- B.G 13.01
arjuna uvāca
Arjuna spoke:
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñameva ca। etadveditumicchāmi jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ ca keśava ॥1॥
O Keśava, I wish to understand the prakṛti, i.e. insentient, the puruṣa, i.e. person, the field, and the knower of the field, as well as knowledge and what is to be known.
Bhā.: This chapter summarizes and analyzes the previously mentioned knowledge, knowable, field, and the puruṣa.
Tāt.: This chapter summarizes all the teachings so far.
- B.G 13.02 and 03
śrībhagavānuvāca
The Supreme Lord spoke.
idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetramityabhidhīyate| etadyo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tadvidaḥ ||2||
kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarvakṣetreṣu bhārata। kṣetrakṣetrajñayorjñānaṃ yat tajjñānaṃ mataṃ mama ॥3॥
O son of Kunti, this body is referred to as the field (kṣetra). The one who knows this is called the knower of the field (kṣetrajña) by those who understand. O Bharata, understand that I am also the knower of the field in all fields. The knowledge concerning the field and its knower is what I consider to be true knowledge.
Tāt.: It is important to distinguish and differentiate between 'kṣetra', i.e. field, and 'kṣetrajña', knower of the field. The Lord Vishnu is the knower of the field, and no one else directly knows the field. He is to be understood as distinct from both the manifest and the unmanifest. He is present in all living beings and outside as well, yet he remains distinct from all living beings at all times. To resolve the confusion as to who is 'kṣetrajña'?, it is said "kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi", i.e. "know Me only to be the 'kṣetrajña'"; At the same it is said - "etadyo vetti taṁ", i.e. "this who knows", so that the living being attains little of this knowledge for the purpose of resolving impediments.
- B.G 13.04
tat kṣetraṃ yac ca yādṛk ca yad vikāri yataś ca yat। sa ca yo yat-prabhāvaś ca tat samāsena me śṛṇu ॥4॥
Listen to me briefly as I describe that field, what it is like, what distortions it undergoes, from which influence and from whom.
Bhā.: The being is addressed as 'yadvikāri' as it is associated with distortions, i.e. defects. The phrase 'yataś ca yat' is referred to that which drives the 'kṣetra', i.e. field. The phrase 'sa ca yaḥ' is referring to merely form.
Tāt.: 'yataś ca yat', i.e. "From which and which" - by the consent of the Supreme Lord. The mind follows the consent in the form of inspiration, 'prabhāvaḥ'.
- B.G 13.05
ṛṣibhirbahudhā gītaṃ chandobhirvividhaiḥ pṛthak. brahmasūtrapadaiścaiva hetumadbhirviniścitam ॥5॥
The teachings have been sung in various ways by the sages, distinctly through the diverse Vedic hymns, and have been logically ascertained by the aphorisms of Brahman.
Bhā.: The Brahma Sutras referred to here are concerning the nature of the body.
- B.G 13.06 and 07
mahābhūtānyahaṅkāro buddhiravyaktameva ca। iṁdriyāṇi daśaikaṁ ca pañca ceṁdriyagocarāḥ ॥6॥
The material elements, ego, intellect, and the unmanifest, along with the ten plus one functional organs (five senses and five actions driven by mind, and the mind), and the five sense objects.
icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ saṅghātaścetanā dhṛtiḥ। etat kṣetraṃ samāsena savikāramudāhṛtam ॥7॥
Desire, aversion, happiness, sorrow, attachment, consciousness, and steadiness are all aspects of the field, which is briefly described here with its distortions.
Bhā.: Desires and similar emotions mentioned are distortions.
Tāt.: 'cetanā' - extent of pervasiveness of the consciousness.
- B.G 13.08-12
amānitvamadambhitvamahīṁsā kṣāntirārjavam। ācāryopāsanaṁ śaucaṁ sthairyamātmavinigrahaḥ ॥8॥
Humility, non-pretentiousness without ego, non-violence, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher, cleanliness, steadfastness, and self-control are the qualities to be cultivated.
indriyārtheṣu vairāgyamanahaṅkāra eva ca। janmamṛtyujarāvyādhiduḥkhadoṣānudarśanam ॥9॥
Detachment in the objects of the senses, absence of ego, and constant reflection on the inherent faults of birth, death, aging, disease, and suffering.
asaktiranabhiṣvaṅgaḥ putradāragṛhādiṣu। nityaṃ ca samacittatvamiṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu ॥10॥
One should cultivate non-attachment and lack of affection towards son, wife, home, and others, maintaining equanimity in all situations, whether favourable or unfavourable.
mayi cānanyayogena bhaktiravyabhicāriṇī। viviktadeśasevitvamaratirjanasaṁsadi ॥11॥
One should have unwavering exclusive devotion to Me, preferring solitude, and be disinterested in social gatherings.
adhyātmajñānanityatvaṃ tattvajñānārthadarśanam। etajjñānamiti proktamajñānaṃ yadato'nyathā ॥12॥
The spiritual knowledge (adhyātmajñāna) is eternal and constant. The knowledge regarding true principles (tattvajñāna) is darshanas (six Vedic philosophical viewpoints). This is said to be true knowledge, that which is otherwise is ignorance.
Bhā.: In order to attain the knowledge of the Supreme Lord, the means to be adopted is described. 'dambhaḥ' - Even when one knows their own insignificance, displaying greatness. 'ārjavaṃ' - is consistency and integrity between mind, speech and body actions. 'sakti' - attachment; 'abhiṣvaṅgaḥ' - intense attachment or affection. The 'darshanas' are for the purpose of understanding how true principles operate (philosophical knowledge); Scriptural knowledge is for the purpose of attaining transcendence, i.e. liberation.
Tāt.: The subject of 'tattvajñāna' i.e. knowledge regarding how true principles operate, is that of Lord Vishnu. Direct perception (aparokṣadarśana) is nothing but perception dervied by understanding 'tattvajñāna', i.e. how true principles operate. "etajjñānam", i.e. "This is knowledge" is stated to emphasize it as both the means and the end of knowledge.
- B.G 13.13
jñeyaṃ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yat jñātvā'mṛtam aśnute। anādimat paraṃ brahma na sat tan nāsad ucyate ॥13॥
I will explain what is to be known, which, when understood, leads to immortality. That supreme Brahman, without beginning, is described as neither existent nor non-existent.
Bhā.: The declarative phrases "Supreme Brahman", "he who", and "from whose influence" indicate the information being provided is to gain definitive understanding. 'anādimat' - devoid of beginning and also devoid of material body.
Tāt.: anādimat - indicates not only the Lord as having no beginning but also as the ultimate cause. Testimonials are provided that declare Lord Janardana as the Supreme Brahman due to the fullness of qualities. He transcends both form and formlessness, and thus is described as neither existing nor non-existing. He is known through the Vedas and is beyond the grasp of men due to limitation in their capabilities.
- B.G 13.14 and 15
sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tat sarvato'kṣiśiromukham। sarvataḥ śrutimalloke sarvamāvṛtya tiṣṭhati ॥14॥
He has hands and feet everywhere, eyes, heads, and faces everywhere, and ears everywhere in the world. He exists, encompassing everything.
sarveṃdriyaguṇābhāsaṃ sarveṃdriyavivarjitaṃ। asaktaṃ sarvabhukcaiva nirguṇaṃ guṇabhoktṛ ca ॥15॥
He illuminates all senses and qualities, yet is devoid of any ordinary material senses. He is unattached, all-devouring, without qualities, yet the experiencer of qualities.
Bhā.: sarveṃdriyaguṇābhāsam - illuminates all senses and qualities. sarveṃdriyavivarjitaṃ - devoid of ordinary material senses.
- B.G 13.16
bahirantaśca bhūtānāmacaraṃ carameva ca। sūkṣmatvāt padavijñeyaṃ dūrasthaṃ cāntike ca tat ॥16॥
He exists both inside and outside of all beings, and is both movable and immovable. Because of his subtlety, He is incomprehensible and appears to be both far and near.
- B.G 13.17
avibhaktaṃ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktamiva ca sthitam। bhūtabhartṛ ca tajjñeyaṃ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu ca ॥17॥
He is undivided and yet appears divided among beings; He is the sustainer of all beings, to be known as the devourer and the originator.
- B.G 13.18
jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate. jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ jñānagamyaṃ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam ॥18॥
The light that illuminates even the luminaries is said to be beyond darkness. He is knowledge, the knowable, and the goal of knowledge, situated in the heart of everyone.
Tāt.: 'jñānagamyam' - is attained by the liberated through knowledge. He is said to be self-luminous, the one Purushottama, the best among the beings. The self-luminosity of beings is through self-knowledge and is possible only by His grace.
- B.G 13.19
iti kṣetraṃ tathā jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ coktaṃ samāsataḥ। madbhakta etadvijñāya madbhāvāyopapadyate ॥19॥
Thus, the field, knowledge, and the knowable have been described briefly. My devotee, by understanding this, attains the ability to feel my presence within.
Bhā.: At first, when the practitioner is still of a distorted nature, the means to be employed was instructed. The current verse describes the effect of devoutly employing such means.
Tāt.: 'madbhāvāya' - capacity to perceive or feel of my state within.
- B.G 13.20
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva viddhyanādī ubhāvapi। vikārāṃśca guṇāṃścaiva viddhi prakṛtisambhavān ॥20॥
Understand that both 'Prakrti', i.e. insentient and the 'Puruṣa' are without beginning; know that distortions and qualities are indeed born of 'Prakrti'.
Bhā.: The statement summarizes the Prakrti, i.e. insentient, its distortions, and the being. Subtle distortions in three qualities at the time of cosmic creation manifest into action and inaction.
Tāt.: To emphasize that the distortions arising from intentionality are greater compared to distortions arising from qualities, the phrase 'vikārāṃśca guṇāṃśca', i.e. "distortions and qualities" is separately called out. The phrase 'prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ ca' is used along with 'ubhāvapi' - one must apply both the living being, and the supreme being to the word 'puruṣa'. Similarly, one must apply 'Chit Prakrti', i.e. the sentient principle behind insentient material nature, and 'Prakrti', i.e. insentient material nature to the word 'prakṛti'.
- B.G 13.21
kāryakāraṇakartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtirucyate। puruṣaḥ sukhaduḥkhānāṃ bhoktṛtve heturucyate ॥21॥
The insentient Prakrti is considered the cause of 'actions, instruments, and agency', while it is the Being, the Purusha, who is the cause for experiencing happiness and distress.
Bhā.: 'kārya' - body, that does the action. 'karaṇā' - the instrument are functional organs (the mind, five senses, five action organs). It is the insentient 'Prakrti' that is the cause of 'action, instrument, and agency'. But, it is the 'Purusha', the being, who is the cause for experiencing happiness and distress.
Tāt.: Though Lord Vishnu is the cause of all, Prakrti is the primary cause when it comes to agency, while it is the being who is the special cause for experiencing.
- B.G 13.22
puruṣaḥ prakṛtistho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijān guṇān। kāraṇaṃ guṇasaṅgo'sya sadasadyonijanmasu ॥22॥
Indeed, the being residing in Prakṛti experiences the qualities that arise from Prakṛti. His attachment to these qualities is the reason for his birth in favourable and unfavourable wombs.
Tāt.: The term 'Puruṣa' in the current verse refers only to the individual being, though it is used for both the individual being and the lord previously. The contact of the individual being with material Prakrti alone doesn't result in joy or misery. It is his attachment to qualities born out of ignorance (avidyā) that results in joy and misery. Thus, knowledge, and the capacity to observe, i.e. to be a witness, are innate attributes of the individual being.
The word 'hi' — i.e. indeed, in the context has special significance, providing experiential knowledge that the individual is situated within Prakrti. This experiential knowledge offers the ultimate, undeniable proof. This firmly rejects the maya-vada, the doctrine of the world being an illusion. The internal experience emanating from knowledge, ignorance, happiness, and sorrow does not indicate an illusion of the world at any point in time. There is no proof of its falsity. Starting from the physical body only experience of direct perception and illusion are observed. Even there, illusions are recognised when there is a strong contradiction in evidence. Through the establishment of witness alone, it is possible to accept illusion by differentiating it from non-illusion. The capacity to observe — the witness — also establishes the existence of individual being.
- B.G 13.23
upadraṣṭā'numantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ। paramātmeti cāpyukto dehe'smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ ॥23॥
In this body, the Transcendental-Person is described as the observer, the permitter, the supporter, the enjoyer, the great Lord, and the Supreme Being.
Bhā.: The verse 'upadraṣṭa' answers the question such as from where? (in the body) and what (the lord) needs to be grasped. 'anumantā' - the approver, the special determiner who determines again and again, at every stage.
Tāt.: The being journeys through various births influenced by its association with qualities. However, the ultimate cause is the Supreme Lord, who is the overseer and permitter. By stating "Know me in all fields" (13.3), it is implied, even in the body, know the Lord's presence.
- B.G 13.24
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- B.G 13.25
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- B.G 13.26
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- B.G 13.27
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- B.G 13.28
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- B.G 13.29
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- B.G 13.30
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- B.G 13.31
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