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GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
nevertheless, the Gita has not stopped with Matter (prakrti) and Spirit (purusa) according to Samkhya philosophy, but has taken the chain of the creation of the universe right to the eternal Paramatman of the Upanisads. The Gita has also described the doctrine (vidhi) of the Narayaniya or Bhāgavata religion consisting of the worship of Vasudeva, namely, that the Knowledge of the Absolute Self should be acquired by Faith and Devotion, as it is more difficult to acquire it by Intelligence. But, even in this matter the Gita does not merely copy the Bhagavata religion; and, discarding the theory of the Bhagavata religion regarding the birth of the Personal Self (Jiva) from Vasudeva, as has been done in the Vedānta-Sūtras, it has completely harmonised the doctrines of the Bhāgavata religion relating to Devotion with the doctrines of the Upanisads relating to the Body and the Atman. The only remaining Path of Release is the Patañjala-Yoga. But, although the Gita does not say that the Patañjala-Yoga is the principal duty of man, yet, since the control of the organs is necessary for making the Reason equable, the Gita to that extent recommends the practices of yama, (religious observance) niyama (restraint of the Mind), asana (bodily postures), etc., mentioned in the Patañjala-Yoga. In short, all the various means mentioned in the Vedic religion for obtaining Release have been to some extent or other referred to and prescribed in the Gita, as occasion arose, in considering the Karma-Yoga in all its bearings. If all these injunctions are considered independent of each other, there arise inconsistencies; and it appears that the various doctrines mentioned in the Gita are mutually contradictory; and this impression is fortified by the doctrine-supporting commentaries of various commentators; but, when one lays down the proposition, as has been done by me, that the principal object of the Gita is to harmonise Spiritual Knowledge with Devotion, and to support the KarmaYoga on that basis, all these apparent inconsistencies disappear; and one cannot but admire the super-human wisdom of the Gitä in bringing about a fusion between Spiritual Knowledge, Devotion, and Karma-Yoga in a most comprehensive way. Just as the form of the Ganges does not change whatever the number of rivers which come and join it, so also
| SR No. | 011090 |
| Book Title | Bhagvad Gita Rahasya or Karmayoga Shastra VOL 02 |
| 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 |