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GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
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logically that, it was necessary to discuss all these matters, to start with, in dealing with the Bhagavata religion; and the same conclusion is emphasised, if one considers the Narayaniyopakhyāna included in the Mahabharata. In this Akhyāna, the Spiritual Knowledge of the Upanisads and the Samkhya theory of the Perishable and the Imperishable have both bean harmonised with the Bhāgavata religion; and it is clearly stated that: "it is called the 'Pañcaratra' religion because the four Vedas and Samkhya and Yoga are all included in it" (Ma. Bhă. Săn 339. 107); and that "all these (philosophies) including the Vedas and the Aranyakas (naturally also, including the Upanisads) are all parts of each other" (San. 348. 82) Although this explanation of the meaning of the word 'Pañcaratra' may not be grammatically correct, yet, it clearly shows that the Bhagavata religion had, already to start with, harmonised all kinds of philosophies. Still, harmonising the Philosophy of Devotion with other aspects of religion is also not any important part of the Bhagavata religion. It is not that the religious principle of Devotion was first enunciated in the Bhagavata religion. Worship of Rudra or of Visnu in some form or other had been started before the advent of the Bhagavata religion; and it becomes clear from the phrases quoted above from the Maitryupanisad (Maitryu. 7.7), that the idea that any object of worship whatsoever is a symbol, or some kind of form of the Brahman, had also previously come into existence. It is true that the Bhagavata religion has taken Vasudeva as an object of worship instead of Rudra etc.; but at the same time, it is admitted both in the Gita and also in the Narayaniyepakhyāna, that whatever may be the object of worship, the worship reaches one and the same Bhagavanta, and that Rudra and Bhagavana are not two. (GL. 9. 23; Ma. Bha. San. 341. 20-26). Therefore, one cannot consider the worship of Vasudeva as the principal aspect of the Bhagavata religion. The Sātvata community by which the Bhagavata religion was observed, produced Satyaki and other warriors, as also devotees of the Blessed Lord like Bhisma and Arjuna, and also Śri Krsna, who engaged and caused others to be engaged in numerous activities, involving personal prowess. Therefore, the most important teaching of the original Bhagavata religion was, that the illustration of these persons should be copied by other devotees
