The ātma or eternal soul never accepts anyone's sins or mitigate anyone's misery or suffering although the person may be dearly beloved. Nor does the ātma take the pious merit and happiness which may come to a person that is hated.

The ātma is transcendental to material nature and not limited to the physical body. The ātma knows not the relationship of the amity of friendliness nor the enmity of antagonism.

All conceptions of friend and foe are material designations caused by vāsanā which is physical instincts created from material association.

How then is it that the ātma is thus shrouded by this vāsanā?

Lord Krishna reveals that it is because of ignorance. It is ignorance which shrouds and obscures spiritual knowledge. Ignorance and nescience is that which is opposed to spiritual knowledge and wisdom.

By the shrouding of ignorance due to reactions from past actions the consciousness of the ātma becomes obscured and the intelligence compromised

allowing the living entity to enter the perilous predicament of believing they are the enjoyer of the rewards of actions thereby recipients of the reactions.

Thus by the karma or the reactions from attachment to actions one forges a material link in the appropriate physical body.

This love of one's body forges links with other bodies kindling an ironclad infatuation for the bodily conception. This infatuation maturing becomes vāsanā which constitutes the seed for further births in the material creation.

This perpetuates more and more actions and reactions and infatuations for bodily connections and more seeds and more increased vāsanā which perpetually keeps an embodied being locked in the material existence engendering unlimited births and rebirths.

Next Lord Krishna propounds the topic of spiritual intelligence.

“न करोति वस्तुतः इत्याह । न कर्तृत्वम् इति । प्रभुः हि जीवो जडमपेक्ष्य ।” - In truth, He does not perform, thus Sri Krishna says in this verse. Here the word prabhu is used in relation to the human being, because among the gross objects, he is the superior one. “ज्ञानमेवाज्ञाननाशकम् उत्याह ज्ञानेन इति । प्रथनज्ञानं परोक्षम् ।” - Wisdom, awareness alone destroys non-awareness, thus He says in this verse. Primary awareness is the supra-sensory experience. “अपरोक्षज्ञानाव्यवतिसाथनमाह — तद्बुद्धयः ।” - Sri Krishna declares the means of being aware of the supra-sensory experience in this verse.

“यथा पितृदत्तं पालकत्वं राजपुत्राणामेव परमात्मदत्तं क्रियास्वातन्त्र्यलक्षणं कर्तृत्वम् | क्रियानिष्पन्नधर्मा दिरूपकर्मणि स्वतन्त्र्यं च जीवनामप्यस्ति इत्याशङ्कां परिहरति | न कर्तृत्वम् इत्यादिना | क्रियायामदृष्टोत्पादने फले च स्वातन्त्र्यं लोकस्य न मुजतीश्वरः इत्यर्थः | अन्यथा लोकस्य इति विशेषणं व्यर्थम् | जनपदे निवसतां तद्वित्तभोजिनामप्याधिपत्यादानान् दत्त्वा जनपदा राज्ञा स्वपुत्राणामितिवत् कर्मफालादिसंयोगिनामपि तत्त्वातन्त्र्यादानात् न मुजति इति युज्यते | स्वयमेव भवति भावयति च इति स्वभावो भगवान् | स्वभावत्वात् स्वयमेव कर्तृत्वादिषु प्रवर्तते || स्वातन्त्र्यादभगवान्विष्णुः स्वभाव इति कीर्तितः | तत्त्वातन्त्र्यं कदाऽप्येष नान्यस्य मुजति क्वचित् || स्वातन्त्र्यादेव पापादिसम्बंधः कुर्वतोऽपि न | अज्ञानावृतबुद्धित्वादीदृशंतं न जानते || इति महावराहे |” — Even as the regency granted by the king to his sons, even so is the (limited) independence given by the Supreme Self (to the human beings) for performance of actions. To remove doubts regarding independence of the human beings to the actions or the consequential righteous or unrighteous results of those actions Sri Krishna clarifies in this verse. The Lord does not initiate independence of action or the consequential fruits thereof to the people, otherwise the qualification - to the people would have been useless. Even as residing in the region and enjoying the fruits of such residence, consequent to giving control over such regions does not amount to the grant of independence by the king to his sons, even so the actions or for fruits consequent to such actions do not flow from the independence given to the human beings. The Lord impels and becomes, therefore is known as sva-bhaava. He alone induces the creative activity and human impulse. Because of his independence, Sri Vishnu is known as sva-bhaava. He alone is independent and given to none others. Being independent is not associated with merits or demerits. The intellect of humans being enveloped by non-awareness, this eternal Truth is not known by him, thus, in Maha Varaha Puraana.

“अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवः | तपाम्यहम् वर्षे निगृह्णामि | परास्य शक्तिविविधैव श्रूयते स्वाभाविकी ज्ञानवलक्रिया च | न ऋते त्वत् क्रियते किञ्चनाऽरे | देवस्यैष स्वभावोऽयम् | लोकवत् लीलाकैवल्यम् | इत्यादेर्ना स्यास्वाभाविकं कर्तृत्वमकर्तृत्वं वा ||” — I am the Lord of all, I create heat and dwell in clouds, pour rains and also stop them, Intrinsic attributes of the Lord like Wisdom, power and Actions are perceived in many ways. Without your Will, O Lord, no one can bring near that which is at a distance, due to your inherent attributes, Creation is but His effusive activity. Such statements speak nothing which is not natural to Him or His active or non-active attributes. There is no contradiction here.

“विपरीतप्रमाणभावाच्च | अनिर्वाच्यनिरासादेव च निरस्तोऽयं पक्षः | न च सर्वविशेषरहितवादिनां शून्यवादात् कश्चिद् विशेषः | न हि सर्वविशेषरहितम् इत्युक्ते तदास्ति इति सिद्धयति | वाच्यत्वलक्ष्यत्वास्तित्वादीनामपि विशेषत्वात् | अन्यथा अस्ति ब्रह्म इत्यादिनां शब्दानामपि पर्यायत्वादयो दोषाः | व्यावर्त्यविशेषश्च व्यावृतविशेषनिबन्धन एव | अन्यथा वेयर्थ्यमेव स्यात् | न च सर्वशब्दावाच्यास्य लक्ष्यत्वम् | न च सर्वप्रमाणो गीधर्मस्ति इत्यत्र किञ्चनमानम् | नास्तित्वं तु सप्तमरसादिवदर्शनात्सिद्धयति ऽ स्वप्रकाशत्वं च नामानं सिद्धयति | स्वयम्प्रकाशत्वं च ततोऽतिरिक्तं चेद् विशेषाङ्गीकारः | न चत् तदेव प्रमाणगोचरम् | तत्प्रमाणभावे परप्रकाशत्वमात्रनिरासे स्वप्रकाशत्वे प्रमाणभावादप्रकाशत्वमेव स्यात् | अर्थतः सिद्धिरियर्थापत्तितः सिद्धिस्तत्प्रमाणतः सिद्धिर्वा ? | उभयथाऽपि प्रमेयत्वमेव स्यात् | स्वप्रकाशशब्देन स्वमितत्वाङ्गीकारात् परमित्वानडगीकाराच्चासिद्धिरेव | प्रकाश इत्योक्तेऽपि समन्यं वा किञ्चित् प्रकाश्यं विना न दृष्ट एव भोजनादिवत् ऽकर्तृकर्मविरोधश्चानुभवविरुद्धः | ज्ञानं च ज्ञेयं ज्ञातारं विना न दृष्टम् | अतः शून्यवादान्न कश्चिद् विशेषः | अतोऽनन्तदोषदुष्टत्वादुपरम्यते |” - The inability of describing His actions having been clarified, it is not necessary to repeat the same again. In the absence of special attributes action need neither be attributed to Him nor the intemperate arguments of nihilists be countered. His being without any special attributes and inability to communicate His special attributes through symbols establishes His existence. Otherwise, Existence, Brahman and such other words would have to be understood by secondary proofs, which would be imperfect manner of knowing Him. If the attribute of un-knowability is to be understood by exclusion of his special attributes, then such un-knowability should, in the first instance, be understood as attributes of His Existence itself. Otherwise any attempts to understand will be useless. The words, सर्व etc. do not establish His existence nor prove His non-existence. Even when His seven types of attributes are established, even then they would remain unseen. By enlightenment also his experience is not easily established. His experience even without being enlightened is specially accepted and established. Not because it can be made subject to verifiable experience. In the absence of being enlightened by outside sources, His existence needs to be accepted on the evidence of His own luminosity. Otherwise, the essence of His existence capable of being known by enlightened experience or by illumination of external (premises) becomes contradiction in terms. If the premises by His own illumination are accepted then understanding the meaning would be something like seeing food etc. with restricted luminosity. The performer and performance of action are not contradictory terms according to normal experience. Knowledge and the object of knowledge cannot be experienced without there being the Knower. Therefore the arguments of the nihilists (शून्यवाद) do not have any special significance.

“हरिः स्वभावतः कर्ता सर्वमन्यत् तदीरितम् | अतः सा कर्तृता तस्य न कादाचित् विनश्यति || इति पैडगी श्रुति |” - Sri Hari is by nature the Performer, all else are subservient to Him. Therefore, without his initiated action there is no alternative, thus says Paingi Scripture.

15 "The Lord does not take (upon himself) anybody's evil deed, nor also his good deed. By ignorance is the knowledge shrouded, and through it are all creatures deluded. (80)

All merits and demerits keep close to His Eternal Being, and yet he never even looks at them. And thus truly he does not even become the neutral onlooker of them—not to talk of other activity. Wearing personal forms, he lives sportively the personal life of manifested being: Yet, the state of his being formless and quality-less never suffers any change. It is an idle talk that he creates the entire universe, maintains it and in the end dissolves it, for it is, forsooth all ignorance, hear ye, Oh Son of Pandu.

'Nādatte kasyacitpāpam na caiva sukṛtam vibhuḥ'—The Lord, Who has been termed 'Prabhuḥ', in the preceding verse, has been called 'Vibhuḥ', here.

A man, can reap the fruit of action in two ways, by performing actions himself, or by causing others to perform actions. But, the Lord neither performs actions, nor does He cause others to perform these. So, He has not to reap their fruit.

The sun, provides light to the entire universe and men commit sins and also perform virtuous actions, but the sun has nothing to do, with those sinful or virtuous actions. Similarly, nature and the entire universe, receive power from God and with that power people perform virtuous and sinful actions. But, those actions performed by the people, have not the least connection, with God. The Lord, has given freedom to man, whether he connects actions with their fruits, or offers actions and their fruit, to God. He who, by misusing the freedom given by the Lord, becomes a doer and reaps the fruits of actions, is bound. The Lord, does not accept these actions and their fruit as His. But he, who by making right use of freedom, offers his actions

and their fruit to God, is liberated, and the Lord accepts such actions, and their fruits.

As, in the twenty-fifth verse of the seventh chapter, by the term 'sarvasya' (all), and, in the twenty-sixth verse of the same chapter, by the term 'Kaścana' (anyone), the Lord has talked about common people, so has He described by the term 'Kasyacit' common people, who regard themselves, as doers and enjoyers of fruits, rather than about devotees. As far as, devotees are concerned, the Lord accepts a leaf, a flower, a fruit or a little water, which is offered to Him, with devotion (Gītā 9/26-27).

'Ajñānenāvr̥tam jñānam'—The knowledge of the self, is self-evident to all the people, but this knowledge is enveloped in ignorance. It is because of this ignorance that beings are deluded. He, who thinks 'I am the doer', is deluded (Gītā 3/27). A man, can wipe out this delusion by discrimination, which has been bestowed upon him by God. Therefore, in the eighth verse of this chapter, it has been said, that a Sāṅkhyayogī should ever think, 'I do nothing at all', while, in the thirteenth verse it has been said, that he should mentally renounce, all actions by discrimination.

All objects, such as a body etc., are constantly undergoing change, while the self, never experiences any change. When a man identifies the self, with kaleidoscopic objects, it means, that he is swayed by ignorance. But, when he realizes that the self is different, from the kaleidoscopic worldly materials, his ignorance is wiped out and the knowledge of the self, is illumined automatically. The reason is, that knowledge of the self is veiled, when one assumes affinity with the evolutes of Nature.

The term 'Ajñāna', does not mean total absence of knowledge, but it means imperfect knowledge, as there cannot be, total absence of knowledge. Knowledge of the senses and intellect, is also imperfect. When a person, attaches importance to this imperfect knowledge, and is influenced by it, he does not keep

an eye on real knowledge—this is known as 'enveloping of the knowledge, by ignorance'.

The knowledge of intellect, is more extensive, than that of senses, or that of the mind. The knowledge of intellect, illumines, the knowledge of the mind and senses, but it cannot illumine nature, whose evolute it is. When it cannot even illumine Nature, how can it illumine the sentient, which transcends Nature? Thus, the knowledge of intellect, is imperfect.

'*Tena muhyanti jantavah.*'—The Lord, by using the term 'Jantavah', has condemned human beings, by saying that those persons, who do not attach importance to discrimination, are in fact, animals, because without discrimination there is no difference, between the two.* A human being, is a human being not merely by virtue of human form, but because of his sense of discrimination. As far as sensual pleasures are concerned, even animals enjoy these. But, the aim of human life, is not to hanker after them instead, it is to realize, the self or God, Who is free from pleasure or pain. Those who know, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, deserve to be called strivers.

He, who believes that he is a doer, and who having the motive of fruit of action, feels happy or sad—such a man, is said to be, deluded out of ignorance. We are forced to do virtuous and evil actions. How can we get rid of them? To be happy and to be sad, is the fruit of our actions. How can we rise above these? To have such conviction, is delusion.

Man, (self) is a non-doer, and is also, free from pleasures and pain. It is out of ignorance, that he becomes a doer and feels happy or sad, by bringing about union with fruit of actions. The term 'tena', stands for this delusion (ignorance). The ignorant, out of delusion feel happy and sad. The same fact, has been

* Food, sleep, fear and sex are common between men and animals. Men are superior to animals because of their sense of discrimination. Without discrimination they are just like animals (Cāṇakyanīti 17/17).

pointed out, by the expression 'tena muhyanti jantavah' (by that, beings are deluded).

**Appendix**—As the dark has no power to cover the sun, so has ignorance no power to cover knowledge. The unnatural has been assumed as natural—this is ignorance by which a man is deluded. Therefore this is merely a notion, not a fact that knowledge is covered by ignorance. If a man so desires, then by attaching importance to his discrimination, he can destroy this delusion (ignorance) (Gītā 5/16).

In fact knowledge is not covered but intellect is covered. But to a man, knowledge appears to be covered; therefore here the term 'āvṛta' has been used. The same fact has been mentioned in the thirty-ninth verse of the third chapter by the expression 'āvṛtaṃ jñānametena' (Gītā 3/39). Ignorance is non-existent or a negation. It has no existence. A non-existent thing cannot veil the knowledge. Therefore opposite knowledge viz., perception of naturalness in unnaturalness is ignorance\*. If the vision of unnaturalness is discarded, naturalness automatically reveals itself, then a man will realize his identity with omnipresent God. It is because of individuality that sins and virtues attach to us; therefore having realized identity with the omnipresent God viz., by the destruction of individuality, sins and virtues no more attach to us.

Because of ignorance viz., opposite knowledge (natural intellect in the unnatural) a man becomes 'jantu' (animal)—'tena muhyanti jantavah.' Similarly the embodied soul because of its affinity for matter (non-self) becomes 'Jagat' (world) (matter) (Gītā 7/13).

We have regarded the Lord Who is ever identified with us (the self) as separate and we have assumed the body which is different from us as identified with us—this is ignorance.

\* Anityāśuciduḥkhānātmasu nityaśucisukhātmakhyātiravidyā

(Yogadarśana 2/5)

*Link:—In the preceding verse, the Lord declared, 'Beings are deluded because knowledge is enveloped by ignorance.' The Lord explains the glory of knowledge, in the next verse which is illumined, when ignorance is destroyed, through discrimination.*

न आदत्ते न च गृह्णाति भक्तस्यापि कस्यचित् पापम् । न चैव आदत्ते सुकृतं भक्तैः प्रयुक्तं विभुः । किमर्थं तर्हि भक्तैः पूजादिलक्षणं यागदानहोमादिकं च सुकृतं प्रयुज्यते इत्याह -- अज्ञानेन आवृतं ज्ञानं विवेकविज्ञानम्, तेन मुह्यन्ति ``करोमि कारयामि भोक्ष्ये भोजयामि'' इत्येवं मोहं गच्छन्ति अविवेकिनः संसारिणो जन्तवः ॥

वास्तवमें तो—

विभु (सर्वव्यापी परमात्मा) किसी भक्तके पापको भी ग्रहण नहीं करता और भक्तोंद्वारा अर्पण किये हुए सुकृतको भी वह नहीं लेता।

तो फिर भक्तोंद्वारा पूजा आदि अच्छे कर्म एवं यज्ञ, दान, होम आदि सुकृत कर्म किस लिये अर्पण किये जाते हैं? इसपर कहते हैं—

जीवोंका विवेक-विज्ञान अज्ञानसे ढका हुआ है। इस कारण अविवेकी—संसारी जीव ही 'करता हूँ', 'कराता हूँ', 'खाता हूँ', 'खिलाता हूँ' इस प्रकार मोहको प्राप्त हो रहे हैं

पापपुण्यें अशेषें । पासींचि असतु न देखें । आणि साक्षीही होऊं न ठके । येरी गोठी कायसी ॥ ८० ॥

पै मूर्तीचेनि मेळें । तो मूर्तचि होऊनि खेळे । परि अमूर्तपण न मैळे । दादुलयाचें ॥ ८१ ॥

तो सृजी पाळी संहारी । ऐसे बोलती जे चराचरीं । ते अज्ञान गा अवधारीं । पंडुकुमरा ॥ ८२ ॥

(5.80) सब पाप-पुण्य पास है तथापि वह उन्हें न देखता और न उनका साक्षी होता है। तो फिर और बातों का पूछना ही क्या है?

(5.81) देह की संगति से वह प्रभु मूर्तिमान् हो क्रीड़ा करता है परन्तु उसकी निराकारता कभी मलिन नहीं होती,

(5.82) एवं चराचर में यह जो मत विख्यात है कि वह संसार की रचना करता है, स्थिति रखता, और नाश करता है, वह अज्ञान है।

भावार्थ— विभु आत्मा किसी के पाप या पुण्य को ग्रहण नहीं करता। ज्ञान अज्ञान से ढका हुआ है, इसी से जीव मोह को प्राप्त होते हैं।

व्याख्या— प्रश्न— यदि ज्ञान अज्ञान से ढका हुआ है तो मुमुक्षुओं को ज्ञान कैसे प्राप्त होगा?

उत्तर— ईश्वर की प्रसन्नता के लिए निष्कामभावपूर्वक नित्य-नैमित्तिक कर्म करने से चित्त शुद्ध हो जायगा। तब अज्ञान का नाश होकर भगवान् की कृपा से संसार-बन्धन से निवृत्त हो जायगा।

प्रश्न— निर्विकार ब्रह्म में यह विकार कैसे हुआ?

उत्तर— ब्रह्म में कभी कोई विकार नहीं होता, किन्तु बुद्धि के साथ तादात्म्य होने से ऐसा मालूम होता है।

‘नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः’—पूर्वश्लोकमें जिसको ‘प्रभुः’ पदसे कहा गया है, उसी परमात्माको यहाँ ‘विभुः’ पदसे कहा गया है।

कर्मफलका भागी होना दो प्रकारसे होता है—जो कर्म करता है, वह भी कर्मफलका भागी होता है और जो दूसरेसे कर्म करवाता है, वह भी कर्मफलका भागी होता है। परन्तु परमात्मा न तो किसीके कर्मको करनेवाला है और न कर्म करवानेवाला ही है; अतः वह किसीके भी कर्मका फलभागी नहीं हो सकता।

सूर्य सम्पूर्ण जगत्को प्रकाश देता है और उस प्रकाशके अन्तर्गत मनुष्य पाप और पुण्य-कर्म करते हैं; परन्तु उन कर्मोंसे सूर्यका किंचिन्मात्र भी सम्बन्ध नहीं है। इसी प्रकार परमात्मतत्त्वसे प्रकृति सत्ता पाती है अर्थात् सम्पूर्ण संसार सत्ता पाता है। उसीकी सत्ता पाकर प्रकृति और उसका कार्य संसार-शरीरादि क्रियाएँ करते हैं। उन शरीरादिसे होनेवाले पाप-पुण्योंका परमात्मतत्त्वसे किंचिन्मात्र भी सम्बन्ध नहीं है। कारण कि भगवान्ने मनुष्यमात्रको स्वतन्त्रता दे रखी है; अतः मनुष्य उन कर्मोंका फलभागी अपनेको भी मान सकता है और भगवान्को भी मान सकता है अर्थात् सम्पूर्ण कर्मों और कर्मफलोंको भगवान्के अर्पण भी कर सकता है। जो भगवान्की दी हुई स्वतन्त्रताका दुरुपयोग करके कर्मोंका कर्ता और भोक्ता अपनेको मान लेता है, वह बन्धनमें पड़ जाता है। उसके कर्म और कर्मफलको भगवान् ग्रहण नहीं करते। परन्तु जो मनुष्य उस स्वतन्त्रताका सदुपयोग करके कर्म और कर्मफल भगवान्के अर्पण करता है, वह मुक्त हो जाता है। उसके कर्म और कर्मफलको भगवान् ग्रहण करते हैं।

जैसे सातवें अध्यायके पचीसवें श्लोकमें ‘सर्वस्य’

पदसे और छब्बीसवें श्लोकमें ‘कश्चन’ पदसे सामान्य मनुष्योंकी बात कही गयी है, ऐसे ही यहाँ ‘कस्यचित्’ पदसे अपनेको कर्ता और भोक्ता मानकर कर्म करनेवाले सामान्य मनुष्योंकी बात कही गयी है, न कि भक्तोंकी। कारण कि भावग्राही होनेसे भगवान् भक्तोंके द्वारा अर्पण किये हुए पत्र, पुष्प आदि पदार्थोंको और सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंको ग्रहण करते हैं (गीता—नवें अध्यायका छब्बीसवाँ-सत्ताईसवाँ श्लोक)।

‘अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानम्’—स्वरूपका ज्ञान सभी मनुष्योंमें स्वतःसिद्ध है; किन्तु अज्ञानके द्वारा यह ज्ञान ढका हुआ है। उस अज्ञानके कारण जीव मूढ़ताको प्राप्त हो रहे हैं। अपनेको कर्मोंका कर्ता मानना मूढ़ता है (गीता—तीसरे अध्यायका सत्ताईसवाँ श्लोक)। भगवान्के द्वारा मनुष्य-मात्रको विवेक दिया हुआ है, जिसके द्वारा इस मूढ़ताका नाश किया जा सकता है। इसलिये इस अध्यायके आठवें श्लोकमें कहा गया है कि सांख्ययोगी कभी भी अपनेको किसी कर्मका कर्ता न माने और तेरहवें श्लोकमें कहा गया है कि सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंके कर्तापनको विवेकपूर्वक मनसे छोड़ दे।

शरीरादि सम्पूर्ण पदार्थोंमें निरन्तर परिवर्तन हो रहा है। स्वरूपमें कभी कोई परिवर्तन नहीं होता। स्वरूपसे अपरिवर्तनशील होनेपर भी अपनेको परिवर्तनशील पदार्थोंसे एक मान लेना अज्ञान है। शरीरादि सब पदार्थ बदल रहे हैं—ऐसा जिसे अनुभव है वह स्वयं कभी नहीं बदलता। इसलिये स्वयंके बदलनेका अनुभव किसीको नहीं होता। अतः मैं बदलनेवाला नहीं हूँ—इस प्रकार परिवर्तनशील पदार्थोंसे अपनी असंगताका अनुभव कर लेनेसे अज्ञान मिट जाता है और तत्त्वज्ञान स्वतः प्रकाशित हो जाता है। कारण

कि प्रकृतिके कार्यसे अपना सम्बन्ध मानते रहनेसे ही तत्त्वज्ञान ढका रहता है।

‘अज्ञान’ शब्दमें जो ‘नञ्’ समास है, वह ज्ञानके अभावका वाचक नहीं है, प्रत्युत अल्पज्ञान अर्थात् अधूरे ज्ञानका वाचक है। कारण कि ज्ञानका अभाव कभी होता ही नहीं, चाहे उसका अनुभव हो या न हो। इसलिये अधूरे ज्ञानको ही अज्ञान कहा जाता है। इन्द्रियोंका और बुद्धिका ज्ञान ही अधूरा ज्ञान है। इस अधूरे ज्ञानको महत्त्व देनेसे, इसके प्रभावसे प्रभावित होनेसे वास्तविक ज्ञानकी ओर दृष्टि जाती ही नहीं—यही अज्ञानके द्वारा ज्ञानका आवृत होना है।

इन्द्रियोंका ज्ञान सीमित है। इन्द्रियोंके ज्ञानकी अपेक्षा बुद्धिका ज्ञान असीम है। परन्तु बुद्धिका ज्ञान मन और इन्द्रियोंके ज्ञान-(जानने और न जानने-)को ही प्रकाशित करता है अर्थात् बुद्धि अपने विषय-पदार्थोंको ही प्रकाशित करती है। बुद्धि जिस प्रकृतिका कार्य है और जिस बुद्धिका कारण प्रकृति है, उस प्रकृतिको बुद्धि प्रकाशित नहीं करती। बुद्धि जब प्रकृतिको भी प्रकाशित नहीं कर सकती, तब प्रकृतिसे अतीत जो चेतन-तत्त्व है, उसे कैसे प्रकाशित कर सकती है! इसलिये बुद्धिका ज्ञान अधूरा ज्ञान है।

‘तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः’—भगवान्ने ‘जन्तवः’ पद देकर मानो मनुष्योंकी ताड़ना की है कि जो मनुष्य अपने

**परिशिष्ट भाव**—जैसे अन्धकारमें सूर्यको ढकनेकी सामर्थ्य नहीं है, ऐसे ही अज्ञानमें ज्ञानको ढकनेकी सामर्थ्य नहीं है। अस्वाभाविकको स्वाभाविक मान लिया—यही अज्ञान है, जिससे मनुष्य मोहित हो जाता है। अतः अज्ञानके द्वारा ज्ञानको ढकनेकी बात केवल मूढ़तावश की गयी मान्यता है, वास्तविकता नहीं है। मनुष्य चाहे तो अपने विवेकको महत्त्व देकर इस मूढ़ताको मिटा सकता है (गीता—पाँचवें अध्यायका सोलहवाँ श्लोक)।

वास्तवमें ज्ञान नहीं ढकता, प्रत्युत बुद्धि ही ढकती है। परन्तु मनुष्यको ज्ञान ढका हुआ दीखता है, इसलिये यहाँ ‘आवृत’ शब्द दिया है। यही बात तीसरे अध्यायके उनतालीसवें श्लोकमें भी ‘आवृतं ज्ञानमेतेन’ पदोंसे कही गयी है। अज्ञान अभावरूप है, उसकी सत्ता नहीं है। जिसका अभाव है, उससे आवरण नहीं हो सकता। अतः उलटा ज्ञान अर्थात् अस्वाभाविकतामें स्वाभाविकताका आरोप ही अज्ञान है। अगर अस्वाभाविकता मिटकर स्वाभाविकता हो जाय तो सर्वव्यापी परमात्माके साथ एकताका अनुभव हो जायगा। व्यक्तित्व ही पाप-पुण्यको, सुकृत-दुष्कृतको ग्रहण करता है; अतः सर्वव्यापी परमात्माके साथ एकताका अनुभव होनेपर अर्थात् व्यक्तित्व मिटनेपर फिर पाप-पुण्यका ग्रहण नहीं होता।

अज्ञान अर्थात् उलटे ज्ञान (अस्वाभाविकमें स्वाभाविक बुद्धि) के कारण मनुष्य ‘जन्तु’ हो जाता है—‘तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः।’ इसी तरह जड़से सम्बन्ध माननेके कारण जीव ‘जगत्’ (जड़) हो जाता है (गीता—सातवें अध्यायका

विवेकको महत्त्व नहीं देते, वे वास्तवमें जन्तु अर्थात् पशु ही हैं; क्योंकि उनके और पशुओंके ज्ञानमें कोई अन्तर नहीं है। आकृतिमात्रसे कोई मनुष्य नहीं होता। मनुष्य वही है, जो अपने विवेकको महत्त्व देता है। इन्द्रियोंके द्वारा भोग तो पशु भी भोगते हैं; पर उन भोगोंको भोगना मनुष्य-जीवनका लक्ष्य नहीं है। मनुष्य-जीवनका लक्ष्य सुख-दुःखसे रहित तत्त्वको प्राप्त करना है। जिनको अपने कर्तव्य और अकर्तव्यका ठीक-ठीक ज्ञान है, वे मनुष्य साधक कहलानेयोग्य हैं।

अपनेको कर्मोंका कर्ता मान लेना तथा कर्मफलमें हेतु बनकर सुखी-दुःखी होना ही अज्ञानसे मोहित होना है। पाप-पुण्य हमें करने पड़ते हैं, इनसे हम कैसे छूट सकते हैं? सुखी-दुःखी होना हमारे कर्मोंका फल है, इनसे हम अतीत कैसे हो सकते हैं?—इस प्रकारकी धारणा बना लेना ही अज्ञानसे मोहित होना है।

जीव स्वरूपसे अकर्ता तथा सुख-दुःखसे रहित है। केवल अपनी मूर्खताके कारण वह कर्ता बन जाता है और कर्मफलके साथ सम्बन्ध जोड़कर सुखी-दुःखी होता है। इस मूढ़ता-(अज्ञान-) को ही यहाँ ‘तेन’ पदसे कहा गया है। इस मूढ़तासे अज्ञानी मनुष्य सुखी-दुःखी हो रहे हैं, इस बातको यहाँ ‘तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः’ पदोंसे कहा गया है।

१-आहारनिद्राभयमैथुनानि समानि चैतानि नृणां पशूनाम्।

ज्ञानं नराणामधिको विशेषो ज्ञानेन हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥ (चाणक्यनीति १७।१७)

‘आहार, निद्रा, भय और मैथुन—ये मनुष्यों और पशुओंमें समान ही हैं। मनुष्योंमें विशेषता यही है कि उनमें विवेक रहता है। विवेकसे शून्य मनुष्य तो पशुके समान हैं।’

२-अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या। (योगदर्शन २।५)

‘अनित्यमें नित्य, अपवित्रमें पवित्र, दुःखमें सुख और अनात्मामें आत्मभावकी अनुभूति अविद्या है।’

तेरहवाँ श्लोक)।

जो हमसे घुला-मिला हुआ है, उस परमात्माको तो अपनेसे अलग मान लिया और जो हमसे अलग है, उस शरीरको अपनेसे घुला-मिला मान लिया—यह अज्ञान है।

सम्बन्ध—पूर्वश्लोकमें भगवान्ने बताया कि अज्ञानके द्वारा ज्ञान ढका जानेके कारण सब जीव मोहित हो रहे हैं। अपने विवेकके द्वारा उस अज्ञानका नाश कर देनेपर जिस ज्ञानका उदय होता है, उसकी महिमा आगेके श्लोकमें कहते हैं।