नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।
Bhagavad Gītā 2.16
“The unreal never truly is; the real never ceases to be.”
Why This Topic Matters
Think of watching a 3‑D dinosaur movie. With the glasses on, the T‑Rex seems to leap into your lap; when you lift them, it’s just a flat screen. Hindu sages say mokṣa is like that glass‑lifting moment. The monster (bondage) looked fierce, but the screen (your true Self) was never in danger.
Joke alert:
Why did the T‑Rex visit the optometrist?
Because he kept biting at things that weren’t really there.
Setting the Stage: The Self That Never Budges
Advaita Vedānta claims the Self (Ātman) is already free—unchangeable, unscratchable, unbreakable. Our feeling of being trapped is a case of mistaken identity, like confusing a rope for a snake in dim light.
मनसा एवेदमाप्तव्यं नेह नानास्ति किंचन ।
Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.1.11
“Realise this by mind alone; here there is no multiplicity at all.”
Translation: the snake is a rope; chill.
Scriptural Backbone
Gītā Says the Self Can’t Break
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् …
Bhagavad Gītā 2.20
“It is never born, it never dies … it is ageless and eternal.”
If the Self is not born or dying, it can’t be shackled or “freed” in the normal sense. Liberation is more like noticing you were never tied up.
Mis‑ID: The Ego Playing Dress‑Up
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते ।
Bhagavad Gītā 3.27
“The deluded ego thinks, ‘I am the doer.’”
Bondage = mixing up costume (body‑mind) and actor (Self). When credits roll, the actor is fine; only the costume took the fake bruises.
Seeing One in All
यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति …
Bhagavad Gītā 13.31
Once the seeker sees every being rooted in One Reality, that vision is Brahman. Nothing new happens; perspective shifts.
Tat Tvam Asi Revisited
तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो ।
Chāndogya 6.8.7 — “You are That.”
Guru’s job = remove foggy spectacles, not bolt on new wings.
Gaudapāda’s Mic‑Drop
न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो …
Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 2.32
“No cessation, no origin, none bound, none liberated.”
TL;DR: “Snake and rope? Dude, it’s just a rope.”
Analogies That Stick
- Rope‑Snake: Fear vanishes when light hits the rope; the rope never needed a snake‑wrangler.
- Video Game: Your on‑screen avatar loses hearts, but the gamer on the couch (Self) never needs a health pack.
- Dream Drop: Falling off a cliff in a dream feels deadly—right until you wake up drooling on the pillow.
- Cloudy Glasses: Liberation isn’t polishing a rusty Self; it’s wiping smudges so the always‑bright Self shines.
Bonus pun: Enlightened gamers refuse extra lives—turns out they’ve got infinite continues.
Logical Cross‑Check
-
Immutability vs. Change:
If liberation were an actual change, the “unchanging Self” motto collapses. -
Infinite Rescuers?
If every bound soul needed another to unbind it, who frees the first liberator? Infinite regress, brain freeze. -
Breakable Once, Breakable Again:
A Self that can be chained today could be re‑chained tomorrow—not exactly eternal.
Simpler answer: the chains were scrawled in chalk on thin air.
Everyday Tips to “Lift the Glasses”
- Notice the Noticer:
Between two thoughts, who’s quietly aware? Sit with that. - Rope‑Check Fears:
Before spiralling, ask, “Snake or rope?” Nine times out of ten, it’s mental rope‑art. - Humor as Defogger:
Laughter pops illusion. Next time your mind says, “We’re doomed,” reply, “Thanks for the movie trailer—when’s the comedy start?”
Conclusion: Serious Punchline
Liberation isn’t an epic jailbreak; it’s a you‑are‑here sticker for consciousness. The screen never quaked, the gamer never bled, the rope never hissed. What changes is seeing.
So keep studying the verses, but also keep the flashlight (and maybe a popcorn bucket) handy. Lift the glasses, laugh at the paper dinosaur, and realise—you’ve been free the whole time.
Final thought: Spirituality without a grin is like pizza without cheese. Possible, but why?
Last modified on 2025-07-21