Summarized Overview of Sri Bhagavath Paada's commentary on BG 18.50

INTRODUCTION

In Sankara Bhasyam towards end of the Bhasyam of verse 2.10 (prior to 2.11)

QUOTE

"The Lord (also) speaks to the same effect in the passage, " Yogins perform action for the 
purification of the self (heart)" BG 5.11

Having also stated, "Worshipping Him with his own duly, a man attains perfection" (BG 18-46), He
again prescribes for such 'perfected' man the path of Knowledge in the words " How he who has reached such perfection attains to Brahman" BG 18.50.

UNQUOTE

Here the basic import is that by Karma Yoga our minds get purified and thus we become eligible as
it where for the discipline of knowledge Or Jnana Nista. Earlier Bhagavathpaada has categorically
stated that by TatvaJnanam alone Moksha Praapti is possible.

With this background let's dwell upon Swami's commentary in BG 18.50.
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Aphoristic Summary of Bhagavathpaada's commentary on BG 18.50

1. There is no need for a Pramana (be is Sastra etc) to know the Self that is far more intimate

the the body.

2. (Here) "Nistha" (consummation) means perfection, the termination, the final stage.—

Question:—(Consummation) of what?

Reply—It is the supreme consummation of Brahma-jñāna (Knowledge of Brahman).

Question:—Of what nature is it? (In other words What constitutess Brahma Jnana)

Reply—Of the same nature as Atma-jñāna (knowledge of the Self).

Question:—Of what nature is that ?" (In other words what constitutes Atma Jnana)

Reply:—Of the same nature as the Self (Atma Jnana is knowing Atma as Jnana Swaroopam)

Question—Of what nature is the Self? (In other words, explain more)

Reply:—Of the nature described by the Lord, and in the passages of the Upanisads and (settled) by

Nyāya (reasoning)"


3. Though Brahman is extremely well-known, easily grasped, very near, and is the very Self, He
appears to the unenlightened as unknown, difficult to grasp, and very far, and as if He were
different (from themselves)

4. What then (is to be done)?

What needs to be done is simply the removal of the superimposition (on the Self) of the 'not-
Self', such as name, form, etc.

5. So we conclude that cognition (consciousness) is perfectly well-known (to every one); and that
the cogniser (Atman as Self Aware Intelligence) also is thereby well-known.

Consequently, effort need not be made for (securing) knowledge (of the Self or Brahman), but it
(effort) is necessary only for getting rid of the conception of the not-Self as the Self.

Therefore, devotion to the path of knowledge (jñāna-nisthā) is quite feasible of attainment.

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Epilogue comments (from Eashwar)

1. When the mind is purified by Karma Yoga, it becomes suitable to be established in the pursuit
of Jnana Nista.

2. Swami explains how to be established in Jnana Nista

3. Atman is known to all - no need for Sastra for this - as its self-evident to one and all. I
know I exist, am conscious etc.

4. So to help us recognize the Self (i.e Me) as pure Awareness (Prajnanam) not as the
buddyAdidehante AtmacaitanyabhAsatA (reflection of consciousness in the Buddi, body etc) - Swami draws our attention to the Self (as Pure Awareness)

5. What needs to be done is simply the removal of the superimposition (on the Self) of the 'not-
Self', such as name, form, etc - by Vedantic Reasoning based on Upanisad & Right Tradition

6. First Step is to recognize the consciousness manifesting as "I" and tracing its locus to the
awareness which illumines all thoughts and letting the mind abide in the consciousness by
negating the desire to objectify.

7. Our natural tendency is to claim we are conscious only when we are conscious of something
(i.e. an object) - Bhagavathpaada and Vedanta tells us that we are complete and perfect as the
consciousness (Prajnanam Brahma) which illumines all objects and which persists even when there 
are No objects to illumine. 

It is to do mananam of this Vedantic Fundamental that I suggested BG 18.50. With this in mind we
can proceed to study verse 2.11 and thereon so that we can draw our mind back to the fundamental
datum - Consciousness - Prajnanam as the Paramaartha Lakshyam (highest Goal).
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DETAILED NOTES

When the mind is purified by Karma Yoga, it becomes suitable to be established in the pursuit of
Jnana Nista.

BG 18.50 - Siddhim prāpto yathā Brahma tathā{ā)pnoti nihodha me
Samāsenaiva Kaunteya nistha jñānasya yā parā

Know from Me briefly how one, made fit (for the discipline of knowledge) reaches Brahman - the
supreme consummation of knowledge.

Here Bhagavatpaada discussed in Q/A format of what constitutes Jnana Nista - this is so because
most of us confuse Jnanam that leads to Kaivalyam as something difficult to be attained or yet to
be attained or some Mode of Mind obtained only through Meditation. So to de-mystify Jnana Nista
Bhagavat Paada explain it in simple ways.

QUOTE

(Here) "Nistha" (consummation) means perfection, the termination, the final stage.—

Question:—(Consummation) of what?

Reply—It is the supreme consummation of Brahma-jñāna (Knowledge of Brahman).

Question:—Of what nature is it?

Reply—Of the same nature as Atma-jñāna (knowledge of the Self).

Question:—Of what nature is t h a t ?"

Reply:—Of the same nature as the Self.

Question—Of what nature is the Self?

Reply:—Of the nature described by the Lord, and in the passages of the Upanisads and (settled) by 

Nyāya (reasoning)"

UNQUOTE

ABRIDGED Import of this aforesaid discussion

The Self is mistaken to be conditioned by Name, Form etc (Pancha Kosha etc). We often refer to
Self as the Self within (as if Self is inside the body or limited by it) whereas Vedanta categorically refers to Self as the power of awareness illumintating everything including the body, thoughts, feelings etc. Infact the Self persists across three states (waking, dream, deepsleep) and it persists between two thoughts also in waking or dreaming.

Thus instead of recognizing this Self as the Awareness independent of any attributes we think of the Self as conditioned by Attributes.

So to help us recognize the Self (i.e Me) as pure Awareness (Prajnanam) not as the buddyAdidehante AtmacaitanyabhAsatA (reflection of consciousness in the Buddi, body etc) - Swami draws our attention to the Self.

Jnana Nista implies knowing oneself as the pure awareness, in other words drawing the buddi to
the Vedantic discrimination and ensuring the mind is dipped in this Vivekam consistently. To do
that first we have to recognize the awareness (prajnanam) as the fundamental datum - which is
indicated by us in the form of the personal pronoun "I".

Now Back to Bhagavathpaada...

QUOTE

The mind (manas) puts on the reflection (semblance) of buddhi; the sense-organs put on a 
semblance of the mind; and the body puts on a semblance of the sense-organs; and consequently
ordinary people view the physical body alone as the self.

Indeed,in everything from buddhi down to the body, the reflection (semblance) of the 
Consciousness of the Self (in that) is the cause of the wrong notion that is the Self. 

What then (is to be done)?

What needs to be done is simply the removal of the superimposition (on the Self) of the 'not-
Self', such as name, form, etc.

It is not necessary to take any steps to acquire the knowledge of the Consciousness-
Self, since it is grasped distinctively in (association with) the forms of all objects (buddhi 
etc.) superimposed by avidya.

UNQUOTE

Herewith Swami has clearly stated how people misconstrue the Self as being superimposed with
Nama, Rupa etc.

This is a classic case of viewing the Sun via the small aperture created by our hand and claiming
that Sun is only visible if viewed through this small aperture !!  In other words the consciousness is not in the body but the body (which is illumined by consciousness) is a thought in the ocean of consciousness.

Just like fire imparts its color (or redness) and its heat to the Iron it burns - consciousness endows body, mind, intellect with the principle of intelligence, which they otherwise dont possess intrinsically.

Swami even (scolds) says as that those who are "extremely addicted to external objects, and who
have not made any effort to resort to the right means of getting (true) knowledge"


QUOTE
....GurusampradAya rahitAnAm asrutavedAntAnAm atyantabahirvisayAsakta buddheenam.......

Some pedants, fancying themselves to be learned, say that, since the reality that is the Self is without form, buddhi cannot grasp the Self, and consequently devotion to Right Knowledge is impossible of attainment. Truly so, for those who have not had the benefit of the traditional instruction through the Guru, who have not understood the Vedāntas (the final teachings of the Vedas in the Upanisads), whose buddhi (intellect) is extremely addicted to external objects, and who have not made any effort to resort to the right means of getting (true) knowledge.

UNQUOTE

& also Swami Says....

QUOTE

bAhyAkArana bheda buddhi nivrttih eva AtmasvaroopAlambane kaaranam...

Therefore, it is only the disappearance of the belief in dualism resting on external forms  (appearances) that can bring about the abidance in the true nature of the Self. Indeed, the Self 
is not a thing which is unknown to anybody at any time; it is not an object to be attained, or  abandoned, or acquired.

UNQUOTE

Here note the Self is not an object of our knowledge for Self is the Subject

Self as Pure Consciousness or Prajnanam is the Eternal Subject or Witness. So Self itself can never be the object of one's knowledge.

To know one thing or OBJECTIFY IT ONE HAS TO BE APART FROM IT,  which is IMPOSSIBLE with one's own Self.

Next swami raises a fundamental statement that clarifies Advaita's position w.r.t Self as the most Self-Evident Fact.

QUOTE
Indeed, the Self is not a thing which is unknown to anybody at any time; it is not an
object to be attained, or abandoned, or acquired.
UNQUOTE

This can possibly raise the question - If the Self be known, why all this trouble of Self-Realization or Jnana Nista etc ?

That is because - The Self is known to all but they superimpose on it Nama, Rupa etc due to Avidya (as Swami as already clarified above). So it is this CONSISTENT COMMITMENT to DE-SUPERIMPOSITION which is to be correctly understood as JNANA NISTA. 

Swami proceeds to say this Self (which is non-different than Brahman) can be known as Brahman by
removal of Avidya by ascertaining what Self truly is.

QUOTE

JnAne yatno na kartavyah kim tu anAtmabuddhi-nivrttau eva. Tasmad jnAnanisthA susampAdyA. 

Effort is not needed for knowledge, but only for the removal of the notion of what is the non-
Self. Hence steadfastness in knowledge is easy of accomplishment. 

UNQUOTE

& One more...

QUOTE
Therefore, what needs to be done is merely the rejection of what is erroneously attributed to Brahman through avidya, and not any effort to acquire a knowledge of Brahman, as He is intimately well-known.

Though Brahman is extremely well-known, easily grasped, very near, and is the very Self, He appears to the unenlightened as unknown, difficult to grasp, and very far, and as if He were different (from themselves)

UNQUOTE

Above - its very clear that Brahman is Atman and removal of any idea of separation is what constitutes the disciple of Jnana Nista.

Swami summarizes again as follows

QUOTE

So we conclude that cognition (consciousness) is perfectly well-known (to every one); and that 
the cogniser (Atman as Self Aware Intelligence) also is thereby well-known. 

Consequently, effort need not be made for (securing) knowledge (of the Self or Brahman), but it 
(effort) is necessary only for getting rid of the conception of the not-Self as the Self. 

Therefore, devotion to the path of knowledge (jñāna-nisthā) is quite feasible of attainment.

UNQUOTE


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