अर्जुन उवाच
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव
arjuna uvāca
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñameva ca|
etadveditumicchāmi jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ ca keśava||
Arjuna said: Matter and Spirit, even the Field and the Knower of the Field, wisdom and that which ought to be known, these I fain would learn, O Keshava.
This opening verse appears in some recensions of the Gītā; traditional numbering begins at 13.1.
श्री भगवानुवाचइदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते
एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः
śrī bhagavānuvācaidaṃ śarīraṃ kaunteya kṣetramityabhidhīyate|etadyo vetti taṃ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tadvidaḥ||
Sri Bhagavan said: This body, Arjuna, is termed as the Field (Ksetra); and him who knows it, the sages discerning the truthabout NY; both refer to as the knower of the Field — Ksetrajfia). (4) 2 So SSSA WMS
क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम
kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarvakṣetreṣu bhārata|
kṣetrakṣetrajñayorjñānaṃ yattajjñānaṃ mataṃ mama||
Know Myself to be the Ksetrajna (individual soul) also in all the Ksetras, Arjuna. And it is of the knowledge of Ksetra and Ksetrajna (i.e of Matter with its evolutes and the Spirit) which I consider as Wisdom
तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक् च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत्
स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे श्रृणु
tatkṣetraṃ yacca yādṛk ca yadvikāri yataśca yat|sa ca yo yatprabhāvaśca tatsamāsena me śrṛṇu||
What that Ksetra is and what it is like; and also what are its evolutes, again, whence is what, and also finally who that Ksetrajña is and what is his glory—hear all this from Me in a nutshell.
ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक्
ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैश्चैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्िचतैः
ṛṣibhirbahudhā gītaṃ chandobhirvividhaiḥ pṛthak|brahmasūtrapadaiścaiva hetumadbhirviniśicataiḥ||
The truth about the Ksetraand the Ksetrajia has been expounded by the seers in manifold ways; again, it has been separately stated in different Vedic chantsandalsointheconclusive ~~ and reasoned texts of the Brahmasutras
महाभूतान्यहङ्कारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च
इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः
mahābhūtānyahaṅkāro buddhiravyaktameva ca|indriyāṇi daśaikaṃ ca pañca cendriyagocarāḥ||
The five elements, the ego, the intellect y the Unmanifest (Primordial Matter), the ten Y organs (of perception and action), the mind y and the five objects of sense (sound, touch, eolour, taste and smell
इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतनाधृतिः
एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्
icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ saṅghātaścetanādhṛtiḥ|etatkṣetraṃ samāsena savikāramudāhṛtam||
Also desire, aversion, pleasure, pain the y hysical body, consciousness, fir: th y phy; u, firmness: thus: is the Ksetra, with its evolutes, briefly 5! states. yea
अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम्
आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः
amānitvamadambhitvamahiṃsā kṣāntirārjavam|ācāryopāsanaṃ śaucaṃ sthairyamātmavinigrahaḥ||
Absence of pride, freedom from hypocrisy, non-violence, forbearance, straightness of body, speech and mind, devout service of the preceptor, internal and external purity, steadfastness of mind and control of body, mind and the senses.
इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहङ्कार एव च
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिदुःखदोषानुदर्शनम्
indriyārtheṣu vairāgyamanahaṅkāra eva ca|janmamṛtyujarāvyādhiduḥkhadoṣānudarśanam||
Dispassion towards the objects of enjoyment of this world and the next, and also absence of egotism, pondering again and again on the pain and evils inherent in birth, death, old age and disease;
असक्ितरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु
नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु
asakitaranabhiṣvaṅgaḥ putradāragṛhādiṣu|nityaṃ ca samacittatvamiṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu||
Absence of attachment and the feeling of mineness in respect of son, wife, home etc andconstantequipoise of mind both in favourable and unfavourable circumstances
मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्ितरव्यभिचारिणी
विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनसंसदि
mayi cānanyayogena bhakitaravyabhicāriṇī|viviktadeśasevitvamaratirjanasaṃsadi||
Unflinching devotion to Me throughexclusive i attachment, living insecluded and holy places and finding no enjoyment in the company of
अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम्
एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोन्यथा
adhyātmajñānanityatvaṃ tattvajñānārthadarśanam|etajjñānamiti proktamajñānaṃ yadatonyathā||
Fixity in self-knowledge and seeing God as the object of true knowledge, all this is declared as knowledge; and what is other than this is called ignorance.
ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वाऽमृतमश्नुते
अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते
jñeyaṃ yattatpravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā'mṛtamaśnute|
anādimatparaṃ brahma na sattannāsaducyate||
I shall speak to you at length about that i which ought to be known, and knowing which one attains supreme Bliss. That supreme Brahma, / who is the lord of beginning less entities, is K said to be neither Sat (being) nor Asat (non being
सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति
sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tatsarvato'kṣiśiromukham|sarvataḥ śrutimalloke sarvamāvṛtya tiṣṭhati||
It has hands and feet on all sides, eyes head and mouth in all directions, and ears all round; for it stands pervading allin the universe
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम्
असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च
sarvendriyaguṇābhāsaṃ sarvendriyavivarjitam|asaktaṃ sarvabhṛccaiva nirguṇaṃ guṇabhoktṛ ca||
Though perceiving all sense-objects it is really speaking, devoid of all senses. Nay, though unattached, it is the sustainer of all nonetheless; and though attributeless, itis ny the enjoyer of qualities (the three modes of Prakrti
बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च
सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत्
bahirantaśca bhūtānāmacaraṃ carameva ca|sūkṣmatvāttadavijñeyaṃ dūrasthaṃ cāntike ca tat||
It exists without and within all beings, § and constitutes the animate and inanimate creation as well. And by reason of Its subttelty. is incomprehensible; it is close at hand stand afar too
अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम्
भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च
avibhaktaṃ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktamiva ca sthitam|bhūtabhartṛ ca tajjñeyaṃ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu ca||
Though integral like sapce inits undivided; aspect. It appears divided as it were in all animate and inanimate beings.And that godhead, which is the only object worth knowing is the sustainer of beings (as Visnu), the destroyer Rudra) and the creator of all (85 & Brahma
ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम्
jyotiṣāmapi tajjyotistamasaḥ paramucyate|jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam||
That supreme Brahma is said to be the O light of all lights, and entirely beyond Maya that godhead is Knowledge itself, worth knowing, and worth attaining through real i wisdom, and is particularly seated in the heart of all
इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासतः
मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते
iti kṣetraṃ tathā jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ coktaṃ samāsataḥ|madbhakta etadvijñāya madbhāvāyopapadyate||
Thus the truth of the Ksetra and knowledge as well as of the object worth knowing, God has been briefly discussed; knowing this in reality, My devotee enters into My Being
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि
विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसंभवान्
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādī ubhāvapi|vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛtisaṃbhavān||
Prakrti and Purusa, know both these as G beginningless, and know all modifications ( such as likes and dislikes etc. and all objects constituted of the three Gunas as born of C Prakrti
कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते
पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते
kāryakāraṇakartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtirucyate|puruṣaḥ sukhaduḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve heturucyate||
Prakrtiis said tobe responsible forbringing forth the evolutes and the instruments; while the individual soul is declared to be the cause “2 of experience of joys and sorrows
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान्
कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु
puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijānguṇān|kāraṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo'sya sadasadyonijanmasu||
Only the Purusa seated in Prakrti senses objects of the nature of the three Gunas evolved f from Prakrti. And it is contact with these: Gunas that is responsible for the birth of this soul in good and evil wombs
उपद्रष्टाऽनुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः
परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः
upadraṣṭā'numantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ|
paramātmeti cāpyukto dehe'sminpuruṣaḥ paraḥ||
Spirit dwelling in this body, is really the same as the Supreme. He has beenspokehi- ofasthe Witness, the true Guide, the Sustainer ~ of all, the Experiencer (as the embodies soul) the Overlord and the Absolute as well
य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते
ya evaṃ vetti puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca guṇaiḥ saha|
sarvathā vartamāno'pi na sa bhūyo'bhijāyate||
He who thus knows the Purusa (Spirit) Prakrti (Nature) together withtheGunas,— — even though performing his duties in every ~ way, is never born again
ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना
अन्ये सांख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे
dhyānenātmani paśyanti kecidātmānamātmanā|anye sāṃkhyena yogena karmayogena cāpare||
Some by meditation behold the supreme Spirit in the heart with the help of their refined and sharp intellect; others realize It through the discipline of Knowledge, and others, ( again, through the discipline of Action
अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वाऽन्येभ्य उपासते
तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणाः
anye tvevamajānantaḥ śrutvā'nyebhya upāsate|te'pi cātitarantyeva mṛtyuṃ śrutiparāyaṇāḥ||
Other dull witted persons, however, not BR knowing thus, whorship even as they have heard from others; and even those who are ¢ thus devoted to hearing, are abletocrossthe — ocean of mundane existence in the shape of death
यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ
yāvatsañjāyate kiñcitsattvaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam|kṣetrakṣetrajñasaṃyogāttadviddhi bharatarṣabha||
Arjuna, whatsoever being, animate or ( Yj inanimate, is born, knowitasemanatedfrom the union of Ksetra (Matter) and theksetrajna
समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम्
विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति
samaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṃ parameśvaram|vinaśyatsvavinaśyantaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati||
He alone truly sees, who sees the supreme Lord as imperishable and abiding equally in — » all perishable beings, both animate and inanimate
समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम्
न हिनस्त्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम्
samaṃ paśyanhi sarvatra samavasthitamīśvaram|na hinastyātmanā''tmānaṃ tato yāti parāṃ gatim||
For, he who kills not himself by himself be seeing the supreme Lord, equally present in all, as one, thereby reaches the supreme state.
प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः
यः पश्यति तथाऽऽत्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति
prakṛtyaiva ca karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ|yaḥ paśyati tathā''tmānamakartāraṃ sa paśyati||
And he alone really sees, whoseesallactions being performed in every way by Prakrtialone, 2 and the Self as the non-doer. (29) Ol PASS: fies
यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति
तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा
yadā bhūtapṛthagbhāvamekasthamanupaśyati|tata eva ca vistāraṃ brahma sampadyate tadā||
The moment man perceives the diversified Yj existence of beings as rooted in the one supreme Spirit, and the spreading forth of all beings from the same, that very moment he attains Brahma (who is Truth, Consciousness and a Bliss solidified
अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः
शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते
anāditvānnirguṇatvātparamātmāyamavyayaḥ|śarīrastho'pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate||
Being beginningless and without qualities, the imperishable supreme Self, though seated in the body, O Kaunteya, worketh not nor is affected.
यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते
सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथाऽऽत्मा नोपलिप्यते
yathā sarvagataṃ saukṣmyādākāśaṃ nopalipyate|
sarvatrāvasthito dehe tathā''tmā nopalipyate||
As the all-pervading ether is not tainted by reason of its subtlety, so seated everywhere 2 in the body, the Self is not affected by the attributes of the body due to its attributeless character
यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः
क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत
yathā prakāśayatyekaḥ kṛtsnaṃ lokamimaṃ raviḥ|
kṣetraṃ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṃ prakāśayati bhārata||
Arjuna, as the one sun illumines this entire wniverse, so the one Atma (Spirit) illumines the whole Ksetra (Field
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा
भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम्
kṣetrakṣetrajñayorevamantaraṃ jñānacakṣuṣā|
bhūtaprakṛtimokṣaṃ ca ye viduryānti te param||
They who by the eyes of Wisdom perceive this difference between the Field and the Knower of the Field, and the liberation of beings from Matter they go to the Supreme.