Bhagavad Geetha Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetragna Vibhagha Yoga — The Secrets of the Soul and the Body

Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetragna Vibhagha Yoga

The Secrets of the Soul and the Body

Part of the Bhagavad Geetha — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar

( THE SECRETS OF THE SOUL AND THE BODY, THE SOUL THAT GOVERNS THE PHYSICAL BODY ) Kshetra in the Bhagavad Gita context refers to physical body and Kshetragna refers to that unseen one which governs the body (Soul/ Individual Consciousness).

Arjuna questioned " O' Lord, tell me in detail all about the Nature and Consciousness, and also about the body and the unseen presiding force in the body. I am interested in knowing about this phenomena ". Lord Supreme GOD said, "O' Arjuna, this body is known as Kshetra and he who is aware of this Kshetra is known as Kshetragna. Those who know about the body and the ruler of the body say as follows ". Arjuna in every physical body, I AM the Kshetragna meaning Individual Consciousness/ Jeevaathma (because it is surrounded by Karma and Runa). Knowing the secrets of the body (Kshetra) and master of the body (Kshetragna) and knowing this is the knowledge.

Shree Krushna continued, " Arjuna, I will describe now, what is Kshetra and what are its traits and also how it has come into existence, and also say all about Kshetragna and HIS influence on the Kshetra. I will say it briefly ". The principles of the body and the ruler of the body (Soul/Consciousness) has been well described by sages in varied ways, and also Vedas do describe the principles elaborately, even Brahma sutras enunciate this aspect of the body, concluding through logic. The five elements of nature along with Mind, Intellect and ego (Individuality) compose the ingredients of Kshetra. This Kshetra through its five senses experiences the outer world which include sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Notes: The five elements of the nature are the earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, and ether element (Aakaasha), the body is composed of these five elements which are non- living in nature; and the mind, intellect and Individuality are the living aspects of a living being. These are the five elements and other three living elements which makes the Individual to experience the sound, touch, form, taste and smell. All these aspects compose a living being. The five elements compose the physical body and the other elements i.e. mind and intellect composes themselves as tools of Consciousness which is the ruler of the body. Desires, hatred, happiness, sorrows of physical body, constitute Kshetra. On the other hand Consciousness and firmness constitutes Kshetragna. Absence of the self-pride and deceitfulness; not causing violence to animals in any manner, forgiveness, simplicity of mind and talk, dedication and devotion, services to Gurus, Austerity inside and outside, emotional stability, control on senses and mind, not having attachment either in this plane of existence or on the pleasures of heaven, free from ego and commitment to justice and truth, constantly being aware of birth, death and old age and diseases and not getting attached to house, wealth, wife and children (despite dedicatedly doing his duties to them), and totally free from attachments and having Equanimity of Mind between likes and dislikes. And then fixation of Consciousness on the Supreme Being/ GOD with unflinching devotion and being interested in living in clean places and though being in midst of human beings, who are worldly interested, yet detached from them and totally interested in Spiritual Evolution and in the knowledge of the Supreme Being, all this constitute Supreme Knowledge and what is devoid of this is ignorance (Agnana). That which is worth knowing, and by knowing which one gets Supreme Bliss, I AM going to say about it now. That which eternally exists cannot be termed as truth or untruth because it is beyond description. IT can only be known through experience. IT is touching everywhere in all directions, IT has got hands in all directions, IT has heads and eyes in all directions, IT has face and ears in all directions, IT is fully occupying the Universe.

Note: The All-pervading nature of the SUPREME BEING is explained with a figure of speech to indicate IT'S nature (nature of the Supreme Being). IT is complete, All-Knowing, yet without any sense organs. IT is unattached, free of all traits and IT'S laws support everything in the Universe and HE witnesses the play and display of three traits namely Satwa Guna (Positive trait), Rajo Guna (Semi positive trait) and Thamo Guna (Negative trait). IT (Supreme Being) is pervading in all living beings and IT is also pervading inside and outside. IT is static as well as moving, HE is very closer yet far, and HE is finest of the fine and undisturbed. HE is undivided and HE is whole like sky, yet HE appears divided in all living and non-living beings, and HE is worth knowing because HE is the Supreme Lord. And HE as Lord Vishnu, bears all the living and non-living beings and HE is the supporter of all the beings, and as Lord Shiva HE is the destroyer and as Lord Brahma HE is the creator. The Supreme Being is the Light of all Lamps and IT is beyond any illusion and IT can be only known through the knowledge and IT is present in the heart of every living being.

Note: Here, Krushna is saying about the essence of all living beings as HIMSELF. In the previous stanza, HE made it very clear that even though like sky HE is only one and undivided, yet HE appears divided in all the living beings. Meaning HE is present in every living being which is the cause for dynamism in the living beings. HE is also present in the non-living beings but static in nature. Therefore, here, HE is explaining the essence of all lamps, meaning HE is the essence of everything in the creation. If the creation is the body which is the Kshetra, then the ruler of the creation is called Kshetragna i.e., Supreme Being HIMSELF. Arjuna, know MY nature that in every body MY presence is there and I AM the Consciousness, only worthy to be known. And a devotee, who realises MY THIS nature will alone reach ME. The Consciousness and the nature that has emerged from IT are the two aspects which are ever there. All the likes and dislikes are created by the nature with the interaction of three traits.

Note: The term Prakruthi (nature) is used to depict the all-powerful nature of the Supreme Being and this aspect of the Supreme Being is the creator of the three traits namely Positive, Semi- positive, and Negative traits and the interaction of the three traits is the cause for the creation to manifest, but the Supreme Being in ITSELF remains unaffected. The cause and the action thereon is the responsibility of the nature, but the happiness and sorrows are felt by the Individual Consciousness which is encompassed in the body (the Individual soul entrapped by Karma). The soul (Individual Consciousness) encompassed in the body will undergo the interaction of the three traits and the good and bad produced by it, it experiences the same. And it's association with this three traits- oriented nature makes encompassed consciousness to take birth among good and bad species. Individual Consciousness is the part and parcel of the Universal Consciousness. Therefore, the Individual soul is the witness for all the actions done by the senses and intellect (like a spider in the web), and it as a part of the Supreme Being is bound by the actions and reactions done by the senses, mind and intellect.

Note: Some sages and saints often say that the Individual Consciousness itself is the Supreme Being/GOD and this leads individuals to feel that originally he is God himself. It is inappropriate because it is just like saying that a river which is water is as good as sea because sea is also water. Therefore, the Individual Consciousness which in its pure nature even though it is a part of the Supreme Consciousness yet it is bound by the Karma (actions and reactions phenomena) and emotions. Therefore, in Sanskrit the Individual Consciousness in human beings or in animal beings is termed as Jeevaathma [ A soul bounded by karma and emotions (Runa) ]. A person who becomes aware of the nature of the Individual Consciousness and the play and display of the three traits (See Gunathraya Vibhaga yoga @page no 299), even though he is doing actions as duties, he will not be bound by his actions and thereby he will not be born again.

Note: A person through his right spiritual practises becomes aware of the true nature of the Individual Consciousness (which is a part of the Universal Consciousness) and therefore, he will not fall victim to the play and display of the three traits. And thereby, his actions which are envisaged as his duties in this life will not be bound by reactions, and thereby he will not take birth again. Some seekers experience the Supreme Being which is within them through Right Spiritual Meditation. Because through Meditation their intellect will become refined, and thereby they will be able to experience the Supreme Being. Some know ME through appropriate Intellectual Analysis (Jnana Yoga). And some other people experience ME through right actions [ Karma yoga - " where work is worship " meaning Unattached actions without expectations ]. All the above said methods are complimentary to each other in knowing ME.

Note: All the above said methods can be adopted by the seeker of truth simultaneously. Some people of lesser intellect, even though they are not able to analyse, understand and experience the Supreme Being, they can hear from such people who have this right knowledge, and do Saadhana accordingly. By this way of listening attentively, they too can transcend the cycle of birth and death.

Note: It is interesting to hear from the Supreme Being Lord Krushna in this stanza that even the less intellect people who are in the lesser status in the society may not be able to analyse and understand the nature of the Supreme Being and to practise right spiritual practises. Therefore, Lord Krushna has given an easy way i.e. to attentively listen to those people(those pravachana givers, and other knowledgeable people) and learn from them the simplest way like constantly mentally repeating Sanathan divine name of their choice and purifying their Karma and also can cross the ocean of life towards the divine side and never to return. There cannot be any simpler way than this for a common man because neither he has time in his bid to earn bread for his family nor knowledge enough to analyze the nature of the Supreme Being. Therefore it is easy for such people to tune to the frequency of the Supreme Being by taking any one of the Cosmic Code (Naama Japa) and practise this while walking to his work spot and also while returning home or whenever he is free or while taking evening walk and otherwise. A house wife can also adopt a similar way of Maanasika Japa while doing simple house hold works. The union of matter and the spirit (consciousness) is the cause for the manifestation of the living beings.

Note: Matter manifests from THAT Unmanifest, Absolute, Supreme Being which becomes the body and at the same time the consciousness from the Supreme Being is infused into it. Thus, the non- living matter becomes living matter assuming the forms of all living beings. Also even though there is infusion of the Supreme Being into the matter and if it does not become dynamic, they become non- living matter. The Supreme Consciousness that is hidden in the non-living matter is brought to life through a Vedic process in Sanathana Dharma known as "Aagama Shaastras" whereby the Divine Idols of the expressed God forms are brought into dynamic form when the Consciousness is activated in them and they interact with the devotees as Divine Beings in many ways, and each temple in Bhaarat is known to interact with human beings answering their queries and solving their problems. The another way of activating Supreme Consciousness hidden in the non-living stone Idol is through Pratishtaapana (establishing) process at a most auspicious cosmic moment, whereby the divine Consciousness inert in the Idol is activated and the non-living Divine Idol becomes active in the desired God form and interact with the devotees as said earlier. This method is mainly adopted by great Sages and Saints. There cannot be a process of installing the Divine Idol earlier and at the auspicious cosmic moment doing invoking pooja to the Idol, this type of process will not work in invoking, activating the Cosmic Consciousness in the Idol. The people of great Tapas will only know when there is inflow of cosmic energy on to the earth, only at that moment Idol has to be installed and automatically divinity gets activated in it. This Vedanthic method is used by great sages and saints who knows the exact cosmic time when the cosmic energy beams on matters and it is captured at that point of time by the sages and saints, in the Divine idol, be it a chiselled form of the Idol or any stone which will become moola Vigraha i.e., original stone mass which beams cosmic energy for the benefit of the devotees for all times. Therefore, Hindus are not idolaters worshipping imaginary idols but they are cosmically expressed form of the Supreme Being and also a cosmically activated often shapeless stone too. Example Kedarnath and others. In this great method a Saint of great spiritual depth can invoke cosmic energy and make any stone cosmically dynamic and make it to interact with the devotees when worshipped with devotion. In Bhaarath this type of activated stone established temples can be seen throughout the country. ÌuÉlÉzrÉixuÉÌuÉlÉzrÉliÉÇ rÉ: mÉzrÉÌiÉ xÉ mÉzrÉÌiÉ || 28 He who is able to see the non-changing Supreme Being in all the changing and dissolving creation, such a person is seeing the Supreme Being (experiencing Supreme Being in an actual way) because he becomes aware of the ultimate reality. Thereby, he is able to perceive the Supreme Being equally in all-beings and he will not commit any self-destructive actions (doing wrong actions which bind the self in Karma). Therefore, he will attain the Abode of the Supreme Being. A person who realises that all actions are being done by Nature and not by his Consciousness, and he is not the doer, such a person will be a very practical person.

Note: Any person who is doing actions realises that he is doing actions according to the influence of the three traits which composes his nature, but yet he is aware that his soul is not the actor at all, and such a knowledge will make him a very practical person. Whenever a seeker is able to see or experience all the aspects of the creation within the Supreme Being, himself will get established in THAT Supreme Being. From that moment of understanding and experience he attains Supreme Bliss/ Supreme Being. Arjuna, The SUPREME BEING is ever existing without a beginning and without any traits. Even though IT is the Soul of different living bodies, IT is not influenced by the activities of those beings but yet IT is there simply uninfluenced being a silent witness.

Note: Although the Supreme Being remains silent, static as souls in the bodies of the living beings, it does not do any actions, yet being a part of the Supreme Being it does the role of an active observer, but it does react to the good deeds and spiritual pursuit made by any individual by way of gracing him and that is the action the souls do to the entities for their Right Conduct and Spiritual Practises. The Supreme Being is just like the sky which does not show any miscibility into any aspect, similarly, the Individual Consciousness which has no attributes at all, it pervades the entire body of the individual, yet it does not totally integrate into the body ( just as oil not dissolving into the water ).

Note: The sky is the Supreme among the five elements of the nature. And it has no attributes and thereby, it does not infuse into any matter becoming a part and parcel of the matter. Similarly, the Individual Consciousness which is free from all the three traits and any other attributes, even though it is in the body of a person pervading all over, yet it does not get influenced by the body, just as oil not dissolving in the water being a part and parcel of water. Just as the Sun, radiates light to the world, similarly, the Soul/ Individual Consciousness enlivens the body.

Note: As long as the soul is there in the bodies of the living beings they are bright, active, dynamic and shows all the signs of life which evidently mean, they are being enlivened by the soul. Once the soul leaves the body (Kshetra), body begins to decay/ dissolution. Those who realise the role of the body and the role of the soul (body as an actor and soul as a witness to the actions done by the person), and also become aware of the difference between the two through their intellectual knowledge, then such persons will realise the nature of the Supreme Being (in terms of the Universal Consciousness). HERE ENDS THE KSHETRA KSHETRAGNA VIBHAGHA YOGA This chariot of Life is driven by the Soul with Mind as horse and Karma and Runa as the wheels of the chariot.