Inane Interpolations In Bhagvad-Gita - BS Murthy (best android ereader .txt) š
- Author: BS Murthy
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this chapter, v9 - v16, to formulate the procedural aspects of the rituals and the divine backing they enjoy (not to be confused with bhakti that is devotion to god) cannot stand up to commonsense not to speak of logic and reason.
Thus, it is unthinkable that Krishna, having been unequivocal about the fallacy of the Vedic rituals, and the lack of wisdom in those that lay store by the ceremonies that promise rewards here and in hereafter, would have, in the same breath, advocated the following that turn the rational clock back in the ritualistic direction.
V9
yajƱÄrthÄt karmaį¹o ānyatra loko āyaį¹ karma-bandhanaįø„
tad-arthaį¹ karma kaunteya mukta-saį¹
gaįø„ samÄchara
Other than those actions performed for yajna, this world gets bound by action. Therefore, O Kaunteya, perform actions in that regard, without attachment. In so far as the spirit of the rituals is concerned, so far so good, but then comes
V10
saha-yajƱÄįø„ prajÄįø„ sį¹iį¹£hį¹vÄ purovÄcha prajÄpatiįø„
anena prasaviį¹£hyadhvam eį¹£ha vo āstviį¹£hį¹a-kÄma-dhuk
In ancient times, Prajaapati created humanity along with yajna. He said āthrough this (yajna) let everyone prosper, and may it become your fulfiller of wishesā.
However, if it was the Lord that so readily changed his mind in the above and the two succeeding verses, then it would lend credence to Allahās over and again abrogation of his own diktats in the Quran! But at the mundane level, it can be inferred that the interpolator was just mindless, and so are those that fail to discern this and other ādivineā contradictions that abound in the Gita in vogue.
V11
devÄn bhÄvayatÄnena te devÄ bhÄvayantu vaįø„
parasparaį¹ bhÄvayantaįø„ Åhreyaįø„ param avÄpsyatha
You will make the deities prosper through this (yajna), and the deities will make you prosper. By mutually making each other prosperous, you will attain the highest good.
V12
iį¹£hį¹Än bhogÄn hi vo devÄ dÄsyante yajƱa-bhÄvitÄįø„
tair dattÄn apradÄyaibhyo yo bhuį¹ kte stena eva saįø„
The deities, nourished by yajna, will also provide you the objects you desire. One who consumes these objects without offering them to others, he is a thief.
V13
yajƱa-Åhiį¹£hį¹ÄÅhinaįø„ santo muchyante sarva-kilbiį¹£haiįø„
bhuƱjate te tvaghaį¹ pÄpÄ ye pachantyÄtma-kÄraį¹Ät
The spiritually-minded, who eat food that is first offered in sacrifice, are released from
all kinds of sin. Others, who cook food for their own enjoyment, verily eat only sin.
V14
annÄd bhavanti bhÅ«tÄni parjanyÄd anna-sambhavaįø„
yajƱÄd bhavati parjanyo yajƱaįø„ karma-samudbhavaįø„
All living beings subsist on food, and food is produced by rains. Rains come from the performance of sacrifice, and sacrifice is produced by the performance of prescribed duties.
V15
karma brahmodbhavaį¹ viddhi brahmÄkį¹£hara-samudbhavam
tasmÄt sarva-gataį¹ brahma nityaį¹ yajƱe pratiį¹£hį¹hitam
The duties for human beings are described in the Vedas, and the Vedas are manifested by God himself. Therefore, the all-pervading Lord is eternally present in acts of sacrifice
V16
evaį¹ pravartitaį¹ chakraį¹ nÄnuvartayatÄ«ha yaįø„
aghÄyur indriyÄrÄmo moghaį¹ pÄrtha sa jÄ«vati
O Parth, those who do not accept their responsibility in the cycle of sacrifice established by the Vedas are sinful. They live only for the delight of their senses; indeed their lives are in vain.
However, in contrast to the above postulations, it is pertinent to note that while describing the Omnipresence of the Supreme Spirit in Ch10,V22, it has been averred that among the Vedas, the Supreme Spirit is Sama Veda that, symbolizes music but not Rig or Yajur Veda, both associated with ritualism.
Ch10, V22
I am the Sama of Vedas
Itās Me Indra, god of gods
Of all organs, mind is Me
And so life in all beings.
vedÄnÄį¹ sÄma-vedo āsmi devÄnÄm asmi vÄsavaįø„
indriyÄį¹Äį¹ manaÅh chÄsmi bhÅ«tÄnÄm asmi chetanÄ
And again, in v25 of the said chapter, it is averred that among the sacrifices, He is tapo yagjna, prayer muted, and not Asvamedha, the horse sacrifice.
Ch10, V25
Bhrugur I am the well-realized
So Am āOmā that sound supreme,
Of rituals Am prayer muted
Himalayas high that kiss the skies.
maharį¹£hÄ«į¹Äį¹ bhį¹igur ahaį¹ girÄm asmyekam akį¹£haram
yajƱÄnÄį¹ japa-yajƱo āsmi sthÄvarÄį¹Äį¹ himÄlayaįø„
Hence, it can be said without any contradiction that the eight above cited verses are no more than mere interpolations for the purpose already stated.
Now, over to the rest of the rest of the interpolations in this chapter thus:
V17
yas tvÄtma-ratir eva syÄd Ätma-tį¹iptaÅh cha mÄnavaįø„
Ätmanyeva cha santuį¹£hį¹as tasya kÄryaį¹ na vidyate
But those who rejoice in the self, who are illumined and fully satisfied in the self, for them, there is no duty.
V18
naiva tasya kį¹itenÄrtho nÄkį¹iteneha kaÅhchana
na chÄsya sarva-bhÅ«teį¹£hu kaÅhchid artha-vyapÄÅhrayaįø„
Such self-realized souls have nothing to gain or lose either in discharging or renouncing their duties. Nor do they need to depend on other living beings to fulfill their self-interest.
Clearly intended to exonerate the Brahmins from the tedious menial occupations, the above two verses v17-v18 are out of context as well, even in the interpolated text, which, along with the preceding ones, as can be seen below, unambiguously break the continuity of the discourse between v8 ān v19
Ch3, V8
Lest thee should stake survival
Turn thy back not on thy work.
niyataį¹ kuru karma tvaį¹ karma jyÄyo hyakarmaį¹aįø„
ÅharÄ«ra-yÄtrÄpi cha te na prasiddhyed akarmaį¹aįø„
Ch3, V19
Ever thee act at par duty
Let that be thy goal of life.
tasmÄd asaktaįø„ satataį¹ kÄryaį¹ karma samÄchara
asakto hyÄcharan karma param Äpnoti pÅ«ruį¹£haįø„
Then comes this
V24
utsÄ«deyur ime lokÄ na kuryÄį¹ karma ched aham
sankarasya cha kartÄ syÄm upahanyÄm imÄįø„ prajÄįø„
If I ceased to perform prescribed actions, all these worlds would perish. I would be responsible for the pandemonium that would prevail, and would thereby destroy the peace of the human race.
which is but an analogy of
Ch3, V23
Were I to fail to self-exert
Man might follow suit as well
yadi hyahaį¹ na varteyaį¹ jÄtu karmaį¹yatandritaįø„
mama vartmÄnuvartante manuį¹£hyÄįø„ pÄrtha sarvaÅhaįø„,
This thus is an interpolation.
Then this mischief monger
V35
ÅhreyÄn swa-dharmo viguį¹aįø„ para-dharmÄt sv-anuį¹£hį¹hitÄt
swa-dharme nidhanaį¹ Åhreyaįø„ para-dharmo bhayÄvahaįø„
It is far better to perform oneās natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults, than to perform anotherās prescribed duty, though perfectly. In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of oneās duty, than to follow the path of another, which is fraught with danger.
This motivated insertion (and its convenient cousin V47 in Ch18) obviously meant to confine the Shudras to the menial work, read together with its preceding and succeeding ones in the text, is contextually out of place in this egalitarian discourse, fouled by the motivated interpolations, and any whitewashing of the cynical intent by Gitaās diehards in rationalizing these with holistic spins wonāt cut much ice.
Ch3, V34
Pays it to see grips avarice
Senses those thine nature tends.
indriyasyendriyasyÄrthe rÄga-dveį¹£hau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaÅham Ägachchhet tau hyasya paripanthinau
Ch3, V36
Thus spoke Arjuna:
Why should one with right intent
Stray ever on the wayward ways!
arjuna uvÄcha
atha kena prayukto āyaį¹ pÄpaį¹ charati pÅ«ruį¹£haįø„
anichchhann api vÄrį¹£hį¹eya balÄd iva niyojitaįø„
Thatās about the interpolations in this chapter.
Chapter - 4: JƱÄnaāKarma-SanyasaYoga
This chapter of 42 verses that deals with the spiritual knowledge and practical wisdom is replete with interpolations, including the damning chÄtur-varį¹yaį¹ mayÄ sį¹iį¹£hį¹aį¹ (v13) the first of the caste-centric precepts in the Gita āas it isā. The plain reading of this verse would have us believe that the Lord Himself had created the four-caste system, of Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Shudra, to suit their innate inclinations towards respective callings of social and spiritual life in this world. And then, as a rider that is vague at the very best; Krishna says that though he is the author of it all, he should not be deemed as the doer. These so-called caste characteristics and duties later figure in v41-v48 of the concluding eighteenth chapter, a long wait indeed, and they are discussed therein.
So, it is imperative that we try to see whether the following verses actually belong to the original text, or are latter-day insertions, meant to sanctify the Aryan caste credo with the underpinning of 'exclusivity of duties' through the venerated Gita, however, keeping in mind the Brahmanical self-aggrandizing mischief in the Purusha Sukta.
V11
ye yathÄ mÄį¹ prapadyante tÄns tathaiva bhajÄmyaham
mama vartmÄnuvartante manuį¹£hyÄįø„ pÄrtha sarvaÅhaįø„
In whatever way people surrender unto me, I reciprocate with them accordingly. Everyone follows my path, knowingly or unknowingly, O son of Pritha.
It should not be lost on one that this return of favour by the Lord is juxtaposing to the stated detachment of His as espoused thus in
Ch 4, V14
Detached Am from what happens
It's this knowledge that frees man
na mÄį¹ karmÄį¹i limpanti na me karma-phale spį¹ihÄ
iti mÄį¹ yo ābhijÄnÄti karmabhir na sa badhyate
Hence, v11 could be nothing but an interpolation, and so also,
V12
kÄį¹ kį¹£hantaįø„ karmaį¹Äį¹ siddhiį¹ yajanta iha devatÄįø„
kį¹£hipraį¹ hi mÄnuį¹£he loke siddhir bhavati karmajÄ
In this world, those desiring success in material activities worship the celestial gods, since material rewards manifest quickly.
On the other hand, this ritualistic verse that is akin to,
Ch7, V20
kÄmais tais tair hį¹ita-jƱÄnÄįø„ prapadyante ānya-devatÄįø„
taį¹ taį¹ niyamam ÄsthÄya prakį¹ityÄ niyatÄįø„ svayÄ
Those whose knowledge has been carried away by material desires surrender to the celestial gods. Following their own nature, they worship the devatÄs, practicing rituals meant to propitiate these celestial personalities,
as would be seen therein, is in itself an interpolation.
Now arrives the totally out of context Spoiler-in-Chief
V13
chÄtur-varį¹yaį¹ mayÄ sį¹iį¹£hį¹aį¹ guį¹a-karma-vibhÄgaÅhaįø„
tasya kartÄram api mÄį¹ viddhyakartÄram avyayam
It is I who engineered the division of men into four varna (castes) based on their guna (innate nature) and karma (earthly duties) but yet although I am the creator of this system, know me to be the non-doer and eternal.
As already seen, this alleged godly caste-ing of man goes against the grain of the His creation exemplified by ā
Ch9, V6
Skies in rooted wind as spreads
Dwell in Me though disperse all.
yathÄkÄÅha-sthito nityaį¹ vÄyuįø„ sarvatra-go mahÄn
tathÄ sarvÄį¹i bhÅ«tÄni mat-sthÄnÄ«tyupadhÄraya.
Ch6, V31
Me who sees in all beings
Heās the one that dwells in Me.
sarva-bhÅ«ta-sthitaį¹ yo mÄį¹ bhajatyekatvam Ästhitaįø„
sarvathÄ vartamÄno āpi sa yogÄ« mayi vartate
As broached before, one school of thought tends to view chÄtur-varį¹yaį¹ as a way of general differentiation amongst men. However, apart from what was earlier discussed on this subject, this ingenious argument cannot cut much ice since common sense suggests that Krishna would have been well aware that such a turn of phrase is bound to be viewed by man only in caste colours rather than in ethereal terms. That being the case, he would have been circumspect in his word choices to convey his scheme of things governing manās birth if they arenāt really as narrow as the Aryan caste credo.
Or, is the chÄtur-varį¹yaį¹ his real will, whether one likes it or not? The answer could be found in his averments as one goes through the Gita that is by skipping its interpolative turns. The four types of beings he identified by their nature and disposition are - the virtuous, the vile, the passionate, and the deluded. Isnāt the proposition that people of a given nature and disposition could be bracketed into a single caste so absurd? Why, in every family, of any of the four castes, one sees assorted natures and myriad proclivities among its members, and that being the case, could have Krishna, the Jagadguru been so naive as not to know about it at all!
However the clinching evidence that the three above verses are interpolations is provided by the preceding and the succeeding ones of this contentious verse as ā
Ch4, V7
Wanes if good ān vile gain reign
Know
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