For Eternal Beginners
क्षेत्रज्ञम् चापि माम् विद्धि सर्व क्षेत्रेषु भारत ।
क्षेत्र क्षेत्रज्ञयोः ज्ञानम् यत् तत् ज्ञानम् मतम् मम ॥ २ ॥
kSetrajJam cApi mAm viddhi sarva kSetreSu bhArata |
kSetra kSetrajJayoH jJAnam yat tat jJAnam matam mama || 2 ||
भारत [bhArata] Arjuna, विद्धि [viddhi] know माम् [mAm] Me क्षेत्रज्ञम् [kSetrajJam] to be the knower च अपि [ca api] as well, सर्व क्षेत्रेषु [sarva kSetreSu] in every body. यत् ज्ञानम् [yat jJAnam] The knowledge क्षेत्र क्षेत्रज्ञयोः [kSetra kSetrajJayoH] about the field and its knower तत् ज्ञानम् [tat jJAnam] is itself knowledge - मतम् मम [matam mama] this is My doctrine.
The following commentary illustrates the relationship of the environment, the body and the Lord. Name anything in the environment; it has a Self embedded in it. The environment needs a Self to be recognized. In that context, the body is an inseparable attribute of the Self. The Self uses the body to experience the environment. The Lord is the controller. Though the Self and the environment exist as the body of the Lord, they are distinct with their own characteristics. However, the Lord has said in this shloka: Know me to be the knower. Does it mean He is the Self within us? Or is the Self distinct from the Lord? To clarify this, many scriptures are quoted, many questions are asked and answered in the following commentary.
That which knows the Self is the Lord. Doesn’t that make the Self redundant? Is it same as the Lord?
The capability to ‘know’ is the single characteristic of the Self in every body. It doesn’t depend on the characteristics of the body – whether it’s ordinary, powerful, intelligent, ugly or beautiful.
The Lord is the essence of the Self. Krishna tells Arjuna to know this.
In this Shloka, the phrase ‘as well’ in the statement ‘Know Me to be the knower as well’ implies that the Lord must be known as the ‘ knower ‘ as well as the ‘ field of action ‘.
A living body merely qualifies the Self and doesn’t exist without it. When we point out someone’s body, we address their Self. They are both referenced in the same way. Similarly, the body and the Self exist as inseparable attributes of the Lord. The Lord refers to the Self as Himself in this Shloka.
Our body is a combination of the five elements of the environment - solids, liquids, energy, gasses and space. Both our body and the Self exist as the body of the Lord . They don’t have any other existence. In other words, both of them have the Lord as their essence.
This is stated in many scriptures, which are listed here:
The बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka], 3-7-3 states: ‘The One who is inside all matter, while being distinct it; The One whom matter cannot encode; The One who has all matter
as his body
; The One who controls all matter from the inside - Such a Self is all-pervasive and ever-lasting’.
Starting with that statement, it finishes describing the concept in बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka], 3-77-22: ‘The One who is present inside the Self, who is distinct from the Self; The One whom the Self does not know; The One who has the Self
as His body
; The one who controls the body from within - that is the essence of your Self, it is ever-lasting’.
The Lord is all-pervasive and is present as the essence of every Self. Hence, when we point out anything, we address the Lord. The following Shlokas state this fact:
10-20: ‘I am situated in all beings at their core as the Self. Moreover, I am the beginning, as well as the end and everything in-between’
10-39: ‘Whatever is the source of all beings, I am that. It is impossible for any being, moving or stationary, to exist without Me’
10-42: ‘I support and control this entire universe, which is situated in one part of My being.’
In the second half of the tenth chapter, the Lord described that he is the Self, the essence of everything. In the midst of that description, the Lord described Himself as many special things by saying ‘I am Vishnu’, ‘I am the sun’ and so on. For instance, He says in 10-21: ‘In the powers of nature , I am Vishnu, the all-pervasive. In all luminous things, I am the sun that has the greatest brightness. Among the powers of war, I am the most powerful. Among the stars, I appear as the moon’
The difference between kshetra and kshetrajna and the fact that I am the Self to both of them – that is the awareness you must have.
In this Shloka, He says - ‘Learn to differentiate the field of action and the one who experiences this field. I recommend you to realize that I am the essence of both’.
The following paragraph tries out an opposing explanation, which ends in contradiction.
In this Shloka, the Lord has said - ‘Know Me to be the knower’. This can be interpreted as a statement of equivalence, to mean that the Lord and the Self are the same entity. The Self within us hasn’t realized that it is the Lord. This leads to the conclusion that the Lord, being present as the Self, does not realize Himself to be the Lord - due to ignorance.
We could hypothesize that such statements of equivalence are meant to get rid of such ignorance: For example, we may mistake a rope to be a snake. When someone shows us that it’s only a rope, our ignorance is gone. In the same way, what if our awareness that ‘I am aware and I’m distinct from the Lord’ is ignorance and this Shloka aims to remove such ignorance?
Now the contradiction is presented.
Those who argue in this manner say that the Lord and the Self are the same entity. They are to be questioned: ‘The Lord, who has taught us all this - Lord Krishna - is He free from the so-called ‘ignorance’, which says that the Self and the Lord are distinct? Or not?
If He is free of such ‘ignorance’, then His Self has the characteristic of pure knowledge. Being devoid of any other attribute, there is no possibility to consider Arjuna to be distinct from Himself. Hence, there’s no possibility to explain anything and get rid of anyone’s ignorance.
On the other hand, if we consider that Krishna is not free of ignorance, not having realized the Self, then the possibility to teach the subject of the Self does not arise.
It was said in 4-34: ‘Those who know and show the way will preach this knowledge to you’ – people learn to be aware of the Self.
Thus, such arguments, which say that the Lord and the Self are not distinct, go against the scriptures and other Shlokas in the Gita itself. They make the great scriptures self-contradictory. They must not be accepted, since they only serve to mislead everyone.
What can we conclude from this reasoning?
The concept to be grasped from this discussion is: There exists inanimate matter, the conscious Self and the Supreme Lord. Inanimate matter is to be experienced, the conscious Self is the one who experiences and the Lord is the controller.
Let’s learn about the Lord, the Self and the environment.
There are many statements in the scriptures that speak about their distinguishing characteristics:
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशद् [zvetAzvatara upanizad] , 4-6
illustrates that the Lord is distinct from those who are bound by their deeds: The amazing Lord creates this universe out of the
subtle singularity
at the time of creation. There is another, who is bound by his past deeds.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 4-10
illustrates that the Lord and the environment are distinct: Know this environment as an amazing creation and the Lord as the amazing creator.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 1-10:
The environment keeps changing. The one who assumes that he is the enjoyer of environment is the unchanging Self. There is One Lord who controls both of them. The Lord removes the ignorance that the Self controls the environment.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 6-9:
He is the cause; He is the Lord of the owner of the body; Nobody has given birth to Him; Nobody has control over Him.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 6-13:
He is the Lord of the environment and the one who knows the field of action; He is the lord of the
three qualities
.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 1-9:
He is the Lord of the universe and of the Self; He is ever-lasting, auspicious and never diminishes. He is the unborn Lord of those who know and those that don’t.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 1-3:
He is the ever-lasting consciousness among the many ever-lasting consciousness, He is the one who grants their wishes (meaning, the Lord is present inside the Self, present as the ever-lasting entity in each conscious being, the One who grants their wishes).
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 1-5:
The one who experiences, that which is experienced and the One who inspires everything - they are respectively the Self, the environment and the Lord.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 1-6:
The
devotee
attains
immortality
through the Lord by pleasing Him. The Self is distinct, having the Lord as inspiration and purpose.
मुन्डक उपनिशत् [munDaka upanizat] , 3-1-1:
Two birds are friends. They exist together in a tree. One of them tastes the fruit of the tree, while the other stays without eating, shining brilliantly. The tree is like our body. The bird that tastes the fruit is the Self, which experiences the results of its actions. The one that shines forth brilliantly is the Lord, who is not under the influence of His deeds, hence does not have to eat the fruits of His actions.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 4-5:
The eternal
three qualities
– the white
sattva
, red
rajas
and dark
tamas - give rise to many bodies, which are in turn loaded with those qualities. An eternal Self lies happily in this environment. An eternal Self that practices
devotion
leaves this environment.
चूलकोपनिशत् [cUlakopanizat] , 5:
The environment, which is without a beginning and an end, gives rise to the bodies of all beings.
श्वेताश्वतर उपनिशत् [zvetAzvatara upanizat] , 4-7:
The Self is trapped in the body. Without control, it is saddened due to ignorance. Once it realizes the other controller inside the same body, it realizes The Lord in all His greatness. It is gladdened and is rid of all sorrow.
These were some of the scriptures in which the relation between the Self and the Lord is depicted, along with the fact that they are distinct from each other and distinct from the environment too.
Let’s look at our origin.
Even in the Gita, there are many verses that state the origin of the Self and the universe:
7-4, 7-5: ‘This universe of mine is divided into eight categories: Solids, liquids, energy, gasses, space, mind, the gross collections and the notion of individuality. However, this universe I just described is not the ultimate one. Know My ultimate nature, which is something distinct, in the form of a conscious being by whom this world is sustained’
9-7, 9-8, 9-10: ‘All beings end up in a dormant state in My body at the end of a kalpa . Again, at the beginning of the next kalpa , I create them in various forms. I create this entire system of beings again and again, while keeping My material nature as the basis. Since they are under the influence of the material world, they are not free. These activities of mine don’t bind Me. Being neutral, I have no attachment towards those activities. The material environment guides this world with all its stationary and mobile beings according to My will. I am the supreme controller. This world goes through its cycles for this purpose itself’
13-19: Know the environment and the Self to be without a beginning.
14-3: This huge universe is my creation. In that, I give birth. Then, the birth of all beings takes place.
Meaning - The huge universe arises from the subtle matter, which is an attribute of mine. In this environment, which is without consciousness, I place the womb of consciousness. This association of the conscious Self and the non-conscious environment happens by My will. Such association gives rise to all beings in the material world, from the mighty and powerful right up to the immobile.
In this Shloka, the environment - the huge universe - is called
ब्रह्म [brahma]
. It doesn’t mean that it’s the same as The Lord, who is also called by the same word. The word
ब्रह्म [brahma]
is used to refer to our environment in other scriptures as well. For example,
मुंडक [muMDaka]
1-1-9 says: ‘From that, the universe called as
ब्रह्म [brahma] ,
arises’.
In this way, the conscious and non-conscious exist as those who experience and that which is experienced. They exist in this way in all states of being. The Lord is the inseparable essence of their existence. Several scriptures state this fact and they are quoted here once again:
बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka] , 3-7-3: The One who is situated in the earth and pervades it; The One whom the earth does not know; The One whose
body is the earth
; The One who controls the earth from its core.
Let’s look at our relationship with the Lord.
Similarly, other scriptures describe how the Lord is related to the Self:
बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka] , 3-7-22: The One who is situated in the Self and pervades it; The One whom the Self does not know; The One whose
body is the Self
; The One who controls the Self from its core.
सुबाल उपनिशत् [subAla upanizat] ,In this way, Lord Narayana is the core Self of all beings, untainted by actions, distinct from the material world, shining forth, the one and only supreme entity.
This Upanishad uses the word ‘perishable’ to refer to everything without consciousness, which existed in
subtle form
before creation. It is also called
तमस् [tamas]
. The usage of the word
तमस् [tamas]
to mean the
subtle environment
is evident in the same Upanishad: ‘The body perishes in the Self and becomes subtle, taking the state of
तमस् [tamas]
‘.
These statements are reiterated in in [ya.A], 3-11-2: ‘The Lord is the Self inside everyone, controlling them’.
In this way, everything exists as the Lord’s body , be it conscious or non-conscious, in every state of being. In fact, everything is a form of the Lord Himself. The Lord Himself exists as the origin of the universe, as a subtle singularity before creation. He exists as the effect as well, which is the entire universe after creation.
The Lord is both the effect and the cause.
Here are a few scriptures that remind us of this fact. They state that both the cause and the effect are the Lord Himself:
Starting with
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-2-1:
सदेव सौम्येदमग्रमासीत् एकमेवाद्वितीयम् [sadeva saumyedamagramAsIt ekamevAdvitIyam]
Prior to creation, this universe was present as
सत् [sat] - a subtle form, indistinguishable from the Lord. It alone existed, there was nothing else.
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-2-3:
[tadaikShata bahusyAm prajayEyEti tattEjO_sr’jata]
It willed to become many. It created energy and the material world.
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-8-6:
[sanmUlA: sOmya imA: sarvAn prajA: sadAyatanA: satpratiShThA:]
It is the origin of everything and everyone. It - this
सत् [sat] - is the place of residence for all beings, The One in which all beings return when the universe perishes.
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-8-7:
ऐतदात्म्यम् इदम् सर्वम् तत् सत्यम् स आत्मा तत् त्वम् असि श्वेतकेतो [aitadAtmyam idam sarvam tat satyam sa AtmA tat tvam asi zvetaketo]
This is at the core, present as the Self inside everything. This is the truth. You are such a Self.
The
तैत्तरीय [taittarIya] , 2-6
starts with ‘He willed to be many beings. He gave thought to it. He created all of this by his thought’, going on to state: ‘The Ultimate Consciousness became the conscious and the non-conscious’.
This is repeated in the Chandogya Upanishad, as in
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-3-2:
I enter the core of the three powers - energy, liquids and solids - and enable them to be called by names and be recognized by form.
The
तैत्तरीय [taittarIya] , 2-6
also states: Creating this universe, It entered and pervaded that universe itself; having pervaded, It gave rise to the Self and its association with the environment, the power to discern and the lack of it too. This
सत् [sat]
is The Lord. He became the conscious Self and the non-conscious environment.
Before the time of creation, only an undivided entity existed without the possibility to distinguish and name anything. Only after the Lord’s act of creation, this entity was separated into things that could be distinguished and named.
बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka] , 1-4-7 also states the same:
All of this existed without being distinct, before the time of creation. The Lord made them distinct, after which they could be called by names.
Hence the gross universe, which is the effect of creation, as well as the subtle cause that existed before creation, all conscious and non-conscious things are the Lord’s body . The effect is not different from the cause. In this way, by knowing the cause, we know everything that’s created out of it. It is appropriate to say that knowledge of one gives the knowledge of everything.
For example: A pot is made out of clay. It’s possible to consider the pot as clay, while acknowledging that they have different characteristics and uses. Knowing the properties of clay enables us to know a pot and everything else that’s made out of clay.
Quoting
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-3-2
again:
‘I enter the three powers - energy, liquids and solids - by being at the core of every Self and distinguish them to be called by names’ - The ‘three powers’ here denote the non-conscious elements in the environment. The Lord enters them as the core of the Self in each object, which enables them to be distinguished, recognized and named.
In this way, every sound and expression addresses the Lord, who is adorned with the Self and its inanimate matter. Thus the Lord, who is present as the ultimate cause, has equivalence with everything that’s created - this is the primary meaning embedded here.
If the Lord has equivalence to everything, does it mean He has ignorance as well?
It is already said that the Lord is the material cause of the universe with its conscious beings and non-conscious things. He is the subtle form before creation as well as the gross result of creation - the universe we are in. Being the material cause implies that the Lord Himself became the conscious Self and the non-conscious environment.
Though the Lord has the Self and the environment as His body , even though He is the material cause of their association, He remains distinct from them - the characteristics of the Lord are not mixed up with the characteristics of the Self or the environment.
How is it possible that the Self and the environment remain distinct, even though they are part of the Lord’s body ? Here’s an analogy:
Just as colorful threads that are white, black or red come together to create cloth, the thread and the cloth remain distinct with different characteristics. While threads are the only material cause of a colorful cloth, each color is localized to the thread that went into making the cloth - even in the resulting cloth, the colors don’t mix. The characteristics of the cloth are distinct from those of the threads.
The Self and the environment are effects of the Lord’s creation.
The Self, the environment and the Lord combine to be the material cause of this world. While they are effects of the Lord’s creation, their characteristics don’t get mixed up. The Self remains the one who experiences; the environment is the one that’s experienced and the Lord is the One who controls.
Threads, which normally remain separate, are woven together at the will of a weaver at some instant. These threads are both the material cause and the effect.
Similarly, the Self and the environment in all states of being - either the subtle form before creation or the gross form after creation - are the body of the Lord . They exist as entities only in the form of the Lord’s body . Their form is the Lord Himself, both as the cause and the observed effect. He is the One addressed by all words, all the time - This is His specialty.
The environment, the Self and the Lord have distinct characteristics – The environment is inanimate, without consciousness; The Self is knowledge, which is limited in its expression according to the actions committed by the Self; The Lord always has infinite knowledge.
As in the case of threads combining to make cloth, their characteristics remain distinct and don’t get mixed up. Given this, it’s easy to recognize that the Lord’s characteristic remains unchanged even after He enters everything in the created universe.
We realize again: In addition to being the cause, The Lord is also the effect of creation with its variety of entities that have various names and classifications. The Lord is present as the Ultimate Self inside everything. The word ‘effect’ just means that a different state of being is attained.
Those who vouch for the Lord as being ‘without form and without qualities’ mean that the Lord is devoid of any limiting qualities.
छान्दोग्य, दहरविद्या [chAndogya, daharavidyA] , 8-1-5
describes that the following qualities are present in a small space inside our hearts: First, it is stated that this space is without limitations: Without flaws, without ageing, without death, without sorrow, without hunger, without thirst. The Lord is present in this space. His auspicious qualities are described: He has everything He wished; His every will is realized.
The Lord is without limitations. The word ‘ qualities ’ often refers to our limitations. Hence the statement is made in some scriptures that ‘The Lord is without qualities’.
Certain scriptures describe the Lord as having a form of pure knowledge. They refer to the form of the Lord, who knows everything and is all-powerful, as being represented by pure knowledge that shines forth by its own strength. The form of the Lord is knowledge; He is devoid of limitations and has all auspicious qualities.
As said in
मुण्डक [muNDaka] , 1-1-9:
He knows the broad expanse of knowledge and has depth in each subject.
In
श्वेताश्वतर [zvetAzvatara] , 6-8:
The Lord’s ultimate strength is heard in many different ways. This strength is natural to Him, so are his knowledge, power and activities.
बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka] , 2-4-14 remarks:
With what should we know the One who is the knower? This question reflects that we can know the Lord, who knows everything and is knowledge Himself, only with His grace.
The statement in
तैत्तरीय [taittarIya] , 2-1:
सत्यम् ज्ञानम् अनन्तम् ब्रह्म [satyam jJAnam anantam brahma]
‘The Lord is the truth, knowledge and is without an end’ - Refers to the Lord in the form of knowledge that shows itself. When we are rid of the influence of our deeds, this knowledge shines forth by itself and we realize the Lord.
Many scriptures state that the Lord became the universe with all its beings. Let’s look at them next:
तैत्तरीय [taittarIya] , 2-6
says: ‘The Lord wished to become many’. So also does the
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-2-3:
‘The Lord willed to be many’ and the बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka], 1-4-7: ‘It distinguished itself into many forms and names’. All of them state that the Lord Himself is present in many forms by His own will - this constitutes all of the various states and forms in which we see things.
Several scriptures state that nothing exists without having the Lord at the core of its Self. The existence of many independent things is a myth:
कठोपनिशत् [kaThopanizat] , 2-2-10
starts with: ‘The person who sees differently over here will go from one death to another’ and goes on to say:
नेह नानाऽस्ति किन्चन [neha nAnA'sti kincana] - ‘Many different things don’t exist here’.
Similarly, बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka], 2-4-14 says: ‘The person who believes that there is a second thing separate from the Lord will see various different things. The person who believes that everything has the Lord as the ultimate Self - what does he see, using what does he see?’
Meaning, both the eye and the object of sight have the Lord as their Self.
Quoting
छान्दोग्य [chAndogya] , 6-2-3
again: ‘It gave rise to many’.
The Self and the environment have their own characteristics, while being part of the Lord’s form.
Scriptures like these state that the many things we experience are the Lord’s form, created by the Lord’s will. Of course, this does not deny the existence of the Lord in multiple forms, resulting in the experience of multiple things.
Statements like the one in बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka], 4-5-15: ‘When a person sees everything as his Self’ - may seem like they deny variety. Yet, their meaning is realized by keeping in mind that everything is a form of the Lord. Further reinforcing this, बृहदारण्यक [bRhadAraNyaka], 2-4-6 says: ‘All knowledge stands against a person who believes that there are things that don’t have the Lord as the Self’
सुबाल [subAla] , 2
says: All Vedas are just the breath of the great Lord.
In this way, the scriptures that describe the distinct forms and characteristics of the Self, the environment and the Lord do not contradict the other scriptures that hold out the singularity of cause and effect, describing everything as the Lord Himself.
The Self and the environment exist as the body of the Lord always. They have the Lord at the core, controlling them. This holds good in the subtle form in which they were present before creation - when they could not be distinguished by form and name. It also holds in their explicit form after creation, when they can be distinguished by names. This is known from all scriptures.
If we take the scriptures stating the singularity of the Lord literally, then the Self would itself be the Lord, then the Lord would have ignorance. This goes against all knowledge in the scriptures. There is no scope of maintaining this kind of singularity.
This was a very elaborate and sufficient discussion of the subject.