Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

What Binds the Soul? The Spirit?

 

Sattva, raja, tamas - these gunas (modes) born of nature (prakriti)

bind the imperishable spirit to the body, O Mighty-armed. (Gita

14:5)

 

" Sattva rajastvam iti gunah prakrtisambhavaah

Nibadhnanti mahaabaaho dehe dehinamavyayam. " (Gita 14:5)

 

The three gunas (modes) born of Nature, primordial matter

(prakriti), are called " Mahad Brahma " in verses Gita 14:3 and 4.

Here the use of the word " Iti " (these) denotes that out of these

three attributes or qualities (gunas), infinite universes are born,

and innumerable beings, diverse in character manifest from only

these three modes of nature (gunas).

 

These modes of nature (gunas), bind the imperishable spirit to the

body. The fact is that these gunas do not bind the spirit, but it is

the spirit which is bound by assuming its affinity with the modes

(gunas) and their evolutes - (objects, wealth, family and body etc.)

The spirit identifies itself with the body and becomes attached to

the workings of these modes of nature - objects, wealth, family,

body, nature, tendencies, situations, activities etc, it begins to

consider these as his own. So in spite of being imperishable, it

regards disease and death of the body as its own and also the loss

of other persons and wealth etc. as its own. Though the spirit is

totally independent, it beocmes dependent. Just like a man when he

considers certain wealth to be his own, then when that wealth is

either reduced or increased, it affects the self. Just like those

people that he considers his own, he is affected by their birth or

their death. The body that he considers his own, any changes to it

are seen as changes in the self. This itself is the binding force of

the imperishable and eternal spirit (atma) that resides in the body

with the three modes of nature (gunas)

 

It is a great wonder that the spirit though being imperishable,

immovable and uniform, being over powered by modes (gunas) and their

propensities, it self becomes sattvik, raja, tamas. The spirit being

a part of God, is imperishable, sentient, pure and naturally

blissful (Manasa 7:117:1) says Goswami Tulasidasji.

 

Due to body consciousness, the spirit (soul) is bound by these three

modes (gunas), and it cannot realize its immortality, which is

beyond the three gunas. Actually the spirit is never bound by modes

of nature (gunas) but when it assumes its affinity - " I "

ness, " Mineness " and " For Me " with the body, it gets bound and

because of this belief, this deep assumption, the Lord appears to be

difficult to attain (Gita 12:5). In other words, with the sense

of " I " and " mine " , these three modes of nature (gunas) bind the soul

in the body.

 

The embodied soul, in spite of being bound by the three gunas, in

fact remains as it is (imperishable). It is called " avyayam " . In the

absence attachment and desire, i.e. absense of a sense of " I "

and " mine " , the soul, spirit is Supreme Consciousness (God), itself.