Bhagavad Gita · chapter 13

Verse 1

अर्जुन उवाच
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव

Arjuna asked: Who is God, what is nature, what is matter, and what is the self? What is wisdom, and what is worth knowing?

Commentary

Verse 2

श्री भगवानुवाचइदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते
एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः

Krishna replied: This physical body is called the "field", and those who know the self call those who are aware of this as "knowers of the field".

Commentary

Verse 3

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम

I am the omniscient knower of all fields. Knowledge of the field and the all-knowing self that sensitizes it is true wisdom.

Commentary

Verse 4

तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक् च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत्
स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे श्रृणु

I will briefly explain what the "field" is, what it is composed of, from where it came, why it changes, the nature of self, and the source of its power.

Commentary

Verse 5

ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक्
ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैश्चैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्िचतैः

Great sages have sung of it in many ways, and have written strong arguments for it in the sacred Vedas.

Commentary

Verse 6 - 7

महाभूतान्यहङ्कारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च
इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतनाधृतिः
एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्

The five elements (earth, fire, air, water, and space), personality, intellect, the life force, the ten organs of perception, the mind, and the five senses,

craving and aversion, happiness and sorrow, the body, sentience, and fortitude - these, together with their modifications, are the "field".

Commentary

Verse 8 - 11

अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्जवम्
आचार्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्यमात्मविनिग्रहः

इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहङ्कार एव च
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिदुःखदोषानुदर्शनम्

असक्ितरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु
नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु

मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्ितरव्यभिचारिणी
विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनसंसदि

With humility, unpretentiousness, nonviolence, forgiveness, sincerity, service to the teacher, purity, steadfastness, and self-control

renunciation of sensual pleasures, absence of pride, recognition of the painful cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death,

with indifference toward children, spouses, and homes, and with equanimity toward both good fortune and bad,

constantly devote yourself toward me alone, retreat to solitary places, and remain indifferent toward socializing.

Commentary

Verse 12

अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम्
एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोन्यथा

True wisdom is constantly yearning for knowledge of the self, and pondering the nature of reality. Ignorance is everything to the contrary.

Commentary

Verse 13

ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वाऽमृतमश्नुते
अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते

I shall now speak of that essential knowledge which grants immortality - the Supreme Brahman, the eternal spirit within me which has no beginning, said to be neither existent nor nonexistent.

Commentary

Verse 14

सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति

It has hands, feet, eyes, heads, ears, and mouths everywhere. It exists in all creatures and envelops them all.

Commentary

Verse 15

सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम्
असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च

It illuminates the senses, yet has no senses of its own. It is bound to nothing, yet it sustains everything. It is devoid of the Gunas, yet it experiences them all.

Commentary

Verse 16

बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च
सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत्

It is within all beings, and it also surrounds them. It is motionless yet moving, too subtle to be perceived, in the distance yet ever closer.

Commentary

Verse 17

अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम्
भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च

Undivided, yet appearing scattered, this self is the sustenance, dissolution, and origination of beings.

Commentary

Verse 18

ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्वस्य विष्ठितम्

It is the light of all lights, beyond the reach of darkness. It is wisdom, attained only through knowledge, which is present in the hearts of all.

Commentary

Verse 19

इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं चोक्तं समासतः
मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते

Thus, I have summarized the nature of matter, the self to be realized, and the wisdom to be found. One who is devoted to me becomes qualified for my state.

Commentary

Verse 20

प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि
विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसंभवान्

Know that nature and God have no beginning, and the differences between them are born of nature.

Commentary

Verse 21

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते
पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते

Nature generates the law of cause and effect, while the self is the cause of all pleasure and pain.

Commentary

Verse 22

पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान्
कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु

The self, seated in nature, experiences the qualities brought forth by nature. Affinity toward these qualities is the reason for birth in a good or evil womb.

Commentary

Verse 23

उपद्रष्टाऽनुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः
परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः

The self in the body is called the observer, approver, supporter, experiencer, great master, and also the supreme self.

Commentary

Verse 24

य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च गुणैःसह
सर्वथा वर्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते

One who understands the self and nature, along with the natural qualities, will never be reborn, regardless of what condition they may find themselves in.

Commentary

Verse 25

ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना
अन्ये सांख्येन योगेन कर्मयोगेन चापरे

Some recognize the self through meditation; others, through knowledge and reasoning; and others, through righteous action.

Commentary

Verse 26

अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वाऽन्येभ्य उपासते
तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणाः

But others, having no direct knowledge but having heard from others, worship accordingly. If they are devoted to what they have heard, they too can pass beyond death.

Commentary

Verse 27

यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ

Wherever life is seen in things, both moving and stationary, know that it is through this combination of the field and its knower.

Commentary

Verse 28

समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम्
विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति

One who sees the supreme imperishable self in all beings is the one who truly sees.

Commentary

Verse 29

समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम्
न हिनस्त्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम्

Seeing the supreme self in all things, they do not injure the self by the self, attaining the highest goal.

Commentary

Verse 30

प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः
यः पश्यति तथाऽऽत्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति

One who knows the truth understands that it is only the law of nature that brings action to fruition, and that the self is never the one that acts.

Commentary

Verse 31

यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति
तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा

One who perceives the diverse forms of life rooted in one place, and their expansion from there alone, will certainly attain Brahman.

Commentary

Verse 32

अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः
शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते

This supreme self is without beginning and is imperishable. Though it dwells in the body, it does not act, nor does it get tainted by action.

Commentary

Verse 33

यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते
सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथाऽऽत्मा नोपलिप्यते

Just as space is present everywhere and is too subtle to be tainted, the self is present within bodies everywhere, and cannot be defiled.

Commentary

Verse 34

यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः
क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत

Just as a single sun illuminates this entire world, so too does a knower of the field illuminate the field itself.

Commentary

Verse 35

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा
भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम्

Those who understand, by the eye of wisdom, the difference between the field and the knower of the field, and the means by which they may be liberated from nature, attain the supreme state.

Commentary

Summary

BG 13.1 - 35

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