Bhagavad Gita means "The Song of the Lord." Gita is a dialogue between Krishna, an incarnation of God as believed by the Hindus, and Arjuna, a mighty warrior of renowned skills. In the war that was to ensue between the two clans, the ‘Kurus’ and the ‘Pandavas.’ Krishna was the charioteer for Arjuna, the Pandava prince. Of these two clans, who were cousins, the Pandavas always observed the righteous path, despite many hardships, while the Kuru clan were selfish and violated the rules of right conduct. The kingdom rightfully belonged to the Pandavas but the greedy and evil-minded Kurus had usurped it by foul means in a game of dice. They refused to hand over the kingdom despite all the good advice from the elders of the dynasty and teachers of moral precepts. The Pandavas were left with no choice but to wage war to regain their kingdom and honour as warriors (‘kshatryas’).

As the battle was to begin, Arjuna surveyed the two armies that had assembled to fight each other. When he saw his beloved grandfather, his venerable teachers, and many loved relatives and friends in the opposing army, he lost his resolve to fight against them. Loyalty to the ruling dynasty had compelled them to fight for the Kurus who occupied the throne. Arjuna was overwhelmed by sorrow at the thought of killing his loved ones. He could not foresee victory in this war as a righteous means for a joyful end. He informed Krishna that the consequences of such a war would be socially and morally a catastrophe, and personally also a great loss of the beloved and venerated ones. As such the grief stricken Arjuna refused to fight and laid down his arms.

Arjuna had lived a life based on ‘dharma.’ A life based on dharma generally means living in accordance to the dictates of the ‘do’s and ‘don’ts that are being pointed out in one’s scriptures, and as interpreted from time to time by thinkers on living. The specifics in relation to a given situation are called ‘visesha’ dharma. Such a life of adherence to those values (dharma) helps one to transform the will to win for one’s own wants into the will to serve the common cause as well. The scriptures point out that when one lives a life of dharma, it yields notable rewards in this life and hereafter.

However, Arjuna felt that even good results produced by good means are temporal and transitory and fails to give lasting satisfaction. In that moment of crisis and self-introspection in his life, Arjuna realized that all his skills, talents and whatever understanding he had about life was flawed. The dejected Arjuna then turned to his friend Krishna and sought to know the more sublime realities of life.

The scenario of this war provides a context in which the subtler truths of life and death, liberation and bondage, in fact the whole philosophy of life is exhaustively examined from various standpoints. The battlefield represents life in this world, with all its challenges and opportunities for our actions. We find that actions in their wake bring in experiences of ‘opposites’ - pleasure/pain; success/defeat; joy/sorrow, which are always limited by the factors called time, space and quality. The finite nature of the results impels us to seek satisfaction by repetition of what may bring some fulfillment. Thus we find ourselves as seekers of joy in a field of limited actions/results.

The futility of such seeking makes a thoughtful individual at some point in life question (like Arjuna did), "What is that one should truly seek in life? Is there not more to life than to earn to better oneself materially, to reproduce, to survive for a while, and then die? Is there an end which could be sought that can prove to be absolutely good - not one of a temporal nature - but lasting?" The ensuing dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, a representative of all human beings, deals with this in a lucid manner.

When we take into account the situation in which the dialogue between Lord Krishna, the teacher and Arjuna, the student took place, Gita could not have been taught in the form of chapters. The chapter-wise divisions must have come into form later, formulated by the various scholars and interpreters to find supportive authority in this sacred text to explain and expound their chosen school of thought.

Krishna in His discourse offers clarity about three major areas of thinking. These three areas are as follows:

• The individual (the ‘jiva’).
• The world, which is the field of activities and relationships, and of objects known and unknown.
• The Cause for the existence of the above two. The Faithful refer to the Cause as ‘God,’

The intrinsic nature of the individual, as well as the relationship between the individual and the Cause, in addition to the way to discover the jiva’s identity with the Cause, are all well explained from many standpoints in the dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. In fact, the study of Gita answers not only the many doubts and questions of a sincere seeker, but also resolves the fundamental problem of a thoughtful individual who seeks to be an adequate being, not caught by the limitations of time, space and quality.

Krishna commences His teaching to Arjuna, with the statement "Do not grieve" (verse 11; chapter 2). Krishna points out that had Arjuna understood the true meaning of the scriptural teachings, which impart the Knowledge of the Self, he would not be grief stricken.

The Wise Do Not Grieve For the Immortal Self

You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise ones do not mourn for the dead or for the living.

Here Krishna is pointing out a subtle truth about the individual about which Arjuna is ignorant (we too are ignorant). We take the ‘I’ (Self) as a result of the body-mind complex. Arjuna, like most of us, identified the ‘I,’ the Self, as a ‘body and mind entity,’ with a date of birth, and for whom death is a certainty. This ‘understanding’ makes the Self to be taken as a limited individual in time, space and quality.

Krishna makes it clear in this and the following verses, that such understanding about the Self as a mortal Self is due to our ignorance about the true nature of the Self. This erroneous understanding, which makes us to take the Self to be a time bound finite body-mind complex, is the cause for our fears and grief in life.

Krishna declares that the wise ones, who have understood the innate nature of the Self (‘I’), do not entertain any sorrow for the living or for the dead because there is neither birth nor death for the ‘I’ in the body-mind complex. This vision of the wise about the intrinsic nature of the Self is brought to our attention in Verse 11.

The wise understood with clarity the intrinsic nature of ‘I’ as that which exists in all three periods of time (past, present and future) without undergoing any change. This order of reality was termed ‘Sat,’ the Real. In our scriptures (saastra) it is pointed out as Atma/Brahman. Whatever that does not exist in all the three periods of time, but is available at a given point of time, does not qualify for the definition of Atma/Sat. The existence of this order of reality, which is time bound, is pointed out in our saastra as anaatma or asat. Since the definition of the Real cannot be imputed for anaatma, the anaatma is referred to as ‘not-real.’

The body-mind complex falls within this order of asat. They exist but for a given period of time. Being time-bound, the asat (the ‘not-Self’) is constantly in the process of change. In fact, change is the language of time. The changes brought about by time are sometimes welcome and sometimes not welcome. Nothing remains constant. One could say that there is a constant dying and renewal of all that is time bound. As such neither our pleasures nor pains, which are in the field of time, are lasting. In our ignorance we identify the Self/Real with what is ‘not-Self’ (‘not-real’), and grieve at the changes that occur in the realm of ‘not-Self’ as affecting the Self.

The wise, who have a clear understanding about both orders of reality (Self and not-self), find that there is no reason to grieve for the time bound (not-Self) or for the Self that is not subject to time. What is not subject to time is beyond time and therefore free of time. It is timeless. The timeless, in other words, is the eternal. Therefore, the Self, the eternal, warrants no grief.

To negate the ignorance that has made us take the Self as a limited individual and grieve at the changes that occur in the realm of ‘not-real,’ we need knowledge of the Self. As this is a matter of knowledge, it requires a teacher. Here, Krishna assumes the role of a teacher and the teachings are known as Srimad Bhagawad Gita. The teachings of Gita bring us clarity about the two orders of reality – the Self and the not-Self.

When the teachings are understood true to their purport, it frees one from all attachments to the joys/sorrows, success/failure, good/bad etc. It bestows a freedom from all conditions – external and internal. Gita helps us to pass through life’s challenges/struggles without getting scorched, and remain as fresh at the end of life’s journey as at the beginning.

The Self is One and Eternal

There was never a time that I did not exist, nor you or these lords of men. Nor will any of us cease to exist in the future.

In the vision of Gita there is no such thing as birth for ‘I.’ The ‘I’ is not born. When it is said in this verse that we exist eternally, it is with reference to Self, which is birth-less and deathless, and not in respect to the physical bodies. The ‘I’ in you, the ‘I’ in me, and the ‘I’ in all other individuals, when not identified with all the names and forms, is simply ‘I’ alone. Atma (‘I’) that is not born has neither form nor any attributes. The ‘I’ that is not born is one.

Time comes into being when there is more than one. What is free of time is free of change. Therefore the atma, free of time and the changes brought by time, is infinite – eternal (nitya). In the saastra (scriptures), the eternal atma is referred to as ‘nitya-atma.’

The body-mind complexes (the psychophysical entities) are many and variable, but the atma is one. As an example, let us take the pots and the occupied pot-spaces. When the pots are made, each pot occupies a ‘pot space.’ When the pots are destroyed, the pots are no more, but all the ‘pot spaces’ will be there as space. The all-pervasive space that is one was only seemingly seen as individual ‘pot spaces’ with reference to the pots. Similarly the all- pervasive, indivisible one atma is only seemingly seen as many with reference to the bodies.

Just as pots exist in space, all beings exist in atma. That means the atma is the very basis for the created. The created is time-bound and therefore impermanent. There is a beginning and an end for all the pots in space, but not for the space in which the pots exist. Similarly there is a beginning and an end for all the ‘body-mind complexes’ (created) that exist in the atma. Birth, death and all the other changes that occur within the time frame are for the created, but not for the eternal atma that accommodates the time bound (created).

As the created are many and variable, there are many different beings. It is from the standpoint of the physical bodies that there is plurality, but from the standpoint of the atma there is only non-duality. Non-dual means not two but simply one and one alone.

The ‘I’ in the psychophysical complex is simply one whole ‘Pure Awareness.’ When words like Awareness/Consciousness/Intelligence are used in this teaching, these terms do not imply the intelligence associated with the brain or the neurological consciousness. These words are simply indicative of the nature of the ‘I’ as a self-evident Principle, aware of itself, unaided by a second thing. It is by the self-existent and self-evident atma that all other things are known.

The ‘I’ (Awareness/Consciousness) in you, in all others and in me is not different from one to another. There is no beggar’s ‘I’/Consciousness or king’s ‘I’/Consciousness. It is one whole Consciousness. The bodies and minds, which exist in Consciousness, are many and differ but the Awareness or Consciousness; which is the basis for the many, is one – the eternal Atma. Therefore, it is said in this verse that never was there a time when the Self (Atma) of man did not exist nor will it ever cease to exist in the future.

The Unchanging Self

Just as the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth and old age that happen in the present body, so also is the passage to another body. The wise are not deluded about this.

Verse 13 provides an example that helps us to understand how atma is always the same and never changes.

The body-mind complex is like a pot in space. The ‘pot space’ is equivalent to the individual atma. But the total space is not different from the ‘pot space.’ As long as the pot enjoys space, that space gets the name as ‘pot space.’ The term ‘pot space’ is only an apparent name – a name for the seemingly enclosed space. But such name/form does not affect space, which is one. Similarly, the Self (atma) identified with a given body-mind complex is the ‘jiva’ (the individual). But this name and form (body-mind entity) is only an apparent reality. This seeming reality (individuality or jivatvam) does not affect the Self.

We take it that an individual is born on a particular date. The physical body that is born begins to grow and in the process of growing, starts with childhood, followed by youth, then old age, and finally death. But in all these stages, differentiated by physical changes, the embodied Self does not change. At the close of the first stage – ‘childhood,’ - the ‘I’ is not dead nor is it born again at the commencement of the second stage called ‘youth.’ The ‘I’ remains unchanged even as the second and third stages take place. Despite the distinctiveness of each stage, the ‘I,’ the witness of all three stages, remains the same.

The body has a beginning (birth) and will have an end (death) but it is not so for the embodied Self. Just as the space in the pot has neither a beginning nor an end, so is the Self in the psychophysical complex. It has neither prior non-existence nor posterior non-existence. The ever existent Self that remains unchanged in the body as the body passes through childhood, youth and old age, also remains unchanged in the body that is assumed after the death of the present body.

The erroneous identification with the body-mind complex makes one take oneself as a limited individual (jiva) - limited by time, space and quality. The changes that occur at the body level, such as, ‘I am young/old; tall/short; healthy/sick, etc.,’ or at the mind level as, ‘I am happy/sad; successful/failure, etc.,’ are taken as changes that happen to the ‘I.’

It is a superimposition of the changes that occur in the body-mind realms upon the changeless Self. This superimposition of taking the not-real for the real is the cause for the sense of limitation in us. Superimposition is present not because of one’s own will or imagination. There is an element of reality existing in this superimposition, independent of the individual. Since one’s own will or imagination does not impose it, one cannot find the answer by oneself. It is here that a teacher, who knows what is real as opposed to not-real, and of superimposition, brings clarity to the seeker.

Those who clearly understand the nature of the real and are steadfast in that wisdom are the wise ones. They know the nature of atma as changeless, whether embodied or not, and are not deluded by the ever-changing realms of an?tma.

The Transient Nature of the Senses

The contacts of the sense organs with the sensory world give rise to cold and heat, pleasure and pain, O son of Kunti. They come and go. They are impermanent. So manage to endure them, O descendant of Bharata.

Krishna points out to the seeker/student certain elementary qualifications (verses 14 and 15) that are necessary for a seeker to possess an alert and abiding mind. Such a mind alone is capable of being attentive to understand the truth that is pointed out in the teaching.

In this verse the transient nature of the senses and the sensory world is brought to our attention. The sense organs are the ear, skin, eyes, tongue and nose. Their contact with the respective sense objects of the world gives rise to experiences of hearing, touching, seeing, tasting and smelling. It is the sense-contacts with the sensory world that cause cold and heat, and pleasure and pain for the individual.

Cold can be pleasant at one time and painful at another. It is the same with heat. Cold and heat are not constant and the response as pleasure or pain is also variable and impermanent. What was considered as pleasurable at one time is discarded as a source of pain at another point in time. Thus we find our experiences of cold and heat, pleasure and pain, born by contact of the senses with their respective sense objects, are impermanent in their nature.

One cannot isolate oneself totally from the responses to the opposites (cold/heat, pleasure/pain). However, by understanding the impermanence of these opposites and the unchangeable nature of the Self, one can learn to endure the non-constant factors in life without becoming dejected and sorrowful.

Qualifications needed in a Seeker

O prominent among men, the person whom these do not affect, who is the same in pleasure and pain, and who is discriminative, is fit for gaining liberation.

In Gita, the endurance pointed out is based on one’s discriminative analysis of the real and the not-real (atma-anaatma vich?ra). For this analysis to be operative, one must develop dispassion towards what is non-essential to the seeker’s pursuit. An individual with a mind, which is endowed with discrimination of the real and not-real, dispassion, endurance, and equanimity, towards the opposites (pleasure/pain), is naturally fit for the knowledge of Self (real) which is distinct from that of phenomena (not-real).

In the following verse Krishna declares that the ones who know the truth of Atma know the relative reality of the world and the non-relative Reality of Atma.

The Two Orders of Reality (Real and Not Real)

It is found that the unreal has no being; it is found that there is no non-being for the real. The perceivers of truth see the ultimate truth of both these propositions.

The word ‘bhaava’ means a thing that exists, and abh?va stands for a thing that does not exist. Sat or the real is that which exists in all three periods of time without undergoing any change. Untouched by a second thing it is Pure Existence, which never undergoes any change, and has no non-existence.

If a thing does not exist at all, then it demands no explanations. Just as there is nothing to explain about a ‘man’s horns’ because no such thing exists. Explanations can be given about ‘man’ and ‘horns’ but not of a ‘man’s horns.’ It simply does not exist. It is unreal. There is nothing to comment about such non-existence (‘abhaava’). This kind of unreality is referred to as ‘tuccha’ in the teaching.

But we come across ‘something’ that does not qualify to be either Pure Existence or Absolute Nonexistence. That ‘something,’ which is ‘seen/known’ and can be commented upon, cannot be negated as non-existent (tuccha) or taken as the independently ever existent Sat. The definition of Sat is, – "It is that which exists independently in all three periods of time." Sat, the self-existent, does not have non-existence at any time. Therefore, whatever that is not self-existent but dependent on something else for existence, and exists within the framework of time, cannot have Sat (real) imputed on it. That means, anything different from the definition of Sat falls into the category of asat, the not-real. This asat, which is not totally non-existent, has a time-bound existence. It depends upon the ever existent Sat for its existence. As asat depends upon Sat for existence, it is a dependent reality.

When we analyze any object in this world, it is only an effect – a form with a name - depending on some cause (s). Any effect depends on some substantive (cause/causes) for its existence, just as a ‘clay pot’ (effect), depends upon its cause called clay for its existence. There is no clay pot without clay. ‘Pot’ is simply a name for a form of clay. The clay pot, which has a beginning and an end, is always in the process of change. Similarly, if we take heat and cold, they do not exist independently because they depend on various factors for their existence and are also variable. There is no absolute heat or cold existing all by itself. Again their presence is perceived through our organs of perception or inference, which have their own causes.

All that is perceived, either by the external or internal senses, is in the field of phenomena (not-real). That means, whatever we see or know and experience, and the field of our experiences are forever in a state of constant change. For such changes to take place there has to be a changeless substratum. That substratum for all the changes to take place is the unchanging Sat/Atma.

In the vision of Vedanta, the ‘I’ is the changeless Sat, and everything else falls within the order of asat. The ‘I’ in you being real never suffers extinction. As such, it cannot cause any sorrow. The phenomenal world being not-real is time-bound. It is only a relative reality. Therefore, it also cannot truly cause grief. The knowers of the innate nature of Self understand the ultimate truth of both orders of reality – the Absolute Reality and the relative reality.

The Indestructible All-Pervasive Atma

Know that that by which this entire universe is pervaded is indeed indestructible. None can cause the destruction of the imperishable.

It was said in the earlier verse that Sat has no non-existence. Free of time, it is not subject to destruction. Destruction of a thing is possible only if the thing can be objectified. Anything, that comes under the category of objectification as ‘this’ or ‘that’ face destruction except Sat, the subject. The subject (‘I’/Sat)) never stands as an object available for sense perception.

The Self (Subject), that is never available for objectification, is therefore indestructible. Unlike the created, which has parts/attributes, the Sat has no parts/attributes. Neither does it diminish by loss of anything belonging to it, because nothing belongs to the non-dual atma.

‘What is’ - is the all-pervasive indivisible existence called Sat/Atma. Just as all objects of the world are pervaded by space, the entire universe is pervaded by Sat. The fact that ‘I know space’ means that space is in my Awareness. Therefore, space is also in the category of known. As such the basis for the existence of any second thing (asat) is the all-pervasive, self-existent Awareness. However, there is no connection between Sat, the basis, and asat (‘appearances’).

The creation being asat is only an ‘appearance’ (name/form) on its basis – the Sat. When the coiled rope in a dark corner is mistaken for a snake, the basis for that illusory snake is the rope. This illusory snake, which is only an ‘appearance,’ is negated when the rope is known. It was ignorance about the rope that made us to take it for a snake. Similarly, when the Self is known true to its nature, the misconception of taking the not-real for real is negated.

In our ignorance we superimposed the not-real upon the real. But a superimposition cannot bring any destruction to its basis. When the coiled rope in the dark corner is known as rope, the superimposed ‘snake’ is no more and along with that ‘snake’ the excitement/fears that held the seer are also negated. Similarly, knowledge of the imperishable nature of the Self proves that this world has no hold on us to cause confusions and fears.

However, we do not have to destroy the effects, the world of objects/relationships, to know the basis for this creation. We have to only negate the ‘notion’ that made us to mistakenly take the destructible ‘not-real’ for the real For the negation of that notion to take place the knowledge of the indestructible is a must.

Asat is Time Bound.

These bodies, inhabited by the eternal, the indestructible embodied Self that is not available as an object of knowledge, are said to come to an end. Therefore, O descendent of Bharata, fight.

A physical body is a product that is created at a given time and is subjected to modifications. Whatever that is created has an end. Seen from any standpoint, the body is a product of many components – skin, blood, bones, marrow, DNA, etc. These in turn depend on many factors like the minerals, calcium and so forth. Seen from the model in Vedanta teaching, it depends upon the five great elements – space, air, fire, water and earth. Therefore, the bodies, which are of many causes and exist for a given period of time, are subject to modifications and an end. However, the ‘I,’ the basis that enlivens the body-mind complexes, has no destruction.

The ‘I’ in you, others, and me is always the subject and never an object. Whatever that falls into the category of objects as ‘this’ or ‘that’ (the seen/known), are objects for the means of knowledge such as perception, inference etc. However, the Awareness – ‘I’ – is not available as an object for any means of knowledge. In fact to obtain any kind of knowledge, the Awareness – ‘I’ - has to be present.

We have mistaken the immortal ‘I,’ the Subject, to be a time bound individual. This mistake in self-identity is due to ignorance. We do not become ignorant at a given point of time. It is an ignorance that has no beginning. This ‘beginning-less’ ignorance, however, has an end, when one gains knowledge of the nature of atma. The knowledge of Self removes the misconceptions about the Self, and it is recognized true to its nature.

Therefore, Krishna points out to Arjuna to understand the nature of atma (Sat) and to be rid of his delusions born out of ignorance. The command to ‘fight’ in the verse is contextual. Gita-saastra is intended to remove the ignorance that makes us to take ourselves to be limited individuals and to recognize the truth about the immortal Self in us.

The Atma - Neither A Doer nor An Object of Actionn

He who thinks this Self to be killer and he, who thinks of it as the killed, neither of them understands; this embodied Self does not kill, nor is it killed.

Due to ignorance we impose the sense of doer upon the Self. We take the atma as ‘karta,’ (doer) and also that atma can be subject to destruction. That means the Self becomes an object of action (karma). But the Self/Atma is neither a karta nor karma (an object of action).

The content of the word Atma, which makes one to say ‘I,’ is Consciousness. Being non-dual by nature Consciousness (atma) cannot act upon the same Consciousness. Atma alone is. As such, there is no second thing for atma to kill or act upon. That means there is no sense of being a doer (karta) in the non-dual atma. The Self is non-doer (‘akarta’).

The ‘I’ in you, in others and in me is the indivisible and same Awareness. Being one, ‘I,’ the subject, can never be objectified. If the ‘I’/Awareness is the subject, then there cannot be any difference between the ‘I’ (subject) in you, in others and me. The ‘I’ remains always the subject in our body-mind complexes. The body-mind complexes, which can be objectified, face destruction but not the subject – the ‘I’ in all of us. The ‘I’/Awareness being one, is neither a doer nor an object of action to be acted upon by another.

From the standpoint of Real (Absolute Reality) there is no doership for atma. Atma is ‘akarta’ (non-doer). However, from the empirical standpoint, the atma is seen as a jiva with a body, mind and senses. That jiva to perform any action must have a sense of doership. The sense of doership calls for identification with the body, mind and organs of perception and action. The ignorant one who does not know atma as akarta, takes the Self as the doer/enjoyer, and therefore is subjected to the influences of his actions.

The enlightened one also performs actions in this world and to perform any action he must have a sense of doership like any other person. From the empirical standpoint he accepts the notion of doership but he negates the reality of doership with reference to atma (‘I’) in his understanding. The enlightened doer knows that "Atma is not the karta" even though he performs actions, unlike the ignorant who takes the atma as doer/enjoyer.

Atma is Unchangeable

The embodied Self is neither born nor does it die at any time, nor having been, will it cease to exist again. This Self is unborn, eternal, undergoes no change whatsoever, and ancient. When the body is destroyed, it is not destroyed.

In the earlier verse it was said that atma is neither a doer nor an object. The atma, which does not perform any action, is akarta. Neither does it subject itself to any action as an object of action. Therefore, atma is akarma.

This verse upholds the vision of atma as unchanging. Since atma does not come into existence like the created, atma is not subject to any form of change. It is above birth and death and has no prior nonexistence. The unborn atma (‘aja’) is naturally deathless (no posterior non-existence either). The birth-less and deathless atma, which is not within the time frame, is eternal. Eternal means atma is not bound by time. Therefore, it remains unchanged by the six fold manifestations.

The six fold manifestations – birth, existence, growth, transformation, decline and death - are for that which having not existed earlier but come into existence at a given point of time. These changes that occur within the framework of time are for the physical body but not for the immutable atma. It remains the same always (‘saasvata’) as fresh as in the past (‘purana’).

Due to lack of understanding, the physical body, which undergoes the six-fold changes, and the changeless atma, are taken together. There is a ‘mix-up’ of the real and the not real, and as a result the atma is taken to be a limited psychophysical entity with the sense of being a doer/enjoyer. The ignorance that makes us to take the atma, which is akarta and akarma, as a limited individual is beginningless.

Ignorance of anything is never born; otherwise it would mean that there was knowledge prior to ignorance. It is not so. Ignorance has no prior nonexistence but upon gaining knowledge there is an end to ignorance. As such when we gain knowledge of the immutable Self, there is no room for grief when the mortal body is no more.

The Notion of Doer/Enjoyer is Negated by the Enlightened.

O son of Prtha, he who knows this Self to be the indestructible, the eternal, the unborn, the imperishable, how (and) whom does that person kill? Whom does he cause to kill?

Krishna is summing up what has been pointed out in the last two verses. His initial statement in verse 19 was that the atma is neither a karta of any action nor subject to action (karma). Having introduced this point, He explained in verse 20 that the atma is not subject to change (avikriya).

Having given the reason for that, Krishna concludes in verse 21 that the enlightened one knows the atma as not subject to any destruction. It is ‘avinaasi.’ He also knows that atma which is not subject to death is ‘nitya.’ That the eternal atma is unborn (‘aja’) and as such is imperishable (‘avyaya’), is also clear to the wise one. The one who has thus understood and recognized the intrinsic nature of the Self as ‘one without a second’ whom does he kill? The body, which can be objectified, can be killed but not the atma, the akarta.

If there is no sense of doer in the Self, then who is the doer in you? When you analyze who the doer is, you find that the doer is nothing but a thought. If you press that thought (as doer/enjoyer) further, it ends up in Awareness, the ‘I,’ in you. That means the ‘doer thought’ disappears in atma (Awareness), and is no more. Since any given thought/desire appears and disappears in atma, all such factors like being doer/enjoyer are not-real. In fact, there is no real doer. There is only an ‘as though’ doer/enjoyer (A notional doer/enjoyer).

When you see the sun rise, you enjoy it. But the so-called sunrise is negated in your understanding because you know that the sun does not actually rise. This is negation by knowledge of the fact that the sun though it appears to rise in the eastern sky does not truly do so. Similarly in the enlightened one, the sense of doer/enjoyer is negated by the knowledge that the Self performs no action. Regardless of any action that he may perform, "in action, he sees actionlessness."

The Changing And The Changeless

Just as a person gives up old clothes and takes up new ones, so too, the indweller of the body gives up old bodies and takes others, which are new.

For whom is the new birth? Is it for the Self? It cannot be because the all-pervasive atma is everywhere. As such, atma cannot move or travel from one body to another body. But the mind, which is the subtle body, can travel. The mind is not perceivable through the sense organs. But we understand the presence of the mind by its functions, which is a flow of thought-modifications. Thoughts are divided into four categories according to the different aspects of the functions, such as – the indecisive and doubting mode of mind (manas), the decisive mode (buddhi/intellect), the sense of ego or individuality (ahamkaara), and the faculty of recollection (chitta/memory).

The mind travels to various objects of its thought. But wherever the mind travels, it travels in Atma/Consciousness because Consciousness is everywhere. Therefore, it is the subtle body that travels from body to body. Whether it assumes a body or not, the Self remains forever unchanging. The Self does not assume new bodies but the subtle body does. It is the subtle body that gives up the old body and takes on the new one, just as one discards old clothes and takes up new clothes. Atma remains total, unchanged, and unaffected by any such change, just as a man dressing in new clothes remains himself unchanged.

The Self, the real, is just like a tenant in the physical body. That tenant, whether referred to as atma or jiva, is not subject to negation, because the essence of the jiva, which is Awareness, is identical with the Awareness that is atma. Only the notion that ‘I am a limited mortal’ (jivatvam), can be negated. From childhood onwards, the Awareness/Self is witness to all the changes in a physical body, but remains unaffected by them. The same Awareness continues to be in the next body as in the previous body. It is the changeless Awareness that makes one aware of the realms of change.

The Untouched Immutable Self

Weapons do not cut this embodied Self: nor does fire burn it. Waters do not drown it and wind does not dry it.

This Self cannot be cut, burned, drowned, or dried. It is changeless, all pervading, unmoving, immovable and eternal.

Verses 23 and 24 emphasize that nothing can affect the immutable Self. Consciousness is not a tangible thing as an object for destruction by the elements that constitute this universe. In this universe destruction is possible only by air, fire, water and earth. We find in our saastra, a particular model that presents the creation as made of five great elements - space, air, fire, water and earth. In their subtle and gross forms, these elements account for everything that is created. The elements in their subtle aspects account for the mind and sense organs and in the gross aspect account for the physical body and the physical world.

The five elements and their effects belong to the same order of reality. As they are changeable and available for our means of knowledge (perception, inference, etc.), the elements and their effects are asat.

Air implies atoms and atoms mean a structure. Any structure is always available for change. Fire, water and earth belong to the same category as air. These four elements can change and in fact become entirely different in form and structure. However, air, fire, water or earth cannot destroy space, though all share the same order of reality (asat). Space having neither attributes nor structure cannot be changed by the other four elements

Atma like space is also free from attributes or structures. But unlike space, which is not aware of its own existence, ‘Atma is Pure Awareness.’ ‘I’/Atma am aware of everything, including my thoughts, which objectify the entire world inclusive of space.

The Pure Awareness – ‘I am’ with nothing added - does not require any means of knowledge. The means of knowledge such as perception, inference, verbal testimony comparison, presumption, or non-apprehension are not necessary to know that ‘I am.’ Non-apprehension is that which helps one to understand what does not exist. Even to understand ‘what is not’ requires someone existent to know of the non-existence of something. That Awareness is the self-existent and self-evident atma.

Self-evident means that which does not require any means of knowledge to prove its existence. The self-evident atma is self-existent, depending on nothing for its existence. One does not need any method of knowledge to know that ‘I am.’ However, one needs an instrumentality of knowledge, (a pram?na) to know of the infinite nature of the Self as the immortal and adequate Self. It is the S?stra, as a sabda ‘pramaana’ (verbal testimony) that helps us to discover this truth.

Unchangeable, all-pervading, ever-fixed, and eternal is the Self. Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot drown it and wind cannot dry it.

Grieve Not

This (Self) is said to be unmanifest, not an object of thought, and not subject to change. Therefore, knowing this, you should not grieve.

Whatever that is manifest falls within the realm of cause and effect. The ‘manifest’ is referred to as ‘vyakta.’ The atma is beyond cause and effect and is therefore termed as unmanifest – ‘avyakta.’

The unmanifest atma is inaccessible to any of the senses as an object of perception or to be inferred, because inference is based on perceptual knowledge. Therefore, it is referred to as ‘acintya’ (unthinkable). In fact, without the atma these means of knowledge, perception or inference, are not possible.

In addition to being beyond cause and effect, and not an object of thought and imagination, the atma also does not undergo any modification (‘avikaarya’). Unlike milk that undergoes a change to become yogurt, the atma does not change to become something else. When milk becomes yogurt there is a change in taste, smell and texture, but atma having no attributes does not undergo any change.

Atma is always the same limitless ‘existence-awareness-happiness’ (Satchitananda Atma). When the scriptures declare that atma is ‘Satchitananda,’ one could wonder whether Sat, Chit and Ananda are attributes of the atma. Attributes are something other than the nature of the object. But when atma is referred to as Sat-Chit-Ananda, they are not qualifying words for Atma. Sat-Chit-Ananda are implying words for the atma. The implied meaning is the very nature of the atma.

If Sat (existence) were an attribute, what would the substantive be? Here, the substantive/cause is Sat, so its nature is Sat. Thus, Sat is not an attribute of the atma. Chit (awareness) is also not an attribute but its nature (‘svarupa’). What is Sat is Chit, and what is Chit is Sat. ‘Satchit’ – ‘existence-awareness’ - is but one. The limitless-ness of ‘Existence-Awareness’ is implied by the word ‘Ananda’ (Joy/Bliss). The limitlessness of ‘Existence-Awareness-Joy’ is therefore the implied meaning of ‘Satchitananda.’ This is the very nature of the atma.

Arjuna was subjected to sorrow because he did not know the truth of the Self and mistakenly identified the Self with anaatma. Krishna unfolds to him (us too!) the essential nature of Self as indestructible, dismissing all changes and modifications for the Self. Krishna’s teachings contain the Scriptural revelations and adaptations of logical reasoning in keeping with the statements of the ‘Sruti’ (saastra).

Krishna reveals the intrinsic nature of the Self, freed from notions. When one knows true to the teaching the Self as Satchitananda, all the previous notions born of ignorance are negated. No more is the Self taken as a limited mortal. Thus Krishna proves His original proposition – "Do Not Grieve."

The rest of Gita continues with the same theme from different viewpoints to conclusively prove and to help Arjuna – a representative of all seekers of Truth to gain and be established in the Truth.

Scriptural texts such as Bhagawad Gita enjoin us to look at ourselves. Earlier in the 2^nd chapter, Krishna expressed the necessity of knowing the nature of the Self, and also gave a few hints about the characteristics of an enlightened person. Arjuna having listened to Krishna now wants to know from Him, how does a person who is established in that wisdom interact with the world of relationships and face the challenges and conflicts in life? The question was posed not to measure the spiritual growth of a wise person but to be the norms for a seeker of truth to follow and attain that wisdom.

When Krishna explains the nature and characteristics of a person of steady wisdom, He intends to see you, the spiritual aspirant, as the beneficiary of His revelation. That your essential nature is one of being a satisfied happy individual is His declaration. You may be playing many roles in life, such as father, mother, executive, employee, etc. To be perfect in any role assumed by you, however, the "operative wisdom," which is the characteristic of the wise person, is not merely necessary but essential.

Krishna enumerates the wise person’s disposition, attitude, and the spontaneous expressions in life with which he interacts with the world of relationships, and meets the events of life in the following verses. (verses-55-72 of chapter 2)

Satisfaction in the Self

When a man completely casts off all the desires of the mind, O Arjuna, and is contended in the self by the Self, then he is said to be of steady wisdom.

First let us try to understand, ‘What is a desire?’ Desire is a state of the mind and it always involves a thing. We cannot entertain a desire for nothing. One is desirous of something or other. Our likes and dislikes together constitute desire. By acquiring or protecting our likes or by getting rid of our dislikes we feel happy/satisfied. When such demands in the mind have to be fulfilled for the sense of well being that mind is termed as a desirous mind.

Fulfillment of these desires involves schemes or actions that depend upon the grace of time and space. This dependency means that happiness is only a possibility and not an actuality. A desirous mind is always a demanding mind. That mind caught in the web of binding desires, urges for repetition of the actions that bring in a passing joy. The demand to repeat an experience and the dependency on a second thing for satisfaction is born out of the ‘beginningless ignorance’ about the true nature of oneself. ‘What one is’ (real) is missed and ‘what one is not’ (not-real) is accepted as Reality. This superimposition of taking the not-real for the real creates the sense of inadequacy in oneself. It also creates an unquestioned faith in the objects of the world as the source for one’s joy and security, which we seek diligently. Such seeking leads to relationships with the world of objects.

Relationships offer experiences that bring about a change or different mode of mind. If that mode reveals even a fraction of the fullness of the Joy/Satisfaction, which is one’s innate nature, then one claims to be happy. Now to be happy, one is dependent upon the modes/moods of the mind. This leads to a demand for its continuity and repetition. In short, the memory of pleasant experience and the corresponding object become the soil of desire.

However, when the truth about yourself is understood, you naturally become desirous of yourself. This desire never meets with a failure because you are always available to yourself. The atma (‘I’) cannot be the object of your actions as atma is yourself.

Krishna points out that he, who is free from the dependency upon desires of the mind and is satisfied in the Self, is a person of perfect wisdom. Does that mean no desires arise in a wise person’s mind? It cannot be so. Krishna, Buddha, Sankara, the wise ones, would not have expounded what they understood if the desire to reveal or teach was not in their minds. Krishna’s life was one of activity, surrounded by relationships. He was the beloved child of Yasodha, sweetheart of all at ‘Brindaavan’ where He lived as a child, protector of the weak and needy, and a Teacher. When He readily agreed to be Arjuna’s charioteer, it is an indication of His desire to help the righteous in the ensuing war with the evil kurus. In all his roles and actions, however, Krishna never expressed dependence on any role or action for His joy.

The desires of the wise are not binding desires to gain a sense of adequacy. The origin of the activities of such ones is the very sense of adequacy in them. This adequacy within is independent of activity or inactivity. This is the difference between the desires of the wise ones and the ‘not-wise’ ones. The ‘not-wise’ persons depend for joy in the fulfillment of their desires through activities.

The wise person is always awake to the knowledge of the Self and as such does not take himself as a ‘doer,’ even when he performs actions. He is always desire-free like the screen in a cinema. The screen in the cinema never disowns or resists owning up any scene on it. Being free of scenes, the screen accommodates all scenes. The context of the scenes depicting many events, sentiments, etc., does not add anything to the screen, which is ever ready to accommodate or bear any scene. Just as the screen never rejects a scene, so too is the Self. The Self never fails to light up the states of the mind caused by any relative role in one’s life, but remains untouched by the states of the mind.

When the truth – "Atma is Untouched" - is understood, the wrong judgement thaat the Self is maintained by experiences is corrected. Awakening to this truth and the awareness of its never-ending expanse of benevolence is desirelessness. The mind that understands and owns this vision of truth is an enlightened mind. The one with such a mind lives naturally, spontaneously reveling in the Self.

Equanimity in Pleasure and Pain

He whose mind is not agitated in misfortune, whose yearnings for pleasures are no more, and free from desires, fear, and anger, is said to be a man of steady wisdom.

The nature of atma is free from the limitations of time, space and quality. However, our lives are governed by these three factors. None of us have the capacity to surmount all the limitations imposed by these factors and own an imperishable pain-free body and a mind untouched by sorrow.

The source of pain in our lives can be from our own body, mind and senses, or from situations around us, or from natural phenomena like earthquakes, floods etc. These three sources of pain are always active and happen to any person, whether one is enlightened or not. What is caused by these three sources, is given a sense of reality by the ‘not-wise’ and then the pain becomes a sorrow – a matter for grief. The ones, whose minds are not affected by sorrow from these three sources of pain, which belong to the order of asat, are said to be wise.

When something pleasant happens, the three sources are again from one’s own sensory pleasure, or from some external event, or because of some ‘divine’ happening (some call it ‘luck’). The wise one also enjoys the pleasant like any other person. But there is no yearning in a wise one for an ‘encore.’ He who is established and revels in the truth of the Self does not depend upon external objects, relationships, or situations, for happiness.

The freedom from pain and pleasure, however, does not make the man of wisdom insensitive or inactive to the happenings in life or to his responsibilities. It rather offers him enough strength to act upon a situation. To act upon a situation is the natural responsibility expected from a living human being.

One definite message from Gita is "Act –you can and you must." Man has the freedom to act and achieve what he considers will bring satisfaction. However, the ‘doer,’ who is the author of action is not the author of the result of his actions. We observe that any result is one’s action plus ‘some other factor (s). Each action performed, irrespective of one’s likes and dislikes, produce results. The results may or may not be up to one’s expectations. However, no result is thrust upon the doer without relation to his action.

We do not know all the factors that convert action into result. However, we do know that the result is but a modified situation of previous action (s). As such there is no situation in life, which is not a result of earlier action (s). These ripples of events caused by action/result, one giving birth to another, constitute the field of activity and the field of enjoyment for man. If one feels what happened in his life is less of his expectations, again he has one more situation to act upon to find the desired result.

The positive or negative aspects of such situations, however, make no change in an enlightened person. He neither clings to a situation because it is fulfilling nor does he despise a situation because it is failing to do so. His object of happiness being the immutable Self, he is unmoved by adversity and above the limited pleasures in life.

The person, who has thus recognized his identity with Truth, lives with an unquestioned faith that this creation is not a harmful or a fearful one. He also remains harmless to the world of objects and relationships. He identifies himself with a Reality that is unchallenged by time but which is accommodative of the phenomenal manifestations. In this enlightened mind fearfulness is nonexistent.

What obstruction can there be to provoke anger in one who has discovered his identity with the ‘Satchitananda Atma’ - a limitless source of joy/contentment?? There is nothing to obstruct his joy and provoke anger, which is the outcome of thwarted desires.

Krishna in the earlier verse presented the person of steady wisdom as one who revels in the Self. In this verse, Krishna declares that the person of inquiry (‘muni’) whose knowledge of the Self is steady, is never swayed by pain or pleasure and is above binding desires, fear and anger.

Unattached and Free of the ‘Opposites’ are the Wise.

He who is without attachment in all situations, who on encountering anything good or bad neither rejoices nor hates, his wisdom is well established.

Affection or love for another is not a problem. But when that affection becomes attachment, one cannot disassociate the mind from the objects of emotional attachment. Such a mind has a tendency to stray constantly towards the objects of attachment. It is incapable of being discriminative and analyze anything properly – leave alone the discriminative analysis of the real and the not-real (atma-anaatma vichaara).

However, when wisdom is operative, such a one understands that the object of happiness is the Self and happiness is not in things or relationships. The wise person may be a source of affection, friendliness and care in his relationships, but there is no attachment for anyone or anything in him. However attractive any relationship or a situation may be, that one settled and very much with himself has no attachments.

The steady mind free of attachments has a balanced response in all situations – good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. Therefore Krishna declares that "The person of steady wisdom remains unattached, neither elated by the pleasant nor cast down by the unpleasant."

Purposeful Withdrawal

When like the tortoise, which withdraws its limbs into its shell, he withdraws completely his senses from the sense objects, then his wisdom is steady.

It is seen that a tortoise withdraws its limbs when there is an obstruction or danger to its movements towards a desired goal. It does not withdraw its limbs once and forever. The restraint of the limbs is a purposeful act. When Krishna points out that the wise one withdraws like a tortoise, that statement denotes the wise man’s control over his faculties and decisions. Just as the tortoise has the ability to withdraw at will, the wise has the capacity to withdraw at will the senses from sense objects and into oneself. This sense of control is, however, not due to a lack of enthusiasm or liveliness in his life.

This example is a meaningful pointer for us, the seekers. In our ignorance, missing that joy, the intrinsic nature of the Self, we seek for happiness from experiences in this transitory world. By such seeking from the ‘appearances’ we miss the substance! The experiences of pleasure gained through the senses remain embedded in our minds as ‘mental impressions.’ Therefore one has to be alert when impelled by the mental impressions, there is an urge to seek joy through the senses from sense objects.

The spiritual aspirant has to be aware of the futility of such pursuits and of the habituated responses to such ‘fancies.’ Like the tortoise, which withdraws its limbs when faced with danger, the seeker has to be alert and withdraw the mind and senses from pursuits, which are not favourable for one’s spiritual growth.

Knowledge of Self makes the Withdrawal Complete

The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man, leaving the longing (rasa) behind. But his longing also leaves him, on ‘seeing’ the Supreme.

The sense organs can be withdrawn from the sense objects like the tortoise can withdraw its limbs, but the subjective values for that ‘something,’ which is pleasing, will remain embedded in the mind. These values, the tastes within, which are termed as ‘rasa,’ are born of compulsive repetition of pleasant experiences. Imbibed and inscribed in the mind, these wants are considered as a source of happiness or security in life.

Suppression of the cultivated values for such wants is not freedom from the wants. Such ‘rasa’ goes away only with the knowledge of the Self. When the nature of the Self is understood as Satchitananda (‘limitless existence-awareness-bliss’) and that understanding is well established and steady, the elimination of all ‘rasa’ is possible. Such an enlightened mind is independent of everything for its own sense of joy and security.

The Stranglehold of Sense Organs an Obstacle

The tormenting senses, O son of Kunti, do violently carry away the mind, even that of a striving man of wisdom.

The spiritual aspirant is well informed that the right vision in life is Knowledge of Self. Based on his understanding, the aspirant makes sincere efforts in discriminating and controlling the mind and senses in terms of right and wrongful demands to gain a pure mind. Such a pure mind is receptive to the vision unfolded. However, the influence of the past living, where many things were made necessary for the mind to be active and happy, may cause restlessness in the mind and urge the mind to seek those enjoyments. Unless the mind is alert and aware of the emotional values for such ‘rasa,’ the mind can be carried away by the impulses.

The five great elements (space, air, fire, water and earth) in their subtleties constitute the world of enjoyment for the sense organs. Hence they are termed as objects of the senses. They are understood as sound, touch, forms, taste and smells. The variety of experiences offered by the sense objects, which are an intermixture of the great elements, remain always the same for anyone - irrespective of the fact whether one is a seeker or an accomplished one.

The world of objects will continue to be what it is and constitute the world of enjoyment for the sense organs. As such, the seeker must clearly understand that in spite of wisdom, - wisdom based vision, - vision based attitude - and the attitude oriented mind, - there may be moments when the turbulent senses can drag one forcibly into the realms of sense enjoyment. But that should not discourage the seeker.

A sincere seeker should strive through the discriminative analysis of the real and not-real to understand the temporal satisfaction the sense objects can offer, and cultivate dispassion towards whatever that is detrimental for one’s spiritual growth. The inquiry does not destroy the perceptible nature of this creation, but it negates the reality of it being the ‘end’ or ‘means’ for one’s fulfillment.

The Necessity for Contemplation

Having restrained the senses, he should sit intent on Me (Self/Atma); his wisdom is steady whose senses are under control.

As a seeker, one has to go beyond the earlier understanding that life is conditioned by the ‘body-mind complex’ to gain the vision of Truth. The ‘Me’ stands for Atma, the truth of everything, the limitless inner Self of all beings. The Truth is not one’s own body, mind and senses, but the ‘existence’ of all existent forms. This Principle, the Ultimate End, which is pointed out as the Lord by the faithful, the Cause or Origin by the scientist, and the Truth or Reality by the discriminative ones, is the Self in one and all.

Therefore, Krishna advises the seeker to withdraw the senses and contemplate on the innermost Self. It is only when a person through inquiry has gained a clear understanding about the truth of the Self, he will know what is to be contemplated upon. The Self to be contemplated upon is pointed out from various standpoints in the teachings as the Witness (saakshin), the limitless Bliss (ananda-atma), the eternal Existence (nitya atma), and so forth. The mind that has ‘listened’ (sravana) to the teachings, begins to reflect (manana) on what has been brought to one’s attention by the teachings. Gradually that mind abides in the all-satisfying atma. In that steadfast mind there is a cessation of the urge to seek satisfaction through the sense organs. Thus the dependency upon the ‘rasa’ gets negated in time. The freedom from the stranglehold of desires is called liberation for the mind.

This freed and pure mind helps one who has listened and reflected upon the scriptural teachings, to abide steadfast in the Knowledge of Self.

Dwelling upon Sense Objects leads to One’s Downfall

When a man dwells upon objects, ‘attachments’ for them arise; from attachment ‘desire’ is born; from desire, ‘anger’ is born.

From anger arises ‘delusions’; from delusion comes the ‘loss of memory’; from loss of memory ‘destruction of discrimination’ takes place; from destruction of discrimination, one is ‘lost.’

The mind is primarily a faculty of thinking. Its presence is understood by the continuous flow of thoughts. A thought is – "Consciousness plus the name/form of an object without the physical weight of the object." From a continuous flow of thoughts towards objects, we develop ‘attachment’ for them. Out of the attachment arises the urge to experience that, which is so satisfying. This calls for schemes/actions to own/experience the objects of attachment. Those ‘urges,’ for the schemes or actions taken for such fulfillment, are known as ‘desires.’ Thus from attachment arises desires.

When a desire is fulfilled, one feels successful and happy. But if one is faced with failure then there is dissatisfaction or disappointment. That is expressed as anger. Thus we find that dwelling upon an object constantly brings in attachment and desire, and when desire is thwarted it provokes anger. Therefore, it is said that anger is born of unfulfilled desire.

When thinking is ruled by anger there is no virtue or reason. Anger leads one to be misled or deluded. The wisdom collected and assimilated from the saastra and education - that built in value system in respect to what is right or wrong - gets completely submerged, when one is deluded. Thus, from delusion, the ‘loss of memory’ (the collected wisdom) takes place. With the loss of collected wisdom, the faculty of discrimination is incapacitated. The loss of discrimination leads one not to remember what one is, and what one should or should not do. Such a mind acts uncontrollably and gets shattered in the process.

Way to a Tranquil Mind

But the self-controlled man, moving amongst objects (of the world) with his senses under control, free from likes and dislikes, attains peace.

In that peace, all pains and sorrow are destroyed for the intellect of the tranquil minded one soon becomes steady.

Verses 62 & 63 made it clear that when the objects of pleasure are thought of with longing that attachment is conceived for them. The impediments in the way to possession of desired objects, give rise to anger. Anger produces delusion. When deluded, there is loss of discrimination and the result is ruin. In short, it is harmful to dwell upon objects of desire, giving them objective reality.

However, Gita does not recommend running away from the world of objects to obtain inner tranquility. The experiences offered by the sense objects to the sense organs are very much there for the seeker too in this world. But as a seeker of Truth whose aim is to gain a lasting happiness, he does not indulge and dissipate in transitory pleasures. Even though he lives amongst the world of objects, through discriminatory analysis (of the real and not-real) and dispassion towards what is considered non-essential in respect of his seeking, he attains self control and freedom from attraction and aversion for sense objects. Thus the mind becomes free from the pull of likes and dislikes (desires) and is tranquil.

Our scriptures and sages repeatedly declare, "That thou art." It means that which you seek (the peace/joy), you are already that. It is an accomplished fact. A peaceful mind, which is neutralized of its likes and dislikes, is a fit vessel of that immeasurable Peace/Joy that is one’s inner essence. When the inner undisturbable peace is recognized as one’s true nature, all the pains and sorrows of life are destroyed. Only the tranquil-minded has his heart and intellect established in steady wisdom.

The Desirous Mind hinders Progress.

There is no knowledge for the unsteady. For the one who is unsteady there is no meditation and for the one who is not meditative, there is no peace. For the one who has no peace, how can there be happiness?

The mind, which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, carries away one’s knowledge, just as the wind carries away a boat on the waters.

Self-Knowledge does not take place for one whose mind is in the hands of his likes and dislikes. Such a mind will not be peaceful and will tend towards pursuits either to gain and retain the objects of desires or to avoid and eliminate that, which are unfavourable. When the mind is pressured by desires, the commitment to gain knowledge is inhibited in that restless mind. The hold of likes and dislikes, which urge for schemes for fulfillment, make meditation difficult. Inability to meditate is a barrier in the way to peace. Only a peaceful mind can discover happiness.

As we have noted earlier, when the mind seeks satisfaction from sense objects, there is desire, anxiety, disappointment, regret, sorrow and may be some passing pleasures, but nothing that gives a lasting satisfaction. Such a mind, which follows the wandering senses seeking pleasures and power without discrimination, is just like a small boat without a helmsman left at the mercy of the rising winds.

Knowledge is Steady in a Desire-Free Mind.

Therefore, O mighty armed One, the one whose senses are withdrawn from sense objects, his knowledge soon becomes steady.

Gita repeatedly emphasizes the necessity for the neutralization of likes and dislikes in the mind. Krishna made it clear in the previous verses that when the ‘rasa’ for sense objects is present in the mind, the power of the turbulent senses robs the mind of a person who has some vision and is making effort to make his knowledge steady.

It is the mental impressions of likes and dislikes (‘vaasanas’), born of action (karma) that make the mind restless. Unless the mind is freed from the hold of the desires, any knowledge gained by the teachings will be doubted. Therefore, it helps the seeker of truth to take to the lifestyle of ‘Karma Yoga,’ which neutralizes the stranglehold of desires. That freed mind is capable of being established in Self-Knowledge.

The seeker who wishes to attain mental purity should maintain the ‘attitude towards actions’ that is termed as Karma yoga. The lifestyle of Karma yoga calls for the acceptance of the Esvara (Creator) and that this creation exists and functions according to the Creator’s Laws (Laws of karma). An appreciative faith in the Laws of Karma, which govern one’s actions, and the sequence of situations (the results) that arise from actions, is a must for this life style. Therefore even as one strives to overcome any limitations, or fulfills relative roles and desires in life, there is an acceptance that the results of all actions are in accordance with the ‘Laws of karma.’

Such an acceptance invokes an attitude where one acts to the best of one’s ability in a given situation and accepts the results as ‘The Lord’s gift’ (Esvara prasaada). As this attitude, which is termed as ‘prasaada buddhi’ of the intellect, increases, it guards the mind against the onslaught of desires. This ‘mind-control,’ which is a sublimation of desires and not a forcible suppression, is the gateway for a tranquil mind. In that peaceful mind there is no hindrance to Self-Knowledge.

Knowledge and Ignorance are like Light and Darkness.

In that which is night to all beings, the wise man is awake. That in which all beings are awake, that is night for the sage who sees.

Day and night are marked by light and darkness. Darkness has no capacity to destroy things but it can hide things from one’s perception. Light does not produce a thing, but it can unmask the thing for one’s perception. And on seeing, there is every chance that it can be the object of one’s pursuit. Ignorance and knowledge work in a similar manner. Ignorance keeps things away from your attention, while knowledge brings it to your awareness and there by it can be the object of your pursuit.

The differences perceived in this creation such as the knower, the known, and the knowledge, are understood as a ‘seeming reality,’ and not taken as ‘real’ by the wise. For them this creation has no independent existence apart from its very source – the non-dual Brahman. The reality of the Oneness, which is the vision of Vedanta, is the truth understood by the wise.

The ignorant, however, does not see the Oneness (non-duality). He perceives a difference between the knower, known and knowledge. These differences seem valid and distinct to the ignorant one, and this world of names and forms (duality) is taken as the source for happiness. As such, he is caught in the ‘cycle of changes’ (‘samsaara’) - one moment happy, then sad, successfull at a given point of time but defeated at another juncture and so forth.

Therefore, Krishna says, "To the Oneness (non-duality), which is so clear and real to the wise, the ignorant are not awake and asleep. To the apparent world and samsaara – ‘duality’ - that is so real to the ‘not-wise,’ the wise are asleep. It does not exist for them." As such what is clear as a day to the wise is dark as the night for the ignorant and equally what ‘appears’ to be real for the ‘not-wise’ has no substance for the wise.

The Self, whether termed as Atma or Brahman, is the Truth, yet one sets out on a path to discover it. Therefore it is no wonder for the ignorant one to declare that ‘I am not Atma,’ while for the person of wisdom, it is no more a wonder to see the Truth in him, others and everywhere as the one and same Self – the non-dual Brahman. In short, what is so clear to the wise that "I am Atma/Brahman," is not understood by the ignorant. And the names and forms, which are strikingly attractive and the agents of joy for the ignorant, are meaningless to the wise one.

Therefore, it is said in this verse that, "the world wakes in duality and ignorance but the wise is asleep to it, and the wise wakes in Truth/Brahman, while the world is asleep to this."

Recognition of the "Full and Complete Self" is the Way to Peace

Just as the ocean remains unmoved and still as the waters enter it, so too, the wise one, into whom all desires enter, remains unmoved into whom all desires enter. He attains peace but the desirer of objects of desires does not.

The ocean being totally filled with water does not require more water to be full. Unlike the river, which keeps moving, the ocean remains well grounded. The fullness of the ocean is unaltered by the waters that enter it from all sides as rains and rivers, or by the non-entry of waters. Similarly, the peacefulness of the wise one’s mind is not affected by the desires that enter his mind.

The entry of desirable objects, events, or relationships does not increase the fullness/joy of the wise. The wise one who has already recognized that ‘I am fullness’ does not depend on any object, situation, and relationship for his fullness. As such, like the ocean the wise one is not affected by the entry of desirable objects situations etc., because he is ‘full’ and remains ‘unchanged’ always.

However the one, who has not recognized that the ‘I’ is always fullness, is a desirer of desires. For such a one, the entry of desired objects/events brings in elation and the entry of the undesirable creates depression. If the wise one is like the ocean, the ‘not-wise’ one is like a pond that depends upon waters to enter into it to be full. The dependence upon the binding desires makes the ignorant one to be swayed by the changes brought about by the entry and non-entry of desirable and undesirable objects.

The Limited Sense of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’ Absent in the Wise

That man, who abandons all desires, moves around without longing and without the sense of limited ‘I’ and ‘mine’ attains peace.

In the previous verse Krishna made it clear that the wise one who has discovered the nature of Self as ‘full and complete’ remains unchanged by the entry of the desirable or the undesirable in life. Such a one is able to remain so because he has understood the nature of the ‘I,’ which is termed as Brahman or Atma in the s?stras, as Awareness – ‘untouched and unchangeable.’

It is Consciousness/Awareness that enlivens the body-mind complex, and the enlivened body-mind complex gains a sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ The body mind complexes, which are products of the not-real are limited with reference to the three factors called time, space and quality. Therefore, when the ‘I’ is identified with the body-mind complex, the full and complete ‘I’ is taken as a limited ‘I.’ That limited ‘I’ claims a few objects and people with a sense of ‘mine.’

The limited sense of being such a ‘me,’ stands for what you think ‘you are.’ The sense of ‘mine’ stands for what ‘you have.’ The enlightened one who has understood the reality of the ‘I’ as the non-dual Atma/Brahman does not have such an erroneous understanding about the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ which are the content of one’s relative life.

Life does not allow or accommodate an active moment without these notions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ for any conscious being. As such the wise ones, who also continue to live in this world and engage in a variety of activities, do accept the notion of being a doer and enjoyer like any other. However, the identification as doer and enjoyer in the relative world are negated as a ‘seeming’ doership and enjoyership in the wise. The wise do not impute reality to the notional doership/enjoyership. In any given situation their activities spring from the very adequacy/peace within. Devoid of thirst for life and pleasures, above the sense of the limited ‘I,’ the wise one attains peace.

Steadfastness in the Knowledge of Self as Brahman is Liberation (Moksa).

This is to have one’s being in Brahman O Paartah. Having attained this, he is not deluded. Fixed in it, even at the end of one’s life, one gains liberation.

Gita repeatedly brings to our attention that when the nature of the Self is recognized as Brahman, all delusion born of ignorance is extinct forever. The notion that ‘I am the doer/enjoyer’ is no more. Atma, the Eternal, is not conditioned by time. Therefore, any moment is a potential moment for the recognition of this Truth and to be liberated from all limitations.

However, in our habituated minds, the sense of the limited ‘I’ and ‘mine’ are so real to us. Intellectually we may agree and appreciate the Truth that is pointed out in the teachings, but to wean the mind from the earlier dependency and to discover and abide in the Brahman, calls for certain qualities in the seeker of Truth.

For the seeker in this pursuit, the much-needed qualities are discrimination between the real and the not-real, dispassion, sublimation of the mind and sense organs, and also faith in the words of the teachers and scriptures. Faith or ‘sraddha’ as pointed out in the s?stras proves to be a very important factor.

Sraddha is the attitude that makes our pursuit of Truth, worthy of inquiry with an open mind. In the beginning of our learning, one may not understand the full import of the scriptural statements. But a positive and respectful attitude to the words of the teacher and scriptures leads us to a deeper and complete understanding of what is exhaustively brought to our understanding.

Therefore, with humility, an essential condition for the acquisition of wisdom, we should seek that steady lamp of wisdom. That light will not flicker and will serve in every circumstance in our lives.

Copyright 2001
Vedanta Foundation
New Sitalakshmi Nagar, Madurai 17
Tamil Nadu, India