Introduction a Introduction
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127 Just as fire is separate from the wood it burns—one is that which burns and the other is that which is burnt—the spirit soul is distinct from the gross body and subtle mind. He is self-manifest and minutely independent.
iNaraeDaaeTPatYa ANTa>Pa[iví AaData Wv&dehGau Although fire may be sometimes visible and sometimes not, the element fire always exists. Similarly, the soul may appear within a body and then depart but still, the soul is
eternal. It is a mistake to impose material conditions upon the spirit soul, who has nothing to do with the material body. As fire is sometimes blazing, some times great, sometimes
small, and sometimes extinguished, the spirit soul is sometimes born, sometimes in the body of Brahmä, sometimes in the body of an ant, and sometimes departs from the body
at death. Fire, although separate from the object it burns, appears in various ways, as big, small, blazing, or extinguished, according to the condition of the fuel. In the same way,
the spirit soul, being averse to the Supreme Lord, identifies himself with his gross and subtle bodies, although he is distinct from them and eternal.
Yaae_SaaEGau Sa&SaarSTaiŕbNDaae_Ya&Pau&SaaeivŰaiC^daTMaNa> ))10))
128 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ The subtle and gross material bodies are created by the material modes of nature, which are creations of the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material existence occurs when the living entity falsely accepts the qualities of the gross and subtle bodies as being his self. This illusory state, however, can be destroyed by real knowledge. COMMENTARY The question may arise that since fire is produced from wood, and fire has never been seen independently of any fuel, it may be assumed that the existence of the soul is dependent upon the gross and subtle material bodies. The answer is that only through the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s knowledge potency (vidyä) can one clearly understand the nature of the living entity. By such real knowledge, one may cut material existence to pieces and even in this lifetime experience spiritual reality. Our material existence is an artificial imposition. By the Lord’s inconceivable potency of nescience, the qualities of gross and subtle material forms are imposed upon the living being, and because of misidentification with the body, he initiates a series of illusory activities. When, by the mercy of the Lord, the conditioned souls are freed from the material conception of life, having revived their original consciousness, they become free from material bondage.
Those living entities who are averse to the Supreme Lord forget their constitutional position and become conditioned by material existence, so that they consider their gross and subtle bodies as their self. However, a pure spirit soul is not bewildered by material existence, which keeps the rebellious souls under a spell of illusion.
TaSMaaiÂjaSaYaaTMaaNaMaaTMaSQa&ke-vl&/ParMa( ) Sa®MYaiNarSaedeTaÜSTaubuiÖ&YaQaa§-MaMa( ))11))
The Nature of Fruitive Activity COMMENTARY 129 The spirit soul is covered by gross and subtle bodies. One should understand that the spirit soul is completely distinct from these gross and subtle material bodies. Gradually, on the strength of one’s sädhana, one should rise above the conception that the material body is the self. PURPORT When one comes to the platform of self-realization, he should inquire about his duty and then dedicate himself to the service of the Supreme Lord. While engaged in devotional service, one should remain detached from thoughts of enjoying the objects of the senses, which are all creations of Maya. It is only due to a lack of inquisitiveness that a foolish person fails to attain knowledge of the Absolute Truth. TEXT 12 AacaYaaeR_ri TaTSaNDaaNa&Pa[vcNa&ivŰaSaiNDa>Sau%avh> ))12))
The knowledge received from the spiritual master is capable of burning ignorance and its effects to ashes. When two sticks are rubbed together, the friction produces fire. Similarly, the spiritual master imparts instructions to his disciple, and this knowledge destroys the disciple’s ignorance, burning his desire for material enjoyment to ashes.
Knowledge of self-realization is produced by linking the living entities, who are conditioned by Maya, with a spiritual master, who is in full knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Just as fire is produced when one rubs two sticks, the knowledge of self-realization is attained by the disciple who is under the shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master.
130 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 13 vEXaardqSaaiTaivXauÖbuiÖDauRNaaeiTaMaaYaa&Gau GauNaa&ęSaNdůYadaTMaMaeTaTSvYa&cXaa&YaTYaSaiMaŰQaaiGan> ))13))
By submissively hearing from a bonafide spiritual master, one receives perfect understanding that dispels the illusion of material existence which is due to the influence of the three modes of material nature. Ultimately, the quest for perfect knowledge ceases when one has become fully satisfied on the spiritual platform. COMMENTARY Perfect knowledge comes from the expert spiritual master, and it removes the bondage to material existence created by attachment to the gross and subtle bodies. After establishing one on the transcendental platform, where one becomes absorbed in thoughts of the Lord, the fire of knowledge becomes extinguished, just as fire is extinguished after all the fuel is consumed. PURPORT Just as fire is extinguished when there is no more supply of fuel, similarly, a disciple who receives transcendental knowledge from the expert spiritual master is able to free himself from the clutches of the three modes of material nature. Only then the intelligence is purified and one becomes inclined towards the Supreme Lord.
AQaEzaMk-MaRk-Ta›R NaaNaaTvMaQaiNaTYaTv&l/aek-k-al/aGaMaaTMaNaaMa( ))14)) MaNYaSaeSavR>aavaNaa&Sa&SQaaůaETPaitak-IYaQaa ) Tatadak*-iTa>aedeNaJaaYaTaei>aŰTaecDaq> ))15)) WvMaPYa® SaveRza& deihNaa& dehYaaeGaTa> ) k-al/avYavTa>SaiNTa>aavaJaNMaadYaae_Sak*-Ta( ))16))
The Nature of Fruitive Activity manyase sarva-bhävänäŕ saŕsthä hy autpattiké yathä tat-tad-äkĺti-bhedena jäyate bhidyate ca dhéů evam apy aěga sarveńäŕ dehinäŕ deha-yogataů kälävayavataů santi bhävä janmädayo ‘sakĺt 131 My dear Uddhava, I have thus imparted perfect knowledge unto you. There are other philosophers, however, who arrive at a different conclusion. They say that the conditioned souls should engage in fruitive activities because they are the enjoyers of the happiness and unhappiness that are derived from the results of their work. According to this understanding, the cosmic manifestation, including the time, the scriptures, and the souls are transforming in a perpetual cycle. Just as the objects of this world are constantly transforming, so knowledge based on such objects is also impermanent and ever-changing. My dear Uddhava, if this philosophy is accepted, there will be no escape from the cycle of repeated birth and death, accompanied by old age and disease, as the living beings accept material bodies that are subject to the influence of time. COMMENTARY Lord Kĺńëa says, “My dear Uddhava, in the instructions I have given to you, I clearly indicated the ultimate goal of life. There are those who would not agree with My teachings, however, such as the followers of Jaimini. If you are inclined to accept their materialistic philosophy instead of My instructions, then listen to what I have to say about that.” “According to the philosophy of Jaimini, the living entity is constitutionally the performer of fruitive activities, and such actions are the causes of his happiness and distress. The energy or nature that forms the world we live in, the time under which we are controlled, the revealed scriptures that lead us on the path of advancement, and the subtle bodies that are the medium through which we experience happiness and distress, although constantly being transformed, remains eternally.” “The living being need not renounce sense gratification, either due to understanding the temporary nature of existence, or by seeing the world as an illusory creation of Maya. According to such a materialistic philosophy, the objects of this world, even the bodies of beautiful women, are temporary manifestations of an eternal nature. Thus, creation, maintenance, and destruction are the three phases of eternal existence. By executing fruitive rituals that are prescribed by the Vedas, one can maintain his aristocratic position, which affords him the possession of women and wealth birth after birth. In this way, one can go on enjoying sense gratification eternally.” 132 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ “Such philosophers say that the universe eternally exists in some form or another and thus imply that there is no need to suppose that there is a God who created it. They claim that the cosmic manifestation is therefore real, and not illusory. In this way, they defy the conception of an eternal soul having an eternal spiritual form, which is now covered by matter. They say that knowledge is derived from sense perception and is not coming from some kind of Absolute Truth, and therefore knowledge itself is subject to change, just as are the objects that it perceives.” “In this way, materialistic philosophers conclude that although the material nature is unlimitedly transformable, it still exists eternally. By thinking in this way, such persons are more inclined to follow the path of advancing material enjoyment, instead of the path of renunciation. They see liberation as a state of pure consciousness without any activity or variety. Indeed, many such philosophers feel that liberation is an abnormal state of existence because the liberated souls would be without any activity or enjoyment. Even if we accept for the sake of argument that their philosophy is correct, we would still have to conclude that a path of regulated sense enjoyment would never provide ultimate happiness, but instead, would simply award countless miseries. For this reason, even from a materialistic point of view, detachment is in the living being’s self-interest.” TEXT 17 Ta}aaiPak-MaR >aae˘u-ędu>%Sau%Yaae>k-aeNvQaaeRivvXa&>aJaeTa( ))17))
It is practically seen that when one performs fruitive activities, he is still under the control of destiny and thus rarely achieves the fulfillment of his desires. If there was
actual freedom, then who would have to suffer miseries? What intelligent person would allow himself to suffer the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease? Therefore, the
conclusion is that the living entities are dependent upon a higher authority. The Nature of Fruitive Activity PURPORT 133 The performer of activities enjoys happiness or distress, being under the control of time. In modern times, inventions have been created to eliminate the inconveniences of life, but the maintenance and production of such conveniences has proven to be unbearably inconvenient for hundreds of millions of people throughout the world. Only the most foolish person will propose that there is no superior controller and that one can achieve favorable results simply by expert performance of material activities. TEXT 18 NadeihNaa&Sau%&ik-iÄiÜŰTaeivduzaMaiPa ) TaQaacdu>%&MaU!aNaa&v*QaahŞr It can be argued that a person could continuously perform pious activities, avoiding all sinful acts, and thus never suffer, because misery is caused by acting sinfully. The answer is that you will never find anyone in this world who is always happy, or who is always distressed. Sometimes it is seen that pious men are in a miserable condition and sinful men are happy. The conclusion is that even pious men sometimes perform forbidden acts, and even sinful men sometimes perform unknown pious activities, such as traveling to a holy place or serving a saintly person. PURPORT The living entities who are averse to Kĺńëa are always under the control of the three modes of material nature. Because of this, whether they are in knowledge or in ignorance, they do not become lastingly happy. TEXT 19 YaidPa[aiá&ivgaaTa&cJaaNaiNTaSau%du>%Yaae> ) Tae_PYaÖaNaivduYaaeRGaMa*TYauNaRPa[>aveŰQaa ))19))
134 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ yadi präptiŕ vighätaŕ ca jänanti sukha-duůkhayoů te ‘py addhä na vidur yoga mĺtyur na prabhaved yathä Even if someone was able to somehow achieve only happiness and completely avoid distress in this life, he still would have to succumb to all-devouring death. COMMENTARY Even if one is very learned, he is certainly ignorant of how to stop death. PURPORT Although learned people under the influence of the illusory energy of the Lord may display expertise in the field of achieving happiness and avoiding distress, they are still unable to save themselves from the hands of imminent death. TEXT 20 k-ae_NvQaR>Sau%YaTYaeNa&k-aMaaevaMa*TYauriNTake- ) AagaaTa&NaqYaMaaNaSYavDYaSYaevNaTauiíd> ))20))
If you say that there is happiness before death, the answer is that a man who is condemned to die cannot enjoy the sumptuous meal placed before him. A person who is going to be executed cannot feel happiness, even if you give him nice sweet rice or milk cakes because such things are simply a reminder that he will soon die. Therefore, this belief that wealth and sense gratification can give one happiness in this world of birth and death is herein refuted.
Can the temporary happiness which is available in this world protect one who knows that he is always under the control of inevitable death? Palatable food offered to
The Nature of Fruitive Activity 135 a condemned person is not relished by him because of the chilling thought of imminent death.
é[uTa&cd*ívŐuí&SPaDaaRSaUYaaTYaYaVYaYaE> ) bűNTaraYak-aMaTvaTk*-izvŔaiPaiNaZf-l/Ma( ))21))
After concluding that there is no happiness in this world, it is being described that there is no happiness in the heavenly planets as well. The information that there is ample happiness in the heavenly planets is illusory. In heaven, there is arrogance because one person is envious of others’ happiness, and there is destruction when one’s accumulated piety is exhausted. As agriculture is troublesome, and sometimes unproductive, the performance of sacrifice and other pious acts, which award one heavenly residence, is ultimately of no avail. PURPORT When the farmer plants his crops, he has to worry about so many potential problems, such as defective seeds, drought, plagues of insects, excessive heat, and so on. Similarly, the attempt to enjoying happiness in this world, whether on earth or in heaven, is accompanied by anxiety due to jealousy, cheating, and so on. When conditioned souls interact, there is naturally competition and envy because that is the very nature of material existence. Due to the influence of time, no position within the material world is stable and so, when there are reverses, violence and intrigue create great disturbances, both here and in heaven. Even the attempt to attain a heavenly destination is also fraught with many difficulties. Therefore, one should enquire about the eternal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which is far beyond the disturbances of this material world. 136 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 22 ANTaraYaErivihTaaeYaidDaMaR>SvNauiďTa> ) TaeNaaiPaiNaiJaRTa&SQaaNa&YaQaaGaC^iTaTaC^* Even if one properly performs Vedic sacrifices and fruitive rituals without committing any mistake or offense, the result of attaining the heavenly planets obtained by such activities will be destroyed in due course of time. Listen as I now explain this to you. COMMENTARY Even if one avoids mistakes and offenses while performing Vedic rituals, it is impossible to avoid the miseries felt at the time of destruction. This is being described in the following five verses. PURPORT Unless one very carefully executes religious rituals, various obstacles will come in his way. But, even if one is able to perform such rituals properly, and without encountering any obstacles, the result obtained is temporary because, whether good or bad, all material conditions are imperfect. Yüklə 8,84 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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