Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 7 - Shloka (Verse) 28

व्याख्या--'येषां त्वन्तगतं पापं जनानां पुण्यकर्मणाम्' द्वन्द्वमोहसे'--मोहित मनुष्य तो भजन नहीं करते और जो द्वन्द्वमोहसे मोहित नहीं हैं वे भजन करते हैं तो भजन न करनेवालोंकी अपेक्षा भजन करनेवालोंकी विलक्षणता बतानेके लिये यहाँ तु पद आया है।जिन मनुष्योंने अपनेको तो भगवत्प्राप्ति ही करनी है इस उद्देश्यको पहचान लिया है अर्थात् जिनको उद्देश्यकी यह स्मृति आ गयी है कि यह मनुष्यशरीर भोग भोगनेके लिये नहीं है प्रत्युत भगवान्की कृपासे केवल उनकी प्राप्तिके लिये ही मिला है ऐसा जिनका दृढ़ निश्चय हो गया है वे मनुष्य ही पुण्यकर्मा हैं। तात्पर्य यह हुआ कि अपने एक निश्चयसे जो शुद्धि होती है पवित्रता आती है वह यज्ञ दान तप आदि क्रियाओंसे नहीं आती। कारण कि हमें तो एक भगवान्की तरफ ही चलना है यह निश्चय स्वयंमें होता हैऔर यज्ञ दान आदि क्रियाएँ बाहरसे होती हैं।'अन्तगतं पापम्' कहनेका भाव यह है कि जब यह निश्चय हो गया कि मेरेको तो केवल भगवान्की तरफ ही चलना है तो इस निश्चयसे भगवान्की सम्मुखता होनेसे विमुखता चली गयी जिससे पापोंकी जड़ ही कट गयी क्योंकि भगवान्से विमुखता ही पापोंका खास कारण है। सन्तोंने कहा है कि डेढ़ ही पाप है और डेढ़ ही पुण्य है। भगवान्से विमुख होना पूरा पाप है और दुर्गुणदुराचारोंमें लगना आधा पाप है। ऐसे ही भगवान्के सम्मुख होना पूरा पुण्य है और सद्गुणसदाचारोंमें लगना आधा पुण्य है। तात्पर्य यह हुआ कि जब मनुष्य भगवान्के सर्वथा शरण हो जाता है तब उसके पापोंका अन्त हो जाता है।दूसरा भाव यह है कि जिनका लक्ष्य केवल भगवान् हैं वे पुण्यकर्मा हैं क्योंकि भगवान्का लक्ष्य होनेपर सब पाप नष्ट हो जाते हैं। भगवान्का लक्ष्य होनेपर पुराने किसी संस्कारसे पाप हो भी जायगा तो भी वह रहेगा नहीं क्योंकि हृदयमें विराजमान भगवान् उस पापको नष्ट कर देते हैं

तो फिर इस द्वन्द्वमोहसे छूटे हुए ऐसे कौनसे मनुष्य हैं जो आपको शास्त्रोक्त प्रकारसे आत्मभावसे भजते हैं इस अपेक्षित अर्थको दिखानेके लिये कहते हैं जिन पुण्यकर्मा पुरुषोंके पापोंका लगभग अन्त हो गया होता है अर्थात् जिनके कर्म पवित्र यानी अन्तःकरणकी शुद्धिके कारण होते हैं वे पुण्यकर्मा हैं ऐसे उपर्युक्त द्वन्द्वमोहसे मुक्त हुए वे दृढ़व्रती पुरुष मुझ परमात्माको भजते हैं। परमार्थतत्त्व ठीक इसी प्रकार है दूसरी प्रकार नहीं ऐसे निश्चित विज्ञानवाले पुरुष दृढ़व्रती कहे जाते हैं।

If all beings become deluded as soon as they are born—devoid of the knowledge of the reality of the Lord and averse to the worship of the Lord—then the worship of the Lord prescribed by the request of the scripture would become meaningless due to the absence of qualified aspirants?—he raises this doubt with "Ke punah" (Who then).

In many births, due to the force of merits, those whose sins are removed; who are free from delusion prompted by pairs of opposites (dvandva); who possess disciplines like celibacy etc.—since they have the qualification for the worship of the Lord, there is no contradiction with scripture; he answers thus with "Uchyate" (It is said).

He states the meaning indicated by the word "Tu" (But) as "Again."

To accomplish merely the stated meaning, "Samaptapraya" (Almost finished) is said.

To show the utility of meritorious action in the present context (liberation), he qualifies it with "Sattva" (Purifying the mind).

He states the fruit of the cessation of delusion caused by pairs of opposites, resulting from both kinds of purity, with "Te dvandva" (They... pairs).

He states the culmination of the cessation of delusion into devotion to the Lord with "Bhajante" (They worship).

Anticipating obstacle to the worship of the Lord for those possessing various belongings/attachments, he says "Dridha" (Firm-vowed).

Then who, knowing You according to scripture, worship You with the feeling of the Self? Upon this expectation, He says.

"Yesham tu" (But of those)—of those men again; "Punyakarmanam"—whose karma is meritorious; whose meritorious karma is purifying the mind through the destruction of sin, they are 'Punyakarma'; their; "Papam" (Sin); "Antam" (End)—to termination—"Gatam"—has gone/reached;

they, being "Vinirmuktah"—freed/devoid—of the stated delusion of pairs of opposites; therefore "Dridhavratah" (Firm-vowed)—

having determined knowledge through total renunciation that 'The reality of the Self is thus alone, not otherwise'; worship "Mam"—the Supreme Self.

And there are some who are opposite [to the deluded ones]; He states this

with 'Of whom' (yeṣām), etc.

Then for whom does omniscience occur? Anticipating this doubt, He answers with 'But of whom' (yeṣāṃ tu), in two [verses].

'Of whom' (yeṣām)—of those persons performing meritorious deeds, whose sin has become 'ended' (antagatam)—attained the end, i.e., destruction. [The compound antagatam is formed] by the rule 'Dvitīyā śritā...' (Second case affix compounded with words like śrita, atīta, etc.).

They, being 'freed' from the 'delusion of pairs' characterized as before, first becoming 'of firm vows' (dṛḍhavratāḥ)—possessing steadfastness in control of the mind (śama) and senses (dama), etc.—worship Me.

But those whose sin—which has been active since beginningless time, is constituted of the Gunas, is the cause of desire and hatred arising from dualities (pairs of opposites), and is opposed to turning towards Me—has come to an end, meaning it is destroyed, by the accumulation of excellent merit (Punya) earned through many births; they, according to the gradation of good deeds mentioned earlier, having taken refuge in Me, being completely liberated from the delusion constituted of the Gunas, worship Me alone with firm vows, meaning with firm resolve, for the sake of liberation from old age and death (Kaivalya), for the realization of the true nature of the self separated from matter, for great sovereignty (Aishvarya), and for attaining Me.

In that context, regarding those three [types of devotees] worshipping the Lord, He introduces the specific details to be known and the things to be adopted [by them].

"Then why/how are some seen worshipping You?" To this, He says—"Yesham" (Those whose), etc.

But those people of virtuous character (habituated to performing meritorious acts) whose entire obstructing sin has come to an end, meaning it is destroyed, they, being liberated from the delusion caused by the pairs of opposites (dualities), and being of firm vows—meaning being exclusive/one-pointed devotees—worship Me.

If all beings thus fall into delusion, then the worship of the Lord would never occur for anyone; consequently, statements like "four types of people worship Me" (7.16) would become invalid. The answer to this is "Yesham tu" (But those whose), etc.

The phrase "of virtuous deeds" is intended to indicate the cause for the cessation of sin. Similarly, the Shruti states: "One drives away sin through Dharma" (Mahanarayana Upanishad 16.1).

The word "Jana" (people), implying those currently possessing birth, suggests multiple births as the cause for the accumulation of merit; with this intention, it is said: "accumulated through many births by the collection of excellent merits." The "excellence" (of the merit) is implied by its capacity to remove the sin that obstructs the knowledge of God.

By the word "Gunamaya" (constituted of Gunas), the duality specifically defined as happiness and distress—which are actually contact (synthesis) with and separation (analysis) from the Lord—is distinguished. Since two results are seen in "freed from the delusion of duality" and "worship Me," a distinction is shown even within the obstructing sin: one aspect being "the cause of desire and hatred regarding dualities" and the other being "opposed to turning towards Me."

To show that it is destroyable only by excellent merit earned over many births, the sin is described as "active since beginningless time." Since sin and the delusion of duality are not destroyed without a trace at the very beginning of worship, the word "antagata" (gone to the end) implies that a small residue remains; with this intention, it is glossed as "kshinam" (weakened/waned).

Keeping in mind what was stated earlier such as "Those who surrender to Me alone" (7.14) and "Four kinds of people worship Me," and what is to be stated immediately after such as "for liberation from old age and death" (7.29), he [Ramanuja] says "Purovktena" (by the earlier mentioned [gradation]).

Nor does the mention of being "freed from the delusion of duality" make the context inapplicable to those seeking wealth/power (Aishvarya-arthis), because the suppression of pettier dualities is necessarily required for them as well.

The word "Vrata" primarily refers to specific resolves (sankalpas); it is applied to specific actions only because of their connection to that resolve; with this intention, the term "Dridhasankalpah" (of firm resolve) is used. The term "Dridhavrata" (firm vow) also indicates, according to scriptural authority, rules such as the abandonment of other deities; with this intention, "worship Me alone" is stated.

Since the vows auxiliary to worship are established by the very phrase "worship Me," the explanation up to "and for attaining Me" interprets "firm resolve" in terms of the specific fruit desired by the devotee or as an explanation [of the worship itself].

जिन पुण्यकर्मी पुरुषों का पाप नष्ट हो गया है इस कथन को सम्यक् प्रकार से समझना आवश्यक है। पाप मनुष्य का स्वभाव नहीं हैं वेदान्त के अनुसार वह मनुष्य द्वारा किये गये गलत निर्णय अर्थात् विपरीत ज्ञान का परिणाम है जिसने आत्मचैतन्य को आच्छादित सा कर दिया है। पाप का मुख्य कारण है बाह्य स्थूल जगत् के निम्न स्तरीय विषयोपभोग के लिए हमारे मन की तृष्णा और स्पृहा। पापी पुरुष वह है जिसका अत्यधिक समय और ध्यान केवल अपने देहसुख के लिए ही व्यक्त होता है। ऐसे पुरुष में देह स्वामी और आत्मा उसकी दासी बन जाती है। बहिर्मुखी प्रवृत्ति वैषयिक सुखों की कामना मन में उठने वाली प्रत्येक निम्न कोटि की भावना का सन्तुष्टीकरण यह है पापी पुरुष की जीवन पद्धति।इस प्रकार का कामुक पाशविक जीवन अन्तकरण में वैसी ही वासनाएं उत्पन्न करता है। वासना के अनुसार ही विचार होते हैं। विचारानुसार कर्म और ये कर्म फिर वासना को ही दृढ़ करते हैं।मनुष्य की शान्ति और सन्तुष्टि को विनष्ट करने वाली वासनाविचारकर्म की श्रृंखला को तोड़ने के लिए मनुष्य को पुण्यकर्म का नया जीवन प्रारम्भ करने का उपदेश दिया जाता है। पुण्यकर्म पाप का विरोधी होने से उसके अन्तर्गत वे सब विचार भावनाएं तथा कर्म आते हैं जो ईश्वर को समर्पित होते हैं अर्थात् जिनका लक्ष्य ईश्वर प्राप्ति होता है। मैं देह हूँ के स्थान पर मैं आत्मा हूँ इस ज्ञान को दृढ़ करके कर्म करने पर वे अपना संस्कार उत्पन्न नहीं करेंगे। कुछ कालावधि में इन पुण्यसंस्कारों के दृढ़ होने पर पाप वासनाएं नष्ट हो जायेंगी।ऐसा पापयुक्त पुरुष सुख दुखादि रूप सभी प्रकार के द्वन्द्वमोह से निर्मुक्त हो जाता है। तब उसमें यह योग्यता आती है कि वह एकाग्रचित तथा दृढ़वती अर्थात् दृढ़ निश्चयी होकर आत्मा का ध्यान कर सके।साधन सम्पन्न साधक किस प्रयोजन से आत्मा का ध्यान करते हैं उत्तर है

From "Yesham" (whose) etc., up to "Yuktacetasah" (steadfast mind) [verses 28-30 are treated together].

But those whose Tamas (darkness/ignorance) is destroyed, and whose selves have been secured in tranquility by the complete exhaustion of both merit and demerit (Punya and Apunya); they, having the canopy of great delusion torn apart, know everything indeed as studded with the rays of the Lord, and know Brahman as flowed out from [or free from] the darkness consisting of old age and death. They know the Adhyatmika (pertaining to self), Adhibhautika (pertaining to elements), Adhidaivika (pertaining to divinities), and Adhiyajnika (pertaining to sacrifice) aspects as merely other forms of Mine.

And at the time of departure (death), because their inner instrument (mind/heart) is constantly steeped in the contemplation of the Lord, they know Me. Because, for those whose life (birth) was from the very beginning [devoted to] the reality of God, they would fully remember the Supreme Lord at the time of the end.

Those who think, "What is the use of lifelong service?"—for them, silence alone is their decoration (i.e., they are rendered speechless or their silence is better than their foolish speech).

Anticipating the objection that the subsequent statement renders the meaning redundant due to the verse "Four types..." (7.16), he says "Viparitashcha" (and the reverse/opposite).

Regarding the question: "Is the decision [not to surrender] due to Your surrender being the cause of crossing Maya, or is it due to their own fault that they do not surrender to You?"—therefore, that was stated.

If "all beings go to delusion," [one might fear that] the path to liberation would be lost; raising this doubt, He states here that there are indeed some who are free from the delusion of duality; this is the meaning.

If "all beings fall into delusion," then how is it said that "four kinds of people worship Me"? True. It is because their sins have diminished due to an abundance of merit; thus He says "Yesham tu" (But those whose).

Those people who are distinct from the common world, whose birth is fruitful, who are "punya-karmanam"—meaning habituated to performing virtuous deeds over many births—and whose knowledge-obstructing sin has become "antagata," meaning reached its end or termination, through those very meritorious acts; they, due to the absence of sin, are spontaneously liberated from the "delusion of duality" caused by that (sin)—which is the error based on attachment, aversion, etc. Being unfit for return (rebirth), they are left alone (by delusion). Being "Dridhavratah"—of unshakeable resolve—possessing knowledge that is void of any suspicion of invalidity regarding the scriptural evidence, resolving that "In every way, the Lord alone is to be worshipped and He is exactly of this form," they worship Me, the Supreme Self, taking refuge in no other. It is exactly these who were referred to by the word "Sukriti" (virtuous) in "four kinds of people worship Me."

Therefore, "all beings fall into delusion" is the general rule (Utsarga). Among them, those who are virtuous worship Me, being devoid of delusion; this is the exception (Apavada). Thus, there is no contradiction.

This same general rule was propounded earlier in "by the three states constituted of Gunas" (7.13). Therefore, one should always strive for the accumulation of meritorious deeds that purify the mind (Sattva); this is the purport.

"Now, among those who are deluded, living in their company, how do some people who did not worship before, later become engaged in Your worship?"—to this He says "Yesham" (Of whom). Of those rare, fortunate, "Punyakarmanam"—of virtuous deeds, habituated to virtuous conduct through seeing Me etc., endowed with humility etc. towards great souls. "Tu"—again; "Jana" (people)—endowed with afflictions like birth etc.; their "Papam" (Sin)—which obstructs the knowledge of My nature; "Antabhavam gatam"—has reached the state of end, destroyed—this is the meaning. "Te dvandvamohanirmuktah"—freed from the delusion of their own happiness and sorrow etc.; "Dridhavratah"—of firm resolve; solely devoted to Me; worship Me.

Here the idea is: Whatever little meritorious action done in a previous birth; by that growing in another birth, or in many births; upon the maturity of age, due to fear of death accumulated by merit (punya here likely means resulting in awareness/fear?), for the removal of that, they become engaged in My worship.

Therefore indeed "In thousands of other births, by austerities, knowledge, and Samadhi; for men whose sins are destroyed, devotion to Krishna arises" (Padma Gita 40)—thus it is said by the Bhagavatas.

But those "people of virtuous deeds"—those who possess virtuous action which is the cause of the purification of the mind (sattva) are "people of virtuous deeds"; of those virtuous people—whose sin is "antagatam," meaning almost finished or attenuated; they, being "dvandva-moha-nirmuktah"—liberated from the delusion of duality as described earlier—worship Me, the Supreme Self, being "dridhavratah" (of firm vows).

Those whose understanding is settled by the vow of total renunciation (of everything else), with the conviction that "The Supreme Reality is exactly this way, not otherwise," are called "dridhavratah" (men of firm vows).

For what purpose they worship, is stated [next].

"Yesham tu" (But whose), etc. For virtuous people, [all] sin is destroyed, or the obstruction in the form of sin is destroyed; they, being firm in their vows, worship Me.

The meaning is that they are seen worshipping Me.

येषाम् of whom? तु but? अन्तगतम् is at the end? पापम् sin? जनानाम् of men? पुण्यकर्मणाम् of men of virtuous deeds? ते they? द्वन्द्वमोहनिर्मुक्ताः freed from the delusion of the pairs of opposites? भजन्ते worship? माम् Me? दृढव्रताः men steadfast in vows.Commentary By the performance of good deeds the heart is slowly purified Sattva increases Rajas and Tamas are gradually thinned out. The mind becomes serene and calm. The little selfarrogating personality slowly dies. You grow in spirituality. The divine flame becomes brighter and brighter. You become impersonal.Sin To forget ones identity with the Supreme Soul is the greatest sin. To see difference is sin. To take the body as the Self? to believe that this world is real is sin. Selfishness is sin. Egoism is sin. Ignorance is sin.Steadfast in vows The man steadfast in vows entertains a firm resolve I must realise the Self now I will not budge an inch from my seat till I attain Selfrealisation. He has the firm conviction that Brahman is the only Reality. This world is unreal. It is like a mirage. I can attain immortality and eternal bliss if I realise the Self only. There is not an iota of happiness in the sensual objects. Therefore the Lord says? Those persons of pure deeds worship Me steadfast in vows.

Yesam jananam, those persons; tu, on the other hand; punya-karmanam, who are of virtuous deeds, in whom exist virtuous deeds that are the cause of purification of the mind; whose papam, sin; antagatam, has come to an end, is almost eradicated, attenuated; te, they; dvandva-moha-nirmuktah, being free from the delusion of duality as described; and drdhavratah, firm in their convictions-those who [Here Ast. adds, 'sarva-parityaga-vratena, through the vow of relinishing everything'.-Tr.] have the firm knowledge that the supreme Reality is such alone and not otherwise are called drdhavratah-; bhajante, adore; mam, Me, the supreme Self.
Why do they worship? This is being answered:

However, there are some whose sins, accruing from beginningless time, which cause desire or hatred to the pairs of opposites and annual the tendency towards Me, have come to an end, i.e., have become weakened, through the accumulation of good actions in numerous births, They resort to Me, devoid of delusion produced by the Gunas, and worship Me alone in proportion to the excellence of their Karmas previously described. In order to attain deliverance form old age and death and for aciring the supreme consummation of reaching Me, they remain steadfast in their vows.
Sri Krsna enumerates what special things are to be known and what ought to be attained by these three classes of votaries of God: