B.G 12.12
श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासात् ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते। ध्यानात् कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम् ॥१२॥
śreyo hi jñānam abhyāsāt jñānād dhyānaṃ viśiṣyate। dhyānāt karmaphalatyāgas tyāgāc chāntir anantaram ॥12॥
[श्रेयः (śreyaḥ) - better; हि (hi) - indeed; ज्ञानम् (jñānam) - knowledge; अभ्यासात् (abhyāsāt) - than practice; ज्ञानात् (jñānāt) - than knowledge; ध्यानम् (dhyānam) - meditation; विशिष्यते (viśiṣyate) - is superior; ध्यानात् (dhyānāt) - than meditation; कर्मफलत्यागः (karmaphalatyāgaḥ) - renunciation of the fruits of actions; त्यागात् (tyāgāt) - from renunciation; शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace / liberation; अनन्तरम् (anantaram) - immediately follows;]
Indeed, knowledge is considered better than mere practice. Meditation surpasses knowledge, and the renunciation of the fruits of actions is even higher than mere meditation. From such renunciation (of fruits of action resulting from meditation possessed with right knowledge), liberation immediately follows.
Gīta Bhāshya 12.12
The path of Karma-Yoga, i.e. the renunciation of the fruits of action, is considered superior to Karma-Sannyāsa, i.e. the abandonment of actions. Meditation that is accompanied by knowledge is superior to mere knowledge. The highest form of knowledge is said to be an intense meditation on the supreme being, accompanied by knowledge and devotion. The desire for the fruits of actions, dispassion, and renunciation does not merit as reward for such a meditation.
अज्ञानपूर्वात् अभ्यासात् ध्यानमेव विशिष्यते। ज्ञानमात्रात् सज्ञानं ध्यानम्। तथा च सामवेदे आनभिम्लानशाखायाम्-
ajñānapūrvāt abhyāsāt dhyānameva viśiṣyate। jñānamātrāt sajñānaṃ dhyānam। tathā ca sāmavede ānabhimlānaśākhāyām-
[अज्ञानपूर्वात् (ajñānapūrvāt) - from ignorance; अभ्यासात् (abhyāsāt) - from practice; ध्यानम् (dhyānam) - meditation; एव (eva) - indeed; विशिष्यते (viśiṣyate) - is distinguished; ज्ञानमात्रात् (jñānamātrāt) - from mere knowledge; सज्ञानं (sajñānam) - with knowledge; ध्यानम् (dhyānam) - meditation; तथा (tathā) - thus; च (ca) - and; सामवेदे (sāmavede) - in the Sāmaveda; आनभिम्लानशाखायाम् (ānabhimlānaśākhāyām) - in the Ānabhimlāna branch;]
Meditation is considered superior when it arises from practice rather than ignorance. Meditation that is accompanied by knowledge is superior to mere knowledge. This is also stated in the Ānabhimlāna branch of the Sāmaveda:
"अधिकं केवलाभ्यासाद् ज्ञानं तत्सहितं ततः। ध्यानं ततश्चापरोक्षं ततः शान्तिर्भविष्यति॥"
"adhikaṃ kevalābhyāsād jñānaṃ tatsahitaṃ tataḥ। dhyānaṃ tataścāparokṣaṃ tataḥ śāntirbhaviṣyati॥"
[अधिकं (adhikam) - more; केवलाभ्यासाद् (kevalābhyāsād) - from mere practice; ज्ञानं (jñānam) - knowledge; तत्सहितं (tatsahitam) - with that; ततः (tataḥ) - then; ध्यानं (dhyānam) - meditation; ततश्च (tataśca) - then; अपरोक्षं (aparokṣam) - direct experience; ततः (tataḥ) - then; शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace; भविष्यति (bhaviṣyati) - will be;]
"Through mere practice, one gains more knowledge; with that, meditation follows, leading to direct experience, and ultimately, peace will ensue."
इति।
iti।
[इति (iti) - thus;]
-stated thus.
"ध्यानात् कर्मफलत्यागः" इति तु स्तुतिः। अन्यथा कथम् असमर्थोऽसि इत्युच्यते। तयोस्तु कर्मसन्नयासात् कर्मयोगो विशिष्यते। इति चोक्तम्।
"dhyānāt karmaphalatyāgaḥ" iti tu stutiḥ। anyathā katham asamartho'si ityucyate। tayostu karmasannyāsāt karmayogo viśiṣyate। iti coktam।
[ध्यानात् (dhyānāt) - from meditation; कर्मफलत्यागः (karmaphalatyāgaḥ) - renunciation of the fruits of actions; इति (iti) - thus; तु (tu) - but; स्तुतिः (stutiḥ) - praise; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise; कथम् (katham) - how; असमर्थः (asamarthaḥ) - incapable; असि (asi) - are; इति (iti) - thus; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; तयोः (tayoḥ) - of the two; तु (tu) - but; कर्मसन्न्यासात् (karmasannyāsāt) - than abandonment of action; कर्मयोगः (karmayogaḥ) - karma yoga; विशिष्यते (viśiṣyate) - is superior; इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; उक्तम् (uktam) - said;]
It is praised "Better than meditation is the renunciation of the fruits of action" (dhyānāt karmaphalatyāgaḥ). Otherwise, how can one be considered incapable? Between the two, the path of Karma-Yoga, i.e. the renunciation of the fruits of action, is considered superior to Karma-Sannyāsa, i.e. the abandonment of actions. Such is the conveyed meaning.
"सर्वाधिकं ज्ञानमुदाहरन्ति ध्यानाधिके ज्ञानभक्ती परात्मन्। कर्माफलाकाङ्क्षमथो विरागः त्यागश्च न ध्यानकलाफलार्हः॥"
"sarvādhi kaṃ jñānamudāharanti dhyānādhike jñānabhaktī parātman। karmāphalākāṅkṣamatho virāgaḥ tyāgaśca na dhyānakalāphalārhaḥ॥"
[सर्वाधिकं (sarvādhi kaṃ) - most superior; ज्ञानमुदाहरन्ति (jñānamudāharanti) - knowledge is declared; ध्यानाधिके (dhyānādhike) - intense meditation; ज्ञानभक्ती (jñānabhaktī) - knowledge and devotion; परात्मन् (parātman) - supreme self; कर्माफलाकाङ्क्षमथो (karmāphalākāṅkṣamatho) - desire for fruit of action; विरागः (virāgaḥ) - dispassion; त्यागश्च (tyāgaśca) - and renunciation; न (na) - not; ध्यानकलाफलार्हः (dhyānakalāphalārhaḥ) - worthy of the fruit of meditation;]
"The highest form of knowledge is said to be an intense meditation on the supreme being accompanied by knowledge and devotion. The desire for the fruits of actions, dispassion, and renunciation does not merit as reward for such a meditation."
इति च काषायणशाखायाम्।
iti ca kāṣāyaṇaśākhāyām।
[इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; काषायणशाखायाम् (kāṣāyaṇaśākhāyām) - in the branch of Kāṣāyaṇa;]
- stated thus, in the Vedic branch of Kāṣāyaṇa.
वाक्यसाम्येऽपि असमर्थविषयत्वोक्तेः तात्पर्याभावः इतरत्र प्रतीयते। ध्यानादिप्राप्तिकारणत्वाच्च त्यागस्तुतिर्युक्ता। केवलध्यानात् फलत्यागयुक्तं ध्यानं अधिकम्। ध्यानयुक्त त्याग एव चात्रोक्तः। अन्यथा कथम्- "त्यागात् शान्तिररनन्तरम्" इत्युच्यते। कथं च ध्यानादाधिक्यम्। तथा च गौपवनशाखायाम्-
vākyasāmye'pi asamarthaviṣayatvokteḥ tātparyābhāvaḥ itaratra pratīyate. dhyānādiprāptikāraṇatvācca tyāgastutiryuktā. kevaladhyānāt phalatyāgayuktaṃ dhyānaṃ adhikam. dhyānayukta tyāga eva cātroktaḥ. anyathā katham- "tyāgāt śāntiraranantaram" ityucyate. kathaṃ ca dhyānādādhikyam. tathā ca gaupavanaśākhāyām-
[वाक्यसाम्ये (vākyasāmye) - in similarity of sentences; अपि (api) - even; असमर्थविषयत्वोक्तेः (asamarthaviṣayatvokteḥ) - due to the statement of inability to address the subject; तात्पर्याभावः (tātparyābhāvaḥ) - absence of intention; इतरत्र (itaratra) - elsewhere; प्रतीयते (pratīyate) - is perceived; ध्यानादिप्राप्तिकारणत्वाच्च (dhyānādiprāptikāraṇatvācca) - and due to being the cause of attainment through meditation, etc.; त्यागस्तुतिः (tyāgastutiḥ) - praise of renunciation; युक्ता (yuktā) - is appropriate; केवलध्यानात् (kevaladhyānāt) - from mere meditation; फलत्यागयुक्तं (phalatyāgayuktaṃ) - associated with the renunciation of results; ध्यानं (dhyānaṃ) - meditation; अधिकम् (adhikam) - is superior; ध्यानयुक्त (dhyānayukta) - associated with meditation; त्यागः (tyāgaḥ) - renunciation; एव (eva) - indeed; च (ca) - and; अत्र (atra) - here; उक्तः (uktaḥ) - is stated; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise; कथम् (katham) - how; त्यागात् (tyāgāt) - from renunciation; शान्तिः (śāntiḥ) - peace; अरनन्तरम् (aranantaram) - immediately after; इति (iti) - thus; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; कथं (kathaṃ) - how; च (ca) - and; ध्यानादाधिक्यम् (dhyānādādhikyam) - superiority over meditation; तथा (tathā) - thus; च (ca) - and; गौपवनशाखायाम् (gaupavanaśākhāyām) - in the branch of Gaupavana;]
When dealing with sentences that are similar, that are incapable of addressing the subject, absence of intention is perceived. In the context, praise of renunciation is appropriate, as it is the cause of the attainment of meditation. Meditation accompanied by relinquishment of results is superior. Here, renunciation accompanied with meditation is indeed stated (and not as two separate disciplines). Otherwise, how is it said that "peace follows immediately after renunciation"? And how is there superiority over meditation? It is mentioned thus in the branch of Gaupavana:
"ध्यानात्तु केवलात् त्यागयुक्तं तदधिकं भवेत्॥"
"dhyānāttu kevalāt tyāgayuktaṃ tadadhikaṃ bhavet॥"
[ध्यानात् (dhyānāt) - from meditation; तु (tu) - but; केवलात् (kevalāt) - from alone; त्यागयुक्तं (tyāgayuktaṃ) - with renunciation; तत् (tat) - that; अधिकं (adhikaṃ) - more; भवेत् (bhavet) - becomes;]
"However, through meditation alone one obtains the results; accompanied by renunciation, that becomes more."
इति।
iti।
[इति (iti) - thus;]
- stated thus.
न हि त्यागमात्रानन्तरमेव मुक्तिर्भवति। भवति च ध्यानयुक्तात्। केवलत्यागस्तुतिरेवमपि भवति। यथा "अनेन युक्तो जेता, नान्यथा" इत्युक्ते ॥१२॥
na hi tyāgamātrānantaram eva muktir bhavati। bhavati ca dhyānayuktāt। kevalatyāgas tu tirevam api bhavati। yathā "anena yukto jetā, nānyathā" ity ukte ॥12॥
[न (na) - not; हि (hi) - indeed; त्यागमात्रानन्तरम् (tyāgamātrānantaram) - immediately after renunciation; एव (eva) - certainly; मुक्तिः (muktiḥ) - liberation; भवति (bhavati) - occurs; भवति (bhavati) - occurs; च (ca) - and; ध्यानयुक्तात् (dhyānayuktāt) - from meditation; केवलत्यागः (kevalatyāgaḥ) - mere renunciation; तु (tu) - but; तिरः (tiraḥ) - praise; एवम् (evam) - thus; अपि (api) - also; भवति (bhavati) - occurs; यथा (yathā) - as; अनेन (anena) - by this; युक्तः (yuktaḥ) - united; जेता (jetā) - conqueror; न (na) - not; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ते (ukte) - said;]
Liberation is not achieved immediately after mere renunciation; it is attained when accompanied by meditation. Mere renunciation is praised, similar to the saying - "One who accompanied us is a conqueror, not otherwise."
