Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13 The Yoga of the Field and the Knower of the Field

Shloka 1 Arjuna Asks to Know Material Nature, the Soul, the Field, the Knower of the Field, Knowledge and the Object of Knowledge arjuna uvācha | prakṛitiṁ puruṣaṁ chaiva kṣetraṁ kṣetrajñam eva cha | etad veditum ichchhāmi jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ cha keśhava || 13.1 || Arjuna said: O Keshava, I wish to know about material nature and the soul, the field and the knower of the field, and also knowledge and the object of knowledge. → Shloka 2 The Body Is the Field, and the One Who Knows It Is the Knower of the Field śhrī bhagavān uvācha | idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate | etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad-vidaḥ || 13.2 || The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, son of Kunti, this body is called the 'field'. The one who knows this body is called the 'knower of the field' by those who know the truth about it. → Shloka 3 The Lord Is the Knower in All Fields; This Knowledge Is True Knowledge kṣetrajñaṁ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣhu bhārata | kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama || 13.3 || O Arjuna, descendant of Bharata, know Me also as the knower of the field in all fields. The knowledge of the field and of the knower of the field is what I consider to be true knowledge. → Shloka 4 Listen Briefly: The Nature, Origin and Power of the Field and the Knower tat kṣetraṁ yach cha yādṛik cha yad-vikāri yataśh cha yat | sa cha yo yat-prabhāvaśh cha tat samāsena me śhṛiṇu || 13.4 || Listen to Me briefly about that field: what it is, of what kind it is, what its modifications are, and from what it arises; and also who he (the knower of the field) is and what his powers are. → Shloka 5 The Field and Its Knower Are Taught by the Sages, the Vedic Hymns and the Brahma Sutras ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītaṁ chhandobhir vividhaiḥ pṛthak | brahma-sūtra-padaiśh chaiva hetumadbhir viniśchitaiḥ || 13.5 || This truth about the field and the knower of the field has been sung by the sages in many ways, separately in the various Vedic hymns, and also in the well-reasoned and conclusive aphorisms of the Brahma Sutras. → Shloka 6 The Twenty-Four Elements That Constitute the Field mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāro buddhir avyaktam eva cha | indriyāṇi daśhaikaṁ cha pañcha chendriya-gocharāḥ || 13.6 || The five great elements, the ego, the intellect, the unmanifest primordial nature, the ten senses, the mind, and the five objects of the senses. → Shloka 7 Desire, Aversion, Pleasure, Pain, Body-Complex, Consciousness and Will Complete the Field ichchhā dveṣaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaśh chetanā dhṛtiḥ | etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam || 13.7 || Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the aggregate of body and senses, consciousness and firmness: this is the field, briefly described along with its modifications. → Shloka 8 Humility, Non-Violence and Self-Control: The First Qualities of True Knowledge amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam | āchāryopāsanaṁ śhauchaṁ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ || 13.8 || Humility, freedom from pride, non-violence, forgiveness, simplicity, service to the teacher, purity, steadfastness and self-control. → Shloka 9 Dispassion, Absence of Ego and Awareness of the Suffering Inherent in Worldly Life indriyārtheṣu vairāgyam anahaṅkāra eva cha | janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam || 13.9 || Dispassion toward the objects of the senses, absence of ego, and the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age, disease and pain. → Shloka 10 Non-Attachment to Family and Home, and Constant Evenness of Mind asaktir anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu | nityaṁ cha sama-chittatvam iṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu || 13.10 || Non-attachment, absence of clinging to son, wife, home and the like, and constant evenness of mind in the occurrence of desirable and undesirable events. → Shloka 11 Unwavering Devotion to the Lord, Love of Solitude and Distaste for Worldly Crowds mayi chānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhichāriṇī | vivikta-deśha-sevitvam aratir jana-saṁsadi || 13.11 || Unwavering devotion to Me through exclusive yoga, resorting to solitary places, and distaste for the company of crowds of people. → Shloka 12 Constancy in Self-Knowledge and Seeing the Purpose of Truth: Everything Else Is Ignorance adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam | etaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato 'nyathā || 13.12 || Constancy in the knowledge of the Self and seeing the purpose of the knowledge of truth: this is declared to be knowledge, and whatever is contrary to it is ignorance. → Shloka 13 The Knowable Brahman That Bestows Immortality: Beginningless and Beyond Being and Non-Being jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛtam aśhnute | anādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate || 13.13 || I shall explain that which is to be known, by knowing which one attains immortality. It is the beginningless Brahman, having Me as its supreme ground, which is said to be neither existent nor non-existent. → Shloka 14 The All-Pervading Reality With Hands, Feet, Eyes and Ears Everywhere sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat sarvato 'kṣi-śhiro-mukham | sarvataḥ śhrutimal loke sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati || 13.14 || That (Brahman) has hands and feet everywhere, eyes, heads and mouths everywhere, and ears everywhere; it exists in the world, pervading everything. → Shloka 15 The Supreme Appears to Have the Functions of the Senses Yet Is Free From Them, Unattached Yet Supporting All sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṁ sarvendriya-vivarjitam | asaktaṁ sarva-bhṛic chaiva nirguṇaṁ guṇa-bhoktṛi cha || 13.15 || It appears to possess the functions of all the senses, yet it is devoid of all the senses. It is unattached, yet the supporter of all. It is free from the modes of material nature, yet the experiencer of them. → Shloka 16 The Supreme Is Both Within and Outside All Beings, Moving and Unmoving, Far and Near bahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva cha | sūkṣmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tat || 13.16 || It exists outside and inside all beings; it is both unmoving and moving. Because of its subtlety it is incomprehensible. It is far away and also very near. → Shloka 17 Undivided Yet Appearing Divided: The Sustainer, Dissolver and Creator of All Beings avibhaktaṁ cha bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva cha sthitam | bhūta-bhartṛi cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu cha || 13.17 || Though undivided, it exists in all beings as if divided. That which is to be known is the sustainer of beings, their devourer and their creator. → Shloka 18 The Light of All Lights, Beyond Darkness and Seated in the Hearts of All jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyate | jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam || 13.18 || It is the light of all luminous objects and is said to be beyond darkness. It is knowledge, the object of knowledge and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all. → Shloka 19 The Field, Knowledge and the Knowable Summarized: The Devotee Attains the Lord's Nature iti kṣetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ choktaṁ samāsataḥ | mad-bhakta etad vijñāya mad-bhāvāyopapadyate || 13.19 || Thus the field, knowledge and the object of knowledge have been briefly described. My devotee, having understood this, becomes fit for attaining My nature. → Shloka 20 Material Nature and the Soul Are Both Beginningless; the Modes and Modifications Arise From Nature prakṛitiṁ puruṣaṁ chaiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api | vikārāṁś cha guṇāṁś chaiva viddhi prakṛiti-sambhavān || 13.20 || Know that both material nature and the soul are beginningless. Know also that all modifications and the three modes arise from material nature. → Shloka 21 Nature Is the Cause of Action; the Soul Is the Cause of Experience kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛitve hetuḥ prakṛitir uchyate | puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛitve hetur uchyate || 13.21 || Material nature is said to be the cause of effect (the body), cause (the senses and instruments) and agency. The soul is said to be the cause of the experience of pleasure and pain. → Shloka 22 Attachment to the Modes Is the Cause of Birth in Good and Evil Wombs puruṣaḥ prakṛiti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛiti-jān guṇān | kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu || 13.22 || The soul, situated in material nature, experiences the modes born of material nature. Attachment to the modes is the cause of its births in good and evil wombs. → Shloka 23 The Supreme Being in the Body: Witness, Permitter, Sustainer, Experiencer and Supreme Lord upadraṣṭānumantā cha bhartā bhoktā maheśhvaraḥ | paramātmeti chāpy ukto dehe 'smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ || 13.23 || The transcendental Supreme Being in this body is called the witness, the permitter, the sustainer, the experiencer, the Supreme Lord and also the Supreme Soul. → Shloka 24 One Who Truly Knows the Soul, Material Nature and the Modes Is Not Born Again ya evaṁ vetti puruṣaṁ prakṛitiṁ cha guṇaiḥ saha | sarvathā vartamāno 'pi na sa bhūyo 'bhijāyate || 13.24 || One who thus knows the soul, material nature and the modes, is not born again, no matter in what condition he lives. → Shloka 25 Different Paths to Perceiving the Self: Meditation, Knowledge and Selfless Action dhyānenātmani paśhyanti kechid ātmānam ātmanā | anye sāṅkhyena yogena karma-yogena chāpare || 13.25 || Some perceive the Supreme Self within themselves through meditation, with the purified mind; others through the path of knowledge, and still others through the path of selfless action. → Shloka 26 Even Those Who Learn From Others and Practise With Faith Cross Beyond Death anye tv evam ajānantaḥ śhrutvānyebhya upāsate | te 'pi chātitaranty eva mṛityuṁ śhruti-parāyaṇāḥ || 13.26 || Others, who do not know this directly, worship having heard it from others. They too, devoted to what they have heard, certainly cross beyond death. → Shloka 27 All Beings, Moving and Unmoving, Arise From the Union of the Field and the Knower of the Field yāvat sañjāyate kiñchit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam | kṣetra-kṣetrajña-saṁyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣabha || 13.27 || O best of the Bharatas, know that whatever being comes into existence, moving or unmoving, is born from the union of the field and the knower of the field. → Shloka 28 One Who Sees the Imperishable Lord Equally Present in All Perishing Beings Truly Sees samaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṁ parameśhvaram | vinaśhyatsv avinaśhyantaṁ yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati || 13.28 || One who sees the Supreme Lord residing equally in all beings, imperishable in the midst of the perishing, truly sees. → Shloka 29 Seeing the Lord Equally Present Everywhere, One Does Not Harm the Self and Attains the Supreme Goal samaṁ paśhyan hi sarvatra samavasthitam īśhvaram | na hinasty ātmanātmānaṁ tato yāti parāṁ gatim || 13.29 || Indeed, seeing the Lord equally present everywhere, one does not harm the Self by the mind, and thereby attains the supreme goal. → Shloka 30 One Who Sees That Nature Performs All Actions and the Self Is the Non-Doer Truly Sees prakṛityaiva cha karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśhaḥ | yaḥ paśhyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśhyati || 13.30 || One who sees that all actions are performed entirely by material nature alone, and that the Self is the non-doer, truly sees. → Shloka 31 Seeing the Diversity of Beings Rest in the One and Spread From It, a Person Attains Brahman yadā bhūta-pṛthag-bhāvam eka-stham anupaśhyati | tata eva cha vistāraṁ brahma sampadyate tadā || 13.31 || When one perceives the diversity of beings as resting in the One, and their expansion as arising from that very One, he then attains Brahman. → Shloka 32 The Imperishable Supreme Soul, Though Situated in the Body, Neither Acts Nor Is Tainted anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥ | śharīra-stho 'pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate || 13.32 || O son of Kunti, because it is beginningless and free from the modes of material nature, this imperishable Supreme Soul, though situated in the body, neither acts nor is tainted. → Shloka 33 Like Space, the Self Is Not Tainted by the Body It Pervades yathā sarva-gataṁ saukṣmyād ākāśhaṁ nopalipyate | sarvatrāvasthito dehe tathātmā nopalipyate || 13.33 || Just as all-pervading space is not tainted because of its subtlety, so the Self, present everywhere in the body, is not tainted. → Shloka 34 Like the Sun Illumining the Entire World, the Knower Illumines the Entire Field yathā prakāśhayaty ekaḥ kṛitsnaṁ lokam imaṁ raviḥ | kṣetraṁ kṣetrī tathā kṛitsnaṁ prakāśhayati bhārata || 13.34 || O descendant of Bharata, just as the one sun illumines this entire world, so does the knower of the field illumine the entire field. → Shloka 35 Those Who Know the Difference Between the Field and Its Knower, and the Liberation From Nature, Attain the Supreme kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor evam antaraṁ jñāna-chakṣuṣā | bhūta-prakṛiti-mokṣaṁ cha ye vidur yānti te param || 13.35 || Those who, with the eye of knowledge, thus perceive the difference between the field and the knower of the field, and the liberation of beings from material nature, attain the Supreme. →