| 20. By action
only, indeed, did Janaka and others try to attain perfection. Even with
a view to the protection of the masses thou shouldst perform (action).The
wise kshatriyas of old, such as Janaka and Asvapati tried by action alone
to attain moksha (samsiddhi). If they were persons possessed of right knowledge,
then we should understand that, since they had been engaged in works, they
tried to reach moksha with action, i.e without abandoning action, with a
view to set an example to the world. If, on the other hand, such men as
Janaka were persons who had not attained right knowledge, then, (we should
understand), they tried to attain moksha through action which is the means
of attaining purity of mind (sattvasuddhi).If you think that obligatory
works were performed by the ancients such as Janaka because they were ignorant,
and that it does not follow from that fact alone that action should be performed
by another who possesses right knowledge and has done all his duties,even
then, as subject to your prarabdhakarma (the karma which has led you to
this birth as a kshatriya), and having regard also to the purpose of preventing
the masses from resorting to a wrong path, you ought to perform action.Who
should secure the welfare of the world ? And how The answer follows: |
