Talks on the Gita – 33
Distinction between the Self & the Not-self: Part 3
‘You are That’
Therefore, the idea that the Lord is putting forth in the Thirteenth Chapter is extremely valuable: ‘You are not body, you are the Self’ (Tat tvamasi). This thought, this saying is most noble, sublime and holy. We find this idea everywhere in Sanskrit literature: ‘You are not the outer cover; you are the pure, indestructible kernel within.’ The moment a man realizes that he is That – the Supreme Self – and not the body, a new kind of joy that has never been experienced before will surge up in the mind. Nothing in the world can destroy; nothing is capable of destroying the Self. This subtle thought is implied in this saying.
I am the Self – the imperishable, unsullied element transcending the body. I have been given this body for the sake of the Self. Whenever there is likelihood of that divine element getting sullied, I shall discard the body to prevent that happening. I shall ever be ready to keep the divine flame glowing. I have not come into the world riding this body to demean and humiliate myself. I must have control over the body. I shall use it for the well-being of all. 'Aanandenbharintinhilok' (‘I shall fill the universe with bliss.’) I shall sacrifice the body at the altar of that great element and acclaim the glory of the Lord. A rich man throws away clothes the moment they are soiled and puts on new ones. I shall treat the body in the same way. The body is needed for work. When it becomes useless for the purpose, I would not hesitate to throw it away.
This is what we are learning from satyagraha. The body and the Self are separate entities. The day a man realizes this truth and its significance, his true education and true development begin. It is only then that he will be able to offer satyagraha successfully. Therefore each one of us should imbibe this spirit in our hearts. The body just happens to be a means; it is only an instrument given to us by the Lord. It is to be discarded the moment it ceases to be of any use. We put away our winter wear in the summer; we put away the quilts used during the night when the day breaks. That is what should be done with the body. It is to be preserved as long as it is useful and flung aside when its utility is over. The Lord is hereby showing us the way for spiritual development.
An end to the power of the tyrants
As long as we do not realize that we are distinct from the body, tyrants will continue to torment and enslave and torture us. It is fear that makes tyranny possible. There is a story of a demon who had captured a man. He would make him work round the clock. If he paused a little, the demon would threaten him, ‘I shall kill and devour you.’ The frightened man would then submit meekly. But when the man could stand it no longer, he said, “All right, if you want to kill and eat me up, do so by all means.” But was the demon going to eat him up? What he wanted was a submissive servant. Who would do the work if the man were killed? The demon used to threaten the man with death; but the moment the man said, “Well, you may eat me up,” tyranny stopped. Tyrants know that people have intense attachment to their bodies; so if you inflict pain on their bodies, they submit and become your slave. Give up the attachment and you will be sovereign. You will be free. You will be all-powerful. Nobody can then exercise authority over you. The very basis of tyranny breaks down. The power of the tyrants hinges on your identification withthe body. They threaten and intimidate you because they judge that if they inflict pain on your bodies, you will submit.
When I feel that ‘I am the body’, others are induced to persecute and torment me. But look at the Cranmer, the British martyr. When he was going to be burnt at the stakes, he said, ‘If you would burn me, by all means, do. Here, burn this right hand first, for this hand hath offended.’ In the same vein, Latimer said, “Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as (I trust) shall never be put out.” Their task was to burn the candle of the body to spread the light of truth. The body is, after all, going to perish one day.
When Socrates was sentenced to death by poison, he said, “I am old. This body anyway would have disintegrated soon. What is so great in putting to death that which is mortal? I fail to understand what is so great in killing a mortal being.” The night before he was to drink hemlock, he was explaining to his pupils the immortality of the soul. He was merrily describing the pain he would feel with the spread of poison in the body. When the discussion on the immortality of the soul was over, a pupil asked, “Sir, how should we bury you after your death?” Socrates exclaimed, “How clever you are! Is it that they will kill me and you will bury me? Is it that the killers are my enemies and you are a friend? They will kill me in their wisdom and you will bury me in your wisdom! Who are you, after all to bury me? I shall be there even when all of you are dead and buried in your graves. Nobody can kill me, nobody can bury me. What, after all, have I been explaining all along? The Self is immortal. Who can kill it or bury it? And the great Socrates has indeed outlived all of them; he is remembered even after more than two thousand years.Faith in the power of the Supreme Self
To sum up, as long as there is attachment to the body, as long as there is fear, a sense of insecurity would continue to haunt you. Would not a snake bite me in bed, would not a thief come and attack me? - Fears like these would not let you sleep even if you shut your eyes. You sleep with a staff near the bed to use it against the thieves if they come. But can a thief not use the same staff to hit you? You are making the staff readily available to him in case he has forgotten to bring one with him! After all, whom you are relying upon when you sleep? During sleep, you are totally dependent on others for protection. It is only when you are awake that the question of protecting yourself arises. Who protects you when you are asleep?
We go to sleep trusting some power; the same power which all the animals trust when they sleep. Even the tiger goes to sleep. The lion, which has enmity with the whole world and which, therefore, constantly looks back with suspicion and apprehension while walking, also goes to sleep. Had there been no faith in that power, the lions would have had to evolve an arrangement of having a few of them keeping vigil while others sleep! We too go to sleep in the lap of that all-pervading power, relying on which savage tigers, lions, wolves also sleep. A child sleeps in its mother’s lap happily and confidently. At that time, it appears asif the master of the world is sleeping. We too must learn to sleep in the lap of the Lord, the all-pervading Mother, with love and trust and the knowledge that we are safe there. We should make ourselves more and more familiar with the power which sustains the whole of our life. We should feel the presence of that power more and more. The more we are convinced of its presence, the more shall we grow. The Thirteenth Chapter gives some indication of the steps needed to be taken in this direction.
[To be continued]
[Reproduced with kind permission of Paramdham Publication, Pavnar from Chapter 13 of ‘Talks on The Gita’ by Sant Vinoba Bhave, 16th edition (Jan 2005)]
Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open. - B K S Iyengar
Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well. - James H West
The solution to your problem is to see who has it. - Sri Ramana Maharshi
The whole world needs light. This light is with India alone … and this is why God has preserved our race despite all kinds of adversities. The time has come now. You are everything, my lion-hearted brave men! You must realize that you have taken birth only for this great task. Barking puppies should not scare you. Never ever be scared, even if sky falls. Stand up and start working! – Swami Vivekanand
Getting angry is punishing yourself for the mistakes of others!
It’s a natural phenomenon, BUT fizzling out anger fast and to forgive completely
without harbored vengeance is the only way out.