Bhagvad Gita Rahasya or Karmayoga Shastra VOL 02

SR No.: 011090
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bhalchandra S Sukhtankar
Publisher: R B Tilak Puna
Publication Year: 1936
Total Pages: 767
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 74 MB

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GĪTĀ-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
(the Path of Knowledge ), is also essential in the Path of Devotion; but in the worship of the Perceptible (the path of Devotion), this Knowledge can, in the beginning, be taken for granted by means of Faith from others (13.25); and that is why the Path of Devotion is actually realisable and ordinarily pleasant (9. 2) for everybody, and the Path of Knowledge (or the worship of the Imperceptible) is difficult (12. 5); but, the Gītā makes no other distinction between these two paths. The ideal in the Path of Karma-Yoga, namely, making the Reason (buddhi) equable after acquiring the knowledge of the Parameśvara, is reached by both these paths. Therefore, the worship of the Perceptible and the worship of the Imperceptible are both equally acceptable to the Blessed Lord; yet, as even the Jñānin needs to perform worship to some extent or other, the Blessed Lord has said, that the devout Jñānin is the most excellent one among the four varieties of Devotees (Gi. 7. 17); and He has in that way eliminated the conflict between the Path of Devotion and the Path of Knowledge. While the description of Spiritual and worldly Knowledge is going on, it is, in any case, inevitable that there should be a special reference to the worship of the Perceptible in one chapter and to the worship of the Imperceptible in another chapter as occasion arises. But, in order that this should not give rise to the misunderstanding that these two matters are distinct from each other, the Blessed Lord has not forgotten to say that the perceptible form is inferior to the imperceptible form, while describing His perceptible form, and to say that Devotion is essential, while describing His imperceptible form. Nevertheless, as three or four chapters have been used up in describing the Cosmic Form and the Manifestations of the Blessed Lord, there is no objection to these three or four chapters (and not to a division of six chapters) being referred to as 'the Path of Devotion' in a comprehensive way, if some one prefers to do so. But in any case, this can never mean that Devotion and Spiritual Knowledge have been distinguished from each other in the Gītā, and that these two paths have been described as INDEPENDENT paths. In short, in order to acquire the Equability of Reason which is the most important factor in the Karma-Yoga, one must acquire the