Chapter 13 · 35 verses

The Field and the Knower of the Field क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोग

The body is the field and the one who knows it is the knower of the field. The marks of true knowledge, the Supreme to be known, and the difference between nature (prakriti) and spirit (purusha) are explained.

This English meaning is newly written by Bhajan Dhun and is still being reviewed by scholars.

1. 13.1

   अर्जुन उवाच

   प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च ।
   एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव ॥१३.१॥

   Arjuna said: O Keshava, I wish to know about nature and the Person, the field and the knower of the field, knowledge and that which is to be known.

2. 13.2

   श्री भगवानुवाच

   इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते ।
   एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ॥१३.२॥

   The Lord said: O son of Kunti, this body is called the field, and one who knows it is called the knower of the field by those who know the truth.

3. 13.3

   क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत ।
   क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥१३.३॥

   Know me also as the knower of the field in all fields, O Bharata. The knowledge of the field and its knower is, in my view, true knowledge.

4. 13.4

   तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक् च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत् ।
   स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे श्रृणु ॥१३.४॥

   Hear from me briefly what the field is, what it is like, what changes it undergoes and where it comes from, and who the knower is and what powers it has.

5. 13.5

   ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक् ।
   ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैश्चैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्चितैः ॥१३.५॥

   This has been sung by the sages in many ways, in the various Vedic hymns, and in the reasoned and conclusive aphorisms of the Brahma Sutras.

6. 13.6

   महाभूतान्यहङ्कारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च ।
   इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः ॥१३.६॥

   The five great elements, ego, intellect, the unmanifest, the ten senses and the mind, and the five objects of the senses;

7. 13.7

   इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृतिः ।
   एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ॥१३.७॥

   desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the body as a whole, consciousness and steadfastness — this, in brief, is the field with its modifications.

8. 13.8

   अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम् ।
   आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः ॥१३.८॥

   Humility, freedom from pretence, non-violence, patience, uprightness, service to the teacher, purity, steadiness and self-control;

9. 13.9

   इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहङ्कार एव च ।
   जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिदुःखदोषानुदर्शनम् ॥१३.९॥

   detachment from sense objects, absence of ego, and reflecting on the pain and flaws of birth, death, old age and disease;

10. 13.10

    असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु ।
    नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु ॥१३.१०॥

    non-attachment, no clinging to children, spouse, home and the like, and constant evenness of mind in pleasant and unpleasant circumstances;

11. 13.11

    मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणी ।
    विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनसंसदि ॥१३.११॥

    unwavering devotion to me through single-minded yoga, a liking for solitary places and no taste for crowds;

12. 13.12

    अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् ।
    एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोऽन्यथा ॥१३.१२॥

    constant pursuit of knowledge of the Self and keeping in view the goal of true knowledge — this is declared to be knowledge; whatever is contrary is ignorance.

13. 13.13

    ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वाऽमृतमश्नुते ।
    अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते ॥१३.१३॥

    I will now describe that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality: the beginningless supreme Brahman, which is said to be neither being nor non-being.

14. 13.14

    सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम् ।
    सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ॥१३.१४॥

    Its hands and feet are everywhere, its eyes, heads and faces everywhere, its ears everywhere; it exists pervading everything in the world.

15. 13.15

    सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम् ।
    असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च ॥१३.१५॥

    It shines through the functions of all the senses yet is free from all senses; unattached, yet sustaining all; beyond the qualities, yet their experiencer.

16. 13.16

    बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च ।
    सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ॥१३.१६॥

    It is outside and inside all beings, unmoving and moving. Being subtle, it is beyond knowing; it is far away and also near.

17. 13.17

    अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् ।
    भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ॥१३.१७॥

    Undivided, it seems divided among beings. Know it to be the sustainer of beings, their devourer and their creator.

18. 13.18

    ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते ।
    ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम् ॥१३.१८॥

    It is the light of all lights, said to be beyond darkness. It is knowledge, the object of knowledge and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.

19. 13.19

    इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासतः ।
    मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते ॥१३.१९॥

    Thus the field, knowledge and the object of knowledge have been briefly described. My devotee, understanding this, attains my being.

20. 13.20

    प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि ।
    विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसंभवान् ॥१३.२०॥

    Know that both nature and the Person are without beginning, and that all modifications and qualities arise from nature.

21. 13.21

    कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।
    पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥१३.२१॥

    Nature is said to be the cause in producing body and senses; the Person is said to be the cause in experiencing pleasure and pain.

22. 13.22

    पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् ।
    कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥१३.२२॥

    The Person, dwelling in nature, experiences the qualities born of nature. Attachment to the qualities causes its births in good and bad wombs.

23. 13.23

    उपद्रष्टाऽनुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः ।
    परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः ॥१३.२३॥

    The supreme Person in this body is called the witness, the approver, the supporter, the experiencer, the great Lord, and also the Supreme Self.

24. 13.24

    य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह ।
    सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥१३.२४॥

    One who thus knows the Person and nature together with its qualities is not born again, however they may live.

25. 13.25

    ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना ।
    अन्ये सांख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे ॥१३.२५॥

    Some see the Self in themselves by themselves through meditation; others through the path of knowledge; and others through the path of action.

26. 13.26

    अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वाऽन्येभ्य उपासते ।
    तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणाः ॥१३.२६॥

    Others, not knowing this, worship by hearing from others. Devoted to what they have heard, they too cross beyond death.

27. 13.27

    यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् ।
    क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ ॥१३.२७॥

    O best of the Bharatas, whatever being comes into existence, moving or unmoving, know that it arises from the union of the field and the knower of the field.

28. 13.28

    समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् ।
    विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥१३.२८॥

    One who sees the Supreme Lord abiding equally in all beings, the imperishable within the perishing, truly sees.

29. 13.29

    समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् ।
    न हिनस्त्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥१३.२९॥

    Seeing the Lord present equally everywhere, one does not harm the Self by the self, and so reaches the supreme goal.

30. 13.30

    प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः ।
    यः पश्यति तथाऽऽत्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति ॥१३.३०॥

    One who sees that all actions are done by nature alone, and that the Self is not the doer, truly sees.

31. 13.31

    यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति ।
    तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ॥१३.३१॥

    When one sees the varied existence of beings as resting in the One and spreading out from it alone, one attains Brahman.

32. 13.32

    अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः ।
    शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते ॥१३.३२॥

    Being beginningless and beyond the qualities, this imperishable Supreme Self, though dwelling in the body, O son of Kunti, neither acts nor is tainted.

33. 13.33

    यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते ।
    सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथाऽऽत्मा नोपलिप्यते ॥१३.३३॥

    As all-pervading space, being subtle, is not tainted, so the Self, present everywhere in the body, is not tainted.

34. 13.34

    यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः ।
    क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत ॥१३.३४॥

    As the one sun illumines this whole world, O Bharata, so the knower of the field illumines the whole field.

35. 13.35

    क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा ।
    भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् ॥१३.३५॥

    Those who, with the eye of wisdom, know this difference between the field and its knower, and the way of liberation from nature, reach the Supreme.