Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2
Sankhya Yoga
What is Sat and Asat?
In the previous quiz we saw how the Lord was waiting for Arjuna to admit that he was unable to make a decision in this war and needed guidance. When the mind is confused it cannot receive true knowledge because it is full of ego. When the mind is clean and clear and it acknowledges the ignorance within itself, and only then it is receptive to knowledge. The moment Arjuna surrendered to Krishna, the Lord smiled and immediately started telling Arjuna about knowledge of the self. He explained to Arjuna that no learned person mourns for the dead or living beings. If we look at the deeper meaning of this, then the Lord tells about the body and soul.
The one who holds the body( sharira )is called Shariri or Dehi. The body is made up of Panchabhutas. The body is perishable, changeable, impermanent and hence it is called Asat i.e. that which has no reality. Similarly, the shariri which is the dweller in the body is the consciousness, Jivatma, which is indestructible, unchanging, eternal and is called Sat, that which is truth and real.
One who knows the difference between Sat/Asat is called by the Lord in the Gita as a Dheera/ Pandit/ Tattvadarshi/ Viveka buddhi purusha because he is fearless and he never grieves for the dead or the living beings.
We all should ask ourselves this question – “Who am I? I am not the body. I am the soul. This soul is Sat and this body is Asat.”
The Lord says about the soul in the shloka “There was never a time when I was not there or you were not there and all these kings were not there and it is not that we will not be there in the future.” This shows us how the Supreme Soul and all souls always exist and their existence never ceases. They existed in the past, exist in the present and will exist in the future and will exist forever. The Supreme Soul and the Soul are eternal and indestructible.
The Lord also says that the body undergoes changes due to childhood, youth and old age but there is absolutely no change in the Shariri/Atma i.e. the embodied being. After death, the Soul passes from old body to another new one. Even though , the Soul changes many bodies in many births but there will be no change in it. It is the same without any change. Thus the Lord throws light on the body and the soul and explains to Arjuna that a wise man should not be deluded by these two.
