196. Oneness is Liberation

 


Krishna says, "The purush (spirit) within this body is said to be the Witness (drisha), 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 intricacy. 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 purusha, 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 pain and pleasure.

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).

This liberation includes freedom to do anything and thus runs into the argument about how can society survive if the actions termed as sins or crimes are allowed. This argument permits nurturing the seed of hatred through suppression as long as it is not expressed. But Krishna says drop that hatred itself and harmony with existence would happen automatically.

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 the body feels and liberation is nothing but the realisation of oneness all around.


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