Blemishes of the Soul

 The Soul, the Atman, is indeed, pure and pristine. It is like a crystal, transparent, a sphatika Lingam. It reflects the color of the background and the color is not its inherent quality. Thus, the jiva which is embodied and embedded in a mass of flesh and bones reflects the qualities that is the result of its embodiment. The body is supported by food and water. The elemental body reflects the quality of the elements it is made of- the pancha mahabhuta. These five basic elements constitute Nature, prkaruti, and these are the manifest aspects of 'brahmn'. The jivatman, purusha, is, no doubt pure but the gross body made of prakruti is the blemish, stain! Hence, a jiva, is one of attributes although the Atman is blemishless!

  Now, the problem of the jiva is the sufferings due to the blemishes acquired by prakruti. If the stain attached to the jiva, the attributes, are washed out the purusha shines in the glory of the Lord! It is the acquired quality, guna, and can easily be discarded, washed out, cleansed by spiritual practices like yogabhyasa. Bhagavan Shree Krishna as the Yogacharya explains how to cleanse the jiva by supreme knowledge, brahma vidya, and yoga shastra. The jiva should take recourse to yogabhyasa and cleanse the jiva of qualities it has acquired from the elements, prakruti, i.e., water, air, and food. Knowledge (jnyan) is fire. It is jnyan agni. So, "Burn the blemishes by jnyana agni", says the Lord. The blemishes such as the three guna- tamas, rajas, and sattva, should be first discarded. The  Blessed Lord says, "traigunya vishaya veda tasmad nistraigunyobhava arjuna". And, then, the qualities, guna acquired from water and food, such as, ego, pride, anger, selfishness, jealous, etc. should be discarded by reducing the food intake, as also selecting the food that are less pungent, salty, or too hot or cold, say taking sattva ahara.

  Now the choice before the jiva is either to enjoy the mundane worldly pleasures as dictated by Nature, prakruti, or be happy and joyful and rest in peace with the purusha, which is  its true nature!  But, the question is, whether to enjoy life or not? What for are the Senses? The answer is simple. Enjoy now, suffer later! If one is intelligent, discriminative, judicious, the problem of suffering can be easily solved. A reckless life will destroy the jiva. The modern way of life, the Western way of materialistic way, one of competition- one of dine and dance, bhoga lalase, is wrought with dangers. The human body is created in such a way that it can realize its true nature, realize the Self, get Atma jnyan (Atma sakshatkara) and prevent the work of prarabhda karma! The Planet Earth is a place where 'all that is born has to die and again take birth and die and get into a never-ending chain, a shackle, bondage' The intelligent jiva shall know this and get out of this trick of Nature, prakruti, and work out for emancipation, liberation once for all, never to return!