120 - Discrimination Between the Real and the Unreal | Swami Tattwamayananda
The 13th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1st verse: “What is Prakriti or matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the field? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”
Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think of the field as this material universe, which is changing and that is not eternal. It gradually decays and eventually disappears. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.
When we refer to kshetram as the body, it refers to the following – the physical body comprising five elements, five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect.
We sow seeds of tendencies and impressions in this field through our actions, thoughts, emotions and words. We are reborn with this legacy of tendencies and impressions. They determine in which direction our mind goes. That is why different people demonstrate different level of interest and understanding when reading a spiritual book. We can only understand what we are spiritually ready for.
We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality. Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.
Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence. Noble, unselfish action generate spiritual energy which purifies our mind, and helps us manifest this divinity with more effulgence.
3rd verse: Lord Krishna says: “What is the nature of this kshetra? How does it undergo change? How does it originate? What is the real nature of kshetrajna? How does it manifest? Hear this from Me.”
4th verse: “This great science of understanding the distinction between the Real and the unreal – this is the real knowledge of spiritual realization. Great vedic sages sang great hymns on the glory and greatness of this knowledge.”
In daily life, we get into trouble because of wrong prioritization. We prioritize the empirical, the non-eternal. When we learn to prioritize the Real, lots of problems of daily life can be avoided.
5th verse: The 5th verse describes the Sankhya philosophy of evolution expounded by Kapila. In Sankhya, there are two categories: (1) Purusha, which is eternal and self-effulgent (2) Prakriti, which is the cause of material evolution. From Prakriti, the first evolute is Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence. From Mahatattvam, the next evolute is Ahamkara or ego-sense. From Ahamkara, the three gunas evolve: Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. The evolutes of sattva guna are the mind, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. The evolutes of tamo guna are the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.
The material world consists of the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, sense objects, and human tendencies –desires, love, hatred, pleasure, pain and so on.
Within this material world is the divine spark. It is immanent in every being. When we begin to manifest spiritual qualities that are described in the next few verses, then we connect with the divine within.
7th and 8th verses: These verses describe the qualities of someone who has spiritual knowledge. (1) Humility – it is the natural expression of one with spiritual growth because he understands that the body is just an instrument to do great things. (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Respect for the teacher (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Understands the misery of birth, death, sickness and old age.
Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.
Ego cannot be wished away. Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. By sublimating the ego and giving it a promotion, eventually, we can transcend ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “Let this rascal ego remain as a servant of God.”
Buddha reflected on the miseries of birth, death, sickness and old age. He went to Bodh Gaya, sat under a tree and took a vow to not leave his seat until he realized the spiritual truth.
Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think of the field as this material universe, which is changing and that is not eternal. It gradually decays and eventually disappears. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.
When we refer to kshetram as the body, it refers to the following – the physical body comprising five elements, five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect.
We sow seeds of tendencies and impressions in this field through our actions, thoughts, emotions and words. We are reborn with this legacy of tendencies and impressions. They determine in which direction our mind goes. That is why different people demonstrate different level of interest and understanding when reading a spiritual book. We can only understand what we are spiritually ready for.
We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality. Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.
Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence. Noble, unselfish action generate spiritual energy which purifies our mind, and helps us manifest this divinity with more effulgence.
3rd verse: Lord Krishna says: “What is the nature of this kshetra? How does it undergo change? How does it originate? What is the real nature of kshetrajna? How does it manifest? Hear this from Me.”
4th verse: “This great science of understanding the distinction between the Real and the unreal – this is the real knowledge of spiritual realization. Great vedic sages sang great hymns on the glory and greatness of this knowledge.”
In daily life, we get into trouble because of wrong prioritization. We prioritize the empirical, the non-eternal. When we learn to prioritize the Real, lots of problems of daily life can be avoided.
5th verse: The 5th verse describes the Sankhya philosophy of evolution expounded by Kapila. In Sankhya, there are two categories: (1) Purusha, which is eternal and self-effulgent (2) Prakriti, which is the cause of material evolution. From Prakriti, the first evolute is Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence. From Mahatattvam, the next evolute is Ahamkara or ego-sense. From Ahamkara, the three gunas evolve: Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. The evolutes of sattva guna are the mind, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. The evolutes of tamo guna are the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.
The material world consists of the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, sense objects, and human tendencies –desires, love, hatred, pleasure, pain and so on.
Within this material world is the divine spark. It is immanent in every being. When we begin to manifest spiritual qualities that are described in the next few verses, then we connect with the divine within.
7th and 8th verses: These verses describe the qualities of someone who has spiritual knowledge. (1) Humility – it is the natural expression of one with spiritual growth because he understands that the body is just an instrument to do great things. (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Respect for the teacher (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Understands the misery of birth, death, sickness and old age.
Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.
Ego cannot be wished away. Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. By sublimating the ego and giving it a promotion, eventually, we can transcend ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “Let this rascal ego remain as a servant of God.”
Buddha reflected on the miseries of birth, death, sickness and old age. He went to Bodh Gaya, sat under a tree and took a vow to not leave his seat until he realized the spiritual truth.
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