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TEXT 29 ascarya-vat pasyati kascid enam
SYNONYMS  ascarya-vat--amazing;
pasyati--see;
kascit--some; enam--this soul; ascarya-vat--amazing;
vadati--speak;
tatha--there; eva--certainly; ca--also;
anyah--another;
ascarya-vat--similarly amazing; ca--also;
enam--this
soul; anyah--others; srnoti--hear; srutva--having
heard; api--even; enam--this soul; veda--do know;
na--never;
ca--and; eva--certainly; kascit--anyone.
TRANSLATION Some look
at the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of
him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand
him at all.
PURPORT Since Gitopanisad
is largely based on the principles of the Upanisads, it is not surprising
to also find this passage in the Katha Upanisad.
sravanayapi bahubhir yo na labhyah
The fact that
the atomic soul is within the body of a gigantic animal, in the body of
a gigantic banyan tree, and also in the microbic germs, millions and billions
of which occupy only an inch of space, is certainly very amazing. Men with
a poor fund of knowledge and men who are not austere cannot understand
the wonders of the individual atomic spark of spirit, even though it is
explained by the greatest authority of knowledge, who imparted lessons
even to Brahma, the first living being in the universe. Owing to a gross
material conception of things, most men in this age cannot imagine how
such a small particle can become both so great and so small. So men look
at the soul proper as wonderful either by constitution or by description.
Illusioned by the material energy, people are so engrossed in subject matter
for sense gratification that they have very little time to understand the
question of self-understanding, even though it is a fact that without this
self-understanding all activities result in ultimate defeat in the struggle
for existence. Perhaps one has no idea that one must think of the soul,
and also make a solution of the material miseries.
Some people
who are inclined to hear about the soul may be attending lectures, in good
association, but sometimes, owing to ignorance, they are misguided by acceptance
of the Supersoul and the atomic soul as one without distinction of magnitude.
It is very difficult to find a man who perfectly understands the position
of the soul, the Supersoul, the atomic soul, their respective functions,
relationships and all other major and minor details. And it is still more
difficult to find a man who has actually derived full benefit from knowledge
of the soul, and who is able to describe the position of the soul in different
aspects. But if, somehow or other, one is able to understand the subject
matter of the soul, then one's life is successful. The easiest process
for understanding the subject matter of self, however, is to accept the
statements of the Bhagavad-gita spoken by the greatest authority,
Lord Krsna, without being deviated by other theories. But it also requires
a great deal of penance and sacrifice, either in this life or in the previous
ones, before one is able to accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Krsna can, however, be known as such by the causeless mercy of
the pure devotee and by no other way.
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