na vai sva-pakṣo 'sya vipakṣa eva vā
na vai sva-pakṣo 'sya vipakṣa eva vā
parasya mṛtyor viśataḥ samaṁ prajāḥ
taṁ dhāvamānam anudhāvanty anīśā
yathā rajāṁsy anilaṁ bhūta-saṅghāḥ
The Lord has no friend or enemy. He enters all beings as death equally. The jīvas, dependent on karma and associated with matter, follow the Lord as he moves along, just like particles of dust follow the currents of the air.
Though the Lord acts in this way, he cannot be accused of injustice, since he does not show favorites. This is explained in two verses. The Lord enters equally into all beings in the form of death. Though he is equal, there is difference in results for the jīvas because their karmas are not equal. An example is given. The jīvas dependent on karma, associated with the elements, follow after moving time, just like dust particles follow the moving wind. Just as the wind does not see difference, whether dust, causing darkness, or water or fire enter it, so the Lord sees no difference though the jīvas experience different karmas.
|| 4.11.21 ||
āyuṣo 'pacayaṁ jantos
tathaivopacayaṁ vibhuḥ
ubhābhyāṁ rahitaḥ sva-stho
duḥsthasya vidadhāty asau
Living beings have short or long lives. The Lord is free of both. He awards these results to those dependent on karma.
Flies have short life and devatās have long life. Duḥsthasya means dependent on karma.
|| 4.11.22 ||
kecit karma vadanty enaṁ
svabhāvam apare nṛpa
eke kālaṁ pare daivaṁ
puṁsaḥ kāmam utāpare
Some say it is karma, some say it is the nature of matter, some say it is time, some say it is planets and some say it is lust.
Let karma be the cause of happiness and distress, birth and death! True, but philosophers argue about his. Some, Lokāyatas, followers of Cārvāka, say that it is nature of matter itself. Others the Vyavahārikas, followers of the Purāṇas, say it is time. Astrologers say it is the devatās in the form of planets (daivam). Others like Vātsyāyana say it is lust. Śruti says kāmo ’kārṣīt kāmaḥ karoti kāmaḥ kartā kāmaḥ kārayitā: lust has done it, lust is doing it, lust is the doer, lust causes us to act. (Mahā-nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad)
|| 4.11.23 ||
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