Introduction:

Who Are You Beyond the Mind?

Most of us believe we are our thoughts, emotions, memories, and roles.
When the mind is restless, we say “I am disturbed.”
When thoughts are calm, we say “I am peaceful.”

But ancient wisdom asks a deeper question:

Who is the one that notices the mind?

The sages of India taught that you are not the mind — you are the awareness behind it.
This blog explores five ancient truths that help you look beyond thoughts and discover your true self.

This is not philosophy alone — it is an invitation to experience who you really are.

1. You Are the Observer, Not the Thoughts

The notes reveal that all of existence can be understood through two primary components: the Kshetra (the Field) and the Kshetrajna (the Knower of the Field). This is the foundational duet of reality. The 'Field', or Kshetra, is everything that can be observed or experienced. This isn't just the external, physical world. The framework reveals that it includes our entire apparatus for interacting with that world. In fact, the notes break the Kshetra down into a complex composite of foundational elements and their subsequent modifications, specifying that not just the five elements, but our ego (Ahankar), intellect (Buddhi), and even the unmanifest potential of nature are considered parts of the material field you observe. The 'Knower', or Kshetrajna, is the conscious soul (Atma). It is the silent, aware entity that perceives and knows the Kshetra. In this view, consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain or the body (which are parts of the Field). Instead, it is a fundamentally distinct entity that interacts with and illuminates the Field. This isn't just a philosophical curiosity; it's a paradigm shift. It suggests that the primary reality is not matter that somehow creates awareness, but an inherent awareness that perceives matter. You are not the machinery, but the operator; not the experience, but the one who experiences. 

 2. The Mind Is a Tool, Not Your Identity

The most radical and personal implication of this philosophy is a complete redefinition of "self." If you are the Kshetrajna—the Knower—then your mind, intellect, and senses are not you. They are your instruments. The notes explain that the soul (Atma) acts as the knower (Jnata) by using specific tools, or karana, to perceive and engage with the world. These primary instruments are the mind (man), the intellect (buddhi), and the senses. They are the mechanisms through which the soul gathers information and makes sense of its reality. The significance of this separation cannot be overstated. If your mind and intellect are merely tools, then you are the user, not the tools themselves. This means that your thoughts, emotions, memories, and analytical processes are all part of the 'Field' that you, the 'Knower', observe. They are objects of your awareness, not the source of it. This perspective offers an incredible sense of freedom. If you are not your thoughts, you do not have to be controlled by them. You can learn to observe them from the calm, steady centre of the Kshetrajna, the silent witness to the mind's activity. This separation of Knower from the known is the essential truth of our individual experience. But if this is true, why don't we feel it all the time? 

3. Awareness Exists Even When Thoughts Stop

If this clear distinction between the Knower and the Field exists, why is it so difficult for us to experience it directly? Why do we so often feel lost in the chaos of our minds? A key insight from this framework uses a powerful analogy to explain this common predicament. The analogy states that spiritual impurities prevent the soul from achieving a true understanding of its own nature, just as muddy water prevents you from seeing a clear reflection. The "mud" in the water is the constant, unfiltered activity of the Kshetra overwhelming the Kshetrajna. It is the relentless chatter of the mind, the demands of the ego, and the ceaseless input from the senses—all components of the Field that we mistakenly identify with. This ancient metaphor feels incredibly relevant today. The "muddy water" is a perfect description of our modern condition of information overload, constant digital distraction, and mental noise. It makes the abstract concept of "spiritual impurities" tangible, framing self-realisation not as the pursuit of something new, but as the process of allowing the mud to settle so that the clarity that is already there can be revealed. 

4. Ancient Scriptures Point to the Same Truth

Finally, a key distinction in this framework elevates the entire structure from the personal to the cosmic. While you are the Kshetrajna, the knower of your individual field, the notes explain that there is also the Paramatma, the supreme spirit. The notes reference a classical text, the Tarka Sangraha ("त. सं."), to define Paramatma with two primary characteristics: 

Parameshvara:  The Supreme Lord.

Sarvajna:  All-knowing or omniscient. The key difference is this: the individual soul is a Jnata, a "knower" that acquires knowledge piece by piece through its instruments (karana). Its knowledge is limited and gathered over time. The Paramatma, however, is Sarvajna. Its very nature is complete and total knowledge. It doesn't need instruments to know; it is knowledge itself. This concept adds a final, awe-inspiring layer to the architecture of consciousness. It places the individual's journey of knowing within the context of an ultimate, all-encompassing awareness, suggesting that our personal quest for clarity is part of a much larger cosmic reality. 

5. Knowing This Changes How You Live

Having explored our inner architecture, the framework takes one final step back to place us in a breathtakingly vast biological context. The notes state that there are 84 lakh (8.4 million) types of living species (Yoni) in the universe. Within this immense spectrum of life, the notes specify that  5 lakh (500,000)  are human forms. This is a humbling perspective that serves as a powerful counter-narrative to a purely human-centric view of the world. It suggests that consciousness inhabits an incredible diversity of forms and reminds us that our human experience is just one note in an immense cosmic symphony of life. 

Conclusion: Living as the Knower 

Final Reflection: Who Are You, Really?

When thoughts slow down, you still exist.
When emotions change, you still remain.
When roles fall away, something silent continues to watch.

That silent presence is you.

You are not the mind that worries about the past or future.
You are the awareness in which the mind appears.

The moment you begin to see this, life becomes lighter.
Problems lose their grip.
Peace stops depending on circumstances.

This is not something to believe — it is something to notice.

Sit quietly sometime and ask:
“If I can observe my thoughts, who is the observer?”

The answer is already within you.