BHAGAVAD-GITA 13:34

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 13:34

 

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.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.