T Ram Sewak

ISHWAR ANSH

Kakabhushundiji deciphers the subtleties of Gyan for Garuda in Shri Ramcharitmanas 7.115 -117 and states;

bhagatihi bheda, ubhaya kheda

.. Isvara ansh jeev abinashi, chetan amal sahaj sukh rashi

"There is no difference between Gyan (knowledge) and Bhakti (devotion): both relieve the torments of this cycle of birth and death. Great sages nonetheless point out some differences..

The jeev (soul/atma) is a minuscule part of the Paramatma (Divinity). It is indestructible, conscious, untainted, and blissful by nature."

At the outset, Kakabhushundiji clears Garuda's confusion and establishes the parity, congruity, and confluence of the Gyan and Bhakti Marg. Although he hints at nuances between them, he follows this by narrating one of the most important philosophical verses of Shri Ramcharitmanas, which has three critical elements.

First, the jeev is an infinitesimally small part of the Ishwar (The Infinite). This mirrors Shri Krishna's discourse in Gita 15.7, where He states that an eternal portion of Him becomes a living soul in the world of living. There is a speck of Divinity in all. These verses of Shri Ramcharitmanas and Gita elevate the status of human beings like no other. It also sets their ultimate goal - union with Paramatma.

Second, the atma (jeev) is immortal. This is the pivotal concept of Vedanta and is mentioned in both the Katha and Svetasvatara Upanishads and in Gita 2.20, where Shri Krishna tells a delusional Arjun that the Atma is never born, nor does it ever die. It merely discards a worn-out body and adopts a new one as a human discards

worn-out clothes to put on new ones (Gita 2.22).

Third, the jeev is conscious, untainted and blissful by nature. Here, Kakabhushundiji points to one of His inherent qualities - Ishwar (Supreme) is Sat Chit Anand (Truth, Consciousness, Bliss). Therefore, as a particle (ansh) of the Ishwar, the jeev is also an atomic embodiment of that Sat Chit Anand! / DAILY WORLD /

The author is a former electrical Engineer and resides in the Himalayas. He can be occasionally reached at ramam.namami@gmail.com