The Vidya originates) verily even in those who stand outside (of all Ashramas) because it is so seen. — 456.

SUTRA III. 4. 36.

 

अन्तरा चापि तु तद्दृष्टेः॥३.४.३६॥

antarā cāpi tu taddṛṣṭeḥ ..3.4.36..

 

Antara, without (doing the duties of the Ashramas), standing outside. .. Cha, indeed, verily. … Api, also. … Tu, but. …. Tad, that. … Drishtaih, from seeing (the Shastric statements about it). Because it is so seen.

 

 

COMMENTARY

 

The word ‘Tu’ is employed in order to refute the Purvapaksha that Karma is necessary tor the origination of Vidya. The force of the word ‘Cha’ is to indicate certainty. Antaras (who stand outside) are those persons who do not belong to any order or Ashrama, and consequently do not perform the duties of any Ashrama: but who, owing to the performance of such duties in their previous incarnation, are born in this lite with discrimination and dispassion, and whose mind has been purified by truth, austerity, prayers, etc., (performed in their past lives). In such persons Vidya has its origination, even when they do not perform any Karmas in their present life. Why? Because we see so in the scriptures. Gargi Vachaknavi is a standing’ example of one not belonging to any order, and yet a Brahmavid. The sense is tins, If a person has duly discharged the duties of his Ashrama in his previous incarnation, but owing to some reason or other, the origination of Vidya did not arise in him in that life and he die before such origination, then in his next incarnation, his mind being already purified by the due discharge of the Ashrama duties in the past life, he is born ripe for Vidya, and in the present life, by the mere coming in contact with holy men, he bursts forth into a full Jnanin possessed of all the attributes of discrimination and dispassion, and Vidya manifests in him with all her glory. The spark of the holy sage is enough to lighten up such a soul into a conflagration of wisdom and love. Therefore, such a person does not perform, or rather stands in no need of performing, any Ashrama Dharmas. All that he requires is Satsanga (the company of the Good) in order to recall to his mind all that he had acquired in the past lives.

In the next Sutra, the author shows that the Vidya originates in those whose faults have been washed away by the mighty force of Satsanga. Satsanga has independent power of destroying all faults and originating Vidya.