(Image Courtesy Mahanidhiswami)

From the perspective of the soul, God is our Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Beloved, and Friend

गतिर्भर्ता प्रभु: साक्षी निवास: शरणं सुहृत् |
प्रभव: प्रलय: स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् || 9.18||

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣhī nivāsaḥ śharaṇaṁ suhṛit
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam|| 9.18||

Shloka Translation
BG – Ch. 9- Ver. 18:

I am their Sustainer, Master, Witness, Abode, Shelter, and Friend, as well as the Supreme Goal of all living beings. I am the Repository and Eternal Seed; I am the Beginning, End, and Final Resting Place of Creation.

Explanation

The soul’s every relationship is with God because it is a tiny part of Him. In bodily consciousness, however, we regard the body’s relatives as our father, mother, lover, child, and friend. We become connected to them and bring them to our minds on a regular basis, further entangling ourselves in the material illusion.

However, none of our earthly relatives can provide us with the perfect love that our soul craves. This is due to two factors. To begin with, these bonds are just transitory, and when they or we leave this planet, separation is unavoidable. Second, the connection is built on selfishness, and it swings in direct proportion to the extent to which self-interest is met as long as they are alive.

God is like a long-lost relative who has always been with us. God accompanied us and remained enthroned in our hearts from birth to birth, in every life-form we encountered. As a result, he is a lifelong relative of ours. He has no self-interest from us; He is flawless and complete in Himself. He loves us unconditionally because He only wants the best for us in the long run. As a result, God is the only perfect relative we have, because he is both everlasting and selfless.

God is like the ocean, and we are like the waves that He has emitted. We form bonds with our physical relatives, only to be separated from them when we die and embark on a new life. The truth is that souls are not related to one another, but rather to God, from whom they all came.

Shree Krishna raises us above physical consciousness and its attendant attachment to worldly family in this verse. From the perspective of the soul, God is our Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Beloved, and Friend; He is our Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Beloved, and Friend.

Verse & what we can learn

Our actions produce a result that brings us to our objective or aim. The methods are the activities, and the end result is the objective. Ishvara is the ultimate aspiration we can have. Ishvara is the universe’s provider since he nourishes and cares for all beings in this universe. Ishvara is the universe’s container.

When we have no one else to turn to, he is the ultimate safe haven. He is a well-wisher who gives without expecting anything in return. The universe is created, dissolved, and maintained by Ishvara. At the end of creation, he is also the storehouse where all beings become unmanifest.

Finally, Ishvara is the seed from which the universe arose. Ishvara continues to construct the universe inexhaustibly and without change.

‘To acquire knowledge and to implement that knowledge in life one needs to be mentally and physically active and healthy and for that daily meditation is a great tool.

There are various types of meditation like Buddhist meditation, heartfulness meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation for stress, and each meditation benefits are countless. There are also numerous meditation techniques for beginners which help in practicing daily meditation so go ahead and start your journey towards a peaceful and balanced life.

In the next verse Shri Krishna expands more on this.

Let’s learn to live with “The Gita” via Meditation Affinity…