The Nectar of Gita…for you, me and all! Essay 15 - 'Sat Chit Ananda’ – the Real Eternal Bliss (The Theory and Nature of Aatman)

Om Namo Bhagavathe Vaasudevaayaa!

“Sat Chit Ananda’ – the Real Eternal Bliss

(The Theory and Nature of Aatman)

Chapter 2; Sankhya Yoga

Looking at Arjuna’s quandary,with a kind and gentle smile on his face, Krishna speaks thus;

“Arjuna, you are lamenting for those who do not deserve it. Moreover, you are substantiating your stance with your intellectual reasoning. But remember one thing; those who are wise do not become sorrowful either about those who are dead or about those who are still alive”

If you look at this statement closely, you can find that Krishna is a little amused about the unnecessary suffering Arjuna was undergoing as also about the reasoning propounded by him in support of his stance. He subtly mocks him by saying that the reasoning was supported just by his ‘intellect’ which is by nature limited. Krishna was suggesting that in the matters of ‘Aatman’, the intellect has only a limited role to play.

In the physical world, every being is made of 5 things- Asthi(Sat), Bhathi(Chit), Priya(Ananda), Nama(Name) and Roopa(Form). The first three together called Sat Chit Ananda – ‘The Real and Eternal Bliss’ is the one which is indestructible and the real Self…which is otherwise known as the ‘Aatman’. The rest two - Name and Form are acquired in this physical world and die in this world. To put it simply, the Real and Eternal Bliss when it comes into the physical world, becomes known by a particular physical form and by a name, that disappear in this world itself.

Here, the import of Krishna’s statement was that, Arjuna was lamenting about something which is impermanent like a few Forms and Names and was completely ignorant to the eternal existence of the ‘Sat Chit Ananda’ or the ‘Atman’ which is indestructible. Arjuna’s grief was therefore caused by this ignorance, as he was caught in the trap of delusion or ‘Moha’

Krishna continues;

“Arjuna, know that either you, me or the kings lined up in the battlefield, all were there in the past and will be there in the future”

Krishna by the above statement, implies that everyone on this earth shall always be there in the pristine form of ‘Aatman’. This establishes three things:

• ·         ‘Aatman’ is eternal
• ·         Everyone in reality is not the body but Aatman’
• ·         The same Aatman shines forth in each and every being.

Krishna further says;

“The Aatman which takes the form of a person goes through the stages of childhood, youth and old age and on death assumes another form or body. So, the wise do not mourn the dead”

This statement propounds that the various evolutionary stages of aging happen only to the body but not to ‘Aatman’ who is the occupant of the body. All of us know that, when a child becomes a youth and when the youth becomes an aged person, nobody undergoes grief. But when the person dies, people become grief-stricken. Because, ordinary people only know about the four stages and are not aware of the fifth stage that is, Aatman taking another form in a rebirth.

Krishna by this statement indicates about the existence of the fifth stage and advises that people should not unnecessarily grieve about the dead but should remain calm and composed. Wise men who are aware of this fifth stage stay calm and composed when death of their near and dear occurs.

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