SECRET OF KNOWLEDGE IN BHAGAWAD-GITA

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SECRET OF KNOWLEDGE IN BHAGAWAD-GITA Aspirants seeking knowledge of

Truth should be interested in understanding the object of such

knowledge. Arjuna, as a seeker of Truth, inquires from Lord Krsna about

prakriti (nature), purusha (enjoyer), ksetra (field), ksetra-jna (its

knower) as also about knowledge and the object of knowledge in the

first verse of Chapter XIII of Bhagawad-gita. The human body is the

field of activity for the conditioned soul. The person who identifies

himself with his body is called the ksetra-jna, the knower of the

field. The person who owns the body should know that the body is always

changing over time from childhood to old age but the unchanging knower

is different from the changing body. Starting with the Thirteenth

Chapter, the Lord explains how the living entity comes into contact

with material nature and how the Supreme Lord delivers him through the

different methods of activities, cultivation of knowledge and the

discharge of devotional service.

In verse 3 of Chapter XIII, the Lord defines knowledge by saying : “ O,

scion of Bharatha, you understand that I am also the Knower in all

bodies, and to understand this body and its knower is called knowledge.

That is My opinion.” Commenting on the purport of this all important

verse on knowledge, Srila Prabhupada says : “ While discussing the

subject of body and knower of body, the soul and the Super soul, 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 Super soul.” The Supreme Personality

of Godhead Sri Krsna is the Super Knower and He is present in every

body as the Paramatma or Super soul. One who studies the field of

activity and the knower of the field very minutely can attain to

knowledge of Reality.

The individual is the knower of his own body but the Supreme

Personality of Godhead who is present as the Super soul in all bodies

is omniscient and knows everything about all bodies of all species of

life. The Supreme Lord knows the bodies and the owners of the bodies as

the Knower of all fields. Perfect knowledge of the constitution of the

body, the constitution of the individual soul and the constitution of

the Supreme soul is known in terms of Vedic literature as Jnana or

knowledge of the three Realities. That is the opinion of Lord Krsna. To

understand both the soul and the Super soul as one yet distinct is the

very essence of knowledge. One has to understand the position of

prakriti (nature), purusha (enjoyer of nature) and Iswara (the Knower

who controls nature and the individual soul). This material world,

which is the playground of activities of living beings, is nature, the

enjoyer of nature is the living entity and controlling both as Supreme

Controller is the Personality of Godhead Krsna. In the Vedic language,

there are three Brahman conceptions namely prakriti is Brahman as the

field of activities, jiva (individual soul) is also Brahman who

controls only material nature and the Controller of both prakriti

(nature) and purusha (enjoyer) is also Brahman, the Supreme Controller.

Krsna is the Super soul present in each and every body apart from the

individual soul. The Super soul is the Controller of both the field of

activities and the finite enjoyers. In verses 11 and 12 of Chapter

XIII, the Lord declares : “Constant and unalloyed devotion to Me,

aspiring to live in a solitary place, detachment from general mass of

people, accepting the importance of self-realization and philosophical

search for the Absolute Truth  all these I declare to be knowledge and

besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.” Explaining the

purport of these verses, Srila Prabhupada says : “ Of all the

description of the process of knowledge, the most important point is

described in the first line of the eleventh verse MAYI CANANYA YOGENA

BHAKTIR AVYABHICARINI : the process of knowledge terminates in

unalloyed devotional service to the Lord. So if one does not approach,

or is not able to approach the transcendental service of the Lord, then

the other nineteen items (in earlier verses) are of no particular

value. But if one takes to devotional service in full Krsna

consciousness, the other nineteen items automatically develop within

him. As stated in Srimad Bhagawatham (5.18.12) YASYASTI BHAKTIR

BHAGAVATYAKINCANA SARVAIR GUNAIS TATRA SAMASATE SURAH. All the good

qualities of knowledge develop in one who has attained the stage of

devotional service.”

In verse 35 of Chapter IV, the Lord reveals the nature of this

knowledge in these words: “Having obtained real knowledge from a

self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for

by this knowledge, you will see that all living beings are but part of

the Supreme, or in other words, that they are Mine.” In his comments on

the purport of this verse, Srila Prabhupada says : “ The result of

receiving knowledge from a self-realized soul, or one who knows things

as they are, is learning that all living beings are parts and parcels

of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krsna. The sense of

existence separate from Krsna is called MAYA (MA-not, YA this). The

whole teaching of the Gita is targeted towards this end: that a living

being, as Krsna’s eternal servitor, cannot be separated from Krsna, and

his sense of being an identity apart from Krsna is called MAYA. The

living entity, as separate parts and parcels of the Supreme, have a

purpose to fulfil. Having forgotten that purpose since time immemorial,

they are situated in different bodies as men, animals, demigods etc.

Such body differences arise from forgetfulness of the transcendental

service of the Lord.”

Perfect knowledge is that the Supreme soul Krsna, is the supreme

shelter for all living entities. Bhagawatham (2.10.6) says : MUKTIR

HITVANYATHA - RUPAM SVARUPENA VYAVASTHITIHI i.e. liberation means to be

situated in one’s constitutional position as an eternal servitor of

Krsna. In verse 36 of Chapter IV, the Lord praises the glory of

knowledge in these words : “Even if you are considered to be the most

sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of

transcendental knowledge, you will be able to cross over the ocean of

miseries.” In the purport of this verse, Srila Prabhupada says : “

Proper understanding of one’s constitutional position in relationship

to Krsna is so nice that it can lift one from the struggle for

existence which goes on in the ocean of nescience…..Perfect knowledge,

received from the Personality of Godhead is the path to liberation.”

In verse 16 of Chapter V, the Lord declares : “ When, however, one is

enlightened with knowledge, by which nescience is destroyed, then his

knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the

daytime.” Explaining the purport of this important verse, Srila

Prabhupada says : “ Knowledge is always highly esteemed. And what is

that knowledge? Perfect knowledge is achieved when one surrenders into

Krsna, as is said in the Seventh Chapter, 19th verse : BAHUNAM JANMANAM

ANTE JNANAVAN MAM PRAPADYATE. After passing through many, many births,

when one perfect in knowledge surrenders unto Krsna or when one attains

Krsna Consciousness, then everything is revealed to him, as everything

is revealed by the sun in the daytime.” Only the light of knowledge can

destroy the darkness of nescience and ignorance.

Even though a person may be in full knowledge that he is not the body

but is transcendent to the body, he still may not be able to

discriminate between the soul and the Super soul. One should know the

Super soul and the soul’s close and inalienable relationship with the

Super soul; one has to learn the distinction between God and the living

entity. Lord Sri Krsna, therefore, stated in the Second Chapter (2.12)

that every living being is individual and that the Lord also is

individual. They were all individuals in the past, they are individuals

at present and they will continue to be individuals in the future even

after liberation. Identity with individuality in spiritual life is real

knowledge says Srila Prabhupada.

The Lord, in verse 18 of Chapter V describes true knowledge in these

words: “ The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal

knowledge a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and

dog eater (outcaste). In his comments on the purport of this verse,

Srila Prabhupada says : “ A Krsna conscious person does not make any

distinction between species or castes. The brahmana and the outcaste

may be different from the social point of view, or a dog, a cow and an

elephant may be different from the point of view of species, but these

differences of body are meaningless from the viewpoint of a learned

transcendentalist. This is due to their relationship, to the Supreme,

for the Supreme Lord, by His plenary position as Paramatman, is present

in everyone’s heart. Such an understanding of the Supreme, is real

knowledge.”

The bodies are material products of different modes of material nature,

but the soul and the Supreme Soul within the body are of the very same

spiritual quality. The individual soul is present only in a particular

body whereas the Paramatman is present in each and every body. The

individual soul is conscious within the limited jurisdiction of its

body whereas the Supreme Soul is conscious of all bodies without

distinction. A self realized person enjoys supreme bliss for he

concentrates on the Supreme. Elaborating the theme of equal vision in

verses 29 to 32 of Chapter VI, the Lord says in verse 29 : “ A true

yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed,

the self realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord every where.”

Commenting on the purport of this verse, Srila Prabhupada writes: “ The

Lord in his Paramatman feature is situated within both the heart of dog

and that of Brahmana. The perfect yogi knows that the Lord is eternally

transcendent and is not materially affected by His presence in either a

dog or a Brahmana…… A Krsna conscious person can see Krsna in the heart

of both the believer and the non-believer.”

In verse 30, the Lord says : “ For one who sees Me everywhere and sees

everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.”

Explaining the purport of this verse, Srila Prabhupada says : “ Nothing

can exist without Krsna, and Krsna is the Lord of everything  this is

the basic principle of Krsna Consciousness… An intimate relationship

between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage, the living

entity can never be annihilated, nor is the Personality of Godhead ever

out of sight of the devotee. To merge in Krsna is spiritual

annihilation. A devotee takes no such risks…. At this stage, Lord Krsna

never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee

lose sight of the Lord.” In verse 31, the Lord declares : “ Such a yogi

who engages in worshipful service of the Supreme, knows that I and the

Super soul are one, remains always in Me in all circumstances.”

Explaining the purport of this verse, Srila Prabhupada says: “ Krsna in

this form of Super soul is situated in everyone’s heart. Furthermore,

there is no difference between the innumerable Super souls present in

the innumerable hearts of living entities. Nor is there a difference

between a Krsna conscious person always engaged in the transcendental

loving service of Krsna and a perfect yogin engaged in meditation on

the Super soul….Krsna Consciousness is the highest stage of trance in

Yoga practice. This very understanding that Krsna is present as

Paramatma in everyone’s heart makes the yogi faultless.”

In verse 32, the Lord declares : “ He is a perfect yogi who by

comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings in

both their happiness and their disaster, O Arjuna.” In the purport of

this verse, Srila Prabhupada says : “ One who is Krsna conscious is a

perfect yogi; he is aware of everyone’s happiness and distress by dint

of his own personal experience…. In other words, a devotee of the Lord

always looks to the welfare of all living entities, and in this way he

is factually a friend everywhere. He is the best yogi because he does

not derive perfection in yoga for his personal benefit but tries for

others also. He does not envy his fellow living entities. Here is a

contrast between a pure devotee of the Lord and a yogi interested only

in his personal elevation.”

In verse 38 of Chapter IV, the Lord declares: “ In this world, there is

nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge

is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become

accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this

knowledge within himself in due course of time.” Commenting on the

purport of this verse, Srila Prabhupada writes: “ When we speak of

transcendental knowledge, we do so in terms of spiritual understanding.

As such, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental

knowledge. Ignorance is the cause of our bondage and knowledge is the

cause of liberation….. In other words, this knowledge and peace

culminate in Krsna Consciousness. That is the last word in the

Bhagawad-gita.” Jesus also says only Truth can set one free. Upanishads

distinguish between Apara Vidya or worldly knowledge acquired through

senses of perception as also intellectual inference using reason and

logic and Para Vidya or transcendental knowledge intuited through

mystic extra sensory perception. Only the pure in heart are blessed

with spiritual understanding to see God.

In verse 39 of Chapter IV, the Lord says: “ A faithful man who is

dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is

eligible to achieve such knowledge and having achieved it, he quickly

attains the supreme spiritual peace.” Srila Prabhupada lucidly explains

the purport of this very important verse in these words: “ One is

called a faithful man who thinks that simply by acting in Krsna

Consciousness, he can attain the highest perfection. This faith is

attained by the discharge of devotional service, and by chanting Hare

Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama

Rama, Hare Hare, which cleanses one’s heart of all material dirt. Over

and above this, one should control the senses. A person who is faithful

to Krsna and who controls the senses can easily attain perfection in

the knowledge of Krsna Consciousness without delay.” May all the

devotees of Lord Sri Krsna be blessed with such transcendental

knowledge, peace and bliss

 

 

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