Chapter - XV
THE UNITIVE APPROACH TO THE PARAMOUNT PERSON
(Purushottama-Yoga)
This Chapter talks about the paramount person – the Purushottama. We have maintained till now that the Purushottamas are the fourteen Devatas (inclusive of one Devi), when they would come to take birth in human form. Why shouldn’t they have been the best of persons when they came in human life, as we know the real purpose of their creation was to be manifest proofs of God for mankind? There were to be the divinely appointed leaders, torchbearers and guides (gurus), having connection to both God and man. It was essential that the leader, the torchbearer, the guide should be the best among all; he should be trustworthy and free from impurities. That is the reason why on several occasions (both in Upanishads, Vedas and Quran), God has taken guarantee of their purity; Quran even said that Mohammad says nothing on his own and everything that he says or does has God’s sanction. You are requested to read as much about them as possible because the more you will read, the more you will realize the extent of their meritorious and faultless personality.
If we are to say in one sentence, the key purpose of their creation was to make us identify the hidden jewel, i.e. God and subject ourselves to His obedience and worship.
This Chapter will throw more light on the subject. It starts with Krishna talking about a cosmic tree, reaching as it were from heaven to earth. Fact is that no commentator has understood the real nature of this cosmic tree. And if they have not understood the identity of the tree, how could they have understood the manner in which to cut this down. Particularly so when Gita itself says in verse 3:
Nor is its form here comprehended thus (as stated), nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation.
NG too is confounded by it. Says he: “The tree itself is meant to be a mystery, reaching as it were from heaven to earth. It is too important to keep in mind that this mysterious tree has to be cut asunder with a certain severe relentlessness, as recommended in verse 3. The tree is equated with the world of the Vedas and to think of cutting it down would be sacrilegious in the usual context of orthodoxy.”
Whereas NG has agreed to this being a mystery that has still not been unveiled, he has made the mistake of saying that it makes it necessary to have a revision of the notion of the Absolute generally and that paradoxes cannot be avoided. We vehemently oppose NG on this count as there is only one notion of the Absolute presented in the entire Gita, that too without any paradoxes, and if we are unable to understand it, that is due to our own lack of knowledge and understanding. Word of God, if we believe Gita to be so, cannot be paradoxical in nature.
ACBSP on the other hand, out of his obsession about Krishna, says that even Vedas talk about him, which is far from truth, as neither there is any mention of Krishna in the Vedas, nor even a remote hint given about worshipping him. In fact, other than a few Puranas and the epic Mahabharata, nowhere can we find any mention of worshipping Krishna and we have reasons to believe that Puranas are no longer in their original form while we have tried to show in the BOOK that Mahabharata seems to be the handiwork of vested interests, hell-bent on maligning the teachings of Krishna.
ACBSP writes: “After the discussion of the importance of bhakti-yoga, one may question, ‘What about the Vedas?’ It is explained in this Chapter that the purpose of Vedic study is to understand Krishna. Therefore one who is in Krishna consciousness, who is engaged in devotional service, already knows the Vedas.”
And in his attempt to explain the mystery of the tree, he goes on to give absurd arguments. See what he says: “Now, there is no ready experience in this world of a tree situated with its branches down and its roots upward, but there is such a thing. That tree can be found beside a reservoir of water. We can see that the tree on the bank reflects upon the water with their branches down and roots up. In other words, the tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. This reflection of the spiritual world is situated on desire, just as a tree’s reflection is situated on water.”
Don’t you feel sad that ACBSP has not ordered all the devotees associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to look for all trees that are situated beside a reservoir of water and cut them? After all, cutting that tree with non-attachment has been talked about as the way to reach the Absolute God!
What the tree really means, what cutting of the tree signifies, and how is it possible to reach the Absolute God, we will talk about all this in the course of discussing the verses. Only when you have read our view will you realize how we were being fooled into believing something that was never there, all through these centuries. The simple explanation of this will also make you realize how the commentators have failed to acknowledge their inability to understand various verses and instead given seemingly philosophical explanations like this one: “The tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. This reflection of the spiritual world is situated on desire, just a tree’s reflection is situated on water.” If you ask them to explain these lines further, they would give still complex explanations and you, owing to your inability to understand the complex descriptions, would go back marvelling at the greatness of the book and still more about the great knowledge of the commentator. This is the case not only with Gita but also with Vedas, Old and New Testament and Quran. We must remember: God doesn’t give his message in abstract and complex sentences. If abstract and complex sentences are visible, do keep in mind it is the handiwork of some human mind. God’s verses are simple and straight and are always absolutist in nature.
[1]
Sribhagavan said:
They speak of an unexpended (holy) fig tree (asvattha) with roots above and branches below, whose leaves are sacred verses; he who knows it is a Veda-knower.
ACBSP’s translation is as follows:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
See how NG has described this verse: “The cosmic tree with roots above and branches below, from which latter sprout the leaves representing the Vedic hymns, taken as a whole, corresponds to what a person well-versed in the Veda is likely to understand about spirituality. The tree therefore represents the purva-pakshin’s (anterior critic’s) position in this Chapter, which is to be replaced by the finalized version of spirituality given by Krishna.
The expression vedavit (one who knows the Vedas) is equated indirectly to the knower of the asvattha (the holy fig tree or ficus religiosa) implied here. The tree has been the symbol of reality viewed from the angle of time or relatively and has been used allegorically to explain subtle truths of the relativist world in various Upanishads of which the Katha Upanishad (VI.I) is the chief reference. Slight variations of the same picture occur in the Maitri Upanishad (VI.4), and Svetasvatara Upanishad (III.9 and VI.6).
Such a tree is not unknown in the Indian Puranas (legends) either, and is common also to the religious legends of pre-Christian Europe. The most important feature about the tree here is that its roots are above. This is suggestive of the fact that all spiritual values derive their strength and nourishment from something hypostatically raised above the actualities of life. In other words God may be said to be the source of all such values and he is not on earth but in heaven. This is the case in most religions except those that are rational such as Buddhism.
The Vedic gods [read Devatas] are all nature-gods who live in a world called svarga also said to be above. The tree should therefore be understood as representing all multifarious branching of everyday spiritual values which we find in the world of men, all of which have their nourishment from some hidden source which could be referred to as being above.”
NG has come close to relating the fig tree with the Vedic Devatas but couldn’t come to any conclusion because he believes that the Devatas live in svarga (heaven); he says that the reference of this tree is present in the Indian Puranas and Upanishads as well and also in the religious legends of pre-Christian Europe. This proves our point that there was a time during the evolution phase of mankind when God introduced the Devatas or Manus or Ahlulbayt in all major civilizations. Among the Indo-Aryans, they were introduced through the Vedas.
In short, neither NG nor ACBSP or any other commentator for that matter has been able to describe the real significance of the fig tree, owing chiefly to the fact that we have understood Vedas wrongly till now.
We should note that the fig tree described here is unique in the sense that it is said to have roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the sacred verses of the Vedas. Therefore, the solution to this mystery must have been in the Vedas, which were never understood by us correctly. Clearly this is not reference to the material fig tree but something else, which is more sacred and divine in nature. Moreover, the last line tells clearly that the one who knows the real nature of this fig tree only knows the Vedas. We know from our reading of Vedas that they are full of descriptions of the lives of Devatas, when they will come to live on earth. In fact, all the Vedas are nothing but attempt from God to make us identify those who will function as torchbearers to this world. At the time when the Vedas were written, the abode of the Devatas was in the svarga (heavens). It is also clearly said in the Upanishads that the Devatas will finally return to heavens, which is their final abode. In this verse, God says that the Devatas who have roots in the heavens, will come to earth as branches of the fig tree. This branching of the Devatas, having their roots in the One Noor of the Manifest Self of God, in the heavens, and taking birth on earth in human form, as several branches, represents the inverted fig tree.
Is not the description complete? The Non-manifest decided to have a Manifest form, as per Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad. He created a particular light or power called the Brahma, which divided and swelled and grew as a Brahmanda (egg of the Brahma) and then divided again. The process culminated in one becoming many, in Noor form. These many were called the Devatas (also Manus); descriptions of their future lives were given by God Himself in the form of Vedic hymns so that we could identify them when they would come to live on this earth. When they came on the earth, the fig tree became complete, with roots in the Absolute God and branches in this world.
Another point that can be given as proof is the reference to Indra’s heaven. Indra is surely the chief of the Devatas and we have seen in the Vedas that Indra has been used for Mohammad. That Indra is associated with heaven nowhere else but in Gita (which talks of Indra’s heaven) proves that he had roots in the heaven.
For long period, men understood the Vedas with their true meanings and waited for the Devatas to come. This can be understood from the fact that the hymns in the Vedas are written in future tense, with invocations to the Devatas to come. There is proof of this wait available in some Upanishads. But with time, particularly when the wait became endless, they deviated, started worshipping them as gods, and associated various rituals for each of the hymns of the Vedas. With time, deviation increased? They became obsessed with the name of the Devatas; mantras carrying their names were used for black magic and settling scores with opponents; the powerful kings and priests put the blame of illegitimate birth in their families on Devatas or concocted stories in order to strengthen their hold over masses. There is proof of this too available in the Puranas. It is not extraordinary that certain men put such blames on the Devatas, whom they had worshipped, for their own personal gains. What is more extraordinary is that general people of the time believed that Indra or the Sun or Moon God came down to put the seed of progeny inside a maiden while she was bathing in a pond or went to the forest for ablutions. Such blindfolded attachment to the Devatas had corrupted the reasoning abilities of the people. It is this blindfolded attachment that, according to Gita, needs to be severed. Only when people will do this, will they be able to reach the Absolute God, the path to reach Whom has been most explicitly shown by Devatas themselves, when they came to live on this earth.
That is why it is said of the tree, “he who knows it is a Veda-knower.”
[2]
Below and above spread its branches, nourished by the modalities of nature (gunas), sense-values its buds, and downwards also there are ramified roots which bind to action in the world of men.
ACBSP translates as follows:
The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.
It is now clear how the branches of this tree extend downward and upward. Roots of the tree are in heavens and they go further upward till the Absolute God. Below, the branches can be found spreading on earth, first in Ali and Fatima’s progeny and then further branching out among Husain’s descendants. They are not without modalities of nature or feelings associated with the senses. But they keep a firm control over these when they take birth as human beings. These Devatas are the source of all beings - moving or unmoving - that we can see on this earth. Since the Devatas took the help of the human womb to take birth, it is said that they also have roots in this world as well, and they perform actions (live life like normal human beings) in the world of men.
Those Shias who believe that Devatas were bereft of modalities of nature or feeling of the senses are on the wrong. While on earth, modalities of nature as well as senses were active but they were at a far higher level where these cease to show their affect and their personality radiated the nature of God Himself. This has already been said in the previous Chapter. Here, there is one more proof to show that they are the Purushottamas (the Highest Beings) and since they have aligned themselves with the God during their life on earth, they show characteristics of God. But that does not mean that we should start worshipping them as gods, something that the people of the time had started doing.
In present time, when most of the Devatas who came to live on this earth have departed back to heavens, there are several branches upward and only one branch - that of the 12th Aditya or the 12th Imam - Mahdi as he is called - which extends down to the earth. God forbids if something was to happen to him, because the link between heaven and earth, through this tree, would get completely broken. That is why God says that life on earth will be put to end once the last of these Avatars pass away.
How the branches of this tree are nourished by the three modes of material nature and what is meant by sense-values being the buds of this tree, will be better explained when Mahdi arrives. But one thing is certain - that the Devatas are ceaselessly working to lead the world back to the Absolute God and trying to bind us to fruitive actions that are necessary for the sustenance of our society. Read more about the life of Devatas on earth, and you will find that not even for a moment did they perform any act, but for the aforesaid purpose.
[3-4]
Nor is its form here comprehended thus (as stated), nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation. Having surrendered this holy fig tree with strongly-fixed roots with the weapon of decisive non-attachment,
then (alone) that path is to be sought, treading which they do not return again, (thinking) I seek refuge in that Primordial Man from whom of old streamed forth active (relativist) manifestation.
God here elaborates the view that the people of the period had not understood the real form of this tree. Neither had they understood the nature of Devatas, nor their relationship with the Absolute God through His Manifest Self. In fact, they had wrongly resorted to worshipping them. That is why it is said:
Nor is its form here comprehended thus (as it is), nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundations.
We would like to ask commentators like ACBSP as to how they intend to cut this tree, when God Himself says that nobody had understood its true nature. Moreover, why does He wants the tree to be cut when God Himself took pains to create this tree, says that its leaves are sacred verses and he who knows it is a Veda-knower (xv,I); He spends energy and time so as to make us identify their true identity through the Vedas, and creates an entire system where even the modalities of nature and senses are related to this tree? Has anybody got the answer why would He want us to cut that tree? Can we ever cut this tree at all that has been made by God Himself and on whom He had laid the foundations of the entire cosmos? Surely, if one concludes from this that the Devatas are to be removed from our lives, it will be another foolish derivation, because Devatas are part of a system created by God Himself. If you say so, you will have to agree that God’s system is not fool-proof and needs changes from time to time. In Gita itself, earlier, Indra’s heaven has been talked about and even Devatas have been mentioned on several occasions.
Truth is that those who have concluded that Gita and Vedas show two different paths are actually in the dark. On the contrary, Gita attempts to further base its teachings on the true Vedic knowledge, but simultaneously criticizes the deviations that men had resorted to, which had even marred them from understanding the Absolute God. Krishna was sent as Messenger only with the express purpose of removing the vices that had entered in the lives of the people in the name of religion. When he said so, the self-confessed champions of religion – both priests and princes – who ardently and blindly followed the religion of the forefathers, and accepted the deviations as true religion, came up with arms against him. Thus was the battle of Mahabharata fought!
It is extremely unfortunate that the true lofty teachings of Gita and Vedas remained unknown all through this period and till our time. And all this time we just knew that Vedas talk about steam engines, aeroplanes and how to put ghee into fire and similar other rituals: all having nothing to do with our spiritual life and the relationship that we are supposed to build with the Absolute God, through the path shown by the Devatas.
It is interesting to note that when Gita was talking about attaining the path, treading which there is no return, it seemed for a moment that the conversation is leading to the Absolute Non-Manifest form of God. But by bringing the subject of taking refuge in that Primordial Man from whom of old streamed forth active manifestation, it has been made clear that the Manifest Self is being mentioned here. “I seek refuge in that Primordial Man from whom of old streamed forth active (relativist) manifestation” confirms that Manifest Self which is even higher to the Devatas is being talked about, who streamed forth from the Primordial Man as active manifestations.”
NG has truly not been able to understand the real purpose of the mention of Primordial Man here, but as usual, remains close to truth. He says: “The adyam purusha (Primeval Man) in verse 4 seems to introduce something of a religio-mythical imagery not in keeping with the purity of the way and the vision suggested by these two verses.” Truth is that this line cannot be understood while discounting our explanation. The Primordial Man is the Holy Spirit or Paramatma which was created by God even prior to the creation of men, and even the Devatas. It is part of the Manifest or Changing form of God that will be talked about in verse 17 and which further led to the creation of the Devatas. If God is to be worshipped, that one God alone is to be worshipped who is the creator of the Devatas. The mistake that the people of that time committed was that they began to worship each and every Devata separately as god. Instead of considering the Devatas to be derived from that Primordial Man, from whom all manifest beings were created, they started considering them as gods of specific purposes. Agni was worshipped to seek certain material benefits, Vayu for certain others, and likewise rest of them, including Indra, for various different purposes.
Moreover, they discounted all logic about One God and had also added some of their illustrious ancestors and men of demonic qualities to their list of gods. Worship had become a ritual to be performed at certain times during the day, and religion as a way of life was forgotten. Even those rituals were performed either for seeking material gains or in love for heavens. Priests were all powerful who certified whether the ritual was correctly performed or not. And in order to get that certification, priests had to be necessarily included in the bhogs (luncheons) and daans (donations) that had been included as an inevitable part of the rituals. Once the ritual was over, people got back to the life of sins. Lives were spent only in seeking entertainment and material benefits. Concept of God had been silently thrown out of the lives, including from their rituals. Priests preferred to remain brahmcharis, but when lust governed their senses, they had sex with daughters or even wives of the kshattriya kings and princes. And when a child was conceived out of this adultery, blame was put on Indra or other gods of the time.
Purpose of writing this is to tell of the degradation that had crept in society, where even the Devatas who were worshipped were not worshipped with purity and sincerity. Materialistic desires reigned supreme. God, who had been sending Messengers from time to time to show the right path to people, realized that the time had come to send a Messenger again. Consequently, Krishna was sent as a Messenger, through whom God sent the message that only the One Absolute God – either in His Manifest or Non-Manifest form - is to be worshipped and none else.
There is one more point that remains. How is this tree to be cut down? Commentators, who have been unable to understand the real identity of this tree, won’t understand how to cut the tree. But even then, they never confess to their lack of knowledge. See what ACBSP writes: “The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.”
Out of all, the book Religious Consciousness appears closer to the real meaning, when it says: “The cutting ruthlessly of the mystical tree also involves the rejection of relativist Vedism in favour of an Absolutism which still includes whatever is most precious in the Vedic pattern of spirituality. Reason and ritual (that was supposed to be part of Vedas) are not estranged in the Gita teaching, but are brought unitively together under the aegis of the Absolute, as implied in IV.24:
(For him) the Absolute (Brahman) is the act of offering, the Absolute is the substance offered into the Absolute which is the fire offered by (him). The Absolute, the end to be reached by him being even the Absolute by means of his peace supreme of Absolutist action.
And in VIII,28 talking of Vedas it says:
Whatever meritorious result is found implied in the Vedas, in sacrifices, austerities and offerings (gifts), the contemplative who is unitively established, having understood this (teaching here) transcends all these and attains to the supreme primal state.”
These two quotes from Gita itself tell what it means. Devatas are very important as they form the link to the Absolute God and without them it is not possible to reach even the Manifest Self of God. Their path has to be treaded, if we wish to achieve salvation. People of the period initially knew that the path to God passed through the Devatas but with time forgot this and started worshipping the Devatas. Without demeaning or bringing down the position of the Devatas, Gita says with clarity that while ascending the path shown by the Devatas, to the reach the Absolute God, a stage comes when the contemplative cuts asunder all attachments and becomes one with the Manifest Self. That cutting asunder of attachments is essential to attain union with the Divine Self. Only when a person is able to do this that he becomes one like the Devatas.
[5]
Those who are neither proud nor deluded, who have overcome the evil of attachment, who are ever constant to that which pertains to the Self, whose passions are withdrawn, who are beyond the opposing dual factors known as pleasure-pain, and who are non-foolish, wend that way of life which knows no decay.
ACBSP’s translation is as follows:
Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.
After asking us to cut the roots that were based on wrong understanding of the identity of the Devatas, the path to reach the One Absolute God (or His Manifest form) is presented. But only those - who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme God - attain union with the Absolute.
If we notice, all those on the side of Kauravas in the Mahabharata suffered from these ailments, because of which they were unable to understand the truth, even though Krishna was right in front of them to clear all doubts from their minds.
The men who possess the virtues as described in this verse, are the enlightened ones, who know no decay – no death.
[6]
The sun (surya) does not illumine That, nor the moon nor the fire; That is My supreme abode, from which, having reached, they return not.
ACBSP translates as follows:
That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.
We have seen in the Upanishads and Vedas that the epithets of the sun, the moon, the earth or the fire have been used for the Devatas. These Devatas have their own importance which has been upheld on countless times in the Gita. But their worship won’t lead to salvation. Earlier we have seen that it has been explicitly stated that those who die worshipping the Devatas go to the Devatas. Our aim has to be to create a union of self with the Manifest Self, of course, through the path shown by the Devatas. The worship, at all times, has to be of the Absolute God. ‘That’ is reference to the Absolute God. None of the Devatas nor the material sun or moon has the capacity to illumine the path to Absolute, as they are created subsequently.
Even if we believe for a while that the material sun, moon and fire are subject of discussion, then too it has been clearly stated that they do not have the power to illumine the Absolute, as they all were created far latter in the process.
Purpose is to tell that the man who worships the One God, and possesses the virtues described in verse 5, reaches a far elevated stage which is beyond comprehension, where there is no decay and from where there is no return.
[7]
A qualitative unit even of Mine which is eternal, having become life in the world of life, attracts (to itself) the senses – of which the mind is the sixth – which abide in nature.
Since the man of the time of Krishna had started worshipping the Devatas as gods - and Arjuna too was one who had been doing so at least till some time back - it was felt necessary to return again to the subject of the Devatas, after talking about the need to worship the Absolute God alone. Devatas, in actuality, are referred to by the phrase ‘the qualitative unit of” the Manifest Self of God, who too “is eternal” and came down to live as human beings; that is why it is said, ‘having become life in the world of life’. Once in this world, they attract to themselves the mind and the senses, as they are now part of the material world, and therefore have to abide by the laws of nature.
We are giving NG’s version here to show you how commentators have remained confused. They, in spite of all their sincerity, tried to reach a meaningful conclusion, but failed due to lack of knowledge of certain missing links. ACBSP’s translation is so misguiding that we prefer not to use it at all.
NG writes: “The supreme Absolute of the previous verse descends, as it were, to where nature operates and there attracts to itself the mind and the senses, without itself losing its pure status as a value, as indicated clearly by the word sanatana (eternal). The emphasis on eva (even) underlines this fact, so that the reader may not miss it.
The loka (world) which consists of jiva-s (living beings) may be said to belong to both the higher world of life as an abstract principle and to life expressed through nature.
It is said here that the Absolute first becomes or, in other words, descends downwards to this dichotomous world of life, and what it does there is expressed by the world karshati (attracts). What it attracts is also clearly stated. First it attracts from nature the mental qualities belonging to nature, then the five others, which are the senses, to which mind itself is the sixth and more central factor. As indicated by the word prakritisthani (abiding in nature) all these items belong to nature.
Life which is an expression of the Absolute belonging to it, and homogenous with it, is here said to form part of it, although strictly the Absolute cannot be thought of as having a part, just as quality cannot have any parts. As the spark of a fire is qualitatively the same as the fire, there is no real change implied. Sankara gives the example of sunlight seen through reflection which is the same as the sunlight directly perceived, but there is nothing corresponding to reflection here in this verse and to that extent his example is unacceptable.
The Absolute, while still retaining its quality as the Absolute, here becomes jiva (life) which attracts its nature-counterparts... In fact, the key purpose of their creation was to make us identify the hidden jewel, i.e. God. (field) or actual side belonging to nature. We tend to agree with Ramanuja when he places the senses and the mind on the side of nature, and when he says that the soul is an actual qualitative unit of God, the Absolute.
Many writers have tended to transfer the spark or portion of the Absolute which pertains to jiva (life) to the lower nature of the Absolute, but VII.5, makes it clear that life belongs to the transcendental aspect and not to the lower aspect. There is no harm in the former view if the implications of XIII. 26 are properly understood. Even in the light of what is contained in this present Chapter, in the next two verses, where the counterparts of the attraction are clearly stated, we can see that the attracting element, taking possession of the mind and the senses, belongs to the side of Ishwara (God) corresponding to kshetrajana (the knower of the field) or the perceptual, rather than to kshetra (the field) or the actual.
How a neutral Brahman (the Absolute) could attract the senses or be attracted by them is a problem of the utmost delicacy, as admitted by the author in verses 10 and 11. It corresponds to the implications of the similar delicate theory of Cartesian occasionalism.”
We have given the long narration given by NG to make you realize how commentators have still given long explanations despite it becoming clear that they have failed to understand the gist of what is being said.
Truth is that the phrase “having become life in the world of life” is reference to Devatas who will come to live in this world of life as humans. Don’t you agree that all those verses that the commentators have seen as problematic are getting clear now? In fact, content of Gita is not problematic, it is our understanding of it that is the biggest problem.
[8]
When the Lord takes a body and when He leaves it, He takes these (mind and senses) and goes even as the wind gathering scents from their retreats.
Unable to understand the mystery of the Devatas, NG has written only a little earlier that “the Absolute cannot be thought of as having a part, just as quality cannot have any parts.” This verse surely must have complicated his problem much more as it talks of the Lord taking a body and then leaving it. Some commentators derive that this refers to Krishna but they are wrong. As the Manifest Self has used first person for itself till now and the words have been uttered through the mouth of Krishna himself, this taking of body cannot be reference to him. Here, the Manifest Self itself is speaking of a Lord, which means that the Lord is different from the Manifest Self. In fact, the Manifest Self, through the mouth of Krishna, is again trying to tell the people that there would be the time when their Lord (in Arabic, ‘Maula’) or the Devata would take birth in human body and leave it. Unlike mortal human beings, who leave their mind and senses behind, at the time of death, the Devatas take these and go just like the wind gathers scents and carries it along.
It is clear from these that verses 7 to 10 clarifies the link between the Absolute God and the Devatas when they would come to live on this world. We know that Indra and other Devatas owe their origin to Brahma – a stage of the changing process of the Absolute God to His Manifest form and beyond. Vedas explicitly talk of the incidents from the lives of these Devatas when they would come to live in this earth as Mohammad, Ali, and the rest. We cannot discount the teachings of Vedas, as Gita itself confirms that Vedas are revealed scriptures from the God. Also we know that Gita is endeavouring to make us return to the Absolute God or its Manifest Self, when people had taken to worship the Devatas. Therefore it was necessary that the relationship between the two is clarified.
We know that the entire human beings, the sun, the moon, the earth and consequently the nature that envelopes everything, owes its origin from these Devatas. However, when the same Devatas decided to live on this earth in human form, for that brief while they were subjected to the mind and five senses, but when they left those bodies, the period of their life on earth was akin to the wind when it absorbs the smell from a flower for a short duration, and then moves on. Once they have left their material bodies, they are no longer subject to association with the mind and the senses, as they were while living in human form in this world.
This explanation was necessary for several reasons. It not only clarifies the difference between the position of Devatas in heaven and when they will come to live in this world as Mohammad, Ali, Fatima and the 12 Adityas (12 Imams). Also, it explicitly tells us that these personalities were just as prone to the effect of material senses as the rest of us and for no moment should we believe that they were able to bear all the hardships because senses had no effect on them. Nearly all of them were tortured all through their lives. The kind of tortures that were inflicted on Ali, Fatima or Husain have no parallel in world history. On the other hand, Mohammad was promised all the riches of the world, if he refrained himself from preaching about one God. The 8th Imam was even made Prince-Designate by the Caliph and Ali was made the Caliph of the entire Muslim world. History also narrates that the most beautiful woman of the time was sent where the Imam was imprisoned. She was sent to act like a Menaka, with a view that a man who has remained imprisoned for a long while is bound to fall prey to the natural urge. She remained inside the room for the entire night, while the Imam remain engrossed in prayers. In the morning, when she was urged by the King’s men to tell to the world the entire episode of the night, she had nothing to say, not even a lie, and accepted Islam. Consequently, the evil plot of the King was exposed.
Not only this, the Devatas in their lives on earth never succumbed to the attraction of the senses. So much so that Ali used to eat hard bread that was not easy to break, that too only with salt. Once Ali, Fatima and their children Hasan and Husain were on fast. At the time when they were about to break the fast, a beggar appeared at the door and they gave all the food to the beggar. The beggar kept appearing for three days, and the entire family had to go without a loaf of bread for three consecutive days.
Ali used to work in the orchard of a wealthy Jew where his job was to water the plants. And in night he used to spend his time in the worship of God or took food on his back to distribute it to the poor of the town. This got disclosed only when he died and the food supply that he carried daily stopped. Ali wore clothes that were made of such course material that others could not have worn them. He was forgiving, down-to-earth, and fits perfectly into the description given in verses 22-25 in the previous Chapter, which says:
not dissatisfied nor hankers for them when absent. He who, seated as a neutral, is not moved by the modalities of nature; who, thinking that the modalities of nature operate in rotation, who, standing apart is unmoved;
the same in pain and pleasure, at rest in himself, to whom a clod of earth and a stone and gold are alike; firm in attitude (alike) to loved and unloved; who regards his being blamed or praised equally; the same in honour and disgrace; taking no sides as between friends or foes, abandoning all initiation of works.
Yet when it was required to fight, he was the greatest of warriors that the world has seen. Not even for a moment did we find any of the Devatas (Ahlulbayt) acting under the influence of any of the senses.
[9]
Presiding over the ear, the eye and touch, taste and smell, and also the mind, this one avails himself of the values relating to the senses.
This verse cannot be understood unless we go back to the Upanishad which talks of the Devatas as the rulers of our organs of action and senses. (Please refer to the BOOK to read more on this.) Here, too, the same subject is brought into discussion. The term adhishthaya (president over) has been used for ayam (this one) i.e., the Lord. This subject is in continuity as in previous verses too; it were the Devatas and their birth in human form that was subject of discussion. It has been pointed out in xiii, 34, that the nature of the separation between the perceptual and the actual requires the eye of wisdom to understand, and in xiii, 2, that it constitutes the core of wisdom itself. Due to the utmost wisdom that the Lord (Devata) possesses, he controls the senses viz. ear, eye, touch, taste and smell and also the mind and presides over them, even when he makes uses of the senses, as meant by the term upasevate (avails himself).
Now that you have read this, we invite you to read more about the Devatas when they came to live in this earth and you will yourself realize how entirely they presided over the senses and the mind, even when faced with the most extreme of situations. The degradation that had entered the lives of the people of Krishna’s time, and that included the priests, can be understood by the fact that they had concocted stories of Devatas falling prey to the senses when they were very much in Noor or spiritual state and not prone to be governed by the senses.
Before we write further, it is interesting to note what Sri Ramachandran has to say about controlling the mind. Says Sri-Ramachandra to Hanuman in Muktikopanishad:
There is only one means to control one’s mind. That is to destroy the mind as soon as it rises. That is the (great) dawn. In the case of the wise, the mind is destroyed: but in the case of the ignorant it is indeed a fetter. So long as the mind is not destroyed through the firm practice of the One Reality, so long as Vasanas are prancing about in the heart like Vetala (goblin) in the night-time. The Vasanas of enjoyment of one who has destroyed the egoism of Chitta and controlled the organs, the enemies, decay like lotuses in mid-winter. Pressing one hand against the other, setting teeth against teeth, and forcing one limb against the other, he should first conquer his mind.
It is not possible on the part of the one-thoughted to control the mind by sitting up again and again except through the approved means. As a vicious rutting elephant is not subject to control except through the goad, so in the matter of the control of the mind, the effective means are the attainment of spiritual knowledge, association with the wise, the entire abdication of all Vasanas and the control of pranas. While such are the (prescribed) means, should persons try to control the mind through violence, they are like those that search in darkness, having thrown aside the light (in their hands). Those who endeavour to control the mind through force are but trying to bind a mad elephant with the filaments of a lotus-stalk.
In the Muktikopanishad, Sri Ram tells Hanuman to practice the state of a mind devoid of vasana. He says that vasana perishes through well-conducted deliberation and truth and is of two types – pure and impure. If led by pure vasanas, the person will be soon led to the Seat of God, whereas, if led by impure vasana, will land the person in danger. Impure vasanas should be overcome through efforts. Sri Ram further says:
the river of vasanas towards objects, which flows in the pure and impure paths, should be diverted through human efforts.
Thereafter, he tells Hanuman:
Whether samadhi and karma are performed or not, one who has a supreme Chitta with a heart devoid of all desires is an emancipated person. He whose mind is freed from Vasanas is not subject to the fruits arising from the performance or non-performance of actions, or Samadhi or Jnana (knowledge). Except through the entire giving up of Vasanas and through Mouna (the observance of silence towards objects), the Supreme Seat is not attained. Though devoid of Vasanas, the eye and other organs are involuntarily prompted to their (respective) external objects through habit. Just as the eye without any desire sees without any effort the objects that fall on it, so also the undaunted man of intelligence enters into the affairs (of the world) without any desire.” How to control this has already been told before by Sri Rama which are the attainment of spiritual knowledge, association with the wise, the entire abdication of all Vasanas and the control of pranas.
Islam and particularly the Ahlulbayt (Devatas in human Avatar) too have stressed a lot on the need to control the animal self and lead self on the path of ascent towards purity. If a human being should strive for self-building he must build his human-self (and align it with the forces of Light or Noor) and not his animal or physical-self (forces of darkness or Zulmat). The aims of prophets had been to strengthen the human beings in their endeavours for perfecting their human selfs. Prophet Mohammad said:
Don’t forget that your self is your human-self; in case you sacrificed your human-self for the sake of whims and passions of your animal-self; you will inflict upon yourself a terrible loss.
Ali (Siva or Rudra in his human Avatar) said:
Self is like a precious jewel, whoever strives for his protection, he will help him attaining exalted positions, and whoever acted negligently in his protection he shall pull him towards humiliation.
Gharar al-Hukm, p-226
And said:
Whoever knows the worth of his self, will never allow himself to be indulging into passing worldly amusements and shameful deeds.
Gharar al-Hukm, p-669
And said:
Whoever discovers the nobility of self shall guard him against lowness of passions and false desires.
Gharar al-Hukm, p-710
How unfortunate and losers are those who have sacrificed their heavenly-self, prosperity, and human perfection for the sake of passions and desires of their animal existence! They have exchanged their human self with their animalistic pleasures.
Ali also said:
This world is not a place of permanent settlement, it is passage, a road on which you are passing. There are two kinds of people here: those who have sold their souls for eternal damnation, the other type are those who have purchased their souls and freed them from damnation.
Nahjul Balaghah, SMA Jafri p-543 [Tr]
At another place he said:
Whoever becomes involved into world’s allurements, thus giving up his gains from his immortal life in the Next World – has indeed been cheated.
Gharar al-Hukm, vol. I, p-88
And said:
Whoever succeeds in recognizing his self – his affairs will be improved.
Gharar al-Hukm, p-628
[10]
Whether departing, staying or experiencing, conditioned (as they are) by the modalities of nature, the foolish cannot see; the wisdom-eyed can see.
Here we find a new reference to the three gunas (modalities of nature) dealt with in the last Chapter. When rajas (affective-active) modality of nature prevails, sensuality has a magnified value; when sattva (pure-clear) modality prevails, sense-values occupy the background of consciousness; and when tamas (inert-dark) modality prevails, each sense-value tends to be magnified beyond any limitations that actuality might impose.
These modalities of nature are in operation in case of a normal man. Whereas the Manifest Self has said in the previous Chapter that He is kshetrajana (knower of the field), the Lord - who presides over the senses and the mind - surely must keep a firm control over modalities of nature, when he would take birth as human being. Only the foolish won’t be able to see this, whereas the wisdom-eyed can see the purpose of each and every action of theirs. That is why, one who is wisdom-eyed knows that the Lord is the master of his organs of senses and action and acts accordingly.
[11]
The yogis striving also perceive this One established in the Self; though striving, those yogis of imperfected Self, lacking wisdom, do not see this One.
Writes NG: “Penetrating into the subtle way whereby nature and spirit interact is not within the usual normal vision even of yogis. True yogis may attain to it by effort, but yogis who lack intelligence, being consequently unfinished or imperfected products of the discipline of yoga, cannot attain to this insight.
In other words this verse suggests that yogic perfection has complementary to it an element of wisdom. Inasmuch as it constitutes a discipline belonging to the kshetra (the field, or actual) yoga has to be met by its complementary counterpart which must include wisdom in its composition to add the final touches of perfection to the best of yogis.
The striving mentioned here covers this crowing wisdom-element which normally is not within the reach of the yogi as such. Wisdom and yoga have to go hand in hand to achieve the desire insight here. As Sankara suggests, the pride of a yogi is an impediment to his vision. As long as he is proud he is not wise in the sense inclusive of both actual and perceptual factors. As stated in xiii, 7, as the first of the requirements for insight, the truly wise is without pride.”
This shows that all who call or pose as yogis may not necessarily be so. It is not even possible for the yogis to understand the truth about Devatas. Only those who establish themselves in the Self i.e. those who have gained wisdom and knowledge owing to their closeness to God, are able to understand the true role of Lord over their organs of senses and action.
[12]
That brilliance which reaches the sun and brightens the whole world, that which is in the moon and the fire too, that brilliance know to be of Me.
This verse is actually meant to take us back to the talk of the Manifest God, which is higher than the Devatas. Remember that the God had said in verse 6 of this Chapter that those who worship the Primordial Man reach a status that knows no decay. It had also been said that the Manifest Self was far beyond the illuminated sun, the moon or the fire. This verse too should be seen in the context of the background of the war of Mahabharata. Again and again, Krishna is trying to impart one lesson only. That the Absolute God or even His Manifest Self is far loftier than the Devatas. At all times, he also upholds the importance of the Devatas in showing us the right path. The commentators have not understood this apparent difference chiefly because by the time they sat to write commentaries, the Devatas had already been forgotten.
Writes NG: “The expression mamakam (Mine) in verse 12, suggests that the light of the luminaries in not to be understood as actual light as in physics but as the value-principle implied in luminosity.” What NG is unable to understand is that Luminaries are those made of ‘Noor’ – the Divine Noor – and that is why they are called ‘Devatas’.
[13]
Permeating the earth, I sustain all elemental existences by (My) vitalizing heat-principle, and become soma (king of herbs of the Vedas) identical with sap (or taste); I also nourish all herbs.
ACBSP has translated this as follows:
I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.
Attempt here is to tell the people of the Complete Power of the Omnipotent Manifest Self of God, who had been forgotten during the time of Krishna. Instead, there were several gods performing various different functions. There was god of rain, god of fire, god of death, and so on. Gita here says that all the functions are performed under the will or order of that One God, who permeates the cosmos.
[14]
Having become the fire of life and resorting to the body of living creatures, uniting with the ingoing and outgoing vital energies, I cook (digest) the four kinds of food.
ACBSP’s translation is as follows:
I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.
NG writes: “Even the fire that digests the food is representative of the Supreme God. Such a fire located in the stomach is spoken of in the Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad V.9; Maitri Upanishad, II.6, VI.17, etc. Here the reference to prahinah (breathing, living) extends the field of operation of this digestive fire to all beings, instead of only to men.”
We do not know what is meant by the four kinds of food. ACBSP has tried to explain it, which we are presenting for you: “There are four kinds of foodstuff – some are swallowed, some are chewed, some are licked up, and some are sucked – and He is the digestive force for all of them.” We do not know how far is this correct because in our view foodstuff being swallowed, chewed, licked or sucked has nothing to do with spirituality.
[15]
And I am seated in the heart of all; from Me are memory and (positive) wisdom and its negative process; I am that which is to be known by all the Vedas; I am indeed the Vedanta-maker and the Ved-knower too.
ACBSP translates:
I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Says the book Religious Consciousness: “Reference is made here to the Absolute unitively conceived, both as the Vedanta-Maker (Vedanta-krit) and the Veda-knower (Vedavit). It is well-known that the Vedanta teaches wisdom and involves no action and, on the other hand, it is also well known that the Vedas are full of injunctions and mandates of an obligatory nature referring to various actions of ritual or of religious observance in general.”
Since we know now that Vedas do not contain what the author of Religious Consciousness believed they contain, we can safely say that he is totally in the dark. As far as his understanding of the reference to the Absolute is concerned, he is on the right path, but as soon as the subject moves to the content of the Vedas, he gets misled, for it is the content of the Vedas that has confused the scholars till date. Once we know the true content of the Vedas, it is not difficult to understand Gita as well.
Writes NG: “The unitive way of referring to the Absolute is finalized in this verse where the Absolute is located in the heart of all. It is not the physiological organ called the heart, but the representative of the centre of consciousness. Memory may be said to radiate retrospectively and other rays are directed to knowledge of a positive kind, called here jnana (wisdom, positive), and its negative process, called here apohanam (negative way of wisdom, doubt-removing). The latter expression is well-known in Vedanta as the neti-neti (not this, not this!) method, otherwise apavada (eliminative method).
If jnana (positive wisdom) implies an ascent, apohana (negative process of wisdom) would imply the reverse.”
We should note here that the conversation is happening in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, and the audience is mostly those who, in their own view, fully adhered to the teachings of the Vedas. Gita’s purpose is to tell them that the teachings have been wrongly understood. Since God had Himself introduced the identity of Devatas to us and foretold of the incidents of their lives in the Vedas so that we identify them when they would come to live in this earth to teach us the way to reach the Absolute God and His Divine Self, the Manifest Self says in this verse that It alone is to be known through the Vedas. It, the Manifest Self, indeed is the Vedanta-maker and the Ved-knower too.
NG here points out an interesting observation. We do not agree with his observation but reading it will give you an idea why we have relied more on NG’s commentary than that of ACBSP. NG appears more sincere and has tried to point out even the minute things that he has not been able to understand, and it is out of his sincerity that he sometimes come to conclusion that there are discrepancies, mysteries and the like. On the other hand, ACBSP appears to be proud, all knowing, who does not like saying that he has been unable to understand something, and seems to have commented on the entire Gita with certain preconceived notions. Moreover, whereas NG has tried to give the exact translations of the verses, ACBSP’s translations too appear to be beating around the bushes.
See the point that NG raises, which has been ignored by ACBSP even in the exact translation: “In the two expressions vedantakrid (Vedanta-maker) and vedavid (Veda-knower) there is a transposition of adjectives contrary to what is usual. Veda being karma kanda (section on works) the word krid (maker) would be more suitable in the latter’s content of ritual and obligations. Vedanta is more concerned with the higher criticism of wisdom, with no question of action in it. But the krid (maker) is here applied to it, which is somewhat puzzling. Perhaps the author has the intention of referring to the Veda rid of its own obligatory aspect, thus equating it with Vedanta which, as presented in the Gita, is not without its own stress on practice.”
After reading our translation of certain hymns from the Vedas (in the BOOK), it is clear that the God is right in using the term vedavid (Veda-knower) as well as vedantakrid (Vedanta-maker). We believe that God can perform no mistake and if ACBSP and others have been able to find faults, it is because of their haughtiness and lack of sincerity.
[16]
There are two Persons [spirits] in the world, the Changing and the Changeless; the Changing comprises all beings, and the mysteriously-fixed is called the Changeless.
This verse again reveals the difference in approach of NG and ACBSP. NG has translated it as it is and has tried to write his views in the commentary whereas ACBSP has even gone to the extent of changing the translation to suit his understanding of the verse. ACBSP’s translation is far from the real translation, when he says: “There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.”
Commenting on this, NG writes: “The term kutasthah (rock-seated or one veiled in mystery) is applied to the akshara (changeless) aspect of the Absolute, while what is changeful is applied to all beings. How these two are counterparts of the one Supreme Person of verse 18 is a paradox or a mystery, similar to the relation between the large and the small, the one and the many, the infinite and the finite, etc., of Zeno the Eleatic. All that we can gather definitely from this verse is that there is an aspect of the Absolute subject to the process of becoming, and another purer aspect, more mysterious and not subject to such a flux, change or becoming. To whatever aspect or class the Absolute might refer, these have an equal status.”
We are sure that all mysteries are getting resolved by accepting our argument about the Manifest Self, the Devatas and their birth on earth as living beings. We need not write much on this verse except to mention here that in our opinion, the Absolute God in Manifest state started a process with the creation of Brahma and subsequently the rest of the Devatas. These Devatas are referred to as ‘Changing’ whereas ‘Changeless’ may be the ‘akshara’ or ‘word’ as NG has suggested or it could be reference to Devatas in their Noor state, which remains the same at all times.
Let’s remember that this verse too is meant to lead the people of the time back to the worship of Manifest Self and above it the Absolute God and it is explicitly said in the following verse that there is an even higher state than the Changeless and the Changing.
Since the word Kutastha is used here, we tried to find where else has this word come. We found the definition of Kutastha in Sarvasara-Upanishad, which says:
Kutastha is he who is found without exception in the Buddhi of all creatures from down to ants, and who is shining as Atma and dwells as witness to the Buddhi of all creatures. Antaryamin is the Atma that shines as the ordainer, being within all bodies like the thread (on which) beads (are strung) and serving to know the cause of the several differences of Kutastha and others associated with him.
[17]
That Person Paramount, however, is another, called the Supreme Self who, the eternal Lord, pervading the three worlds sustains them.
ACBSP translates:
Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them.
The higher state to the Changeless and the Changing is the Supreme Self or the Manifest Self, which is eternal in nature and which has been termed as the real Lord.
The true believers of the Vedic period certainly understood this difference, between the various states of God, which we are so laboriously trying to understand now. The knowledge had been given to them through the Messengers of God, which either got lost with times or got corrupted as several legends and myths got built around the true facts.
The wise people of Vedic period knew of the three stages that God underwent, before creating this cosmos. They called these states as Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. When these names were mentioned, they knew exactly which state of the God is being talked about? Mahesh was the Absolute God in His Non-Manifest Form. He was abstract and formless and of the nature of mere consciousness. This state was difficult for man to comprehend and therefore the God decided to have a Manifest form. When the Non-Manifest God decided to have a Manifest Form, the earliest state was called Vishnu, which was the Manifest state but Maya-less. It was seen as the seat of everything. Brahma was the next state, which led to the creation of Brahmanda, and consequently the 14 Devatas. Even names were given to these Devatas, Indra being the foremost of them. With time stories got built around their identities, like Vishnu was shown to be seated in a reclining position inside a lotus, surrounded by water. These have nothing to do with the original concepts, and actually paved the way for deviations, which grew wider with time.
Sarvasara-Upanishad describes these states in the following words:
Pratyagatama: He is of the nature of truth, wisdom, eternity and bliss. He has no vehicles of body. He is abstract wisdom itself, like a mass of pure gold that is devoid of the changes of bracelet, crown, etc. He is of the nature of mere consciousness. He is that which shines as Chaitanya and Brahman. When He is subject to the vehicle of Avidya and is the meaning of the word “Twam” (‘Thou’ in “Tattwamasi”), then He is Pratyagatma. [This is the description of God in Non-Manifested form]
Paramatma: It is He who is associated with truth, wisdom, eternity, bliss, omniscience, etc., who is subject to the vehicle of Maya and who is the meaning of the word “Tat” (or ‘That’ in “Tattwamasi”).
Brahman: Brahman is that which is free from all vehicles, which is the Absolute Consciousness devoid of particularities, which is Sat (Be-ness), which is without a second, which is bliss and which is Maya-less. It is different from characteristics of that expressed by the word “Twam” (Thou) subject to Upadhis (vehicles), or the characteristics of ‘That’ expressed by the word “Tat” subject to Upadhis. It is the pure, the noumenal, the true and the indestructible.
Satya (the true): It is the Sat (Be-ness) which is the aim pointed out by the Vedas. It is that which cannot be aid to be Asat (not-Be-ness). It is that which is not affected by the three periods of time. It is that which continues to exist during the three periods of time. It is that which is. It is one without a second. It has not the differences of similarity or dissimilarity; or it is that which is the source of all ideas. It is that which does not perish even though space, time, matter, cause, etc., perish.
The Person Paramount, also called the Supreme Self or the eternal Lord, and who pervades the three worlds is none other than Vishnu- the Absolute in His Manifest Form.
[18]
Because I transcend the Changing and am even superior to the Changeless, there I am celebrated in the world and in the Veda as the Paramount Person (purushottama).
Now see ACBSP’s translation:
Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person.
The Manifest Form of the Absolute God is far superior to the Changing and the Changeless state (of the Devatas) described earlier. It is said that ‘I’ transcend the Changing and the Changeless. The verse above proves that the Changeless is superior to the Changing state of the Devatas, when they would come to live as human beings. The Manifest Self is even superior and henceforth Vedas and wise people acknowledge this Supreme Self as the Paramount Person (Purushottama).
Is it not again a rebuke at the thinking of the people in the opposite camp? Did you now realize why Krishna and Arjuna took pains to go in between the two armies, at a time when the arrows had already started flying, and got engaged in this discussion?
[19]
He who, undeluded, thus knows Me, the Paramount Person, he, the all-knower, adores Me in all aspects, O Bharata (Arjuna).
ACBSP writes:
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.
Writes NG: “The expression sarvavid (all-knower) as applied to one who knows the Paramount Person specifically described here is justifiable, since all possible aspects of the Absolute have been comprehended in the notion. Similarly the expression sarvabhavena (in all aspects) underlines the objective side of the same description. Both the subjective and the objective aspects of the Absolute are said to be comprehended here in the description of the Absolute contained in this Chapter.”
[20]
Thus this most secret doctrine has been taught by Me, O Sinless One (Arjuna); understanding this, one becomes wise, and one who has done with all works, O Bharata (Arjuna).
ACBSP writes:
This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavours will know perfection.
Before we quote NG’s description of this verse, we would like you to know that we are not in agreement with his view at all and they are only being given to create a base for what we wish to say. NG writes: “In this last verse the teaching here is called most secret. The Gita itself is to be looked upon as a shastra (scientific and philosophical treatise) and this Chapter especially, according to this verse is also so called because the discussion is of high philosophic import, and may be said to contain the finalized doctrine of the Gita as far as philosophy is concerned, the ethical, religious and other values being discussed in other Chapters.
Krishna asks Arjuna not only to be illuminated, but also to feel that his work is done, as suggested by the expression kritakritya (one of accomplished work). In other words, by understanding the full import of this Chapter as intended by the author, there is no need any more, either to follow the injunctions of the Vedas or to tax one’s brain by any further philosophical inquiry. Matters of obligatory duties and theoretical research are both here terminated.”
We agree that this Chapter and particularly the last verse gives the most secret teaching about the Absolute God. But our opinion is that it is wrong to classify various Chapters of Gita as pertaining to philosophy, ethics, religion or the like. Gita gives a way of life for people of all time. It is also wrong to say that it talks only of the Absolute Man; Gita in fact is for all humanity, and its teachings, though ostensibly with a purport of clearing doubt’s from Arjuna’s mind, ought to be followed by all. The fact that Gita does not say so clearly is obvious. This is so because it knows that even if it makes it obligatory, the choice of action will always be ours. Because this is exactly the purpose of our creation; we have not been created to act like the robots, as angels do. The fate of each action has been clearly told, and it is up to us as to which path we take, after knowing fully where that path is going to lead us.
Second thing that we wish to clarify is the statement, ‘understanding this, one becomes wise, and one who has done with all works’. NG takes this to mean that after this there is no need to follow the injunctions of the Vedas or to tax one’s brain by any further philosophical inquiry. We agree that Vedas, in accordance with the generally accepted meanings, need not be followed, as Gita does not propagate ritualism at all. Fact is that Vedic text contains no ritualism at all, and we have seen this in our study. Gita too agrees that Vedas are also scriptures from God, and it is our duty to try to comprehend the Vedas in the light of new revelations about their meaning.
The term buddhva (understanding) is not like acquiring the knowledge of the alphabets in English, where no action is acquired. In fact, it is like a teacher saying to a student who is extremely weak in studies that ‘Have you understood that you have to go to the next class?’ Understanding this will mean that the child will have to work hard and in the manner that the teacher wanted, so as to pass in the class. One who will understand the nature of Absolute God as described here and his own relationship with Him fully is also sure to understand the purpose of our creation and what God expects of us? Who else understood God than the Devatas when they came to live on this earth? See their lifestyle thoroughly and you will find that the entire life is spent either in worshipping God, propagation of teachings related to treading His Path and working for the well-being of His creatures. If this required a mortal fight or taking a stand where they were sure to be killed, so be it!
Thus ends in the Upanishads of the Songs of God, in the Science of the Wisdom of the Absolute, in the Dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the Fifteenth Chapter entitled The Unitive Approach to the Paramount Person.
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