GITA 3.29

GITA 3.29

srImath krishNa samAhvAya namO yAmuna sUnavE
yath katAkshaika lakshyANam sulabha: srIdharas sadhA

periyavAchAn piLLai                            nampiLLai

This sloka is about Vaishnava Acharya Sri Periyavachchan Pillai. He was the disciple of Nampillai and has made commentary on Naalayira Divya Prabhandam. We are at the sanndhi of him at Srirangam. This is situated at the North gate of the temple. Near this, is the karuthurai mandapam, which got the name, as the Lord from this mantapam, conversed with Sri Thayar (in the sannidhi near this mantapam) and then agreed for the Divine Marriage! (karuthu in Tamil means opinion). Periyavachchan Pillai also reflected the opinions of Alwars, in his commentary and so it is appropriate his sannidhi is also near this mantapam. He is well known as the Emperor among commentators (vyakyana chakravarti). He has written commentaries for Srimad Ramayana (tanisloki), for the Three rahasyas, for all the stotras of Acharyas and for the Nalayira Divya Prabhandam. He was born in the star Rohini in Avani month, same as the birthday of Sri Krishna! It may be recalled that while on a visit to Tirukkannamangai, in this Gita lecture series, it was mentioned that Tirumangai Alwar sang in praise of the Lord of that Kshetram and desired the Lord to be Alwar's disciple. The Lord agreed, but said it would be in a different time! Alwar born in star Karthikai in month Karthikai, was born as Nambur Varadacharya and was known as Nampillai. His disciple was Periyavachchan Pillai, considered as incarnation of Sri Krishna! 

Now, we will see Gita sloka 29:

prakrter guna-sammudhah
sajjante guna-karmasu
tan akrtsna-vido mandan
krtsna-vin na vicalayet

Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the performers' lack of knowledge.

Prakrter guna-sammudhah = body which has emerged from prakruti, and the gunas, always associated with prakruti, surrounding and influencing atman, unaware that atman has no deeds by itself, sajjante - get involved, guna-karmasu = in actions impelled by the Three gunas.Sri Krishna does not differentiate as higher or lower. The wise and the ignorant are all impelled by the Three qualities and perform deeds. But the wise, realizes this, and so does not get involved in the actions. But the lower persons are those who do not realize this and assume they are responsible for the deeds. It is reiterated here that everyone does deeds; but the wise, knows that the deeds are result of the influence of the Three qualities. So, he is detached from those deeds, and therefore, the results of the deeds or the joy or sorrow resulting from the actions, will not have any impact. The ignorant does not have this realization and so thinks he is the author of the deeds and gets more and more involved in such deeds. So, prakruti or this Universe, along with its natural Three qualities, surrounds the atman. Thus actions by atman are influenced by these Three qualities. Mandan = dull headed, akrtsna-vidah = not realizing the true nature of atman, krtsna-vin = the realized wise people, na vicalayet = should not confuse. The realized wise should not confuse the ignorant, but try to make them understand that deeds are influenced by the Three qualities. Our acharyas and Alwars have taught us to chant the Divine names. We should try to practice and visualize the Lord. But an expert in this, like our Acharyas and Alwars, are able to visualize the Lord always. They could have simply kept silent and enjoyed the visualization for themselves. If they, already experts and having visualized, kept quite without chanting the Divine names, we, the ignorant, will not have a person to follow and try to get the visualization. The realized ones should nurture good habits in others. If we do not practice good ones, our children will not be able to follow and get refined. Our children will observe how we handle our elders and behave accordingly. Therefore, Arjuna, who is knowledgeable or krtsna-vit, should not set himself as an example for abandoning his karma! The atman realized ones should ensure that the ignorant persons are induced to do their duties without attachment.

                                                                                                       (continued)