Gita Class 010, Ch.2 Verses 15-17

Mar 7, 2021

Youtube Link: 10: Bhagavad Gita Class by Swami Tadatmananda – Ch.2 Verses 15-17

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Swami Tadatmananda’s translation, audio download, and podcast available on his website here: https://arshabodha.org/teachings/bhag…

Swami Tadatmananda is a traditionally-trained teacher of Advaita Vedanta, meditation, and Sanskrit. For more information, please see: https://www.arshabodha.org/

Note about the verses:  Swamiji typically starts a few verses before and discusses 10 verses at the beginning of the class. The screenshot of the verses takes that into consideration and also all the verses that were presented during the class, which may be after the verses discussed initially. We put the later of the two at the beginning

Note about the transcription:The transcription has been generated using AI and highlighted by volunteers. Swamiji has reviewed the quality of this content and has approved it and this is perfectly legal. The purpose is to have a closer reading of Swamiji.s teachings. Please follow along with youtube videos. We are doing this as our sadhana and nothing more.

ॐ सह नाववतु  

oṁ saha nāv avatu

सह नौ भुनक्तु  

saha nau bhunaktu

सह वीर्यं करवावहै  

saha vīryaṁ karavāvahai

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै  

tejasvināvadhītam astu mā vidviṣāvahai

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः  

oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Welcome back to our Saturday morning Bhagavad Gita class. We’ll continue today, we’ll begin as we do every class with some chanting, recitation, we’ll start today with verse 11, repeat after me, and be sure to glance at the meaning as we continue.

very good let us return before we uh begin today i want to make a comment about this verse 11. our prior class began with verse 11 which is also the very first verse of vedantic teachings from Sri Krishna and at the beginning of our previous class  gave a very brief overview of that verse and it was really insufficient and not well advised I said that in this verse where Sri Krishna begins his spiritual teaching by telling arjuna you need not mourn I said the reason you need not mourn the reason Arjuna need not mourn is that everyone on the battlefield is destined to die by because of their karmas Shri Krishna knows how their karmas will unfold and therefore they’re all going to die according to their karma. I gave that that very brief summary and that wasn’t wasn’t at all adequate it was a very like a nutshell summary but it wasn’t enough

Pasting here for the below discussion although this was covered in previous class

In the coming chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna is going to give about half a dozen different reasons that Arjuna should not mourn. Here is the first of many reasons Arjuna should not mourn. Another reason he will give in Chapter 11, Shri Krishna is going to say that “I am the master of the cosmos, everything happens according to my will.” Shri Krishna is going to say in Chapter 11, “I’ve already killed them. You’re not going to kill them, Arjuna. I’ve already killed them.” Shri Krishna will say much later. Also, Shri Krishna is going to tell Arjuna in this chapter itself that it is Arjuna’s dharma, his duty to fight. It is a dharma yudha as we discussed extensively in Chapter 1. If Arjuna fails to fight, he’ll actually commit a sin. So he must fight to fulfill his dharma.

In this chapter, in fact, we’ve started this topic where Shri Krishna gives two more reasons that Arjuna should not mourn. One is the truth of each individual, the true nature, Atma, the inner true self, is consciousness, consciousness which is utterly unaffected by whatever happens to the body and mind. So for that very lofty reason, also there’s no reason for Arjuna to suffer. And finally, as we discussed briefly, the Sukshma Sharira, the subtle body of each of those warriors after the physical bodies fall on the battlefield, their subtle bodies will travel on, take another physical body, be reincarnated, and they will live again. So all of these reasons will be given in the future chapters and all the teachings of Shri Krishna, not just the one. I made the mistake of trying to put everything into a nutshell. And somebody very wisely said, “Anything that you can say in a nutshell belongs there.” So there’s a danger in summarizing like that, at least being too brief. Okay, enough said.

Where we left off, by the way, these are wonderful verses, the dealing with some of the very most important and fundamental teachings of Advaita Vedanta. Shri Krishna gives those teachings in a very clear, compelling way. So these are excellent verses. And I won’t go through the verse again, we saw it at the end of the prior class. But Shri Krishna tells Arjuna that you can endure whatever happens to your body and mind, whatever happens on the battlefield, you can deal with that, you can endure it because none of it affects your true nature, atma. And we began this discussion in the past class. We continue it today in a very important way. 

Remember I gave that computer metaphor, unless just returned that very briefly, like a computer has hardware and software, you have hardware, your physical body, you have software, your mind, your intellect, your senses, everything that in livens your body.

So you have hardware and software, your computer has hardware and software, you also have hardware and software, but in most important, if you remember the metaphor, we said your hardware and software, your computer would be useless without electricity.

In the same way, this body and mind is invested with Atma, the true self. That Atma, we’re going to discuss in much more detail today. But so far we’ve discussed, and this is perhaps the most important aspect, Atma is not an abstract concept. Atma is your true nature.

Let me say that again. Atma is not some idea or concept. Atma is you in a very essential way. And in the most essential way, you are a conscious being. You are the conscious awareness, you are the consciousness by which you are aware of whatever is happening right now. By what’s happening around you, what’s happening on the screen you’re watching, and what’s happening in your own mind.

You are aware of all that because you are a conscious, awareful being. That consciousness is your essential nature. In Sanskrit, we’ve used the words chit or chaitanya to refer to that consciousness. It’s your essential nature. And that consciousness is utterly unaffected by what happens to your hardware and software.

For example, in your computer, does it make any difference to the electricity? If it’s an old computer or a new computer, does it make any difference to the electricity?

What kind of program you’re watching? What kind of program you’re running? Or if some kids are using it for violent video games, does it make any difference to electricity? Just like the electricity in your computer is utterly unaffected by the hardware and software, in the same way, your consciousness is utterly unaffected by whatever happens to your body and mind. And we’re going to see many wonderful teachings to make that point very, very clear.

With that definition, with that introduction—excuse me—we continue. In the second line, Sri Krishna addresses Arjuna, Purusha Rishabha. Rishabha is a bull. Purusha is a bull among men, Mighty One. So, the Mighty Person, Arjuna, Purushaba..

Yam Purusham. In the first line, Yam, which Purusham, which person, which person, hw, which person, hw, which person, hw, na, vyatha yanti,tam, these. What actually refers back to the prior verse, where Sri Krishna says, Matrasparashaha, Sukaduka, Sitaushna, Sukaduka, Daha, Matrasparashaha, sense perceptions. What kind of sense perceptions? Sita, cold. Ushna, heat. Suka, pleasant experiences. Duka, painful experiences.

All of these experiences, all of these sense perceptions, now he continues, a-t, these, these experiences of cold and heat, of pleasure and pain, nna, vyatta yanti, t-m, they do not disturb him. Nna, vyatta yanti, t-m, yam, yam purusham. They do not disturb him. Him. By the way, I say him because the pronouns are in a masculine gender, but him or her is understood. Remember grammar—even English grammar, Hindi grammar—there’s a tendency to default towards a masculine gender. It’s just a grammatical device.

So, these perceptions, experiences of pleasure and pain, cold and heat, do not affect yam purusham, that person. What kind of person? Third line: the person who is sama, duka, suka—the person who remains sama, the same, utterly unchanged in the presence of duka, pain, and suka, pleasure. What kind of person is that? Dīram. Dīram here means the wise person. One who has understood these teachings. One who has understood that just as electricity isn’t affected by the computer or the program, in the same way, the dīra, the wise person is one who has understood that consciousness.

Again, not an abstract idea—the consciousness by which you know what’s happening right now—that consciousness is utterly unaffected by whatever happens to your hardware and whatever happens to your software. That understanding makes you a dīram, a wise person. Saha, that person, that wise person, amrata-twaya-kalpate, literally means that person is fit for immortality, which is a little bit odd way of expressing. The fact that that person is capable of becoming enlightened, gaining moksha, liberation. Another way of understanding it is that person recognizes one’s own immortality.

So the body, we know, has a birth date and a death date. What do they call that? A date of expiration? When you buy certain food items, they have a date on it: use before such and such a date. Well, your body has an expiration date as well. Consciousness has no expiration date. Consciousness wasn’t born. Consciousness is not subject to death. Consciousness is immortal. So, amrata-twaya-kalpate—to become fit for immortality—means to discover your own true nature, which is indeed immortal.

Continuing. 

This is one of the very important philosophical verses in the Bhagavad Gita. There are many, but this is one of the real significant ones. In fact, in the commentaries of Sri Shankara and the commentary of Madhusudana Saraswati, they both go on at length—that length means not paragraphs, but pages—on this particular verse, because it is so important.

Let me mention that if you have printed out for yourself these slides from our website, I have made some changes in the English translation. Please use this translation that you are seeing here. The corrections are actually quite important.

So the first half, the words are so simple, the meaning is so profound. Na asataha vidyate bhavaha, sataha—for that which is asat, for that which is unreal—na vidyate—there is no bhavaha, existence. For that which is unreal, there is no existence. And sataha, in the second line, and sataha, for that which is real.

Notice, first line is asataha—unreal. Second line sataha—for that which is real. Na vidyate—there is no abhava—non-existence. Now, this can be a little intimidating. It is a little philosophical. But the key to understanding this is to understand the word “real.” What is real?

And in Vedanta we have a very specific definition, and I would like to share with you that definition—the Sanskrit definition—because it is that important. So the word “real” in English—the word “real”—in Sanskrit we can use the word sat, which is used in this verse. We can also use the word satya in this context. Satya isn’t talking about true speech. We can use it in the sense of real. So all three of these words mean the same thing: real.

What is our definition of real? The ancient sages gave us brilliant and precise definition. I would like you to know it. And it is trikala abadhitam. Abadhitam means non-negatable. I will explain all this in a moment. Non-negatable. Trikala—in the three periods of time. What are those three periods of time? You figured it out—past, present, and future.

Let me explain it a little bit more. Or am I there? So our definition, Vedanta’s definition of real, is that which is non-negatable in the three periods of time. And to use more gentle language, use more accessible language: that which exists. Non-negatable, which means that which continually exists in all the three periods of time—past, present, and future.

But watch what that means. If it exists in the past—past means without beginning. So therefore, without beginning means unborn and uncreated. So that which is real, to begin with, is uncreated. And then it exists past, present, and future. So it means it will never come to an end. It will never cease to exist. Unborn and uncreated on one side, and on the other side, never ending. Eternal.

And in the middle, here’s a little philosophical point. If something undergoes change, it ceases to be what it was before. When a child becomes five years old, the child ceases to become a four-year-old. The four-year-old goes away so the five-year-old can exist. The point I’m making is that any kind of change means a change of condition, a change of state, a change of age means there’s the end of one condition and the beginning of the next. That’s badh, that’s something that’s being negated.

Non-negatable then implies unchanging in the present. So in the past, no beginning, no birth, no origin. In the present, no change. And in the future, no end. Immortal. Eternal. And we have to say timeless. Timeless means not involved in time, in any way at all.

Perhaps our definition of real, and that is such a helpful definition. Now, let’s see the verse first, and then I’ll show you the application. So the verse says, Asattaha — for that which is unreal.

What is unreal? That which was born, that which was created, that which is subject to change, that which will eventually cease to be. This pot is a good example of that which is unreal. It has a birth, it undergoes change, it will eventually cease to be. This physical body is another example of something that is unreal. So Asattaha — for the unreal, Navvidya Teh — there is no bhava, no existence, no true existence, no real existence.

And here, let me finish the verse, and then we’ll work on this. So let’s just get the meaning of the verse first. Asattaha — for that which is unreal, like the pot, like the body, Navvidya Teh bhava — there is no true, eternal existence, as you can understand.

And in the second line, Sataha — last word, for that which is real. Now what is real? As we said, unborn, uncreated, unchanging, eternal. Well, what is real? So far the only thing we’ve discussed that matches that definition of reality. The only thing that meets that definition is your consciousness. Your consciousness is unborn, uncreated. That consciousness is one aspect of Atma, the inner true self, which we often very casually call the inner divinity.

To call that Atma, that true inner self, to call it inner divinity — divine means having the same nature as the deity, as God, having divine attributes. Divine attributes include unborn, uncreated, unchanging, eternal, etc., and that refers to your own consciousness. And this is to be understood.

So Sataha — for that which is real, for Ishwara, for God, or Sataha — for your own consciousness, for Atma, for your inner true self, Navvidya Teh — there is no abhava, lack of existence, loss of existence.

And to paraphrase this: for that which is — first line, Asattaha, that which is unreal — can’t pop into existence. And second line, that which is real — can’t lose its existence.

Now it starts to make a little bit more sense. I’ll say that again. That which is unreal can’t pop into existence. Unreal would be, you know, an unlearned… one of our favorite examples of unreal is our rope snake.

What do we mean by that? Many of you know this story well. Someone is walking down a very dark alley and sees what looks like a snake coiled up on the ground, and only later discovers it’s not a snake at all, it’s a rope. But before they discover it’s a rope, they think it’s a snake, and that snake is very scary, very threatening for a while.

Now the point here is that snake is Asattaha, that Asat, the snake is unreal. That unreal snake isn’t going to become real and bite you. Can that rope snake bite you? No, not at all.

In fact, there’s a general principle here, and really this is the meaning of this verse. It’s not so clear just from the words. We make a distinction between these two levels of reality: that which is absolutely real, and that which is apparently real. Notice my use of the word apparent.

So that which is absolutely real — God, Ishwara, absolutely real. Brahman, the absolute reality — absolutely real. Consciousness, the consciousness by which you know what’s happening right now — unborn, uncreated, unchanging, eternal — absolutely real.

Then we distinguish that absolute reality from something having lesser reality. We call it apparent reality. This body is apparently real. You can’t say that the body — notice we’re not saying that the body is absolutely unreal.

Because the elephant I’m holding in my hand is absolutely unreal. The body is not absolutely unreal. This pot is not absolutely unreal.

So let us call the pot and the body apparently real. Of course, apparently real still is still unreal, but not absolutely unreal like this elephant. The absolute has absolute unreality. This body and pot are unreal to the extent that they’re not real. They have birth and death, etc., change. So we’re going to call them apparent realities.

The point is that which is less real cannot affect that which is more real. Go back to our rope snake. The snake is less real. That snake cannot affect you. Cannot even affect your body. Your body is more real than a snake. Notice the rope can affect your body. You can trip over that rope. The rope is as real as your physical body. So that rope can affect your body. You can trip over it. But the snake is less real than your body. So that snake in a dark alley cannot bite or affect your body at all.

Another great example of this is in a dream. If you dream that you’re being chased by an elephant, that dream elephant is less real than your physical body. So that — because the dream elephant is less real — it can’t hurt you. It can’t injure you.

Do you see where this is going? We said consciousness is absolutely real. Anything subject to change is less real. The entire world is less real. The entire world has apparent reality. You see it. You interact with it. But the world was born. Modern science says some 13.7 billion years ago. The world continues to undergo change. This cycle of creation will eventually come to an end and be followed by another one.

The entire cosmos has a birth. In the middle, is subject to change. And in the end, undergoes dissolution. And therefore, the universe and everything in the universe is not absolutely real. It’s not as real as your consciousness.

And now here’s the final conclusion. Just as the rope snake can’t affect your body because it’s less real. Just like the dream elephant can’t affect your body because it’s less real. In the same way, everything in this apparently real universe is less real than your consciousness. Therefore, your consciousness cannot be injured, damaged, hurt, affected in any way whatsoever by everything in the cosmos — because it is less real.

And that is a message that’s meant to be conveyed by the first part of this verse. And that is Asattaha — for that which is unreal. That which is apparently real, like the entire universe. Navidya Te Bhava — there is no real existence, no truly exists, no existence can actually affect your consciousness.

On the other hand, Sataha — for that which is real, that which is absolutely real, not apparently real. Sataha — for that which is absolutely real, for your own consciousness — unborn, un-created, unchanging, immortal — that which is divine in nature, your inner self, Atma. Asattaha — for that one, Navidya Te — there is no abhava, there is no loss of existence.

It will never cease to exist. Oh, I wanted to put this on the board also. Let me just go back to the board and add one thing. 

You’ve all seen this very common expression: Atma is the words that we’ve always used, sat, chit, ananda. Atma is that inner self, true self, inner divinity.

And notice the words used in Vedanta. First of all, that true self—again, not a concept—we’re talking about you in an essential nature. And as we’ve said several times today already, conscious. Chit means consciousness. Consciousness is that consciousness by which you know what’s happening right now.

But what kind of consciousness is that? A consciousness that’s subject to change? Is that a consciousness that can be affected by the world? Is that a consciousness that’s subject to suffering? That’s what the word sat means. It is—to call this consciousness sat means first of all unborn, uncreated, and eternal. So not something transient.

But what I said in the middle—unchanging. In the middle means compared to past and future, the present is in the middle. So in the middle, in the present, sat means your consciousness is unchanging. That which is unchanging can’t be harmed by anything, can’t be threatened by anything.

We’ll leave the word ananda for another day. That’s not our subject right now.

Okay, let us finish this verse. Drishta antaha in the third line. Antaha here means a conclusion. Anta means end. But here it means a conclusive knowledge. End in the sense of conclusive knowledge. Antaha drishta, when that conclusive knowledge—knowledge about what? First word, ubayoho—about both of them, about both of them. And in the second and the final line, say that too—anayoho, not anayoho—breaking apart the words—tan, tu, anayoho, either of them.

Ubayoho, both of these. Anayoho, either of them. When the antaha—when there is conclusive knowledge about both of these two.

What are the two? One, the first half, we talked about that which is asat, that which is unreal. And asat, once again, we’re saying unreal doesn’t mean absolutely unreal, like this elephant. Unreal means apparently real, that which comes and goes, like the entire world. That’s one—asat. And the other, of course, is sat, that which is absolutely real.

So, antaha—the conclusive truth. Ubayoho api—two anayoho—the conclusive truth with regard to both of these individually. Ubayoho, both. Anayoho, individually.

The conclusive truth about both of these is drishta—is seen, is understood, ascertained by whom? At last word—tattva darshibhi. By those who are… those darshi means one who sees. Darshibhi—plural, by those who see. By those who see what? Tattva—reality, truth.

Tattva darshibhi—by those who see the truth. By those who recognize the truth. The antaha—the conclusive understanding of sat and asat is understood.

Tattva darshibhi also hints at the ancient rishis. The rishis, ancient rishis, were called mantra drastara—those who literally saw the mantras. So, to use this word darshi, tattva darshi, seems to hint at those ancient rishis who could see the truth, who could discover what others could not discover.

Again, Shankaracharya and Madhusudhana Saraswati go on page after page after page—lots of technical things. But I think now, especially early in our study of Bhagavad Gita, we’re not going to get into too much of that depth.

It’s sometimes—what do you… the common expression—you can’t see the… you can’t see the trees through the forest… the other way around. And you get so caught up in the details, you lose the big picture. We don’t want to lose the big picture here, so we will proceed.

So here, Sri Krishna commands Arjuna, tad vidhi. You should understand that—tad vidhi. You would say, yeh, samjho. You should understand this. Understand what? Understand atma, the true self, which is avinashi—not subject to vinaasha, not subject to destruction.

And that consciousness, which is your true nature, is avinashi—not subject to destruction. Because as we saw in the prior verse, it is absolutely real. And absolutely real, as we saw in our definition, is that which exists in the three periods of time. In the past, present, and future. Therefore, it is avinashi.

Okay. So Arjuna—tad vidhi—understand that. That which is avinashi tu—tu, in particular—that which is indestructible. And it is that by which… look at the second line: yena—that by which sarvam edham—edham, this, sarvam, all of this, entire universe is tatam—pervaded. The entire universe is pervaded by this consciousness.

Now, this launches us up into another important discussion. I don’t think we’ve had so far. And that is: the consciousness by which you know what’s happening right now is not stuck inside your head. It feels like that—yes, I know—it feels like consciousness is stuck inside. But there’s nothing to keep it inside.

You can’t put consciousness into a container. You can put water into a pot. But you can’t put consciousness into a pot because consciousness is not stuff. Consciousness is a reality—the truth.

Just to get a better sense of this… if I—the usual way I teach this—I guess it works: If I ask you, how tall is your consciousness? How wide is your consciousness? If you get it immediately, it doesn’t have dimensions.

Look at this: that which doesn’t have dimensions has no edge, no boundary, no limit. That which has no limit is limitless—infinite, infinitely vast.

The comparison that’s used frequently in Vedanta is like space. Space itself is dimensionless. Objects have dimension. Space has no dimension, has no edge, has no boundary, has no limit. Therefore, space is all-pervasive.

Just as space is all-pervasive, so too, your consciousness. Which means—we’ve got a problem now. If consciousness is all-pervasive, the consciousness by which you know what’s happening now certainly pervades your body and mind. Wouldn’t it also pervade my body and mind?

Look where we’re going with this discussion. There is no your consciousness or my consciousness.

There is one all-pervasive consciousness. That one all-pervasive consciousness is manifest in you. That same one all-pervasive consciousness is manifest in me. Like in last week’s class, we said many computers plugged into the same electricity. The same electrons are coursing through all ten computers. In the same way, the same one consciousness gives sentiency to every living being. That same one consciousness, being boundaryless, limitless, being all-pervasive.

So, the consciousness by which you know what’s happening right now is the same consciousness by which I know what’s happening right now, leading to the question everyone has. That’s a good question. It’s a valid question. The question is, Swamiji, if it’s the same consciousness in your mind and the same consciousness in my mind, then why don’t I know your thoughts? That’s a good question. And it’s not too hard to answer.

The question belongs to consciousness or your mind? A tricky question. We have to differentiate now. Who asks that question? Does your consciousness ask your question, or does that question arise in your mind? Consciousness doesn’t ask questions. In fact, it’s because of consciousness that you’re aware of the question. The question belongs to your mind, and that question is revealed, known to you because of consciousness. The question doesn’t belong to consciousness. The question belongs to your mind.

And now you can answer the question: Why don’t you know my thoughts? That question belongs to your mind. And your mind is associated with your body. My mind is associated with my body. Our minds are definitely different. Therefore, we can understand there can be one consciousness illuminating your mind and my mind at the same time. Our minds and thoughts are very, very separate, which, by the way, is a really good thing.

I remember Pujaswami Dayaananda commenting about how awkward it would be if you knew everyone’s thoughts. If you knew what everyone was thinking, that would be first awkward, and secondly, really complicated. Think of how complicated it is to deal with your own thoughts. Suppose you had to deal with the thoughts of your spouse, children, parents, coworkers, boss, everyone, everyone you met, you’re just overcome by all their thoughts. It would be terrible.

Okay. So, Arjuna Tadvidhi understands that Atma, that true self, which is Avinashi, indestructible. Yena Sarva Madam Tadam, by which this entire universe is pervaded. By that consciousness, the entire universe is pervaded. And then in the final line, Nakashchit Karthum Arhati. Nakashchit, no one. Karthum Arhati, no one can do. No one can bring about, and in the third line, no one can bring about the Vinasham, the destruction.

No one can bring about the destruction means no one can destroy. No one can destroy what? Avya Yassya Asya. No one can bring about the destruction, Asya of this. Of this, which is Avya Yassya, of that which is indestructible. No one can destroy the indestructible. Avya Yaya, that unchanging. That which is unchanging can’t be destroyed. That which is absolutely real can’t be destroyed by anyone under any situation.

And that leads to a very nice opportunity to discuss the fact that your consciousness is not destroyed, doesn’t go away during dreamless sleep. As I said, all the important topics of Vedanta come quickly in these opening verses. Your consciousness. Consciousness is that which allows you to be aware of whatever is happening right now while you’re awake. Tonight, when you’re dreaming, consciousness will reveal whatever is happening while you’re dreaming.

And then in dreamless sleep, many people make the wrong assumption that consciousness goes away in deep sleep. In fact, in medical, people use the word unconscious. The patient is unconscious. The patient is either in deep sleep or in a coma, unconscious. We said consciousness is eternal, unchanging. Unchanging means consciousness can’t flip on and off like a light bulb. That’s the metaphor people have in their minds, just like your refrigerator.

When you open a refrigerator door, the light bulb turns on. When you close the refrigerator door, the light bulb turns off. And people assume that consciousness is like that. When you’re awake or dreaming, consciousness is on, like the light bulb. And in deep sleep, consciousness is off, like an extinguished light bulb. How ridiculous to compare consciousness, inner divinity, to compare to a light bulb. What kind of comparison is that?

Here’s the correct way to understand the experience of deep sleep. And I’ve used this example many times because it’s very helpful. Imagine standing in a perfectly dark room, like maybe like a closet in your house. If you go inside that dark closet and close the door and you wave your hand in front of your face, you can’t even see your hand.

Now my question is this: In that dark closet, do you have the power of sight or have you gone blind? You wouldn’t say you’ve gone blind. You’d say, I still have the power of sight. Then I say, why can’t you see the hand? You can’t see it; it’s too dark to see. In that closet, you see, but there’s nothing to be seen. I’ll say that again. In the dark closet, you’re not blind. You have the power of sight. But there’s nothing to be seen in the dark closet because of the darkness.

Just as in the dark closet, you’re not blind. You can see in the same way in deep sleep. You are conscious, but there’s nothing to be conscious of. It’s like your mind is full of darkness. The closet is full of darkness. Nothing can be seen. In deep sleep, dreamless sleep, your mind is full of darkness. There’s nothing to be observed. But you are as conscious in deep sleep as you are conscious right now.

Think about that. You’re fully conscious now. Even in a dream, you’re fully conscious. And you are equally conscious in deep sleep.

We said before that which is real is that which existed in the future, that which exists in the past, looking at that three times. And in the present is unchanging. Your consciousness is unchanging. In the waking state, your consciousness reveals what’s happening in your mind. In the dream state, your consciousness hasn’t changed. Your mind has changed from waking state to dream state. Consciousness hasn’t changed.

Your consciousness continues to illumine or reveal whatever it is. Your mind is revealed in the dream state. And in deep sleep state, it’s not that consciousness has these three states. We talk about waking, dream, and sleep as three states. But there are three states of your mind. There are not three states of consciousness. Consciousness is unchanging.

When you fall into deep dreamless sleep, consciousness doesn’t change. It continues to shine. It continues to illumine whatever is happening in your mind. Only there’s nothing happening. Your mind has become totally inactive, totally silent. So your consciousness reveals the absence of activities in your mind.

While you’re awake, consciousness reveals the activities of your mind. While you’re dreaming, consciousness reveals the dream activities of your mind. And in deep sleep, your consciousness reveals the inactivity of your mind. The silence of your mind.

Okay, we’ll conclude here. One brief announcement.

We’re celebrating Mahasthya Varatri this coming week, an important celebration. In pre-pandemic days, when we had live classes at our ashram, we would always pause our Saturday classes and have a special celebration of Mahasthya Varatri, some other celebrations as well.

So following that tradition next week, instead of this Bhagavad-gita class, next week we’ll have our kind of a virtual celebration of Shava-Ratri. But that celebration is this: I’ve worked very hard to prepare a special video, which is like a meditation on Shiva in a very special way. I think it’s something you’ll enjoy.

Anyway, I worked hard and prepared the video. And what I’ll do next Saturday, I’ll upload the video. So next Saturday, instead of watching this Bhagavad-gita class, next Saturday, you can watch this video I’ve produced, this meditation on Shiva, in honor of Mahasthya Varatri.

Then the following week, of course, will continue our Bhagavad-gita classes.

ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः

सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।

सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु

मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah

Sarve Santu Niraamayaah |

Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu

Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:

1: Om, May All be Happy,

2: May All be Free from Illness.

3: May All See what is Auspicious,

4: May no one Suffer.

5: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. Om Tat Sat. Thank you.