Page:Essays On The Gita - Ghose - 1922.djvu/175

- object to be gained, no dependence for anything on all “this world .of creatures ; it exists for itself, in its own self-delight, in its own immutable, eternal being. We may have to do works without desire as a means in order to reach this impersonal self-existence and self-delight, but, that movement once executed, the object of works ig finished; the sacrifice is no longer needed. Works may even then continue because Nature continues and her activities; but there is no longer any further object in these works.The sole reason for our cohtinuing to act after liberation is purely negative;itis the compulsion of Nature on ouy finite parts of mind and body. But if that be all, then, first, works may well be whittled down and reduced to a minimum, may be confined to what Nature’s compulsion absolutely will have from our bodies ; and secondly, even if there is no reduction to a minimum,—since action does not matter and inaction also is no object,—then the nature of the works also does not matter. Arjuna, once having attained know- ledge, may continue to.fight out the battle of Kurukshe- tra, following his old Kshatriya nature, or he may leave it and live the life of the Sannyasin, following his new . quietistic impulse. Which of these things he does, becomes quite indifferent; or rather the second is the better way, since it will discourage more quickly the im- pulses of Nature which still have a hold on his mind owing to past éreated tendency and, when his body has fallen from him, he will securely depart into the Infinite and Impersonal with no necessity of returning again to the trouble and madness of life in this transient and sorrowful world, anityam asukham imam lokam.