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1152
GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
a description of the opinions of atheists like Cārvāka and others, who disputed both the Vedanta and Samkhya doctrines relating to the construction of the world; and therefore, the words used in these stanzas refer to a doctrine contrary to both the Samkhya and the Vedanta doctrines. The Vedäntist looks upon this world as perishable, and looks for the Imperishable Reality-" satyasya satyam" (Br. 2. 3. 6)in it and looks upon that Real Element as the fundamental support or 'pratistha-"brahmapuccam pratistha" (Tai. 2. 5.)of it. But the demoniac persons believe that this world is a-satyam', that is, not containing' satya' (Reality); and that it is, therefore, 'a-pratistham', that is, not having a pratisthā or support. But, a doubt may be raised that although the Imperceptible Parabrahman of the Vedantists may in this way be not acceptable to demoniac persons, they may be accepting the Perceptible Isvara, Who is worshipped in the Path of Devotion. Therefore, the third word 'anisvara (ana+Isvara) has been used in this stanza, in order to make it perfectly clear that such demoniac persons do not even accept the existence of an Isvara in the world. When once the fundamental foundation of the world has thus been denied, one is also compelled to deny the explanation of the order of creation of the world. contained (i) in the Upanisadic words: “ ātman ākāśah sambhutaḥ ākāśad vayuḥ vayor agniḥ agner apaḥ adbhyaḥ prthivi pṛthivya oṣadhayaḥ oṣadhibhyaḥ annam annat puruṣaḥ "* (Tai. 2. 1); as also (ii) in the Samkhya doctrine, which looks upon Prakṛti and Purusa as two independent Fundamental Elements, and looks upon all perceptible objects as being the result of the mutual support (annyonyasraya), that is, of the intermixture, of the sattva, rajas, and tamas constituents. Because, if this chain or order of succession is accepted, then, going backwards from all the objects in the visible world, one will have to admit
* This quotation, which has not been translated into Marathi by the author, means: "Ether (or space), is born from the Self; the air, from Ether (or space); Fire, from the Air; Water, from Fire; Earth, from Water; vegetables, from the Earth; fool, from the vegetables; and man from fool "-Trans.
