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52
BHAGAVADGITA.
casting off all desires, lives free from attachments, who is free from egoism', and from (the feeling that this or that is) mines, obtains tranquillity. This, O son of Pritha ! is the Brahmic: state ; attaining to this, one is never deluded; and remaining in it in (one's) last moments, one attains (brahma-nirvana) the Brahmic bliss".
CHAPTER III.
Arguna said: If, O Ganârdana! devotion is deemed by you to be superior to action, then why, 0 Kesava! do you prompt me to (this) fearful action? You seem, indeed, to confuse my mind by equivocal words. Therefore, declare one thing determinately, by which I may attain the highest good.
The Deity said: O sinless one! I have already declared, that in this world there is a twofold path that of the Sankhyas by devotion in the shape of (true) knowledge; and that of the Yogins by devotion in the shape of action. A man does not attain freedom from action merely by not engaging in action; nor does he attain perfection' by mere 8 renunciation. For nobody ever remains even for an instant without
'Either pride or, better, the false notion mentioned infra, p. 55.
? An almost identical expression occurs in the Dhammapada, stanza 367, and Maitri-upanishad, p. 37.
• The state of identification of oneself with the Brahman, which results from a correct knowledge of the Brahman. • Infra, p. 66.
. Supra, p. 47. • I.e. according to Sankara, identifica:ion of oneself with Brahman.
Final emancipation. • I. e. not coupled with knowledge and purity of heart.
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