124 - Attaining Deathlessness | Swami Tattwamayananda

Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in this phenomenal world.<br /><br />Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arise because we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.<br /><br />In the 13th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am now going to teach you that supreme truth, which alone is to be known, and which alone is to be realized. By realizing that, you will become immortal and realize your deathless dimension. This supreme truth is anadi (beginningless), param (beyond tools of knowledge), and Brahma (all-pervading). It is beyond existence and non-existence.”<br /><br />Atman is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. Atman does not come into existence as a pot comes into existence from clay. It is beyond the state of coming into existence. In fact, it is beyond time, space and causation.<br /><br />Atman is param: it cannot be seen or known by the six tools of epistemology. Pratyaksha is perception. Anumana is inference. Shabda is verbal testimony. Upamana is comparison. Arthāpatti is presumption. Anupalabdi is the non-cognition. These are the six pramanas or tools of knowledge in Vedantic epistemology. Atman is beyond these six pramanas. None of these six instruments of knowledge can explain the Reality.<br /><br />Atman is our own true nature and can only be experienced. The purpose of scriptures is to drive the wrong ideas from our mind, so we can experience this truth. We can