[Advaita-l] Discussion on Bhagavat Gita

[Suresh]

Friends,

Thanks, Anant and Shyam, for your valuable input. As I
am finding it virtually impossible to balance my work
with scriptural study, I'll go right ahead with
another one of those beautiful verses from the Gita.

10.3

yo maam ajam anaadim ca

vetti loka-maheshvaram

asammuudhah sa martyesu

sarva-paapaih pramucyate

This verse isn't very perplexing, but then again, many
of my vaishnava friends give me this standard
interpretation:

"He who knows me as the unborn, without beginning,
Lord of this world, is not bewildered whilst living
amongst those subject to death, and is freed from all
sins."

Somehow, I am not sure if this is right. The first
part is ok with me, namely understanding the Lord as
unborn, without beginning etc. But the second part
doesn't ring true, because if the vaishnava
interpretation of 'freed from all sin' be right, then
shouldn't it read: 'sarva papebhyaH pramuchyate?'
papaiH is instrumental, whereas papebhyaH is ablative.
So freed from sin will not work.

So my interpretation goes like this: Undeluded
(asamuudhaH) by sins (sarva papaiH), he (saH) is freed
(pramuchyate) (whilst living) amongst mortal
beings(martyeshu).

It can be interpreted to mean he's liberated in the
world of mortal beings, he's liberated while living,
or something of the sort, to account for martyeshu,
and how it connects to pramuchyate. This may also go
well with our jiivan-mukta concept. At least, that's
how I feel.

Comments welcome.

Warmly,
Suresh

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