Question

In the 2 birds example mentioned in svetasvatara upanisad,what is the bird corresponding to the individual atomic soul doing

Answer 1

Explanation:

eating the fruits of the tree

Answer 2

The  the bird corresponding to the individual atomic soul (arjuna) is eating a fruit of the tree

Explanation:

In  Vedas, like the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, as well as the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, The soul and the super soul is compared to two birds sitting on the tree.The bird having the atomic soul is referred to as Arjuna(Having Materialistic Possession) and the other bird referred to as the super soul is the Lord Krishna who is free form the materialistic obsession.

One of the bird is eating the fruit of the tree and the other is simply watching him eat .Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the cause of one's bird changing its  position from one tree to another, or from one body to another.