| The Lord dwells
in, the hearts of all beings, and through the forces of Affray causes all beings to move
like puppets on a revolving machine. XVIII-61
Maya is here material nature constituted by the Gunas. The
lesson of the above slokas is that the qualities with which men start on their
life-journeys determine their activities. We should not be invoked to anger or contempt if
any one commits what we deem to be wrong, nor pride our- selves upon our own good actions.
The slokas are not to be interpreted as if men were
absolved from responsibility. The Gita makes it clear that it is only by personal effort
and by the practice of self-control that we may be delivered of the character-load with
which we begin. That men are moved by congenital. qualities born of previous Karma, which
defeat all efforts at ignoring them, is a teaching to cultivate charity towards others and
serenity in ourselves, and not a doctrine of irresponsibility. |
