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into fresh tendencies or strengthen the pre-existing tendencies. So
restraint is to be constantly practised. The object of restraint is to
free the mincl from thoughts of the object world and to fix it on the
real self, Atma. Here the system of Patanjali comes into requisition.
But the system is to be accepted with this reservation that Yoga does
not necessarily mean renunciation of Karma. It includes the unself-
ish performance of Karma and, for the average humanity, renuncia-
tion of Karma is harmful as an expedient of Yoga. Though there
may be some who do not require Karma for themselves, yet they
should not renounce it, if they want to set an example to others
and not to confound their intellect.
5. But the Purva Mimansakas say: Vedic Karma is all in all,
and the authority of the Vedas is supreme. Here Sri Krishna had
to assert Himself as an Avatara, and He asked people to accept His
own authority. He said there was self-seeking in Vedic Karma,
and one could not therefore avoid the recurrence of births by the
performance of Vedic Karma. So Sri Krishna said to Uddhava:
"If the Vedas say that men attain Svarga by the performance of
Vedic Karma, it is simply by way of inducement, and not as point-
ing out the supreme end* The father says; ' Boy, eat this bitter
medicine and I will give thee this cake in my hand.' The boy
takes the medicine for the sweet thing. But that really leads to his
recovery from the disease. So the Vedas mean final liberation as
the end. But to enforce restraint, they hold out the prospect of
Svarga, which is most agreeable to men." (Elaboration of XI.
21.23.)
Many were unwilling to accept the authority of Sri Krishna,
and the chief amongst them was Sisupala.
This was the teaching of Karma Yoga by Sri Krishna. But
the unselfish performance of Karma is not all. It is only a negative
virtue. It purifies the mind and frees it from the taint of selfishness.
The mind then becomes prepared for the higher planes and becomes
fit for the direct influence of Isvara.
So Sri Krishna gave to His disciples the true conception of
isvara. He told them fsvara was One, the source of all existence,
all knowledge and all bliss. He told them how one fsvara pervaded
the whole universe and became thus manifested through the Universe.
He also pervaded all beings, and became manifested through these
beings. The Universe and the Jiva were His Prakritis or bodies as
it were. The Universe body was eight-fold in its character, beginning
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