Analogies in Krishna Consciousness

1. Changing Clothes BG 2.13 As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.

Explanation: As we change garments, we change our bodies one life after the other and even in the same life, from childhood to youth to old age. So one should not lament about the body. According to our actions in this life, our next body is determined.

2. Changing seasons

BG 2.14: O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.

Explanation: Misery and happiness come and go in this world, just like winter and summer. The Bhagavad-gita advises us to tolerate both happiness and distress. We are meant to tolerate while we keep performing our duties, and we are meant to keep worshiping Krishna despite everything.

3. Two birds sitting on a tree

BG 2.22 P - One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Kṛṣṇa) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds – although they are the same in quality – one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend.

Explanation - It is said that there are two birds in one tree. One of them is eating the fruit of the tree, while the other is witnessing the actions. The witness is the Lord, and the fruit-eater is the living entity. The fruit-eater (living entity) has forgotten his real identity and is overwhelmed in the fruitive activities of the material conditions, but the Lord (Paramātmā) is always full in transcendental knowledge. That is the difference between the Supersoul and the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul, the living entity, is controlled by the laws of nature, while the Paramātmā, or the Supersoul, is the controller of the material energy.

4. Sun God, Sun Planet, and Sunshine

Text 10.8 - I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.

Explanation -

Sunshine is compared to Brahman, it pervades everywhere.

Sun globe is compared to Paramatma - this is one step higher

in realization, that there is a form and place

Sun god is compared to Bhagavan (personal form) -

This is the perfect knowledge when we know God has a personal

form