॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ विंशोऽध्यायः - २० ॥
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Discourse XX
Jñānayoga, Karmayoga and Bhaktiyoga analysed (Preamble)
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उद्धव उवाच ।
विधिश्च प्रतिषेधश्च निगमो हीश्वरस्य ते ।
अवेक्षतेऽरविन्दाक्ष गुणं दोषं च कर्मणाम् ॥ १॥
वर्णाश्रमविकल्पं च प्रतिलोमानुलोमजम् ।
द्रव्यदेशवयःकालान् स्वर्गं नरकमेव च ॥ २॥
गुणदोषभिदा दृष्टिमन्तरेण वचस्तव ।
निःश्रेयसं कथं नॄणां निषेधविधिलक्षणम् ॥ ३॥
पितृदेवमनुष्याणां वेदश्चक्षुस्तवेश्वर ।
श्रेयस्त्वनुपलब्धेऽर्थे साध्यसाधनयोरपि ॥ ४॥
गुणदोषभिदादृष्टिर्निगमात्ते न हि स्वतः ।
निगमेनापवादश्च भिदाया इति ह भ्रमः ॥ ५॥
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Uddhava submitted : The command of the almighty Lord, viz., Yourself, (which goes by the name of Veda) consists of (both) injunctions and interdictions, and (thus) takes into account the good and evil nature of actions (as determined by their good and evil consequences), O lotus-eyed One! (1)
The Veda further cognizes the distinction of the Varṇas and Aśramas (based on their virtues and faults); the merits and demerits of those born in the irregular course (of the union of a man of a lower order with a woman of a higher grade) and those regularly born (of the union of a man of a higher order with a woman of lower grade); the substance, place, age and time (suitable or otherwise for a sacrifice) as well as (the existence of) heaven and hell (attained as a result of virtuous and sinful actions). (2)
How can Your word (in the form of the Vedas), consisting as it does of injunctions and interdictions, lead to final beatitude without taking into consideration the distinction of good and bad (actions)? (3)
Your word in the form of Veda is the (one) excellent eye possessed by the manes, gods and human beings, enabling them to obtain insight into the unseen purpose (of life, viz., final beatitude, heavenly bliss and so on) as well as into the end (to be attained in this very life) and the means (of attaining it), O almighty Lord! (4)
Knowledge of the distinction between good and evil is derived from Your command (the Veda), and not by itself. And it is by Your word (alone) that this distinction is negatived. This obviously causes bewilderment (in my mind). (Be pleased to set it at rest). (5) (1-5)
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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
योगास्त्रयो मया प्रोक्ता नॄणां श्रेयोविधित्सया ।
ज्ञानं कर्म च भक्तिश्च नोपायोऽन्योऽस्ति कुत्रचित् ॥ ६॥
निर्विण्णानां ज्ञानयोगो न्यासिनामिह कर्मसु ।
तेष्वनिर्विण्णचित्तानां कर्मयोगस्तु कामिनाम् ॥ ७॥
यदृच्छया मत्कथादौ जातश्रद्धस्तु यः पुमान् ।
न निर्विण्णो नातिसक्तो भक्तियोगोऽस्य सिद्धिदः ॥ ८॥
तावत्कर्माणि कुर्वीत न निर्विद्येत यावता ।
मत्कथाश्रवणादौ वा श्रद्धा यावन्न जायते ॥ ९॥
स्वधर्मस्थो यजन् यज्ञैरनाशीः काम उद्धव ।
न याति स्वर्गनरकौ यद्यन्यन्न समाचरेत् ॥ १०॥
अस्मिंल्लोके वर्तमानः स्वधर्मस्थोऽनघः शुचिः ।
ज्ञानं विशुद्धमाप्नोति मद्भक्तिं वा यदृच्छया ॥ ११॥
स्वर्गिणोऽप्येतमिच्छन्ति लोकं निरयिणस्तथा ।
साधकं ज्ञानभक्तिभ्यामुभयं तदसाधकम् ॥ १२॥
न नरः स्वर्गतिं काङ्क्षेन्नारकीं वा विचक्षणः ।
नेमं लोकं च काङ्क्षेत देहावेशात्प्रमाद्यति ॥ १३॥
एतद्विद्वान् पुरा मृत्योरभवाय घटेत सः ।
अप्रमत्त इदं ज्ञात्वा मर्त्यमप्यर्थसिद्धिदम् ॥ १४॥
छिद्यमानं यमैरेतैः कृतनीडं वनस्पतिम् ।
खगः स्वकेतमुत्सृज्य क्षेमं याति ह्यलम्पटः ॥ १५॥
अहोरात्रैश्छिद्यमानं बुद्ध्वाऽऽयुर्भयवेपथुः ।
मुक्तसङ्गः परं बुद्ध्वा निरीह उपशाम्यति ॥ १६॥
नृदेहमाद्यं सुलभं सुदुर्लभं
प्लवं सुकल्पं गुरुकर्णधारम् ।
मयानुकूलेन नभस्वतेरितं
पुमान् भवाब्धिं न तरेत्स आत्महा ॥ १७॥
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The glorious Lord replied : Three Yogas (disciplines or paths) in the shape of (spiritual) enlightenment, (disinterested) action and Devotion have been taught by Me (in the sections of the Veda treating of Brahma, ritual acts and worship of gods respectively) with intent to ensure the highest good of men (in the shape of Liberation). No other way is found anywhere (in the scriptures). (6)
Out of these the path of Jñāna is efficacious for those who have lost (all) charm for (the fruit of) ritual acts (considering it to be full of sorrow) and (accordingly) abandoned such acts; whereas the path of Action is effectual for those who hanker after their fruit and whose mind has not (therefore) recoiled from such acts (as full of sorrow). (7)
To the man, however, in whom has sprouted by (some) stroke of (good) fortune a zeal for (hearing) My stories (and chanting My name) etc., and who is neither disgusted with the pleasures of sense nor deeply attached to them, the path of Devotion brings success (in the form of God-Realization). (8)
A man should (continue to) do his duties (enjoined upon him by the Śāstras—whether of an obligatory nature or those of an occasional type) so long as he does not get disgusted with the pleasures of sense or so long as keenness does not appear in him for listening to My stories etc. (9)
A man adhering to his course of conduct and propitiating Me through sacrificial performances, but never hankering for their fruit, O Uddhava, neither ascends to heaven nor goes down to perdition unless he perpetrates a prohibited act. (10)
(Nay,) continuing in this body and sticking to his own righteous course, abstaining from sin and (thus) purged of (all) impurities (in the shape of attachment etc.), he automatically attains pure wisdom (in the form of Self-Realization) or (even) devotion to Me (which is superior to Self-Realization) by My grace. (11)
In the same way as the denizens of hell heavenly beings too covet (an abode in) this world, which is favourable for the attainment of wisdom and Devotion (both), whereas both the aforesaid realms are unhelpful to it. (12)
A wise man should not long for heaven any more than he should for hell; nor should he long even for (being reborn in) this world (as a human being). (For) through attachment to a particular body one (generally) neglects one's (true) interests. (13)
Alive to this truth he should diligently strive for Liberation (lit., cessation of transmigration) before death (overtakes him), knowing this body to be mortal, though helpful to the attainment of his goal. (14)
A bird which is unattached (to its abode) surely attains happiness on abandoning its abode in the form of the tree on which it has built its nest, which is being cut down by these agents of Death. (15)
Shuddering with fear to perceive his life being cut short by (the passage of) days and nights, and free from attachment, the man who has no desire (likewise) attains (everlasting) peace on realizing the Supreme. (16)
That man (undoubtedly) kills his soul (brings about his own spiritual degradation), who—having secured the exceptionally fit vessel of a human body, the source of all blessings and (therefore) a most rare boon, yet easily obtained (without any effort by the grace of God) and piloted by (an expert helmsman in the form of) a preceptor and propelled by a favourable wind in the shape of Myself—(nevertheless) fails to cross the ocean of mundane existence. (17) (6-17)
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यदाऽऽरम्भेषु निर्विण्णो विरक्तः संयतेन्द्रियः ।
अभ्यासेनात्मनो योगी धारयेदचलं मनः ॥ १८॥
धार्यमाणं मनो यर्हि भ्राम्यदाश्वनवस्थितम् ।
अतन्द्रितोऽनुरोधेन मार्गेणात्मवशं नयेत् ॥ १९॥
मनोगतिं न विसृजेज्जितप्राणो जितेन्द्रियः ।
सत्त्वसम्पन्नया बुद्ध्या मन आत्मवशं नयेत् ॥ २०॥
एष वै परमो योगो मनसः सङ्ग्रहः स्मृतः ।
हृदयज्ञत्वमन्विच्छन् दम्यस्येवार्वतो मुहुः ॥ २१॥
साङ्ख्येन सर्वभावानां प्रतिलोमानुलोमतः ।
भवाप्ययावनुध्यायेन्मनो यावत्प्रसीदति ॥ २२॥
निर्विण्णस्य विरक्तस्य पुरुषस्योक्तवेदिनः ।
मनस्त्यजति दौरात्म्यं चिन्तितस्यानुचिन्तया ॥ २३॥
यमादिभिर्योगपथैरान्वीक्षिक्या च विद्यया ।
ममार्चोपासनाभिर्वा नान्यैर्योग्यं स्मरेन्मनः ॥ २४॥
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When (however) a man feels averse to (all) actions (realizing their being attended with evils of various kinds) and disgusted (with their fruit as a source of attachment and consequently of misery), a Yogi should after fully controlling his senses (try to) concentrate his mind so as to make it steady through repeated effort (at turning it towards the Self). (18)
When, (even) while it is being focussed (on the Self), it soon begins to wander (due to its habitual vagrancy) and becomes unsteady (again), one should be on his alert and bring it (back) under his control by recourse to the method of conciliation (in the form of granting it a little freedom). (19)
(Once it has been brought under control again) he should never allow its movements to go unnoticed and, having controlled his breath and conquered his senses, should reduce his mind to subjection by means of his intellect enriched with Sattva. (20)
(Just) as he who seeks (to secure) the obedience of a horse that has yet to be broken succeeds in taming it (only) by following its will to some extent in the beginning, repeatedly winning over the mind (by recourse to the method of conciliation) as aforesaid has been declared to be (a ladder to) the highest Yoga. (21)
With a clear knowledge of the ultimate principles (enumerated by the Sankhya system of philosophy), he should constantly contemplate in the order of creation the evolution, and in the reverse order the involution, of all categories (from Mahat-tattva down to his own body) till his mind becomes still. (22)
The mind of a man averse to worldly activity of various kinds disgusted with the pleasures of this world as well as of the next and ruminating on what has been taught by his preceptor gives up its wickedness (in the form of attachment to the pleasures of sense) by repeatedly dwelling upon what has (already) been ruminated upon (by him viz., the teachings of his preceptor). (23)
The mind should dwell on the Supreme Spirit (the only object worthy of thought) through Yama (self-control) and other Yogic processes, through right knowledge in the form of an inquiry into the essential unity of the individual soul and the Supreme Spirit or through worship of My image or other representation (worthy of adoration), but never by other methods. (24) (18-24)
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यदि कुर्यात्प्रमादेन योगी कर्म विगर्हितम् ।
योगेनैव दहेदंहो नान्यत्तत्र कदाचन ॥ २५॥
स्वे स्वेऽधिकारे या निष्ठा स गुणः परिकीर्तितः ।
कर्मणां जात्यशुद्धानामनेन नियमः कृतः ।
गुणदोषविधानेन सङ्गानां त्याजनेच्छया ॥ २६॥
जातश्रद्धो मत्कथासु निर्विण्णः सर्वकर्मसु ।
वेददुःखात्मकान् कामान् परित्यागेऽप्यनीश्वरः ॥ २७॥
ततो भजेत मां प्रीतः श्रद्धालुर्दृढनिश्चयः ।
जुषमाणश्च तान् कामान् दुःखोदर्कांश्च गर्हयन् ॥ २८॥
प्रोक्तेन भक्तियोगेन भजतो मासकृन्मुनेः ।
कामा हृदय्या नश्यन्ति सर्वे मयि हृदि स्थिते ॥ २९॥
भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः ।
क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि मयि दृष्टेऽखिलात्मनि ॥ ३०॥
तस्मान्मद्भक्तियुक्तस्य योगिनो वै मदात्मनः ।
न ज्ञानं न च वैराग्यं प्रायः श्रेयो भवेदिह ॥ ३१॥
यत्कर्मभिर्यत्तपसा ज्ञानवैराग्यतश्च यत् ।
योगेन दानधर्मेण श्रेयोभिरितरैरपि ॥ ३२॥
सर्वं मद्भक्तियोगेन मद्भक्तो लभतेऽञ्जसा ।
स्वर्गापवर्गं मद्धाम कथञ्चिद्यदि वाञ्छति ॥ ३३॥
न किञ्चित्साधवो धीरा भक्ता ह्येकान्तिनो मम ।
वाञ्छन्त्यपि मया दत्तं कैवल्यमपुनर्भवम् ॥ ३४॥
नैरपेक्ष्यं परं प्राहुर्निःश्रेयसमनल्पकम् ।
तस्मान्निराशिषो भक्तिर्निरपेक्षस्य मे भवेत् ॥ ३५॥
न मय्येकान्तभक्तानां गुणदोषोद्भवा गुणाः ।
साधूनां समचित्तानां बुद्धेः परमुपेयुषाम् ॥ ३६॥
एवमेतान् मयाऽऽदिष्टाननुतिष्ठन्ति मे पथः ।
क्षेमं विन्दन्ति मत्स्थानं यद्ब्रह्म परमं विदुः ॥ ३७॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायां एकादशस्कन्धे विंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २०॥
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If a Yogi (ever) commits through error a reproachful act (although ordinarily there is little chance of his doing so), he should burn that sin by recourse to Yoga alone (in the form of repeated effort at Self-Realization, contemplation on Me or chanting of the Divine Name etc.) and should never resort to any other act (such as penance) in such circumstances. (25)
That (alone) which is known as strict adherence to one's own individual course has been extolled as a virtue. By making such demarcation of virtue and fault, restriction has been imposed on actions, which are (all) impure by origin (and that too) with the intention of enabling one to shake off attachments (to the pleasures of sense). (26)
He who has reverence for My stories developed (in his heart) and has lost (every) charm for all activities (but not for their rewards) and, though recognizing the pleasures of sense to consist of sorrow (alone) is yet unable to relinquish them should therefore lovingly worship Me (by means of hearing and chanting My names and stories etc.), full of faith and firm in his conviction (that everything will be accomplished through Devotion alone) and enjoying those pleasures while condemning them as attended with misery. (27-28)
All the cravings embedded in the heart of the sage constantly worshipping Me through the discipline of Devotion as (already) taught (in verses 20—23 of Discourse XIX above) disappear, being present in his heart. (29)
The knot (in the shape of the ego-sense) in his heart is broken, all his doubts get resolved and the (entire) stock of his Karma is exhausted the moment I, the Soul of the universe, am realized. (30)
Therefore, for the Yogi who is full of devotion to Me and has his mind fixed on Me, neither Jñāna (spiritual enlightenment) nor even Vairāgya (dispassion) is generally conducive to blessedness in this world. (31)
By recourse to the discipline of devotion to Me My devotee easily attains all that can be had through actions (enjoined by the Vedas), that which is obtained through askesis, nay, that which is secured by means of spiritual enlightenment and dispassion, (practice of) Yoga, piety in the form of liberality as well as by recourse to other means of attaining blessedness (such as undertaking a pilgrimage to sacred places and observing fasts etc.)—heaven, final beatitude or (residence in) My realm if he so desires on any account. (32-33)
As a matter of fact, pious men of wisdom exclusively devoted to Me seek nothing, not even final beatitude characterized by freedom from rebirth, though conferred by Me. (34)
The wise declare desirelessness to be the greatest and most efficacious way to final beatitude. Therefore, devotion to Me falls to his lot (alone) who does not seek—much less solicit—anything (else). (35)
Virtue and sin, resulting from good and evil, do not attach to pious souls (free from likes and dislikes) that are even-minded and exclusively devoted to Me and have (accordingly) attained to Me, who stand beyond reason. (36)
Those who follow in the aforesaid manner the paths shown by Me as leading to Me attain to My realm, which is free from fear (of death etc.), and realize that which is known as the supreme Brahma. (37)
Thus ends the twentieth discourse in Book Eleven of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhitā. (25-37)
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