The Yoga of the Supreme Person

Krishna reveals why most people don't understand the soul: 'Utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam'—the soul when it departs, stays, or enjoys, being endowed with the gunas. The soul has three states: departing (leaving a body), staying (residing in a body), and enjoying (experiencing through the senses). But most people don't see the soul in any of these states. 'Vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti'—the bewildered do not see. They're bewildered because they're confused about what's real—they see the body, but not the soul. They see actions, but not the actor. They see experiences, but not the experiencer. 'Paśyanti jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ'—those with the eye of knowledge can see. Knowledge is the eye—the instrument of perception. Without knowledge, you're blind to the soul. With knowledge, you can see the soul in all its states: departing, staying, enjoying. This verse explains why understanding the soul is rare: most people are bewildered, seeing only the material (body, actions, experiences) and not the spiritual (soul). Only those with the eye of knowledge can see beyond the material to the soul.