श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता

मूल श्लोकः

नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते।

मोहात्तस्य परित्यागस्तामसः परिकीर्तितः।।18.7।।

Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Ramanuja

।।18.7।।नियतस्य नित्यनैमित्तिकस्य महायज्ञादेः कर्मणः संन्यासः त्यागो न उपपद्यते।शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः।। (गीता 3।8) इति शरीरयात्राया एव असिद्धेः। शरीरयात्रा हि यज्ञशिष्टाशनेन निर्वर्त्यमाना सम्यग् ज्ञानाय प्रभवति। अन्यथाभुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापाः (गीता 3।13) इति अयज्ञशिष्टाघरूपाशनाप्यायनं मनसो विपरीतज्ञानाय भवति।

अन्नमयं हि सोम्य मनः (छा0 उ₀ 6।5।4) इति अन्नेन हि मन आप्यायते।आहारशुद्धौ सत्त्वशुद्धिः सत्त्वशुद्धौ ध्रुवा स्मृतिः। स्मृतिलम्भे सर्वग्रन्थीनां विप्रमोक्षः (छ0 उ₀ 7।26।2) इति ब्रह्मसाक्षात्काररूपं ज्ञानम् आहारशुद्ध्यायत्तमिति श्रूयते। तस्मात् महायज्ञादिनित्यनैमित्तिकं कर्म आप्रयाणात् ब्रह्मज्ञानाय एव उपादेयम् इति तस्य त्यागो न उपपद्यते।

एवं ज्ञानोत्पादिनः कर्मणो बन्धकत्वमोहात् परित्यागः तामसः परिकीर्तितः। तमोमूलः त्यागः तामसः? तमःकार्याज्ञानमूलत्वेन त्यागस्थ तमोमूलत्वम्। तमो हि अज्ञानस्य मूलम्प्रमादमोहौ तमसो भवतोऽज्ञानमेव च।। (गीता 14।17) इति अत्र उक्तम्। अज्ञानं तु ज्ञानविरोधिविपरीतज्ञानम्। तथा च वक्ष्यते -- अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता। सर्वार्थान्विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी।। (गीता 18।32) इति। अतो नित्यनैमित्तिकादेः कर्मणः त्यागो विपरीतज्ञानमूल एव इत्यर्थः।

English Translation By Swami Adidevananda

18.7 But the renunciation of obligatory acts is not proper. Abandonment of these through delusion is declared to be Tamasika.

English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Adidevananda

18.7 Obligatory acts consist of daily, and occasional ceremonies like the five great sacrifices; their abandonment is not proper, for without actions even the sustenance of the body would be impossible, as already stated: 'From no-work, not even the body can be sustained' (3.8). The sustenance of the body by eating the sacrificial remnants produces perfect knowledge. Otherwise, as declared in the statement, 'But the sinful ones eat sin' (3.13). The satisfaction that comes by eating food which is not the remnant of sacrifice and which is therefore of the form of sin, is productive of erroneous knowledge in the mind. For, as declared in the Sruti, 'The mind consists of food' (Cha. U., 6.5.4), the mind is sustained by food. Also, there is the Sruti text, 'When the food is pure, the mind becomes pure; when the mind is pure, remembrance becomes firmly fixed; and when remembrance is acired, there is release from all knots of the heart' (Ibid., 7.26.2). It is therefore proved by the Sruti that knowledge of the form of direct perception of Brahman, is dependent on the purity of food. Hence the great sacrifices and such other obligatory and occasional rites are worthy of adoption till one's death, as they help in the knowledge of the Brahman. The renunciation of these is therefore not proper. Thus, the relinishment of these acts which produce knowledge through the delusion that they bind the self, is rooted in Tamas. Tamasika renunciation has its roots in Tamas. Since such renunciation has its roots in ignorance which is the effect of Tamas, such renunciation is said to have its roots in Tamas. For Tamas is the root of ignorance as has been stated: 'From Tamas arise negligence and delusion, and also, ignorance' (14.17). Ignorance is erroneous knowledge which is antagonistic to right knowledge. So, it will be taught, 'That reason which, enveloped in Tamas, regards wrong as right, and which reverses every value, O Arjuna, is Tamasika' (18.32). It is for this reason that the renunciation of obligatory and occasional actions are said to have their roots in erroneous knowledge.