Ramanuja's Gita Bhashyam - Chapter 3 - Karma Yoga - sloka 15

The entire content of this mail is from Swami Adidevavananda's translation of Ramanuja's Gita Bhashya, published by Ramakrishna Mission.


The Wheel of Life 14-16
1 Gita Sloka every day - Chapter 3 -Karma Yoga - Sloka 15

 Ugrastambham @ Ahobilam

Karma brahmodbhavam viddhi brahma akshara samudbhavam I                          Tasmat sarvagatam brahma nityam yajne pratishtitam II sloka 15
कर्म ब्रह्मोद्भवं विद्धि ब्रह्म अक्षर समुद्भवं ।
तस्मात सर्वगतं ब्रह्म नित्यं यज्ञे प्रतिष्टितम ।। श्लोक १५ 


Know that activity 'springs from teh Brahman' ie., the physical body, 'Brahman' arises from the imperishable (self) therefore the all pervading 'Brahman' is ever established in sacrifice.


Here the term 'Brahman"  connotes the physical body consisting of modifications of the Prakriti; for the Prakriti is denoted here by the term  'Brahman" , as in the scriptural text: "From him arises this  'Brahman" and this  'Brahman"   becomes the name, form and food' (Mun U 1.19). Therefore, these words teach that the activity is produced by the physical body  which is of the nature of the modificaion of Prakriti. The  'Brahman"   arises from the Imperishable self. The term imperishable here, indicates the individual self. who is satisfied by food and drink, is fit for action; hence the physical body which constitutes the instrument of activity is said to be from the imperishable. Therefore the 'all pervading  'Brahman"  ' means here the bodies of all persons of diverse kinds which are the products of prakriti which comprise all material entities  and is hence all pervading. The bodies are thus established in sacrifice.