196. Oneness is Liberation

 


Krishna says, “The purush (spirit) within this body is said to be the witness (drishta), the consenter (anumanta), the supporter (bharta), the enjoyer (bhokta), the great Lord (Maheswar) and also the Supreme Soul (Paramatma)” (13.23). Space is the best example to understand this subtle truth. It’s called by different names depending on the character it attains like a room, a house, a pot etc. Essentially, there is one space, and the rest are its manifestations.

Krishna assures, “Those who understand the truth about purush (spirit), prakriti (nature), and the interaction of the gunas (three modes or characteristics) born out of nature will be liberated regardless of their present condition” (13.24). Things happen in prakriti because of gunas and the purush experiences them as pain and pleasure. This realisation is nothing but liberation from the misery of swinging between the polarities of pain and pleasure. Secondly, this liberation occurs the very moment we realise this truth, irrespective of our present condition -however ignorant, miserable, or poor we may be.

Krishna earlier explained about liberation from a different angle and said that karmas (actions) in all situations are performed by the gunas; one who is deluded by ahankaar thinks ‘I am doer’ (3.27). One who knows that gunas interact with gunas, is liberated (3.28).

Liberation means freedom from pleasure and pain as well as freedom to do anything. This leads to the argument of how society could survive if the actions termed as sins or crimes are permitted. This argument permits nurturing the seed of hatred through suppression as long as it is not expressed. Liberation includes the dissolution of hatred itself, bringing us into harmony with existence -a state in which crime and sin have no place. Harmony with existence is nothing but liberation (moksha).

A miracle called the human body, which hosts about thirty trillion cells and another thirty trillion bacteria, is the best example of such harmony. We don’t have to make any special efforts to maintain this harmony. It happens because of the oneness as well as the harmony that body feels.

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