In first part we have tried to follow the life of Lokmanya Tilak not in chronological order but by exploring various facets of his personality. But the study would be far from being complete unless we examine his epic book " GEETA RAHASYA". ( गीता रहस्य ) Passing references have been made in the first part as and when needed but focus was somewhere else. Let us now review the book. .
We have already seen how the book how it was written and completed from prison in 1910 and how it's publication was delayed till 1915 and the scholarly approach of the author having tremendous memory. Let us proceed what prompted him to write such big commentary or Bhasya Granth.( भाष्य ग्रंथ ) Three pre requistes are needed for any attempt of Bhashya Granth ( भाष्य ग्रंथ ) One is thorough knowledge of the scripture in its original form . The second is study of already written Bhasya Granthas by other eminent scholars and the third is to have some thing more or different to offer. The first is evident from the number of references he has made to the MAHABHARATA ( महाभारत ). of which the GEETA (गीता )is part. Some 200 + references from 1st to 18th Parva ( पर्व ) or chapters are quoted by him . The second is also evident from reference to commentaries of all five Acharyas from Shankaracaharya (शंकराचार्य ) to Nimakacharya ( निम्बकाचार्य ) or Jneshwari ( ज्ञानेश्वरि ) among other. The third requisite can be seen in Vishay Pravesh ( विषयप्रवेश ) or introduction chapter of the book. He has quoted from a small Sanskrit booklet written by his contemporary Shikrishnanad Swami of Varanasi. " Tasmat Geeta naam Brahmvidyamul Neetishastram. ( तस्मात गीता नाम ब्राह्मविद्यायाम नितीशास्त्रम ) Therefore the Geeta is borne out of Brahma Vidya or self knowledge that is to be lived ethically ) He adds that the purpose of his effort is to prove this by exploring all 18 chapter of Geeta . Most of the Bhashya Grantha ( भाष्य ग्रंथ ) advocated Nivrutti Path ( निवृत्तीपर ) or the path of renunciate ( सन्यास मार्ग ) which according to him was directly opposite to the real essence of गीता which has clearly declared the path of Action as better.. It will be worthy to note the Sankalp Vakya ( संकल्प वाक्य ) or statement of mission appearing at he end every chapter. It almost echoes the same conclusion. " Brahmvidyam Yogshastre" ( ब्रह्मविद्यायाम योगशास्त्रे ) The emphasis is on both. The Vidya is the knowledge, the Shastra is the technique to put that knowledge into practice and Yoga is way of joining of the two together.
When Adi Shankaracharya wrote Bhasya on Geeta some more than 1200 years age, the meaning of action was different. It meant blindly performing "Yagna" with sacrifices as the only worthy aim of human life with desire to book a seat in heaven. The essence or great scripture like Vedas do mention about them but do not stop at that, The last part Vedas or Vedant are Upanishadas deal with the theories of the creation and continuation of the Universe which was deemed to be of bondage in nature and to find possible way of liberation from it. May be advocating the path of renunciation was desirable then.
When Adi Shankaracharya wrote Bhasya on Geeta some more than 1200 years age, the meaning of action was different. It meant blindly performing "Yagna" with sacrifices as the only worthy aim of human life with desire to book a seat in heaven. The essence or great scripture like Vedas do mention about them but do not stop at that, The last part Vedas or Vedant are Upanishadas deal with the theories of the creation and continuation of the Universe which was deemed to be of bondage in nature and to find possible way of liberation from it. May be advocating the path of renunciation was desirable then.
The path of renunciation or Sanyas marg ( सन्यास मार्ग ) continued till the time Tilakji set to write his commentary. To some extent it helped the vast and divided Hindu ( read Indian ) community to live under foreign rule. May it be Moghal or British. It offered tenacity to assimilate the culture of aggressors in the ancient Indian Culture and Civilization. It also brought a sense of unified identity to people from North to South and East to West. The pilgrimages from Benaras ( बनारस ) to Rameshwaram ( रामेश्वरम ) and from Puri ( पुरि ) to Dwarka ( द्वारका ) with countless Teerthas ( तीर्थ : Holy Places ) strewn in between kept the sense of belonging alive over centuries. This can be said as positive fall out of Sanyas Marg ( सन्यास मार्ग ) but it also made people tolerant to injustice, lazy without much ambition and as the British rulers found easy to Divide and Rule.
Lokmanya was firmly against this state of mass mind. He wanted to galvanize people into action. An action not for self benefit but for something more noble. He found people is the same state of mind as Arjuna at he beging of epic war of MAHABAHRATA.( महाभारत ) Totally confused and unable to decide what is good and desirable. Taking into account deep rooted faith of people in BHAGVAD GEETA ( भगवद्गीता ) , he must have thought of rewriting and exposing the secret ( रहस्य ) of Geeta for benefit of all.
The title of the book itself suggests the purpose of the book श्रीमद भगवद गीता रहस्य अथवा कर्मयोगशास्त्र ( SHREEMADBHAGAVADGEETA RAHASYA OR KARMAYOGASHASTRA ) ie. The secret of Bhagvadgeeta or Karmayogashastra. The word Karmayoga shastra is coined by joining three words the Karma, the Yoga and the Shastra.. Each of them has more than one meaning. The Karma or the action carries different meaning according to the time and purpose. Simply speaking to act is to do. But it is not so simple. To do also includes not to do or do it in specific way. All daily chores like eating, sleeping, walking, hearing, speaking or even breathing are actions done in specific ways for specific purpose. The purpose may be as basic as to live bodily or as complex as to lead to salvation. The actions may be instinctive or deliberate, with some aim or as duty , alone or together. Still there wont be single moment in life of any human when he is not engaged into some kind of action.( न हि किंचित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ट्य्तकर्मकृत : ३ : ५ गीता ) .
All actions do not qualify to be called as YOGA ( योग ) . Only some action with noble intention have that distinction. For example to earn is action but to steal, cheat for it cannot be called as Dranyayog ( द्रव्ययोग ).Only when it is earned with legitimate and respectable means it can be called so. If you accidentally run into fortune it is not द्रव्ययोग but घबाडयोग . It takes some additional qualities to convert a simple Karma (कर्म) into Yoga ( योग ). The word Yoga has come in Geeta over 80 times either individually or joined with some other word like Budhiyog ( बुद्धियोग ) , Aishwaryayog ( ऐश्वर्ययोग ) , Karmayog ( कर्मयोग ) etc. It does not refer to Pantanjali Yogasutra ( पंतंजली योगसूत्रे ) but has different shades at different places.( although chapter six deals with Asana and Dhyan independently ) . The first reference to Yoga is found in 39th stanza of second chapter where the Lord distinguishes what ever has been said thus far as different than what is going to be told as BudhhiYog ( बुद्धियोग ). The earlier part is meant to be Sankhya yog (सांख्ययोग ) dealing with Atman and its immortal nature. It is purely contemplative in nature and needs only subtlest of the action like breathing. The Budhhiyog ( बुद्धियोग ) is different. It calls the intellect to perform as well as contemplate. All actions are bound by the universal law of the reaction for every action. ( कारण, कार्य , परिणाम , कारण ) Most of us long for and call the reaction as desirable goals or fruits of the action. Second delusion is to believe you as Karta (कर्ता ) or performer. This unholy union creates bondage pushing us into cycle of the Birth and Death. No intelligent person wants to live in bondage. When the intellect directs to perform with equanimity towards result it becomes stable or Shtittpardya ( स्थितप्रज्ञ ). The same is termed as Smatvam Yoga Uchhyate ( समत्वं योग उच्यते २: ४८ ) The real trick is to perform and yet avoid the fruit as outcome leading to further bondage.This is explained as Skill of Performance ( योगः कर्मसु कौशलम २: ५० ). Such Yogi is referred as Karmayogi ( कर्मयोगी ))and the followers of knowledge are termed as Jnanyogi ( ज्ञान योगी ) as two independent beliefs leading to same goal. 3:5 . Further it is argued that the onus is more on liberated people to guide common people by setting example before them ( 3 : 20 to 3:25. ) like Janaka ot lord Krishna himself. Further the path of action is declared undoubtedly better in 5:2.
According to Lokmanya Tilak, the Geeta advocates Budhhi yog as prelude and Karmayog as life long commitment.It is against this background one finds the life of Lokmanya as leading from the front. Himself a learned person and yet full of life long performance.
What else is needed to prove him as TRUE KARMAYOGI ?
N.B. In first part an error has occurred while narating five parameter of Panchang. They are Tithi, Var, Nakshtra, Yoga and Karan. Please do point out any more factual errors if found.
Lokmanya was firmly against this state of mass mind. He wanted to galvanize people into action. An action not for self benefit but for something more noble. He found people is the same state of mind as Arjuna at he beging of epic war of MAHABAHRATA.( महाभारत ) Totally confused and unable to decide what is good and desirable. Taking into account deep rooted faith of people in BHAGVAD GEETA ( भगवद्गीता ) , he must have thought of rewriting and exposing the secret ( रहस्य ) of Geeta for benefit of all.
The title of the book itself suggests the purpose of the book श्रीमद भगवद गीता रहस्य अथवा कर्मयोगशास्त्र ( SHREEMADBHAGAVADGEETA RAHASYA OR KARMAYOGASHASTRA ) ie. The secret of Bhagvadgeeta or Karmayogashastra. The word Karmayoga shastra is coined by joining three words the Karma, the Yoga and the Shastra.. Each of them has more than one meaning. The Karma or the action carries different meaning according to the time and purpose. Simply speaking to act is to do. But it is not so simple. To do also includes not to do or do it in specific way. All daily chores like eating, sleeping, walking, hearing, speaking or even breathing are actions done in specific ways for specific purpose. The purpose may be as basic as to live bodily or as complex as to lead to salvation. The actions may be instinctive or deliberate, with some aim or as duty , alone or together. Still there wont be single moment in life of any human when he is not engaged into some kind of action.( न हि किंचित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ट्य्तकर्मकृत : ३ : ५ गीता ) .
All actions do not qualify to be called as YOGA ( योग ) . Only some action with noble intention have that distinction. For example to earn is action but to steal, cheat for it cannot be called as Dranyayog ( द्रव्ययोग ).Only when it is earned with legitimate and respectable means it can be called so. If you accidentally run into fortune it is not द्रव्ययोग but घबाडयोग . It takes some additional qualities to convert a simple Karma (कर्म) into Yoga ( योग ). The word Yoga has come in Geeta over 80 times either individually or joined with some other word like Budhiyog ( बुद्धियोग ) , Aishwaryayog ( ऐश्वर्ययोग ) , Karmayog ( कर्मयोग ) etc. It does not refer to Pantanjali Yogasutra ( पंतंजली योगसूत्रे ) but has different shades at different places.( although chapter six deals with Asana and Dhyan independently ) . The first reference to Yoga is found in 39th stanza of second chapter where the Lord distinguishes what ever has been said thus far as different than what is going to be told as BudhhiYog ( बुद्धियोग ). The earlier part is meant to be Sankhya yog (सांख्ययोग ) dealing with Atman and its immortal nature. It is purely contemplative in nature and needs only subtlest of the action like breathing. The Budhhiyog ( बुद्धियोग ) is different. It calls the intellect to perform as well as contemplate. All actions are bound by the universal law of the reaction for every action. ( कारण, कार्य , परिणाम , कारण ) Most of us long for and call the reaction as desirable goals or fruits of the action. Second delusion is to believe you as Karta (कर्ता ) or performer. This unholy union creates bondage pushing us into cycle of the Birth and Death. No intelligent person wants to live in bondage. When the intellect directs to perform with equanimity towards result it becomes stable or Shtittpardya ( स्थितप्रज्ञ ). The same is termed as Smatvam Yoga Uchhyate ( समत्वं योग उच्यते २: ४८ ) The real trick is to perform and yet avoid the fruit as outcome leading to further bondage.This is explained as Skill of Performance ( योगः कर्मसु कौशलम २: ५० ). Such Yogi is referred as Karmayogi ( कर्मयोगी ))and the followers of knowledge are termed as Jnanyogi ( ज्ञान योगी ) as two independent beliefs leading to same goal. 3:5 . Further it is argued that the onus is more on liberated people to guide common people by setting example before them ( 3 : 20 to 3:25. ) like Janaka ot lord Krishna himself. Further the path of action is declared undoubtedly better in 5:2.
According to Lokmanya Tilak, the Geeta advocates Budhhi yog as prelude and Karmayog as life long commitment.It is against this background one finds the life of Lokmanya as leading from the front. Himself a learned person and yet full of life long performance.
What else is needed to prove him as TRUE KARMAYOGI ?
N.B. In first part an error has occurred while narating five parameter of Panchang. They are Tithi, Var, Nakshtra, Yoga and Karan. Please do point out any more factual errors if found.
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