Chapter 15 Shloka 9

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।

अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते।।९।।

This jivatma takes the support of

the ears, the eyes, the faculty of touch, taste,

the praanas and thus also the mind

to partake of the sense objects.

Chapter 15 Shloka 9

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।

अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते।।९।।

The Lord says:

This jivatma takes the support of the ears, the eyes, the faculty of touch, taste, the praanas and thus also the mind to partake of the sense objects.

The very fact that the jivatma claims his body as his own is indicative of his subjugation to the body. He cannot experience anything without the help of the senses. He can do nothing without attachment to the mind. It could be said that attachment causes the jivatma to become a partaker of sense objects. That which creates the sense of individuality is the combination of the mind and the intellect.

The essence of the Atma is akin to the Supreme

The Atma, a component of the Supreme,

a) is ever detached;

b) is ever satiated;

c) is ever silence itself;

d) is ever a non-participant;

e) is completely devoid of aberrations;

f) is eternally uninfluenced.

It could thus be said that the Atma is replete with all the attributes of the Supreme. However, ‘I’, mind, intellect and the sense organs give birth to the idea of individuality and enjoyership. This is the birth place of ignorance.

If taken from a subtler point of view, one could understand that the Atma, which is an integral component of Brahm,

a) is silent;

b) is devoid of all thought processes – positive and negative;

c) is devoid of desire;

d) only gives – it seeks nothing;

e) lays claims on nothing and leaves everything untouched;

f) harbours no desire for change;

g) is so indifferent that it touches not even the seeds that it carries from one body to another; it does not bring about any change in them;

h) creates new circumstances in accordance with the good or bad content inherent in the seeds.

The new body, circumstances, world, mind, intellect and ego are all created in consonance with the seeds.

If you consider carefully, you will realise that the essential desire of the jivatma is for Brahm. He desires that same eternal bliss and unshakeable peace. He must realise however, that the method to gain these is through the practice of Adhyatam – the inculcation of the nature of the Supreme.

The individual seems to be in a perpetual state of competition with the Supreme concerning the attainment of happiness, peace and bliss. However, if he understands that all that is required is that he assumes the nature of Brahm, the spirit of competition will die a natural death and he will instead become a servant of Brahm. Happiness lies in the service of the Supreme – not in becoming supreme. Joy lies in the practice of yagya, forbearance and acts of charity – not in attachment, greed and moha. The jivatma is a component of Brahm – therefore become oblivious to this mind, intellect and body, even if it be for only a short time, and you will know what the Lord is trying to say.

Understand this again little one, the mind also desires bliss – and bliss is inherent in one’s essential core.

1. The mind seeks sense objects in order to attain happiness.

2. The mind hungers for recognition, thinking that the attainment of happiness lies therein.

3. The jivatma also clamours for happiness alone.

The mind too, wishes to be ever satiated but becomes attached to the gross due to the innate weakness of the intellect. Thus the mind has begun to believe that its happiness lies in gross sense objects.

Your intellect should understand this little fact that the happiness gained from sense gratification can only be temporary.

1. The body is not capable of endowing eternal happiness.

2. The sense organs too, are incapable of bestowing such happiness.

3. The sense faculties can only render momentary glimpses of joy.

4. The recognition you have received today must be repeated tomorrow or else sorrow will inevitably erupt.

5. Whatever object has granted you happiness today must also be yours tomorrow.

Whatever your senses found gratifying today and granted you joy, must be yoursforever, or that joy will soon turn to sorrow. Therefore the individual becomes greedy and begins to heard the sense objects which he finds gratifying. But the one who possesses a shrewd intellect knows that any expectation of joy from gross sense objects is sheer foolishness and nurtures dependency on those objects.

Man is dependent on wealth and on the sense objects that wealth can procure. Therefore the Scriptures issue repeated warnings to quell this attachment to objects. Once one’s dependency on these sense objects diminishes, one will become eternally satiated. One’s mind will then retain its equipoise no matter if one attains the objects that give one pleasure or not. If one is not able to renounce attachment, one will always feel insecure and unprotected.