Bhagavatgita a detailed study chapter13.The field and the knower

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22.upadhrashtaa anumanthaa cha

bharthaa bhokthaa

maheSvaraH

 

Paramaathmaa ithi cha api ukthaH

dhehe asmin purushaH

paraH

 

The

Supreme self, is thus, while in the

body, is called spectator, upadhrAshtA, approver, anumanthA, supporter,

bharthA,experiencer, bhokthA, the Lord, mahesvara and the

Supreme Self, paramAthmA.

 

The

Self is upadhrashtA , the witness because is actually not affected by the experiences of

joy and sorrow resulting from the wrong identification with the body. But since

no action or experience is possible with out the accordance of the Self , it is

called anumantha, the approver. Since the body is supported by the Self

it is the bhartha, supporter. Due to the identification with the body

the self seems to experience joy and sorrow and without it no experience is

possible and so the self is called bhoktha, experiencer. As the body is

subservient to the self who is the master, it is called Mahesvara, the

over-lord and in reality the self is

nothing but the Supreme Self , the inner controller and hence called as ParamAthma.

 

The

concept of the Self as upadhrashta

etc. Can be explained as follows.

 

upadhrashta means onlooker. When one identifies himself with

the body. Mind and intellect prompted by the ego which is the result of avidhya,

ignorance, the Self within remains as sakshimaathra,

as the witness self, because no action can take place without the self and the Lord who is the inner self being

aware of. But as long as the ego is engaged

in activities in the world outside, the Lord simply stands as witness, whether

the activities are good or bad.

 

anumantha means the one who permits. When the awareness of

the supreme self as the inner self of all dawns in the mind, then the activities

take a turn towards enlightenment and the Lord becomes the anumanthaa,

approver.

 

bhartha means the one who supports. The seeker who

practices the pathi of yoga, offering the activities to the Lord in a spirit of

surrender, the Lord Himself looks after his spiritual progress and becomes the

supporter. theshaam

nithyaabhiyukthaanaam yogakshemam vahaamyaham (ch.9.22)

 

When

the seeker reaches the stage of total surrender and functions as the instrument of the Lord, then the Lord

Himself becomes the bhokthaa,

enjoyer.

 

23. ya evam vetthi purusham prakrthim

cha guNaih saha

 

sarvaThaa varthamaano api na sa bhooyo abhijaayathe

 

The

one who knows the individual self , purusha and the prakrthi, the matter or

non-self, whatever he does in this life, is not born again .

 

When

the jnana of the real nature of the real nature of the Self and the cause of the

ills of samsara , namely the wrong identification of the Purusha with Prakrthi,

then there is no more lapse back in to samsara.

 

What

is meant by the knowledge of the prakrthi and Purusha in its entirety is

elaborated further in the next few slokas.