The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Volume 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 Excerpt: ... cipation 4" The Vedas are concerned with three qualities, (viz, religion, profit, and pleasure). Be thou, O Arjuna, free from them, unaffected by pairs of contraries (such as pleasure and pain, heat and cold, &c.), ever adhering to patience, without anxiety for new acquisitions or protection of those already acquired, and self-possessed.4 Whatever objects are served by a tank or well, may all be served by a vast sheet of water extending all around; so whatever objects may be served by all the Vedas, may all be had by a Brahmana having knowledge (of self or Brahma).f" Thy concern is with Work only, but not with the fruit (of work). Let not the fruit be thy motive for work; nor let thy inclination be for inaction.4" Staying in devotion, apply thyself to work, casting off attachment (to it), O Dhananjaya, and being the same in success or unsuccess. This equanimity is called Yoga (devotion).4 Work (with desire of fruit) is far inferior to devotion, O Dhananjaya Seek thou the protection of devotion They that work for the sake of fruit are miserable.4 He who hath devotion throws off, even in this world, both good actions and bad What Krishna seeks to inculcate here is the simple truth that persons who believe in the Vedas and their ordinances laying down specific aets for the attainment of a heaven of pleasure and power, cannot have that devotion without which there cannot be final emancipation which only is the highest bliss. The performance of Vedic rites may lead to a heaven of pleasure and power, but what is that heaven worth? True emancipation is something else which must be obtained by devotion, by pure contemplation. In rendering Janma-Karma-phalapraddm I have followed Cankara. Creedhara and other commentators explain it differently.--T. t This slaka h...