13.2 The body which is cognised in identity with the experiencing self by co-ordinate predication (Samanadhikaranya) in the propositions, 'I am a god, 'I am a man,' 'I am fat,' 'I am slender' etc., is described by those who know the real nature of the body as only the Field (Ksetra) of experience for the experiencing self, who is distinct from the body. Those who know this, namely, those who know the exact nature of the self, call It the Field-knower (Ksetrajna). That knower who knows the body, as divided into its different members and as their collectivity, can say 'I know it, the body, as an object.' The person with this perception is the one who is called the Ksetrajna or the Field-knower, who must necessarily be different from the Field (Ksetra), which is the object of this knowledge.
It is true that at the time of perceiving an object like a pot which is different from one's body, the seer who thinks 'I am a god who sees it' or 'I am a man who sees it' etc., is putting himself as identical with the body through co-ordinate predication. In the same way he experiences the body as an object of knowledge when he says 'I know this body.' Thus if the body is an object of knowledge, it must be different from the knowing self. Therefore, the Field-knower (Ksetrajna). The knower, is other than the body which is an object of knowledge like a jar, etc.
But this knowledge which arises by way of co-ordinate predication is justified on the ground that the body is inseparable from oneself; for it constitutes an attribute of the self like 'cow-ness' of the cow etc. The knowing self is however unie in being an eternal and subtle form of knowledge. But this is inaccessible to the ordinary man's organs of vision; it is accessible only to a mind refined by Yoga. The ignorant see the knower only in the form of Prakrti because of close proximity to or union with Prakrti. Sri Krsna thus declares later on: 'When in identiciation with the Gunas he departs or stays or experiences, the deluded perceive him not. They, who have the eye of knowledge, see' (15.10).
13.2 इदम् this? शरीरम् body? कौन्तेय O son of Kunti (Arjuna)? क्षेत्रम् the field? इति thus? अभिधीयते is called? एतत् this? यः who? वेत्ति knows? तम् him? प्राहुः (they) call? क्षेत्रज्ञः the knower of the field? इति thus? तद्विदः the knowers of that.Commentary Kshetra literally means field. The body is so called because the fruits (harvest) of actions in the form of pleasure and pain are reaped in it as in a field. The physical? the mental and the causal bodies go to constitute the totality of the field. It is not the physical body alone that forms the field.He who knows the field and he who beholds it as distinct from himself through knowledge is the knower of the field or matter.Those who know them The sages.
Alignment
machine-validated; human review pending
Checksum
efd95ef9aeb1…
These supplied texts come from the pinned VedicScriptures dataset under GPL-3.0 and await independent alignment review.
Critical apparatus
Recorded variant
Some editions count an opening question by Arjuna as 13.1, producing 701 verses. This 700-verse edition records it as an unnumbered prelude.
अर्जुन उवाच |
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च |
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव
arjuna uvāca .
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñameva ca .
etadveditumicchāmi jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ ca keśava
Compare readings
29 translations and commentaries are aligned to this verse. Choose up to three; the root verse and Telang witness stay above them.
Śaṅkarācārya
।।13.2।। --,इदम् इति सर्वनाम्ना उक्तं विशिनष्टि शरीरम् इति। हे कौन्तेय? क्षतत्राणात्? क्षयात्? क्षरणात्? क्षेत्रवद्वा अस्मिन् कर्मफलनिष्पत्तेः क्षेत्रम् इति -- इतिशब्दः एवंशब्दपदार्थकः -- क्षेत्रम् इत्येवम् अभिधीयते कथ्यते। एतत् शरीरं क्षेत्रं यः वेत्ति विजानाति? आपादतलमस्तकं ज्ञानेन विषयीकरोति? स्वाभाविकेन औपदेशिकेन वा वेदनेन विषयीकरोति विभागशः? तं वेदितारं प्राहुः कथयन्ति क्षेत्रज्ञः इति -- इतिशब्दः एवंशब्दपदार्थकः एव पूर्ववत् -- क्षेत्रज्ञः इत्येवम् आहुः। के तद्विदः तौ क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञौ ये विदन्ति ते तद्विदः।।एवं क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञौ उक्तौ। किम् एतावन्मात्रेण ज्ञानेन ज्ञातव्यौ इति न इति उच्यते --,
849126c105b5…Rāmānuja
13.2 The body which is cognised in identity with the experiencing self by co-ordinate predication (Samanadhikaranya) in the propositions, 'I am a god, 'I am a man,' 'I am fat,' 'I am slender' etc., is described by those who know the real nature of the body as only the Field (Ksetra) of experience for the experiencing self, who is distinct from the body. Those who know this, namely, those who know the exact nature of the self, call It the Field-knower (Ksetrajna). That knower who knows the body, as divided into its different members and as their collectivity, can say 'I know it, the body, as an object.' The person with this perception is the one who is called the Ksetrajna or the Field-knower, who must necessarily be different from the Field (Ksetra), which is the object of this knowledge. It is true that at the time of perceiving an object like a pot which is different from one's body, the seer who thinks 'I am a god who sees it' or 'I am a man who sees it' etc., is putting himself as identical with the body through co-ordinate predication. In the same way he experiences the body as an object of knowledge when he says 'I know this body.' Thus if the body is an object of knowledge, it must be different from the knowing self. Therefore, the Field-knower (Ksetrajna). The knower, is other than the body which is an object of knowledge like a jar, etc. But this knowledge which arises by way of co-ordinate predication is justified on the ground that the body is inseparable from oneself; for it constitutes an attribute of the self like 'cow-ness' of the cow etc. The knowing self is however unie in being an eternal and subtle form of knowledge. But this is inaccessible to the ordinary man's organs of vision; it is accessible only to a mind refined by Yoga. The ignorant see the knower only in the form of Prakrti because of close proximity to or union with Prakrti. Sri Krsna thus declares later on: 'When in identiciation with the Gunas he departs or stays or experiences, the deluded perceive him not. They, who have the eye of knowledge, see' (15.10).
3d0f73b4e695…Swami Sivananda
13.2 इदम् this? शरीरम् body? कौन्तेय O son of Kunti (Arjuna)? क्षेत्रम् the field? इति thus? अभिधीयते is called? एतत् this? यः who? वेत्ति knows? तम् him? प्राहुः (they) call? क्षेत्रज्ञः the knower of the field? इति thus? तद्विदः the knowers of that.Commentary Kshetra literally means field. The body is so called because the fruits (harvest) of actions in the form of pleasure and pain are reaped in it as in a field. The physical? the mental and the causal bodies go to constitute the totality of the field. It is not the physical body alone that forms the field.He who knows the field and he who beholds it as distinct from himself through knowledge is the knower of the field or matter.Those who know them The sages.
efd95ef9aeb1…These supplied texts come from the pinned VedicScriptures dataset under GPL-3.0 and await independent alignment review.