1. Isavasya Upanishad Bhashya of Kura Narayana Sridhar Shastri Pathak 1843

SRI PRATAP COLLEGE LIBRARY

891.22

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6634

ईशावास्योपनिषत्

प्रकाशिकासमता

पं. श्रीधरशास्त्री पाठक

१८४२

6694

Moti Lal Banarsi Das

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येडविद्यामुपासते ।

Those who worship avidya (ignorance) enter into blind darkness.

ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥ ९ ॥

Those who are devoted to vidya (knowledge) enter into still greater darkness, as it were.

एवं विचित्रशक्तिकरूपमात्मविषयां कर्मयोगादृङ्कितां विद्यामुपदिश्यान-

Thus, having taught vidya (knowledge) that is related to the soul with its varied powers and forms, and is strengthened by karma-yoga (the yoga of action),

नतरं त्रिभिरमन्त्रैः केवलकर्मवलम्बिनः केवलविद्यावलम्बिनश्च पुरुषानिवानि-

He then taught the three mantras to those who rely solely on karma (action) and those who rely solely on vidya (knowledge),

र्मन्वर्थानुशासनानुप्ठितार्था विद्यया च निःश्रेयसोपासितमहिम्ना अनुष्पाति । वृह-

and having followed the injunctions of the mantras, they attained the highest glory through vidya.

दारण्यके चायं मन्त्रः पाठितः । ये भोगैश्वर्यपसक्ता अविद्यायां विद्यान्या क्रियां

This mantra was taught in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka. Those who are attached to bhoga (enjoyment) and aiśvarya (power) perform actions related to avidya and vidya.

केवलं कर्मैष्यर्थः । विद्याविधुरं कर्मति यात्त । अविद्या कर्मसंज्ञान्येति

The sole purpose of karma is to attain the fruits of action. Vidya is devoid of karma. Avidya is known as karma.

स्मृतेः । उपासते अनुतिष्ठन्ति । अन्धं तमोडतिगाहं तमोडज्ञानमित्यर्थः ।

According to smṛti (tradition), they worship and follow avidya. 'Blind darkness' refers to the darkness of ignorance.

त्रिवर्गाभिसङ्जानान्तरीयं नरकमन्धं तमो वा । " प्रवा ह्यते अन्धा यज्ञरूपा

The darkness that is associated with the three goals of life (dharma, artha, and kāma) is hellish or blind darkness. 'The sacrifices that are performed without knowledge are blind and lead to darkness.'

अष्टादशोक्तमवरं येषु कर्म । एतच्च्रेयो येडभिनन्दन्ति मूढा जरामृत्युं ते

The eighteen inferior karmas (actions) that are performed by those who delight in them are praised by the foolish. They lead to old age and death.

पुनरेऽपि यान्ति" ( मु० १ । २ । १० ) इति श्रुतेः । य उ विद्यायां रताः ।

Those who are devoted to vidya (knowledge) are reborn again and again, as stated in the śruti (scripture).

उत्तरपदेनाऽऽवेतद्यः । स्वाधिकारोचितकर्मपरित्यागेन विद्यायामेव

The latter part of the mantra explains this. By renouncing karma (action) that is suitable for one's own duty, one is devoted to vidya alone.

रताः । ते ततः कर्ममात्रनिष्ठाः प्राप्याऽन्धतमसाद् भूय इव तमस्तदधिक-

Those who are devoted to vidya alone attain a state of karma alone, and enter into still greater darkness, as it were, than the blind darkness.

मज्ञानं प्रविशन्ति । इवशब्दस्तमस इत्यताया दुर्हलत्वं घोतयति ॥ ९ ॥

The word 'iv' indicates the difficulty of understanding the nature of tamas (darkness).

निपेधस्य तु न वैयर्थ्यं हेयगुणपरत्वेनोपपत्तेः । ऐन्द्रजालिकत्वेनैति । मायावादि-

The prohibition is not meaningless, as it is applicable to the qualities that are to be abandoned. It is like a magician's trick.

मतखण्डनमेतत् । ते हि मायोपाधिद्वारा भगवति गुणानां सत्कं ब्रुवते । इन्द्रजालं-माया ।

This is a refutation of the view of the māyāvādins. They say that the Lord's qualities are real through the medium of māyā. Indrajāla (magic) is māyā.

तेन चरति स ऐन्द्रजालिकः । यथा मायावी वस्तुतोडनस्ति मध्य्यर्थ जातं दृश्यादि श्यमोपादानक-

One who performs magic is a magician. Just as a magician is not real, but creates an illusion through his magic,

मुपादयति तद्दुपाधिद्वारा भवस्वविमानाऽपि गुणा भासन्त इत्यमायावाद्यभिप्रायः ॥

so also, the qualities of the Lord appear through the medium of māyā, according to the view of the māyāvādins.

वर्णाश्रमधर्मानुगृहीतयेत्येति । वर्णाश्रमधर्मानुगतसहितयेष्यर्थः । पाठित

The phrase 'supported by the duties of varṇa and āśrama' means that the duties are included in the context of varṇa and āśrama.

इति । बृहदारण्यकं ब्राह्मणान्तर्गतच्वेनास्या: संहितोपनिषदो व्याख्याशानम् । तत्र च

The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad is explained in the Brāhmaṇa section. There,

प्रतिपादिते मन्त्रस्यास्य पाठः । विद्याविधुरं-विद्यारहितम् । त्रिवर्गाभिसङ्गादिति ।

the mantra is explained in the context of the three goals of life (dharma, artha, and kāma).

धर्मार्थकामेपु मोक्षरहितेष्वसक्तः । ब्रह्मलोकोऽपर्यन्तसाधकानांपि कर्माणि क्षयिफलतया

Those who are attached to dharma, artha, and kāma, but not to mokṣa (liberation), their karmas (actions) lead to the fruit of Brahmaloka (the world of Brahmā), which is perishable.

प्रवा ह्येत इति श्रुया निम्नान्ते । श्रुत्यर्थः-पोडश ऋत्विजः । पत्नी यजमानश्चैष्षादश

The śruti (scripture) says that those who perform sacrifices without knowledge are like blind men. The meaning of the śruti is that the sixteen priests and the sacrificer's wife are the eighteen.

कर्तृनाश्र्य विदितमवरं फलाभिसन्धिमत्तया अथेष्टं कर्म येषु यजमानेषु वर्तते ते यज्ञ-

Those who perform sacrifices with the expectation of fruit are considered inferior.

प्रवाना: पुरुषा जीर्णणौका इव संरारणवसन्तरणासमर्था

Those who are devoted to sacrifices are like old boats that are unable to cross the ocean of saṃsāra (the cycle of birth and death).

इत्यर्थः । यद्वा, अष्टादश-

Alternatively, the eighteen refers to the eighteen inferior karmas (actions).

स्मृत्युंक स्मार्त कर्म येऽपि श्रौतकर्म तदधिकारसम्पादनकत्वेनामग्भूतं भवात तान्यपि

Those who perform smārta (traditional) karmas (actions) and śrauta (Vedic) karmas, which are means to attain the desired results, are also included.

श्रौतानि यज्ञात्मकानि कर्माणि शोकामुतरणे साधनानि न भवन्तीत्यर्थः । एतत्कर्म

Those karmas (actions) that are of the nature of sacrifices do not lead to the attainment of mokṣa (liberation).

श्रेयोऽघानं मत्वा ये हप्यन्ति ते जरामृत्युं च भूयोऽभूयो गच्छन्ति ॥ उत्तरपदेनैति ।

Those who delight in these karmas (actions) thinking them to be the highest good, are reborn again and again, and are subject to old age and death.

उत्तरपदेनैति । उपदेशेवार्थे । तदाह विद्यायामेवेति । स्वाधिकारोचितवर्णाश्रमादि फम परित्यज्य

The latter part of the mantra explains this. The meaning is that one should renounce the duties of varṇa and āśrama that are suitable for one's own duty, and be devoted to vidya alone.

केवलं विद्यायामेव रताः इत्यर्थः । दुःख

The meaning is that one should be devoted to vidya alone, and not to anything else.

हतामिति । इयत्ता-मर्यादा । इयत्तम इति वक्तुं न शक्यत इत्यर्थः ॥ ९ ॥

The word 'duḥkhata' means that it is impossible to describe the extent of the darkness.