Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13
(Compiled notes)
Note: This is a series of study notes from the translation of Bhagavad Gita by Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada (ISKCON founder) and titled as "Bhagvad Gita as it is". The copyright and content is that of Prabhupada & publishers. My part is simply distilling the knowledge from my self study and notes to share here in simple abridged form.
Ksetra Gyan Yoga - Yoga of Nature of Body Mind and Spirit
In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā the knower of the body (the living entity) and the position by which he can understand the Supreme Lord are described. In the middle six chapters of the Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the relationship between the individual soul and the Supersoul in regard to devotional service are described. The superior position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the subordinate position of the individual soul are definitely defined in these chapters. The living entities are subordinate under all circumstances, but in their forgetfulness they are suffering. When enlightened by pious activities, they approach the Supreme Lord in different capacities – as the distressed, those in want of money, the inquisitive, and those in search of knowledge. In the 13th chapter specifically, the relationship between the individual spirit, the body, and the knowledge of the body are described.
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13.1:
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क्षेत्र = body (including the senses)
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क्षेत्रज्ञ = पुरुषं = spirit residing in the body
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क्षेत्रज्ञान = the spirit's knowledge of the body it acquires (through its past karma)
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13.3: क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत । क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥ ३ ॥
To Me is known the individual spirit as well all the bodies in which these individual spirits live. To know this is real knowledge.
This confirms that the Supreme Person (Lord Krishna) is the knower of each and every spirit and the bodies they take.
On the other hand the individual spirit is only aware of its own body (ksetra) and not other bodies that other spirits take.
Infact the individual spirit is not even aware of its own various bodies in past births or future births whereas the supreme spirit has the knowledge of all those for every individual spirit.
Thus the supremacy of the Lord (supreme spirit) is confirmed (over the individual spirit).
The body consists of the senses. The Supreme Lord is Hṛṣīkeśa, which means “the controller of the senses.” He is the original controller of the senses, of all bodies.
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13.12 - spiritual knowledge is real knowledge because it is eternal. anything else is not real knowledge.
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13.28 - समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् । विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं य: पश्यति स पश्यति ॥ २८ ॥
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the supreme spirit exists in all bodies;
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the body is destructible but spirit+supreme spirit residing in it are indestructible
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one who sees this, actually sees the Truth.
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My chosen verse from this chapter:
क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत ।
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥ 13.3 ॥
To Me is known the individual spirit as well all the bodies in which these individual spirits live. To know this is real knowledge.
This confirms that the Supreme Person (Lord Krishna) is the knower of each and every spirit and the bodies they take.
On the other hand the individual spirit is only aware of its own body (ksetra) and not other bodies that other spirits take.
Infact the individual spirit is not even aware of its own various bodies in past births or future births whereas the supreme spirit has the knowledge of all those for every individual spirit.
Thus the supremacy of the Lord (supreme spirit) is confirmed (over the individual spirit).
The body consists of the senses. The Supreme Lord is Hṛṣīkeśa, which means “the controller of the senses.” He is the original controller of the senses, of all bodies.
