Chapter 18 · Verse 22

Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम्।अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम्

yat tu kṛitsna-vad ekasmin kārye saktam ahaitukam atattvārtha-vad alpaṁ cha tat tāmasam udāhṛitam

Word Meanings

yat — which; tu — but; kṛitsna-vat — as if it encompasses the whole; ekasmin — in single; kārye — action; saktam — engrossed; ahaitukam — without a reason; atattva-artha-vat — not based on truth; alpam — fragmental; cha — and; tat — that; tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance; udāhṛitam — is said to be

Language:

Translation

But that knowledge which clings to one single effect as though it were the whole, without reason, without basis in truth, and trivial — that is declared to be tamasic.

Commentary

यत् which? तु but? कृत्स्नवत् as if it were the whole? एकस्मिन् one single? कार्ये to effect? सक्तम् attached? अहैतुकम् without reason? अतत्त्वार्थवत् without foundation in Truth? अल्पम् trivial? च and? तत् that?,तामसम् Tamasic (dark)? उदाहृतम् is declared.Commentary The knowledge which regards that each and every object or being exists by itself and is perfect by itself? is Tamasic.One single effect Such as the body? thinking it to be the Self? or an idol? taking it for God? and thinking that there is nothing higher than that.The naked Jains consider that the soul which dwells in the body is of the same size as that of the body. Some regard that Isvara is a mere piece of stone or wood. Such knowledge is really not based on reason. It does not see things in their true light. It is narrow (Alpam) as it is not founded on reason. It produces very small results too. It extends over a limited area and is not allcomprehensive. This knowledge is said to be Tamasic? as it is found in Tamasic persons who are devoid of the power of discrimination.