The Yoga of Discrimination: Discerning the Field and its Knower
(Chapter 13)
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोगः
Verse 13-1
अर्जुन उवाच | प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च | एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव ||१३-१||
arjuna uvāca . prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñameva ca . etadveditumicchāmi jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ ca keśava ..13-1..
Arjuna said: 1. PRAKRITI (Matter) and PURUSHA (Spirit) , also the KSHETRA (the Field) and KSHETRAJNA (the Knower-of-the-Field) , Knowledge and that which ought to be known --- these, I wish to learn, O Keshava.
Verse 13-2
श्रीभगवानुवाच | इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते | एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ||१३-२||
śrībhagavānuvāca . idaṃ śarīraṃ kaunteya kṣetramityabhidhīyate . etadyo vetti taṃ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tadvidaḥ ..13-2..
The Blessed Lord said: 2. This body, O Kaunteya is called KSHETRA (the Field) and he who knows it is called KSHETRAJNA (the Knower-of-the-Field) by those who know them (KSHETRA and KSHETRAJNA) i. e. by the sages .
Verse 13-3
क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत | क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ||१३-३||
kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarvakṣetreṣu bhārata . kṣetrakṣetrajñayorjñānaṃ yattajjñānaṃ mataṃ mama ..13-3..
3. Know Me as the "Knower-of-the-Field" in all "Fields, " O Bharata; Knowledge of the "Field" as also of the "knower-of-the-Field" is considered by Me to be My Knowledge.
Verse 13-4
तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक्च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत् | स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे शृणु ||१३-४||
tatkṣetraṃ yacca yādṛkca yadvikāri yataśca yat . sa ca yo yatprabhāvaśca tatsamāsena me śṛṇu ..13-4..
4. What that Field is; of what nature it is; what are its modifications; whence it is; and also who He is; and what His powers are --- these hear from Me in brief.
Verse 13-5
ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक् | ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैश्चैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्चितैः ||१३-५||
ṛṣibhirbahudhā gītaṃ chandobhirvividhaiḥ pṛthak . brahmasūtrapadaiścaiva hetumadbhirviniścitaiḥ ..13-5..
5. RISHIS have sung (about the "Field" and the "Knower-of-the-Field" ) in many ways, in various distinctive chants and also in the suggestive words indicative of BRAHMAN, full of reason and decision.
Verse 13-6
महाभूतान्यहंकारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च | इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः ||१३-६||
mahābhūtānyahaṃkāro buddhiravyaktameva ca . indriyāṇi daśaikaṃ ca pañca cendriyagocarāḥ ..13-6..
6. The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the unmanifested (MOOLA-PRAKRITI) , the ten senses and the one (the mind) and the five objects-of-the-senses, . . .
Verse 13-7
इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं संघातश्चेतना धृतिः | एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ||१३-७||
icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ saṃghātaścetanā dhṛtiḥ . etatkṣetraṃ samāsena savikāramudāhṛtam ..13-7..
7. Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, aggregate (body) , intelligence, fortitude --- this KSHETRA has been thus briefly described with its modifications.
Verse 13-8
अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम् | आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः ||१३-८||
amānitvamadambhitvamahiṃsā kṣāntirārjavam . ācāryopāsanaṃ śaucaṃ sthairyamātmavinigrahaḥ ..13-8..
8. Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher, purity, steadfastness, self-control . . .
Verse 13-9
इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहंकार एव च | जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिदुःखदोषानुदर्शनम् ||१३-९||
indriyārtheṣu vairāgyamanahaṃkāra eva ca . janmamṛtyujarāvyādhiduḥkhadoṣānudarśanam ..13-9..
9. Indifference to the objects of the sense, and also absence of egoism, perception of (or reflection upon) evils in birth, death, old age, sickness and pain. . .
Verse 13-10
असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु | नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु ||१३-१०||
asaktiranabhiṣvaṅgaḥ putradāragṛhādiṣu . nityaṃ ca samacittatvamiṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu ..13-10..
10. Non-attachment; non-identification of Self with son, wife, home and the rest; and constant even-mindedness on the attainment of the desirable and the undesirable. . .
Verse 13-11
मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणी | विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनसंसदि ||१३-११||
mayi cānanyayogena bhaktiravyabhicāriṇī . viviktadeśasevitvamaratirjanasaṃsadi ..13-11..
11. Unswerving devotion unto Me by the YOGA of non-separation, resorting to solitary places, distaste for the society of men. . .
Verse 13-12
अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् | एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोऽन्यथा ||१३-१२||
adhyātmajñānanityatvaṃ tattvajñānārthadarśanam . etajjñānamiti proktamajñānaṃ yadato.anyathā ..13-12..
12. Constancy in Self-knowledge, perception of the end of true knowledge --- this is declared to be "knowledge, " and what is opposed to it is "ignorance. "
Verse 13-13
ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते | अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते ||१३-१३||
jñeyaṃ yattatpravakṣyāmi yajjñātvāmṛtamaśnute . anādi matparaṃ brahma na sattannāsaducyate ..13-13..
13. I will declare that which has to be "known" knowing which one attains to Immortality --- the beginningless Supreme BRAHMAN, called neither being nor non- being.
Verse 13-14
सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम् | सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ||१३-१४||
sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tatsarvato.akṣiśiromukham . sarvataḥ śrutimalloke sarvamāvṛtya tiṣṭhati ..13-14..
14. With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere, He exists in the world, enveloping all.
Verse 13-15
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम् | असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च ||१३-१५||
sarvendriyaguṇābhāsaṃ sarvendriyavivarjitam . asaktaṃ sarvabhṛccaiva nirguṇaṃ guṇabhoktṛ ca ..13-15..
15. Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without the senses; unattached, yet supporting all; devoid of qualities, yet their experiencer. . .
Verse 13-16
बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च | सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ||१३-१६||
bahirantaśca bhūtānāmacaraṃ carameva ca . sūkṣmatvāttadavijñeyaṃ dūrasthaṃ cāntike ca tat ..13-16..
16. Without and within (all) beings, the 'unmoving' and also the 'moving' ; because of its subtlety unknowable; and near and far away --- is That.
Verse 13-17
अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् | भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ||१३-१७||
avibhaktaṃ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktamiva ca sthitam . bhūtabhartṛ ca tajjñeyaṃ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu ca ..13-17..
17. And undivided, yet He exists as if divided in beings; That is to be known as the Supporter of Beings; He devours and He generates.
Verse 13-18
ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते | ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम् ||१३-१८||
jyotiṣāmapi tajjyotistamasaḥ paramucyate . jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam ..13-18..
18. That (BRAHMAN) , the Light-of-all lights, is said to be beyond darkness; (It is) Knowledge, the Object-of-Knowledge, seated in the hearts of all, to be reached by Knowledge.
Verse 13-19
इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासतः | मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते ||१३-१९||
iti kṣetraṃ tathā jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ coktaṃ samāsataḥ . madbhakta etadvijñāya madbhāvāyopapadyate ..13-19..
19. Thus the Field, as well as the knowledge and the knowable have been briefly stated. Knowing this, My devotee enters into My Being.
Verse 13-20
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि | विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् ||१३-२०||
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādi ubhāvapi . vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛtisambhavān ..13-20..
20. Know you that Matter (PRAKRITI) and Spirit (PURUSHA) are both beginningless; and know you also that all modifications and qualities are born of PRAKRITI.
Verse 13-21
कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते | पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ||१३-२१||
kāryakāraṇakartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtirucyate . puruṣaḥ sukhaduḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve heturucyate ..13-21..
21. In the production of the effect and the cause, PRAKRITI is said to be the cause; in the experience of pleasure and pain, PURUSHA is said to be the cause.
Verse 13-22
पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् | कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ||१३-२२||
puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijānguṇān . kāraṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo.asya sadasadyonijanmasu ..13-22..
22. The PURUSHA, seated in PRAKRITI, experiences the qualities born of PRAKRITI; attachment to the qualities is the cause of his birth in good and evil wombs.
Verse 13-23
उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः | परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः ||१३-२३||
upadraṣṭānumantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ . paramātmeti cāpyukto dehe.asminpuruṣaḥ paraḥ ..13-23..
23. The supreme PURUSHA in this body is also called the Spectator, the Permitter, the Supporter, the Enjoyer, the great Lord and the Supreme Self.
Verse 13-24
य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह | सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ||१३-२४||
ya evaṃ vetti puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca guṇaiḥ saha . sarvathā vartamāno.api na sa bhūyo.abhijāyate ..13-24..
24. He who thus knows the PURUSHA and PRAKRITI together with the qualities, in whatsoever condition he may be, he is not born again.
Verse 13-25
ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना | अन्ये साङ्ख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे ||१३-२५||
dhyānenātmani paśyanti kecidātmānamātmanā . anye sāṅkhyena yogena karmayogena cāpare ..13-25..
25. Some, by meditation, behold the Self in the Self by the Self; others by the "YOGA -of- Knowledge" (by SANKHYA YOGA) ; and others by KARMA YOGA.
Verse 13-26
अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वान्येभ्य उपासते | तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणाः ||१३-२६||
anye tvevamajānantaḥ śrutvānyebhya upāsate . te.api cātitarantyeva mṛtyuṃ śrutiparāyaṇāḥ ..13-26..
26. Others also, not knowing this, worship, having heard of it from others; they too, cross beyond death, if they would regard what they have heard as their Supreme Refuge.
Verse 13-27
यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् | क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ ||१३-२७||
yāvatsañjāyate kiñcitsattvaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam . kṣetrakṣetrajñasaṃyogāttadviddhi bharatarṣabha ..13-27..
27. Wherever any being is born, the unmoving or the moving, know you, O best of the Bharatas, that it is from the union between the "Field" and the "Knower-of-the-Field. "
Verse 13-28
समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् | विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति ||१३-२८||
samaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṃ parameśvaram . vinaśyatsvavinaśyantaṃ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati ..13-28..
28. He sees, who sees the Supreme Lord existing equally in all beings, the unperishing within the perishing.
Verse 13-29
समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् | न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ||१३-२९||
samaṃ paśyanhi sarvatra samavasthitamīśvaram . na hinastyātmanātmānaṃ tato yāti parāṃ gatim ..13-29..
29. Indeed, he who sees the same Lord everywhere equally dwelling, destroys not the Self by the Self; therefore, he goes to the Highest Goal.
Verse 13-30
प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः | यः पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति ||१३-३०||
prakṛtyaiva ca karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ . yaḥ paśyati tathātmānamakartāraṃ sa paśyati ..13-30..
30. He sees, who sees that all actions are performed by PRAKRITI alone, and that the Self is actionless.
Verse 13-31
यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति | तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ||१३-३१||
yadā bhūtapṛthagbhāvamekasthamanupaśyati . tata eva ca vistāraṃ brahma sampadyate tadā ..13-31..
31. When he (man) sees the whole variety-of-beings, as resting in the One, and spreading forth from That (One) alone, he then becomes BRAHMAN.
Verse 13-32
अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः | शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते ||१३-३२||
anāditvānnirguṇatvātparamātmāyamavyayaḥ . śarīrastho.api kaunteya na karoti na lipyate ..13-32..
32. Being without beginning, and being devoid of qualities, the Supreme Self, the Imperishable, though dwelling in the body, O Kaunteya, neither acts, nor is tainted.
Verse 13-33
यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते | सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथात्मा नोपलिप्यते ||१३-३३||
yathā sarvagataṃ saukṣmyādākāśaṃ nopalipyate . sarvatrāvasthito dehe tathātmā nopalipyate ..13-33..
33. As the all-pervading ether is not tainted, because of its subtlety, so too the Self, seated everywhere in the body, is not tainted.
Verse 13-34
यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः | क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत ||१३-३४||
yathā prakāśayatyekaḥ kṛtsnaṃ lokamimaṃ raviḥ . kṣetraṃ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṃ prakāśayati bhārata ..13-34..
34. Just as the one Sun illumines the whole world, so also the Lord-of-the-Field (PARAMATMAN) illumines the whole "Field, " O Bharata.
Verse 13-35
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा | भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् ||१३-३५||
kṣetrakṣetrajñayorevamantaraṃ jñānacakṣuṣā . bhūtaprakṛtimokṣaṃ ca ye viduryānti te param ..13-35..
35. They who, with their eye-of-wisdom come to know the distinction between the "Field" and the "Knower-of-the-Field", and of the liberation from the "PRAKRITI" of the being, go to the Supreme.
Key Takeaways & AI Summary
This chapter explores the profound teachings of The Yoga of Discrimination: Discerning the Field and its Knower. It includes 35 verses detailing core themes like "arjuna uvāca ", "śrībhagavānuvāca ", "kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarvakṣetreṣu bhārata ".The divine discourse between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — the ultimate guide to duty, devotion, and self-realization.