Purushottama Yoga: Embrace the Secrets of the Soul for Lasting Fulfillment

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Keywords: Secrets of the Soul, Soul’s divine qualities, Krishna’s inner presence, Mastery over senses, Source of remembrance, Overcoming material illusions, Spiritual identity revealed, Path of true devotion, Mindful self-realization, Eternal wisdom journey

Verses 15.7 to 15.15

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥15.7॥

mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati

मम (mama) – my; एव (eva) – indeed; अंशः (aṃśaḥ) – portion; जीवलोके (jīvaloke) – in the world of living beings; जीवभूतः (jīvabhūtaḥ) – living entity; सनातनः (sanātanaḥ) – eternal; मनः-षष्ठानि (manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhāni) – mind and the five senses; इन्द्रियाणि (indriyāṇi) – senses; प्रकृतिस्थानि (prakṛtisthāni) – situated in material nature; कर्षति (karṣati) – struggles;

The living entity in the world of beings is indeed an eternal fragment of Mine. Bound by material nature, it struggles with the mind and the five senses.

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ॥15.8॥

śarīraṃ yad avāpnoti yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ
gṛhītvaitāni saṃyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt

शरीरम् (śarīram) – body; यत् (yat) – which; अवाप्नोति (avāpnoti) – acquires; यत् (yat) – which; च (ca) – and; अपि (api) – also; उत्क्रामति (utkrāmati) – departs; ईश्वरः (īśvaraḥ) – the controller (living entity in this context); गृहीत्वा (gṛhītvā) – taking along; एतानि (etāni) – these; संयाति (saṃyāti) – goes away; वायुः (vāyuḥ) – wind; गन्धान् (gandhān) – scents; इव (iva) – like; आशयात् (āśayāt) – from their source;

Just as the wind takes the fragrance from the source and carries it from place to place, so does the living entity (embodied soul), which is the controller of its body, carry the senses from one body to another as it leaves the old one and enters the new one. 

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥15.9॥

śrotraṃ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ ca rasanaṃ ghrāṇam eva ca
adhiṣṭhāya manaś cāyaṃ viṣayān upasevate

श्रोत्रम् (śrotram) – hearing; चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ) – sight; स्पर्शनम् (sparśanam) – touch; च (ca) – and; रसनम् (rasanam) – taste; घ्राणम् (ghrāṇam) – smell; एव (eva) – indeed; च (ca) – and; अधिष्ठाय (adhiṣṭhāya) – presiding over; मनः (manaḥ) – mind; च (ca) – and; अयम् (ayam) – this (living entity); विषयान् (viṣayān) – sense objects; उपसेवते (upasevate) – enjoys;

Presiding over the ear, eye, touch, tongue, and nose, indeed, along with the mind, this living entity engages with sense objects.

उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥15.10॥

utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ

उत्क्रामन्तम् (utkrāmantam) – departing; स्थितम् (sthitam) – situated; वा (vā) – or; अपि (api) – even; भुञ्जानम् (bhuñjānam) – enjoying; वा (vā) – or; गुणान्वितम् (guṇānvitam) – endowed with qualities; विमूढाः (vimūḍhāḥ) – the deluded; न (na) – do not; अनुपश्यन्ति (anupaśyanti) – see; पश्यन्ति (paśyanti) – see; ज्ञानचक्षुषः (jñānacakṣuṣaḥ) – those with the eye of knowledge;

The deluded individuals fail to perceive the soul as it departs or remains or experiences the objects of the senses, but those who possess the eye of knowledge can behold it.

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ॥15.11॥

yatanto yoginaś cainaṃ paśyanty ātmany avasthitam
yatanto’py akṛtātmāno nainaṃ paśyanty acetasaḥ

यतन्तः (yatantaḥ) – striving; योगिनः (yoginaḥ) – yogis; च (ca) – and; एनम् (enam) – this (soul); पश्यन्ति (paśyanti) – see; आत्मनि (ātmani) – in the self; अवस्थितम् (avasthitam) – situated; यतन्तः (yatantaḥ) – striving; अपि (api) – even; अ-कृतात्मानः (akṛtātmānaḥ) – those who have not disciplined themselves; न (na) – do not; एनम् (enam) – this (soul); पश्यन्ति (paśyanti) – see; अचेतसः (acetasaḥ) – lacking proper consciousness;

Striving Yogis are able to see this soul situated in the body, but those who lack self-discipline and purity of mind, despite their efforts, cannot see it due to their unawakened consciousness.

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ॥15.12॥

yad ādityagataṃ tejo jagad bhāsayate’khilam
yac candramasi yac cāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam

यत् (yat) – that which; आदित्यगतम् (ādityagatam) – situated in the sun; तेजः (tejaḥ) – light; जगत् (jagat) – the world; भासयते (bhāsayate) – illuminates; अखिलम् (akhilam) – entirely; यत् (yat) – that which; चन्द्रमसि (candramasi) – in the moon; यत् (yat) – that which; च (ca) – and; अग्नौ (agnau) – in fire; तत् (tat) – that; तेजः (tejaḥ) – radiance; विद्धि (viddhi) – know; मामकम् (māmakam) – of Mine;

Know that the radiance in the sun, which illuminates the entire world, as well as that in the moon and in fire, is indeed My own splendor.

गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः ॥15.13॥

gām āviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ

गाम् (gām) – the earth; आविश्य (āviśya) – entering; च (ca) – and; भूतानि (bhūtāni) – living beings; धारयामि (dhārayāmi) – sustain; अहम् (aham) – I; ओजसा (ojasā) – with energy; पुष्णामि (puṣṇāmi) – nourish; च (ca) – and; औषधीः (auṣadhīḥ) – all vegetation; सर्वाः (sarvāḥ) – all; सोमः (somaḥ) – as the sap-giving moon; भूत्वा (bhūtvā) – becoming; रसात्मकः (rasātmakaḥ) – the essence of juices;

Permeating the earth, I nourish and sustain all living beings by My energy. Becoming the sap-giving moon, I nourish all plants with my essence.

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥15.14॥

ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṃ deham āśritaḥ
prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmy annaṃ caturvidham

अहम् (aham) – I; वैश्वानरः (vaiśvānaraḥ) – the digestive fire; भूत्वा (bhūtvā) – becoming; प्राणिनाम् (prāṇinām) – of living beings; देहम् (deham) – the body; आश्रितः (āśritaḥ) – residing; प्राण-अपान-समायुक्तः (prāṇa-apāna-samāyuktaḥ) – united with the incoming and outgoing breaths; पचामि (pacāmi) – I digest; अन्नम् (annam) – food; चतुर्विधम् (caturvidham) – of four types;

I, as the digestive fire (Vaishvanara), reside in the bodies of all living beings. United with the life airs (prana and apana), I digest the four kinds of food.

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो
मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो
वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ॥15.15॥

sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṃ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedāntakṛd vedavid eva cāham

सर्वस्य (sarvasya) – of all; च (ca) – and; अहम् (aham) – I; हृदि (hṛdi) – in the heart; सन्निविष्टः (sanniviṣṭaḥ) – situated; मत्तः (mattaḥ) – from Me; स्मृतिः (smṛtiḥ) – memory; ज्ञानम् (jñānam) – knowledge; अपोहनम् (apohanam) – forgetfulness; च (ca) – and; वेदैः (vedaiḥ) – by the Vedas; च (ca) – and; सर्वैः (sarvaiḥ) – all; अहम् (aham) – I; एव (eva) – indeed; वेद्यः (vedyaḥ) – to be known; वेदान्तकृत् (vedāntakṛt) – the compiler of Vedānta; वेदवित् (vedavit) – the knower of the Vedas; एव (eva) – indeed; च (ca) – and; अहम् (aham) – I;

I am situated in the heart of all living beings. From Me arises memory, knowledge, and forgetfulness. Indeed, I alone am to be known through all the Vedas; I am the originator of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

Understanding The Secrets of the Soul and the pathway to liberation

As discussed in the opening verses, the fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is a treasure house of spiritual wisdom that unravels the mystery of the soul’s identity, its connection to the Supreme, and the path to liberation. The specific verses from this chapter that we are focusing on here (15.7 to 15.15) shed light on how souls wander through the cycle of birth and death, carrying their minds and senses with them, and how they ultimately need the grace and guidance of the Supreme to break free from this cycle. These verses also explore the ways in which ignorance (or lack of proper spiritual understanding) keeps us in bondage, while the cultivation of knowledge and detachment sets us on the pathway to self-realization and union with the Divine.

Everything that Shri Krishna has explained is intended to be accessible and engaging. While the subject matter is profoundly spiritual, it is also deeply relevant to our everyday experiences, because it relates to our true identity, the source of our consciousness, and the fundamental purpose of our existence. 

We will focus on several recurring themes: 

1. First is the concept that the soul is divine and eternal, but bound by material nature, shaped by its association with the mind and senses. 
2. Second is the soul’s journey from one body to another, influenced by karma and the three modes of material nature. 
3. Third is the power of ignorance and how it blinds us to our true spiritual nature. 
4. Fourth is how knowledge, especially knowledge of the soul’s relationship to the Supreme, brings about genuine detachment and spiritual liberation. 
5. Fifth is the recognition that the Supreme Divinity is the ultimate sustainer of all beings, actively present even in the process of nourishment and digestion. 
6. Finally, we learn about the importance of purifying the mind and refining our inner perception so we can directly experience the Divine within ourselves.

By discussing these themes step by step, we will arrive at a deeper appreciation of why the mind and senses play such a powerful role in shaping our destiny, how we can understand our true identity as spiritual beings, and how we can harness spiritual wisdom to transform our lives. 

Shri Krishna is guiding us through this transformative journey toward a more liberated, enlightened, and compassionate way of being.

Soul’s divine qualites: Its Eternal Nature

One of the key teachings within this section of the Bhagavad Gita is that we, as individual souls, are eternal fragments of the Supreme. Although we are spiritual in essence, we find ourselves trapped in material bodies and material minds. This concept might sound abstract at first, but in practical terms, it means that our consciousness, which provides the sense of individuality and awareness, originates from a spiritual source that does not die when the body dies.

In many Eastern spiritual traditions, the soul is likened to a spark that has the same quality as the flame but is infinitesimally small in comparison. Although the spark is of the same nature as the fire, it does not have the same magnitude of energy and potency. Similarly, the soul shares many divine characteristics with the Supreme, including consciousness, bliss, and eternality, but is limited in quantity and capacity. This helps explain how we can be both intrinsically connected to the Supreme and at the same time feel like distinct and separate entities.

This principle is also found in some of the Upanishads, which are foundational texts of Vedic wisdom. For example, one frequently cited image comes from the Mundaka Upanishad, where two birds sit on the branch of the same tree: one bird tastes the fruits of the tree, while the other bird, serene and aloof, simply watches. The first bird symbolizes the individual soul that is constantly tasting the results of its actions, while the second bird symbolizes the Supreme Soul or Paramatma, who is the witness and guiding presence. This analogy illustrates that we, as individuals, remain engaged with the joys and sorrows of material existence, while the Supreme remains ever-liberated and ever-pure.

Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.1) 

द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।
तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ १ ॥

dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte
tayoranyaḥ pippalaṃ svādvattyanaśnannanyo abhicākaśīti

Two friendly birds, always united, perch on the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit, while the other simply looks on without eating.

This verse helps clarify the idea that we are both intimately connected to the Supreme while also experiencing life in a limited, conditioned state. We taste the fruits of our actions, whether pleasant or unpleasant, whereas the Supreme provides the ultimate support and exists in perfect fullness, untouched by our ups and downs.

In the Bhagavad Gita, when Shri Krishna refers to the soul as an eternal part of the Supreme, He is emphasizing the unbreakable nature of this bond. Even though we wander through many bodies, changing identities, appearances, and experiences, our underlying spiritual essence remains changeless and indestructible. This is a fundamental point to grasp if we are to comprehend why liberation is possible and how it can be attained. Liberation is not about gaining something entirely new. Rather, it is about uncovering and reawakening the divine qualities that are already inherent in each one of us.

From Me Come Memory, Knowledge, and Forgetfulness

After underscoring His presence in the heart of all beings, the Supreme explains that memory (smṛti), knowledge (jñāna), and forgetfulness (apohana) arise from Him. This idea can initially seem paradoxical. If God is the source of knowledge, then why would forgetfulness also come from Him? The Gita’s position is that the Divine not only bestows all our cognitive faculties but also arranges the conditions under which we may forget or remain ignorant if we choose not to align ourselves with spiritual truth.

In other words, memory and knowledge flow unimpeded when one is receptive to higher guidance. Forgetfulness occurs when an individual becomes enveloped in material consciousness, ignoring the inner call of the Supreme. God’s potency is behind all states of mind; the direction these states take depends on how we exercise our free will and how we align with (or stray from) the Divine plan.

The idea that God is the source of both unveiling and concealing is also found in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. At times, the Divine is praised as the one who illuminates the path for those who yearn for enlightenment and the one who can also bewilder those who remain arrogant or dishonest.

The Bondage of the Soul due to Mind and the Senses

If the soul is inherently divine, one might wonder, then why do we suffer? Why do we feel so bound by our limitations, our fears, and our material attachments? Shri Krishna’s teachings in these verses offer a clear answer. We are struggling under the influence of material nature because of our entanglement with the mind and the senses. These six instruments (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and the mind) drag the soul through the various experiences of the material world. When these instruments are guided by ignorance or passion, the soul gets dragged into the turbulence of samsara, the cycle of birth and death.

As per the teachings of Vedanta, the body is considered the gross covering, while the mind and intelligence are regarded as the subtle coverings. The soul, or Atma, is encased within these layers. Our physical senses gather information from the outside world, feeding that information to the mind, which processes and interprets it. If the mind is untrained or overwhelmed by desires, it will create innumerable impulses that the intelligence either struggles to manage or fails to manage properly. As a result, the soul is constantly distracted by the waves of emotional reactions, attachments, aversions, and conditioning.

Why is the mind so powerful? 

Why is the mind so powerful? Because the mind is directly linked to our sense of ego and identity. When we say, “I want this” or “I fear that,” we are usually voicing the sentiments of the mind and the false ego, which identify with the material body. We forget our deeper essence as a spiritual being; instead, we define ourselves by our temporary circumstances. This leads to an endless series of desires, frustrations, attachments, and anxieties.

In yoga philosophy, great emphasis is placed on regulating and purifying the mind. As explained in Bhagavad Gita 6.6, the mind can be the best friend or the worst enemy, depending on how well it is disciplined and how closely it is aligned with our higher purpose. 

बन्धुर् आत्मा आत्मनः तस्य येन आत्मा एव आत्मना जितः |
अनात्मनस् तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेत आत्मा एव शत्रुवत् ||6.6||

bandhur ātmā ātmanaḥ tasya yena ātmā eva ātmanā jitaḥ
anātmanas tu śatrutve varteta ātmā eva śatruvat

बन्धुः (bandhuḥ) – friend, kinsman, आत्मा (ātmā) – self, soul, आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) – of the self (genitive singular), तस्य (tasya) – his (genitive singular), येन (yena) – by whom (instrumental singular), आत्मा (ātmā) – self, soul, एव (eva) – indeed, only, आत्मना (ātmanā) – by the self (instrumental singular), जितः (jitaḥ) – conquered (nominative singular masculine past participle)

अनात्मनः (anātmanaḥ) – of one without self-control (genitive singular), तु (tu) – but, however, शत्रुत्वे (śatrutve) – in enmity (locative singular), वर्तेत (varteta) – exists, remains (3rd person singular optative), आत्मा (ātmā) – self, soul, एव (eva) – indeed, only, शत्रुवत् (śatruvat) – like an enemy (adverb)

For one who has controlled their mind, their mind is their best friend. But for one who has not done so, their mind will be their greatest enemy.

If the mind remains steeped in ignorance, it keeps the soul entangled in the lower modes of nature (passion and ignorance). If, on the other hand, the mind is trained, elevated, and imbued with spiritual insight, it becomes a doorway to realizing our connection with the divine source.

Shri Krishna points out that because our true identity is eternal, we do not have to remain enslaved by material nature forever. However, until we actually attain liberation and enter into the divine realm, we continue to struggle with the mind and senses. This struggle is not meant to discourage us. Instead, it serves as a reminder that real spiritual life begins when we acknowledge the need to control, refine, and eventually transcend the limitations imposed by our material coverings.

Subtle Body and the Journey Across Lifetimes

One of the most fascinating teachings in this section is the idea that the soul carries its mind and subtle senses from body to body. In other words, when we die, our gross physical body is left behind, but the subtle body, which includes the mind, continues onward. This subtle body carries the impressions, tendencies, and karmic seeds that shape our next birth. This concept provides a comprehensive explanation for otherwise mysterious phenomena, such as inborn talents found in child prodigies, unexplainable fears, and even the example offered by some spiritual teachers of individuals who are blind from birth yet dream about things that visually sighted people would normally perceive.

In 15.8, Shri Krishna uses the wind-and-scent analogy to explain how subtle impressions can be transferred from one body to another. Just as the wind can pick up the fragrance of a flower and carry it elsewhere, the subtle body can pick up impressions from one lifetime and deposit them in the next. These impressions include habits, attitudes, and karmic patterns that have not yet been resolved or transcended. This is one reason Shri Krishna places so much importance on purifying our consciousness. If we fail to resolve negative samskaras (mental impressions), they will continue to influence us in subsequent lives.

This teaching is consistent with the broader Vedic tradition, where reincarnation is viewed as a continuous journey of the soul. In this journey, we acquire new bodies according to our karmic account and the prevailing modes of material nature (gunas) that dominate our consciousness at the time of death. If someone has developed predominantly sattvic qualities like clarity, truthfulness, and compassion, they are likely to move in a direction that fosters further spiritual growth. If someone has cultivated more rajasic qualities like passion, ambition, and restlessness, they continue along a path full of action and desire. If someone is bogged down by tamasic qualities like ignorance, laziness, and destructiveness, they tend to fall into lower states of consciousness and potentially take on lower and more limiting life forms.

This grand mechanism is neither random nor cruel. Rather, it is seen as an opportunity for the soul to learn, evolve, and ultimately outgrow the need for material embodiment. By understanding this concept, we can appreciate how important it is to cultivate positive, spiritual impressions in our day to day life. Every action, word, or thought leaves an imprint on our subtle body. As we accumulate more spiritual impressions through meditation, prayer, selfless service, scriptural study, and constant remembrance of the divine Supreme Lord, we gradually refine our consciousness, making it easier for us to see our true nature and ultimately break free from the cycle of birth and death.

The Mystery of Dreams and Past-Life Impressions

The example of people who are blind from birth yet still dream about visual phenomena is striking. How is it possible for someone to dream in images if they have not physically seen anything in their present life? The explanation offered by certain spiritual masters, including Swami Mukundananda, is that the subtle body carries the impressions from past lives, and these impressions can manifest in dreams. Although the individual has no conscious memory of their previous experiences, the stored impressions remain latent within the mind.

This phenomenon raises many interesting questions about consciousness, the nature of memory, and the continuity of the self beyond the physical body. In the modern world, where the scientific method is highly valued, there is a growing interest in research related to near-death experiences, past-life memories (especially among children), and other phenomena that cannot be fully explained by a purely materialistic worldview. While scientific investigations into these areas vary in quality and rigor, they often point toward the possibility that consciousness is not entirely bound by the physical body.

From a spiritual standpoint, the soul is the real seat of awareness, and the mind (particularly its subtle dimension) carries the ability to remember, dream, and imagine. When certain sensory channels do not function in the current body, the impressions from past lives remain stored at a deeper level. Thus, dreams can become a gateway for these impressions to surface. Though these phenomena are complex and sometimes contested, they align with the teachings of Shri Krishna, that the mind persists beyond the boundaries of a single lifetime.

This concept also has implications for how we choose to live. If we recognize that everything we do now will leave a deep impression in our subtle body, which continues on into future lives, it prompts us to act more responsibly and compassionately. Rather than viewing the present life as a disconnected slice of existence, we can start to see it as one chapter in a long journey. Each chapter builds upon the previous ones, influencing our personality, tendencies, and experiences. This perspective encourages us to focus on personal growth, moral integrity, and spiritual advancement.

Identifying with the Body vs Realizing the Soul

A major theme in these verses is the contrast between those who remain unaware of their spiritual identity and those who have developed the eyes of knowledge. The ignorant, sometimes described with strong words like “utterly deluded” or “vimudha,” live under the false belief that their real identity is limited to the material body. They are unaware that the body is simply a shell or a vehicle, lacking the ability to generate consciousness on its own. Indeed, consciousness arises from the soul. When the soul departs, the body is inert, lifeless, and unable to feel or act.

Hence, it is said that those who have awakened to this reality develop genuine detachment and discrimination (viveka). They no longer see themselves as the body and its labels (gender, nationality, ethnicity), but rather as a spiritual being traveling through temporary material assignments. This shift in identification paves the way for liberation.

In yoga, there is a term called prana, the life force that sustains the living being. However, prana is still material (though subtle), and behind prana is the soul itself. Similarly, in Buddhism, while the concept of a soul as an unchanging substance is often debated, there is recognition that consciousness is not merely material. 

Recognizing the soul as the real animating principle leads to a transformation of how we view ourselves and others. We start to treat every living being with respect, understanding that each one is a spark of the same divine source. This moral and ethical dimension of spiritual realization tends to grow organically once we understand that all life is interlinked at the spiritual level. Compassion, empathy, and love become more natural, as we appreciate that the soul in one body is fundamentally akin to the soul in another.

Divine Nourishment and the Four Types of Food

Shri Krishna also emphasizes that He, the Supreme being, not only imparts consciousness but is directly involved in sustaining our bodies and minds through nourishment. The Supreme is described as the Vaishvanara, or the digestive fire, that operates within all living beings. This reference highlights the fact that every aspect of our survival, like eating, digesting, assimilating nutrients, etc, depends on a divine spark. Although we may take credit for cooking our meals or obtaining food, the capacity to extract energy from the food ultimately originates from the Supreme.

Verse 15.14 mentions four main types of food. The four types of food are:

1. Food that is chewed (bhakshya): This involves all solid foods we chew, such as grains, fruits, vegetables, or bread.
2. Food that is swallowed (bhojya): This refers to liquids or semi-liquids like milk, soups, or juices that we drink without chewing.
3. Food that is licked (lehya): This includes foods like honey, jams, or chutneys that are tasted by licking.
4. Food that is sucked (choshya): This category covers foods like sugarcane or other items from which we extract the juice through sucking.

By mentioning these four categories, Shri Krishna is not merely providing a dietary classification, but He is reminding us that every type of nourishment we derive ultimately rests on the divine process that enables digestion. The mention of breath (prana and apana) further highlights that breathing itself is an integral part of how we process food, symbolizing that the Supreme is also the controller and provider of our life force. Taken together, these insights encourage us to see the sacred dimension in ordinary, everyday activities like eating and breathing.

Purification of the Mind: The Key to Higher Perception

Although the soul is indeed divine, and although the Supreme is constantly providing sustenance and guidance, why do so many of us fail to experience that reality? According to Shri Krishna’s teachings, the main obstacle is the impurity of the mind. The mind, when it is clouded by ignorance, passion, or malice, is like a dirty mirror. Even though the soul’s light is shining, it is obscured by layers of mental contamination.

These contaminants can take various forms: negative thoughts, selfish desires, anger, greed, envy, and a host of other unhelpful tendencies. A tamasic mind is shrouded in darkness, lacking the ability to grasp deeper truths. A rajasic mind is restless, always chasing something new or exciting, often too restless to experience any calmness. A sattvic mind is relatively calm, harmonious, and predisposed to understanding spiritual realities. Yet even beyond sattva is the transcendental state, where we directly perceive the divine presence.

Consistently aligning with Sattva guna helps in purification and cleansing of the mind. The more we clean the mirror of the mind, the more the soul’s inherent light can radiate, and the more we can perceive the presence of the Supreme in all aspects of our life. At that point, knowledge (jnana) becomes something far beyond intellectual understanding. It becomes vijnana, an experiential realization.

An often-cited verse that highlights the importance of cleansing the mind comes from the Srimad Bhagavatam (1.2.17). 

श‍ृण्वतां स्वकथा: कृष्ण: पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन: ।
हृद्यन्त:स्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत्सताम् ॥ १७ ॥

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi
vidhunoti suhṛt satām

Shri Krishna, who is within the heart, acts as a loving friend for those who continuously hear and glorify His stories. He cleanses inauspicious things from within their hearts.

This verse from the Srimad Bhagavatam beautifully conveys the message about how the divine helps purify our consciousness when we sincerely engage in spiritual practices. The key point is that purification enables perception. A purified mind becomes like a polished lens through which we can see reality as it is.

In Katha Upanishad (2.2.13), we find a verse that speaks of the soul’s subtlety and its capacity to be realized only by a mind that is directed inward:

नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानामेको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् ।
तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरास्तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वतीनेतरेषाम् ॥ १३ ॥

nityo’nityānāṃ cetanaścetanānāmeko bahūnāṃ yo vidadhāti kāmān
tamātmasthaṃ ye’nupaśyanti dhīrāsteṣāṃ śāntiḥ śāśvatīnetareṣām

Eternal among the ephemeral, conscious among the conscious, who, being one, dispenses desired objects to many, the intelligent who see him seated in their selves, to them, eternal peace, not to others.

This verse highlights that the soul is simultaneously infinitesimal and immensely powerful. The soul can only be perceived by someone whose mind is at peace and free from contamination. This is perfectly in alignment with the Shri Krishna’s emphasis on akritatmano (impure and restless mind) versus kṛtatmānaḥ (a purified and calm mind). 

The key message of these verses

The message is that the soul is eternal and inherently divine, yet finds itself trapped within material nature due to its identification with the mind and senses. Birth after birth, the soul journeys through different bodies, carrying impressions in the subtle body. These impressions shape our present thoughts, desires, and experiences, and they account for phenomena such as dreams that seem to come from another realm of experience.

Our predicament lies in our ignorance of our own true nature. Identifying solely with the body and mind, we remain stuck in a cycle of repeated birth and death. As a result, we experience a range of sufferings: physical, mental, and emotional. Only through the cultivation of true knowledge accompanied by detachment from the ego and material desires can we glimpse the reality that the soul is distinct from the body, and that it is part of the Supreme.

We also explored how the Supreme is actively involved in sustaining all of creation, right down to the digestion of the four types of food. This is not just a theoretical idea, but a living reality meant to inspire reverence and gratitude in daily life. Every meal becomes an opportunity to remember that the Lord is the source of our nourishment, and every breath is a reminder that a higher power animates our bodily machinery. This perspective instills humility and devotion, reminding us that our intelligence, memory, and even our capacity to forget, come by the grace of the Divine.

The path forward involves active engagement with spiritual practices. We must make efforts to purify our minds, through ethical living, meditation, prayer, mantra chanting, or other practices suitable to our disposition. In doing so, we gradually cleanse the mirror of our minds, enabling us to see the soul and the Supreme more clearly. Our spiritual journey, then, is not a passive waiting game, but a dynamic process of refining our inner landscape until we can abide in the truth of our eternal relationship with the Supreme.

Reflecting on all of these themes, we are left with a powerful perspective. Life is not a random assembly of events, nor is the soul a mere byproduct of inert matter. There is an eternal thread linking all living beings to the Supreme. Each of us carries that spark of divinity within, and the Supreme continually supports us, in our breath, in our digestion, in our mental functions, and in the opportunities we have to grow spiritually. 

The more we align ourselves with this truth, the more our lives are enriched and transformed. By cultivating spiritual wisdom, practicing genuine detachment, and engaging in loving devotion, we gradually lift ourselves from the realm of ignorance and reunite with the Supreme in full awareness. 

Hare Krishna!

kṛṣṇadaasa
(Servant of Krishna)