Summary:

In this session, we delve into a revision of Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 12, exploring the profound shift in identity from the changing body to the unchanging light of consciousness. Krishna explains that this consciousness continues eternally, even after the body's demise. The session uses two powerful metaphors to illustrate this concept:

The wave-water metaphor demonstrates how shifting identity from the temporary wave to the eternal water solves existential dilemmas. It emphasizes that external change is unnecessary; only a shift in understanding is required.

The cup-space metaphor likens Atma to space, showing its limitless and formless nature. It explains how Atma seems confined to a single body but is, in reality, everywhere and indivisible.

 It concludes by exploring two common mistakes: primary ignorance about one's true identity and secondary ignorances stemming from this misunderstanding.

REVISION OF BHAGAVAD GITA, CH2, VERSE 12:

This session is another revision of important Verse 12. 

• What difference does it make that my identity has shifted from changing to unchanging light of consciousness?
  • ANSWER: Krishna replies, even after body goes, this light of consciousness doesn’t cease to exist, it continues eternally and limitless. Without the shift, you die when body dies. Meanwhile, while living, there is a connection to this incidental body, and my nature is much bigger, which remains untouched. For the time being you’re given body-mind to shift identity from itself to unchanging Atma.
  • METAPHORE VIA WAVE-WATER:
    • Suppose you take yourself a small wave in a vast ocean of so many other waves. All the time concerned one day you’ll hit the shore and cease to exist. And open eyes, you see other ways are doing so much better then you. And in this paradigm, we try to counsel ourselves with self-help, remaining positive, etc. It doesn’t solve the problem.
    • What will solve the waves dilemma of seeing itself as one wave amongst many?
      • Changing it’s identity: Wave’s shape/size is incidental. It’s made to change. While it’s water is intrinsic and never ceases to exist. As water, where are you? Everywhere, the truth of all waves. As wave, where are you? In a small form.
        1. If shift identity from incidental wave to intrinsic water, have you changed anything externally? No. Only a shift in understanding of yourself.
        2. Any distance between wave and water? No. Meaning you can never be a loser, as reality you want to be, is already you.
        3. Is there any difference between angry wave and composed wave? No. Except angry wave will take lot longer to recognize it’s water-ness, as it's occupied with things that keep it's mind restless.
  • METAPHORE VIA CUP-SPACE: Suppose you create a cup. Is the inside space suddenly different from outside space? No. Why do we call it cup-space? Because seems to be confined to cup. But is space really confined to cup or divided by cup? No. When cup breaks; does the cup-space cease to exist? No. It continues as space, exactly the same as total space.
    • Suppose I pour in one cup; wine, in another coke, and another water. Does the space gets contaminated with wine/coke/water? No.
    • CONCLUSION:
      • Atma is like space; it has no attributes, no divisions, therefore without limits (limitless/formless). But with coming of body, Atma seems confined to single body from your standpoint. But in reality, like space, you are everywhere, indivisible. Until you recognize the body-mind isn’t a real limitation, you keep coming back in different bodies.
      • Cup stands for body-mind. Space stands for Atma; that which accommodates and lights up all cups.
• Don't Need to Disown Your Body-Mind to Know Your Truth: Knowing self as sat-cit, does this mean one disowns the body? No. They’re used to get things done empirically, while knowing the limitations of body-mind don’t belong to Atma. Furthermore, while living, your body-mind will go through śita-uṣṇa (physical discomfort; cold-hot), and sukha-dukha (mental discomfort). It’s impossible to be indifferent to them. While they’re coming-going, long as you understand your nature, your mind will enjoy titiksha (mental equanimity regarding physical and mental processes, understanding all phenomena is changing). It doesn’t mean being indifferent or aloof, but dealing with situation appropriately, while enjoying composure.
  • Example showing mental equanimity: Suppose you're an actor playing role of beggar. You’re doing what you’re hired for, but inside you’re composed, despite no distance between actor and role. What creates composure? Knowledge (the role doesn’t exist without me, and I’m totally free from the beggar).
• STORY ILLUSTRATING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE’S NOTHING BIGGER TO FALL BACK ON:
  • On a train, a husband berated his wife for forgetting water. “You're so careless!” he complained. The wife thought, “He could've brought it himself,” but stayed quiet. At a station, she suggested he buy water. He did, but once the train moved, he resumed complaining, “I was so thirsty earlier! Why didn't you buy water before?” Without a higher perspective, his mind constantly found new reasons to be dissatisfied, perpetuating a cycle of negativity.
  • This is how life is for most. One adds further agony by thinking about one’s discomfort, nothing to fall back on. Even when things are mitigated temporarily, momentum of dissatisfaction continues. Becomes orientation of living for most. Consequently, one looks for time-bound experiences to temporarily forget about one's burdens. Or looks for heaven as escape after death, not realizing this earth is heaven in contrast to a lower world. Now that he is on Earth heaven, he wants a higher heaven. When he gets to higher heaven, eventually sees limitations there too, wanting another heaven. It’s endless!
• 2 MISTAKES ARE MADE NOT KNOWING ABOUT THE REALITY:
  1. Mula-avidya (Primary Ignorance about My Identity): Not recognizing one’s true nature, that’s free from every limitation. Restricted identity to this body-mind. 
  2. Tula-avidya (Secondary Ignorances Caused by Primary Ignorance): Erroneous conclusions in reference to your life purpose, all stemming from mula-avidya. As the limited entity goes through discomfort, all stories becomes bigger and bigger, and suffering increases. This is life of jiva (conscious being whose identity is placed in limited body-mind). Loss of perspective. 

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Course was based on Neema Majmudar's Bhagavad Gita & Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 11 Aug, 2024