Clarity — Lesson 8

The Self cannot be destroyed (Gita 2.23)

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥ २.२३ ॥

nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ
na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ

Weapons do not cut this Self, fire does not burn it. Water does not wet it, and air does not dry it.

न एनम् छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि । न एनम् दहति पावकः ।
न च एनम् क्लेदयन्ति आपः । न शोषयति मारुतः ।

शस्त्राणि एनम् न छिन्दन्ति । पावकः एनम् न दहति ।
आपः एनम् न क्लेदयन्ति । मारुतः एनम् न शोषयति ।

Krishna removes fear by removing false identification.

All forms of destruction belong to matter.

Cutting, burning, wetting, drying — these apply only to physical objects.

The Self is not a physical object.

Therefore, it is not subject to any form of destruction.

Nothing in the world can affect it.

Clarity means understanding what I truly am.

If I take myself to be the body, then I am vulnerable to damage and destruction.

If I understand I am the Self, then I see that I am not touched by any physical change.

This understanding removes deep fear.

All forms of harm apply to the body.

Do they apply to the one who is aware of the body?