Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetragya Vibhaga Yoga
The Yoga of the Field and its Knower
Chapter Summary
Arjuna inquires about the field (kshetra) and the knower of the field (kshetrajna). Lord Krishna explains that the body is the field and the soul who inhabits it is the knower. He also describes the process of knowledge and the nature of the Supersoul (Paramatma), who is the ultimate knower in all bodies. Understanding the difference between the body, the soul, and the Supersoul leads to liberation.
Verses
Verse 13.1-2
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते |
एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ||
śrī-bhagavān uvāca |
idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate |
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad-vidaḥ ||
Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field.
Verse 13.22
उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः |
परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः ||
upadraṣṭānumantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ |
paramātmeti cāpy ukto dehe ’smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ ||
Translation: Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.
Verse 13.34
यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः |
क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत ||
yathā prakāśayaty ekaḥ kṛtsnaṁ lokam imaṁ raviḥ |
kṣetraṁ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṁ prakāśayati bhārata ||
Translation: O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness.