________________
356
3E24 - 93 * THIRTEEN
non soul, which is known as Ajiva. The efforts of the Jiva to obtain this freedom can be successful only if it acquires knowledge about the way by which its associate Ajiva functions.
In this chapter therefore the author of Gita discusses how the soul progresses with the knowledge of its interaction with non-soul.. The non-soul, which is known as Ajiva is identified here as the “Kshetra”, while the soul, which is known as Jiva is identified as “Kshetrajna”, which means the knower of Kshetra.
Further discussion shows that the author is under the great influence of the Sankhya philosophy of Kapila according to whom the Purusha (Soul) remains uninvolved (Kutastha) even when it is in association with “Prakriti” (Ajiva), which is constantly suffering modifications on account of the variations of its three Gunas. It is however intersting to know that the concept of Purusha remaining uninvoled is not fully acceptable to the author
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
