1
Ätmänätmä-viveka-yoga
Gétä-sütra: indications of jïäna, karma, bhakti
Chapter Two
Ätmänätmä-viveka-yoga
Distinguishing Soul from Body
TEXT 1
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{\"^"rQSO"{X"Qz \"p×Y"X"s\"pE" X"R"s_"tQS": $$1$$
saïjaya uväca
taà tathä kåpayäviñöam açru-pürëäkulekñaëam |
viñédantam idaà väkyam uväca madhusüdanaù ||1||
1. Saïjaya said: Madhusüdana spoke these words to Arjuna, whose eyes were filled with tears, and who was overcome with compassion.
In this second chapter, after destroying the darkness of bewilderment and lamentation of Arjuna by distinguishing the soul from the body, Kåñëa speaks about the characteristics of the liberated soul.
TEXT 2
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çré-bhagavän uväca
kutas tvä kaçmalam idaà viñame samupasthitam |
anärya-juñöam asvargyam akérti-karam arjuna ||2||
2. The Lord said: How has this bewilderment come upon you at the time of battle? It is against dharma, precluding Svarga in next life and fame in this life.
Why (kutaù) has this bewilderment (kaçmalam) at this critical juncture of the war (viñame) come upon you (upasthitam)? This bewilderment is not to be experienced by persons of good reputation (anärya-juñöam), and is against happiness both in next life (asvargyam) and this life (akérti-karam).
TEXT 3
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klaibyaà mä sma gamaù pärtha naitat tvayy upapadyate |
kñudraà hådaya-daurbalyaà tyaktvottiñöha parantapa ||3||
3. Do not become a coward. This is not suitable for you. Give up this low weakness of mind and rise up, O afflicter of enemies!
“Do not become cowardly (klaibyam); do not become impotent. O Pärtha, though you are the son of Påthä, you it is shameful that you have acted like this! Do not yield to this. This may occur among other inferior kñatriyas, but in you, my friend, it is not proper at all!”
“Do not worry about my lack of bravery. Do not think I am a coward. I must consider the precepts of dharma in regard to Bhéñma, Droëa and other elders, and also consider the aspect of compassion in regard to the sons of Dhåtaräñöra, who, being weaker than I, are about to die when afflicted by my weapons.”
“This is not discretion arising from principles of dharma nor is it mercy. It is bewilderment and lamentation, which are indications of a weak mind (kñudraà hådaya-daurbalyam). Therefore give up this weakness of mind and rise up. O conqueror of enemies (parantapa), you, who afflict enemies, fight!”
TEXT 4
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arjuna uväca
kathaà bhéñmam ahaà saìkhyedroëaà ca madhusüdana |
iñubhiù pratiyotsyämi püjärhäv ari-südana ||4||
4. Arjuna said, “O Madhusüdana, killer of enemies, in the battle how will I be able to fire arrows against Bhéñma and Droëa, who are worthy of worship?”
“According to scriptures of dharma, not respecting those worthy of worship is a cause of bondage: pratibadhnäti hi çreyaù püjya-püjä-vyatikramaù.[1] Therefore I withdraw from fighting. How can I kill them?” The form prati yotsyämi (parasmaipada) is used instead of the expected form prati yotsye (ätmanepada, for oneself).
“But those two elders are fighting against you. Why are you not able to fight against them?”
“No, I cannot do so, for they are worthy of worship (püjärhau): I should offer flowers to their feet in devotion rather than sharp arrows in anger. O friend Kåñëa! Even you injure only the enemies in battle, and do not injure your own guru Sändépani Muni or your friends, the Yadus, O Madhusüdana, killer of Madhu!”
“But I am a descendent of Madhu,[2] in the ancient lineage of the Yadu dynasty. Therefore I am called Mädhava. How could I have killed Madhu?”
“No, I do not mean that Madhu. I am speaking about the demon named Madhu who was your enemy (ari-südana).”
TEXT 5
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gurün ahatvä hi mahänubhäväï
çreyo bhoktuà bhaikñyam apéha loke |
hatvärtha-kämäàs tu gurün ihaiva
bhuïjéya bhogän rudhira-pradigdhän ||5||
5. It is better to eat by begging in this life, in order to avoid killing such great elders. Even if I kill elders who are greedy only for wealth, I will enjoy objects contaminated with their blood.
“If you don’t want the kingdom, then how will you live?”
“Not killing my elders, I will live by begging, though it is condemned for the kñatriya to do so. It is better to eat food obtained from begging. Though it will bring infamy in this life, it will not be inauspicious for future lives. One should not say that these gurus, being obedient to Duryodhana, should be rejected because they have become proud, and do not know right from wrong, by citing the scriptures such as the following:
guror apy avaliptasya käryäkäryam ajänataù
utpathapratipannasya parityägo vidhéyate
One should reject the guru who is proud, does not know proper behavior, who becomes engaged in sinful life. Mahäbhärata 5.178.24
They, on the contrary, are great souls (mahänubhävän). What fault is there in Bhéñma and others who have control over time[3] and lust?”
“But Bhéñma said to Yudhiñöhira,
artha sya puruño däso däsas tv artho na kasyacit
iti satyaà mahäräja baddho ’smy arthena kauravaiù
Man is a servant of wealth. Wealth is not a servant of anyone. O king, I have been bound by wealth to the Kauravas. Mahäbhärata 6.41.36
Therefore, has not their great character been destroyed by such desire for wealth?”
“That is true, but if I kill them, I will be unhappy. Even in killing those Kurus who are greedy for wealth (artha-kämän), if I should enjoy the wealth, it will be contaminated with their blood. The meaning is this: though they have desire for wealth, they are still my gurus. Therefore in killing them, because I commit the sin of killing guru, my enjoyment will be mixed with that sin.”
TEXT 6
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na caitad vidmaù kataran no garéyo
yad vä jayema yadi vä no jayeyuù |
yän eva hatvä na jijéviñämas
te ’vasthitäù pramukhe dhärtaräñöräù ||6||
6. We do not know which is better--whether we should conquer them or whether they should conquer us. These sons of Dhåtaräñöra, by killing whom we do not wish to live, are situated facing us.
Moreover I do not know if I shall be victorious or defeated even if I am prepared to kill them. And I do not know which will be better, victory or defeat: if I conquer them or they conquer me. And even if I am victorious, that also is defeat, for I will not want to live.
TEXT 7
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kärpaëya-doñopahata-svabhävaù
påcchämi tväà dharma-saàmüòha-cetäù |
yac chreyaù syän niçcitaà brühi tan me
çiñyas te ’haà çädhi mäà tväà prapannam ||7||
7. My nature has been overcome by weakness. My mind is bewildered about dharma. I ask you what is best. Please tell me with certainty. I am your student. Please instruct me, who have surrendered to you.
“Indeed, while speaking the meaning of scripture to bring out a conclusion, though you are a kñatriya, you have decided to become a beggar! What is the use of my speaking?”
“Giving up my natural courage as kñatriya is my weakness (kärpaëyam). My intelligence has become bewildered in trying to understand the implementation of dharma, as the path of dharma is very subtle: dharmasya sükñmä gatiù. (Mahäbhärata 3.198.2, 1.188.11) Therefore it is better that you decide and tell me.”
“But if you defeat my words by posing yourself as learned, how can I speak?”
“I am your student, and will no longer uselessly oppose you.”
TEXT 8
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na hi prapaçyämi mamäpanudyäd
yac chokam ucchoñaëam indriyäëäm |
aväpya bhümäv asapatnam åddhaà
räjyaà suräëäm api cädhipatyam ||8||
8. I do not see who can remove this sorrow which is drying up my senses, even if I attain an unrivalled prosperous kingdom on earth and even sovereignty over devas.
“But you have a friendly relationship with me, not one of respect. Therefore how can I make you a student? You should thus surrender to someone like Veda-vyäsa, whom you greatly revere.” Arjuna answers with this verse.
“I do not see even one person at all (pra paçyämi: pra indicates “to a high degree”) in all three worlds except you who can remove (apanudyät) my sorrow. I do not know anyone more intelligent than you--even Båhaspati. Therefore, to whom else should one who is full of sorrow surrender? Owing to that sorrow (yad) my senses have dried up completely, just as intense summer heat dries up completely (utçoña means utkarñeëa çoña) a small pond.”
“Now you are full of grief, but if you fight, by conquering the enemy you will attain a kingdom. Absorbing yourself in the enjoyment of that kingdom, your grief will disappear.”
“Even if I attain a kingdom over the whole earth, or sovereignty in Svarga, controlling all the devatäs, my senses will remain dried up.”
TEXT 9
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saïjaya uväca
evam uktvä håñékeçaà guòäkeçaù parantapaù |
na yotsya iti govindam uktvä tüñëéà babhüva ha ||9||
9. Saïjaya said: Having thus spoken to Håñékeça, Guòäkeça, afflicter of enemies, telling Govinda “I will not fight,” became silent.
TEXT 10
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tam uväca håñékeçaù prahasann iva bhärata |
senayor ubhayor madhye viñédantam idaà vacaù ||10||
10. Håñékeça, smiling slightly, spoke the following words to the depressed Arjuna, in the midst of the two armies.
“You have shown such lack of judgment!” Laughing at him as a friend, Kåñëa could put Arjuna in an ocean of embarrassment for his unworthy actions. However, because now Arjuna took the position of a student, laughing would be improper. Thus Kåñëa suppressed that laugh by closing his lips. Instead he slightly smiled (prahasann iva). The lord of the senses (håñékeça) was previously controlled by the words of Arjuna out of love for him (BG 1.24), and now he became the controller of Arjuna’s mind, again out of love, for the benefit of Arjuna. Arjuna’s dejection and Kåñëa’s offering consolation to him were seen directly by both armies (senayor ubhayor madhye).
TEXT 11
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çré-bhagavän uväca
açocyän anvaçocas tvaà prajïä-vädäàç ca bhäñase |
gatäsün agatäsüàç ca nänuçocanti paëòitäù ||11||
11. The Lord said: You, while lamenting for what is not worthy of lamentation, are speaking words of wisdom. The wise men do not lament for the gross body or the subtle body.
“O Arjuna, this lamentation of yours caused by attachment to friends and relatives is the cause of bewilderment. Your power of discernment arising from your concerns starting in verse four with ‘How can I fight against Bhéñma and Droëa?’ are the cause of lack of wisdom.” That is stated in this verse.
“You are continually lamenting (anu çocaù) for what is not worthy of grief (açocyän). Thus you are uttering words of wisdom to me, but I am trying to enlighten you. You speak words (vädän) of wisdom (prajïä) as in verse four.” The intention behind the Lord’s words is the opposite: “Actually you have no wisdom.”
“This is because those who are wise (paëòitäù) do not lament for the gross bodies from which life has passed (gata asün)--since the bodies are destructible by their very nature. Neither do they lament for the subtle bodies from which the life airs have not passed (agata asün),[4] for those subtle bodies will certainly be destroyed before liberation. They do not lament because they accept the inherent natures of all of the gross and subtle bodies. But fools lament when life airs pass from the gross bodies of fathers and others, and do not generally understand about the subtle bodies. Enough of such fools! All these, including Bhéñma, are souls equipped with gross and subtle bodies. Because of the eternal nature of their souls, there is no cause for lamentation. Previously you said that dharma-çästra was stronger than artha-çästra. But I say here that jïäna-çästra (teaching about ätmä) is stronger than dharma-çästra.”
TEXT 12
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na tv evähaà jätu näsaà na tvaà neme janädhipäù |
na caiva na bhaviñyämaù sarve vayam ataù param ||12||
12. It is not that I, you and these kings did not exist at any time in the past, and nor in the future will we ever not exist.
“Now, O friend, I will ask you a question. When you see the death of a person you love, you lament. But is the object of affection while the person is in this world the soul or the body? Çukadeva says that the soul is most dear in all living beings:
sarveñäm eva bhütänäà nåpa svätmaiva vallabhaù. (SB 10.14.50)If the soul is the object of affection, the soul should not be the object of lamentation, because it cannot suffer death, since both types of ätmä, the jéva and éçvara are eternal.” With this intention, Kåñëa speaks this verse.
It is not that I, the Paramätmä, have ever not been in existence. Rather I have always existed. You also, a jévätmä, have always existed. These kings also, jévätmäs, have always existed. Here the Lord shows that previous non-existence (präg-abhäva) is absent for all souls. And it is not that I, you, and all these kings (sarve vayam) will not exist in the future. Rather we will certainly exist. Here he shows that the soul is devoid of destruction (dhvaàsa abhäva). By this he concludes that since the Paramätmä and the jéva are both eternal, there is no cause for lamentation. The çruti says:
nityo nityänäà cetanaç cetanänäm eko bahünäà yo vidadhäti kämän
He is the chief eternal among all eternals. He is the chief conscious entity among all conscious entities, the one fulfills the needs of all others. Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad 6.13
TEXT 13
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dehino ’smin yathä dehe kaumäraà yauvanaà jarä |
tathä dehäntara-präptir dhéras tatra na muhyati ||13||
13. Just as when the soul passes through boyhood, youth and old age one does not lament, so when the soul attains another body after death one should not lament. The wise are not bewildered by this.
“One’s body becomes the object of affection as it is related to the soul (which is most dear to the self.) By relation with that body, one’s sons, brothers or other relatives become objects of affection. And by relationship to them, even their sons become objects of affection. So when their bodies perish, there will certainly be lamentation.”
In answer to this objection, Kåñëa speaks this verse. “In the body belonging to the jéva (dehinaù) one attains stages starting with boyhood. After boyhood is destroyed one attains youth. When youth is destroyed one attains old age. In the same manner, one attains another body (after death). Just as (yathä) one does not lament for the destruction of the objects of affection in the of boyhood and youth forms of the body which are related to the soul (and therefore dear), so (tathä) one should also not lament for the destruction of the object of affection, the body, which is also related to the soul.”
“But with the destruction of youth and attaining old age, one does lament.”
“But then again, with the destruction of boyhood and attainment of youth one rejoices. And with the destruction of worn out bodies of Bhéñma and Droëa, they will attain new bodies and will also become joyful.”
Another meaning is: Just as in one body a jéva attains various states such as boyhood, the same jéva attains various bodies life after life (and therefore one should not lament).[5]
TEXT 14
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mäträ-sparçäs tu kaunteya çétoñëa-sukha-duùkha-däù |
ägamäpäyino ’nityäs täàs titikñasva bhärata ||14||
14. O son of Kunté, the experience of the sense objects gives sensations of cold and heat, happiness and distress, always temporary, appearing and disappearing. O Bhärata, tolerate these.
“Yes this is indeed true. I have shown such indiscretion. My mind, producing nonsense, uselessly covered with lamentation and bewilderment, causes me suffering.”
“It is not the mind alone. The various functions of the mind, in the form of all the senses such as skin, experiencing their sense objects, produce this problem (anartha). One has the experience (sparça) of the sense objects (mäträ). In the hot season, cold water is pleasant, and in the cold season, it is painful. This happens in an uncontrolled manner, appearing and disappearing (ägama apäyinaù). Therefore you must tolerate these experiences of the sense objects. Tolerating them is part of dharma prescribed in the scriptures. One should not give up the bath in the month of Mägha because it gives pain, since it is prescribed in the scriptures. Following dharma gradually rids one of all low qualities. You must tolerate that sons give joy when they are born or earn money, and give sorrow when they die, by their temporary appearance and disappearance. One should not give up one’s scripturally prescribed duty to fight by that consideration. Not performing one’s prescribed duties eventually brings about great problems.”
TEXT 15
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yaà hi na vyathayanty ete puruñaà puruñarñabha |
sama-duùkha-sukhaà dhéraà so ’måtatväya kalpate ||15||
15. O best of men, the intelligent person, equal in happiness and distress, who is not pained by these sense objects, attains liberation.
Practicing tolerance with this discernment, the experience of the sense objects will, with the passage of time, not give distress at all. When a person reaches this state where there is no distress from the objects of the senses, liberation of the ätmä is close at hand; he is qualified for liberation (amåtatväya).
TEXT 16
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näsato vidyate bhävo näbhävo vidyate sataù |
ubhayor api dåñöo ’ntas tv anayos tattva-darçibhiù ||16||
16. There is no permanent existence for the body, and no cessation of existence for the soul. Those who can see the true nature of things see these conclusions about the body and soul.
The previous verse described the results for those who have attained the level of discrimination. Actually as çruti says, the soul is not attached to matter: asaìgo hy ayaà puruñaù. (Båhad Äraëyaka Upaniñad 4.3.15) Thus, the jéva does not have a relationship with the subtle or gross bodies and their products such as lamentation and bewilderment. This relationship is caused by ignorance alone. This is explained in this verse.
The soul does not lament for and became bewildered by the body (asataù), even though it is the soul's selter, since the body has qualities opposite to those of the soul.
For the soul, there is no existence (bhävaù) of lamentation and bewilderment for their shelter, the body (asataù), since they have qualities opposed to the qualities of the soul. And there is no non-existence (abhävaù) of the jéva with its eternal form (sataù). The conclusion (antaù) about these two--the body and the soul--has been seen by the seers of truth.
By this conclusion, there will be no lamentation or bewilderment arising from seeing the body and things related to the body, because Bhéñma and others of the opposing party as well as you and your allies are indestructible, being eternal. How can Bhéñma and others be destroyed, and why do you lament for them? That is the meaning of this verse.
TEXT 17
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avinäçi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaà tatam |
vinäçam avyayasyäsya na kaçcit kartum arhati ||17||
17. Know that the soul which pervades the body is indestructible. No one can destroy that which indestructible.
This verse clarifies the meaning of the previous verse. “Know this jéva (tat) which is spread throughout the body (sarvam idam tatam) is indestructible.”
“But, being spread throughout the body by its consciousness, this soul would be impermanent because it is of medium size only (being the size of the body).[6]”