*SKANDHA XI. CHAP. 21.*
Those who do not follow the Paths of Bhakti, Jnana and Karma, but who
only seek paltry desires become subject to rebirths [For those that are
matured in Jnana and Bhakti, there is neither Guna (right) nor Dosha
(wrong). For those that practise Disinclination, the performance of
Nitya and Naimittika Karma is Guna, for it leads to the purification of
the mind. The non-performance of such Karma and the performance of
prohibited Karma are Dosha, for they give rise to impurities of the
mind. Prayaschitta counteracts such Dosha, and therefore it is Guna. For
those pure men that are fixed in the Path of Jnana, the practice of
Jnana is Guna; Bhakti is Guna to them that are fixed in the path of
Bhakti. What is opposed to Jnana and Bhakti is Dosha to the followers of
those two Paths. All this has been said before. Now Guna and Dosha are
detailed for those that do not follow the Paths, but seek their selfish
ends. _Sridhara_]. Devotion to the path of one's following is Guna. The
reverse is Dosha. This is the proper definition of Guna and Dosha (Guna
and Dosha are relative terms. They do not appertain to the thing itself.
_Sridhara_).
Purity (Suddhi) or Impurity (Asuddhi), Right (Guna) or Wrong (Dosha),
Auspicious (Subha) or Inauspicious (Asubha) are terms applied to the
same objects, in relation to religion (Dharma), Society (Vyavahara) and
living (Yatra), respectively.
I have explained Achara (rules of life) for those that want to be guided
by Dharma (Sanctional religion). (Shri Krishna refers here to the works
of Manu and other Smriti writers).
The body of all beings is composed of the five elements (earth, water
&c). They are all ensouled by Atma. Though men are all equal, the Vedas
give different names and forms to their bodies (saying this is Brahmana,
this is Sudra, this is Grihastha, this is Sanyasi) with a view to do
good to them. (The object is to put a limit to the natural inclinations
and thereby to secure Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. _Sridhara_).
Similarly classification is made of time, space and other things, solely
with the object of regulating actions (Karma.) Thus those lands are
impure where the black deer do not roam (Details are not given for which
read the original).
"Those that perform Yajna attain Svarga." Sayings like these do not
speak of final bliss. They are only tempting words really meant for the
attainment of Moksha, just like words said to a child to induce him to
take medicine (The father says; "Eat this Nimba -- a bitter drug. I
shall give you this sweet meat." The child takes the medicine. But the
sweet meat is not what he really gets, for his real gain is recovery
from disease).
From their very birth, mortals are attached to some objects of desire,
to their lives and powers and to their own people. But these are only
sources of misery in the future. Why should the Vedas then teach
attachment to such things? Some wrong-minded people say so without
knowing the purport of the Vedas. They are deluded by the performance of
fire sacrifices, and they resort to Pitri Yana (_i.e._ they are drawn to
rebirths on the Earth after temporary enjoyment of Svarga). They do not
know their own abode, which am I as seated in their heart, from whom the
universe proceeds. Not knowing the real meaning of the Vedas, they
worship Indra and other Devas and perform Yajnas at which animals are
sacrificed. Para, Pasyanti and Madhyama remain deep and unfathomable
like the ocean and only Vaikhari becomes manifest in the Vedas
originating in Pranava and appearing through the letters of the alphabet
and the Metres. Even that Vaikhari is not properly understood by men.
(The Vedas form the sound manifestation of Ishvara. That sound has four
divisions. _Para_, which finds manifestation only in Prana, _Pasyanti_,
which finds manifestation in the mind, _Madhyama_ which finds
manifestation in the Indriyas, and Vaikhari which finds manifestation in
articulate expression. Those who have mental vision can only find out
the first three. But the Vedas as expressed in language are also
difficult to understand.) Further details are given, which are not
reproduced.