As Regards Births and Deaths.. ..

   There are certain statements in the Gita which reveal the secret of births and deaths. In Ch. IV, Verse  5 states, that both Bhagavan Shree Krishna and Arjuna have taken several births! At the same time, in Ch. II. verses 12 and 13, Bhagavan says that, "Neither He, nor Arjuna has ever taken birth, nor did they die anytime!" These may appear contradictory? But, not so, says the Lord. In the first instance the appearance of the jiva in names and forms is by itself illusory since these are transitory. There statements made by Bhagavan that He appears 'as and when unrighteousness predominate and the pious suffer'! And, then He tells Arjuna that both you and I always exist in the form of the Self, the Atman, that is unborn, eternal and the immortal. It is the prerogative of the Lord to appear as and when, wherever He like to appear or disappear! He, the Lord, only takes many a diverse forms simultaneously! All that exist here is 'He only' and nothing else. He reiterates that "He only exists and nothing besides Him". But then what is all this, we as mortals see? It is an illusion, at the most! There is nothing but the supreme Lord Paramatman taking different names and forms as 'jivatman'. 

   The Atma, Self, takes several forms. But, who knows what is this Atman? This is evident from the Vedic Verses given below:

   "Many there are who do not even hear of Atman; though hearing of Him, many do not comprehend. Wonderful is the expounder and rare the hearer; rare indeed is the experiencer of Atman taught by an able preceptor. Atman, when taught by an inferior person, is not easily comprehended, because It is diversely regarded by disputants. But when It is taught by him who has become one with Atman, there can remain no more doubt about It. Atman is subtler than the subtlest and not to be known through argument. This Knowledge cannot be attained by reasoning. Atman become easy of comprehension, O dearest, when taught by another. You have attained this Knowledge now. You are, indeed, a man of true resolve. May we always have an inquirer like you!  The fulfilment of desires, the foundation of the universe, the rewards of sacrifices, the shore where there is no fear, that which adorable and great, the wide abode and the goal-all this you have seen; and being wise, you have with firm resolve discarded everything." [Yajurveda, Katha Upanishad, Part One, Chapter II, 8-11]. 

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