Chapter 12 - The Performance and Renunciation of Prescribed Karmas

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Full title: Importance of Association with Saints: The Performance and Renunciation of Prescribed Karmas]

The Lord said:

1-2. Neither the path of Yoga (consisting of eight stages like postures—āsanas, breath-control—prāṇāyāma, etc.), nor the philosophy of Sāṅkhya (or the knowledge of twenty-four categories and the realization of Puruṣa being different from Prakṛti), nor the path of Dharma (consisting of non-violence, truth etc.), nor the recitation and study of the Vedas, nor penance (like the observances of vows like Kṛchra, (Cāndrāyaṇa), nor adoption of Sannyāsa (or renunciation) nor performance of sacrifices nor constructions of works of public amenities (like digging of wells, laying out gardens, construction of free lodging houses—dharma-śālās, etc.) nor religious gifts and donations, nor self-denying vows (such as fasting on the Ekādaśī day), nor yajña i.e. worship of gods), nor the internal repetition of mystic mantras nor ablutions in sacred waters nor the observance of rules of bodily and mental purity and discipline (Niyama) nor the vows of self-control^[1] capture me in the heart of the devotee as does the association with saints which exterminates all attachments.

3-6. It is through their association with saints that a number of demons (Daityas or Diti’s sons), evil spirits (Yātudhānas), beasts, birds, Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Apsaras (celestial dancing girls), serpents, Siddhas, semi-divine beings like Cāraṇas, Yakṣas and Vidyādharas, out of human beings persons of Vaiśya and Śūdra communities (merchants, peasants, cowherds and labourers), women and outcastes and other beings^[2] dominated by Rājasika and Tāmasa nature, have attained to my region (Vaikuṇṭha) in various yugas, O sinless Uddhava.

Many (Daityas and Asurās like Vṛtra, the son of Tvaṣṭṛ, Prahlāda, the son of Kayādhū, Vṛṣaparva, Bali, Bāṇa, Maya and Bibhīṣaṇa; subhuman beings like) Sugrīva, Hanumān, Jāmbavān, the bear and the elephant-king (of the well-known legend Gajendra-mokṣa); (birds like) Jaṭāyu (who gave his life for rescuing Sītā from Rāvaṇa);^[3] Vaiśyas like Tulādhāra^[4] and outcasts like the hunter Dharmavyādha^[5]; women like the hunch-backed Trivakrā, Gopīs of Vraja and the wives of Brāhmaṇa-sacrificers (described in the Skandha) and many others have attained to my place.

7. Those (above-mentioned) persons had not studied the Vedas; nor did they serve and sit at the feet of great scholars (for Vedic studies); they did not observe vow or perform austere penance.^[6] But they attained to me, thanks to the association with pious saints.^[7]

8-9. It is only through the force of intensely loving devotion^[8] (to me), that Gopīs, cows, trees, beasts and other dull- witted persons, serpents like Kāliya (of Vṛndāvana) became accomplished of their purpose and easily attained to me who am inaccessible to those who endeavour to realize me through Yoga, Sāṅkhya, liberal donations, observance of vows, austerities, performance of sacrifices, expounding of the sacred books, study of the Vedas and turning into a recluse sannyāsin).

10. When I was taken away along with Balarāma to Mathurā, by Akrūra, the son of Śvaphalka, the Gopīs whose hearts were deeply attached to me through intense devotion, felt excruciating pangs of separation from me, as they had none else (in view) who could give them spiritual bliss.^[9]

11. Those various nights which they passed like half a second (lit. half the winking time of the eye-lids) while I was available for company (in Rāsa dance and various other sports) at Vṛndāvana, were, after separation from me, felt by them as long as a kalpa (432 million years of mortals).

12. Just as sages lost in meditation are not conscious of (their bodies and the world consisting of) names and forms, or even as rivers after entering into the sea (lose their identity of name and from and become one with the sea), the Gopīs whose hearts fastened with exclusive love and devotion to me, became totally unconscious of this (i.e. their own person, their close relatives like husbands and sons and this world as well as that (which was at a distance i.e. even, the next world).

13. Ignorant of my essential supreme nature, the Gopa women were enamoured of me whom they regarded not only their lover but a paramour.^[10] Hundreds and thousands of such women in this way attained to the Supreme Brahman by contact with me. (It is through contact with the good that Gopīs came to know me to be the Supreme Person and attained Mokṣa).

14-15. Hence, O Uddhava, (transcending everything) ignore Vedic injunctions and prohibitions, renounce both Pravṛtti and Nivṛtti types of karmas, and give up what is learnt and what is to be learnt. With exclusive devotion to me seek shelter in me only who am the Soul of all embodied beings. Protected by me, you will have no fear from any quarter i.e.. you will attain Mokṣa)

Uddhava submitted:^[11]

16. Even though I have been attentively listening to your speech, O Lord of experts in yoga, the doubt in my mind is not resolved and my mind is puzzled.

17.^[12] This is that perceptible Supreme Lord who infuses life in all and who manifests himself within the nerve-centres or plexuses (cakras) known as Mūlādhāra and others (existing in the internal parts of the human body). With the prāṇa impregnated with nāda (called para speech), he enters the ‘cave’ (known as ādhāra cakra, located near the anus). He proceeds (ahead) assuming the subtle mental form (known as paśyantī, and Madhyamā forms of speech in the spiritul plexuses called Maṇipūra and Viśuddhi located at the navel^[13] and at the throat^[14] respectively. He reveals Himself in the mouth in the from of short and long notes, accents (such as udātta, anudātta and svarita) and articulate sounds (like the velars, palatals, dentals, etc.). This is the grossest speech-form (called Vaikharī) of the Vedas and its branches.^[15]

18.^[16] Just as fire which exists in the subtle unmanifest form as heat in the atmosphere (the sky), when churned with force and helped by the wind manifests itself as a spark (which is the middle form). When it is oblated by offerings of ghee (and other sacrificial objects) it flares up ablaze (in gross form), similarly, I (who am unmanifest) manifest myself in the form of (Vedic) speech.

19. (Just as the articulate speech is my manifestation) manual activity, locomotion, evacuation of the bowels, urination, functions of the cognitive and conative organs (such as perception of smell, taste, sight, touch and audition), the determination in mind, cognition or discriminative knowledge identification of body and the Soul (the ego), Sūtra (or Pradhāna), the modifications of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas^[17] (the whole of the universe)—all are my manifestation.

20.^[18] This life-giving Principle—īśvara designated as jīva—was certainly manifest, eternal and one without a second (in the beginning). He is the shelter of the three guṇas—sattva, rajas and tamas (or he assumed three guṇas). He is the source (creator) of the lotus in the form of the universe. In course of time, due to the development of the powers of speech and other organs (by embracing Māyā) he appears as many just as a seed sown in fertile soil sprouts forth in different shapes (like the different-shaped parts of the tree grown out of that seed).

21. Just as a piece of cloth exists in the expanse of the threads (of which it is woven), it is in this (Ātman or God) in whom the entire universe is woven warp and woof (i.e. God pervades the universe internally and externally. But just as Threads can exist in the absence of cloth—for example before weaving,—God can pre-exist and post-exist the universe, but the universe cannot exist independent of God). This tree of samsāra is so old that it has no beginning. It has an inherent tendency to karmas (actions). It puts forth flowers and fruits in the form of enjoyment and liberation from saṃsāra. (Understanding this nature of saṃsāra, one should give up karmas or activities with attachment).

22.^[19] This tree (of saṃsāra) has two seeds—merit (puṇya) and sin (pāpa), hundred (s) of roots (viz. innumerable cravings). The three guṇas (sattva, rajas and tamas) are its three stalks. The five elements (mahābhūtas) are its main branches, which exude five kinds of juice (sap, viz. sound, taste, touch and such other five objects of enjoyment of the five cognitive senses). It has eleven subsidiary branches in the form, of five cognitive and five conative sense-organs and the internal organ (viz., the mind). Two fine-winged birds (viz. the tri-doṣas or humours of the body such as wind, bile and phlegm). It bears two fruits, viz. pleasure and pain. It extends right upto the solar region (The Yogis who make their way through the sphere of the Sun transcend saṃsāra.

23. (Persons attached to saṃsāra are the avaracious) vultures which frequent the villages and being greedy eat but one fruit (viz. misery—Even the merit leading to the heaven results in misery and hence is of the nature of misery. The other birds (recluses who have renounced saṃsāra are full of discrimination and stay away in forests. They are the swans—(Haṃsas—a higher order among recluses) who eat of the other fruit (of eternal bliss. He who realizes through the service and grace of spiritual preceptors that it is the One Supreme Soul who appears in multifarious forms through his Māyā power (out of his desire to be many), has really understood the (essence of the) Vedas.

24. In this way by propitiating and serving the spiritual preceptor and through exclusive devotion unto me, and with the keen-edged axe of spiritual knowledge, cut asunder the subtle body environing the jīva (which causes rebirth). Remaining perfectly vigilant, a (spiritually) wise person should attain to Ātman. It is after this (attainment to Ātman) that you should abandon even the weapon called Vidyā (with which you cut off the subtle body of the jīva.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

EK.: Twelve vows of Yama and Niyama each.

[2]:

To this list EK. adds Guhaka and Jarā Vyādha who pierced Kṛṣṇa with an arrow.

Anvitārthaprakāśikā. clarifies who was the saint associated with each of the individuals mentioned here: Thus the pairs of the demon and the associating saints were Prahlāda and Nārada; Bali and Prahlāda; Bāṇa and god Mahādeva; Bibhīṣaṇa and Hanumān.

[3]:

Vide Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa (Araṇyakāṇḍa sargas 14,50,51,67,68).

[4]:

A vaiśya of Kāśi. He imparted spiritual knowledge to sage Jājali—(Mahābhārata Śānti, chs. 261 and 262.)

[5]:

Vyādha from Mithilā. He preached dharma to Kauśika, a Brahmin (Mahābhārata Vana, chs. 207-216).

[6]:

All these ways do not lead to Mokṣa and are inferior to sat-saṅga (association with saints).

[7]:

Padaratnāvalī states that Godhead is attained by them not without means—the means being satsaṅga.

[8]:

With Bhāgavata Candrikā God should be the object of intense passion—be it love or hatred and it leads to mokṣa

(bhāvo'tra kāma-bhuyadveṣādi-rūpā'bhiprāyu-viśeṣa-paraḥ...tasya kaivalyaṃ nāma paratvam utkṛṣṭatvam iti yavat).

But Padaratnāvalī refutes it. According to Padaratnāvalī, Devotion is the highest form of love. The word Kevalena excludes hate or other feelings and other courses for attaining to God. kevalena viśeṣaṇāt na dueṣa-yuktā bhaktir mukti-sādhanam —Padaratnāvalī Even before realisation by Śāstric knowledge the dull-witted were devotees.

[9]:

EK. in commenting on verses 10-13 loses himself in poetic ecstasy in describing the spiritual love of Gopīs and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s response to them. In the beautiful description of Rāsalīlā and other sports, there is nothing earthy—on a lower sexual plane. Though, the Gopīs were ignorant they felt the force of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s supreme nature and the Love divine. Their intense devotion and pure love were beyond the capacity of a man to requite and elevate them to their blessed state. There was nothing sexy about the Gopīs. As EK. puts it, their desire for Kṛṣṇa wiped out all sexual desire from them (12.153-157). The whole passage (EB. 12.124-214) deserves to- be read from the original.

[10]:

Padaratnāvalī explains ‘jāra’ as one who wears out (erases) saṃsāra.

EK. explains that Kṛṣṇa did not go to any Gopī’s house but as soon as a Gopī felt passion for Kṛṣṇa, he immediately satisfied it (mentally?). Just as when a piece of stone touches the Vairāgara, the stone is instantly transformed into a diamond, the (mental) contact wtth Kṛṣṇa transformed Gopīs into Bhaktas and all were absorbed in Brahman. Association with the good is so efficacious.—EB. 12. 191-214.

[11]:

Uddhava’s doubt is natural. Kṛṣṇa started with the advice of doing the Karmas prescribed by him in the Vedas and Pañcarātra Āgama. Now he asks to renounce all Karmas. Vedic injunctions and interdictions. The first doubt is whether the soul is the agent of an act; and secondly whether prescribed karmas should be performed or renounced—Bhāvāratha Dīpikā

[12]:

EK. was an expert yogī. He took this opportunity to explain the five main and five subsidiary varieties of prāṇa (the vital air), their places and functions. He further explains the details of the six cakras, the ‘unbeaten’—everexisting sound, the development of speech from ‘the subtle (parā) stage to its gross (Vaikharī) stage. He goes out of way and explains the progress of the Yogī from the Ājñā cakra to the sahasrāra—the final stage in Yoga. (EB. 12.311-352). He adopts reflection theory (bimba-pratibiṃbavāda) and assumption of the body by the Soul is called ‘entry into the cave’ (293)

[13]:

tad ūrdhve nābhi-deśe tu maṇipūram mahāprabham /
maṇivad bhīnnaṃ tat padmaṃ maṇipūraṃ tathocyate //
  —A Tantra-work quoted in ŚKD (Śabda-Kalpa-druma vol.III P.576)

[14]:

ŚKD Vol. IV p.436. It is the source of all the 16 vowels. Both the Tantra work and Tantra-sāra are quoted here.

[15]:

SR. quotes catvārī vāk parimitā padāni etc. from Ṛg Veda Saṃhitā. I.164.45 (also AV. 9.10.27) which states that the first three forms of speech being hidden in the cave are not known to men. It is the 4th form—Vaikharī—whereby they communicate. In explanation of the above Śruti, Bhāvāratha Dīpikā quotes a verse from a hymn to the Sun (Sūrya-Stuti) from Sāmba pañcāśikā. Both of them are quoted by Anvitārthaprakāśikā. Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa and others.

[16]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: The function of the organ of speech is under my control (vāgindriya-vyāpārasya...ātmāyattatāṃ cāha) Padaratnāvalī Vedic speech is the medium of my manifestation (viśeṣeṇa Vedādikaṃ mama vyakti-sthānam /)

[17]:

Padaratnāvalī interprets some terms differently. Thus Saṅkalpa=the mind, Vijñāna= Intellect (buddhi), Abhimāna—a particular working of the mind, Sūtra—Vāyu, modifications like Sattva-tamas— the egg of the universe and other things,

[18]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā: This (jīva) is certainly atomic, essentially unchangeable, eternal and one by nature. He is dependent on three guṇas (guṇa-traya vaśyaḥ) and is subjected to birth in the universe which is the product of water. In the course of time, his power is depleted due to the notion of ego, identification of the body with the soul etc. and appears many in the form of a god or a human being, etc., just as seeds sown in soils (of different constituents) appear different according to the components of the soil.

Padaratnāvalī: Next to me and Lakṣmī, Brahmā who was born out of lotus, was the first Jīva at the possessor of three attributes—knowledge, bliss and power. He is subtle, the first-born. He created the principles from Ego (ahaṃkāra) to Pṛthvī (the earth) and entered into them without diminishing his powers. To the knowers of the Truth, he appears in many forms to control his creation just as rice and other needs grow forth in many sprouts.

[19]:

Padaratnāvalī attributes different significance to different numbers in this verse: Thus the two seeds of the universe are Brahmā and Sarasvatī. Rudra Indra and Candra, the presiding deities over the Ego, Intellect and the Mind are the three stalks. The birds are two classes of people—the followers of Pravṛtti and Nivṛtti, the three barks are the three guṇas. The two fruits are the karmas leading to saṃsāra and those leading to Mokṣa (Liberation).