Sloka 182
Sloka 182
Original Text:
अनादिकालोऽयमहंस्वभावो जीवः समस्तव्यवहारवोढा । करोति कर्माण्यपि पूर्ववासनः पुण्यान्यपुण्यानि च तत्फलानि ॥ १८६ ॥
Certainly! Here's the detailed analysis of the given sloka:
- **Transliteration:**
anādikālo'yamahaṁsvabhāvo jīvaḥ samastavyavahāravoḍhā। karoti karmāṇyapi pūrvavāsanaḥ puṇyānyapuṇyāni ca tatphalāni॥ 186 ॥
- **Translation:**
This inherent nature of the self is beginningless, and the individual soul carries all worldly experiences. Driven by past tendencies, it performs actions that are both virtuous and non-virtuous, and experiences the respective results of those actions.
- **Word Meanings:**
* anādikālaḥ - from beginningless time * ayam - this * aham-svabhāvaḥ - self-nature * jīvaḥ - the individual soul * samasta - all * vyavahāra - worldly activities * voḍhā - bearer * karoti - performs * karmāṇi - actions * api - also * pūrva-vāsanaḥ - past tendencies * puṇyāni - virtuous * apuṇyāni - non-virtuous * ca - and * tatphalāni - their results
- **Commentary:**
This verse addresses the nature of the individual soul (jīva) and its entanglement in the cycle of actions (karma) and consequences. It highlights the notion that the soul's nature, shaped by endless cycles of existence, transcends a single lifetime, and is deeply influenced by accumulated past tendencies or vāsanās. These vāsanās are subliminal impressions that propel the jīva to undertake actions, which are classified as either puṇya (virtuous) or apuṇya (non-virtuous).
The verse underscores the importance of understanding these underlying motivations as they regulate the jīva's journey through various lifetimes, affecting the experience of sukha (happiness) and duḥkha (suffering) as fruits of respective actions. Although actions might seem conscious and deliberate, often they are driven by deep-seated conditioning from past lives.
In Vedantic philosophy, liberation (moksha) is seen as transcending this cycle of actions and results by realizing the true nature of the self beyond these vāsanās. This realization comes with the recognition that the true self (ātman) is distinct from the individualizing tendencies and is part of the ultimate reality (Brahman), which is unbound and eternal.
Further Readings: