Devi Gita (Class 38): ”Consciousness is Eternal” by Swami Bhajanananda

Scripture class by Rev. Dr. Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Devi Gita, chapter 2, verses 15 through 17 given to students of the Ramakrishna Seminary at Kali Mandir via Zoom on 2 April 2025.

जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्त्यादौ दृश्यस्य व्यभिचारतः |
संविदो व्यभिचारश्च नाऽनुभूतोऽस्ति कर्हिछित् || १५ ||
jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptyādau dṛśyasya vyabhicārataḥ |
saṃvido vyabhicāraśca nā'nubhūto'sti karhichit || 15 ||
15. "The visible world appears and disappears constantly in the various states of waking, dream, and deep sleep."

यदि तस्याऽप्यनुभवस्तर्ह्ययं येन साक्शिणा |
अनुभूतः स एवाऽत्र शिष्टः संविद्वपुः पुरा || १६ ||
yadi tasyā'pyanubhavastarhyayaṃ yena sākśiṇā |
anubhūtaḥ sa evā'tra śiṣṭaḥ saṃvidvapuḥ purā || 16 ||
16. "Even if this consciousness itself became an object of perception, then the witness of that perception would abide as the real pure consciousness, as before."

अत एव नित्यत्वं प्रोक्तं सछास्त्रकोविदैः |
आनन्दरूपता चऽस्याः परप्रेमास्पदत्वतह् || १७ ||
ata eva nitya-tvaṃ proktaṃ sachāstra-kovidaiḥ |
ānanda-rūpatā ca'syāḥ para-premāspadatvatah || 17 ||
17. "And so those versed in religious treaties regarding the real declare consciousness to be eternal. Its nature is bliss, for it is the object of supreme love."