Sacred Texts Hinduism Index Previous Next
Buy this Book at Amazon.com
The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana, Commentary by Sankara (SBE38), tr. by George Thibaut [1896] at sacred-texts.com
11. But (karana means) nothing but good and evil works; thus Bâdari opines.
The teacher Bâdari, however, thinks that the word 'karana' denotes nothing else but good works and evil works. It means the same as anushthâna (performance) or karman (work). For we see that the root kar (to walk, to conduct oneself) is used in the general sense of acting. Of a man who performs holy works such as sacrifices, &c., people say in ordinary language, 'that excellent man walks in righteousness.' The word âkâra also denotes only a kind of religious duty. That works and karana (conduct) are sometimes spoken of as different things is analogous to the distinction sometimes made between Brâhmanas and Parivrâgakas 2. We, therefore, decide that by men of good karana are meant those whose works are worthy of praise, by men of evil karana those whose works are worthy of blame.
121:2 Although the latter are a mere sub-class of the former.