B GITA 2

 ||HARI OM||

||THE SECRETS OF GITA||

Summary of Chapter 13: The Yoga of discrimination between the Field and Knower of the Field.

In the 13th chapter of the Gita, Shri Krishna gives explanation of the 𝗞𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮, or field, and 𝗞𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗷𝗻𝗮, the individual self and distinction between them. Kshetra is material, mutable and perishable whereas Kshetrajna is conscious, same as knowledge and eternal.

Shri Krishna indicates that He Himself is the Kshetrajna in all bodies, which indicates the existence of 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗮 alongside the individual soul or this could be taken simply as a reaffirmation of the statement of 10.19, 𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢 (‘I am the atma’). An analysis of twenty four elements of Nature is given and the Lord describes the modifications that arise in the field, in the form of emotions and feelings. He also mentions the virtues and qualities that illumine it with the light of knowledge. Such knowledge helps us gain realization of the soul, who is the knower of the field. There is a story related to it: A wandering 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗵𝘂 is asked what his work in life is; he replies, “𝘐’𝘮 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥. 𝘐 𝘴𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴.” Thus our thoughts, taken together, bear fruit in the actions, decisions, and desires that shape our lives.

Shri Krishna then describe the person who understands his or her own 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. Those, who can perceive these distinctions are the ones who actually see and they are the ones who are situated in knowledge. They observe the 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗹 present in all living beings, and so they do not degrade themselves by their mind. They can see the variety of living beings situated in the same material nature. Most people confuse the two, taking the 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 and 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 to be who they are, we may be totally unaware that there is a 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧, a consciousness underneath the surface awareness of a separate “I.”

The Lord describes the ultimate underlying reality which is to be known: 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗻, pure, undifferentiated consciousness, the divine ground of existence and the all-pervasive. The technical terms 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪 and 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘢 are used. Purusha is the knower and prakriti the field. From the union of these two all things are born. Both Prakriti and Purusha are essential to the creation of the world. Together the two represent 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘮𝘢𝘯, the absolute Godhead, and the creative power of the Godhead called 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘢.

This chapter emphasizes that the 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧, the real knower, is ever uninvolved in the shifting forces that play over the field. By definition, nothing taking place in the realm of prakriti can affect Purusha. The Lord explains this mystery by drawing a comparison with Akasha. 𝘈𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢 is space itself and just as space pervades the cosmos, yet remains pure even in the midst of impure things, so the 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧 remains completely pure, even though it dwells in all things, the real knower in every creature is deathless, “𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵”

||OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI||

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