Chapter 15 Shloka 8

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।

गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्।।८।।

Just as fragrance is carried by the breeze from

one place to another, similarly at the time of death,

the godhead residing in the jivatma carries

the essence of the mind and the senses

from one body to another.

Chapter 15 Shloka 8

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।

गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्।।८।।

The Lord says to Arjuna:

Just as fragrance is carried by the breeze from one place to another, similarly at the time of death, the godhead residing in the jivatma carries the essence of the mind and the senses from one body to another.

Why is the jivatma defined here as Ishwar (ईश्वर)?

1. In order to reveal the jivatma’s essential non-difference with the Supreme.

2. In order to reveal the ancient nature of the component of the Supreme that abides in the jivatma.

3. To acquaint us with the indestructible nature of the Supreme.

4. In order to lead the mortal towards his very essence.

5. In order to acquaint him with his real Self.

6. To reassure him that the Lord never forsakes him.

7. To make clear to the mortal being that his energies are of divine origin.

The fragrance emitted by the intermingling of the mind and the sense organs creates the seed of the jivatma. Look! The body, the mind, the intellect and the sense organs:

a) are the Lord’s creation;

b) contain the energy of the Supreme;

c) are filled with the consciousness gifted by God.

However:

1. The mind, the intellect and the ego individualised themselves.

2. They filled themselves with ego and became attached to their body self.

3. They developed attachment with their actions.

4. They became attached to their attributes.

5. They began to consider themselves to be inferior or superior.

6. They began to experience pride at times and anxiety at other times.

7. They began to desire some things and reject others.

The consequences of attachment

a) All this was meaningless.

b) All this transpired because of the veil of ignorance that shrouded the Truth.

It is attachment that causes moha. It is attachment that gives rise to the consciousness of individual existence; and the body, which is the divine manifestation of Brahm, is reduced to an image of inanimate clay.

However, witness the nature of Brahm. Perceive His infinite compassion! Those tasks of the body, mind and intellect that were left unfulfilled in this birth, are manifested again for us in our next life. Just as we have received the fruits of our desires of previous births in this life, so also in our next life we shall receive the fruits of our present desires and deeds. Our attachment, moha, ego, attractions and repulsion, mental aberrations, positive and negative thought processes, good and bad attitudes – all these combined constitute the fragrance of our lives.

It is said that that component of the Supreme, the jivatma, carries these very seeds and this very fragrance to create the blue print of future lives.

Little one, the Atma carries this ‘fragrance’ constituting the seeds of actions just like the breeze carries the fragrance of the atmosphere from one place to another. Prakriti then creates a new body based on those seeds.

a) This entire process takes place with the Atma as the witness.

b) That is, at the end of life’s journey, the seeds of action that remain with the jivatma occupy a new body with the help of the Atma.

c) However little one, the Atma does not even touch these seeds, It merely hands over those seeds (which constitute Prakriti).

Little one, understand the connotation of ‘Ishwar’ once more.

1. Ishwar is the Master.

2. Ishwar connotes one who is full of power and energy.

3. Ishwar connotes proficiency and capability.

4. Ishwar is one who accepts all as His own.

5. Ishwar is one who rules.

6. Ishwar is one who governs.

7. Ishwar is one who commands.

8. Ishwar is one who establishes his right.

In this context, ‘Ishwar’ is the epithet given to the jivatma who establishes a master’s rights over the seeds of action. This same Ishwar has the inherent power to govern the latencies contained in the seeds of action. That jivatma thus fabricates a new body and places therein the fragrance of the sap of sense enjoyments.

This ‘sap’ is created by the union of the mind with the organs of sense perception. It is the fragrance of this sap which the ‘Ishwar’ draws to infuse into a new body.