the amazing soul

Verse 2.29: Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.

Good morning from Kolkata! It's been a few days since I've had a chance to write and I think I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Such is the power and beauty of the Gita - you become addicted!

There are numerous things in this material world that amaze us. Skyscrapers, intelligence, relationships, underwater sea life...well those are some of the things that never cease to amaze me! Here, Krsna is telling Arjuna that of things that are amazing, the soul is the most amazing.

Amazing things tend to bewilder us. Ever notice that? In fact, I think the reason why we label them as such, is due to the fact that we don't understand them. Most of the time, however, they can be understood. It just takes great effort on our part and the willingness to invest the time and energy.

To understand the soul, one must invest that time and energy and most importantly, follow the process that is outlined. No one can just learn the intricacies of and how to build a skyscraper on their own. They must understand the principles of engineering, architecture and so many other fields to comprehend how they fit together.

Similarly, to understand the soul properly, one must follow the path of the bhakti yoga. Bhakti yoga explains the interconnections of karma, reincarnation, the material world, the body, God and so many other aspects which will help the skeptical side of us understand the place, importance and existence of the soul.

I'll conclude by saying this. I've added another item to the list of things that amaze me and that is driving in India. For those who have never had the experience...you haven't seen amazing or mystical until you've seen this. For the past two days, my friend Divya and I have been visiting various places in Kolkata, and although this isn't our first to India, we can't help but be amazed. Horns blaring, dust engulfing us, scooters, motorcycles, auto-rikshaws, cars, pedestrians, and animals are all competing for the same space. There are so many near misses, that one loses count of how many potential crashes, scraps and bruises should have happened, but didn't, after the first five minutes.

In fact I think that understanding the soul is actually much easier than trying to wrap one's mind around how traffic moves in India! It's enough to convince anyone that Krsna (God) does exist!