Essentials of Hinduism - Bhagavad Gita - The Field And Its Knower

Essentials of Hinduism

Bhagavad Gita

Chapter 13 - The Field And Its Knower

Starting from this Chapter 13 up to the Chapter 18, explains the term “Asi” (Tat) in the Sama Veda Mahavakya Tat Tvam Asi (That Thou Art). Asi explains the identity between that-essence and Thou-Significance.

This is one of the famous Chapters in the Gita and we get an exhaustive exposition of how to Meditate directly upon the Imperishable Formless Spirit. The process of de-superimposition (getting rid of our accumulated Vasanas and in turn the wrong notions of non-self as Self) is the process of Meditation. But having sat in Meditation, what exactly has our Integrated Mind-and- Intellect to do now? The matter-equipments and their perceived World of Objects together constitute the FIELD. The KNOWER OF THE FIELD comes to experience the joys, sorrows, successes, failures, peace, agitation jealousies, fears and million other storms and upheavals.

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Stanzas 6,7:

The Lord enumerates in these two Stanzas a total of twenty-four items that constitute the Field (Keshtra). These are summarized as follows:

The great Elements (Mahabhutas) – they are five (5) – Space, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. The Egoism (Ahamkara) – they are three (3) – Ego: the individuality arising out of our relationships with the World of Matter is called the Ego; Intellect (Buddhi): the faculty that rationally thinks and comes to conclusions is called the Intellect; Unmanifested Factor called the Vasanas – the Mental Impressions left over in the mental equipment as a result of our conscious enjoyment of the World-outside. This is the Residual Vasanas in the individual. The five (5) Sense Organs of Perception; The five (5) Organs of Action; The five (5) Sense Objects; The One (1) - (Ekam) – Mind. Total items = 5 + 3 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 1 = 24. The all comprehensive term, Field (Kshetra) is this Body (Sarira).

Stanza 12:

In the five Stanzas 5 to 11 and in this Stanza, the Lord describes the Pre-Requisites for the Knower (Kshetrajna) - constitutes twenty qualities. Only the names of these qualities from these Stanzas are provided below:

(1)Humility; (2) Modesty; (3) Non-injury; (4) Patience; (5) Service to the Teacher; (6)Purity; (7) Steadfastness; (8) Self-control; (9) Absence of Attachment for Objects (10) Abandonment of the Thought of “I”; (11) Perception of the evil of pain; (12) Adaptability during sickness, Old Age; (13) Non-Attachment; (14) Absence of excessive love for Child, Wife, Home and the like by maintaining an evenness of Mind in all situations; (15) Unflinching Devotion to the Paramatma; (16) Undivided attention with concentration to a chosen ideal; (17) Resort to solitary places to work in a conducive environment; (18) Develop a distaste for the crowded society life; (19) Constancy in Self-Knowledge; (20) Understanding the end of True Knowledge (Liberation or Moksha is the end striven by all Spiritual Seekers).

Stanza 14:

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere, He exists in the World, Enveloping All. This is what is described in the famous Hymn Purusha Suktha in the Rig Veda.

Stanza 18:

Brahman is the light of all lights, is said to be beyond darkness; It is Knowledge, the Object of Knowledge, seated in the Hearts of All, to be reached by Knowledge. Krishna indicates that the Self in each is the Light. He says, seek the “Light” through Devotion.

Consciousness that transcends (surpasses) our experiences and illuminates our life is the very goal in all Spiritual endeavors, at all times, and everywhere.

Stanza 25:

Some by Meditation, Others by the Yoga of Knowledge, and some Others by Karma Yoga behold the Self. Behold does not mean to see the Self as an Object. The Self is the Subject – the term “behold” is used to mean an inward experience. In short, seekers with the noblest Sattva Qualities need to Practice only Meditation; seekers of a slight Sattva Temperament with a larger share of agitations, must develop the “Creative Stillness” in themselves; those who are suffering from the worst mental oscillations due to the Vasana disturbances, must through Karma Yoga, develop Sattva traits, nurture and nourish them, and gain enough Sattva Dynamism and steady Meditation.

Stanza 29:

He who sees the Lord everywhere equally dwelling, he goes to the Highest Goal. He sees the Supreme Lord dwelling in every place alike.

Stanza 34:

Just as the Sun illuminates the whole World, so also the Lord of the Field (Paramatma) illuminates the World of Objects, the Body, the Mind and the Intellect.

This is the end of THE YOGA OF THE FIELD AND THE KNOWER OF THE FIELD.

This article is a snippet from the Book Essentials of Hinduism, Authored by G.S Nilakantan. Hinduism for All is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.