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934
GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
§§ af fago: qramizagigara | zati fauri si: qrani wanaz: 11 34 11
creation, it very often happens that we have to do things, which we do not want to do (Gi. 18. 59). It is impossible for us to refuse to perform them. On these occasions, the Jñanin performs these acts with a desireless frame of mind and purely as a matter of duty, and remains untouched by the sin or the merit of the Action, whereas, the Ajñānin becomes Attached to these things and thereby suffers pain. This is the great difference between the two from the point of Reason, as has been stated by the poet Bhāsa. But now the following difficulty arises: even taking it for granted that one should not forcibly kill the senses, nor give up Action, but should perform all Actions with an unattached Reason, yet, is it not more proper for the Jñanin to take to agriculture, commerce, mendicancy, cr other similar mild and harmless Action, rather than to terrible and destructive acts like warfare? To this the Blessed Lord replies as follows-]
(35) Even if it may be easier to follow the religion of another, yet, one's own religion (that is, according to the religion of the four castes) is more meritorious, though it might be 'viguna' (that is, full of faults); though death results (while acting) according to one's own religion, there is bliss in that; (but) the religion of another is risky!
['One's own religion' means the 'code of duties prescribed for every one by the Sastras according to the arrangement of the four castes laid down by the writers of the Smrtis'; it does not mean the science of Release (mokṣa-dharma). As the arrangement of the four castes, made by the writers of the Sastras by allocating activities consistently with the special qualities of each, is for the benefit of everybody (GI. 18. 41), the welfare of Brahmins and Ksatriyas and the welfare of the entire society, lies in their respectively performing their own duties, notwithstanding that they become Jñānins (sages); and it is not proper for them to meddle with that arrangement every now and then. This is what the Blessed Lord says (Gi. Ra. pp. 464 and 697).
