Verse 2-40

A man enters a forest and by night he is lost and is hunted by animals. As he turns to run, he suddenly finds a witch about to curse him. Frantically he escapes but falls into a pit. His legs get entangled on a creeper and as a result he is hanging upside down above the deep pit, feet up and head down. Meanwhile two mice, black and white are nibbling on the creeper. At the bottom of the pit is a snake waiting for him. A beehive above him on a tree is dripping honey as bees sting him on the face. In this precarious situation, he is smilingly sipping honey!

This story from the Upanishads illustrates the predicament of human existence in the material world and the illusions that ensnare the ego. Each element in the story symbolizes the various challenges and temptations encountered on the journey of life, ultimately leading to the realization that true happiness lies beyond material pleasures.

The forest represents the world filled with desires and distractions, where individuals often lose their way in pursuit of temporary pleasures. The animals symbolize the dangers and adversities lurking in this world, while the witch and the snake represent the inevitable realities of old age and death. The two mice, black and white, represent night and day, slowly gnawing away at the creeper of time. Meanwhile, the bees are the desires stinging on the face and despite the precariousness of his situation, the man is finding solace in sipping the temporary honey of material pleasures. This mirrors the tendency of individuals to seek happiness in external pursuits, unaware of the deeper spiritual truths beyond. Many people navigate life driven by their ego, seeking solace in external rituals and temporary pleasures. While these actions may provide temporary comfort, they ultimately fail to address the deeper existential questions and fears that underlie human existence. Lord Krishna speaks of the great fear inherent in the cycles of birth and death—the suffering that arises from attachment to the transient aspects of life and the fear of the unknown beyond. This fear often stems from the ego’s reluctance to confront the realities of mortality and impermanence. The ego, driven by its own desires and fears, tends to be preoccupied with the pursuit of worldly success, pleasures, and distractions, ignoring the deeper spiritual truths and the ultimate purpose of life. This delusion of worldly attachment blinds individuals to the reality of their own mortality and the deeper spiritual journey towards liberation. True religion removes three-fold physical, mental and spiritual suffering forever. Lord Krishna teaches that through self-awareness, spiritual practice, and detachment from the ego’s illusions, one can transcend the cycles of birth and death. By aligning with the eternal truth of the soul and realizing the divine nature within, individuals can overcome the fear and suffering inherent in worldly existence. Indeed, the path of true religion and Yoga offers liberation from the three-fold suffering of physical, mental, and spiritual afflictions forever. Proper practice of Yoga transforms the concepts of philosophy and wisdom into blissful experience of God. Even the slightest effort in this direction leads to lasting benefits, as it opens the door to the eternal happiness found in the realization of God.