Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

After describing Jyana now Krishna will describe what is Jneya.

1: Arjuna’s 6 questions

2-7: Kshetra &  Kshetra-jna (Answer to 3rd and 4th questions)

8-12: Jnana (Answer to 5th question)

13-19: Jneya (Answer to 6th question)

20-26: Prakrti & Purusha (Ansto 1st and 2nd questions)

27-35: Jnana-chakshu – Bonus section where Krishna offers Jyana Chaksu (the eyes of knowledge by which one can see reality beyond how it appears at a material level of perception) 

Bg 13.13

jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi
yaj jñātvāmṛtam aśnute
anādi mat-paraṁ brahma
na sat tan nāsad ucyate

Synonyms: 

jñeyam — the knowable; yat — which; tat — that; pravakṣyāmi — I shall now explain; yat — which; jñātvā — knowing; amṛtam — nectar; aśnute — one tastes; anādi — beginningless; mat–param — subordinate to Me; brahma — spirit; na — neither; sat — cause; tat — that; na — nor; asat — effect; ucyate — is said to be.

Translation: 

I shall now explain the knowable, knowing which you will taste the eternal. Brahman, the spirit, beginningless and subordinate to Me, lies beyond the cause and effect of this material world.

jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi,  pravakṣyāmi means I will speak.

yaj jñātvāmṛtam aśnute, by knowing this one will attain amrita

anādi mat-paraṁ brahma, anādi means beginning less, mat-paraṁ means subordinate to Me, Brahma

na sat tan nāsad ucyate, it is beyond the cause and effect of this world.

Sat and Asad can be temporary and eternal, it can also mean multiple things, here Srila Prabhupada translated it as cause and effect. 

Now what is the thing which is to be known? jñeyaṁ, there could be many things but the important principle to recognize that Jneya is ultimately the atma and the parmatama, and the Supreme Lord. Ultimately the final Jneya is AT that what we wanted to know. 

Initially we look outward and try to understand what is it? What is the reality? That is one approach of looking at knowledge. That is Jneya. 

Modes of understanding ourselves and the world around us:

Look

outwards, -materialism –pratyaksha

Inwards –psychology -anumana

upwards -spirituality based on revelation –shabda

jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi

yaj jñātvāmṛtam aśnute, by knowing this Jneya one will attain amrita, how will one attain amrita, here amrita refers to immortality, when we understand the object of knowledge, when we understand the soul and the Lord and relationship between the two, that relationship enables us to taste the pure nectar of pure devotion. 

anādi mat-paraṁ brahma

This is one of the verse in which different Acharyas take different position on the terms what does that mean?

The verse from 13.13 to 13.17 can either mean atama, Brahman or Parmatama. Atam is one unit of consciousness whereas Brahman is ocean of consciousness it is like Sat-Cid-Ananda. 

anādi mat-paraṁ brahma
That which is dependent on Me 

na sat tan nāsad ucyate

That is beyond the cause and effect of this world, what does it mean to be beyond the cause and effect? Actually cause and effect goes on generation after generations e.g. chicken and egg story. That origin is serva Karan Karanam the AT, that Absolute Truth is beyond na sat tan nāsad ucyate, that is beyond the cause and effect cycle of this material existence. 

In science in general scientist has talked about concept of causal completeness, in this one reason they give why God doesn’t matter, they say that even if God exists all material phenomena operate according to material laws and hence there is no role for God to play any role e.g. if I throw a stone it will fall down only, we don’t see God interfering which is scientifically observable or verifiable. In one sense they are correct as Krishna has designed this world in such a way that He doesn’t have to interfere to manage this world. That is the reason when He descends that is extremely rare event in terms of the vastness of the cosmic cycles. Once in a day of Brahma. So when we understand this then we know that Absolute Truth exists beyond the realm of material cause and effects in the spiritual realm. 

What does mat-paraṁ brahma refers to?

Some previous Acharyas explains that this refers to Parmatama Srila Prabhupada mentioned that this refers to Brahma, and Brahma is that AT.

SP Purport: (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.16) pradhāna-kṣetrajña-patir guṇeśaḥ, the chief knower of the body and the master of the three modes of material nature.

guṇeśaḥ, is the Lord of the modes. So there are many Kshetra-jna but this is the Pradhana Kshetra-jna, Kshetra-jna who knows about all Kshetra, He is the pati He is the master, and He is the Lord of the modes.

By knowing about Brahma one becomes liberated from cycle of birth and death. 

In vedic culture at the time of death people go and ask for forgiveness the reason for this is forgiveness has been given and forgiveness has been received and now we calm down this is called emotional closure, so that we don’t have any problem in connecting with AT. And with a peaceful mind one can turn towards what is coming next. 

SP Purport: In the smṛti it is said, dāsa-bhūto harer eva nānyasvaiva kadācana. The living entities are eternally in the service of the Supreme Lord.

dāsa-bhūto harer eva, a living entity is always a servant of Lord Hari. 

nānyasvaiva kadācana, actually there is no other position for the living entity.

End of transcription.