Introduction a Introduction
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TEXT 9 k-MaR YaTaaeiNavTaRTaek-MaRSadaezae_k-MaRk->SMa*Ta> ))9))
Now, the purity and impurity of various times is being explained. Any time that is suitable for executing one’s prescribed duty is considered to be pure. The time where one obtains the ingredients necessary for performing one’s work is considered pure by nature. The most auspicious time for performing karma-yoga is before noon. When a woman gives birth to a child, she is considered to be impure.
As there is consideration of purity and impurity with regards to place, there is also consideration of purity and impurity with regards to time. The time when one obtains the ingredients for performing one’s occupational duty, and the time which is spent performing pious activities are naturally auspicious. Any time or condition that impedes the performance of one’s occupational or religious duty must be considered as most inauspicious. The most auspicious of all times is the moment one achieves the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one neglects the loving service of the Lord, being carried away by sense gratification, he is certainly living in most inauspicious times. Therefore that moment in which one achieves the association of the Supreme Lord or the Lord’s pure devotee is the most auspicious time, whereas the moment of losing such association is most inauspicious. TEXT 10 d]VYaSYaXauÖyXauÖqcd]VYae Sa&Sk-are Here, purity and impurity is being explained. The purity of pots is attained by washing them with water, and they become impure when touched by urine, or other
abominable substances. The words of a saintly brähmaëa are pure, but the sound vibration of a materialistic person is contaminated by lust and envy. After the birth of
a child or the death of a family member, the next ten days are considered to be impure. Water fetched by an outcaste is considered to be pure if it is from a large lake filled with
Explanation of the Vedic Path 475 lotus flowers. However, if it is brought from a small pond or well, it is considered to be impure. Impure food in the mode of ignorance is certainly to be avoided, except in the case of a dire emergency. PURPORT The consideration of an article’s purity or impurity is determined by its proximity to other things. For example, articles touched by urine are considered to be impure, but if they are touched by Ganges water, they are considered to be pure. Although the conchshell is the bone of a dead animal, it is accepted as pure because the Vedas declare this as being a fact. Purity and impurity also depends on saŕskära, indicating that the purity or impurity of a particular object is ascertained according to the regulations of ritualistic performances. For example, a flower to be offered to the Deity must be purified with water. Flowers or food cannot be offered to the Deity, however, if they have been contaminated by being smelled or tasted before the offering. TEXT 11 Xa˘-yaXa˘-yaQavabuÖyaSaMa*ÖyacYadaTMaNae ) Aga&ku-vRiNTaihYaQaadeXaavSQaaNauSaarTa> ))11))
According to the laws of nature, that which is impure contaminates a particular person in accordance with that person’s situation, as described here. For example, on certain occasions, such as a solar eclipse or just after childbirth, one must restrict the intake of food according to ritualistic injunctions. One who is physically weak, however, may eat without being considered impious. Ordinary persons consider the ten days following childbirth to be most auspicious, whereas one who is learned knows that this period is actually impure. Worn, dirty clothing is considered impure for a rich man but acceptable for one who is poor. The word deça indicates that in a safe and peaceful place one is obligated to strictly perform religious rituals, whereas in a dangerous or chaotic situation one may be excused for occasional negligence of secondary principles. One
476 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ who is physically healthy must offer obeisances to the Deities, attend religious functions and execute his prescribed duties, but a young child or sickly person may be excused from such activities, as indicated by the word avasthä. Thus the revealed scriptures teach that one should consider purity and impurity according to the place, time, person, and circumstances. PURPORT The difference between purity and impurity, as well as piety and impiety, depends upon the place, circumstances, health of a person, and prosperity. One should accept everything which is favorable for the devotional service of Lord Kĺńëa and reject whatever is unfavorable. One must learn the process of serving God from the bona fide spiritual master and thus always maintain one’s existence pure and free from anxiety. In general, however, when considering the relative purity and impurity of material things, all of the above-mentioned factors must be calculated. It can thus be concluded that the same conditions are perceived differently by swan-like personalities, and those who are no better than dogs, hogs, camels and asses. TEXT 12 DaaNYadavRiSQaTaNTaUNaa&rSaTaEJaSacMaR k-al/vaYviGanMa*taaeYaE>PaaiQaRvaNaa&YauTaaYauTaE> ))12))
The Lord herein explains in detail how various articles become pure by contact with certain elements. The word asthi refers to “elephants’ tusks.” The word rasa in this
verse refers to oil or ghee. The word taijasa refers to gold, and other metals. All these are considered to be pure according to sästra when they are combined with water, fire, and
other elements, and used at a particular time. For example, a clay pitcher and bricks are considered pure, but when they are in their original form as earth they are considered
impure. Metals, such as gold, can be purified by clay, water, and fire. Raw silk is purified simply by contact with the air.
Explanation of the Vedic Path TEXT 13 AMaeDYail/á&YaŰeNaGaNDale/Pa&VYaPaaehiTa ) >aJaTaePa[k*-iTa&TaSYaTaC^aEc&TaavidZYaTae ))13))
If a surface, a container, or cloth is contaminated by the touch of an abominable object, it can be purified by cleansing with caustic soda, acid, and water, until the smell or dirt is completely removed. COMMENTARY If meat, or any other abominable substance, is kept on a surface, a cloth, or in a pot, then these can be purified by scrubbing and washing with acid, detergent, clay, and water, until the contamination is removed. One should cleanse a contaminated object until the bad odor or impure coating is removed, thereby restoring it to its original condition. TEXT 14 ňaNadaNaTaPaae_vSQaavqYaRSa&Sk-ark-MaRi>a> ) MaTSMa*TYaacaTMaNa>XaaEc&XauÖ>k-MaaRcreid(ÜJa> ))14)
After explaining how various objects can be purified, the Lord now describes the means for purifying the self. One can purify himself by bathing, distributing charity, and by performing the activities that are prescribed for his various stages in life. The word saŕskära means “rituals, such as the sacred thread ceremony, and the chanting of mantras.” It is necessary for the members of all varëas to purify themselves before performing their prescribed duties.
478 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ PURPORT The conditioned souls can purify themselves by bathing, giving charity, performing austerity, acting according to the rules and regulations prescribed for his situation within the varëäçrama system, undergoing the fifteen kinds of saŕskära, and above all, by remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Vińëu. In this regard ,one should carefully consider this verse from the Garuňa Puräëa:
MaN}aSYacPairjaNa&k-MaRXauiÖMaRdPaR DaMaR>SaMPaŰTaeziĚrDaMaRSTauivPaYaRYa> ))15))
The purification of a mantra is being described in this verse. When mantras are received from the mouth of a bona fide spiritual master, they are considered purified.
One’s activities are purified when the results are offered in the service of the Supreme Lord. Purification of the place, time, ingredients, performer, mantras, and action
constitutes religion, and a failure to do so constitutes irreligion. The purification of the place, time, ingredients, performer, mantra, and action constitutes religion, and the negligence of such purification is considered irreligion. If
one does not receive a mantra from a bona fide spiritual master, who exhibits purified Explanation of the Vedic Path 479 behavior, then he falls into a state of inauspiciousness because a mantra is no better than poison when it is received from a so-called spiritual master who is actually a disciple of Kali. When actions are performed for one’s own sake, or for the sake of one’s family or community, they are considered to be impure. Whenever an action, time, place, and so on are not in relation to the Supreme Lord, they must be considered impure and irreligious.
KvicÓu Gau Here it is explained that piety and sin are actually relative conceptions. If a man abandons his wife and children, he must certainly be considered a rascal number one. Still, when a man gives up his family to accept the renounced order of life, sannyäsa, he is offered the respect due a great soul. It must therefore be concluded that piety and sin depend upon circumstances, and are therefore not easily ascertained. PURPORT Human beings are considered to be capable of distinguishing between good and bad and are thus responsible for their pious and sinful activities. Animals, on the other hand, being merged in ignorance, cannot be blamed for their offenses, which arise from ignorance. Human beings who act like animals, with the idea that one should not feel any guilt but should do whatever he likes, will certainly take birth as animals absorbed in ignorance.
SaMaaNak-MaaRcr AaETPaitak-aeGauSa®aeNaXaYaaNa>PaTaTYaDa> ))17))
480 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ samäna-karmäcaraëaŕ patitänäŕ na pätakam Autpattiko guëaů saěgo na çayänaů pataty adhaů Activities that would degrade an elevated person do not cause a fall down for those who are already fallen. Indeed, one who is lying on the ground cannot possibly fall any further. The material association that is dictated by one’s own nature is considered a good quality. For example, association with a woman is a fault for a person in the renounced order of life, but it is a good quality for a householder. COMMENTARY For an elevated person, drinking wine would be the cause of his degradation but an ordinary laborer who could moderate his drinking would be considered pious. From this example, we can understand that on the material platform, piety and sin are relative. Another example is that if a sannyäsé intimately associates with a woman, he would be considered most abominable, whereas that same association for a householder is considered pious. The conclusion is that piety and sin on the material level are relative considerations. PURPORT For one who is full of faults, his actions cannot be the cause of his degradation because they are natural for him. One who is lying on the floor cannot go any lower. The possibility of falling down looms large for those who are elevated, but not for those who are already fallen. The nature of a talented person is never considered to be faulty. Because transcendentalists know that sense enjoyers and dry renunciates are fallen, they are careful to avoid their association or imitate their behavior.
YaTaaeYaTaaeiNavTaeRTaivMauCYaeTaTaTaSTaTa> ) WzDaMaaeRNa* Explanation of the Vedic Path COMMENTARY 481 The aim of the scriptures is to encourage renunciation by means of a gradual diminishing of the enjoying propensity. This is done by prescribing rules and regulations that govern all aspects of human behavior.
The conception, “I am the enjoyer of this temporary, perishable material world,” creates lamentation, illusion, and fear in the minds of the conditioned souls. People who renounce sense gratification and dry renunciation and engage in the worship of the Supreme Lord bring about their own auspiciousness. In this regard, one should carefully consider this verse from the Caitanya-caritämĺta (Antya 6.220): mahäprabhura bhakta-gaëera vairägya pradhäna yähä dekhi’ préta hana gaura-bhagavän Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied. TEXT 19 ivzYaezuGau Sa®ata}a>aveTk-aMa>k-aMaadevk-il/Na*R In these four verses, the Supreme Lord is demonstrating the uselessness of the path of enjoyment, although it is sometimes encouraged in the Vedas. Desire is the cause of attachment, and from attachment, lust develops. A lusty person is easily angered and becomes inimical to anyone frustrating his lusty desires. For this reason, there is constant strife within human society. 482 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ TEXT 20 k-le/duRivRzh>§-aeDaSTaMaSTaMaNauvTaRTae ) TaMaSaaGa]SYaTaePau&SaęeTaNaaVYaaiPaNaqd]uTaMa( ))20))
From quarrel arises unbearable anger, from anger bewilderment is produced, and from bewilderment, one quickly loses his power of discrimination. COMMENTARY From conflict of interest comes anger, followed by tama, or illusion. Due to illusion, one becomes bewildered, and this causes one to become completely bereft of any sense of discrimination. PURPORT From the tendency to enjoy material objects, considering them to be separate from the Supreme Lord, one develops attachment. From attachment, lust is born, and from lust, a conflict of interest arises. When there is a conflict of interest, strong anger results, and from this unbridled anger, one is covered by the dense darkness of ignorance, which robs one of the power of discrimination. TEXT 21 TaYaaivrihTa>SaaDaaeJaNTau>XaUNYaaYak-LPaTae ) TaTaae_SYaSvaQaRiv>a]&XaaeMaUiC^RTaSYaMa*TaSYac ))21))
An unconscious person loses all sense of what is to be done and what is not to be done. Such a person is considered to be as good as dead because he has lost all sense of life’s ultimate goal. Explanation of the Vedic Path PURPORT 483 Yüklə 8,84 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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