Srimad Bhagavad-Gita : Ch-13, Slo-16, Discussion-1

10/01/2018

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :

Chapter-13. ( Kshetra-kshetrajna-vibhaga-yogam )

Slokam-16. ( The Supreme Truth exists both internally and externally, in the moving and nonmoving. He is beyond the power of the material senses to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is also near to all.)
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bahirantasca  bhutanam  acaram  caram  eva  ca,

sukshmatvat  tadavijñeyam   durastham  cantike  ca  tat.

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tat  bhutanam  =  that  ( 'Brahmam'),  of  all  elemants / of  all  entities;

bahih  antah  ca  =  outside  and  inside;

acaram  caram  ca  =  movable  and  immovable;

( tat )  eva  =  that  only;

sukshmatvat  =  ( as  it is )  so  subtle;

tat  avijneyam  =  ( no one  can  )  know  that;

tat   durastham  =  that  ( is  there  )  far  away;

cantike  ca  =  ( it  is  also )  near  here  too.

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Discussion :- 1.
1.
The Supreme Lord Krishna who is known as Parabrahma is the source of the brahman or spiritual substratum pervading all existence which is without and within the elements such as earth, water, fire, air, ether, etc.; yet He is outside of them and distinctly different and separate from them because He is their cause and they are His products.

2.
At the same time He is within all as well constituted as physical bodies constituted by the five elements in the inanimate immovable and the animate movable. In every aspect of creation He is existing in a subatomic manifestation in all jivas or embodied beings of every living entity as the atma or immortal soul.

3.
Because He exists in an extremely subtle subatomic state it is impossible to perceive Him by the senses or understand Him by the mind. So He is acutely incomprehensible and it is very difficult for transmigrating jivas to realise that He is different and separate from the physical body although He resides within the etheric heart of all jivas as the atma.

4.
For those jivas who are bereft of the 20 virtues given by Lord Krishna in verses 8 to 12 the atma is very far away indeed meaning the consciousness required for self-realisation in order to realise the atma is very far away. Those jivas who are endowed with these 20 virtues such as humility, non-violence, serving the Vaisnava spiritual master, etc.; the atma is very near indeed meaning that the consciousness required for self-realisation in order to to realise the atma is very near.

5.
The word bahih means outside, this refers to the atma or immortal soul which still exists even when it departs a physical body at death and abandons the subtle body along with the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether although it is present within them as well.

6.
As confirmed in the Chandogya Upanisad VI.VII.VII beginning sa ya esho animaitad means: The source of the brahman or spiritual substratum pervading all existence is Parabrahma the Supreme Lord Krishna who is eternally existing in everything by His transcendental potency.

7.
By nature it is acaram or stationary and unmoving but it is caram or moving in its embodied state. Due to being supra-subtle without material, mundane qualities it is avijneyam or incomprehensible. The atma or immortal soul possesses all powers and knowledge although it occupies and inhabits a bodily form.

To be continued ...