"... harati prajnyam vayurnavamivamhasi"

 The 'Atman', the soul or core of the substance, becomes a jiva (living being) on entering the earth. In fact, it is a particle of light, energy, prana that gets embodied mired in the soil, may it be, plants, birds, animals or humans! The embodied jivatman is sustained throughout its life by constant supply of water and food. The food obtained from the soil is tamasic and, as such, the jiva also becomes tamasic. It is the quality of the food obtained from the soil that decides the nature of the jiva, as stated in the Gita. Basically, the jiva is embodied and embedded in the five elements- bhumiraapo'analovayurakashah |. The process of formation of the body in the mother's womb is also very curious. In the beginning a piece of organic matter as 'bhruna' gets enlivened by the prana and transformed into a a jiva takes shape as per the form and structure of the parental material! Thus, the jiva suffers due to its acquired qualities. Thus, it is the quality, guna, that we witness, not the jiva! guneshu guna anuvartante |

  Now, the jiva enjoys or suffers the quality and as such, we have to understand the true nature of the jiva, first. The sense organs are formed in humans in order to experience the qualities, tanmatras, of the five elements, such as, the rupa (form), shabda (sound), sparsha (touch), rasa (taste), and gandha (smell). The antahkarana, three inner instruments- manas (mind), buddhi (intellect), and ahankara (ego) use the sense organs to satisfy the whims and fancy of the ignorant tamasic jiva that believes in the joy of the tanmatras! Thus, the trouble starts. The Gita states that the "the jiva is struck in a leaky boat in a stormy sea of sansar moving hither and thither without any savior!" This is the predicament. Once the jiva realizes its true nature, it looks for guidance and thus, saved by the grace of the Lord! 

 The solution to cross the turbulent sea of sansar offered by the Lord is stated is 'Atmavan bhava arjuna| (Gita Ch. XII. Verse 10]; "Control the mind and the senses and contemplate on Me," says the Lord.