[Advaita-l] तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,

A beautiful shloka from BG (4.38) for which Madhusudana Saraswati comments as:

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न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति।।4.38।।

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The free English translation runs as:

"Indeed, there is nothing pure / sublime / supreme here than Knowledge; 
One who has perfected himself from karma-yoga, that Knowledge 
gets revealed in himself in due course of time".

What is to be observed here are couple of words that are
useful for sAdhana and also that give solace to us.

The word 'योगसंसिद्धः' emphasises on sAdhana ie., karma-yoga;
the word 'तत्स्वयं' indicates that 'that Knowledge itself'
and the word 'कालेनात्मनि विन्दति' indicates that 'would realise 
in due course of time'.

So, the sAdhaka himself has to do the sAdhana. As the karma-yoga 
matures, the Knowledge dawns upon himself and gets revealed....
And, it doesn't happen in a flash of lightening nor anybody does any
miracles or shakti-pAta diksha-s etc. It just get revealed in 'due course 
of time' when the sAdhaka is योगसंसिद्धः. 

Madhusudana comments beautifully as:

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यस्मादेवं तस्मात् नहि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रं पावनं शुद्धिकरमन्यदिह वेदे लोकव्यवहारे वा विद्यते 
ज्ञानभिन्नस्याज्ञानानिवर्तकत्वेन समूलपापनिवर्तकत्वाभावात् कारणसद्भावेन पुनः पापोदयाच्च। 
ज्ञानेन त्वज्ञाननिवृत्त्या समूलपापनिवृत्तिरिति तत्सममन्यन्न विद्यते। तदात्मविषयं ज्ञानं सर्वेषां 
किमिति झटिति नोत्पद्यते तत्राह तज्ज्ञानं कालेन महता योगसंसिद्धो योगेन पूर्वोक्तकर्मयोगेन संसिद्धः
संस्कृतो योग्यतामापन्नः स्वयमात्मन्यन्तःकरणे विन्दति लभते नतु योग्यतामापन्नोऽन्यदत्तं 
स्वनिष्ठतया न वा परनिष्ठं स्वीयतया विन्दतीत्यर्थः

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He says 'तदात्मविषयं ज्ञानं सर्वेषां किमिति झटिति नोत्पद्यते' ie., why doesn't Self Knowledge 
doesn't reveal / shine itself in a jiffy (in a flash / immediately) 'झटिति'.  For that answer 
given is 

"कालेन महता योगसंसिद्धो योगेन पूर्वोक्तकर्मयोगेन संसिद्धः
संस्कृतो योग्यतामापन्नः स्वयमात्मन्यन्तःकरणे विन्दति लभते नतु योग्यतामापन्नोऽन्यदत्तं 
स्वनिष्ठतया न वा परनिष्ठं स्वीयतया विन्दतीत्यर्थः".

Having endowed with yoga (karma-yoga), when the time is ripe (in due course of time),
the Knowledge of Self dawns in himself which is already inherent in him. Another imporant
aspect is that it is revealed स्वनिष्ठतया (with his own abidance in yoga) and 
 न वा परनिष्ठं स्वीयतया (not by other's abidance).  

rgs,
sriram