Just as the One fire, having entered the world of forms, assumes each form, so does the One Atman in all beings assume different forms, and it is also beyond.
Atman is just like fire. Fire takes the shape in whichever shape we put it. The Lord compares Atman to fire. Fire has no shape or form, but it takes the shape of the container in which it is ignited. However, fire is changeless. Similarly, in all beings, the Atman assumes different forms according to the expressions of vasanas and gunas. Atman appears pure and uncontaminated in a sattvic person, gross in a rajasic person and ignorant in a tamasic person. Atman by itself is the same and transcends them all.
If you take the expression of electricity in a fan, bulb, refrigerator, and a heater, electricity in a fan gives the breeze, light in a bulb, coolness in a refrigerator, and heat in a heater. Even though the manifestations are different in different forms, in essence, the electricity is the same. The Atma tattva, even though one Atman in all human beings gives different forms, it is the same as the fire and is also beyond it. Atman in a sinner appears as a sinner, and Atman in a crooked person appears crooked. Atman appears in a saintly pure. Atman is neither sinful nor crooked, pure. It is in it and beyond it. With the example of fire, the Lord explains that Atman is in it and transcends / beyond it.
When we are attached and caught up in worldly activities, we are in it, confined to it, and become a victim of it. Once you are detached from it, you are in it, enlivening it and yet not defined by it and beyond it.
Q: If any object/being is an obstacle in my life, in the name of detachment, we disconnect and cut it off from us. Is it right?
A: Detachment is not a physical abstinence; it is not isolating, but finding a way by which you are not mentally bound and do not carry the burden. We are in contact with the object or being, but mentally remain unaffected, whatever happens.
Our dharma is to perform the action and renounce the fruits of action. Karma Phala may or may not be favourable to us. Do your duty and be detached from the fruits of action. There are two states of detachment:
First, you are detached from the fruits of action. You act on desires and renounce the fruit of action. He is a yogi and a spiritual beginner.
Second is to be detached from the desire in action itself. You are detached from desire-prompted action. He is called a sannyasi, an advanced seeker.
Q: When we are doing our duties, we are sometimes facing ungratefulness from the recipient. Is it my ego, or should I modify my obligation?
A: It is subjective and cannot be taken it as a thumb rule. It is important to use your sense of reasoning and apply it. When somebody is ungrateful, that person doesn’t deserve your love or attention anymore. Though the giver does not expect any acknowledgement, it is the duty of the recipient to be grateful. When you give, it should benefit and transform the recipient. If somebody is not grateful, then your act of giving is not benefiting the recipient. Your act of giving is making the recipient more selfish. Your help should trickle a sense of humanness and maturity, and transform him. If not, question the very act of your giving.
If the recipient is abusing it, then the giver is unmindful of their giving. You become responsible for the receiver’s downfall. Your giving should transform the recipient. Do not cover it up as an obligation. E.g., if you are providing your son with everything on a platter and he becomes lazy, then you are breeding tamas in your son. Your son should know that he is accountable for his life.
When people meet a Guru or well-wisher, if the recipient doesn’t seek the advice, the Guru will refrain from giving the advice, even though he may be obligated to do so. Please be mindful of whether you are acting on emotion or on duty. You are responsible for the recipient’s karma. So be mindful of giving. Whether you are unknowingly giving the recipient with good intentions, you still incur karma of the recipient’s action, as you pay for your ignorance. You are expected to be mindful of their actions.
Just as the One air having entered the world of forms assumes each form, so does the One Atman in all being assumes different forms, and it is also beyond.
The Lord talks of Vayu air, similar to Agni fire. It’s the pluralistic expressions of life, but the essence is the same. The focus must be to go beyond the words and see the oneness of Atman in all different forms. If not, it creates otherness, disparity, sorrow, and suffering. The moment you experience the same common denominator in all, there is no more suffering, friction, or otherness.
Q: Although Atman is the common denominator, why are we seeing the difference?
A: We have knowledge that we should see the oneness but do not practise it. In order to practise this knowledge, one should do the sadhana during Brahma Muhurtam between 4 – 6 am. One has to keep putting in the effort consistently and not be anxious of the results. If results are not seen or felt, continue the sadhana.
The world is a projection of your mind. So go inward and see the thoughts that you are projecting. The mind makes you believe that the world is real due to avidya. Satsang and sadhana will help you to come out of this otherness. The change begins from one’s own thoughts.
Bhagavad Gita dhyana shloka reiterates this point
मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घायते गिरिम् यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्दमाधवम्
mūkaṃ karoti vācālaṃ paṅguṃ laṅghāyate girim
yatkṛpā tamahaṃ vande paramānandamādhavam
I salute the most blissful Madhava (Krishna), whose grace renders the ‘mute to speak eloquent’ and ‘cripple to scale a mountain’.
We see the differences in others because we identify with the vasanas and the gunas of a person. We are not able to go beyond it and see the Atman. One can be a tamasic or rajasic person, but we should not identify with the gunas and see what lies beyond them. One has to practise not to hate the person, even if you do not like a particular quality in that person. “Hate the sin, not the sinner.” If you identify with the quality, it blocks your vision, and you cannot see the personality. This is the expression of ignorance, avidya. If I can see beyond the quality, we can slowly but surely go beyond and identify with Atman in that person. This is the sadhana we should practise.
