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Knower (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So here the same thing, that tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who are actually seer of the Absolute Truth... athāto brahma jijñāsā, as it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra... Just yesterday, one boy was asking me: "What is the Vedānta? Vedānta, what is the meaning of Vedānta?" It is very nice, it is very easy. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid ca aham. He is the maker of Vedānta and He is the knower of Vedānta. Unless He is knower of Vedānta, how He can write Vedānta? Actually, Vedānta philosophy is written by Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So He's vedānta-kṛt. And He's vedānta-vit also. So the question was whether Vedānta means advaita-vāda or dvaita-vāda. So it is very easy to understand.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- Mexico City, February 16, 1975:

So this is... Kṛṣṇa, although He is the authority, still, He says that ubhayor api dṛṣṭaḥ antaḥ tu anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ. He says, "All the tattva-darśī, the knower of the Absolute Truth, they know it very well, and they have decided like that." The purpose is that we have to accept the experience of the tattva-darśī, of the seer of the Absolute Truth. That is knowledge. Our knowledge is imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Therefore we do not come to the right knowledge by exercising our senses. The idea is that we should accept the statement of Kṛṣṇa and the śāstra that we or I or you, we are spirit soul; we are permanent. And the body is not permanent. But we should be intelligent enough—how we can get the condition of permanence. That is possible when you or I, we come to the platform of eternity. That is explained in another place of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ, like that. Means that "Many persons, by cultivating knowledge and tapasya, jñāna-tapasā, pūtāḥ, became purified. They have got the same status like Me." The same status means God is eternal, God is full of knowledge and God is full of bliss.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

He does not know that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as Hṛṣīkeśa or the master of all senses. But due to his long misuse of his senses he is factually bewildered by the false ego and that is the cause of his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa."

Twenty-eight: "One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results (BG 3.28)."

Purport: "The knower of the Absolute Truth is convinced of his awkward position in material association. He knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and that his position should not be in the material creation. He knows his real identity as part and parcel of the Supreme who is eternal bliss and knowledge and he realizes that somehow or other he is now entrapped in the material conception of life. In his pure state of existence, he is meant to dovetail his activities in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Different types of work is being utilized by electric energy, but the electricity is one. Similarly, God is one, but He can expand. That is His potency. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).

In the Bhagavad-gītā you will understand in the Thirteenth Chapter that Kṛṣṇa says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). The living entity... I am living entity; you are living entity, every one of us. I am living in this body; you are living in this body. We have got different bodies. So Kṛṣṇa said that "The living entity is the proprietor or the knower of the particular body." But He says again, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "I am also knower of this particular body," sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata, "in every body." Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He is in every body, in every atom. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Now I am living in my body. If there is pain here, I can understand, "Here is pain." But if there is some pain in your body, I cannot understand. Therefore I am different from you. But Kṛṣṇa can understand what is pain or pleasure in my body, and what is pain or pleasure in your body and everyone's body. That is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kṣetreṣu.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Anyone who has taken birth in India, he must take the Vedic culture.

The Vedic culture is described here by Kṛṣṇa, the master of the Vedas. Vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛt cāham. That supreme Vedantist. Kṛṣṇa says in the Fifteenth Chapter that vedānta-vit: "I am the knower, supreme knower of the Vedānta." Vedānta-vit and vedānta-kṛt: "I am the compiler of the Vedānta." So wherefrom you'll learn Vedānta? From Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). This is the formula. So one who knows Kṛṣṇa, he is vedānta-vit, because he has learned the Vedānta philosophy. What is that Vedānta philosophy? Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end. So Vedānta means the end, the end of all knowledge.

What is that end of all knowledge? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, when actually one is wise, Vedantist," māṁ prapadyate, "he surrenders unto Me."

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

"Now, that Absolute Truth is known in three different phases." What is that? "Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān." So a person, we have to... If we really seeking knowledge, then we have to find out a person who is tattva-darśī, who has understood the Absolute Truth. Now, the Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.

There are certain tattva-vit, or the knower of the Absolute Truth, who understands that Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman. And there are others, knower of the Absolute Truth, who understands the Absolute Truth as the localized Supersoul. These are called yogis. And the first-mentioned persons, they are called jñānīs. And there are other tattva-vit, or knower of the Absolute Truth, who knows the Absolute Truth as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So either Brahman or Paramātmā or Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of, there is no difference. The same thing, but according to the capacity of the knower, they are manifested into different phases.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

So neither God is limited to any five imaginative forms or this form or that form. His form nobody can imagine, neither He is within our perception. But He is as He is. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram (BG 9.11). Therefore we have to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead from authoritative sources, just like the Bhagavad-gītā. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself speaking, "What I am." This is the science of God. If we take Him as He is saying, then we become perfect knower of God. There is no difficulty. But if we deny, then we are in difficulty. Those who have accepted Kṛṣṇa as He is, God as He is, they have attained perfection also. It is practical. Not that we are. There are millions and billions followers of Kṛṣṇa in India. Not only ordinary followers. Just like many great stalwarts, educationists, I mean to say, saintly person like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, great educated and learned scholars, they have accepted. Lord Caitanya has accepted. And... There are so many others also. And there are millions and millions of temples of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, December 29, 1972:

Pradyumna:

arjuna uvāca
prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
etad veditum icchāmi
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya
kṣetram ity abhidhīyate
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ
kṣetra-jñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ
(BG 13.2)

Translation: "Arjuna said: O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti, nature, puruṣa, or the enjoyer, and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the end of knowledge. The Blessed Lord then said: This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field, and one who knows this body, who knows this body is called the knower of the field."

Prabhupāda: Kṣetra-kṣetra-jñam. Just like we are living in this apartment and we know that I am not this apartment, but I am living in this apartment. The people say that because the Supersoul or the soul is living within this body therefore the body is soul. This is not very good argument. That is being cleared by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). Kṣetra. Kṣetra means land or a place. So idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). And, the next line?

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Devotee:

arjuna uvāca

prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
etad veditum icchāmi
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya
kṣetram ity abhidhīyate
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ
kṣetra-jñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ
(BG 13.2)

"Arjuna said: O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti (nature), puruṣa (the enjoyer), and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the end of knowledge. The Blessed Lord then said: This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field."

Prabhupāda:

prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
etad veditum icchāmi
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava

This is the special prerogative of human being, that he can understand the nature, this cosmic manifestation, and the enjoyer of the nature, and he can be fully conversant about what is the object of knowledge, jñeyam.

There are three things, jñeyam, jñāta, and jñāna. The object of knowledge, the knower is called jñāta, and the object of knowledge is called jñeyam. And the process by which one can understand, that is called jñāna, knowledge. As soon as we speak of knowledge, there must be three things: the object of knowledge, the person who is trying to know and the process by which the object of knowledge is achieved.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

These two things I want to know from You." Prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi. Another two items, kṣetram, the field of activities... Just like I am working. I am working. You are working. How you are working? Where you are working? I am working, being situated in this body. This is already described in the beginning that the living entity is within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13).

So kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra means the platform on which, or the stage on which we are dancing. That is called kṣetra. And kṣetra-jña means the person who is dancing. That is kṣetra-jña. When you, when you dance, you know that I am dancing on this ground, on this platform. So you are knower. Therefore kṣetra-jña. And the platform on which you are dancing, that is kṣetra. So we are all dancing... In the material world, we are all dancing. How we are dancing? Getting a particular type of body. That is kṣetra. There must be some platform.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

This is material creation. So how we can know about this material creation? But we can know from Kṛṣṇa. Because He knows everything. Because everything is manufactured from Him. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So we have to know like that. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So He can speak perfectly what is the plan, the, of this creation, creation of the universal, universe. The plan is that we living entities, kṣetra-kṣetra-jña... Kṣetra means this body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram ity abhidhīyate. It is said: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). "You have asked the question: 'What is kṣetra, field of activities, and who is the knower of this field,' so I answer: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram (BG 13.2). This body is the field of activities."

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

Nitāi: "Arjuna said: O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti, nature, puruṣa, the enjoyer, and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the end of knowledge. The Blessed Lord then said: This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field."

Prabhupāda:

arjuna uvāca
prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
etad veditum icchāmi
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
śrī bhagavān uvāca
idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya
kṣetram ity abhidhīyate
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ
kṣetra-jñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ
(BG 13.2)

So Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, they are two friends, but friendly talking does not come to any conclusion. Therefore, Arjuna knew that "Kṛṣṇa, although He is my friend, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He knew it. Therefore, he selected Him as his spiritual master: "So we are not going to talk anymore as friends. Now I know that You can dissipate all my ignorance because You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So I accept You as my spiritual master." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "I am now your śiṣya, disciple."

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

The subject matter of Vedas is to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). If you are a student of Vedas, then you must have clear conception of God. That is real knowledge, no vague idea, but clear conception. That is knowledge, Vedic knowledge, ultimate... Therefore the Vedānta philosophy. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the ultimate. Everything has got ultimate. So Vedānta means the ultimate knowledge of Vedas. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You will find in the fifteenth chapter. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham. (break)

So He is the compiler of Vedānta philosophy, and He is the knower of Vedānta philosophy. Therefore Arjuna is asking from Kṛṣṇa because He is the ultimate knowle... And ultimate, supreme person means Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses. The word Sanskrit, vat, it is added when there is the question of possessing. Asty arthe vat and mat pratyaya. This is Sanskrit grammar. So bhagavat. Bhaga means opulence.

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

The pains and pleasure of my body, the necessities of my body, how I am situated in this body—I know. You also know, you, about your body. And my... About my body you do not know, what pains and pleasure I am feeling. What pains and pleasure you are feeling, I do not know. But I know the pains and pleasure of my body. You know the pains and pleasure of your body. Therefore, in relationship with your body, you are kṣetra-jña, and in relationship with my body I am kṣetra-jña. My body is kṣetra, the field of activities, and your body is the field of activities.

So this is clear conception of kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. The body is called kṣetra, and the knower of the body... If we simply study our body, if we simply take this question, little seriously, "Whether I am this body or I am different from my body?" You study each and every part of your body. You study your finger. You will know or I will know "It is my finger." I do not say it is, "I finger." It is "my finger." Therefore I am different from my body. Just like I say, "This is my shoe." So I am not the shoe. So similarly, you study every part of your body. You know that it is your body. You are not this body.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

So Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa six things: kṣetra, kṣetrajña, prakṛti, puruṣa, jñānam, jñeyam. What is knowledge and what is the object of knowledge. Jñānam jñeyam. Kṣetra, field of activities, kṣetrajña, the worker on that field, kṣetra, kṣetrajña, and prakṛti, nature, and the puruṣa. Material nature and puruṣa means the enjoyer. Six question. Of course Bhagavad-gītā is each and every word and letter is full of knowledge. But these six inquiries, if actually can understand the six items, he becomes the perfect knower. That is said by Kṛṣṇa: yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama. Jñānam means knowledge. So if anyone can understand the six items, then he is in full knowledge.

Yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama. "You have asked me, Arjuna..." And bhagavān uvāca, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaking. Not only speaking, He says, just like a gentleman... Whatever He says is perfect but still He says, "This is My opinion." "This is My opinion." Now my opinion you can take or not take, that is up to you. But who can give better opinion than Kṛṣṇa? That is another knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

Now preliminary understanding. Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse that, idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). Idaṁ śarīram, this body is called kṣetra, field of activities. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate etad yo vetti: anyone who understands. (Tam) sa prāhuḥ kṣetrajñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ. He is kṣetrajñaḥ or the knower of the... Just like we are sitting in this room. It is very easy. Still the rascals, they cannot understand. We are sitting in this room. So the room, the floor is called kṣetra, field. It is also field, a small field. And everyone of us, we know that we are sitting on this floor. Nobody will says that "I am the floor." Will any sane man say that "I am the floor"? Nobody will say. It is common sense. So if you try to understand from this simple example, that I am one identity and this field, that is another identity. So I know that I am sitting on this floor.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

"There is no soul." The rascals will not admit their inefficiency to know and still they will say, "no soul." And if there is no soul, then how it is working? They have no even common sense.

Similarly, as I am very small, smaller than the atom, and I am living within this body and my body is working so nicely. My brain is working so nicely. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also, according to our conception, Kṛṣṇa is person, individual, but He has got a very gigantic body. This is the material world, material expression. That is expressed in the next verse: kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. I am also kṣetrajñam. As you are knower of your body, the bodily pains and pleasure you know, I know. I do not know your bodily pains and pleasures. Neither you know my bodily pains and pleasure. But Kṛṣṇa says that kṣetrajña, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "I am also kṣetrajñam," means "I also know the field."

So how He knows? Sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Sarva-kṣetreṣu. He is within every body. He knows what is the ant is doing. He knows what Brahmā is doing. He knows what you are doing. He knows what I am doing. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Kṛṣṇa says in another place, "I know everything." Just like, it is very easy to understand. Just like, you know everything—not everything—at least eighty percent you know what is going on in your body. You do not know everything.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

This rascal god, so-called god, you ask him, "Can you say what I am feeling now or what are my pains and pleasures?" Can he say? And still he's claiming God. But Kṛṣṇa says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. "I am in every, every body." I am also within this body and Kṛṣṇa is also within this body. Kṛṣṇa... As you are within your body, similarly Kṛṣṇa is also within your body.

So myself, I am called ātmā. And Kṛṣṇa is called Paramātmā. Therefore there are two words: Paramātmā and ātmā. Ātmā is also individual. Paramātmā is also individual. But because both of us, we are knower, kṣetrajñam (vibha(?)), the living entity is kṣetrajnam, he has got knowledge. And Kṛṣṇa says kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. "I am also knower." Both of them, we are knower. We have got knowledge. My knowledge may be limited. Kṛṣṇa's knowledge unlimited, complete. But both of us, we are knower. We can understand. We can know. Therefore, we are called kṣetrajña. But the difference is Kṛṣṇa knows everything all over the creation, I even do not know what is going on in my body. That is the difference.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

This is the position. So there are so many thing. If you have got little brain, try to understand. Then knowledge is perfect. Even by studying, simply by studying these two or three lines in this thirteenth chapter, you can become a perfect knower. And if you follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction... He is giving you instruction. He's ready to give you instruction. From inside and outside also. Inside He's sitting. He's ready to give you instructions. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). "I am sitting in everyone's heart."

Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānaṁ apohanaṁ ca: "From Me, one remembers, one forgets." When you forget something, that is also Kṛṣṇa's trick. Because... Just like there are some persons who are devotees and some persons who are demons. So if anyone wants to become a demons, Kṛṣṇa is within. He'll give him intelligence in such a way that he becomes a first-class demon. What is the duty of the first-class demon? That he'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) That is first-class demon. And if you want to hear Kṛṣṇa, then he will give you such instruction as you will be relieved from this miserable condition of material life and go back to home, back to Godhead. He's ready.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

In every field of activities, in every body, there are two souls: the Supersoul and the individual soul."

Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers, they take it for acceptance that there is one soul only, Supersoul. But here we get from Kṛṣṇa, the authoritative source of knowledge, there are two souls: the individual soul and the Supersoul. Not one soul. Ātmā and Paramātmā.

(reads from purport:) "Because the Supersoul is the plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says 'I am also the knower, but I am not the individual owner of the..." (loud buzzing sound) What has happened? If it is not working, get it out.

Last night we have already explained that the Supersoul, or Kṛṣṇa, is the knower of the pains and pleasure of every body, whereas the individual soul is the knower of pains and pleasure of his own body. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, avināśī tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. The consciousness of the individual soul is spread all over the body. That is avināśī. Indestructible. That is avināśī. Kṛṣṇa says, avināśī tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. Yena, by the soul, he is, by his potency, spread all over the body.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

That does not mean there is no sun in the sky. So māyā does not allow us to see Kṛṣṇa. That is one śakti. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. And another śakti is prakṣepātmikā-śakti. Even one desires to see Kṛṣṇa, she throws away. She tests whether actually he wants Kṛṣṇa or keeping Kṛṣṇa in the front, he wants some material pleasure. Therefore she throws away. In this way māyā-śakti is acting.

Kṛṣṇa therefore says, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). māyā is very powerful. But if one is very rigid in devotional service, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etān taranti te, he can overcome the influence of māyā. So kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. So that kṣetrajña, knower of the body, Kṛṣṇa, He's also there. He's always ready to help us, provided we are serious about Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. So this is the process of pleasing Kṛṣṇa.

Just like we are sitting here together and we are talking about Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

Nitāi: Translation: "O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and its owner is called knowledge. That is My opinion."

Prabhupāda:

kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi
sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata
kṣetra-kṣetra-jñayor jñānaṁ
yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama
(BG 13.3)

Jñānam, knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa is explaining about knowledge. People are being educated all over the world for advancement of knowledge. Knowledge is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore, for human being, there are so many universities, schools, colleges, institutions, laws.

There are so many things (indistinct) to advance knowledge is to understand "Who am I?" If I do not know who am I, then what is the meaning of my advancement of knowledge? Generally, despite so many universities all over the world, people are going on in the concept of this body, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." So everyone is identifying himself with this material body. Then where is the advancement of knowledge?

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

"And the sun-god again handed over the knowledge to his son Manu." Manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt: "And Manu explained the same thing to his son Ikṣvāku." Evaṁ paramparā-prāptaṁ rājarṣayaḥ (BG 4.2). So that means the knowledge is actually coming from Kṛṣṇa.

In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also stated, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Ādi-kavi is Lord Brahmā, and brahma means the Vedic knowledge. So there was nobody to teach Brahmā. Brahmā is called prapitāmaha (BG 11.39), the first-class knower of the Vedic knowledge, ādi-kavi. But wherefrom he got the knowledge? He got the knowledge form Kṛṣṇa. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. And Brahmā distributed it to Nārada. Nārada distributed it to Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva distributed it to other ācāryas. In this way, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So there is paramparā. The knowledge is the same. There is no alteration. But it is coming through disciplic succession, one after an... So one who receives the knowledge from the disciplic succession...

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

Devotee: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupāda: Tat kṣetram (BG 13.4). Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). So Kṛṣṇa has already explained, kṣetra means idaṁ śarīram. Śarīram means this body. Tat kṣetram. First of all, you have to understand that this body or any field of action, anywhere, the three things are there: the field of activities, the owner of the field and the supervisor of the field. You can check and tally anywhere. So Kṛṣṇa says kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi. There are two kṣetrajñaḥ and one kṣetra. One field of activity and two personalities, kṣetrajñaḥ. One is to be supposed as occupier and the other is supposed to be the owner.

Just like in this house we are occupier. The house is kṣetra, field of activities. The landlord is the owner and we are the occupier. Two kṣetrajñaḥ. This property is interest for two persons. One is the occupier and the other is the owner. Similarly, anywhere, any part of the world, anywhere you go, you will find these three things: One, the field of activities and the other two means one occupier and one owner. If one understands these three things and he can study everywhere these three things, then: kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor yad jñānam. This knowledge, to understand everywhere that there is a field of activity and two persons are interested in that field of activity... One is the owner, another is the occupier. If you study these three things only, then: taj-jñānaṁ jñānam. That is knowledge. Otherwise all rascals and fools, that's all. Mataṁ mama. (aside:) Don't sit like that.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

Nitāi:

tat kṣetraṁ yac ca yādṛk ca
yad vikāri yataś ca yat
sa ca yo yat prabhāvaś ca
tat samāsena me śṛṇu
(BG 13.4)

Translation: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupāda: So yesterday we had been discussing about the questions put forward by Arjuna,

prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva
kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca
etad veditum icchāmi
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava

So to some extent we have discussed from where we have to receive knowledge, perfect knowledge, without any mistake, without any illusion. Our knowledge... We are possessing four defects: we commit mistakes, we are illusioned, our senses are imperfect, and we have got a cheating propensity. We are possessing these four defects. However great a man may be, he makes mistake in calculation. "To err is human."

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

Nitāi: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupāda:

tat kṣetraṁ yac ca yādṛk ca
yad vikāri yataś ca yat
sa ca yo yat prabhāvaś ca
tat samāsena me śṛṇu
(BG 13.4)

We have discussed that this body is the field of activity. We are acting according to the body. I am the same person, but when I had my boyhood body or childhood body, I was acting differently. This child, they are acting now some way, but when they will get another body, they will act in a different way.

Similarly, not only this human form of body, but there are eight million four hundred thousand different types of bodies. We have explained several times. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi: "In the water there are nine hundred thousand different forms of body." How many do we know? We do not know all the details. We know there are different types of fishes, and say, a hundred thousand we have seen or experimented, the zoologist. But from the Vedic literature we understand that there are nine hundred thousand forms of body within the water.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Pradyumna: (Leads chanting, etc.)

ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītaṁ
chandobhir vividhaiḥ pṛthak
brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva
hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ
(BG 13.5)

Translation: "That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings—especially in the Vedānta-sūtra—and is presented with all reasoning as to cause and effect."

Prabhupāda: So about the soul and Supersoul, ṛṣibhiḥ, great sages, saintly persons, they have also discussed. Just like in the present age also, we are different parties, the impersonalist and the personalist. Śaṅkara-sampradāya, they ascertain the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirviśeṣa, and the Buddhists, they ascertain, "The Absolute Truth is zero."

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

As you are, you young boys and girls, why you are after me? The natural sequence is that "Now we have to inquire what is the next because this material happiness has not given us any happiness actually." So when a man becomes civilized, when a man has enjoyed enough of this so-called material, the next inquiry is about the Absolute Truth. That is natural. That is natural because every living entity is spiritual spark. He's not this body.

Therefore... Kṛṣṇa has already explained. To understand what the kṣetrajña, the knower of the body, and to understand what is this body, kṣetra-kṣetrajñayoḥ, and who is the another, real proprietor of the body, Kṛṣṇa—kṣetrajñaṁ ca api māṁ viddhi—so if one can understand these three things—kṣetra, kṣetrajna, and the supreme kṣetrajna—he... It is...

Even by common sense we can understand. It requires little cool brain. But that cool brain cannot act without giving us, giving up these four things, namely illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. If your brain is congested always with all these four rubbish things, you cannot think of higher, finer things. That is not possible. Therefore we restrict, to make the brain clear to understand about Kṛṣṇa. Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, vinā paśughnāt.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

Pradyumna: (leads synonyms)

jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi
yaj jñātvā 'mṛtam aśnute
anādimat paraṁ brahma
na sat tan nāsad ucyate

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

Prabhupāda: So this chapter is explanation of the knower and knowledge... The knowledge, the chapter has already explained, in order to make progress in the line of knowledge there were about twenty items: amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir arjavam (BG 13.8). These are the process, not to become falsely proud of possessing knowledge. There are symptoms that who is actually in knowledge and those symptoms have been explained. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam. The most important... Of course, all the items are very important. Still, approaching the ācārya... (break) ...portion of Kṛṣṇa. Racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim. One portion, Paramātmā. That Paramātmā portion is the Mahā-Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu lying on the Kāraṇārṇava, the Causal Ocean.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

And as soon as we understand that everything is the energy of the Supreme Lord, then we immediately become in touch. That can be done, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38).

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, iti kṣetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ coktuṁ samāsataḥ. "My dear Arjuna, now I have explained to you in summary, not in detail, what is this body, who is the knower of the body, proprietor of the body, kṣetra-jña, and what is knowledge, and what is the object of knowledge. These things I have explained to you." So Kṛṣṇa is explaining, everything. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can become fully in knowledge if you read Bhagavad-gītā carefully. But you must have the qualification. If you are a rascal, nonsense you cannot understand. This is plain thing. Rascals and nonsense cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. That is the first condition.

When Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna, he said, bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you this mystery of Bhagavad-gītā which was spoken long long ago to the sun-god, but now it is lost because the paramparā is lost. Disciplic succession is lost. Therefore I am again speaking to you the same truth so that from you people will understand what is Bhagavad-gītā."

Lecture on BG 13.35 -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

So now it is your choice. This body is given to you. Now you make your choice whether you want to have, in this material world, better facilities, better duration of life, or if you want to degrade yourself to the animal life, or if you want to go to Kṛṣṇaloka, everything, whatever you want, you can get. And this is the chance, this human form of body. You make your choice. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram iti abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). It is just like the land of cultivation. Now you cultivate.

idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya
kṣetram ity abhidhīyate
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ
kṣetra-jñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ
(BG 13.2)

And... Just like the land and the proprietor of land. The proprietor of the land knows that "This is my land." It is not "I land." That is ignorance. So people are taking this, that "I am this body." That is ignorance. If they know, if one knows that "I am not this body; I am proprietor of this body, I'll have to work with this body for my future," then that is knowledge. Etad yo vetti kṣetra-jña, knower, one who knows. That is the beginning of knowledge.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

Pradyumna: (Translation:) "The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas."

Prabhupāda: So this is the description of Vedic literature. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That will be described. Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vida jñāne. Vid-dhātu. From vid-dhātu, the word Veda has come, which means knowledge. There are different kinds of knowledge, and all kinds of knowledge you can get perfectly from the Vedas. There is Dhanur-veda, Āyur-veda, Ṛg-veda, Sāma-veda, different branches of Veda, but the objective of studying Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. All kinds of Vedas. Any book of knowledge. There are different types of book of knowledge. So if by studying the books of different types of knowledge one comes to the understanding of knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, then his knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Jayatīrtha:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham
(BG 15.15)

(French and English synonyms read) "I am seated in everyone's heart and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas." (French translation read)

Prabhupāda: Now it is explained purport. (break) Knowledge given by Paramātmā from within the core of the heart is explained by the modern scientist as intuition. They do not know wherefrom the intuition is coming. And that is coming from God. Therefore it is stated mattaḥ, from Me. Smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. A small cub, dog, it has not opened the eyes, but still, immediately after birth, it is seeking the nipples of the mother. So wherefrom the knowledge comes? From his within. And that is from God. The other day I explained, Vedas means just like this dictaphone machine is manufactured along with one literature is also compiled. So customers, they are given the delivery of the machine as well as the literature how to use it. That is the Vedas. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that vedānta-kṛt, "I am the compiler of the Vedas."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

This has been discussed five thousand years ago by Vyāsadeva, whether the origin of life is life or matter. So he says that the origin of everything is life because Vāsudeva is also life. And now you come to your argument and reason, whether origin of life is matter or life. That you have to discuss. So here it is said that origin is life because here it is said, yato 'nvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ. Just like if I am taken as the origin of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that means I know everything directly and indirectly of all this movement. If I do not know directly or indirectly everything of this movement, then I cannot be called the founder-ācārya. And as soon as the origin becomes a knower, he is life. So therefore dull matter cannot be the knower of everything.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

That is the reason. Anything material we think... Just like this microphone. This microphone is combination of some metal and some wires or anything is metal or something plastic. But they have not combined together automatically. A person who knows the art, he has combined all of them together. Now it is acting. Now, if this microphone is not in order, then I will have to take to the person who knows what is indirectly and directly the composition of the microphone. Therefore the origin of everything or the original source of everything, He is the knower. He is not dull matter. So therefore it is stated here, abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means perfectly knower. Now, it can be said that abhijñaḥ... perfect knowledge is received from the superior person. Just like I do not know what is the mechanical arrangement of this microphone. But if I want to know it, then I must go to a perfect knower who can explain (to) me that these ingredients or these parts of the machine are there. Therefore the question may be raised that "The original source of everything is knower of everything, accepting, but where He got the knowledge?"

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

"Those who are actually knower of the Absolute Truth, they know that the Absolute Truth is manifested in three features: impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā, antaryāmī or the Supersoul..." As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that in each body there is a soul, kṣetra-jña. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram ity abhidhīyate. The body... I am not this body, but I know it is my body. Therefore I am kṣetra-jña and the body is kṣetra. And Kṛṣṇa says that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). That sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata, in every body, that manifestation of God, or Kṛṣṇa, is called Paramātmā, or Supersoul. So the Supersoul and the soul, both of them are sitting on this body. It is compared with a tree. Just like on the tree two birds sitting, friendly birds. One is eating the fruit and another is simply witnessing. Upadraṣṭā-anumantā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

So money is one of the feature of attraction. Therefore God must be the supreme wealthy person. Otherwise He is not God. Another attraction is beauty. So God must be the most beautiful. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa so many times. Perhaps you are convinced that you have never seen such a beautiful picture, although He's little blackish. So in this way, "God," "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. He's attractive by His opulences, six kinds opulences, which I have described many times in this class. Another name is adhokṣaja, this name here. He has got many millions and trillions of names, according to perception of the devotee or the knower. He is also known as Brahman, Paraṁ Brahman, Paramātmā, and Kṛṣṇa, Madhusūdana, Govinda. There are many millions and trillions of names of God, but in the Vedic literature it is said that out of all kinds of names designated... Not designated. Designated will be wrong word. Actually. Because God name, God's name is given according to His transcendental quality. Just like this word, "Kṛṣṇa." "Kṛṣṇa" means, real means the all-attractive. So because He has got transcendental qualities to attract everyone, He can attract the richest man, He can attract the most beautiful man or woman, He can attract the most strong man, He can attract the most wise man; therefore He's all-attractive. So adhokṣaja means you cannot perceive. You cannot have any actual idea of God by your mental speculation. He is called adhokṣaja.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

"Just get up." Jāgrata: "Be awakened." Prāpya varān nibhodata. You have got this benediction of human form of life. Nibhodata. Try to understand the advantage, nibhodata. This is the only business of human birth, being, to understand his constitutional position, to understand God and relationship with God. We are avoiding this. What is the solution? Here it is clearly said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nartho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. You work hard, but what is your aim of life? Simply sense gratification. It is falling life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Now what is that tattva? That is explained in the next verse, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Those who are tattva-vit, those who are knower of the Absolute Truth, they say as follows:

vadanti tattva-vidas
tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavān iti śabdyate
(SB 1.2.11)

That Absolute Truth, tattva-vastu, those who are in the knowledge of tattva-vastu, they say the Absolute Truth is one, advaya-jñāna. There is no duality. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. They are the same tattva-vastu, but according to our angle of vision, somebody is understanding the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, somebody is understanding the Absolute Truth as localized Paramātmā, and somebody... That is highest realization, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

Nimbārka, he is also vedāntī. Without understanding Vedānta, where is the question of spiritual advancement? So Vedānta does not mean it is the monopoly of a certain class of philosopher. No. Actually Vedānta, this vedānta-bhāṣya understanding of Vedānta, it is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣya brahma-sutrani. And this bhāṣya, this commentary, is given by the author Himself. The purpose of Vedānta is known to the author. Therefore if he personally gives the commentary, that is very perfect. Kṛṣṇa also says, vedānta-vit vedānta kṛd cāham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of it." That is, Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "I, I am the actual knower of Vedānta." So whatever is said by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā, that is no a..., against Vedānta-sūtra, or what is spoken in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is not..., that is actually following the Vedānta-sūtra.

Now, here it is said that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Vedānta-sūtra begins with this word: athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

Because here it is: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vit. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128).

So guru means kṛṣṇa-tattva-vit, one who knows about Kṛṣṇa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He explains about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa explains about Himself. The Gosvāmīs, Ṣaḍ Gosvāmīs, they are explaining about Kṛṣṇa. And in their paramparā system, the ācāryas, they are also explaining Kṛṣṇa. So if we do not go through these tattva-vits, then we'll misunderstand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade hoibe ākuti, kabe hāma bujhabo se jugala-pīriti. All of a sudden, if you become a knower of the jugala-pīriti, love of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, then there is chance of becoming fallen. There is chance. So we should... Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). We must approach the tattva-vit, one who knows the truth; through them, through him, we should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Not simply by

Therefore they're ma..., committing so many mistakes. Even scholars like Dr. Radhakrishnan and others, they're committing so many mistakes. Because they do not go through tattva-vit.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

It will struggle. It will struggle this way, this way, this way. And ultimately you have to give way. This is sentient. Therefore sentient is superior.

There are two things within our experience: one, matter, not sentient; and another sentient. So this... Now, I am seer. Or sometimes I control both these things. But I am not supreme controller. But I can observe that there are two things, sentient and insentient, and I am observing. So, for the time being, I am superior of both the sentient and nonsentient. So the conclusion is the ultimate source of everything, ultimate knower, ultimate analyzer, must be a sentient. It cannot be insentient. That is experimental knowledge.

So in this way, this, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, bhāgavata-dharma, it is not sentiment. We can explain how God created. Sometimes it is, in Bible, it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." But they cannot explain.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

Sometimes it is, in Bible, it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." But they cannot explain. Therefore in the modern age, scientifically advanced, they do not take it. But we can explain. Our bhāgavata-dharma can explain how, simply by desiring, there is creation. So here it is said: chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. One, by this, following this bhāgavata-dharma, studying from Bhāgavata, the ultimate knowledge of everything, one can become completely doubtless that God is a person, He is sentient, He is the supreme director, He's the supreme knower, He's the supreme physist, the supreme chemist—everything, supreme.

Just like Kṛṣṇa lifted the mountain, giri-bara-dhārī. Jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī gopī-jana-vallabha giri-bara-dhārī. When there was torrents of rain, Vṛndāvana was being overflooded, and all the inhabitants became so much disturbed. They were seeing to, looking to Kṛṣṇa, because they did not know anything beyond Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, I am lifting this mountain. Let it become a big umbrella of the whole state, or whole village." The atheist will say these are all stories. No. They're not stories.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

The Absolute Truth is one. One who knows the Absolute Truth, he knows that Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, the same objective, but they are realized by different devotees or different knower in different features. The example is given in this connection: Just like if you see from a very distant place one hill, you'll find just like a cloud, hazy cloud. If you push forward further you'll find something green. But when you actually approach the hill, you'll find there are many houses, many animals, many trees, varieties. So the Absolute Truth, when it is realized by our limited understanding, the Absolute Truth appears as nirviśeṣa, impersonal Brahman. Similarly, when we try to meditate upon the Absolute Truth within our heart, He appears as Paramātmā. Yogis... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). But at the ultimate issue, He's Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, origin. Advaitam acyutam anādim. Anādi: Kṛṣṇa has no source. He's the original source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). These things are there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa is residing along with the living entity within the heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, that Īśvara, the Supreme Personality, is residing in everyone's heart. In another place it is said, kṣetra-kṣetrajña chapter, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Kṣetrajña means the knower of the body. I, you, every one of us, we are individual living entities. We are also kṣetrajña. I know this is my body, this is my finger, this is my hair, this is my leg. Jña. Jña means one who knows. So I know; you know. You know about your body; I know about my body. Therefore we are all kṣetrajñas. Kṣetrajña means one who knows about his field of activities.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Suppose a foolish boy is trying to touch fire. Father says, "Don't do it." In spite of that, if the foolish boy does it, his hand is burned. So father is not responsible. He says, "Don't do it." But the child does it out of ignorance and suffers. Similarly the sanction of God is there as we persist on it. "I want this. I want this." As a child sometimes cries and the mother is obliged to sanction, similarly, God is very kind. If we persist on doing something, He gives us sanction. But the result you have to suffer or enjoy. Go on.

Upendra: "One who knows these plenary features of the Personality of Godhead knows also Him (Godhead) properly and thus the knower becomes freed from the material conditions of birth, death, old age and diseases as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. In this śloka the subject matter of Mahā-Viṣṇu is summarized. The Mahā-Viṣṇu lies down in some part of the spiritual sky by His own free will and thus He does lie on the ocean of kāraṇa from where He glances over His material nature and the mahat-tattva is at once created.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

He was illiterate, and he could not read even one word. What is the truth in it? The same thing. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya **. He took guru's order very seriously, that "My Guru Mahārāja has ordered me, and I must carry out. Never mind I cannot read. Let me open the pages and see. That's all." So he was doing that. So others criticized him that "This man is illiterate. What he is reading?" But Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not criticize. Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Oh, what you are reading, My dear brāhmaṇa?" So he explained, that "This gentleman has not come to criticize me." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew that "He is a perfect knower of Bhagavad-gītā." Still, He inquired, "Well, if you are not reading, then how you are crying? I see there are tears in your eyes. What is the meaning?" Then he admitted, "Yes, sir. Yes. That is." "Why you are crying?" "No, as soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand a picture comes before me that Arjuna is sitting on the chariot ordering Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is carrying out his order and driving the chariot. So that makes me amazed. Therefore I am crying, that 'How Kṛṣṇa is merciful, that He accepted a menial service for His devotee. He is so kind.' " Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him: "Yes, brāhmaṇa, your reading of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect."

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

So sac-cakṣur, to see oneself and to see God, it is not very easy. Janmanām ante. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, jñānavān. The so-called learned scholars, Vedantists, so-called Vedantists... One who is actual Vedant..., knower of Vedānta, he understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Because veda means knowledge, and anta, "the late phase." Knowledge, there are different types of knowledge. Ordinary knowledge, as we are now interested for economic benefit, that is not actual knowledge. That is art of livelihood. That is not knowledge. Suppose you are a very big engineer, and another man is ordinary electric mistri. The qualification is the same: earning livelihood by some art. If there is some wrong in the electric line, I cannot repair it. I call one mistri. He knows the art. He immediately revives the electric current. So this sort of knowledge is called śilpa, śilpa-jñāna, "artistic knowledge." That is not knowledge. Real knowledge is Vedic knowledge, Vedānta knowledge, to know oneself, "What I am, what is God, Bhagavān, what is my relation with Him, and what is my duty, and what is the ultimate goal of life." This is knowledge. Etaj jñānaṁ tad ajñānam anyathā. Kṛṣṇa says, "This is jñānam." Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña-jñānam.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

One who has seen the Supreme Truth. That Supreme Truth is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You are searching after the truth. You are studying the Vedic literature, Vedānta-darśana. That is very good. But what is the goal of Vedānta-darśana?" Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end, Vedānta, the ultimate knowledge. What is that? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says that "If you are actually studying Vedānta, then ultimately you have to understand Me." Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I understand. I am the knower of Vedānta." So if you hear from Kṛṣṇa what is Kṛṣṇa, that is actually understanding Vedānta. If you do not understand Kṛṣṇa and if you simply advertise yourself Vedāntī, that will not help you.

Therefore, without this knowledge, there is... They have been called in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti, mohitam (BG 7.25).

tribhir guṇamayair bhāvair
ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat
mohitaṁ nābhijānāti
mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam
(BG 7.13)

The mūḍhas, they do not know it. So anyone who is in this material world, more or less, we are all mūḍhas. This morning I was walking while walking on the beach. More or less, we are all mūḍhas.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

This is Vedic system. But there are many sannyāsīs taking advantage of this, so we are not concerned. Neither Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a false sannyāsī. He was real sannyāsī. And he was also real gṛhastha, Rāmānanda Rāya. So he was feeling little hesitation. To encourage him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately said, "No, no. Why you are feeling hesitation? Why you are feeling inferior? You are guru." "Now, how I am guru?" "Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128)." Because to become a knower of Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary position. Yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). One who has known Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary man. Yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). He is above all the siddhas even. "So why you are hesitating? You know kṛṣṇa-tattva; therefore I am asking from you." So this is the position.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is also individual and the living entity is also individual, eka. Kṣetra-jña—fully conscious of his bodily activities, kṣetra-jña. Āśraya—the basic principle. As I am, I am spirit soul, I am the basic principle of development of this body, similarly Kṛṣṇa is the basic principle of development of this universe. That is the difference. I know where is the pains and pleasure, what are the defects and favorable condition in my body, but I do not know what is favorable for your body. Therefore I am not kṣetra-jña, conversant with your bodily activities, but Kṛṣṇa knows. kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am also kṣetra-jña, knower of the body, but I know everyone's body." That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā, the Supersoul, and the individual soul. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they make one. That is not possible. Kṣetra-jña, āśraya, avikriya—unchangeable. Sva-dṛk—he can see himself by contemplation, by meditation. Sva-dṛk, hetuḥ—cause. Vyāpaka-all—pervading. I am all-pervading within this body, in my body.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

You are conscious of your bodily existence, I am conscious of my bodily existence, but I am not conscious of your bodily existence, neither you are conscious of my bodily existence. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. And the Supersoul is conscious of your bodily existence and my bodily existence. Therefore God is present everywhere—in your heart, in my heart, in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). It is specifically mentioned that Supersoul is everywhere within the heart of every living entity. The exact Sanskrit word used in this connection is called kṣetrajñāḥ. (to translator:) Yes, explain. Kṣetra, kṣetra means field, and jñāḥ, jñāḥ means knower. Kṣetrajñāḥ. So you are knower of the field of your existence. That means this body. The body is the field of your existence. Just like a cultivator has got a tract of land, a small land which he cultivates in his own way, similarly, we have got this small body and we are called kṣetrajñāḥ, knower of this body. Just like if you study each and every part of your body, you will understand that "It is mine." You will claim this finger as your finger, but you'll not claim other's finger as your finger. But God can claim your finger and my finger as His finger. Kṣetra-jñāṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. It is said, "My dear Arjuna, as individual soul is the proprietor of that individual body, I am also proprietor not of that individual body but all bodies." Everything.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit. What is the translation?

Pradyumna: "The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas."

Prabhupāda: Yes. One who knows this tree, he knows the Vedas. That means the Vedas says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedānta-sūtra. Wherefrom this material world is coming? That is Absolute Truth. The atheist class men, they cannot think that there is a cause. In the Sixteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā: jagad āhur anīśvara. Jagad āhur anīśvara. What is that? Find out. Sixteenth Chapter. They say that this material cosmic manifestation, manifestation, this world is... Uh? Uh?

Pradyumna: Could we have the verse again?

Devotee: Jagad ahur anīśvaram (BG 16.8).

Prabhupāda: No, that is the last word. You find out, Sixteenth Chapter.

Pradyumna: Tasmāc chāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. In the beginning. Beginning, read, Sixteenth Chapter.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.76-81 -- San Francisco, February 2, 1967:

This is rascaldom. There must be change in life. Otherwise, what is the use of Vedānta-sūtra? Veda-anta. Vedānta means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means end, end of all knowledge. Everyone is searching after knowledge, but there must be some end. What is the ultimate end? The Bhagavad-gītā says, vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta. I am the knower of Vedānta." So, if you simply understand what Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, you are Vedantist. And what says Kṛṣṇa? What does He say? He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all rascaldom. Simply surrender unto Me." This is Vedānta. This is Vedānta. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

There are, I mean to say, Koran. There is Vedas. And try to understand God and make your life perfect and go back to Godhead. This is the whole policy.

So there is no flaw in the arrangement of God. That is to be understood first of all. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that Vedānta, Vedānta is compiled by God Himself. That we have explained yesterday. Lord Kṛṣṇa also says that vedānta vid vedānta kṛd ca aham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta and I am the knower of Vedānta." If God, if Kṛṣṇa is not knower of Vedānta, then how He can compile Vedānta? Vedānta means "the last word in knowledge." We are, everyone, seeking knowledge, and Vedānta means the last word of knowledge. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu first of all establishes that in the Vedānta-sūtra you cannot find any flaw; therefore you have no right to interpret. Because you are nonsense rascal, so how you can touch and comment on the sūtras which is compiled by God, the Supreme Perfect? But we do not admit that "I am rascal." I think that I am very much learned, I have no flaw, I am perfect. So these are foolishness. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's point is this, that why the foolish persons go to interpret and comment on Vedānta, which is perfect itself? Do you require to see the sun with this light?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

That is impersonal. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Everything is resting in Him. That means in His energy. Śakti-śakti mat or abheda. His energy is not different from Him. So therefore this quotation given from Viṣṇu Purāṇa by Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very appropriate. Viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā (CC Madhya 6.154). Ksetrajña, these living entities... Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you know. Ksetrajña means the living entities. Kṣetra means this body, and jña means proprietor or the knower of this body. Just like when there is some pain and pleasure, you know. Therefore you are kṣetrajña; we are all kṣetrajña. And Kṛṣṇa says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. And that is Paramātmā. When Kṛṣṇa says, "I am also kṣetrajña..." Not this kṣetrajña. Sometimes they misunderstand that the individual soul, living entity, and Paramātmā is the same. No. He says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "I am also one of the birds sitting on this body." That is confirmed in the Upaniṣad. Two birds are sitting in one tree. So one bird is witnessing. The witnessing bird is the Paramātmā, antaryāmī. He is looking after all your activities, witness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:

So he has given the definition of God. After consulting all Vedic literatures, he has given his, delivered the definition of God. What is that? Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇa: full of six opulences. And what are those six opulences? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya: "He is the proprietor of all wealth, everything." So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: "He is the reservoir of all strength." Vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ: "And He is the supreme famous." Nobody can be more famous than Kṛṣṇa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Śriyaḥ means beauty. Nobody can be more beautiful than Kṛṣṇa. And jñāna, knowledge. Nobody can be more knower and full of knowledge than Kṛṣṇa. And renunciation. And He is also, at the..., having so many opulences. He is renouncer of... He has nothing to do with all these things. He does not depend for His Godheadship on these qualifications. He is renouncer at the same time. So here also Lord Caitanya substantiates that ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa: "He's full of six opulences." Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa yāṅra goloka-nitya-dhāma. Nitya-dhāma means He's homely. Homely. He's the proprietor of all land, but just like a king. A king is the proprietor of the whole state; still, he has got his personal residence, which is called palace, royal palace. So similarly, although Lord is the proprietor of everything, every land, every space, every, any, anywhere... This is the proprietorship of Lord, of God's.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966:

Here is the transla... "I shall briefly describe to that state which the knowers of the Vedas call the imperishable, which the ascetics, freed from passion, enter, and desiring which, they lead a life of self-control." Not... Brahmacarya is celibacy. Translation is not here. Celibacy means completely ceasing from sex life. Yad icchanto brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means celibacy. No sex life. Therefore the brahmacarya āśrama is recommended. The first basic principle of religious life, according to Vedic principle, the students are expected to go to the spiritual master's place and learn how to live without any sex life. For twenty-five years or at least for twenty years, the student is trained up in that way. Then he's allowed to enter into the gṛhastha life to marry. So there is a process. Religion means there must be process. It is not simply mental speculation. Yad icchantaṁ brahmacaryaṁ caranti. Yad icchantaṁ brahmacaryaṁ caranti tat te padaṁ saṅgraheṇa pravakśye. These things are described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1970:

"One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things. What is there as illusion or anxiety for him?" This realization is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are different kinds of realization, but ekatvam, a qualitatively oneness, is always there. The brahmavādi, impersonalist, they think that we are cent percent one with the Lord or the Supreme Absolute Truth, but that is not a fact. If one is cent percent one with the Supreme Lord, then how he has come under the control of māyā? This question, they cannot answer.

So real identity is in the Vedic literature we find that just like the fire, big fire, and the sparks of the fire, they are of the same quality, but the small spark, when he goes out of the fire and falls elsewhere, then, at that time, its fiery quality becomes covered. So this covering becomes manifest according to different qualities. Just like the fire. If a fire spark, if it drops on the water, then it is, it assumes completely extinguished. Similarly, the living entity, although qualitatively the fire, with God, when it contacts the modes of ignorance, his spiritual quality becomes almost extinct.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970:

Now this heat is not different from the fire, and the light is not different from the fire, but still heat and light is not fire. The... From the fire, there is heat. So if you are heated, if you are getting warmth from the fire, fireplace, that does not mean you are sitting on the fire. But at the same time, that warmth of the fire, the heat of the fire, is not different from the fire. In this way you have to understand the whole universe. Nothing is different from Kṛṣṇa, but still, Kṛṣṇa is not everywhere. This philosophy... Therefore this very word is used here, vijānataḥ. Vijānataḥ means one who knows, knower of things, how they are manifested. When one understands that things are manifested in this system exactly like the fire, heat and light... Fire is the original cause of heat and light. Similarly, whatever we see within this universe, within material world and spiritual world, the spiritual world is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's internal energy, and this material world is Kṛṣṇa's expansion of external energy, and we living entities, we are expansion of marginal energy. So three energies. He has got multi-energies. All the multi-energies grouped in three headings: antaraṅga-śakti, bahiraṅga-śakti, taṭastha-śakti.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970:

We cannot say that energy is false. Energy is temporary; this external energy is temporary, not false. Although... Suppose we have got some trouble. There are so many kinds of troubles pertaining to the body, mind, external affairs. But that trouble comes and goes. But when the trouble is there, it is true. We feel the consequence. We cannot say it is false. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that it is false. But when he's troubled, why he's so much disturbed? So that is not false. Therefore this very word is used: vijānataḥ, "one who knows." Perfect knowledge must be there, vijānataḥ. When one is actual knower of the things, tatra ko mohaḥ, then there is no illusion. Illusion is for him who does not know things. But one who knows, there is no illusion. Tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka. No lamentation. When you are perfectly in conviction that there is nothing except Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's energy, the same, then there is no moha—moha means illusion—and śoka.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

So Lord Kṛṣṇa for this reason has appeared. He wants to call the conditioned souls back to Godhead. He wants us to realize that He is the source of the whole universe, He is the owner of the universe, He is the supreme enjoyer, the supreme knower of everything, and that we are always welcome to associate with Him by the grace of His devotees, by the grace of a spiritual master. And so He has appeared, and we are now celebrating the Janmāṣṭamī day, the day when Lord Kṛṣṇa came to this conditioned plane out of His own transcendental power, with His full spiritual potency, in order to reveal the supreme nature of sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), eternal knowledge, consciousness, and bliss, to all the conditioned souls so that they might be attracted to Him, and so that they might come out of the miseries of material existence and of ignorance. At this particular time in the world it is very much necessary that all people hear about Kṛṣṇa and that they should become attracted to chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa, to hearing about Kṛṣṇa's wonderful pastimes. So that by this exquisite attraction for Kṛṣṇa they might forget their lower desires, which are now leading everybody to a hellish condition of life in which it seems inevitable there are going to be wars and pestilences and starvation, diseases, all kinds of social injustice.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:

If He is impersonal, how Brahmā and Śambhu are engaged in His service? He is person. Brahmā-śambhu-phanīndras tebhyo 'nīśam vedānta-vedyam. Vedānta-vedyam. These Māyāvādīs, they have Śaṅkarācārya, they have their Śārīraka-bhāṣya. They have tried to prove the Supreme Lord as imperson. This is not actually fact. Vedānta-vedyam. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam, vedānta-kṛt veda-vid eva cāham (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says that all the Vedas, including Vedānta... If somebody says the Vedānta is describing impersonal Brahman, but Kṛṣṇa says that "How it can do?" Vedānta-vid, "I am the actual knower of Vedānta, I am actual composer of Vedānta. So I am the Supreme." So these Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand. They think that Vedānta...

In India the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs are known as Vedāntī. Therefore my society, Vaiṣṇava society, has particularly given me this title, Bhaktivedanta. Vedānta means bhakti. It is a challenge to the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. This particular title was given after due consideration that my humble self should be awarded this title. It is new title amongst the Vaiṣṇava society. So the Māyāvādī philosophers they are sometimes surprised that "How Swamijī is Vedanti, at the same time bhakti?"

General Lectures

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Yes. Therefore you are not God. God consciousness is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetra. The Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, says that "This body is the field of our activities." Otherwise, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "I am also conscious. I am also knower." As you are knower, so God is also knower. But the difference of His knowledge—that He's omnipotent, omnipresent; you are not omnipotent, omnipresent. That is the difference. You have got some potency, and you are also present in some limited circle, but He is present everywhere. You are not present in another planet, but God is present everywhere. That is His omnipresence, omnipotent. So He's also conscious, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "Also know that I am also knower, but My knowledge expands everywhere, but your knowledge expands only within this body." That is the difference.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So similarly, in any capacity you analyze, so far the definition of God—wealth... Now, He's the proprietor of all wealth. Now, nobody can claim... Even the, I mean, the biggest rich man of your country, the Rockefeller or the Ford company or..., nobody can claim that he's the only richest man. No. There are many others. So nobody can claim that "I am the richest." No. Nobody can claim that "I am the most famous." No. Nobody can claim that "I am the most beautiful." Nobody can claim that "I am the absolute knower." In this way, you apply the definition in yourself, you'll find that you partly and partially represent all the qualities of God. That you can claim, that you are partial God, or part and parcel of... That is the exact word, part and... Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). These living entities, jīva-bhūta... There are two definitions of the living entities. One definition is jīva-bhūta, and another definition is Brahmā bhūta (SB 4.30.20). What is the jīva-bhūta? So long the living entity has got the misconception of his existence, that "I am this body," he's called jīva-bhūta. And when he is completely in knowledge that "I am not this body," that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. The same "I," one is false identification, and another is real identification. The real identification begins—brahma-bhūtaḥ, to know that "I am not this matter; I am spirit soul."

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

Who says yes? Please come here. Thank you. It is very good. At least one of you know what is Bhagavad-gītā. Don't go away. Please come here. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that kṣetra-kṣetra-jñaḥ. Two things are described there. Kṣetra means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the knower of the body. Just like "I am." I know this is my finger, this is my leg, this is my head. So I am the knower., And this leg is my body. Is that not stated in the Bhagavad-gītā?

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

All right. Bhagavad-gītā, in the Thirteenth Chapter, you will find, it is described: the body and the knower of the body. Just like you think over your body, you think over your finger. You will understand that it is your finger. When I think of this finger, I know this is my finger. When I think of this leg, I think that "This is my leg." But I don't think your finger as my finger. This knower is individual, and he knows not everything but something of his body. I do not know everything of my body. Suppose I am eating, I am eating something. How this eatable substance transforms into vitamin secretion and how it is being distributed all over the body and is supplying the energy? Or take, for example, I have got my hairs, but I do not know how many hairs I have got. Is not that a fact? Can you count your hairs, how many hairs you have got? So, so many things we do not know even of our body, although I am claiming that "This is my body."

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

He is supreme living being, Kṛṣṇa. He says that "I know everything of everyone's body." Ksetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). This is the verse. Ksetra-jña means the knower of the body. You are individual knower of your body; I am knower individually of my body. So everyone is knower of his own body. But there is another person, who says that "I know everything of everyone's body." Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. He is known as Paramātmā. The individual knower is known as ātmā, or soul, spirit soul. (aside:) Yes. You can sit down on the bench. Yes. The individual soul is called ātmā. But there is another soul, Supersoul. He is called Paramātmā. Paramātmā is God. Paramātmā is God, but ātmā and Paramātmā, both of them are cognizant. Both of them know things. Just like I know something about my body or I know something about this world. Similarly, there is another ātmā, supreme ātmā, who knows everything of this universe. He is sometimes called God or the Paramātmā or Kṛṣṇa, whatever He..., according to different language. So that God is also knower; you are also knower. So far knowing capacity is concerned, you are one with God. Because Kṛṣṇa or God is cognizant, you are also cognizant. But you are cognizant with very limited sphere, and He is cognizant unlimitedly everywhere.

Lecture at Caitanya Matha -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:

Paramātmā. These things are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetra-kṣetrajña, chapter (?). Kṣetra means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the knower of the body. Kṣetra-jña, jña means knower. So, Kṛṣṇa says that each and every body, there is a kṣetra-jña. I know about the pains and pleasure of my body, you know the pains and pleasure of your body.

Host: (calls for silence)

Prabhupāda: I think they cannot understand.

Host: (calls for silence and explains in local language that talk is in English among other things—break)

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). Just like I am present in my body. I know the pains and pleasure of my body, but Kṛṣṇa, because He is present in everyone's body, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), He knows the pains and pleasure of all bodies. That is difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves, or God and ourselves. This is the test. Somebody is claiming that "I am God." How you can be God? You cannot know the pains and pleasures of others, but Kṛṣṇa knows. That is the difference between God and living entity.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Those who have got this copy, it is page 619. Arjuna wanted to know prakṛti, the nature, the material nature, and puruṣam. Puruṣam means the enjoyer, the living entities. Here in this material world every living entity is trying to enjoy this material nature. Prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetram. Kṣetram means field of activity, and kṣetra-jñam means the knower of the field. Just like an agricultural field, the field is there and the cultivator is there. The cultivator knows that "It is my field of activity." So he's to be supposed as kṣetra-jñam, one who knows about his field of activities. Etad veditum icchāmi. Because Kṛṣṇa has been accepted as the teacher. First of all, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were talking as friends. But when Arjuna saw it that friendly talking will not make any solution of the problem, so at that time, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, and that "I become Your disciple," śiṣyas te 'ham śādhi māṁ (tvāṁ) prapannam, "and I surrender unto You." That is the relationship between teacher and the student. The student must receive knowledge submissively, not by challenge. Therefore, one has to select a teacher where one can submit. That is the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Teacher must be approached with submission.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

"My dear Arjuna, even if you go the highest planetary system, the Brahmaloka, again you have to come back." This is the position of material world. You accept this, and again you accept this, and again you accept another thing according to your karma. Just like you have got this human form of body. It is a great opportunity. But if we do not utilize as human being, if we utilize it as cats and dogs, again I'm going to be cats and dogs. This is the process. Idaṁ kṣetram. This body is the field of my activities, and I, the proprietor of the body, I am the knower of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate etad yo vetti (BG 13.2)—this is real knowledge. Etad yo vetti, that is knowledge. The knowledge of technology is not knowledge. That is ignorance. The knowledge of self-realization is actual knowledge. That is possible in this human form of life. That is not possible by the cats and dogs. If we misuse this body for propensities like cats and dogs, we are misusing.

Page Title:Knower (Lectures)
Compiler:Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:05 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=70, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:70