Bhagavad-gita As It Is
CHAPTER 13b: Nature, the Enjoyer, and Consciousness
©1989, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Text:
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TEXT 18
jyotisam api tajjyotis
tamasah param ucyate
jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam
hrdi sarvasya visthitam
WORD FOR WORD
jyotisam -- in all luminous objects; api -- also; tat
-- that; jyotih -- the source of light; tamasah -- the
darkness; param -- beyond; ucyate -- is said; jnanam
-- knowledge; jneyam -- to be known; jnana-gamyam -- to be
approached by knowledge; hrdi -- in the heart; sarvasya --
of everyone; visthitam -- situated.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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. 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)
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 Krishna's hands and legs
are distributed everywhere. This is confirmed in the Svetasvatara
Upanisad (3.17): sarvasya prabhum isanam sarvasya saranam
brhat. 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.
TEXT 19
iti ksetram tatha jnanam
jneyam coktam samasatah
mad-bhakta etad vijnaya
mad-bhavayopapdyate
WORD FOR WORD
iti -- thus; ksetram -- the field of activities (the body);
tatha -- also; jnanam -- knowledge; jneyam -- the
knowable; ca -- also; uktam -- described; samasatah
-- in summary; mat-bhaktah -- My devotee; etat -- all this;
vijnaya -- after understanding; mat-bhavaya -- to My nature;
upapadyate -- attains.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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 Krishna consciousness. We are being led by
material consciousness, but as soon as we transfer all consciousness to
Krishna's activities and realize that Krishna 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.
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-darshanam, 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.
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, Krishna. In other words,
only devotees, and not others, can understand Bhagavad-gita and
derive the desired result.
TEXT 20
prakrtim purusam caiva
viddhy anadi ubhav api
vikarams ca gunams caiva
viddhi prakrti-sambhavan
WORD FOR WORD
prakrtim -- material nature; purusam -- the living entities;
ca -- also; eva -- certainly; viddhi -- you must
know; anadi -- without beginning; ubhau -- both; api
-- also; vikaran -- transformations; ca -- also;
gunan -- the three modes of nature; ca -- also; eva
-- certainly; viddhi -- know; prakrti -- material nature;
sambhavan -- produced of.
TRANSLATION
Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be
beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products
of material nature.
PURPORT
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.
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-Vishnu, 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.
TEXT 21
karya-karana-kartrtve
hetuh prakrtir ucyate
purusah sukha-duhkhanam
bhoktrtve hetur ucyate
WORD FOR WORD
karya -- of effect; karana -- and cause; kartrtve --
in the matter of creation; hetuh -- the instrument; prakrtih
-- material nature; ucyate -- is said to be; purusah -- the
living entity; sukha -- of happiness; duhkhanam -- and
distress; bhoktrtve -- in enjoyment; hetuh -- the
instrument; ucyate -- is said to be.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 22
purusah prakrti-stho hi
bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan
karanam guna-sango 'sya
sad-asad-yoni-janmasu
WORD FOR WORD
purusah -- the living entity; prakrti-sthah -- being
situated in the material energy; hi -- certainly; bhunkte --
enjoys; prakrti-jan -- produced by the material nature;
gunan -- the modes of nature; karanam -- the cause;
guna-sangah -- the association with the modes of nature;
asya -- of the living entity; sat-asat -- in good and bad;
yoni -- species of life; janmasu -- in births.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
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 Krishna consciousness. Unless one
is situated in Krishna 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 Krishna.
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.
TEXT 23
upadrastanumanta ca
bharta bhokta mahesvarah
paramatmeti capy ukto
dehe 'smin purusah parah
WORD FOR WORD
upadrasta -- overseer; anumanta -- permitter; ca --
also; bharta -- master; bhokta -- supreme enjoyer;
maha-isvarah -- the Supreme Lord; parama-atma -- the
Supersoul; iti -- also; ca -- and; api -- indeed;
uktah -- is said; dehe -- in the body; asmin -- this;
purusah -- enjoyer; parah -- transcendental.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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 ispara, 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.
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.
TEXT 24
ya evam vetti purusam
prakrtim ca gunaih saha
sarvatha vartamano 'pi
na sa bhuyo 'bhijayate
WORD FOR WORD
yah -- anyone who; evam -- thus; vetti --
understands; purusam -- the living entity; prakrtim --
material nature; ca -- and; gunaih -- the modes of material
nature; saha -- with; sarvatha -- in all ways;
vartamanah -- being situated; api -- in spite of; na
-- never; sah -- he; bhuyah -- again; abhijayate --
takes his birth.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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 Krishna
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.
TEXT 25
dhyanenatmani pasyanti
kecid atmanam atmana
anye sankhyena yogena
karma-yogena capare
WORD FOR WORD
dhyanena -- by meditation; atmani -- within the self;
pasyanti -- see; kecit -- some; atmanam -- the
Supersoul; atmana -- by the mind; anye -- others;
sankhyena -- of philosophical discussion; yogena -- by the
yoga system; karma-yogena -- by activities without fruitive
desire; ca -- also; apare -- others.
TRANSLATION
Some perceive the Supersoul within themselves through meditation, others
through the cultivation of knowledge, and still others through working
without fruitive desires.
PURPORT
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 Krishna
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 Krishna 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.
TEXT 26
anye tv evam ajanantah
srutvanyebhya upasate
te 'pi catitaranty eva
mrtyum sruti-parayanah
WORD FOR WORD
anye -- others; tu -- but; evam -- thus;
ajanantah -- without spiritual knowledge; srutva -- by
hearing; anyebhyah -- from others; upasate -- begin to
worship; te -- they; api -- also; ca -- and;
atitaranti -- transcend; eva -- certainly; mrtyum --
the path of death; sruti-parayanah -- inclined to the process of
hearing.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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 Krishna
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 Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, 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.
TEXT 27
yavat sanjayate kincit
sattvam sthavara-jangamam
ksetra-ksetrajna-samyogat
tad viddhi bharatarsabha
WORD FOR WORD
yavat -- whatever; sanjayate -- comes into being;
kincit -- anything; sattvam -- existence; sthavara --
not moving; jangamam -- moving; ksetra -- of the body;
ksetra-jna -- and the knower of the body; samyogat -- by the
union between; tat viddhi -- you must know it;
bharata-rsabha -- O chief of the Bharatas.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 28
samam sarvesu bhutesu
tisthantam paramesvaram
vinasyatsv avinasyantam
yah pasyati sa pasyati
WORD FOR WORD
samam -- equally; sarvesu -- in all; bhutesu --
living entities; tisthantam -- residing; parama-isvaram --
the Supersoul; vinasyatsu -- in the destructible;
avinasyantam -- not destroyed; yah -- anyone who;
pasyati -- sees; sah -- he; pasyati -- actually sees.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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. 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.
TEXT 29
samam pasyan hi sarvatra
samavasthitam isvaram
na hinasty atmanatmanam
tato yati param gatim
WORD FOR WORD
samam -- equally; pasyan -- seeing; hi -- certainly;
sarvatra -- everywhere; samavasthitam -- equally situated;
isvaram -- the Supersoul; na -- does not; hinasti --
degrade; atmana -- by the mind; atmanam -- the soul;
tatah -- then; yati -- reaches; param -- the
transcendental; gatim -- destination.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 30
prakrtyaiva ca karmani
kriyamanani sarvasah
yah pasyati tathatmanam
akartaram sa pasyati
WORD FOR WORD
prakrtya -- by material nature; eva -- certainly; ca
-- also; karmani -- activities; kriyamanani -- being
performed; sarvasah -- in all respects; yah -- anyone who;
pasyati -- sees; tatha -- also; atmanam -- himself;
akartaram -- the nondoer; sah -- he; pasyati -- sees
perfectly.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 31
yada bhuta-prthag-bhavam
eka-stham anupasyati
tata eva ca vistaram
brahma sampadyate tada
WORD FOR WORD
yada -- when; bhuta -- of living entities;
prthak-bhavam -- separated identities; eka-stham -- situated
in one; anupasyati -- one tries to see through authority; tatah
eva -- thereafter; ca -- also; vistaram -- the
expansion; brahma -- the Absolute; sampadyate -- he attains;
tada -- at that time.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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 Krishna consciousness in his spiritual identity. How he then
sees things will be explained in the next verse.
TEXT 32
anaditvan nirgunatvat
paramatmayam avyayah
sarira-stho 'pi kaunteya
na karoti na lipyate
WORD FOR WORD
anaditvat -- due to eternity; nirgunatvat -- due to being
transcendental; parama -- beyond material nature; atma --
spirit; ayam -- this; avyayah -- inexhaustible;
sarira-sthah -- dwelling in the body; api -- though;
kaunteya -- O son of Kunti; na karoti -- never does
anything; na lipyate -- nor is he entangled.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 33
yatha sarva-gatam sauksmyad
akasam nopalipyate
sarvatravasthito dehe
tathatma nopalipyate
WORD FOR WORD
yatha -- as; sarva-gatam -- all-pervading; sauksmyat
-- due to being subtle; akasam -- the sky; na -- never;
upalipyate -- mixes; sarvatra -- everywhere;
avasthitah -- situated; dehe -- in the body; tatha --
so; atma -- the self; na -- never; upalipyate --
mixes.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 34
yatha prakasayaty ekah
krtsnam lokam imam ravih
ksetram ksetri tatha krtsnam
prakasayati bharata
WORD FOR WORD
yatha -- as; prakasayati -- illuminates; ekah -- one;
krtsnam -- the whole; lokam -- universe; imam --
this; ravih -- sun; ksetram -- this body; ksetri --
the soul; tatha -- similarly; krtsnam -- all;
prakasayati -- illuminates; bharata -- O son of Bharata.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
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.
TEXT 35
ksetra-ksetrajnayor evam
antaram jnana-caksusa
bhuta-prakrti-moksam ca
ye vidur yanti te param
WORD FOR WORD
ksetra -- of the body; ksetra-jnayoh -- of the proprietor of
the body; evam -- thus; antaram -- the difference;
jnana-caksusa -- by the vision of knowledge; bhuta -- of the
living entity; prakrti -- from material nature; moksam --
the liberation; ca -- also; ye -- those who; viduh --
know; yanti -- approach; te -- they; param -- the
Supreme.
TRANSLATION
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.
PURPORT
The purport of this Thirtheenth Chapter is 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.
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
Krishna instructing Arjuna to free him from materialistic considerations.
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.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Thirteenth Chapter of the
Srimad Bhagavad-gita in the matter of Nature, the Enjoyer and
Consciousness.
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