This and That

Every living being refers to itself as 'I', 'I'. 'I am Ramayya', 'I am Krishnayya', 'I am Sita', 'I am Radha'. Each one, assumes the 'I', as his own, and uses it whenever he has to designate himself. If only birds, beasts and other living things could speak, they too would have behaved likewise and referred to themselves as 'I'. Besides these, even mountain peaks, hills and trees might announce themselves as 'I am hill', 'I am ant-hill', 'I am tree', if only they could speak.

When we spend some time thinking over this, it will be clear that some great mystery is embedded in this expression, 'I'. The illiterate boor uses this expression; the sage who has secured the Divine vision uses it; even God, it is said, announces Himself as I. Nevertheless, who probes into this mystery? And, among those who have dared probe, how many have succeeded in unravelling it? And, even if there are a few who have unravelled the mystery, how many among them have used the discovery to transform their lives? Have the celebrated intellectuals, the Pundits, the Paramahamsas succeeded in delving into the meaning and significance of this 'I'?

No. Let us see whether the exponents and commentators of the Bhagavadgita, who can reel off the eighteen chapters and the seven hundred slokas in continuous stream, have grasped the full implications and importance of the word, 'I'. In the Gita, the declarations by Sri Krishna - "Aham mokshayishyaami - I shall absolve you", "Maam ekam saranam vrja - Come to me, the One, for refuge", "Kshetrajnam cha api maam viddhi - And, also know Me, as the knower of the Field" and the like - He refers to 'I', does He not? So, this expression 'I' is clearly omnipresent; it is the sign and symbol of all Jivatmas; it has unlimited forms and appearances. Like the string that passes through the rosary beads, it interpenetrates and holds together all names and forms.