Skip to content


The field and the knower of field in kenopanishad

This is priliminary info about kenopanishad from wiki..

About Kenopanishad

Kenopanishad derives its name from the first word Kena , meaning 'by whom'. It belongs to the Talavakara Brahmana of Sama Veda and is therefore also referred to as Talavakara Upanishad. It has four sections, the first two in verse and the other two in prose. Adi Shankara who has written commentaries on 12 Upanishads, chose to write two commentaries on Kenopanishad. One is called Kenopanishad Pada Bhashya and the other is Kenopanishad Vakya Bhashya.

Brief Content

The One Power that illumines everything and every one is indivisible. It is the Ear behind the ears, Mind behind the mind, Speech behind speech, Vital Life behind life. The ears cannot hear it; it is what makes the ears hear. The eyes cannot see it; it is what makes the eyes see. You cannot speak about it; it is what makes you speak. The mind cannot imagine it; it is what makes the mind think. It is different from what all we know; yet it is not known either. Those who feel they know Him know Him not. Those who know that anything amenable to the senses is not Brahman, they know it best. When it is known as the innermost witness of all cognitions, whether sensation, perception or thought, then it is known. One who knows thus reaches immortality.

Wow!So beautifully told..Thanks FG for the pointer.

Posted in References.

5 comments



13.2 Idam shareeram kaunteya

श्रीभगवानुवाच

१३.२  इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते!

एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रग्न इति तद्विदः !!

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:

13.2 Idam shareeram kaunteya kshetramityabhidheeyate;
Etadyo vetti tam praahuh kshetrajna iti tadvidah.

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha — the Personality of Godhead said;

idam — this;

shareeram – body;

kaunteya — o son of Kuntî;

kshetram — the field;

iti — thus;

abhidheeyate — is called;

etat — this;

yah — one who;

vetti — knows;

tam — he;

praahuh – is called;

kshetra-jna – the knower of the field;

iti — thus;

tat-vidah — by those who know this.

Meaning: This body, O Arjuna, is called the Field; he who knows it is called the Knower of the Field by those who know of them, that is, by the sages.

 

Musings: This brings to my mind an observation I have read about. When we are driving, we cross an old friend of us in the opposite lane. But you may not "see" him. He is very much in the angle of ur vision. On the retina of the eye, that image of the friend is very much there. But still u don't "see" him bcos, the brain has not processed that part of the image. Who is that someone who told the brain what to process and what not? Given that brain is just a mesh network of nerves that carries data and stimulation, who is that one, who is taking the input processing and analyzing? Who is THAT who is actually "seeing" ??

 

To quote from one of my prev posts

 

When you are sleeping, a very good, sound sleep, you dont know you are sleeping! Isnt it? when u r in deep sleep you dont know of anything that happens around you or to some extent even anything that happens to you. But how is it that you “know” you slept well when you get up? When you get up you say “I slept well” who is telling you that “you slept well”? Sometimes when you are in deep sleep and someone wakes you up suddenly, you are disoriented…you are like “where am i” you look at the person who woke u up and think “who is this”. Thats only for a fleeting second and then everything is reloaded into your “brain”/mind/intellect. There is sth like the boot file that is started and the processor of the brain is loaded and up again. Who is THAT who runs the boot file when we wake up? THAT was not sleeping…isnt it, if so it would be infinite loop of sleep and sleep with no one to wake up the body. Someone is still watchful when “we”are in the deep and dreamless sleep waiting to catch an interrupt and boot the system. who is THAT?!?

 

 

Posted in Chapter 13.

4 comments



13.1 Prakritim purusham chaiva kshetram

अर्जुन वुवाच

13.1 प्रक्रुतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्नमेव च !

एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्नानं ज्नेयं च केशव !!

 

Arjuna Uvaacha:

13.1 Prakritim purusham chaiva kshetram kshetrajnameva cha;
Etadveditumicchaami jnaanam jneyam cha keshava.

 

Arjuna uvaacha — Arjuna said;

prakritim — nature;

 purusham — the enjoyer;

ca — also;

eva — certainly;

kshetram — the field;

 kshetra-jnam — the knower of the field;

eva — certainly;

ca — also;

etat — all this;

veditum — to understand;

icch'mi — I wish;

jñaanam — knowledge;

jñeyam — the object of knowledge;

ca — also;

keshava — o Krishna;

 

Meaning: Arjuna said "O Krishna! I wish to learn about Nature (matter) and the Spirit (soul), the Field and the Knower of the Field, knowledge and that which ought to be known.

Posted in Chapter 13.

3 comments



Chapter 13 - Introduction

Ksetra-Ksetrajna Vibhaga Yoga

(The Yoga of Distinction Between The Field & the Knower of the Field)

 

This chapter is a logical continuation of chapter 11, in which Arjuna witnesses the cosmic form of Krishna and is over whelmed. Krishna says that even his cosmic form is only a field through which He acts. He goes on to explain the relation between the form/body and the self/soul residing in the body.

Within this body, the field, resides the knower of the body - the soul. It is an extremely subtle and powerful intelligence. The field is a phenomenon which can be observed. The entity which understands this, the observing intelligence, is the knower of the field. Correct understanding of the field and its knower constitute wisdom.

 

The field (body) is like a sports-field or swimming pool, in which the soul exercises itself to grow stronger, purer and to attain perfection. One must not run away from it or sink, but swim. Without the body, the soul cannot evolve; and by getting attached to it, the soul cannot evolve either! Without this knowledge our whole life becomes a complete mess because we confuse the observed phenomenon with the observing intelligence. With this confusion arises ignorance, fear, attachment and wrong action.


Hence, the knowledge of both the body and the soul is essential, which is what Krishna puts forth in this chapter.

 

Vibhaga means division, differentiation, discrimination, separation of one thing from another. Understand the distinction between the kshetra (the body, the field) and the kshetrajña (the knower of the body or the field) that is what the kshetra-kshetrajña-vibhaga-yoga means.

 

 The difference between destructibility and indestructibility is something that is very fine, that is very small. We cannot appreciate one without the other. Sometimes these aspects will convey to you a lesson that they are related to each other so closely that one cannot be separated from the other. This is what is contained in the 13th chapter of the Bhagavad Gît', where the kshetra and kshetrajña, that is, the place and one who lives in the place, have been dealt with. In very clear language, the relationship between the abode and the one who lives in the abode has been explained.

Posted in chapter 13 Introduction.

2 comments



The GeethaFanClub is Active again!

Dear friends,

After a long hiatus, I have taken up posting on my favourite subject, Bhagavad Gita here once gain.

 

In logical continuation of what I have been writing on my other iland(http://sahitibharadwaj.rediffiland.com), on and off, about Gita, I  want to start at chapter 13 of Gita. From chapter 13 to chapter 17 is the Jnana Yoga. In these chapters, Krishna explains the classifications/differences etc.

 

Chapter 13: Ksetra-Ksetrajna Vibhaga Yoga, 34 slokas

In this chapter Krishna talks about the body being the Kshetra(field or tool) and the soul being the Kshetrajna the occupant of the body. He differentiates the observer and the observed. As most modern meditation techniques say, meditation is "when the observer becomes observed" i.e. when one concentrates and turns inwards to observe THAT force or occupant of the body. This concept is explained in detail in this chapter.

 

Chapter 14: Gunatraya-Vibhaga Yoga, 27 slokas

This chapter explains the famous tri-gunas, Sattva, Rajasic and Tamasic. The classification, identification, purification, purpose etc

 

Chapter 15: Purusottama PraptiYoga, 20 slokas

This is a beautiful chapter where Krishna illustrates where, He, The Absolute, stands with respect to the Three Gunas explained in the previous chapter. How the world manifests itself from Him, and how one-is-all and all-is-one and yet so very different.

 

Chapter 16: Daivasura-Sampad-Vibhaga Yoga, 24 slokas

In humans there are Divine tendencies as well as demonic tendencies. Only their proportions vary from one person to the other. In this chapter, Krishna classifies what qualities of a person are daivi sampatti and which of them are asuri-sampatti. There would be heaven on earth if ppl honestly self-introspect and cull the asuri-sampatti in them and strengthen the divine qualities.

 

Chapter 17: Sraddhatraya-Vibhaga Yoga, 28 slokas

If there are 3 types of persons, there would naturally be three kinds of faith or shradha. Krishna talks about them, their qualities and classification. The rituals, pujas, formful worshipvs the formless worship are discussed.

 

These chapters as they say are Jnana Yoga and should/would be logical and appeal to the intellect or objectivity in a person. So hopefully we will have alot to discuss, debate and learn from one and all :-)

Posted in Welcome Note.

4 comments



2.35 Bhayaad ranaad uparatam

2.35 भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम्

2.35 Bhayaad ranaad uparatam mamsyante twaam mahaarathaah;
Yeshaam cha twam bahumato bhootwaa yaasyasi laaghavam.

भयाद् Bhayaad — out of fear;
रणाद् ranaad — from the battlefield;
उपरतम् uparatam — ceased;
मंस्यन्ते mamsyante — they will consider;
त्वां tvaam — you;
महारथाः mahaarathaah — the great generals;
येषां Yeshaam — for whom;
च ca — also;
त्वं tvam — you;
बहुमतः bahu-matah — in great estimation;
भूत्वा bhootwaa — having been;
यास्यसि yaasyasi –you will go;
लाघवम् laaghavam — decreased in value.

Meaning: The great car-warriors will think that thou hast withdrawn from the battle through fear; and thou wilt be lightly held by them who have thought much of thee.

Krishna tells Arjuna that his giving up social responsibility and the duty of a warrior will be spoken of lightly by fellow warriors.

Posted in karma Yoga - chap 2.

5 comments



2.34 Akeertim chaapi bhootaani

2.34 अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति ते अव्ययाम्
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्मरणादतिरिच्यते

2.34 Akeertim chaapi bhootaani kathayishyanti te'vyayaam;
Sambhaavitasya chaakeertir maranaad atirichyate.

अकीर्तिं Akeertim — infamy;
च cha — also;
अपि api — over and above;
भूतानि bhootaani — all people;
कथयिष्यन्ति kathayishyanti — will speak;
ते te — of you;
अव्ययाम् avyayaam — forever;
सम्भावितस्य sambhaavitasya — for a respectable man;
च cha — also;
अकीर्तिः akeertih — ill fame;
मरनात् maranaat — than death;
अतिरिच्यते atiricyate — becomes more.

Meaning: People, too, will recount thy everlasting dishonour; and to one who has been honoured, dishonour is worse than death.

In slokas 34-36, Krishna impresses upon Arjuna that his seemingly noble act of not going to war will be taken as corwadice by everybody and what a dishonor that would be. He does on to say that dishonor is worse than death!

One may wonder why is Krishna talking about honor and dishonor of what others think of you? After all in the next section he is going to talk about sthitha pragna, a man of established intellect who is beyond all dualities, happiness-sadness, honor-dishonor, heat-cold !! So why is it that he is saying dishonor is worse than death?
www.venkatesaya.com says

When Krsna insists on equanimity in honour and dishonour (XII:19), why does he say here that dishonour is worse than death to a ksatriya?
We should not confuse the two.
They belong to two different aspects of our life.
Discipline has two aspects: self-discipline and social discipline.
A wise man does not sacrifice one for the other.
For instance, if a taxi-driver speaks disrespectfully to a judge on the seashore, the latter puts up with this personal effrontery as a matter of self-discipline.
But the same judge should charge even a minister with contempt of court if the latter said anything derogatory of the judge in his official capacity.
Social discipline, on the other hand, should not lead you to take upon yourself the burden of reforming society and maintaining what you consider to be law and order in the whole world.
Then you might lose sight of self-discipline.
An undisciplined man cannot promote social discipline either.
This is an extremely delicate manoeuvre, more difficult than tight-rope walking!

Posted in karma Yoga - chap 2.

4 comments



2.33 Atha chettwam imam dharmyam

2.33 अथ चेत्त्वामिमं धर्म्य संग्रामं न करिष्यसि
ततः स्वधर्म कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि

2.33 Atha chettwam imam dharmyam samgraamam na karishyasi;
Tatah swadharmam keertim cha hitwaa paapam avaapsyasi.

अथ atha — therefore;
चेत् cet — if;
त्वम् tvam — you;
इमम् imam — this;
धर्म्याम् dharmyam — as a religious duty;
सन्ग्रामम् sangraamam — fighting;
न na — do not;
करिश्यसि karishyasi — perform;
ततः tatah — then;
स्व धर्मम् sva-dharmam — your religious duty;
कीर्तिम् keertim — reputation;
च ca — also;
हित्वा hitvaa — losing;
पापम् paapam — sinful reaction;
अवाप्यसि avaapsyasi — will gain.

Meaning: But, if thou wilt not fight in this righteous war, then, having abandoned thine duty and fame, thou shalt incur sin.

Society cannot be conducted nor can man live on transcendental knowledge alone!
A synthesis of high ideals and practical common sense is essential: this is achieved in our smrti or dharma sastra which are codes of morality and which, therefore, recognise the existence (relative and fleeting) of phenomena.
As we shall see, the Bhagavad Gita emphasises one’s adherence to one’s own dharma at all costs.
One cannot abandon his duty and turn his back to the ppl who are dependent on him. He cannot be a mute spectator when the dharma or righteousness is in danger by saying “All is God and is in God, so there is no good and no evil!”

Posted in karma Yoga - chap 2.

1 comment



sorry for the break!

hello friends,
I apologize for the break in the study of Gita. I was scheduled to go out of station twice this month (one done and one to go this week) and had a deadline to meet befre that at work. So taking a small continous break as the tempo would be lost if i post the slokas on and off…

My heartfelt thanks to friends who have been kind enough to drop by and enquire.

I surely dont want to discontinue when my most fav part,the crux of Gita, the karma yoga, has just begun!

Would start posting again from next Monday, hopefully!

Cheers
sahiti

Posted in Feedback.

9 comments



2.32 Yadricchayaa chopapannam

2.32 यद्रुच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपाव्रुतम्
सुखिनः श्रत्रियाः पार्था लभन्ते युद्धमीद्रुशम्

2.32 Yadricchayaa chopapannam swargadwaaram apaavritam;
Sukhinah kshatriyaah paartha labhante yuddham eedrisham.

यद्रुच्छया Yadricchayaa — by its own accord;
च ca — also; upapannam — arrived at
स्वर्ग svarga — of the heavenly planets;
द्वारम् dvaaram — door;
अपाव्रुतम् apaavritam — wide open;
सुखिनः sukhinah — very happy;
श्रत्रियाः kshatriyaah — the members of the royal order;
पार्था paartha — o son of Prith';
लभन्ते labhante — do achieve;
युधम् yuddham — war;
ईद्रुशम् eedrisham — like this.

Meaning: Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna, who are called upon to fight in such a battle that comes of itself as an open door to heaven!

Kshatham means dukham, “sorrow”, and a kshatriya is he who saves others from sorrow. A chance like this to wage a war on behalf of dharma against the forces of adharma comes but rarely to a man. Just imagine how much merit you will acquire by the service to the world, which you are set to do now. The war that is waged to establish santhi and soukhya (peace and plenty) in the world is referred to as dharma-yuddham, and this is just such a struggle, where justice is bound to win.

The Kauravas have desisted from no sin, no injustice and no vice. They insulted elders, deserted the virtuous, defamed the chaste, and wounded the self-respect of the good. Countless are their misdeeds. Now, the moment for retribution has come, if you behave like a poltroon, you bring dishonor to your parents, to your brothers, and indeed to the entire kshatriya caste
You have been blessed as a kshatriya to take part in this dharma-yuddham.


source:
I refer to this Gita by Sivananda for the meaning of the sloka as well as the english text
http://www.dlshq.org/download/bgita.htm

I get the word to word meaning from this site of Satya sai baba
http://bababooks.org/SathyaSaiGita/chapter2a.html

For the relevance and explaination i refer many sites. If i think i cant do better than already said, i just take it as it is and provide the link to the source. Sometimes i write the gist from various sources in my own language. Sometimes i write sth i read somewhere or heard somewhere from my memory. Most of the times i try to quote the source when i lift it directly. But sometimes it happens that i keep taking from the same source in which case i neglect to mention the same source in each post. So here after i have decided that i will add a category called references and i shall keep all the links at that place…i shall keep adding whenever i find new sources. Please excuse me incase i do not mention the source for each post, though i shall try to do the same.
This is just a voluntary clarification from my side and not prompted by any comment from anybody. As they say, prevention is better than cure …. :-)

Posted in karma Yoga - chap 2.

4 comments