BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS Chapter 13 Text Knowledge of Soul and Supersoul

Text 20 prakr ̣ tim purus ̣ am caiva viddhy an ā d ī ubh ā v api vik ā r ā mś ca gun ̣ā mś caiva viddhi prakr ̣ ti-sambhav ā n Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature. The Supersoul, the individual entity and Material Nature are different manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead The living entity and material Nature are in the category of His energy, and the Supersoul is in the category of His personal expansion Both material nature and the living entities are eternal, but the living entities are of superior energy Both existed before the cosmic manifestation absorbed in the Supreme Lord Mah ā -Vis ̣ n ̣ u Due to the rebellious nature of the living entity he is conditioned within material nature – mystery of this material creation All transformations and variety in respect to living entities are due to the body, spiritually they are all the same

Text 21 k ā rya-k ā ran ̣ a-kartr ̣ tve hetuh ̣ prakr ̣ tir ucyate purus ̣ ah ̣ sukha-duh ̣ kh ā n ā m bhoktr ̣ tve hetur ucyate Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world. Provides the soul with a body in the species of life 400,000 - Human beings 900,000 – In Water (aquatics) 2,000,000 – Plants 1,100,000 – Insects 1,000,000 – Birds 3,000,000 - Animals

According to one's desires and activities, material nature places one in various residential quarters. The being himself is the cause of his attaining such residential quarters The living entity is blessed or damned with circumstances according to his past desire and activity Forced to act according to the acquired body which is under the laws of nature – act like a dog, eat stool like a hog, act like a demigod - administrator Mun ̣ d ̣ aka Upanis ̣ ad dv ā suparn ̣ā sayuj ā sakh ā yah ̣ - The Supreme Lord is so kind upon the living entity that He always accompanies the individual soul as Supersoul Different bodies provide different levels of consciousness just like different cells in the prison A- Class Cell, B-Class Cell & C-Class cell Binds the body with the three modes of nature

Text 22 purus ̣ ah ̣ prakr ̣ ti-stho hi bhuńkte prakr ̣ ti-j ā n gun ̣ā n k ā ran ̣ am gun ̣ a-sańgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species Living entity is transmigrating from one body to another just as one changes dress Change of dress is due to his attachment to material existence or desire to lord it over material nature Living entity is put into different bodies according to his association with different modes of nature Living entity thus thinks himself to be the master of his circumstances though he is under the influence of material nature Unless one transcends the three material modes ( Kṛṣṇa Consciousness), material consciousness will oblige him to transfer from one body to another. This can be achieved by submissive hearing from authoritative sources He becomes learned in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he proportionately relishes his eternal blissful life lose his long-cherished desire to dominate material nature

Text 23 upadras ̣ t ̣ā numant ā ca bhart ā bhokt ā maheśvarah ̣ param ā tmeti c ā py ukto dehe 'smin purus ̣ ah ̣ parah ̣ Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul. Monist philosophers take the knower of the body to be one, they think that there is no difference between Supersoul and individual soul Supersoul is present not as finite enjoyer nor as one taking part in bodily activities but as witness, overseer, permitter and supreme enjoyer Param ā tm ā sanctions individual soul’s desiring material enjoyment The living entity can be situated either in the material energy or in the spiritual energy. This misuse of independence is the cause of his material strife in the conditioned nature The Lord giving instructions from within and from without to take him back to the spiritual energy

Soul Humans (jivatmas) Infinitesimal (anu) Cognizant of one’s body A loving servitor Supersoul GOD (paramatma) Infinite (vibhu) Cognizant of everyone and everything Eternally a loving master bhukta, or the sustained bhokt ā, or the maintainer.

Text 24 ya evam vetti purus ̣ am prakr ̣ tim ca gun ̣ aih ̣ saha sarvath ā vartam ā no 'pi na sa bh ū yo 'bhij ā yate One who understands this philosophy concerning material nature, the living entity and the interaction of the modes of nature is sure to attain liberation. He will not take birth here again, regardless of his present position. Clear understanding of material nature, the Supersoul, the individual soul and their interrelation makes one eligible to become liberated and turn to the spiritual atmosphere without being forced to return to this material nature The purpose of knowledge is to understand distinctly that the living entity has by chance fallen into this material existence. In association with authorities, saintly persons and a spiritual master, living entity has to understand his position and then revert to spiritual consciousness or Kr ̣ s ̣ n ̣ a consciousness He will be transferred into the spiritual world for a blissful eternal life of knowledge.