2.70: The Ocean is Always Full

So now we come to the 70th verse. It's a very beautiful one. But before we get there, I'd like to share an insight that came from the group here at the end of the discussion of the 69th verse, and it was Julia who brought it up. We had a few insights come up, and this is the idea of these verses, they're imitations to discuss and to share and to explore together. But Julia's insight I thought was very interesting and relevant to what we've previously said. And she was saying that when, for example, when it's night for all beings, when nobody else is paying attention but you know you want to be attentive, that's like a reference to keep you on your toes. The wise one, when people around him or things around him are not so watchful, he's kind of prompted, reminded to be alert. But when all around everything seems to be alert, then maybe there's a heightened risk that the sage could slacken his awareness and drop into non-seeing. The idea that we could get into the habit of thinking, oh yeah, I'm always alert, and then stop paying attention. So Sarva Bhutanam, all aspects of ourself. So it's the idea that the wise one cultivates that wakefulness through every part of the system. But once we practice, we might think, oh yeah, I'm really wakeful. But actually maybe more to uncover, we could get a bit lackadaisical and stop seeing. Anyway, more food for thought on the 69th verse. But we'll continue now with the 70th verse. And the 70th verse I find very beautiful. Here it is. So in this verse, Krishna uses a comparison, yavat tavat, just as so. So he says, just as, excuse me, yadvat and tadvat, just as so. There's many ways of saying just as and so in Sanskrit. So just as all the rivers or all the waters flow into the ocean. Just as all the waters enter the ocean, so, and fill the ocean, so all desires enter the sphere of awareness of the wise one. And Sashanti Mabnorti, and that person attains, experiences peacefulness, nakamakami, but not one who is hankering after desires. So the image of the ocean here, so beautiful, the idea is just as all the waters of all the rivers flow into the ocean, but the ocean remains brim full in the ocean. Similarly, all desires or possible objects of desire come into the sphere of awareness of the established yogin. What does this mean? The idea is the ocean is always full. The ocean is a symbol of this fullness. Whether the rivers are in flood and they're gushing into the ocean, or whether the rivers run dry, the ocean is brim full in the ocean. Similarly, there's the idea of the established wise one. That person knows a satisfaction, a fullness in him or herself, by him or herself. That person feels a fullness inside. So if everything that person wants comes flooding towards him or her, great. If nothing that person wants comes, no problem, because that person is like the ocean. That person is living in fullness, in fullness of awareness. Every experience, however rich or partial, from a limited point of view it may be, for the established yogin, it's just another opportunity to tune back in and reaffirm that fullness of awareness that is always present inside. So the idea would be like the ocean. The ocean has its tides, but it remains full. It has its cycles, but it remains full. Different currents and waves pass through it and ruffle its surfaces, but it remains full. And then he says, Sushantinabnauti, such a person knows peace. The winds of change buffet the surface, but you still feel steady. You know peace. Currents come through your sphere of awareness of different points of view, of different types of situation that might be challenging, but you hold steady. You stay connected to that sense of internal fullness. You know true peace. Naka Makami. But that is not the case for one who is hankering after his eyes, always wanting more. It's the idea. Can you tune in to that sense of deep internal fullness? And then, like the wise one, like the ocean, you know that sense of peacefulness.