Summary:
Chapter 3, Section 1, Verse 2: The first bird (jiva) suffers due to its restricted identity with the mind-body complex and countless demands, finding life always one step ahead. Through earning punya from good actions, the seeker encounters guides leading to a guru who reveals Consciousness as the true “I am.” The guru first uses neti-neti methodology to remove identity from the doer by showing one is not the gross-body (5 elements, prana), subtle-body (thoughts/emotions witnessed by sakshi), or causal-body (desires/tendencies).
CH 3, SECTION 1, VERSE 2: Two Birds Metaphor Explained
समाने वृक्षे पुरुषः निमग्नः
अनीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः
जुष्टम् यथा पश्यति अन्यम् ईशम्
अस्य महिमानम् इति वीत-शोकः (३.१.२)
samāne vṛkṣe puruṣaḥ nimagnaḥ
anīśayā śocati muhyamānaḥ
juṣṭam yathā paśyati anyam īśam
asya mahimānam iti vīta-śokaḥ (3.1.2)
Being deluded and lost in the very same tree, the person comes to grief due to helplessness. When one recognises the other [bird], which is worshipful, which is the Lord of all, and knows (all this as) his glory – he becomes free from grief.
Journey of the First Bird (Seeker)
The first bird (jiva) attempts to overcome its pain in different ways because its “I am” is restricted to the mind-body which has countless demands (eg: be entertained, be associated to other famous body-minds, etc).
Despite best efforts to keep it together, it becomes obvious life is always one step ahead of you.
As you earn punya through your good actions, you encounter people who guide you, eventually to a guru and a methodology that shows there is another reality about this “I am”, which is Consciousness.
For instance, no guru is willing to work or help anyone showing arrogance or lack of humility, thus such a bird misses out on the very guru-bird who can set the seeker-bird free.
How the Methodology/Guru Show You the Ultimate Reality
The ultimate reality in the verse is called “juṣṭaḥ” – that which is MOST sought after – freedom from all forms of limitation.
Step 1: Neti-Neti
First step is to remove identity from body-mind (doer). It's helplessly doing (thinking/walking/inquiring) according to programming, preferences, dharma, environment, etc.
Guru does this by describing where you have your “I” placed into…
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- Gross-Body: Physical body is made of 5 elements. You know you’re not the space, air, fire, water, earth when observed – thus can’t be the 5-elemental-brain, or 5-elemental heart which will stop beating one day. Also you can't be the prana (energy), else when fatigue is experienced, you’d feel less Aware/Conscious.
- Subtle-Body: Thoughts/emotions (e.g., sadness, focus, distraction) come and go, while you, the sakshi (witness) remains available.
- Causal-Body: If you were desires/tendencies (effects of Causal Body), then when desire leaves, you’d go out of existence.
Now the guru shares who you are in…
Step 2: Point out What Awareness is
Taught in the next lesson…
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Recorded 12 July, 2025