Gitartha Samgraha (critical Study)
by Partha Sarathi Sil | 2020 | 34,788 words
This page relates 鈥楤haktishatka in the Gitarthasangraha鈥� of the study on Abhinavagupta鈥檚 Gitartha Samgraha commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: one of the core texts of Indian Philosophy. The Gitartha Sangraha is written in the light of Kashmir Shaivism and brings to Shaiva metaphysics and Yoga integrated in the Bhagavadgita. This study deals with Abhinava鈥檚 vision about the purpose of human existence and the accomplishment of salvation (i.e., self-realisation).
Go directly to: Footnotes.
4. Bhakti峁峁璳a in the 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补
The grace of the Guru cannot be attained without bhakti (devotion). Arjuna, the devotee, was able to have all knowledge along with perception of the Lord鈥檚 universal form from 艢谤墨办峁涐梗峁嘺 as a friend with the help of unmixed devotion only. As the knowledge of the 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 becomes impossible to acquire without the assistance of the preceptor, also the non-dualistic 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 depends on the command and grace of the Guru. Abhinavagupta said in 罢补苍迟谤腻濒辞办补[1] and the same is echoed in the 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补[2]. Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 himself has said in the Bhaktiyoga of the 艢r墨madbhagavadg墨t膩 that he rescues the devotees from the sea of mortality. It is by way of offering oneself through selfless devotion, that the god鈥檚 grace can be attained. So, all the deeds are said to be dedicated to the God[3]. Elsewhere Abhinavagupta has firmly established his opinion of self dedication to the God by citing example from his 尝补驳丑耻辫谤补办谤颈测腻[4]. Final emancipation or paramakaivalya can be attained by Bhakti (Devotion)[5]. In course of discussion about Sanny膩soyoga in the ninth chapter, Abhinavagupta has shown that Sanny膩soyoga should be observed by offering all the desires and deeds to the supreme Brahman following the advised path of Lord[6]. It is the prime factor for combining the Karma and 闯帽腻苍补.
After the first 峁峁璦办补, hexade, we many take up chapters seven to twelve as the second hexade. Madhus奴dan 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 has said, 鈥渄vit墨ye bhagavadbhaktini峁ａ弓h膩var峁嘺navartman膩 / bhabav膩n praam膩nandastatpad膩rtho鈥檝adh膩ryate鈥漺hich means that in the second hexade the nature of god denoted by the word 鈥榯at鈥�, has been stated by bhaktiyoga. In this hexade it is supposed that there is discussion here on Bhakti which is a bridge between Karma and 闯帽腻苍补. At the beginning of the seventh chapter belonging to the second hexade, Abhinavagupta said about 箩帽腻苍补-惫颈箩帽腻苍补-yoga, meaning thereby 惫颈箩帽腻苍补 is the different name for action[7]. Here all the materials to be known are attached to the activities of knowledge.
The Lord has instructed all the yogins in the sixth chapter to bestow their mind on the god鈥�
鈥�yog墨n膩mapi sarve峁Ｄ乵 madgaten膩ntar腻迟尘补苍膩 /
艣rddh膩v膩n bhajate yo m膩m sa me yuktatamo 尘补迟补岣�鈥�[8].
The subsequent chapters have discussed on the answers of the questions. The question here is鈥搘ho is that competent person? In response to this question the Lord has said that such a competent person is really unavailable[9]. All the people perceive the nature. In the 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Abhinavagupta has mentioned eight varieties of nature. Everything originating from the nature is the consequence of the same and one existent. So, here in the naturism also non-dualism is manifested[10]. Through this 莫蝉惫补谤补 is different from 辫谤补办峁泃颈, 辫耻谤耻峁 and 辫耻谤耻峁迟迟补尘补, He pervades all the material objects[11]. The meaning is, the seed of everything is the god himself[12]. Due to his will there remains no difference between a jar and cloth[13]. So, Abhinavagupta has said in the 痴颈箩帽腻苍补-产丑补颈谤补惫补 -鈥溇背ΤΤ竽鍄膩mathav膩 j帽膩ne j膩te cittam sam膩vi艣et鈥� which means one should concentrate one鈥檚 mind at the very moment when 颈肠肠丑腻艣补办迟颈 and 箩帽腻苍补艣补办迟颈 are awakened[14]. As Lord 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 is the root of everything, the sense of Karma-蝉腻尘测补 grows through the worship and the knowledge of the god. Then by the grace of 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 the yogin can know the nature of 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 by 艣膩ktip膩ta[15], descent of the divine 艣补办迟颈. There it has been told about the performance of worship in many births. The sport of 尘腻测腻, the divine power, played by god, binds the beings and it requires god鈥檚 grace to be freed from that bondage[16]. The devotee, having less intellect does not know the nature of the formless Brahman. He, influenced by desire, prays to a particular god. So he cannot attain the true emancipation[17]. Abhinavagupta has said that according to the trika 艣膩艣tra it is possible to be emancipated by prayer to any god forsaking desires[18]. For this one should be a devotee. In the fourth chapter,we can find in the explanation of the third 艣濒辞办补 (Bhakto鈥檚i me)[19] that Lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 is telling Arjuna 鈥減rimarily you are my devotee and secondarily you are my friend鈥�. Here, according to Abhinavagupta, devotion to the guru has been shown as the foremost and the friendship as the secondary matter[20]. God grants him the favour in that form which has been taken refuses by him through his conception[21].
The knowledge which the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 achieves by keeping trust to the god, is the best knowledge. To achieve that knowledge, the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 should serve the feet of his preceptor and being devoted to the advices of the tradition of the preceptors and absorbed in their advised worship, he can achieve the excellence of devotion[22]. It has established the greatness of devotion that only taking the name of god is the way to liberation and it is mentioned in the recapitulating 艣濒辞办补 of the sixth chapter[23]. Abhinavagupta has mentioned in the explanation of the 骋墨迟腻 that it is possible to be liberated by performing worship to any god with devotion and devoid any desire[24]. Bhakti, devotion has been mentioned as a wish-yielding creeper in the recapitulating 艣濒辞办补 of the seventh chapter[25]. By dint of devotion the 蝉腻诲丑补办补 can fulfil all desires agreeable to him. Abhinavagupta has stated in many places the doctrine of that Bhagavat-tattva is obtainable by dint of devotion[26], and the cycle of rebirth can be stopped by it[27]. Want of envy for entering into the domain of knowledge, has been considered as the prime thing in the ninth chapter[28]. This envy disappears when equality is perceived and the devotee gets absorbed in devotion. In the Vi艣var奴padar艣ana-yoga of the eleventh chapter we find Arjuna bowing down to 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 again and again. Abhinavagupta has expressed this thing in his commentary as the indication of excessive devotion[29]. In this chapter while describing the nature of 痴腻蝉耻诲别惫补 of the form of this universe, Abhinavagupta says that forsaking of infatuation for wife, son and others, generates the feeling of minglenessand the devotee enables himself for emancipation[30].
In the twelfth chapter when the question of difference between Brahman with the form and worship of 腻迟尘补苍 arises, the Lord solves that question. Abhinavagupta has mentioned it as the state belonging to 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补[31]. That means devotion to 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补 is the best way. The devotee, prudent by the knowledge related to 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补 and devoted to the Lord is the best of all. 膧tman is accompanied by eight 驳耻峁嘺蝉[32]. By worshiping that 腻迟尘补苍 the devotee attains that 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补. Of course, it is a very difficult task. By the practice of attachment of mind to the god, excellence of devotion happens. As a result descent of the divine 艢akti of god showered on the favourite devotee. This descent of the divine 艢akti as god鈥檚 grace happens as a consequence of appropriate devotion and practice, and it is mentioned elsewhere in the Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 also[33]. In course of description of the nature of Bhakti in the 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Abhinavagupta has cited example from his composition Laghv墨prakriy膩 also and mentioned about submission of self[34]. Ultimate peace by abandoning fruit of work and supremacy of knowledge has been described by Abhinavagupta. Attachment towards god is the real knowledge[35]. His devotion to the Lord does not get importance who worships god being desirous of fruit. In that case devotion is important for getting fruit of work. There 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补鈥檚 favour for descent of divine 艢akti is not showered on the devotee[36]. By the word 鈥榗a鈥� in the twenty sixth 艣濒辞办补 of the fourteenth chapter, Abhinavagupta has directed submission to the 笔补谤补尘别艣惫补谤补 with certainty (ca sabdo). Abhinavagupta has said in the recapitulating 艣濒辞办补 of this chapter that the devotee鈥檚 ego disappears at the devotedness of bhakti-rasa and he transcends the 驳耻峁嘺蝉[37]. He becomes familiar as a true yogin. Abhinavagupta has said about the nature of bhakti, devotion according to the Kashmir 艢补颈惫颈蝉尘 that when the devotee explains the Supreme knowledge to others, that is primarily devotion[38]. Bhakti becomes firm through penance, respect and the advice of the preceptor[39]. In all circumstances and behaviour attainment of transitional devotedness to 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补 is the ultimate well being[40] 鈥搕his has been stated in the 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
罢补苍迟谤腻濒辞办补, 19/10.
[2]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Concluding verse, 4.
[3]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/8.
[4]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/11.
[5]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/20.
[6]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 9/29.
[7]:
j帽膩navij帽膩ne j帽膩nakriye eva | 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/2.
[8]:
叠丑补驳补惫补诲驳墨迟腻, 6/49.
[9]:
[10]:
s膩 caikaiva 蝉补迟墨 prak膩r膩峁ａ弓ena bhidyate iti ekaprak峁泃yarabdhatv膩dekameva vi艣vamiti 辫谤补办峁泃颈v膩de'pyadvaita峁� pradar艣itam | 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/5.
[11]:
aham ityanena 辫谤补办峁泃颈辫耻谤耻峁puru峁ttamebhyo'vyatirikto'p墨艣vara 蝉补谤惫补迟丑腻 蝉补谤惫腻苍耻驳补迟补迟惫别苍补 sthita iti s膩峁僰hyayogayorn膩sti 产丑别诲补惫腻诲补岣� | 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/6.
[12]:
[13]:
[14]:
Ibid.
[15]:
v膩sudeva sarvamiti j帽膩nena yo bahujanmopabhogajanitakarmasamat膩samanantarasamutpannapara艣补办迟颈p膩t膩nug峁沨墨t膩nta kara峁噊'sau pratipadyate..., 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补,7/13
[16]:
骋墨迟腻, 7/14
[17]:
惫颈辫补谤测腻迟迟耻 惫颈辫补谤测补测补岣�, 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/24
[18]:
Ibid.
[19]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 4/3.
[20]:
eva峁� bhaktiratra 驳耻谤耻峁� prati 辫谤补诲丑腻苍补峁�, na sakhitvamap墨ti t膩tpary膩rtha岣�, 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 4/3.
[21]:
骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 4/11.
[22]:
sarvayogimadhye ya eva m膩manta岣ara峁噀 nive艣ya bhakti艣谤补诲诲丑腻tatparo gurucara峁嘺sev膩labdhasa峁僷rad膩yakrame峁嘺 m膩meva....艣ivam | 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 6/49.
[23]:
bhagavann膩masa峁僷r膩ptim膩tr膩tsarvamav膩pyate |
辫丑补濒颈迟腻岣� 艣膩laya岣� samyagv峁涐梗峁璱m膩tre'valokite || 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Sa峁単raha艣濒辞办补-6.
[24]:
kintu siddh膩nto'yamatra ya岣� k膩man膩parih膩re峁嘺 yatki峁僣iddevat膩r奴pam膩lambate tasya 艣uddhamuktabh膩vena paryavasati | 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 7/24.
[25]:
sarvatattvagatatvena vij帽膩te parame艣vare |
antarbahirna s膩vastha na yasy膩峁� bh膩sate vibhu岣� || 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Sa峁単raha艣濒辞办补-8.
[26]:
[29]:
namo 苍补尘补岣� ityanena 辫补耻苍补岣耻苍测补峁� bhakttyati艣ay膩vi峁膩raka峁� yadeva bhagavat膩tikr膩nt膩dhy膩yairabhyadh膩yi.... stotradv膩re峁嘺 praka峁璦yati, 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 11/41.
[30]:
avidyam膩n膩nyaj帽eyarama峁嚹珁膩 ye峁Ｄ佱箖 产丑补办迟颈岣� parisphurati, te峁Ｄ佱箖 m膩峁� prapadyate, 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 11/60.
[31]:
m膩he艣varyavi峁yo ye峁Ｄ佱箖 蝉补尘腻惫别艣补岣� ak峁泃rimastanmay墨bh膩va岣�, te yuktatam膩 mama 尘补迟腻岣� ityanena 辫谤补迟颈箩帽腻 kriyate | 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/2.
[32]:
腻迟尘补苍i kil膩pahatap膩pmatv膩digu峁嚹佱梗峁璦k膩ropa峁� vidh膩ya pa艣c膩ttamevop膩sate iti, 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/5.
[33]:
[34]:
奴n膩dikamavij帽膩ta峁� paurv膩paryavivarjitam |
yacc膩vadh膩narahita峁� buddherviskhalita峁� ca yat ||
tatsarve mama 蝉补谤惫别艣补 bhaktasy膩rtasya durmate岣� |
办峁苍迟补惫测补峁� k峁沺ay膩 艣ambho yatastva峁� karu峁嚹乸ara岣� || 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/11.
[35]:
j帽膩nam 膩ve艣膩tma, 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 12/12.
[36]:
sa ev膩vyabhic膩ri峁噛膩 bhagavato mahe艣varasy膩graha艣akty膩 bhakty膩 pavitr墨k峁泃o n膩nya iti j帽eyam || 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, 14/26.
[37]:
lasadbhaktiras膩ve艣ah墨n膩ha峁僰膩ravibhrama岣� |
sthite'pi 驳耻峁嘺蝉a峁僲arde gu峁嚹乼墨ta岣� samo yati || 骋墨迟腻谤迟丑补蝉补峁単谤补丑补, Sa峁単raha艣濒辞办补-14.