220. Beyond Logic

Krishna deciphered existence and said that it is the combination of prakriti (nature) and purush (spirit) both of which are beginningless. Gunas (qualities) and vikar (evolution or change) are born of prakriti (13.20). While prakriti is also responsible for cause-and-effect, purush experiences them as polarities of sukh (pleasure) and dukh (pain) (13.21). Krishna further clarified that He is beyond perishable prakriti and even higher than imperishable purush, thus proclaimed as Purushottama (Supreme Being) (15.18). This recapitulation will help us understand the following verses.

Krishna says, “Those possessing a demonic nature do not distinguish action from inaction. They possess neither purity nor proper conduct nor truthfulness (16.7). They say that the world is without absolute truth, without any foundation, without a Lord. It is nothing but born of mutual union (of male and female) caused by lustful desire” (16.8). Essentially, this is living a life at the level of prakriti where cause-and-effect dominate; where logic defines everything that we experience.

The next question is how a person behaves when functioning at the level of perishable prakriti. In this context, Krishna says, “Holding on to such views, these misdirected souls, with small intellect and cruel actions, arise as enemies of the world threatening its destruction (16.9). Harboring insatiable desire, full of hypocrisy, pride and arrogance, possessing evil ideas through delusion, they work with impure resolve” (16.10).

In a nutshell, demonic natured people live at the level of cause-and-effect of prakriti without realising the Purushottama behind this. The metaphor of male-female union for creation is logical. Similarly, many actions and thoughts we observe around us fall into this logical category. A point to be noted is that a mother’s pure joy of unconditional love is beyond logic. It represents the journey from bondage of logic to liberation of unconditional love.