The second in a series of talks by Swami Nirmalananda Giri (Abbot George Burke) on the Bhagavad Gita, India’s most famous scripture: the unforgettable dialog between Sri Krishna and Arjuna about the essence of spiritual life.
In this talk, Swamiji discusses Krishna’s description of the Self, the Atman, the real inner Self of our self, and how that knowledge will determine how we act and react in all situations of our lives.
These spiritual teachings will affect your spiritual growth and your practice of yoga and meditation.
Here are the Gita verses (2:20–2:30) covered in this talk:
Neither is the Self slain, nor yet does it die at any time; nor having been will it ever come not to be. Birthless, eternal, perpetual, primeval, it is not slain whenever the body is slain. (2:20)
In what way can he who knows this Self to be indestructible, eternal, birthless and imperishable, slay or cause to be slain? (2:21)
Even as a man casts off his worn-out clothes and then clothes himself in others which are new, so the embodied casts off worn-out bodies and then enters into others which are new. (2:22)
This Self by weapons is cut not; this Self by fire is burnt not; this Self by water is wet not; and this Self is by wind dried not. (2:23)
This Self cannot be cut, burnt, wetted, nor dried. This primeval Self is eternal, all-pervading, and immovable. (2:24)
Unmanifest, unthinkable, this Self is called unchangeable. Therefore, knowing this to be such, you should not mourn. (2:25)
And moreover, if you think this Self to have constant birth and death, even then you should not mourn. (2:26)
Of the born, death is certain; of the dead, birth is certain. Therefore, over the inevitable you should not grieve. (2:27)
Beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle state and again unmanifest in their end. What lamentation can be made over this? (2:28)
Some perceive this Self as wondrous, another speaks of it as wondrous, another hears of it as wondrous, but even having heard of this Self, no one knows it. (2:29)
This embodied Self is eternally indestructible in the body of all. Therefore you should not mourn for any being. (2:30)
Here is a brief summary of the talk:
- The Self (Atman): Krishna explains to Arjuna that the true self or Atman is eternal, unchangeable, and unaffected by physical conditions like birth, death, or changes in the body. It cannot be harmed, diminished, or altered in any way by physical elements like weapons, fire, water, or wind.
- Nature of the Atman: The Atman is described as beyond sensory perception and mental conceptualization. It’s not subject to modification, which means it remains constant and unchanged through all experiences.
- Impermanence and Grief: Krishna advises against grieving over what is inherently transient. The cycle of birth and death is natural, and understanding this should alleviate sorrow over these events.
- Rebirth and Recognition: Swami Nirmalananda shares a personal anecdote about recognizing his grandmother in a newborn, illustrating the concept of reincarnation and how past lives can influence current lives. This story underscores the idea that souls are reborn and may retain or recognize past connections.
- Spiritual Insight: Different people perceive or understand the Atman differently. Some see it directly, others understand it intellectually, some accept it intuitively, and some remain oblivious to its existence or nature.
- Application in Daily Life: We should live with the awareness that nothing truly valuable can be lost because the essence of our being (Atman) is eternal. This perspective should guide one’s emotional response to life’s events, promoting detachment from outcomes.
- Advice on Sharing Knowledge: The speaker advises caution in sharing profound spiritual insights with others, recognizing that not everyone is ready or capable of understanding these truths, which could be disruptive to their current state of awareness.
- The Next Talk: The discussion is set to continue, focusing on the indestructible nature of the soul within all bodies, indicating a deeper exploration of these themes in subsequent sessions.
