Ksetra Ksetrajna Vibhaga Yoga

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said: O Keshava, I wish to understand Prakriti (nature) and Purusha (spirit), the Kshetra (the field) and the Kshetrajna (the knower of the field), as well as knowledge and the object of knowledge.

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Supreme Lord said: This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field (Kshetra), and he who knows it is called the knower of the field (Kshetrajna) by those who know them.

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत |

Understand Me to be the Knower of the field in all fields, O Bharata. The knowledge of the field and the knower of the field is what I consider to be true knowledge.

तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक्च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत् |

What that field is, what its nature is, what modifications it undergoes, where it originates, who that Knower is, and what His powers are—hear all this briefly from Me.

ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक् |

This truth has been sung by sages in many ways, in various Vedic hymns, and also in the logical and convincing verses of the Brahmasutras.

महाभूतान्यहंकारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च |

The five great elements, the false ego, the intellect, the unmanifest source of nature, the ten senses, the mind, and the five objects of the senses...

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं संघातश्चेतना धृतिः |

Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the physical body, mental consciousness, and fortitude—this is the field, briefly described along with its modifications.

अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम् |

Humility, absence of pride, non-violence, tolerance, simplicity, service to the teacher, purity, steadfastness, and self-control...

इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहंकार एव च |

Indifference to the objects of the senses, absence of egoism, and constant contemplation of the painful defects of birth, death, old age, sickness, and suffering...

असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु |

Non-attachment, freedom from clinging to son, wife, home, and the like, and constant even-mindedness in the occurrence of both desirable and undesirable events...

मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणी |

Unswerving devotion to Me through single-minded yoga, resort to quiet, solitary places, and distaste for the noisy crowds of people...

अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् |

Constancy in self-knowledge, keeping the goal of liberation in sight—this is declared to be true knowledge, and whatever is contrary to it is ignorance.

ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते |

I will now declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality. It is the beginningless Supreme Brahman, which is said to be neither being (sat) nor non-being (asat).

सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम् |

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, and with ears everywhere in the universe, It exists, pervading everything.

सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम् |

Shining through the functions of all the senses, yet completely free from all senses; unattached, yet supporting everything; free from the three qualities of nature (gunas), yet the enjoyer of those qualities...

बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च |

It exists outside and within all living beings, both moving and non-moving. Because of its subtlety, It is incomprehensible to the material senses. It is far away, yet exceedingly near.

अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् |

Undivided, yet It exists as if divided among all living beings. It is to be known as the supporter of all beings, devouring them at the time of dissolution, and generating them at the time of creation.

ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते |

That is the Light of all lights, declared to be beyond the darkness of ignorance. It is knowledge itself, the object of knowledge, and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all.

इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासतः |

Thus the field (Kshetra), knowledge (Jnana), and the object of knowledge (Jneya) have been briefly described. Understanding this, My devotee becomes fit to attain My divine nature.

प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि |

Know that both Prakriti (nature) and Purusha (spirit) are beginningless. Know also that all modifications and the three qualities (gunas) are born of Prakriti.

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते |

Prakriti is said to be the cause of generating the physical body and senses (cause and effect); while Purusha is said to be the cause of experiencing pleasure and pain.

पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् |

The spirit (Purusha), seated in nature (Prakriti), experiences the qualities (gunas) born of nature. Attachment to these qualities is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs.

उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः |

The Supreme Spirit within this body is also described as the Witness (Spectator), the Permitter, the Supporter, the Experiencer, the Great Lord, and the Supreme Self.

य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैः सह |

He who thus understands the Spirit (Purusha), nature (Prakriti), and the three qualities (gunas), is not born again, regardless of his current lifestyle or position.

ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना |

Some behold the Self within themselves through meditation; others by the yoga of knowledge (Sankhya); and still others by the yoga of selfless action (Karma Yoga).

अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वान्येभ्य उपासते |

Still others, not knowing these paths, begin to worship having heard of them from others. They also cross beyond death, by virtue of their devotion to what they hear.

यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् |

Whatever being is born, whether moving or unmoving, know it to be born from the union of the field (Kshetra) and the knower of the field (Kshetrajna), O best of the Bharatas!

समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् |

He truly sees, who sees the Supreme Lord residing equally in all living beings—the imperishable within the perishable.

समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् |

Seeing the same Supreme Lord present everywhere, he does not destroy the Self by the self; and thus he attains the supreme goal.

प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः |

He truly sees, who sees that all actions are performed entirely by material nature (Prakriti), and that the Self is completely actionless.

यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति |

When he perceives that the diverse existence of all living beings is centered in the One, and that they all expand from That alone, he then merges with Brahman.

अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः |

Being beginningless and devoid of material qualities, this Supreme Self is imperishable. Even though dwelling within the physical body, O son of Kunti, It neither acts nor is tainted.

यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते |

Just as the all-pervading space, due to its subtlety, is never tainted by the things it contains, so the Self, though seated everywhere in the body, is never tainted.

यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः |

Just as the single sun illuminates this entire world, so the Knower of the field (the Self) illuminates the entire field, O Bharata!

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा |

Those who, with the eye of wisdom, perceive this distinction between the field (Kshetra) and the knower of the field (Kshetrajna), and understand the process of liberation from material nature (Prakriti)—they attain the Supreme.