Friday 24 November 2023
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Wednesday 21 June 2023
Karma Akarma Vikarma
Brahmâ and other Devas went to Dvârakâ. Addressing Krishna; Brahmâ said: — "All that we prayed for has been done. One hundred and twenty-five years have passed away since thou didst appear in the line of Yadus. That line is also well nigh extinguished. Now go back to thy own abode, if it pleases thee."
Sri Krishna replied: — "The extinction of the Yâdavas has been set on foot by the curse of the Rishis. I shall remain on Earth, till it is completely brought about." There were unusual phenomena at Dvârakâ. The elders came to Krishna. He proposed a pilgrimage to Prabhâsa. So the Yâdavas made preparations for going to Prabhâsa. Uddhava saw the evil portents and he heard what Sri Krishna said. "I see, O Lord," said he to Sri Krishna, "thou shalt leave this earth, as soon as the Yadus are destroyed. I can not miss thy feet even for half a moment. So take me to thy own abode."
Sri Krishna replied: — "It is true as you say. My mission is fulfilled. The Devas ask me to go back. The Yâdavas shall be killed by mutual quarrel. On the seventh day from this, the sea shall swallow up this seat of Dvârakâ. As soon as I leave this earth, Kali shall overtake it and men shall grow unrighteous. It will not then be meet for you to remain here. Give up all and free yourself from all attachments and roam about over this earth, with your mind fixed on me, looking on all beings with equal eyes. Whatever is perceived by the senses and the mind, know all that to be of the mind, and so Mâyic and transitory. "This is this" and "this is that" this conception of difference is only a delusion of him whose mind is distracted (i.e. not united to Me). It is this delusion which causes experiences of right and wrong. It is for those that have got notions of right and wrong that (the Vedas speak) differently of the performance of prescribed work (Karma), the non-performance of prescribed work (Akarma), and the performance of prohibited work (Vikarma). (This has reference to Varna and Âsrama duties. As long as a man identifies himself with some Varna or Âsrama he looks upon others also as belonging to some Varna or Âsrama. He therefore makes a distinction between men and men. The Varnâsrama duties are prescribed by the Vedas for a man, so long as he entertains ideas of difference. When he looks equally upon a Brâhmana and a Chandâla, when he finds his Lord every where and finds all beings in the Lord within himself, he becomes a man of the Universe, a Bhâgavata. For him the Vedas do not make any rule. He is above all rules and restrictions. But the Varnâsrama duties are to be respected, so long as one makes any difference between man and man.) Control thy senses and control thy mind. See the wide-spread Universe in thyself and see thyself in Me, the Lord. Learn and digest all that is given in the scriptures. Contented with self perception, the very self of all other beings, you shall have no danger from others. You will do no wrong but not because it is prohibited by the Scriptures, and you will do what is prescribed but not because it is so prescribed (i.e. the sense of right and wrong will be natural in you, independently of Sastric teachings.) You will exceed the limits of both right and wrong and do things just like a child. The friend of all beings, calm and quiet at heart, fixed in wisdom and direct knowledge, you will see the Universe full of Me and you will not be drawn back to births."
Uddhava said: —
"Lord of Yoga, what thou sayest for my final bliss is a complete renunciation of all worldly attachments. It seems to me however that the giving up of desires is not possible for those that have their mind filled with the object world, unless they are completely devoted to Thee.
"I have not yet got over the sense of 'I' and 'Mine.' Tell me how I can easily follow out Thy teachings."
Sri Krishna replied: —
"Generally those men that are skilful in discrimination rescue self from worldly desires by means of self, (i.e. they may do so, even without the help of a Guru, by means of self discrimination.) Self is the instructor of self, specially in man (Purusha.)" (Even in animals, preserving instincts proceed from self. So self is the instructor. Śridhara) "For it is self that finds out final bliss by direct perception and by inference. Wise men, well versed in Sânkhya and Yoga, look upon Me as Purusha pervading all beings, and possessing all powers. (This is according to Śridhara, the direct perception by which final bliss is attained. The word Purusha here has something like the sense of a Monad in Theosophical literature. The passage quoted by Śridhara from the Upanishads to illustrate the idea of Purusha also shews this.) There are many habitations created for life manifestation, some, with one, two, three or four feet, some with many feet and some with no foot. Of these, however, that of man (Pourushi) is dear to me. For in this form of Man those that are fixed in meditation truly find me out, the Lord, though beyond all objects of perception, by the indications of perceived attributes as well as by inferences from the same." (Indications. Buddhi, Manas and others, the perceived attributes, are in their nature manifestless. The manifestation is not possible except through one that is self manifest. Therefore Buddhi and others point to Him.
Inferences. Whenever there is an instrument, there is some one to use it. Buddhi and others are instruments. There is therefore one who guides these. Śridhara.) In this matter of self instruction, hear the story of an Ava-dhuta (an ascetic who renounces all worldly attachments and connections.)
Bondage Liberation
Uddhava asked: —
"Âtmâ dwells in the transformations of the Gunas forming the body. Why should it not be bound down by the Gunas. Or if Âtmâ is free (like Akâsa) why should it be at all in bondage? What are the indications of Âtmâ in bondage and of liberated Âtmâ? Is Âtmâ ever in bondage? (for connection with the Gunas is eternal. Śridhara) or ever in liberation (for if liberation is a state to be acquired, Âtmâ can not be permanent. Śridhara)"
Sri Krishna replied: —
"Bondage and liberation are terms applied to Me not with reference to my real self, but with reference to My Gunas (the Guna limitations, Satva, Rajas and Tamas that are subordinate to me. Śridhara). The Gunas have their origin in Mâyâ. Therefore I have neither liberation nor bondage.
"Sorrow and delusion, joy and grief, even the attainment of body — these are all due to Mâyâ. The dream is only an illusory form of the mind, even so the course of births is not real. Vidya and Avidyâ both proceed from My Mâyâ, O Uddhava. I am one and the Jiva is only my part (as the ray is of the sun). The bondage of Jiva is caused by Avidyâ and its liberation by Vidya. This is eternally so. Now I shall tell you the different indications of the imprisoned and the liberated Jiva. (The difference is twofold: that between Jiva and Ísvara and that amongst the Jivas themselves. The author first speaks of the former. Śridhara.) Jiva and Ísvara though of different attributes dwell in the same body. They are two birds like each other (for both are manifestations of conciousness), companions that have made a nest for themselves (the heart), in the tree of body, of their own free will.
"Of these one (the Jiva) eats the fruits of the tree. The other (Ísvara) though not a partaker of the fruits is the mightier of the two. For He who does not partake of the fruits is the knower of self as of others. But the partaker of fruits is not so. He (Jiva) who is joined with Avidyâ is always imprisoned. He (Íshvara) who is joined with Vidya is always liberated. (Mâyâ of Íshvara or Vidya does not throw a veil round and does not delude). The "conscious" are two in every individual. The consciousness of Ísvara is universal. Jivâtma however takes upon himself the limitations of individuality and becomes the conscious centre in every man. "I perceive" "I conceive" "I do," that "I" is Âtmâ limited by the sense of individuality. The perception and conceptions are of Jivâtma and he is the partaker of the fruits. This "Jiva" element in an individual is in bondage. But the Ísvara element in him is always liberated. And Jiva becomes liberated, when the individual limitation is withdrawn).
"(Now the difference amongst Jivas liberated and imprisoned).
"The liberated (Jiva) though dwelling in the body does not dwell in it as it were, even like one aroused from dream. (The awakened man remembers his dream body, but realises it as unreal, So the liberated Jiva looks upon his body as unreal or a temporary halting station, not a part of his own self). The ignorant identifies himself with the body, like the man in dream.
"The senses perceive the objects of the senses. The Gunas perceive the Gunas. The wise (Jiva) does not identify self with these. He is therefore not distracted.
"The ignorant, however, while dwelling in this body brought about by prior Karma, in which the senses act, thinks that he is the doer and becomes thus bound down.
"The wise one sees with disgust that the actions of others bind him. Sleeping, sitting, walking or bathing, seeing, touching, smelling, eating or hearing, the wise (Jiva) does not bind himself like the ignorant, for in those acts, he realises that the Gunas (senses) perceive (and not his self). He dwells in the body, but is not attached to it, like the Akâsa, the sun and the air. (Space is in all things, but the things form no part of space. The sun becomes reflected in water, but is not attached to water. The air moves about all around, but does not become attached to any thing). By the force of dispassion, the vision becomes clear. All doubts are removed. And the wise (Jiva) rises as it were from sleep, and withdraws himself from the diversities (of body and other material objects).
"The Jiva whose Prânas, Indriyas, Manas and Buddhi function without the promptings of self-centred desires is freed from the attributes of the body though dwelling in the body.
"Whether injured by others or adored the liberated Jiva is not affected in the least. He neither praises nor blames others for their good or bad deeds or words. He knows no merits nor demerits. He looks on all with an equal eye. He does not do anything, he does not say anything, he does not think on any thing, good or bad. He is self-entranced and moves like a sense-less being (Jada).
"If a man well-versed in the Vedas is not fixed in the Supreme, his labour becomes fruitless like that of a man who keeps a breeding cow that bears no calf. A cow that does not give milk, an unchaste wife, a body that is under the control of others, an undutiful son, wealth that is not given to the deserving and words that do not relate to me: he only keeps these whose lot is misery.
"With discrimination such as this do away with the notion of diversity in self. Then fix your purified mind in Me, who am all pervading, and desist from everything else.
"If you can not fix your mind in Me, then offer up all your actions unconditionally to Me. Hear with faith the words that relate to Me. Sing of Me, meditate on my deeds and Incarnations. Imitate these. Whatever you do, do that for Me. Then will be gained, O Uddhava, fixed devotion to Me. That devotion (Bhakti) is to be acquired in the company of Sâdhus."