Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha Dipika)

by Ramchandra Keshav Bhagwat | 1954 | 284,137 words | ISBN-10: 8185208123 | ISBN-13: 9788185208121

This is verse 16.1 of the Jnaneshwari (Bhavartha-Dipika), the English translation of 13th-century Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita.—The Dnyaneshwari (Jnaneshwari) brings to light the deeper meaning of the Gita which represents the essence of the Vedic Religion. This is verse 1 of the chapter called Daivasura-sampad-vibhaga-yoga.

Verse 16.1:Fearlessness, Purity of inward disposition, Steady-pursuit of Knowledge and its Realisation; Charity, Self-restraint, Sacrifice, Study, Austerity, Uprightness; (68)

Commentary called Jnaneshwari by Jnaneshwar:

That quality which gets priority amongst the qualities constituting ‘Divine Estate’, is fearlessness (abhaya). One that does not (dare) take a leap in high floods is never touched by any fear of getting drowned: one who strictly observes the regimen prescribed, is hardly subject to any bodily disease. In that way one who does not allow the self-conceit (egotism) to cross the way of actions, has nothing to fear from worldly affairs; or one who entertains the all-embracing notion of Self (oneness) towards one and all, on account of monism rooted in him, dispels all fears in different directions: or just as water should go to dissolve salt and salt should (before that) itself become (one with) water; in that way (when) all is equated to Self through monism, it destroys all fear. Know ye, all this (stated above) is what is called ‘fearlessness’. All this is, of course, in the usual routine of knowledge. Now what is called ‘purity of inward disposition’ should be known from the characteristics next mentioned.

(It is like) ashes that neither bum nor get extinguished: or just as the Moon in her extremely subtle form abides in the mid-state with neither waxing phase of the New Moon day, nor in the waning one of the Last Day of the lunar month: or like the Ganges flowing steadily in normal condition, with neither the monsoon flooding nor the summer drying up: or like the intellect that remains steady harbouring a liking for its own pristine nature (meditation on Self) and dropping the Kawadi [Kavadi] (kāvaḍī—a bamboo lath carrying pitchers suspended at both ends) carrying pitchers in the form of Rajas and Tamas qualities full of fancies and ideas: or like the mind feeling no surprise at all at the sense-objects—desirable or undesirable—displayed by the senses: or as a faithful wife remaining utterly indifferent to any loss or gain, while her husband is away at a distant place and her mind is feeling lonely and unhappy.

The state of the intellect—intellect which is deeply in love with the Highest Reality, getting absorbed and extinguished in the (form of) Supreme Self, is what is called ‘the purity of inward disposition” said Lord Keshihanta (keśīhantā)—killer of demon Keshi). For attaining (Supreme Self), one should first select, according to one’s natural trend of mind, the path either of knowledge or activism, and there one should sacrifice (abandon) all worldly ideas and notions, with a mind free from all passions, in the way the last (concluding) oblation is offered to the Fire at the conclusion of the sacrifice, or in the way the father belonging to a noble family should rest peacefully after giving away his (marriageable) daughter to one from a good family, or in the way the Goddess Lakshmi remains all-absorbed in Lord Vishnu.

To conduct oneself along the path of (Motive-free) activism or of knowledge with a mind completely free from (mundane) fancies and ideas is what is called ‘steady pursuit of knowledge’ and its realisation (jñānayoga-vyavasthā)—the third quality,” said Lord Krishna. “Not, to refuse help through body, speech, mind or riches, to one in distress even though he be an enemy, imitating the behaviour of the roadside tree, Oh Dhananjaya, which never hesitates (fails) to give to a passer-by either its leaf, flower, shade, fruit, or root; in that way to offer whole-heartedly whatever may be available in the form of com or money, to a wearied one,—that is ‘charity’ (dāna) and this is a sort of antimony (añjana) that enables one to get a vision of the hoard in the form of liberation.

Now hear the signs of self-restraint (dama). To cleave clean the combinations (joining firmly) the senses and their objects, in the way, a warrior with a sword in his hand clean cuts his enemy: similarly to fetter together all the senses and to hand them over to abstraction (pratyahāra), so that the storm of the sense-objects should not dash against (the doors of) the senses. When the fire of non-attachment is applied at the ten gates of the senses, the natural propensity (to acquire things and enjoy them) clinging eternally to one’s mind takes to its heels (departs forever). He then takes rigid religious vows, even greater in point of continuity, than the act of breathing and observes them ceaselessly day and night. What is called self-restraint is this and bear well in mind its signs. Now I shall tell you in brief what is ‘sacrifice’ (yāgārtha).

The Brahmin occupying the premier status, women and other (low castes), who are at the lowest end (of the social strata) and those who occupy the intermediate rank—each of them have to fulfil obligations according to their rank. They should worship such Gods as they consider best and adorable according to the rites laid down by Scriptures—that Brahmin who performs all the six duties following strictly the procedure laid down in the Vedas, and the Sudra who pays the Brahmin homage—both these secure ‘sacrifice’ in equal proportion, since both conduct themselves according to their respective functions (assigned to them) and ultimately derive the same (identical) fruit of their sacrifice. Similarly it is the duty of all to perform sacrifices as they are qualified to perform, but these (sacrifices) should not be poisoned (polluted) with any expectation of the fruit of sacrifices. Ordinarily every one must act up to the dictates of the Vedas: only he should not allow the egoistic feeling of being a sacrificer, to touch his mind out of conceit for the body. This is, Oh Arjuna, what is called, and universally known as ‘sacrifice’ (prescribed in the Scriptures), and it is a roadcompanion (guide) knowing all about the road to emancipation.

Now a ball is dashed down on the ground, not for the purpose of striking the ground, but with the idea that it should rebound and come back into the hands: or the seed is sown in the field, with an eye on the crop that is to yield or a lamp is welcome for finding a thing placed in the dark: water is sprinkled at the roots of a tree for the growth of fruit on its branches. In short the mirror is kept again and again clean in order to enable (one) to see one’s face (reflection) in it (at any time): in that way it is necessary that one should ever be studying the Shruti Scriptures to be able to discern God propounded in the Vedas.

The Brahmasutra (in the Vedas) for the twice-born and the hymns or simply the name (of the Lord) for others, are the best and the holiest to incant for attaining the Supreme Brahman. This is Oh Partha, what is called ‘study’ (svādhyāya), and now hear about the essence of the austerity (tapa). To give away all in charity is using it properly, in the way a herb gets withered after bearing fruit or in the way the incense (dhūpa) gets extinguished in fire (to give good smell to others), or in the way gold is reduced in weight by burning out the alloy in it, or in the way the Moon wanes in the dark fortnight of the lunar month, by giving feed of nectar to the Manes. In all these ways, to wear out one’s life, senses and body, for the attainment of the Supreme Brahman, is, Oh Warrior, what is called, austerity.

There are also other forms of austerity. The bird swan uses his beak for separating milk from water; in that way one should keep alert in his heart that right thinking which can skilfully pick out the soul, separating the element of body when both these are mixed up. The intellect contracts and withdraws itself (from the sphere of mundane things) when it (intellect) fixes its gaze on self, even as slumber and dream contract and vanish in wakeful condition. One who makes full use of his right thinking for attaining the Self, can alone succeed in securing austerities, Oh Dhanurdhara. The (milk in the female) breast is solely good for the infant: or even though there is a diversity of beings yet sentience abides equally in all; in that way to behave courteously with all Jiving beings is what is called ‘uprightness’ (ārjava).

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