| 1.(Objection):As
going to speak of entire devotion to Jnanayoga on the part of him who has
realised the Self, the Lord has taught, in the passages quoted above, that
such a man has to renounce action, but not he who has not realised the self.
Since performance of action and renunciation of action thus pertain to two
distinct classes of people respectively, Arjunas question with a view to
know which of the two is better than the other is irrelevant.(Answer):Yes
; from your standpoint the question is irrelevant. But from the questioners
(Arjunas) own standpoint, the question, we say, is quite relevanceHow ?In
the passages quoted above, the Lord enjoins renunciation as a duty (in the
form Let the wise man renounce ) ; and it cannot be enjoined as a duty unless
it (the term renounce) is more important than the agent (i.e the term wise);
so that this injunction of renunciation should be extended so as to apply
to that man also who has not realised the Self, because renunciation is
elsewhere enjoined on him also It cannot be made out that renunciation of
action is here intended for that man only who has realised the Self. Thus
arguing, Arjuna thinks that an ignorant man may either perform action or
renounce it. But, owing to the mutual opposition of the two courses as shown
above, only one of them can form the duty (of an individual at a time).
And inasmuch as it is the better one of the two that should be followed,
but not the other, the question with a view to know which of the two is
the better is not irrelevant. |
