Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 13 - Shloka (Verse) 34

व्याख्या -- यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः -- नेत्रोंसे दीखनेवाले इस सम्पूर्ण संसारको? संसारके मात्र पदार्थोंको एक सूर्य ही प्रकाशित करता है और संसारकी सब क्रियाएँ सूर्यके प्रकाशके अन्तर्गत होती हैं परन्तु सूर्यमें मैं सबको प्रकाशित करता हूँ ऐसा कर्तृत्व नहीं होता। जैसे -- सूर्यके प्रकाशमें ही ब्राह्मण वेदपाठ करता है और शिकारी पशुओंको मारता है? पर सूर्यका प्रकाश वेदपाठ और शिकाररूपी क्रियाओंको करनेकरवानेमें कारण नहीं बनता।यहाँ लोक शब्द मात्र संसार(चौदह भुवनों) का वाचक है। कारण कि मात्र संसारमें जो कुछ भी (चन्द्रमा? तारे? अग्नि? मणि? जड़ीबूटी आदिमें) प्रकाश है? वह सब सूर्यका ही है।क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत -- सूर्यकी तरह एक ही क्षेत्री (क्षेत्रज्ञ? आत्मा) सम्पूर्ण क्षेत्रोंको प्रकाशित करता है अर्थात् सब क्षेत्रोंमें करनाकरवानारूप सम्पूर्ण क्रियाएँ क्षेत्रीके प्रकाशमें ही होती हैं परन्तु क्षेत्री उन क्रियाओँको करनेकरवानेमें कारण नहीं बनता।सूर्य तो केवल स्थूल संसारको ही प्रकाशित करता है और उसके प्रकाशमें स्थूल संसारकी ही क्रियाएँ होती हैं? पर क्षेत्री केवल स्थूल क्षेत्र(संसार) को ही प्रकाशित नहीं करता? प्रत्युत वह स्थूल? सूक्ष्म और कारण -- तीनों क्षेत्रोंको प्रकाशित करता है तथा उसके प्रकाशमें स्थूल? सूक्ष्म और कारण -- तीनों शरीरोंकी सम्पूर्ण क्रियाएँ होती हैं।जैसे सम्पूर्ण संसारको प्रकाशित करनेपर भी सूर्यमें (सबको प्रकाशित करनेका) अभिमान नहीं आता और तरहतरहकी क्रियाओंको प्रकाशित करनेपर भी सूर्यमें नानाभेद नहीं आता? ऐसे ही सम्पूर्ण क्षेत्रोंको प्रकाशित करने? उनको सत्तास्फूर्ति देनेपर भी क्षेत्रीमें अभिमान? कर्तृत्व नहीं आता और तरहतरहकी क्रियाओँको प्रकाशित करनेपर भी क्षेत्रीमें नानाभेद नहीं आता। वह क्षेत्री सदा ही ज्योंकात्यों निर्लिप्त? असङ्ग रहता है।कोई भी क्रिया तथा वस्तु बिना आश्रयके नहीं होती और कोई भी प्रतीति बिना प्रकाश(ज्ञान) के नहीं होती। क्षेत्री सम्पूर्ण क्रियाओं? वस्तुओं और प्रतीतियोंका आश्रय और प्रकाशक है। सम्बन्ध -- अब भगवान् क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञके विभागको जाननेका फल बताते हुए प्रकरणका उपसंहार करते हैं।

तथा --, जैसे एक ही सूर्य इस समस्त लोकको प्रकाशित करता है? वैसे ही? महाभूतोंसे लेकर धृतिपर्यन्त बतलाये हुए समस्त क्षेत्रको वह एक होते हुए भी प्रकाशित करता है। कौन करता है क्षेत्रज्ञ -- परमात्मा। यहाँ आत्मामें सूर्यका दृष्टान्त दोनों प्रकारसे ही घटता है? आत्मा सूर्यकी भाँति समस्त शरीरोंमें एक है और अलिप्त भी है।

He states an example for what was said: "Because of absence of agency, he is not tainted" -- 'Just as'. Just as the ether (Akasha), though gone/situated everywhere in the body etc., is not tainted (does not connect) by agency etc. belonging to the body etc., because of subtlety and unattached nature;

similarly, the Self situated everywhere in everything, is not tainted by the properties of the body in the body, this is the meaning.

Because of having the nature of light, He is not tainted by the properties of the illuminated, He says with the example -- 'Just as'. Just as the one sun illuminates this entire world experienced by perception etc., and by illuminating, is not tainted by the properties of the illuminated. Similarly, the one Knower of the Field, the Supreme Self who is non-different from the inner Self, illuminates the entire Field up to Firmness starting from Great Elements; and by illuminating, that one Supreme Self is not tainted by the properties of the illuminated, this is the meaning.

And so the Sruti: "Just as the sun, the eye of the whole world, is not tainted by external visual defects, similarly the one Inner Self of all beings is not tainted by the misery of the world, being external."

Just as one Bharata illuminates you etc. by his name, He says -- 'O Bharata', indicating that (analogy).

He propounds both "does not act" and "is not tainted" with another example -- 'Just as'. Just as the sun illuminates the world merely by its own existence, not by entering into activity like a weaver weaving a cloth.

And just as this one (sun) is not tainted by the properties of the illuminated like foul smell etc., similarly this Kshetri, the Knower of the Field, being One like the sun, illuminates the Field -- the world consisting of twenty-four principles starting with Great Elements, endowed with modifications like desire, hatred, etc., which was stated -- merely by His own existence, O Bharata. But does not accomplish that (illumination) by entering into activity. Nor is tainted by its properties, i.e., merit, demerit, etc.

By the example of the sun, oneness and non-taintedness resulting from non-agency are shown.

And so the Srutis: "Just as this light-Self, the sun, following different waters, appears manifold, but by the adjunct is made to seem divided, similarly this unborn Self in the fields", "Just as the sun, the eye of the whole world, is not tainted by external visual defects, similarly the one Inner Self of all beings is not tainted by the misery of the world, being external."

Just as one sun illuminates this entire world with its radiance; similarly, the Knower of the Field (Kshetri) also illuminates the entire Field (Kshetra) — perceiving 'this represents my field being such and such' — both inside and outside, from the soles of the feet to the head, by means of His own knowledge.

Therefore, just as there is a distinction of the illuminated world from the illuminator, the meaning is that this Self, possessing the aforementioned characteristics, is distinct to the highest degree from this Field which becomes the object of knowledge, due to Its status as the Knower.

'Because of unattached nature, there is no taint' was stated by the example of the sky;

and 'Because of being the illuminator, He is not connected with the properties of the illuminated' -- this He says with the example of the sun -- 'Just as'.

Clear in meaning.

Now, having established the difference at the beginning of the chapter with 'He who knows this, they call him the Knower of the Field' [13.2] — demonstrated through the relationship of the object of knowledge and the knower, and proven by the multiplicity and unity arising from being an aggregate and a non-aggregate respectively — He confirms this with an illustration in the verse 'Yada Prakashayati' (As it illuminates).

To demonstrate the difference in characteristics between knowledge as one's essential nature (Swarupa-jnana) and attributive knowledge (Dharma-bhuta-jnana), even though they are of the same species, the example of radiance (Prabha) is given. By the phrase 'Kritsnam Kshetram' (entire Field) and the word 'Kritsna' (entire), the collection of all bodies is suggested. Others (Shankara, etc.) have interpreted that 'the sun example here is to make known that, like the sun, there is one Self in all Fields and it is untainted'. And that is incorrect; because due to the distinctness of selves in each field, there is an absence of illumination of all fields by each single one; if taken as referring to the generic species (Jati), there would be an inconsistency with the illustration 'like the sun'; with this intention, he says — 'outside and inside from the soles of the feet to the head'.

Outside is skin etc.; inside is flesh etc. The import is that the word 'Kritsna' (entire) is used to demonstrate the distinction of the Self caused by the multiplicity of the different parts of each single body, and to dispel the doubt of doership/knowership belonging to any of the parts. It is stated that: from the body which is of the nature of a collection of many parts, the one Self — which is recognized as the knower of all of them — is distinct; this is established by the strength of direct perception.

The illustration here is not merely to propound the quality of being an illuminator; but rather to show the distinctness dependent on that, he says — 'Prakashyat' (from the illuminated), etc. The idea is that the difference is clear here through the relationship of object and agent (karma-kartru), etc.

आध्यात्मिक साहित्य में भगवान् पार्थसारथि का दिया हुआ यह दृष्टान्त ध्यानाकर्षित करने वाला है। यह दृष्टान्त क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञ के सम्बन्ध को बोधगम्य बना देता है। जैसे सुदूर आकाश में स्थित एक ही सूर्य सदैव इस जगत् को प्रकाशित करता रहता है? वैसे ही एक आत्मा वस्तुओं? शरीर? मन और बुद्धि को केवल प्रकाशित करता है।यद्यपि? लौकिक भाषा में सूर्य जगत् को प्रकाशित करता है? इस प्रकार कह कर हम सूर्य पर प्रकाशित करने की क्रिया के कर्तृत्व का आरोप करते हैं तथापि विचार करने पर ज्ञात होगा कि इस प्रकार का हमारा आरोप सर्वथा निराधार है। कर्म वह है? जो किसी क्षण विशेष में प्रारम्भ होकर अन्य क्षण में समाप्त होता है तथा सामान्यत वह किसी दृढ़ इच्छा या मूक प्रयोजन की सिद्धि के लिए किया जाता है। इस दृष्टि से सूर्य जगत् को प्रकाशित नहीं करता। प्रकाश तो उसका धर्म है और प्रत्येक वस्तु उसकी उपस्थिति में प्रकाशित होती है। इसी प्रकार? चैतन्य तो आत्मा का स्वरूप है और उसकी उपस्थिति में सब वस्तुएं ज्ञात होती हैं।जगत् के शुभ और अशुभ? सदाचारी और दुराचारी? सुरूप और कुरूप इन सबको एक ही सूर्य प्रकाशित करता है? किन्तु उनमें से किसी के भी गुण या दोष से वह लिप्त नहीं होता। इसी प्रकार? सच्चिदानन्द आत्मा उपाधियों में व्यक्त होने पर भी मन के पाप? बुद्धि के विकार और शरीर के अपराधों से असंस्पृष्ट ही रहता है।इस अध्याय में विवेचित क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञ के विषय का उपसंहार करते हुए भगवान् कहते हैं

'Just as' the sky (Akasha), though all-pervading and existent, is not tainted, is not connected, because of subtlety, because of its subtle nature; similarly, the Self situated everywhere in the body is not tainted.

Moreover --

Not only is the Self untainted due to its nature of non-attachment, but also because of its status as the illuminator, it is not tainted by the attributes of the illuminated objects; He states this with an example — 'Yatha' (Just as), etc.

Just as the sun, being one alone, illuminates 'kritsnam' (this entire) world — meaning the aggregate of the body and senses, i.e., merely objects possessing form — and is not tainted by the attributes of the illuminated objects, nor does it become divided by the differences in the illuminated objects; similarly, the Knower of the Field (Kshetri) being one alone, illuminates the entire Field. O Bharata; therefore, He is neither tainted by the attributes of the illuminated nor divided by the differences in the illuminated; this is the meaning.

The Sruti says: 'Just as the sun, the eye of the whole world, is not tainted by the external defects of the eye; so the one Inner Self of all beings is not tainted by the sorrow of the world, being external (transcendental) to it.'

Objection: Well, how is the illumination of the qualities of the body etc. possible for the untainted (Self)? Doubting this, He says -- 'Just as'.

Just as the one sun, because of being My part, illuminates this entire world; similarly, because of being My part, the Knower of the Field illuminates the entire Field.

Since the sun consists of eyes/light, in that analogy, the Self also illuminates the Field for the purpose of being useful for sport by My grace-filled vision -- this is made known.

By the address 'Bharata', it is made known that just as you, situated amidst the army, are not tainted by its defects because you are My part.

Just as he 'prakashayati', meaning illuminates/reveals, one 'kritsnam' (entire) world — the Ravi, Savita, Aditya (Sun); so too (tatha), remaining one, He illuminates the Field ranging from the great elements down to fortitude. Who? The Knower of the Field (Kshetri), meaning the Supreme Self (Paramatma); this is the meaning.

The example of the sun serves both purposes here regarding the Self — that like the sun, the Self is one indeed in all Fields, and is untainted (alepaka).

This verse is for concluding the meaning of the entire chapter.

And He clarifies illumination with another example -- 'Just as'. Consciousness is the quality of the Self, of the nature of knowledge, not material.

Just as the sun, possessing the quality of light, illuminates all, so too this Knower of the Field.

By this, the nature of the Person as the owner of the Field (Kshetriva) alone (is shown); now, by knowledge of Truth, His designation as 'Knower of the Field' arises from the essence of the Lord's qualities -- this is understood.

यथा as? प्रकाशयति illumines? एकः one? कृत्स्नम् the whole? लोकम् world? इमम् this? रविः sun? क्षेत्रम् the field? क्षेत्री the Lord of the field (Paramatma)? तथा so? कृत्स्नम् the whole? प्रकाशयति illumines? भारत O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna).Commentary The Supreme Self is one. It illumines the whole matter from the Unmanifested down to the blade of grass or a lump of clay? from the great elements down to firmness or fortitude. (Cf. verses 5 and 6.) Just as the sun is one? just as the sun illumines the whole world? just as the sun is not tainted? so also the Self is One in all bodies? It illumines all the bodies and It is not contaminated.

Yatha, as; ekam, the one; ravih, sun; prakasayati, illumines; imam, this; krtsnam, whole; lokam, world tatha, similarly;-who?-ksetri, the Knower of the field, i.e. the supreme Self, though one; prakasayati, illumines; krtsnam, the whole; ksetram, field, from the 'great elements' to 'fortitude' (cf. 5-6).
Here the illustration of the sun serves to highlight two aspects of the Self, viz that, like the sun, the Self is one in all the fields, and that It remains unaffected.
This verse is meant for summarizing the idea of the whole of this chapter:

As the 'one sun' illumines 'all this world' by his radiance, so the 'knower of the body' illumines the entire Ksetra, i.e., the body, by Its own knowledge, within and without and from head to toe, by conceiving 'This my body is of this nature.' This self of the said nature is totally different from the body, because It is the knower of the body. The body is the object of Its knowledge and is therefore different from It, even as the illuminating sun is totally different from the illumined world.