Chapter 2 Shloka 29

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्य:।

आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्य: श्रृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित्।।२९।।

Some perceive it with wonder;

some talk about it with wonder;

others hear about it with wonder.

Some do not know it even after hearing about it.

Chapter 2 Shloka 29

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेनमाश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्य:।

आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्य: श्रृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित्।।२९।।

Some perceive it with wonder; some talk about it with wonder; others hear about it with wonder. Some do not know it even after hearing about it.

Little one, understand this shloka from three angles – the point of view of the Atma, the jivatma who abides in the body, and death.

1.  One looks upon death with wonder:

a) How did it happen?

b) Where did the departed one go after death?

c) Whence did he come?

d) Have we really parted?

e) Will he not return?

f) Just a moment ago he was conscious and now he is inert.

g) He was a saint – he was wicked; he was full of pride and now he is an image of clay. What is this phenomenon?

h) Now he is neither a son nor a father, now no relationship remains.

i)  The whole world was his – now he is left without any possessions.

j)  He was boastful and arrogant with pride – now where has that ego, that haughtiness gone?

k) He, who had never bowed his head, now lies on the ground at the feet of all; is he the same person?

l)  Where is his bed of flowers? He now lies on the bare pyre.

The sadhak is astounded at perceiving this strange phenomenon.

2.  Some speak of death with wonder:

a) One can feel the inadequacy of words.

b) Can one say what has happened?

c) Whence did he come, whither did he go, can anyone tell?

d) Beholding this extraordinary happening, one is left speechless.

e) Words cannot describe it, no matter how hard one tries – indeed, who can describe death itself?

f) One can only wonder at the failure of speech.

g) Can one hear, what cannot be spoken?

Words fail to describe that incredible phenomenon. How can the earthly describe the other world? Can a miracle be described? Indeed, how can one hear or describe what is beyond words?

3.  The same can be said about the Atma:

a) The Atma is said to be eternal, indestructible, formless, all-pervading, and changeless;

b) It is immovable, constant, actionless;

c) It is complete and perfect, yet without qualities;

d) It is ancient and immortal, so it is said.

­­–  It is the power behind the word and the master of speech; how can speech describe it?

­­–  It is the power behind sound and the master of hearing; how can one hear it?

­­–  It is the power behind vision and the master of sight; how can one see it?

How can one see that which is formless? Whoever seeks to approach It, is left dumbfounded.

The intellect is unable to grasp It, the mind cannot reach It, It is not an object of the organs of sense. Every aspect evokes surprise and amazement.

In actual fact:

a) One can only know the Atma by becoming an Atmavaan.

b) When the ‘I’ renounces attachment with the body, and identifies with the Atma, only then can that Atma be known.

c) One merges with one’s true Self and Essence only when the body idea is completely annihilated.

d) Then the ‘I’ merges with the Atma. The body still traverses the world, but its master, the ‘I’, has forsaken it. Such a one conducts himself like any ordinary person but is extremely extraordinary, since he is completely devoid of the ‘I’. It is extremely difficult to recognise such a one, and when you do, you are filled with even greater wonder!

4.  From the point of view of the jivatma.

a) For an individual, birth and death are inevitable;

b) No one knows the jivatma’s fate after death or before birth;

c) What will be the fruit of the jivatma’s actions ever remains a surmise.

Little one, this will be discussed in detail later. It is enough to understand now that if one contemplates these matters in detail, one is left in amazed wonderment. That pandit or man of wisdom, who realises the truth of all these matters, abides in silence and, transcending the mortal body, becomes an Atmavaan.

Having said all this, the Lord now says, O Arjuna! It causes great amazement to know that one is not the body but the Atma. Yet, despite knowing this, nobody can understand it. Little one, even the Knower of the Truth, the Atmavaan, cannot claim, ‘I know’.