Understanding Our Eternal Identity from the Bhagavad Gita

mamaivā??o jīva-loke

jīva-bhūta? sanātana?

mana?-?a??hānīndriyā?i

prak?ti-sthāni kar?ati B.G.15.7

Our Eternal Connection ??

The Bhagavad Gita teaches that we, the living beings, are eternally connected to the Supreme Lord. We are like small sparks ?? from a massive fire, each of us a tiny, eternal fragment of the Supreme Lord. This means we always retain our individuality, even when we reach liberation.

Two Types of Expansions ??

The Supreme Lord has two types of expansions:

1. Vi??u-tattva: These are the personal expansions, like Lord Rāma, N?si?ha-deva, and Vi??umūrti. These forms are fully divine and powerful.

2. Living Entities: That's us! We are the separated expansions, meaning we have individual identities and a portion of divine qualities.

Independence and Its Use ??

As living entities, we have a tiny amount of independence. It's like having a bit of freedom to choose what we want to do. When we use this independence wisely, we live a liberated and joyful life in service to the Lord. But when we misuse it, we get caught up in the struggles of material life.

Imagine you have a remote-controlled car ??. If you control it properly, it runs smoothly. But if you misuse the remote, the car crashes and struggles to move.

Conditioned vs. Liberated States ????

In our conditioned state, we're like prisoners bound by chains of false ego and material desires. We identify with our temporary bodies and struggle with the ups and downs of life.

- Conditioned Life: Dominated by the material modes of nature (goodness, passion, ignorance). We forget our true nature and divine service.

- Liberated Life: Freed from material conditions, we engage in joyful service to the Supreme Lord. Our spiritual identity and form are revealed.

The Role of the Mind ??

Our mind plays a big role in our experience. Depending on its state, our actions and experiences vary:

- Mode of Goodness: We act righteously and feel peaceful.

- Mode of Passion: We chase after desires and face troubles.

- Mode of Ignorance: We act destructively and may even devolve into lower forms of life.

Revival of the Spiritual Body ?

When we leave this material world and enter the spiritual realm, we regain our original spiritual bodies. In these bodies, we can directly see, hear, and communicate with the Supreme Lord. It's like upgrading from an old, rusty computer to the latest, high-tech model. ???????

The Eternal Fragment ??

The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes that we are eternal fragments of the Supreme Lord. This isn't like a piece of a broken material object but more like a part of something indestructible and eternal. Each fragment is complete in itself, just as each spark of gold is still gold. We retain our spiritual essence and individuality eternally.