In plain words
Only when we reach the goal we must reach do we have the Ānanda of the Ātma. To recognise these three sacred paths we have been making three kinds of prayer: ‘Asato mā sad gamayā, tamaso mā jyotir gamayā, mṛtyor mā amṛtaṃ gamayā.’ That is why we must forget this unreal world.
There is still more for us to find out. This is not the principle of the jīva. We must recognise the Satya that this is the principle of Brahman. Once we have recognised that this is the principle of Brahman, we must try to become one with it. This is what they called ‘Athāto karmajijñāsa, athāto brahmajijñāsa.’ Inquiry into karma comes first, inquiry into Dharma second, inquiry into Brahman third. These three forms, called the principles of inquiry, eminent scholars have argued over in many ways and have searched out in many ways. Only when the inquiry into karma has taken place can we recognise the secret in the inquiry into Dharma. Only when we have recognised the inquiry into Dharma do we come to long for the inquiry into Brahman. In the Veda they divided it this way: first the karma-kāṇḍa, second the upāsanā-kāṇḍa, third the Jñāna-kāṇḍa. Through karma alone is Jñāna gained. The body came into being for the sake of karma. The mind came into being for the sake of the inquiry into Dharma. This is what they called the karmas of mind, speech and body. The mind is the chief seat of resolves. Speech is most needed to express our thoughts. To accomplish these two in deed, action has to be done. That is why purity in all three, thought, word and deed, is most necessary for man.
At home we eat every day in one way or another. Suppose that at mealtime we have ground a chutney. After grinding it, we put it on the tongue once and tasted it. We found that there is too little salt in this chutney. When the salt is short, what do we do? We try to mix in more salt. Getting the chutney ready is the inquiry into karma. Tasting it is the inquiry into Dharma. Knowing that the salt called Brahman is not in it, and mixing in the salt, is the inquiry into Brahman.
To be born is itself an inquiry into karma. Our very birth is the root cause of karma. Through karma we have been practising certain kinds of Dharma. We fell into despair that we found no Ānanda in this Dharma. We came to recognise that only when we draw this Ānanda from Brahman do we have the chance to enjoy Ānanda in a sacred way. We must not think that merely by doing karma we have made our birth fruitful. We must show karma as the very form of Dharma. We must shape karma into the very form of Brahman. This alone is the karma that is man's duty. That is why the Upaniṣads said, ‘Kāruṇyaṃ paramaṃ tapaṃ.’ They said that compassion towards all beings is itself tapas. The Śrutis have taught that this too is the principle of the Ātma. We must inquire how far this principle of compassion becomes a path to man's divinity.
When it is said, ‘Jantūnāṃ narajanma durlabhaṃ,’ that man is the highest of all living beings, what kind of life must man lead? What kind of sāttvic state must he experience? If today man moves in a state where humanity, which should be full of sacrifice, Ahiṃsā and compassion, falls lower than the beasts through mere selfishness, Ahaṅkāra, envy and anger, what is the fault in this?