Part Two

The second of the three “internal modes” is samvit-sakti (cit) - the Lords “knowledge” potency.

It is between this energy and the external energy (maya), that the marginal energy-the living entities (jivas), exist [1]. It is understood that the marginal energy is emanating from the samvit-sakti. It is this potency through which the Lord “knows Himself and causes others to know Him” [2] as well. When the jivas are covered by maya, they forget the Lord and their eternal relationship with Him, and become eternally conditioned (nitya-baddha) [3] in the darkness of her existence.

Because the Lord is omnipotent, He is fully cognizant without restriction-knowing everything everywhere. The jivas on the other hand, are limited in their cognition, due to innumerable impediments. “The cognition of the living beings has three divisions: direct knowledge, indirect knowledge and perverted knowledge.” [4]

Perverted knowledge is the perception of the phenomenal world through the materially contaminated “knowledge acquiring senses” (namely: the ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and skin). This adulteration causes forgetfulness of ones original nature, and forces one into a life of illusion and bondage.

Indirect knowledge, though more perfect, is considered a negative cognition due to its acquisition through adulterated senses. Impersonal and monistic reality is discovered by this means-through astanga-yoga , etc.

Direct knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, which becomes possible only “when the samvit factor of cognition is enlightened by the hladini [5] potency of the same internal energy.” [6]

Knowledge of both the noumenal and phenomenal worlds is made possible by the samvit-sakti .

FOOTNOTES:

[1] SB 10.87.20 - Purport
[2] Adi 4.62 - Purport
[3] SB 10.87.32 - Purport
[4] Adi 4.67 - Purport
[5] Krsna’s internal pleasure potency, headed by Srimati Radharani.
[6] Adi 4.67 - Purport
[7] SB 5.12.8 - Purport

Now you can listen to the ancient sanskrit chants of Bhagavad Gita, sung in classical melodies by noted devotional singer Sri Vidyabhushana. Listen to all 700 verses of the Gita with a beautiful accompaniment of flute, veena, sitar, mridanga, tabla and tala. (Scroll down to listen to it online.)

Set includes 10 audio CDs (7 CDs of sanskrit chants, 2 CDs containing english translations for the entire Bhagavad Gita, and 1 CD providing an introductory lecture on the Bhagavad Gita by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada).