B.G 2.16
nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ। ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ ॥ 2-16॥
The non-existent does not come about from becoming. From the non-becoming does not come the existent. Never there was happiness in unreal, and never there was misery in the real. Seekers of truth, both (philosophers and through disciple succession), have indeed observed and concluded.
Gīta Bhāshya 2.16
'Sat' is the cause and 'Asat' is the effect. Brahman is called 'Sat' as he is devoid of need. Like Brahman, the insentient called 'Asat' is also eternal.
'nitya ātmā' ityuktam। kimātmāiva nitya āhosvidanyadapi? anyadapi। tatkimiti? āha–nāsata iti॥
It is said "Atma is eternal". Is 'Atman' alone eternal, or are there other entities that are eternal? It is affirmed there are others. What are they? It is described in the 'nasata' verse.
asataḥ kāraṇasya sataḥ brahmaṇaśca abhāvo na vidyate॥
'asat' is from the cause, and 'sat' indicates the brahman who is devoid of distortions, un-becoming.
"prakṛtiḥ puruṣaścaiva nityau kālaśca sattama"
"'Prakrti' and 'Purusha' are said to be eternal, and time is 'sat'"
iti vacanāt śrīviṣṇupurāṇe।
–states testimonial from Vishnu Purana.
pṛthak 'vidyate' ityādarārthaḥ॥ asataḥ kāraṇatvaṃ ca–
'vidhyate' word is used twice to stress the eternality of both 'asat' and 'sat'. 'asat' is to be interpreted as "from cause" based on:
"sadasadrūpayā cāsau guṇamayya'guṇo vibhuḥ"
"The lord in the form of 'sat' (being) and 'asat' (non-being) created this world that is made of auspicious and inauspicious qualities."
(bhāga.1.2.31) iti bhāgavate।
- stated thus is the Bhagavata Purana (1.2.31).
"asataḥ sadajāyata"
"'asat' manifests itself from 'sat'"
(ṛ.10.72.2) iti ca ।
- stated thus as well (ṛ.10.72.2).
avyakteśca । sampradāyataścaitatsiddhamityāha– ubhayorapīti॥ antaḥ nirṇayaḥ। ॥16॥
It is abstract and subtle. Even through disciple succession, the same is established. Hence it is said–"from both viewpoints" (ubhayorapi). The word 'anta' is used to indicate conclusive judgement.
Gīta Tātparya 2.16
From inappropriate action, there can never be happiness and from appropriate action there can be no misery. 'Abhava' indicates misery. Brahman is never to be known as 'asat', the non-existent or unreal. The verse is not meant to convey the illusionary nature of the world. It is only stating that the phenomenon arises and expresses itself when relevant cause arises, and it ceases to express itself when the cause ceases to operate. It does not indicate an object that is beyond being and non-being, as there is no proof of existence of such an object. Even the experience of a mirage is a genuine experience. There is nothing like a false experience.
na ca yuddhātparalokaduḥkhamiti śokaḥ। asatkarmaṇaḥ sakāśāt bhāvo nāsti satkarmaṇaḥ sakāśāt abhāvo nāstīti niyatattvāt।
Becoming melancholy at the present moment by thinking about misery in the after world due to war is not appropriate. "From inappropriate action there can never be happiness and from appropriate action there can be no misery"–thus states the governances of principles.
sadbhāvavācinaḥ śabdāḥ sarve te sukhavācakāḥ। abhāvavācinaḥ śabdāḥ sarve te duḥkhavācakāḥ॥
"The word 'sadbhāva' indicates happiness in all its usages and 'abhāva' indicates misery in all its usage”
iti śabdanirṇaye।
–states shabdanirnaya, the ancient dictionary.
"sadbhāve sādhubhāve ca sadityetaprayujyate। praśaste karmaṇi tathā sacchabdaḥ pārtha yujyate॥" iti vakṣyamāṇatvāt। (gītā. 17-26)
"O Partha, the term 'sadbhāva' is employed in the sense of being good natured and to mean reality. It is also used in the sense of auspicious and praiseworthy acts."–thus it is stated in Gita itself (17.26)
"asanneva sa bhavati, asadbrahmeti veda cet"
"One who knows Brahman as non-being (asat), himself becomes miserable."
ityādeśca।
–thus are the ancient instructions.
anto nirṇayaḥ।
'anta' means conclusive decision.
na cāvidyāmānavidyamānayorutpattināśaniṣedhakoyaṃ ślokaḥ। pratyakṣavirodhāt। sanniti vyavahriyamāṇameva padārthasvarūpamutpatteḥ prāṅgnāśottaraṃ ca nāstīti sarvaloko vyavaharati। na ca viparyaye kiñcinmānam। idaṃ tu vākyamanyathāsiddham।
Above hymn is not rejecting the creation of previously non-existing or rejecting the destruction of previously existing. This will be opposed to direct perception. "The object exists", "it is created", "it does not exist after destruction"–are the ways of dealing with objects daily by everyone. It is not trying to convey that such interactions are because of illusion. The meaning of the sentence is altogether different.
"ādyantayoḥ sarvakāryamasadeveti niścitam। yadyasanna viśeṣotra jāyate kotra jāyate॥ vyaktāvapi samaṃ yetadanavasthānyathā bhavet। evaṃ nāśepi boddhavyamatosanneva jāyate॥ tathāpyabhedānubhavāt kāryakāraṇayoḥ sadā। bhedasya cāviśeṣeṇa dehogāt kṣititāmiti॥ vyavahāro bhavedyasmādbalyevānubhavaḥ sadā॥"
"All the activities are definitely non-existent before the beginning or after the end. Thus, the uniqueness of them does not arise before its beginning. It expresses itself because of the corresponding cause, not otherwise. When the cause is destroyed, without a relevant driving factor, it subsides. Therefore, we always experience the difference between the cause and non-cause. In normal conversation, we say the body merges with the earth when it dies. This is by experiencing and differentiating bodies’ unique activities during childhood and other living phases compared to non-living state."
iti brahmatarke।
- states Brahmatarka
na ca sadasadvilakṣaṇaṃ kiñcidastītyatra kiñcinmānam। na cāsataḥ khyātyayogāt sato bādhāyogādubhayavilakṣaṇaṃ bhrāntiviṣayam। asataḥ khyātyayogāditi vadatosataḥ khyātirabhūnna vā? yadi nābhūt na tatkhyātinirākaraṇam। yadyabhūt tathāpi।
This verse does not state the object that is beyond ‘being and non-being’, because there is no evidence to prove such an object exists. Even with ‘non-being’, there is true experience and behaving indifferently to both imaginary and non-imaginary objects is not a hindrance. Is it not a true experience that we get from ‘non-being’? If they both don’t exist, then it is not possible to deny such a point of view. Therefore, ‘being and non-being’ truly exist.
na cāsatosatvena bhrāntau satvena ca khyātirnāstītyatra kiñcinmānam। asadvyavahāralopaprasaṅgācca। yadavidyamānaṁ rūpaṁ tasya sattvena pratītereva bhrāntitvācca।
"Non-being does not exist", "illusionary objects exist"–such a point of view is not in vogue. For the non-existent specials (like mirage) it leads to fallacy, such as inability to transact in the world. Illusion is nothing but the appearance of the form as if existing.
anirvacanīyatvapakṣe'pi sadidaṁ rajatamityavidyamānasattvaprātītiṁ vinā na hi bhrāntitvam। bhrāntisattvāṅgīkārepyabhrāntaṁ sadidaṁ rajatamityavidyamānasatvaprātītau hi pravartate। tasmādubhayavilakṣaṇaṁ na kiñcit।
The phenomenon of silvery mirage is indescribable, but the phenomenon exists. If silvery mirage does not appear, phenomenon does not exist, and obviously without it illusion is not possible. On accepting the illusion as true, the silvery-mirage is understood as not present, and though not obvious, non-illusion becomes a reality. Therefore, in both ways, reality is understood.
"viśvaṁ satyam।", "yacciketa satyamit।", "kavirmanīṣī paribhūḥ svayambhūryāthātathyatorthān vyadadhācchāśvatībhyaḥ samābhyaḥ।"
"The universe exists", "the created world is truly existing", "The all-knowing, one who inspires the mind, all superior, self-existent, has created the truly existent from time immemorial."
ityādiśruteśca ॥16॥
–states Vedic testimonials.
