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GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
अदेशकाले यदानमपात्रेभ्यश्च दीयते।
असत्कृतमवज्ञातं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥ २२ ॥ some reward for it in future, is called 'rajasa'; (22) and that gift, which is made at an improper place, or at an improper time, or to an improper person, unappreciatingly, or disrespectfully is called tāmasa.
[The three . divisions into which Knowledge, Action, Doers, Reason, Perseverance, and Happiness fall, similar to the divisions of food, sacrifice, penance, and gifts, are explained in the next chapter (Gi. 18. 20-39). The differentiation between the constituents given in this chapter is here over. The Blessed Lord now refers to the definition of the Brahman (the brahma-nirdeśa); and proves the superiority and adoptability of sättvika Action mentioned above. Because, a doubt is likely to be raised to the exposition made above, that, whether an Action is sättvika, rūjasa, or tāmasa, it is still faulty and pain-causing; that, therefore, it is not possible to attain to the Brahman, unless all these Actions are given up; and that, if this is true, there is no sense in pointing out the difference, that a particular act is sättvika, and a particular act rūjasa. The answer of the Gitā to this objection is that these divisions of Action into sättvika, rajasa, and tāmasa are not inconsistent with the Parabrahman. The canon (samkalpa), which defines the Brahman, includes sõttuika Actions or good Actions; and therefore, it is proved beyond doubt that these Actions are not metaphysically eschewable (see Gi. Ra. p. 338). All the Knowledge acquired by man regarding the nature of the Parabrahman is concentrated in the definition composed of the three words "Om, Tat, Sat". Out of these 'Om' is the akşara-brahman, and that has been described in different ways in different Upanisads (Praśna. 5; Katha. 2. 15-17; Tai, 1. 8; Chan. 1.1; Maitryu. 6. 3, 4; Mandukya. 1. 12). And as this Brahman in the form of a consonant (varnākṣara-rūpi) was the only thing in existence at the commencement of the universe, all Action (or ritual) commences with that letter. "Tat'='that?
