| 46. Him from whom
is the evolution of (all) beings; by whom all this is pervaded by worshipping
Him with his proper duty, man attains perfection. Pravritti (in the text) may
mean either evolution or activity ; and it proceeds from the Isvara, the Antaryamin,
the Ruler within. Beings: living creatures. His proper duty: each according
to his caste, as described above. Worshipping the Lord by performing his duty,
man attains perfection, in so far only as he becomes qualified for the devotion
of knowledge (jnananishtha):Such being the cause, therefore, Better is ones
own duty (though) destitute of merits, than the duty of another well performed,
Doing the duty ordained according to nature one incurs no sin.Just as a poisonous
substance does not injure the worm born in that substance, so, he who does
the duty ordained according to his own nature incurs no sin. One ought not
to abandon ones own duty.It has been said that he who does the duty ordained
according to his nature incurs no sin like a worm born in poison, that the
duty of another brings on fear, and that he who does not know the Self cannot
indeed remain even for a moment without doing action. Wherefore, |
