This verse is from the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 13, Verse 33. The translation is:
Yathā prakāśayatyekaḥ kṛtsnaṁ lokamimaṁ raviḥ
Kṣetraṁ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṁ prakāśayati bhārata
"Just as the sun illuminates the entire world, the field (body) and the knower of the field (Atman) similarly illuminates the entire body, O Bharata (Arjuna)."
In this verse, Lord Krishna compares the relationship between the body (Kṣetra) and the Self (Kṣetrī) to the relationship between the sun and the world:
Yathā prakāśayatyekaḥ kṛtsnaṁ lokamimaṁ raviḥ:
- The sun (ravi) illuminates the entire world (lokam), making everything visible and giving light to all living beings.
- Similarly, the sun, though located in one place, provides light to the whole world, affecting every part of the earth.
Kṣetraṁ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṁ prakāśayati bhārata:
- Similarly, the Kṣetrī (the knower of the field or the Self) illuminates the entire Kṣetra (the body or the field of experience).
- The Self, although formless and pure consciousness, illuminates and pervades the entire body, providing awareness and understanding to all the experiences within the body.
This verse highlights the role of the Atman (Self) as the ultimate source of illumination and awareness:
- Just as the sun shines and provides light to the entire world, the Self illumines the body, mind, and senses, making all experiences conscious.
- The body (Kṣetra) is like the field where actions take place, but the Self (Kṣetrī) is the one that makes those actions known by providing the light of awareness.
The verse thus emphasizes that the true consciousness, or Atman, is the eternal witness to all experiences in the body and mind, and it is the source of knowledge and awareness. This recognition helps one transcend identification with the body and ego, leading to spiritual liberation.
Explanation:Key Insight: