ascharyavat pashyati kashchit enam
ascharyavad vadathi tathaiva chanyaha
ascharyavachchainam anya srunothi
sruthvapyenam veda na chaiva kashchit
Krishna now comes back from his suppositional argument that we are the mortal body,which he had taken in the last 3 verses,to the concept of the atma.
He advises Arjuna that nothing deserves grief,be it a body(since it has to go through various stages of birth,growth,decay,death,etc) or the atma(since it has neither birth or death and is beyond all karma).This is Krishna's jist of the Bhagavad Gita.In fact,he borrows this from the 7th chapter of the "Chaandogya Upanishad",named the "Bhuma Vidya".It is a dialogue between the guru,sage Sanatkumara and the shishya , Narada.Narada,being a very accomplished musician,having the ablility to travel anywhere as required(trilokha sanchaari),and having very special powers(siddhi),comes to Sanatkumara and says that in spite of having everything that a human being would crave for,he still experiences sorrow.He also accepts that only atma jnana can rid a person of all sorrows,and requests Sanatkumara to teach it to him.Sanatkumara agrees and his teachings form part of the 7th chapter of the Chaandogya Upanishad.
Krishna emphasizes that this knowledge alone is the solution to all sorrow.He also says that this knowledge is so profound that it is not very easy to understand.Hence,this knowledge is one of "wonder".
Why is this knowledge extra-ordinary?Three main reasons would be-
1.It talks about "Myself"."I" think "I" know myself intimately & better that anybody else.Vedanta says that I do not know myself at all.It says that I am the atma and am immortal.This I cannot comprehend now.It also says that if I am ready to undergo a very thorough educational programme,it shall convince me of the same.Hence vedanta becomes extra-ordinary,since no material object can teach me this.
2.I think that I am located at a place & am a localized individual.Vedanta challenges this and says that I,being the atma,am all pervading,and not limited by time or space.
3.I feel that the universe is very vast and that I am but an insignificant and small speck in one corner of it.Vedanta says that I am not inside the universe.On the contrary,the entire cosmos,including the space-time continuum reside in me.Sankaracharya says in the Atmabodha that "I" am an ocean in which galaxies are small bubbles appearing briefly from time to time.
Krishna says that Vedanta is too big a concept to be able to understand in a day or two,but will take years,requiring passing through the stages of Sravanam(consistent & systematic study of vedantic teaching for a length of time under the guidance of a competent acharya),Mananam(reflect in my own inetllect until I am convinced that this is not a matter of belief but that of understanding and conviction) and Nidhidyasanam(practice these to change my orientation from 'I am in this world' to 'The world is in me').This is worth the effort,because it will bring a revolutionary paradigm shift in the attitude towards oneself,towards the world and towards God.This is the only solution to all sorrow in life.
Thus Krishna says that,jnanis(enlightened people),very few are scarce in this world appreciate this knowledge.This is a wonder.
They enjoy this knowledge,and would like to spread it.Not many people are forthcoming to learn this as they are materialistically busy.When such people do come forward,the jnanis become acharyas and pass on their knowledge.This is also a wonder.
When these knowledge seekers encounter it,it is so overwhelming that they are unable to accept it right away.This is also a wonder.
The greatest wonder of all is that,even after studying these for years together,some students are still unable to understand this.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Chapter 2,Verse 28
avyakthadhini bhuthani
vyaktha madhyani bharatha
avyakthanidhananyeva
thtra ka paridevana
Vedanta says that the very words 'birth' and 'death' are illogical.The same goes for 'creation' and 'destruction'.These words must not even exist in our vocabulary.If they do so,it shows our ignorance.As modern science says that "Matter can neither be created nor be destroyed",it can be converted from one form to another.Thus,describing God as a creator itself is a misnomer.
The same logic can be extended to the words "srishti" & "pralayam" God could not and did not create the world.Just like how a carpenter making a chair does not create one per say,but merely converts wood from a tree into one,God did not create the world.To put it in perspective with modern science,even before the big bang,the earth existed.It shall continue to do so forever.Just that it was not,and will not,be in the form that it is in now.A star,after becoming a supernova,shall continue to exist,but in the form of energy.
The world is continually changing.During the course of this transformation,at some particular time,it becomes perceivable,just like water being visible in its solid & liquid states,but not in its gaseous forms.This is considered to be the creation of the world(srishti).Before this,the world was in a form that was not perceivable(avyaktha avastha,meaning intangible state).It is now in a vyaktha avastha,meaning tangible state.At some point in the future,it will again transform into avyaktha avastha and this phenomenon would be considered as "pralayam"(end of the world).
Thus,creation and destruction are nothing but a continuous change between a tangible form and an intangible form.It is not a linear process,but a cyclic process,which would keep repeating over and over again,and hence you cannot find its beginning or its end.
Hence,Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that birth and death of living beings are merely a transformation between a tangible an intangible forms.Beings manifest at birth,and transform to how they were before birth,an unmanifestable form,at their deaths.Thus,he must not grieve over either birth or death.
vyaktha madhyani bharatha
avyakthanidhananyeva
thtra ka paridevana
Vedanta says that the very words 'birth' and 'death' are illogical.The same goes for 'creation' and 'destruction'.These words must not even exist in our vocabulary.If they do so,it shows our ignorance.As modern science says that "Matter can neither be created nor be destroyed",it can be converted from one form to another.Thus,describing God as a creator itself is a misnomer.
The same logic can be extended to the words "srishti" & "pralayam" God could not and did not create the world.Just like how a carpenter making a chair does not create one per say,but merely converts wood from a tree into one,God did not create the world.To put it in perspective with modern science,even before the big bang,the earth existed.It shall continue to do so forever.Just that it was not,and will not,be in the form that it is in now.A star,after becoming a supernova,shall continue to exist,but in the form of energy.
The world is continually changing.During the course of this transformation,at some particular time,it becomes perceivable,just like water being visible in its solid & liquid states,but not in its gaseous forms.This is considered to be the creation of the world(srishti).Before this,the world was in a form that was not perceivable(avyaktha avastha,meaning intangible state).It is now in a vyaktha avastha,meaning tangible state.At some point in the future,it will again transform into avyaktha avastha and this phenomenon would be considered as "pralayam"(end of the world).
Thus,creation and destruction are nothing but a continuous change between a tangible form and an intangible form.It is not a linear process,but a cyclic process,which would keep repeating over and over again,and hence you cannot find its beginning or its end.
Hence,Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that birth and death of living beings are merely a transformation between a tangible an intangible forms.Beings manifest at birth,and transform to how they were before birth,an unmanifestable form,at their deaths.Thus,he must not grieve over either birth or death.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Chapter 2,Verse 27
jatasya hi dhruvo mruthyuhu
dhruvam janma mrutasya cha
tasmad apariharthertheye
na tvam shochitum arhasi
Now.Krishna gives a reason as to why Arjuna should not grieve over the death of his relatives.He says that for a being that is born,death is certain.And for one which has died,birth is certain.This is an undeniable fact.And one has no control over this.Hence,one must learn to accept what is inevitable.Intelligence is preparing the mind for situations over which one has no choice.The Mahabharatha is an inevitable event pending to happen,and Arjuna has no contol over it.There would be lives lost on both sides.He would have to part with his near and dear ones.But,he must accept this fact,and move on.By resisting to do so,one will only encounter sorrow.If accepted,the pain is halved.If resisted,the pain is doubled.
Now comes the question of how to develop this attitude of accepting the inevitable without resistance.To begin with,one must keep meditating/saying to oneself that he/she is ready to accept the inevitable.On continually practising it,it would gradually get imbibed in our hearts.Our facial expressions and body language would then start to reflect it.Others would then be able to see a smile on our faces at all times.Krishna asks Arjuna to do the same.According to our shastras,the mind and the brain are differnt.The brain forms part of the visible body,whereas the mind,the invsible.The brain perishes when one dies,whereas the mind continues.But he tells Arjuna that,even if he refuses to believe in this,he must still not grieve over the death of mortals,be it Bheeshma or Drona.
Death is inevitable.Modern science can extend life and delay death,but can never overcome it.We must all accept this fact.By understanding that one is the atma & not the physical body,two purposes are fulfilled.
1.It gives inner peace as I know that I am the atma,and that I have no destruction.This way,the innate urge for immortality is fulfilled.
2.I will,hence,be able to accept the mortality of the human body.
There is a very useful prayer that we all can use everyday-
"Oh Lord,give me the serenity to accept what cannot be changed.
Oh Lord,give me the courage to change what can be changed.
Oh LOrd,give me the ability to differentiate between the two"
dhruvam janma mrutasya cha
tasmad apariharthertheye
na tvam shochitum arhasi
Now.Krishna gives a reason as to why Arjuna should not grieve over the death of his relatives.He says that for a being that is born,death is certain.And for one which has died,birth is certain.This is an undeniable fact.And one has no control over this.Hence,one must learn to accept what is inevitable.Intelligence is preparing the mind for situations over which one has no choice.The Mahabharatha is an inevitable event pending to happen,and Arjuna has no contol over it.There would be lives lost on both sides.He would have to part with his near and dear ones.But,he must accept this fact,and move on.By resisting to do so,one will only encounter sorrow.If accepted,the pain is halved.If resisted,the pain is doubled.
Now comes the question of how to develop this attitude of accepting the inevitable without resistance.To begin with,one must keep meditating/saying to oneself that he/she is ready to accept the inevitable.On continually practising it,it would gradually get imbibed in our hearts.Our facial expressions and body language would then start to reflect it.Others would then be able to see a smile on our faces at all times.Krishna asks Arjuna to do the same.According to our shastras,the mind and the brain are differnt.The brain forms part of the visible body,whereas the mind,the invsible.The brain perishes when one dies,whereas the mind continues.But he tells Arjuna that,even if he refuses to believe in this,he must still not grieve over the death of mortals,be it Bheeshma or Drona.
Death is inevitable.Modern science can extend life and delay death,but can never overcome it.We must all accept this fact.By understanding that one is the atma & not the physical body,two purposes are fulfilled.
1.It gives inner peace as I know that I am the atma,and that I have no destruction.This way,the innate urge for immortality is fulfilled.
2.I will,hence,be able to accept the mortality of the human body.
There is a very useful prayer that we all can use everyday-
"Oh Lord,give me the serenity to accept what cannot be changed.
Oh Lord,give me the courage to change what can be changed.
Oh LOrd,give me the ability to differentiate between the two"
Chapter 2,Verse 26
atha chainam nithyajaatham
nithyam va manyase mrutham
tathapi tvam mahabaho
nivam shochitum arhasi
From verses 26 to 28,Lord Krishna takes a different approach in preaching to Arjuna.
All along,he was trying to impress upon Arjuna that he is not the visible human bpdy,but the atma.In these verses,Krishna makes a suppositional argument that everyone were their mere visible mortal human bodies.He says that,even if Arjuna considered atma to be mortal,people have come with a date of birth and will have a date of death,he must not grieve over the inevitable.
nithyam va manyase mrutham
tathapi tvam mahabaho
nivam shochitum arhasi
From verses 26 to 28,Lord Krishna takes a different approach in preaching to Arjuna.
All along,he was trying to impress upon Arjuna that he is not the visible human bpdy,but the atma.In these verses,Krishna makes a suppositional argument that everyone were their mere visible mortal human bodies.He says that,even if Arjuna considered atma to be mortal,people have come with a date of birth and will have a date of death,he must not grieve over the inevitable.
Chapter 2,Verse 25
Avyakto'yam achintyoyam
avikaryo'yam uchyathe
tasmad evam viditvainam
nanusochithum arhasi
Naturally,the next question would be-"If atma is everywhere,they why cannot I sense it or perceive it.I have sense organs which enable me to touch,smell,see,taste and hear.Why is that the atma is not sensed by any of these?"Krishna expects this question and hence gives an answer to Arjuna.He says that atma is "Avyaktaha",meaning it does not have sensory property.My sense organs can experience something that has one of the five sensory properties.If an object has a form and/or colour,I can see it.But when it has neither,can I see it?
Can I see the ethyl mercaptane,very strong smelling substance which is mixed with LPG to detect gas leaks?Just because I cannot see it,can I assume that there is no gas leakage?Just because a deaf person cannot hear music,can he conclude that there is no such thing as music?These only mean that out sense organs are limited instruments which can perceive what they are meant to perceive.Similarly,atma,having no sensory property,cannot be perceived by any of our sense organs.They are intrinsically incapable of perceiving the atma.Thus atma is imperceptible.
Krishna goes one step further and answers another question-"I cannot sense the atma.But why cannot I intellectually think or amotionally conceive the atma?"
The answer is "Achintyoyam",meaning,non availablity to form a concept.All the concepts we conceived are based on our experiences in this material world.Thus,we cannot conceive something we have not experienced.Dont agree?Try explaining colours to a person born blind.Let's see you make him perceive/conceptualize and imagine them.Thus,atma cannot be imagined either.
"avikaryo'yam uchyathe" means that the atma is not subject to any change,as I have explained in the previous posts.
Krishna says that,having known this,that Arjuna is neither a kartha nor a boktha,he cannot commit papa or punya and incur their consequences,he must not grieve over the death of his opponents.He is the punya-papa-atheetha atma.
avikaryo'yam uchyathe
tasmad evam viditvainam
nanusochithum arhasi
Naturally,the next question would be-"If atma is everywhere,they why cannot I sense it or perceive it.I have sense organs which enable me to touch,smell,see,taste and hear.Why is that the atma is not sensed by any of these?"Krishna expects this question and hence gives an answer to Arjuna.He says that atma is "Avyaktaha",meaning it does not have sensory property.My sense organs can experience something that has one of the five sensory properties.If an object has a form and/or colour,I can see it.But when it has neither,can I see it?
Can I see the ethyl mercaptane,very strong smelling substance which is mixed with LPG to detect gas leaks?Just because I cannot see it,can I assume that there is no gas leakage?Just because a deaf person cannot hear music,can he conclude that there is no such thing as music?These only mean that out sense organs are limited instruments which can perceive what they are meant to perceive.Similarly,atma,having no sensory property,cannot be perceived by any of our sense organs.They are intrinsically incapable of perceiving the atma.Thus atma is imperceptible.
Krishna goes one step further and answers another question-"I cannot sense the atma.But why cannot I intellectually think or amotionally conceive the atma?"
The answer is "Achintyoyam",meaning,non availablity to form a concept.All the concepts we conceived are based on our experiences in this material world.Thus,we cannot conceive something we have not experienced.Dont agree?Try explaining colours to a person born blind.Let's see you make him perceive/conceptualize and imagine them.Thus,atma cannot be imagined either.
"avikaryo'yam uchyathe" means that the atma is not subject to any change,as I have explained in the previous posts.
Krishna says that,having known this,that Arjuna is neither a kartha nor a boktha,he cannot commit papa or punya and incur their consequences,he must not grieve over the death of his opponents.He is the punya-papa-atheetha atma.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Chapter 2,Verse 24
acchedhyo'yam adaahyoyam
akledhyo shoshya eva cha
nithyaha sarvagathaha sthanuhu
achaloyam sanathanaha
Krishna says that the atma cannot be cut,cannot be burnt,cannot neither be wet,nor can it be dried.This atma is all pervading,changeless,immovable.It has no birth or death.
It cannot be affected by any of the pancha boothas.Why?Is it because the atma is so far away that it cannot be reached?No.Atma transcends space and time.It is here & now.Nevertheless,it is inaccessible to the elements.
There are a couple of comparisons made in the vedas regarding the atma.
1.Atma is compared to akasha,meaning space(one of the pancha boothas).Space is everywhere,right around you.But can you cut it with a knife?Can you burn it be lighting a fire?When it rains,does the space get wet?Try pouring water from a height.It transcends the space and wets only the object it comes in contact with.Do winds move space?Space is present here & now,and yet it is not affected by anything.Similarly,the atma is all pervading.The word "Chitakashaha" refers to this concept.It is derived from the word 'chit' meaning the higher consciousness(atma) and akasha,meaning space.
If you go to Chidambaram,you will see God being worshipped in the form of space.It is one of the pancha bootha sthalas.(The other four being Kanchipuram(Prithvi sthalam),Thiruvanaikaval(Appu sthalam),Sri Kalahasthi(Vayu sthalam) and Thiruvannamalai(Thejo sthalam)).
At Chidambaram,there is no idol to represent the God.There is mere space.It signifies that God is present in the space there,but is beyond the reach of our sense organs.
2.Atma is compared to prakasha(light).Just as you cannot bring about change to the space around you,you cannot do anything to light emanating from a source.
Lord Krishna,as part of the teaching,presents the spiritual knowledge to Arjuna.Spiritual knowledge means the knowledge of our own higer nature(the atma).The atma is regarded as spirit because it is neither matter nor a material substance.Vedanta says atma is in the nature of the consciousness itself.Matter by itself,is not a conscious entity.No material substance is conscious of either itself or others.The keyboard on which I am typing this very line is neither aware that it is a keyboard,not is it aware of me,being present and typing on it.Matter is matter because it is neither self-conscious nor is it conscious of others.THe materia body becomes conscious only by the pervasion of the the spirit(atma).
The nature of the atma is described as follows-
1.Niyaha & sthanuhu:Nityaha means eternal.Sthanuhu means not being subject to any change like birth,growth,decay,death,etc.
2.Sarvagataha & achalaha:Sarvagathaha means all pervading.Since it is all pervading,it is 'Achalaha',which means immovable.The earth can move because it is limited.Fire,water and air can move from one place to another,but space cannot move since it is all pervading.Similarly,atma is limitless with respect to time & space.The space-time continium does not limit the atma.This is reffered to by the word "desha-kala-aparichinnam".Parichinnam means limited.Hence,aparichinnam refers to the atma being limitless with respect to 'desha',the space and 'kala',the time.
akledhyo shoshya eva cha
nithyaha sarvagathaha sthanuhu
achaloyam sanathanaha
Krishna says that the atma cannot be cut,cannot be burnt,cannot neither be wet,nor can it be dried.This atma is all pervading,changeless,immovable.It has no birth or death.
It cannot be affected by any of the pancha boothas.Why?Is it because the atma is so far away that it cannot be reached?No.Atma transcends space and time.It is here & now.Nevertheless,it is inaccessible to the elements.
There are a couple of comparisons made in the vedas regarding the atma.
1.Atma is compared to akasha,meaning space(one of the pancha boothas).Space is everywhere,right around you.But can you cut it with a knife?Can you burn it be lighting a fire?When it rains,does the space get wet?Try pouring water from a height.It transcends the space and wets only the object it comes in contact with.Do winds move space?Space is present here & now,and yet it is not affected by anything.Similarly,the atma is all pervading.The word "Chitakashaha" refers to this concept.It is derived from the word 'chit' meaning the higher consciousness(atma) and akasha,meaning space.
If you go to Chidambaram,you will see God being worshipped in the form of space.It is one of the pancha bootha sthalas.(The other four being Kanchipuram(Prithvi sthalam),Thiruvanaikaval(Appu sthalam),Sri Kalahasthi(Vayu sthalam) and Thiruvannamalai(Thejo sthalam)).
At Chidambaram,there is no idol to represent the God.There is mere space.It signifies that God is present in the space there,but is beyond the reach of our sense organs.
2.Atma is compared to prakasha(light).Just as you cannot bring about change to the space around you,you cannot do anything to light emanating from a source.
Lord Krishna,as part of the teaching,presents the spiritual knowledge to Arjuna.Spiritual knowledge means the knowledge of our own higer nature(the atma).The atma is regarded as spirit because it is neither matter nor a material substance.Vedanta says atma is in the nature of the consciousness itself.Matter by itself,is not a conscious entity.No material substance is conscious of either itself or others.The keyboard on which I am typing this very line is neither aware that it is a keyboard,not is it aware of me,being present and typing on it.Matter is matter because it is neither self-conscious nor is it conscious of others.THe materia body becomes conscious only by the pervasion of the the spirit(atma).
The nature of the atma is described as follows-
1.Niyaha & sthanuhu:Nityaha means eternal.Sthanuhu means not being subject to any change like birth,growth,decay,death,etc.
2.Sarvagataha & achalaha:Sarvagathaha means all pervading.Since it is all pervading,it is 'Achalaha',which means immovable.The earth can move because it is limited.Fire,water and air can move from one place to another,but space cannot move since it is all pervading.Similarly,atma is limitless with respect to time & space.The space-time continium does not limit the atma.This is reffered to by the word "desha-kala-aparichinnam".Parichinnam means limited.Hence,aparichinnam refers to the atma being limitless with respect to 'desha',the space and 'kala',the time.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Chapter 2,Verse 23
nainam chindanti shastraani
nainam dahati paavakaha
na chainam kledayantyaapaha
na shoshyati maarutaha
Now,Krishna come back to referring to the atma as the eternal spirit.
He says that no weapon(arrow,spear,mace) can cut the atma.
Fire can only burn the body,not the atma.
Water can erode stones over a period of time gradually,but it cannot do the same to the atma.
Wind can never dry the atma.
He points out that none of the pancha buthas(Except for space,as space is compared to the atma in other parts of the Gita) can have any effect on the Atma.
Thus,he encourages Arjuna to fight the battle,as by killing Bheeshma & Drona,he is destroying only their bodies and their atmas would find new ones to inhabit.
nainam dahati paavakaha
na chainam kledayantyaapaha
na shoshyati maarutaha
Now,Krishna come back to referring to the atma as the eternal spirit.
He says that no weapon(arrow,spear,mace) can cut the atma.
Fire can only burn the body,not the atma.
Water can erode stones over a period of time gradually,but it cannot do the same to the atma.
Wind can never dry the atma.
He points out that none of the pancha buthas(Except for space,as space is compared to the atma in other parts of the Gita) can have any effect on the Atma.
Thus,he encourages Arjuna to fight the battle,as by killing Bheeshma & Drona,he is destroying only their bodies and their atmas would find new ones to inhabit.
Chapter 2,Verse 22
vaasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navaani grhnaati naroparaani
tatha sharirani vihaya jirnani
anyaani samyaati navaani dehi
This is another important verse in the Gita,where Krishna transcends from his usual reference in the previous verses of referring to the atma as the all pervading,eternal spirit.He now speaks about the 'Invisible body'(Sukshma shariram + Karana shariram),i.e the mind,prana & the karma bearing portion of the human body.He calls this the 'dehi'.He says that just as we discard worn out clothes and wear new ones,the atma decides to abandon the worn out body it has been inhabiting in this janma,and moves into a new body.Once the body has served its purpose,it is considered worn out,be it at the age of 20 or 80.When this takes place is not in our hands.That is decided by our karma.Death is nothing but the transition of the atma from one body to another.
navaani grhnaati naroparaani
tatha sharirani vihaya jirnani
anyaani samyaati navaani dehi
This is another important verse in the Gita,where Krishna transcends from his usual reference in the previous verses of referring to the atma as the all pervading,eternal spirit.He now speaks about the 'Invisible body'(Sukshma shariram + Karana shariram),i.e the mind,prana & the karma bearing portion of the human body.He calls this the 'dehi'.He says that just as we discard worn out clothes and wear new ones,the atma decides to abandon the worn out body it has been inhabiting in this janma,and moves into a new body.Once the body has served its purpose,it is considered worn out,be it at the age of 20 or 80.When this takes place is not in our hands.That is decided by our karma.Death is nothing but the transition of the atma from one body to another.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Death & after
What is death,and what happens after it?
The is the question everyone wants an answer to.
When a person dies,his physical body mingles with the elements.The body becomes the pancha buthas(Air,Water,Fire,Earth and Space).We ensure this through creamtion or burial of the physical body.Thus,the body doesnt go anywhere after death.
What happens to the atma?It cant either.The atma is infinite and all pervading.It cannot go to heaven or hell.
Hence,there must be something more,than the mere physical body & the atma.
Tatvabodha gives an answer to this.It says that all living beings are made up of four components.They are-
1.Sthula shariram(The physical body)-This is finite in nature & visible.Hence,it is referred to as the 'Visible body'.
2.Sukshma shariram(The subtle body)-This extends a little further than the limits of the visible body.This is the aura that surrounds a living being.It is not perceivable by our sensory organs.Nevertheless,it isn't all pervading either.The sukshma shariram is composed of many things,then most important of them being-
1.The mind
2.The prana(energy)
3.Karana shariram(Causal body)-This acts as the storehouse of all the papa & punya we have accumulated over the process of the many janmas(births) we take.
Together,the sukshma shariram and the karana shariram represent the 'Invisible body'.
4.Atma-This is the all pervading spirit,that provides consciousness to the visible & invisible body.It has no birth,no death,no growth,no decay,no arrival and no departure.It is all pervading and by itself performs no action.
Now,when a person dies,the visible body perishes.
The invisible body,now goes in search of another physical body to inhabit.The next body it would inhabit it decided by two things-
1.Kama:The unfulfilled desires accumulated in the previous janma.So long there are desires to be fulfilled,there shall be rebirth.
2.Karma:The papa & punya accumulated over the course of many janmas it has been through.The invisible body would carry all the karma into the next body it would inhabit.
If papas are predominant,it would be forced to take up an inferior body,say,for example,an animal.
If there is an equilibrium between papa & punya,it would be able to inhabit a human body again.
If punyas are predominant,then it would get a chance to inhabit a superior body.
What happens to the atma?It is all pervading.Hence nothing happens to it.It blesses the visible & invisible bodies with consciousness.
The use of the term 'atma' is two-fold
1.It refers to the all pervading spirit.The 'Jnana Kandam'(Spiritual portion) of the vedas deals with this atma.
2.Since the atma blesses the invisible body(Sukshma shariram+Karana shariram) with consciousness,the invisible body is also sometimes called the 'atma'.Just like adding sweetness(sugar) to a dish,and then calling the dish itself 'a sweet',the all pervading atma(spirit) providing consciousness to the invisible body,lends the invisible body,the name of 'atma'.The 'Karma Kandam'(Ritualistic portion) of the vedas deals with this atma.
It is this latter,the finite,invisible body that travels in search of a newer body,where it can fulfill its desires.The next birth is not limited to the world we are living in.The vedas say there are 14 lokas(realms) that life can exist in.Science,only recently,has been able to comprehend and accept the possibility of parallel universes/realms through the 'M-Theory'.So,the next body could be present in any realm,be it the 'Svar-loka' or the 'Patala-loka'.The realm we are in is called the 'Bhur-loka'.
Carrying out the rituals like the shardham,pitru-tarpanam,are supposed to assist the atma.It is said that these rituals help the atma even after it has taken to a new body.Hence,pitru-karmas become very essential.Doing pitru-yagna not only helps the atma,it also helps the doer by providing him with spiritual enlightenment.This,Krishna says in the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
The is the question everyone wants an answer to.
When a person dies,his physical body mingles with the elements.The body becomes the pancha buthas(Air,Water,Fire,Earth and Space).We ensure this through creamtion or burial of the physical body.Thus,the body doesnt go anywhere after death.
What happens to the atma?It cant either.The atma is infinite and all pervading.It cannot go to heaven or hell.
Hence,there must be something more,than the mere physical body & the atma.
Tatvabodha gives an answer to this.It says that all living beings are made up of four components.They are-
1.Sthula shariram(The physical body)-This is finite in nature & visible.Hence,it is referred to as the 'Visible body'.
2.Sukshma shariram(The subtle body)-This extends a little further than the limits of the visible body.This is the aura that surrounds a living being.It is not perceivable by our sensory organs.Nevertheless,it isn't all pervading either.The sukshma shariram is composed of many things,then most important of them being-
1.The mind
2.The prana(energy)
3.Karana shariram(Causal body)-This acts as the storehouse of all the papa & punya we have accumulated over the process of the many janmas(births) we take.
Together,the sukshma shariram and the karana shariram represent the 'Invisible body'.
4.Atma-This is the all pervading spirit,that provides consciousness to the visible & invisible body.It has no birth,no death,no growth,no decay,no arrival and no departure.It is all pervading and by itself performs no action.
Now,when a person dies,the visible body perishes.
The invisible body,now goes in search of another physical body to inhabit.The next body it would inhabit it decided by two things-
1.Kama:The unfulfilled desires accumulated in the previous janma.So long there are desires to be fulfilled,there shall be rebirth.
2.Karma:The papa & punya accumulated over the course of many janmas it has been through.The invisible body would carry all the karma into the next body it would inhabit.
If papas are predominant,it would be forced to take up an inferior body,say,for example,an animal.
If there is an equilibrium between papa & punya,it would be able to inhabit a human body again.
If punyas are predominant,then it would get a chance to inhabit a superior body.
What happens to the atma?It is all pervading.Hence nothing happens to it.It blesses the visible & invisible bodies with consciousness.
The use of the term 'atma' is two-fold
1.It refers to the all pervading spirit.The 'Jnana Kandam'(Spiritual portion) of the vedas deals with this atma.
2.Since the atma blesses the invisible body(Sukshma shariram+Karana shariram) with consciousness,the invisible body is also sometimes called the 'atma'.Just like adding sweetness(sugar) to a dish,and then calling the dish itself 'a sweet',the all pervading atma(spirit) providing consciousness to the invisible body,lends the invisible body,the name of 'atma'.The 'Karma Kandam'(Ritualistic portion) of the vedas deals with this atma.
It is this latter,the finite,invisible body that travels in search of a newer body,where it can fulfill its desires.The next birth is not limited to the world we are living in.The vedas say there are 14 lokas(realms) that life can exist in.Science,only recently,has been able to comprehend and accept the possibility of parallel universes/realms through the 'M-Theory'.So,the next body could be present in any realm,be it the 'Svar-loka' or the 'Patala-loka'.The realm we are in is called the 'Bhur-loka'.
Carrying out the rituals like the shardham,pitru-tarpanam,are supposed to assist the atma.It is said that these rituals help the atma even after it has taken to a new body.Hence,pitru-karmas become very essential.Doing pitru-yagna not only helps the atma,it also helps the doer by providing him with spiritual enlightenment.This,Krishna says in the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
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