B.G 12.01
अर्जुन उवाच
arjuna uvāca
[अर्जुन (arjuna) - Arjuna; उवाच (uvāca) - said;]
Arjuna said:
एवं सततयुक्ता ये भक्तास्त्वां पर्युपासते। ये चाप्यक्षरमव्यक्तं तेषां के योगवित्तमाः ॥१॥
evaṁ satatayuktā ye bhaktās tvāṁ paryupāsate। ye cāpy akṣaram avyaktaṁ teṣāṁ ke yogavittamāḥ ॥1॥
[एवं (evaṁ) - thus; सततयुक्ताः (satatayuktāḥ) - constantly engaged; ये (ye) - who; भक्ताः (bhaktāḥ) - devotees; त्वाम् (tvām) - you; पर्युपासते (paryupāsate) - worship devotedly; ये (ye) - who; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; अक्षरम् (akṣaram) - imperishable; अव्यक्तम् (avyaktam) - unmanifest; तेषाम् (teṣām) - among them; के (ke) - who; योगवित्तमाः (yogavittamāḥ) - most knowledgeable in yoga;]
Among those who constantly worship you engaged in devotional service (bhaktāḥ), and those who worship the imperishable unmanifest, i.e. unmanifest insentient principle, Prakrti, who are the most knowledgeable in Yoga?
Gīta Tātparya 12.01
This chapter describes the conclusive and definitive means to be adopted. As Vedic texts prescribes liberation to worshippers of both the sentient Prakrti and the supreme Brahman, Arjuna asks which of the two is better. Based on the response given by the lord - "kūṭasthokṣara ucyate" (the 'kūṭastha' is called 'akṣara'), "kūṭastham acalam" (the immutable and unmoving), we can clearly infer the word 'avyakta', i.e. unmanifest, in the context refers to Sentient Prakrti. She is also known as Śrī, Lakṣmī, Aupalā, Ambikā, and Hrī. Lords subsequent response like: "mayy eva mana ādhatsva" (fix your mind on me alone), "te me yuktatamā matāḥ" (I consider them to be fully engaged in the path), etc. clearly conclude worhip of the lord with devotion is superior.
साधननिर्णयोऽत्र।
sādhananirṇayo'tra।
[साधन-निर्णयः (sādhana-nirṇayaḥ) - determination of the means; अत्र (atra) - here;]
This chapter describe the conclusive and definitive means to be adopted.
"श्रिये जातः श्रिय आ निरियाय श्रियं वयो जरितृभ्यो दधाति। श्रियं वसाना अमृतत्वमायन् भवन्ति सत्या समिथा मितद्रौ॥"
"śriye jātaḥ śriya ā niriyāya śriyaṁ vayo jaritṛbhyo dadhāti। śriyaṁ vasānā amṛtatvam āyan bhavanti satyā samithā mitadrau॥"
[श्रिये (śriye) - for PRakrti; जातः (jātaḥ) - born; श्रिय (śriya) - from Prakrti; आ (ā) - back; निरियाय (niriyāya) - departed; श्रियं (śriyam) - Prakrti; वयः (vayaḥ) - vigor; जरितृभ्यः (jaritṛbhyaḥ) - to the singers; दधाति (dadhāti) - grants; श्रियं (śriyam) - Prakrti; वसानाः (vasānāḥ) - wearing; अमृतत्वम् (amṛtatvam) - immortality; आयन् (āyan) - attain; भवन्ति (bhavanti) - they become; सत्या (satyāḥ) - truthful; समिथा (samithāḥ) - mutually agreeing; मितद्रौ (mitadrau) - the two wise ones;]
"Born from Prakrti, he returns to Prakrti; Prakrti grants vigor to the singers. Dwelling on Prakrti, they attain immortality; being truthful and in agreement, the two wise ones become so."
"उपासिता मुक्तिदा सद्य एव ह्यस्येशाना जगतो विष्णुपत्नी। या श्रीर्लक्ष्मीरौपला चाम्बिकेति ह्रीश्चेत्युक्ता संविदग्र्या सुविद्या॥"
"upāsitā muktidā sadya eva hy asyeśānā jagato viṣṇupatnī। yā śrīr lakṣmīr aupalā cāmbiketi hrīś cety uktā saṁvid agryā suvidyā॥"
[उपासिता (upāsitā) - worshipped; मुक्तिदा (muktidā) - bestower of liberation; सद्यः (sadyaḥ) - immediately; एव (eva) - indeed; हि (hi) - surely; अस्य (asya) - of him; ईशाना (īśānā) - mistress; जगतः (jagataḥ) - of the world; विष्णुपत्नी (viṣṇupatnī) - consort of Viṣṇu; या (yā) - who; श्रीः (śrīḥ) - Śrī; लक्ष्मीः (lakṣmīḥ) - Lakṣmī; औपला (aupalā) - Aupalā; च (ca) - and; अम्बिका (ambikā) - Ambikā; इति (iti) - thus; ह्रीः (hrīḥ) - Hrī; च (ca) - and; इति (iti) - thus; उक्ता (uktā) - is said; संविद्-अग्र्या (saṁvid-agryā) - supreme knowledge; सुविद्या (suvidyā) - true knowledge;]
"She who is worshipped, grants liberation immediately; she is indeed the mistress of this world, the consort of lord Viṣṇu. She is known as Śrī, Lakṣmī, Aupalā, Ambikā, and Hrī — the foremost consciousness, the true knowledge."
इत्यादिश्रुतिभ्यः।
ityādiśrutibhyaḥ।
[इति-आदि-श्रुतिभ्यः (iti-ādi-śrutibhyaḥ) - from such scriptural statements and the like;]
- stated thus in various Vedic testimonials.
"श्रीः सुतुष्टा हरेः तोषं गमयेत् क्षिप्रमेव तु। अतुष्टा तदुतुष्टिं च तस्माद् ध्येयैव सा सदा॥ अव्यक्तं प्रकृतिं प्राहुः कूटस्थं चाक्षरं च ताम्। प्रधानमिति च प्राहुर्महापुरुष इत्यपि। तां ब्रह्म महदित्याहुः परं जीवं परां चितिम्। तस्यास्तु परमो विष्णुः यो ब्रह्म परमं महत्॥"
"śrīḥ sutuṣṭā hareḥ toṣaṁ gamayet kṣipram eva tu। atuṣṭā tad utuṣṭiṁ ca tasmād dhyeyaiva sā sadā॥ avyaktaṁ prakṛtiṁ prāhuḥ kūṭasthaṁ cākṣaraṁ ca tām। pradhānam iti ca prāhur mahāpuruṣa ity api। tāṁ brahma mahad ity āhuḥ paraṁ jīvaṁ parāṁ citim। tasyās tu paramo viṣṇuḥ yo brahma paramaṁ mahat॥"
[श्रीः (śrīḥ) - Śrī; सुतुष्टा (sutuṣṭā) - fully pleased; हरेः (hareḥ) - of Hari; तोषं (toṣam) - satisfaction; गमयेत् (gamayet) - brings about; क्षिप्रम् (kṣipram) - quickly; एव (eva) - indeed; तु (tu) - but; अतुष्टा (atuṣṭā) - displeased; तत्-उतुष्टिं (tat-utuṣṭiṁ) - that satisfaction; च (ca) - and; तस्मात् (tasmāt) - therefore; ध्येया (dhyeyā) - to be meditated upon; एव (eva) - only; सा (sā) - she; सदा (sadā) - always; अव्यक्तं (avyaktam) - the unmanifest; प्रकृतिं (prakṛtiṁ) - nature; प्राहुः (prāhuḥ) - they call; कूटस्थं (kūṭastham) - immutable; च (ca) - and; अक्षरं (akṣaram) - imperishable; ताम् (tām) - her; प्रधानम् (pradhānam) - the original source; इति (iti) - thus; प्राहुः (prāhuḥ) - they call; महापुरुषः (mahāpuruṣaḥ) - the Great Person; इति (iti) - thus; अपि (api) - also; ताम् (tām) - her; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahman; महत् (mahat) - the great; इति (iti) - thus; आहुः (āhuḥ) - they say; परम् (param) - supreme; जीवम् (jīvam) - the living being; पराम् (parām) - highest; चितिम् (citim) - intelligence; तस्याः (tasyāḥ) - of her; तु (tu) - indeed; परमः (paramaḥ) - the highest; विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ) - Viṣṇu; यः (yaḥ) - who; ब्रह्म (brahma) - the Absolute; परमम् (paramam) - supreme; महत् (mahat) - great;]
"Śrī, when pleased, brings Hari’s satisfaction quickly; when displeased, even that satisfaction is affected. Therefore, she must always be meditated upon. She is called the unmanifest, nature, the immutable, the imperishable, the original source, the Great Person, Brahman, the great, the supreme self, the highest intelligence. Viṣṇu is superior to her — who is the supreme Brahman, the great."
इति ब्रह्माण्डवचनाच्च अव्यक्तोपासनात् मोक्षाशङ्कया पृच्छति।
iti brahmāṇḍavacanāc ca avyakta-upāsanāt mokṣāśaṅkayā pṛcchati।
[इति (iti) - thus; ब्रह्माण्ड-वचनात् (brahmāṇḍa-vacanāt) - from the statement of the Brahmāṇḍa; च (ca) - and; अव्यक्त-उपासनात् (avyakta-upāsanāt) - from worship of the unmanifest; मोक्ष-आशङ्कया (mokṣāśaṅkayā) - due to doubt regarding liberation; पृच्छति (pṛcchati) - he asks;]
As there are such statements of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāna advocating liberation by the worship of the unmanifest, Arjuna asks due to doubt regarding liberation (which of the two is better?).
"कूटस्थोक्षर उच्यते" इत्युत्तरवचनात् "कूटस्थमचलम्" इत्यत्राप्युक्तेः अव्यक्तशब्दः चित्प्रकृतिवाची। अन्यथा "ये त्वां पर्युपासते", "ये चाप्यक्षरम्", "तेषां के योग वित्तमाः" - इति भेदेन प्रश्नानुपपत्तिः। "परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्" इति तेनैव उक्तत्वात्।
"kūṭasthokṣara ucyate" ity uttaravacanāt "kūṭastham acalam" ity atrāpy ukteḥ avyaktasabdaḥ citprakṛtivācī। anyathā "ye tvāṁ paryupāsate", "ye cāpy akṣaram", "teṣāṁ ke yoga vittamāḥ" - iti bhedena praśnānupapattiḥ। "paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān" iti tenaiva uktatvāt।
[कूटस्थः (kūṭasthaḥ) - the immutable; अक्षरः (akṣaraḥ) - the imperishable; उच्यते (ucyate) - is said; इति (iti) - thus; उत्तर-वचनात् (uttara-vacanāt) - from the later statement; कूटस्थम् (kūṭastham) - the immutable; अचलम् (acalam) - unmoving; इत्यत्र (ity atra) - thus there; अपि (api) - also; उक्तेः (ukteḥ) - due to being stated; अव्यक्त-शब्दः (avyakta-śabdaḥ) - the term ‘unmanifest’; चित्-प्रकृति-वाची (cit-prakṛti-vācī) - denotes sentient Prakrti; अन्यथा (anyathā) - otherwise; ये (ye) - those who; त्वां (tvām) - you; पर्युपासते (paryupāsate) - worship devotedly; ये (ye) - those who; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; अक्षरम् (akṣaram) - the imperishable; तेषां (teṣāṁ) - of them; के (ke) - who; योग-वित्तमाः (yoga-vittamāḥ) - most versed in yoga; इति (iti) - thus; भेदेन (bhedeṇa) - by distinction; प्रश्न-अनुपपत्तिः (praśna-anupapattiḥ) - inconsistency of question; परं (param) - supreme; ब्रह्म (brahma) - Brahman; परं (param) - supreme; धाम (dhāma) - abode; पवित्रं (pavitram) - pure; परमं (paramam) - highest; भवान् (bhavān) - you; इति (iti) - thus; तेनैव (tenaiva) - by that very (person); उक्तत्वात् (uktatvāt) - due to having been said;]
Because of the subsequent response, “the immutable is called imperishable,” and also “the immutable and unmoving,” the word 'avyakta', i.e. unmanifest, refers to sentient Prakrti. Otherwise, the distinction between “those who worship you” and “those who worship the imperishable” would make the question invalid. Since the same person is said to be the supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, and the purest, that interpretation holds.
ये तु "ते मे युक्ततमा मताः", "मय्येव मन आधत्स्व" - इत्यादौ भगवता उक्तेपि अव्यक्तोपासकानामाधिक्यं वदन्ति ते तु अपलापकत्वात् अतीव साहसिका इति सुशोच्या एव ॥१॥
ye tu "te me yuktatamā matāḥ", "mayy eva mana ādhatsva" - ity ādau bhagavatā ukte'pi avyakta-upāsakānām ādhikyaṁ vadanti te tu apalāpakatvāt atīva sāhasikā iti suśocyā eva ॥1॥
[ये (ye) - those who; तु (tu) - but; "ते मे युक्ततमा मताः" (te me yuktatamā matāḥ) - "they are deemed most united to me"; "मय्येव मनः आधत्स्व" (mayy eva manaḥ ādhatsva) - "fix your mind on me alone"; इत्यादौ (ityādau) - in such statements; भगवता (bhagavatā) - by the Lord; उक्तेऽपि (ukte'pi) - though stated; अव्यक्त-उपासकानाम् (avyakta-upāsakānām) - of the worshippers of the unmanifest; आधिक्यं (ādhikyaṁ) - superiority; वदन्ति (vadanti) - they say; ते (te) - they; तु (tu) - but; अपलापकत्वात् (apalāpakatvāt) - due to evasiveness; अतीव (atīva) - extremely; साहसिकाः (sāhasikāḥ) - audacious; इति (iti) - thus; सुशोच्या (suśocyāḥ) - to be deeply pitied; एव (eva) - indeed;]
As the Lord says “fix your mind on me alone”, “I consider them to be fully engaged in the path", the worship of the lord is the most superior path. Despite these clear statements, those who lay claim to the superiority of the worshippers of the unmanifest are evasive and extremely audacious; therefore, they are indeed to be deeply pitied.
