Bhagawad Gita Ch.4 Ver.30-36 [Sri Adi Shankara]

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30. Yet others, with strictly regulated diet, sacrifice vital breaths in

vital breaths. All those are conversant withs acrifice, having destroyed

their sins by acts of sacrifice.

 

30.1 Those who have strictly restricted their diet, sacrifice vital

breaths in those very breaths. In the breath that is mastered, other vital

breaths are 'sacrificed' i.e., these appear as though they entered into it.

All these whose sins have been attenuated by these sacrifices are conversant

with sacrifices.

 

Having performed the sacrifices thus enumerated,

 

31 They partake of the ambrosial remains of these sacrifices and repair

to the etrenal Brahman. The non-performer of these sacrifices does not own

(even) this world; why the, O best of the Kuru princes! speak of another?

 

31.1 The remains of sacrifices are what is left over; it is ambrosia.

The sacrificers partake of it. Having performed the sacrifices enumerated

above, they eat, according to Vedic injunctions, the ambroisal food and they

repair to the etrenal Brahman, in case they seek liberation. From the logic

of the situation it follows that this happens in course of time. Even this

world of human beings is not won by him who performs not even one of these

sacrifices. How then, O the best of the Kuru princes, can he win the other

world, to win which special causal collocations are called for?

 

32. Thus have many sacrifices have been spread out in the pages of the

Veda. Know them all to be born of works. Knowing them will you be

liberated.

 

32.1 As stated, many sorts of sacrifice have been 'spread out'-set

forth-in the Vedic path. Those which have been 'spread out' in 'face of'

the Vedas; fro example, "we sacrifice the vital breaths in speech" (Aitareya

Aranyaka 3.26). Know all of them to be born of works-born of the exertions

of the body, word and mind, and not of the Self. For the Self works not.

Therefore, thsu knowing, you will be released from evil. Knowing "these are

not my activities; i exert not, I am different"-due to this right

perception, you will be released from 'evil' or the bondage of empirical

life. This is the idea.

 

33.0 In verse 4.24 right perception has been identified with sacrifice;

and many sacrifices have been laid down. By means of them all, which help

man to secure his goal, knowledge is extolled. How?

 

33 The sacrifice of knowledge, O scourge of foes! is superior to the

sacrifice of materials. All works, without exception, Arjuna! culminate in

knowledge.

 

33.1 Superior to 'the sacrifice of materials'-sacrifices done with

materials-is the sacrifice of knowledge. For, a material sacrifice

engenders fruit; not so the sacrifice of knowledge. Hence its superiority.

How? All works, unobstructedly, 'culminate' i.e., are included in,

knoweldge taht leads to liberation and that corresponds to the 'inundation

all around' (2.46); Vide the Sruti: "As the lower throws of dice go to the

highest throw, to the winner, so whatever good creatures do all go to him,

who knows what he knows" (Chandogya Upanishad 4.1.4).

 

 

34.0 By what means, then, is this superior knowledge won? Listen:

 

34 Know it by means of obeisance, exhaustive questionings, service (to

the teacher). Knowers who have realised the truth will impart to you that

knowledge.

 

34.1 Know it-the procedure by which knowledge is won. Approaching

teachers, lowly prostrating the whole body before them-this is obeisance-and

exhaustively questioning them, learn it. Learn it by putting questions such

as these. 'How comes bondage? How, liberation? What is knowledge? And

what, nescience?' The teachers, the knowers of Brahman, thus won over

through humility, will instruct or impact the knowledge described above.

Some among them alone are well-established in truth as it is; others are

not. Hence the qualification 'who have realised the truth is effective, not

aught else. Such is the Lord's doctrine.

 

35.0 In these circumstances, the following utterance becomes significant:

 

35. By grasping that knowledge, O Pandava prince! you will no longer be

deluded as you now are; and through that, you will behold all beings in the

Self and then in Me.

 

35.1 By grasping-mastering-that knowledge imparted by them, you will no

longer be deluded as you now are. Further, by virtue of it you will behold

all beings, from the creator down to stocks and stones, directly in the

inner Self. 'They all dwell in Me', will be your realization. Also you

will see them in Me, Vasudeva; i.e. you will realise: 'They also are in the

Supreme Lord.' The idea is that Arjuna will realise the identity of the

Self and God, which all Upanishads have established.

 

36.0 Also note the majesty of this knowledge:

 

36. Even if, among all sinners, you are the very worst, by this raft of

knowledge, you will go beyond sin.

 

36.1 Even if, among all sinners, you are the worst sinner, you will cross

the sea of sins by means of this raft of knowledge alone. This knowledge is

the raft. Even religious merit, for the seeker after liberation, is said to

be a form of sin (as it, too, causes bondage).