World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 349

Again 3.22 na me pärthästi kartavyaà triñu lokeñu kiàcana nänavaptam aväptavyaà vartaiva ca karmani
P121 to 122-14 comment - 'For me O pärtha there is nothing whatever to do in the three worlds even' Why? 'For there is nothing unattained (by Me) which has to be got, acquired (anew), yet with a view to the guidance of the world I engage in action'
Still further 3.25 saktäù karmany avidväàso yathä kurvanti bhärata kuryäd vidväàs tathäsaktaś cikérñur loka-saagraham's 'As do the unwise attached to the work act so should the wise act, О Bhärata without attachment, desirous of the welfare of the world'
P123. Comm - 'like the unwiseH.the wise, the knower of the Self should act remaining without attachmentH.for desirous of bringing about the welfare of the world'
Imp._'For me or any other, who being a knower of the Self thus desires the welfare of the world, there is nothing to do except for guiding the world. Therefore, for such a knower of the Self, this (course of conduct) is prescribed 6.
Vivekananda has picked up this message of nivħtti dharma viz one has to act without any attachment for the well being of the world, without egotism. He expressed this idea in a very positive way in the 'Practical Vedanta' of Vivekananda. What we find is acceptance of Saikara's definition of dharma as abhyudaya nishreyas or pravhtti and nivhtti. He interpreted them as outer & inner (as the literal meaning also suggests). But what we find in Vivekananda is a statement of both inner & outer as a unity. He never wanted to create an impression that pravhtti is interior to nivhtti. Saikarä's interpretation gives the impression that cittashuddhi leads to sannyäs-jiäna-vairägya leading to mokña. Is there a gap between cittashuddhi and Bhramajiäna? If cittashuddhi leads to jiäna, vairagya it is mokña.
For Vivekananda, cittashuddhi is mokña & cittashuddhi is possible by either karma, bhakti, rajayoga associated with knowledge jiäna. Giving up of attachment & egotism is removal of ajiäna i.e. ajiänanivhtti which is jiäna & karma, bhakti or rajayoga which has knowledge base in liberation. What could have been inferred in Saìkarä's position, Vivekananda has made it explicit in his Advaita.
Saìkarä speaks in terms of svakarma determined by varnäshrama while referring to pravhtti but Vivekananda in a very clear way denies varnäshrama and speaks for upliftment of the Südra. Saìkarä by emphasizing sannyäsa created an impression that liberation of an individual is important rather than sustenance of society. Vivekananda equated the two saying Ätmano Mokshartham Jagad-hitaya Cha. Saikarä made very cursory refer
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