महाभूतान्यहंकारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च ।
इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः ॥१३-५॥
Transliteration:
Explaining concept of Kshetra to Arjuna, Lord Krishna further says… whatever has been experienced and expressed by learned sages and saints of different era, whatever is explicitly detailed in different Vedas and which is further confirmed by Brahma sutras of Hinduism… I shall further detail it for you in depth.
The five great elements termed Panch Mahabhuta in Hinduism… namely Bhumi (earth), Jala (water), Agni (fire), Pavan (air) and Akash (ether); ego (Aham in Hinduism); Buddhi (intellect) and the primary nature of living being; ten senses; mind and five objects of senses namely Shabda (hearing), Sparsh (touch), Roop (sight), Ras (taste) and Gandh (smell) constitute various aspects of Kshetra (field where a soul atman, the spirit within works out its karma)!
The Explanation:
Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: Even though sages and saints of different era have expressed this sublime truth through different anecdotes; Vedas have opined on various aspects of Kshetra and Kshetrajna; Brahma sutras of Hinduism have also elaborated in detail… still, I would narrate to you gist of various elements that constitutes Kshetra (literally meaning field).
As a soul atman, the spirit within works out its karma through a body… the human body; the various elements that constitute a human body are enumerated as follows:
The manifest phase of life we called human body was constituted out of five basic elements of cosmic system termed Panch Mahabhuta in Hinduism. The Panch Mahabhuta consist of Prithvi (earth), Jala (water), Tej (agni – fire), Vayu (air) and Akash (ether). In absence of Panch Mahabhuta… no life form can be created in entire cosmos. For a life form to exist, survive… Panch mahabhutas were necessitated… ordained by God Almighty.
Apart from Panch mahabhutas… ego (Ahamkara in Hinduism), buddhi (intellect) and primary nature of Jiva (life form) were also necessitated. It is presence of ego (Aham) within human beings that inspired us to indulge in karma. In absence of ego (Aham)… none would indulge in karma and entire cosmos would simply decay and die. Buddhi (intellect) constituted essential part of human life. In absence of buddhi (intellect) human beings could never undertake spiritual journey… reach stage of enlightenment (kaivalya jnana) and finally salvation (moksha).
Our primary nature as a human being is of utmost importance! Human form is the highest manifest stage in cosmic life cycle. It is only in human form… every soul atman finally reached cosmic end of life, 8.4 millionth manifestation when human beings finally gained enlightenment in their lifetime. It is for human beings to forgive and practice compassion. Lower forms of life rarely practice such acts. Human beings have been endowed with this special gift of practicing forgiveness and compassion that form essential part of spiritual life.
Another facet of Kshetra (field), human body was presence of 10 senses, mind and five objects of senses namely Shabda (hearing), Sparsh (touch), Roop (sight), Ras (taste) and Gandh (smell). It was only through faculties of Shabda (hearing), Sparsh (touch), Roop (sight), Ras (taste) and Gandh (smell) human beings finally lived life. Although all five faculties, objects of senses were necessitated to live a meaningful life still, in absence of some… human beings can still live life. Functioning of senses was directly related to our indulgence in karma. As our indulgence… accordingly shaped our destiny!
Mind of entire cosmos was one. No human being ever had an independent mind. We all had an independent brain that functions like a receiving and transmitting station. All thoughts invoked by human beings are relayed from reservoir of mind plus or mind minus. Every single positive thought is invoked from reservoir of mind plus and every single negative thought… from reservoir of mind minus! Based on our intellect (buddhi) and primary nature… one invoked positive or negative thoughts at any given moment of time!
The 10 senses that we spoke comprised of five Jnanendriyas and five Karmendriyas. The five Jnanendriyas (organs of jnana wisdom… part of sensory faculties) consisted of faculty of Shotra that relates to Ear (power of hearing), Tvak that relates to human skin (faculty of touch), Chakshu that relates to Eye (power of sight), Jivha that relates to Tongue (faculty of taste) and Ghrana that relates to Nose (faculty of smell). It is powered by Jnanendriyas human beings finally successfully travelled spiritual path to reach God in one’s lifetime. Jnanendriyas facilitated introspection, knowing our true inner self… our soul atman, the spirit within. For reaching God… absolute control over five Jnanendriyas was necessitated. It is power of Jnanendriyas that makes us realize human form as the most potential of all manifestations of God Almighty on mother earth. Jnanendriyas give meaning to life… makes us understand life better.
The five Karmendriyas (organs of action) consisted of vak (faculty of speech), pani (faculty of hands), pada (faculty of feet), payu (faculty of rectum), and upastha (faculty of genitals). Karmendriyas were primarily meant for successful functioning of body, the manifest physical self! It is the collective power of all five Jnanendriyas and five Karmendriyas that makes a human being complete. Control on five Jnanendriyas and even five Karmendriyas can be established but slowly and is a long drawn process. As per Hinduism scriptures… the spreadsheet of life seems complicated but by practicing patience, persistence and perseverance of the highest order… human beings can slowly inch towards God Almighty step-by-step.
Commentary by: Vijay Kumar “Atma Jnani”… The Man who Realized God in 1993 – April 15, 2013
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