'You' are not Old!

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा |
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति || 13||

Just as boyhood, youth and old age are attributed to the soul through this body, even so it attains another body. The wise man does not get deluded about this.

A Recap

In the last verse, we explored the nature of the soul and realized that it is different from the physical body. Naturally, the next question is: What is the link between the soul and the body? What is the nature of the body?

The Verse

Here, Sri Krishna could have directly stated that the soul remains unaffected as the bodies change. Instead, he chose to give an analogy linked to the aging process of our bodies. This is because we often recognize ourselves through our bodies. Although many methods can break this false identification with the body, let's use the verse itself for understanding.

Think of a river. The water flows continuously and is constantly changing, yet we call it the same river. This is similar to how our bodies and minds change, but we still feel like the same person throughout our lives. This constant sense of self is what Vedanta (Upanishads) refers to as the unchanging soul or Atman.

In the same way, your body goes through changes, but the 'I' (your sense of self) remains constant. When you say "I feel pain," the 'I' experiencing the pain is the same 'I' that felt joy in childhood and the same 'I' that will feel wisdom in old age. This 'I' is not the body or the mind because both of these change continuously. The body ages, and the mind evolves, but the 'I' remains unchanged.

Imagine you have a favourite car. Over the years, you replace parts of the car—tires, engine, seats. Eventually, every part of the car might be new, but you still call it ‘your’ car. The essence of the car remains the same despite all the changes. Similarly, your body and mind go through various changes, but the essence of who you are (your soul) remains the same

The phases of childhood, youth, and old age are like tags we attach to the soul based on the body's state. These tags are attributes of the body, not of the soul. The body experiences growth, maturity, and decline, but these changes do not affect the true nature of the soul.

Similarly, Lord Krishna says, the process of attaining a new body (rebirth) is just like the phases of life. The bodies you inhabit constantly change like the stages of life, but the soul or the ‘I’ self is beyond change.

My Personal Experience

Though all these concepts can be explained using sheer logic, as is often done in Vedanta, true understanding comes from seeing and experiencing them. This is only possible through deep inner reflection and intense meditation.

Continuing the Verse…

Notice the term ‘the wise man.’ This refers to someone who is enlightened. A wise man is not the same as a knowledgeable man. I might read thousands of books on philosophy and be called knowledgeable, but not wise. Knowledge can be bookish, but wisdom is always gained through personal experience, and it is the only true knowledge. For more clarity, refer to my commentary on Chapter 2, Verse 11 here.

“Philosophy is fine, But what’s there for me?”

When you see yourself as different from the body, you automatically start detaching from the experiences of the body. ¹You will not only break your present addictions but also ²enjoy the experiences of the body without being attached to them. When you reach this state of realization, ³everything starts feeling better because you now view the world as a movie in which you play an actor. You don’t take any good or bad experience personally. ⁴You may feel pain, but you will stop getting hurt. As when you deeply understand that your true self is separate from the body and mind, you can experience pain without letting it disturb your inner peace.

1. Feeling Pain: Pain is an inevitable part of life. It is a physical sensation or emotional response to stimuli. For example, if you touch something hot, your body will feel physical pain.

2. Getting Hurt: Hurt, refers to the deeper, prolonged suffering that comes from identifying too closely with the experiences and taking them personally. It is the internal turmoil and mental anguish that we often add to the initial pain.

   Here detachment doesn’t mean avoiding emotions or denying their validity. Instead, it means understanding that these experiences are transient, they come and go, but your true essence remains unaffected.

Do Your Homework!

Time Required: 30 minutes

1. Meditate on the transient nature of things: Visualize the time of your death. This helps in understanding the temporary nature of the body and the experiences we undergo. (15min)

2. Visualize yourself as a soul: Imagine getting out of the body and looking at your body from outside. This exercise can help in detaching from the physical form and connecting with your true self. (15min)

That’s it for this one. See you with the next verse.

Hare Krishna.
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