The Absolute Self is Beyond Creation and Destruction

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् |

कथं स पुरुष: पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् || 2.21||

Meaning of the Shloka: O Parth! How can someone, who knows the Absolute Self to be unperishable, eternal, devoid of birth, and indestructible, kill or be killed by anyone? (Bhagvad Gita 2.21)

Context: Arjuna was wondering if his action of engaging in deadly violence in a war against his own kin was sinful. Krishna explains that the only entity that is real is the Absolute Self.

The Absolute Self (Aatma) is also understood as the truth, knowledge, and the divine. It always exists and never deteriorates through time. Everything else apart from it is temporary and goes through the cycle of birth and death.

Although everything, tangible and intangible, is born from knowledge and will later merge back into it (singularity), the Aatma itself doesn’t do anything. It’s just that the manifestations that emerge from it exhibit their respective traits throughout their existence.

For instance, we have equations that explain the Earth’s gravitational force. However, the equations are not why the blue planet has gravity. It is, merely, the Earth exhibiting its characteristics and humanity eventually discovered it (humanity also exhibiting its traits).

In other words, the gravitational laws aren’t why the Earth is a giant magnet. It’s because that’s how the planet was designed.

Krishna’s point in this Shloka is a continuation of the previous one where He helps Arjuna distinguish between the real and the material. He explains how the only real element is the truth and that the material world and everything that happens within it is a simulation.

Therefore, Arjuna should engage in battle without feeling remorse because of two reasons:

1. He is merely exhibiting his traits based on the current circumstances and capabilities.

2. Everything will, one day, disappear into the darkness.

   
   

Are we free from accountability

Folks after reading the aforementioned justification for venturing into a violent conflict may wonder if they should engage in unlawful activities or pleasurable endeavors with a guilty-free mindset.

First of all, the consequences of your actions, good or bad, action or inaction will remain. In the case of Arjuna, he either has to kill many people (go to war) or get branded as a pathetic little bitch (surrender). 

Similarly, you must realize that being lazy, putting off work, etc., has negative outcomes. You may point at such self-destructive behavior and say “Well that’s just my body exhibiting its traits” but the consequences will remain.

Furthermore, human beings are different from any other thing in this world. And that is our capacity to recognize the Aatma (the truth) and embody it.

Knowledge directs us to reach our highest potential. If you deny it, you are being an animal that succumbs to its feelings. 

To put it simply, accountability is inescapable and human beings have the ability to alter their composition to exhibit different characteristics, something that makes us different from anything else in this universe.

A follow-up question you might have at this point is “Isn’t truth subjective?” The short answer is “If you are looking for an excuse, yes” and the long answer is beyond the scope of this chapter.

Why Krishna is talking about the Absolute Self

For the past couple and a few upcoming chapters, the discussion will be centered around the Aatma (the Absolute Self). Krishna dives deep into it to explain the nature and properties of the divine, which is all-pervading knowledge.

The Aatma can also be understood as the Multiverse, as highlighted in one of the past chapters.

Anyway, Krishna is talking so much about the Aatma because we need to justify our suffering and sacrifices on an eternal scale by providing meaning. People are often ready to move mountains to find deep meaning in life.

A step toward finding your meaning and purpose in human life is to realize what’s permanent and what’s fleeting. Once you understand how fleeting your existence is, you can start to align yourself with the truth. That’s the path to immortality. That’s how you justify life’s suffering.

Arjuna, in the story of the Mahabharata, is on the cusp of a war. That’s the hardest thing to do.

It is clear that he’s looking for some meaning that justifies the sacrifices he will be making in the upcoming moments. Therefore, it’s critical that he understands his role in the cosmos and discovers peace by aligning himself with the truth.

Conclusion: Knowledge is power

When making hard choices, it is crucial to take a step back and look at life from the cosmic perspective. It may appear that we are insignificant in this multiverse but we can be immortal by aligning our actions with the truth.

The truth, however, you understand it, is eternal. It pervades time and space. It is the source and destination of everything, tangible and intangible. Most importantly, it directs us toward enlightenment.

Simply aligning yourself with the truth or knowledge will take at least half the pain and suffering away from your life. The other half can be eliminated by destroying laziness, attachment, and desire — which are covered in the upcoming chapters.

Until next time,

Tara

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Next Chapter: Material Manifests from the Absolute Self

Previous Chapter: How the Oblivious Misunderstand the Absolute Self

Index (with Prologue): Krishna Said That: Prologue