Which Is a Unique Verse Of Bhagavad Gita? How Does The Book ‘Word of God Bhagavad Gita’ Expain This?
Although all the verses of Bhagavad Gita have their own importance in different contexts, yet the verse 15 from chapter 13 is very thought provoking and explains the mystery of God.
Lord Sri Krishna says to Arjuna in Chapter 13 Verse 15 of the book ‘Word of God Bhagavad Gita’:
The Omnipresent Spirit of God is outside as well as within all beings; and constitutes the moving (animate) and non-moving (inanimate) in creation. It cannot be known directly due to its subtlety. — — The Supreme Spirit is far away and yet very near. (Book: Word of God Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 13 verse 15)
The Supreme Spirit is far away and yet very near. It is prima-facie contradictory as an object can either be near or far away, and it cannot be both.
The above verse is in the form of a metaphor, to explain the hidden and unseen aspect of the Spirit of God.
Isha Upanishad also explains the same phenomenon, and says in succinct verses, “The Self-soul is motionless, yet it is faster than the mind. The senses cannot reach it. It is beyond the grasp of the senses. Remaining still, it is beyond all activity.
Yet in Self-soul rests the breath and all life…..The Atman (Self-soul) moves, yet moves not. It is far, yet it is near. It is within all this, and yet without all this.” — This beautiful verse of Isha Upanishad also explains Self-soul riddle in the same way as the above Gita verse.
A story explains the above verse:
A Hindu saint went to the Ganga River to take a bath with his disciples. There was another group of family members on the river bank who were shouting at each other in anger.
He turned to his disciples and asked, “Why are these people shouting at each other so loudly while fighting with each other?” The disciples thought for a while and then one of them said, “Because when we lose our calm, we shout in anger.”
The saint further queried, “But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? One can as well tell the other person what one has to say in a soft voice.” The disciples, who were accompanying him, gave a few more answers, but none satisfied the saint.
Finally the saint explained, “When two people get angry with each other, the distance between their hearts becomes very far. To cover that distance they must shout loudly at each other so that the other person can hear what he has to say.
The angrier they get, the louder they will have to shout. Their hearts then get farther and farther from each other, and the distance gets longer and longer.”
The saint further said, “What happens when two people are in love? They do not shout at each other but talk softly, because their hearts are very near. The distance between them is very small. When they love each other whole-heartedly, then what happens? They do not have to speak, but only whisper.”
When they love so much that they are just like one soul in two bodies, then they need not even whisper; they just look at each other, and that is enough. Then there is no need to say anything. This is what happens when two persons are deeply in love with each other.
He looked at his disciples and said, “So when you argue, do not let your hearts get distant and get far from each other. Do not say words that will distance you from each other, or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not be able to return to each other.”
The above verse says that the Spirit of God is very far away and yet very near; and there is no distance at all if God resides in your heart.
The distance is very far if you go through the path of your argumentative and doubting mind.
There is no distance at all if you follow the path of deep love and devotion for God in your heart. The all pervading and omnipresent Spirit of God is both outside and within your heart.”
Copyright © Ajay Gupta.. Author — Reference book: Amazon: Ajay Gupta: Amazon.in: Kindle Store : Word of God Bhagavad Gita by Ajay Gupta:
