Chapter 3The Eternal Duties of a Human BeingsVerse 31

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Transliteration

Anvaya

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Commentaries of the Four Authorized Vaisnava Sampradayas

as confirmed in the Garga Samhita Canto 10, Chapter 61, Verses 23, 24, 25, 26
Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

The advantage of performing prescribed Vedic activities is being stated by Lord Krishna. Those situated in karma yoga or performing prescribed Vedic actions that have faith in the pristine teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita and perform these instructions in their daily lives, without blaspheming the teachings by thinking that they are incorrect and unnecessary will also gradually be freed from all reactions which cause bondage in the material worlds the same as the person situated in jnana yoga or the cultivation of spiritual knowledge.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Madhvacarya
There is no commentary for this verse.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

The word manavah means men. It is derived from Manu the father of mankind, who wrote the Manu Samhita which are the guidelines for the human race. Thus all mankind as the descendants of Manu are followers of Vedic scriptures. The great personalities like Manu contemplating and reflecting on the Vedas determine what is the main import of the Vedas, which is precisely the formulised will of the Lord act accordingly to this inner directive.

There are persons who although unable to practice the prescribed injunctions enjoined in the Vedic scriptures still have faith and believe in the tenets inculcated therein. There are others who although not fully understanding and believing still do not doubt the veracity and authority of the Vedic scriptures.

All these three classes of mankind shall be redeemed and delivered from the vast aggregate of past sins accumulated since time immemorial that keeps one locked in bondage to the material existence. Lord Krishna uses the words te api meaning they also to emphasise that these even those not fully believing if they remain passive and do not blaspheme they are also entitled to absolution from past sins which is the cause of bondage and gradually attain moksa or deliverance from the cycle of birth and death.

The next verse tells the fate of the blasphemers and non-observers of this edict.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:


Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

Up until this verse Lord Krishna presented the point of view that prescribed Vedic activities will not incur any fault if performed in yagna or worship in dedication to the Supreme Lord. This is because the doership of all souls are dependant solely on the Supreme Being as is confirmed in hundreds of scriptural verses from the Vedic scriptures such as: He is the soul of all. He the controller of all has entered inside each of them. He verily causes those to perform great works whom He intends to liberate from this world. Such passages are found in the Brhandaranyaka Upanisad and others. Now Lord Krishna points out the virtues in those who follow the pristine teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita accepting them as perfect with full faith without finding fault in performing actions without desires and attachment or blaspheming the speaker by critcising the idea of performing actions free from ego consciousness or speculating how can it be possible that by performing these instructions one becomes free from bondage of all actions and the cycle of birth and death. The teachings and instructions of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita are the essence and conclusion of all Vedic Scriptures and are given for the highest benefit of all mankind.

Thus ends commentaries of chapter 3, verse 31 of the Srimad Bhagavad-Gita.

Verse 31


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