Srimad Bhagavad-Gita : Ch-13. Slo-33.

28/04/2019
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :
Chapter-13. ( Kshetra-kshetrajna-vibhaga-yogam)
Slokam-33.

yatha sarva-gatam saukshmyad akasam nopalipyate
sarvatravasthito dehe tathatma nopalipyate

yatha—as;
sarva-gatam—all-pervading;
saukṣhmyat—due to subtlety;
akasam—the space;
na—not;
upalipyate—is contaminated;
sarvatra—everywhere;
avasthitah—situated;
dehe—the body;
tatha—similarly; a
atma—the soul;
na—not;
upalipyate—is contaminated

Translation - BG 13.33:

"Space holds everything within it, but being subtle, does not get contaminated by what it holds. Similarly, though its consciousness pervades the body, the soul is not affected by the attributes of the body."

Comments
The soul experiences sleep, waking, tiredness, refreshment, etc., due to the ego that makes it identify with the body.  One may ask why changes in the body in which it resides do not taint the soul.  Shree Krishna explains it with the example of space.  It holds everything, but yet remains unaffected, because it is subtler than the gross objects it holds.  Similarly, the soul is a subtler energy.  It retains Its divinity even while It identifies with the material body.

Discussion :

Shree Krishna again comes back to the point about action being superior to inaction. Propelled by their natures, people are inclined to act in accordance with their individual modes. Even those who are theoretically learned carry with them the baggage of the sanskārs (tendencies and impressions) of endless past lives, the prārabdh karma of this life, and the individual traits of their minds and intellects. They find it difficult to resist this force of habit and nature.

If the Vedic scriptures instructed them to give up all works and engage in pure spirituality, it would create an unstable situation. Such artificial repression would be counter-productive. The proper and easier way for spiritual advancement is to utilize the immense force of habit and tendencies and dovetail it in the direction of God. We have to begin the spiritual ascent from where we stand, and doing so requires we have to first accept our present condition of what we are and then improve on it.

We can see how even animals act according to their unique natures. Ants are such social creatures that they bring food for the community while forsaking it themselves, a quality that is difficult to find in human society. A cow has such intense attachment for its calf that the moment it goes out of its sight, the cow feels disturbed. Dogs display the virtue of loyalty to depths that cannot be matched by the best of humans.

Similarly, we humans too are propelled by our natures. Since Arjun was a warrior by nature, Shree Krishna told him, “Your own Kṣhatriya (warrior) nature will compel you to fight.” (Bhagavad Gita 18.59) “You will be driven to do it by your own inclination, born of your nature.” (Bhagavad Gita 18.60) That nature should be sublimated by shifting the goal from worldly enjoyment to God-realization, and performing our prescribed duty without attachment and aversion, in the spirit of service to God.

Next - Slokam-34.

To be continued ..