SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
athaithadhapyaSakthO’si karthum madhyOgam ASritha: |
sarvakarmapalathyAgam thatha: kuru yathAthmavAn ||
word-by-word meaning
atha – now
math yOgam ASritha: – pursuing bhakthi yOgam towards me
Ethath api karthum aSaktha: asi – if unable to perform this activity (which is the beginning stage of bhakthi yOgam)
thatha: – then
yathAthmavAn – having controlled the mind (through karma yOgam)
sarva karma pala thyAgam kuru – give up the fruits of all activities (as part of being engaged in gyAna yOgam which will instill parabhakthi (full attachment to bhagavAn))
Simple Translation
Now, if you are unable to perform this activity (which is the beginning stage of bhakthi yOgam) of pursuing bhakthi yOgam towards me, then, having a controlled mind, give up the fruits of all activities (as part of being engaged in gyAna yOgam which will instill parabhakthi (full attachment to bhagavAn)).
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘If, even to do this —with a view to My union— you are unable, then, mind-controlling, resign all action’s fruit.’
With a view to My union (mad-yoga): means adopting the Bhakti-Yoga, which demands all love being centered in Me alone. Whoso then, —the follower of this Path,— always musing on My attributes, finds himself unable to perform all works for My sake, —from which procedure God-love would be born— then let him launch on akshara-yoga, or the contemplation on soul-nature, —described in the first six Lectures,— which would (gradually) engender Para-bhakti (or God-love).
The resignation or renouncal of the fruits of action, is preliminary, or the preparatory stage, to insure soul-vision.
Yat-ātmavān = yata-manaskaḥ = mind-controlling in this case, the mind made willing to do works without craving for fruition).
It is only to one, who is entirely cleansed of all his sins, that I become the Object of Love. It is only such a person who would converge all the strength of his intellect (buddhi) to Me (the Fullness of Love) as his sole Aim.
Thus, by performing actions —which in truth are forms
of My Worship,— and not craving for their reward,
- Soul-contemplation ensues;
- From Soul-contemplation results the obliteration of all beclouding impediments, such as ignorance (avidyā).
- From this follows Soul-vision (Pratyag-ātma-sākshātkāra), or the experiencing of soul-nature as essentially relate to Me.
- When this experience is had, Parā-bhakti (God-love + God-vision) for Me becomes a natural product.
It will be shown further on that ‘By worshipping Him by his acts, man wins the Goal’ (Gi: XVIII-46).
‘Relinquishing, and freed from ‘my-ness’, and in repose, he is made fit to become like unto Brahm’ ‘(Gi: XVIII-53).
‘Become Brahm-like and clear-souled, he laments not and longs not; same to all beings, he does attain to My love supreme[1. Supreme Love is Intense Love resulting in God-vision = parama bhaktim. Love has three stages: Parabhakti, Parajñāna, Parama-bhakti.]’ (Gi: XVIII-54).
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