Two birds on the same tree | Solution to all Problems

The analogy of two birds sitting on a branch of a tree is given in the scriptures to explain the position of a person bound in the material existence.

samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagno

'nīśayā śocati muhyamānaḥ

juṣṭaṁ yadā paśyaty anyam īśam

asya mahimānam iti vīta-śokaḥ 

~ Ref. - Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (3.1.2) and Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (4.7)

"Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His glories—at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties."

Position of a conditioned soul

A soul, who has accepted the material body is condiotoned by the three modes of material nature to act and live in a certain pattern of life. The entangled position of the soul in conditioned state is just like a bird sitting on a tree and is eating the fruits of happiness and distress. The Supreme Lord in His paramatma feature is present along with the condiotioned soul on the same branch of the tree but in not interested in eating the fruit but simply witnesses the soul.

This state of the living entity (soul), where he is constantly shifting between happiness and distress is due to his attachment to enjoy the material manifestation of the three modes. Since paramatma is completely detached and is self-satisfied, He simply witness the acts of the conditioned living entity. Such a state of anxiety and moroseness was demonstrated by the great warrior Arjuna, who is also a companion of the Supreme Lord, in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

sañjaya uvāca

evam uktvārjunaḥ saṅkhye

rathopastha upāviśat

visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpaṁ

śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ

~ BG : 1.46

Sañjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

Becoming free from all anxieties

When Arjuna surrendered to the Lord to accept His instructions, he immediately became free from all lamentaitons and consequently won the great battle of Mahabharat by the divine grace of Lord Sri Krishna. Similarly when the eating bird or individual soul turns his face towards the witnessing bird or the Supreme Lord and knows His glories, at once he can become free from all anxieties of life. All the sufferings of a person are imposed on him due to his being engaged in enjoying the fruits of the bodily activiites and when one surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, one becomes realized of his real identity and consequently all his sufferings are mitigated.

arjuna uvāca

naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā

tvat-prasādān mayācyuta

sthito ’smi gata-sandehaḥ

kariṣye vacanaṁ tava

~ BG : 18.73

Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.

Practicle takeaway

One must accepts the instructions of the Supreme Lord and perform all his activities inlined with the guidance of authorized scriptures. This will lead one to realise his real identity and consequently will eliminate all the miseries of material existence. Surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna is precticly demonstrated by the Lord Himself in His manifestation as Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya, where He emphasized on the performance of Hare Krishna Sankirtan…

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare