Geometry is one interesting and important subject and it becomes really intriguing when we move from study of 2-dimensional shapes and sizes to 3-dimensional ones. Not saying easy to understand but surely lot more useful if 3D is cracked so to say, and best part is then 2D problems are easy peasy. When we move this analogy to the field of knowing, then one can put the knowing of material world as 2D, lets call it Siksha, learnings, and the third dimension, lets call it Atmagyan, Knowledge.
Literate or Shikshit person is well versed with chosen transactional aspects of this world and becomes an Engineer or Doctor or CA or Manager etc. The transactional aspects of religious life can also be put into this category. This can be taken more as one end of spectrum for an intelligent person. The other end will be Enlightened or Gyani person who knows about the Soul, Aatma. Krishna says its really difficult to get a sense of Aatma (2.25), because it is subtler than the faculty of understanding, the intellect, Buddhi. In between these two ‘ends’ of intelligent personalities whole host of Karmayogi and followers of Dharma exist. As we have seen previously key aspects to operate at any one of these levels is Location(of sharir), Location(of mann), Location(of Aatma).
Highest form of knowledge, Atmagyan, remains a matter of speculation and experience rather than understanding due to the limitations of the faculty of intellect. What can be known about it though? It is permanent, hence beyond time, so concepts of birth or death, killing or being killed, growth or decay etc do not apply to it. Further, it wears the non-permanent or changing, Anatma, for the purpose of experience in the relative world of name and form and changes this Body as we change our clothes, discarding the old and putting on the new one.
This key aspect of role of non-permanent Body ( and Mind and Intellect) in relation to permanent Aatma is important explanation by Krishna to Arjuna who is deluded with the thoughts of losing the near and dear ones. What happens to the relations and possessions once the Aatma discards current body and moves onto the next one? They are gone too, aren’t they? Just this understanding would have changed the status of superstar Arjuna to see things as they are at this stage itself, but he needs further explanation from Krishna. A key feature of Sanatana Dharma scriptures is dialogue between Shishya and Guru where all doubts get cleared.
Krishna further elaborates the 3rd dimensional nature of Aatma in respect to the forces of nature operating in the ‘2D’ material world. Fire has power to engulf and destroy anything in the world, but not Aatma. Tsunami has such a humungous amount of force that we go on high alert at the first sign of water’s this powerful form, but not Aatma. Powerful wind can uproot and dry any part of the world, but not Aatma. Metals and other weaponry from soil can cut and destroy everything, but not Aatma. All these powerful forces of nature have no impact on Aatma, solely because it is in different dimension. Aatma and Anatma do not mix, like water and oil will separate out as soon as you stop the spinners. Meditate on it till next time!
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