विवेचन सारांश
When a person dies, the body perishes but the soul does not
The second chapter of Bhagavadgītā is known as the Sāṃkhya Yoga - The Yoga of Analytical Knowledge.
The Vivechan started with the traditional lighting of the lamp and prayers offered to Śrī Bhagavān and Pujya Swamiji.
Chapter 1 of Bhagavad Gita saw the despondency of Arjuna, who was disturbed by the sight of his own relatives standing against him, ready to wage a war. Afraid that he would be committing a grave sin by killing them, he was ready to accept defeat. He laid down his bow and sat down, determined not to fight. Śrī Krishna who was silently and patiently listening to his woes, started giving his advice in chapter 2. He chided Arjuna for talking like a wise man, but behaving like an ignorant layman. HE said in the 11th shloka:
aśocyānanvaśocastvaṃ(m), prajñāvādāṃśca bhāṣase,
gatāsūnagatāsūṃśca, nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. 2.11
Arjuna, you grieve over those who should not be grieved for and yet speak like the learned; wise men do not sorrow over the dead or the living.
Śrī Krishna proceeds to explain about one’s true essence, the Soul that resides in the body.
2.12
na tvevāhaṃ(ñ) jātu nāsaṃ(n), na tvaṃ(n) neme janādhipāḥ,
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ(s), sarve vayamataḥ(ph) param. 2.12
In fact, there was never a time when I was not , or when you or these kings were not. Nor is it a fact that hereafter we shall all cease to be.
Śrī
Krishna explains to Arjuna that everyone, including themselves and the kings standing before them, have existed from time immemorial. They continue to exist even when the bodies perish.
Body is nothing but a form of matter, whose inherent property is Change. The body, formed of the panchamahabhutas (space, air, fire, water, soil), is nourished by the food grains. Food consumed is converted into eggs and sperms. The mating of egg and sperm leads to conception of the embryo in the mother’s womb; the embryo is nurtured by the food eaten by the mother. After a natural process of nine months of gestation, the baby is born. Food is essential for the further growth of the baby through childhood to old age. When the body perishes, it eventually disintegrates into the soil, which forms the basis for food generation. Again, another body gets born, and goes through the same cycle of birth and death. This cycle continues for eternity.
The form of body changes, but not the soul. However, normal human beings are not aware of their permanence nature. Considering the fact that our average life is 100 years, one can imagine the number of lives (=body changes) we must have gone through in this earth which is 4.3 billion years old. If the body change is inevitable and the soul is eternal, where is the need for attachment to this temporary body that we possess for the time being?
Story of a child and tree:
An old man used to visit a monk everyday along with his little grandson. Sadly, the little child died one day, and the old man was heartbroken. The monk asked him to bring the ashes of the dead child to his garden, where he had dug a pit. The old man put the ashes into the pit, and the monk planted a sapling over it, and covered the pit. The monk consoled the old man saying that the essence of the child will now live on in the form of the tree, as it imbibes the nutrition from the ash. The physical form had changed from being the child’s body to the plant body. The essence remains unchanged. This unchangeable essence is called as ParaBrahmā. The one whose inherent nature is to change will change inevitably, as a function of Prakṛti’s maya.
Paramātmā is telling Arjuna that our true essence is that which is unchangeable, not the changeable.
Krishna explains to Arjuna that everyone, including themselves and the kings standing before them, have existed from time immemorial. They continue to exist even when the bodies perish.
Body is nothing but a form of matter, whose inherent property is Change. The body, formed of the panchamahabhutas (space, air, fire, water, soil), is nourished by the food grains. Food consumed is converted into eggs and sperms. The mating of egg and sperm leads to conception of the embryo in the mother’s womb; the embryo is nurtured by the food eaten by the mother. After a natural process of nine months of gestation, the baby is born. Food is essential for the further growth of the baby through childhood to old age. When the body perishes, it eventually disintegrates into the soil, which forms the basis for food generation. Again, another body gets born, and goes through the same cycle of birth and death. This cycle continues for eternity.
The form of body changes, but not the soul. However, normal human beings are not aware of their permanence nature. Considering the fact that our average life is 100 years, one can imagine the number of lives (=body changes) we must have gone through in this earth which is 4.3 billion years old. If the body change is inevitable and the soul is eternal, where is the need for attachment to this temporary body that we possess for the time being?
Story of a child and tree:
An old man used to visit a monk everyday along with his little grandson. Sadly, the little child died one day, and the old man was heartbroken. The monk asked him to bring the ashes of the dead child to his garden, where he had dug a pit. The old man put the ashes into the pit, and the monk planted a sapling over it, and covered the pit. The monk consoled the old man saying that the essence of the child will now live on in the form of the tree, as it imbibes the nutrition from the ash. The physical form had changed from being the child’s body to the plant body. The essence remains unchanged. This unchangeable essence is called as ParaBrahmā. The one whose inherent nature is to change will change inevitably, as a function of Prakṛti’s maya.
Paramātmā is telling Arjuna that our true essence is that which is unchangeable, not the changeable.
dehino'sminyathā dehe, kaumāraṃ(y̐) yauvanaṃ(ñ) jarā,
tathā dehāntaraprāptiḥ(r), dhīrastatra na muhyati.2.13
Just as boyhood, youth and old age are attributed to the soul through this body, even so, it attains another body, The wise man does not get deluded about this.
The Jīvātmā (pure soul) resides within this body, yet separately from it, continuously passing from childhood, youth and old age. Paramātmā says that the Jīvātmā is imperishable. After destruction of the body, the soul acquires a new body. The enlightened wise man doesn’t get discontented with the change in the form. He knows that it is the fourth link in the chain of birth and death. He is aware that despite the external changes/ appearances, the essence will remain the same through all the stages of life. The ‘I’ in us remains same even as we pass through the different stages of life. He is aware that death does not change the ‘I’, and hence is not deluded. On the contrary, ordinary man’s awareness extends only till the death of the present body. We grieve for the loss of the body because we identify ourselves with our gross body, due to our ignorance.
There are three layers of bodies:
We are aware of only our gross body, and hence are obsessed with keeping it fit and presentable. We are unaware of our subtle body, which is more important than the gross. The subtle body shuttles from one gross body to another.
The Subtle body constitutes of 19 elements:
Bhagavad Gītā teaches us this profound knowledge, and thus helps us to shift our focus from the gross body to the subtle body which always remains unchanged. Paramātmā says we are not new on this planet; we are ancient, but we are not aware of our past.
There are three layers of bodies:
- Gross body (sthoola sharira)
- Subtle body (shukshma sharira)
- Causal body (karana sharira)
We are aware of only our gross body, and hence are obsessed with keeping it fit and presentable. We are unaware of our subtle body, which is more important than the gross. The subtle body shuttles from one gross body to another.
The Subtle body constitutes of 19 elements:
- 5 gyanendriya (sense organs)
- 5 karmendriya (motor organs)
- 5 prana
- Mind
- Intellect
- chitta (Self-conscience)
- aham (Ego)
Bhagavad Gītā teaches us this profound knowledge, and thus helps us to shift our focus from the gross body to the subtle body which always remains unchanged. Paramātmā says we are not new on this planet; we are ancient, but we are not aware of our past.
Have we not felt an unexplainable attraction sometimes towards unknown persons?
The reason is because the Jīvātmā recognises the previous connection or relationship with that particular Jīvātmā. With the death of gross bodies, the subtle bodies have moved on in their individual journeys. The subtle body depending upon its desires and accumulated karmas gets the appropriate gross body in the appropriate time at the appropriate place, and when they happen to meet again, they get drawn together, although the gross bodes don’t recognise each other. This is the reason people will feel an inexplainable attraction towards places and people unknown to them. There are many foreigners who are naturally attracted to India and its culture. The speaker gave the example of his friend, Mr Patrick Delaunax, a French man living in Paris, and deeply attached to India. When asked for the reason, he replied that he loved the people of India, and felt a close relationship with them as if they were his own. His forefathers had some connection with the French occupants of Pondicherry; probably his subtle body was occupying an Indian gross body in India back then, and hence he feels the strong bonding with India now.
The reason is because the Jīvātmā recognises the previous connection or relationship with that particular Jīvātmā. With the death of gross bodies, the subtle bodies have moved on in their individual journeys. The subtle body depending upon its desires and accumulated karmas gets the appropriate gross body in the appropriate time at the appropriate place, and when they happen to meet again, they get drawn together, although the gross bodes don’t recognise each other. This is the reason people will feel an inexplainable attraction towards places and people unknown to them. There are many foreigners who are naturally attracted to India and its culture. The speaker gave the example of his friend, Mr Patrick Delaunax, a French man living in Paris, and deeply attached to India. When asked for the reason, he replied that he loved the people of India, and felt a close relationship with them as if they were his own. His forefathers had some connection with the French occupants of Pondicherry; probably his subtle body was occupying an Indian gross body in India back then, and hence he feels the strong bonding with India now.
mātrāsparśāstu kaunteya, śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ,
āgamāpāyino'nityāḥ(s), tāṃstitikṣasva bhārata. 2.14
O son of Kuntī, the contacts between the senses and their objects, which give rise to the feeling of heat and cold, pleasure and pain etc., are transitory and fleeting; therefore, Arjuna, endure them.
The interaction between the senses and its objects results in the development of feelings like hot/ cold, pleasure/ pain, etc. These are transitory (āgamāpāyino), therefore one should tolerate them (tāṃstitikṣasva) calmly. The mind determines the pain/ pleasures based on the feedback received from the senses. The senses in turn depend on the input received from their objects. For eg. Eyes (sense organ) see some object and send the feedback to the mind, eliciting specific feelings. The feelings however are transitory.
The senses cannot perceive the immortal essence that is free from birth and death. All that is tangible to the senses is the mortal that is formed due to interaction of the sense organs with the panchamahabhutas. There is no involvement of the ‘I’ in any of these natural interactions. Yet the mind assumes that it is the ‘I’ that is responsible for all that is happening, and ignites the ego. Scriptures recommend that a true Sadhak should not abandon his endeavours based on these inputs of the mind and senses. One should tolerate them by inner disciple of mind and senses, and continue with the commitments.
Fly and the bridge:
An elephant was crossing a weak bridge which started swaying heavily due to the heavy weight. When the elephant crossed the bridge, a tiny fly that was riding on its back proudly boasted their strength was great enough to shake the bridge. The elephant laughingly replied that it was not even aware of the fly’s existence till it spoke. The teeny-weeny fly was so deluded to think that its weight had caused the shaking of the bridge.
Our sense of doer ship can be equated to the weight of the fly. We keep on harping about our activities and enjoyments. But who is indeed the enjoyer? Good food is enjoyed by the tongue; music by the ears; and so on. The sense organs are enjoying the sense objects; there is no question of the ‘I’ coming into the picture.
By being aware of this wisdom, one can gradually move away from connecting oneself with the senses and the sense organs. We can become a witness to whatever is happening to and in the body that is temporary and perishable.
The senses cannot perceive the immortal essence that is free from birth and death. All that is tangible to the senses is the mortal that is formed due to interaction of the sense organs with the panchamahabhutas. There is no involvement of the ‘I’ in any of these natural interactions. Yet the mind assumes that it is the ‘I’ that is responsible for all that is happening, and ignites the ego. Scriptures recommend that a true Sadhak should not abandon his endeavours based on these inputs of the mind and senses. One should tolerate them by inner disciple of mind and senses, and continue with the commitments.
Fly and the bridge:
An elephant was crossing a weak bridge which started swaying heavily due to the heavy weight. When the elephant crossed the bridge, a tiny fly that was riding on its back proudly boasted their strength was great enough to shake the bridge. The elephant laughingly replied that it was not even aware of the fly’s existence till it spoke. The teeny-weeny fly was so deluded to think that its weight had caused the shaking of the bridge.
Our sense of doer ship can be equated to the weight of the fly. We keep on harping about our activities and enjoyments. But who is indeed the enjoyer? Good food is enjoyed by the tongue; music by the ears; and so on. The sense organs are enjoying the sense objects; there is no question of the ‘I’ coming into the picture.
By being aware of this wisdom, one can gradually move away from connecting oneself with the senses and the sense organs. We can become a witness to whatever is happening to and in the body that is temporary and perishable.
yaṃ(m) hi na vyathayantyete, puruṣaṃ(m) puruṣarṣabha,
ṣamaduḥkhasukhaṃ(n) dhīraṃ(m), so'mṛtatvāya kalpate. 2.15
Arjuna, the wise man to whom pain and pleasure are alike, and who is not tormented by these contacts, becomes eligible for immortality
The greatest among men regard happiness and sorrow as alike, neither excited nor disturbed. Such a person who is steady in all situation is capable of liberation.
Knowledge is of two types:
Bhagavān says that the wisest of men will realise the temporal nature of pleasure and pain, and hence will neither be perturbed by hell nor heaven. He will not be in pursuit of sensory gratification, realising the impermanency of the mortal body. He will not get trapped in the feelings that arouse from the interaction of the senses with their objects.
In addition, this shloka also gives a lesson to the spiritual aspirants – give up the habit of complaining. As long as one finds charm in complaining, how can he bring balance into his life?
Sundar Pichai cockroach theory:
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of google, was at a restaurant enjoying his cup of coffee. He witnessed a lady jumping with fright because a cockroach landed on her. Everyone around her got panicky, and there was chaos until the waiter calmly picked up the cockroach and disposed it off. Sundar Pichai uses this analogy to teach how people should respond and not react to situations. The chaos in the restaurant was not aroused by the presence of the cockroach but rather by the woman’s reaction to it. Likewise, it is not the incident that disturbs one, but the inability of the person to handle the situation he is facing.
There is a huge difference between reaction and response. Reactions are always impulsive; responses are always well thought of. We make our beautiful life complicated by reacting inappropriately in most of the situations. A person who is happy always is not so because everything in his life is right, but because his attitude towards life is right.
Gītā teaches us that we can handle life efficiently through the power of meditation – regulate the mind and bring it to a state of stillness, that even in the most difficult times one is able to pause, analyse the situation and respond appropriately.
Śrī Krishna is giving the eligibility criteria for attaining liberation (moksha). The one who is not perturbed in any situation is eligible for liberation, referred to here as amrita (nectar). The essence of nectar in life is the understanding that ‘I am the immortal Atma’. Attaining the nectar of self-realisation is moksha. One need not wait for death to attain moksha; it can be attained when the gross body is alive.
Knowledge is of two types:
- apara knowledge (worldly)
- para knowledge (knowledge that takes us beyond the world to ParaBrahmā).
Bhagavān says that the wisest of men will realise the temporal nature of pleasure and pain, and hence will neither be perturbed by hell nor heaven. He will not be in pursuit of sensory gratification, realising the impermanency of the mortal body. He will not get trapped in the feelings that arouse from the interaction of the senses with their objects.
In addition, this shloka also gives a lesson to the spiritual aspirants – give up the habit of complaining. As long as one finds charm in complaining, how can he bring balance into his life?
Sundar Pichai cockroach theory:
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of google, was at a restaurant enjoying his cup of coffee. He witnessed a lady jumping with fright because a cockroach landed on her. Everyone around her got panicky, and there was chaos until the waiter calmly picked up the cockroach and disposed it off. Sundar Pichai uses this analogy to teach how people should respond and not react to situations. The chaos in the restaurant was not aroused by the presence of the cockroach but rather by the woman’s reaction to it. Likewise, it is not the incident that disturbs one, but the inability of the person to handle the situation he is facing.
There is a huge difference between reaction and response. Reactions are always impulsive; responses are always well thought of. We make our beautiful life complicated by reacting inappropriately in most of the situations. A person who is happy always is not so because everything in his life is right, but because his attitude towards life is right.
Gītā teaches us that we can handle life efficiently through the power of meditation – regulate the mind and bring it to a state of stillness, that even in the most difficult times one is able to pause, analyse the situation and respond appropriately.
Śrī Krishna is giving the eligibility criteria for attaining liberation (moksha). The one who is not perturbed in any situation is eligible for liberation, referred to here as amrita (nectar). The essence of nectar in life is the understanding that ‘I am the immortal Atma’. Attaining the nectar of self-realisation is moksha. One need not wait for death to attain moksha; it can be attained when the gross body is alive.
nāsato vidyate bhāvo, nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ,
ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo'ntaḥ(s), tvanayostattvadarśibhiḥ. 2.16
The unreal has no existence, and the real never ceases to be; the reality of both has thus been perceived by the seers of Truth.
Bhagavān says that the enlightened ones (tattvadarśibhiḥ) realise the two undisputed fundamental facts:
The central idea is that the body and the material world being made up of the constituents of atoms is in permanent state of change and subject to decay and death. Therefore, it is unreal.
The only absolute reality is the spirit/ soul which never changes.
The existence of unreal is comparable to the cinema that we see. The cinema pictures look like a continuous strip of action and motion due to the rapid movement of the reels of individual static pictures. Similarly, this phenomenal world also looks solid because our senses are inadept at grasping the fast changes that occur in the nature.
Vedanta says
Jagath mitya prabhu satya
World is unreal; God is real.
World is unreal because it is subject to changes and modification. God is eternal and above any change.
Śrī Krishna says that the true seekers are very well aware that the senses, mind and the body are unreal; only the soul is the reality.
- Truth is eternal (nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ)
- Untruth is illusion with no existence (nāsato vidyate bhāvo)
The central idea is that the body and the material world being made up of the constituents of atoms is in permanent state of change and subject to decay and death. Therefore, it is unreal.
The only absolute reality is the spirit/ soul which never changes.
The existence of unreal is comparable to the cinema that we see. The cinema pictures look like a continuous strip of action and motion due to the rapid movement of the reels of individual static pictures. Similarly, this phenomenal world also looks solid because our senses are inadept at grasping the fast changes that occur in the nature.
Vedanta says
Jagath mitya prabhu satya
World is unreal; God is real.
World is unreal because it is subject to changes and modification. God is eternal and above any change.
Śrī Krishna says that the true seekers are very well aware that the senses, mind and the body are unreal; only the soul is the reality.
avināśi tu tadviddhi, yena sarvamidaṃ(n) tatam,
vināśamavyayasyāsya, na kaścitkartumarhati. 2.17
Know that alone to be imperishable, which pervades this universe; for no one has power to destroy this indestructible substance.
Bhagavān asks Arjuna to understand that which is all pervasive to be eternal and everlasting. The only thing that pervades all is the tattva of Paramātmā. No power can destroy its integrity. The mind and senses cannot see it because they have not learnt the method of seeing it. The only reality is the soul is in all places at all times, and cannot be destroyed. All that is visible can be experienced only because of the power of soul.
The soul is not any object whose existence is dependent on the body. It does not get destroyed when the body it pervades, perishes. The body exists because of the soul, not vice versa. Nature of the soul is immortality. The body ceases to exist when the soul departs from it.
There is a guest house in Varanasi by name ‘Kasi labha mukti bhavan’ where people check in to die. Hindu religion has the belief that if one takes his last breath in Kasi, he will attain moksha. The guest house has an interesting clause – one is allowed to stay only for 2 weeks. If he doesn’t die within 2 weeks, he has to vacate the room. A person decided to interview the residents to understand the mind of those people who had not only accepted death as a reality, but also anticipated it as a ‘soon-to-happen’ event. They had set their timer ‘ON’. The interview taught him many life-changing lessons. He also interviewed the manager Bhairavnath Shukla ji, who managed the place for more than four decades, and had seen more than 12,000 deaths. He enquired as to what he learnt after seeing life and death from such close quarters. Mr Shukla shared 12 life lessons one of which resonated deeply with the interviewer.
Life lesson : Resolve all conflicts before you go.
A Sanskrit scholar, Ramsagar Mishra had booked himself in the lodge, as he was sure that he would die on the 15th day of his entry. He was the eldest of 6 brothers. A minor misunderstanding led to a dispute with his youngest brother, and resulted in partitioning of a wall within their house. On the 13th day, Mishra ji got an urge to contact his brother, as his heart was heavy with the bitterness over the conflict, and he wished to resolve it before he left the world. He requested to see his brother, and sought his forgiveness. Both the brothers wept their hearts outs. Midway to their reconcilement, Mishra ji passed away with a calm face.
This same story was replayed over and over again with many people who came there to die. Everyone wanted to resolve their conflicts before departing.
People carry unnecessary baggage throughout their lives, only wanting to drop it at the very end of their journey. No one knows when death will take us away, and if tomorrow will exist. Only by forgiving will we be free of our emotional baggage. The trick to live a happy life lies not in avoiding conflicts, but in resolving them as soon as they arise. One should not go to bed having disappointment/ resent/ doubt over the day’s happenings.
The soul is not any object whose existence is dependent on the body. It does not get destroyed when the body it pervades, perishes. The body exists because of the soul, not vice versa. Nature of the soul is immortality. The body ceases to exist when the soul departs from it.
There is a guest house in Varanasi by name ‘Kasi labha mukti bhavan’ where people check in to die. Hindu religion has the belief that if one takes his last breath in Kasi, he will attain moksha. The guest house has an interesting clause – one is allowed to stay only for 2 weeks. If he doesn’t die within 2 weeks, he has to vacate the room. A person decided to interview the residents to understand the mind of those people who had not only accepted death as a reality, but also anticipated it as a ‘soon-to-happen’ event. They had set their timer ‘ON’. The interview taught him many life-changing lessons. He also interviewed the manager Bhairavnath Shukla ji, who managed the place for more than four decades, and had seen more than 12,000 deaths. He enquired as to what he learnt after seeing life and death from such close quarters. Mr Shukla shared 12 life lessons one of which resonated deeply with the interviewer.
Life lesson : Resolve all conflicts before you go.
A Sanskrit scholar, Ramsagar Mishra had booked himself in the lodge, as he was sure that he would die on the 15th day of his entry. He was the eldest of 6 brothers. A minor misunderstanding led to a dispute with his youngest brother, and resulted in partitioning of a wall within their house. On the 13th day, Mishra ji got an urge to contact his brother, as his heart was heavy with the bitterness over the conflict, and he wished to resolve it before he left the world. He requested to see his brother, and sought his forgiveness. Both the brothers wept their hearts outs. Midway to their reconcilement, Mishra ji passed away with a calm face.
This same story was replayed over and over again with many people who came there to die. Everyone wanted to resolve their conflicts before departing.
People carry unnecessary baggage throughout their lives, only wanting to drop it at the very end of their journey. No one knows when death will take us away, and if tomorrow will exist. Only by forgiving will we be free of our emotional baggage. The trick to live a happy life lies not in avoiding conflicts, but in resolving them as soon as they arise. One should not go to bed having disappointment/ resent/ doubt over the day’s happenings.
antavanta ime dehā, nityasyoktāḥ(ś) śarīriṇaḥ,
anāśino'prameyasya, tasmādyudhyasva bhārata. 2.18
All these bodies pertaining to the imperishable, indefinable and eternal soul are spoken of as perishable; therefore , Arjuna, fight.
Shri Krishna tells Arjuna to fight in the battle. He explains that the body is mortal but HE who dwells in the body is aprameya or immortal and immeasurable.
It is the nature of the body to change from minute to minute and to come to an end or cease with death, but the Atman is eternal. The mind is subject to even more rapid change. An observation of our minds and desires makes this abundantly clear. When we cling to something that is continually changing, with the false expectation that it will remain the same, we are doomed to disappointment. It is paradoxical that when we identify excessively with the body, the natural aging process such as greying hair or aging face is a source of distress, but when we use the body as an instrument to serve others, it glows with health and beauty, as observed in the lives of yogis and mystics.
This body is to be treated as the temple of Paramātmā, and like a temple it needs to be cleansed using the aids of mantra chanting and reading the Bhagavad Gītā, and purified through daily practice of meditation and restraint of senses. When we worship in this manner at the altar of the body, we show respect to the Supreme entity residing within. Any attempt to misuse the body or indulge in excessive senses at the expense of body is a violation of the Divine Presence in us. We should thus be vigilant that we are not indulging our senses at the cost of the health of our body or mind. For this reason, we should be very watchful of the books, we read, movies and television content we watch, and the food we eat. The senses can create havoc even in those who are making good progress on the spiritual path, if the vigilance is relaxed.
Just as we maintain and purify our gross body and mind by physical exercises, and repetition of mantras, we purify our subtle body by cultivating healthy thoughts. The effect of anger, hostility, and resentment on the mind is great and can cause far-reaching damage at the subtle level. The practice of forgiveness is an invaluable aid to keep the subtle body pure and healthy.
Shri Krishna has explained to Arjuna that man is the soul and not the body. As the soul is nitya (always the same), it does not act and can therefore not commit a sin. Sin will not accrue to Arjuna if he is able to experience the true nature of the soul. This will cause his delusion and the accompanying emotions of attachment and grief to end.
The central idea is that Arjuna should fight with equanimity of mind – not for any base motive, but for the sake of upholding dharma.
It is the nature of the body to change from minute to minute and to come to an end or cease with death, but the Atman is eternal. The mind is subject to even more rapid change. An observation of our minds and desires makes this abundantly clear. When we cling to something that is continually changing, with the false expectation that it will remain the same, we are doomed to disappointment. It is paradoxical that when we identify excessively with the body, the natural aging process such as greying hair or aging face is a source of distress, but when we use the body as an instrument to serve others, it glows with health and beauty, as observed in the lives of yogis and mystics.
This body is to be treated as the temple of Paramātmā, and like a temple it needs to be cleansed using the aids of mantra chanting and reading the Bhagavad Gītā, and purified through daily practice of meditation and restraint of senses. When we worship in this manner at the altar of the body, we show respect to the Supreme entity residing within. Any attempt to misuse the body or indulge in excessive senses at the expense of body is a violation of the Divine Presence in us. We should thus be vigilant that we are not indulging our senses at the cost of the health of our body or mind. For this reason, we should be very watchful of the books, we read, movies and television content we watch, and the food we eat. The senses can create havoc even in those who are making good progress on the spiritual path, if the vigilance is relaxed.
Just as we maintain and purify our gross body and mind by physical exercises, and repetition of mantras, we purify our subtle body by cultivating healthy thoughts. The effect of anger, hostility, and resentment on the mind is great and can cause far-reaching damage at the subtle level. The practice of forgiveness is an invaluable aid to keep the subtle body pure and healthy.
Shri Krishna has explained to Arjuna that man is the soul and not the body. As the soul is nitya (always the same), it does not act and can therefore not commit a sin. Sin will not accrue to Arjuna if he is able to experience the true nature of the soul. This will cause his delusion and the accompanying emotions of attachment and grief to end.
The central idea is that Arjuna should fight with equanimity of mind – not for any base motive, but for the sake of upholding dharma.
ya enaṃ(v̐) vetti hantāraṃ,(y̐) yaścainaṃ(m) manyate hatam
ubhau tau na vijānīto, nāyaṃ(m) hanti na hanyate.2.19
Both of them are ignorant, he who considers the soul to be capable of killing and he who takes it as killed; for verily the soul neither kills, nor is killed.
Those who think they can slay the Atman and those who think the Atma can be slayed are ignorant for the Atman neither kills nor can be killed.
The central idea is that unless the person becomes soul-realized, he or she will live with the delusion of being the killer or the killed, of being the sinner or being sinned against. As in a dream we kill and get killed but on waking up we experience relief that it was not real, so is the experience of an enlightened person. He regards life as insubstantial and unreal as a dream.
This shloka is to clear Arjuna’s misconception that he will be incurring sin by killing Pitamah Bhishma or Dronacharya. Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna that the soul is neither a killer nor a subject to being killed. Besides, as no action is in actuality performed by him, he does not incur sin.
The ignorant man who believes only in body consciousness, believes himself to be the doer. This is pure delusion which is very difficult to shed. No book reading can help. Spiritual Sādhanā is the only way out. The actual goal of life is self-realization. How much time it will take to achieve that goal depends upon two factors – past karmas and spiritual sadhana.
This is illustrated by the following anecdote.
A saint seated by the roadside was approached by a traveller carrying two large and heavily laden suitcases, enquiring about directions to reach a particular destination and the time it would take to reach the same. Without uttering a word, the saint started walking ahead and gestured to the man to follow him. The man was taken aback, yet walked along with him. After walking together for some time, the saint stopped, gave him the directions and told him that it would take him 2 hours to reach his destination. The man told the saint that he could have told him this in the beginning itself. What was the necessity for the saint to walk along for about a mile?
The saint replied that without getting an idea of his speed of walking, he could not have come to an estimation of the time required to reach the destination. Moreover, as he was carrying this huge two bags his speed was slow. Now having walked some distance with him, and having gained knowledge of his speed, he was able to tell him with a high degree of accuracy, that it would take him two hours to reach the destination, whereas without the baggage, he could reach it in 15 minutes. The traveller thanked the saint, and proceeded forward, realizing that he had also been shown the right way of walking on his life journey – baggage-free towards self-realization.
Our journey depends on our speed, which in turn depends on our condition. This applies to our inner journey - journey of self-realization. We are like the traveller carrying two heavy suitcases. One is full of our past karma and experiences; and the other one is full of future expectations. Once we are freed of this experience of past and future, and start living in the present, our journey of life accelerates. We can reach the goal very soon if we put in effort and walk the path with enthusiasm and joy. Basically, the time taken for attaining self-realization depends on what baggage we are carrying. This determines the speed and the time it will take to reach the goal.
The central idea is that unless the person becomes soul-realized, he or she will live with the delusion of being the killer or the killed, of being the sinner or being sinned against. As in a dream we kill and get killed but on waking up we experience relief that it was not real, so is the experience of an enlightened person. He regards life as insubstantial and unreal as a dream.
This shloka is to clear Arjuna’s misconception that he will be incurring sin by killing Pitamah Bhishma or Dronacharya. Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna that the soul is neither a killer nor a subject to being killed. Besides, as no action is in actuality performed by him, he does not incur sin.
The ignorant man who believes only in body consciousness, believes himself to be the doer. This is pure delusion which is very difficult to shed. No book reading can help. Spiritual Sādhanā is the only way out. The actual goal of life is self-realization. How much time it will take to achieve that goal depends upon two factors – past karmas and spiritual sadhana.
This is illustrated by the following anecdote.
A saint seated by the roadside was approached by a traveller carrying two large and heavily laden suitcases, enquiring about directions to reach a particular destination and the time it would take to reach the same. Without uttering a word, the saint started walking ahead and gestured to the man to follow him. The man was taken aback, yet walked along with him. After walking together for some time, the saint stopped, gave him the directions and told him that it would take him 2 hours to reach his destination. The man told the saint that he could have told him this in the beginning itself. What was the necessity for the saint to walk along for about a mile?
The saint replied that without getting an idea of his speed of walking, he could not have come to an estimation of the time required to reach the destination. Moreover, as he was carrying this huge two bags his speed was slow. Now having walked some distance with him, and having gained knowledge of his speed, he was able to tell him with a high degree of accuracy, that it would take him two hours to reach the destination, whereas without the baggage, he could reach it in 15 minutes. The traveller thanked the saint, and proceeded forward, realizing that he had also been shown the right way of walking on his life journey – baggage-free towards self-realization.
Our journey depends on our speed, which in turn depends on our condition. This applies to our inner journey - journey of self-realization. We are like the traveller carrying two heavy suitcases. One is full of our past karma and experiences; and the other one is full of future expectations. Once we are freed of this experience of past and future, and start living in the present, our journey of life accelerates. We can reach the goal very soon if we put in effort and walk the path with enthusiasm and joy. Basically, the time taken for attaining self-realization depends on what baggage we are carrying. This determines the speed and the time it will take to reach the goal.
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin,
nāyaṃ(m) bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ,
ajo nityaḥ(ś) śāśvato'yaṃ(m) purāṇo,
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. 2.20
The soul is never born, nor it ever dies; nor does it become after being born. For, it is unborn, eternal, everlasting and primeval; even though the body is slain, the soul is not.
Shri Krishna says that we were never born and we will never die. We have not undergone any change and neither will we undergo any change. We are unborn, eternal, immutable, immemorial and ancient. We do not die when our bodies die.
Shri Krishna explains our real nature in this shloka.
We are never born (na jāyate).
We will never die (na-mriyate).
We will never undergo any change
We are ancient (purāṇaḥ)
Like the jiva, Paramātmā too acquires a body when HE takes a manifested form. His incarnated body form is also subject to change. This is illustrated in the Guru Vayur temple in Kerala, where, Shri Krishna is worshipped in three different forms during the three periods of the day.
In the morning, HE is worshipped as a little baby. HE is fed, bathed and sung to sleep. During this period, HE is worshipped mostly by children. They see that Bhagavan is even younger than them and experience feelings of compassion for him. They feel protective that no harm should come to Bal Krishna. This protective feeling is a very good discipline for the development of spiritual awareness right from the childhood.
During the afternoon, Shri Krishna is worshipped in the form of a young man. HE is the embodiment of physical fitness at its best, adorning a peacock feather on HIS head, wearing a garland of wild flowers and carrying the bamboo flute in HIS hand. Young people like to visit the temple in the noon and find it easy to identify with HIM.
In the evening, when the sun is about to set, old people worship Shri Krishna, who has assumed the form of an old man and is ready to shed the body any moment.
The different images serve to remind us that these changes are inevitable. Even God, manifesting as a human is not spared these changes. However, these changes affect only the gross body.
The body of the 8 years old Shri Krishna of Brindavan and the 125 years old Shri Krishna of Kurukshetra were very different, but that does not mean that changes in the manifested body change the essential nature. God never changes even when HIS bodies change. The same is true of humans Our bodies change, but our soul never changes. We are reminded in the Gita that we are not the body. We are very different from the body.
Shri Krishna explains our real nature in this shloka.
We are never born (na jāyate).
We will never die (na-mriyate).
We will never undergo any change
We are ancient (purāṇaḥ)
Like the jiva, Paramātmā too acquires a body when HE takes a manifested form. His incarnated body form is also subject to change. This is illustrated in the Guru Vayur temple in Kerala, where, Shri Krishna is worshipped in three different forms during the three periods of the day.
In the morning, HE is worshipped as a little baby. HE is fed, bathed and sung to sleep. During this period, HE is worshipped mostly by children. They see that Bhagavan is even younger than them and experience feelings of compassion for him. They feel protective that no harm should come to Bal Krishna. This protective feeling is a very good discipline for the development of spiritual awareness right from the childhood.
During the afternoon, Shri Krishna is worshipped in the form of a young man. HE is the embodiment of physical fitness at its best, adorning a peacock feather on HIS head, wearing a garland of wild flowers and carrying the bamboo flute in HIS hand. Young people like to visit the temple in the noon and find it easy to identify with HIM.
In the evening, when the sun is about to set, old people worship Shri Krishna, who has assumed the form of an old man and is ready to shed the body any moment.
The different images serve to remind us that these changes are inevitable. Even God, manifesting as a human is not spared these changes. However, these changes affect only the gross body.
The body of the 8 years old Shri Krishna of Brindavan and the 125 years old Shri Krishna of Kurukshetra were very different, but that does not mean that changes in the manifested body change the essential nature. God never changes even when HIS bodies change. The same is true of humans Our bodies change, but our soul never changes. We are reminded in the Gita that we are not the body. We are very different from the body.
vedāvināśinaṃ(n) nityaṃ(y̐), ya enamajamavyayam,
kathaṃ(m) sa puruṣaḥ(ph) pārtha, kaṃ(ṅ) ghātayati hanti kam.2.21
Arjuna, the man who knows this soul to be imperishable, eternal and free from birth and decay-how and whom will he cause to be killed, how and whom will he kill ?
Shri Krishna asks Partha – how can a person who knows the true nature of the soul (indestructible, eternal, birthless and beyond change), kill or cause another one to kill.
Atman is singular. It is indivisible. One who knows for certain the universality and immortality of this soul and unreality of the body, also knows that he cannot kill anyone. This is because there is no one to kill. This is akin to asking someone to kill the illusionary snake in the rope. One can either see either the snake (illusion) or the rope (reality) at any given time. Both cannot be seen together. Similarly, the one who knows that the Atman is indestructible knows that he cannot kill or destroy that which is the truth. But this realization is not there when man is at the level of mind and body consciousness. Soul consciousness is necessary to attain this realization.
The Gītā teaches one to be magnanimous and large-hearted, and treat the entire earth as family -Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). Swami Vivekananda, who is held in very high esteem by India’s greatest leaders and luminaries such as Subhash Chandra Bose, Guru Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi brought the spiritual teaching of Bhagavad Gītā to the western world when he attended the Parliament of Religions, held on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Chicago, in America, on 11th September 1893. He mesmerized the western audience and received a standing ovation by uttering five simple words “Sisters and brothers of America”. With this, the message of universal brotherhood, was communicated to the world.
Swami Vivekanand further said that he was the proud follower of a great religion which that taught the world the spirit of tolerance and acceptance. The following morning newspapers in America were loaded with accolades of Swami Vivekanand. New York Herald wrote that Swami Vivekanand was the greatest speaker in the World’s Parliament of Religion. After listening to him, it seemed foolish to send missionaries to the great country of India where such countless learned and wise individuals reside. This is the greatness of our all-embracing and all -inclusive culture.
Atman is singular. It is indivisible. One who knows for certain the universality and immortality of this soul and unreality of the body, also knows that he cannot kill anyone. This is because there is no one to kill. This is akin to asking someone to kill the illusionary snake in the rope. One can either see either the snake (illusion) or the rope (reality) at any given time. Both cannot be seen together. Similarly, the one who knows that the Atman is indestructible knows that he cannot kill or destroy that which is the truth. But this realization is not there when man is at the level of mind and body consciousness. Soul consciousness is necessary to attain this realization.
The Gītā teaches one to be magnanimous and large-hearted, and treat the entire earth as family -Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). Swami Vivekananda, who is held in very high esteem by India’s greatest leaders and luminaries such as Subhash Chandra Bose, Guru Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi brought the spiritual teaching of Bhagavad Gītā to the western world when he attended the Parliament of Religions, held on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Chicago, in America, on 11th September 1893. He mesmerized the western audience and received a standing ovation by uttering five simple words “Sisters and brothers of America”. With this, the message of universal brotherhood, was communicated to the world.
Swami Vivekanand further said that he was the proud follower of a great religion which that taught the world the spirit of tolerance and acceptance. The following morning newspapers in America were loaded with accolades of Swami Vivekanand. New York Herald wrote that Swami Vivekanand was the greatest speaker in the World’s Parliament of Religion. After listening to him, it seemed foolish to send missionaries to the great country of India where such countless learned and wise individuals reside. This is the greatness of our all-embracing and all -inclusive culture.
Question and Answer Session
Geetha Bhat ji
Q: How do we resolve the conflicts that arise due to difference in perspectives?
A: The answer lies in sacrificing the ego. Our ego becomes the greatest stumbling blocks in resolving interpersonal conflicts. Acknowledging the possibility of having made a mistake, even if one firmly believes otherwise, is a sure way of resolving conflicts.
Conflicts are burdensome and impediments on the path of self-realization. In order to advance swiftly on this course, one must overcome the ego and apologise. In order for each one of us to have a clear mind and feel a sense peace, necessary conditions for speedy self-realization, it is important to not remain entangled in ego driven states. Thus, saying sorry is very beneficial. Acting in this manner is not only beneficial, but it is also the hallmark of maturity, which comes from reading the Bhagavad Gītā.
Geetha Bhat ji
Q: How do we resolve the conflicts that arise due to difference in perspectives?
A: The answer lies in sacrificing the ego. Our ego becomes the greatest stumbling blocks in resolving interpersonal conflicts. Acknowledging the possibility of having made a mistake, even if one firmly believes otherwise, is a sure way of resolving conflicts.
Conflicts are burdensome and impediments on the path of self-realization. In order to advance swiftly on this course, one must overcome the ego and apologise. In order for each one of us to have a clear mind and feel a sense peace, necessary conditions for speedy self-realization, it is important to not remain entangled in ego driven states. Thus, saying sorry is very beneficial. Acting in this manner is not only beneficial, but it is also the hallmark of maturity, which comes from reading the Bhagavad Gītā.
Q: Is it advisable to just do our duty and withdraw from social interactions?
A: Gita does not proscribe persons from leading social lives or getting involved in society. Shri Krishna did not exhort Arjuna to withdraw from worldly affairs and devote himself exclusively to spiritual pursuit, but instead perform both his kartavya karma - his prescribed duty and spiritual practices. He gives equal importance to Bhakti yoga and Karma yoga.
Srividya ji
Q: Do the Saṃskāras / karmas accumulated during residence in one body get carried over to the next body when the shukshma shareera enters it?
A: Yes, the Saṃskāras get carried to the next body. Even sattvic actions can create bondages. That is the reason Gītā teaches us to do our karmas in such a manner as to make it 'akarma - non action', which doesnt bind us to any bondage.
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