Srimad Bhagavad-Gita : Chapter-18, Slokam - 30.

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Monday, August 08. 2022. 07:30. 

Chapter-18.  Moksha-sannyasa-yogam.

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Slokam-30 :


"Pravrttim   ca   nivrttim   ca  karykarye   bhayabhaye,
bandham   moksham   ca   ya   vetti  buddhih   sa   partha   sattviki."


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Slokam-30. Translation-1. 


"O Arjuna, that understanding by which one knows what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is to be feared and what is not to be feared, what is binding and what is liberating, that understanding is established in the mode of goodness."


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Translation-2.


partha!   =   Arjuna!

pravrttim   ca   nivrttim   ca    =   the  path  of  action  and  the  path  of  no  action;  

karykarye  =  of  doing,  and  not  doing;

bhayabhaye  =  fearful things  and  fearless  things;

bandham   moksham   ca  =  about  bondage  and  liberation;

ya  vetthi  sa  buddhi  =  the  intellect  to  discriminate  ( to  differentiate  the  above  said );

sattviki  =  is  Sattvikam.


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Commentary :


Now Lord Krishna speaks about the three types of intellect due to the influence of the three gunas or modes of material nature. 

He begins first by describing one situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness by explaining that buddhi or intellect that correctly determines the righteous paths of action which accomplish three of the four goals of human existence  : -

1. kama or enjoyment, 

2. artha or wealth, 

3. dharma or righteousness excluding 

4. moksa or liberation which is strived for when one in the final stage of life has achieved renunciation from actions. 

5. Fear is not knowing what is to be done and fearless is knowing what is to be done according to time, place and circumstances. 

6. Samsara is bondage to the perpetual cycle of birth and death. 

7. The cause of bondage is attachment to the pleasures of sense gratification. 

8. The cause of moksham is detachment from the pleasures of sense gratification. 

9. The word buddhi meaning intellect denotes the word vetti meaning understanding by which there is comprehension and is universally known to that effect. 

10.So there is no contradiction about the two in this light. It is like stating the sword severed the demons head but it means that someone wielding the sword severed the demons head.


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1) pravrttinca is actions performed under the auspices of dharma or righteousness, 


2) nivrittinca is refraining from actions opposed to dharma which gives liberation, 


3) karya-akarye is knowing what is appropriate according to time, place and circumstance whether adhering to pravrittinca or nivrittinca, 


4) bhaya-abhaye is fear stemming from not adhering to the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and fearlessness is by observing the ordinances of the Vedic scriptures, 


5) bandha is samsara or enslavement in the perpetual cycle of birth and death, 


6) moksham is liberation from material existence and release from samsara


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Lord Krishna is affirming the essentials of those whose buddhi or intellect is situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness as only they have the ability to realise these points.


Lord Krishna explains that those whose buddhi or intellect is situated in sattva guna the mode of goodness possess the understanding due to refined intelligence that has a natural inclination towards righteousness and abstinence from unrighteousness. 


They are resolute and comprehend that righteous actions lead to moksa or liberation from material existence and unrighteous actions lead to the bondage of samsara the perpetual cycle of birth and death.

 Innately their consciousness is aware of what is to be done and what is not to be done according to time, place and circumstance. 


Such consciousness should be understood as the agency and the doer. 


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This can be understood by the question : -

Is there enough wood to cook the food? 

Although it is not the wood that does the cooking it is the fire. 

So the agent is like the wood utilized as the instrument and the fire is like the consciousness represented as the agency.


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To be continued  ...


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