Unit 3 Analogies Flashcards
13.3: A citizen may know everything about his patch of land, but the king knows not only his
palace but all the properties possessed by the individual citizens. Similarly, one may be
the proprietor of the body individually, but the Supreme Lord is the proprietor of all bodies.
3a. Kṣetra-jña is Kṛṣṇa too: I am also the knower of the field in all
bodies, as the Supersoul (kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu
bhārata).
The body consists of the senses. Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, the controller of
the senses of all bodies. Out of the two knowers of the bodies, the
Supersoul is the pradhāna-kṣetrajña, the chief knower of
everyone’s body. He is infallible and the individual soul is fallible
and subordinate.
3b. Jñānam is perfect knowledge of the material body and its knowers –
the soul and the Supersoul (kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ).
This is My opinion (mataṁ mama).
Real knowledge means und
13.17: The example is given of the sun: The sun, at the meridian, is situated in its place. But if
one goes for five thousand miles in all directions and asks, “Where is the sun?” everyone
will say that it is shining on his head. In the Vedic literature this example is given to show
that although He is undivided, He is situated as if divided.
object of knowledge
avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu
vibhaktam iva ca sthitam
He is never divided although He appears
to be divided among all beings. He is
situated as one.
jyotiṣām api taj jyotis
He is the source of light in all luminous
13.33: The air enters into water, mud, stool and whatever else is there; still it does not mix with
anything. Similarly, the living entity, even though situated in varieties of bodies, is aloof
from them…
- Soul doesn’t mix with matter: The soul situated in Brahman vision
stays aloof, though situated in the material body, just as the sky although
all-pervading (sarva-gatam), doesn’t mix with anything (nopalipyate) due
to its subtle nature.
14.3: The scorpion lays its eggs in piles of rice, and sometimes it is said that the scorpion is
born out of rice. But the rice is not the cause of the scorpion. Actually, the eggs were laid
by the mother. Similarly, material nature is not the cause of the birth of the living entities.
The seed is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they only seem to come
out as products of material nature
Kṛṣṇa is the seed-giving father of all species as He impregnates the
mother material nature. (14.3-4 sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya…)
14.26: If one is not situated in the same transcendental position with the Lord, one cannot serve
the Supreme Lord. To be a personal assistant to a king, one must acquire the
qualifications.
One who engages in unalloyed bhakti transcends the material modes
and is elevated to the spiritual platform. (14.26 māṁ ca yo
‘vyabhicāreṇa…)
14.26: To be in Kåñëa consciousness or in devotional service means to acquire equality with
Kåñëa. The Lord says that His nature is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, and the
living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme, as gold particles are part of a gold mine.
Thus the living entity, in his spiritual position, is as good as gold, as good as Kåñëa in
quality.
Uninterrupted bhakti is the method to transcend three material modes
(14.26 māṁ ca yo ‘vyabhicāreṇa…)
14.27: The servant of the king enjoys on an almost equal level with the king. And so eternal
happiness, imperishable happiness, and eternal life accompany devotional service.
Therefore, realization of Brahman, or eternity, or imperishability, is included in devotional
service.
he servant of the king enjoys on an almost equal level with the king.
Similarly when a devotee approaches the Supreme Lord, there is an
exchange of six opulences of the Lord. (14.27 P)
15.8: The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body
to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to
take another.
The soul in the material world carries one’s different conceptions of
life from one body to another as the air carries aromas. (15.8-9 śarīraṁ
yad avāpnoti…)
15.9: Consciousness is originally pure, like water. But if we mix water with a certain color, it
changes. Similarly, consciousness is pure, for the spirit soul is pure. But consciousness is
changed according to the association of the material qualities
Mind is the center of all sense activities and reservoir of all ideas for
sense gratification (15.8-9 śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti…)
15.13: His energy is sustaining each planet, just like a handful of dust. If someone holds a handful
of dust, there is no possibility of the dust’s falling, but if one throws it in the air it will fall
down. Similarly, these planets, which are floating in the air, are actually held in the fist of
the universal form of the Supreme Lord.
12-13: Kṛṣṇa is our maintainer at cosmic level
12. I am the source of light of the sun, moon and fire that dissipate the
darkness of this world.
13a. I enter into each planet, and by My energy I sustain all living beings.
13b. I become the moon and supply the juice of life to all plants and
vegetables.
The living entity forgets everything of his past life, but the
Supersoul, the witness of all his work, gives him remembrance and
required knowledge to start his deeds. Thus, the Lord is not only
all-pervading; He is also localized in everyone’s heart.
Having concluded that He is the goal of Vedas, Kṛṣṇa will speak the
essence of Vedānta in the three verses, that conclusively establishes His
position as the Supreme.
18.17: Anyone who is acting in Kåñëa consciousness under the direction of the Supersoul or the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though killing does not kill. Nor is he ever affected
by the reaction of such killing. When a soldier kills under the command of a superior
officer, he is not subject to be judged. But if a soldier kills on his own personal account,
then he is certainly judged by a court of law.
- Non-doership mentality: One who is not motivated by false ego
(nāhaṅkṛto), whose intelligence is not entangled, does not actually kill
people even though he kills them and thus he is not contaminated or bound
by his action
18.48: Every endeavor is covered by some fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one
should not give up the work born of his nature, O son of Kunté, even if such work is full of
fault.
Just as fire is covered by smoke, every endeavor is covered by some
fault. (18.48)
Smoke disturbs the eyes, but still one must use fire. Similarly, one
should not give up his natural occupation because there are some
disturbing elements. (18.48 P)
18.55: Viçate means that one can enter into the abode of the Supreme Lord in one’s individuality
to engage in His association and render service unto Him. For instance, a green bird
enters a green tree not to become one with the tree but to enjoy the fruits of the tree.
By pure bhakti one is transferred to Lord Kṛṣṇa’s abode. (18.55
bhaktyā mām abhijānāti…)
A green bird enters a green tree not to become one with the tree but to
enjoy the fruits of the tree. Similarly, a person can enter into the
Supreme Lord’s abode in one’s individuality to be in His association
and render service unto Him. (18.55 P)
When one is in fully conscious of Kṛṣṇa by devotion, he can enter into
the kingdom of God. (18.55 bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti…)
18.61: A person seated in a high-speed motorcar goes faster than one seated in a slower car,
though the living entities, the drivers, may be the same. Similarly, by the order of the
Supreme Soul, material nature fashions a particular type of body to a particular type of
living entity so that he may work according to his past desires
The Supersoul always accompanies the soul in all material bodies
(18.61 īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ…)
5. Factors that determine the next body
(18.61-63), and now He will give the most confidential knowledge
of surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead (18.64-
66).
The Supersoul always accompanies the soul in all material bodies
(18.61 īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ…
