Bhagavad Gita - Daily One Verse Brief Explanation - II 2:12 II

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|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

II 2:12 II

 

na tv evaaham jaatu naasam, na tvam neme janaadhipaah

na caiva na bhavisyaamah, sarve vayam atah param

 

" In fact, there was never a time when I or you or these kings, were

non-existent; nor is it, that we shall cease to be in the future. "

 

Comment:

 

In all human beings, there is a sure feeling of " I am " . In this

existence, it is due to blending with `I' (ego) that " am' in the

form of a separate individual identity is experienced. If there is

no affinity for `I' (ego), i.e. if I does not remain, then `am' will

not remain also, only `Is' will remain. That `Is' is the pure

consciousness, our true identity rather than the body which is

subject to change. This entity without the `I' (ego), pervading

everywhere is the true essence, the true nature of all beings. In

that essence, that existence, there is no mixing of inertness in

it. In other words, there is no " I " , " you " , " this " or " that " , these

four are not there. The gist is that nothing exists without this

consciousness, this is-ness.

 

From Gita Prabodhani in Hindi pg. 24-25 by Swami Ramsukhdasji

 

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Chapter 2, Verse 12 is as follows;

 

Na = not

Tu = indeed

Eva = also

Aham = I

Jaatu = at any time

Na = not

Aasam = was

Na = not

Tvam = you

Na = not

Ime = these

JanadhipaaH = rulers of men

Na = not

Cha = and

Eva = also

Na = not

Bhavi-ShyaamaH = shall be

Sarve = all

Vayam = we

AtaH = from this time

Param = after

 

English translation:-

 

Never indeed was I not, nor you nor these rulers of men non-existent

before; similarly none of us will cease to be in the future.

 

Lord Shree Rama's father-in-law, King Janaka was a spiritually

accomplished `Rajarshree' i.e. an unique and golden combination of a

King and a Sage. One fine early morning, he woke up from a terrible

dream, wherein he was leading the wretched life of a poor beggar.

The first thing King Janaka did in that morning was to pose a

question to all the wise men in his court, " Am I the King Janaka,

who dreamt of a poor beggar in the early morning today or am I that

poor beggar, who is currently dreaming of being the King Janaka? "

 

Sage Astavakra immediately responded, " You are neither the King

Janaka nor the beggar in your dreams. Instead `Tat Tvam Asi' i.e.

you are the One; the Self, the Atman, which is a subset of the

superset termed as Brahman. "

 

In contemporary language and thought, it is similar to the concept

of a `continuous differentiable function' in modern Calculus, a

branch in Mathematics separately invented by Sir Isaac Newton in

England and Gottfried Leibnitz in Germany during the same period of

time. In mathematics, a continuous function is a function for

which, intuitively, small changes in the input result in small but

not drastic changes in the output. An intuitive though imprecise and

inexact idea of continuity is given by the common statement that a

continuous function is a function whose graph can be drawn without

lifting a pencil from a paper. All natural functions like ambient

temperature versus time or air pressure versus time are continuous

analogue (not digital) functions. Whereas a digital function in

modern electronics is a square wave function with discontinuities at

every transition from `0' state to `1' state and vice versa, as per

binary logical states of that digital discontinuous function.

 

The only `discontinuity' in the universal continuous function is

death. But that does not mark the end of `Solomon Grandee'. On the

contrary, as per verse 34 of chapter 10 in Shreemad Bhagawad

Geeta, " MrutyuH Sarva HaraH Cha Aham, UdbhavaH Cha Bhavishyataam "

i.e. a death takes away the good and bad experiences in that life

form and the eternal journey of the Self continues unabated to the

onward bright future.

 

In the midst of infinite changes taking place in Prakruti (ever

changing matter), the Purusha (Infinite Energy) i.e. the Supreme

unmanifested Brahman, continues to be changeless and eternal.

 

Lord Krisha advocates to Arjuna that the embodied Self in living

being is indeed on a great pilgrimage. During its eternal journey,

the Self comes to identify with variety of species on the planet

earth and associate with their limited but well defined set of

experiences, which are not purely accidental in nature. All these

trillions of living beings do not come from nowhere and after their

deaths do not get lost in non-existent nothingness. It is but

natural for one to have serious apprehensions about such a

continuity of the Self from the past to the current existence to the

endless future. The Self remaining as a changeless constant gets

occasionally conditioned by different body-equipments and sprouts

once again to a fresh life form through its own self-ordained `Purva-

Krutam' i.e. past good or bad deeds in the previous forms of life.

 

The Self i.e. Atman is the sentient principle, the life granting

force or energy. As per verse 22 of chapter 10 of Shreemad Bhagawad

Geeta, " Bhutaanaam Asmi Chetanaa' i.e. I am the enlivening principle

of all beings on the planet earth. Atman relates to the trio of body-

mind-intellect, in the exact manner as electricity relates to an

electric bulb or electric heater. An electric bulb by itself has no

light. An electric heater by itself has no heat. Nor does the

electrical energy by itself have either light energy or heat energy.

But an electric bulb with the external stimulus of an electric

current results in brilliant expression of light. Similarly an

electric heater with the external stimulus of an electric current

results in brilliant expression of heat energy that offers us hot

water. In the same manner, the material components of the trio of

body-mind-intellect have no expression of life. Nor the Atman by

itself has any expression of life. But the combination of them

brings about a scintillating expression of life. Please refer verse

26 in chapter 13.

 

The sum and substance of this verse 12 has been very nicely

illustrated by Santa Dnyaaneshwara, " When the blowing wind creates

waves in water, where the waves have come from? When the blowing

wind dies down, the waves also die down, now where the waves have

vanished? "

 

In analogy, the Brahman is equivalent to infinite reservoir of

energy wherein its tiny fractions called Atman assume embodied forms

on this planet earth and eventually die down. However, only the

physical bodies die down abut the Atman or the enlivening principle

never gets destroyed, it simply merges back with the Brahman. This

is indeed the law of conservation of energy in the Universe.

 

Thanks & Best Regards,

Shrikant Joshi.

===============================================================

OTHER SADHAKS

 

Hari Bol.

 

Just to add to the lucid and informative posts by Sri Shrikant Joshi.

This is in reference to II 2:11 II

 

Bhagavan Sri Krishna mentioned both the living and the dead in this problem of

grief:

" The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead. "

 

The significance of the " living " deals with the feeling of separation of those

who are left behind. Even though there are assurances about the dead continuing

to exist, these assurances will not always solve the problem of separation with

which the living are afflicted. The problem of separation is the problem of a

break in continuity caused by death. Amongst the living, some may understand and

accept this but many may not be able to handle the problem of separation.

 

This break of continuity is experienced by the living because the death of a

loved one creates a gap in the life of those who are left behind - a gap that

may not be easily bridged by assurances regarding the continuity of existence

beyond the portal of death.

 

Bhagavan Sri Krishna informs us that the wise understand the whole problem of

death, with reference to both continuity and discontinuity, and so they are

completely free of all grief. Arjuna feels complete despondency because he is

yet to understand the problem of death in all its entirety.

 

This is one of the most fundamental problems of the Human Mind. If the mind

could know the significance of continuity and the secret of discontinuity, it

would comprehend the meaning of life itself. The inevitability of death and the

continuity of existence throughout the recurring process of birth, death, and

re-birth are two important themes in these first chapters of Gita.

 

Not comprehending the full import of death, and believing that death is the end

of man, Arjuna is afraid of attacking and slaying great warriors like Bhishma

and Drona. Bhagavan Sri Krishna leaves no stone unturned in convincing Arjuna -

and all of us - on the vital questions dealing with both death and life.

 

Hari Om.

Krishna S. Narinedath

 

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|| Shree Hari ||

Ram Ram

 

All Sadhaks can and should contribute as well. Discussion /

clarification is encouraged

 

OTHER REQUESTS FROM SADHAKS -

 

Please feel free to take the lead in any of these areas so that all

sadhaks may benefit.

 

- Introduction to Chapters (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK SANJIVANI)

- Chapter Summary - Principles and Laws emanating from it.(N.B. VYAS)

- Summary of Chapter from Sadhak Sanjivani " AS IS "

- Yes, Epilogue / Important Facts in each verse good to bring out.

- Any subtle thoughts / interpretation (MIKE ?)

- In-depth explanation of " Om Tat Saditi Srimadbhagavadgitaasu,

Upanishadsu..... " is a very good idea. (GT MODERATOR FROM SADHAK

SANJIVANI)

 

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram

-----------------------------

 

Shree Hari

Ram Ram

We deeply thank Shri Shrikantji Joshi for taking the initiative to

support this divine work of daily one verse Bhagavad Gita

explanation and Shri Madan Kauraji for the Gita Prabodhani

translation Chapter 1 and 2 and to Mrs. K Asani for requesting shloka

explanation on a daily basis.

From Gita Talk Moderators

Ram Ram