Aanandha yoga Ch-4b

Before my birth as Ravi, all these five elements (Pancha bhootaas) mixed in appropriate proportions to form my body and ‘I’ the Aathman entered into this body and was born as ‘Ravi’ (now a combination of Aathman and body). That is the reason why I say that it is ‘my body’, my mind …. (meaning this aathman’s body, this aathman’s mind) etc….. After death, ‘I’ the aathman will leave this body and take another appropriate body as per the results of my paapa-punya. (sins and good deeds).

This concept is not accepted by Scientists, rationalists, Naasthikaas, Chaaruvaakaas, etc., (For the time being we will postpone this particular aspect to a later period)


Bhagavat Gita – chapter-2 Verse-22
वासाम्सि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृण्हाति नरो पराणि,
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्यन्यानि सम्याति नवानि देही
Meaning - As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

The very important point that one has to bear in mind from this is that, one of the reasons for our pleasure & pain that we are experiencing in this birth is from our previous births.

The other reason is how we can pave our way of living in this birth. If only we can pave our way of living in a pre-planned way, then we can certainly live happily.

The way to deal with the effects of our previous births, we will discuss later. But for now we will see how we can stream line our living in this birth.

If we analyse the reasons for all our miseries, we can divide it in to three major topics and they are as following-

1. Adhyaathmika
2. Adhidhaivika
3. Adhibhoudhika.

1. Adhyaathmikam – are the miseries that are caused by one’s own actions.
2. Adhidhaivikam – are the miseries that are caused by the interaction of one with fellow humans and other living things around us.
3. Adhibhoudhikam – are the miseries that are caused by forces of nature, like the Cyclone, Tsunami, Earthquakes…. etc.,

The miseries that are caused due to Adhyaathmikam- that is the miseries that is caused by one’s own actions, can be prevented, if one corrects his way of living. Therefore by correct way of living, it is possible to stop suffering from 1/3rd of our miseries.