  wave  gulping  up  a 
small  ripple  is  absurd  and  false.  In  that  way  for  one,  who  has  attained 


580  JNANESHWARI 

perfection,  there  exists  nothing  distinct  from  himself  that  he  has  to 
destroy  (i.e.  he  has  transcended  dualism).  To  a  worshipper  might 
appear  perfectly  plausible  the  scene  of  a  gold  idol  of  the  Goddess 
(Durga)  holding  a  gold  three-pointed  spear  (1%^r)  in  her  hands 
and  (as  if)  killing  a  gold  idol  of  the  buffalo-demon  (*^l^,<):  yet 
in  practical  reality,  the  Goddess,  the  three-pointed  spear  as  also  the 
buffalo-demon,  are  all  of  the  same  gold.  The  fire  as  also  water  may 
appear  faithfully  depicted  in  a  picture;  yet  it  is  all  an  illusion  (on  the 
part  of  one's  vision),  in  the  picture  itself  there  is  neither  real  fire  nor 
real  water.  In  that  way  in  the  case  of  a  liberated  one,  the  bodily  actions 
take  place  (as  they  become  due)  according  to  his  destiny  (actions  of 
past  life),  yet  not  realising  this  fact  silly  ones  (ignorant  ones)  call 
him  the  doer  of  the  actions;  and  even  though  his  actions  (might) 
result  in  the  destruction  of  all  the  three  worlds,  still  one  should  not 
say  that  he  brought  it  (destruction)  about.  Would  it  make  any  sense 
to  say  that  one  should  first  discover  the  darkness  with  the  help  of  a 
light  and  then  destroy  it?  In  that  way  one  of  knowledge  has  nothing 
else  left  outside  of  him,  that  he  should  destroy.  His  intellect  there- 
fore is  not  tainted  with  merits  or  sins,  in  the  way  the  sacred  Ganges 
does  not  get  defiled  by  any  other  river  mingling  with  it.  Who  could 
burn  and  whom,  when  two  fires  clash,  Oh,  Dhananjaya?  Could  a 
weapon  pierce  itself?  What  is  capable  of  infecting  his  intellect  when 
he  knows  of  no  actions  whatever  distinct  from  his  ownself  ?  There- 
fore in  the  case  of  one  with  whom  the  (object  of)  action,  the  agent, 
and  the  instrument  of  action  have  become  one,  the  actions  performed 
by  the  body  etc.  do  not  fetter  him.  The  individual  soul  skilfully  brings 
out  the  five  causes  and  gets  them  into  action,  with  the  implements 
in  the  form  of  ten  organs.  Then  fixing  the  border  line  of  justice  and 
injustice  he  gets  created  in  a  moment  the  mansions  of  actions.  The 
taintless  Self,  however,  never  lends  any  help  (directly)  in  this  huge 
affair:  you  may  say  (if  not  directly)  that  he  does  lend  his  helping  hand 
in  arranging  the  preliminaries.  No,  that  too  is  not  the  case:  would 
the  Self  who  is  merely  an  on-looker,  and  the  very  knowledge  itself, 
ever  encourage  fancy  to  indulge  in  tendencies  towards  activism? 
The  tendencies  towards  activism  to  which  the  people  are  forcibly 
drawn  in  no  way  affect  the  Self.  Therefore,  one  who  has  identified 
himself  with  his  Self,  is  never  imprisoned  by  these  actions.  But  when 
the  misleading  (fallacious  and  deceptive)  knowledge  is  painted  on 
the  canvas  (background)  of  Nescience,  the  triad  (viz.  the  object  of 
action,  the  agent,  as  also  the  instrument  of  action)  becomes  conspicu- 
ous there. 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  581 

3TR  ffcf  mP^mi  faf%«rr  *4tfi«wi  i 

^JTW  *F$  <*cTRi  f^rf^:  +4*Ul^:  II   ^  \\ 

18  "Knowledge,  Object  to  be  known,  and  the  Knowing  agent: 
thus  three-wise  (analysable)  is  the  impulse  to  act.  Instrument 
of  action,  the  object  of  the  action,  and  the  agent  (make  up) 
the  (corresponding)  three- wise  (analysable)  composition  of 
an  action.  (461) 

The  triad  viz.,  the  knowing  agent,  knowledge  and  the  object  to  be 
known,  is  the  three-fold  seed  of  the  universe  and  is  undoubtedly 
the  impulse  for  action.  Now,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  do  hear  the  individual 
description  of  each  of  these  three.  The  rays  in  the  form  of  the  senses, 
of  the  Sun  in  the  form  of  the  soul,  rush  out  and  forcibly  blow  open 
the  lotus  in  the  form  of  sense -objects;  or  the  King  Soul  riding  the 
horses  in  the  form  of  the  body  and  armed  with  the  spears  in  the  form 
of  the  senses,  plunders  pleasures  and  pains  in  the  region  of  the  sense- 
objects.  These  similes  apart:  that  which  dwells  in  the  sense-centres 
and  imparts  to  the  soul  pleasures  and  pains  pertaining  to  their  objects, 
is  knowledge  and  the  thing  wherein  knowledge  reposes  in  deep  sleep 
is  the  knowing  agent  (WRIT),  while  that  which  is  stated  here  as  being 
experienced,  is  knowledge,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  That  knowledge  gets 
itself  distributed  in  three  places  immediately  after  it  is  born  of  Nes- 
cience, O  Kiriti.  Knowledge  then  plants  in  front  a  (rolling)  boulder 
in  the  form  of  the  object  of  knowledge  on  the  way  it  has  to  run  along, 
while  in  the  rear,  it  places  an  urger  in  the  form  of  conceit  of  being  the 
knowing  agent.  When  in  this  way  are  formed  the  means  (way)  of 
communication  between  the  knowing  agent  and  the  object  of  know- 
ledge, there  goes  on  a  regular  traffic  over  the  way.  On  this,  know- 
ledge runs  as  far  as  the  limit  of  the  object  of  knowledge  and  stops 
there;  and  (here)  it  gives  different  names  to  different  things  viz.  objects 
of  knowledge  which  it  encounters,  and  that  knowledge  is  the  "com- 
mon knowledge"  and  there  is  no  doubt  about  it.  Now  you  hear  the 
aspects,  of  the  object  of  knowledge,  sound,  touch,  colour,  smell, 
and  taste  (?l^r ,  Wsf  ,  ¥T  ,  m ,  T3T  )  which  are  the  five-fold  means 
through  which  the  object  of  knowledge  makes  itself  manifest.  The 
mango  fruit  although  one  and  the  same  establishes  contacts  with 
(meets)  different  senses  such  as  taste,  colour  (^ ),  smell  and  touch 
i.e.  reveals  itself  to  the  senses.  In  that  way,  the  same  object  of  know- 
ledge assumes  a  fivefold  aspect  because  its  cognition  takes  place 
through  the  channels  of  (five)  different  senses.  The  running  of  water- 


582  JNANESHWARI 

flows  comes  to  an  end  with  the  flows  entering  the  sea;  or  the  growth 
of  crops  ceases  with  their  getting  ears  of  com.  In  that  way  that  point, 
at  which  knowledge  comes  to  a  dead  halt,  while  running  along  the 
channels  of  the  senses,  is,  Oh  Kiiiti,  the  object  of  knowledge.  Thus 
are  explained  to  you  in  their  entirety,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  knowing 
agent,  knowledge,  as  also  the  object  of  knowledge,  and  that  the  three 
set  afoot  all  actions.  The  five  objects  of  senses,  such  as  speech,  etc. 
constitute  the  fivefold  objects  of  knowledge;  it  (object  of  knowledge) 
is  either  agreeable  and  pleasing  or  disagreeable  and  hateful.  The 
knowledge,  although  a  small  thing,  no  sooner  it  manifests  to  the  know- 
ing agent  the  object  to  be  known,  than  the  agent  feels  the  impulse 
either  to  accept  it  or  to  reject  it:  (as  in  the  following  illustrations). 
A  heron  («PF)  is  excited  at  the  very  sight  of  a  fish,  or  a  poor  person 
becomes  eager  at  the  sight  of  a  (hidden)  treasure,  or  a  passion-stricken 
person  gets  lustful  at  the  sight  of  a  woman,  or  water  runs  to  low  lands, 
or  the  black  bee  hastens  to  the  fragrance  of  flowers,  or  a  calf  runs 
(to  the  mother-cow)  as  the  time  for  milching  in  the  evening  approaches. 
Human  beings  hearing  the  report  (of  the  marvellous  beauty)  of  the 
heavenly  songstress  Urvashi,  fix  ladders  in  the  form  of  sacrifices, 
to  be  able  to  ascend  the  sky  (with  a  view  to  enjoy  her  company):  or 
a  blue  pigeon,  flying  high  up  in  the  sky,  swoops  down,  O  Kiriti,  at  the 
very  sight  of  a  female  pigeon :  or  a  peacock  flies  into  the  sky  on  hearing 
peals  of  thunder.  In  such  ways,  the  knowing  agent  rushes  out  at  the 
sight  of  the  objects  to  be  known.  Therefore,  it  is  the  triad  of  know- 
ledge, the  object  to  be  known,  and  the  knowing  agent,  that  gives 
impulse  to  all  actions,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu:  And  if  such  objects  (to  be 
known)  be  to  the  liking  of  the  agent,  he  cannot  then  brook  a  single 
moment's  delay  in  their  enjoyment.  If  on  the  contrary,  such  an  object 
be  against  his  liking,  each  moment  of  delay  in  abandoning  it  is  then 
felt  as  lengthy  as  an  aeon.  One  getting  surrounded  by  a  serpent  as 
well  as  a  necklace  of  precious  stones,  simultaneously  feels  both  afraid 
and  joyous,  similar  becomes  the  state  of  the  knowing  agent  should 
the  object  to  be  known  turn  out  partly  to  his  liking  and  partly  against 
his  liking:  and  then  he  sets  about  accepting  what  he  likes  and  abandon- 
ing what  he  dislikes.  Feeling  thrilled  at  the  sight  of  a  rival  athlete, 
a  Commander-in-Chief  abandons  the  chariot  he  is  riding  in,  and 
getting  down,  steps  forward  on  foot  to  meet  him  in  a  combat.  In 
that  way,  one  who  was  so  far  only  the  knowing  agent,  attains  the 
state  of  a  doer,  in  the  way  the  one  used  to  a  ready  meal  should  have 
to  play  the  role  of  a  cook ;  or  a  black  bee  should  itself  cultivate  a  (floral) 
garden,  or  a  touchstone  should  itself  become  the  tester,  or  God  him- 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  583 

self  should  be  the  builder  of  his  own  temple.  In  that  way  when  the 
knowing  agent  panning  after  the  object  to  be  known,  employs  a  group 
of  senses  either  in  accepting  it  or  rejecting  it,  he  becomes,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu,  the  doer,  and  when  the  knowing  agent  thus  becomes  himself 
the  doer,  he  converts  the  knowledge  into  an  instrument  of  action, 
naturally  making  the  object  to  be  known,  the  action  itself.  In  this 
way,  Oh  Righteous  One,  is  brought  about  the  change,  (in  the  status 
of  the  knowing  agent)  through  the  device  of  knowledge  in  the  way 
the  lustre  of  the  eyes  is  changed  (dimmed)  at  night,  or  in  the  way  the 
glory  of  the  rich  is  dissolved  with  adverse  luck,  or  in  the  way  the  disc 
of  the  Moon  wanes  after  the  night  of  the  full  moon.  In  that  way  the 
knowing  agent  is  wrapped  up  in  the  mantle  of  the  doer  when  the 
senses  get  into  motion.  And  now  hear  about  his  signs  in  such  a  state. 
1)  intellect,  2)  mind,  3)  attention  (1w),  and  4)  egotism,  are  the  four, 
internal  organs;  (similarly)  1)  skin,  2)  ears,  3)  eyes,  4)  tongue  and 
5)  nose  are  the  five  external  organs.  By  the  means  of  the  internal 
organs,  the  doer  first  builds  up  a  forecast  of  an  action  if  it  promises 
to  bring  him  happiness,  he  sets  to  work  all  the  external  organs  and 
then  such  as  eyes,  etc.  making  the  group  of  organs  work  for  the 
successful  fruition  of  the  action.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  action  portends 
to  be  one  leading  to  misery,  he  at  once  engages  all  the  ten  organs  in 
the  reverse  direction  and  abandons  that  action.  He  makes  the  organs 
work  day  and  night  in  removing  all  the  traces  of  misery,  in  the  way 
a  King  makes  his  servants  work  day  and  night  for  the  levy  of  the  taxes. 
When  in  this  way  the  organs  are  set  to  work  either  for  the  rejection 
or  the  acceptance  of  the  actions,  he  should  be  called  the  doer,  bear 
this  well  in  mind.  And  since  the  doer  engages  all  the  organs,  as  if 
they  were  so  many  ploughs,  we  call  them  (the  organs)  the  instruments 
(implements).  The  structure  that  the  doer  erects  by  making  use  of 
these  instruments — the  magnitude  of  such  a  structure — is  the  action 
here.  The  intellect  of  the  goldsmith  pervades  the  ornaments  (pre- 
pared), or  full  growth  pervades  the  creeping  plant,  or  brilliance  per- 
vades the  light  or  sweetness  pervades  the  sugarcane  juice,  or  the  sky 
pervades  the  cavity;  in  all  these  ways  what  remains  pervaded  by  the 
activism  of  the  doer,  Oh,  Dhananjaya,  is  called  the  'action',  and  nothing 
else  undoubtedly.  Thus  have  been  explained  to  you,  the  aspects 
of  all  the  three  viz.  the  doer  (agent),  the  action,  and  the  instrument 
of  action,  Oh  you  the  crown  gem  (amongst  the  wise).  Here  the  know- 
ing agent,  knowledge,  and  the  object  to  be  known  constitute  the  triple 
impulse  to  action;  similarly  the  doer  (agent),  the  instrument  of  the 
action  and  the  action,  make  up  the  triple  composition  of  action. 


584  JNANESHWARI 

Smoke  is  latent  in  fire,  or  a  tree  in  the  seed,  or  the  desires  in  the  mind: 
in  that  way  the  actions  are  vitally  linked  with  the  doer  (agent),  his 
activity,  and  the  instruments  of  action,  or  in  the  way  gold  is  stored 
up  in  the  (gold)  mine.  Therefore^  where  there  arises  the  'notion', 
"This  is  the  action  and  I  am  the  doer  (agent),"  the  soul,  Oh  Son  of 
Pandu,  stands  quite  aloof  (far  away)  from  actions.  Therefore,  I  tell 
you  again  and  again  that  the  soul  is  entirely  separate,  Oh  you  the 
Best  Talent,  from  action  impulse,  and  you  know  this  already.  Enough, 
however,  of  this! 

19  "Now,  knowledge,  action,  and  agent  are  of  three  sorts  just 
diversified  according  to  their  Guna- constitution,  and  are 
described  in  the  Treatises  classifying  Guna-constituents. 
Listen  to  (my  exposition  of)  them  also:  (516) 

Yet,  knowledge,  action,  and  the  doer  (agent)  already  described  to 
you,  are  of  three  sorts  just  diversified  according  to  their  Guna-con- 
stituents. Therefore,  do  not,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  put  faith  in  knowledge, 
action,  and  the  doer  (agent),  since  two  of  these  (Rajas  and  Tamas) 
are  the  fettering  ones,  only  the  Sattva  being  capable  of  (leading  a 
person  to)  salvation.  Now  I  shall  first  discourse  on  the  Sattva,  point- 
ing out  its  distinguishing  features.  These  distinctive  Gunas  have 
been  well  explained  in  the  Samkhya  philosophy.  The  Samkhya 
philosophy  is  the  deep  sea  of  milk  in  the  form  of  (right)  thinking —  the 
very  moon  that  opens  up  the  lotus  bud  in  the  form  of  the  realization 
of  the  'self :  it  is  supreme  (sovereign)  among  the  host  of  metaphysical 
sciences  according  to  the  view  of  those  who  have  a  vision  of  know- 
ledge. Or,  it  is  the  very  Sun  that  distinguishes  between  Purusha  and 
Prakrili  that  are  mixed  like  the  day  and  the  night.  In  this  Scripture, 
is  measured  the  limitless  heap  (mountain)  of  ignorance,  with  the  help 
of  (the  measure  of)  the  24  elements,  enabling  (one)  to  enjoy  the 
bliss  of  the  Supreme  Spirit,  Brahman.  That  Samkhya  philosophy, 
Oh  Arjuna,  has  sung  the  praise  of  the  three  Gunas  thus :  these  three 
Gunas  have,  with  their  three-fold  strength,  conquered  whatever 
is  visible  in  all  the  universe.  The  greatness  of  these  three — Sattva, 
Rajas  and  Tamas — is  su  grand  that  it  pervades  (and  exerts  pressure 
on)  even  the  Primeval  Brahman  infecting  it  with  their  (Gunas') 
triple  nature.  I  shall  first  teach  you  that  knowledge,  which  accounts 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  585 

for  and  explains  how  all  the  groups  (of  beings)  in  the  universe  fall 
into  the  clutches  of  the  distinctive  Gunas.  If  the  vision  is  clear,  one 
can  see  all  clearly:  that  way  if  the  knowledge  is  pure  one's  comprehen- 
sion of  things  is  also  pure  (i.e.  correct  and  truthful).  Therefore,  I 
now  explain  to  you  that  (Sattvika)  knowledge  and  be  attentive," 
said  Lord  Krishna — the  Treasure  of  all  Divine  Qualities. 

SlPl^Tfc  fa+twj  3WH  fa%  Ulfr<4*MJ  II  ^o  it 

20  "Amidst  all  the  beings,  that  whereby  one  is  enabled  to  discern 
one  Immutable  Essence — itself  (one  and)  undivided  amidst 
these  that  are  (many  and)  diversified — that  knowledge, 
understand,  is  Sattva-dominated.  (529) 

That,  Oh  Arjuna,  is  the  pure  and  Sattva-dominated  knowledge, 
with  the  rise  of  which,  the  object  of  knowledge  along  with  the  know- 
ing agent  disappears  (lit.  is  drowned).  The  darkness  cannot  see  the 
Sun,  or  the  ocean  knows  not  the  rivers;  or  one  cannot  grasp  for  an 
embrace  one's  own  shadow.  In  that  way  this  knowledge  discerns 
no  distinctions  between  being  and  being  from  God  Shiva  down  to 
the  very  straw.  (One  would  find  nothing)  were  one  to  try  to  feel  a 
picture  with  his  hands,  or  to  wash  salt  with  water,  or  to  experience 
a  dream  while  awake.  In  that  way  that  knowledge  is  Sattvic  in  the 
light  of  which,  there  remains  nothing  to  be  seen  of  knowledge  or  the 
object  to  be  known  or  the  knowing  agent  in  the  way  one  cannot  have 
ornaments  of  choice  merely  by  melting  one's  gold  or  one  cannot 
separate  ripples  from  water  merely  by  straining  it  through.  Similarly 
that  is  Sattvic  knowledge,  know  ye,  which  is  unable  to  grasp  the  dis- 
tinction between  diversified  appearance  of  things — a  natural  pheno- 
menon to  the  worldly  mortal.  One  even  casually  looking  into  the 
mirror  only  sees  his  own  reflection  in  it,— in  that  way  (with  the  coming 
of)  that  knowledge,  the  object  to  be  known  retreats  and  vanishes, 
the  object  transfiguring  the  knowing  agent  and  that  knowledge  is 
also  a  temple  of  Goddess  Lakshmi  in  the  form  of  liberation, — that 
knowledge  is  Sattvic  knowledge,  I  repeat.  But  that  apart:  now  hear 
about  the  signs  of  Rajas  (knowledge). 

%%  3#l  fl^  d^M  faf^r  Trarcnj  u  w  \\ 


586  JNANESHWARI 

21  "That  knowledge  which,  amidst  all  the  beings,  perceives  the 
several  characteristics  of  manifold  nature  in  their  distinctness 
(from  one  another):  that  knowledge,  understand,  is  Rajas- 
dominated.  '  (538) 

Oh  Partha,  now  do  hear;  that  knowledge  which  prevails  on  the  sup- 
port of  distinction  is  Rajasic  knowledge.  It  breaks  into  pieces  all 
beings  through  distinctness,  misguides  the  knowing  agent,  and  creates 
diversity.  Slumber  puts  a  door  (screen)  in  the  form  of  forgetfulness 
on  the  objects  actually  visible  and  makes  (the  being)  experience  the 
troubles  of  the  dream.  In  that  way,  that  knowledge  makes,  before 
the  beings  a  display  of  the  sport  of  the  three  states  (wakefulness, 
dream  and  deep  slumber),  in  the  courtyard  (trenches)  in  the  form 
of  false  infatuation,  outside  the  fortification  (mansion)  of  the  real 
knowledge  of  the  Self.  That  knowledge  does  not  see  the  nondualistic 
essence  hidden  behind  names  and  forms,  in  the  way  a  child  does  not 
know  gold  hidden  behind  the  form  of  ornaments.  One  ignorant  cannot 
identify  the  earth  appearing  in  the  form  of  an  earthen  pot  or  jar,  or 
one  finds  it  difficult  to  recognise  fire  in  a  lamp  on  account  of  its  lamp 
state.  A  fool  forgets  the  thread,  on  account  of  the  super- imposed 
state  of  cloth  or  ignoramuses  lose  sight  of  the  canvas  when  shown 
the  picture  (painted)  on  it.  In  that  way,  that  knowledge  (Rajas)  makes 
individual  beings  appear  diverse,  and  thus  obscures  all  notion  of 
unity.  The  fire  is  (falsely)  accused  of  distinction  on  account  of  the 
diversity  of  fire-wood,  or  the  fragrance,  on  account  of  the  diversity 
of  flowers  or  the  Moon  on  account  of  different  receptacles  of  water; 
in  that  way  that  knowledge  which  makes  distinction  in  objects,  such 
as  big  and  small  according  to  their  different  forms,  is  Rajas  know- 
ledge. Now  I  shall  explain  the  signs  of  Tamas,  bear  them  well  in 
mind,  in  order  to  avoid  it  (Tamas),  as  one  would,  the  house  of  a 
Matanga  (lowest  class  criminal). 

22  "But,  that  which  adheres — without  reason — to  one  solitary 
objective  as  though  it  were  the  entirety;  which  is  slight  and 
not  partaking  of  reality;  that  knowledge  is  declared  to  be 
Tamas-dominated.  (549) 

Oh  Kiriti,  that  knowledge  (which)  wanders  about  naked,  stripped 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAY0GA  587 

of  all  clothes  in  the  form  of  Scriptural  mandates,  and  therefore,  the 
Shruti  (Vedas)  turns  its  back  ori  it.  Being  boycotted  also  by  other 
putative  Scriptures,  which  to  avoid  all  contact  even  of  hearing  its 
ill  repute,  banish  it  to  the  mountain  in  the  form  of  non- Aryan  i.e. 
heinous  (*%^)  creed  miscalled  religion.  The  knowledge  being  in 
this  way  possessed  by  the  Tamas  demon  roams  about  like  a  lunatic 
(getting  mad).  That  knowledge  observes  no  restrictions  in  regard 
to  forming  bodily  contacts  and  holds  no  object  as  prohibited,  in  the 
way  a  stray  dog  in  a  desolate  village  devours  everything,  except  such 
as  cannot  (on  account  of  its  size)  be  held  in  his  mouth,  or  if  taken  it 
would  only  burn  his  mouth;  then  only  he  lets  the  thing  alone.  A  rat 
stealing  gold  (ornaments)  takes  no  account  (of  the  fact)  whether  it 
is  fine  or  alloyed;  or  a  flesh-eater  takes  no  account  whether  the  flesh 
is  (of)  fair  or  dark  (animals).  The  conflagration  in  a  forest  does  not 
discriminate  while  burning  the  forest  growth:  or  a  fly  sitting  (on  a 
body)  does  not  care  to  see  if  it  is  dead  or  alive.  A  crow  does  not  con- 
sider if  his  find  is  a  vomit  or  served  food,  or  whether  it  is  fresh  or  com- 
pletely rotten.  In  that  way,  while  dealing  with  objects,  that  knowledge 
has  no  discretion  to  abandon  what  is  prohibited,  and  to  accept  only 
what  is  permitted  by  Scriptures.  Whatever  he  sees  he  takes  it  as  intend- 
ed for  enjoyment,  and  (if  it  happens  to  be)  a  woman  and  riches,  he 
assigns  them  to  the  male  generative  organ  and  the  stomach  respectively. 
He  does  not  know  how  to  discriminate  between  holy  and  unholy 
waters:  quenching  the  thirst  and  feeling  happy  is  alone  what  he  cares 
for.  Similar  is  the  case  in  regard  to  eatables  and  non-eatables,  or 
forbidden  and  unforbidden;  his  only  criterion  is:  what  is  agreeable 
to  the  palate  is  holy  and  pure.  As  regards  womenfolk,  the  only  rela- 
tion through  which  he  can  understand  them  is  the  sense  of  touch: 
he  knows  (entertains)  no  other  idea  about  them  except  one  viz.  sexual 
enjoyment.  Whoever  serves  (its)  selfish  purpose  is  (alone)  considered 
as  a  relative,  blood  relationship  being  no  consideration  at  all  with 
such  knowledge.  Death  devours  all,  as  also  the  fire  consumes  all: 
in  that  way  Tamas  knowledge  considers  the  entire  world  as  its  own 
wealth.  Thus,  to  one  who  considers  the  entire  universe  as  only  an 
object  of  enjoyment,  its  only  end  and  purpose  (fruit)  being  the  pre- 
servation (feeding)  of  his  body.  The  sea  is  the  only  final  place  of  repose 
for  the  water  descending  down  from  the  sky  (clouds);  in  that  way 
all  the  endeavours  of  Tamasic  knowledge  culminate  in  the  feeding 
of  his  belly.  The  Tamasic  knowledge  is  ever  in  the  dark  in  regard 
to  the  realisation  of  the  fact  that  there  are  in  existence  places  like 
Heaven  and  Hell,  or  the  desirability  of  securing  Heaven  and  avoiding 


588  JNANESHWARI 

Hell.  That  knowledge  does  not  extend  beyond  taking  the  body  (mortal 
frame)  as  the  soul  and  the  stone  idol  as  God.  According  to  that  know- 
ledge the  soul  dies  (disappears)  together  with  all  its  actions  at  the  fall 
of  the  body,  and  then  there  remains  no  one  to  enjoy  the  action's  fruit. 
Further  (according  to  it)  if  the  existence  of  God  is  presumed,  and  if 
it  is  accepted  that  He  dispenses  pleasure  and  pain  to  the  people  accord- 
ing to  their  acts,  then  that  very  God  is  fit  to  be  sold  away  and  the 
proceeds  used  for  subsistence.  If  the  (stone)  idols  of  God  in  the  vil- 
lage temple  should  be  taken  as  ruling  (the  universe)  would  the  moun- 
tains in  the  country  remain  idle  (i.e.  the  mountains  have  a  far  superior 
claim  to  rule  the  universe  vis-a-vis  the  stone  idols)  asks  the  Tamasic 
knowledge?  Further,  in  short,  if  the  existence  of  God  is  some- 
how accepted — then  that  God  must  be  taken  to  be  a  stone  and  the 
soul  the  body.  That  knowledge  thus  regards  merit  and  sin  and  other 
things  as  bare  lies,  and  further  regards  as  of  benefit  to  be  always  (in 
the  enjoyment  of  objects,  etc.)  devouring  all  like  the  wild  fire.  Accord- 
ing to  the  experience  (of  that  knowledge)  only  the  objects  that  are 
perceptible  to  the  physical  eye  and  are  palatable  (pleasing)  to  the 
senses  are  real.  In  short,  Oh  Partha,  such  line  of  thinking  goes  on 
widening  to  such  an  extent,  that  it  proves  unavailing,  like  the  coil 
of  smoke  ascending  the  sky  or  like  the  vigorous  shoot  of  pith  ( $sr ), 
whether  dry  or  fresh,  getting  overgrown  and  broken,  or  like  the  ear 
of  corn  (*gfi*i )  of  a  sugarcane,  or  a  neuter  amongst  men,  or  a  pasture 
of  prickly  pear,  or  the  mind  of  a  child,  or  the  riches  in  the  house  of 
a  thief,  or  the  nipples  hanging  down  from  the  neck  of  a  she- goat. 
Knowledge  unavailing  like  all  these,  and  lustreless  in  appearance, 
I  call  as  Tamas-knowledge.  The  very  name  "knowledge"  given  to 
it  carries  no  greater  sense  than  that  attached  to  the  broad  "eyes" 
in  the  case  of  one  bom  blind  or  to  the  fine  "ears"  in  the  case  of  one 
deaf,  or  to  the  term  "drink"  applied  to  wine.  In  that  way  the  term 
knowledge  applied  to  Tamas  is  only  a  misnomer  faisihi^-nominal). 
Well,  how  far  to  proceed  with  this!  Such  Tamas  i.e.  knowledge  is 
no  real  knowledge  at  all.  It  is  only  a  visual  darkness.  In  this  way  has 
been  explained  to  you — the  head  gem  amongst  the  hearers — the 
knowledge  with  its  three-fold  distinctions,  consequent  on  the  three 
Guna-constituents,  with  the  signs  of  all  these.  (Similarly)  it  is  with 
the  help  of  the  light  of  the  three-fold  knowledge,  that  all  actions  of 
the  active  agent,  become  discernible,  Oh  Dhanurdhara.  All 
actions  follow  (the  three  ways  of)  the  three-fold  knowledge,  in  the 
way  a  water-flow,  joining  a  current  coming  from  the  front,  flows 
in  a  different  (third)  direction.  The  actions  also  become  similarly 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  589 

three-fold  following  the  three- fold  knowledge,  the  Sattvic  one  of 
which  hear  first. 

3nr?r^Tr  wnl  ^  ^  uilreMiqatjc)  u  ^3  11 

23  "/i«  acrtow  which  is  enjoined,  and  is  done  without  attachment 
and  without  passion  or  aversion,  by  one  who  has  no  longing 
for  its  fruit:  that  is  called  Sattva-dominated.  (586) 

(Such)  action  (as)  of  its  own  accord  devolves  on  the  doer  according 
as  the  doer  may  be  qualified  to,  in  the  way  a  chaste  and  loyal  wife 
embraces  her  (beloved)  husband.  Such  an  action  becomes  an  orna- 
ment to  the  fitness  of  the  doer,  in  the  way  does  sandal  paste  (decora- 
tion) to  a  dark  complexioned  one,  or  collyrium  to  the  eyes  of  a  young 
lady.  Day-to-day  actions  (duties)  are  in  themselves  good.  Coupling 
them  to  occasional  ones  amounts  to  adding  fragrance  to  gold.  A 
mother  protects  her  child  (even)  at  the  cost  of  her  wealth  in  the  form 
of  body  and  life,  and  yet  her  mind  never  gets  tired  of  it.  In  that  way 
he  performs  actions  with  heart  and  soul,  without  an  eye  to  their  fruit, 
and  dedicates  them  wholly  to  Supreme  Brahman;  and  good  actions 
performed  with  even  mind,  feeling  no  bitterness  in  case  the  actions 
remain  incomplete,  or  are  not  done  at  all,  not  getting  elated  at  the 
successful  completion — in  the  way  the  idea  never  even  touches  the 
mind  of  a  gentle  wife  while  serving  a  meal  to  dear  ones  (husband, 
children,  etc.)  that  the  food  (supply)  might  all  get  exhausted  or  sufficient 
portion  of  it  might  not  be  left  over  for  her  use;  so  he  should  behave 
when  pious  men  come  (to  his  house)  and  should  not  mind  the  loss 
of  his  daily  vows  while  honouring  the  guests.  Actions,  performed 
with  such  methods,  are,  Oh  Duananjaya,  from  their  own  Guna  pro- 
perty, called  Sattva-dominated  ones.  Now  I  shall  explain  the  signs 
of  Rajas-actions  and  (take  care)  that  your  attention  does  not  slacken. 

fa^  qgHWKI  djJM<H*i«4l£cHJ  II  Vf  II 

24  "That  action  which  is  done  by  one  actuated  by  desire  and  like- 
wise under  self-conceit,  and  which  involves  much  exertion; 
that  is  pronounced  to  be  Rajas-dominated.  (595) 

(Just  as)  a  fool  never  caring  to  talk  a  single  sweet  word  to  his  parents 


590  JNANESHWARI 

at  home  should  behave  quite  courteously  with  the  outside  world, 
or  one  never  dropping  a  single  drop  of  water  on  a  Tulsi  (species  of 
Basil)  plants  should  pour  milk  at  the  root  of  a  vine  plant;  similarly 
he  never  thinks  of  rising  up  from  the  place  where  he  is  sitting  for  the 
purpose  of  performing  actions  day-to-day  and  occasional  that  are 
obligatory,  but  he  does  not  consider  it  (the  exertions)  too  much  even 
if  his  entire  body  gets  spent  up,  when  there  arises  the  question  of  secur- 
ing some  selfish  end:  or  as  one  should  not  say  "Enough"  while  sowing 
seeds  in  order  to  secure  bumper  yield-crop,  and  should  not  similarly 
feel  tired  while  investing  money  in  business  where  there  are  prospects 
of  making  large  profits ;  or  one  having  secured  a  Paris  (a  stone  supposed 
to  convert  by  its  mere  touch  iron  into  gold)  spends  his  entire  fortune 
in  purchasing  iron  and  becomes  very  prosperous:  in  all  these  ways, 
one  (of  Rajas  quality)  gets  on  performing  fruit-motived  actions  that 
are  intricate  and  difficult,  and  yet  never  feels  them  (those  he  has  actu- 
ally performed)  as  done  in  sufficient  measure,  keeping  before  his 
eyes  the  fruit  to  be  secured  from  them.  With  the  temptation  of  secur- 
ing the  fruit,  he  performs  whatever  fruit-motived  actions  he  can, 
neatly  and  in  the  enjoined  manner,  and  he  goes  on  blowing  his  trumpet 
about  whatever  he  does  and  goes  on  parading  his  name  as  an  orthodox 
and  pious  man.  Puffed  up  with  the  conceit  of  being  a  man  of  piety, 
he  shows  no  regard  either  to  his  father  or  to  his  preceptor  in  the  way 
the  destructive  (fatal)  fever  defies  all  medicines.  Actions  (are)  per- 
formed with  great  liking  by  persons  thus  possessed  of  conceit  and 
under  the  temptation  of  fruit  and  with  great  physical  exertion  as  if 
they  were  the  source  of  his  very  subsistence  like  that  of  an  acrobat, 
or  in  the  way  a  rat  should  excavate  a  mountain  for  securing  only  a 
single  grain  of  corn,  or  a  frog  should  stir  up  the  entire  sea  for  moss, 
or  a  snake-charmer  should  carry  from  house  to  house  loads  of  reptiles 
getting  in  return  nothing  more  than  paltry  alms-what  a  pity  some 
people  find  pleasure  in  such  exertions.  The  ants  explore  even  the 
region  under  the  earth  ( WTB5)  for  the  sake  of  a  single  particle  of 
grain  of  that  type  is  this  toil  helplessly  done  out  of  greed  for  heavenly 
bliss;  and  such  pain-giving  fruit-motived  actions  should  be  known 
as  Rajas  actions.  Now  hear  the  signs  of  Tamas  (actions). 

4l^l4KW|ck  inf  T?T  cT^  tll41U4|«tlcl  II  ^K  H 
25     "Disregarding  the  ensuants,  loss,  injury,  and  (the  expenditure 
of)  manly-power  involved,  the  action  which  is  undertaken 
through  infatuation:  that  is  called  Tamas-dominated.    (611) 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  591 

Oh,  that  action  whieh  is  the  very  dark  abode  of  slander,  and  which 
(as  if)  justifies  the  birth  of  all  that  is  prohibited  as  being  sinful,  is 
Tamasic  action.  Such  action  leaves  no  trace  behind  once  it  is  per- 
formed, as  do  the  lines  drawn  on  water  surface.  Such  actions  are 
all  unavailing  as  is  churning  of  rice  gruel  ( sfltsfr),  or  the  blowing  of 
ashes,  or  the  grinding  of  sand  in  an  oil-mill,  or  winnowing  the  chaff, 
or  piercing  the  cavity,  or  placing  snares  for  (catching)  the  wind,  all 
of  which  prove  barren.  Now  such  an  action,  performed  at  the  sacrifice 
of  a  valuable  treasure  like  the  human  body,  spoils  the  world's  hap- 
piness,- in  the  way  the  act  of  dragging  a  thorny  bush  over  a  group 
of  lotus  flowers  results  in  making  blunt  the  sharp  edges  of  thorns 
as  also  tearing  into  shreds  the  lotus  flowers,  or  in  the  way  a  moth 
voluntarily  dashing  against  and  embracing  a  lamp  (flame)  not  only 
gets  itself  burnt,  but  also  becomes  the  cause  of  stealing  the  vision  of 
the  world  by  extinguishing  the  lamp  (flame).  In  that  way  although 
such  action  results  in  the  loss  of  all  (wealth  and  efforts),  and  proves 
injurious  to  the  body  of  the  doer,  yet  it  brings  nothing  but  positive 
harm  to  others.  A  fly  gets  itself  gulped  up  and  causes  the  agony  of 
vomitting  to  one  gulping  it  up.  Tamasic  action  is  akin  to  such  wicked- 
ness. Such  actions  are  performed  by  a  person  even  without  a  fore- 
thought; he  fails  to  consider  whether  he  is  endowed  with  sufficient 
strength  to  execute  them;  (moreover)  he  takes  no  thought  about 
their  repercussion  on  others.  He  (Tamas-doer)  sets  out  to  perform 
such  actions  thoughtlessly  discarding  considerations,  such  as  his 
own  resources,  the  magnitude  of  the  actions,  and  his  own  capacity 
,(to  carry  them  through).  The  fire  burns  its  own  shelter  ( Wki  - 
bamboo-shoots  from  which  it  gets  created  by  friction)  and  rushes 
wildly  far  and  wide:  the  sea  rises  high  submerging  its  limits,  and  once 
both  these  do  so,  they  treat  things,  big  or  small,  indiscriminately, 
neither  looking  backwards  nor  forward,  and  push  headlong  gulping 
up  and  bringing  into  one  lot  all  ways  and  by-paths.  Actions  in  which 
virtuous  and  vicious  elements  are  hopelessly  muddled,  and  in  whose 
performance  no  regard  is  paid  to  the  ensuing  evil  affecting  the  doer 
and  others  (people) — such  actions,  know  it,  are  definitely  Tamasic- 
actions.  In  this  way  I  have  given  to  you  a  full  and  reasoned  exegesis 
of  the  three-fold  actions  brought  on,  on  account  of  the  three-fold 
Guna  constituents.  Now  the  individual  soul,  harbouring  a  false  pride 
on  the  occasion  of  performing  actions  that  he  is  the  (real)  agent,  is 
also  differentiated  into  three  distinct  types.  Just  as  one  and  the  same 
person  appears  four-fold  on  account  of  the  four  different  stages  of 
life  such  as  Brahmacharya,  period  of  chaste  youth  and  study  etc. 


592  JNANESHWARI 

and  others,  in  that  way  the  agent  also  becomes  three-fold  according 
to  the  three  distinct  sorts  of  actions.  Therefore,  I  shall  now  discourse 
on  the  Sattva-dominated  agent— the  first  of  the  three  kinds  and 
hear  about  it  attentively. 

26  "Relinquishing  attachment,  averse  to  egotistic  talk,  endowed 
with  tenacity  and  enthusiasm,  unmoved  either  in  success  or 
in  no-success;  such  an  agent  is  said  to  be  Sattva-dominated. 

(631) 

By  dropping  all  desires  for  fruit,  the  branches  of  the  sandal-  trees 
growing  on  "Malayagiri"  mountain  go  on  growing  straight  and 
long,  or  the  betel  plant  (HHhfa)  even  though  without  fruit,  has  the 
object  of  its  plantation  fully  secured ;  in  that  way,  he  (Sattvic  agent) 
performs  all  day  to  day  and  occasional  actions.  But  the  absence  of 
the  fruit  does  not  render  the  actions,  "of  no  avail."  How  could  a 
fruit  yield  a  fruit?  Besides  he  performs  plenty  of  (good)  actions  with 
sincere  regards  like  the  assemblage  of  clouds  at  the  time  of  rainy 
season,  and  yet  feels  no  conceit  as  their  agent.  While  turning  out 
actions  in  plenty,  actions  fit  to  be  dedicated  to  the  Supreme,  he  takes 
due  care  to  keep  to  (proper)  time,  to  select  a  suitable  place,  and  when 
there  arises  any  doubt  as  regards  the  fitness  or  otherwise  of  an  action 
he  decides  the  issue  in  the  light  of  Scriptures;  he  brings  harmony 
between  his  natural  inclinations  and  senses,  not  allowing  the  mind 
to  turn  to  the  (action)  fruit,  observes  the  restrictions  in  regard  to  self- 
control,  and  secures  fortitude,  quick,  watchful  and  sufficient  to  bear 
the  strain  of  observing  all  these  rigid  checks.  He  never  looks  to  his 
own  physical  comfort,  while  doing  actions  out  of  love  for  gaining 
his  'Self.  He  rids  himself  of  laziness  and  never  feels  the  pangs  of 
hunger  and  keeps  comforts  away  from  his  body.  And  in  such  a  state, 
he  feels  even  greater  enthusiasm  for  actions  in  the  way  gold  attains 
greater  fineness  as  the  alloy  in  it  is  burnst  out,  even  though  losing  in 
weight.  If  there  be  real  love  (for  anything  e.g.  motive-free  actions), 
one  holds  as  a  straw  his  very  life,  in  the  way  a  Satee's  body  is  observed 
to  be  full  of  horripilation  (which  springs  from  the  emotion  of  intense 
love)  as  she  leaps  into  the  funeral  pyre  of  her  husband.  Would  one, 
O  Dhananjaya,  literally  selling  himself  to  the  beloved — his  'own 
'Self  (soul)  feel  unhappy  (merely)  because  his  body  languishes?  There- 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYA.SAYOGA  593 

fore,  as  the  desires  for  enjoyment  of  sense-objects  get  diminished, 
and  the  more  one  gets  rid  of  the  conceit  about  his  body,  the  greater 
pleasure  he  feels  in  performing  actions.  While  doing  actions  in  this 
manner,  should  by  chance  any  Action  remain  incomplete,  he  feels 
no  uneasiness  about  it,  in  the  way  a  cart  crashing  down  a  precipice 
does  not  feel  unhappy  in  any  way.  On  the  other  hand,  should  the 
action  reach  its  successful  completion,  he  makes  no  parade  of  his 
success.  One,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  found  doing  actions  endowed  with 
such  signs,  should,  in  substance,  be  called  a  Sattvic  agent.  Now  the 
signs  of  knowing  a  Rajasic  doer,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  are  that  he  is  the 
very  abode  of  worldly-desires. 

27  "One  swayed  by  passion,  yearning  for  action's  fruit,  avaricious, 
disposed  to  violence,  impure,  prone  to  elation  and  depression: 
such  an  agent  is  pronounced  Rajas-dominated.  (650) 

Just  as  a  dung-hill  is  the  (proper)  place  for  the  accumulation  of  the 
village  dirt,  or  the  funeral  ground  is  the  place  for  the  coming  together 
of  all  inauspicious  things,  in  that  way  he  (the  Rajas  agent)  is  the  sink 
(place)  for  storing  the  wash  of  the  feet  of  all  the  sins  of  the  entire  world 
greed.  Therefore  he  sets  about  performing  very  zealously  such  actions 
only  as  hold  out  prospects  of  securing  fruit  uninterruptedly.  And 
he  is  not  prepared  to  forego  even  a  single  Kavadi  (¥^V)  of  what  he 
has  earned  and  hugs  his  acquisitions  to  his  bosom  lovingly  day  and 
night,  looking  upon  them  as  more  precious  than  his  life.  He  watches 
covetously  for  opportunities  to  rob  others  of  their  possessions  keeping 
a  miserly  attitude  in  regard  to  his  own  hoard,  in  the  way  a  heron  feigns 
it  is  absorbed  in  spiritual  meditation  (i.e.  stands  still)  for  catching 
the  fish.  He  is  like  a  berry  tree,  entangling  with  its  thorns  one  passing 
by  it,  causing  scratches  in  one's  skin  when  one  grapples  with  it,  or 
making  the  tongue  smart  under  the  sour  taste  of  its  fruit  if  put  into 
mouth.  He  torments  others  through  his  mind,  speech  and  body, 
and  remains  indifferent  in  regard  to  other  peoples'  interests,  while 
securing  his  own  selfish  ends.  He  allows  no  latitude  to  others  while 
engaged  in  doing  his  own  actions,  and  never  engages  his  mind  in  any 
sentiment  that  does  not  interest  him  in  any  way  (however  noble  it 
might  be).  He  is  devoid  of  purity  internally  and  externally,  in  the 
way  the  pulp  in  the  Datura  ( *farr )  fruit  is  intoxicating  and  its  external 


594  JNANESHWARI 

rind  thorny.  If  he  secures  the  fruit  of  his  actions,  he  gets,  Oh  Dhanan- 
jaya, overjoyed  and  indulges  in  grinning  and  mouthing  in  mockery 
of  the  world.  On  the  other  hand  were  the  actions  started  to  prove 
unfruitful,  he  would  through  grief  curse  whatever  has  been  done. 
One  seen  abiding  in  activism  in  this  way  is  the  Rajas  doer,  know  it 
definitely.  Next  comes  the  Tamas  (dominated)  agent,  who  is  the  very 
plantation  of  evil  actions  and  now  I  shall  reveal  to  you  in  detail  his 


SflJrW:  Ml£>d:  ^FrTBer:  5T5t  At>(cN»h«Nl:  \ 
$TCUft  <0vS^*n  ^  Wfft  HUTO"  ss-on^  II  ^«J  II 

28  "One  inadvertent,  vulgar,  stubborn,  deceitful,  perfidious,  in- 
dolent, depressed,  procrastinating:  such  an  agent  is  said  to 
be  Tamas-dominated.  (663) 

The  fire  does  not  realize  how  other  things  get  scorched  by  coming 
in  its  contact,  or  a  weapon  does  not  know  how  others  get  killed  with 
the  sharpness  of  its  edge,  or  a  subtle  poison  does  not  know  how  fatal 
it  is  to  living  creatures.  In  that  way  he  (Tamas-dominated  agent), 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  undertakes  such  wicked  actions  as  are  calculated 
to  rain  others.  While  doing  such  actions,  he  pays  no  attention  to 
the  consequences  (that  might  follow)  like  the  (fitful)  behaviour  of 
a  stormy  whirl-wind.  There  being  no  co-ordination  between  his 
actions  and  their  aim,  even  a  person  of  unsound  mind  cannot  stand 
comparison  with  him,  Oh  Dhananjaya.  He  maintains  himself  on 
the  enjoyment  provided  by  sense-objects,  like  a  cattle-louse  stuck 
up  to  the  udder  of  the  bullock  (maintaining  itself  on  the  bullock's 
blood).  He  behaves  waywardly  like  an  ignorant  child,  which  takes 
no  time  for  changing  from  laughing  to  crying.  He  is  never  alive  to 
the  fact,  whether  a  particular  action  is  good  or  otherwise,  having  en- 
tirely gone  under  the  sway  of  the  Prakriti,  and  abides  puffed  up  with 
false  contentment  like  a  dung-hill,  with  the  result  that  he  never  bends 
low  (in  reverence)  even  before  God  through  self-conceit,  and  excels 
even  a  hill  in  point  of  stiffness  (hauteur).  His  mind  is  like  the  trodden 
black  soil  of  the  thief  s  haunt  in  a  dense  wood  (<l£l<ft),  while  his 
vision  is  (as  if)  taken  in  mortgage  from  a  harlot.  Nay  his  very  body 
is  formed  of  wickedness,  while  the  entire  life  is  the  very  den  of  gamblers : 
his  very  sight  is  like  a  locality  inhabited  by  the  greedy  Bhil  tribes 
(highly  criminal).  No  one  should  even  approach  his  vicinity  (way). 
Good  actions  of  others  (appear  crooked  to  him),  prick  his  mind  like 


XVIII.   MOK$ASAMNYASAYOGA  595 

thorns,  just  as  salt  when  mixed  with  milk  makes  it  unfit  for  drinking, 
or  an  oblation  (fuel  stick  etc.)  put  into  fire  suddenly  blazes  forth, 
becoming  fire,  or  dainties  of  various  sorts  (swallowed  and)  entering 
into  the  body  get  ultimately  reduced  to  excreta,  so  he  receives  mentally 
good  actions  done  by  others,  but  they  are  metamorphosed  into  their 
opposite  (bad  actions)  when  passing  through  his  mind,  Oh  Kiriti. 
He  transforms  (good)  qualities  into  defects  and  converts  nectar  into 
poison,  in  the  way  milk  taken  in  by  serpents  is  changed  into  poison. 
On  occasions  of  the  (likely)  happening  of  events  that  lead  to  the  ful- 
filment of  the  very  object  of  one's  life,  in  this  world  as  also  in  the  other, 
slumber  automatically  visits  his  eyes,  (as  if  by  pre-arrangement) 
which  however  flies  far  away  (as  if)  for  fear  of  getting  polluted,  when 
evil  actions  are  in  the  offing.  During  seasons  making  grape  and  mango 
juice  available,  the  crows  are  affected  with  the  mouth  disease,  or  the 
owls  (should)  lose  their  vision  during  the  day-time;  in  that  way  laziness 
devours  him  whenever  there  presents  an  occasion  tending  to  the  secure- 
ment  of  real  good:  but  that  very  laziness  leaves  him  entirely,  in  all 
obedience,  when  he  is  about  to  do  some  despicable  act.  He  is  ever 
possessed  of  malice,  in  the  way  the  submarine  fire  abides  (latent) 
in  the  sea.  Throughout  his  life,  he  is  full  of  gloom  in  the  way  there 
is  copious  smoke  in  the  fire  made  of  animal-dung,  or  there  ever  exists 
foul  smell  in  the  wind  (Apana)  let  out  from  the  anus.  He  starts  greedy 
transactions  to  an  extent  that  would  even  serve  him  beyond  the  (cur- 
rent) Kalpa  (age),  and  bears  anxieties  unknown  to  (extending  beyond) 
this  world ;  yet  if  actual  results  (of  his  acts)  are  seen  not  even  a  blade 
of  grass  accrues  to  him  (comes  into  his  hands).  Should  such  a  heap 
of  sins  incarnate  come  to  be  seen  by  you  in  the  universe,  take  it  definitely 
as  a  Tamas-dominated  agent.  Thus  have  been  explained  to  you  the 
signs  of  the  three-fold  kinds  of  the  'actions,'  the  'agent,'  and  the  'know- 
ledge,' Oh  you  Lord  Paramount  (^a^fa )  of  the  Righteous. 

29  "(Now.)  of  Intellect  and  of  Tenacity  the  triple  types  based 
upon  (the  three)  Guna- constituents  hear  as  I  explain  (them) 
exhaustively  and  individually,  Oh  Dhananjaya.  (690) 

Now  of  Intellect  viz.  the  mirror,  into  which  a  person,  individual  soul, 
(living)  in  the  locality  of  ignorance,  wearing  the  apparel  of  infatuation 
and  bedecked  with  ornaments  in  the  form  of  dubiousness,  looks 


596  JNANESHWARI 

and  which  reveals  to  him  the  full  beauty  of  his  lineaments — that 
intellect  and  its  flow  are  three-fold.  Is  there  anything  in  the  world 
that  has  not  become  three-fold  following  the  three-fold  Guna-con- 
stituents,  such  as  Sattva,  etc.?  Where  is  to  be  found  any  fire- wood 
in  which  there  is  not  (latent)  fire?  In  that  way  what  is  there  in  the 
discernible  world  that  is  not  three-fold?  Therefore,  the  intellect  is 
also  made  three-fold  according  to  the  three  Guna-constituents; 
similarly  (three-fold)  is  Tenacity  (ffit)  also.  Now,  I  shall  explain 
to  you  distinctively  the  three  types  of  these  with  their  respective  signs. 
Of  these  two,  Intellect  and  Tenacity,  I  shall  first  speak  of  the  (three) 
types  of  Intellect.  There  are  three  ways  viz.  the  best — the  middle — 
and  the  worst,  open  to  the  being  coming  into  the  worldly  affairs. 
These  three  well-known  ways  (actions)  are  i)  day-to-day  and  oc- 
casional, ii)  fruit-motived,  and  iii)  forbidden,  and  it  is  on  account 
of  these  that  the  individual  souls  find  themselves  in  the  grip  of  dreadful 
mundane  existence. 

30  "(Right)  activism  and  (right)  abstention;  what  is  proper  to 
do  and  what  is  not  proper  to  do ;  (what  should  inspire)  fear 
and  no-fear;  (and  the  essence  of)  bondage  and  liberation: 
the  intellect  which  discerns  (all)  this  is,  O  Son  ofPrtha,  Sattva- 
dominated.  (699) 

Therefore,  day  to  day  actions  that  you  are  qualified  to  do,  and  that 
have  devolved  on  you  in  the  natural  course,  are  only  the  best  ones  to 
be  performed,  and  these  should  be  performed  with  an  eye  to  the  fruit 
(goal)  viz.  attainment  of  the  'Self,  even  as  a  thirsty  one  drinks  water 
with  full  concentration.  The  performance  of  these  actions  frees  one 
from  the  danger  of  calamitous  re-birth,  and  makes  easy  the  attain- 
ment of  liberation.  One  doing  this,  becomes  free  from  the  fear  of 
world  affairs,  and  makes  secure  his  share  as  a  seeker,  through  the 
performance  of  actions.  The  intellect  keeps  firm  faith  in  the  attain- 
ment of  liberation  through  actions  and  throws  out  a  challenge  (as 
to)  why  one  should  not  dive  in  such  (day  to  day)  actions,  raising 
activism  high  up  on  the  basis  of  renunciation  (of  the  fruit  of  the  action). 
Water  is  the  life  (preserver)  of  the  thirsty;  or  swimming  (saves)  one 
falling  into  floods ;  or  the  Sun's  rays  (guide  one)  in  a  dark  pit ;  or  proper 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  597 

treatment  and  medicine  (preserve  life)  of  one  choked  with  a  disease; 
or  water  (is)  the  spring  of  life  for  the  fish.  In  all  these  ways,  abiding 
in  activism  (in  regard  to  day-to-day  actions)  assuredly  secures  libera- 
tion. The  intellect  remains  unerring  in  discerning  what  is  worth  doing 
and  also  what  is  worth  discarding.  The  intellect  makes  one's  inclina- 
tions turn  back  from  afar,  (from  the  very  back  side)  from  actions 
that  are  fruit-motived  and  create  fear  of  world  affairs  and  from  actions 
tainted  because  (they  are)  prohibited,  and  as  such  are  actually  pro- 
hibited, and  are  worth  being  discarded,  and  form  actions  that  are  full  of 
fear  of  re-birth.  Oh,  one  cannot  enter  into  fire,  or  take  a  leap  into 
waters  of  fathomless  depth,  or  hold  in  hand  a  red  hot  iron  (bar),  or  put 
forth  his  hand  (for  catching)  a  black  hissing  cobra,  or  enter  into  a  tiger's 
den :  in  that  way,  the  intellect  certainly  feels  mightily  afraid  at  seeing 
such  actions  as  only  deserve  to  be  discarded.  One  cannot  escape  from 
death,  when  served  with  poisoned  food ;  in  that  way  one  knows  that 
prohibited  actions  must  bring  on  fettering.  The  intellect  arranges  for 
the  renunciation  of  such  prohibited  actions  as  are  full  of  fear  of  fet- 
tering. In  that  way  the  intellect  makes  a  scrutiny,  and  tastes  activisim 
and  renunciation,  in  the  light  of  the  desirability  or  otherwise  of  doing 
such  actions,  in  the  way  genuine  and  counterfeit  (gems)  are  tested.  The 
intellect  also  knows  too  well  what  actions  are  worth  being  done  and 
what  are  not;  and  that  intellect  (as  is  described  above)  is  known  as 
Sattvic  intellect. 

31  "By  which  Dharma  (Righteousness)  and  Adharma  (Un- 
righteousness) ,  what  is  proper  to  do  and  what  is  not  proper 
to  do,  one  discerns,  (but)  not  as  these  actually  are;  that  intel- 
lect, O  Son  of  Prtha,  is  Rajas-dominated.  (718) 

The  mixture  of  milk  and  water  is  (holds  good)  only  in  the  region  (case) 
of  herons:  There  is  no  distinction  such  as  day  and  night  with  one 
blind;  the  black  bee  which  devours  honey  in  the  flowers,  also  carves 
the  wood,  and  its  state  as  blackbee  is  not  lost.  In  that  way  the  (Rajas) 
intellect  deals  in  actions  without  discriminating  between  righteous 
as  also  religious  acts  and  unrighteous  as  also  irreligious  acts.  One 
taking  (purchasing)  pearls  with  eyes  shut  up  can  hardly  secure  the 
best  ones.  It  comes  to  his  lot  to  get  such  as  are  otherwise  than  good. 


598  JNANESHWARI 

Normally  such  (Rajas)  intellect  mixes  together  desirable  and  un- 
desirable actions,  the  undesirable  ones  are  left  out  only  if  by  chance 
they  are  not  forthcoming  on  the  .spot;  and  this  intellect  is  Rajas- 
dominated  one.  This  intellect  does  all  actions  without  looking  if 
they  are  pure  or  impure,  in  the  way  one  should  go  on  extending  invita- 
tions (to  some  ceremony)  wholesale  without  considering  the  worthiness 
or  otherwise  (for  being  invited)  of  the  invitees. 

^d^JH  fcq<0cli$r  *|%:  ^r  m$  nw«1  II   ^  II 

32  "That  which  — enveloped  in  Tamas  (darkness)  — conceives  the 
Adharma  as  Dharma,  and  (in  fact)  all  objects  as  other  than 
they  are;  that  intellect,  Oh  Son  ofPrtha  is  Tamas- dominated. 

(724) 

A  thief  considers  as  a  byway  the  high  road  taken  by  a  king:  or  it  is 
the  night  time  to  the  demons  what  is  the  day  time  for  others :  or  to 
an  unlucky  one  there  appears  a  heap  of  coal  where  there  is  in  fact 
a  treasure;  or  an  (ordinary)  being  considers  non-existent  the  (essence 
of  the)  "Self" :  the  intellect  that  in  this  way  considers  as  sins  all  religious 
acts  and  also  considers  false  all  that  is  real,  the  intellect  that  converts 
all  right  things  into  wrong  ones  and  considers  as  defects  all  that  are 
good  qualities;  that  intellect  which  considers  as  perverse,  all  that 
is  sanctioned  by  the  Vedas,  that  intellect,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  should 
be  known  as  Tamas-ridden  intellect,  without  reference  to  anything 
else.  Could  the  (dark)  night  be  ever  taken  as  suitable  for  doing 
religious  acts?  Thus  are  made  clear  to  you  the  three  distinctive  types 
of  intellect,  Oh  you,  the  Full  Moon-the  one  blowing  out  fully  open 
the  white  lotus  flower  in  the  form  of  the  realization  of  the  'Self.  Now 
that  which  resolves  and  puts  its  shoulders  to  all  actions  following 
the  intellect  is  tenacity  and  it  is  also  of  three  types.  Now  I  shall  explain 
to  you,  with  their  respective  signs,  the  three  types  of  tenacity  ( ^r ) 
to  which  you  do  give  proper  attention. 

33  "By  which  unflagging  tenacity  one  is  able  to  sustain  the  activi- 
ties of  the  mind,  the  vital  functions,  and  the  sense-centres  with 
equanimity:  that  tenacity,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  is  Sattva-domi- 
nated.  '  (733) 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  599 

With  the  sunrise  all  robbery  is  at  a  standstill,  vanishing  in  darkness, 
or  with  the  royal  mandate,  cease  all  undesirable  and  objectionable 
dealings :  or  with  the  blowing  of  strong  winds,  get  swept  out  all  clouds 
with  their  thunder:  or  with  the  appearance  of  sage  Agasti  (Sirius), 
the  ocean  stands  dumb-folded  (i.e.  it  becomes  tranquil):  or  with 
the  rise  of  the  Moon  the  day  lotuses  close.  This  apart,  an  elephant 
in  ruts,  once  it  raises  its  leg  up,  (in  order  to  attack  its  adversary)  does 
not  put  it  down,  even  if  faced  with  a  roaring  lion.  In  all  these  ways 
with  the  rising  up  of  (Sattva)  tenacity  in  the  heart,  all  activities  of 
the  mind  etc.  come  to  a  standstill,  the  ties  between  the  senses  and  their 
objects  get  automatically  snapped,  Oh  Kiriti,  and  all  the  ten  organs 
enter  the  womb  of  their  mother,  the  mind.  (It)  breaks  up  the  structure 
of  the  fivefold  wind  blocking  its  upward  and  downward  paths  (apfrst ), 
and  tying  together  as  a  sheaf  i.e.  blocking  and  driving  inward  to  a 
central  point  the  nine  exits  (in  the  body)  the  principal  life  wind  ( STW ) 
jumps  along  with  them,  into  the  middle  passage  ('Sushumna' — 
If^rr  * — the  air  passage  of  breath  or  air  in  the  human  body  between 
the  two  others  called  'Ida'  and  'Pingala').  The  mind  is  made  naked 
by  stripping  it  off  of  all  its  apparel  in  the  form  of  fancies  and  ideas, 
and  then  the  intellect  sits  quiet  (behind  the  mind).  The  King-courage 
(tenacity),  who  compels  the  mind,  the  life  winds,  and  the  organs, 
to  give  up  their  mutual  converse  made  possible  by  their  several  func- 
tions, and  who  putting  them  in  a  blank  state  shuts  them  up  in  the 
hermitage  of  spiritual  meditation  (heart)  through  Yogic  powers, 
is  that  tenacity  which,  without  falling  a  victim  to  any  sort  of  tempta- 
tion (bribe-  *rhr),  keeps  them  shut  up  there  until  they  are  delivered 
up  to  the  paramount — the  Supreme  Self  ;-that  tenacity  is  the  Sattvic 
tenacity"  said  the  Lord  of  Goddess  Lakshml  to  Arjuna. 

SPSTf^T  'twill is«fl  sr%:  m  *CF$  <N*H  II  X*  II 

34  "But  that,  O  Arjuna  whereby  one  holds  to  the  (three-fold 
objectives  of  )  Dharma  (duty),  Sense-gratification  and  Wealth- 
being  addicted  to  their  fruits  and  yearning  for  them:  that 
tenacity,  0  Son  of  Prtha,  is  Rajas-dominated.  (745) 

(The  Lord  further  said),  "The  being  assuming  body-form  abides 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  three  (viz.  Dharma  (duty),  Wealth,  and  Sense- 

*  For  details  sec  Note  under  verse  40,  Chapter  VI 


600  JNANESHWARI 

gratification)  in  both  the  houses  viz.  in  this  as  also  in  the  other  world 
(Heaven).  He  carries  on  business  transactions  on  the  ship  in  the 
form  of  Dharma,  Wealth  and  Sense-gratification,  on  the  sea  in  the 
form  of  fancies  and  ideas,  and  further  he  undergoes  the  trouble  of 
increasing  fourfold  the  invested  capital  in  the  form  of  actions.  That 
tenacity  on  the  strength  of  which  he  does  all  these  affairs  is,  you  take 
it,  the  Rajas  (dominated)  tenacity.  Now,  I  explain  to  you  the  third 
viz.  the  Tamas  (dominated)  tenacity. 

35  "Whereby  the  stupid  man  does  not  give  up  slumber,  fear,  grief, 
and  despondency,  as  also,  arrogance:  that  tenacity  O  Son 
of  Prtha,  is  Tamas-dominated.  (749) 

That  (which)  is  formed  of  all  sorts  of  heinous  qualities,  in  the  way 
the  coal  is  formed  in  point  of  blackness;  were  such  heinous  and  vulgar 
aspects  to  be  taken  as  qualities,  why  not  then  call  the  Demons  as 
persons  of  merit  (fEPPT)?  The  one  amongst  the  planets,  which  has 
the  appearance  of  live-coal,  is  called  "Mangal**,  (WT-Mars-the 
auspicious  one);  in  that  same  light  the  term  "quality"  C5ur)  is 
figuratively  used  in  respect  of  this  dark  and  thoughtless  one  ( ^r ). 
Such  a  one  is  the  very  idol,  prepared  out  of  well-wrought  darkness 
(TTirar),  in  which  are  stored  up  all  the  demerits.  He  carries  laziness 
under  his  arm  pit,  with  the  result  that  slumber  never  leaves  him,  just 
as  misery  always  dwells  where  sin  is  nurtured.  Fear  never  deserts 
him  consequent  on  his  strong  attachment  to  his  body,  in  the  way 
hardness  ever  accompanies  the  stone.  He  is  a  regular  abode  of  grief 
because  he  is  addicted  to  all  worldly  things  in  the  way  the  sin  never 
departs  from  an  ungrateful  person.  He  harbours  discontent  in  his 
heart  day  and  night,  with  the  result  that  despondency  is  his  constant 
companion.  Foul  smell  never  leaves  garlic  or  the  disease  (never  leaves) 
the  patient  who  habitually  goes  against  the  prescribed  regimen.  In 
that  way,  despondency  clings  to  him  till  his  death.  His  infatuation 
for  wife  (lit.  female  companion),  wealth,  and  passion  ever  waxes 
strong  with  the  result  that  arrogance  makes  its  home  in  him.  Heat 
never  leaves  the  fire  or  the  spite  (never  leaves)  a  serpent  of  high  breed: 
or  the  fear-— the  enemy  of  the  world — is  never  destroyed:  or  the 

*  The  word  Mangala  is  used  with  the  intention  of  avoiding  the  loathsome  word 
Amangala  (inauspicious). 


XVIII.  MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  601 

destructor  never  forgets  the  body;  in  that  way  arrogance  makes  its 
seat  firm  in  the  (Tamas-ridden)  being.  The  tenacity  that  enables 
the  five  demerits  (viz.  slumber,  fear,  grief,  despondency,  and  arrogance) 
to  sustain  a  Tamas-ridden  being,*  is  called  the  Tamas  (dominated) 
tenacity,"  said  the  Lord  of  Universe.  (He  further  said),  "Thus  what- 
ever actions  are  resolved  upon  (to  be  performed)  by  the  three- fold 
intellect  are  successfully  carried  out  by  tenacity.  The  way  becomes 
discernible  on  account  of  the  Sun,  and  feet  walk  over  it;  yet  it  is  the 
courage  (Tenacity)  that  brings  about  the  walk.  In  that  way  the  intellect 
shows  the  action  which  the  group  of  instruments  (organs  etc.)  per- 
forms; yet  there  is  the  necessity  of  tenacity  for  the  production  of 
actions.  That  tenacity  which  is  three-fold  has  been  explained  to 
you.  When  the  three-fold  actions  (thus)  are  performed,  they  bear 
the  fruit,  which  is  called  'happiness'  and  it  is  also  three-fold,  according 
to  the  respective  types  of  action.  I  shall  now  preach  to  you  in  clear 
words  how  this  fruit — happiness — becomes  distinctive  on  account 
of  the  three  Guna-constituents.  But  how  should  I  describe  the  clarity 
of  words?  Were  it  to  be  made  known  through  words,  the  words  also 
would,  get  defiled  by  the  wax  in  the  ears.  Therefore  better  (to)  discard 
it  (that  way)  and  to  hear  it  (take  it  in)  using  the  heart  as  the  means 
of  taking  it  in,  by  discarding  which,  the  ears  would  even  become  deaf 
(i.e.  the  faculty  of  audition  is  paralysed)".  With  these  words  God 
started  the  topic  of  the  three-fold  happiness  and  I  (Jnaneshwar) 
preach  it  following  it  (the  start). 

36  "And  now  the  three-fold  (types  of)  pleasure  hear,  from  Me, 
Oh  Bull  of  the  Bharata  (clan).  Wherein  one  finds  joy  (only) 
through  practice,  and  (wherein  one)  fully  attains  the  end  of 
(all)  grief:  (772) 

Then  (God)  said,  "Now  hear,  Oh  you  righteous  one,  about  the  signs 
of  the  three-fold  pleasure,  which  I  promised  I  Would  preach.  I  shall 
show  to  your  vision  that  pleasure  which  the  being,  Oh  Kirlti,  derives 
from  the  meeting  with  the  soul.  Just  a  potent  (divine)  medicine  has 
to  be  administered  in  very  small  doses  like  M&tra  (TPIT — a  con- 
centrated drug  prepared  by  chemical  process);  or  tin  is  converted 
into  silver  by  alchemy  (lit.  by  treating  it  with  mercury);  or  in  order 
to  dissolve  salt,  water  is  profusely  poured  over  it  several  (2 — 4)  times; 


602  JNANESHWARI 

in  that  way  the  miseries  of  life  (mundane  existence),  come  to  an  end, 
when  one  (first)  experiences  a  little  (spiritual)  pleasure  and  then  pursues 
its  practice  repeatedly  with  all  one's  heart.  And  that  ending  of  miseries 
is  the  pleasure  of  the  'Self  here.'  And  this  (generic  pleasure)  too  is 
three-fold  as  constituted  by  the  three  Guna-constituents,  and  I  tell 
you  separately  the  signs  of  each  of  these  types. 

37  "That  which  is  at  the  outset  like  venom,  but  in  its  effect  can 
be  compared  to  ambrosia;  that  pleasure  is  declared  to  be 
Sattva-dominated,  being  born  of  (perfect)  serenity  of  the 
intellect  when  engrossed  in  (meditation  on)  the  Self.     (778) 

Just  as  the  base  of  a  sandal  tree  causes  fright  owing  to  (the  presence 
of)  a  serpent;  or  there  abides  a  ghost  guarding  the  approach  (mouth) 
to  the  hoard;  or  the  sacrifices,  which  secure  heavenly  bliss,  are  fraught 
with  great  difficulties ;  or  childhood  has  to  pass  through  a  period  of 
hardships  or  one  has  to  put  up  with  the  nuisance  of  smoke  before 
one  lights  a  lamp  (flame);  or  the  tongue  has  first  to  bear  the  bitter 
taste  of  medicine,  in  all  these  ways  one  has,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  to  face 
at  the  very  entrance  to  the  (spiritual)  pleasure,  the  hardships  of  self- 
restraint  and  self- governance  comprehensively  (*PrfwT).  There 
wells  up  in  the  heart  such  a  mighty  aversion  towards  worldly  affairs 
that  it  strangles  attachment  for  all  worldly  objects,  and  banishes 
(the  idea  of  winning)  heaven  and  mundane  existence  (earth).  The 
intellect  is  perfected  and  made  whole,  its  weak  points  (lit.  holes  or 
chinks)  disappearing  altogether,  and  sound  and  lofty  principles  dis- 
criminating the  highest  Reality  by  practising  hard  austerities.  The 
gushes  of  life-winds,  Prana  and  Apana,  get  swallowed  through  the 
mouth  of  the  air  passage  'Sushumna'  and  all  these  great  hardships 
form  only  the  beginning.  Intense  grief  is  felt  by  the  Chakrawaka 
couple  (ivii*)  at  its  forced  separation ;  or  by  a  (sucking)  calf  dragged 
forcibly  away  from  under  the  udder  of  the  cow;  or  by  making  a 
hungry  person  leave  (untouched)  his  dinner  plate  and  walk  out;  or 
by  the  mother  from  whose  lap  the  destructor  snatches  away  her  only 
pet  child;  or  by  the  fish  on  being  taken  out  of  water.  In  that  way  the 
sense-organs  feel  as  if  the  end  of  the  aeon  (*fTTg;)  has  come  while 
leaving  the  home  of  sense- objects:  yet  the  heroes  of  ascetic  tendencies 
(having  discarded  attachments  completely)  bear  it  all.  Thus  the 


XVIII.  MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  603 

beginning  of  that  pleasure  is  prefaced  with  (lit.  indicates)  the  bursting 
out  of  great  pain  and  hardship :  yet  in  the  end  it  secures  the  ambrosia 
in  the  form  of  deliverance;  in  the  way  ambrosia  was  secured  as  the 
result  of  churning  up  the  sea  of  milk.  If  God  Shiva  in  the  form  of 
tenacity  is  able  to  swallow  up  (and  digest)  the  venom  in  the  form  of 
asceticism,  floating  on  the  surface  at  the  very  outset,  it  (tenacity) 
would  witness  the  festival  of  (drinking)  ambrosia  in  the  form  of  know- 
ledge. The  extreme  sour  taste  of  green  grapes  is  more  burning  to  the 
tongue  than  even  a  touch  of  fire-brand;  yet  when  the  grapes  get  ripe 
they  taste  so  sweet.  In  that  way,  when  non-attachment  and  other 
virtues  fully  ripen  with  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  self,  all  duality 
etc.  born  of  Nescience  perishes  along  with  the  very  non-attachment. 
Then  with  the  merging  of  intellect  in  the  soul,  in  the  way  the  holy 
Ganges  does  in  the  sea,  there  is  naturally  revealed  a  mine  of  monistic 
bliss.  That  pleasure  (bliss)  which  has  as  its  root  total  indifference 
to  the  worldy  affairs,  the  root  developing  and  producing  at  its  end 
the  enjoyment  of  the  bliss  of  the  Self,  is  Sattva  (dominated)  pleasure. 

38  "That  which,  through  contact  of  the  sense- centres  with  the 
objects  (of  sense),  is  at  the  outset  comparable  to  ambrosia, 
but  in  its  effects  is  like  venom:  that  pleasure  is  recognised 
as  Rajas-dominated.  (794) 

And  that  (Rajas)  overflows  both  the  banks,  when  the  sense-objects 
and  their  centres  contact  each  other:  people  hold  celebrations  at  a 
visit  of  a  high  official  of  the  State  to  their  place;  or  marriage  functions 
are  celebrated  with  great  pomp  by  incurring  heavy  debts:  or  to  a 
diseased  person  the  plantain  fruit  and  sugar  taste  sweet  (even  though 
both  are  prohibited  to  him):  or  a  poisonous  root — the  gloriosase 
herb  («M«il4i)-tastes  sweet  when  first  put  into  mouth:  or  the  friend- 
ship of  thieves,  or  the  (loving)  behaviour  of  a  harlot  (lit.  mate  one 
accepts  at  a  public  place)  or  the  humours  or  jokes  of  a  flatterer  or 
fool,  all  prove  fatal  in  the  end;  in  that  way,  the  pleasure  that  is  derived 
from  the  union  of  the  sense-objects  and  their  centres,  which  fattens 
the  beings,  ends  in  drying  up  whatever  wealth  (of  merit)  a  person 
has  secured,  and  in  making  the  being  lose  his  life,  and  in  exhausting 
whatever  merit  (*£*?)  had  been  to  his  credit  side,  in  the  way  a  well- 
fed  swan  should  smash  itself  against  a  rock  (allured  towards  it  by  its 


604  JNANESHWARI 

gaudy  appearance).  And  then  whatever  happiness  has  been  enjoyed 
vanishes  as  if  it  was  all  a  dream,  and  the  only  destiny  reserved  for  the 
being  is  to  rot  in  the  ditch  of  total  ruin.  Thus  what  is  prima  facie  the 
(Rajas)  pleasure  in  this  world,  develops  ultimately  into  evil  turning 
back  from  the  other  world  (heaven)  like  poison.  Sins  are  strengthened 
(sins  are  firmly  entrenched)  where  senses  are  fondled  and  their  objects 
are  freely  enjoyed  as  in  Bacchanalia,  causing  destruction  by  burning 
of  the  orchard  of  religious  merit  and  those  sins  then  take  the  being 
to  Hell.  In  this  way  that  pleasure  causes  harm  in  the  other  world 
(also).  Even  though  venom  is  given  the  name  "sweet"  (*TfpC),  yet 
in  the  end  it  causes  loss  of  life  disclosing  its  real  nature;  in  that  way, 
that  pleasure  tastes  sweet  in  the  beginning  but  proves  bitter  in  the  end. 
Such  pleasure,  Oh  Partha,  is  formed  of  Rajas,  and  therefore,  take 
care  you  do  not  touch  it! 

39  "That  which  is,  at  the  outset  as  also  in  the  ensuants,  a  pleasure 
that  inveigles  the  self  with  delusion,  springing  (as  it  does) 
from  slumber,  indolence  or  heedlessness  that  is  pronounced 
to  be  Tamas-dominated.  (806) 

And  that  pleasure,  which  is  derived  from  drinking  undrinkables 
(potent  liquors),  or  enjoying  a  meal  of  uneatable  dishes,  or  in  the 
company  of  females  of  ill-repute  or  that  is  derived  from  killing  others, 
robbing  others  of  their  property  (money  etc.)  or  hearing  the  (false) 
praise  sung  by  a  bard  (flatterer),  that  which  is  fed  on  laziness,  or  is 
found  in  slumber,  and  which  from  the  first  to  the  last  misleads  the 
being  in  regard  to  the  right  path,  and  leads  him  into  a  wrong  one — 
such  pleasure,  O  Partha,  is  entirely  Tamas  (dominated)  pleasure, 
and  I  would  not  talk  (more)  on  it,  the  thing  being  quite  impossible 
(being  indecent  and  despicable).  I  have  made  discernible  to  you 
following  the  scriptures  (in  the  proper  way)  the  three  types  of 
(actions)  fruit  viz,  pleasure,  following  the  distinctive  features  of 
the  actions.  The  agent,  the  action  as  also  the  action-fruit — this 
triad  is  all  in  all,  there  being  nothing  else  pervading  the  entire 
world  both  gross  and  subtle.  And  this  triad  is  woven  by  the  three 
Guna-constituents  in  the  way  the  threads  do  the  entire  yarn, 
Oh  Kiriti. 


XVIII.  MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  605 

Hr#  Mffd^^rfc  ?ltfa:  ?sn^  fsrfa^lr:  II  Vo  || 

40  "There  exists  not  on  the*  earth,  nor  again  in  the  Heaven 
amongst  the  Gods,  an  entity  which  can  be  exempt  from  these 
three  Guna- constituents  that  are  born  of  the  Prakrti  (Primal 
Matter).  (813) 

Therefore,  there  is  not  a  single  thing,  either  in  the  heaven  or  on  this 
earth,  that  is  not  fettered  by  the  three  Guna-constituents  such  as 
Sattva  and  others,  born  of  the  Prakriti  (Primal  Matter),  in  the  way 
there  cannot  be  a  blanket  without  wool,  or  lump  of  clay  without 
earth,  or  a  ripple  without  water.  Similarly,  there  is  no  aspect  of  the 
aggregate  of  beings  that  could  make  possible  the  formation  of  the 
universe  without  the  existence  in  them  of  the  three  Guna-constituents. 
Therefore  know  it,  that  this  entire  universe  is  all  formed  (solely  and 
wholly)  of  the  three-Guna-constituents,  and  it  is  these  three  that  have 
classified  the  Gods  in  three  groups,  and  have  created  the  three  worlds, 
and  have  assigned  three  different  functions  to  the  four  different  castes. 

41  "Of  the  Brahmins  (Priests),  Kshattriyas  (Warriors),  and 
the  Vaishyas  (Producers  and  Merchants),  and  also  of  the 
Shudras  (Menials),  Oh  Tormentor  of  the  enemy,  the  (re- 
spective) functions  are  differentiated  according  to  the  Guna- 
constituents  which  fashion  their  innate  natures,  (818) 

If  you  ask  me  which  are  the  four  castes,  they  are  those,  the  chief  amongst 
whom  are  the  Brahmins  (Priests)  in  the  forefront.  Others  are  the 
Kshatriyas  (Warriors)  and  Vaishyas  (Producers  and  Merchants), 
who  are  also  as  high  in  position  as  the  Brahmins,  being  qualified 
to  perform  rituals  as  laid  down  in  the  Vedas.  The  fourth,  Oh  Dhanan- 
jaya,  are  the  Shudras  (Menials)  who  are  not  qualified  (to  act)  accord- 
ing to  the  Vedas  and  have  therefore  got  to  be  dependent  on  the  three 
others  for  their  living.  But  because  the  living  of  the  Shudras  is  linked 
with  the  three  other  castes,  they  have  been  included  in  the  caste  system 
and  are  made  the  fourth  caste.  The  Shruti  Scripture  has  owned  the 
Shudras  along  with  the  twice-born  (fpr)  in  the  way,  the  rich  ones, 
while  inhaling  the  fragrance  of  flowers  (of  a  garland  etc.)  also  smell 


606  JNANESHWARI 

the  thread  on  which  they  (flowers)  are  inwoven.  Such  is,  Oh  Partha, 
the  arrangement  of  the  fourfold  caste  system.  I  now  tell  you  their 
respective  functions,  by  performing  which,  all  these  four  castes  escape 
the  pair  of  scissors  in  the  form  of  birth  and  death,  and  attain  Supreme 
Self.  The  three  Guna-constituents,  Sattva  and  others,  born  of  my 
Prakriti  have  distributed  in  four  lots  the  functions  amongst  the  four 
castes.  The  father  divides  his  self-acquired  property  amongst  his 
sons;  or  the  Sun  shows  the  different  ways  to  different  wayfarers;  or 
the  master  assigns  several  duties  to  his  servants;  in  that  way  the  Guna- 
constituents  born  of  the  Prakriti  have  made  the  distribution  of  the 
duties  among  the  four.  The  Sattva  quality  has  put  under  its  supremacy 
the  Brahmins  and  the  Kahatriyas  and  has  divided  itself  in  two  equal 
halves  assigning  one  to  each  of  the  two.  The  Vaishyas  have  been 
assigned  to  Sattva  and  Rajas  combined  together,  while  the  Shiidras 
(have  been  assigned  to)  Rajas  and  Tamas  combined  together.  In 
this  way,  know  it,  that  the  three  Guna-constituents,  divided  into  four 
distinct  castes  the  entire  human  order  constituting  one  single  group. 
The  Scriptures  show  in  detail  the  different  functions  covered  by  the 
three  Gunas,  in  the  way  objects  kept  in  the  dark  are  found  in  lamp 
light.  Now  I  proceed  to  explain  the  respective  proper  qualities  (func- 
tions) of  those  castes  and  you  the  fortunate  one  (lit.  the  storehouse 
of  good  luck)  do  hear  them. 

42  "Peace  of  mind,  restraint  of  senses,  austerity,  purity,  for- 
bearance, as  also  straightforwardness;  knowledge,  realisa- 
tion, and  spiritual  faith :  (these)  constitute  the  activity  of 
a  Brahmin,  born  of  his  innate  nature.  (833) 

The  peaceful  state  of  the  intellect,  which  grasping  in  its  hand  the 
sense- tendencies,  meets  the  soul  in  private,  in  the  way  a  wedded  wife 
does  (meet)  her  husband  that  peaceful  state  is  called  the  peace  of 
mind  (SPT)  and  all  actions  (of  a  Brahmin)  have  their  origin  in  this 
quality.  The  second  (quality)  is  the  restraint  of  the  senses,  which 
keeps  under  proper  control  the  unruly  organs  of  actions  with  the 
help  of  the  rod  in  the  form  of  Scriptural  mandates,  and  always  pre- 
vents them  from  turning  to  irreligious  (forbidden)  matters.  This 
restraint  of  senses  (^Rf )  helps  the  holy  peace  of  mind  in  all  actions 
and  through  it  all  actions  take  place  according  to  (the  doer's  own) 


xvm.  moksasamnyasayoga  607 

religion.  That  quality  on  account  of  which  there  remains  ever  fresh 
in  mind  the  memory  of  God,  with  the  vigilance  with  which  the  flame 
of  the  burning  wick  in  a  lamp  is  carefully  watched  [Note:  It  is  con- 
sidered to  be  an  evil  omen  if  perchance  the  flame  of  the  wick  in  the 
lamp  is  extinguished  during  that  night]  on  the  sixth  night  (dedicated 
to  the  worship  of  Satavi  *itqlW  Wf )  of  child-birth — is  austerity 
( ?PT  ),  the  third  quality  which  is  traced  in  all  actions  (of  a  Brahmin). 
Similarly  there  is  found  in  the  actions,  the  sinless  purjty  (<i!,far«l): 
it  is  two -fold,  viz.  the  mind  is  full  of  pure  thoughts,  while  the  body 
is  ornamented  with  good  actions,  thus  making  the  life  pure  internally 
and  externally — that  state  is  called  'purity',  Oh  Partha,  and  that  is 
the  fourth  quality  found  in  actions  (of  a  Brahmin).  Now  that  all- 
enduring  power  like  that  of  the  earth  is  called  forbearance  ( $WT ), 
Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  it  is  the  fifth  quality,  just  as  sweet  and  pleasant 
as  the  'Panchama'  CT^T  — the  fifth)  amongst  the  seven  notes  in  music. 
Even  though  the  (water)  course  be  crooked  the  holy  Ganges  (waters) 
flows  straight  (towards  the  sea),  or  even  though  there  be  crookedness 
or  bend  at  the  joints  of  a  sugar-cane  yet  sweetness  is  the  same  all 
over  in  that  way  to  behave  in  a  straight-forward  way,  even  though 
(other)  beings  be  of  adverse  tendencies  is  what  is  called  'straight- 
forwardness' (arr^r)  and  it  is  the  sixth  quality  in  the  actions  (of  a 
Brahmin).  A  gardener  waters  a  tree  and  ceaselessly  labours  at  its 
base,  in  the  full  knowledge  that  his  labours  are  to  be  rewarded  by 
the  tree  bearing  fruit.  In  that  way,  knowing  well  that  the  performance 
of  actions  strictly  according  to  the  Scriptural  enjoinments,  is  only 
for  the  .sake  of  attaining  the  Supreme,  is  what  is  here  called  'know- 
ledge' (^rrr)  and  it  is  the  seventh  quality  found  in  the  actions  (of  a 
Brahmin).  Next  comes  the  'realisation'  (falW),  whose  nature  is 
as  follows :  when  steadfast  intellect  is  unified  with  the  essence  of  God 
on  the  strength  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  or  through  spiritual 
meditation,  Sattva  quality  being  totally  purged  of  the  dross  adhering 
to  it  in  the  form  of  Rajas  and  Tamas,  is  what  is  called  the  best  'realisa- 
tion' and  it  is  the  eighth  of  the  quality-gems,  while  a  complete  spiritual 
faith,  is  the  ninth  quality.  I  define  it  (spiritual  faith)  thus:  to  regard 
with  deep  respect  all  the  means  sanctioned  and  approved  by  the 
Scriptures,  even  as  subjects  receive  with  respect  any  person  or  a  thing 
(document,  coin,  etc.)  invested  with  royal  insignia  and  actions  possess- 
ing this  quality  are  productive  of  good  (real).  Thus  actions  consisting 
of  these  nine  qualities  such  as  'peace  of  mind'  and  others,  that  are  by 
nature  spotlessly  pure,  constitute  the  natural  actions  of  a  Brahmin 
and  one  securing  the  necklace  of  these  nine  gems  becomes  as  it  were 


608  JNANESHWARI 

an  ocean  (<Hi+<)  of  these  nine  qualities.  The  Sun  holds  full  light 
without  parting  with  anything  of  his  own,  or  the  'Champaka  flower 
tree'  gets  decorated  with  its  own  flowers,  or  the  Moon  becomes 
lustrous  with  her  own  light,  or  the  sandal  wood  is  fragrant  with  its 
own  fragrance:  in  that  way  this  nine-gemmed  article  is  the  spotless 
ornament  of  the  Brahmins  and  the  person  of  a  Brahmin  is  never 
dissociated  from  this  ornament.  Now,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  I  preach 
what  are  the  proper  qualities  (duties)  of  the  Kshatriyas  and  you  hear 
with  all  your  intelligence. 

43  "Bravery,  high  spirit,  tenacity,  mindfulness  and  also  in  a 
fight  never -fleeing  away;  charity  and  princely  disposition: 
(these)  constitute  the  activity  of  a  Kshatriya,  born  of  his 
innate  nature.  (856) 

The  Sun  never  looks  to  others  for  help  in  displaying  his  own  splendour, 
or  the  lion  never  feels  the  need  of  a  neighbour;  in  that  way,  possession 
of  innate  strength  coupled  with  one's  own  valour  independently  of 
the  help  of  any  one  else  is  bravery  ( ^M )  and  is  the  principal  quality 
(in  actions).  The  Sun  through  his  own  splendour  makes  crores  of 
stars  undiscernible,  yet  all  stars  combined  with  the  Moon  are  not 
able  to  make  the  Sun  undiscernible.  In  that  way,  to  storm  the  world 
with  surprise  by  one's  grandeur  and  still  to  retain  a  perfect  equipoise 
under  all  (difficult)  circumstances-such  a  unique  power  is  "high 
spirit"  (  3w  )  and  is  the  second  quality  found  (in  a  Kshatriya).  And 
now  there  is  the  third  quality  called  tenacity  ( $*f ).  Even  with  the 
crashing  down  of  the  sky,  the  mind  (the  eyes  of  the  intellect)  does 
not  get  closed  and  this  is  real  tenacity  here.  However  extensive  the 
floodwater,  the  lotuses  cover  it  up  and  spread  themselves  over  it, 
or  however  high  a  thing  be,  the  sky  (always)  rises  higher  above  it; 
in  that  way,  however  diverse  and  serious  situations  might  arise,  one 
is  able,  through  one's  own  intellect  to  overcome  them  and  chalk  out 
a  path  leading  to  a  fruitful  end;  this  is  what  is  called  'mindfulness' 
(3WT)  and  is  the  fourth  quality  (in  the  Kshatriya),  while  dexterity 
in  fighting  (Sj^r)  is  the  fifth  quality  in  him.  Standing  face  to  face 
before  the  enemy  in  the  way  the  sun-flower  ever  faces  the  Sun,  and 
never  fleeing  from  the  battlefield  turning  one's  back  to  the  enemy, 
in  the  way  a  pregnant  lady  avoids,  in  whatever  w.ay  she  can,  her  hus- 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  609 

band's  bed,  is  the  fifth  and  the  principal  quality  of  the  Kshatriya,  just 
as  devotion  (to  God)  is  the  head  of  the  four  principal  objects  of  a  man's 
life.  Trees  freely  drop  down  flowers  and  fruit  (when  ripe),  or  the  lotus 
plants  freely  spread  out  their  fragrance  or  anyone  can  enjoy  the  Moon- 
light to  his  heart's  content.  In  all  these  ways  to  give  away  charities 
according  to  the  wishes  of  the  recipients  is  what  is  called  unbounded 
'charity'  ( ^FT )  and  is  the  sixth  quality-gem.  So  also  to  secure  obedience 
to  one's  command  in  the  world,  or  to  protect  the  subjects  and  to  enjoy 
(the  sovereignty  of)  the  world  on  the  strength  of  their  contentment  in 
the  way  one  should  nourish  and  make  one's  organs  robust  enough 
to  be  useful  for  rendering  service  (to  one's  self),  is  'princely  disposi- 
tion' (f5Mv<Hi<=i)  and  is  the  reservoir  of  all  powers  as  also  the  prince 
among  the  qualities  and  it  is  the  seventh  quality.  The  actions  that 
are  rendered  holy  and  variegated  with  all  the  seven  qualities  such  as 
bravery  etc.,  in  the  way  the  sky  is  adorned  by  the  (stars  named)  the 
'seven  sages'  ('SRT^t"  the  Great  Bear),  are  the  natural  qualities  of 
Kshatriyas,  know  ye.  Such  a  Kshatriya  is  not  (only)  a  human  being 
(hero)  but  (also)  is  the  Meru  Mountain  of  gold  in  the  form  of  righteous- 
ness supporting  the  heavens  formed  of  the  seven  qualities;  or  this  is 
not  an  activism  surrounded  by  the  seven  qualities,  but  (should  be 
considered  as)  the  Earth,  surrounded  by  the  seven  seas,  the  Kshatriya 
being  the  hero  enjoying  it  (its  sovereignty);  or  the  activism  should 
be  considered  as  the  holy  Ganges  formed  of  seven  flows  in  the  form 
of  seven  qualities,  sporting  on  (the  person  of)  the  great  ocean  in  the 
form  of  the  Kshatriya  (functions).  Enough,  however,  of  this;  the 
only  purport  being  that  activism  formed  of  bravery  and  other  qualities 
constitutes  the  natural  quality  of  the  Kshatriyas.  Now  I  explain  to 
you  the  duties  proper  of  the  Vaishya  caste,  and  you,  the  highly  talented 
one,  hear  of  them. 

tjfTSnrfr'W  irf  qjjswIIm  ^snTR^nj  II  VY  || 

44  "Ploughing,  cattle  tending,  trading:  (these)  constitute  the 
activity  of  the  Vaishya,  born  of  his  innate  nature.  What  is 
of  the  nature  of  servitude  makes  up  likewise  the  activity  of 
a  Shudra  born  of  his  innate  nature.  (880) 

To  acquire  vast  profits,  on  the  three-fold  capital  of  land,  seed  and 
plough,  to  live  on  farming,  to  protect  and  maintain  cows  and  other 


610  JNANESHWARI 

cattle,  and  to  sell  at  high  prices  commodities  purchased  at  cheaper 
rates — all  these  constitute  the  nature  of  the  Vaishya,  and  this  action- 
group  comes  within  the  orbit  of  the  qualities  of  the  Vaishya  caste. 
And  to  serve  the  three  twice- born  castes,  viz.  the  Brahmins,  the 
Kshatriyas  and  Vaishyas  is  the  function  of  the  Shudra.  It  is  not  within 
the  competence  of  the  Shudras  to  go  beyond  the  services  of  the  twice- 
born.  Thus  are  narrated  to  you  the  qualities  of  the  four  castes. 

frW>4fo<d:  faf^f  *WT  fsFcffr  W^l  II  **  H 

45  '  'Joyfully  discharging  one 's  own  proper  activities,  a  man  attains 
true  Perfection.  The  way  he  attains  Perfection  while  finding 
delight  in  his  own  proper  activity:  listen  to  it  (now) :    (885) 

Now,  the  different  organs  such  as  the  organ  of  hearing  and  others, 
have  got  their  proper  and  respective  duties  such  as  (hearing)  words 
etc.,  or  the  rain  (water)  descending  down  from  the  clouds,  has  as 
its  proper  destination  the  river,  or  the  rivers  the  sea,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu; 
in  that  way  there  are  different  functions  'proper'  for  the  (different) 
four  castes.  The  due  performance  of  whatever  duties  come  to  (one's) 
lot  according  to  the  religious  precepts  of  one's  own  caste  and  creed, 
is  (becoming  to  him)  like  'fair  complexion'  to  a  fair  (complexioned) 
one.  The  intellect  should  therefore  be  steadied  for  setting  it  up  to 
perform  the  prescribed  duties  that  by  nature  have  devolved  on  one, 
as  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures.  One  intending  to  purchase  a  gem  of 
his  own  should  have  it  tested  by  an  expert  (tester);  in  that  way,  a  duty 
even  though  one's  own  should  be  verified  as  such,  by  a  reference  to 
the  Scriptures  (and  also  performed  as  laid  down  in  the  Scriptures). 
Vision  is  there  in  its  own  place,  yet  it  cannot  be  enjoyed,  without 
a  lamp  (light);  or  there  are  the  legs,  yet,  of  what  avail  are  they,  if  the 
way  is  not  found  (on  which  to  use  them)?  Therefore  one  has  to  make 
definite,  by  a  reference  to  the  Scriptures,  the  duties  one  may  be  qualified 
to  perform  following  his  caste-religion.  Then  where  can  there  be  an 
obstacle  to  take  a  thing  (treasure)  kept  in  one's  own  house  when  it 
is  shown  by  a  lamp  (light),  Oh  Son  of  Pandu?  In  that  way  he  per- 
forms his  prescribed  duties  that  have  by  nature  come  to  his  lot  and 
which  have  the  sanction  of  the  Scriptures.  He  gets  busy  in  the  per- 
formance of  those  duties,  dropping  all  idleness  and  pushing  far  away 
the  desire  for  fruit.  Water  joining  a  water  course,  runs  along  that 
course  without  diverting  itself  in  any  way;  in  that  way  he  proceeds 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  611 

along  with  the  performance  of  actions  in  an  ordinary  way.  One  per- 
forming his  prescribed  duties  in  this  way,  Oh  Arjuna,  reaches  the 
bank  on  this  ( ^T )  side  of  liberation.  He  is  liberated  (lit.  loses)  from 
the  mundane  existence  which  is  hostile  to  self-knowledge,  since  he 
never  comes  in  contact  with  any  objectionable  or  prohibited  actions. 
He  never  casts  a  wistful  glance  at  actions  pregnant  with  desire  for 
fruit  even  by  way  of  curiosity,  and  thereby  he  wisely  saves  himself 
from  falling  in  stocks,*  even  though  made  of  sandal  wood.  (The 
fruit-yielding  power  of)  other  day-to-day  actions,  he  performs,  is 
fully  exhausted  in  the  absence  of  fruit-motive  with  the  result  that  he 
reaches  the  borders  of  (the  region  of)  liberation.  He  goes  along  the 
way  of  asceticism  and  stands  on  the  very  threshold  of  liberation  since 
he  has  in  this  way  freed  himself  from  the  mundane  affairs-good  or 
bad.  The  seeker  lays  down  his  foot  gently  (lightly),  like  a  black  bee, 
on  that  asceticism  which  is  the  very  perfection  of  all  pious  acts  (lit. 
the  flower  of  the  tree  of  good  acts)  makes  certain  the  attainment  of 
liberation,  (which  is  a  pledge  of  the  fruit  of  liberation)  and  which  is 
the  climax  of  activism.  The  seeker  secures  (keeps  well  in  mind)  non- 
attachment  to  mundane  affairs  which  is  the  dawn  heralding  the 
approach  of  the  sunrise  in  the  form  of  the  light  of  self-knowledge. 
He  applies  to  his  (inward)  eye  wholeheartedly  the  unique  collyrium 
in  the  form  of  total  non- attachment  to  worldly  affairs,  which  enables 
him  to  obtain  the  buried  and  unknown  treasure  in  the  form  of  the 
knowledge  of  self.  In  this  way,  Of  Son  of  Pandu,  a  seeker  makes 
himself  eligible  for  liberation,  by  the  performance  of  prescribed  actions. 
These  prescribed  duties  are,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  the  sole  support 
(af!  *U«H — moisture)  to  the  being  and  their  performance  alone  is 
equivalent  to  the  highest  service  to  my  Supreme  Essence.  A  chaste 
(ideal)  wife  enjoys  all  sorts  of  pleasures  in  the  company  of  her  husband 
and  considers  that  by  gladdening  the  heart  of  her  husband  through 
her  playful  behaviour  she  has  (reaped  the  fruit  of)  many  hard  penances 
or  a  child  has  no  other  source  of  subsistence  except  its  mother  and 
whose  sole  duty  is  therefore  to  render  service  to  her;  even  if  the  fish 
were  not  to  leave  the  Ganges  solely  because  of  her  waters,  still  it  would 
secure,  by  reaching  the  sea  through  the  Ganges,  the  merit  accruing 
from  the  association  with  all  the  holy  waters  in  the  world:  in  that 
way  the  performance  of  prescribed  duties,  with  the  full  faith  that 
there  is  no  other  alternative  for  the  seeker,  automatically  imposes 
his  lien  (burden)  on  the  Lord  of  the  universe  (God).  It  is  God's  inten- 

*  Stocks  represent  enjoyments  in  heaven  which  ultimately  bind  the  man  to  the  miser- 
able cycle  of  birth  and  death. 


612  JNANESHWARI 

tion  that  each  and  every  being  should  be  doing  his  own  prescribed 
duties  and  if  this  is  done,  one  invariably  attains  God.  A  maid  servant, 
standing  the  test  of  risking  her  own  life  (in  the  interest  of  her  lord), 
attains  the  status  of  his  mistress  pffaT^far);  or  a  servant  prepared  to 
sacrifice  his  very  head  (life)  in  the  service  of  his  master  is  borne  on 
his  head  (i.e.  highly  esteemed  and  loved)  by  his  master;  in  that  way 
not  failing  to  render  service  in  consonance  with  the  master's  wishes, 
is  the  greatest  service ;  any  other  sort,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  being  only 
a  (marketable  commodity  constituting  a)  deal  in  the  market,  (i.e. 
base  and  selfish  act.). 

46  "From  Whom  proceeds  the  urge  to  action  of  all  beings — by 
Whom  all  this  is  permeated:  having  propitiated  HIM  by  his 
own   (respective)   activity,  a  man   wins  Perfection.    (914) 

Therefore,  such  (service)  is  not  (only)  a  performance  of  prescribed 
duties  but  is  conforming  to  His  wishes, — He  from  Whom  is  created 
this  universe  of  the  beings,  He  Who  prepares  the  dolls  in  the  form 
of  beings  from  rags  in  the  form  of  ignorance,  and  makes  them  (dolls) 
dance  to  the  movements  (pulling)  of  the  string  in  the  form  of  egotism, 
made  by  twisting  together  the  three  Guna-constituents,  He  Who 
like  a  lamp  pervades  by  His  own  light  the  entire  universe — if  he  (the 
seeker)  worships  such  God  pervading  the  hearts  of  all  beings,  by 
dedicating  to  Him,  the  flowers  in  the  form  of  performance  of  the 
prescribed  duties, — such  worship  propitiates  Him  very  highly.  And 
when  the  Supreme  Soul  gets  propitiated  with  such  service,  He  grants 
to  the  devotee  (him)  doing  such  service  the  miraculous  gift  of  asceticism 
as  a  token  of  his  favour  ( WR" )  and  when  in  such  an  ascetic  state 
he  keeps  on  thinking  of  nothing  else  but  God  (fsfcHl^Hl^wfr),  he 
(the  being)  feels  the  entire  universe  as  filthy  as  the  very  vomit.  Such 
a  devotee  feels  the  aggregate  of  pleasures  as  pains,  in  the  way,  a  virtu- 
ous woman  with  her  husband  far  away,  considers  her  life  a  burden 
and  torture  on  account  of  her  intense  anxiety  for  her  absent  lord. 
The  importance  of  the  knowledge  is  so  great  that  even  before  the 
actual  attainment  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme,  the  very  intense 
longing  for  it,  makes  one  identify  oneself  with  it.  Therefore  one  who 
prays  and  practises  vows  for  liberation  should  follow  very  earnestly 
his  own  religion  (do  religious  duties). 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  613 

^n»T  WM4I  fa^T.  M<N*tfd'  <WH(t6dl«J[  I 
«4<l«|pHld*  ^  ^R  *UMlfd  C*hfc«lMH  II  *\d  II 

47  "Better  is  one's  proper  code  of  conduct  (Dharman),  even 
though  deficient  in  quality,  than  an  alien  code  of  conduct, 
be  it  ever  so  easy  to  follow.  One  performing  action  consonant 
with  one's  own  inborn  nature,  incurs  no  defilement.         (923) 

Even  though  one's  own  Dharma  (proper  conduct)  be  difficult  to 
follow,  yet  one  should  look  to  its  ultimate  fruit.  Should  the  juice 
of  the  bitter  nimb  tree  be  a  remedy  for  one's  own  well-being  (health), 
one  should  not  grudge  its  bitterness.  Were  one  to  cut  down,  getting 
discouraged,  a  banana  tree  before  it  bears  furit,  how  could  one  secure 
its  juicy  and  tasty  fruit?  In  that  way,  were  one  to  abandon  one's 
own  Dharma  (religion),  it  being  difficult  to  follow,  he  would  be  deprived 
of  the  happiness  of  liberation.  Though  one's  own  mother  be  hunch- 
backed, yet  her  maternal  love  on  which  one  lives,  is  not  crooked. 
Of  what  avail  would  other  (stranger)  females,  even  though  more 
beautiful  than  a  Rambha,  (tm  — a  courtesan  of  Heaven)  be  to  a 
child?  There  are  better  qualities  in  clarified  butter  than  in  simple 
water;  yet,  could  a  fish  live  in  it  (clarified  butter)?  That  which  proves 
a  poison  to  the  entire  universe  becomes  the  very  nectar  to  the  very 
germs  living  in  it,  while  that  which  is  jaggery  (^o&  -coarse  sugar) 
to  the  world  proves  the  very  death  to  such  germs.  Therefore  the 
particular  religion  (duties-action)  prescribed  for  a  particular  person, 
which  (if  followed)  delivers  him  from  all  mundane  affairs,  should, 
even  though  difficult  to  follow,  be  followed  by  him.  To  try  to  follow 
alien  Dharmas  considered  better  than  one's  own  would  be  (like) 
making  one's  own  head  do  (the  work  of)  walking  which  is  for  his 
legs  to  do.  (Therefore)  whatever  duties  fall  to  one's  own  lot  according 
to  the  caste-religion  one  is  born  in  should  be  performed  by  him  and 
that  would  make  him  conquer  (cut)  the  bonds  of  action.  Is  it  not 
imperative  that  it  should  be  made  a  rule  that  one  should  observe 
one's  own  Dharma  and  abandon  an  alien  one,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu? 
Could  one  afford  to  stop  the  performance  of  actions,  so  long  as  one 
has  not  had  a  vision  of  the  soul?  And  where  there  is  action  to  be 
performed,  there  is  bound  to  be  physical  exertion. 

fratc^RT  f$  "^T  *j*WuP*iI\«ii^ai:  II  *=;  II 


614  JNANESHWARI 

48  "An  action  to  which  one  is  born,  O  Son  of  Kunti,  even  if  it  be 
full  of  defect,  one  ought  not  to  give  up;  for,  all  activities  (as 
such)  are  overlaid  with  defects,  as  the  fire  with  the  smoke. 

(936) 

Since  there  is  involved  physical  labour  in  whatever  action  one  has 
got  to  perform,  why  then  be  finding  fault  with  one's  own  religion, 
because  there  is  involved  physical  labour  in  following  it?  Oh,  it 
involves  one  and  the  same  amount  of  fatigue  to  the  legs  whether 
they  walk  over  a  straight  road  or  run  along  a  rarely  trodden  path; 
it  causes  the  same  sort  of  fatigue  (burden)  if  one  carries  (on  one's 
person)  a  stone  or  his  own  food-provision;  why  not  then  carry  the 
food- provision,  which  would  serve  as  the  means  of  relieving  the 
exertions  caused  by  the  journey?  Pounding  either  the  corn  or  the 
chaff  involves  the  same  labour;  similarly  cooking  dog's  meat  or  cook- 
ing food  for  sacrificial  purposes  entails  the  same  amount  of  trouble; 
the  churning  of  curds  or  churning  simple  water  is  one  and  the  same 
action ;  the  crushing  of  sand  or  of  sesame  seeds  in  an  oil-mill  is  similarly 
the  same  action;  the  bearing  of  smoke-nuisance  is  the  same  both  in 
blowing  wind  with  one's  own  mouth  for  kindling  fire  for  making 
daily  sacrificial  offerings  Cftw  fr»T);  or  for  wantonly  setting  the 
house  on  fire,  Oh  Dhananjaya.  It  involves  the  same  (pecuniary) 
strain  to  support  a  wife  or  a  (kept)  mistress;  why  then  incur  the  odium 
of  a  scandal  (by  supporting  a  mistress)?  If  one  cannot  avoid  death 
by  getting  stabbed  in  the  back  by  turning  his  back  to  the  enemy,  what 
greater  loss  could  there  be  incurred  by  receiving  stabs  while  bravely 
facing  the  enemy.  If  a  lady  of  good  breed  has  to  bear  the  blows  of 
a  rod  even  after  taking  shelter  in  a  stranger's  house,  what  point  has 
she  gained  in  deserting  her  husband  because  of  his  beating  her?  In 
that  way,  if  one  cannot  secure,  without  physical  exertions,  the  successful 
doing  of  any  action  whatever,  even  one  of  his  own  liking,  then  why 
complain  that  only  the  prescribed  actions  are  difficult  "to  perform? 
What  (is  undesriable  therein),  if  a  being  loses  all  (everything)  in  ex- 
change for  even  a  little  quantity  of  nectar  that  makes  his  life  immortal? 
Similarly,  why  should  one  spend  on  securing  poison,  and  take  it  and 
die  of  it,  bringing  along  with  it  in  addition  the  sin  of  suicide?  In  that 
way,  what  else  is  there  other  than  misery  in  the  sin  one  accumulates 
by  troubling  the  senses  and  wasting  in  addition  his  own  life-time  in 
it?  Therefore,  one  should  follow  one's  own  religion  which  removes 
all  fatigue  and  helps  one  to  secure  liberation — the  greatest  amongst 
the  four  objects  of  the  existence  of  man.  Therefore,  Oh  Kiriti,  one 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNY  ASA  YOGA  615 

should  follow  his  own  Dharma  (religion)  and  should  not  forget  it 
in  the  way  one  should  not,  while  in  difficulty,  (forget)  the  sacred  formula 
which  is  perfected  by  repetitions  (fk&  *N").  One  should  never  abandon 
one's  own  duty  (action)  in  the  way"  one  should  not  (abandon)  a  barge 
while  on  a  sea  or  a  divine  medicine  when  affected  by  leprosy.  God 
Almighty  getting  propitiated  by  worship  (on  the  part  of  the  seeker) 
in  shape  of  the  performance  of  one's  own  duties,  drives  completely 
away  the  Rajas  and  Tamas  Guna  constituents  (from  such  seeker), 
and  leads  him  along  the  road  of  the  Sattva  Guna  and  makes  him  feel, 
as  venom,  the  pleasures  of  this  world  as  also  those  of  the  other  (Heaven) 
in  his  longing  for  the  attainment  of  Supreme  Self,  oh  the  one  having 
a  monkey  as  an  emblem  on  his  chariot  (epithet  of  Arjuna).  And  then 
the  seeker  attains  the  goal — the  asceticism,  fully  and  clearly  described 
under  the  term  'perfection'  before  (stanza  45,  Ch.  xvin).  How  the 
seeker,  once  he  attains  this  plane  of  asceticism,  behaves  and  what 
he  secures  thereby,  is  being  preached  now. 

49  "With  the  mind  everywhere  unattached,  with  the  Self  con- 
quered, and  devoid  of  every  craving:  he  achieves  the  highest 
Perfection  of  Actionlessness  through  Renunciation.       (956) 

He  is  not  entangled  in  the  snare  spread  out  (exhibited)  by  mundane 
existence — the  snare  in  the  form  of  his  body  and  the  visible  world 
in  the  way  the  wind  is  not  entangled  (in  any  net).  As  a  fruit  gets  ripened 
it  cannot  remain  attached  to  the  stem,  nor  can  the  stem  itself  retain 
it  attached  to  itself.  In  that  way,  the  attachment  for  the  worldly  affairs 
on  the  part  of  such  (a  perfected  one)  gets  relaxed  and  feeble  (in  his 
perfected  state).  He  does  not  call  "as  his  own"  his  son,  wealth,  and 
wife,  although  they  are  under  his  domination,  in  the  way  one  never 
says  that  it  is  his  own  cup  of  poison  and  he  would  swallow  it  (poison). 
In  short,  the  intellect  feels  a  disgust  for  and  recedes  (recoils)  from 
all  the  sense-objects  as  if  they  had  scorched  it  (the  intellect),  and 
goes  and  enters  into  the  solitude  of  the  heart.  Then  even  though  the 
mind  (of  such  a  one)  might  be  moving  about  and  coming  in  contact 
with  worldly  objects,  it  does  not  even  transgress  the  limits  (set  by  one) 
like  a  faithful  maid-servant  who,  out  of  feeling  of  awe,'  never  disobeys 
her  master's  orders.  He  then  holds  the  mind  in  the  grip  of  unity  and 
compels  it  to  fix  its  gaze  on  the  Self,  Oh  Kiritl.  Then  automatically 


616  JNANESHWARI 

die  out  all  desires  for  (the  enjoyment  of)  sense-objects  either  in  this 
or  in  the  other  world,  like  the  smoke  when  the  fire  is  covered  over 
and  pressed  down.  The  mind  being  thus  restrained,  the  desires  dis- 
appear of  their  own  accord.  In  short  the  seeker  attains  the  state  of 
such  signs,  the  semblance  of  knowledge  arising  out  of  Maya  (delusion) 
vanishes  completely  and  the  being  secures  a  place  in  the  real  know- 
ledge, Oh  Son  of  Pandu.  (The  fruit  of)  his  actions  in  the  past  lives 
is  all  spent  up  being  enjoyed  by  the  body- form,  in  the  way  the  stored 
water  supply  gets  exhausted  by  its  (gradual)  use,  while  the  mind  helps 
in  no  way  in  doing  fresh  actions  (that  could  replenish  the  store  of 
spent-up  actions).  It  is  through  righteous  actions,  Oh  Great  War- 
rior, that  the  state  of  perfect  equanimity  is  attained  (<hi«k*!T)  and 
in  such  a  state,  the  being,  without  any  effort  on  his  part,  gets  a  vision 
of  (meets)  the  worthy  preceptor.  The  eyes  get  the  vision  of  the  Sun- 
the  enemy  of  the  darkness- with  the  expiry  of  four  Prahars  (duration 
of  three  hours  each)  of  the  night;  or  the  growth  of  a  plantain  tree 
comes  to  an  end,  with  the  tree  bearing  a  bunch  of  fruit;  and  similar 
result  ensues  in  the  seeker  getting  the  vision  of  the  preceptor.  The 
seeker  becomes  fully  perfected  by  the  grace  of  the  preceptor,  Oh 
Warrior,  in  the  way  there  remains  nothing  wanting  in  the  Moon, 
viz.  she  gets  into  the  full  phases  of  her  splendour,  when  she  embraces 
the  Full  Moon-Light  (<ftf*RT).  Nescience  in  its  subtle  form  that 
still  lingers  in  him,  is  all  removed  through  the  kind  favour  of  the 
preceptor.  Then,  just  as  the  darkness  should  all  disappear  along 
with  the  night,  in  that  way  the  triad-action,  the  doing  agent,  and  the 
instrument  of  action  lying  in  the  womb  of  ignorance,  is  killed  just 
as  a  pregnant  female  should  be  slaughtered.  With  the  destruction 
of  ignorance  the  aggregate  of  actions  also  perishes  automatically, 
and  thus  renunciation  reaches  up  to  the  very  roots.  With  the  total 
elimination  of  ignorance  from  its  very  root  through  knowledge, 
also  gets  wiped  out  the  very  idea  of  mundane  manifestation,  and 
then  what  remains  is  the  seeker  himself  as  the  object  (worthy)  of  know- 
ledge. Does  a  person  ever  try  to  rescue  himself  from  a  deep  spot 
(in  a  river  or  a  lake  etc.)  where  he  finds  himself  in  a  dream,  after  he 
gets  awake?  In  that  way,  the  dream  'I  am  ignorant  and  shall  secure 
knowledge'  ends  and  one  himself  becomes  all-pervading  knowledge, 
getting  free  from  the  notions  such  as  the  knowing  agent  or  the  object 
of  knowledge.  When  a  mirror  reflecting  one's  face  is  removed  far 
away,  there  remains  behind,  Oh  Warrior,  only  the  seer  getting  stripped 
off  the  act  of  looking  (into  the  mirror).  In  that  way,  with  the  elimina- 
tion of  ignorance,  the  knowledge  (the  act  of  knowing)  also  gets  eliminat- 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNY  ASA  YOGA  617 

ed  simultaneously,  and  then  there  remains  behind,  only  the  actionless 
sentience.  The  sentience  being  by  nature  actionless  is,  Oh  Dhananjaya, 
called  actionlessness.  The  original  form  (of  the  Self)  gets  restored, 
and  the  appearance  of  distinction  Born  of  ignorance  gets  eliminated, 
in  the  way  the  waves  get  extinguished  into  and  become  the  sea  itself 
with  the  stopping  of  the  blowing  of  the  wind.  In  that  way,  what  emerges 
as  the  state  "Not  to  be,"  i.e.  ceasing  to  be  distinct,  is  what  is  called 
'Perfection  of  Actionlessness'  and  it  is  the  highest  of  all  Perfections. 
To  reach  this  state  after  the  elimination  of  both  the  ignorance  as  also 
the  knowledge  is,  what  the  top  is  to  the  edifice  of  a  temple,  or  what 
the  entrance  into  the  sea  is  to  the  holy  Ganges,  or  what  the  16  points 
fineness  is  to  pure  gold.  There  remains  nothing  to  emerge  beyond, 
when  this  state  is  attained,  and  therefore  it  is  called  the  Highest  of 
Perfections. 

U*4l£A^  qfNfcr  fa&AI  WRFT  TT  W  II  %.o  II 

50  "Having  reached  this  Perfection,  the  way  he  (next)  reaches 
Brahman,  that  learn  of  Me,  just  in  brief,  O  Son  of  Kunti; 
(for),  that  is  the  Highest  Consummation  of  Knowledge. 

(984) 

Such  Self  Perfection  is  secured  only  by  such  lucky  ones  who  win  at 
the  opportune  time  the  kind  favour  of  the  preceptor.  The  darkness 
brightens  with  the  rise  of  the  Sun,  or  the  camphor  becomes  the  lamp 
(flame)  itself,  with  the  association  of  the  lamp  (flame),  or  a  crystal 
of  salt  becomes  water  itself  as  soon  as  it  comes  in  contact  with  water, 
or  one  in  slumber  resumes  his  full  consciousness  when  he  gets  awake, 
and  when  the  slumber  and  dream  are  scrapped  up.  In  that  way, 
in  the  case  of  one,  who  through  his  good  luck  gets  rid  of  his  sense  of 
duality  at  hearing  the  preceptor's  words,  and  secures  rest  in  the  union 
with  the  Self— can  any  one  say  in  the  case  of  such  a  one,  that  there 
remains  any  duty  (action)  yet  to  be  performed  by  him?  Is  there  any- 
thing like  coming  and  going  in  the  case  of  the  all-pervading  sky? 
There  is  certainly  (left)  nothing  for  such  a  one  to  do.  But  (there  might 
be)  such  as  cannot  become  like  this,  viz.  who  cannot  secure  the  "Self", 
with  the  (very  first)  meeting  (contact)  of  his  ears  with  the  preceptor's 
words.  It  might  be  that  i)  he  has  burnt  the  Rajas  and  Tamas  (in  him- 
self), in  the  fire  in  the  form  of  performance  of  prescribed  actions, 
kindled  with  the  help  of  fire-wood  in  the  form  of  fruit-motived  and 


618  JNANESHWARI 

prohibited  actions;  or  ii)  he  has  kept  under  complete  control,  like  a 
servant,  his  craving  for  (his)  sons,  wealth,  as  also  the  attachment  for 
Heaven;  or  iii)  he  has  washed  clean  and  pure,  in  the  holy  waters  of 
the  restraint  of  organs  (y^l^H  ),'the  wayward  organs  defiled  by  the 
enjoyment  of  sense  objects;  or  iv)  has  secured  the  firm  seat  of  asceticism, 
after  invigorating  spiritual  power  as  a  result  of  dedicating  to  God 
Almighty,  the  fruit  of  actions  forming  his  duty.  In  short,  he  might 
have  collected  all  the  material  necessary  for  promoting  knowledge 
at  the  time  of  the  (desired)  realisation  of  the  Self.  He  might  have 
even  met  the  worthy  preceptor  at  this  juncture,  and  the  latter  too 
might  have,  ungrudgingly  and  with  open  mind,  preached  the  advice 
(leading  to)  the  realization  of  the  Self.  (With  all  this)  is  it  ever  possible 
to  secure  complete  recovery  from  illness  the  moment  the  medicine 
is  taken?  Could  there  be  midday  immediately  following  Sunrise? 
With  the  best  seeds  sown  in  the  fertile  and  watered  land,  there  could 
be  secured  immeasurable  yield;  (yet  there  is  also  the  time  factor  and) 
this  will  take  place  when  the  crops  fully  grow  up  and  mature  for  harvest- 
ing. There  is  the  road,  straight,  easy  and  clear,  there  is  besides  good 
company,  and  one  can  reach  the  destination  without  hardship;  yet 
due  time  will  also  be  necessary  for  making  the  journey.  In  that  way, 
there  is  secured  the  asceticism,  and  also  the  worthy  preceptor  is  met; 
besides  there  has  shot  up  a  vigorous  sprout  in  the  form  of  right  dis- 
crimination (i.e.  one  has  grasped  the  fact  that  mundane  existence 
is  unreal  and  Brahman  is  the  only  Reality).  There  is  also  established 
the  strong  coviction  that  everything  else  is  an  illusion,  Supreme 
Brahman  alone  being  real.  Yet,  Supreme  Brahman  which  is  all- 
pervading,  and  the  best  of  all,  and  wherein  comes  to  an  end  the  business 
of  deliverance,  which  absorbs  in  itself,  Oh  Kiritl,  the  triad,  (the  object 
to  be  secured,  the  means  by  which  it  is  secured  and  the  securing  agent), 
and  also  stops  all  the  activity  of  knowledge,  in  whom  also  is  lost  the 
oneness  of  the  unity,  and  wherein  gets  dissolved  the  (last)  particle 
of  bliss,  and  which  remains  after  the  elimination  of  all  things — to 
be  one  with  the  essence  of  that  Supreme  Brahman,  and  to  be  Supreme 
Brahman  itself— (all  this)  is  secured  (only)  in  due  order  of  things 
(and  not  all  at  once).  Delicious  food  served  to  a  hungry  person, 
goes  on  giving  him  added  satisfaction  as  each  morsel  is  taken;  in 
that  way  the  secret  hoard  of  the  essence  of  Supreme  Brahman  becomes 
more  and  more  exposed  (to  the  seeker)  as  the  light  (lamp)  of  right 
thinking  gets  more  and  more  bright  on  the  strength  of  acseticism. 
Now  I  preach  to  you  the  vital-point  in  regard  to  the  order  in  which 
one  endowed  with  the  qualification  necessary  for  enjoying  the  glory 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  619 

of  the  Self,  rises  up  and  (ultimately)  becomes  eligible  to  attain  Supreme 
Brahman. 

51  "Possessed  of  a  chastened  intellect,  and  having  controlled 
the  self  with  firmness,  having  abjured  sound  and  other  objects 
of  sense,  and  having  altogether  discarded  passion  and  aversion. 

(1011) 

He  follows  the  course  indicated  by  the  preceptor,  and  reaching  the 
bank  of  the  holy  waters  in  the  form  of  right  discrimination  washes 
out  therein  the  filth  adhering  to  his  intellect.  Then  just  as  the  Moon 
embraces  (regains)  her  splendour  just  released  by  the  planet  Rahu 
(after  the  eclipse),  the  purified  intellect  contacts  the  Self.  The  intellect 
abandoning  all  the  pairs  of  opposites  (like  pleasure  and  pain  etc.), 
engages  itself  in  the  meditation  of  the  Self  in  the  way  a  loyal  (loving) 
wife  leaving  both  her  own  parental  and  father-in-law's  home  follows 
only  her  husband  (lit.  lover).  The  five  sense-objects  such  as  speech, 
etc.  which  were  pampered  and  lionized  by  the  senses,  under  the  tempta- 
tion of  securing  the  vital  part  of  the  knowledge, — (all  these  five  (senses) 
are  eliminated  by  putting  a  check  on  their  innate  tendency  in  the  way 
the  mirage  disappears  with  the  withdrawal  of  the  Sun's  rays  (at  Sun- 
set). He  makes  the  senses  vomit  out  the  sense-objects  and  the  inner 
proclivity  towards  them,  in  the  way  one  unknowingly  taking  food 
at  a  vile  one's  causes  it  to  be  forcibly  vomitted  out.  Then  bringing 
all  the  senses  on  the  bank  of  the  holy  Ganges  in  the  form  of  thorough 
absorption  in  spiritual  meditation  (SRspfftr),  and  making  them 
observe  penances  (by  way  of  expiation)  he  makes  them  clean  washed 
out.  With  Sattva-dominated  courage  he  applies  his  purified  senses 
together  with  the  mind  to  the  practice  of  the  Yoga-discipline.  Simi- 
larly whatever  (action -fruit)  good  or  bad  of  the  past  he  has  to  ex- 
perience according  to  his  destiny  (he  puts  up  with),  feeling  neither 
any  hatred  (aversion)  for  the  bad  ones  he  has  to  face  (suffer)  nor  any 
jubilation  for  the  good  ones  that  may  fall  to  his  lot.  In  this  way, 
discarding  passion  and  aversion  with  regard  to  good  and  bad  (re- 
spectively) he  goes  and  dwells,  Oh  Kiriti,  in  mountain  caves  or  bowers 
of  dense  forests. 


620  JNANESHWARI 

52  "Betaking  himself  to  sequestered  spot,  with  frugal  fore,  and 
restraining  speech,  body  and  mind,  ever  engaged  in  concentred 
meditation,  and  finding  repose  in  freedom  from  passion.  (1022) 

He  abandons  buzzing  and  inhabited  localities  and  dwells  in  soli- 
tude in  woods,  making  the  body  and  the  organs  his  associates.  He 
sports  in  sense- restraint  and  comprehensive  self- governance,  while 
his  talk  consists  of  observing  strict  silence.  He  finds  no  time  for  doing 
other  things,  being  all  along  engaged  in  meditating  upon  the  precepts 
of  the  preceptor.  He  never  bestows  any  thought,  while  taking  his 
meal,  on  making  his  physique  strong,  or  satisfying  his  hunger,  or 
satisfying  the  peculiar  taste  of  his  tongue  (palate);  but  the  content- 
ment he  feels,  with  only  the  frugal  fare,  is  beyond  measure.  He  takes 
food  just  sufficient  to  sustain  life,  weakened  by  heat  created  by  absti- 
nence from  food.  He  gives  no  scope  (seating  accommodation)  to 
either  the  slumber  or  indolence,  in  the  way  a  respectable  lady  does 
not  even  turn  her  eye  to  a  man  (who  is  not  her  husband)  and  who 
expresses  (by  signs)  carnal  desires  for  her.  The  only  occasion  when 
his  entire  body  comes  in  contact  with  the  floor  is  when  he  prostrates 
his  body  (in  salutation).  Except  on  such  occasions,  he  seldom  com- 
mits the  wanton  act  of  rolling  on  the  floor.  He  allows  the  movements 
of  his  hands  and  feet  only  to  the  extent  necessary  for  carrying  on 
bodily  functions.  In  short  he  keeps  his  body  under  complete  control 
in  and  out.  He  does  not  allow  his  internal  proclivities  even  to  reach 
the  threshold  of  the  mind  (i.e.  they  do  not  rise  to  the  plane  of  con- 
sciousness); what  then  of  giving  them  scope  to  manifest  themselves 
in  words?  He  thus  conquers  in  and  out  the  entire  (psychic)  atmosphere 
surrounding  the  body,  speech  and  mind  and  then  he  grasps  in  his 
hand  the  very  sky  (sentience)  in  the  form  of  concentrated  meditation. 
He  ever  beholds  before  him,  as  one  does  one's  face  in  a  mirror,  his 
resolve  of  attaining  the  realization  of  the  Self,  awakened  through 
the  advice  of  the  preceptor,  and  keeps  always  looking  at  it  minutely. 
The  meditator  himself  though  he  be,  the  meditation  as  also  the  object 
of  meditation,  get  united  in  his  heart.  The  meditation  continues 
till  all  the  three — the  meditator,  the  meditation,  and  the  object  of 
meditation — become  one  there,  Oh  Son  of  P5ndu.  Therefore  the 
seeker  becomes  expert  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Self;  yet  this  he  secures 
because  of  his  taking  to  the  school  of  Yogic  Study.  He  forms  the 
posture  Mtilabandha,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  by  pressing  his  right  (foot) 
heel  against  the  seam,  at  a  point  midway  between  the  two  lower  out- 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNY  ASA  YOGA  621 

lets(^r*|iH^sr^  the  anus  and  the  penis).  Drawing  in  this  way 
the  lower  region,  and  controlling  properly  the  three  Mudras  (Physico- 
mental  postures)  i)  Mulabandha  (JprshT),  ii)  Uddiyana  (sfraWprmr) 
and  iii)  Jalandhar-bandha  (^W'««l't),  he  brings  together  in  one  place 
the  life-winds  (normally  scattered  in  different  localities).  The  power 
'Kundalini'  (j«l«i*fl)  then  is  aroused  (becomes  active)  while  the  way 
to  Madhyama,  also  called  Sushumna  ( ^<|H  I )  the  particular  passage 
in  a  human  body  said  to  lie  between  'Ida  and  Pingala'  (^5T  ft*wr — 
two  other  air-passages  in  the  body),  is  made  clear  and  widened  and 
then  the  life-winds  rise  and  ascend  up,  piercing  through  all  the  six 
wheels  viz.  from  the  Muladhara  to  the  Ajani  (arf^T).*  Then  there 
descend  from  the  cloud  in  the  form  of  the  thousand-petalled  lotus 
fo$*M«lMI  *F§  (in  the  region  of  Brahmarandhra  in  the  seventh  wheel) 
copious  showers  of  ambrosia  which  flow  down  straight  and  reach 
Mulabandha.  Thus  he,  the  seeker,  serves  on  a  plate  cooked  food  of 
mixed  corn  (rice  and  pulse)  in  the  form  of  the  mind  and  the  life- winds, 
to  the  terrible  deity  of  sentience  (f^  ^T)  dancing  on  the  mountain 
(Kailas)  in  the  form  of  the  region  of  the  Brahmarandhra.  (Brah- 
marandhra— an  aperture  in  the  crown  of  the  head  through  which 
the  soul  is  said  to  escape  on  his  leaving  the  body).  In  this  way,  he 
makes  his  seat  of  meditation  strong  and  firm  in  the  rear,  keeping  in 
front  a  big  army  in  the  form  of  perfection  in  (the  study  of)  Yoga  already 
secured.  He  has  already  secured  in  asceticism,  a  friend  to  aid  him 
in  keeping  free  from  any  obstruction,  the  meditation  and  the  Yoga- 
study,  and  firmly  training  them  in  the  knowledge  of  the  essence  of 
the  self,  and  that  friend  asceticism  always  stands  by  him  (the  seeker) 
in  the  process  of  the  occupation  of  the  entire  field.  When  there  is 
available  the  lamp  light  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  to  see  a  thing, 
where  should  then  there  be  any  delay  in  discerning  that  desired  thing? 
In  that  way,  one  seeking  liberation,  with  the  heart  completely  absorbed 
in  the  essence  of  Supreme  Brahman,  and  asceticism  also  sticking 
on  to  him  throughout,  in  the  case  of  such  a  one  how  could  there  arise 
a  breach  in  his  union  with  Supreme  Brahman?  Therefore,  that 
fortunate  one,  who,  attains  the  (study  of)  Yoga,  accompanied  by 
asceticism  becomes  qualified  to  the  attainment  of  Supreme  Self. 
Such  a  one  donning  the  steel  armour  of  asceticism  on  his  person  and 
riding  the  horse  of  Rajayoga,  and  holding  in  his  clenched  fist  the  sharp 
sword  in  the  form  of  meditation,  capable  of  cleaving  clean  every 
obstacle,  big  or  small,  coming  in  his  way,  enters,  as  the  Sun  enters 

*  For  these  Wheels  and  Chakras  see— verse  37,  Ch.  VI.  footnotes. 


622  JNANESHWARI 

into  the  darkness,  into  the  battlefield  of  worldly  affairs,  in  order  to 
wed  the  Goddess  of  Victory  in  the  form  of  emancipation. 

31^+K  3Ff  3*1  ^TFR"  ^fN"  MPtU^  I 

fspjsq"  \hAh:  SHtfi  4^1  ^li|  <*><»M^  II  X3  II 

53  "Egotism,  (sense  of)  strength,  desire,  wrath  and  possession ; 
relinquishing  these,  devoid  of  'My'-ness,  and  at  peace  (with- 
in), he  comes  to  realize  his  oneness  of  essence  with  Brahman. 

(1050) 
Here,  he  deals  heavy  blows  to  the  wicked  enemies  that  cause  obstruc- 
tion in  his  way,  and  amongst  these  egotism  for  the  body- form  is  the 
foremost.  It  does  not  release  the  being  even  after  his  death  nor  yet 
allows  the  being  to  live  peacefully  after  he  takes  (re)-birth,  but  keeps 
him  fettered  in  the  stocks  of  bones.  The  body  citadel  is  the  abode 
of  this  egotism,  and  the  warrior  (seeker)  invades  this  very  citadel 
and  reduces  it  (egotism)  to  dust.  Similarly,  he  also  kills  the  second 
enemy,  the  (sense  of)  strength.  This  enemy  flies  up  with  fourfold 
excitment  at  the  very  mention  of  'desire'  with  the  result  that  a  mori- 
bund state  quickly  seizes  (pervades)  the  entire  universe.  This  desire 
should  be  taken  as  a  spot  of  poisonous  deep  water,  as  also  the  king 
amongst  the  demerits:  but  how  could  such  (enemy)  bear  a  stab  with 
a  sword  in  the  form  of  meditation?  He  puts  on  the  veil  of  objects 
that  are  dear  and  pleasant  and  attacks  the  body  (i.e.  puffs  a  person 
up).  He  makes  the  being,  the  wayfarer,  miss  the  right  way  and  deludes 
him  into  entering  the  very  jaws  of  the  tiger  in  the  form  of  hell  in  the 
jungle  of  impiety.  He  (the  Warrior)  also  destroys  the  enemy  'pride' 
who  betrays  and  kills  one  who  puts  faith  in  his  words.  Similarly, 
the  enemy  'desire',  before  whom  tremble  even  the  ascetics,  and  from 
whom  is  begotten  the  big  evil  of  wrath ;  and  the  more  it  is  fed  the  more 
lean  (hungry)  it  gets-that  enemy  'desire'  is  also  totally  destroyed  by 
the  warrior,  and  with  the  destruction  of  desire,  gets  automatically 
destroyed  also  the  'wrath'.  The  destruction  of  desires,  brings  about 
without  any  effort  the  destruction  of  wrath,  in  the  way  the  cutting 
down  of  roots  also  serves  the  purpose  of  cutting  down  the  branches. 
Therefore  when  the  enemy  'desire'  is  stilled  the  dance  (movement) 
of  wrath  also  comes  automatically  to  a  dead  stop.  A  person  in  high 
authority  seldom  fails  forcibly  to  put  his  own  load  on  the  head  of 
another,  in  that  way,  the  enemy  'possession'  (mE<w)  once  accepted 
goes  on  increasing  its  tyranny;  it  rides  over  the  head,  (i.e.  corrupts 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  623 

the  mind)  and  makes  vices  stick  to  the  being,  and  makes  him  hold 
in  his  hand  the  stick  of  attachment.  It  sets  up  a  stage  and  makes  a 
show  of  disciples  and  Scriptures,  of  a  hermitage  and  Yogic  postures, 
and  entangles  the  ascetics  in  its  snares.  Although  one  tries  to  shake 
it  off  by  abandoning  the  responsibilities  of  a  householder  (and  leading 
the  life  of  a  hermit)  it  still  pursues  one  in  the  forest  in  a  sylvan  garb, 
and  does  not  leave  free  even  a  nude  one.  Such  an  unconquerable 
enemy,  "possession"  has  its  very  bottom  knocked  out  by  the  warrior 
(the  perfected  seeker),  who  then  abides  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  bliss 
resulting  from  victory  over  the  worldly  affairs.  The  groups  of  qualities 
like  non- arrogance  and  others,  that  constitute  knowledge  come  and 
stand  (paying  homage),  groups  that  are  like  princes  ruling  over  the 
countries  of  salvation  and  offering  him  tribute  in  the  form  of  mastery 
over  true  knowledge,  they  rank  themselves  as  his  dependents.  Then 
as  he  (the  warrior  seeker)  proceeds  along  the  royal  road  of  activism, 
young  ladies  in  the  form  of  wakefulness,  dream  and  slumber  wave 
around  him  salt  and  mustard  seeds  (Tfe  h\-0)  in  the  form  of  the 
pleasure.  (As  he  proceeds  along),  the  (herald)  discrimination,  holding 
(in  hand)  the  bar  (mace)  in  the  form  of  the  knowledge  of  Supreme 
Brahman  marches  ahead  clearing  the  crowd  (standing  in  the  way) 
in  the  form  of  the  material  world  manifestations,  while  the  Yogic 
stages  come  forward  with  five  small  (lit)  lamps  placed  on  a  plate 
(<-NHcfl),  to  felicitate  him  (as  it  were).  The  groups  of  occult  powers* 
(fttfeftrfe")  come  there  to  witness  the  procession  and  the  warrior 
gets  a  bath  of  the  flowers  showered  on  him  by  them.  With  the  approach 
of  Self-government  (M(M)  in  the  form  of  union  with  Supreme 
Brahman  all  the  three  worlds  appear  to  him  to  be  completely  bedecked 
with  bliss.  With  the  evenness  of  the  mind  (attained  by  him)  there 
remains,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  nothing  which  he  could  call  as  'my  enemy 
or  my  friend'.  Were  he  on  some  (rare)  occasion  to  call  another  person 
as  his  own,  the  latter  cannot  take  a  dual  stand  before  him,  since  he 
(the  latter)  has  already  become  all  one  (with  the  seeker),  with  no  duality 
whatever.  He  embraces  (views)  the  entire  world  as  one  single  entity, 
Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  with  the  result  that  no  limitation  like  attachment 
ever  finds  place  in  him  since  he  has  (already)  discarded  it  altogether. 
Thus  the  warrior  having  conquered  the  entire  class  of  enemies  and 
reduced  to  mere  non-entity  the  entire  universe,  the  horse  in  the  form 
of  Yoga  study  (he  was  riding),  gets  steady  and  cool.  He  then  loosens 
a  bit  the  tight  and  close  fitting  heavy  (steel)  armour  of  asceticism  he 

*  Occult  powers  symbolize  Gods  and  demigods  showering  flowers  from  the  sky. 


624  JNANESHWARI 

had  donned.  He  then  breaks  the  sword  of  meditation,  (there  having 
remained  no  further  use  of  it),  and  slackens  the  hands  of  his  activism, 
there  remaining  nothing  else  but  the  'self.'  A  chemical  medical  pre- 
paration of  mercury  fully  serves  tts  purpose  and  afterwards  becomes 
itself  non-existent;  such  becomes  the  state  here.  As  a  man  sights  his 
destination,  his  running  feet  automatically  get  slack;  in  that  way, 
the  pressure  of  study  also  slackens  as  Supreme  Brahman  comes  within 
his  ken.  The  seeker  gradually  lays  down  the  weapons  in  the  form 
of  different  modes  and  means,  once  he  attains  the  realization  of 
Supreme  Brahman,  in  the  way  the  holy  Ganges  slackens  its  velocity 
as  it  merges  into  the  sea  or  as  a  wife  (beloved)  is  in  a  tranquil  mood 
when  she  contacts  her  husband  (lover)  or  the  further  growth  of  the 
plantain  tree  stops  as  the  tree  bears  fruit  or  the  road  ends  as  it  reaches 
the  town.  Consequent  on  the  occasion  of  the  union  with  Supreme 
Brahman  the  means  of  attaining  it  recede  Oh  Dhananjaya.  The 
stage  viz.  the  perfect  peace  of  mind  (constituted  by)  the  setting  up 
of  the  completeness  of  the  state  of  asceticism,  the  end  of  the  study 
of  knowledge  and  the  ripening  of  the  fruit  of  Yoga-study  —that  state 
of  perfect  peace  of  mind  gets  completely  established  in  him  (the  per- 
fected seeker)  and  when  this  takes  place  he  becomes  fully  qualified 
to  be  Supreme  Brahman  himself.  The  same  degree  of  difference 
(deficiency)  as  exists  between  i)  the  Moon's  phase  on  the  full  moon 
night  and  that  on  the  previous  night,  or  ii)  between  16  points  fine  gold 
and  15  points  fine  gold,  or  iii)  between  the  calmness  of  the  sea-water 
in  general  and  that  of  the  particular  part  of  it  where  a  river  enters 
into  it — (also)  exists  between  Supreme  Brahman  itself  and  the  perfected 
seeker  qualified  to  be  Supreme  Brahman.  And  it  is  on  account  of  the 
quality  of  the  perfect  peace  of  mind  that  he  becomes  Supreme  Brahman 
itself  in  a  short  time.  The  Brahmic  state  that  he  experiences  before 
being  actually  Supreme  Brahman  itself,  is  called  the  "qualification 
to  be  Supreme  Brahman  itself.' 

«£l^d:  SNWk-441  T  sfHfa  T  «!M»<nf«  I 
fPT:  3#|  W^  ^^(th  Wf&  «RT»5  H  X*  to 

54  "Realising  his  oneness  of  essence  with  Brahman,  he  in  the 
serenity  of  his  self  has  nothing  to  grieve  for,  nothing  to  long 
for;  and  maintaining  an  even  disposition  towards  all  beings, 
he  attains  highest  Devotion  to  Me.  (1091) 

Then  he,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  with  his  qualification  for  his  oneness  of 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  625 

essence  with  Supreme  Brahman,  occupies  the  seat  of  serenity  of  his 
self  secured  by  the  realization  of  the  'self.  The  dish  becomes  satis- 
factory (fit)  for  being  taken  in,  when  it  rids  itself  of  the  heat  with  which 
it  is  cooked;  or  a  river  resumes  its  useful  calm,  after  it  rids  itself  of 
the  hurry  and  bustle  of  its  monsoon  floods ;  or  the  music  of  all  the  sub- 
sidiary musical  instruments  ceases,  when  the  vocal  song  (of  which 
the  former  is  the  accompaniment)  comes  to  an  end.  In  that  way  the 
labour  put  forth  to  achieve  the  realization  of  the  'self  becomes 
quiescent  with  the  realization  of  the  self.  This  peaceful  serene  state 
is  known  by  the  name  'the  serenity  of  the  (realisation  of  the)  self 
and  he  (such  perfected  one)  secures  it  Then  (when  he  has  attained 
this  blissful  state)  he  does  not  grieve  for  anything  that  he  possesses 
not,  nor  does  he  display  any  longing  to  obtain  some  object  in  partic- 
ular-both  receive  quietus  at  his  hand,  since  for  him  everything  in 
the  universe  is  saturated  with  the  same  spiritual  principle.  With  the 
rising  of  the  Sun,  the  stars  lose  their  brilliance;  in  that  way,  with  the 
realisation  of  the  self,  whatever  direction  he  may  look  to,  the  (usual) 
order  of  distinction  between  being  and  being  is  obliterated,  Oh 
Partha.  The  writing  on  a  slate  can  be  wiped  out  by  the  palm,  in  that 
way  all  sense  of  distinction  (about  diverse  things  disappears  when 
he  looks  at  them.  Similarly,  all  adverse  and  unreal  knowledge, 
created  during  the  dreamy  and  wakeful  states,  gets  extinguished 
in  the  non-manifest,  and  then  as  the  realisation  of  Supreme  Brahman 
increases,  that  non-manifest  too  wears  out  and  it  is  (ultimately)  dis- 
solved completely  in  that  full  realisation.  Hunger  gradually  decreases 
with  each  morsel  of  food  taken  in  during  meal,  and  then  it  completely 
disappears  when  it  (hunger)  is  fully  satiated;  or  as  one  marches  on, 
the  distance  (of  the  road  to  be  covered)  becomes  shorter  and  shorter 
and  when  the  destination  is  reached,  that  distance  is  fully  covered; 
or  as  the  awakened  state  develops,  the  slumber  is  gradually  lost, 
and  disappears  altogether,  with  the  return  of  the  state  of  full  awaken- 
ing; or  as  the  moon  gets  into  full  phase,  the  growth  of  her  brilliance 
stops,  and  there  also  ends  the  bright  fortnight  of  the  lunar  month. 
In  that  way  it  is  only  when  the  knowing  agent  absorbs  in  himself 
all  objects  of  knowledge  and  along  with  such  absorption  (he)  merges 
himself  into  my  essence,  that  the  ignorance  completely  disappears. 
At  the  world  dissolution,  the  entire  universe  becomes  one  vast  and 
unlimited  sheet  of  water  dissolving  therein  clearly  differentiated 
entities  such  as  rivers,  seas,  etc. ;  or  when  both  the  (earthen)  pot  ( *& ) 
and  the  hermitage  ( *T3 )  cease  to  exist,  there  only  remains  the  uniform 
and  all-abiding  sky:  or  with  the  burning  out  of  fire- wood  there  remains 


626  JNANESHWARI 

only  the  fire;  or  with  the  melting  of  different  sorts  of  ornaments  in 
the  mould,  there  remains  behind  only  gold,  robbed  of  different  names 
and  shapes ;  or  with  one  getting  awake  and  the  dream  disappearing, 
there  remains  the  person  all  alone»by  himself.  In  that  way,  excepting 
my  own  self,  there  remains  nothing  else  for  him  (the  seeker)  including 
his  own  self,  and  he  thus  secures  what  is  known  as  the  fourth  kind  of 
devotion  for  Me.  This  fourth  kind  of  devotion  is  so  named,  since 
its  ways  differ  from  the  ways  followed  by  those  in  distress,  or  those 
eager  to  know,  or  those  desiring  the  fulfilment  of  some  cherished 
object.  Practically  this  is  neither  the  third  nor  the  fourth  or  yet  neither 
the  first  nor  the  last;  in  fact  this  is  my  own  innate  state  (of  Brahman). 
That(innate)  light  which  sheds  light  on  the  state  of  ignorance  in  regard 
to  myself,  and  reveals  my  true  aspect  which  is  different  from  what 
the  worldly  people  take  it  to  be  and  makes  the  devotee  cognisant  of 
the  totality  of  the  spiritual  principle  (which  inheres  in  him)  in  all 
things  everywhere,  that  light  which  makes  one  abide  in  faith,  where 
one  feels  one  should  sit  (fix  up),  and  reveals  its  all- pervading  continuity, 
thus  enlightening  him;  that  light  which  makes  felt  the  'being'  or  'not 
being'  of  the  universe  in  the  way  the  appearance  or  non-appearance, 
of  a  dream  depends  on  the  existence  of  the  one  (dreamer)  •-  that 
innate  light  of  mine,  Oh  Kapidhwaja,  (one  with  a  monkey  as  an  emblem 
on  his  chariot)  is  what  is  named  as  devotion.  Therefore  in  the  case 
of  'affliction'  in  one  afflicted,  against  which  relief  is  expected,  that 
expectation  of  relief  i.e.  devotion  I  am  turned  into;  in  the  case  of  one 
eager  to  know  (me),  Oh  Warrior,  the  object  of  knowing  constitutes 
this  devotion,  and  I  am  represented  as  that  object  of  knowing;  in  the 
case  of  one  seeking  some  end,  the  desire  for  that  end  constitutes  this 
devotion  and  it  identifies  me  with  that  end  and  designates  me  as  that 
end,  Oh  Arjuna.  In  that  way  this  devotion  operates,  taking  the  support 
of  ignorance  and  shows  me  (who  am)  the  seer  as  the  object  to  be  seen. 
There  is  no  mistaking  the  fact  that  there  is  only  one  (single)  face  and 
it  is  visible  in  a  mirror,  the  mirror  being  responsible  for  the  apparent 
duality  (of  face);  the  vision  only  sees  one  Moon  and  this  is  correct; 
but  that  there  should  appear  two  Moons  (where  there  is  really  one) 
is  illusion  caused  by  the  eye-disease  called  'Timir'  (fafsp").  Thus 
everywhere,  through  this  devotion  I  make  myself  the  cynosure  (to 
the  devotees)  but  that  delusion  of  (myself  being)  the  object  of  know- 
ledge, which  (even  though  it  is  not  in  Me),  they  fancy  is  in  Me  persists 
because  they  are  obsessed  by  ignorance.  As  that  ignorance  has 
vanished  now,  the  state  of  seeing  inherent  in  the  seeing  agent  merges 
into  me,  in  the  way  the  reflection  merges  itself  into  the  original.  The 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  627 

quality  as  gold  is  there  unshaken,  even  though  gold  is  mixed  with 
alloy;  yet  when  the  alloy  is  completely  burnt  out,  the  residue  is  pure 
gold.  Is  not  the  Moon  the  very  same  even  before  the  Full  Moon 
night?  (The  only  difference  is  that>  on  the  Full  Moon  night  she  gets 
complete  (in  all  her  phases).  In  that  way  what  is  seen  through  know- 
ledge is  only  myself.  When  I  am  thus  seen  it  is  myself  (complete  having 
secured  my  own  self),  and  in  such  a  state,  the  intermediate  phenomenon 
in  the  form  of  the  state  of  seeing  disappears.  Therefore,  I  say  that 
this  fourth  (path  of)  devotion  of  mine  transcends  others  involving 
dualism  (of  the  seer  and  the  object  of  seeing),  Oh  Arjuna. 

55  "Through  (that)  Devotion  he  perceives  in  reality  the  (infinite) 
magnitude  and  essential  nature  of  My  being;  and  so,  knowing 
Me  in  My  real  essence,  he  subsequently  enters  therein.  ( 1 1 30) 

You  have  by  now  heard,  that  the  devotee  who  gets  absorbed  in  me 
through  knowledge  cum  devotion,  is  only  myself.  In  Chapter  vn 
I  have  declared  with  outstretched  arms,  Oh  Kapidhwaja  (sFfWfsr) 
that  the  knowee  is  my  very  soul.  This  knowledge  cum  devotion  being 
the  best,  I  preached  it  to  God  Brahmadev  in  the  form  of  Bhagawata 
Scripture,  at  the  beginning  of  this  universe.  Men  of  knowledge 
(Sankhyas)  call  it  "recognition  of  the  self  (H«kfh)  while  the  devotees 
of  God  Shiva  call  it  "the  power"  (ifRT),  and  we  call  it  'the  Supreme 
Devotion  of  the  Self.  The  followers  of  the  path  of  action  (+*MM ) 
secure  this  Devotion  as  the  fruit  of  their  labours  at  the  time  they  get 
united  with  Me;  and  then  (to  them)  the  entire  universe  appears  as 
fully  pervaded  by  my  spirit.  Then  are  sunk  asceticism  along  with 
discrimination,  the  fetters  along  with  salvation,  and  activism  along 
with  renunciation  (or  the  consciousness  of  unity  with  the  Self  with 
its  counterpart).  There  remains  nothing  on  the  other  bank  (side), 
all  having  been  amassed  on  this  bank,  in  the  way  the  sky  alone  remains 
behind  (after  the  universal  deluge)  swallowing  up  all  the  four  elements 
(viz.  earth,  water,  fire  and  wind).  He  becomes  one  with  my  real  essence 
which  is  clean  beyond  the  reach  of  the  means  and  (their)  ends,  spot- 
lessly clear  and  enjoys  the  bliss  of  my  own  self.  Note  that  this  enjoy- 
ment of  the  bliss  of  the  'self  is  like  rushing  on  the  part  of  the  Ganges 
into  the  sea  and  shining  in  its  mingled  state  with  the  sea.  With  two 
clean  mirrors  placed  facing  each  other,  their  reflections  get  united 


628  JNANESHWARI 

with  each  other;  in  that  way  when  the  seeing  agent  gets  one  with  Me 
he  can  eternally  enjoy  the  bliss  of  the  self.  Enough  however  of  this : 
with  the  removal  of  the  mirror  as  also  the  disappearance  of  the 
semblance  of  the  face  (reflection>,  the  seeing  agent  abides  by  himself 
happily  alone :  or  with  the  disappearance  of  the  dream  after  one  gets 
awake,  one  in  that  awakened  state  experiences  his  own  single  state 
and  enjoys  that  state  of  singleness  all  alone  without  anyone  else's 
company.  (Of  the  same  type  is  the  enjoyment  of  the  bliss  of  the  'self ). 
To  such  as  might  say  that  once  one  is  identified  with  a  certain  object, 
he  cannot  enjoy  that  object,  we  ask  "How  can  a  word  be  uttered  by 
a  word"  ?  Is  it,  that  in  the  country  of  such,  the  Sunshine  is  seen  in 
the  light  of  a  lamp?  or  does  it  become  necessary  to  give  a  supporting 
(forked)  prop  to  the  sky?  Can  a  King  enjoy  the  position  of  royalty, 
unless  he  possesses  the  attributes  necessary  for  a  king?  Or  can  dark- 
ness ever  hold  in  embrace  the  Sun?  How  could  a  thing  have  any 
conception  of  the  sky  unless  it  be  the  sky  itself?  How  could  one 
parade  an  ornament  prepared  of  Gunja  ( *J3T )  as  one  of  gems?  There- 
fore one,  who  never  tries  to  identify  oneself  with  Me,  can  scarcely 
have  any  idea  of  what  I  am.  In  the  case  of  such  a  one  the  possibility 
of  his  enjoying  my  devotion  must  verily  be  ruled  out.  Therefore  I  say 
that  one  following  the  path  of  activism,  (first)  becomes  one  with  my 
essence  and  then  enjoys  the  bliss  of  my  'self,  in  the  way  a  young  woman 
enjoys  (the  exuberance  of)  her  youth.  A  wave  in  its  entirety  kisses 
the  water,  the  splendour  in  its  entirety  shines  In  the  Sun,  or  ether  in 
its  entirety  pervades  the  cavity  and  rolls  in  it :  in  that  way  one  following 
the  path  of  activism  gets  one  with  my  essence  and  abides  there  wor- 
shipping me  passively  without  any  manifest  action,  in  the  way  a  gold 
ornament  does,  in  regard  to  gold,  or  in  the  way  the  fragrance  ever 
abides  in  the  sandal  wood  and  without  doing  anything  spreads  out, 
or  in  the  way  the  Moon-light  is  invariably  associated  with  the  Moon. 
In  that  way,  although  activism  finds  no  place  in  non-dualistic  spiritual 
Principle,  yet  there  is  the  devotion  that  finds  a  place  in  it,  and  this  can 
be  realized  through  personal  experience  alone,  it  being  inexpressible 
in  mere  words.  Then  whatever  he  talks  under  the  influence  of  en- 
lightenment or  cultural  perfection  he  has  attained  in  his  past  lives, 
amounts  to  imploring  me  by  tender  appeals  in  devotion  and  I  accept 
it-the  talking  agent  being  in  fact  my  own  'self.  Ordinary  talk  is  not 
possible  when  the  talking  agent  meets  none  else  but  himself,  and  in 
such  a  state,  the  best  (way  of)  singing  of  my  praise  is  only  silence. 
Therefore,  when  such  a  devotee  "talks"  the  talking  agent  is  only 
myself,  and  then  the  silence  (on  the  part  of  the  devotee)  comes  to 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  629 

fruition  and  his  silence  amounts,  in  principle,  to  singing  my  praise. 
Similarly,  O  Kiriti,  whatever  he  (the  devotee)  looks  to  through  his 
intellect  or  vision-that  looking  pushes  aside  the  object  of  vision  and 
shows  the  agent  only  his  own  'self.  The  seeing  agent  sees  the  same 
face  (when  looking)  into  a  mirror  as  existed  before  (looking  into) 
the  mirror,  in  that  way  the  looking  on  the  part  of  the  seer  makes  him 
view  his  own  'self.  With  the  disappearance  in  this  way  of  the  object 
of  vision  what  the  seeing  agent  sees  is  his  own  'self.  Since  there  thus 
remains  nothing  else  but  the  seeing  agent,  the  attribute  of  seeing  has 
no  locus  and  significance.  A  woman  seeing  a  lover  in  a  dream  and 
moving  forward  (also  in  a  dream)  to  embrace  him,  should  just  then 
get  awake  and  find  herself  all  alone  with  neither  the  dream  nor  the 
lover,  (or)  when  fire  is  kindled  through  the  friction  of  two  pieces  of 
firewood,  there  is  an  end  to  all  talk  of  duality  (viz  two  pieces  of  fire- 
wood) fire  alone  remaining  on  the  spot;  (or)  if  the  Sun  were  to  go 
out  to  grasp  his  own  reflection  (in  water),  the  primary  thing  (the 
Sun  as  fa«r )  would  lose  its  significance;  in  that  way,  when  one  getting 
united  with  my  'self  goes  to  embrace  the  object  to  be  seen,  then  the 
(act  of)  seeing  as  also  the  object  to  be  seen  both  disappear.  As  the 
Sun  goes  to  shed  his  light  on  the  darkness,  there  remains  no  darkness 
at  all  on  which  to  shed  light;  in  that  way  with  the  seeing  agent  getting 
one  with  my  essence,  there  remains  no  object  to  be  seen  in  the  object 
of  seeing.  Then  such  a  state,  in  which  there  is  pure  existence  left, 
and  of  which  one  cannot  say  that  it  is  the  product  of  seeing  or  not 
seeing,  is  my  real  vision.  This  vision,  O  Kiriti,  he  (devotee)  secures 
with  his  meeting  any  object  whatsoever,  and  then  he  enjoys  for  all 
times  this  vision  which  transcends  the  seeing  agent  and  the  object 
to  be  seen.  He  remains  ever  unshaken,  having  merged  in  the  essence 
of  my  'self,  in  the  way  the  sky  never  shakes  being  fully  stuffed  as 
it  is  by  itself.  Water  being  stuffed  everywhere  at  the  world  dissolution, 
uniformly  remains  still  as  one  sheet  of  water  having  no  scope  either 
for  a  flow  or  a  current;  in  that  way  the  self,  (of  the  devotee)  being 
fully  stuffed  in  the  Supreme  Self,  becomes  all  still.  How  could  the 
legs  go  in  advance  of  oneself,  or  how  could  the  fire  burn  itself,  or 
how  could  water  bathe  itself?  He  (devotee)  having  entirely  merged 
into  myself,  all  his  movements  such  as  going  out  or  coming  in,  come 
to  a  standstill,  and  this  state  of  cessation  of  all  movements  is  the 
pilgrimage  to  my  monistic  state.  However  fast  a  wave  might  sweep 
upon  water  it  cannot  encroach  on  land.  Its  (wave's)  upsurge  or  sub- 
sidence, its  locomotion  or  means  of  locomotion  is  nothing  but  one 
and  the  same  mass  of  water.  However  big  (the  volume  of)  the  surging 


630  JNANESHWARI 

tide  of  water  be,  its  watery  condition  remains  unaffected,  with  the 
result  that  the  oneness  of  the  waves  with  it,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  never 
gets  disturbed.  In  that  way,  however  widely  he  might  drift  away 
on  his  own  account,  it  (drifting)  being  all  within  myself,  he,  with  all 
his  movements,  only  proves  a  pilgrim  of  mine.  And  were  he  to  perform 
any  actions  following  the  bent  of  his  bodily  disposition,  it  is  only 
myself  that  he  meets  with  under  the  pretence  of  such  actions.  In 
such  a  state,  all  the  terms  (such  as)  'action1  or  'doing  agent'  get  eliminat- 
ed, Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  he  becomes  only  myself — getting  one  with 
my  essence.  The  looking  of  a  mirror  into  another  is  no  looking  at 
all;  or  it  is  not  possible  to  give  a  (gold)  coating  to  gold;  or  it  is  no 
shedding  of  light  for  a  lamp  to  shed  light  on  another  lamp;  in  that 
way,  it  is  no  doing  (of  action)  at  all,  when  the  devotee  looks  upon  it 
(action)  as  identical  with  Me.  When  the  phraseology  "it  should  be 
done"  disappears  while  an  action  is  being  actually  performed,  the 
doing  of  that  very  act  amounts  to  'not  doing  it  at  all'.  The  aggregate 
of  actions  having  merged  in  me,  'doing  nothing'  is  the  designation 
of  my  esoteric  worship.  Therefore,  Oh  'Kapidhvaja'  (an  epithet  of 
Arjuna)  'doing  nothing'  is  also  brought  about  through  activism  and 
he  (the  devotee)  worships  Me  following  this  (model  of)  great  worship. 
In  short,  whatever  he  talks  is  (singing)  my  own  praise;  whatever  he 
looks  at,  is  my  own  vision,  or  wherever  he  goes  to,  is  my  own  movement, 
I  who  transcend  dualism;  whatever  he  does  is  all  my  own  worship, 
whatever  he  contemplates  upon,  is  repeating  in  a  muttering  tone 
(srq")  my  own  name,  and  his  abiding  in  peace  is  enrapt  concentration 
of  meditation  of  my  own  self  (Trrrfo).  A  (gold)  bracelet  is  invariably 
associated  with  gold;  in  that  way,  he  through  his  devotion,  is  inextric- 
ably linked  with  me.  My  devotee  remains  united  with  me  in  the  way 
the  waves  inhere  in  water,  or  the  fragrance  does  in  camphor,  or  the 
brilliance  in  the  gems,  or  a  piece  of  cloth  in  the  threads,  or  an  earthen 
pot  in  the  clay.  With  such  exclusive  devotion,  he  views  me  the  all 
seer  in  all  objects  as  his  own.  He  dances  (in  a  state  of  ecstacy)  setting 
himself  up  as  a  great  personage  ( 3raT )  on  account  of  his  self  experience 
and  the  realization  that  I,  the  all -seer,  am  all  that  visible  universe 
that  abides  in  its  existing  or  non-existing  state  on  account  of  the  at- 
tribute viz.  the  field  and  the  one  with  such  attribute  viz.  the  field  knower 
(and)  consequent  on  the  three  states  (viz.  awakened  state,  dream  and 
slumber).  After  actually  seeing  the  rope  one  becomes  definite  that 
the  semblance  of  serpent  is  really  a  rope;  or  one  comes  to  realize 
after  melting  an  ornament  that  not  even  a  particle  of  that  ornament 
was  different  from  gold;  or  no  one  takes  up  a  ripple  (in  that  form) 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  631 

knowing  fully  well  that  it  is  nothing  but  water,  or  one  taking  an  account, 
in  his  awakened  state,  of  the  feelings  that  he  experienced  in  the  dream, 
sees  nothing  but  himself;  in  that  way,  he  (the  devotee)  abides  in  the 
experience  that  all  that  is  felt  as  the  object  to  be  seen  either  in  a  mani- 
fested or  unmanifested  form,  is  nothing  else  but  my  own  'self.'  He 
knows  (about  himself)  "I  am  immune  from  birth  and  death:  I  am 
eternal  and  immutable;  I  am  the  unique  and  Supreme  (boundless) 
Bliss:  I  am  immovable  and  not  liable  to  drop  down  (sr5^):  I  am 
endless  and  beyond  duality  (3r|?r);  I  am  the  first  person  and  un- 
manifested as  also  the  manifested;  I  am  sovereign  Lord:  I  am  beginn- 
ingless  and  unwasting:  I  am  fearless:  I  am  the  support  as  also  the 
object  of  support :  I  am  the  eternal  seed  innate  and  perpetual :  I  am 
am  immanent  in  all  (mobile  and  immobile)  and  transcend  all;  I  am 
new  as  also  ancient:  I  am  void:  I  am  complete:  I  am  neither  bulky 
nor  minute  (atom-like):  I  am  actionless  and  non-dual:  I  am  as- 
sociationless  as  also  griefless :  I  am  that  Purushottama  who  is  pervad- 
able  as  also  all-pervading:  I  am  beyond  speech  (sound)  and  hearing: 
I  am  formless  as  also  Gotra-less  (snfrsr  -without  dynasty).  I  am 
even,  self-dependent  and  Supreme  Brahman.  In  this  way,  he  knows 
me  as  unique  truly  through  his  reflexive  devotion  as  part  and  parcel 
of  his  own  self  and  also  knows  that  he  is  that  knowledge  (viz.) — the 
realization  of  the  self.  There  remains  only  the  state  of  his  singleness, 
once  one  gets  awake  and  the  semblance  (of  what  he  saw)  in  the  dream 
disappears;  and  this  he  knows  by  himself  alone:  or  when  the  Sun  rises, 
he  (thereby)  is  also  himself  and  thus  proclaims  that  the  displayed 
and  the  displayer  are  not  different.  In  that  way  with  the  disappearance 
of  the  objects  of  knowledge,  there  remains  only  the  knowing  agent, 
and  one  that  knows  this  is  also  himself  (alone).  He  further  realizes 
that  the  power — knowledge  that  knows  the  state  of  monism  is  also 
myself.  Then  he  comes  to  know  that  the  self,  which  is  above  monism 
and  duality,  is  undoubtedly  my  self:  and  when  he  actually  gets  ex- 
perience of  this,  he  enters  into  me,  the  realization  (on  his  part)  that 
kI  am  he'  getting  dissolved  in  the  tranquil  state  arising  out  of  his  ex- 
periencing the  bliss  of  the  self  in  the  way  one  cannot  say  what  state 
he  might  actually  be  in,  when  the  realization  of  the  fact  of  his  remain- 
ing all  above  by  himself  after  getting  awake  (from  sleep)  vanishes, 
or  in  the  way  it  is  immaterial  if  an  ornament  (of  gold)  is  melted  or 
remains  unmelted,  once  the  state  of  gold  in  it  is  perceived  with  the 
eyes,  or  when  salt  is  dissolved  in  water  the  salt  taste  adheres  to  water, 
but  water  having  evaporated  there  is  no  longer  any  liquid  having 
that  taste.  And  then  the  term  *he'  ceases  to  exist  and  there  also  remains 


632  JNANESHWARI 

no  scope  for  the  term  T  and  in  this  way  the  notions  such  as  'he'  and 
T  cease  to  exist  and  then  he  merges  into  my  existence.  When  camphor 
is  getting  burnt  it  is  called  fire,  but  when  both  the  camphor  and  fire 
disappear  there  only  remains  behind  the  eternal  sky:  or  just  as 
deducting  one  from  one,  the  remainder  is  zero;  in  that  way,  what 
remains  behind  after  making  proper  adjustment  (such  as  plus  or 
minus)  of  'is'  and  'is  not'  or  'being'  and  'not  being',  the  remainder 
is  myself.  In  such  state,  the  terms  'Brahman' — 'soul'  or  'God'  strike 
a  discordant  note  in  the  harmony  of  the  self;  nay,  even  refraining  from 
speech  i.e.  silence  (about  Self)  has  no  scope  there.  (The  position 
therefore  that  arises  is  somewhat  as  under):  Its  negation  (silence) 
should  be  described  with  full  verbosity  ( tNtjf" )  without  uttering  the 
word  'no'  or  it  (Brahman)  is  to  be  cognised  after  setting  aside  the  two 
correlated  notions  of  knowing  and  not  'knowing'.  Here  the  realiza- 
tion should  satisfy  realization,  the  bliss  should  be  enjoyed  through 
bliss,  happiness  should  enjoy  happiness.  (Further)  in  this  state  benefit 
secures  benefit,  lustre  embraces  lustre,  surprise  is  fully  drowned  in 
surprise,  the  peace  of  mind  secures  peaccfulness,  the  rest  secures 
rest  and  (self)  experience  goes  mad  owing  to  the  state  of  experience. 
In  short  that  person  secures  the  fruit  of  the  pure  and  spotless  T  ness 
( 3^cr  ?rfP")  owing  to  the  growth  of  the  beautiful  creeper  plant  in  the 
form  of  'Karmayoga'  (even-tempered  activism)  and  I  become,  Oh 
Kiriti,  the  gem  in  the  form  of  sentience,  in  the  diadem  on  the  brow 
of  the  king  of  'Karmayoga'  and  reciprocally,  he  also  becomes  my 
crown  jewel:  or  liberation  is  the  pinnacle  (ftpf)  of  the  temple  in 
the  form  of 'Karmayoga'  and  the  expanse  of  the  sky  over  this  pinnacle 
of  the  'Karmayogin' :  or  the  'Karmayoga'  is  a  fine  road  in  woods 
of  worldly  affairs,  and  the  road  reaches  straight  the  town  in  the  form 
of  union  with  me;  or  he  reaches  with  great  speed  the  ocean  in  the  form 
of  the  bliss  of  the  Self  by  moving  along  the  Ganges  in  the  form  of 
knowledge  and  devotion  having  joined  it  (the  Ganges)  through  the 
brook  of  'Karmayoga.'  Such  is  the  greatness  of  the  path  of  even- 
tempered  activism,  Oh  you  clad  in  excellent  armour,  and  it  is  for  this 
that  I  preach  it  to  you  over  and  over  again.  I  am  not  such  a  one  as 
one  could  secure  through  means  such  as  suitable  time,  place  and 
appurtenances,  but  I  already  exist  in  all  in  my  entirety.  Therefore 
it  is  not  necessary  to  undergo  any  hardships  in  order  to  secure  me. 
me.  T  can  truly  be  secured  through  these  means  (viz.  through  even 
-tempered  activism).  The  tradition  of  the  institution  of  a  preceptor 
and  a  disciple  has  sprung  up  only  for  knowing  the  way  to  secure  me. 
There  exists  ready,  Oh  Kiriti,  i)  hidden  treasures  in  the  womb  of 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  633 

earth,  ii)  fire  (in  latent  form)  in  firewood,  and  iii)  milk  in  the  udder 
of  the  cow;  yet  one  that  makes  efforts  secures  them:  in  that  way, 
although  I  am  existent,  I  am  (to  be)  secured  through  efforts.  Were 
one  to  ask  why  God  is  (at  this  stage)  referring  to  the  means  after  having 
so  far  discoursed  on  the  fruit,  the  answer  is  as  follows:  The  main 
function  of  the  Gita  teachings  is  to  expound  in  all  its  bearings  the 
means  of  attaining  liberation;  the  means  mentioned  in  other  scriptures 
are  not  necessarily  authoritative.  The  wind  disperses  the  clouds 
(and  makes  the  Sun  visible);  yet  it  cannot  create  the  sun:  the  hand 
can  put  aside  the  moss  (from  the  water-surface),  yet  it  cannot  create 
water.  In  that  way  other  Scriptures  only  remove  the  dirt  of  ignorance 
that  places  obstacles  in  the  way  of  attaining  the  'self.  Therefore 
all  these  Scriptures  are  only  'tubs'  ( TT^ )  for  washing  out  (destroying) 
the  dirt  of  ignorance.  Beyond  this  they  have  no  authority  inde- 
pendently to  grant  the  realization  of  the  'self.1  When  these  Scriptures 
are  asked  to  prove  their  veracity,  the  place  where  they  go  to  (for 
reference)  is  this  'GTta\  When  the  Sun  adorns  the  East,  all  the  other 
directions  also  get  brightened;  in  that  way  the  Glta  Scripture,  that 
is  sovereign  among  other  Scriptures,  has  provided  them  with  a  patron 
( WTT^f ).  In  its  previous  parts  (of  this  Gita)  this  leader  of  the  Scriptures 
has  described  in  detail  different  means  through  which  the  Self  (Soul) 
could  be  secured.  But  ShriHari,  holding  with  a  feeling  of  compassion 
that  Arjuna  could  hardly  grasp  the  subject  matter  at  the  first  hearing, 
is  going  to  discourse  on  it  over  again,  (yet)  in  brief,  to  have  it  impressed 
indelibly  on  the  (mind  of  the)  disciple.  And  now  that  the  concluding 
stage  of  the  Gita  has  simultaneously  been  reached,  he  is  stressing  the 
unity  of  purpose  (underlying  the  doctrine)  which  is  found  at  the  begin- 
ning as  well  as  at  the  end  (of  Gita).  Diverse  extraneous  problems, 
the  discussion  of  which  was  relevant  to  the  occasion,  cropped  up  in 
the  interval,  between  the  beginning  and  the  end  and  authoritative 
conclusions  were  drawn  and  made  clear  in  regard  to  them.  Some 
might  take  it,  without  a  proper  grasp  of  the  various  references  (ante 
and  post),  that  all  those  conclusions  form  the  main  principles  and 
proper  subject  matter  of  the  Scripture;  but  those  are  only  minor 
and  subsidiary  theories  and  conclusions  coming  in  as  'fill  ups'  to 
make  complete  the  principal  ones,  and  with  their  help  the  beginning 
and  the  end  (of  the  Gita)  are  made  to  harmonise  with  each  other. 
Here  the  destruction  of  ignorance  is  the  main  topic,  while  the  securing 
of  liberation  is  the  fruit,  knowledge  being  the  means  of  attaining  the 
two,  and  this  sole  subject  has  been  discoursed  in  various  ways  in  this 
big  work  and  is  being  repeated  but  in  a  couple  of  words  only  (very 


634  JNANESHWARI 

briefly).  With  this  end  in  view  the  Lord  got  prepared  to  discourse 
on  the  means  (to  attain  the  fruit),  even  though  the  fruit  has  actually 
been  secured. 

56  "And  even  though-in  dependence  upon  Me-he  keeps  on  ever 
performing  all  activities,  (nevertheless) ,  through  My  favour, 
he  wins  the  Eternal  and  Immutable  Dwelling  place.      (1246) 

Then  the  Lord  said,  "Oh  Great  Warrior,  the  Karmayogin  (one 
taking  to  even-tempered  activism)  with  firm  faith  in  Me  becomes  my 
own  self,  and  abides  merged  in  Me.  He  worships  Me  with  flowers  in 
the  form  of  performance  of  his  duties,  and  secures  as  a  favour  ( W?r ) 
in  return  of  this  worship,  firm  affection  for  knowledge.  With  this 
affection  for  knowledge  in  his  grasp,  his  devotion  towards  Me  flouri- 
shes and  he  becomes  blessed  through  complete  identity  with  my 
Personality,  secured  as  a  result  of  his  devotion.  He  follows  me  -  his 
own  Soul  -  who  sheds  light  on  the  universe,  knowing  full  well  that 
he  is  stuffed  up  everywhere.  The  salt  drops  its  separate  existence 
and  integrates  itself  with  water;  or  the  wind  blows  and  (finally)  rests 
quietly  in  the  sky:  in  that  way  he  abides  in  Me  bodily,  in  speech  as 
also  mentally,  and  even  were  he  on  rare  occasions  to  do  any  prohibited 
act,  such  acts  whether  auspicious  or  inauspicious  would  be  invested 
with  a  uniform  quality  on  account  of  realisation  (on  his  part)  of  know- 
ledge in  regard  to  myself,  in  the  way  a  flow  of  dirty  street-water  as 
also  a  big  river  both  assume  the  same  sanctity  when  they  merge  in 
the  holy  Ganges.  The  distinction  such  as  sandalwood  and  other 
inferior  sort  of  wood  lasts  only  so  long  as  they  are  not  embraced 
and  devoured  by  fire;  or  the  distinction  such  as  five  points  fine  and 
sixteen  points  fine  in  gold  remain  so  long  as  both  do  not  come  in 
contact  with  a  Paris;  in  that  way  the  distinction  such  as  auspicious 
and  inauspicious  is  felt  so  long  as  they  do  not  secure  my  all-pervading 
light.  The  distinction  such  as  night  and  day  is  felt  so  long  as  we  do 
not  enter  the  region  of  the  Sun.  Therefore  with  his  meeting  with  Me, 
all  his  actions,  Oh  Kiriti,  disappear  and  he  is  installed  on  the  "Sayujya- 
pada'  (?TP£s*i*R;the  status  of  the  fourth  of  the  four  states  of  Mukti- 
absorption  into  the  essence  of  the  Brahman).  He  attains  that  im- 
perishable state  of  mine,  which  never  gets  wasted  on  account  of 
place,  time  or  nature:  Nay,  Oh  Son  of  PSndu,  does  there  exist  any 


XVIII.    MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  635 

lack  of  (covetable)  gain  where  one  has  secured  the  favour  of  mine 
own  viz,  of  the  very  Soul? 

^fii41*l-»|M I ^4rM  mI^HtI:  ffrlrt  VR  II   K^S  II 

57  "Having  in  thought  dedicated:  all  activities  unto  Me — making 
Me  thy  final  goal-and  cultivating  equanimity  of  spirit,  do 
thou  uninterruptedly  fix  thy  mind  in  Me. 

It  is  for  this,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  that  you  should  renounce  into  myself 
all  your  actions  in  their  entirety,  viz.  dedicate  them  all  to  Me.  But 
that  renunciation,  Oh  Warrior,  should  only  be  of  such  (actions)  as 
could  be  renounced  (and  not  such  as  the  day-to-day  and  other  enjoined 
actions  as  could  not  be  renounced).  You  should  engage  your  mind 
in  the  contemplation  of  the  Self.  On  the  strength  of  that  contempla- 
tion you  will  be  able  to  see  clearly  in  Me  your  own  self-as  separated 
from  the  actions.  You  will  also  see  as  being  far  away  from  yourself 
that  Prakriti-Maya  (Illusion)  which  is  the  source  (birth  place)  of 
activism.  Prakriti  cannot  however  remain  distinct  from  the  self 
(soul)  in  the  way  the  shadow  cannot  remain  distint  from  the  original 
object.  In  this  way,  when  Maya  (illusion)  is  destroyed,  there  will 
be  brought  about  without  any  effort,  complete  renunciation  of  actions. 
Then,  with  the  elimination  of  actions  as  a  class,  there  will  remain 
behind  only  T,  the  pure  Self  (soul),  and  then  there  will  abide  faithfully 
with  the  soul,  the  intellect  as  does  a  chaste  wife.  When  the  intellect 
thus  abides  wholly  and  with  unswerving  devotion  in  Me,  the  mind 
even  begins  to  worship  Me  casting  off  its  normal  activity  (fickleness). 
In  that  way  you  should  always  be  doing  something  that  will  make 
(your)  mind  remain  steady  in  Me,  shearing  it  of  all  its  wayward  ten- 
dencies. 

**fwtW:  «4g*rf{ui  *4cMUI«4l^  dft&Mfa  I 

3W  #cj  raRpTRTW  sflwfw  %TS«PTO%  II  K^  H 

58  "With  thy  mind  fixed  in  Me,  thou  wilt,  through  My  grace, 
cross  all  obstacles;  but  in  case,  through  (false)  notion  of 
self,  thou  dost  not  give  heed  unto  Me,  then  shalt  thou  perish. 

(1269) 

When  I  am  thus  stuffed  in  your  mind  through  whole-hearted  devotion, 


636  JNANESHWARI 

know  it,  you  have  gained  my  favour  in  its  entirety.  Then  you  will 
feel  as  being  happiness-giving  although  they  actually  be  pain-giving, 
all  those  very  homes  of  miseries  that  make  you  undergo  the  dreadful 
births  and  deaths.  When  the  vision  gets  the  support  of  the  light  of  the 
Sun  what  could  darkness  do  there?  In  that  way,  one  whose  life- 
particle  (  fa«lo6U|  -living  state)  is  leavened  through  my  grace,  what  fear 
is  there  for  him  to  get  affected  by  the  goblin  in  the  form  of  worldly 
affairs?  Therefore,  O  Dhananjaya,  you  will  be  able  through  my  grace 
to  get  out  of  the  wicked  tangle  of  mundane  existence.  Now,  were 
you  through  self-conceit  not  to  allow  my  talk  even  to  touch  the  border 
line  of  your  ears  (hearing)  or  mind,  then  although  your  pristine  nature 
be  eternally  free  and  imperishable,  that  will  be  all  unavailing  and  the 
dreadful  blow  of  bodily  conceit  will  fall  heavily  on  you  and  you  will 
hardly  have  a  moment's  relief  while  suffering  from  self-destruction 
at  every  step  as  a  direct  consequence  of  that  bodily  conceit.  Were 
you  not  to  give  any  heed  to  what  I  say,  then  you  shall  have  to  face  the 
dreadful  calamity  of  living  a  life  which  is  worse  than  death  (a  living 
death). 

1*4 wto  el|«N4NMd  Sr^RFr^t  Pufiwfo  II   H£  I! 

59  "That  (false)  notion  of  self  resting  upon  which  thou  art  think- 
ing. 7  will  not  fight':  futile  is  this  resolve  of  thine:  thy 
inborn  nature  will  (perforce)  compel  thee.  ( 1 278) 

Were  you  to  nourish  the  conceit  discarding  discrimination,  in  the 
way  one  should  nourish  the  fever  by  hating  medicine,  or  should 
nourish  darkness  by  hating  light,  or  were  you  through  conceit  to 
label  (name)  your  body  as  'Arjuna',  and  those  of  others  as  *My  own 
kinsmen',  and  the  battle  as  'sinful  act',  —  and  after  applying  these 
labels,  persist  in  (your)  desperate  determination,  O  Dhananjaya, 
that  you  would  not  fight,  yet,  your  inborn  nature  would  defeat  that 
determination  (of  yours).  Moreover,  is  there  any  substance  (from  the 
standpoint  of  metaphysics)  apart  from  phenomenal  appearance 
(Maya)  in  the  line  of  thought  (you  have  adopted)  viz.  i  am  Arjuna, 
these  are  my  kinsmen  and  to  kill  them  is  a  great  sin?'.  (It  is  also 
queer  that)  you  should  be  first  prepared  to  fight  and  then  should  take 
up  arms  (in  your  hands),  and  then  ultimately  take  recourse  to  a  false 
notion  in  order  to  avoid  fighting.  Therefore,  your  talk  of  not  fighting 
is  all  futile  and  untenable  judging  even  from  the  worldly  point  of 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  637 

view.  That  very  Prakriti  (inborn  nature)  will  make  the  determination 
(not  to  fight)  of  your  mind,  totter  down. 

^spflTR^T  <bVr)J4  Ph<£:  ^rt  «M$«||  | 

^  ^ -e&tn  ^«4^l^  +r<N4*±l«t*fl!>fM  cj^  II  ^o  || 

60  "Constrained,  O  Son  of  Kuntl,  by  thy  own  inborn  urge  to  act, 
what  thou,  through  self-delusion,  dost  not  wish  to  do:  even 
that  thou  wilt  do  in  sheer  helplessness.  (1286) 

Were  one  to  (try  to)  swim  towards  the  West  when  the  current  is 
flowing  Eastward,  it  would  be  simply  perverse  on  the  part  of  the 
swimmer,  the  (powerful)  current  would  drag  him  down  along  its 
own  line  (direction)  of  flow.  Were  a  grain  of  rice  seed  to  say  that 
it  would  neither  germinate  nor  grow  as  rice,  could  it  go  against  (its 
own)  nature?  In  that  way,  Oh  you  wise  one,  (your)  inborn  nature 
formed  of  the  Kshatriya  tradition,  would  make  you  rise  up,  and 
(your)  protestation  viz.  'I  would  remain  passive  at  this  stage',  is 
sheer  perversity.  Bravery,  high  spirit,  mindfulness,  and  other  qualities 
have  been  bestowed  upon  you  while  getting  bom,  by  your  (Kshatriya) 
nature,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  so  that  Prakriti  will  not  permit  you 
to  sit  quiet,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  unless  you  do  actions  conforming  to 
the  group  of  your  (inherent)  qualities.  Therefore,  Oh  Kodandapani, 
(efcteyssMiuH-one  with  a  bow  in  his  hand,  Arjuna)  being  fettered  by  the 
(Kshatriya)  qualities,  (mentioned  above),  you  are  bound  to  follow 
the  traditional  duties  prescribed  for  the  Kshatriyas,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  about  it.  And  were  you,  without  taking  into  account  your 
birth  and  origin  thoughtlessly  to  take  a  vow  not  to  fight,  you  would, 
I  feel  sure,  do  (fighting)  in  spite  of  your  persistently  saying  that  you 
would  not  do  anything,  in  the  way  one  bound  hands  and  feet,  and 
put  into  a  chariot,  travels  over  far  distant  lands  (iWT)  even  though 
he  himself  does  not  walk.  Why  did  you  give  fight  when  Uttara,  the 
eldest  son  of  the  King  of  Virata,  began  to  flee  (from  the  battle-field)? 
That  very  Kshatriya  nature  of  yours  (that  made  you  fight  then)  will 
make  you  fight  (even  now).  You  made  Akshouhinis  (STCfrfiHt- 
made  up  of  218700  units  in  the  army)  of  great  warriors  eat  dust  in 
the  battlefield,  and  that  very  nature  of  yours  will  make  you  fight 
here,  Oh  Kodandpani.  Oh,  does  a  patient  ever  like  illness?  Or 
does  a  poverty-stricken  man  ever  like  poverty?  Yet,  the  powerful 
destiny  makes  them  suffer  these.  That  destiny  will  not  act  differently 
(in  your  case)  working  as  it  does,  under  the  control  of  God  Almighty, 
and  that  God  Almighty  is  in  your  heart. 


638  JNANESHWARI 

^rPWa(  U^dlfa  4MH*4lf«1  +hmmi  II   %%   II 

61  "The  Lord,  0  Arjuna,  dwells  within  the  heart-region  of  all 
beings,  causing,  through  (His)  Wonderous  Power  (Maya), 
all  the  beings  to  whirl  round  (as  though)  machine-mounted. 

(1299) 

The  Sun,  in  the  form  of  God,  with  thousands  of  rays  in  the  form  of 
sentience,  rises  in  the  great  sky  in  the  form  of  heart  region  of  all  the 
beings.  He  sheds  light  on  all  the  three  worlds  in  the  form  of  the  dif- 
ferent states  of  life  (wakefulness,  dream  and  deep  slumber),  and 
awakens  the  wandering  beings  (souls)  deluded  through  the  wondrous 
power, — Maya.  He  sheds  his  light  on  the  fully  blown  lotus  flowers 
in  the  form  of  sense-objects,  springing  in  the  lake  in  the  form  of  all 
visible  objects  in  the  universe,  and  makes  the  black  bee,  in  the  form 
of  the  being,  with  six  feet  in  the  form  of  five  senses  and  the  mind,  feed 
itself  on  the  lotus.  This  metaphor  apart,  God  abides  in  the  hearts 
of  all  the  beings  and  shines  (manifests  Himself)  there  under  the  cover 
in  the  form  of  egotism  of  the  beings.  Staying  inside  behind  the  curtain 
in  the  form  of  delusion  (Maya),  he  plays  the  wire-puller  and  makes 
dance  outside,  the  shadow-pictures  of  all  the  diverse  orders  numbering 
84  lakhs.  He  invests  all  beings — from  the  very  God  Brahmadev 
down  to  the  lowest  insect — with  body-forms  according  to  their 
respective  merit.  The  body-form  which  is  displayed  before  the  creature 
(soul)  and  which  is  commensurate  to  his  merit,  assumes  T-ness 
and  it  (the  T  notion)  gets  complete  hold  over  that  body.  A  thread 
should  get  entangled  into  another  or  a  grass  blade  should  bind  another 
one,  or  a  child  should  try  to  grasp  its  own  reflection  in  water:  in  that 
way,  the  soul  develops  and  a  sense  of  identity  with  its  own  shadow 
in  the  shape  of  the  body-form  and  the  feeling  that  the  body-form  is 
the  soul  starts  pulsating.  Thus  He  (God  Almighty)  makes  the  being 
hold  fast  to  the  mechanism  of  his  body-form  and  then  he  moves  the 
thread  in  the  form  of  action  in  past  lives.  Then  the  being  gets  mo- 
mentum (i.e.  begins  to  act)  by  virtue  of  (the  notion  of)  particular 
thread  in  the  form  of  actions  of  the  past  lives,  with  which  he  is  inde- 
pendently connected.  In  that  way,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  God  makes  the 
beings  whirl  round  and  round  between  the  Heaven  and  the  Earth, 
in  the  way  the  wind  makes  hay  whirl  round  and  round  in  the  sky. 
The  beings  set  about  their  activity  (in  the  world)  as  willed  by  the 
Divine  authority,  in  the  way  (a  piece  of)  iron  is  set  in  motion  (moves 


xviii.  mok$asamnyasayoga  639 

in  a  circle)  following  the  attractive  power  of  the  loadstone.  The 
ocean  and  the  others  indulge  in  their  frolic  through  their  proximity 
to  the  Moon,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  viz.  the  ocean  gets  in  full  tide,  the 
Moon-stone  begins  to  ooze  out,  the  night  lotus  begins  to  blow  itself 
open,  while  the  bird  Chakora  feels  jubilant.  In  that  way  God  Almighty 
makes  the  beings  dance  in  different  ways  following  the  primal  nature 
(as  determined  by  their  respective  destiny)  and  that  very  God  abides 
in  your  heart.  That  inner  urge,  which  not  allowing  itself  to  be  identified 
with  Arjuna,  rises  up  in  you — that  feeling  of  I-ness — is  the  real  aspect 
of  God.  Therefore,  that  God  will  (as  of  certainty)  set  the  Prakriti 
to  action  and  that  Prakriti  will  make  you  fight,  even  though  you  may 
(wish  to)  fight.  Therefore,  God  is  the  sole  Lord — master,  and  he 
directs  the  Prakriti,  (it  is  but  proper  that)  you  should  permit  your 
organs  to  function  freely  in  harmony  with  the  constitution  of  your 
Prakriti.  Thus  whether  you  should  or  should  not  act  (fight),  you 
should  leave  it  all  to  the  Prakriti — that  Prakriti  which  works  under 
the  authority  of  God  that  dwells  in  your  own  heart. 

srftar  srcw  Tsgr  ^Nnrifar  *trct  i 

62  "Unto  Him  alone,  therefore,  do  thou  repair  for  shelter,  0 
Scion  of  Bharata,  with  thy  very  being;  through  His  grace 
thou  shalt  attain  to  the  Supreme  Peace  and  the  Abode  Eternal. 

(1319) 

(Therefore)  you  do  surrender  yourself  completely  to  him  (God) 
with  all  your  Self  in  speech,  mind  and  body,  just  as  the  Ganges  sur- 
renders itself  to  a  sea.  Then,  through  His  grace,  you  will  be  the 
Lord  of  the  Lady  in  the  form  of  tranquillity  and  remain  pleased  in 
the  bliss  of  the  essence  of  the  self,  where  the  creation  gets  created, 
rest  gets  rest  and  experience  gains  experience.  You  will  be  the  King 
of  the  seat  of  your  self,  getting  unwasted";  spake  the  Lord  of  Lakshmi 
to  Partha. 

63  "Thus  unto  thee  has  been  recited  by  Me  this  doctrine  which 
is  more  mysterious  than  mystery  (itself):  ponder  over  it 
well  and  fully,  and  (thereafter)  do  as  thou  wiliest.       (1323) 

The  celebrated  Glta  is  the  very  essence  of  all  literature  and  it  will 


640  JNANESHWARI 

secure  for  you  the  gem  in  the  form  'of  the  Self.  In  the  metaphysical 
part  of  the  Vedas,  it  is  described  under  the  great  name  'knowledge' 
and  has  consequently  secured  a  great  fame  in  the  world.  The  intellect 
and  other  means  of  obtaining  ^mundane  knowledge  are  only  the 
reflected  tiny  rays  derived  from  that  (knowledge)  eye  through  its 
light,  and  I,  the  all-seeing,  am  also  revealed  entirely  through  that 
very  knowledge.  And  this  is  the  knowledge  of  the  Self  :  it  is  the  most 
secret  treasure  of  myself,  the  non-manifest.  Yet  how  should  I  hide  it 
from  you?  And  it  is  for  this.  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  that  I  have  handed 
over  this  secret  hoard  to  you,  my  heart  being  overwhelmed  with 
compassion  for  you.  A  mother  infatuated  with  affection  for  her 
pet  child  talks  quite  freely  with  such  a  child;  how  could  my  affection 
for  you  (which  is  of  that  same  type)  not  make  me  do  the  same?  I  the 
all-knowing  have  communicated  to  you,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  that  which 
is  definitely  true,  after  giving  it  an  all-round  consideration,  in  the 
way  the  sky  should  be  strained,  or  the  nectar  should  be  stripped  off 
of  its  rind  or  the  lamp  should  be  made  to  come  safe  out  of  fire  ordeal 
( f^Rv^ot ),  or  the  eyes  of  the  Sun,  with  the  light  of  whose  rays  even 
an  atom  in  the  region  under  the  earth  becomes  discernible,  should 
be  treated  with  Divine  collyrium.  Now  it  is  for  you  to  decide  for  your- 
self what  is  proper  (for  you)  and  after  doing  it,  to  act  as  you  like.'"'  On 
hearing  these  words  of  the  Lord  Arjuna  kept  silent,  at  which  the 
Lord  said  again,  "You  seem  to  be  a  thorough  one."  'Were  a  hungry 
person  to  feel  shy  before  one  serving  him  food,  and  to  say  that  he 
has  had  a  full  feed,  it  would  be  entirely  his  own  fault  if  he  had  (in 
consequence)  to  suffer  from  hunger.  In  that  way,  having  met  (with) 
an  all-knowing  preceptor,  were  one  to  feel  shy  and  not  ask  to  be 
enlightened  upon  the  nature  of  Self,  one  would  only  be  deceiving 
one's  self  and  be  open  to  the  sin  of  self-deception.  From  your  silence, 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  it  appears  to  me  that  you  desire  that  1  should  once 
more  summarize  the  doctrine  of  knowledge  in  its  entirety.""  At  this 
Partha  said,  "Oh  generous  Lord  you  have  correctly  read  my  mind: 
to  speak  (the  truth)  is  there  indeed  another  knower  (different  from 
you?  Others  (the  rest)  are  but  the  objects  of  knowledge,  thou  alone 
art  the  only  omniscient  person  inherently.  Is  there  any  point  in 
describing  the  Sun  as  being  the  Sun?"  Hearing  this  Lord  Krishna 
said,  "What  you  appear  to  have  comprehended  of  Me  cannot  be 
called  insufficient  or  incomplete  (description)". 


XVIII.    MOK$ASAMNYASAYOGA  641 

64  "Yet  again  listen  to  My  ultimate  word,  which  is  the  secret  of 
all  secrets:  thou  art  intimately  loved  of  Me,  and  so  I  shall 
communicate  what  is  to  thy  weal.  (1341) 

Now  you  do  listen  once  again  to  my  plain  and  clear  talk  with  spacious 
(keen  and  receptive)  attention.  It  is  not  (such  an  ordinary)  subject 
as  I  should  speak  about  because  it  is  worth  communicating  or  you 
should  hear  because  it  is  worth  listening  to:  but  it  is  in  fact  your  own 
good  luck  (and  nothing  else).  The  young  of  a  tortoise  is  supplied 
with  feed  (milk),  Oh  Dhananjaya,  from  the  vision  of  its  mother; 
or  the  (cloud  in  the)  sky  becomes  the  water  carrier  at  the  home  of  the 
bird  Chakora.  In  that  way,  (it  is  like)  getting  the  fruit,  on  the  very 
spot,  of  an  action  that  has  not  been  performed  at  all.  In  short,  is 
there  anything  in  the  world  that  is  beyond  the  reach  of  a  man  when 
fortune  smiles  on  him?  Ordinarily,  that  which  enables  one  to  escape 
from  duality,  and  is  fit  to  be  enjoyed  at  the  home  of  the  union  with 
the  Self  (Monism)  is,  remember  ye,  this  esoteric  doctrine  (knowledge). 
Oh  beloved  one,  that  which  becomes  the  subject  of  love,  that  is  not 
burdened  with  any  formality,  is  nothing  else  but  the  soul  (self)  itself; 
be  sure  of  it.  We  cleanse  a  mirror,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  that  we  have  to 
look  into;  and  we  do  this  not  for  the  sake  of  the  mirror  but  for  our 
own  sake.  In  that  way,  Oh  Partha,  what  I  am  speaking  is  for  my  own 
sake  alone,  you  being  only  an  excuse:  is  there  anything  like  1-ness'' 
or  Tou-ness'  between  us?  I  am  telling  my  heart's  secret  to  you, 
my  very  soul.  It  is  in  fact  an  inveterate  hobby  with  me  to  be  after 
my  exclusive  devotees.  The  salt  gets  deluded,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu, 
while  surrendering  itself  completely  to  water  and  feels  no  shame  in 
merging  its  individuality  wholly  into  it.  In  that  way,  since  you  never 
know  to  keep  away  anything  (secret)  from  rae,  how  should  I  keep 
(secret)  anything  from  you?  Therefore,  you  do  hear  that  great  secret 
talk  of  mine,  before  which  all  secrets  of  the  universe  pale  into  utter 
insignificance  (prove  only  vividly  open) : 

mj^iMQj  TR&i  %  uictvHi^  fsnftsfa  #  II  %,%  II 

65  "Infix  thy  mind  in  Me,  be  devoted  to  Me,  offer  service  unto 
Me,  render  homage  unto  Me:  so  wilt  thou  assuredly  come 
right  unto  Me.  This  I  promise  thee,  (as)  thou  art  dear  unto  Me. 

(1353) 

You  do  make  me-the  all-pervading  God-the  object  of  all  your 
i 


642  JNANESHWARI 

dealings,  external  as  well  as  internal.  The  wind  abides  mingled 
throughout  the  sky,  in  that  way  you  be  within  me  in  all  your  actions; 
Nay  you  make  your  mind  my  exclusive  home  (i.e.  do  not  allow  your 
mind  to  think  of  anything  except*  myself  at  all  times)  and  keep  your 
ears  stuffed  up  with  exclusive  hearing  of  my  own  praise.  The  saints 
purified  by  the  knowledge  of  the  self  are  but  my  own  miniature  forms: 
let  your  vision  look  fondly  at  them  as  a  loving  husband  looks  at 
his  wife.  I  am  the  abode  of  all  the  objects  and  therefore  (you)  direct 
your  tongue  eternally  to  be  fond  of  (uttering)  my  name,  and  keep 
it  alive  in  that  way.  You  do  arrange  all  (your  actions)  in  a  way  that 
all  the  actions  of  your  hand  and  the  movement  of  your  feet,  are  all 
solely  on  my  account.  Whatever  actions,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  you 
perform  by  way  of  obliging  your  own  people  (kinsmen)  or  strangers, 
will  constitute  the  sacrifice  through  which  you  will  become  a  good 
sacrificer,  whom  I  shall  own  as  my  own.  How  far  I  should  proceed 
teaching  you  things  one  after  another?  You  do  assume  for  yourself 
the  position  of  a  servant,  and  look  upon  others  as  my  own  forms  and 
as  such  fit  to  be  served.  That  will  banish  (from  your  heart)  all  hatred 
for  beings  and  thus  make  you  pay  me  homage  (lit.  salute)  everywhere. 
Your  life  will  be  fully  charged  with  my  spiritual  Presence.  And  then 
there  being  total  absence  of  a  third  party  in  this  buzzing  world,  it 
would  bring  about  (the  great  bliss  of)  complete  privacy  for  you  and 
for  me.  Then,  whatever  state  of  things  might  arise,  there  would 
remain  only  Myself  for  you  and  yourself  for  me,  to  enjoy  each  other's 
company,  and  then  our  mutual  happiness  will  automatically  be 
enhanced:  and  then  in  that  state,  in  which  the  bar  in  the  form  of  the 
third  party  is  removed,  you  will  in  the  end  be  one  with  my  essence, 
merging  in  my  Person.  When  water  is  dried  up,  what  is  there  to 
obstruct  the  reflection  (that  was  in  the  water)  from  going  and  merging 
into  the  original  disc  (of  the  Sun  or  any  other  planet)?  Or  who  is 
going  to  cause  obstruction  to  the  wind  merging  into  the  sky  or  what 
can  prevent  the  waves  merging  into  the  sea?  It  is  only  on  account 
of  the  body-form  that  you  and  I  appear  distinct:  when  therefore  the 
body-form  itself  is  eliminated  you  will  be  only  myself  and  this  is 
certain.  (You)  do  not  entertain  any  misgivings  about  what  1  say; 
I  swear  by  you  (to  guarantee  its  veracity),  should  you  feel  any  hesitancy 
about  it.  To  swear  by  your  name  amounts  to  swearing  only  by  my 
self;  but  real  love  makes  one  forget  bashfulness!  Otherwise,  one  who 
is  the  very  object  of  knowledge,  and  who  is  above  worldly  affairs 
on  account  of  whom  this  world  semblance  is  felt  real,  and  whose 
command  conquers  even  the  destroyer-that  one-Myself-God,  the 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  643 

Satyasamkalpa  ( H?q-  *nf^r  -one  whose  will  cometh  to  pass)  and  the 
Father  who  is  ever  watchful  in  regard  to  the  weal  of  the  entire  universe 
-why  should  He  stoop  to  (such)  objectionable  swearing?  But  Oh 
Arjuna,  I  am  fondly  enamoured  of  you  and  have  discarded  the  insignia 
of  Godhood,  with  the  result  that  I  have  become  half  (imperfect), 
while  you  have  (on  the  other  hand)  become  complete  (perfected 
being  steeped  with  my  Spirit).  This  is  like,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  the  king 
swearing  by  himself  for  securing  his  own  ends".  On  this  Arjuna 
exclaimed,  "Oh  God,  you  should  not  indulge  in  such  extravagant 
talk:  our  cause  (the  goal  of  salvation)  is  served  through  the  remem- 
brance of  your  name  alone.  You  have  settled  down  here  to  advise 
me  and  while  doing  this  you  resort  to  swearing:  where  is  (thus)  a 
limit  to  such  a  humorous  acting  on"  your  part?  A  small  ray  of  the  Sun 
blows  open  a  garden  of  lotus  flowers,  but  on  that  excuse  the  entire 
world  gets  lit.  The  clouds  shower  (copious)  rain  that  cools  down  the 
earth  as  also  makes  the  sea  full  of  water;  (to  say  that  the  rain  comes 
for)  satisfying  the  thirst  of  the  bird  Chakora  is  only  a  pretence.  Is  it 
not,  therefore,  incumbent  to  say  that  I  am  only  an  excuse  for  (the 
bestowal  of)  your  generosity,  Oh  you  the  King  of  donors  and  the  sea 
of  kindness."  The  lord  said  on  this,  "Let  that  alone.  This  is  no 
occasion  for  such  a  say  (praise).  The  means  which  I  have  preached 
you  will  undoubtedly  make  you  attain  Me.  A  crystal  of  salt  gets 
dissolved  the  moment  it  is  dropped  into  the  sea;  is  there  any  reason 
for  its  remaining  undissolved?  In  that  way  by  worshipping  me 
everywhere  in  all  created  things  (wherein  my  indwelling  spirit  exists) 
and  seeing  my  Presence  in  all  things,  you  will  completely  lose  your 
egotism  and  be  only  myself.  I  have  thus  shown  to  you  how  the  range 
of  means  goes  on  widening-beginning  with  action  and  culminating 
in  attaining  me.  First  you  have  to  dedicate  all  your  actions  to  me, 
Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  and  then  the  Divine  (lit.  my)  peace  will  descend 
on  you  at  all  times  and  places.  Afterwards  when  you  have  got  full 
realization  of  my  knowledge  through  this  grace  (i.e.  Divine  peace) 
of  mind,  you  shall  assuredly  be  merged  in  my  Divine  Form.  In  such 
a  state  then,  Oh  Partha,  there  remains  no  distinction,  such  as  the 
end  (to  be  attained)  and  the  means  to  attain  it:  nay,  there  remains 
nothing  else  for  you  to  do.  You  have  all  along  been  dedicating  all 
your  actions  to  me  with  the  result  that  you  have  today  secured  my 
grace  and  on  the  strength  of  this  grace  of  mine,  all  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  fighting  (on  your  part)  will  be  removed.  Once  I  am  caught  by 
fascination  for  you,  I  shall  never  leave  you  in  the  lurch.  This  is  the 
doctrine  of  Gita  which  I  have  delivered  to  you  by  advancing  logical 


644  JNANFSHWARI 

arguments  backed  by  Scriptural  authorities — the  Gita  which  is 
capable  of  destroying  Nescience  along  with  (the  display  of)  mundane 
existence  and  which  makes  my  sole  Presence  visible  (to  my  devotee) 
in  all  things.  I  have  (also)  preached  to  you  in  various  ways  the  know- 
ledge of  my  'Self,  and  with  the  help  of  that  knowledge,  I  have  enabled 
you  to  drop  off  all  ignorance  which  has  led  you  wrongly  to  this  delusion 
(which  makes  you  prate  about)  religion  and  non-religion. 

66  "Relinquish  all  (so-called)  'duties',  and  unto  Me  alone  as 
shelter,  betake  thyself:  I  shall  release  thee  from  all  'sins' 
whatsoever.  (1390) 

Hope  gives  birth  to  pain,  or  slander  to  sin,  or  misfortune  to  poverty; 
in  that  way  ignorance  (Nescience)  creates  religion  and  non-religion 
leading  to  Heaven  and  Hell,  and  therefore  abandon  it  all  (ignorance) 
completely  through  knowledge.  By  holding  the  rope  in  hand,  all 
delusion  of  its  being  a  snake  disappears;  or  the  home  and  other 
mundane  affairs  (seen)  in  a  dream  disappear  by  shaking  off  sleep; 
or  with  the  disappearance  of  jaundice  the  moonlight  ceases  to  appear 
yellow;  or  with  the  recovery  from  a  disease  the  tongue  (mouth) 
ceases  to  have  bitter  taste;  or  with  the  end  of  the  day,  the  mirage 
disappears;  or  with  the  firewood,  the  fire  (latent  in  it  also  drops  down). 
In  all  these  ways  you  do  drop  down  all  that  Nescience  which  brings 
forth  the  humbug  of  religious  and  non-religious  acts,  and  then  you 
will  have  relinquished  therewith  all  notions  of  good  and  evil.  And  with 
the  elimination  of  ignorance,  I  myself  alone  remain  behind  auto- 
matically. With  the  dropping  down  of  sleep  along  with  slumber, 
one  remains  all  alone  by  himself;  in  that  way  (with  the  departure 
of  ignorance)  nothing  else  distinct  from  myself  remains  behind,  the 
entire  range  of  visible  creation  appearing  to  his  (devotee's)  vision  as 
identical  to  his  Self.  Getting  completely  one  with  Me,  keeping  no 
distinction  whatever  as  regards  one's  own  individual  Self,  is  what  is 
complete  surrender  unto  Me.  With  the  destruction  of  the  earthen 
pot,  the  sky  (cavity)  contained  in  it  (disappears)  and  merges  into  the 
wide  sky:  in  that  way,  surrendering  completely  unto  Mc  brings 
about  union  with  My  essence.  (Therefore)  surrender  yourself.  Oh 
Dhananjaya,  completely  unto  Me,  in  the  way  gold  beads  merge 
into  gold  or  the  waves  merge  into  water.  The  (supposed)  submarine 


XVIII.   MOK$ASAMNYASAYOGA  645 

fire  surrenders  itself  unto  the  sea  keeping  intact  its  individuality, 
Oh  KiritT,  and  it  does  not  desist  from  burning  it  (sea):  you  should 
not  follow  that  course.  To  surrender  completely  unto  Me  and  at  the 
same  time  to  maintain  individual  existence  distinct  from  Me  is  abo- 
minable (ftpp,  and  how  would  the  intellect  not  feel  ashamed  of  holding 
this  view  (such  a  talk)  were  it  to  say  so?  Were  a  common  female 
servant  to  succeed  in  winning  the  love  of  a  King,  she  too  is  raised  to 
his  (Royal)  position!  That  a  being  attaining  Me  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe — and  (simultaneously)  not  being  able  to  snap  the  fetters 
of  his  existence  as  a  distinct  personality — is  a  wicked  talk  to  which 
you  do  not  even  lend  your  ears.  Therefore  becoming  one  with  me, 
one  automatically  renders  service  unto  Me,  and  you  should  act  in  a 
way  that  the  (aforesaid)  service  will  be  in  your  possession  (lit.  in 
your  grasp)  through  this  knowledge  (of  complete  identity).  Once 
the  butter  is  churned  out  from  the  buttermilk,  it  cannot  again  be 
mingled  with  it,  even  though  it  is  put  into  it  (buttermilk) ;  in  that  way, 
once  you  surrender  yourself  unto  Me  with  perfect  monism,  then  as 
natural  corollary,  matters  relating  to  religion  or  non-religion  (good 
or  evil)  will  not  even  touch  you.  Iron  gets  rusted  and  reduced  to  dust, 
but  once  it  associates  with  a  Paris  and  gets  converted  into  gold, 
no  dirt  can  even  touch  it  (iron);  once  the  fire  is  kindled  by  friction, 
by  rubbing  against  each  other  two  pieces  of  firewood,  the  fire  cannot 
remain  again  shut  up  (latent)  in  the  fire-wood.  Can,  Oh  Arjuna, 
the  Sun  ever  see  darkness,  or  can  dreamy  delusion  be  experienced 
again  after  awakening?  In  that  way,  once  absorbed  in  Me,  can  there 
remain  any  reason  (for  one)  for  remaining  distinct  from  my  universal 
Self?  You  need  not,  therefore,  harbour  any  other  idea  in  your  mind, 
and  I  shall  be  all  what  you  call  your  merit  and  sin.  The  mark  of  the 
entire  bondage  is  sin  and  it  exists  through  duality.  That  can  be  des- 
troyed through  the  knowledge  of  myself.  Salt  falling  into  water  is 
completely  converted  into  water;  in  that  way,  you,  who  have  already 
surrendered  yourself  unto  Me,  unreservedly  would  be  like  that  (viz. 
become  one  with  my  essence).  And  when  this  takes  place  you  will, 
Oh  Dhananjaya,  automatically  enjoy  liberation.  You  do  own  me 
as  being  entirely  yours  and  I  shall  liberate  you  through  my  illumination. 
You  should  therefore,  henceforward,  leave  off  all  anxieties;  you  only 
do  realize  Me  through  knowledge,  Oh  you  good  Talent,  and  surrender 
yourself  exclusively  unto  Me."  So  spake  Lord  Krishna— the  Omni- 
font, the  Omniscient  and  the  Omnipresent.  Then  extending  his 
dusky  left  arm,  adorned  with  a  bracelet,  he  embraced  the  king  amongst 
devotees,  who  had  already  surrendered  himself  unto  Him.  The 


646  JNANESHWARI 

embrace  was  only  a  pretext  for  giving  his  own  essence  (to  Arjuna), 
which  could  not  be  reached  either  by  words  or  by  intellect,  and  from 
which  the  words  having  pulled  back  (restrained)  the  intellect,  are 
forced  to  beat  a  retreat  (without  teaching  it).  With  the  heart  meeting 
the  heart,  (the  contents  of)  one  (Lord  Krishna's)  were  poured  into 
another  (of  Partha's).  Partha  was  made  his  own  (by  Lord  Krishna) 
without  snapping  the  (outward)  duality.  That  embrace  was  just 
like  one  lamp  lighting  another,  and  thus  Psrtha  was  made  his  own 
self  (by  Lord  Krishna),  without  breaking  (outward)  duality.  Then 
there  swept  such  a  big  flood  of  happiness  over  Dhananjaya,  that  the 
Lord,  even  though  all-pervading  (big),  got  drowned  into  it.  An 
ocean  meeting  another  ocean,  doubles  the  volume  of  water,  and  part 
of  it  rises  up  in  torrential  form  in  the  sky  (occupying  it)  for  accom- 
modating itself;  in  that  way,  the  coming  together  of  these  two  resulted 
in  neither  being  able  to  curb  himself;  who  could  know  how  it  all 
happened?  Yet  the  entire  universe  got  stuffed  up  (pervaded)  by 
Lord  Krishna.  In  this  way  Lord  Krishna  expounded  the  Gita  Scrip- 
ture— the  original  thread  (source)  of  the  Vedas,  invested  with  supreme 
holiness  on  account  of  its  (Gita's)  universal  validity.  You  might 
raise  a  doubt  how  the  Gita  is  the  origin  of  the  Vedas,  I  explain  to 
you  the  theory  underlying  it,  which  is  well-known.  This  (Gita)  has 
been  expounded  with  asseveration  through  his  own  mouth  by  that 
great  Speaker  of  the  truth  (Lord  Vishnu),  with  that  very  breath  the 
•Vedas  were  born.  Therefore  what  is  said  about  the  Gita  being  the 
origin  of  the  Vedas  is  but  proper.  There  is  yet  one  more  proof  of  it. 
That  in  which  the  future  growth  of  a  thing  lies  hidden  without  that 
thing  getting  itself  destroyed  (i.e.  preserving  the  innate  form  of  the 
thing)  is  what  is  called  seed.  The  entire  Vedas  (*(W^lftu")  same  as 
(av^gj)  is  made  up  of  three  pieces  (spir — parts  viz.  activism,  worship, 
knowledge)  which  are  (stored  up)  in  the  Gita,  just  as  a  tree  (is  stored 
up)  in  its  seed.  Therefore,  I  feel  that  the  Gita  is  the  seed  of  the  Vedas, 
and  it  is  also  easily  preemptible.  The  three  parts  of  the  Vedas  appear 
clearly  marked  out  in  the  Gita,  in  the  way  a  human  body  is  adorned 
by  ornaments  of  jewelry.  Now  I  shall  show  you  through  (your  own) 
eyes  in  what  particular  portions  of  the  Gita,  the  three  parts  such  as 
activism,  etc.  are.  The  first  chapter  forms  only  the  preface  to  the 
philosophy  involved  in  the  Gita  teachings,  while  in  Chapter  n  the 
theory  of  Samkhya  philosophy  is  expounded.  It  is  (also)  suggested 
in  Chapter  n  that  according  to  SSmkhya  nothing  else  but  knowledge 
is  necessary  for  securing  deliverance.  Then  a  beginning  is  made  in 
Chapter  in  of  the  subject  as  regards  the  means  of  securing  deliverance 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  647 

for  such  as  are  fettered  by  ignorance.  They  (means)  consist  of  the 
avoidance  of  (fruit)  motived  and  prohibited  actions  by  those  that 
are  fettered  by  the  conceit  of  their  body-form,  and  of  the  performance 
by  them  without  fail  of  the  prescribed,  day-to-day  and  occasional 
duties  (^f).  This  they  should  do  in  good  faith-is  the  decision  given 
by  Lord  Krishna  in  Chapter  in  and  this  is  what  is  called  Karma- 
kanda  (*pfortr)  or  the  path  dealing  with  activism.  And  how  this  per- 
formance of  the  day-to-day  etc.  duties  would  help  in  snapping  the 
bonds  of  ignorance,  was  the  point  that  worked  in  his  mind  (of  Lord 
Krishna),  and  he  announced  that  when  the  fettered  being  reached 
the  stage  of  a  'seeker'  (*PJ$0  he  should  dedicate  all  his  actions  to 
Supreme  Brahman  and  continue  performing  them.  According  to 
Lord  Krishna  whatever  enjoined  duties  (actions)  might  be  performed 
through  the  agency  of  body,  speech  and  mind — they  should  all  in 
that  very  stage  be  said  to  have  been  performed  with  the  sole  intention 
of  being  dedicated  to  God.  The  discourse  on  how  this  motive-free 
activism  should  be  dedicated  to  God  through  prayers  and  sermons 
is  started  at  the  conclusion  of  Chapter  iv  and  this  theme  of  worshipping 
God  through  activism  has  been  continued  right  upto  the  end  of  Chap- 
ter XI,  entitled  the  'Vision  of  the  Omni-form'.  Here  know  this,  as  the 
Devata-kanda  (^rm"  3T§--Division  dealing  with  the  Worship  of 
Deity),  consisting  of  eight  Chapters  in  which  the  Gita  has  cleared 
up  all  obstacles  (doubts)  and  has  made  the  theme  clear  (to  understand). 
And  by  the  same  favour  of  God  can  be  secured  the  true  and  tender 
knowledge,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  preceptor's  school 
(sfrj*  'fl'MW).As  we  take  it,  Chapter  xn  teaches  that  this  (knowledge) 
should  be  increased  through  (developing)  qualities  like  non-hatred 
and  non-arrogance.  The  theme  preached  in  Chapters  beginning  with 
the  12th  and  ending  with  the  15th  is  "the  Ripe  Fruit  of  Knowledge" 
and  this  is  preached  in  four  Chapters  ending  with  "Upwending  Roots" 
—The  Jnanakanda  ( alH+U )  Division  dealing  with  knowledge).  This 
Shruti  Scripture  preaching  the  three  divisions  (fwhr)  has  got  itself 
bedecked  with  jewel  ornaments  in  the  form  of  Gita  stanzas,  Chapter 
xvi  expounds  the  group  of  ignorance  (ignorant  ones)  that  bear  hatred 
day  in  and  day  out  towards  the  means  of  acquiring  knowledge,  the 
means  which  alone  yield  the  fruit  of  salvation;  so  the  tripartite  Scrip- 
tures proclaim  loudly,  stressing  that  men  must  try  without  fail  to 
win  it  (the  fruit  of  Salvation).  Chapter  xvii  conveys  the  message  that 
this  enemy  (the  collection  of  vices)  should  be  conquered  with  the 
help  of  the  Scriptures.  In  this  way  from  Chapter  I  to  the  end  of 
Chapter  xvn,  the  Lord  has  discussed  the  Vedas  born  out  of  his  very 


648  JNANESHWARI 

breath,  and  the  1 8th  is  the  top  chapter  (fw)  in  which  is  drawn  up  a 
summary  of  and  the  deductions  drawn  from,  the  discourse  contained 
in  (the  previous)  17  chapters.  Thus  the  Bhagavad-GM  Scripture, 
numerically  formed  (of  chapters  -and  stanzas)  is  the  very  Vedas  in- 
carnate, but  superior  to  them  in  point  of  generosity  (in  regard  to 
imparting  knowledge).  The  Vedas  themselves  are  quite  rich  with 
the  wealth  in  the  form  of  knowledge:  yet  none  can  equal  them  in 
point  of  miserliness,  since  they  whisper  (communicate  knowledge) 
in  the  ears  only  of  the  first  three  (w  Brahmins,  the  Kshatriyas  and 
Vaishyas)  of  the  four  castes  ( ^rpj^  ).  They  have  remained  quiet, 
allowing  no  scope  whatever  to  the  rest  of  the  human  beings,  viz.  the 
Shudras  and  women  (standing)  equally  affected  by  worldly  affairs. 
Therefore,  it  appears  to  me  (Jnanadev)  that  in  order  to  make  up  the 
former  deficiency  and  to  be  serviceable  equally  to  all,  the  very  Vedas 
have  assumed  a  different  garb  and  have  appeared  in  the  form  of 
Gita-Scripture.  Not  only  that  but  they  became  available  to  anyone 
through  the  Gita-form,  either  by  entering  into  mind  through  the 
interpretations,  or  into  the  ears  through  hearing,  or  into  the  mouths 
through  reciting.  A  free  boarding  house  providing  food  in  the  form 
of  liberation  has  (as  it  were)  been  opened  in  the  market-place  of  the 
worldly  affairs  and  is  available  even  to  a  dullard,  writing  out  and 
simply  keeping  with  himself  in  a  bookform,  the  Gita  Scripture  side 
by  side  with  one  knowing  it  by  rote  and  reciting  it.  The  sky  cavity 
is  the  only  space  open  for  living  freely  in  the  atmosphere  or  for  sitting 
on  the  earth  or  for  roaming  about  in  the  sunlight;  in  that  way  the 
Gita  is  one,  that  gives  equally  to  all  that  take  its  resort,  without  any 
discrimination,  such  as  the  best  or  the  lowest,  the  gift  of  getting  one 
with  the  Deity  which  makes  the  entire  world  feel  happy  (cool).  Getting 
afraid  of  the  previous  accusation  (of  being  miserly)  the  Vedas  entered 
into  the  womb  of  the  Gita,  and  got  their  fame  fully  purified  and 
brightened.  Therefore  Shri  Gita  is  that  form  of  the  Vedas  that  can 
be  grasped  by  all  and  which  Lord  Krishna  has  preached  to  the  Son 
of  Pandu.  Milk  is  released  (by  the  cow)  from  the  udder  for  the  sake 
of  its  young,  yet  the  entire  household  gets  its  supply;  in  that  way  the 
entire  world  is  rescued  (from  Hell)  on  the  pretext  (far)  of  the  Son  of 
Pandu.  The  clouds  come  running  with  (rain)  water  out  of  kindness 
towards  the  bird  Chakora  yet  the  aggregate  of  created  things  (world) 
gets  the  cooling  effect  of  it.  The  Sun  rises  every  morning  for  the  sake 
of  the  helpless  lotus,  the  eyes  of  the  entire  universe  receive  light  from 
him;  in  that  way,  on  the  plea  of  Arjuna  the  Lord  gave  an  exposition 
of  the  Gita  and  lightened  the  heavy  load  in  the  form  of  the  worldly 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  649 

affairs  of  the  (people  in  the)  universe.  He  is  not  (only)  the  Lord  of 
Lakshmi,  but  is  (also)  the  Sun  rising  in  the  sky  in  the  form  of  his 
face  and  shedding  light  on  the  brilliance  of  the  gems  in  the  form  of 
the  mysteries  of  all  the  Scriptures  in  the  three  worlds.  All  Glory  to 
that  holy  dynasty,  which  gave  birth  to  Partha — who  made  himself 
eligible  for  knowledge  and  offered  its  enclosure  free  to  all.  Let  that 
alone;  the  worthy  Preceptor,  Lord  Krishna,  then  made  Partha  alive 
to  the  sense  of  duality,  seeing  him  getting  absorbed  in  his  own  Self. 
The  Lord  then  asked  "Are  you,  Oh  Partha,  convinced  of  the  principles 
of  the  Gita?",  to  which  he  replied,  "Yes,  through  your  own  Grace." 
The  Lord  again  said,  "It  requires  extra-ordinary  strength  of  good 
luck,  to  secure  the  secret  treasure,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  and  (yet)  there  is 
hardly  any  person  who  is  able  to  enjoy  the  treasure  already  secured 
through  good  luck.  See  what  an  amount  of  labour  must  have  been 
caused  to  the  Gods  and  demons,  to  chum  (the  contents  of)  the  big 
pot  of  the  size  of  the  ocean  containing  unfermenled  (srfsrrsft)  milk; 
their  labours  bore  fruit  in  that  they  could  see  with  their  own  eyes  the 
ambrosia  that  emerged  but  they  failed  in  taking  proper  care  of  it. 
That  (ambrosia)  which  was  secured  for  getting  immortality  only 
proved  fatal.  Such  was  the  (tragic)  result  of  securing  an  object, 
without  knowing  how  to  enjoy  it.  Do  we  not  know  how  King  Nahusha, 
became  the  Lord  of  Heaven,  but  not  knowing  how  to  behave  properly 
he  was  transformed  into  a  snake.  You  have,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  secured 
a  vast  amount  of  merit  (frar)  with  the  result  that  you  have  become 
competent  to  secure  (the  knowledge  of)  this  King  amongst  the  Scrip- 
tures. You  should,  therefore,  follow  the  great  tradition  of  the  Scrip- 
ture and  maintain  it  with  firm  devotion.  Were  you,  Oh  Arjuna, 
to  perform  that  duty  of  maintaining  it,  otherwise  than  in  accordance 
with  the  traditions  attached  to  it,  it  would  only  produce  a  result,  Oh 
Arjuna,  exactly  as  did  the  churning  out  of  the  ambrosia.  Having 
secured  out  a  stout  and  good-looking  cow,  you  will  be  able  to  get 
milk  from  her.  Oh  Kiriti,  only  if  you  master  the  art  of  milching  her 
in  the  evening  time  (the  usual  time  of  milching).  In  that  way  one 
should  secure  a  worthy  preceptor,  and  should  also  receive  correctly 
the  learning;  yet,  it  all  will  come  to  fruition  only  if  the  traditions  of 
that  learning  are  carefully  observed.  Therefore,  do  you  now  hear, 
with  great  regard,  the  correct  traditions  of  this  (Gita)  Scripture. 


650  JNANESHWARI 

67  "This  (teaching)  is  not  to  be,  by  thee,  at  any  time  imparted 
to  one  who  is  not  leading  a  life  of  austerity,  who  is  not  a  devotee, 
and  who  is  not  eager  to  listen:  nor  to  one  who  traduces  Me. 

(1486) 

Now  that  Oh  Partha,  you  have  secured  this  (knowledge  of)  Gita- 
Scripture  with  great  devotion,  you  should  not  impart  it  to  one  who 
is  devoid  of  austerity.  Even  were  there  (found)  one  leading  a  life 
of  austerity,  yet  were  he  wanting  in  firm  devotion  to  his  preceptor, 
he  (too)  should  be  avoided  (because  he  is  unfit)  as  the  Vedas  do  in 
regard  to  low-born  ones.  The  food  left  over  after  sacrificial  oblations 
should  not  be  made  available  to  a  crow  even  though  old  in  age: 
similarly  the  Gita-teachings  should  not  be  imparted  to  one  leading 
a  life  of  austerity  but  devoid  of  devotion  towards  the  preceptor.  One 
who  leads  a  life  of  austerity,  and  has  also  devotion  towards  God- 
Preceptor,  yet  if  he  is  wanting  in  earnestness  for  hearing  the  Gita- 
gospel,  such  a  one  is  not  eligible  to  hear  the  Gita-teachings,  even 
though  he  be  held  in  reverence  by  the  world  on  account  of  his  possess- 
ing the  above-mentioned  qualities.  However  lustrous  or  precious- 
a  pearl  might  be,  if  it  be  without  an  aperture,  would  it  be  ever  possible 
for  the  thread  *(y*0  to  find  an  entrance  therein  through  it  (for  being 
used  as  ornament)?  No  one  can  dispute  the  depth  of  an  ocean,  yet 
do  not  the  rain  showers  falling  into  it  simply  go  to  waste?  Why  not 
be  generous  and  give  food  to  one  feeling  hungry,  rather  than  offer 
it  to  one  with  a  full  belly,  and  waste  it?  Take  care  that  you  do  not 
even  casually  impart  it  to  any  one,  who  however  worthy  otherwise 
has  not  the  least  regard  for  it.  The  eye  can  appreciate  (physical) 
beauty,  yet  what  does  it  know  of  fragrance?  In  short,  a  thing  becomes 
fruitful  (only)  where  it  is  appreciated.  Do  show  regard  to  persons 
observing  austerity  or  having  devotion,  Oh  husband  of  Subhadra 
(Lord  Krishna's  sister),  yet  avoid  such  as  have  got  no  regard  for 
hearing  the  GIta  (recited).  (For  instance)  there  is  the  austerity  as 
also  devotion,  and  further  there  is  also  intense  desire  to  hear  (the 
Gita-teachings);  with  all  this  equipment  (qualities)  were  one  (possess- 
ing these  qualifications)  to  talk  disparagingly  of  Me — the  Creator 
of  the  GM  Scripture  and  the  Controller  of  the  entire  Universe— 
and  others  that  revile  Me  and  my  devotees — consider  all  such  quite 
ineligible  for  imparting  the  teachings  of  the  GitiL  The  equipment  in 
other  respects  is  like  a  lamp-stand  without  a  (wick  and)  flame  during 

*  There  is  a  pun  on  the  word  ^"T  (Guna)  which  means  thread,  and  good  quality  or 
virtue. 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  651 

night  time.  Further  there  should  be  a  fair-complexioned  and  a  youth- 
ful body  also  bedecked  with  ornaments,  yet  with  no  life  in  it,  or 
there  should  be  a  beautiful  house  built  of  pure  and  bright  gold,  yet 
it  should  be  barred  at  its  very  entrance  by  a  (venomous)  female  cobra; 
or  there  should  be  the  best  cooked  food  but  mixed  with  venom;  or 
there  should  be  the  secret  malice  in  friendship.  Of  the  type  of  all 
these  are  the  austerities,  the  devotion,  or  the  intellect  of  all  those  that 
revile  Me  and  my  devotees,  know  ye,  Oh  wise  one.  Therefore  Oh 
Dhananjaya,  do  not  allow  such  a  devotee,  or  a  man  of  intellect,  or 
an  observer  of  austerities,  even  to  touch  the  Gita-scripture.  What 
more  should  I  say?  Were  such  a  slanderer  to  be  as  worthy  as  even 
the  God  Brahmdev  (the  Creator  the  world)  do  not  impart  Gita- 
teachings  (to  him),  even  in  a  joke. 

*ffa>  *Tfa  <=RT  fr^T  4HJ)|uk*Mi4IJ4:  II  ^t;  || 

68  "He  who  proclaims  this,  the  Supreme  Secret,  amongst  My 
devotees:  he,  haying  conceived  the  highest  devotion  towards 
Me,  shall  reach  Me  straight:  of  this  there  is  no  doubt.    (1507) 

Therefore,  you  do  instal  the  (image  of)  God  in  the  form  of  Gita-gem 
in  the  temple  in  the  form  of  the  devotee  who  after  first  making  firm 
the  foundation  of  austerities  and  then  erecting  on  it,  Oh  Dhanurdhara, 
a  temple  in  the  form  of  devotion  towards  the  Preceptor,  and  keeping 
its  door  open  in  the  form  of  keen  desire  to  hear,  and  lastly  fixes  over 
it  a  beautiful  top  (fct*P")  of  gems  in  the  form  of  non-slander.  And 
when  you  do  this,  you  will  also  rise  up,  in  this  universe,  to  my  own 
eminence.  The  Pranava  (the  Hindu  Triad)  was  shut  up  in  its  mystic 
monolettered  form  'OnT  (&)  in  the  womb  formed  by  the  three 
syllabic  instants  *3r'-'7*-T.  That  seat  of  the  Vedas-that  Hindu 
Triad-God  germinated  and  sprouted  into  branches  in  the  form  of 
the  GIta;  or  the  very  'GayatrT  (Tmt-the  sacred  verse  of  the  Vedas) 
has  come  into  being  with  flowers  and  fruit  in  the  form  of  G!ta  stanzas. 
Therefore,  one  who  through  genuine  regard,  will  bring  home  to  my 
devotees  the  GM  teachings  full  of  supreme  secret,  in  the  way  one, 
who  brings  together  a  longing  mother  who  cannot  live  without  her 
pet  child,  and  the  child  itself  which  has  no  other  source  of  living  than 
its  mother,  will  come  and  be  one  with  my  essence,  after  the  fall  of  his 
mortal  body. 


652  JNANESHWARI 

'-Hfadl  5T  tT  ^"  dfMKrM:  fsniclft  ^ffa  II  ^t  II 

69  "None  amongst  men  is,- save  him,  the  best  doer  of  a  deed 
dear  unto  Me.  Nor  is  there  going  to  be,  save  him,  another 
on  earth  dearer  unto  Me.  (1514) 

And  so  long  as  he  wears  the  ornament  of  the  body-form,  holding 
it  quite  distinct  from  himself,  he  is  dearer  to  Me  than  my  own  life. 
Such  a  one  alone,  amongst  those  that  are  men  of  knowledge,  that 
have  taken  to  activism  and  observe  austerities,  is  (most)  dear  to  me 
and  I  see  none  else,  in  the  entire  world,  more  dear  to  me.  One  who 
preaches  the  Glta  to  the  assembly  of  my  devotees,  one  who  with  per- 
fect tranquillity  recites  the  Glta  with  affectionate  devotion  towards 
Me  and  becomes  an  ornament  in  the  conference  of  the  saints,  one 
who  enters  into  the  garden  in  the  form  of  my  devotees  in  the  way  does 
the  season  Vasant  (Spring)  and  there  brings  on  the  body  (of  devotees) 
tremor  and  horripilation  (which  manifest  their  pure  emotion)  in  the 
way  (the  Spring  brings)  new  foliage  (to  the  trees)  and  makes  the  de- 
votees sway  backwards  and  forwards  (as  does  the  new  foliage  in  the 
Spring  in  the  gentle  breeze  of  the  wind),  and  makes  their  (devotees) 
eyes  moist  with  tears  (as  the  flowers  in  the  Spring  do  with  sweet 
juice),  and  makes  them  (devotees)  sing  with  vehement  emotion  (W<r) 
(the  Lord's  praise),  as  sings  the  (bird)  cuckoo  (in  the  Spring)  with 
sweet  tune.  The  object  of  the  life  of  the  bird  Chakora  is  achieved 
with  the  rise  of  the  Moon  in  the  sky;  or  the  new  (watery)  cloud  arises 
and  presents  itself  at  the  call  of  a  peacock;  in  all  these  ways  that 
devotee  of  mine,  with  perfect  faith  in  Me  showers  in  unlimited  pro- 
fusion, gems  in  the  form  of  GTtS  stanzas  on  the  assembly  of  saints. 
As  I  look  round  about,  I  see  no  one  dearer  to  me  than  such  a  worthy 
one:  neither  was  there  one  in  the  past  nor  will  there  be  one  in  the 
future.  One,  Oh  Arjuna,  who  in  this  way  gives  feasts  (with  dainties) 
in  the  form  GM-teachings  to  the  saints,  to  such  a  one,  I  have  up-till 
now  been  giving  place  in  my  heart  (with  affection). 

arsafasq^  f  *T  5*f  «F#  4(4 14*4144):  I 
5TfTO#T  cMlejfaW:  fulfil  Gf  #  *rf?T:  II  fco  II 

70  "And  those  who  will  study  this  our  Dialogue  concerning 
Duty,  by  that  'sacrifice'  (in  the  form)  of  knowledge,  I  shall 
be-such  is  My  thought- (amply)  worshipped.  (1524) 


xviii.  moksasamnyXsayoga  653 

And  one  who  would  recite  without  analysing  the  words  of  the  stanzas 
the  dialogue  between  yourself  and  myself,  containing  all-round 
(universal)  knowledge;  and  which  while  getting  developed  gives  birth 
to  the  philosophy  leading  towards* liberation,  will  have  kindled  the 
blazing  sacrificial  fire  of  knowledge  and  given  therein  oblation  of 
primeval  Nescience  and  thereby  propitiated  Me,  Supreme  Soul,  Oh 
you  Good  Talent.  Whatever  could  be  attained  by  the  learned  and 
the  wise  by  research  of  the  Glta  teachings-that  very  thing  would 
also  be  secured  by  those  that  simply  repeat  it  (Glta).  Thus  the  one 
simply  reciting  the  Glta  will  secure  the  same  fruit  as  the  one  knowing 
its  interpretations  does.  The  mother-the  Glta  teachings-makes  no 
distinction  between  a  knowing  child  and  an  infant. 

*t«giqi*i«i^*r  sppreftr  *ft  it:  i 

Wtsf^f  *Jr!J:  4THWHl^  MMMId  ^W4+4"U^  U  ^\  H 

71  "The  man  who,  full  of  faith-and  no  traducer-would  merely 
lend  his  ear  (unto  this),  he  too,  freed  (from  sin),  shall  obtain 
the  auspicious'  regions  of  those  that  (actually)  practise  righte~ 
ousness.  (1529) 

No  sooner  the  Glta  letters  enter  into  the  ears  of  one,  who  dropping  all 
traducing  and  with  earnest  piety  puts  full  faith  in  the  hearing  of  the 
Glta  recital,  that  do  his  sins  run  away  far  from  him  in  great  confusion. 
The  wild  animals  living  in  the  jungle,  run  in  all  directions,  with  the 
entry  into  the  jungle  of  wild  fire;  or  the  darkness  disappears  in  the 
cavity  of  the  sky  as  soon  as  the  Sun  rises  and  glitters  on  the  eastern 
hill  tops.  In  that  way  the  sins  accumulated  ever  since  the  beginning 
of  the  universe,  get  destroyed  with  the  sounding  of  the  Glta  (drums) 
at  the  big  gates  of  the  ears.  In  this  way  the  creeper  plant  in  the  form 
of  birth  gets  purified  and  blossoms  forth  beautiful  flowers  in  the  form 
of  righteousness,  and  ultimately  bears  immense  fruit,  since  the  hearing 
of  the  Glta  secures  merit  of  performing  as  many  Ashvamedha  (wfor 
A  sacrifice  of  the  highest  order)  sacrifices  as  the  very  number  of  letters 
of  Gita  that  enter  into  the  heart  through  the  ears.  Thus  the  hearing 
of  the  GTtl  destroys  all  sins  and  increases  abundantly  the  stock 
of  righteousness,  and  secures  ultimately  the  glory  of  God  Indra 
(lit.  the  kingdom  of  Heaven).  During  the  course  of  his  journey  to 
come  and  join  me,  he  makes  his  first  halt  in  the  heavens,  and  after 
enjoying  to  his  heart's  content,  the  pleasures  there,  he  comes  and 
ultimately  joins  me.  Thus,  Oh  Dhananjaya,  both  hearers  as  also  the 


654  JNANESHWARI 

reciters  of  the  GTta  secure  the  most  joy-giving  fruit.  What  further 
should  I  say?  Enough  of  this!  Now  I  ask  you  about  your  problem 
for  (the  solution  of)  which  I  held  all  this  ethical  discourse  so  far. 

«hfr*mU«fli*D^:  iWW^  SH3P*  II  \9^  II 

72  "/  <£?  Ao/?e  that  thou  hast,  O  Son  of  Prtha,  listened  to  this 
with  one-pointed  attention.  I  do  hope,  O  Dhananjaya,  that 
(as  a  consequence)  thy  ignorance — grounded  misconception 
has  been  dispelled.''''  (1540) 

Now  tell  Me,  Oh  Son  of  Pandu,  if  you  have  heard  with  concentrated 
attention,  all  theories  and  established  truths  of  the  (Gita)  Scripture. 
Has  the  knowledge  that  we  (I)  poured  into  your  ears,  been  impressed 
on  your  mind  with  the  (same)  effectiveness,  or  has  any  portion  of 
it  been  spilt  out  (and  wasted),  or  been  ignored  and  discarded  through 
negligence?  If  it  has  been  stored  in  your  heart  in  the  way  we  preached 
it,  then,  first  of  all  give  out  straight  answers  to  the  questions  I  ask. 
I  now  ask  you,  has  or  has  not  that  former  infatuation  which  arose 
out  of  ignorance  (on  your  part)  about  the  soul,  and  deluded  you, 
(yet)  left  you?  But  why  all  this?  Only  tell  me  whether  you  now  discern 
anything  like  action  (Duty)  or  non-action  (or  evil  action)  adhering 
to  your  true  personality  i.e.  soul?"  Partha  who  was  about  to  get 
dissolved  in  the  bliss  of  the  self,  was  as  the  result  of  this  question 
(instead  of  getting  so  dissolved),  brought  back  to  the  sense  of  his 
distinctness.  Partha  had  got  himself  completely  attuned  to  Supreme 
Brahman,  but  Lord  Krishna  would  not  have  him  transgress  the 
boundary  of  separate  individuality,  in  order  to  ensure  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  further  object.  Otherwise  did  he  not,  as  the  all- 
knowing,  know  his  own  doing?  But  he  put  the  question  simply  for 
this.  By  asking  this  question,  God  made  Arjuna  return  to  his  (non- 
existing)  T  sense  and  made  him  confirm  that  he  had  (duly)  attained 
perfection  as  he  actually  had.  Just  as  the  full  Moon  arising  over  the 
ocean,  and  ascending  up  and  illuminating  the  entire  sky,  seems 
automatically  distinct  (from  the  ocean)  without  actually  being  sepa- 
rated from  it  (by  any  one),  in  that  way  forgetting  on  the  one  hand  the 
fact  of  his  having  got  himself  attuned  to  the  Supreme  Brahman, 
but  discerning  on  the  other  hand  the  entire  universe  being  pervaded 
by  Brahman,  and  yet  again  seeing  the  universe  (pervaded  by  Brah- 
man) slipping  out  along  with  the  subsidence  of  his  Brahmic  state— 


XVIII.    MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  655 

with  his  Brahmic  state  thus  subsiding  and  again  emerging  intact, 
in  such  a  tottering  state  Arjuna,  with  great  exertions,  got  back  on 
the  border  line  of  his  mortal  body-form,  and  stood  there  in  his  T- 
sense  as  Arjuna.  Then  with  trembling  hands  he  smoothed  down 
his  horripilation,  and  wiped  dry  the  sweat.  Giving  his  mind's  support 
to  his  body  that  was  swaying  on  account  of  violent  agitation  that 
overwhelmed  his  soul,  he  steadied  the  movement  of  his  body.  He 
pressed  back  and  held  up  the  spurt  of  the  tears  of  joy,  trickling  fast 
down  his  eyes,  and  suppressing  in  his  heart  the  dense  crowd  of  ex- 
traordinary emotional  experiences  of  various  types  that  choked  his 
throat,  and  further  recovering  his  faltering  tongue,  he  steadied  his 
breath. 

3Jv|*T  nHR  I 

'IV^dUf*^'  IcR!^:  flhftu}  Weft  H^T  II  V8^  tl 

73  Arjuna  spake:  •  "Dispelled  is  mine  delusion ;  regained  by  me 
through  Thy  favour  is  the  memory  (consciousness  of  my  real 
nature),  0  Acyuta.  I  stand  here  firm  and  freed  of  doubt,  and 
will  do  Thy  bidding/'  '  (1558) 

Arjuna  said,  "Oh  Lord,  you  ask  me  if  I  like  that  infatuation.  It 
has  already  left  me  and  departed  bag  and  baggage.  Is  it  possible 
anywhere  that  the  Sun  should  approach  and  ask  if  the  eye  could 
see  darkness?  In  that  way,  is  it  not  sufficient,  in  order  to  dispel  delu- 
sion that  you  Lord  Krishna  should  be  actually  discernible  to  the 
eyes?  Besides,  you  have  preached  me  through  copious  and  eloquent 
talk  (mouthful)  with  love  even  greater  than  that  of  the  mother.  Is 
it  ever  conceivable,  my  love,  that  I  shall  fail  to  comprehend  that. 
Since,  however,  you  ask  me  (the  question)  whether  the  infatuation 
has  or  has  not  left  me,  I  say  I  have  got  my  object  completely  accom- 
plished (spnpT  fTFfJ),  through  your  favour.  I  had  got  myself  wrapt 
up  in  the  notion,  "I  am  Arjuna";  but  through  your  grace,  I  got  free 
from  it  (having  come  to  know  your  real  form)  and  there  now  remains 
nothing  to  enquire  (on  my)  part  and  to  answer  (on  yours).  O  God, 
I  have  through  your  grace  come  to  realize  the  Self,  eradicating  the 
very  root  of  infatuation.  That  notion  of  duality,  which  raises  the 
problem  of  doing  any  act  or  refraining  from  it,  does  not  exist  for  me, 
since  I  now  see  your  Presence  alone  everywhere  in  all  things.  There 


656  JNANESHWARI 

is  now  left  in  me  not  even  a  shadow  of  doubt  about  it.  I  have  reached 
that  state,  where  there  remains  nothing  like  action.  Having  now 
attained  through  you  the  state  of  T-ness — my  own  self,  all  actions 
have  come  to  an  end  and  therer  remains  nothing  else  for  me  to  do 
except  to  obey  your  orders.  That  'object  of  vision',  which  removes 
all  the  visible  universe  when  actually  viewed, — or  that  which  (al- 
though) itself  dual  removes  all  duality, — that  which  although  itself 
all  single,  abides  everywhere  for  all  times, — or  that  the  very  contact 
of  which  snaps  all  ties, — or  that,  by  the  expectation  of  which  all 
(other)  expectations  disappear, — or  that,  the  meeting  with  which 
brings  about  the  meeting  of  one  with  his  own  self, — that  very  worship- 
ful preceptor  of  mine,  you  yourself  are.  (You  are)  that  helper  (fsR*T) 
of  oneness  which  enables  one  to  transcend  the  state  of  the  realization 
of  perfect  monism, — that  which  one  should  serve  faithfully  and  freely 
without  any  limitation,  after  becoming  himself  the  very  Brahman 
and  eliminating  all  that  constitutes  actions  or  non-actions, — that 
which  gives  its  devotees  the  principal  share  of  what  it  owns,  in  the 
way  the  holy  Ganges  goes  and  joins  the  ocean  and  itself  becomes 
the  ocean, — you  are  (all)  that,  Oh  Krishna,  that  the  attributeless, 
worthy  to  receive  service  and  revered  preceptor  of  mine,  and  take 
it  that  I  am  placed  under  deep  gratitude  to  you  for  the  realiza- 
tion on  my  part  of  the  Supreme  Brahman.  There  was  the  screen 
of  distinctiveness  between  you  and  myself  and  you  have  smashed  it 
completely  and  you  have  secured  for  me  the  pleasure  of  happiness 
in  the  form  of  your  service.  So  now,  Oh  you  God  of  ail  the  Gods, 
I  shall  now  follow  unreservedly  with  my  head  bowed  down  in  re- 
verence whatever  mandates  you  give.  Hearing  these  words  of  Arjuna, 
Lord  Krishna  literally  danced,  being  swept  off  his  feet  through  ecstacy 
and  said  to  himself,  "I  have  secured  in  Arjuna  the  best  of  all  the  fruit 
in  the  universe."  Does  not  the  milky  ocean  forget  its  own  limits 
and  overflow  itself  at  the  advent  of  the  full  Moon,  its  own  son,  com- 
plete in  all  her  (his)  phases?  In  that  way,  Samjaya's  heart  was  flooded 
with  joy  seeing  the  wedding  (meeting  together)  of  the  interiors  (hearts) 
of  both  (Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna),  on  the  altar  (*fta%)  in  the  form 
of  the  dialogue.  In  that  state  of  overflowing  delight,  Samjaya  said 
to  Dhritarashtra,  "What  a  great  favour  of  sage  Vyasa  to  us!  He  has 
protected  us  both  in  this  warfare.  You  have  not  got  even  the  physical 
vision  with  which  to  see  the  world  affairs:  but  you  have  been  endowed 
with  the  vision  of  knowledge  to  deal  ably  with  spiritual  affairs.  Oh, 
that  I,  who  got  entrance  among  the  warriors  riding  in  chariots,  simply 
for  testing,  the  soundness  of  horses,  should  be  able  to  see  (know) 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  657 

these  themes  (of  knowledge)  is  also  a  favour  of  that  great  sage  Vyasa)! 
Besides  this  Warfare  is  so  tremendours  and  terrible  that  everybody 
(taking  part  in  it)  should  feel  afraid  of  the  loss  of  (his  own)  life  in 
the  war,  whatever  party  might  be*  victorious  in  the  end.  What  an 
unfathomable  favour  on  the  part  of  sage  Vyasa  it  is  that  I  should 
be  in  a  position  to  experience  the  bliss  of  the  Supreme  Brahman, 
laid  bare  in  such  a  crisis  as  this!"  In  spite  of  all  this  talk  on  the  part 
of  Samjaya,  there  was  absolutely  no  softening  of  the  heart  of  Dhrita- 
r&shtra,  just  as  a  rock  knows  no  oozing  out  as  the  effect  of  lunar 
rays.  Samjaya  let  him  alone,  seeing  such  a  state  of  his;  yet  getting 
mad  with  happiness,  he  began  to  speak  again.  He  talked  to  Dhrita- 
rashtra  because  he  was  carried  away  by  the  rushing  tide  of  his  joy; 
otherwise  he  knew  fully  there  was  no  response  (from  Dhritarashtra) 
that  could  encourage  him  to  speak  further. 

74  Samjaya  Spake  :  "Thus  have  I  heard  this  wondrous  Dialogue 
that  causes  the  hair  to  stand  on  end,  betwixt  the  (High-souled) 
Vasudeva  and  the  High-souled  Son  of  Pritha.  (1587) 

Samjaya  said,  "Oh  you  King  of  the  Kurus,  what  your  brother's 
son  (Arjuna)  spoke  was  highly  appreciated  by  Lord  Krishna.  There 
is  only  the  difference  in  names  such  as  the  Eastern  and  the  Western 
seas;  otherwise  the  water  of  both  these  is  one  and  the  same.  In  that 
way,  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna  appeared  distinct  only  on  account  of 
their  separate  bodies;  otherwise  no  such  distinction  exists  between 
their  conversation.  Two  objects,  cleaner  and  brighter  than  a  mirror, 
placed  face  to  face,  see  their  respective  forms  in  each  other.  In  that 
way,  the  Son  of  PSndu  saw  in  Lord  Krishna,  his  own  self  along  with 
Lord  Krishna,  and  simultaneously  Lord  Krishna  also  saw  in  Partha, 
his  own  self  along  with  the  son  of  Pandu.  In  that  (particularly) 
marked  out  portion  of  the  body,  wherein  the  Lord  saw  his  own  form 
as  also  that  of  his  devotee,  in  that  very  space  the  devotee  also  saw 
his  own  form  as  also  that  of  God.  Where  there  remained  nothing 
like  a  third  party,  what  did  both  of  them  do?  Both  of  them  abided 
in  one  single  form.  Now  that  all  duality  had  disappeared,  there 
was  hardly  any  occasion  for  questioning  and  answering.  When 


658  JNANESHWARI 

there  remained  no  distinction,  where  could  there  be  the  pleasure  of 
any  dialog  je?  I  heard  that  talk  between  the  two — that  talk  which 
was  going  on  in  a  dual  stage — yet  during  the  course  of  that  talk  all 
duality  was  destroyed.  With  two-  mirrors  placed  facing  each  other, 
how  could  it  be  imagined  what  one  saw  and  which?  Or  when  two 
(burning)  lamps  are  placed  fronting  each  other,  which  one  could 
be  said  to  shed  light  on  the  other?  Or  when  two  Suns  rise  in  front 
of  each  other,  who  could  say  (what  one)  gave  light  and  who  was  lit? 
Just  as  one  begins  to  arrive  at  a  judgment  (in  this)  that  judgment 
is  thwarted.  In  that  way  both  of  them  became  just  like  each  other 
by  their  dialogue.  Two  water-flows  meeting  each  other  find  a  salt- 
heap  standing  between  them;  could  the  salt  (heap)  prevent  their 
meeting?  Would  it  not  itself  be  water  and  be  one  with  them?  I  am 
also  reduced  to  the  same  state,  when  I  come  to  think  of  the  dialogue 
between  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna."  As  he  was  talking  in  this  strain 
he  got  overcome  with  righteous  emotion,  with  the  result  that  he 
lost  all  his  memory  of  himself  as  being  Samjaya.  As  the  tremor  and 
horripilation  on  his  person  began  to  stand  out  erect,  there  was  a 
hardening  of  his  limbs,  while  the  trembling  (all  over)  reigned  supreme 
over  (his)  perspiration  and  stupefaction.  He  enjoyed  the  bliss  of 
his  monistic  state,  and  that  brought  tears  in  his  eyes,  nay  not  tears 
but  the  very  oozing  out  of  happiness.  It  could  not  be  known  jf  it 
(happiness)  could  not  be  contained  in  his  heart  (in  stomach)  or  if 
it  was  blocked  up  (^f%)  in  the  throat;  words  and  sense  were  choked 
up  in  heavy  respiration.  Perhaps  all  the  eight  kinds  of  righteous 
feelings  (emotional  states)  rose  up  and  dumb-founded  Samjaya  and 
he  became  (as  it  were)  the  very  meeting  place  (of  four  roads-'^ftSHT) 
of  the  Bliss  arising  out  of  the  dialogue.  But  the  nature  of  the  bliss 
was  such  that  it  of  itself  got  calmed  down  and  Samjaya  soon  regained 
his  consciousness. 

*rt*r  4tfl*i<m  frowns  uwiiti  ir*TOFn  *ah*\  ti  vjH  it 

75  "Through  (Sage)  Vyasa  's  favour  it  was  that  I  heard  (directly) 
the  Supreme  Secret  — this  Yoga-as  it  was  being  actually 
imparted  by  (Lord)  Krishna  himself,  the  Master  of  the 
Yoga.  (1608) 

Then  with  the  flow  of  the  Bliss  getting  steady,  he  said,  "I  heard  through 
the  favour  of  Sage  Vyasa,  what  the  Upanishads  even  did  not  know. 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  659 

Directly  I  heard  it,  the  very  Brahmic  state  enveloped  me,  with  the 
result  that  the  atmosphere  of  T-ness  and  'you-ness'  (duality)  got  all 
dissolved.  I  could,  through  the  favour  of  Sage  VySsa,  hear  without 
any  efforts  on  my  part  the  very  woijds  of  the  Lord,  in  whom  the  Yoga 
paths  all  come  and  merge.  To  what  extent  I  should  praise  the  mar- 
vellous (independent)  power  of  the  preceptor  (Sage  Vyasa)  that 
made  my  ears  best  qualified  to  hear  the  talk,  in  regard  to  his  own 
self  delivered  by  Lord  Krishna,  who  made  Arjuna  only  an  excuse 
and  assumed  artificially  (like  an  actor)  the  role  of  duality. 

tr*t  #F|cor  #F*jcT  fNrraf^prgfn^  i 

76  "O  King,  as  I  again  and  again  recall  to  mind  the  wonderful 
and  holy  Dialogue  betwixt  Kesava  and  Arjuna,  I  am  filled 
with  rapture  over  and  over  again.  (1613) 

Just  as  Samjaya  uttered  the  word  'Raya'  (O  King),  he  became  wonder- 
struck  and  fell  into  ecstacy,  in  the  way  a  jewel  should  get  shrouded 
with  its  own  brilliance.  The  lakes  on  the  Himalayas  (Mountains) 
appear  like  sheets  of  crystals  with  the  moonrise;  yet  they  reassume 
their  watery  form  with  the  sun-rise.  In  that  way  Samjaya  could 
remember  the  dialogue  (between  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna)  whenever 
he  regained  his  consciousness  but  with  its  remembrance  he  would 
be  (again)  wonderstruck  and  would  again  lose  his  conscidusness; 
and  this  went  on  rotating  again  and  again. 

77  "As  I  remember,  (and  again)  remember,  that  extremely 
wonderful  Form  of  Hari,  great,  0  King,  grows  my  amaze- 
ment, and  I  am  filled  with  rapture  again  and  again;    (1616) 

Then  rising  up  he  said,  "How  do  you  remain  unmoved  even  after 
having  a  vision  of  the  'Omniform*  of  Lord  Hari?  How  can  one  miss 
that  which  becomes  discernible  without  seeing,  which  exists  in  non- 
existence and  which  forces  entrance  into  memory  though  one  tries 
to  forget  it.  There  is  no  scope  left  for  one  even  to  indulge  in  amaze- 
ment, since  the  flood  of  the  Ganges  (in  the  form  of  knowledge  con- 
tained in  the  dialogue)  is  so  high  that  I  am  even  being  carried  away 


660  JNANESHWARI 

along  with  it."  In  that  way  Samjaya  had  a  bath  in  the  holy  conflux 
in  the  form  of  the  dialogue  between  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna  and 
he  renounced  his  egotism  (ttt  ftoMM  3T^%—  ft  own  arcr  faoiMvil- 
Tila  Dana  or  Tilanjali  literally  .means  pouring  out  to  the  manes 
water  mixed  with  sesamum  seed).  In  rapturous  state  he  would  gibber 
something  uncommon,  and  would  from  time  to  time  keep  on  repea- 
ting 'Krishna'  'Krishna'  in  vehement  devotion.  Dhritarashtra.  not 
being  able  to  appreciate  correctly  in  his  heart  these  different  phases, 
began  to  form  some  wild  ideas  about  them.  Just  then  absorbing 
within  himself  that  happiness  he  experienced,  Samjaya  pacified  his 
feelings.  Instead  of  asking  any  questions  suitable  to  the  occasion 
the  King  said,  "Oh  Samjaya,  what  sort  of  manners  of  yours  all  these 
are?  With  what  motive  did  the  sage  Vyasa  post  (lit.  make  you  sit) 
here,  and  what  sort  of  talk  unsuitable  to  the  occasion  as  it  is,  do 
you  indulge  in?"  Were  a  rustic  (lit.  dweller  in  a  forest)  to  be  taken 
to  a  palace  he  would  feel  stranded  and  desolate  there;  with  the  break 
of  the  day  a  night-wanderer  feels  it  as  night-time;  one  who  cannot 
appreciate  the  proper  worth  of  a  thing,  naturally  feels  it  to  be  insipid 
(tasteless).  It  was  (thus)  but  natural  that  Dhritarashtra  should  think 
Samjaya  as  doing  something  out  of  the  way.  Then  he  asked  Samjaya, 
"Tell  me  who  would  be  ultimately  victorious  in  this  war  that  has 
arisen.  As  things  stand,  to  my  mind  greater  valour  is  ranged  on  the 
side  of  Duryodhana:  besides,  the  numerical  strength  (of  his  army) 
is  one  and  half  times  greater  as  compared  to  Pandavas',  and  therefore 
his  victory  is  certain,  is  it  not  so?  At  least  I  think  so;  I  do  not  know 
what  is  your  forecast  (prediction),  Oh  Samjaya.  But  do  tell  me  what- 
ever it  is." 

78  "Where  Krishna,  the  Master  of  the  Yoga,  is,  and  where  the 
Son  of  Prtha,  the  wielder  of  the  bow,  is,  there  of  certainty 
abides  Fortune,  Victory,  Prosperity,  (and)  Just  Policy:  thus 
(stands)  my  belief"  (1631) 

To  this  Samjaya  said,  "I  do  not  know  which  of  the  two  parties  will 
be  victorious.  Yet  as  is  clear,-where  there  is  longevity,  there  must 
be  survival,-or  where  there  is  the  Moon,  there  must  be  the  moon- 
shine,-or  where  there  is  the  God  Shiva,  there  must  be  the  Goddess 
Ambika,-or  where  there  are  the  saints,  there  must  abide  right- 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  661 

thinking,-or  where  there  is  the  King,  there  must  be  the  army,-or 
where  there  is  warm  and  affectionate  feeling  there  must  be  consan- 
guinity,-or  where  there  is  fire,  there  must  be  the  burning  power,-or 
where  there  is  kindness,  there  musfe  be  piety,  and  where  there  is  reli- 
gion, there  must  be  happiness,-or  where  there  is  happiness,  there 
must  be  Purushottama  (The  Supreme  Man),-or  where  there  is  the 
spring  (season),  there  must  be  gardens,  and  where  there  are  the  gardens 
there  must  be  flowers,  and  where  there  are  flowers  there  must  be 
swarms  of  black-bees.  (Further),  where  there  is  a  preceptor,  there 
must  be  knowledge,  or  where  there  is  knowledge,  there  must  be  the 
vision  of  the  Self,  and  where  there  is  the  vision  of  the  Self  there  must 
be  contentment, — and  all  these  must  follow  as  a  matter  of  course. 
Enjoyment  associates  with  good  luck;  so  high  spirits  go  with  happi- 
ness, and  the  light  with  the  Sun.  In  all  these  ways,  where  there  is 
Lord  Krishna,  through  whose  favour  all  the  four  objects  of  human 
life  become  powerful  and  have  patronage,  there  must  abide  the  God- 
dess Lakshml,  and  where  there  abides  the  Mother  of  the  Universe 
in  association  with  Lord  Krishna,  how  could  there  not  abide,  as 
mere  servants,  the  (eight)  Siddhis-such  as  AnimS.  etc.  (%fe -Super- 
natural power  or  faculty  said  to  be  acquired  through  the  performance 
of  certain  Yogic  processes,  etc.)  The  party  by  whose  side  is  arrayed 
personally  Lord  Krishna,  shall  compel  Victory  to  run  to  it  in  hot 
haste  and  stand  there  firmly.  Arjuna  is  also  known  by  the  name 
'Vijaya'  (Victory),  while  Lord  Krishna  is  'Victory'  personified: 
(Where  both  these  abide)  there  must  as  of  certainty  also  abide  victory 
along  with  the  Goddess  Lakshml.  How  could  not  ordinary  trees 
in  that  country  which  claims  such  parents  (as  Lord  Krishna  and 
Goddess  Lakshml)  compete  with  Kalpataru  trees  (desire-yielding 
trees)?  Or  why  should  not  ordinary  stones  (in  such  a  place)  claim 
to  be  the  very  Chintamani  gem,  and  why  should  not  the  earth  (of 
that  place)  claim  the  quality  (worth)  of  gold?  Just  consider,  Oh 
King,  would  it  be  surprising  if  rivers  of  such  a  place  should  (also) 
flow  with  ambrosia?  Why  not  they  (the  dwellers)  of  such  a  place  be 
themselves  (like)  the  Lord  of  Supreme  Bliss  in  human  form,  and  their 
crude  talk  be  taken  as  the  very  Vedas?  One  who  can  claim  Lord 
Krishna  and  Goddess  Lakshml  as  his  parents  has  (as  it  were)  both 
the  Heaven  as  also  the  salvation  in  his  possession.  Therefore,  all  the 
(eight)  Siddhis  abide  voluntarily  in  that  party  which  has  on  its  side 
the  husband  of  Goddess  Lakshml.  I  know  that  much  and  not  any- 
thing more.  The  clouds  which  arise  out  of  the  sea  are  of  greater 
(more  beneficient)  use  than  the  sea  itself,  and  similar  is  the  case  in 


662  JNANESHWARI 

regard  to  Lord  Krishna  and  Arjuna.  The  preceptor-Parw-converts 
iron  into  gold,  but  it  is  only  gold  that  efficiently  carries  on  business 
transactions  in  the  world.  On  this  some  might  raise  a  point  that 
this  line  of  thinking,  attributes  an  inferior  status  to  the  preceptor. 
(But  this  should  not  even  be  thought  of) — fire  sheds  its  own  light 
through  the  agency  of  a  lamp;  in  that  way  it  is  through  the  power 
of  God  that  Arjuna  became  more  beneficent  than  the  very  Lord. 
The  Lord  thinks  his  own  glory  is  exalted  through  this  praise  (of  his 
devotee  and  disciple).  A  father  wishes  that  his  son  should  excel 
him  in  all  qualities;  and  that  very  desire  became  fruitful  in  the  case 
of  Lord  Krishna  (sii^imuD)  Nay,  O  King,  that  party  on  whose  side 
abides  Partha — through  the  kindness  of  Lord  Krishna — that  very 
party  is  bound  to  have  a  victory.  Why  should  there  be  any  uncer- 
tainty about  it?  The  word  'Vijaya'  would  be  meaningless  were  it 
not  to  be  so.  Therefore  wherever  there  is  Goddess  Lakshmi,  there 
must  also  be  her  Lord  (^ftw),  as  also  where  there  is  the  Son  of  Pandu, 
there  is  bound  to  be  complete  victory  as  also  Prosperity.  Should 
your  mind  have  the  least  faith  in  the  truthfulness  of  Sage  Vyisa's 
words,  then  take  this  say  (of  mine)  as  firm  and  as  fixed  as  the  very 
Dhruva  (North-polar  star)  himself.  Where  there  is  the  Lord  of 
Lakshmi  and  where  there  is  the  master  devotee  (Arjuna)  there  abides 
also  happiness,  as  also  the  gain  of  all  that  is  auspiciousness.  Should 
this  talk  of  mine  prove  untrue,  then  I  would  forfeit  my  claim  as  a 
disciple  of  Sage  Vyasa",  so  declared  loudly  Samjaya,  raising  aloft 
his  arms.  (1658) 

Conclusion 

Summarising  thus  the  purport  of  the  entire  Bharata-Scripture  in 
one  single  verse,  Samjaya  delivered  it  into  the  hands  of  the  Head 
of  the  Kuru  clan.  The  scope  of  fire  is  unlimited;  yet  in  order  to  make 
up  the  want  of  the  Sun  (light)  caused  by  sunset,  it  is  utilized  by  simply 
kindling  with  it  only  one  end  of  a  cotton  wick.  In  that  way  Brahman 
in  the  form  of  (articulate)  sound  is  infinite  in  volume,  it  is  transformed 
into  (a  finite  volume  and  form  of)  one  lakh  and  a  quarter  verses  of 
Bharata-Scripture.  Bhagvadgita  made  up  of  700  verses  forms  the 
quaint  essence  of  the  Bharata-Scripture;  and  this  last  verse  of  the 
700  verses,  which  represents  the  very  perfection  of  Samjaya's  dictum- 
Samjaya  the  disciple  of  Sage  Vyasa — it  is  an  all-inclusive  sum  and 
substance  of  the  entire  Glta-Scripture.  One  who  holds  fast  this  verse 
next  to  his  heart  will  have  conquered  Nescience  root  and  branch. 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  663 

These  700  verses  constitute  as  it  were  so  many  foot-steps  of  the  Gita- 
Scripture,  and  instead  of  calling  them  foot-steps,  they  might  be  taken 
as  the  ambrosia  raining  down  from  the  sky  in  the  form  of  Glta-Scrip- 
ture.  Or,  I  rather  feel  that  these  verses  are  the  very  pillars  of  the 
Court  (hall)  of  the  King  'Supreme  Self:  or  the  Gita  might  be  likened 
to  the  Goddess  described  in  the  Saptashati  Scripture  (^wiPd  —  700 
verses) — the  Goddess  that  got  gladdened  by  giving  absolution  (by 
slaying  him)  to  the  Demon  named  Mahisha  (*rftw)  buffalo  in  the 
form  of  infatuation.  Therefore,  one  who  becomes  its  devotee  (servant) 
through  mind,  body  and  speech  would  be  the  sovereign  King  of  the 
empire  in  the  form  of  self-bliss:  or  these  are  the  lustrous  verses  in 
the  form  of  Gita,  that  compete  with  and  even  excel  the  Sun  in  point 
of  splendour,  created  by  Lord  Krishna  for  fighting  out  the  darkness 
in  the  form  of  Nescience;  or  these  verses  consitute  a  bower  of  the 
vine  (creeping  plant),  provided  as  a  resting  place  for  the  weary  travel- 
lers wending  the  path  of  worldly  affairs;  or  this  Gita  constitutes  a 
lake  in  the  form  of  Lord  Krishna's  mouth,  buzzing  with  black  bees 
in  the  form  of  lucky  saints  that  enjoy  (honey  in)  the  lotuses  in  the 
form  of  verses;  or  it  appears  to  me  that  these  verses  are  none  else  but 
as  many  bards  ( stefcn  )  singing  profusely  the  greatness  of  Gita; 
or  the  Gita  is  a  town  enclosed  all-round  by  a  (wall  in  the  form  of) 
beautiful  verses,  wherein  have  come  together  to  dwell  all  the  Scrip- 
tures; or  the  verses  are  the  outstretched  arms  of  the  devoted  wife 
in  the  form  of  Gita  coming  to  embrace  her  Lord  (husband) — the 
Supreme  Soul;  or  these  (verses)  are  the  black  bees  on  the  GIta-lotus 
flower,  or  the  waves  on  the  ocean  in  the  form  of  the  Gita,  or  the 
horses  of  the  chariot  in  the  form  of  the  Gita  of  Shri  Hari;  or  these 
verses  are  an  assemblage  of  (the  floods  of)  all  the  holy  waters  come 
together  into  the  holy  Ganges,  at  the  advent  of  the  unique  occasion 
(  T^oft  )  of  the  planet  Jupiter  entering  into  the  Zodiacal  sign  LEO 
( fa?Fsr )  in  the  form  of  Partha  ( TC) ;  or  instead  of  being  a  row  of  verses 
they  arc  the  rows  of  gem  'ChintSmani'  capable  of  attracting  even 
ascetics"  minds,  or,  of  the  Kalpataru  trees  planted  to  win  pure 
meditation.  Who  would  be  able  to  trace  each  one  separately,  of 
these  verses,  every  one  of  which  excels  every  other  (in  point  of  great- 
ness). There  could  exist  no  such  terminology  as  "milk-yielding",  or 
"dry"  (lit,  a  cow  that  has  recently  calved  or  calved  one  year  back) 
in  regard  to  'Kamadhenu.'  (Desire-yielding  cow).  It  is  meaningless 
to  use  these  adjectives.  "In  the  front  or  in  the  rear"  in  regard  to  a 
lamp  or  'younger  or  elder'  in  the  case  of  Sun,  or  'deep  and  shallow' 
in  the  case  of  the  sea  of  nectar:  in  that  way  Gita  verses  should  not 


664  JNANESHWARI 

be  talked  of  as  'of  the  beginning,'  of  'of  the  end'.  Could  the  Parijataka 
flowers  be  distinguished  and  classified  as  stale  or  as  fresh?  Where 
is  the  need  of  my  maintaining  that  Gita  verses  are  all  alike  in  point 
of  greatness,  none  being  more  ojr  less  (great)  than  the  other,  since 
the  Gita  knows  no  distinction  such  as  its  sense  (meaning)  and  its 
words  which  convey  the  sense.  It  is  generally  known  that  in  the 
Gita  Lord  Krishna  is  the  'sense'  as  well  as  the  'word'.  In  the  case 
of  Gita  what  is  secured  by  understanding  its  import  (sense)  is  also 
equally  got  by  its  verbal  recital.  With  such  bold  dash  this  Scripture 
brings  about  complete  identity  between  the  sense  and  its  vehicle 
the  word,  therefore  now  no  topic  is  left  on  which  I  can  expatiate  and 
argue.  In  fact  the  Gita  is  the  literary  and  glorious  image  of  Lord 
(Krishna).  Any  other  Scripture,  subsides  within  itself  i.e.  loses  its 
importance  having  exhausted  its  function,  once  it  makes  known  its 
intended  meaning.  Such  is  not  however  the  case  with  the  Gita.  It 
is  ever  (without  any  wastage  or  destruction)  Supreme  Brahman  in 
its  entirety.  Just  see  how  out  of  love  for  the  entire  universe  the  Lord 
made  easily  available  to  all,  the  Supreme  Bliss  of  the  Self,  making 
Arjuna  only  the  excuse.  The  Moon  cools  down  the  hearts  of  all 
three  worlds,  making  the  bird  Chakora  only  the  excuse;  or  Lord 
Shankar  brought  down  to  the  earth  the  (flow  of)  Sacred  Ganges, 
with  the  object  of  cooling  down  the  fever  (heat)  caused  by  the  advent 
of  Iron  Age  (^c?t  3TO),  making  Sage  Gautama  only  the  excuse.  In 
that  way  the  cow  in  the  form  of  Lord  Krishna  has  provided  this 
milk  in  the  form  of  Gita,  in  sufficient  quantity,  to  the  entire  universe, 
making  Partha  the  calf.  You  will  attain  the  Supreme  state  were  you 
to  concentrate  on  it  (Gita)  heart  and  soul;  not  only  that;  but  were 
you  only  to  knead  (i.e.  set  into  motion  repeatedly)  your  tongue  with 
it,  with  the  intent  of  reciting  it,  you  would  be  strengthening  your 
spiritual  power  all  round,  as  soon  as  you  hold  to  your  lips  the  cup 
in  the  form  of  the  recital  of  a  quarter  of  the  verse,  just  as  the  %  Paris', 
with  a  single  dash  (of  its  touch)  converts  iron  into  gold.  Or  were 
you  to  turn  aside  your  face,  without  making  the  cup  in  the  form  of 
the  recital  to  touch  your  lips,  but  simply  turn  your  ears  to  it  the  mere 
falling  of  the  GM-letters  into  your  ears  would  also  result  in  the 
same.  In  short,  the  GM  gives  nothing  short  of  liberation,  whosoever, 
either  hears  it,  or  recites  it  or  comprehends  its  meaning  in  the  way  a 
generous  donor  never  refuses  (anything)  to  anyone.  Therefore  have 
recourse  only  to  the  Gita,  in  the  company  (for  help)  of  the  learned: 
what  will  you  gain  by  taking  to  other  Scriptures?  The  subject  matter 
(of  the  conversation)  frankly  carried  on  (discussed)  separately  (at  a 


XVIII.   MOK§ASAMNYASAYOGA  665 

different  time  and  place)  by  Krishna  and  Arjuna,  has  been  rendered 
into  such  a  simple  form  that  anybody  may  understand  it  if  he  so  wishes 
to.  When  a  fond  mother  sits  down  to  feed  her  child,  she  prepares 
the  morsels  of  such  size  (so  small)  a^  could  be  easily  swallowed  by  it : 
or  just  as  the  air  (wind)  which  is  infinite  in  extension  and  fitful  in  its 
motion  is  brought  under  control  and  made  serviceable  by  an  ingenious 
man  with  the  contrivance  of  a  fan.  In  that  way  that  which  could  not 
be  secured  (grasped)  through  (ordinary)  words,  was  converted 
into  Anushtup  (3F|E|q)  metre  and  made  so  easy  that  even  (the  dull 
wit  of)  women,  Shudras  and  other  dullards  could  grasp  it.  Were 
the  pearls  not  to  be  created  by  rain  drops  of  Swati  Nakshatra  ('RTcfr 
wr-the  fifteenth  Lunar  asterism),  how  could  they  appear  to  advan- 
tage on  the  person  of  beautiful  persons?  How  could  the  ears  hear 
the  sound  were  the  musical  instruments  not  to  send  out  any?  How 
could  one  have  fragrant  smell,  were  there  created  no  flowers  at  all? 
How  could  the  tongue  have  sweet  taste,  were  the  dainties  not  to  be 
sweet  or  how  could  the  eye  see  itself  (its  reflection)  were  there  to  be 
no  mirror  at  all?  How  could  he  (the  seer)  worship  the  preceptor  were 
he  not  to  appear  in  a  manifested  form?  In  that  way  who  could  have 
been  able  to  grasp  the  infinite  thing  viz.  Supreme  Brahman,  had  it 
not  been  encompassed  within  the  measure  of  700  verses?  The  clouds 
continue  to  draw  water  (by  the  process  of  evaporation)  from  the  sea, 
but  the  world  looks  to  the  clouds,  not  to  the  sea  although  it  (the  sea) 
is  immeasurably  wide!  How  could  the  ears  and  the  mouth  have  been 
able  to  experience  (enjoy)  this  theme,  which  is  beyond  the  scope  of 
the  faculty  of  speech,  had  it  not  been  composed  into  verses.  That 
the  Sage  Vyasa  has  stored  up  in  the  form  of  (Glta)  Scripture,  the  talk 
of  Lord  Krishna  has  been  a  great  favour  done  to  the  universe  and  that 
same  Scripture  I  am  now  making  available  in  the  Marathi  language 
after  closely  scrutinizing  every  word  of  Shri  Vyasa.  I,  an  insignificant 
being,  am  simply  prattling  on  a  subject,  on  which  the  imagination 
and  intellect  even  of  a'  sage  like  Vyasa,  beset  with  uncertainty  proceeds 
haltingly.  But  this  Gita-Deity  is  so  affable  (simple).  If  he  has  ac- 
cepted the  floral  wreaths  in  the  form  of  the  preaching  of  Sage  Vyasa, 
surely  he  would  not  say  'Nay'  to  the  simple  (bent)  grass  leaves  (f^fes) 
from  me!  Herds  of  elephants  go  to  the  sea-shore  for  water  (to 
quench  their  thirst).  Could  the  insignificant  sand-flies  be  denied 
(the  water  there)?  The  young  birds,  getting  new  wings  and  not  being 
able  to  fly  efficiently  (get  fatigued  in  attempting  to  fly)  and  simply 
hover  in  that  very  sky  (cavity),  in  which  the  mighty  eagle  speeds 
with  magnificent  sweeps.  Because  the  swan  walks  so  stately  (on  the 


666  JNANESHWARI 

earth),  does  it  mean  others  should  not  walk  in  their  own  (crude) 
style?  A  pitcher,  when  dipped  in  a  vast  and  deep  lake  etc.  is  filled  with 
water  according  to  its  capacity;  how  can  it  prevent  the  mouth  from 
holding  a  mouthful  of  water  (^)  according  to  its  modest  capacity? 
Because  of  its  larger  size  a  torch  can  shed  greater  amount  of  light, 
does  not  the  small  wick  also  shed  light  according  to  its  own  (limited) 
power?  The  size  of  the  reflection  of  sky  on  the  sea-surface  is  in  pro- 
portion to  its  (sea's)  wide  expanse;  yet  there  is  also  its  reflection  on 
the  surface  of  the  small  pond  in  proportion  to  its  petty  size.  In  that 
way  because  the  great  talents  like  Sage  Vyasa  and  others  deal  with 
(move  about  in)  this  Scripture,  I  should  forbear  from  stepping  into 
it,  does  not  stand  to  reason.  Because  aquatic  animals  of  the  size  of 
the  mountain  Mandara  live  in  the  sea,  should  not  the  other  smaller 
fish,  etc.  even  swim  there?  Aruna  (the  Sun's  Charioteer)  sees  the 
Sun  because  of  his  close  contact  with  the  Sun;  does  not  an  ant  living 
on  the  (distant)  earth  also  see  him?  Therefore  it  cannot  be  said  it  is 
improper,  that  quite  ordinary  persons  like  us  should  compose  GIta 
in  the  people's  dialect  ('^il+lY).  The  father  walks  ahead  while  his 
child  follows  in  his  foot-steps  (foot-marks);  would  not  the  latter  reach 
the  same  place  as  the  father  reached?  In  that  way,  if  I  follow  the 
track  of  Sage  Vyasa,  enquiring  of  the  commentators  (Shankara, 
Rimanuja  etc.)  about  the  (correct)  way,  where  else  can  I  go  and 
how  can  I  fail  to  reach  the  proper  destination,  even  though  I  might 
not  be  personally  competent?  Besides,  the  worthy  preceptor— 
Nivrittinath— that  preceptor  whose  forbearance  like  that  of  the  earth 
does  not  get  sick  of  the  quick  and  the  still  (movables  and  immovables) 
— whose  ambrosia  the  Moon  borrows  and  (therewith)  cools  down 
the  universe — whose  splendour  is  secured  by  the  Sun  for  removing 
the  darkness,  and  from  whom  the  sea  derives  its  supply  of  water, 
the  water  its  sweetness,  the  sweetness  its  beauty,  the  wind  its  force, 
the  sky  its  expanse,  knowledge  its  bright  and  sovereign  glory,  the 
Vedas  their  eloquence  and  the  happiness  its  fervour,  in  short,  all 
things  their  (respective)  forms  and  shapes-who  places  all  under  his 
obligations-that  all  powerful  and  worthy  preceptor  has  entered  into 
me  and  inspired  me.  What  wonder  is  there  then,  that  I  should  be 
enabled  to  preach  in  all  its  bearings,  the  GIta  in  Marathi  idiom.  That 
Hill-Kolt  (named)  Ekalavya,  who  rendered  service  (i.e.  worshipped) 
the  very  earthen  idol  on  the  hill-top  in  the  name  of  its  preceptor 
(Dronacharya)  made  all  the  three  worlds  applaud  his  skill  in  archery: 
Trees  (whose  roots  are)  associated  with  (those  of)  sandal  trees  also 
become  fragrant  like  sandal:  Sage  Vasishtha  spread  out  his  ochre 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  667 

coloured  sheet  of  cloth  (wit)  by  way  of  challenge  as  a  substitute 
for  the  Sun,  what  of  myself  then?  (In  contrast  to  the  inanimate  sheet 
of  cloth)  I  am  a  living  being  endowed  with  a  virile  mind  and  possess 
a  preceptor  so  powerful  that  with  a  single  glance  (of  his)  he  can  elevate 
his  disciple  and  enable  him  (disciple)  to  occupy  the  same  status  as 
he  enjoys.  With  a  vision  already  perfectly  fine  (clear)  and  in  addition 
backed  up  by  the  (light  of  the)  Sun,  what  is  there  that  could  not  be 
seen?  Therefore  the  daily  act  of  my  continuous  respiration  is  capable 
of  yielding  perennially  new  compositions  (literary  masterpieces); 
given  the  grace  of  the  preceptor,  are  there  any  miracles  that  cannot 
be  wrought,  says  Jnanadev.  For  all  these  reasons  I  have  preached 
the  substance  of  the  Gita  through  the  medium  of  Marathi,  in  a  style 
that  would  make  all  the  people  to  understand  it.  If  one  were  to  sing 
the  Marathi  version  with  great  skill,  there  would  not  be  found  wanting 
an  attraction  in  that  singing.  If,  therefore,  one  were  to  sing  it,  it 
would  be  an  adornment  lo  his  singing.  Were  one  merely  to  read 
it  (instead  of  singing  it)  in  a  simple  way,  even  then,  the  Gita  would 
not  be  found  any  the  less  charming.  An  ornament  even  in  an  unworn 
state  looks  beautiful;  would  not  its  looking  beautiful,  in  the  state 
of  being  worn,  be  only  in  the  fitness  of  things?  The  pearls  if  studded 
with  gold  lend  it  additional  beauty;  yet  they  do  not  look  less  beautiful 
by  themselves  even  though  not  so  studded!  The  roundish  and  fully 
blown  flowers  of  the  'Mogra'  plant  during  the  spring  season,  are 
not  deficient  in  fragrance  whether  (they  are)  unwoven  (loose)  or 
inwoven.  In  that  way,  I  have  composed  in  the  'Ovi'  form  of  verses, 
( w«r)  a  type  of  metrical  composition  which  when  set  to  music  appears 
to  advantage  and  even  without  any  musical  element  looks  charming 
(if  merely  recited).  In  this  'Ovi'  form  of  composition,  I  have  inter- 
woven letters  smelling  the  essence  of  Supreme  Brahman,  in  a  way 
that  would  make  all  including  even  children,  understand  it.  It  never 
becomes  necessary  to  look  up  for  any  floral  growth  on  a  sandal 
tree  for  having  fragrance;  in  that  way,  one  gets  into  rapt  concentration 
in  Spiritual  meditation,  as  soon  as  he  hears  this  versified  composition 
(recited);  What  then  if  he  hears  a  sermon  on  it?  Will  it  not  throw 
him  into  a  state  of  ecstacy?  While  it  is  being  recited,  the  erudition 
contained  in  it  is  invested  with  such  a  superb  bloom  that  even  a  flow 
of  nectar  if  one  be  passing  nearby)  would  not  be  able  to  attract  towards 
itself  the  hearers'  attention  away  from  that  (erudition)!  This  inborn 
poetic  genius  has  become  (as  it  were)  the  very  abode  of  rest  with  the 
result  that  (mere)  hearing  (of  the  recital)  conquers  (i.e.  proves  more 
valuable  spiritually  than)  constant  study  and  meditation.  Any  one 


668  JNANESHWARI 

will  be  able  to  secure  the  enjoyment  of  the  select  portion  of  the  bliss 
of  the  self  by  hearing,  which  will  nourish  further  the  other  sense- 
centres  through  the  auditory  sense.  The  bird  Chakora  enjoys,  through 
its  inherent  power,  the  Lunar  rays;  yet  cannot  any  one  (else)  also 
avail  himself  of  the  Moonlight?  In  that  way  (although  it  is  true  that) 
those  only  that  are  fully  qualified,  can  secure  knowledge  of  the  deep 
secret  contained  in  this  science  of  metaphysics,  yet  ordinary  people 
even  will  enjoy  happiness  through  this  rhapsodical  work.  This  is 
really  all  due  to  the  glory  of  Shri  Nivrittnath.  It  is  not  (in  fact)  a 
composition,  but  is  the  glory  of  his  favour.  That  secret  which  in 
immemorial  times,  the  slayer  of  the  Demon  Tripura  (viz.  Lord  Shiva) 
whispered  into  the  cavity  of  the  ears  of  Goddess  Parwati,  somewhere, 
exactly  we  do  not  know,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  sea  of  milk- 
that  very  secret  (knowledge)  was  secured  by  Machhindranath,  while 
abiding  secretly  in  the  stomach  of  the  alligator,  living  amidst  the 
sea  of  milk.  Macchindranath  met  ChourangTnath,  the  limbless 
cripple,  on  the  'Sapta-Shringf  mountain;  the  latter  got  all  his  limbs 
restored  to  him  as  before  as  the  result  of  Macchindranath's  mere 
vision.  Getting  desirous  of  enjoying  undisturbed,  enrapt  concentration 
in  spiritual  meditation  (wfa),  Macchindranath  gave  over  the  pro- 
found mystery  (*£3T)  to  Gorakhnath — the  very  lake  of  lotus  flowers 
in  the  form  of  the  path  of  Yoga  and  the  unique  warrior  capable  of 
vanquishing  the  sense  of  objects,  and  installed  him  on  his  own  spiritual 
throne,  endowing  him  with  all  his  powers.  Gorakhnath  preached  to 
revered  Gaininath  the  bliss  of  monism  along  with  all  its  traditions, 
that  had  descended  down  from  the  very  God  Shri  Shankar.  Gaininath 
seeing  that  the  'Kali'  age  ( spfspjr )  was  swallowing  up  all  beings 
called  on  Nivritflnath  with  a  mandate,  "You  do  embrace  the  tradi- 
tional lore  0T5RTC)  that  has  descended  down  to  us  through  the  chain 
of  teacher  and  disciple  from  the  Lord  Shankar — the  love  which  I 
have  fortunately  received  thus,  and  make  haste  (run  fast)  to  protect 
all  the  beings  that  are  being  devoured  by  the  Kali  (strife  personified)." 
Nivrittmath,  naturally  kind  and  very  tender-hearted,  and  having  in 
addition  got  such  a  mandate  from  his  preceptor,  started  like  monsoon 
clouds  to  cool  the  universe.  Then  moved  with  compassion  at  the 
sight  of  the  people  in  distress,  he  profusely  showered  on  them  the 
sentiment  of  tranquillity  (note  the  pun  on  the  expression  5i'FP"*r 
which  means:  (i)  a  liquid  that  has  the  power  to  soothe  and  cool 
anything,  and  (ii)  the  9th  poetic  sentiment  of  trnquillity),  which, 
by  generating  aversion  to  mundane  affairs,  inclines  a  man  to  the  path 
of  salvation  thus  enabling  him  to  shake  off  all  worldly-cares  and 


xvm.  moksasamnyAsayoga  669 

miseries  under  the  pretext  of  putting  together  systematically  the 
meaning  of  GTta.  The  upshot  of  that  activity  is  this  book,  (the 
author  wishes  to  convey  the  idea  that  his  work  is  purposely  written 
to  lead  people  to  salvation).  On  that  occasion  I  stood  before  him, 
with  a  strong  desire  to  take  in  (the  *iith<h  ),  like  the  bird  Chakora 
and  that  brought  me  the  present  (magnificent)  success.  In  this  way, 
the  preceptor  following  the  traditions  imparted  to  me,  through 
discourse  on  that  subject,  the  treasure  of  (the  knowledge  of)  enrapt 
concentration  in  spiritual  meditation.  Had  it  not  been  so,  whence 
could  I,  who  never  recite  nor  read,  nor  yet  know  how  to  serve  the 
preceptor  properly,  have  secured  such  capacity?  But  remember  that 
the  preceptor,  making  me  only  a  plea,  (an  instrument)  composed 
this  work  and  protected  the  world.  So  whatever  merits  or  flaws 
might  have  been  penned  (uttered)  here,  as  coming  from  a  mere  in- 
strument (of  the  preceptor),  should  all  be  borne  by  you  as  would  a 
mother.  I  hardly  knew  how  to  chisel  a  word  most  fittingly,  how  to 
broach  and  treat  methodically  a  subject  (problem),  or  what  in  fact 
the  fingures  of  speech  are.  In  fact  it  was  the  good  preceptor  that  - 
did  all  the  talk,  making  me  only  a  mouthpiece,  just  as  the  dancing 
of  a  doll  takes  place  according  to  the  movements  of  the  string  or 
other  mechanism  on  which  it  works.  I  am  not  quite  particular  about 
tendering  an  apology  to  you  for  any  merits  or  demerits,  since,  I  was 
intended  by  the  preceptor  merely  as  a  conveyance  for  carrying  the 
composition.  And  any  deficiency  (in  it)  that  might  stand  out  in  the 
conference  of  you  saints,  were  such  dificiency  not  to  be  made  up, 
(by  you)  I  would  be  all  wrath  with  you  in  a  spirit  of  affection  (being 
accustomed  to  your  indulgence).  (If  the  inferiority-base  condition- 
of  iron  is  not  removed  at  the  touch  to  it)  of  Paris,  whose  fault  would 
it  be?  The  only  part  that  a  stream  has  to  play  is  to  flow  and  mingle 
with  the  Ganges  if  it  does  not  then  get  one  with  the  Ganges,  whose 
fault  would  it  be?  Therefore,  now  that  I  have  luckily  approached 
the  feet  of  you  saints,  what  more  do  I  want  in  the  world?  Oh  sires 
through  the  grace  of  my  preceptor  I  have  been  favoured  by  the  close 
friendship  of  saintly  men  like  you  who  have  fulfilled  all  the  ambitions 
of  my  life  perfectly.  Just  see,  having  secured  a  parental  home  (TifT) 
like  you,  I  was  enabled  to  carry  quite  happily  to  its  successful  comple- 
tion this  book— my  cherished  desire.  It  might  become  possible  to  cast 
entirely  of  gold  the  earth-globe,  or  to  create  the  seven  mountains 
($*in*i)  of  ChintSmani  gems;  or  it  might  be  easy  to  fill  up  the  seven 
seas  with  nectar,  or  it  would  not  be  diflicult  to  convert  all  the  (minor) 
stars  into  as  many  moons;  or  to  lay  out  and  plant  pleasure-gardens 


670  JNANESHWARI 

of  'Kalpataru'  tress;  but  it  would  be  very  difficult  to  discover  the 
hidden  sense  of  Gita.  by  resolving  its  intricacies.  Yet  that  T,  a  complete 
mute  (dunce),  have  been  enabled  to  expound  the  Scripture  in  the  Marathi 
language  in  a  way  that  could  make  all  view  (i.e.  understand)  it  clearly; 
that  I  could  swim  across  the  vast  sea  in  the  form  of  this  stupendous 
composition,  and  waved  and  paraded  the  banner  of  victory  (in  my 
hands)  in  the  form  of  fame;  that  I  could  erect  a  temple  in  the  form 
of  the  Gita  interpretations,  the  temple  that  looks  like  the  mountain 
Meru  with  its  enormous  tops  (fw*)  and  therein  instal  and  worship 
the  image  of  the  preceptor:  or  that  an  infant  that  had  missed  its 
frank  and  guileless  mother  in  the  form  of  the  Gita  teaching,  and  was 
wandering  aimlessly,  should  be  able  to  meet  its  mother  again : — the 
credit  of  all  these  acts  of  piety  is  due  to  you  (the  audience).  I,  Jnanadev, 
proclaim  to  you  all  the  saints  that  whatever  I  have  said  here  is  the 
net  result  of  assimilating  all  your  piety,  and  is  not  merely  an  empty 
talk  (i.e.  a  thing  to  be  trifled  with).  What  more  should  I  say  to  (you) 
all?  That  I  have  been  shown  (enabled  to  see)  the  festival  of  the  comple- 
tion of  this  work,  is,  (as  I  take  it)  the  fruition  of  my  life.  I  feel  extremely 
happy  that  you  fulfilled  all  my  expectations  to  the  full  extent,  I  con- 
fidently hoped  of  you.  0  Sires,  you  have  created  for  me  another 
universe  in  the  form  of  this  work  and  that  makes  us  simply  laugh 
(out  of  ridicule)  at  the  Sage  Vishvamitra,  Where  was  the  greatness 
in  his  creating  for,  and  his  giving  importance  to  Trishanku',  a  mortal 
world  simply  for  belittling  God  Brahmadev !  God  Shambhu  created 
the  ocean  of  milk,  getting  charmed  with  Upamanyu;  but  it  (sea) 
is  not  also  fit  to  be  compared  (with  this  work),  since  it  contained 
poison  (which  was  later  on  churned  out).  The  Sun  comes  in  hot 
haste  for  delivering  the  universe  from  the  demon  in  the  form  of  dark- 
ness who  has  devoured  it;  yet  while  doing  so,  he  makes  the  people 
suffer  from  his  (tormenting)  heat.  The  Moon  pours  out  to  cool 
down  the  heat-stricken  universe;  but  being  herself  contaminated, 
she  too  is  not  worthy  of  being  used  as  a  standard  of  comparison  with 
regard  to  this  work.  Therefore,  I  say,  there  is  no  other  thing  (in  the 
world)  that  can  bear  comparison  to  this  work,  which  meritorious 
achievement  you  saints  have  caused  to  be  created  in  the  three  worlds 
through  my  agency.  Nay,  that  this  religious  sermon,  Kfrtana  (^^r 
— praising  God  with  the  help  of  music  and  singing),  has  reached  its 
(successful)  termination,  is  all  your  doing,  what  remains  as  my  role 
in  it,  being  that  of  only  a  servant. 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  671 

EPILOGUE 

Now  the  Supreme  Self  should  get  itself  propitiated  by  this  sacrifice 
in  the  form  of  a  literary  production  and  should  grant  me  in  charity  the 
only  boon  (TW)  that  the  evil  vision  of  the  vile  and  wicked  should  drop 
all  its  crookedness  and  sting  and  they  should  develop  a  love  towards 
good  actions,  and  further  there  should  be  created  fellow-feeling 
(towards  one  other)  amongst  the  beings.  May  the  darkness  in  the 
form  of  sins  get  destroyed  and  may  the  entire  universe  (people)  conduct 
itself  in  the  light  of  the  rising  Sun  in  the  form  of  one's  own  (religious) 
duty;  and  may  each  and  every  being  (as  a  class)  get  the  fulfilment  of 
each  and  every  wish  of  his.  Let  the  concourse  of  saints  that  shower 
down  all  that  is  propitious  on  the  universe,  appear  and  visit  per- 
petually the  aggregate  of  beings  on  this  earth.  These  saints  are  as 
it  were  the  blossoms  of  the  moving  (walking)  'Kalpatanf  trees,  or 
the  inhabited  places  (towns)  of  sentient  'Chintamani'  gems  or  the 
talking  oceans  of  the  nectar.  May  these  saints  who  are  unconta- 
minated  Moons  and  heatless  (cool)  Suns  be  the  constant  kinsmen 
( *frc* )  of  all.  In  short,  let  all  the  three  worlds  be  all  happy  and 
perfected  (with  the  bliss  of  Monism),  and  let  them  render  service 
eternally  to  the  Primeval  Male  Supreme  Being.  And  especially  those 
in  this  universe  that  (literally)  live  on  (the  constant  study  of)  this 
work  (GIta)  may  they  have  the  perfect  happiness  both  temporal  as 
well  as  spiritual.  Hearing  this,  the  Lord  of  the  Universe  (in  the  form 
of  the  preceptor  Nivrittinath)  said,  "This  boon  has  been  granted 
to  you",  at  which  Jnanadev  became  very  happy.  There  is  in  this 
'Kali-age',  the  most  holy  in  all  the  three  worlds,  and  a  very  ancient 
place  called  ( Panchakrosha'  "t^PT-the  modern  town  named 
'NewSse'),  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  river  Godavari,  in  (the  pro- 
vince of)  Maharashtra  (modern  Deccan),  where  there  dwells  the 
deity  named  'MahSIaya'  (known  as  'Mohaniraja'  in  modern  times) 
the  living  thread  (the  root-cause)  of  the  universe.  In  this  holy  place 
rules  most  justly  King  ShrT  Ramachandra,  the  crown  gem  in  the 
Soma  Dynasty  of  the  Kshatriya  race,  and  the  very  abode  of  aU  the 
arts.  At  this  place,  Jnanadev,  the  Disciple  of  Nivrittinath,-the  follo- 
wer of  the  traditional  Sect  (School  of  Mahesha  (the  Great  God  Shiva), 
gave  the  GM  the  garb  of  Marathi  (language).  I,  Jnanadev,  the  disciple 
of  Nivrittinath,  declare  that  this  18th  Chapter  is  the  pinnacle  (fwc) 
of  the  beautiful  dialogue  named  GIta,  that  took  place  between  Lord 


672  JNANESHWARI 

Krishna  and  Arjuna  (and  is  described)  in  the  celebrated  'Bhishma' 
Parva  (part)of  the  Great  epic  'Maha-Bharata',  and  which  is  the  very 
essence  of  the  'Upanishads'  and  also  the  parental  home  of  all  the 
Scriptures,  and  in  which  (Gita  lake)  the  Supreme  Swans-the  Yogins- 
take  resort,  in  the  way  do  the  swans  in  the  lake  (known  as  'Manasa'). 
May  the  aggregate  of  beings  derive  complete  happiness  day  by  day 
from  the  wealth,  in  the  form  of  the  holy  Scriptures.  Jnanadev 
composed  (edited)  this  commentary  (on  the  (Gita),  in  the  year  Shake 
1212  and  'Sachhidanandbaba',  with  great  reverence  became  its 
writer  (copyist)  (1810). 


XVIII.   MOKSASAMNYASAYOGA  673 

VERSES  ADDED  BY  SAINT  EKNATH  AFTER  HIS 
RESEARCH  ON  JNANESHWARl 

Eknath,  the  disciple  of  Saint  Janardana,  corrected  with  high  regard, 
from  the  original,  the  copy  (manuscript)  of  Jnaneshwari-Gita  (then 
in  vogue)  in  the  year  Shake  1506  named  'Tarana'.  The  Scripture 
was  by  itself  originally  perfectly  pure,  but  had  meanwhile  been  ren- 
dered inconsistent  (incorrect)  on  account  of  wrong  and  unauthorised 
interpolations  made  during  the  course  of  the  day-to-day  routine 
reciters.  These  have,  after  a  careful  research,  been  corrected  (now) 
and  a  correct  and  authentic  copy  of  Jnaneshwarl  has  now  been  pre- 
pared from  the  original.  I  bow  to  the  spotless  saint  Jnaneshwar, 
the  reading  of  whose  commentary  on  GTta  imparts  knowledge  to 
the  devoted  lover  of  the  Scripture.  Writing  work  was  completed 
at  the  town  named  Paithan  (mPv-&i«i)  on  the  bank  of  river  Godavari, 
on  the  most  auspicious  and  unique  occasion  (T#oft> — the  'Kapi- 
lashashti,"*  in  the  month  of 'Bhadrapada'.  One  who  would  hereafter 
interpolate  any  (unauthorised)  Marathi  verse  of  his  own  composition 
in  this  copy  of  Jnaneshwarl  should  be  taken  as  having  placed  a  hol- 
lowed shell  of  a  coconut  CFcfr)  in  a  dish  filled  with  ambrosia  (5). 


*  This  unique  occasion  occurs  only  once  in  sixty  years,  when  the  following  five  events 
are  found  on  the  same  day:  (i)  6th  day  of  the  dark  fortnight  of  WT3 month, (ii)  The 
Sun  is  in  the  constellation  of  Hasta,  (in)  Vyatipat  Yoga,  (iv)  Tuesday,  (v)  The  moon 
is  in  the  constellation  of  Rohiril. 


TN  ADORATION  OF  JNANESHWAR 
(By  V.  V.  D.) 

Hail  Jnaneshwar!  Thou  gem  amongst  saints 
Thy  splendid  light  on  Krishna's  song  divine 
Has  cheered  many  a  feeble  struggling  soul 
Through  dismal  nights  of  Maya's  illusive  ways 
And  brought  them  hope  with  faith  in  Lord's  decrees 
They  murmur  not,  nor  piteous  plaints  display, 
Though  pressed  by  hosts  of  woes  like  beasts  ferocious. 
Serene  and  staid,  they  wend  along  the  course 
Laid  down  by  duty,  revealed  in  Lord's  message 
Thou  leading  sage  andfound'r  of  lihakti  school 
Yogin  foremost,  with  power  miraculous; 
Healer  of  mundane  cares,  thy  blessings  shower 
On  meek,  suppliant  men  beseeching  grace, 
And  feed  their  hungry  spir  'ts  with  manna  sweet 
Unshackle  them  from  bonds  oj'Mayic  snare 
Promote  them  straight  in  unison  with  Om. 


OM  TAT  SAT  BRAHMARPANAMASTU 


Index 


Absence  —  of  action  on  the  part  of  the 
great  72,  73,  90 

-  of  attachment  375 
-of  wrath  493,  494 

Action  —  Sinless  44,  45 

-  of  ritualist  condemned  46 

-  right  method  of  performing  48,  49,  59 

-  true  renunciation  of  63,  64,  70,  71 

-  as  a  means  of  securing  emancipation- 
91 

-  how  to  distinguish  between  action  and 
inaction  92,  93 

-  characteristics  of  sage  (perfected 
man)  who  has  mastered  the  secret  of 
action  92,  94,  95 

-  Culminates  in  knowledge  100 
-renunciation  of  107,  109,  HO 

-  prescribed  by  four  castes  religion  336 
-(power)  as  wife  of  Pran  (Principle 

life  wind)  354 

-  Universal  action  as  hands  of  Supreme 
397 

-  Three  types  of  action  557,  558 

-  Sattva  dominated  589  Rajas  domina- 
ted 589.  590  Tamas  dominated  590, 
591 

-  activism  -  the  product  of  Gunas  437 

-  Pregnant  with  desire  is  harmful  277 
Adhar-chakra  —  139, 187, 192, 330 
AditySs  —  m,  297 

Agama  —  394 

Agasti  —  (the  sage)  246  Agasti  (Sirius), 

450,  498 
Agent  —  Sattva  dominated  592,  593 
-Rajas  dominated  593,  594 

-  Tamas  dominated  594,  598 
Ahimsi  —  (non  violence)  ^ 

-  The  doctrine  of  ritualists  (^4*fl*li«W) 
stated  and  condemned  360,  361. 

-as  practised  by  a  man  of  knowledge 
363,  365 

-  some  foolish  practices  the  observance 
of  which  result  in  Himsa  360-361. 

-in  speech  362  non-violence  in  mind 
(thought)  necessary  for  genuine  365 

-Author  qualifies  his  explanation  on 
366-367 


-  Author's  harangue  to  audience  368, 
493 

Airawat  —  263,  500 

Ajamila  —  {&  typical  sinner)  279 

Ajani  —  (9fa)  621 

Akshara  and  Kshara  —  (See  Mutable  and 
Immutable)  482,  483,  488 

Akshouhini  —  (a  big  division  in  the  army 
consisting  of  a  fixed  number  of  (1) 
warriors  fighting  on  foot  (2)  on  horse- 
back (3)  on  elephants  and  (4)  in 
the  chariots  637 

Alchemy  —  601 

Amardvati  —  229 

Amavasya  —  338,  353,  405-  The  mind 
of  the  Tamas-ridden  compared  to 
sky  433,  479 

Amba  —  (Goddess)  393 

Ambika  —  660 

Ambrosia  —  103,  217,  220,  263,  347,  363. 

Amorous  Souls  —  (of  Gokula)  i.e.  Gopies 
274 

Anahata  —  (wheel)  144,  145,  330 

Andaja  —  (  afssr  born  of  egg)  455 

Anima  —  (one  of  the  8  miraculous  powers 
acquired  by  a  Yogin)  145. 

Apana  —  63,  121,  141,  142,  334,  472, 
504,  573,  595,  602. 

Ardhanari-Nateshwar  —  (A  hermaphro- 
ditic form  of  Deity)  225,  553 

Arjuna  —  his  chariot  12  -  reviews  the 
armies  and  becomes  nervous  16,  17 

-  expresses  his  gloomy  thoughts  on  the 
fratricidal  war  18-24 

-  condemns  the  war  as  a  crime  and  an 
act  of  ingratitude  28,  29 

-  in  deep  distress  and  dilusion  he  begs 
for  Krishna's  guidance  28-30 

-is  showered  with  the  divine  grace 
by  Krishna  135. 

-  expresses  his  desire  to  see  the  Divine 
form  277 

-  is  unable  to  see  the  form  with  human 
-sight,  and  is  granted  divine  sight 

282,  283 

-  Krishna's  love  for  Arjuna  475 

-  Arjuna's  first  reaction  to  the  Omni- 
form  289 

-Arjuna  describes  in  amazement  the 


676  ine 

omnifonn  in  detail  offering  his  saluta- 
tion 290-306 
-Arjuna  impatient  to  see  the  normal 
form  of  Krishna  644 

-  Arjuna  in  spiritual  trance  654 
jlrfc 294  312 

Ascetics  — 150,  167,  191,  270,  287,  387, 
392,  402,  497,  499,  513,  623 
Ascetic  tendencies  —  602 
Asceticism  — 121,    167,   333,   449,   461, 

471,  497,  535,  611,  612,  615,  618,  619, 

621,  623,  (a  steel  armour  of  a  seeker) 

624,  627. 
Ashadha  —  454,  510 
Askoka  (tree)  —  304 
Ashwins  —  282,297 
Ashvamedha  —  653 
Asita  —  255, 

Ashwathha  -^-451,  453, 454, 459, 460,  462 
Atharwa  Veda  —  394 
Atheism  and  Nihilism  —  506 
Atheist  —  526 
Atman  —  35,  266,  275,  284,  354,  355,  357, 

379,  402,  512. 
Austerity  —  357,  388,  490,  492,  513,  525, 
526,  528 

-  threefold  Austerity  533 

-  austerity  of  the  body  534 
-of  speech 534,  535 

-of  mind  535,  536 

-  Satva  and  Rajas  dominated  536, 537 
-Tamas  dominated  537,  546,  548,  602, 

607,  650,  652. 
Avidya  —  423 


Bacchanalia  —  604 

Bali  — 219 

Bandhus  —  (in  the  wheels  -Tar  -  Tj(to W  - 

*ll*j*r<.    in  snw.TflfjrjT-and  wTS1) 

375 
Bhadrapada  —  673 
Bhagirath  —  265 
Bhagwad-Gita  —  Summary  of  the  first 

part  (Chapter  I-IX)  245,  246 
Bhairav  —  298, 393 
Bharat  —  (clan)  A  clan  to  which  Kauravas 

and  Pandavas  belonged. 
BhSrat  —  (the  great  Epic)  extolled  4,5, 

394,  416,  662 
Bhasmasur  —  27 
BhavM  —  (Parvati)  290 


Bhlsma  —  (the  commander-in-chief)  9, 10, 
11,  302,  309 
-Parva  416,  672 

Bhrgu  —  262,279,487 

Birth  and  death  —  their  function  in  the 
eternal  order  38,  39,  50,  63,  66,  73, 
129,    171,    180,    195,   197,  202,  203, 

210,  216,  217,  226,  230,  235,  259. 
-as  a  path  made  by  fancy  (Maya) 

351,  376,  404,  408,  411,  413,  439,  440, 
466,  516.  554,   556,  606,  631,  636, 
Black  Magic  — Til,  510 
Black  Magicians  —  512 
Bodv  —  Its  relation  to  Soul  —  36,  37,  38 
-Body  of  a  Yogin  141-144 
-Evils  inherent  in  body  194-195 

-  it  acts  like  a  strumpet  towards  soul 
195-196 

Brihaspati    -229,    244,    262,    358 
Brihat  Soman  —  267  (a  variety  of  Saman) 
Brihat  Sam-Sutra    -  352 
Brahmudev    -66,  67.  68.  81,  196 

-  The  day  and  night  of  Bra.-  Corres- 
ponds to  creation  and  dissolution 
of  the  universe  226,  290,  314,  319, 
322,  330,  348,  352,  357,  369, 407, 41 1, 
425,  429.  442,  638 

-  qualifications  necessary  to  attain  the 
status  of  447,  448,  454,  459,  464, 
493,  501,  510,  514 

Brahman  -  33,  35,  39.  59,  70,  95,  96 
101,  115,  120,  146.  147,  148,  157. 
161,  172,  179,  180,  181,  197,  200-206, 

211,  219,  221,  223.  244.  245,  246, 
259, 262,  271,  275.  283,  284,  286,  291, 
294,  315,  334,  335,  344,  368.  396-398, 
402,  40X.  411,  412,  416.  618,  621,  622 
623,  624,-  631,  634,  654,  655.  665. 

■  Gross  Bra.  418-420,  436.  437,  441 

-  Brahmic  equanimity  442-445, 447  451, 
458,  462,  467,  478-480.  492. 

-Brahmasutra  350.  492.  493.  522,  523, 

525,  543-548,  550.  575,  584. 
Brahmarandhru      144-146,  191,  292.  334 
Brahmin  —  68 

-Brahman  and  Shudra  79,  116,  162, 

229,  241,  242, 
-uninvited  guest  448,  516,  492,  511 

-  the  spirit  of  a  deceased  Brahmin:— 

526,  533,  538 

-Brahmin  sacriffcers  542,  543,  544. 
606-609 
Budhism  -  2 


677 


Caste  —  Intermingling  of  22,  73 

-  Castes  based  on  qualities  and  actions 
91,  92 

-  Religion  based  on  (Four)  Castes  336, 
376,  610,  614,  648 

-  Brahmin's  caste-lowering  of  522 

-  Functions  assigned  to  four  different 
castes  605 

-Kshatriyas  and  Vaishyas  enjoy  the 

same  high  status  as 
-is  enjoyed  by  Brahmins  605,  606 
Chakor  (bird)  —  4,20, 117, 125 
-compared  to  devotees  of  God  163, 
244,  257,  278,  363,  365,  383,  639,  643, 
648,  652,  664,  665 
Chakrawak  —  486,  602. 
Chamundi  (Goddess)  —  334 
Chandrayana  (penance)  —  544 
Charity  —  376,  379,  384,  490,  491,  518, 
522,  527,  528 

-  Sattva  dominated  538,  539 
-Rajas  dominated  539 
-Tamas  dominated  539,  540 

-  Charitable  grants  556,  559,  575. 
ChStak  —  2n,  327,  448 
Chintamani  —  125,  227,  315,  323,  552, 

661,  663,  669,  671 
Chitrarath  —  263 
Chouranginath  —  668 
Cobra  (festival)  —  393 
Collyrium  (Magical)  —  Shows  a  hidden 

treasure  449 
Concentration — 46, 50, 22 1 ,  333, 336, 422, 

519,  553 
Concubines  —  230 

Cosmic  power  —  an  illusion  170, 173, 178 
-Yoga  179 

-  person  291 
-action  100 
-time  197 
-nature  213-215 

-  creation  and  dissolution  of  the  uni- 
verse 421 

Cupid  —  251,  350,  353 

Deity  and  Sentience  —  (fw-*^r )  288 

Demigods  —  458 

Demon  —  219,  220,  264*649,  670 

-  Daityas  (Demons)  268,  297 

-  Asuras  (Demons)  312 

-  Demon  buffalo  in  the  form  of  mind 
334,  526,  580 


-Demon  598 
Demoniac  —  218,  501 
-Demonical  estate  489,  499 

-  Demoniacal  Estate  -  its  six  compo- 
t    nents  described  499,  501 

-  Six  demerits  of  Demonical 

-  Estate  Compared  to  the  clustering 
of  evil  planets  in  the 

-Zodical  sign  etc.  502,  503 

-  Men  of  Demonical  nature  503,  514, 
527 

Desire  —  nature  of  desires  355,  428 

Dcvaki  —  268 

Devala  —  256 

Devotee  — 12,  173,  612,  626,  627,  628, 

629,  641,  644,  645,  656,  657 
-four  types  of  De.  described  174 

-  the  last  type  is  praised  175 

-  now  a  Devotee  attains  the  vision  of  ' 
Knowledge  174,  175 

-  becoming  a  man  of  Knowledge:  ig- 
norant devotees  scrupulously  worship 
lesser  deities  and  secure  inferior  re- 
ward 176,  177 

-God  helps  his  devotees  192,  193, 
199,  206,  220 

-  Devotees  on  attaining  liberation  221, 
222,  230-233,  235 

-  Devotees  and  God  identical  236,  237, 
238,  243,  271,  274,  278,  280,  292, 
324,  328,  332 

-  God  protects  his  devotees  and  highly 
praises  them  336,  399 

-Characteristics  of  the  devotee  343, 
347,  371,  382,  393 

-  a  fickle  devotee  compared  to  a  harlot 
390,  402,  444,  512,  520  521,  551,  570 

Devotion  -  385,  624,  625  (fourth  kind 
the  best  Devotion)  626, 627. 628, 629, 

630,  634,  636,  650.  651 

-  is  a  river  superior  to  the  Ganges  be- 
cause it  purifies  without  any  risk  of 
drowning  343 

-  to  preceptor  367-371 

-  unswerving  devotion  381,  382,  447, 
487 

Dharman  —  (Religion)  importance  of  fo- 
llowing one's  Dh.  613,  614 
-Alien  Dh.  615,  616 

Dhrltarashtra  —  7,  25,  84,  124,  205,  243, 
271,  283,  288,  305,  347,  446, 518,549, 
657,  660 

Dhruva  —  (North  polar  star)  245,  285, 


678 


368,  374,  382,  662 
Divine  —  life    178,   213,   219,   231,   233, 

238,    274,   328 
-love   won    through    amour,    terror, 

enmity  etc.  239,  328 
-grace  222,  302,  320 
-mother  319 
-resonance  417 

-  Estate  489,  490 

-Estate  26  qualities  of  enumerated 
490-498,  503-504 

Divali  festival  —  447 

Dolls  —  132 

Drona  —  302,  309 

Dronacharya  —  8, 666,  His  Sterling  quali- 
ties 28 

Duality—  120,  223,  328,  344,  355,  398, 
401,  416,  418,  419,  421,  435,  436, 
479,  480,  488,  520,  545,  565,  568, 
617,  626 

-  (seer  and  the  object  of  seeing)  630, 
631,  646,  655,  657,  658 

Durga  —  (goddess)  393,  580 

Dwyodhcm  —  7, 10, 660 

Duty  —  how  to  know  (performance  of 

du.)  610,  612,  613,  614, 
Dwarka  —  326, 
-capital  of  Yadavas  and  Krishna's 
City  475,  574 


Ecstacy  —  630 

-  of  Sanjaya  659 

Ego  —  166,  171,  179,  186 
Egoism  —  58, 354, 

-child  467,  488 
Egotism  —  328,  405,  463,  471,  512,  545, 
564,  577,  578,  622,  638,  643,  660. 
Eight  —  elephants  352 

-(supernatural)  powers  132 

-fold  signs  290 

-fold  thrills  297 

-  affections  of  the  body  427 
-righteous  feelings  447 

-  factors  promoting  the  growth  of  Giant 
tree  452 

-  Kinds  of  emotional  states  658 

(«ll«H»fW) 
Ekalavya  —  666 
Ekanalh  —  673 
Emancipation  —  39,  100,  200,  278,  343 

344,  411,  445,  449,  499,  541,  544. 

557,  558,  622. 


350 


Eons  —  424 

Erotic  —  (enjoyment)  573 

Esoteric  —  (worship)  630 

doctrine  641 
Eternity  —  421,  523 


Faith  —  Three  Kinds  of  Faith  524 

-Spiritual  faith  606 
False  view  of  God's  nature  —  216,  218,  219 
Farmer   —  (mind)  and  bullock   -    ten 

Sense  and  action  organs    — 

Field  -  objects  of  senses 

Seeds  —  injustice 

Crop    great  sins  _ 

Field  -   (Kshctra)  349-352,  630 

defined  5 

-  its  36,  constituents  401,  402,  409 
-Unity  of  Fi.  and  Knower  410,  415, 

420,  478 
Field- Knower    •  (Kshetradnya)  348,  401- 
402,  409,  414,  415,  420 

-  special  features  of  423,  426,  477,  630 
Fire—  (Sacrificial)  in  the  form  of  self 

control  96 

with   oblations   of  Sense   Objects, 
flames      Sensual  pleasures,  Sticks 
fancies.  Smoke      craving  receptacles 
5  senses. 
Five  fires  —  293 

-  fire  in  the  form  of  meditation  on  the 
self     Churning,  rod     heart,  rope 
mental  firmness,  smoke        lure  of 
magic  power,  knowledge     fire,  sticks 

desires,  purified  butter      passions, 
sacred  chant       "I  am  the  Brahman 
etc."  97,  408 
-fire  of  reason,  five  fires  410 

-  Fire  compared  to  knowledge  420 
-sacrificial  fire  428 

-  Fire  of  activism  428 

-  fire  submarine  438 

-  Vaishwanara  fire  in  the  body  472 

-  fire  of  non-attachment  491 
-fire-sacred  fire  522.  537 

-  three  sacred  fires  (.  «lf«|ifl'«r,  TriNr, 
sflpr  )-544,  545 

(ire  (sacrificial)  of  knowledge,  into 
which  Nescience  is  offered  as  an 
oblation  653 
Five  —  five  fires  293 

-  five  elements  351,  353,  354,  410,  413 

-  nature  of  gross  elements  422 


679 


-gross  elements  as  branches  of  the 

Giant  tree  452 
-five  external  organs 

-  five  demerits  of  Tamas  tenacity  601 
-five  causes  1,  body  (locus),  2,  agent 

3,  means  4,  operations  5,  destiny  575, 

578,  579 
-(for  accomplishing  any  action)  569 
-five  elements  (space  (sky)  devouring 

the  remaining  four)  627 
Four —  four  internal  organs  452,  583 

-  four  objects  of  human  life  515 
-four  stages  of  life  591 
-four  kinds  of  beings  351,  455 

Fourteen  worlds  —  291,  295 
Forbearance  —  498 
Funeral  yard  —  350 
-grounds  524 


Gaimnath  —  668 
Gambler  —  "ill 
Gandaki  —  365 
Gandharwas  --  229,  263 

-  City  of  Gan.  289,  297,  459 
Ganesh  —  (Ganapali)   His   limbs,   orna- 
ments and  figure  identified  with  va- 
rious things  poetically  1,  2,  519 

-  Ganapati  (Synonym  for  Ganesh)  244, 
393 

Ganges  —  9,  10,  38,  43,  84,  121,  175,  216 
219,  222,  232,  239,  259,  264,  265, 
272,  310,  343,  362,  373.  376,  381, 
411,  419,  461,  464,  483,  487,  490, 
498,  499,  525,  531,  533,  542,  547, 
553,  580,  603,  611,  617,  619,  624, 
632,  634,  639,  656,  659,  669. 

Garuda  -  12,  234,  264,  274,  284,  369. 

Gayatri  —267 

Genesis  —  (of  action  and  knowledge)  576, 
582 

Ghost  —  of  deceased  Brahman  374 

-  troubles  warded  off  377,  379 

-  Ghostly   orders  417 

hoard  524 
~  king  of  Ghosts  (Vetal)  540 
-female  Goblin  guarding  hoarded 
money  541 
Giant  tree  -—  (Mundane  existence)  unlike 
other  trees  449 

-  also  called  Aswattha  450 

-  its  root,  deep  ignorance  i,e.  nescience 
451 


-different  parts  of  Giant  tree  des- 
cribed at  length  452 

-  why  is  the  tree  named  Asvattha  453, 
454 

,  -  why  do  the  ignorant  believe  the  tree 

to  be  imperishable  453,  454 
-the  functions  of  the  three   Gunas 

(Sattva,  Rajas,  Tamas)  in  the  giant 

tree  456,  524 
-the   method    of  cutting   (Sown    the 

world  Giant  Tree  459,  462 
GTta —  Compared  to  butter  churned  by 

Vyas  4 
-its  importance  and  interpretation  5, 

6,  84. 

-  is  a  creeper  issuing  from  the  Vedas 
124,  206 

-  represents  hidden  Saraswati  272,  417, 
419,  448,  449,  483,  484,  4$5,  488, 
520,  551. 

GTta  temple  of  Lord  Vishnu  552,  553 
-teaching  —  its  main  function  633, 
634,  639,  644 

-  Gita  scripture  and  its  relation  to  the 
Vedas  646,  647 

-  Summary  of  the  contents  of  the  1 8 
chapters  of  the  Gita  648 

-  Supremacy  of  the  Gita  vis-a-vis  the 
Vedas  648 

-  Traditions  (to  be  followed)  of  the 
Gita  649,  650 

-  Glory  and  greatness  of  Gita   664 
Glance  —  of  a  man  of  Knowledge  com- 
pared to  that  of  a  she-tortoise  363 

Godavari  —  671,    673 
Goddess  — of  love  281 

-  of  learning  (Sharada)  2,  574 

-  family  Goddess  530 
-- of  sacrificial  lore  531 

Gokul  -  268,  274 
Gopis  -  239 
Gorakhnath  —  295 
Goutam  —  525 
Govardhana  —268 
Grace  -  317,  417 

-of  the  Preceptor  515,  568,  639,  643 
Great- Void  ~  (^Pfp  )  144,  146 

-  primeval  void  257,  334,  340,  351 
-void  absolute  398,  400 
-Great  zero  (void)  481,  498 

Grishma  —  (season)  428,  461 
Guardians  of  8  cardinal  points  352 
Guilelessness  —  (as  displayed  by  a  man 
of  Knowledge)  358,  359 


680  in 

Gunas  —  38,  45-47 
-how  they  are  related  to  the  Vedas 

and  Upanishads  63. 
-as  real  Agents  of  actions  75,  88,  91, 

95,    170,   399,   400,   403,  404,   40$, 

410,   411,  420,   422,   426,  430,  432, 

432,  435-437 
-ebb  and  flow  of  Gunas  101,  102 

-  behaviour  and  attitude  of  a  person 
when  he  transcends  the  three  Gunas 
102-106,  119,  133,  139,  140,  145, 
183,  186,  187,  196,  197,  199,  200,  205. 

H 

Happiness  (defined)  —  355 
Harlot  —  279 

-who   was  saved   through   devotion 
359,  393,  594,  603 
Heaven  —  fall  of  the  Manes  from  42 

-pleasures  45 

-enjoyments  100,  204,  228,  -230 

-  (seven)  Heavens  297,  325,  382,  392, 
420,  423,  428,  436,  448,  496,  500, 
505,  506,  516,  587,  605,  615,  618, 
638,  644 

Hell  —  22,  23, 45,  228,  391,  392, 436, 499. 

501,  504,  506, 
-tortures  of  Hell  510,  514,  515,  587. 

604,  622,  644 
Hidden  Treasure  —  632 
Highest  Person  —  (or  Best  Person)  480, 

482,  488,  489 
Himalaya  —  262,  343,  440,  443,  444 
H imsa  —  (violence)  361 

-  Medical  science  and  Himsa  360 
HiranySksha  —  299 

Hoard — (guarded  by  a  serpant)  390 

-  guarded  by  a  female  goblin  541 

-  guarded  by  a  ghost  602 

-  (secret)  hoard  likened  to  supreme 
Brahman  618 

-  Secret  Hoard  (of  self  knowledge)  640 
Horse  Sacrifice  —  (Ashvamedha)  433, 556 
Hostess  (and  guests)  —  416 

Humours  (Triad  of)  —  410 


I 


Ida-  334,  375,  599,  621 

Idea—  (at  the  time  of  death)  186,  187 

Immutable  —  (and  Mutable  explained 

fully)  476,  480,  482 
Incarnation  ■■  84,  88,  89,  292,  321,  324 


Incantation  —  (and  charms)  512 
Indra  -  30,  58 
-Life  time  of  lndra  in  terms  of  Brahma- 
dev's  time  (3  hours)  196 

-  lndra's  Life  span  in  relation  to  cosmic 
time  196,  205 

-  lndra's  horse  229 

-  tempts  yogins  335,  427,  428 

-  preceptor  addressed  as  Indra  amongst 
the  Ganas  519 

Infamy  —  41-42 

Innate  -    (i)    qualities  of  brahmins  606- 
607 
(ii)   activity  of  Kshatriyas  608- 

609 
(iii)  activity  of  Vaishyas  and 
Shudras  610 
Intellect  -  (i)    Sattva  dominated  596- 
597 
(ii)   Rajas   dominated   597- 

598 
(iii)  Tamas  dominated   598 


Jain  Saints  -•  85 

Jalandar  —  (yogic  posture)  139,  146,  621 

Jamna  —  272,  298 

Janaka  •-  72 

Janamejaya   ■■  4 

Jaraj  -   424,  455 

Jasmine—  493 

Jiva  and  Shiva  -  223 

Jnaneshwari  —  what  led  Jnancshwar  to 

Compose  the  Marathi  Commentary 

on  the  Gita  670-672 
Jupiter  -  entering  thcsignLco(fad+«m4un) 

663 
Kailas  —  290,621 
to/Wya-354,543 
Kat  —  (theory  of  the  universe  332 
Kal  -  (time)  477,  522,  550 
Kalbhairava  -  (form  of  Shankara)  161 
KSiiyS  •-  298 

Kalkuta     (deadly  poison)  259 
Kalpa  -  (a  day  of  Brahmadevj  344,  371. 

424,  513,  523,  595 
Kalpataru  --(a  fabulous  tree  of  Indra 'h 

heaven)  184,  217.  229,  233,  234,  243, 

244,  271,  287.  315,  330,  550,  661. 

663,  670,  671, 
Kamadem  —  (Heavenly  cow)  6,  61 
•  Religion  compared  to  66,  107,  184, 

229,  234,  235,  270,  279-80.  314.  323. 


681 


333,  341,  663. 

Kamsa  —  239,  268 

Kapila  —  (founder  of  SSnkhya  Philoso- 
phy) 263, 402 

Kapila  Sashti  673 

Karman  (karma)  —  64,  71 

-  Relation  between  Karman  and  Sacri- 
fice 70,  182,  183,  184,  185,  186,  303 

-  Karma   yoga   632 
-yogin  632,  634 

Kama  —  9,  302, 309 

Kartikeya  —  (Skanda)  262 

Kashi — (modern  Benaras)  343 

Kashyapa  —  291 

Kaurawus—  12,  13,  14,  32,  40,  43,  283, 

284,  303, 
-(Patronymic  from  Kuruclan)  549 
Kaustubha  —  234,  240 
Knowledge  —  defined  and  explained  357, 

358,  401,  402 

-  person  of  Knowledge  described  438, 
440 

-  tree  of  Knowledge  550 
-Sattva  dominated  585,  586 

-  Rajas       "    586 
-Tamas       "  586,  587 

Krikara  —  (Belching)  573 
Krishna  —  becomes  Arjuna's  charioteer 
through  12 

-  praises  Arjuna's  might  in  war  Coaxes 
him  to  fight  26,  27 

-  Krishna's  profound  love  for  Arjuna 
133 

-  Krishna  explains  the  nature  and  pur- 
pose of  his  omnipresent 

-  form  and  advises  him  to  fight  cheer- 
fully  307,   308,   309 

-  Krishna  lovingly  taunts  Arjuna,  for 
his  fright  and  takes  on  the  human 
form  322,  324 

Krishna's  love  for  Arjuna  570,  571 

-  Krishna  embraces  Arjuna  with  a  view 
to  imparting  his  own  essence  to 
Arjuna  646 

Krittika  —  262 

Kshatriya  —  his  duty  26,  40,  606 

-his  qualities  608*609 
Ruber  —  262,  510 
Kundalini  —  621 

-  is  compared  to  a  female  cobra,  it  is 
made  active  by  vajrasana,  140 

-  it  devours  the  seven  vital  elements  and 
resting  on  Sushumna  vomits  nectar 
141,  142 


-  the  glorious  form  of  Kundalini  220, 
221 
Kunti  —  (mother  of  Pandavas)  12 
Kurmas  —  (Sneezing)   573 
JCurus  —  10,  322,  260,  657,  662 
Kurukshetra  —  1,  205,  325,  538 


Latika  —  265,  273 

Laxmi—  (Goddess)  83,  108,  175,  233, 
234,  240,  254,  257,  266,  280,  283, 
286,  325,  348,  369,  417,  488,  489,  491 
496,510,533,548,639,661,662 

Liberation  —  (by  the  path  of  knowledge 
and  the  path  of  action)  62,  173,  219, 
254,  515,  516,  521,  523,  525,  596,  597, 
611,  612,  614,  621,  633,  634,  645 

Life  —  (with  devotion  contrasted  with 
life  without  it)  236,  238 

Life  and  death  —  296 

Life   winds  —  350,354,621 

Logic  — 2,  349 

Lot  —  of  Greedy  Vedic  Sacrificers  con- 
trasted with  the  lot  of  devotees  228  231 

Lotus—  of  1000  petals  in Brahmarandhra 
621 

Love  —  (maternal)  613 

Lust  —  (with  anger)  bom  of  Rajas  and 
nursed   by  Tamas   80 
-it  conceals  knowledge  (of  self)  82 
-  lust  and  wrath  of  demoniacs  508,  516 

M 

Machindranath  -  668 
Madana  -•  (God  of  love)  550 
Madhyama      621 

Magical  collvrtum  and  hidden  treasure 
449. 
•  Black  magic  540 
Mahabhurata  ■    672 
Mahalaya   ■  671 
Mahesha   -  671 

Mahish    -  (Demon-buffalo)  663 
Mahamuya      313 
Mahat      351,  396,  422 
Maharashtra  ■  671 
Muharudra  -  (Shiva)  293, 
Mahat  Brahman  —  as  product  of  divine 

will  312 
Mahattatva  —  545 
Malaya  --  (mountain)  363,  496 
Mtwdiirgiri  —  (mountain  mandar)  259, 


682  ini 

266,  290,  465,  535 

Manes  —  22,  225,  232,  263,  264, 458,  492. 

Mang  —  540 

Matanga  —  586 

Manija  —  424  , 

Manipur  —  140    (one  of  the  seven  plexu- 
ses) 

Mantra  —  533,  542,  543 

Manu  —  85,  251,  252,  454 

Marathi  Language  — 105 
-the  charm  of  its  diction  glorified  124, 
125,  134,  135 

-  the  beauty  of  Marathi  182,  207,  246, 
247 

-Marathi  words  serving  as  a  canal 
(of  divine  Knowledge)  272,  273  331, 
347 

-  Praise  of  Marathi  diction  used  by  the 
author  416,  484,  670,  671 

Margashirsha  —  267 
Markandeya  —  2%5 
Mars—  118, 600 
Maruti—\2 
Maruts  —  261,281,297 
Matra  —  (Concentrated  drug)  601 
Maya  —  33,  36 
-Renunciation  of  actions  and  Maya 

64,  66,  76,  87,  110,  166,  167 
-Maya  as  a  shadow  and  a  curtain 

concealing  the  vision  of  God  173, 

-  compared  to  rivers  170,  171,  172,  176 
186-187 

-Maya  and  Purusha  (soul)  lead  a 
conjugal  life  199,-  213,  214,  285, 
351,  354,  355,  416,  424. 

-  queer  child  of  Maya  described  422, 
423,  438,  451,  467,  480,  520,  523, 
542,  616,  635,  636,  638. 

Meditation  —  368,  372,  375,  417,  434, 
448,  505,  593,  599,  602,  619-623 

-  sword  of  a  seeker  630,  668,  669 
Mem  ..  (mountain)  13,   109,  151,   172, 

234,  228,  266,  289,  310,  326,  345, 
362,  366,  382, 406,  428, 441,  478,  670 
Mind  —  control  54, 
-peace  of  56,  64,  83 

-  mind  enters  Brahmarandhra  and  cea- 
ses to  exist  121 

-  The  mind  of  a  perfect  man  (yogin)  1 29 

-  the  method  of  mind  -  control  through 
the  practice  of  yoga  138 

-  methods  of  controlling  mind  150-152 
-minds  fickle  nature   155-156 

-  mind  of  insane  112 


-mind  is  a  market  199 

-  nature  of  mind  355,  421 

-  emotions  arise  in  mind  according  to 
the  quality  of  food  consumed  527 

Mine  and  thine  —  95 

-  mind  and  others  357,  367 

Mirage  —  34,  211,  212,  216,  219,  276, 
277,  308,  387,  399,  407,  461,  462, 
463,  466,  486,  500,  619,  644. 

Miseries   of  birth  —  378 

Miser's    treasure  —  323,    359 

Monism  —  398,  475,  480,  490,  631,  645, 
671 

Monistic  bliss  —  603 

Moon — 17th  phase  of  the  moon  142, 
221,  330,  334 

-  crescent  Moon  240 

-  Moon  stone  551 
Mudra  —  621 

-  Moon's  phases  338 
-Nectar  of  417 

~a  moving  lake  of  nectar  feeding 
herbs  472 

Mudra  —  in  the  sense  of  propound  mys- 
tery 668 

Mukti  —  4th  state  of  Mukti  634 

Muliidhra  —  621 

Mulbandha  —  (a  yogie  posture);  it  is 
called  Vajrasana  139,  186,  334,  620 
621 

MQla  Nakshatra  -  (19th  Lunar  mansion) 
394,  552 

Mutable  and  Immutable  —  explained  fully 
139-142,.  145 

N 

Naga  —  (yawning)  573 

NSgas  ~  261-262 

Nahusha  — {King)  649 

Names  and  forms  -405,  410,  421,  463, 
477,  487,  496,  519 

Nara  and  NSrayan  —  ( Arjuna  and  Krish- 
na in  former  birth)  476 

Mrada—2%%   255,   256,   263 

Nath  Sect  —  (following  Vajra  Yoga  to 
which  originally  Jnancshwar  belon- 
ged) 145 

Navachandi  •  (A  sacrificial  rite  in  honour 
of  Durga  Goddess)  393 

Nectar  348,  362,  368,  383,  412,  417 
429,  560,  614,  640,  671 

Nescience  -  (Explained  fully)  385-396 

-  Greed  and  fickleness  of  the  man  of 


Nescience  385, 

-  his  concupiscence  and  filthy  habits  386 

-  his  wayward  and  wanton  conduct  387 

-  his  conceit  and  malice  388 
-ingratitude  and  short-sighted  policy 

389 
-delusion  and  ambition  390 
-fool-hardiness  391 
-uxorious   attitude  392 
-unsteady  faith  393 
-nature  of  nescience  394 

-  Nescience  is  the  result  of  Tamas  395 
-Nescience  is  like  slumber  396,  441, 

456,  457,  460,  461,  464  467 
-Three  ways  of  removing  nescience 
474, 475,  478,  479,  499,  500,  501,  534, 
550,  563,  564,  568,  576,  580,  603, 
616,  644 
-Nether  world  — 299 
-Nether  region  303.. 
Nivrittinath  —  668 

Non-arrogance  -  (as  displayed  by  a  man 
of  knowledge)  358,  359,  360 
,  Non-attachment  —  (as  a  weapon  to  cut 
down  the  world-tree)  459,  61 1 
Non-violence  —  533 


Occult-powers  -  -  (  *Fjm%fe )  496, 498,  623 
Oldage  and  its  miseries  ■  -  378,  379,  380 
0m —  543,  544 

-  one  mystical  sacred  symbol  connected 
with  the  figure  of  Ganesh  1,  2,  144, 
145,  146,  161,  167,  168,  192,  193, 
226,  262,  263,  294,  332 

Omkar  —  1,  2,  144,  146,  225.  544,  545 
Omni-present  vision  ■  (shown  to  Arjuna) 
284-291 

-  Arjuna  describes  in  detail  the  vision, 
paying  his  homage   291-306 

-  Arjuna  offers  humble  prayers  asking 
for  pardon  to  Krishna  and  requesting 
him  to  assume  his  normal  human 
form  310-321 

Owl  —  434 


Padma  —  (a  common  posture  in  Yoga) 

191 
Paithan  —  673 

Paanchajanya  -Conch  of  Krishna  12 
Para  —  (mystic   sound)    144,   418,   487 


EX  683 

Paradise  —  228,  229,  254,  263,  290,  296, 

322 
Parijata  —  263 

Paris  —  (philosopher's  stone)  5,  126,  132, 
.     210.  239,  249,  315,  464,  501,  534, 

547,551,564,590,645,  662,669 
Parrot  and  the  tube  —  (.ftp=H["M4VMM)  130, 

415,  438,  576 
Parvati  —  668 
PashyantT— 146,    487 
Passion  —  54,  55,  78,  119,  350,  461,  465, 

491 

-  The  role  of  passion  in  world  creation 
506,  508,  618,  619 

Path  of  devotion  —  Contrasted  with  the 
path  of  Yoga  and  the  latter's  great 
hardships  and  trials  described  335, 336 

Path-way  —  bright  (auspicious)  and  dark 
(inauspicious)  200-202 

Peacock  and  the  cloud—  439 

Perfection  —  610,  612,  615 

the  state  of  perfection  is  described 
615,  617 
-Aftermath  of  perfection  618-625 

Pingala  —  142,  :34,  375 

Pleasures— of  Heaven  (Paradise)  172, 
181 

-  sensuous  pleasures  deadly  like  the 
love  of  a  sorceress  195 

-  Three  fold  pleasures  601, 

-  Satva  dominated  602,  603 

-  Rajas  dominated  603,  604 
Tamas-dominated  604,  605 

•  Pleasures  and   pain   619 

Polar  Star  -  279,  368,  578 

Possession  —  How  it  interrupts  a  seeker 
622 

Prahlada  -  264,  271 

Prajapati  ■    313 

Prakriti      87,   91 

higher  and  brimary  nature  defined 
166-167,  184-186,  192,  199,  218,  226, 
255,  275,  276,  312,  350,  351-353,  356, 
402 

Prakriti's  nature  and  achievements 
explained  fully  along  with  her  close 
relation  with  Purusha  65-68,  69,  74, 
77,  78,  83,  84,  85,  86,  119-132,  144 
146 

Pruna  -  63,  98,  141,  146,  190,  191,  226, 
472,  573 

PranavS  168,  192,  193,  543,  544,  573, 
651 

PravSga  -   150,  245,  272,  553 


684  ind 

Preceptor  —  (Nivrittinath)  The  power  of 
his  grace  2,  3 
-Grace  of  Guru  -  preceptor  175 
-Preceptor   is   lovingly   compared   to 
dawn,  addressed  as  mother,  *?-Hd$ 
goddess  etc.  and  requested  to  show 
favour  to  the  author,  330-331 
-The  author  belauds   his   preceptor 
244-245 

-  the  author  pays  homage  to  his  pre- 
ceptor 348 

-his  grace   357 

-(l)Preceptor  -  Narayan  (2)  Medita- 
tion -  Shesha,  (3)  disciple  -  Laxmi 
and   also   Garuda 

-  Preceptor  =  Narayan  and  the  disciple 
is  Brahmadev 

-  Preceptor  —  cow  and  the  disciple  a 
calf 

-Preceptor  =  mother,  the  disciple  a 

sucking  infant  369 
-disciple  a   spiritual   spouse  of  the 

preceptor  -  exacting  his  entire  love, 

370,  417 
-preceptor  is  copiously  praised  and 

requested  to  shower  kindness  and 

grace  417,  421 

-  the  symbolic  worship  is  offered  by  the 

-  author  to  his  preceptor  who  is  highly 
praised  for  the  many  blessings  447, 
448,  474,  485 

-  Praise  of  the  preceptor  485-488,  518 
-Preceptor  is  praised  and  compared 

to  Shankar,  Ganesh  519,  520,  534, 
549 

-  praise  of  the  preceptor  550,  551 
-Preceptor's  favour  secures  perfec- 
tion 617,  632,  640,  650,  651,  656,  662 

-  the  power  of  preceptor's  grace  666. 
669 

Primeval  Person — 403 

-Primal   nature  426,  427 

-Primeval  man  448 
Principal  quality  of  Kshatriyas  —  609 
Prostitute  —  540,  567 
Parana  —  (historical  records)  352 
Purity  —  373,  374, 490,  560, 607 
Purusha—  185,  199,  225,  255,  312,  403, 
404,  406-408 

-  His  nature  is  explained  fully  and  it  is 
sharply  contrasted  with  Prakriti  - 
his  wife  403,  412,  415,  422,  463,  464, 

-Two  Purushas  477-480,  516,  517, 
572,  584 


Putana  ■■  268,  278 

R 

Rahu  —  619 

Rajas  (quality)  —  80,81 
■-(a  mighty  sinner,  the  father  of  lust 

and  anger)  169,  171,  172,  351,  354, 

355,   388,   390,   392, 

-  The  function  of  Rajas  in  creation  423, 
425,  426 

-Characteristics  of  Rajas  427,  428, 
429,  430 

-the   behaviour   of  a    person    when 
Rajas  grows  dominant  431,  432 
The  fruit  of  Rajas  435,  440,  441,  452 

-  the  part  played  by  the  Rajas  in  the 
formation  of  the  world  tree  455-456, 
490,  521,  522,  524,  525 

-  Rajas  diet  527 

-  Rajas  dominated  sacrifice  532,  533, 
540,  560,  584,  606,  607,  615,  617 

Raja- Yoga  --  621 

Rajasiiya  (sacrifice)  —  279 

Rama  and  Ravan  —  246    Rama  —  264 

-  Ramachandra  (Rama)  265 
Ramachandra  —  ( King)   67 1 
Ramanuja  --(Rama)  '265,   666 
RambhS  —  494,  613 

Rashi  -  (zodiacal  sign)  520 

Regimen  —  and  routine  of  a  seeker  who 

has  reached  perfection  620-624 
Religion  -    Evil  effects  of  fratricidal  war 

on  21-23 

-  Kshatriya  Religion  40 
Importance  of  observing  religious  du- 
ties 66,  67,  68,  69,  70,  78,  79,  88,  294 

-  Religious  vows  491 

Religion   and   non-religion   due   to 
ignorance  644 
Relinguishment     -  clarified,  559 

Tamas  dominated  relinquishment 
560-561 

-  Rajas  dominated  relinquishment  561 
■  Sattva-dominated  relinquishment 

alone  leads  to  emancipation   564, 
565,  568,  599 
Renunciation    -  63,  64,  97,  100,  101,  107, 
108,  126,  127,  235,  340 

-  (renunciation  superior  to  meditation) 
424,  435,  554 

-  Renunciation  and  relinquishment 
clearly  demarcated  and  explained  555- 
558,  615,  616,  627,  635 

Riddhi-Siddhi .-.  335,  357 
RudrS-  261,  281,  297 


685 


Sacred  formula  perfected  —  ( ft^W)  6 1 5 
Sacrifice  —  65,  66,  67  70,  96 
-Symbolic  -  sacrifice  through   self 
control  96,  97 

-  other  types,  viz,  money  gifts,  penance, 
devotion  (to  God),  words,  knowledge, 
regulation  of  diet  and  vital  breath 
98,  99,  171,  180,  185,  187 

-symbolic  sacrifice  through  Hatha 
Yoga  186,  204,  205,  220.. 

-  sacrifice  through  knowledge  described 
223,  224,  225,  228,  229,  230,  231,  232, 
235,  242,  262 

-  Japa  Yadnya  sacrifice  263,  322,  492, 
493,  505,  510, 

-sacrifices  in  Hell  177,  178, i86,  190, 
191,  194,  197,  205,  208,  210,  211, 
220,221,222,  311,323,343 

Sddhyas  —  297 

Sugar  —  163 

Sages  —  248,   250,  296,   350 
-sages  in   Naimish  forest  352,  420, 
458,  470 

Saints  —  service  to  them  is  a  means  of 
attaining  knowledge  101,  102,  172, 
207,  219,  220,  343,  365,  383,  394, 
473,  484,  512,  517,  660,  669 

Salvation—  158,  172,  201,  343,  271,  502 

-  Gita  as  temple  of  salvation  553,  623, 
647 

Soman  —  225        (Sama  Veda )  196,  261 

Samana  —  573 

Sanaka  —  84,  274,  277 

Sanat  Kumar  -   239,  278 

Sankhya  —  (Philosophy)  32,  44,  62,  63, 
509,  122,  350,  354,  401,  584 

Sapta  Shati  —  (a  work  dedicated  to  God- 
dess (pt ) 

Saraswatt  -  3,  206,  244,  272,  417 

Sama  —  169,  171,  253,  351, 403, 426, 427 

-  Characteristics  of  sattva  427, 428, 430 

-  when  sattva  dominates  a  man  432, 433 
-  the  fruit  of  sattva  434,  440,  441,  452 

-  the  function  of  sattva  in  the  world 
tree  457,  522,  523,  524,  525 

-  how  to  develop  sattva  disposition  527 

-  sattvic  food  528 

-sattvic  sacrifice  530,  531,  540 
-sattvic  actions  546,  560,  584 

-  sattva-dominated  action  589 
-sattva  equally  shared  by  Brahmins 

and  Kshatriyas  606,  607,  615,  619 


-sattva-dominated  tenacity  598,  599 

-  Rajas-dominated  tenacity  599 
-Tamas  dominated  tenacity  599 
-Tenacity  603,  608 

^Satya  LokS  —  (the  residence  of  Brahma- 
dev)  171,  285,  290,  310,  322,  350 

Sayujya  —  445 

Scriptures  —  3,  50,  63,  65,  159,  160, 
169,  200,  245,  257,  349,  359,  361,  365, 
376,  383,  391,  397,  398,  400,  408, 
415,  417,  419,  434,  471-483,  486, 

492,  504,  505,  511,  512,  514,  516,  517, 
520,  521, 

-  Shruti  and  Smriti  Scriptures  525,  526, 
530,  534,  550,  552,  569,  575,  576,  584, 
587,  606,  607,  610,  623,  633,  648, 
670,   672 

Sea  of  milk  —  400 

Seat  for  the  practice  of  yoga  -  137,  138 

Self  -50,  55,  58,  60,  62,  71,  76,  78,  83 

84,89,93, 102, 103, 110, 115, 116, 117, 

118,  122. 125,  128,  130,  132,  147,  150, 
153,  158,  163,  171,  175,  180,  191,  194, 
204,  209,  210,  211,  212,  221',  222, 
223,  236,  244,  251,  252,  253, 
254,  330,  333,  348,  350,  359,  381, 
394,  406,  409,  410,  414,  418,  419, 
422,  423,  432,  437,  438,  439, 
444,  461, 462, 463,  467,  470,  474, 475, 
480, 481, 484,  486,  487,  488,  490,  491, 

493,  515,  517,  531,  534,  549,  553, 
558,  560,  563,  564,  568,  575,  577, 
578,  580,  592-598,  606,  607,  608,  611, 
615,  617,  621,  623,  626,  627,  632, 
635,  636,  640-642,  644,-646,  655,  661, 
663,  671 

Senses  —  (control  of)  53,  54,  64,  75,  78, 
82,  112,  117,  138,  150,  151,  169,  179, 
186,  192,  194,  210,  221,  222,  326,333, 
354,  355,  356,  373,  375,  390,  398,  399, 
400, 410, 423, 432,  433,  434, 452, 467, 
468, 491, 492,  521,  572,  573,  581,  582, 
603,  606,  618,  619,  620,  621,  625 

Sense-objects  -  (The  main  cause  of 
delusion)  their  evil  influence  on  mind 
their  unreality  33,  34,  51,  52,  53,  54, 
55, 64, 68, 77, 78, 96, 97, 103,  1 17, 1 18 

119,  129, 138,  171,  186,  192,  220,  330, 
335,  338,  351,  353,  354,  355,  384,  385, 
391, 423, 428, 432,  433, 452, 466,  469, 
490, 491,  505,  507,  516.524,  526,  540, 
581,  582,  593,  602,  603,  615,  618,  619 

Sentiency   •  defined  353,  474 
Sentience      356,  474,  478,  483,  488,  493, 


686  ine 

518,  572,  573 
Sentiment  —  9  artistic  sentiments  3,  244, 
273,  330 

-  sentiment  of  tranquility  (the  last  in 
the  list  of  9  sentiments)  163 

-sentiment   of  serenity   246 
-Sentiment  of  serene  (5TRT) 
-and  miraculous  (ang^r)  compared  to 
the  Ganges  and  the  Jamna  272 

-  Gita  being  hidden  Saraswati  9  Senti- 
ments Rajas)  348 

-  Sentiment  of  tranqulity  rises  superior 
to  the  erotic  sentiment  and  rules 
supreme   in   the  work  416 

-9  sentiments  417,  419 
-9  emotional  states  605 

-  Sentiment  of  tranquility  (*lld<41)  668 
Service  to  the  preceptor  -  367,  369 
Seven  primary  fluids  -  (*MfcfW;)  141,  142, 

334 

Seven  sages  —  609  (Seven  qualities  com- 
pared.to  seven  sages) 

Seven  Seas —  225 

Shakti  —  (identical  with  supreme  devo- 
tion) 627 

Shankar  —  4,  5,  12,  107,  245 

-  Mahesha  and  Shiva  synonymous  for 
Shankar  205,  206 

-Shiva  (Shool-Pani)  233,  234,  241, 
260,  261,  272,  275 

-(Shiva)  287,  290,  299,  303,  317 

-(Hara)  319. 

-(Shambhu)  326, 

-Sadashiv  and  Mahesh  346,  350 

-(Shiva)  393,  458,  483,  498,  535,  585, 

603,  424,  519,  522,  533,  627,  660 

Shankara —  (the  great  philosopher)  666 

Shared—  573 

Sharangdhar  —  Krishna's  name  derived 

from  his  bow? 
Shastras  (scriptures)  -517,  521, 522,  525 
Shesha  -  13,  233,  264,  284,  369 
Shishupal  —  278 
Shruti  —  647 
Shuka  -239,  284,  494 
Shudra  -  238,  492 

-  Shudras  unqualified  to  act  according 
to  the  Vedas  605 

-  the  reason  of  their  inclusion  in  the 
caste-systrm  605 

-  low  status  assigned  to  Shudras  610 
Siamese  twins  —  (Purusha  and  Prakrili 

compared  with)  403 
Siddha  -263,  296,   310 


Siddhis  (8)  —  661 

Sin—  18,  23,  41,  68  sacrificial  food  as  a 
purifying  agent  69 

-  how  the  wise  succumb  to  sin  80 

-  sinner  is  saved  through  devotion  236 

-  sin  washed  off  in  the  river  of  devotion 
343 

-  Sin  of  suicide  614 
Sita  —  265 

Six  demerits  —514 
Six  qualities  —  439 
Sixth  night  of  child  birth  —(sacred  to  a 

deity)  607 
Soma  —  (sacrificial  plant)  225,  228 
-Soma  dynasty  331 

-  Moon  as  Soma  472 

-  Soma  (lunar)  dynasty  521 

Soul  (Atman)-  -  Its  relation  to  body  33, 
36,  37 

-  its  reality  35,  66 

-  it  is  imprisoned  by  sensual  pleasures 
80,  83,  85,  86,  98,  99 

-  the  lot  of  the  doubting  soul  103,  104, 
119,  130,  137,  144,  150,  152,  154,  162, 
174,  175,  194,  199,  206,  213,  219, 
220,  223,  229,  235,  239,  241,  253, 
261,  268,  274,  275,  276,  277.  278, 
279,  296,  297,  306,  311,  318,  319,  320 
323,  324,  327,  330,  339,  350.  351 

-  soul  as  a  wayfarer  354,  355,  356,  357, 
363,  369,  382,  394,  402,  410,  411 

•  soul's  relation  to  the  body  412,  413, 
423.  426,  427.  428,  429,  430,  431, 
435,  437,  438 

-  the  soul  as  the  upper  part  of  the 

Giant  tree  452,  468 

-  Soul  deserting  the  body  470 

-  Soul  as  Kshar  Purusha  477, 480,  486. 
493,  506,  526,  551,  569,  570.  571, 
572,  576,  577,  578,  581.  584,  591,  596, 
603, 612, 613, 621, 627, 632,  633,  635, 
638 

Spirit  •-  48,   53,   70 

-  being  49 

Spiritual  and  non-spiritual     416 

-  spiritual  or  temporal  -  443 
Steadfastness  -  (of  mind  body)  374,  375. 
Subhadra      (wife  or  Arjuna)  162,  181, 

215,  260,  266,  270,  279,  326,  329 

340,  412,  470,  650 
Sun  stone  -  (Surya-Kanta)  437,  486 
Supreme-vision  of  •  -  56,  57,  58,  65,  101, 

122,  133,   141,  152,  161,   167,   183, 

189,  190,  193.  198,  201,  202,  203, 


687 


204,  211,  219,  243,  277,  317,  330,  339, 
343,  351,  352,  357,  363,  375,  382, 
394,  401,  406,  407,  417,  423,  436, 
437,  438,  439,  444,  451,  463,  487, 
497,  502,  517,  549,  584,  592,  607,  611, 
612 

Sushumana  —  141,  142 
-enters  Brahmarandhra  146,  191,  334, 
-  (also  called  Madhyama)  599,  602,  621 

Swan  —  416,  431,  493 

Swdti  —  473 

Swedaja  —  424,  455 

Symptoms  —  (to  identify  man  of  know- 
ledge) 366,  367, 
-symptoms  of  Knowledge  401 

Synonyms  for  Krishna  —  Mukund,  Puru- 
shottam,  Govind,  Sharangdhara,  Va- 
sudeva,  Chakrapani,  Keshava,  Vai- 
kunthnath,  Shri  Hari,  Shriranga,  Ya- 
dunath,   Anant,   Vishnu,  Gopala, 
Rhishikesha,  Achyuta,  Murari,  Na- 
rayana,  Lord  of  Vaikuntha  24 
King  of  Dwarka,  Lord  of  Laxmi, 
Keshihanta,   Shrinivas,   Narahara, 
Bhagawan. 

Synonyms  for  Arjuna  —   Dhananjaya, 
Kiriti,  son  of  Pandu,  Partha,  son  of 
Kunti,      Kapidhwaja,  Savyasachi, 
Kodandpani. 


Takshaka  —  301,  520 
Tamas  (quality)  80,  81 
-together  with  Rajas  it  causes  havoc 
everywhere.  They  are  compared  to 
dark  cobras  keeping  a  vigil  on  a 
buried  treasure,  80,  169,  171 
-monster  of  Tamas  219,  351,  403 

-  the  function  of  424,  426,  427 

-  in  cosmic  creation  characteristics  of 
Tamas  428,  429,  430,  431 

-  behavious  of  a  person  when  Tamas 
waxes  strong  434,  435, 

-fruit  of  Tamas  435,  440,  441  452, 
491,  513,  522,  523,  524,  525 
-Tamas  diet  529,  530 
-Tamas  dominated  sacrifice  532,  541, 
554,  560,  584,  606,  607,  615,  617 
Thirty  six  —  (principles)  356,  357 
-Thirty  six  elements  or  twenty  five 
elements  432,  477 
Three  —  classes  of  afflictions  366,  515 
-humours  502,  515 


-  three-fold  actions  601. 

-  three-fold  fruit  of  actions  567,  568, 
569 

-three   identical   divisions   (+4"+fe, 

«4r|l+'i^,  SFlM+i*  )  in   the  Vedas 
*    and  the  Gita  647,  648 

-  Three  fold  name  of  Supreme  Brah- 
-Om-Tat-Sat)  545,   546 

-  Its  significance  and  application  543, 
544,  545,  546 

-  three  worlds,  88 

-  three-fold  intellect  and  tenacity  596 
Tilanjali  —  660 

Time  spirit  —  307,   311,  413 

Timir  —  (eye  disease)  626 

Tradition  —  (Spiritual) 

Tree  of  Knowledge  —  369 
-tradition  (spiritual)  through  which 
Jnaneshwar  received  from  his  precep- 
tor Nivrittinath  the  Secret  Know- 
ledge 668 

Tretayuga  —  265 

Triad  —  of  wife,  wealth  and  Passion  600 
Brahmadev,  Vishnu  and  Mahesh,  255 

-  (Knowing  agent,  Knowledge  and  ob- 
ject to  be  known,  581 

-(Religion,  Riches  and  Passions)  461, 

552 
-(Passion,  Wrath  and  Greed)  514 

-  (the  end,  the  means  and  the  agent)  618 
Tripura  —  519,668 

Trishanku  —  670 

Triveni  —  272 

Tulshi  Plant  ~  532,  590 

Turia-ecstacy  conceived  as  a  maiden,  244 

TuryHvastha  —  411 

Twenty  four  —  elements  572,  584 

Twenty  six  —  qualities  of  Divine  Estate 
compared  to  (i)  Ganges,  (ii)  bride 
of  liberation,  (iii)  lamp  with  26  flames 
(iv)  26  pearls  churned  out  of  Gita  and 
(v)  Gifts,  499 


Ucchaishravas  -■  263 

UdSna  —  573 

Udbhija  -  424,  455 

UddiySna  —  621 

Unbelievers  -  349 

Unmanifest  — ■  (non-manifest),  178,  199, 

211,332,335,351,354,479 
Untouchable  -  1 16 
Upamanyu  —  -670 


Upanishads  —  contrasted  with  the  Vedas 

47,  277,  319,  394,  483,  543,  552,  658, 

672 
-compared  to  flowers  2 
Urvashi  —  229,  442,  505,  582 
Ushana  —  268 
Utlar  —  637 
Vaikharl—  146,  487 
Vaikuntha-  12,  24,  220,  234,  245,  262, 

273,  279,  284,  288,  298,  316,  332  347, 

420 
VaishwSnar  —  (fire  in  the  body)  200 
Vaishya  —  240 
-Vaishyas  assigned  to  a  mixture  of 

Sattva  and  Rajas  606 
Vaijayanti—  320 

-  (Necklace  of  Vishnu-Krishna) 
Vajra  —  263 

Vajrasana— 139,    186,   221,   334 
Varaka  —  (incarnation)  276,  366 
Varum  —  263,  264,  314 
Kawfte  —  (Spring  season)  267,  279,  496, 

574,  652 
Vasishtha  —  246,  666 
Vasuki  —  263,  264 
K<wks  — 282,  297 
Kafcwi  —  120 
K^-313 
PMfu  —  1,  5,47,48,70 

-  three  gunas  and  the  Vedas,~as  the 
manifestation  of  Absolute  84,  159, 
160,  192,  193,  199,  205,  207,  225,  226 
228,  230,  240,  246,  258,  273,  282, 
283,  284,  286,  306,  349,  353,  357, 
372,  380 

-.(Rigveda  171) 

-  Vedas  and  Brahman  474,  492,  493, 
504,  516,  517,  520 

-  Vedas,  480,  481, 482, 488,  500 

-  Gita  the  origin  of  the  Vedas  646,  647, 
661 

-miserly  501 

-attitude  of  the  Vedas  661,  666 
Vedanta  —  479,  480 
Vedantins  — 
Vedi  (alter)  —  223,511, 
Virata  —  637 

Vishnu  —  400,  424,  496,  533,  535,  646 
Vishwamitra  —  246,  670 
Vivasvat  —  (Sun  God)  -  the  first  disciple 

in  the  school  of  yoga  85,  87,  88 
Vodhiyan  —  139 
Vyana  —  Sll 
Vyas  —  243,  256,  268,  289,  484,  518,  549, 


552,  657,  658,  662 
W 

War  —  (fight)  a  Boon  to  Kshatriyas  41, 

Warrior  —  (spiritual  seeker)  ;  How  he 
wins  victory  over  his  enemies  and 
gains  divine  glory  622,  626 

Widow  —  her  lot  41 

Wife  —  16,  66,  79,  105 

-  Maya  as  a  faithful  wife,  199 

-  emancipated  yogi  (devotee)  is  com- 
pared to  a  wife  having  God  for  her 
husband  342 

-wife  of  a  rich  man  336,  391,  392 

-  faithless  wife  392 

-power  of  action  as  the  wife  of  a 
Prana  354,  387 

-  The  disciple  devotes  himself  wholly 
to  the  preceptor  like  a  loyal  wife  368 
adultrou*  wife  under  restrictions  380 

-  Devotee's  attitude  to  God  compared 
to  wife's  with  her  husband  381,  403 

-  Prakriti  conceived  as  the  wife  of 
Purusha  404 

•  Gila  teaching  as  a  faithful  wife  of 
God  483 

-  faithful  wife  whose  husband  is  away 
491.  497 

-  prostitute  parading  herself  as  a  loyal 
wife  511 

-  loyal  wife  517,  619,  624 

-  wife  (Satee)  seeking  self  emolation  579 
-Chaste  wife  611,  614,  642 

-  devoted  wife,  665 
Woman-corruption  of  •    22 

-  ignorance  compared  to  a  mang. 
(strumpet   woman  81) 

--Celestial   Women,   229 

-  Woman  (Sati)  entering  the  (funeral) 
pyre  335 

-  Sati  on  the  pyre  374 
-a  chaste  woman  contrasted  with  n 
low  caste  woman  374 

-  Pregnant  woman  395 

-  status  of  women  491 

-  Attitude   of  Demoniacs   towards 
women,  Woman  (Satee)  leaping  into 
the  funeral  pyre  507,  512  592 

-  women  of  ill  repute  604 
-Pregnant  woman,  (lady)  608 
-Virtuous  woman  612 

•  young  woman.  628 

-  woman  of  good  breed  614 


Wood-apple  —  (Universe  compared  to 

wood-apple,  305 
World  creation  and  dissolution  —  421 

-  How  the  world  is  created,  423 

-  world  dissolution,  424,  463,  466,  494 

-  three  fires  at  the  world  dissolution  501, 
625,  629 


Yadawas —  clan-name  from  its  founder 
Yadu;  Krishna  was  the  leader  of  this 
clan,  247,  268,  316,  450 
Yajus  —  225,  226 
Yaksa  —  262,  297,  524 
Yama—n,  53,  73 
-Yama  contrasted  with  Dama  220, 

263,  264,  298,  302,  307,  314 
-Yama  Niyama  350,  375 
-Yama  (God  of  death)  511 
-Yama  Niyama  602 
Yamuna— -268,  (Jumna)  553 

Yashoda  —  (foster  mother  of  Lord  Krish- 
na) 155,  268,  285 
Yoga  —  44,  45,  48,  49,  54,  56,  62,  64,  77 
-(of  action)  was  lost,  85,  86,  93 

-  Yoga  as  a  symbolic  fire  96,  97,  98 
-•(Hata  Yoga  and  Vajra  Yoga)  99, 

102, 105, 109, 112,  114, 119, 123,  124, 
136 

-  An  ideal  site  for  the  practice  of  Yoga 
136,  137 

-  the  path  of  Yoga  is  steep ;  tep  stones  - 
actions,  (2)  foot  paths  -•  Yogic 
postures,  (3)  foot  of  the  mountain  - 
self  restraint  and  self  governance, 
(4)  top  regulation  of  breath,  (5) 
steep  precipice  •■  restraining  the 
senses  from  their  objects  (6)  wide 


region  =  abstraction  of  the  mind, 
(7)  the  goal  (final  point)  -  profound 
contemplation,  regimen  for  attain- 
ment of  Yoga,  127,  137,  138,  139, 140, 
155,  156, 157,  158,  159,  163,  164,  172, 
.  189,  190,  201,202,211 

-  Yoga  of  devotion  252,  253 
-Transcendent   Yoga  283,  284,    319 

-  Yoga  of  steady  practice  338,  341 

-  Yoga  of  devotion  346,  357,  359,  376, 
383,  385,  394,  41 1,  415,  444,  455,  473 

Yoga  discipline  —  567,  619, 

-yogic  feats  66 
Yogic  postures  —  622-624,  668 
Yogic  powers  —  599 
Yogic  self  immersion  —  453 
Yogic  study  —  620,  621 
Yogins  —  39 

-yogi  and  tortoise  52,  56,  57,  62,  63 

-Hata-yogin  82,  84 

-Karma  yogi  UL  113,  115,  120 

-  yogins  kinship  with  a  Sanyasin-stres- 
sed  126 

-  Hata  yogin,  128 

-  remembrance  of  a  perfect  one  (yogin) 
transforms  the  being  of  a  devotee  1 32, 

-  Glory  and  status  of  yogin  eulogised 
133,  136 

-  yogin  gets  a  novel  body  143, 153,  154, 
155 

-  the  lot  of  yogin  who  fails,  158, 159-160 
-yogin  glorified   162,   169,   181,   189 

-  death  of  yogin   189-192,  199,  201 

-  death  during  inauspicious  time  leads 
a  yogin  202-206 

-only  upto  the  moon  220,  252,  335, 
340,  347,  350,  357,  376,  411,  486,  488, 
505,  507,  672 
Yuga-  (aeon)  196,  197,  213,  368,  454.