B.G 5.14
na kartr̥tvaṁ na karmāṇi lokasya sr̥jati prabhuḥ। na karmaphalasaṁyogaṁ svabhāvastu pravartate ॥14॥
Neither the agency to act, nor acts of the world are directly driven by the master (of city of nine gates, i.e. individual soul). Thus, is not united with the results of action. They are but, driven as per their inherent nature.
Gīta Bhāshya 5.14
The word 'prabhu', 'the master', here refers to individual being, as he/she is more capable than inert matter. Individual being does not do in reality, hence is not the agent.
na ca karoti vastutaḥ ityāha - na kartr̥tvam iti। prabhurhi jīvo jaḍamapekṣya ॥14॥
He does not do in reality, thus it is explained in 'na kartr̥tvam', i.e. 'has no agency' verse. Here the individual being is addressed as 'prabhuḥ', the lord, as he is more capable compared to inert matter.
Gīta Tātparya 5.14
It is the Lord who bestows independence and the notion of agency to individual being. At the same time the word 'lokasya' shows the given independence is not available in the matters concerning the world. The Lord exists by Himself and manifests Himself as the embodiment of inherent nature. Through inherent nature, He himself instigates and operates automatically as an agent. Ability of the lord to express, objectivity, existence, and such attributes are because of His inherent speciality. Thus, the doctrine of emptiness (by Buddhists), and the doctrine of attribute less Brahman (of Advaitins) is not tenable.
yathā pitr̥̄dattaṁ pālakatvaṁ rājaputrāṇām evaṁ paramātmadattaṁ kriyāsvātantryalakṣaṇaṁ kartr̥tvam। kriyāniṣpannadharmādirūpakarmaṇi svātantryaṁ ca jīvānāmapyastīti āśaṅkāṁ pariharati - na kartr̥tvamityādinā॥
Just as the father bestows governorship to royal sons, similarly given by the Supreme Soul are the characteristic of the independence in action and the notion of agency. Statements like 'na kartṛtvamityādinā', i.e. 'there is no agency' dispel the doubt among living beings about their own existence and regarding the independence in the activities born from the deeds out of their inherent nature.
kriyāyāmadr̥ṣṭotpādane phale ca svātantryaṁ lokasya na sr̥jati īśvaraḥ ityarthaḥ। anyathā lokasya iti viśeṣaṇaṁ vyartham।
The lord, by production of unknown results for the actions, does not give independence regarding governance of the world, is the meaning. Otherwise, the use of adjective, 'lokasya', i.e. 'of the world', is unnecessary.
janapade nivasatāṁ tadvittabhojināmapi ādhipatyādānāt na dattā janapadā rājñā svaputrāṇāmitivat karmaphalādisaṁyoginā'mapi tatsvātantryādānāt na sr̥jatīti yujyate।
The King does not bestow the country itself upon those in the position of leadership, as if to his own sons, despite their enjoyment of resources among the residents of the country. Similarly, those who engage in actions are given the fruits, but not the governance of the world, is the principle to be applied.
svayameva bhavati bhāvayati ceti svabhāvo bhagavān। svabhāvatvāt svayameva kartr̥tvādiṣu pravartate।
Indeed, the Lord exists by Himself and manifests Himself as the embodiment of inherent nature. Because of His inherent nature, He himself instigates and operates automatically in actions as an agent.
"svātantryāt bhagavān viṣṇuḥ svabhāva iti kīrtitaḥ। tatsvātantryaṁ kadā'pyeṣaḥ nānyasya sr̥jati kvacit॥
"The divine lord Vishnu is celebrated for His inherent independence. At all the time He governs with his autonomy, and not another.
svātantryādeva pāpādisambandhaḥ kurvato'pi na। ajñānāvr̥tabuddhitvādīdr̥śaṁ taṁ na jānate॥"
Indeed, even if he engages sin and such acts do not bind Him because of his independence and autonomy. Those whose intellect is covered by ignorance do not recognize this."
iti mahāvārāhe।
-stated thus in the Mahāvārāha Purāṇa.
"ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ।"
"I am the cause of everything."
"tapāmyahamahaṁ varṣaṁ nigr̥hṇāmi।"
"I scorch, I withhold the rain."
"parāsya śaktirvividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñānabalakriyā ca।"
"Indeed, we have heard that His diverse energies are knowledge, strength, and action, and are inherent and natural in Him."
"na r̥te tvatkriyate kiñcināre।"
"Nothing in the world happens without Your natural orders (ritam)."
"devasyaiṣa svabhāvo'yam।"
"All this is the inherent nature of the divine."
"lokavattu līlākaivalyam।"
"Wordly affairs and liberation are but a sport for you."
ityādeḥ na asya asvābhāvikaṁ kartr̥tvam akartr̥tvaṁ vā। viparītapramāṇābhāvācca।
From these testimonials, it becomes clear that His agency is not unnatural. There is a lack of testimonials to prove otherwise.
anirvācyanirāsādeva ca nirastoyaṁ pakṣaḥ। na ca sarvaviśeṣarāhityavādināṁ śūnyavādāt kaścit viśeṣaḥ। na hi sarvaviśeṣarahitamityukte tadastīti siddhyati। vācyatva lakṣyatvāstitvādīnāmapi viśeṣatvāt। anyathā asti brahmetyādīnāṁ śabdānāmapi paryāyatvādayo doṣāḥ।
The stand of 'indescribable' (anirvācya) is because of negation and refutation. Not that those who argue for the absence of all speciality (Advaitins - nirgunavāda) are any different, especially from the standpoint of empty-ism (Buddhist - emptiness). Indeed, by stating it is devoid of all special qualities, its existence in not established. Ability to express, objectivity, existence, and such attributes are because of inherent speciality. Otherwise, the words such as - 'exists', 'Brahman', and other words become synonymous, and argument becomes defective.
vyāvartyaviśeṣaśca vyāvr̥ttaviśeṣanibandhana eva। anyathā vaiyarthyameva syāt।
Indeed, speciality of particularization is even binding on the speciality of universalization. Otherwise, it would indeed be illogical and looses meaning.
svaprakāśatvaṁ ca na amānaṁ siddhyati। svayam prakāśatvaṁ ca tato'tiriktaṁ cet viśeṣāṅgīkāraḥ। na cet tadeva pramāṇagocaram tatpramāṇābhāve। paraprakāśatva mātranirāse svaprakāśatve pramāṇābhāvādaprakāśatvameva syāt। arthataḥ siddhiripi arthāpattitaḥ siddhiḥ tatpramāṇataḥ siddhirvā ubhayathāpi prameyatvameva syāt।
Self-effulgence cannot be established without proof. If only self-effulgence is accepted as a special case, then, because of lack of evidence for the others, even the goal must be accepted through presumption. In the absence of illumination of the other, the assumed self-effulgence will be considered as not-effulgent only. Therefore, the validation of both the self effulgence and the goal to be achieved is necessary.
svaprakāśa śabdena svamitatvānaṅgīkārāt paramitatvānaṅgīkārācca asiddhireva। prakāśa ityukte'pi svamanyaṁ vā kiñcit prakāśyaṁ vinā na duṣṭa eva bhojanādivat। kartr̥karmavirodhaśca anubhavaviruddhaḥ। jñānaṁ ca jñeyaṁ jñātāraṁ ca vinā na dr̥ṣṭam। ataḥ śūnyavādāt na kaścit viśeṣaḥ। ataḥ anantadoṣaduṣṭatvāt uparamyate।
By the word 'svaprakāśa', i.e. self-effulgent, itself the principles of self existence and the principle of beyond, i.e. transcendentalness is established. Thus, the doctrine (of emptiness or attribute less Brahman) is untenable. Indeed, when it is stated, 'Illuminates', its own illumination or anything to be illuminated is not observed without the self effulgent, similar to the experience, while partaking of food. The (attribute less Brahman and emptiness) doctrine contradicts the principle of agent, and action, and also is opposed to the experience of direct perception. Knowledge, the knowable, and the knower, without being observed, are not established.
Therefore, there is no special utility in the doctrine of emptiness. As we observe multiple defects, this doctrine is rejected.
hariḥ svabhāvataḥ kartā sarvamanyat tadīritam। ataḥ sā kartr̥tā tasya na kadācit vinaśyati॥
"The lord Hari by his inherent nature is the doer and everything else is considered as governed by Him. Therefore, that sense of His agency never perishes."
iti paiṅgiśrutiḥ।
-thus states Paingi testimonial.
