1 Bg 13-1972: Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
2
3 13. Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
4
5 Bg 13.1, Bg 13.2, Bg 13.1-2
6
8
9 TRANSLATION
10
11 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 end of knowledge.
> The Blessed Lord then said: This body, O son
> of Kunti, is called the field, and one who knows this body
> is called the knower of the field.
12
13 PURPORT
14
15 Arjuna was inquisitive about prakrti or nature, purusa,
> the enjoyer, ksetra, the field, ksetrajna, its
> knower, and of 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 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 does not identify himself with the body is
> called ksetrajna, 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-dehe '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 ksetrajna. Sometimes
> we understand that I am happy, I am mad, I am a
> woman, I am a dog, I am a cat: these are the knowers
> . The knower is different
> from the field. Although we 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
> .
16
17 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 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, 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.
18
19 Bg 13.3
20
21 TEXT 3
22
23 TRANSLATION
24
25 O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also
> the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and
> its owner is called knowledge. That is My opinion.
26
27 PURPORT
28
29 While discussing the subject of this body and the owner 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 owner of the
> body. I am the superknower. I am present in every body as
> the Paramatma, or Supersoul."
30
31 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.
32
33 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.
34
35 The body consists of the senses. The Supreme Lord is
> Hrsikesa, which means 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,
> and the citizens are secondary controllers. The Lord also
> 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:
36
37 ksetrani hi sarirani bijam capi subhasubhe tani vetti sa
> yogatma tatah ksetrajna ucyate.
38
39 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 owner of activities and the supreme
> owner 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 jnanam.
> 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, and purusa, the enjoyer
> of the 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: "
> 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.
40
41 In this chapter it will be also 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 that "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 of 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.
42
43 Bg 13.4
44
45 TEXT 4
46
47 TRANSLATION
48
49 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.
50
51 PURPORT
52
53 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 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, the
> 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 and individual soul to be the jiva.
> This is something like equalizing the potent and the
> impotent.
54
55 Bg 13.5
56
57 TEXT 5
58
59 TRANSLATION
60
61 That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower
> of activities is described by various sages in various
> Vedic writings-especially in the Vedanta-
> sutra-and is presented with all reasoning as to cause and
> effect.
62
63 PURPORT
64
65 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 non-duality of the soul and the
> Supersoul by referring to Scriptures, the Vedanta,
> which are 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, was also a great sage, and he writes in his books
> of religiosity: "aham tvam ca athanye..." "We-you, I and
> 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
> .
66
> for new
> stuff in other book]
68
> is a manifestation of the Supreme Lord's energy known as
> annamaya by which one depends simply upon food for
> existence. This is a materialistic realization of the
> Supreme. Then there is pranamaya; this means that
> after realizing the Supreme Absolute Truth in foodstuff,
> one can realize the Absolute Truth in the living symptoms,
> or life forms. In jnanamaya
> the living symptom develops to the point of
> thinking, feeling, and willing. Then there is Brahman
> realization and the realization called vijnanamaya by
> which the living entity's mind and life symptoms are
> distinguished from the living entity himself. The next and
> supreme stage is anandamaya, realization of the all-
> blissful nature. Thus there are five stages of Brahman
> realization, which is called brahma puccham. Out of these
> the first three-annamaya, pranamaya, and
> jnanamaya-involve the fields of activities of the
> living entities. Transcendental to all these fields of
> activities is the Supreme Lord, who is called
> anandamaya. In the Vedanta-sutra also the
> Supreme is called anandamayo 'bhyasat.
>
70 The Supreme Personality of Godhead is by nature full of joy,
71 and to enjoy His transcendental bliss, He expands into
> vijnanamaya, pranamaya, jnanamaya, and
> annamaya. In this field of activities the living
> entity is considered to be the enjoyer, and different from
> him is the anandamaya. That means that if the living
> entity decides to enjoy, in dovetailing himself with the
> anandamaya, then he becomes perfect. This is the real
> picture of the Supreme Lord, as supreme knower of the
> field, the living entity, as subordinate knower, and
> the nature of the field of activities
> .
>
72 [filler for more new stuff]
73
74 Bg 13.6, Bg 13.7, Bg 13.6-7
75
77
78 TRANSLATION
79
80 The five great elements, false ego, intelligence, the
81 unmanifested, the ten senses, 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.
>
82 PURPORT
83
84 From all the authoritative statements of the great sages,
85 the Vedic hymns and the aphorisms of the Vedanta-sutra, the
> components of this world
> are earth, water, fire, air and ether. These
> are the five great elements (mahabhuta). 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 touch.
> Then five working senses: voice, legs, hands, the anus and
> the 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, warmth, 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 is desire, hatred, pleasure and
> pain, 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.
>
86 The five great elements are a gross representation of the
87 subtle false ego. They are a representation in
> the material
> conception. Consciousness is represented by
> intelligence, of which the unmanifested
> stage is the three modes of material nature. The
> unmanifested three modes of material nature is called
> pradhana.
>
88 One who desires to know the twenty-four elements in detail
89 along with their interactions should study the philosophy
> in more detail. In Bhagavad-gita, a summary only is given.
>
90 The body is the representation of all these factors, and
91 there are changes of the body, which are six in number: the
> body is born, it grows, it stays, it produces by-products,
> then begins to decay, and at the last stage it vanishes.
> Therefore the field is a nonpermanent material thing.
> However, the ksetrajna, the knower of the field, its
> proprietor, is different.
>
92 Bg 13.8, Bg 13.9, Bg 13.10, Bg 13.11, Bg 13.12, Bg 13.8-12
93
95
96 TRANSLATION
97
98 Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity,
99 approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness,
> steadiness and 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;
> nonattachment to children,
> wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid
> pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed
> devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places,
> detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the
> importance of self-realization, and philosophical search
> for the Absolute Truth-all these I thus declare to be
> knowledge, and what is contrary to these is
> ignorance.
>
100 PURPORT
101
102 This process of knowledge is sometimes misunderstood by
103 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 tenfold elements, as
> described before, This is actually 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
> tenth verse:
> 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
> .
> The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned
104 in the seventh 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.
>
105 As for the knowledge outlined here, the items may be
106 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.
>
107 Nonviolence is generally taken to mean not
108 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
> .
>
109 Tolerance means that one should be practiced to
110 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, for making advancement in
> spiritual knowledge, there may be many impediments, but
> we should be tolerant and continue our progress
> with determination.
>
111 Simplicity means that without diplomacy one should be
112 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 regulated principles. Or, the
> regulated principles will be easier for one who has
> served the spiritual master without reservation.
>
114
> 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
> .
>
115 Steadiness means that one should be very determined to
116 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 Gita try
> to divert the mind of the reader to other subjects, but
> there is no other subject in Bhagavad-gita but devotional
> service.
>
117 False ego means accepting this body as
118 oneself. When
> one understands
> that he is not his body
> and
> is spirit soul, that is real
> ego
> . Ego
> is
> there
> . False ego
> is condemned, but
> not real ego
> . In the Vedic literature,
> it is said:
> aham
> brahmasmi.
>
119 I am Brahman, I am spirit. This "I am," the sense of
120 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.
>
121 One should try to understand the distress of accepting
122 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.
>
123 As for detachment from children, wife and home, it is not
124 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 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.
>
125 Happiness and distress
126 are concommitant 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
> equiposed 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.
>
127 Naturally, when one is adapted to the spiritual
128 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 with what the self is
> concerned. That is recommended here.
>
129 As far as self-realization is concerned, it is
130 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 is clearly stated.
> So bhakti or devotional
> service is eternal
> . One should be
> established in that philosophical conviction,
> otherwise it is only a waste of time,
> ignorance
> .
>
131 In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, this is
132 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." (Bhag.
> 1.2.11) 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 perfection
> of knowledge.
>
133 Beginning from practicing humility up to the point of
134 realization of the Supreme Truth, the Absolute
> Personality of Godhead, this process is just like
> a staircase beginning from the ground floor up to the top
> floor. Now on this staircase there are so
> many people who have reached the first floor, the
> second or 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
> harmful. To think oneself God is most puffed up.
> Although the living entity is always being kicked by the
> stringent laws of material nature, still he thinks, "I am
> God" because of ignorance. 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.
>
135 Bg 13.13
136
137 TEXT 13
138
139 TRANSLATION
140
141 I shall now explain the knowable, knowing which you will
142 taste the eternal. This is beginningless,
> and it is subordinate to Me. It is called
> Brahman, the spirit, and it lies beyond the cause and
> effect of this material world.
>
143 PURPORT
144
145 The Lord has explained the field of activities and the
146 knower of the field. He has also explained the process of
> knowing the knower of the field of activities. Now He
> is explaining the knowable, both the soul and
> the Supersoul respectively. 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 jivatma's manifestation from
> the Supreme Lord. Therefore it is beginningless. The Vedic
> literature confirms this: na jayate mrjayate va vipascit
> . The knower of the body is never
> born and never dies, and he is full of knowledge. The
> Supreme Lord is also stated in the Vedic literature as
> pradhana-ksetrajna-patir gunesah. The Supreme Lord as the
> Supersoul is the chief knower of the body, and He is 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
> teaching; 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 vijnanam brahma as opposed to
> ananta-brahma. Ananta-brahma is the Supreme Brahman
> Personality of Godhead.
>
147 Bg 13.14
148
149 TEXT 14
150
151 TRANSLATION
152
153 Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes and
154 faces, and He hears everything. In this way the
> Supersoul exists.
>
155 PURPORT
156
157 As the sun exists diffusing its unlimited rays, so does the
158 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 although 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. 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 it is stated, goloka
> eva nivasati: 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.
>
159 Bg 13.15
160
161 TEXT 15
162
163 TRANSLATION
164
165 The Supersoul is the original source of all senses, yet He
166 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
> modes of material nature.
>
167 PURPORT
168
169 The Supreme Lord, although the source of all the senses of
170 the living entities, doesn't have material senses like they
> have. Actually, the individual souls have spiritual senses,
> but in condemned 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 sensual activities, He
> has His transcendental senses which are uncontaminated.
> This is very nicely explained in the Svetasvatara Upanisad
> in the verse: sarvatah pani-padam.
> 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.
>
171 Bhagavad-gita also confirms that when the Lord appears He
172 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 maintainer of all living entities and
> the witness of all activities. 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 then 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.
>
173 Bg 13.16
174
175 TEXT 16
176
177 TRANSLATION
178
179 The Supreme Truth exists both internally and externally,
180 in the moving and nonmoving.
> He is beyond the power of the material senses
> to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is also near
> to all.
>
181 PURPORT
182
183 In Vedic literature we understand that Narayana, the
184 Supreme Person, is residing both outside and inside of
> every living entity. He is present both in the
> spiritual and material world. 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
> . 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
>
185 Bg 13.17
186
187 TEXT 17
188
189 TRANSLATION
190
191 Although the Supersoul appears to be divided
192 , 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.
>
193 PURPORT
194
195 The Lord is situated in everyone's heart as the Supersoul.
196 Does that 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 his 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 has come to devour all the warriors assembled at
> Kuruksetra. He also mentions 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 al1.
>
197 After creation, everything rests in His omnipotence, and
198 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
> abhisamvisanti tad brahma tad vijijnasasva. (
> Taittiriya Upanisad, 3.1)
>
199 Bg 13.18
200
201 TEXT 18
202
203 TRANSLATION
204
205 He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is
206 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.
>
207 PURPORT
208
209 The Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the
210 source of light in all luminous objects like the sun, moon,
> stars, etc. 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
> . 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.
>
211 One Vedic mantra says: tam ha
212 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 viditvatimrtyum
> eti. "Only by knowing You can one surpass the
> boundary of birth and death."
>
213 He is situated in everyone's heart as the supreme
214 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: sarvasya
> prabhum isanam sarvasya saranam brhat.
>
215 That Supreme Personality of Godhead, Supersoul, is the
216 prabhu or master of all living entities; therefore He is
> the ultimate center of all living entities. So there is no
> denying the fact that the Supreme Supersoul and the
> individual soul are always different.
>
217 Bg 13.19
218
219 TEXT 19
220
221 TRANSLATION
222
223 Thus the field of activities [the body], knowledge, and the
224 knowable have been summarily described by Me. Only My
> devotees can understand this thoroughly and thus attain to
> My nature.
>
225 PURPORT
226
227 The Lord has described in summary the body, knowledge and
228 the knowable. This knowledge is of three things: the knower,
> the knowable and the process of knowing. Combined, these
> are called vijnanam, 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
> .
>
229 Bg 13.20
230
231 TEXT 20
232
233 TRANSLATION
234
235 Material nature and the living entities should be
236 understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and
> the modes of matter are products of material nature.
>
237 PURPORT
238
240 the body, the field of activities and the knowers of the
> body (both the individual soul and the Supersoul) can be
> known. The body is the field of activity and is composed of
> material nature. It is the individual soul which is
> embodied. 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.
>
241 Both material nature and the living entity are eternal.
242 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 they
> are of the superior energy. Both of
> them 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 adverse to serving the
> Supreme Lord. Thus they are not allowed to enter into the
> spiritual sky. After the winding up 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 the
> 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.
>
243 Bg 13.21
244
245 TEXT 21
246
247 TRANSLATION
248
249 Nature is said to be the cause of all material activities
250 and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the
> various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.
>
251 PURPORT
252
253 The different manifestations of body and senses among the
254 living entities are due to material nature. There are 8,400,
> 000 different species of life, and these varieties are
> the creation 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 victims who present different pleasures
> to 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 as follows:
> dva suparna sayuja sakhaya. 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.
>
255 Bg 13.22
256
257 TEXT 22
258
259 TRANSLATION
260
261 The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways
262 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 amongst various species.
>
263 PURPORT
264
265 This verse is very important for an understanding of how
266 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.
>
267 How he is put into such different bodies is explained here.
268 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.
>
269 Bg 13.23
270
271 TEXT 23
272
273 TRANSLATION
274
275 Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental
276 enjoyer who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who
> exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as
> the Supersoul.
>
277 PURPORT
278
279 It is stated here that the Supersoul, who is always with
280 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 the representation of
> Paramatma in every body. He is different from the
> individual soul; He is parah, 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 He
> 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 bhakta or the
> sustained, and He is bhukta or the maintainer. There
> are innumerable living entities, and He is staying in them
> as a friend.
>
281 The fact is that individual living entities are
282 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 independantly in an attempt to
> dominate the supreme 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 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 him 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
>
283 Bg 13.24
284
285 TEXT 24
286
287 TRANSLATION
288
289 One who understands this philosophy concerning material
290 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.
>
291 PURPORT
292
293 Clear understanding of material nature, the Supersoul, the
294 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.
>
295 Bg 13.25
296
297 TEXT 25
298
299 TRANSLATION
300
301 That Supersoul is perceived by some through
302 meditation, by some through the cultivation of
> knowledge, and by others through working without
> fruitive desire.
>
303 PURPORT
304
305 The Lord informs Arjuna that the conditioned soul can be
306 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
> 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 really capable
> of spiritual understanding because they understand that
> beyond this material nature there is 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 second class.
> The atheistic 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.
>
307 Bg 13.26
308
309 TEXT 26
310
311 TRANSLATION
312
313 Again there are those who, although not conversant in
314 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.
>
315 PURPORT
316
317 This verse is particularly applicable to modern society
318 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, he 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.
>
319 Bg 13.27
320
321 TEXT 27
322
323 TRANSLATION
324
325 O chief of the Bharatas, whatever you see in
326 existence, both moving and unmoving, is only
> the combination of the field of activities and the knower
> of the field.
>
327 PURPORT
328
329 Both material nature and the living entity, which were
330 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
> superior nature, the living entity. Without the touch
> of the superior nature, the living entity, nothing can grow.
> Therefore 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.
>
331 Bg 13.28
332
333 TEXT 28
334
335 TRANSLATION
336
337 One who sees the Supersoul accompanying the individual soul
338 in all bodies and who understands that neither the soul
> nor the Supersoul is ever
> destroyed, actually sees.
>
339 PURPORT
340
341 Anyone who can see three things
342 -the body, the proprietor of the body, or
> individual soul, and the friend of the individual soul,
> combined together by good association-
> is actually in knowledge
> . Those who are not associated
> with the soul's friend are ignorant; they simply see
> the body, and when the body is destroyed
> they think that everything is finished,
>
343 but actually it is not so. After the destruction of the
344 body, both the soul and the Supersoul exist, and they go on
> eternally in many various moving and unmoving forms. The
> Sanskrit word paramesvaram 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 paramesvaram 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.
>
345 Bg 13.29
346
347 TEXT 29
348
349 TRANSLATION
350
351 One who sees the Supersoul in
352 every living being and equal everywhere does not degrade
> himself by his mind. Thus he approaches the transcendental
> destination.
>
353 PURPORT
354
355 The living entity, by accepting his material existence as
356 just so much suffering, can become situated
> in his spiritual existence. 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, and he
> therefore gradually advances in the spiritual world. The
> mind is generally addicted to self-centered processes;
> but when the mind turns to the Supersoul, one becomes
> advanced in spiritual understanding.
>
357 Bg 13.30
358
359 TEXT 30
360
361 TRANSLATION
362
363 One who can see that all activities are performed by the
364 body, which is created of material nature, and sees that
> the self does nothing, actually sees.
>
365 PURPORT
366
367 This body is made by material nature under the direction of
368 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.
>
369 Bg 13.31
370
371 TEXT 31
372
373 TRANSLATION
374
375 When a sensible man ceases to see different identities,
376 which are due to different material bodies, he attains
> to the Brahman conception. Thus he sees that
> beings are expanded everywhere.
>
377 PURPORT
378
379 When one can see that the various bodies of living entities
380 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, this 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 beautified 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.
>
381 Bg 13.32
382
383 TEXT 32
384
385 TRANSLATION
386
387 Those with the vision of eternity can see that the
388 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.
>
389 PURPORT
390
391 A living entity appears to be born because of the birth of
392 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.
>
393 Bg 13.33
394
395 TEXT 33
396
397 TRANSLATION
398
399 The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with
400 anything, although it is all-pervading. Similarly, the soul,
> situated in Brahman vision, does not mix with the body,
> though situated in that body.
>
401 PURPORT
402
403 The air enters into water, mud, stool and whatever else is
404 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.
>
405 Bg 13.34
406
407 TEXT 34
408
409 TRANSLATION
410
411 O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this
412 universe, so does the living entity, one within the body,
> illuminate the entire body by consciousness.
>
413 PURPORT
414
415 There are various theories regarding consciousness. Here in
416 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
> .
>
417 When the soul is present in the body, there is
418 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 production 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.
>
419 Bg 13.35
420
421 TEXT 35
422
423 TRANSLATION
424
425 One who knowingly sees this difference
426 between the body and the owner of the body and can
> understand the process of liberation from this bondage,
> also attains to the supreme goal.
>
427 PURPORT
428
429 The purport of this Thirteenth Chapter is that one should
430 know the distinction between the body, the owner of the
> body, and the Supersoul.
>
431 A faithful person should at first have some good
432 association to hear of God and thus gradually become
> enlightened. If one accepts a spiritual master, he can
> learn to distinguish between matter and spirit, and that
> becomes the steppingstone for further spiritual realization.
> A spiritual master teaches his
> students to get free from the material concept of life by
> various instructions. For instance, in Bhagavad-gita we
> find Krsna instructing Arjuna to free him from
> materialistic considerations.
>
433 One can understand that this body is matter; it can be
434 analyzed with its twenty-four elements. That 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 also can 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.
>
435 Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Thirteenth
436 Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Nature,
> the Enjoyer, and Consciousness.
>