1 Bg 13: Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
2
3 Chapter 13
4
5 Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
6
7 Bg 13.1-2
8
9 TEXTS 1–2
10
11 TRANSLATION
12
13 Arjuna said: O my dear Krsna, I wish to know about prakrti [
> nature], purusa [the enjoyer], and the field and the knower
> of the field, and of knowledge and the object of knowledge.
> The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: This body, O son
> of Kunti, is called the field, and one who knows this body
> is called the knower of the field.
14
15 PURPORT
16
17 Arjuna was inquisitive about prakrti (nature), purusa (
> the enjoyer), ksetra (the field), ksetra-jna (its
> knower), and knowledge and the object of knowledge. When
> he inquired about all these, Krsna said that this body is
> called the field and that one who knows this body is called
> the knower of the field. This body is the field of activity
> for the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul is entrapped
> in material existence, and he attempts to lord it over
> material nature. And so, according to his capacity to
> dominate material nature, he gets a field of activity. That
> field of activity is the body. And what is the body? The
> body is made of senses. The conditioned soul wants to enjoy
> sense gratification, and, according to his capacity to
> enjoy sense gratification, he is offered a body, or field
> of activity. Therefore the body is called ksetra, or the
> field of activity for the conditioned soul. Now, the person,
> who should not identify himself with the body, is called
> ksetra-jna, the knower of the field. It is not very
> difficult to understand the difference between the field
> and its knower, the body and the knower of the body. Any
> person can consider that from childhood to old age he
> undergoes so many changes of body and yet is still one
> person, remaining. Thus there is a difference between the
> knower of the field of activities and the actual field of
> activities. A living conditioned soul can thus understand
> that he is different from the body. It is described in the
> beginning-dehino 'smin-that the living entity is within the
> body and that the body is changing from childhood to
> boyhood and from boyhood to youth and from youth to old age,
> and the person who owns the body knows that the body is
> changing. The owner is distinctly ksetra-jna. Sometimes
> we think, "I am happy," "I am a man," "I am a
> woman," "I am a dog," "I am a cat." These are the bodily
> designations of the knower. But the knower is different
> from the body. Although we may use many articles-our
> clothes, etc.-we know that we are different from the
> things used. Similarly, we also understand by a little
> contemplation that we are different from the body. I or you
> or anyone else who owns the body is called ksetra-jna, the
> knower of the field of activities, and the body is called
> ksetra, the field of activities itself.
18
19 In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gita the knower of
> the body (the living entity) and the position by which he
> can understand the Supreme Lord are described. In the
> middle six chapters of the Bhagavad-gita the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead and the relationship between the
> individual soul and the Supersoul in regard to devotional
> service are described. The superior position of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead and the subordinate position of the
> individual soul are definitely defined in these chapters.
> The living entities are subordinate under all circumstances,
> but in their forgetfulness they are suffering. When
> enlightened by pious activities, they approach the Supreme
> Lord in different capacities-as the distressed, those in
> want of money, the inquisitive, and those in search of
> knowledge. That is also described. Now, starting with the
> Thirteenth Chapter, how the living entity comes into
> contact with material nature and how he is delivered by the
> Supreme Lord through the different methods of fruitive
> activities, cultivation of knowledge, and the discharge of
> devotional service are explained. Although the living
> entity is completely different from the material body, he
> somehow becomes related. This also is explained.
20
21 Bg 13.3
22
23 TEXT 3
24
25 TRANSLATION
26
27 O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also
> the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and
> its knower is called knowledge. That is My opinion.
28
29 PURPORT
30
31 While discussing the subject of the body and the knower of
> the body, the soul and the Supersoul, we shall find three
> different topics of study: the Lord, the living entity, and
> matter. In every field of activities, in every body, there
> are two souls: the individual soul and the Supersoul.
> Because the Supersoul is the plenary expansion of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, Krsna says, "I am
> also the knower, but I am not the individual knower of the
> body. I am the superknower. I am present in every body as
> the Paramatma, or Supersoul."
32
33 One who studies the subject matter of the field of activity
> and the knower of the field very minutely, in terms of this
> Bhagavad-gita, can attain to knowledge.
34
35 The Lord says, "I am the knower of the field of activities
> in every individual body." The individual may be the knower
> of his own body, but he is not in knowledge of other bodies.
> The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present as the
> Supersoul in all bodies, knows everything about all bodies.
> He knows all the different bodies of all the various
> species of life. A citizen may know everything about his
> patch of land, but the king knows not only his palace but
> all the properties possessed by the individual citizens.
> Similarly, one may be the proprietor of the body
> individually, but the Supreme Lord is the proprietor of all
> bodies. The king is the original proprietor of the kingdom,
> and the citizen is the secondary proprietor. Similarly, the
> Supreme Lord is the supreme proprietor of all bodies.
36
37 The body consists of the senses. The Supreme Lord is
> Hrsikesa, Which means "the controller of the senses." He is
> the original controller of the senses, just as the king is
> the original controller of all the activities of the state;
> the citizens are secondary controllers. The Lord
> says, "I am also the knower." This means that He is the
> superknower; the individual soul knows only his particular
> body. In the Vedic literature, it is stated as follows:
38
39 ksetrani hi sarirani bijam capi subhasubhe tani vetti sa
> yogatma tatah ksetra-jna ucyate
40
41 This body is called the ksetra, and within it dwells the
> owner of the body and the Supreme Lord, who knows both the
> body and the owner of the body. Therefore He is called the
> knower of all fields. The distinction between the field of
> activities, the knower of activities, and the supreme
> knower of activities is described as follows. Perfect
> knowledge of the constitution of the body, the constitution
> of the individual soul, and the constitution of the
> Supersoul is known in terms of Vedic literature as jnana.
> That is the opinion of Krsna. To understand both the soul
> and the Supersoul as one yet distinct is knowledge. One who
> does not understand the field of activity and the knower of
> activity is not in perfect knowledge. One has to understand
> the position of prakrti (nature), purusa (the enjoyer
> of nature) and isvara (the knower who dominates or
> controls nature and the individual soul). One should not
> confuse the three in their different capacities. One should
> not confuse the painter, the painting and the easel. This
> material world, which is the field of activities, is nature,
> and the enjoyer of nature is the living entity, and above
> them both is the supreme controller, the Personality of
> Godhead. It is stated in the Vedic language (in the
> Svetasvatara Upanisad 1.12), bhokta bhogyam preritaram ca
> matva/ sarvam proktam tri vidham-brahmam etat.
> There are three Brahman conceptions: prakrti is Brahman as
> the field of activities, and the jiva (individual soul) is
> also Brahman and is trying to control material nature, and
> the controller of both of them is also Brahman, but He is
> the factual controller.
42
43 In this chapter it will also be explained that out of
> the two knowers, one is fallible and the other is
> infallible. One is superior and the other is subordinate.
> One who understands the two knowers of the field to be one
> and the same contradicts the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
> who states here very clearly, "I am also the knower of
> the field of activity." One who misunderstands a rope to be
> a serpent is not in knowledge. There are different kinds of
> bodies, and there are different owners of the bodies.
> Because each individual soul has his individual capacity
> for lording it over material nature, there are different
> bodies. But the Supreme also is present in them as the
> controller. The word ca is significant, for it indicates
> the total number of bodies. That is the opinion of Srila
> Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Krsna is the Supersoul present in
> each and every body apart from the individual soul. And
> Krsna explicitly says here that the Supersoul is the
> controller of both the field of activities and the finite
> enjoyer.
44
45 Bg 13.4
46
47 TEXT 4
48
49 TRANSLATION
50
51 Now please hear My brief description of this field of
> activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are,
> whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of
> activities is, and what his influences are.
52
53 PURPORT
54
55 The Lord is describing the field of activities and the
> knower of the field of activities in their constitutional
> positions. One has to know how this body is constituted,
> the materials of which this body is made, under whose
> control this body is working, how the changes are taking
> place, wherefrom the changes are coming, what the causes
> are, what the reasons are, what the ultimate goal of the
> individual soul is, and what the actual form of the
> individual soul is. One should also know the distinction
> between the individual living soul and the Supersoul, their
> different influences, their potentials, etc. One just has
> to understand this Bhagavad-gita directly from the
> description given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
> and all this will be clarified. But one should be careful
> not to consider the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every
> body to be one with the individual soul, the jiva.
> This is something like equating the potent and the
> impotent.
56
57 Bg 13.5
58
59 TEXT 5
60
61 TRANSLATION
62
63 That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower
> of activities is described by various sages in various
> Vedic writings. It is especially presented in Vedanta-
> sutra with all reasoning as to cause and
> effect.
64
65 PURPORT
66
67 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the highest
> authority in explaining this knowledge. Still, as a matter
> of course, learned scholars and standard authorities always
> give evidence from previous authorities. Krsna is
> explaining this most controversial point regarding the
> duality and nonduality of the soul and the
> Supersoul by referring to a scripture, the Vedanta,
> which is accepted as authority. First He says, "This
> is according to different sages." As far as the sages are
> concerned, besides Himself, Vyasadeva (the author of the
> Vedanta-sutra) is a great sage, and in the Vedanta-sutra
> duality is perfectly explained. And Vyasadeva's father,
> Parasara, is also a great sage, and he writes in his books
> of religiosity, aham tvam ca tathanye. .. "we-you, I and
> the various other living entities-are all transcendental,
> although in material bodies. Now we are fallen into the
> ways of the three modes of material nature according to our
> different karma. As such, some are on higher levels, and
> some are in the lower nature. The higher and lower natures
> exist due to ignorance and are being manifested in an
> infinite number of living entities. But the Supersoul,
> which is infallible, is uncontaminated by the three
> qualities of nature and is transcendental." Similarly, in
> the original Vedas, a distinction between the soul, the
> Supersoul and the body is made, especially in the Katha
> Upanisad. There are many great sages who have explained
> this, and Parasara is considered principal among them.
68
69 The word chandobhih refers to the various Vedic
> literatures. The Taittiriya Upanisad, for example, which is
> a branch of the Yajur Veda, describes nature, the living
> entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
70
71 As stated before, ksetra is the field of activities, and
> there are two kinds of ksetra-jna: the individual living
> entity and the supreme living entity. As stated in the
> Taittiriya Upanisad (2.9), brahma puccham pratistha. There
> is a manifestation of the Supreme Lord's energy known as
> anna-maya, dependence upon food for
> existence. This is a materialistic realization of the
> Supreme. Then, in prana-maya,
> after realizing the Supreme Absolute Truth in food,
> one can realize the Absolute Truth in the living symptoms
> or life forms. In jnana-maya, realization extends
> beyond the living symptoms to the point of
> thinking, feeling and willing. Then there is Brahman
> realization, called vijnana-maya, in
> which the living entity's mind and life symptoms are
> distinguished from the living entity himself. The next and
> supreme stage is ananda-maya, realization of the all-
> blissful nature. Thus there are five stages of Brahman
> realization, which are called brahma puccham. Out of these,
> the first three-anna-maya, prana-maya and jnana-
> maya-involve the fields of activities of the living
> entities. Transcendental to all these fields of activities
> is the Supreme Lord, who is called ananda-maya. The
> Vedanta-sutra also describes the Supreme by saying,
> ananda-mayo 'bhyasat:
72
73 the Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature full of joy.
> To enjoy His transcendental bliss, He expands into
> vijnana-maya, prana-maya, jnana-maya and
> anna-maya. In the field of activities the living
> entity is considered to be the enjoyer, and different from
> him is the ananda-maya. That means that if the living
> entity decides to enjoy in dovetailing himself with the
> ananda-maya, then he becomes perfect. This is the real
> picture of the Supreme Lord as the supreme knower of the
> field, the living entity as the subordinate knower, and
> the nature of the field of activities. One has to search
> for this truth in the Vedanta-sutra, or Brahma-sutra.
74
75 It is mentioned here that the codes of the Brahma-
> sutra are very nicely arranged according to cause and
> effect. Some of the sutras, or aphorisms, are na viyad
> asruteh (2.3.2), natma sruteh (2.3.18), and parat tu tac-
> chruteh (2.3.40). The first aphorism indicates the field of
> activities, the second indicates the living entity, and the
> third indicates the Supreme Lord, the summum bonum among
> all the manifestations of various entities.
76
77 Bg 13.6-7
78
79 TEXTS 6–7
80
81 TRANSLATION
82
83 The five great elements, false ego, intelligence, the
> unmanifested, the ten senses and the mind, the five sense
> objects, desire, hatred, happiness, distress, the aggregate,
> the life symptoms, and convictions-all these are
> considered, in summary, to be the field of activities and
> its interactions.
84
85 PURPORT
86
87 From all the authoritative statements of the great sages,
> the Vedic hymns and the aphorisms of the Vedanta-sutra, the
> components of this world can be understood as follows.
> First there are earth, water, fire, air and ether. These
> are the five great elements (maha-bhuta). Then there
> are false ego, intelligence and the unmanifested stage of
> the three modes of nature. Then there are five senses for
> acquiring knowledge: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin.
> Then five working senses: voice, legs, hands, anus and
> genitals. Then, above the senses, there is the mind,
> which is within and which can be called the sense within.
> Therefore, including the mind, there are eleven senses
> altogether. Then there are the five objects of the senses:
> smell, taste, form, touch and sound. Now the aggregate of
> these twenty-four elements is called the field of activity.
> If one makes an analytical study of these twenty-four
> subjects, then he can very well understand the field of
> activity. Then there are desire, hatred, happiness and
> distress, which are interactions, representations of the
> five great elements in the gross body. The living symptoms,
> represented by consciousness and conviction, are the
> manifestation of the subtle body-mind, ego and intelligence.
> These subtle elements are included within the field of
> activities.
88
89 The five great elements are a gross representation of the
> false ego, which in turn represents the primal
> stage of false ego technically called the materialistic
> conception, or tamasa-buddhi, intelligence in
> ignorance. This, further, represents the unmanifested
> stage of the three modes of material nature. The
> unmanifested modes of material nature are called
> pradhana.
90
91 One who desires to know the twenty-four elements in detail
> along with their interactions should study the philosophy
> in more detail. In Bhagavad-gita, a summary only is given.
92
93 The body is the representation of all these factors, and
> there are changes of the body, which are six in number: the
> body is born, it grows, it stays, it produces by-products,
> then it begins to decay, and at the last stage it vanishes.
> Therefore the field is a nonpermanent material thing.
> However, the ksetra-jna, the knower of the field, its
> proprietor, is different.
94
95 Bg 13.8-12
96
97 TEXTS 8–12
98
99 TRANSLATION
100
101 Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity;
> approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness;
> steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of
> sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception
> of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease;
> detachment; freedom from entanglement with children,
> wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid
> pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed
> devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place;
> detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the
> importance of self-realization; and philosophical search
> for the Absolute Truth-all these I declare to be
> knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is
> ignorance.
102
103 PURPORT
104
105 This process of knowledge is sometimes misunderstood by
> less intelligent men as being the interaction of the field
> of activity. But actually this is the real process of
> knowledge. If one accepts this process, then the
> possibility of approaching the Absolute Truth exists. This
> is not the interaction of the twenty-four elements, as
> described before. This is actually the means to get out of
> the entanglement of those elements. The embodied soul is
> entrapped by the body, which is a casing made of the twenty-
> four elements, and the process of knowledge as described
> here is the means to get out of it. Of all the descriptions
> of the process of knowledge, the most important point is
> described in the first line of the eleventh verse. Mayi
> cananya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicarini: the process of
> knowledge terminates in unalloyed devotional service to the
> Lord. So if one does not approach, or is not able to
> approach, the transcendental service of the Lord, then the
> other nineteen items are of no particular value. But if
> one takes to devotional service in full Krsna consciousness,
> the other nineteen items automatically develop within him.
> As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.18.12), yasyasti bhaktir
> bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. All
> the good qualities of knowledge develop in one who has
> attained the stage of devotional service.
106
107 The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned
> in the eighth verse, is essential. Even for one who takes
> to devotional service, it is most important. Transcendental
> life begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master.
> The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, clearly
> states here that this process of knowledge is the actual
> path. Anything speculated beyond this is nonsense.
108
109
110 As for the knowledge outlined here, the
> items may be analyzed as follows.
> Humility means that one should not be anxious
> to have the satisfaction of being honored
> by others. The material conception of life makes
> us very eager to receive honor from others,
> but from the point of view of a man in
> perfect knowledge-who knows that he is not this body-
> anything, honor or dishonor, pertaining to this body is
> useless. One should not be hankering after this
> material deception. People are very anxious to be famous
> for their religion, and consequently sometimes it is found
> that without understanding the principles of religion one
> enters into some group which is not actually
> following religious principles and then wants to
> advertise himself as a religious mentor. As for
> actual advancement in spiritual science, one should have a
> test to see how far he is progressing. He can judge by
> these items.
111
112 Nonviolence is generally taken to
> mean not killing or
> destroying the body
> , but actually nonviolence means not
> to put others into distress. People in general
> are trapped by ignorance in the material
> concept of life, and they perpetually suffer
> material pains. So unless one elevates people to
> spiritual knowledge, one is practicing
> violence. One should try his best
> to distribute real knowledge
> to the people, so
> that they may become enlightened and
> leave this material entanglement. That
> is nonviolence.
113
114 Tolerance means that one should be
> practiced to bear insult and
> dishonor from others. If one is engaged in the
> advancement of spiritual knowledge, there will
> be so many insults and much
> dishonor from others. This is expected because
> material nature is so constituted. Even a
> boy like Prahlada, who, only five years
> old, was engaged in the cultivation of spiritual
> knowledge, was endangered when his father
> became antagonistic to his
> devotion. The father tried to kill him in
> so many ways, but Prahlada tolerated him. So
> there may be many impediments to
> making advancement in spiritual knowledge,
> but we should be tolerant and
> continue our progress with determination.
115
116 Simplicity means that without diplomacy one should be so
> straightforward that he can disclose the real truth even to
> an enemy. As for acceptance of the spiritual master, that
> is essential, because without the instruction of a bona
> fide spiritual master one cannot progress in the
> spiritual science. One should approach the spiritual
> master with all humility and offer him
> all services so that he will be pleased
> to bestow his blessings upon the disciple.
> Because a bona fide spiritual master is a
> representative of Krsna, if he bestows any
> blessings upon his disciple, that will make the disciple
> immediately advanced without the disciple's following
> the regulative principles. Or, the regulative principles
> will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master
> without reservation.
117
118 Cleanliness is essential for
> making advancement in spiritual life. There
> are
> two kinds of cleanliness:
> external and internal
> .
> External cleanliness means taking a bath,
> but
> for internal cleanliness one
> has
>
> to think
> of Krsna always and
> chant Hare Krsna, Hare
> Krsna,
> Krsna
> Krsna
> , Hare
> Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama
> Rama, Hare Hare. This process cleans the
> accumulated dust
> of past karma from the mind
> .
119
120 Steadiness means that one should be very
> determined to make progress in spiritual life. Without such
> determination, one cannot make tangible progress. And
> self-control means that one should not accept anything
> which is detrimental to the path of spiritual progress. One
> should become accustomed to this and reject anything which
> is against the path of spiritual progress. This is real
> renunciation. The senses are so strong that they are always
> anxious to have sense gratification. One should not cater
> to these demands, which are not necessary. The senses
> should only be gratified to keep the body fit so that one
> can discharge his duty in advancing in spiritual life. The
> most important and uncontrollable sense is the tongue. If
> one can control the tongue, then there is every possibility
> of controlling the other senses. The function of the
> tongue is to taste and to vibrate. Therefore, by
> systematic regulation, the tongue should always be engaged
> in tasting the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Krsna and
> chanting Hare Krsna. As far as the eyes are concerned, they
> should not be allowed to see anything but the beautiful
> form of Krsna. That will control the eyes. Similarly, the
> ears should be engaged in hearing about Krsna and the nose
> in smelling the flowers offered to Krsna. This is the
> process of devotional service, and it is understood here
> that Bhagavad-gita is simply expounding the science of
> devotional service. Devotional service is the main and
> sole objective. Unintelligent commentators on the
> Bhagavad-gita try to divert the mind of the reader to other
> subjects, but there is no other subject in Bhagavad-gita
> than devotional service.
121
122 False ego
> means accepting this body as
> oneself. When
> one understands that he is not his
> body and is spirit soul, he comes
> to his real ego. Ego
> is there. False ego is condemned, but not real
> ego. In the Vedic
> literature (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10) it is
> said, aham brahmasmi:
123
124 I am
> Brahman, I am spirit. This
> "I am,"
> the sense of self, also
> exists in the liberated stage of
> self-realization. This
> sense of "I am" is ego,
> but
> when the sense of "I am" is
> applied to this false body it is false ego.
> When the sense of self is applied to
> reality, that
> is real ego.
> There are some
> philosophers who say we
> should give up our ego, but
> we cannot give up our
> ego, because ego means identity. We
> ought, of course, to give up the
> false identification with the body.
125
126 One
> should try to
> understand the distress of accepting
> birth, death,
>
> old age and disease. There are descriptions in
> various Vedic literatures
> of birth
> . In the
> Srimad-Bhagavatam the world of the unborn, the
> child's stay in the womb of the
> mother, its
> suffering, etc
> ., are all very graphically described.
> It should be thoroughly understood that birth
> is distressful. Because we forget how much
> distress we have suffered within the womb
> of the mother, we do not make
> any solution to the repetition of birth and death.
> Similarly at the time of death there are
> all kinds of sufferings, and they are also
> mentioned in the authoritative scriptures. These should
> be discussed. And as far as disease and
> old age are concerned, everyone gets
> practical experience. No one wants
> to be diseased, and
> no one wants to become old, but there is
> no avoiding these. Unless
> we have a pessimistic
> view of this
> material life, considering the
> distresses of birth, death, old age and disease,
> there is no impetus for our making advancement in
> spiritual life.
127
128 As for detachment from children, wife and home,
> it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these.
> They are natural objects of affection. But when
> they are not favorable to spiritual progress, then one
> should not be attached to them. The best process for making
> the home pleasant is Krsna consciousness. If one is in
> full Krsna consciousness, he can make his home very
> happy, because this process of Krsna consciousness is very
> easy. One need only chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,
> Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,
> Hare Hare, accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to
> Krsna, have some discussion on books like Bhagavad-gita and
> Srimad-Bhagavatam, and engage oneself in Deity worship.
> These four things will make one happy. One should train
> the members of his family in this way. The family
> members can sit down morning and evening and chant
> together Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare
> Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
> If one can mold his family life in this way to develop
> Krsna consciousness, following these four principles,
> then there is no need to change from family life to
> renounced life. But if it is not congenial, not
> favorable for spiritual advancement, then family life
> should be abandoned. One must sacrifice everything to
> realize or serve Krsna, just as
> Arjuna did. Arjuna did not want to kill
> his family members, but when he understood
> that these family members were impediments
> to his Krsna realization, he accepted the
> instruction of Krsna and fought and killed them. In all
> cases, one should be detached from the happiness and
> distress of family life, because in this world one
> can never be fully happy or fully miserable.
129
130 Happiness and distress are concomitant
> factors of material life. One should learn to tolerate,
> as advised in Bhagavad-gita. One can
> never restrict the coming and going of happiness and
> distress, so one should be detached from the
> materialistic way of life and be
> automatically equipoised in both cases. Generally,
> when we get something desirable we
> are very happy, and when we get
> something undesirable we are distressed. But
> if we are actually in the spiritual
> position these things will not agitate us. To
> reach that stage, we have
> to practice unbreakable devotional service.
> Devotional service to Krsna without deviation
> means engaging oneself in the nine processes
> of devotional service-chanting, hearing,
> worshiping, offering respect, etc.-as described
> in the last verse of the Ninth Chapter
> . That process should be followed.
131
132 Naturally, when one is adapted to the
> spiritual way of life, he will not
> want to mix with materialistic men. That would go
> against his grain. One may test himself by
> seeing how far he is inclined to live
> in a solitary place, without unwanted
> association. Naturally a devotee has no taste
> for unnecessary sporting or cinema-going or enjoying
> some social function, because he understands that
> these are simply a waste of time. There are many
> research scholars and philosophers who study sex life
> or some other subject, but according to Bhagavad-
> gita such research work and philosophical
> speculation have no value. That is more or less
> nonsensical. According to Bhagavad-gita, one
> should make research, by philosophical discretion,
> into the nature of the soul. One should make
> research to understand the self. That is recommended
> here.
133
134 As far as self-realization is concerned, it is
> clearly stated here that bhakti-yoga is
> especially practical. As soon as there is a
> question of devotion, one must consider the relationship
> between the Supersoul and the individual soul.
> The individual soul and the Supersoul
> cannot be one, at least not in the
> bhakti conception, the devotional conception
> of life. This service of the individual soul
> to the Supreme Soul is eternal, nityam,
> as it is clearly stated. So bhakti, or devotional
> service, is eternal. One should be established
> in that philosophical conviction.
135
136 In
> the Srimad-Bhagavatam
> (1.2.11) this is explained
> . Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam
> advayam. "Those who are
> actually knowers of
> the Absolute Truth know that the Self
> is realized
>
> in three different
> phases, as Brahman, Paramatma and
> Bhagavan." Bhagavan is
> the last word in the
> realization of the
> Absolute Truth; therefore one should reach up
> to that platform of understanding the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead and thus engage in
> the devotional service of the Lord. That
> is the perfection of knowledge.
137
138 Beginning from practicing humility up to the point of
> realization of the Supreme Truth, the Absolute Personality
> of Godhead, this process is just like a staircase beginning
> from the ground floor and going up to the top floor. Now on
> this staircase there are so many people who have reached
> the first floor, the second or the third floor, etc., but
> unless one reaches the top floor, which is the
> understanding of Krsna, he is at a lower stage of knowledge.
> If anyone wants to compete with God and at the same time
> make advancement in spiritual knowledge, he will be
> frustrated. It is clearly stated that without humility,
> understanding is not truly possible. To think oneself God
> is most puffed up. Although the living entity is always
> being kicked by the stringent laws of material nature, he
> still thinks, "I am God" because of ignorance. The
> beginning of knowledge, therefore, is amanitva, humility.
> One should be humble and know that he is subordinate to the
> Supreme Lord. Due to rebellion against the Supreme Lord,
> one becomes subordinate to material nature. One must know
> and be convinced of this truth.
139
140 Bg 13.13
141
142 TEXT 13
143
144 TRANSLATION
145
146 I shall now explain the knowable, knowing which you will
> taste the eternal. Brahman, the spirit,
> beginningless and subordinate to Me
> , lies beyond the cause and
> effect of this material world.
147
148 PURPORT
149
150 The Lord has explained the field of activities and the
> knower of the field. He has also explained the process of
> knowing the knower of the field of activities. Now He
> begins to explain the knowable, first the soul and then
> the Supersoul. By knowledge of the knower,
> both the soul and the Supersoul, one can relish the nectar
> of life. As explained in the Second Chapter, the living
> entity is eternal. This is also confirmed here. There is no
> specific date at which the jiva was born. Nor can anyone
> trace out the history of the jivatma's manifestation from
> the Supreme Lord. Therefore it is beginningless. The Vedic
> literature confirms this: na jayate mriyate va vipascit (
> Katha Upanisad 1.2.18). The knower of the body is never
> born and never dies, and he is full of knowledge
> .
151
152 The Supreme Lord as the Supersoul is also stated in the
> Vedic literature (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.16) to be
> pradhana-ksetrajna-patir gunesah, the chief knower of the
> body and the master of the three modes of material nature.
> In the smrti it is said, dasa-bhuto harer eva nanyasvaiva
> kadacana. The living entities are eternally in the service
> of the Supreme Lord. This is also confirmed by Lord
> Caitanya in His teachings. Therefore the description of
> Brahman mentioned in this verse is in relation to the
> individual soul, and when the word Brahman is applied to
> the living entity, it is to be understood that he is
> vijnana-brahma as opposed to ananda-brahma. Ananda-brahma
> is the Supreme Brahman Personality of Godhead.
153
154 Bg 13.14
155
156 TEXT 14
157
158 TRANSLATION
159
160 Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads and
> faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the
> Supersoul exists, pervading everything.
161
162 PURPORT
163
164 As the sun exists diffusing its unlimited rays, so does the
> Supersoul, or Supreme Personality of Godhead. He exists in
> His all-pervading form, and in Him exist all the individual
> living entities, beginning from the first great teacher,
> Brahma, down to the small ants. There are unlimited heads,
> legs, hands and eyes, and unlimited living entities. All
> are existing in and on the Supersoul. Therefore the
> Supersoul is all-pervading. The individual soul, however,
> cannot say that he has his hands, legs and eyes everywhere.
> That is not possible. If he thinks that under
> ignorance he is not conscious that his hands and legs are
> diffused all over but when he attains to proper knowledge
> he will come to that stage, his thinking is contradictory.
> This means that the individual soul, having become
> conditioned by material nature, is not supreme. The Supreme
> is different from the individual soul. The Supreme Lord can
> extend His hand without limit; the individual soul cannot.
> In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that if anyone offers Him a
> flower, or a fruit, or a little water, He accepts it. If
> the Lord is a far distance away, how can He accept things?
> This is the omnipotence of the Lord: even though He is
> situated in His own abode, far, far away from earth, He can
> extend His hand to accept what anyone offers. That is His
> potency. In the Brahma-samhita (5.37) it is stated, goloka
> eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah: although He is always
> engaged in pastimes in His transcendental planet, He is all-
> pervading. The individual soul cannot claim that he is all-
> pervading. Therefore this verse describes the Supreme Soul,
> the Personality of Godhead, not the individual soul.
165
166 Bg 13.15
167
168 TEXT 15
169
170 TRANSLATION
171
172 The Supersoul is the original source of all senses, yet He
> is without senses. He is unattached, although He is the
> maintainer of all living beings. He transcends the modes of
> nature, and at the same time He is the master of all the
> modes of material nature.
173
174 PURPORT
175
176 The Supreme Lord, although the source of all the senses of
> the living entities, doesn't have material senses like they
> have. Actually, the individual souls have spiritual senses,
> but in conditioned life they are covered with the material
> elements, and therefore the sense activities are exhibited
> through matter. The Supreme Lord's senses are not so
> covered. His senses are transcendental and are therefore
> called nirguna. Guna means the material modes, but His
> senses are without material covering. It should be
> understood that His senses are not exactly like ours.
> Although He is the source of all our sensory activities, He
> has His transcendental senses, which are uncontaminated.
> This is very nicely explained in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (
> 3.19) in the verse apani-pado javano grahita.
> The Supreme Personality of Godhead has no hands which are
> materially contaminated, but He has His hands and accepts
> whatever sacrifice is offered to Him. That is the
> distinction between the conditioned soul and the Supersoul.
> He has no material eyes, but He has eyes-otherwise how
> could He see? He sees everything-past, present and future.
> He lives within the heart of the living being, and He knows
> what we have done in the past, what we are doing now, and
> what is awaiting us in the future. This is also confirmed
> in Bhagavad-gita: He knows everything, but no one knows Him.
> It is said that the Supreme Lord has no legs like us, but
> He can travel throughout space because He has spiritual
> legs. In other words, the Lord is not impersonal; He has
> His eyes, legs, hands and everything else, and because we
> are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord we also have these
> things. But His hands, legs, eyes and senses are not
> contaminated by material nature.
177
178 Bhagavad-gita also confirms that when the Lord appears He
> appears as He is by His internal potency. He is not
> contaminated by the material energy, because He is the Lord
> of material energy. In the Vedic literature we find that
> His whole embodiment is spiritual. He has His eternal form,
> called sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. He is full of all opulence.
> He is the proprietor of all wealth and the owner of all
> energy. He is the most intelligent and is full of knowledge.
> These are some of the symptoms of the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead. He is the maintainer of all living entities and
> the witness of all activity. As far as we can understand
> from Vedic literature, the Supreme Lord is always
> transcendental. Although we do not see His head, face,
> hands or legs, He has them, and when we are elevated to
> the transcendental situation we can see the Lord's
> form. Due to materially contaminated senses, we cannot see
> His form. Therefore the impersonalists, who are still
> materially affected, cannot understand the Personality of
> Godhead.
179
180 Bg 13.16
181
182 TEXT 16
183
184 TRANSLATION
185
186 The Supreme Truth exists outside and inside
> of all living beings, the moving and the nonmoving. Because
> He is subtle, He is beyond the power of the material senses
> to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is also near
> to all.
187
188 PURPORT
189
190 In Vedic literature we understand that Narayana, the
> Supreme Person, is residing both outside and inside of
> every living entity. He is present in both the
> spiritual and material worlds. Although He is far, far away,
> still He is near to us. These are the statements of Vedic
> literature. Asino duram vrajati sayano yati sarvatah (Katha
> Upanisad 1.2.21). And because He is always engaged in
> transcendental bliss, we cannot understand how He is
> enjoying His full opulence. We cannot see or understand
> with these material senses. Therefore in the Vedic language
> it is said that to understand Him our material mind and
> senses cannot act. But one who has purified his mind and
> senses by practicing Krsna consciousness in devotional
> service can see Him constantly. It is confirmed in Brahma-
> samhita that the devotee who has developed love for the
> Supreme God can see Him always, without cessation. And it
> is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (11.54) that He can be seen
> and understood only by devotional service. Bhaktya
> tv ananyaya sakyah.
191
192 Bg 13.17
193
194 TEXT 17
195
196 TRANSLATION
197
198 Although the Supersoul appears to be divided among all
> beings, He is never divided. He is situated as one.
> Although He is the maintainer of every living entity, it is
> to be understood that He devours and develops all.
199
200 PURPORT
201
202 The Lord is situated in everyone's heart as the Supersoul.
> Does this mean that He has become divided? No. Actually, He
> is one. The example is given of the sun: The sun, at the
> meridian, is situated in its place. But if one goes for
> five thousand miles in all directions and asks, "Where is
> the sun?" everyone will say that it is shining on his head.
> In the Vedic literature this example is given to show that
> although He is undivided, He is situated as if divided.
> Also it is said in Vedic literature that one Visnu is
> present everywhere by His omnipotence, just as the sun
> appears in many places to many persons. And the Supreme
> Lord, although the maintainer of every living entity,
> devours everything at the time of annihilation. This was
> confirmed in the Eleventh Chapter when the Lord said that
> He had come to devour all the warriors assembled at
> Kuruksetra. He also mentioned that in the form of time He
> devours also. He is the annihilator, the killer of all.
> When there is creation, He develops all from their original
> state, and at the time of annihilation He devours them. The
> Vedic hymns confirm the fact that He is the origin of all
> living entities and the rest of all.
203
204 After creation, everything rests in His omnipotence, and
> after annihilation everything again returns to rest in Him.
> These are the confirmations of Vedic hymns. Yato va imani
> bhutani jayante yena jatani jivanti yat prayanty
> abhisam-visanti tad brahma tad vijijnasasva (
> Taittiriya Upanisad 3.1).
205
206 Bg 13.18
207
208 TEXT 18
209
210 TRANSLATION
211
212 He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is
> beyond the darkness of matter and is unmanifested. He is
> knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the
> goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone's heart.
213
214 PURPORT
215
216 The Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the
> source of light in all luminous objects like the sun, moon
> and stars. In the Vedic literature we find that in the
> spiritual kingdom there is no need of sun or moon, because
> the effulgence of the Supreme Lord is there. In the
> material world that brahmajyoti, the Lord's spiritual
> effulgence, is covered by the mahat-tattva, the material
> elements; therefore in this material world we require the
> assistance of sun, moon, electricity, etc., for light. But
> in the spiritual world there is no need of such things. It
> is clearly stated in the Vedic literature that because of
> His luminous effulgence, everything is illuminated. It is
> clear, therefore, that His situation is not in the material
> world. He is situated in the spiritual world, which is far,
> far away in the spiritual sky. That is also confirmed in
> the Vedic literature. Aditya-varnam tamasah parastat (
> Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8). He is just like the sun,
> eternally luminous, but He is far, far beyond the darkness
> of this material world. His knowledge is transcendental.
> The Vedic literature confirms that Brahman is concentrated
> transcendental knowledge. To one who is anxious to be
> transferred to that spiritual world, knowledge is given by
> the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart.
217
218 One Vedic mantra (Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.18) says, tam ha
> devam atma-buddhi-prakasam mumuksur vai saranam aham
> prapadye. One must surrender unto the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead if he at all wants liberation. As far as the
> goal of ultimate knowledge is concerned, it is also
> confirmed in Vedic literature: tam eva viditvati
> mrtyum eti. "Only by knowing Him can one surpass the
> boundary of birth and death." (Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.8)
219
220 He is situated in everyone's heart as the supreme
> controller. The Supreme has legs and hands distributed
> everywhere, and this cannot be said of the individual soul.
> Therefore that there are two knowers of the field of
> activity-the individual soul and the Supersoul-must be
> admitted. One's hands and legs are distributed locally, but
> Krsna's hands and legs are distributed everywhere. This is
> confirmed in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.17): sarvasya
> prabhum isanam sarvasya saranam brhat.
221
222 That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Supersoul, is the
> prabhu, or master, of all living entities; therefore He is
> the ultimate shelter of all living entities. So there is no
> denying the fact that the Supreme Supersoul and the
> individual soul are always different.
223
224 Bg 13.19
225
226 TEXT 19
227
228 TRANSLATION
229
230 Thus the field of activities [the body], knowledge and the
> knowable have been summarily described by Me. Only My
> devotees can understand this thoroughly and thus attain to
> My nature.
231
232 PURPORT
233
234 The Lord has described in summary the body, knowledge and
> the knowable. This knowledge is of three things: the knower,
> the knowable and the process of knowing. Combined, these
> are called vijnana, or the science of knowledge. Perfect
> knowledge can be understood by the unalloyed devotees of
> the Lord directly. Others are unable to understand. The
> monists say that at the ultimate stage these three items
> become one, but the devotees do not accept this. Knowledge
> and development of knowledge mean understanding oneself in
> Krsna consciousness. We are being led by material
> consciousness, but as soon as we transfer all consciousness
> to Krsna's activities and realize that Krsna is everything,
> then we attain real knowledge. In other words, knowledge is
> nothing but the preliminary stage of understanding
> devotional service perfectly. In the Fifteenth Chapter this
> will be very clearly explained.
235
236 Now, to summarize, one may understand that verses 6 and 7,
> beginning from maha-bhutani and continuing through cetana
> dhrtih, analyze the material elements and certain
> manifestations of the symptoms of life. These combine to
> form the body, or the field of activities. And verses 8
> through 12, from amanitvam through tattva-jnanartha-
> darsanam, describe the process of knowledge for
> understanding both types of knower of the field of
> activities, namely the soul and the Supersoul. Then verses
> 13 through 18, beginning from anadi mat-param and
> continuing through hrdi sarvasya visthitam, describe the
> soul and the Supreme Lord, or the Supersoul.
237
238 Thus three items have been described: the field of activity
> (the body), the process of understanding, and both the soul
> and the Supersoul. It is especially described here that
> only the unalloyed devotees of the Lord can understand
> these three items clearly. So for these devotees Bhagavad-
> gita is fully useful; it is they who can attain the supreme
> goal, the nature of the Supreme Lord, Krsna. In other words,
> only devotees, and not others, can understand Bhagavad-
> gita and derive the desired result.
239
240 Bg 13.20
241
242 TEXT 20
243
244 TRANSLATION
245
246 Material nature and the living entities should be
> understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and
> the modes of matter are products of material nature.
247
248 PURPORT
249
250 By the knowledge given in this chapter, one can understand
> the body (the field of activities) and the knowers of the
> body (both the individual soul and the Supersoul)
> . The body is the field of activity and is composed of
> material nature. The individual soul that is
> embodied and enjoying the activities of the body is
> the purusa, or the living entity. He is one knower, and the
> other is the Supersoul. Of course, it is to be understood
> that both the Supersoul and the individual entity are
> different manifestations of the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead. The living entity is in the category of His energy,
> and the Supersoul is in the category of His personal
> expansion.
251
252 Both material nature and the living entity are eternal.
> That is to say that they existed before the creation. The
> material manifestation is from the energy of the Supreme
> Lord, and so also are the living entities, but the living
> entities are of the superior energy. Both the living
> entities and material nature existed before this cosmos was
> manifested. Material nature was absorbed in the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead, Maha-Visnu, and when it was
> required, it was manifested by the agency of mahat-tattva.
> Similarly, the living entities are also in Him, and because
> they are conditioned, they are averse to serving the
> Supreme Lord. Thus they are not allowed to enter into the
> spiritual sky. But with the coming forth of material
> nature these living entities are again given a chance to
> act in the material world and prepare themselves to enter
> into the spiritual world. That is the mystery of this
> material creation. Actually the living entity is originally
> the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but due
> to his rebellious nature, he is conditioned within material
> nature. It really does not matter how these living entities
> or superior entities of the Supreme Lord have come in
> contact with material nature. The Supreme Personality of
> Godhead knows, however, how and why this actually took
> place. In the scriptures the Lord says that those attracted
> by this material nature are undergoing a hard struggle for
> existence. But we should know it with certainty from the
> descriptions of these few verses that all
> transformations and influences of material nature by the
> three modes are also productions of material nature. All
> transformations and variety in respect to living entities
> are due to the body. As far as spirit is concerned, living
> entities are all the same.
253
254 Bg 13.21
255
256 TEXT 21
257
258 TRANSLATION
259
260 Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes
> and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the
> various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.
261
262 PURPORT
263
264 The different manifestations of body and senses among the
> living entities are due to material nature. There are 8,400,
> 000 different species of life, and these varieties are
> creations of the material nature. They arise from
> the different sensual pleasures of the living entity, who
> thus desires to live in this body or that. When he is put
> into different bodies, he enjoys different kinds of
> happiness and distress. His material happiness and distress
> are due to his body, and not to himself as he is. In his
> original state there is no doubt of enjoyment; therefore
> that is his real state. Because of the desire to lord it
> over material nature, he is in the material world. In the
> spiritual world there is no such thing. The spiritual world
> is pure, but in the material world everyone is struggling
> hard to acquire different kinds of pleasures
> for the body. It might be more clear to state that this
> body is the effect of the senses. The senses are
> instruments for gratifying desire. Now, the sum total-body
> and instrument senses-are offered by material nature, and
> as will be clear in the next verse, the living entity is
> blessed or damned with circumstances according to his past
> desire and activity. According to one's desires and
> activities, material nature places one in various
> residential quarters. The being himself is the cause of his
> attaining such residential quarters and his attendant
> enjoyment or suffering. Once placed in some particular kind
> of body, he comes under the control of nature because the
> body, being matter, acts according to the laws of nature.
> At that time, the living entity has no power to change that
> law. Suppose an entity is put into the body of a dog. As
> soon as he is put into the body of a dog, he must act like
> a dog. He cannot act otherwise. And if the living entity is
> put into the body of a hog, then he is forced to eat stool
> and act like a hog. Similarly, if the living entity is put
> into the body of a demigod, he must act according to his
> body. This is the law of nature. But in all circumstances,
> the Supersoul is with the individual soul. That is
> explained in the Vedas (Mundaka Upanisad 3.1.1) as follows:
> dva suparna sayuja sakhayah. The Supreme Lord is so kind
> upon the living entity that He always accompanies the
> individual soul and in all circumstances is present as the
> Supersoul, or Paramatma.
265
266 Bg 13.22
267
268 TEXT 22
269
270 TRANSLATION
271
272 The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways
> of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to
> his association with that material nature. Thus he meets
> with good and evil among various species.
273
274 PURPORT
275
276 This verse is very important for an understanding of how
> the living entities transmigrate from one body to another.
> It is explained in the Second Chapter that the living
> entity is transmigrating from one body to another just as
> one changes dress. This change of dress is due to his
> attachment to material existence. As long as he is
> captivated by this false manifestation, he has to continue
> transmigrating from one body to another. Due to his desire
> to lord it over material nature, he is put into such
> undesirable circumstances. Under the influence of material
> desire, the entity is born sometimes as a demigod,
> sometimes as a man, sometimes as a beast, as a bird, as a
> worm, as an aquatic, as a saintly man, as a bug. This is
> going on. And in all cases the living entity thinks himself
> to be the master of his circumstances, yet he is under the
> influence of material nature.
277
278 How he is put into such different bodies is explained here.
> It is due to association with the different modes of nature.
> One has to rise, therefore, above the three material modes
> and become situated in the transcendental position. That is
> called Krsna consciousness. Unless one is situated in Krsna
> consciousness, his material consciousness will oblige him
> to transfer from one body to another because he has
> material desires since time immemorial. But he has to
> change that conception. That change can be effected only by
> hearing from authoritative sources. The best example is
> here: Arjuna is hearing the science of God from Krsna. The
> living entity, if he submits to this hearing process, will
> lose his long-cherished desire to dominate material nature,
> and gradually and proportionately, as he reduces his long
> desire to dominate, he comes to enjoy spiritual happiness.
> In a Vedic mantra it is said that as he becomes learned in
> association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he
> proportionately relishes his eternal blissful life.
279
280 Bg 13.23
281
282 TEXT 23
283
284 TRANSLATION
285
286 Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer,
> who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the
> overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.
287
288 PURPORT
289
290 It is stated here that the Supersoul, who is always with
> the individual soul, is the representation of the Supreme
> Lord. He is not an ordinary living entity. Because the
> monist philosophers take the knower of the body to be one,
> they think that there is no difference between the
> Supersoul and the individual soul. To clarify this, the
> Lord says that He is represented as the
> Paramatma in every body. He is different from the
> individual soul; He is para, transcendental. The
> individual soul enjoys the activities of a particular field,
> but the Supersoul is present not as finite enjoyer nor as
> one taking part in bodily activities, but as the witness,
> overseer, permitter and supreme enjoyer. His name is
> Paramatma, not atma, and He is transcendental. It is
> distinctly clear that the atma and Paramatma are different.
> The Supersoul, the Paramatma, has legs and hands everywhere,
> but the individual soul does not. And because the
> Paramatma is the Supreme Lord, He is present within to
> sanction the individual soul's desiring material enjoyment.
> Without the sanction of the Supreme Soul, the individual
> soul cannot do anything. The individual is bhukta, or the
> sustained, and the Lord is bhokta, or the maintainer. There
> are innumerable living entities, and He is staying in them
> as a friend.
291
292 The fact is that every individual living entity is
> eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and both of
> them are very intimately related as friends. But the living
> entity has the tendency to reject the sanction of the
> Supreme Lord and act independently in an attempt to
> dominate nature, and because he has this
> tendency he is called the marginal energy of the Supreme
> Lord. The living entity can be situated either in the
> material energy or in the spiritual energy. As long as he
> is conditioned by the material energy, the Supreme Lord, as
> his friend, the Supersoul, stays with him just to get him
> to return to the spiritual energy. The Lord is always eager
> to take him back to the spiritual energy, but due to his
> minute independence the individual entity is continually
> rejecting the association of spiritual light. This misuse
> of independence is the cause of his material strife in the
> conditioned nature. The Lord, therefore, is always giving
> instruction from within and from without. From without He
> gives instructions as stated in Bhagavad-gita, and from
> within He tries to convince the living entity that his
> activities in the material field are not conducive to real
> happiness. "Just give it up and turn your faith toward Me.
> Then you will be happy," He says. Thus the intelligent
> person who places his faith in the Paramatma or the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead begins to advance toward a blissful
> eternal life of knowledge.
293
294 Bg 13.24
295
296 TEXT 24
297
298 TRANSLATION
299
300 One who understands this philosophy concerning material
> nature, the living entity and the interaction of the modes
> of nature is sure to attain liberation. He will not take
> birth here again, regardless of his present position.
301
302 PURPORT
303
304 Clear understanding of material nature, the Supersoul, the
> individual soul and their interrelation makes one eligible
> to become liberated and turn to the spiritual atmosphere
> without being forced to return to this material nature.
> This is the result of knowledge. The purpose of knowledge
> is to understand distinctly that the living entity has by
> chance fallen into this material existence. By his personal
> endeavor in association with authorities, saintly persons
> and a spiritual master, he has to understand his position
> and then revert to spiritual consciousness or Krsna
> consciousness by understanding Bhagavad-gita as it is
> explained by the Personality of Godhead. Then it is certain
> that he will never come again into this material existence;
> he will be transferred into the spiritual world for a
> blissful eternal life of knowledge.
305
306 Bg 13.25
307
308 TEXT 25
309
310 TRANSLATION
311
312 Some perceive the Supersoul within themselves through
> meditation, others through the cultivation of
> knowledge, and still others through working without
> fruitive desires.
313
314 PURPORT
315
316 The Lord informs Arjuna that the conditioned souls can be
> divided into two classes as far as man's search for self-
> realization is concerned. Those who are atheists, agnostics
> and skeptics are beyond the sense of spiritual
> understanding. But there are others, who are faithful in
> their understanding of spiritual life, and they are called
> introspective devotees, philosophers, and workers who have
> renounced fruitive results. Those who always try to
> establish the doctrine of monism are also counted among the
> atheists and agnostics. In other words, only the devotees
> of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are best situated
> in spiritual understanding, because they understand that
> beyond this material nature are the spiritual world
> and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is expanded as
> the Paramatma, the Supersoul in everyone, the all-pervading
> Godhead. Of course there are those who try to understand
> the Supreme Absolute Truth by cultivation of knowledge, and
> they can be counted in the class of the faithful.
> The Sankhya philosophers analyze this material world into
> twenty-four elements, and they place the individual soul as
> the twenty-fifth item. When they are able to understand the
> nature of the individual soul to be transcendental to the
> material elements, they are able to understand also that
> above the individual soul there is the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead. He is the twenty-sixth element. Thus gradually
> they also come to the standard of devotional service in
> Krsna consciousness. Those who work without fruitive
> results are also perfect in their attitude. They are given
> a chance to advance to the platform of devotional service
> in Krsna consciousness. Here it is stated that there are
> some people who are pure in consciousness and who try to
> find out the Supersoul by meditation, and when they
> discover the Supersoul within themselves, they become
> transcendentally situated. Similarly, there are others who
> also try to understand the Supreme Soul by cultivation of
> knowledge, and there are others who cultivate the hatha-
> yoga system and who try to satisfy the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead by childish activities.
317
318 Bg 13.26
319
320 TEXT 26
321
322 TRANSLATION
323
324 Again there are those who, although not conversant in
> spiritual knowledge, begin to worship the Supreme Person
> upon hearing about Him from others. Because of their
> tendency to hear from authorities, they also transcend the
> path of birth and death.
325
326 PURPORT
327
328 This verse is particularly applicable to modern society
> because in modern society there is practically no education
> in spiritual matters. Some of the people may appear to be
> atheistic or agnostic or philosophical, but actually there
> is no knowledge of philosophy. As for the common man, if he
> is a good soul, then there is a chance for advancement by
> hearing. This hearing process is very important. Lord
> Caitanya, who preached Krsna consciousness in the modern
> world, gave great stress to hearing because if the common
> man simply hears from authoritative sources he can
> progress, especially, according to Lord Caitanya, if he
> hears the transcendental vibration Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,
> Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,
> Hare Hare. It is stated, therefore, that all men should
> take advantage of hearing from realized souls and gradually
> become able to understand everything. The worship of the
> Supreme Lord will then undoubtedly take place. Lord
> Caitanya has said that in this age no one needs to change
> his position, but one should give up the endeavor to
> understand the Absolute Truth by speculative reasoning. One
> should learn to become the servant of those who are in
> knowledge of the Supreme Lord. If one is fortunate enough
> to take shelter of a pure devotee, hear from him about self-
> realization and follow in his footsteps, one will be
> gradually elevated to the position of a pure devotee. In
> this verse particularly, the process of hearing is strongly
> recommended, and this is very appropriate. Although the
> common man is often not as capable as so-called
> philosophers, faithful hearing from an authoritative person
> will help one transcend this material existence and go back
> to Godhead, back to home.
329
330 Bg 13.27
331
332 TEXT 27
333
334 TRANSLATION
335
336 O chief of the Bharatas, know that whatever you see in
> existence, both the moving and the nonmoving, is only
> a combination of the field of activities and the knower
> of the field.
337
338 PURPORT
339
340 Both material nature and the living entity, which were
> existing before the creation of the cosmos, are explained
> in this verse. Whatever is created is but a combination of
> the living entity and material nature. There are many
> manifestations like trees, mountains and hills which are
> not moving, and there are many existences which are moving,
> and all of them are but combinations of material nature and
> the superior nature, the living entity. Without the touch
> of the superior nature, the living entity, nothing can grow.
> The relationship between matter and nature is
> eternally going on, and this combination is effected by the
> Supreme Lord; therefore He is the controller of both the
> superior and inferior natures. The material nature is
> created by Him, and the superior nature is placed in this
> material nature, and thus all these activities and
> manifestations take place.
341
342 Bg 13.28
343
344 TEXT 28
345
346 TRANSLATION
347
348 One who sees the Supersoul accompanying the individual soul
> in all bodies, and who understands that neither the soul
> nor the Supersoul within the destructible body is ever
> destroyed, actually sees.
349
350 PURPORT
351
352 Anyone who by good association can see three things
> combined together-the body, the proprietor of the body, or
> individual soul, and the friend of the individual soul-is
> actually in knowledge. Unless one has the
> association of a real knower of spiritual
> subjects, one cannot see these three things. Those who do
> not have such association are ignorant;
> they simply see the body, and they think that when the body
> is destroyed everything is finished.
353
354 But actually it is not so. After the destruction of the
> body, both the soul and the Supersoul exist, and they go on
> eternally in many various moving and nonmoving forms. The
> Sanskrit word paramesvara is sometimes translated as "the
> individual soul" because the soul is the master of the
> body and after the destruction of the body he transfers to
> another form. In that way he is master. But there are
> others who interpret this paramesvara to be the Supersoul.
> In either case, both the Supersoul and the individual soul
> continue. They are not destroyed. One who can see in this
> way can actually see what is happening.
355
356 Bg 13.29
357
358 TEXT 29
359
360 TRANSLATION
361
362 One who sees the Supersoul equally present everywhere, in
> every living being, does not degrade
> himself by his mind. Thus he approaches the transcendental
> destination.
363
364 PURPORT
365
366 The living entity, by accepting his material existence
> , has become situated differently
> than in his spiritual existence. But if one understands
> that the Supreme is situated in His Paramatma manifestation
> everywhere, that is, if one can see the presence of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living thing, he
> does not degrade himself by a destructive mentality, and he
> therefore gradually advances to the spiritual world. The
> mind is generally addicted to sense gratifying processes;
> but when the mind turns to the Supersoul, one becomes
> advanced in spiritual understanding.
367
368 Bg 13.30
369
370 TEXT 30
371
372 TRANSLATION
373
374 One who can see that all activities are performed by the
> body, which is created of material nature, and sees that
> the self does nothing, actually sees.
375
376 PURPORT
377
378 This body is made by material nature under the direction of
> the Supersoul, and whatever activities are going on in
> respect to one's body are not his doing. Whatever one is
> supposed to do, either for happiness or for distress, one
> is forced to do because of the bodily constitution. The
> self, however, is outside all these bodily activities. This
> body is given according to one's past desires. To fulfill
> desires, one is given the body, with which he acts
> accordingly. Practically speaking, the body is a machine,
> designed by the Supreme Lord, to fulfill desires. Because
> of desires, one is put into difficult circumstances to
> suffer or to enjoy. This transcendental vision of the
> living entity, when developed, makes one separate from
> bodily activities. One who has such a vision is an actual
> seer.
379
380 Bg 13.31
381
382 TEXT 31
383
384 TRANSLATION
385
386 When a sensible man ceases to see different identities
> due to different material bodies and he sees
> how beings are expanded everywhere, he attains
> to the Brahman conception.
387
388 PURPORT
389
390 When one can see that the various bodies of living entities
> arise due to the different desires of the individual soul
> and do not actually belong to the soul itself, one actually
> sees. In the material conception of life, we find someone a
> demigod, someone a human being, a dog, a cat, etc. This is
> material vision, not actual vision. This material
> differentiation is due to a material conception of life.
> After the destruction of the material body, the spirit
> soul is one. The spirit soul, due to contact with material
> nature, gets different types of bodies. When one can see
> this, he attains spiritual vision; thus being freed from
> differentiations like man, animal, big, low, etc., one
> becomes purified in his consciousness and able to develop
> Krsna consciousness in his spiritual identity. How he then
> sees things will be explained in the next verse.
391
392 Bg 13.32
393
394 TEXT 32
395
396 TRANSLATION
397
398 Those with the vision of eternity can see that the
> imperishable soul is transcendental, eternal, and beyond
> the modes of nature. Despite contact with the material body,
> O Arjuna, the soul neither does anything nor is entangled.
399
400 PURPORT
401
402 A living entity appears to be born because of the birth of
> the material body, but actually the living entity is
> eternal; he is not born, and in spite of his being situated
> in a material body, he is transcendental and eternal. Thus
> he cannot be destroyed. By nature he is full of bliss. He
> does not engage himself in any material activities;
> therefore the activities performed due to his contact with
> material bodies do not entangle him.
403
404 Bg 13.33
405
406 TEXT 33
407
408 TRANSLATION
409
410 The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with
> anything, although it is all-pervading. Similarly, the
> soul situated in Brahman vision does not mix with the
> body, though situated in that body.
411
412 PURPORT
413
414 The air enters into water, mud, stool and whatever else is
> there; still it does not mix with anything. Similarly, the
> living entity, even though situated in varieties of bodies,
> is aloof from them due to his subtle nature. Therefore it
> is impossible to see with the material eyes how the living
> entity is in contact with this body and how he is out of it
> after the destruction of the body. No one in science can
> ascertain this.
415
416 Bg 13.34
417
418 TEXT 34
419
420 TRANSLATION
421
422 O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this
> universe, so does the living entity, one within the body,
> illuminate the entire body by consciousness.
423
424 PURPORT
425
426 There are various theories regarding consciousness. Here in
> Bhagavad-gita the example of the sun and the sunshine is
> given. As the sun is situated in one place but is
> illuminating the whole universe, so a small particle of
> spirit soul, although situated in the heart of this body,
> is illuminating the whole body by consciousness. Thus
> consciousness is the proof of the presence of the soul, as
> sunshine or light is the proof of the presence of the sun.
> When the soul is present in the body, there is
> consciousness all over the body, and as soon as the soul
> has passed from the body there is no more consciousness.
> This can be easily understood by any intelligent man.
> Therefore consciousness is not a product of the
> combinations of matter. It is the symptom of the living
> entity. The consciousness of the living entity, although
> qualitatively one with the supreme consciousness, is not
> supreme, because the consciousness of one particular body
> does not share that of another body. But the Supersoul,
> which is situated in all bodies as the friend of the
> individual soul, is conscious of all bodies. That is the
> difference between supreme consciousness and individual
> consciousness.
427
428 Bg 13.35
429
430 TEXT 35
431
432 TRANSLATION
433
434 Those who see with eyes of knowledge the difference
> between the body and the knower of the body, and can also
> understand the process of liberation from bondage
> in material nature, attain to the supreme goal.
435
436 PURPORT
437
438 The purport of this Thirteenth Chapter is that one should
> know the distinction between the body, the owner of the
> body, and the Supersoul. One should recognize the process
> of liberation, as described in verses eight through twelve.
> Then one can go on to the supreme destination.
439
440 A faithful person should at first have some good
> association to hear of God and thus gradually become
> enlightened. If one accepts a spiritual master, one can
> learn to distinguish between matter and spirit, and that
> becomes the steppingstone for further spiritual realization.
> A spiritual master, by various instructions, teaches his
> students to get free from the material concept of life
> . For instance, in Bhagavad-gita we
> find Krsna instructing Arjuna to free him from
> materialistic considerations.
441
442 One can understand that this body is matter; it can be
> analyzed with its twenty-four elements. The body is the
> gross manifestation. And the subtle manifestation is the
> mind and psychological effects. And the symptoms of life
> are the interaction of these features. But over and above
> this, there is the soul, and there is also the Supersoul.
> The soul and the Supersoul are two. This material world is
> working by the conjunction of the soul and the twenty-four
> material elements. One who can see the constitution of the
> whole material manifestation as this combination of the
> soul and material elements and can also see the
> situation of the Supreme Soul becomes eligible for transfer
> to the spiritual world. These things are meant for
> contemplation and for realization, and one should have a
> complete understanding of this chapter with the help of the
> spiritual master.
443
444 Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Thirteenth
> Chapter of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Nature,
> the Enjoyer and Consciousness.
445