“Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevayah”

As we all know, in the study of spirituality, the very existence o life is one of the biggest secret. And one of the very first questions which appear is what we are?

There are two ways to answer this question; One is to define directly who we are. But in this case, the real identity of a living being is so subtle that it is very difficult if not impossible for many to even understand. To make things more logical there is another way to answer the question. From our worldly understand we can filter out what we are not? That would make it easier to understand what we are?


What we are not?

Whenever we think of our self we immediately take this body as the identity of the self. But think carefully and ask this question, what am I? Am I the hands, the legs, the face, the stomach, the head? Or Am I this body as a whole?
Well obviously the last one is the answer which many would take. But is it?

If it is the body which I am then this body remains even after death, but then person cease to exist and it is called as death. That proves that the presence of body only is not the definition of life or self.

This gives the immediate conclusion that this body is not what we are? There is something which is not the body and that is what gives the life and that is what the real self. What is that the other discussion, but here is it clear that we are not only the body.

Bhagvan Shri Krishna while describing about the life made it clear that the body nothing but like a cloth for soul which it changes from one to other body. Body is nothing in itself.

Ch2:Sh18
Anthvanth eme deha nitashyoktah shariranih,
Anashino aprameyashya.

The bodies with this unceasing, immeasurable and eternal soul are destroyed.

Ch2:Sh22
Vasansi jirnani yatha vihaya vihayanvani griyahati naroparani,
tatha sharirani vihaya jirna-nyanyani sanyati navani dehi.
As a person puts on new clothes, discarding old and torn clothes, similarly a personified soul enters new material bodies, leaving the old bodies.

The same fact is described in other scriptures in very clear terms. Shri Ashtavakra Gita describes this as follows

Ashtavakra Gita 1.3
न पृथ्वी न जलं नाग्निर्न वायुर्द्यौर्न वा भवान्।
एषां साक्षिणमात्मानं चिद्रूपं विद्धि मुक्तये॥१-३॥

You are neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air or space. To liberate, know the witness of all these as conscious self.॥3॥

Ashtavakra Gita 1.5
न त्वं विप्रादिको वर्ण: नाश्रमी नाक्षगोचर:।
असङगोऽसि निराकारो विश्वसाक्षी सुखी भव॥१-५॥

You have no varna. Bounded by no formalities.Formless and free, Beyond the reach of the senses, The witness of all things. So be happy!

This fact with absolute clarify is defined in Nirvana Ashtakam, constructed by Shri Adi Shankarachclarity

Nirvana Ashtkam#1
मनो बुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तानि नाहम् न च श्रोत्र जिह्वे न च घ्राण नेत्रे
न च व्योम भूमिर् न तेजॊ न वायु: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self. I am not ear, nor tonge, nor nose, nor eyes. I am beyond that. I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (i.e. the five elements). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.

Nirvana Ashtkam#2
न च प्राण संज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायु: न वा सप्तधातुर् न वा पञ्चकोश:
न वाक्पाणिपादौ न चोपस्थपायू चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

Neither can I be termed as energy (Praana), nor five types of breath (Vaayu), nor the seven material essences (dhaatu), nor the five coverings (panca-kosha). Neither am I the five instruments of elimination, procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.

The very first conclusion is that we are not this body or any of the material elements which is made of five great elements, the earth, liquid, ether, fire (energy), and air. What we see as body is actually an effect of soul taking this body and enjoying this physical body through it. But we are never this body.

Most of us take this body as our sole identity and build so many things around it, create so many attachment and act to own many things. But that is actually a big delusion. This body is nothing but one small part of this material world, which soul acquires for a limited time. Building any ego around it is very futile. We should be careful not to fall to this delusion.

"Shri Hari Om Tat Sat"