Summary:

Chapter 2, Verse 22: Atma is existence of awareness nature, without a second. Jiva means, I take self to be as good as the sthula-sharira, suksma-sharira, and karana-sharira. Karma accumulates as seen and unseen results, influencing future births. Samskaras develop through physical, spoken, and mental actions – shaping personality through time. Verse essence: As a person discards old clothes for new, the self leaves old bodies for new ones.

Chapter 2, Verse 23: Atma is indestructible, unlike the body composed of pancha maha bhuta (five elements). The body can be destroyed by these elements, but atma remains unaffected. Verse essence: Weapons cannot slay, fire cannot burn, water cannot wet, and wind cannot dry the self.

Chapter 2, Verse 24: Atma is like space but superior, being the final cause of the universe. It is changeless, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and eternal. Self remains untouched by bodily and mind changes, as space is unaffected by objects within it.

BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 22

Continuing from last session…

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरः अपराणि ।
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णानि
अन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥ २-२२॥
vāsāṃsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naraḥ aparāṇi ।
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāni
anyāni saṃyāti navāni dehī ॥ 2-22॥

Just as a person gives up old clothes and takes up new ones, so does the self, the one who dwells in the body, gives up old bodies and takes others which are new.

We’ve seen atma is existence of nature of awareness, which has no second. And this is moksha (release from bondage of limitation). Until you understand your reality, jiva’s journey continues. Jiva goes from one body to another, buying-discarding them like clothes. Knowing this, you can use your body wisely for moksha.

Jiva is made of:

1. Sthula-sharira (Physical or gross body).
2. Suksma-sharira (Subtle body): You not only have physical ears, but hearing capacity (which physical instruments can't detect). You have a physical Brain, but thoughts are subtle thoughts. You can't find a desire/thought in any one neuron that makes up the physical brain, thus thoughts are part of subtle body.
3. Karana-sharira (Causal Body): Whatever actions performed, has:
   1. Seen results: Universe shows nature of action as feedback — to tell whether you’re deceiving yourself.
   2. Unseen results: Universe connects present cause to future effect. Results come as blessing (punya), or a challenge (papa). These accumulated punya/papa are called karana-sharira. It’s reason why everyone gets different body-mind complex.

What is a jiva?

One who takes self as individual, collects karma, goes through bodies, in samsara-cakra (cause-effect universe). Process continues until get moksha.  Jiva is a fictional character invented when Consciousness and 3 bodies come together.

What happens to subtle-body after death?

Reprogrammed according to new portion of karmas taken from Causal Body, and attaches to corresponding gross-body. 

How Samskaras (Inclinations that cause your personality) are Developed?

• 3 Types of Karmas (actions) that reinforce your samskaras (inclinations):
  1. Kayika karma: Actions performed with body. Build inclinations at level of body.
  2. Vacika karma: What we spoken. Build inclinations at level of manner of speaking (fast, slow).
  3. Manasa karma: Mental actions (thinking). Builds inclinations how you think. EG: You don’t speak about being hurt, but ruminating inside, forms bitterness. It invites you to repeat next time. Builds orientation.

All 3 end up becoming samskaras. EG: Suppose there’s car accident, and you decide to stop and help (kayika karma). You also use speech (vacika karma) and mind (manasa karma) to figure out what to do.

How to prove existence of Causal Body?

Fact that you can’t tell what your thought will be next minute, shows there’s a samskara (inclination). Good news is, you can use free will to decide what to do with the next thought. If you engage with it, it reinforce neuro-pathways and the samskara which brough about that thought. Eventually you become what you keep thinking and acting-out most of the time.

And these samskaras along with your punya/papa give you a body, mind, parents… from which you continue the journey of life.

For example…

1. WEALTHY/MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY: Even if born in a middle class family, can also be a blessing.
   • This is case of Mindtree CEO, who told his story: As kid, he complained to father that his peer groups have fancy toys, but he doesn’t. Father explained honestly, showing the salary used to pay school, food, house… and there’s nothing left to indulge son with. Kid asked, “By my friends fathers also work for police force and earn same”. Father explained, I want you to learn to be happy with or without things.
2. RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL FAMILY: You can be born into family already connected to religious/spiritual studies.
3. INTELLECTUAL SAVVY / THINKERS.

NEXT VERSE: Talks about nature of atma…

BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 23

न एनम् छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि न एनम् दहति पावकः ।
न च एनम् क्लेदयन्ति आपः न शोषयति मारुतः ॥ २-२३॥
na enam chindanti śastrāṇi na enam dahati pāvakaḥ ।
na ca enam kledayanti āpaḥ na śoṣayati mārutaḥ ॥ 2-23॥

Weapons do not slay this (self); nor does fire burn it. Water does not wet (or drown) nor does wind dry it.

What is the body made of (with which we identity with)?

It’s made of 5 elements (pancha maha Bhuta):

1. Space: Body is within space, and every organ is placed in a certain place relative to the body. When organ moves one 1 cm out of it’s place (eg: spinal disk), it produces excruciating pain.
2. Air: Air in blood. Let’s brain think. Can’t think in hypoxia.
3. Fire: Digestive fire extracting vitamins, proteins, sugar.
4. Water: Most of body is water.
5. Earth: Bones, flesh.

I AM NONE OF THE ELEMENTS:

• Suppose I ask, “Are you water?” No. Are you the Fire? No. Etc.  So if you are neither of these, how can 5 elements mixed together be you? Logically impossible. Not-I + Not-I + Not-I… will that ever equal to I.
• Because body is made of 5 elements, it can also be destroyed by 5 elements. Body can be burnt by fire, drowned by water, slayed by earth made weapons, dehydrated/dried by air.  Whereas atma is not subjected to being burnt, drowned, killed, dried… because it’s not made of 5 elements.

NEXT VERSE: Nature of atma…

BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 24

अच्छेद्यः अयम् अदाह्यः अयम् अक्लेद्यः अशोष्यः एव च ।
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुः अचलः अयम् सनातनः ॥ २-२४॥
acchedyaḥ ayam adāhyaḥ ayam akledyaḥ aśoṣyaḥ eva ca ।
nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuḥ acalaḥ ayam sanātanaḥ ॥ 2-24॥

This (self) cannot be slain, burnt, drowned, or dried. It is changeless, all- pervading, stable, immovable, and eternal.

Verse says atma is like space. Because space doesn’t have form/attributes/location, it’s all pervading. However nothing in world can totally represent atma.

However what’s the difference between space and atma?

1. Can’t say that space is the final cause of the universe. Because space only started at moment of big-bang. Meaning objects in space and space itself depends on the final cause, Consciousness (atma). Because you can’t think of anything created without presence of a conscious being.
2. Space is measurable between two points.
3. Sense of space changes depending on standpoint. EG: Waking space, dream space. Drug induced space. Or childhood home space is much smaller in adult years. The “sense of space” depends on a conscious being.

Therefore verse says, while body is made of changing 5 elements, atma is untouched by the body because atma is not 5 elements. Just how space is untouched by what objects obtain in it.

NEXT VERSE: Vision of wise person because of which one has an objective relationship towards grieving or loss…

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

Recorded 13 Oct, 2024