Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (42 page)

Bg 5.3

TEXT 3

TEXT

jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī

yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati

nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho

sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate

SYNONYMS

jñeyaḥ-
should be known;
saḥ-
he;
nitya-
always;
sannyāsī-
renouncer;
yaḥ-
who;
na-
never;
dveṣṭi-
abhors;
na-
nor;
kāṅkṣati-
desires;
nirdvandvaḥ-
free from all dualities;
hi-
certainly;
mahā-bāho-
O mighty-armed one;
sukham-
happily;
bandhāt-
from bondage;
pramucyate-
completely liberated.

TRANSLATION

One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, liberated from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

PURPORT

One who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is always a renouncer because he feels neither hatred nor desire for the results of his actions. Such a renouncer, dedicated to the transcendental loving service of the Lord, is fully qualified in knowledge because he knows his constitutional position in his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. He knows fully well that Kṛṣṇa is the whole and that he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Such knowledge is perfect because it is qualitatively and quantitatively correct. The concept of oneness with Kṛṣṇa is incorrect because the part cannot be equal to the whole. Knowledge that one is one in quality yet different in quantity is correct transcendental knowledge leading one to become full in himself, having nothing to aspire to nor lament over. There is no duality in his mind because whatever he does, he does for Kṛṣṇa. Being thus freed from the platform of dualities, he is liberated-even in this material world.

Bg 5.4

TEXT 4

TEXT

sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ

pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ

ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag

ubhayor vindate phalam

SYNONYMS

sāṅkhya-
analytical study of the material world;
yogau-
work in devotional service;
pṛthak-
different;
bālāḥ-
less intelligent;
pravadanti-
do talk;
na-
never;
paṇḍitāḥ-
the learned;
ekam-
in one;
api-
even though;
āsthitaḥ-
being situated;
samyak-
complete;
ubhayoḥ-
of both;
vindate-
enjoys;
phalam-
result.

TRANSLATION

Only the ignorant speak of karma-yoga and devotional service as being different from the analytical study of the material world [sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.

PURPORT

The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Viṣṇu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One process is to find the root of the tree, and next to water the root. The real student of
sāṅkhya
philosophy finds the root of the material world, Viṣṇu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference between the two because the aim of both is Viṣṇu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of
sāṅkhya
and
karma-yoga
are not the same, but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these different processes.

Bg 5.5

TEXT 5

TEXT

yat sāṅkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ

tad yogair api gamyate

ekaṁ sāṅkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ ca

yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati

SYNONYMS

yat-
what;
sāṅkhyaiḥ-
by means of
sāṅkhya
philosophy;
prāpyate-
is achieved;
sthānam-
place;
tat-
that;
yogaiḥ-
by devotional service;
api-
also;
gamyate-
one can attain;
ekam-
one;
sāṅkhyam-
analytical study;
ca-
and;
yogam-
action in devotion;
ca-
and;
yaḥ-
one who;
paśyati-
sees;
saḥ-
he;
paśyati-
actually sees.

TRANSLATION

One who knows that the position reached by means of renunciation can also be attained by works in devotional service and who therefore sees that the path of works and the path of renunciation are one, sees things as they are.

PURPORT

The real purpose of philosophical research is to find the ultimate goal of life. Since the ultimate goal of life is self-realization, there is no difference between the conclusions reached by the two processes.
By sāṅkhya
philosophical research one comes to the conclusion that a living entity is not a part and parcel of the material world, but of the supreme spirit whole. Consequently, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the material world; his actions must be in some relation with the Supreme. When he acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is actually in his constitutional position. In the first process of
sāṅkhya,
one has to become detached from matter, and in the devotional
yoga
process one has to attach himself to the work of Kṛṣṇa. Factually, both processes are the same, although superficially one process appears to involve detachment and the other process appears to involve attachment. However, detachment from matter and attachment to Kṛṣṇa are one and the same. One who can see this sees things as they are.

Bg 5.6

TEXT 6

TEXT

sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho

duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ

yoga-yukto munir brahma

na cireṇādhigacchati

SYNONYMS

sannyāsaḥ-
the renounced order of life;
tu-
but;
mahā-bāho-
O mighty-armed one;
duḥkham-
distress;
āptum-
to be afflicted with;
ayogataḥ-
without devotional service;
yoga-yuktaḥ-
one engaged in devotional service;
muniḥ-
thinker;
brahma-
Supreme;
na-
without;
cireṇa-
delay;
adhigacchati-
attains.

TRANSLATION

Unless one is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, mere renunciation of activities cannot make one happy. The sages, purified by works of devotion, achieve the Supreme without delay.

PURPORT

There are two classes of
sannyāsīs,
or persons in the renounced order of life. The Māyāvādī
sannyāsīs
are engaged in the study of
sāṅkhya
philosophy, whereas the Vaisnava
sannyāsīs
are engaged in the study of
Bhāgavatam
philosophy, which affords the proper commentary on the
Vedānta-sūtras.
The Māyāvādī
sannyāsīs
also study the
Vedānta-sūtras,
but use their own commentary, called
Śārīraka-bhāṣya,
written by Śaṅkarācārya. The students of the
Bhāgavata
school are engaged in devotional service of the Lord, according to
pāñcarātrikī
regulations, and therefore the Vaiṣṇava
sannyāsīs
have multiple engagements in the transcendental service of the Lord. The Vaiṣṇava
sannyāsīs
have nothing to do with material activities, and yet they perform various activities in their devotional service to the Lord. But the Māyāvādī
sannyāsīs
, engaged in the studies of
sāṅkhya
and
Vedānta
and speculation, cannot relish transcendental service of the Lord. Because their studies become very tedious, they sometimes become tired of Brahman speculation, and thus they take shelter of the
Bhāgavatam
without proper understanding. Consequently their study of the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
becomes troublesome. Dry speculations and impersonal interpretations by artificial means are all useless for the Māyāvādī
sannyāsīs
. The Vaiṣṇava
sannyāsīs,
who are engaged in devotional service, are happy in the discharge of their transcendental duties, and they have the guarantee of ultimate entrance into the kingdom of God. The Māyāvādī
sannyāsīs
sometimes fall down from the path of self-realization and again enter into material activities of a philanthropic and altruistic nature, which are nothing but material engagements. Therefore, the conclusion is that those who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are better situated than the
sannyāsīs
engaged in simple Brahman speculation, although they too come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, after many births.

Bg 5.7

TEXT 7

TEXT

yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā

vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ

sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā

kurvann api na lipyate

SYNONYMS

yoga-yuktaḥ-
engaged in devotional service;
viśuddha-ātmā-
a purified soul;
vijita-ātmā-
self-controlled;
jita-indriyaḥ-
having conquered the senses;
sarvabhuta-ātmabhūta-ātmā-
compassionate to all living entities;
kurvan api-
although engaged in work;
na-
never;
lipyate-
is entangled.

TRANSLATION

One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses, is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

PURPORT

One who is on the path of liberation by Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very dear to every living being, and every living being is dear to him. This is due to his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such a person cannot think of any living being as separate from Kṛṣṇa, just as the leaves and branches of a tree are not separate from the tree. He knows very well that by pouring water on the root of the tree, the water will be distributed to all the leaves and branches, or by supplying food to the stomach, the energy is automatically distributed throughout the body. Because one who works in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is servant to all, he is very dear to everyone. And, because everyone is satisfied by his work, he is pure in consciousness. Because he is pure in consciousness, his mind is completely controlled. And, because his mind is controlled, his senses are also controlled. Because his mind is always fixed on Kṛṣṇa, there is no chance of his being deviated from Kṛṣṇa. Nor is there a chance that he will engage his senses in matters other than the service of the Lord. He does not like to hear anything except topics relating to Kṛṣṇa; he does not like to eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa; and he does not wish to go anywhere if Kṛṣṇa is not involved. Therefore, his senses are controlled. A man of controlled senses cannot be offensive to anyone. One may ask, "Why then was Arjuna offensive (in battle) to others? Wasn't he in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" Arjuna was only superficially offensive because (as has already been explained in the Second Chapter) all the assembled persons on the battlefield would continue to live individually, as the soul cannot be slain. So, spiritually, no one was killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Only their dresses were changed by the order of Kṛṣṇa, who was personally present. Therefore Arjuna, while fighting on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, was not really fighting at all; he was simply carrying out the orders of Kṛṣṇa in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such a person is never entangled in the reactions of work.

Bg 5.8, Bg 5.9, Bg 5.8-9

TEXTS 8-9

TEXT

naiva kiñcit karomīti

yukto manyeta tattva-vit

paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighrann

aśnan gacchan svapan śvasan

unmiṣan nimiṣann api

indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu

vartanta iti dhārayan

SYNONYMS

na-
never;
eva-
certainly;
kiñcit-
anything;
karomi-
do I do;
iti-
thus;
yuktaḥ-
engaged in the divine consciousness;
manyeta-
thinks;
tattvavit-
one who knows the truth;
paśyan-
by seeing;
śṛṇvan-
by hearing;
spṛśan-
by touching;
jighran-
by smelling;
aśnan-
by eating;
gacchan-
by going;
svapan-
by dreaming;
śvasan-
by breathing;
pralapan-
by talking;
visṛjan-
by giving up;
gṛhṇan-
by accepting;
unmiṣan-
opening;
nimiṣan-
closing;
api-
in spite of;
indriyāṇi-
the senses;
indriya-artheṣu-
in sense gratification;
vartante-
let them be so engaged;
iti-
thus;
dhārayan-
considering.

TRANSLATION

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping, and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

PURPORT

A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is pure in his existence, and consequently he has nothing to do with any work which depends upon five immediate and remote causes: the doer, the work, the situation, the endeavor and fortune. This is because he is engaged in the loving transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa. Although he appears to be acting with his body and senses, he is always conscious of his actual position, which is spiritual engagement. In material consciousness, the senses are engaged in sense gratification, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness the senses are engaged in the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa's senses. Therefore, the Kṛṣṇa conscious person is always free, even though he appears to be engaged in things of the senses. Activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, evacuating, etc., are actions of the senses meant for work. A Kṛṣṇa consciousness person is never affected by the actions of the senses. He cannot perform any act except in the service of the Lord because he knows that he is the eternal servitor of the Lord.