B.G 2.16
nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ। ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntastvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ ॥ 2-16॥
Nor non-existent comes to light from becoming. Nor from un-becoming come to light the existent. The seers of the true principles have indeed observed and concluded on both (the becoming / un-becoming and existent / non-existent).
or
From inappropriate action there can never be happiness, and from appropriate action there can be no misery. The seers of the true principles, both (philosophers and through disciple succession), have indeed observed and concluded.
Gīta Bhāshya 2.16
Is 'Atman' alone eternal? It is affirmed there are others. 'Sat' is the cause and 'Asat' is the effect. 'Asat' manifests itself from 'Sat'. 'vidhyate' is used separately twice to indicate respect and honour to both. 'ubhayorapi' - refers to conclusions arrived at by both disciple succession and through enquiry.
'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; un-becoming does not come to light.
"prakṛtiḥ puruṣaścaiva nityau kālaśca sattama"
"'Prakrti' and 'Purusha' are said to be eternal, and time is 'sattama'"
iti vacanāt śrīviṣṇupurāṇe।
- states testimonial from Vishnu Purana.
pṛthak 'vidyate' ityādarārthaḥ॥ asataḥ kāraṇatvaṃ ca–
'vidhyate' word is used separately twice to indicate respect for both. 'asat' is to be interpreted as "from cause" based on:
"sadasadrūpayā cāsau guṇamayya'guṇo vibhuḥ"
"The lord in the form of 'sat' existent and 'asat' non-existent created this world that is made of auspicious and inauspicious qualities."
(bhāga.1.2.31) iti bhāgavate।
- stated thus in 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 also termed 'avyakta' i.e. the unmanifest. 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
As per the ancient dictionary, the word 'bhāva' indicates happiness and 'abhāva' indicates misery in all its uses. With this context becoming melancholy at the present moment by thinking about possible misery in the afterlife is not appropriate. Hence to remove apprehension Lord Krishna says, From inappropriate action there can never be happiness, and from appropriate action there can be no misery. Reference is provided to Gita 17.26 where word 'sadbhāva' is employed to mean good-natured and reality. The term 'anta' means a conclusive decision. 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. 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 afterlife 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 governance of principles.
sadbhāvavācinaḥ śabdāḥ sarve te sukhavācakāḥ। abhāvavācinaḥ śabdāḥ sarve te duḥkhavācakāḥ॥
"The word 'sadbhāva' indicates happiness in all its uses, and 'abhāva' indicates misery in all its uses."
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 the 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 a conclusive decision.
na cāvidyāmānavidyamānayorutpattināśaniṣedhakoyaṃ ślokaḥ। pratyakṣavirodhāt। sanniti vyavahriyamāṇameva padārthasvarūpamutpatteḥ prāṅgnāśottaraṃ ca nāstīti sarvaloko vyavaharati। na ca viparyaye kiñcinmānam। idaṃ tu vākyamanyathāsiddham।
This verse does not negate the origination of the non-existent or the destruction of what is existent, because it contradicts direct perception. "The object exists", "it is created", "it does not exist after destruction" - are ways of dealing with objects daily by everyone. Thus, before origination and after destruction, entity is considered not to exist. 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 the 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 a 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 'becoming and un-becoming', because there is no evidence to prove such an object exists. Even with 'un-becoming', 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 'un-becoming'? If they both don't exist, then it is not possible to deny such a point of view. Therefore, 'becoming and un-becoming' is a true phenomenon.
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 non-existent specials (like mirage) it leads to fallacy, such as an inability to transact in the world. Illusion is nothing but the appearance of a form as if existing.
anirvacanīyatvapakṣe'pi sadidaṁ rajatamityavidyamānasattvaprātītiṁ vinā na hi bhrāntitvam। bhrāntisattvāṅgīkārepyabhrāntaṁ sadidaṁ rajatamityavidyamānasatvaprātītau hi pravartate। tasmādubhayavilakṣaṇaṁ na kiñcit।
The phenomenon of a silvery mirage is indescribable, but the phenomenon exists. If a silvery mirage does not appear, the 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 (i.e. experience of a mirage) 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.
