B.G 2.52
यदा ते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतितरिष्यति। तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च ॥२-५२॥
yadā te moha-kalilaṃ buddhir vyatitariṣyati। tadā gantāsi nirvedaṃ śrotavyasya śrutasya ca ॥2-52॥
[यदा (yadā) - when; ते (te) - your; मोहकलिलम् (moha-kalilam) - delusion-mire; बुद्धिः (buddhiḥ) - intellect; व्यतितरिष्यति (vyatitariṣyati) - will cross; तदा (tadā) - then; गन्तासि (gantāsi) - you will attain; निर्वेदम् (nirvedam) - dispassion; श्रोतव्यस्य (śrotavyasya) - of what is to be heard; श्रुतस्य (śrutasya) - of what has been heard; च (ca) - and;]
(When your intellect crosses the mire of delusion, you will become indifferent to all that you have heard and all that is yet to be heard.)
When your intellect overcomes the cloud of delusion, then you attain fully the continued benefits of the knowledge from what's already been heard and what remains to be heard.
Gīta Bhāshya 2.52
'nirvēdaṁ' - means continued benefits from knowledge. The liberated find greater joy in praising the lord. All liberated individuals experience immense joy and no misery, despite a hierarchy based on their knowledge.
कियत्पर्यन्तम् अवश्यं कर्तव्यानि मुमुक्षुणां एवं कर्माणि इति आह- 'यदेति'॥
kiyatparyantam avaśyaṃ kartavyāni mumukṣuṇāṃ evaṃ karmāṇi iti āha- 'yadeti'॥
[कियत्पर्यन्तम् (kiyatparyantam) - up to what extent; अवश्यं (avaśyam) - necessarily; कर्तव्यानि (kartavyāni) - to be done; मुमुक्षुणां (mumukṣuṇām) - of the seekers of liberation; एवं (evaṃ) - thus; कर्माणि (karmāṇi) - actions; इति (iti) - thus; आह (āha) - (he) said; 'यदेति' ('yadeti') - 'yad' etc.;]
(To what extent must seekers of liberation necessarily perform such actions? Thus, it is said: 'yad' etc.)
'निर्वेदं' - नितरां लाभम्। प्रयोगात्-
'nirvedaṃ' - nitarāṃ lābham। prayogāt-
['निर्वेदं' ('nirvedaṃ') - 'dispassion'; नितरां (nitarāṃ) - exceedingly; लाभम् (lābham) - gain; प्रयोगात् (prayogāt) - from application;]
('Dispassion' is an exceedingly great gain. This comes from practice.)
To what extent the seeker of liberation is required to perform actions pertaining to their duties is explained in 'yadēti' verse.
'nirvēdaṁ' means continued benefits. We can find similar usage at:
"तस्मात् ब्राह्मणः पाण्डित्यं निर्विद्य बाल्येन तिष्ठासेत"
"tasmāt brāhmaṇaḥ pāṇḍityaṃ nirvidya bālyena tiṣṭhāset"
[तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; ब्राह्मणः (brāhmaṇaḥ) - a brāhmaṇa; पाण्डित्यं (pāṇḍityam) - learning; निर्विद्य (nirvidya) - having become disillusioned with; बाल्येन (bālyena) - with childlike simplicity; तिष्ठासेत् (tiṣṭhāset) - should remain;]
(Therefore, a brāhmaṇa, having lost interest in mere learning, should live with the innocence of a child.)
"Therefore, a brahmin must continue to study from childhood to develop deep understanding."
-इत्यादि।
-ityādi।
[इति (iti) - thus; आदि (ādi) - and so on;]
- there are such statements (Here 'nirvidya' is used to mean continued study, not as a negative).
न हि तत्र वैराग्यम् उपपद्यते। तथा सति 'पाण्डित्यात्' इति स्यात्।
na hi tatra vairāgyam upapadyate। tathā sati 'pāṇḍityāt' iti syāt।
[न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; तत्र (tatra) - there; वैराग्यम् (vairāgyam) - dispassion; उपपद्यते (upapadyate) - arises; तथा (tathā) - thus; सति (sati) - being so; 'पाण्डित्यात्' ('pāṇḍityāt') - from 'scholarship'; इति (iti) - thus; स्यात् (syāt) - it would be;]
(Indeed, dispassion does not arise there. If that is the case, it would be due to 'scholarship'.)
Certainly, 'obtaining detachment' is not advocated here. If so, usage should have been - 'pāṇḍityāt' (and not 'pāṇḍityaṁ').
न च ज्ञानिनां भगवन्महिमादिश्रवणे विरक्तिर्भवति।
na ca jñānināṃ bhagavan-mahimādi-śravaṇe viraktir bhavati.
[न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; ज्ञानिनां (jñāninām) - of the wise; भगवत् (bhagavat) - of the Lord; महिमा (mahimā) - glory; आदि (ādi) - and so on; श्रवणे (śravaṇe) - in hearing; विरक्ति (virakti) - dispassion; र्भवति (bhavati) - arises;]
(Nor does dispassion arise in the wise when they hear of the Lord's glory and related topics.)
The knowledgeable will never develop distaste towards listening to the glories of the lord.
"आत्मारामा हि मुनयः निर्ग्राह्या अप्युरुक्रमे। कुर्वन्त्यहैतुकीं भक्तिम् इत्थम्भूतगुणो हरिः॥"
"ātmārāmā hi munayaḥ nirgrāhyā apyurukrame। kurvantyahaitukīṃ bhaktim itthambhūtaguṇo hariḥ॥"
[आत्मारामा (ātmārāmāḥ) - those who delight in the self; हि (hi) - indeed; मुनयः (munayaḥ) - sages; निर्ग्राह्याः (nirgrāhyāḥ) - liberated from bondage; अपि (api) - even; उरुक्रमे (urukrame) - in the Supreme Person (Vishnu); कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti) - perform; अहैतुकीम् (ahaitukīm) - causeless; भक्तिम् (bhaktim) - devotion; इत्थम्भूतगुणः (itthambhūtaguṇaḥ) - having such wonderful qualities; हरिः (hariḥ) - Hari (Vishnu);]
(Even sages who are self-satisfied and liberated from bondage are drawn to perform causeless devotion to Hari, whose qualities are so wonderful.)
"The self contained ascetics, though not desirous of higher order, certainly perform overwhelming devotion to the lord Hari who is full of auspicious qualities."
इति वचनात्।
iti vacanāt।
[इति (iti) - thus; वचनात् (vacanāt) - from the statement;]
- states the proverb.
अनुष्ठानाच्च शुकादीनाम्। नच तेषां फलं सुखं नास्ति। तस्यैव महत्सुखत्वात् तेषाम्-
anuṣṭhānācca śukādīnām। na ca teṣāṃ phalaṃ sukhaṃ nāsti। tasyaiva mahatsukhatvāt teṣām-
[अनुष्ठानात् (anuṣṭhānāt) - from practice; च (ca) - and; शुकादीनाम् (śukādīnām) - of Śuka and others; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; तेषाम् (teṣām) - for them; फलं (phalaṃ) - fruit; सुखं (sukhaṃ) - happiness; नास्ति (nāsti) - does not exist; तस्य (tasya) - of that; एव (eva) - only; महत् (mahat) - great; सुखत्वात् (sukhatvāt) - because of happiness; तेषाम् (teṣām) - for them;]
(It is from the practice of Śuka and others. For them, the fruit, which is happiness, does not exist, because only that great happiness is for them—)
Sages like Shuka practice it as well. It doesn't mean there is no happiness. They derive enhanced bliss from such activities (i.e. by performing overwhelming devotion to the lord).
"या निर्वृतिस्तनुभृतां तव पादपद्म। ध्यानाद् भवज्जनकथाश्रवणेन वा स्यात्। सा ब्रह्मणि स्वमहिमन्यपि नाथ मा भूत् किम्वन्तकासिलुलितात् पततां विमानात्॥"
"yā nirvṛtis tanubhṛtāṃ tava pādapadma। dhyānād bhavajjanakathāśravaṇena vā syāt। sā brahmaṇi svamahimany api nātha mā bhūt kim vantakāsilulitāt patatāṃ vimānāt॥"
[या (yā) - which; निर्वृतिः (nirvṛtiḥ) - bliss; तनुभृताम् (tanubhṛtām) - of embodied beings; तव (tava) - your; पादपद्म (pādapadma) - lotus feet; ध्यानात् (dhyānāt) - from meditation; भवज्जन (bhavajjana) - of your devotees; कथा (kathā) - stories; श्रवणेन (śravaṇena) - by hearing; वा (vā) - or; स्यात् (syāt) - may be; सा (sā) - that; ब्रह्मणि (brahmaṇi) - in Brahman; स्वमहिमनि (svamahimani) - in one's own glory; अपि (api) - even; नाथ (nātha) - O Lord; मा (mā) - not; भूत् (bhūt) - may be; किम् (kim) - what; व् (v) - or; अन्तक (antaka) - of death; असि (asi) - sword; लुलितात् (lulitāt) - shaken; पतताम् (patatām) - of those who fall; विमानात् (vimānāt) - from the celestial vehicle;]
(O Lord, may the bliss found at your lotus feet—whether through meditation or by hearing the stories of your devotees—not be exchanged even for the glory of Brahman. For what is that compared to the fate of those who, shaken by the sword of death, fall from their celestial abodes?)
"O lord that bliss of yours that fills the breast of those through meditation of your lotus feet or through hearing the stories of your devotees is because of your glory. No where else such bliss is possible, then what to say about those falling from the plane hit by the sword of death"
इत्यादि वचनात्।
ityādi vacanāt।
[इति (iti) - thus; आदि (ādi) - and so on; वचनात् (vacanāt) - from the statement;]
-such are the proverbs.
तेषामपि उपासनादिफलस्य साधितत्वात्। तारतम्याधिगतेश्च। तथाहि यदि तारतम्यं न स्यात्-
teṣām api upāsanādi-phalasya sādhitatvāt. tāratamyādhigateś ca. tathā hi yadi tāratamyaṃ na syāt-
[तेषाम् (teṣām) - of them; अपि (api) - also; उपासना-आदि-फलस्य (upāsanādi-phalasya) - of the result of worship, etc.; साधितत्वात् (sādhitatvāt) - because of being accomplished; तारतम्य-अधिगतेः (tāratamya-adhigateḥ) - because of the attainment of gradation; च (ca) - and; तथा (tathā) - thus; हि (hi) - indeed; यदि (yadi) - if; तारतम्यम् (tāratamyam) - gradation; न (na) - not; स्यात् (syāt) - were (to be);]
(Even for them, the results of worship and similar practices are attained, and gradation is realized. Thus, indeed, if there were no gradation—)
We have already established that they too, even the liberated, obtain the results of worship. They are subjected to the acquired hierarchy. Because, if hierarchy doesn't exist:
"नात्यन्तिकं विगणयन्त्यपि ते प्रसादम्॥"
"nātyantikaṃ vigaṇayantyapi te prasādam॥"
[न (na) - not; अत्यन्तिकं (atyantikaṃ) - ultimate; विगणयन्ति (vigaṇayanti) - consider; अपि (api) - even; ते (te) - your; प्रसादम् (prasādam) - grace;]
(They do not even take your supreme grace into account.)
"They do not care even for your grace, responsible for liberation."
"नैकात्मतां मे स्पृहयन्ति केचित्॥"
"naikātmatāṃ me spṛhayanti kecit॥"
[न (na) - not; एकात्मताम् (ekātmatām) - oneness; (state of being one) मे (me) - to me; स्पृहयन्ति (spṛhayanti) - desire; केचित् (kecit) - some;]
(Some do not desire oneness with me.)
"Some do not desire even oneness with me."
"एकत्वमप्युत दीयमानं न गृह्णन्ति॥"
"ekatvam apy uta dīyamānaṃ na gṛhṇanti॥"
[एकत्वम् (ekatvam) - oneness; अपि (api) - even; उत (uta) - indeed; दीयमानम् (dīyamānam) - being given; न (na) - not; गृह्णन्ति (gṛhṇanti) - they accept;]
(They do not accept oneness even when it is being offered.)
"Even when offered, they do not accept oneness."
इति मुक्तिमपि अनिच्छताम् मोक्ष एव फलं। तदिच्छतामपि स भवति सुप्रतीकादीनाम् इति कथम् अनिच्छतां स्तुतिरुपपन्ना स्यात्॥ वचनाच्च-
iti muktim api anicchatām mokṣa eva phalaṃ। tad icchatām api sa bhavati supratīkādīnām iti katham anicchatāṃ stutir upapannā syāt॥ vacanāc ca-
[इति (iti) - thus; मुक्तिम् (muktim) - liberation; अपि (api) - even; अनिच्छताम् (anicchatām) - of those not desiring; मोक्षः (mokṣaḥ) - liberation; एव (eva) - indeed; फलं (phalaṃ) - result; तत् (tat) - that; इच्छताम् (icchatām) - of those desiring; अपि (api) - even; सः (saḥ) - he; भवति (bhavati) - becomes; सुप्रतीकादीनाम् (supratīkādīnām) - of Supratika and others; इति (iti) - thus; कथम् (katham) - how; अनिच्छताम् (anicchatām) - of those not desiring; स्तुतिः (stutiḥ) - praise; उपपन्ना (upapannā) - appropriate; स्यात् (syāt) - would be; वचनात् (vacanāt) - from the statement; च (ca) - and;]
(Thus, even for those who do not desire liberation, liberation itself is the result. For those who desire it, he also becomes the result for Supratika and others. Therefore, how can praise of those who do not desire (liberation) be appropriate? And from the statement-)
Thus, even when liberation is not desired, liberation only is the end result. Even those who desire liberation become greatly satisfied. When this is so, why is it not appropriate to praise those who are desireless? There are proverbs such as:
"यथा भक्तिविशेषोत्र दृश्यते पुरुषोत्तमे। तथा मुक्तिविशेषोपि ज्ञानिनां लिङ्गभेदने॥ योगिनां भिन्नलिङ्गानाम् आविर्भूतस्वरूपिणाम्। प्राप्तानां परमानन्दं तारतम्यं सदैव हि॥"
"yathā bhaktiviśeṣotra dṛśyate puruṣottame। tathā muktiviśeṣopi jñānināṃ liṅgabhedane॥ yogināṃ bhinnaliṅgānām āvirbhūtasvarūpiṇām। prāptānāṃ paramānandaṃ tāratamyaṃ sadaiva hi॥"
[यथा (yathā) - just as; भक्तिविशेषः (bhaktiviśeṣaḥ) - special devotion; उत्र (utra) - here; दृश्यते (dṛśyate) - is seen; पुरुषोत्तमे (puruṣottame) - in the Supreme Person; तथा (tathā) - so; मुक्तिविशेषः (muktiviśeṣaḥ) - special liberation; अपि (api) - also; ज्ञानिनां (jñāninām) - of the wise; लिङ्गभेदने (liṅgabhedane) - in the distinction of forms; योगिनां (yoginām) - of yogis; भिन्नलिङ्गानाम् (bhinnaliṅgānām) - of those with different forms; आविर्भूतस्वरूपिणाम् (āvirbhūtasvarūpiṇām) - whose true nature has manifested; प्राप्तानाम् (prāptānām) - of those who have attained; परमानन्दम् (paramānandam) - supreme bliss; तारतम्यम् (tāratamyam) - gradation; सदैव (sadaiva) - always; हि (hi) - indeed;]
(Just as there are distinctions in the devotion shown to the Supreme Person, so too are there distinctions in the liberation experienced by the wise, depending on their forms. Among yogis with different forms whose true nature has become manifest, there is always a gradation in the attainment of supreme bliss.)
"Among the knowledgeable, the way the devotion varies towards the lord in the current world, correspondingly after transcending the physical body, the liberated state is unique. Yōgis with varying bodies, obtain corresponding manifested forms. Certainly the supreme bliss obtained is always as per hierarchy."
इति।
iti।
[इति (iti) - thus;]
- states thus.
"न त्वाम् अतिशयिष्यन्ति मुक्तावपि कथञ्चन। मद्भक्तियोगात् ज्ञानाच्च सर्वानतिशयिष्यसि॥"
"na tvām atiśayiṣyanti muktā api kathaṃcana। madbhaktiyogāt jñānāc ca sarvān atiśayiṣyasi॥"
[न (na) - not; त्वाम् (tvām) - you; अतिशयिष्यन्ति (atiśayiṣyanti) - will surpass; मुक्ताः (muktāḥ) - the liberated ones; अपि (api) - even; कथञ्चन (kathaṃcana) - in any way; मद्भक्तियोगात् (madbhaktiyogāt) - by devotion to me; ज्ञानात् (jñānāt) - by knowledge; च (ca) - and; सर्वान् (sarvān) - all; अतिशयिष्यसि (atiśayiṣyasi) - you will surpass;]
(Even the liberated ones will not surpass you in any way. Through devotion to me and by knowledge, you will surpass all others.)
"None will surpass you, even in liberation, at any point in time. By the Yōga of devotion to myself, with transcendental knowledge, you will surpass all others."
इति च।
iti ca।
[इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and / as well;]
-states thus, as well.
साम्यवचनं तु प्राचुर्यविषयं दुःखाभावविषयं च। तथा चोक्तम्-
sāmyavacanaṃ tu prācuryaviṣayaṃ duḥkhābhāvaviṣayaṃ ca। tathā coktam-
[साम्यवचनं (sāmyavacanaṃ) - statement of equality; तु (tu) - but; प्राचुर्यविषयं (prācuryaviṣayaṃ) - relating to abundance; दुःखाभावविषयं (duḥkhābhāvaviṣayaṃ) - relating to absence of suffering; च (ca) - and; तथा (tathā) - thus; च (ca) - and; उक्तम् (uktam) - it is said;]
(However, the statement of equality refers to abundance and the absence of suffering. Thus it is said-)
Statements that express likeness (among those who are liberated) pertain to the abundance of joy while simultaneously avoiding suffering. Hence, it is said:
"दुःखाभावः परानन्दो लिङ्गभेदः समा मताः। तथापि परमानन्दो ज्ञानभेदात्तु भिद्यते॥"
"duḥkhābhāvaḥ parānando liṅgabhedaḥ samā matāḥ। tathāpi paramānando jñānabhedāttu bhidyate॥"
[दुःख-अभावः (duḥkha-abhāvaḥ) - absence of suffering; पर-आनन्दः (para-ānandaḥ) - supreme bliss; लिङ्ग-भेदः (liṅga-bhedaḥ) - distinction of the subtle body; समा (samā) - equal; मताः (matāḥ) - are considered; तथापि (tathāpi) - however; परम-आनन्दः (parama-ānandaḥ) - supreme bliss; ज्ञान-भेदात् (jñāna-bhedāt) - due to difference in knowledge; तु (tu) - but; भिद्यते (bhidyate) - is distinguished;]
(Absence of suffering, supreme bliss, and the distinction of the subtle body are regarded as equal. However, supreme bliss is differentiated because of differences in knowledge.)
"Absence of misery, bliss that is of transcendental nature, and not having physical body - are all the same (among the liberated) is the ascertained opinion. Even then, the transcendental bliss differs based on the difference in the knowledge."
इति नारायणाष्टाक्षरकल्पे।
iti nārāyaṇāṣṭākṣarakalpe।
[इति (iti) - thus; नारायण (nārāyaṇa) - Nārāyaṇa; अष्टाक्षर (aṣṭākṣara) - eight-syllabled; कल्पे (kalpe) - in the Kalpa (ritual or treatise);]
-stated thus in Nārāyana Ashtāksharakalpa.
अतो न वैराग्यं श्रुतादौ अत्र विवक्षितम्। न च सङ्कोचे मानं किञ्चिद् विद्यमाने इतरत्र प्रयोगे। महद्भिः श्रवणीयस्य श्रुतस्य च वेदादेः फलं प्राप्स्यसि इत्यर्थः ॥५२॥
ato na vairāgyaṃ śrutādau atra vivakṣitam। na ca saṅkoce mānaṃ kiñcid vidyamāne itaratra prayoge। mahadbhiḥ śravaṇīyasya śrutasya ca vedādeḥ phalaṃ prāpsyasi ityarthaḥ ॥52॥
[अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; न (na) - not; वैराग्यं (vairāgyaṃ) - dispassion; श्रुतादौ (śrutādau) - in the beginning of study; अत्र (atra) - here; विवक्षितम् (vivakṣitam) - is intended; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; सङ्कोचे (saṅkoce) - in limitation; मानं (mānaṃ) - regard; किञ्चित् (kiñcit) - any; विद्यमाने (vidyamāne) - when present; इतरत्र (itaratra) - elsewhere; प्रयोगे (prayoge) - in application; महत् (mahat) - by the great; भिः (bhiḥ) - by; श्रवणीयस्य (śravaṇīyasya) - of what is to be heard; श्रुतस्य (śrutasya) - of what is heard; च (ca) - and; वेदादेः (vedādeḥ) - of the Veda etc.; फलम् (phalam) - fruit; प्राप्स्यसि (prāpsyasi) - you will obtain; इति (iti) - thus; अर्थः (arthaḥ) - meaning;]
(Therefore, here, dispassion is not intended at the outset of study. Nor is any regard to limitation meant when something else is present in application. The meaning is: by the great, you will obtain the fruit of what is to be heard and what is heard, that is, of the Veda and so on.)
Therefore, detachment towards hearing and studies is not conveyed in this verse (by 'nivēda'). It is not appropriate to take negative meaning when there are other similar usages where positive meaning can be derived. "Understanding the significance of what is said, and what is going to be said, one obtains fruits of Vedas" - is the meaning.
Gīta Tātparya 2.52
'nirvēda' - means continued benefit.
निर्वेदं नितरां लाभम्।
nirvedaṃ nitarāṃ lābham।
[निर्वेदं (nirvedaṃ) - dispassion; नितरां (nitarāṃ) - exceedingly; लाभम् (lābham) - gain;]
(Dispassion is the greatest gain.)
'nirvēda' - means continued benefit.
