W for Witness

 The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of knowledge - all that you need to be is an inquisitive student, because only when the student is ready, the master appears! Join me this month in the 'April A to Z challenge,' as I take you through selected verses of this monumental scripture, and try to decipher the amazing lessons it has in store for us.           

Read V for Virtues here.       

Translation

Krishna says that in this body there exists a jiva (the soul) and the paramatma (the supersoul). The ishwara or paramatma is the witness – the one who oversees everything (upadrusta), the one who permits everything (anumanta), the master – who controls everything (bharta), and the enjoyer – who experiences everything (bhoktra).

 

The story of the two birds on the tree.

In the Mundaka Upanishad, Shaunaka, a great householder asks Sage Angirasa a question, ‘By knowing what does everything become known?’

Angirasa explains in great detail about various aspects and then gives a very profound allegory.  He says, two birds seated on a tree, cling close to each other. One bird eats the fruits while the other looks on without eating.

द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।
तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ (3.1.1)

dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte.
tayoranyaḥ pippalaṃ svādvattyanaśnannanyo abhicākaśīti.

He explains that the tree represents the body, and the two birds represent the jiva and the paramatma. The first bird which eats the fruit is the jiva, that is us. We enjoy the various fruits of life – the joy, the sorrow, success and failure. The other bird which looks on without eating is the paramatma, who is a witness to all our activities.  As long as the first bird is caught in the experiences of life, it is restless, anxious and confused. But the moment it notices and turns towards the second bird, it gradually realises it true nature.

Krishna is the witness.

Krishna is present in our hearts; we don’t need to search him elsewhere. He observes everything we do, but himself never gets attached or affected. He also does not interfere but if we turn towards him, he provides us with clarity to lead our life and leads us to moksha.

 

The story of Puranjana from the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Sage Narada narrates the story of Puranjana to King Prachinabarhi who is excessively involved in leading a life of fruitive activities, rituals and sacrifices. Through the story he makes the king realise that performing fruitive activities will lead to entanglement and miseries and make him lose sight of the ultimate goal.

Who is Puranjana?

Puranjana’s story is symbolic. He is a king searching for a suitable place to live; just like a jiva searching for a body to inhabit. He has a mysterious companion – Avijnata sakha, the unknown friend. Avijnata represents the paramatma, but since the jiva never recognises him, he remains unknown to him through various lifetimes. Avijnata accompanies him in every life, silently witnessing his actions. He neither imposes not interferes.  

After wandering, Puranjana finds a magnificent city with nine gates – the human body. He meets and marries a beautiful woman – representing our intellect or mind.  He gradually becomes absorbed in worldly pleasures, family, and identity.

The Turning Point

As time passes, he grows old, suffers, and ultimately dies, thinking of his wife. As a result, he is reborn as a woman, Vaidarbhi, daughter of King Vidarbha, and is later married to a saintly king, Malayadhvaja. When Vaidarbhi grieves after Malayadhvaja passes away in severe penance, Avijnata, the Supreme Witness, finally appears before Vaidarbhi, who was previously Puranjana.

The paramatma is never separated from the jiva.

Avijnata reminds her that though the body keeps changing, the jiva inside remains the same, hence she should stop identifying with her body.  The one who is always there with the jiva is only the paramatma. Krishna remains with us as a witness to all our actions. Till we realise and recognise him, he remains unknown, but when we begin to know him, he slowly reveals himself.

 

Even if no one sees, he does.

In verse 18.61, Krishna says, I reside in everyone's heart.

ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति  

If one commits a sin thinking, they were all alone and no one saw them, this verse tells us that, as a witness, Krishna sees them, not seated somewhere outside but within their own hearts. So before we do something questionable, we must be aware that we will still be answerable to him. 

Conversely, if one commits a good deed and feels sad that no one saw them doing it, they need not worry, for Krishna sees them nevertheless. To prevent that good deed from becoming a source of bondage, all we need to do is offer our deeds (karmas) to Him.