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Chapter 16: Guru's Exposition about the Path and Means of Liberation
178
Explanation & Discussion:
Here Shrimad has described two opposite states. One relates to staying identified with worldly situations resulting from Karma. That is termed here as Karmabhäv. The other relates to abiding in the true state of Self. That state leads to liberation, and is therefore termed as Mokshabhäv. So long as one remains inclined towards the state of Karma and its consequence, the state of liberation cannot arise. Those two are mutually exclusive states. On account of one's Karma one gets a body, sense organs, etc. But all those aspects are temporary; they do not form the parts of the true Self. For instance, if some one asks me: "Who are you?" I would reply that, "I am Manu". That reply is right to the extent it shows my worldly identification, but that is not my true and lasting identification. Identification with the body arises out of ignorance about my true Self. Such ignorance constitutes Karmabhäv, which is considered here as comparable to darkness.
While giving that reply, I should really keep in mind that the body, which is known as 'Manu', is a temporary phenomenon by virtue of some Karma. That is not the real me. I am the everlasting soul imbibed with infinite perception, knowledge, etc. If I stay with that concept, it is called Mokshabhäv. That is the right sense and is compared here with light. Darkness cannot be removed by hitting it with a club or any other instrument. It can be easily removed by lighting a lamp. Similarly, the darkness of ignorance can be removed by lighting the lamp of enlightenment (right knowledge).
Karmabhäv can also be interpreted differently. Many people contend that they would like to avoid all sorts of passions and proceed on the path of liberation, but previous Karma comes in the way and that does not allow them to go ahead. Such contention also amounts to Karmabhäv. They overlook the fact that the soul is imbibed with infinite vigor. The strength of Karma, however intense it may be, cannot stand against the rightly exercised vigor of the soul. Not to exercise that vigor on the pretext of Karma is also Karmabhäv.
On the other hand, some people are too sure of their
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