A new approach to the Vedas : an essay in translation and exegesis

A NEW APPROACH TO THE VEDAS

remains for her to be somewhat that he is not,” it is “God’s full intention’’ that she should “ relinquish her existence,” that “‘ means the death of the spirit,’’7® so in “ strange words she prays ‘‘ Lord, my welfare lies in thy never calling me to mind,” Eckhart, I, 274 and 376. That point of view is implicit in the conclusion of the adhyaya, where the Comprehensor forfends mortality, becomes im-mortal in full identity (s@ywjya) with Death. Immortality is not eternal life, but a never being born, for only what is never born can never die: Deathabsolute transcends existence and non-existence, sat and asat at once, all good andevil. Inthe meantime, existence is the primary good, the raison d’étre of the sacrifice, “nothing can wish it did not exist,’ He cannot in Person will the non-existence of his worlds before the end of time, “ these worlds would be destroyed did I not work works,” Bhagavad Gita, II, 24, who willed that he might have possessions to the end that he might “ work works,” Brhadaranyaka Up.,1, 4,17. Note that to “ work works,” karma ky, is also a technical expression equivalent to “ to perform sacrifices,” “ celebrate offices.”

“ Not restraining him’: that is, permitting the cycle of existence, our “ process of evolution,” to run its course without interference, subject only to the natural consequentiality of accidents, the latent (apirva) and unforeseen (adysta) working of past events. As we have already seen, what He bestows 1s life (frana), not mode or species : “ He emanates neither agency nor acts,” na kartatvanna karmami syjatt, it is the proper-nature of each thing that operates,” svabhavastu pravartate, Bhagavad Gita, V, 14, “what should restraint effect ?”’ nigrahah kim kartsyatt, ibid., III, 33, Wisdom lies in the knowledge that it is not “T,” not “Self” that acts, ‘‘‘I do not anything’ should he think who is a bridled-man”’ and knows the suchness,” naiva kimcitkaromiti yukto manyet tattvavid, ibid., V, 8, thus acting unattached, Eckhart’s “ willingly but not from will,” he is liberated-from-the-pairs (nivdvandvah)