Chapter 13. "Yoga of Kshetra and Kshetrajna, or The Path of Discrimination between Body and Soul".
[Arjuna said: O Keshava, Prakriti (Nature) and Purusha (Self), Kshetra and the knower of Khestra, knowledge and that which ought to be known, these I desire to learn.]
The Blessed Lord said:
1. O son of Kunti, this body is called Kshetra (field), the wise call the knower of it as Kshetrajna (knower of the field).
2. O descendant of Bharata, know Me to be the Kshetrajna (conscious Soul) in all Kshetras (bodies). To My mind, the knowledge of Kshetra (body) and Kshetrajna (Soul) is the true knowledge.
3. What the Kshetra (field) is, of what nature, what are its modifications, whence it arises; also who is he (knower, Soul) and what are his powers, do thou hear from from me in brief.
4. This truth has been sung by the Rishis (Seers) in various ways, in many different hymns, in Brahma-Sutra-Aphorisms, full of sound reasoning and conviction.
5. The great elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether), egoism, intellect, the Unmanifested (Nature), the ten organs (of sense and action) and the one (mind), the five sense-objects;
6. Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, combination (of these), consciousness, fortitude, thus the Khsetra (body) has been briefly described with its modifications.
7. Humility, unostentatiousness, non-injuring, forgiveness, simplicity, service to the Guru (spiritual teacher), purity, steadfastness, self-control'
8. Renunciation of sense-objects as well as absence of egoism, realization of the evils of birth, death, old age, disease, pain;
9. Non-attachment, non-identification of self with son, wife, home and ther est; equal-mindedness in beneficial and non-beneficial happenings;
10. One-pointed and unwavering devotion to Me, resort to secluded places, distaste for assemblies;
11. Constant devotion to spiritual knowledge, realization of the essence of Truth, this is declared to be wisdom; what is opposed to this is ignorance.
12. I shall declare now that which is to be known, by knowing which one attains immortality. The Supreme Brahman is beginningless; It is said to be neither Sat (existence) nor Asat (non-existence).
13. With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere and with ears everywhere in the universe, That alone exists enveloping all.
14. It shines through the functions of all the senses, and yet It is without senses; unattachd, yet It sustains all; devoid of Gunas (qualities), yet It is the experience of Gunas.
15. It exists within and without all beings; It is unmoving as well as moving, incomprehensible because of Its subtlety; It is far and also near.
16. Indivisible, yet It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the Sustainer of beings; It destroys and also generates.
17. It is the Light of lights and is said to be beyond darkness. It is knowledge, the One to be known, and the Goal of knowledge, dwelling in the hearts of all.
18. Thus Kshetra (field), knowledge and that which is to be known, have been told briefly. My devotee, knowing this, becomes fitted to enter into Mybeing (oneness with Me).
19. Know thou both Prakriti (Nature) and Purusha (Soul) to be without beginning. Know thou also that all the modifications and Gunas (qualities) are born of Prakriti.
20. Prakriti is said to be the productive source of cause and effect; while the embodied soul is the cause of experiences of pleasure and pain.
21. For the Purusha (Soul) experiences the Gunas, born of Prakriti; attachment to the Gunas is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs.
22. The great Soul (that dwells) in this body is called the Witness or Looker-on, the Sanctioner, the Sustainer, the Experiencer, the mighty Lord and also the Supreme Self.
23. He who thus knows Purusha (Soul) and Prakriti (Nature) with the Gunas (qualities), howsoever he may be living, is not born again.
24. Some, by meditation, behold the Self by the self within themselves; others by the path of wisdom; still others by the path of action.
25. Others again, not possessing such knowledge themselves, worship as they have heard from others (illumined Souls); even they surmount death, by following with faith what they have heard.
26. O mighty of the Bharata race, whatever is born, whether moving or unmoving, know it to be (produced) from the union of Kshetra and Kshetrajna (Nature and Soul).
27. The Supreme Lord abides in all beings equally; (He is) undying in the dying: He who sees (thus) sees truly.
28. Seeing thes same Lord existing everywhere equally, he does not hurt Self by the self and thus attains the highest goal.
29. And he who sees that all actions are being performed by Prakriti (Nature) alone and that the Self is not acting, he sees truly.
30. When he sees the separate existence of all beings established in One, and their expansion from that One alone, then he becomes Brahman (one with Brahman).
31. O son of Kunti, being without beginning and devoid of gunas, the Supreme Self is immutable; though dwelling in the body, It neither acts nor is affected (by the fruits of action).
32. As the all-pervading ether (Akasha ) is not tainted, because of its subtlety, similarly this Sefl, (though) existing everywhere in the body, is not tainted.
33. O descendant of Bharata, as one sun illumines all this world, similarly He who dwells in the body illumines all bodies.
34. They who thus, by the eyes of widom, perceive the distinction between body and Soul, and the liberation of beings from Nature (Prakriti), they attain to the Supreme.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter called "Yoga of Kshetra and Kshetrajna, or The Path of Discrimination between Body and Soul"
[Arjuna said: O Keshava, Prakriti (Nature) and Purusha (Self), Kshetra and the knower of Khestra, knowledge and that which ought to be known, these I desire to learn.]
The Blessed Lord said:
1. O son of Kunti, this body is called Kshetra (field), the wise call the knower of it as Kshetrajna (knower of the field).
2. O descendant of Bharata, know Me to be the Kshetrajna (conscious Soul) in all Kshetras (bodies). To My mind, the knowledge of Kshetra (body) and Kshetrajna (Soul) is the true knowledge.
3. What the Kshetra (field) is, of what nature, what are its modifications, whence it arises; also who is he (knower, Soul) and what are his powers, do thou hear from from me in brief.
4. This truth has been sung by the Rishis (Seers) in various ways, in many different hymns, in Brahma-Sutra-Aphorisms, full of sound reasoning and conviction.
5. The great elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether), egoism, intellect, the Unmanifested (Nature), the ten organs (of sense and action) and the one (mind), the five sense-objects;
6. Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, combination (of these), consciousness, fortitude, thus the Khsetra (body) has been briefly described with its modifications.
7. Humility, unostentatiousness, non-injuring, forgiveness, simplicity, service to the Guru (spiritual teacher), purity, steadfastness, self-control'
8. Renunciation of sense-objects as well as absence of egoism, realization of the evils of birth, death, old age, disease, pain;
9. Non-attachment, non-identification of self with son, wife, home and ther est; equal-mindedness in beneficial and non-beneficial happenings;
10. One-pointed and unwavering devotion to Me, resort to secluded places, distaste for assemblies;
11. Constant devotion to spiritual knowledge, realization of the essence of Truth, this is declared to be wisdom; what is opposed to this is ignorance.
12. I shall declare now that which is to be known, by knowing which one attains immortality. The Supreme Brahman is beginningless; It is said to be neither Sat (existence) nor Asat (non-existence).
13. With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads and mouths everywhere and with ears everywhere in the universe, That alone exists enveloping all.
14. It shines through the functions of all the senses, and yet It is without senses; unattachd, yet It sustains all; devoid of Gunas (qualities), yet It is the experience of Gunas.
15. It exists within and without all beings; It is unmoving as well as moving, incomprehensible because of Its subtlety; It is far and also near.
16. Indivisible, yet It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the Sustainer of beings; It destroys and also generates.
17. It is the Light of lights and is said to be beyond darkness. It is knowledge, the One to be known, and the Goal of knowledge, dwelling in the hearts of all.
18. Thus Kshetra (field), knowledge and that which is to be known, have been told briefly. My devotee, knowing this, becomes fitted to enter into Mybeing (oneness with Me).
19. Know thou both Prakriti (Nature) and Purusha (Soul) to be without beginning. Know thou also that all the modifications and Gunas (qualities) are born of Prakriti.
20. Prakriti is said to be the productive source of cause and effect; while the embodied soul is the cause of experiences of pleasure and pain.
21. For the Purusha (Soul) experiences the Gunas, born of Prakriti; attachment to the Gunas is the cause of its birth in good and evil wombs.
22. The great Soul (that dwells) in this body is called the Witness or Looker-on, the Sanctioner, the Sustainer, the Experiencer, the mighty Lord and also the Supreme Self.
23. He who thus knows Purusha (Soul) and Prakriti (Nature) with the Gunas (qualities), howsoever he may be living, is not born again.
24. Some, by meditation, behold the Self by the self within themselves; others by the path of wisdom; still others by the path of action.
25. Others again, not possessing such knowledge themselves, worship as they have heard from others (illumined Souls); even they surmount death, by following with faith what they have heard.
26. O mighty of the Bharata race, whatever is born, whether moving or unmoving, know it to be (produced) from the union of Kshetra and Kshetrajna (Nature and Soul).
27. The Supreme Lord abides in all beings equally; (He is) undying in the dying: He who sees (thus) sees truly.
28. Seeing thes same Lord existing everywhere equally, he does not hurt Self by the self and thus attains the highest goal.
29. And he who sees that all actions are being performed by Prakriti (Nature) alone and that the Self is not acting, he sees truly.
30. When he sees the separate existence of all beings established in One, and their expansion from that One alone, then he becomes Brahman (one with Brahman).
31. O son of Kunti, being without beginning and devoid of gunas, the Supreme Self is immutable; though dwelling in the body, It neither acts nor is affected (by the fruits of action).
32. As the all-pervading ether (Akasha ) is not tainted, because of its subtlety, similarly this Sefl, (though) existing everywhere in the body, is not tainted.
33. O descendant of Bharata, as one sun illumines all this world, similarly He who dwells in the body illumines all bodies.
34. They who thus, by the eyes of widom, perceive the distinction between body and Soul, and the liberation of beings from Nature (Prakriti), they attain to the Supreme.
Here ends the Thirteenth Chapter called "Yoga of Kshetra and Kshetrajna, or The Path of Discrimination between Body and Soul"
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Text source: Srimad-Bhagavad-Gita. Translated by Swami Paramananda.
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