shlOkaH
arjuna uvaacha
prakRRitiM purushhaM chaiva kshhEtraM kshhEtrajjhNamEva cha ।
EtadvEditumichChaami jjhNaanaM jjhNEyaM cha kEshava ॥ 1 ॥
shreebhagavaanuvaacha
idaM shareeraM kauntEya kshhEtramityabhidheeyatE ।
EtadyO vEtti taM praahuH kshhEtrajjhNa iti tadvidaH ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning
arjunaH uvaaca — Arjuna said; prakRRitim — nature; purushham — the enjoyer; ca — also; Eva — certainly; kshhEtram — the field; kshhEtra-jjhNam — the knower of the field; Eva — certainly; ca — also; Etat — all this; vEditum — to understand; icchaami — I wish; jjhNaanam — knowledge; jjhNEyam — the object of knowledge; ca — also; kEshava — O Kṛṣṇa; shree-bhagavaan uvaaca — the Personality of Godhead said; idam — this; shareeram — body; kauntEya — O son of Kuntī; kshhEtram — the field; iti — thus; abhidheeyatE — is called; Etat — this; yaH — one who; vEtti — knows; tam — he; praahuH — is called; kshhEtra-jjhNaH — the knower of the field; iti — thus; tat-vidaH — by those who know this.
Translation
Arjuna said: O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti [nature], puruṣa [the enjoyer], and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the object of knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field.
shlOkaH
kshhEtrajjhNaM chaapi maaM viddhi sarvakshhEtrEshhu bhaarata ।
kshhEtrakshhEtrajjhNayOrjjhNaanaM yattajjjhNaanaM mataM mama ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning
kshhEtra-jjhNam — the knower of the field; ca — also; api — certainly; maam — Me; viddhi — know; sarva — all; kshhEtrEshhu — in bodily fields; bhaarata — O son of Bharata; kshhEtra — the field of activities (the body); kshhEtra-jjhNayOH — and the knower of the field; jjhNaanam — knowledge of; yat — that which; tat — that; jjhNaanam — knowledge; matam — opinion; mama — My.
Translation
O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also the knower in all bodies, and to understand this body and its knower is called knowledge. That is My opinion.
shlOkaH
tatkshhEtraM yachcha yaadRRikcha yadvikaari yatashcha yat ।
sa cha yO yatprabhaavashcha tatsamaasEna mE shaRRiNu ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning
tat — that; kshhEtram — field of activities; yat — what; ca — also; yaadRRik — as it is; ca — also; yat — having what; vikaari — changes; yataH — from which; ca — also; yat — what; saH — he; ca — also; yaH — who; yat — having what; prabhaavaH — influence; ca — also; tat — that; samaasEna — in summary; mE — from Me; shRRiNu — understand.
Translation
Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are.
shlOkaH
RRishhibhirbahudhaa geetaM ChandObhirvividhaiH pRRithak ।
brahmasootrapadaishchaiva hEtumadbhairvinishchitaiH ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning
RRishhibhiH — by the wise sages; bahudhaa — in many ways; geetam — described; chandObhiH — by Vedic hymns; vividhaiH — various; pRRithak — variously; brahma-sootra — of the Vedānta; padaiH — by the aphorisms; ca — also; Eva — certainly; hEtu-madbhiH — with cause and effect; vinishcitaiH — certain.
Translation
That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings. It is especially presented in Vedānta-sūtra with all reasoning as to cause and effect.
shlOkaH
mahaabhootaanyahankaarO buddhiravyaktamEva cha ।
indriyaaNi dashaikaM cha pancha chEndriyagOcharaaH ॥ 6 ॥
ichChaa dvEshhaH sukhaM duHkhaM sanghaatashchEtanaa dhRRitiH ।
EtatkshhEtraM samaasEna savikaaramudaahRRitam ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning
mahaa-bhootaani — the great elements; ahankaaraH — false ego; buddhiH — intelligence; avyaktam — the unmanifested; Eva — certainly; ca — also; indriyaaNi — the senses; dasha-Ekam — eleven; ca — also; panca — five; ca — also; indriya-gO-caraaH — the objects of the senses; icchaa — desire; dvEshhaH — hatred; sukham — happiness; duHkham — distress; sanghaataH — the aggregate; cEtanaa — living symptoms; dhRRitiH — conviction; Etat — all this; kshhEtram — the field of activities; samaasEna — in summary; sa-vikaaram — with interactions; udaahRRitam — exemplified.
Translation
The five great elements, false ego, intelligence, the unmanifested, the ten senses and the mind, the five sense objects, desire, hatred, happiness, distress, the aggregate, the life symptoms, and convictions – all these are considered, in summary, to be the field of activities and its interactions.
shlOkaH
amaanitvamadambhitvamahiMsaa kshhaantiraarjavam ।
aachaaryOpaasanaM shauchaM sthairyamaatmavinigrahaH ॥ 8 ॥
indriyaarthEshhu vairaagyamanahankaara Eva cha ।
janmamRRityujaraavyaadhiduHkhadOshhaanudarshanam ॥ 9 ॥
asaktiranabhishhvangaH putradaaragRRihaadishhu ।
nityaM cha samachittatvamishhTaanishhTOpapattishhu ॥ 10 ॥
mayi chaananyayOgEna bhaktiravyabhichaariNee ।
viviktadEshasEvitvamaratirjanasaMsadi ॥ 11 ॥
adhyaatmajjhNaananityatvaM tattvajjhNaanaarthadarshanam ।
EtajjjhNaanamiti prOktamajjhNaanaM yadatO.anyathaa ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning
amaanitvam — humility; adambhitvam — pridelessness; ahiṁsaa — nonviolence; kshhaantiH — tolerance; aarjavam — simplicity; aacaarya-upaasanam — approaching a bona fide spiritual master; shaucam — cleanliness; sthairyam — steadfastness; aatma-vinigrahaH — self-control; indriya-arthEshhu — in the matter of the senses; vairaagyam — renunciation; anahankaaraH — being without false egoism; Eva — certainly; ca — also; janma — of birth; mRRityu — death; jaraa — old age; vyaadhi — and disease; duHkha — of the distress; dOshha — the fault; anudarshanam — observing; asaktiH — being without attachment; anabhishhvangaH — being without association; putra — for son; daara — wife; gRRiha-aadishhu — home, etc.; nityam — constant; ca — also; sama-cittatvam — equilibrium; ishhTa — the desirable; anishhTa — and undesirable; upapattishhu — having obtained; mayi — unto Me; ca — also; ananya-yOgEna — by unalloyed devotional service; bhaktiH — devotion; avyabhicaariNee — without any break; vivikta — to solitary; dEsha — places; sEvitvam — aspiring; aratiH — being without attachment; jana-saṁsadi — to people in general; adhyaatma — pertaining to the self; jjhNaana — in knowledge; nityatvam — constancy; tattva-jjhNaana — of knowledge of the truth; artha — for the object; darshanam — philosophy; Etat — all this; jjhNaanam — knowledge; iti — thus; prOktam — declared; ajjhNaanam — ignorance; yat — that which; ataH — from this; anyathaa — other.
Translation
Humility; pridelessness; nonviolence; tolerance; simplicity; approaching a bona fide spiritual master; cleanliness; steadiness; self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification; absence of false ego; the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; detachment; freedom from entanglement with children, wife, home and the rest; even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me; aspiring to live in a solitary place; detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization; and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth – all these I declare to be knowledge, and besides this whatever there may be is ignorance.
shlOkaH
jjhNEyaM yattatpravakshhyaami yajjjhNaatvaamRRitamashnautE ।
anaadimatparaM brahma na sattannaasaduchyatE ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning
jjhNEyam — the knowable; yat — which; tat — that; pravakshhyaami — I shall now explain; yat — which; jjhNaatvaa — knowing; amRRitam — nectar; ashnutE — one tastes; anaadi — beginningless; mat-param — subordinate to Me; brahma — spirit; na — neither; sat — cause; tat — that; na — nor; asat — effect; ucyatE — is said to be.
Translation
I shall now explain the knowable, knowing which you will taste the eternal. Brahman, the spirit, beginningless and subordinate to Me, lies beyond the cause and effect of this material world.
shlOkaH
sarvataH paaNipaadaM tatsarvatO.akshhishirOmukham ।
sarvataHshrutimallaOkE sarvamaavRRitya tishhThati ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning
sarvataH — everywhere; paaNi — hands; paadam — legs; tat — that; sarvataH — everywhere; akshhi — eyes; shiraH — heads; mukham — faces; sarvataH — everywhere; shruti-mat — having ears; lOkE — in the world; sarvam — everything; aavRRitya — covering; tishhThati — exists.
Translation
Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes, heads and faces, and He has ears everywhere. In this way the Supersoul exists, pervading everything.
shlOkaH
sarvEndriyaguNaabhaasaM sarvEndriyavivarjitam ।
asaktaM sarvabhRRichchaaiva nirguNaM guNabhOktRRi cha ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning
sarva — of all; indriya — senses; guNa — of the qualities; aabhaasam — the original source; sarva — all; indriya — senses; vivarjitam — being without; asaktam — without attachment; sarva-bhRRit — the maintainer of everyone; ca — also; Eva — certainly; nirguNam — without material qualities; guNa-bhOktRRi — master of the guṇas; ca — also.
Translation
The Supersoul is the original source of all senses, yet He is without senses. He is unattached, although He is the maintainer of all living beings. He transcends the modes of nature, and at the same time He is the master of all the modes of material nature.
shlOkaH
bahirantashcha bhootaanaamacharaM charamEva cha ।
sookshhmatvaattadavijjhNEyaM doorasthaM chaantikE cha tat ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning
bahiH — outside; antaH — inside; ca — also; bhootaanaam — of all living entities; acaram — not moving; caram — moving; Eva — also; ca — and; sookshhmatvaat — on account of being subtle; tat — that; avijjhNEyam — unknowable; doora-stham — far away; ca — also; antikE — near; ca — and; tat — that.
Translation
The Supreme Truth exists outside and inside of all living beings, the moving and the nonmoving. Because He is subtle, He is beyond the power of the material senses to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is also near to all.
shlOkaH
avibhaktaM cha bhootEshhu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam ।
bhootabhartRRi cha tajjjhNEyaM grasishhNu prabhavishhNu cha ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning
avibhaktam — without division; ca — also; bhootEshhu — in all living beings; vibhaktam — divided; iva — as if; ca — also; sthitam — situated; bhoota-bhartRRi — the maintainer of all living entities; ca — also; tat — that; jjhNEyam — to be understood; grasishhNu — devouring; prabhavishhNu — developing; ca — also.
Translation
Although the Supersoul appears to be divided among all beings, He is never divided. He is situated as one. Although He is the maintainer of every living entity, it is to be understood that He devours and develops all.
shlOkaH
jyOtishhaamapi tajjyOtistamasaH paramuchyatE ।
jjhNaanaM jjhNEyaM jjhNaanagamyaM hRRidi sarvasya vishhThitam ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning
jyOtishhaam — in all luminous objects; api — also; tat — that; jyOtiH — the source of light; tamasaH — the darkness; param — beyond; ucyatE — is said; jjhNaanam — knowledge; jjhNEyam — to be known; jjhNaana-gamyam — to be approached by knowledge; hRRidi — in the heart; sarvasya — of everyone; vishhThitam — situated.
Translation
He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter and is unmanifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone’s heart.
shlOkaH
iti kshhEtraM tathaa jjhNaanaM jjhNEyaM chOktaM samaasataH ।
madbhakta EtadvijjhNaaya madbhaaavaayOpapadyatE ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning
iti — thus; kshhEtram — the field of activities (the body); tathaa — also; jjhNaanam — knowledge; jjhNEyam — the knowable; ca — also; uktam — described; samaasataH — in summary; mat-bhaktaH — My devotee; Etat — all this; vijjhNaaya — after understanding; mat-bhaavaaya — to My nature; upapadyatE — attains.
Translation
Thus the field of activities [the body], knowledge and the knowable have been summarily described by Me. Only My devotees can understand this thoroughly and thus attain to My nature.
shlOkaH
prakRRitiM purushhaM chaiva viddhyanaadee ubhaavapi ।
vikaaraaMshcha guNaaMshchaiva viddhi prakRRitisambhavaan ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning
prakRRitim — material nature; purushham — the living entities; ca — also; Eva — certainly; viddhi — you must know; anaadee — without beginning; ubhau — both; api — also; vikaaraan — transformations; ca — also; guNaan — the three modes of nature; ca — also; Eva — certainly; viddhi — know; prakRRiti — material nature; sambhavaan — produced of.
Translation
Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature.
shlOkaH
kaaryakaaraNakartRRitvE hEtuH prakRRitiruchyatE ।
purushhaH sukhaduHkhaanaaM bhOktRRitvE hEturuchyatE ॥ 21 ॥
Meaning
kaarya — of effect; kaaraNa — and cause; kartRRitvE — in the matter of creation; hEtuH — the instrument; prakRRitiH — material nature; ucyatE — is said to be; purushhaH — the living entity; sukha — of happiness; duHkhaanaam — and distress; bhOktRRitvE — in enjoyment; hEtuH — the instrument; ucyatE — is said to be.
Translation
Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.
shlOkaH
purushhaH prakRRitisthO hi bhunktE prakRRitijaanguNaan ।
kaaraNaM guNasangO.asya sadasadyOnijanmasu ॥ 22 ॥
Meaning
purushhaH — the living entity; prakRRiti-sthaH — being situated in the material energy; hi — certainly; bhunktE — enjoys; prakRRiti-jaan — produced by the material nature; guNaan — the modes of nature; kaaraNam — the cause; guNa-sangaH — the association with the modes of nature; asya — of the living entity; sat-asat — in good and bad; yOni — species of life; janmasu — in births.
Translation
The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.
shlOkaH
upadrashhTaanumantaa cha bhartaa bhOktaa mahEshvaraH ।
paramaatmEti chaapyuktO dEhE.asminpurushhaH paraH ॥ 23 ॥
Meaning
upadrashhTaa — overseer; anumantaa — permitter; ca — also; bhartaa — master; bhOktaa — supreme enjoyer; mahaa-eeshvaraH — the Supreme Lord; parama-aatmaa — the Supersoul; iti — also; ca — and; api — indeed; uktaH — is said; dEhE — in the body; asmin — this; purushhaH — enjoyer; paraH — transcendental.
Translation
Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.
shlOkaH
ya EvaM vEtti purushhaM prakRRitiM cha guNaiH saha ।
sarvathaa vartamaanO.api na sa bhooyO.abhijaayatE ॥ 24 ॥
Meaning
yaH — anyone who; Evam — thus; vEtti — understands; purushham — the living entity; prakRRitim — material nature; ca — and; guNaiH — the modes of material nature; saha — with; sarvathaa — in all ways; vartamaanaH — being situated; api — in spite of; na — never; saH — he; bhooyaH — again; abhijaayatE — takes his birth.
Translation
One who understands this philosophy concerning material nature, the living entity and the interaction of the modes of nature is sure to attain liberation. He will not take birth here again, regardless of his present position.
shlOkaH
dhyaanEnaatmani pashyanti kEchidaatmaanamaatmanaa ।
anyE saaMkhyEna yOgEna karmayOgEna chaaparE ॥ 25 ॥
Meaning
dhyaanEna — by meditation; aatmani — within the self; pashyanti — see; kEcit — some; aatmaanam — the Supersoul; aatmanaa — by the mind; anyE — others; saankhyEna — of philosophical discussion; yOgEna — by the yoga system; karma-yOgEna — by activities without fruitive desire; ca — also; aparE — others.
Translation
Some perceive the Supersoul within themselves through meditation, others through the cultivation of knowledge, and still others through working without fruitive desires.
shlOkaH
anyE tvEvamajaanantaH shrutvaanyEbhya upaasatE ।
tE.api chaatitarantyEva mRRityuM shrutiparaayaNaaH ॥ 26 ॥
Meaning
anyE — others; tu — but; Evam — thus; ajaanantaH — without spiritual knowledge; shrutvaa — by hearing; anyEbhyaH — from others; upaasatE — begin to worship; tE — they; api — also; ca — and; atitaranti — transcend; Eva — certainly; mRRityum — the path of death; shruti-paraayaNaaH — inclined to the process of hearing.
Translation
Again there are those who, although not conversant in spiritual knowledge, begin to worship the Supreme Person upon hearing about Him from others. Because of their tendency to hear from authorities, they also transcend the path of birth and death.
shlOkaH
yaavatsanjaayatE kinchitsattvaM sthaavarajangamam ।
kshhEtrakshhEtrajjhNasaMyOgaattadviddhi bharatarshhabha ॥ 27 ॥
Meaning
yaavat — whatever; sanjaayatE — comes into being; kincit — anything; sattvam — existence; sthaavara — not moving; jangamam — moving; kshhEtra — of the body; kshhEtra-jjhNa — and the knower of the body; saṁyOgaat — by the union between; tat viddhi — you must know it; bharata-RRishhabha — O chief of the Bhāratas.
Translation
O chief of the Bhāratas, know that whatever you see in existence, both the moving and the nonmoving, is only a combination of the field of activities and the knower of the field.
shlOkaH
samaM sarvEshhu bhootEshhu tishhThantaM paramEshvaram ।
vinashyatsvavinashyantaM yaH pashyati sa pashyati ॥ 28 ॥
Meaning
samam — equally; sarvEshhu — in all; bhootEshhu — living entities; tishhThan tam — residing; parama-eeshvaram — the Supersoul; vinashyatsu — in the destructible; avinashyantam — not destroyed; yaH — anyone who; pashyati — sees; saH — he; pashyati — actually sees.
Translation
One who sees the Supersoul accompanying the individual soul in all bodies, and who understands that neither the soul nor the Supersoul within the destructible body is ever destroyed, actually sees.
shlOkaH
samaM pashyanhi sarvatra samavasthitameeshvaram ।
na hinastyaatmanaatmaanaM tatO yaati paraaM gatim ॥ 29 ॥
Meaning
samam — equally; pashyan — seeing; hi — certainly; sarvatra — everywhere; samavasthitam — equally situated; eeshvaram — the Supersoul; na — does not; hinasti — degrade; aatmanaa — by the mind; aatmaanam — the soul; tataH — then; yaati — reaches; paraam — the transcendental; gatim — destination.
Translation
One who sees the Supersoul equally present everywhere, in every living being, does not degrade himself by his mind. Thus he approaches the transcendental destination.
shlOkaH
prakRRityaiva cha karmaaNi kriyamaaNaani sarvashaH ।
yaH pashyati tathaatmaanamakartaaraM sa pashyati ॥ 30 ॥
Meaning
prakRRityaa — by material nature; Eva — certainly; ca — also; karmaaNi — activities; kriyamaaNaani — being performed; sarvashaH — in all respects; yaH — anyone who; pashyati — sees; tathaa — also; aatmaanam — himself; akartaaram — the nondoer; saH — he; pashyati — sees perfectly.
Translation
One who can see that all activities are performed by the body, which is created of material nature, and sees that the self does nothing, actually sees.
shlOkaH
yadaa bhootapRRithagbhaavamEkasthamanupashyati ।
tata Eva cha vistaaraM brahma sampadyatE tadaa ॥ 31 ॥
Meaning
yadaa — when; bhoota — of living entities; pRRithak-bhaavam — separated identities; Eka-stham — situated in one; anupashyati — one tries to see through authority; tataH Eva — thereafter; ca — also; vistaaram — the expansion; brahma — the Absolute; sampadyatE — he attains; tadaa — at that time.
Translation
When a sensible man ceases to see different identities due to different material bodies and he sees how beings are expanded everywhere, he attains to the Brahman conception.
shlOkaH
anaaditvaannirguNatvaatparamaatmaayamavyayaH ।
shareerasthO.api kauntEya na karOti na lipyatE ॥ 32 ॥
Meaning
anaaditvaat — due to eternity; nirguNatvaat — due to being transcendental; parama — beyond material nature; aatmaa — spirit; ayam — this; avyayaH — inexhaustible; shareera-sthaH — dwelling in the body; api — though; kauntEya — O son of Kuntī; na karOti — never does anything; na lipyatE — nor is he entangled.
Translation
Those with the vision of eternity can see that the imperishable soul is transcendental, eternal, and beyond the modes of nature. Despite contact with the material body, O Arjuna, the soul neither does anything nor is entangled.
shlOkaH
yathaa sarvagataM saukshhmyaadaakaashaM nOpalipyatE ।
sarvatraavasthitO dEhE tathaatmaa nOpalipyatE ॥ 33 ॥
Meaning
yathaa — as; sarva-gatam — all-pervading; saukshhmyaat — due to being subtle; aakaasham — the sky; na — never; upalipyatE — mixes; sarvatra — everywhere; avasthitaH — situated; dEhE — in the body; tathaa — so; aatmaa — the self; na — never; upalipyatE — mixes.
Translation
The sky, due to its subtle nature, does not mix with anything, although it is all-pervading. Similarly, the soul situated in Brahman vision does not mix with the body, though situated in that body.
shlOkaH
yathaa prakaashayatyEkaH kRRitsnaM lOkamimaM raviH ।
kshhEtraM kshhEtree tathaa kRRitsnaM prakaashayati bhaarata ॥ 34 ॥
Meaning
yathaa — as; prakaashayati — illuminates; EkaH — one; kRRitsnam — the whole; lOkam — universe; imam — this; raviH — sun; kshhEtram — this body; kshhEtree — the soul; tathaa — similarly; kRRitsnam — all; prakaashayati — illuminates; bhaarata — O son of Bharata.
Translation
O son of Bharata, as the sun alone illuminates all this universe, so does the living entity, one within the body, illuminate the entire body by consciousness.
shlOkaH
kshhEtrakshhEtrajjhNayOrEvamantaraM jjhNaanachakshhushhaa ।
bhootaprakRRitimOkshhaM cha yE viduryaanti tE param ॥ 35 ॥
Meaning
kshhEtra — of the body; kshhEtra-jjhNayOH — of the proprietor of the body; Evam — thus; antaram — the difference; jjhNaana-cakshhushhaa — by the vision of knowledge; bhoota — of the living entity; prakRRiti — from material nature; mOkshham — the liberation; ca — also; yE — those who; viduH — know; yaanti — approach; tE — they; param — the Supreme.
Translation
Those who see with eyes of knowledge the difference between the body and the knower of the body, and can also understand the process of liberation from bondage in material nature, attain to the supreme goal.
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