Great Crescendo – In Gita Verse 13.15 The Supersoul is the original source of all senses, yet He is without senses. He is unattached, although He is the maintainer of all living beings. He transcends the modes of nature, and at the same time He is the master of all the modes of material nature.
In this verse Krishna reveals to us that the Supersoul, or Existence itself, is the sublime fount of all senses but curiously exists without senses. Picture the phenomenon of light: seemingly white, but dispersing through a prism, it unfolds into a spectrum of seven colours. Yet, once these varied rays reunite, they revert to unblemished whiteness. In a similar fashion, Existence underpins all sensory experiences while remaining aloof, indivisible, and immaculate.
Mystics across spiritual traditions have endeavoured to describe this enigmatic Supersoul, each christening it with different names, painting the ineffable within the confines of language, giving voice to the same boundless reality.
In the beginning, the mystic is plunged into a darkness so profound it feels like blindness. Yet this darkness is not empty; it possesses a quality of solace, a sanctuary within which is more preferable than the chiaroscuro drama of the external. It is in this soothing stillness that the mystic settles, gradually adapting to the newfound inner light, transitioning from darkness to a transcendent vision.
Great Crescendo: Life’s “Great Crescendo” is an inner symphony, a step-by-step tuning into the profound melody that Kabir equates to the brilliance of millions of suns. This crescendo, felt with every heartbeat, does not reach its zenith solely at the summit of worldly success or spiritual enlightenment. Instead, it crescendos within the ordinariness of life, wherein every deed and dialogue invites us to conduct the ethereal harmony that is inherent to our being, the universal melodies of ultimate truth.
Detached Involvement: The dark night of the soul, as portrayed by mystics, is not merely a prelude to the awakening of inner radiance – it is an invitation to a life of “Detached Involvement.” This teaches us to walk through the marketplace of life with hands unshackled, partaking without possession, engaging without entanglement. It is to act within the world yet not be stained by it, addressing life’s exigencies while being free from the grip of the material world’s constantly shifting modes and the ensnaring web of sensory cravings.
Inner Equilibrium: Within the temple of our being, each sense is a dual doorway, opening both to the vivacious external and the tranquil internal realms. While we often lean towards the outwardly opening gate, Krishna gently guides our gaze towards the inward portal, inviting us to attain an “Inner Equilibrium.” It is in this balance that we can tread lightly amidst external noise and navigate the inner silence. Here, our senses become instruments of precision, attuned to the appropriate avenue of perception, fostering a sacred alignment of our deepest intentions with our outward actions.
Having two-way portals for every sense provides a metaphor for equilibrium in our daily existence. To actualise the crescendo, sustain a state of detached engagement, and ensure equilibrium, we must deliberately choose which perceptual doorway to unlock at each moment. The inward path shepherds us towards introspection and peace, while the outward forges a conduit for kinetic expression and interaction. Harmonising our senses with our deepest selves transforms mere living into a canvas for spiritual evolution, a walk on the razor’s edge that delineates the sensible from the soulful.
Ultimately, when one merges with the Supersoul, as Krishna elucidates, there is a transcendence of the senses. In essence, we come to wield them as needed, be it for outer engagements or inner revelations.
In my Bhagavad Gita Verse 3.41 contemplations, I expressed that each sense bears two gates – one that opens onto the external terrain, another that ushers into our inner sanctum. Both these gates are intrinsic to each sense, yet in the course of living, we have become myopic, exercising our senses in a singular dimension. We have forgotten, or often overlooked, the essence of these pathways – that these very senses can guide us within, to richer landscapes and serene vistas, where the dance of existence unfolds ceaselessly.
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