Bhagawad Gita Ch.4 Ver. 8-15 [Sri Adi Shankara]

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8. For the protection of the virtuous, the destruction of the wicked, and

to secure establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.

 

8.1 For the all-round perfection of the virtuous,-i.e., of those who

tread the path of morality-for the destruction of sinners, and also for

secure establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age.

 

Further,

 

9. Whosoever thus truthfully knows My divine birth and work, is not

reborn after giving up his body; he reaches Me, O Arjuna!

 

9.1 My birth, having the nature of an appearance, and My work, viz., the

protection of the virtuous, etc., both of which are divine and lordly, and

not material,-whosoever knows these truly, as set forth by Me, is no more

reborn; he reaches Me, he is liberated, O Arjuna!

 

10.0 This path to emancipation has not been opened up just now; on the

contrary, it existed in the past, too.

 

10. Free from passion, fear, wrath, filled with My power, dependent on

Me, and purged by the austerity of knowledge, many have attained My status.

 

10.1 Those whom passion, fear and wrath have left free, filled with My

power-i.e., those who are knowers of Brahman, who perceive their

non-difference from the Lord, who depend solely on Me, the Lord Supreme, who

are affiliated to the discipline of knowledge-mnay suchmen, purged through

the austerity consisting in the knowledge of the Surpeme Self and raised to

the highest level of purity, have won emancipation or the status of the

Lord. The qualifying expression, 'through the austerity of knowledge',

points to the fact that these emancipated men need no other austerity than

knowledge.

 

 

11.0 "Then You have attachment and aversion; for, to some only You

vouchsafe the status as Yourself; not to all".

 

11. Whaatsoever the manner in which they approach Me, in that very manner

I resort to them; for, O Arjuna! on all sides, men tread paths leading to

Me.

 

11.1 Whatsoever the manner in which men approach Me, and whatever fruits

they have in view to gain, in that very manner I resort to them, i.e., I

bless them granting them those very fruits, for they do not seek

emancipation. Indeed one cannot at once seek a finite fruit and

emancipation together. So in view of their vaying aims, I sanction their

gains. To the eligible few, on the other hand, who cherish no other aims,

and seek emancipation, I grant knoweldge; to the knowers who have renounced

the world for winning emancipation, I grant emancipation. To those who

suffer, I grant relief by removing their sufferings. Thus do I resort to My

devotees in the very way they approach Me-this is the idea. I resort to

noone due to attachment, aversion, or delusion. In all conceivable ways,

men tread paths leadin to Me, the Lord, in My countless states. Here the

reference is to men called upon to work with various goals in view.

 

12.0 If You, the Lord, free from flaws like attachment etc., are ready to

bless all alike and are thus competent to vouchsafe all forms of success,

why don't all devotees, aiming at liberation through the knowledge "all is

Vasudeva" (Bhagavad Gita 7.19), approach You alone? Listen to to the reason

thereof:

 

12. People in the world offer sacrifices to gods, desiring the success of

their works. For, in this human world, quick is the success born of works.

 

12.1 'Desiring' i.e., praying for, seeking to obtain, success in their

works, people offer sacrifices in the world to Devas liek Indra and Agni.

"Now one who worships a different Deva, thinking, 'that Deva is other than

Myself' and 'I am different from that Deva,' does not know; he is like a

sacrificial animal for those Devas" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.410). In

this world of men, success is quickly gained in respect of the works done by

men who offer sacrifices to alien deities, prompted by desire for their

fruits. The special feature of this world of men is the eligibility to

undertake works prescribed by scriptures for those who conform to the order,

classes and life-stations. This points to the fact that, in other worlds

also, works yield their fruits. 'Born of works' means fruits resulting from

works.

 

13.0 "Why is competence to work, based on the order of classes and

life-stations, confined to this human world? Why should it not prevail in

other realms as well?" Or, it was remarked that members of the classes in

various life-stations tread the Lord's paths in all possible ways. Why do

they tread only His paths and those of none else? Answer:

 

13. The four-fold class-system according to divisions of Prakrti's

constituents and works, has been ordained by Me. Though I am tis author,

know Me to be the immutable non-agent.

 

13.1 The four-fold class comprises of the four Varnas. They have been

ordained by Me, the Lord, vide: "The Brahmana was His face etc." (Rg Veda

10.90.12, Taitttriya Aranyaka 3.12.13)., 'accrording to the divisions of

Prakrti's constituents and works', or in keeping with the divisions of

constituents and works', or in keeping with the divisions of constituents

and works-the constituents being sattva, rajas, and tamas. The works of the

Brahmanas, in whom sattva dominates, are quiescence of mind, control of

senses, austerity and so forth (Bhagavad Gita 18.42); those of the

Ksatriyas, in whom rajas dominates subordinating sattva, are heroism, power,

and so forth (Bhagavad Gita 18.43); those of the Vaisyas, in whom rajas

dominates subordinating tamas, are tilling and so forth (Bhagavad Gita

18.44); and those of the Sudras, in whom tamas dominates subordinating

rajas, are forms of menial service (Bhagavad Gita 18.44). The order of

classes has been established by Me according to the division of constituents

and works detailed above. In other realms the order of classes does not

exist; hence the qualified expression 'in the human world' (Bhagavad Gita

4.12).

 

13.2 Objection: "Well, then: You being the author of actions like the

ordering of classes, etc., their fruits will accrue to You. Therefore, You

are not eteranll free; nor are You the Lord eternal."

 

Answer: Though, according to the usage current in the sphere of Maya, I am

the author of all this work, metaphysically, know that I am no agent; for

the same reason know that I am immutable, or trans-empirical.

 

14.0 Metaphysically, I am not the agent of those works of which you deem

Me the agent; for,

 

14. Works do nto taint Me; I desire not their fruits. Whosoever knows Me

to be such, is not bound by works.

 

14.1 Those works do not taint Me by originating a body etc., for Me, as I

am not egoistic. Nor have I any desire or yearning for their fruits. It

stands to reason that those transmigrating persons, who have the conceit of

being agents in respect of their works, and who yearn for their fruits, are

tainted by them. But in the absence of both these, works taint Me not.

Even another, who knows Me to be the Self of all, a non-agent without

yearning for the fruits of works, is not bound by works. In his case, too,

works do not originate a psycho-physical organism.

 

15.0 'How? I am not an agent; I desire not the fruits of works'-

 

15. Knowing thus was work done by ancient seekers after liberation.

Therefore you too do only work, as was done by the ancients in bygone days.

 

15.1 Knowing thus was work done even by the ancients, who have passed

away and who sought liberation. Therefore, do only work. Don't sit

inactive; neither renounce. So, since even the ancients worked, wrok for

mind's purification if you are ignorant of the Self; but if you know the

Truth, work for the world's well-being, as was done by the ancients such as

Janaka in excellent style.