Kamatmata Na Prasasta Na Caivehastyakamata I
Kamyo Hi Vedadhigamah Karmayogasca Vaidikah II I / 59 II
Because excessively desirous or desireless, are equally regressive herein. Vedic Jnana and Vedic Dharma are attainable through desire alone.
Complete absence of desire too, is regressive as it drives the world to the state of being standstill. Absolute dissolution of desire does not allow one to pursue his Dharma as ordained, existing Samskara-s remain as they are. Rejection of one’s Dharma on account of any reason whatsoever, is profoundly regressive and an intense Karma in itself. Implications of not pursuing one’s Dharma are so severe that one is born again and again to work out those Samskara-s, pre-existing as well as the ones arising out of rejection of one’s incumbent Dharma. Excessive desires too are equally regressive as one is compelled to re-visit the mortal world to accept the proceeds of the desires fulfilled. In the state of excessive desires, one is unable to pursue Dharma as ordained in scriptures in the spirit of Yajna thereby raising a congeries of Samskara-s.
Desire to attain Vedic Jnana and to perform one’s Dharma is perfectly in order. That is the level of desire that one ought to possess in order to purify and sanctify his inner Self of all the existing Samskara-s and other vanities. Even for spiritual advancement, one is expected to be moderately desirous. Complete absence of desire inevitably leads to utter decline and destruction.
Akamasya Kriya Kacid Drsyate Neha Karhicit I
Yadyaddhi Kurute Kincittattkamasya Cestitam II I / 61 II
With every action being driven by desire alone, complete absence of desire leads to complete absence of action.
Significance and inevitability of qualified desire has been emphasised upon in this Sloka by Maharsi Manu. Every action ought to be devoid of the sense of possession of Karmaphala. However, intentionally inculcated absence of the sense of possession of Karmaphala must not lead to utter indifference towards enactment of Karma. Maharsi Manu has already established in previous Sloka-s that Karma without desire is not only desirable but also essential. Total rejection of one’s Karma is prohibited as that would cause utter chaos in any organisation or society. It is mandatory for all of us to perform our share of Karma ordained as Dharma in Vedic scriptures without aspiring to own the Karmaphala. Rejection of one’s Dharma is an intense Karma that is highly regressive in nature, whose retribution too, is severe. Instinct to survive as an embodied being is the most fundamental instinct that involves performing a large number of Karma-s. Hence, it is impossible to reject Karma altogether as these are as fundamental as the instinct to survive and sustain oneself. While performing Karma-s essential for survival, one performs several other Karma-s intentionally as well as unintentionally too. All these Karma-s must be worked out in the most spiritual manner i.e. through the pursuit of Karmayoga.
In Srimadbhagvad Gita too, Sri Krsna has stressed upon inevitability of one’s Karma ordained as one’s Dharma in scriptures. Sri Krsna was the divine-incarnate i.e. Avatara who had descended upon earth to restore the obliterated order of Dharma. Though He needed nothing yet He honoured His Dharma in entirety with the sense of utter dispassion. However, on the other extreme of the Karma-spectrum is the philosophy of Buddhism wherein desire is rejected in absolute terms, followers encouraged to don maroon robes very early dis-regarding the orders and mandates of society, family and others. When desirelessness is driven to the extreme, pursuit and spirit of Karmayoga are completely destroyed, society ravaged and prosperity compromised. That is the suicidal concoction for anyone who aspires to attain Nirvana without being held accountable for the Karma-s performed in previous lives and paying back all the dues that are due to others in the mortal world. That probably in the most plausible explanation for the destruction of Buddhism in the land where it came into existence.
Srutismrtyuditam Dharmamanutisthanhi Manavah I
Iha Kirtimavapnoti Pretya Canuttamam Sukham II I / 65 II
Those who pursue Dharma as ordained in Veda-s and Smrti-s, attain glory in this world and highest pleasure in the other.
Dharma as defined in Veda-s and Smrti-s is sacrosanct. Dharma derives it’s sanctity from it’s origin i.e. being authored by Siddha Yogi-s who happened to be various Avatara-s i.e. incarnations of Param Brahmatma. Four orders of human society i.e. Varna-s owe their existence to the Dharma defined and narrated respectively in these scriptures. Every Varna is identified with a certain set of Dharma so much so that they become synonymous with the respective Varna. Varna-s, owing to their intense association with respective Dharma, are as sacrosanct as Dharma itself, narrated in Veda-s and Smrti-s. When a person pursues his Dharma as ordained in scriptures, he is directly engaged in neutralising his outstanding Samskara-s by working them out to redemption. Dissolution of Samskara-s leads to progression in purification and sanctification of his inner being. Purer the inner being, higher is the divinity attained. It is in complete harmony with the cardinal principles of spirituality and divinity. Higher the divinity attained through pursuit of Dharma, greater is the glory attained in society and the immense joys in the subtle world after dis-incarnation.
The enunciation yet again establishes that the orders of Varna and respective Dharma are sacrosanct thus, inviolable.
Yoavamanyet Te Mule Hetusastrasrayad Dvijah I
Sa Sadhubhirbahiskaryo Nastiko Vedanindakah II I / 67 II
One who derogates Sruti and other scriptures through frivolous argumentation, is an atheist, should be expelled by the erudite ones.
Sruti is the uttered version of Vedic wisdom, attained by Siddha Rsi-s and Maharsi-s in the state of ultimate Samadhi, in the state of direct communion with Param Brahmatma. The wisdom is absolutely sacrosanct as it is transmitted by the Absolute Consciousness after taking into account of all factors and variables on the universal scale, completely out of intellectual scope of majority of seekers and others. Since it cannot be explained in entirety to all, Maharsi Manu mandates that we ought to accept it with utmost reverence and comply with. The wisdom cannot be justified or contradicted merely on the basis of reasons and arguments howsoever erudite as no argument is capable of substituting direct perception of the reality. Sruti and other scriptures are based on direct perception of reality.
It is only an atheist who shall insist on justifying or contradicting Vedic wisdom based on pure pedantic argumentation in absence of direct perception. Since such atheists are potent enough to disrupt pursuit of Vedic wisdom by seekers and novices, Maharsi Manu has mandated that such disbelievers must be shunned under every circumstance. Atheist is a complete pariah in the scheme of Vedic wisdom and it’s pursuit.
Arthakamesvasaktanam Dharmajnanam Vidhiyate I
Dharmajijnasamananam Pramanam Param Srutih II I / 69 II
Those completely devoid of passions and possessions, alone attain Vedic wisdom. Those desirous of attaining wisdom of Dharma, must indulge deeply in Veda-s, sacrosanct and inviolable.
Veda-s are the ultimate word in so far as definition of Dharma is concerned. As established earlier, Dharma has been defined in Veda-s by Siddha Yogi-s and Maharsi-s in communion with Param Brahmatma, based on outstanding Samskara-s arising out of unredeemed Karma-s enacted earlier by Jivatma. If Dharma is violated by anyone, outstanding Karma-s remain unredeemed, leading to decline and regression in the cosmic journey through the world. That alone imparts cardinality upon Dharma as mandated in Veda-s, sacrosanct, inevitable and inviolable. One must pursue Vedic wisdom to ascertain one’s Dharma with respect to one’s Varna.
Vedic wisdom with respect to Dharma and Varna is attainable and assimilable only to those who are significantly detached from passions and desires of every order. Passions, desires are prominent contaminants that hinder discriminative cognition, do not allow the seeker to cognise real Dharma and pursue with all it’s earnestness. A seeker is ordained to prepare himself appropriately before indulging in Vedic wisdom to comprehend Varna specific Dharma.
All these injunctions and mandates are entirely Varna-neutral.
