Protagoras: "Man is the Measure of all Things"

(written on May 15, 2020)

The verse BG 2.16 is Krsna explaining to Arjuna the difference between matter and spirit. The translation says, “Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both.” The difference between matter and spirit is simple: the soul is eternal, and the body and the rest of the material nature are all temporary. The Lord says that understanding this difference is the beginning instruction given to those who are completely dictated by ignorance to help them gain realization. The next steps for completely removing ignorance include two realizations: reestablishing our eternal relationship with the Lord and understanding the difference between the Lord and the living entity. Our relationship with the Lord is that relationship which is in the form of the worshipper and the worshippable. We can cultivate this relationship with the Lord through performing devotional service under the guidance of the bonafide spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada explains that the second step for completely annihilating ignorance is to understand the difference between the living entity and God. Prabhupada then writes in the purport to BG 2.16 that “One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself, the difference between oneself and the Supreme being understood as the relationship between the part and the whole.” One must carefully study this sentence as it has a very deep meaning. When Prabhupada says “study of oneself” he does not mean study of our body, rather he means the study of the soul, the jiva. By studying the the soul one can come to realize that the objective of the study of oneself is actually realizing that we are the servant and the Lord is the worshippable. Srila Prabhupada states in the purport, "Although there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, the energetic is accepted as the Supreme, and the energy or nature is accepted as the subordinate. The living entities, therefore, are always subordinate to the Supreme Lord, as in the case of the master and the servant, or the teacher and the taught.” Krsna is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead because while we are the energies of the Lord, he is forever the maintainer of us and the rest of the creation. Srila Prabhupada’s statement that “One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself” is different from Protagoras' saying “man is the measure of all things.” Below is a chart explaining the differences between Protagoras’ saying and the message of BG 2.16 as explained by Srila Prabhupada:

SB 2.16	Protagoras
“One can understand the nature of the Supreme by thorough study of oneself” This process is to thoroughly study the self, meaning the soul The goal of this process is to understand God through a cultivation of devotional service and spiritual study It involves a predefined understanding that the body is temporary and the soul is eternal	“man is the measure of all things.” Protagoras uses the word “man” instead of “self” This implies that Protagoras believes that people should identify with the body The goal of this process is sense gratification: Protagoras is essentially saying believe whatever you want to believe and it is correct