Most of us live our entire lives without seriously asking one fundamental question:
“Who am I?”
We say:
“I am Indian”
“I am a man or woman”
“I am young or old”
“I am successful or struggling”
But according to the Bhagavad Gita, all these identities are temporary.
The Body Is Not the Self
Lord Krishna clearly explains to Arjuna:
dehino ’smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
(Bhagavad Gita 2.13)
“As the soul continuously passes in this body from childhood to youth to old age, similarly the soul passes into another body at death.”
The body changes, but the observer remains the same.
That observer is you — the soul (atma).
Symptoms of the Soul
The soul is:
Eternal
Full of knowledge
Full of bliss
The soul does not die with the body. Death is simply a change of dress.
Just as a driver is different from the car, we are different from this body.
Why This Knowledge Is Important
When we wrongly identify with the body:
We fear death
We become attached and frustrated
We suffer anxiety and stress
We forget our eternal relationship with Krishna
True peace begins not by changing the world, but by understanding who we are.
The Beginning of Krishna Consciousness
Krishna consciousness starts with right identity:
👉 “I am not this body. I am an eternal servant of Krishna.”
This realization becomes the foundation of:
Bhakti
Chanting
Surrender
Liberation
Without this understanding, spiritual life becomes ritualistic.
With it, spiritual life becomes transformational.
Conclusion
The first step in spiritual life is not renunciation.
It is knowledge.
And the first knowledge is:
“I am not this body.”
In the next blog, we will explore:
👉 “Why do we suffer if God is merciful?”
- Kindly share this blog with someone who is searching for meaning in life.
Hare Krishna
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