Chapter 13 · Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga

ಅರ್ಜುನ ಉವಾಚ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಂ ಪುರುಷಂ ಚೈವ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞಮೇವ ಚ। ಏತದ್ವೇದಿತುಮಿಚ್ಛಾಮಿ ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ಚ ಕೇಶವ

arjuna uvācha prakṛitiṁ puruṣhaṁ chaiva kṣhetraṁ kṣhetra-jñam eva cha etad veditum ichchhāmi jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ cha keśhava

📖 Meaning

Arjuna said, "I wish to learn about Nature and the Spirit, the field and the knower of the field, knowledge and that which ought to be known, O Kesava."

ಶ್ರೀ ಭಗವಾನುವಾಚಇದಂ ಶರೀರಂ ಕೌನ್ತೇಯ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಮಿತ್ಯಭಿಧೀಯತೇ। ಏತದ್ಯೋ ವೇತ್ತಿ ತಂ ಪ್ರಾಹುಃ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞ ಇತಿ ತದ್ವಿದಃ

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha idaṁ śharīraṁ kaunteya kṣhetram ity abhidhīyate etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣhetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ

📖 Meaning

The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, this body is called the field; he who knows it is called the knower of the field by those who know them."

ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞಂ ಚಾಪಿ ಮಾಂ ವಿದ್ಧಿ ಸರ್ವಕ್ಷೇತ್ರೇಷು ಭಾರತ। ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞಯೋರ್ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಯತ್ತಜ್ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಮತಂ ಮಮ

kṣhetra-jñaṁ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣhetreṣhu bhārata kṣhetra-kṣhetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama

📖 Meaning

Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all fields, O Arjuna. Knowledge of both the field and the knower of the field is considered by Me to be the knowledge.

ತತ್ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ಯಚ್ಚ ಯಾದೃಕ್ ಚ ಯದ್ವಿಕಾರಿ ಯತಶ್ಚ ಯತ್। ಸ ಚ ಯೋ ಯತ್ಪ್ರಭಾವಶ್ಚ ತತ್ಸಮಾಸೇನ ಮೇ ಶ್ರೃಣು

tat kṣhetraṁ yach cha yādṛik cha yad-vikāri yataśh cha yat sa cha yo yat-prabhāvaśh cha tat samāsena me śhṛiṇu

📖 Meaning

Hear from Me in brief what the field is, of what nature it is, what its modifications are, whence it is, who He is, and what His powers are.

ಋಷಿಭಿರ್ಬಹುಧಾ ಗೀತಂ ಛನ್ದೋಭಿರ್ವಿವಿಧೈಃ ಪೃಥಕ್। ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಸೂತ್ರಪದೈಶ್ಚೈವ ಹೇತುಮದ್ಭಿರ್ವಿನಿಶ್ಿಚತೈಃ

ṛiṣhibhir bahudhā gītaṁ chhandobhir vividhaiḥ pṛithak brahma-sūtra-padaiśh chaiva hetumadbhir viniśhchitaiḥ

📖 Meaning

Sages have sung in many ways, with various distinctive chants and also with suggestive words indicative of the Absolute, full of reasoning and decisive.

ಮಹಾಭೂತಾನ್ಯಹಙ್ಕಾರೋ ಬುದ್ಧಿರವ್ಯಕ್ತಮೇವ ಚ। ಇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಾಣಿ ದಶೈಕಂ ಚ ಪಞ್ಚ ಚೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಗೋಚರಾಃ

mahā-bhūtāny ahankāro buddhir avyaktam eva cha indriyāṇi daśhaikaṁ cha pañcha chendriya-gocharāḥ

📖 Meaning

The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the Unmanifested Nature, the ten senses, and one mind, and the five objects of the senses.

ಇಚ್ಛಾ ದ್ವೇಷಃ ಸುಖಂ ದುಃಖಂ ಸಙ್ಘಾತಶ್ಚೇತನಾಧೃತಿಃ। ಏತತ್ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ಸಮಾಸೇನ ಸವಿಕಾರಮುದಾಹೃತಮ್

ichchhā dveṣhaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaśh chetanā dhṛitiḥ etat kṣhetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛitam

📖 Meaning

Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (body), intelligence, and fortitude—the field has thus been briefly described with its modifications.

ಅಮಾನಿತ್ವಮದಮ್ಭಿತ್ವಮಹಿಂಸಾ ಕ್ಷಾನ್ತಿರಾರ್ಜವಮ್। ಆಚಾರ್ಯೋಪಾಸನಂ ಶೌಚಂ ಸ್ಥೈರ್ಯಮಾತ್ಮವಿನಿಗ್ರಹಃ

amānitvam adambhitvam ahinsā kṣhāntir ārjavam āchāryopāsanaṁ śhauchaṁ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ

📖 Meaning

Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher, purity, steadfastness, and self-control.

ಇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಾರ್ಥೇಷು ವೈರಾಗ್ಯಮನಹಙ್ಕಾರ ಏವ ಚ। ಜನ್ಮಮೃತ್ಯುಜರಾವ್ಯಾಧಿದುಃಖದೋಷಾನುದರ್ಶನಮ್

indriyārtheṣhu vairāgyam anahankāra eva cha janma-mṛityu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣhānudarśhanam

📖 Meaning

Indifference to the objects of the senses and also absence of egoism; perceiving the evil in birth, death, old age, sickness, and pain.

ಅಸಕ್ಿತರನಭಿಷ್ವಙ್ಗಃ ಪುತ್ರದಾರಗೃಹಾದಿಷು। ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಚ ಸಮಚಿತ್ತತ್ವಮಿಷ್ಟಾನಿಷ್ಟೋಪಪತ್ತಿಷು

asaktir anabhiṣhvaṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛihādiṣhu nityaṁ cha sama-chittatvam iṣhṭāniṣhṭopapattiṣhu

📖 Meaning

Non-attachment, non-identification of the Self with son, wife, home, and the rest, and constant even-mindedness in the face of the attainment of both desirable and undesirable.

ಮಯಿ ಚಾನನ್ಯಯೋಗೇನ ಭಕ್ಿತರವ್ಯಭಿಚಾರಿಣೀ। ವಿವಿಕ್ತದೇಶಸೇವಿತ್ವಮರತಿರ್ಜನಸಂಸದಿ

mayi chānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhichāriṇī vivikta-deśha-sevitvam aratir jana-sansadi

📖 Meaning

Unswerving devotion to Me through the Yoga of non-separation, resorting to solitary places, and a distaste for the company of people.

ಅಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮಜ್ಞಾನನಿತ್ಯತ್ವಂ ತತ್ತ್ವಜ್ಞಾನಾರ್ಥದರ್ಶನಮ್। ಏತಜ್ಜ್ಞಾನಮಿತಿ ಪ್ರೋಕ್ತಮಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಯದತೋನ್ಯಥಾ

adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśhanam etaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato ’nyathā

📖 Meaning

Constancy in Self-knowledge, the perception of the end of true knowledge—this is declared to be knowledge, and what is opposed to it is ignorance.

ಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ಯತ್ತತ್ಪ್ರವಕ್ಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ಯಜ್ಜ್ಞಾತ್ವಾಽಮೃತಮಶ್ನುತೇ। ಅನಾದಿಮತ್ಪರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ನ ಸತ್ತನ್ನಾಸದುಚ್ಯತೇ

jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛitam aśhnute anādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate

📖 Meaning

I will declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality; the beginningless Supreme Brahman, which is neither being nor non-being.

ಸರ್ವತಃ ಪಾಣಿಪಾದಂ ತತ್ಸರ್ವತೋಽಕ್ಷಿಶಿರೋಮುಖಮ್। ಸರ್ವತಃ ಶ್ರುತಿಮಲ್ಲೋಕೇ ಸರ್ವಮಾವೃತ್ಯ ತಿಷ್ಠತಿ

sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat sarvato ’kṣhi-śhiro-mukham sarvataḥ śhrutimal loke sarvam āvṛitya tiṣhṭhati

📖 Meaning

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere, He exists in the worlds, enveloping all.

ಸರ್ವೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯಗುಣಾಭಾಸಂ ಸರ್ವೇನ್ದ್ರಿಯವಿವರ್ಜಿತಮ್। ಅಸಕ್ತಂ ಸರ್ವಭೃಚ್ಚೈವ ನಿರ್ಗುಣಂ ಗುಣಭೋಕ್ತೃ ಚ

sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṁ sarvendriya-vivarjitam asaktaṁ sarva-bhṛich chaiva nirguṇaṁ guṇa-bhoktṛi cha

📖 Meaning

Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without being attached to them; unattached, yet supporting all; devoid of qualities, yet the experiencer of them.

ಬಹಿರನ್ತಶ್ಚ ಭೂತಾನಾಮಚರಂ ಚರಮೇವ ಚ। ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮತ್ವಾತ್ತದವಿಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ದೂರಸ್ಥಂ ಚಾನ್ತಿಕೇ ಚ ತತ್

bahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva cha sūkṣhmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tat

📖 Meaning

It is within and without all beings, both the unmoving and the moving; It is subtle and unknowable, and It is near and far away.

ಅವಿಭಕ್ತಂ ಚ ಭೂತೇಷು ವಿಭಕ್ತಮಿವ ಚ ಸ್ಥಿತಮ್। ಭೂತಭರ್ತೃ ಚ ತಜ್ಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ಗ್ರಸಿಷ್ಣು ಪ್ರಭವಿಷ್ಣು ಚ

avibhaktaṁ cha bhūteṣhu vibhaktam iva cha sthitam bhūta-bhartṛi cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣhṇu prabhaviṣhṇu cha

📖 Meaning

Undivided yet, It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the supporter of beings; It devours and It generates.

ಜ್ಯೋತಿಷಾಮಪಿ ತಜ್ಜ್ಯೋತಿಸ್ತಮಸಃ ಪರಮುಚ್ಯತೇ। ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ಜ್ಞಾನಗಮ್ಯಂ ಹೃದಿ ಸರ್ವಸ್ಯ ವಿಷ್ಠಿತಮ್

jyotiṣhām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyate jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛidi sarvasya viṣhṭhitam

📖 Meaning

That Light of all lights is said to be beyond darkness: knowledge, the knowable, and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.

ಇತಿ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ತಥಾ ಜ್ಞಾನಂ ಜ್ಞೇಯಂ ಚೋಕ್ತಂ ಸಮಾಸತಃ। ಮದ್ಭಕ್ತ ಏತದ್ವಿಜ್ಞಾಯ ಮದ್ಭಾವಾಯೋಪಪದ್ಯತೇ

iti kṣhetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ choktaṁ samāsataḥ mad-bhakta etad vijñāya mad-bhāvāyopapadyate

📖 Meaning

Thus, the field, as well as knowledge and the knowable, have been briefly stated. My devotee, knowing this, enters into My being.

ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಂ ಪುರುಷಂ ಚೈವ ವಿದ್ಧ್ಯನಾದೀ ಉಭಾವಪಿ। ವಿಕಾರಾಂಶ್ಚ ಗುಣಾಂಶ್ಚೈವ ವಿದ್ಧಿ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಸಂಭವಾನ್

prakṛitiṁ puruṣhaṁ chaiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api vikārānśh cha guṇānśh chaiva viddhi prakṛiti-sambhavān

📖 Meaning

Know that Nature (matter) and the Spirit are both beginningless, and know also that all modifications and qualities are born from Nature.

ಕಾರ್ಯಕಾರಣಕರ್ತೃತ್ವೇ ಹೇತುಃ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿರುಚ್ಯತೇ। ಪುರುಷಃ ಸುಖದುಃಖಾನಾಂ ಭೋಕ್ತೃತ್ವೇ ಹೇತುರುಚ್ಯತೇ

kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛitve hetuḥ prakṛitir uchyate puruṣhaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛitve hetur uchyate

📖 Meaning

In the production of the effect and the cause, Nature (matter) is said to be the cause; in the experience of pleasure and pain, the soul is said to be the one responsible.

ಪುರುಷಃ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಸ್ಥೋ ಹಿ ಭುಙ್ಕ್ತೇ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಜಾನ್ಗುಣಾನ್। ಕಾರಣಂ ಗುಣಸಙ್ಗೋಽಸ್ಯ ಸದಸದ್ಯೋನಿಜನ್ಮಸು

puruṣhaḥ prakṛiti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛiti-jān guṇān kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

📖 Meaning

The soul seated in Nature experiences the qualities born of Nature; attachment to the qualities is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs.

ಉಪದ್ರಷ್ಟಾಽನುಮನ್ತಾ ಚ ಭರ್ತಾ ಭೋಕ್ತಾ ಮಹೇಶ್ವರಃ। ಪರಮಾತ್ಮೇತಿ ಚಾಪ್ಯುಕ್ತೋ ದೇಹೇಽಸ್ಮಿನ್ಪುರುಷಃ ಪರಃ

upadraṣhṭānumantā cha bhartā bhoktā maheśhvaraḥ paramātmeti chāpy ukto dehe ’smin puruṣhaḥ paraḥ

📖 Meaning

The Supreme Soul in this body is also called the observer, the permitter, the sustainer, the enjoyer, the great Lord, and the Supreme Self.

ಯ ಏವಂ ವೇತ್ತಿ ಪುರುಷಂ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಂ ಚ ಗುಣೈಃಸಹ। ಸರ್ವಥಾ ವರ್ತಮಾನೋಽಪಿ ನ ಸ ಭೂಯೋಽಭಿಜಾಯತೇ

ya evaṁ vetti puruṣhaṁ prakṛitiṁ cha guṇaiḥ saha sarvathā vartamāno ’pi na sa bhūyo ’bhijāyate

📖 Meaning

He who thus knows the Spirit and Matter together with their qualities, in whatever condition he may be, he is not reborn.

ಧ್ಯಾನೇನಾತ್ಮನಿ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಕೇಚಿದಾತ್ಮಾನಮಾತ್ಮನಾ। ಅನ್ಯೇ ಸಾಂಖ್ಯೇನ ಯೋಗೇನ ಕರ್ಮಯೋಗೇನ ಚಾಪರೇ

dhyānenātmani paśhyanti kechid ātmānam ātmanā anye sānkhyena yogena karma-yogena chāpare

📖 Meaning

Some behold the Self within themselves through meditation, others through the Yoga of knowledge, and still others through the Yoga of action.

ಅನ್ಯೇ ತ್ವೇವಮಜಾನನ್ತಃ ಶ್ರುತ್ವಾಽನ್ಯೇಭ್ಯ ಉಪಾಸತೇ। ತೇಽಪಿ ಚಾತಿತರನ್ತ್ಯೇವ ಮೃತ್ಯುಂ ಶ್ರುತಿಪರಾಯಣಾಃ

anye tv evam ajānantaḥ śhrutvānyebhya upāsate te ’pi chātitaranty eva mṛityuṁ śhruti-parāyaṇāḥ

📖 Meaning

Others, too, who do not know thus, worship, having heard of It from others; they, too, cross beyond death, regarding what they have heard as the supreme refuge.

ಯಾವತ್ಸಞ್ಜಾಯತೇ ಕಿಞ್ಚಿತ್ಸತ್ತ್ವಂ ಸ್ಥಾವರಜಙ್ಗಮಮ್। ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞಸಂಯೋಗಾತ್ತದ್ವಿದ್ಧಿ ಭರತರ್ಷಭ

yāvat sañjāyate kiñchit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam kṣhetra-kṣhetrajña-sanyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣhabha

📖 Meaning

Wherever a being is born, whether unmoving or moving, know thou, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), that it is from the union of the field and its knower.

ಸಮಂ ಸರ್ವೇಷು ಭೂತೇಷು ತಿಷ್ಠನ್ತಂ ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರಮ್। ವಿನಶ್ಯತ್ಸ್ವವಿನಶ್ಯನ್ತಂ ಯಃ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ಸ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ

samaṁ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu tiṣhṭhantaṁ parameśhvaram vinaśhyatsv avinaśhyantaṁ yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati

📖 Meaning

He who sees the Supreme Lord existing truly in all beings, the imperishable within the perishable, sees indeed.

ಸಮಂ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ಹಿ ಸರ್ವತ್ರ ಸಮವಸ್ಥಿತಮೀಶ್ವರಮ್। ನ ಹಿನಸ್ತ್ಯಾತ್ಮನಾಽಽತ್ಮಾನಂ ತತೋ ಯಾತಿ ಪರಾಂ ಗತಿಮ್

samaṁ paśhyan hi sarvatra samavasthitam īśhvaram na hinasty ātmanātmānaṁ tato yāti parāṁ gatim

📖 Meaning

For he who truly sees the same Lord dwelling everywhere does not destroy the Self by the self; rather, he attains the highest goal.

ಪ್ರಕೃತ್ಯೈವ ಚ ಕರ್ಮಾಣಿ ಕ್ರಿಯಮಾಣಾನಿ ಸರ್ವಶಃ। ಯಃ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ತಥಾಽಽತ್ಮಾನಮಕರ್ತಾರಂ ಸ ಪಶ್ಯತಿ

prakṛityaiva cha karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśhaḥ yaḥ paśhyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśhyati

📖 Meaning

He sees, who sees that all actions are performed solely by Nature and that the Self is without action.

ಯದಾ ಭೂತಪೃಥಗ್ಭಾವಮೇಕಸ್ಥಮನುಪಶ್ಯತಿ। ತತ ಏವ ಚ ವಿಸ್ತಾರಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ ಸಮ್ಪದ್ಯತೇ ತದಾ

yadā bhūta-pṛithag-bhāvam eka-stham anupaśhyati tata eva cha vistāraṁ brahma sampadyate tadā

📖 Meaning

When a person sees all beings as resting in the One and emanating from the One alone, they then become Brahman.

ಅನಾದಿತ್ವಾನ್ನಿರ್ಗುಣತ್ವಾತ್ಪರಮಾತ್ಮಾಯಮವ್ಯಯಃ। ಶರೀರಸ್ಥೋಽಪಿ ಕೌನ್ತೇಯ ನ ಕರೋತಿ ನ ಲಿಪ್ಯತೇ

anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥ śharīra-stho ’pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate

📖 Meaning

Being without beginning, devoid of any qualities, the Supreme Self, imperishable, though dwelling in the body, O Arjuna, neither acts nor is tainted.

ಯಥಾ ಸರ್ವಗತಂ ಸೌಕ್ಷ್ಮ್ಯಾದಾಕಾಶಂ ನೋಪಲಿಪ್ಯತೇ। ಸರ್ವತ್ರಾವಸ್ಥಿತೋ ದೇಹೇ ತಥಾಽಽತ್ಮಾ ನೋಪಲಿಪ್ಯತೇ

yathā sarva-gataṁ saukṣhmyād ākāśhaṁ nopalipyate sarvatrāvasthito dehe tathātmā nopalipyate

📖 Meaning

As the all-pervading ether is not tainted, due to its subtlety, so the Self seated everywhere in the body is not tainted either.

ಯಥಾ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಯತ್ಯೇಕಃ ಕೃತ್ಸ್ನಂ ಲೋಕಮಿಮಂ ರವಿಃ। ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಂ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರೀ ತಥಾ ಕೃತ್ಸ್ನಂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಯತಿ ಭಾರತ

yathā prakāśhayaty ekaḥ kṛitsnaṁ lokam imaṁ raviḥ kṣhetraṁ kṣhetrī tathā kṛitsnaṁ prakāśhayati bhārata

📖 Meaning

Just as the one sun illuminates the entire world, so too does the Lord of the field (Supreme Self) illuminate the entire field, O Arjuna.

ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞಯೋರೇವಮನ್ತರಂ ಜ್ಞಾನಚಕ್ಷುಷಾ। ಭೂತಪ್ರಕೃತಿಮೋಕ್ಷಂ ಚ ಯೇ ವಿದುರ್ಯಾನ್ತಿ ತೇ ಪರಮ್

kṣhetra-kṣhetrajñayor evam antaraṁ jñāna-chakṣhuṣhā bhūta-prakṛiti-mokṣhaṁ cha ye vidur yānti te param

📖 Meaning

They who, by the eye of knowledge, perceive the distinction between the field and its knower, as well as the liberation from the Nature of being, go to the Supreme.