[Advaita-l] BG 8-24

[latha vidya]

Hari Om
Namaste
 
"It is also possible to say that 8-24 is applicable to those who engage 
in
nivrrti maarga and 8-25 is for those in pravrtti maarga."
 
 
With reference to the above, I have this opinion to express :
 
In 8-24, the knower of the impersonal Brahman engages in activities without the sense of  "doer-ship or kartritwa" and has realized that there is no other Brahma loka which is away from him. Hence after his death he gets united with that impersonal Brahma from where there is no return.
Whereas in 8-25, the person thinks of Brahma as some entity other than himself  which he attains after his death. There is a sense of "doer-ship" here which makes the person indulge in either karmas or upasana with the goal of attaining that Brahma. Hence after his death though he reaches Brahma, the ego is not annihilated and he is aware of himself having attained some other state and is bound to return after he completes the role.
 
I am open for corrections.
 
Namaste
latha Vidyaranya


"M. S. Ravisankar" <ravi at ambaa.org> wrote:


Krishna clearly qualifies 8-24 and 8-25. In 8-24, he simply does not say
all janaaH, but qualifies it with brahma vidaH. And in 8-25, he qualifies
it as yoginaH. Hence, 8-24 does not contradict 8-16. Also, the term brahma
vidaH should be understood carefully here. Sankara says the following:
brahma vido brahma upaasakapara janaaH krameNa it vaakyasheshhaH ... -- That
is you should take that as those who worship qualified brahman and attain
liberation in stages.

It is also possible to say that 8-24 is applicable to those who engage in
nivrrti maarga and 8-25 is for those in pravrtti maarga.

I think that in 8-16, by using the specific word brahma bhuvana, it is
distinguished from the other usage of the word brahma-loka, which is in the
proximity of qualified brahman or iishvara. Here brahma bhuvana is the loka
of 4-headed brahma (consort of saraswathy).

My 2c. Needless to say that I may be wrong.

Ravi




-----------------------
Ramesh Badisa wrote on Wed, 14 Jan 2004 09:41:25:

In 8/16, lord Krishna says that who so ever goes to Brahma Lok, they will
have to return to mundane world. On the other hand, in 8/24, he advises
Arjun to attain solar path. It is said that the souls of this solar path
will also eventually go to Brahma Lok. In that case, they are also subjected
to the condition of 8/16. But Lord Krishna says that these souls will attain
salvation. How is that possible.


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