In Gita chp 13, what exactly does jneya refer to?
Transcript
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Hare Krishna. What exactly is jñāyā? Answer, jñāyā refers to that which is to be known. Now, when we are trying to acquire knowledge, we are the jñātā or the person who knows or who is to know.
Then there is jñāna, which is the process of acquiring knowledge, and this is the way the words are used in the third chapter in the Bhagavad Gita. And jñāyā refers to that which is to be known. So, for example, if I am looking at a particular object, if I am looking at a camera, I am trying to figure out how the camera works.
The camera is the jñāyā for me. So, if a person is trying to decide whether I want to purchase vegetables. So, are the vegetables of good quality? Are they worth the cost that are being charged for it? Then the vegetables become the jñāyā.
So, in this world, for different activities, different things are the jñāyā for us. So, in every activity, in fact, there is some object of knowledge that we have. Now, the Bhagavad Gita says that although there can be many activities, many things which can be jñāyā, these are surface appearances.
So, beyond that, underlying everything, unifying everything is God. All the diversity that we see in this world is ultimately the energy of Krishna. And that energy, it is that energetic behind the energy.
It is the all-attractive source of everything who is the ultimate object of knowledge. That’s why Krishna says, गेयं यत्तत् प्रवक्षामि यत् ग्यात्वा अमृतमश्णते in 13.13, He says, Now I will speak about jñāyā to you by which you will attain amrita. You will attain eternity.
Now, by say, understanding how a camera works or understanding how much should be the cost of a vegetable, we will not attain eternity. So, this jñāyā that Krishna is referring to is the universal knowable which underlies and unifies all the other knowables that are there. So, advanced spiritualist sees everything in relationship with the absolute truth, with Krishna.
And it is this kind of knowledge that is actually true knowledge. So, different people can have different jñāyās. The Bhagavad Gita explains the ultimate jñāyā is the absolute truth.
And when we know the absolute truth, then our knowledge becomes complete. And when we understand Him properly and develop our devotion for Him, then we attain spiritual perfection. Thank you.
Praveen Krishna.