BHAGAVAD GITA
CHAPTER 13
KSHETRA KSHETRAJNA VIBHAGA YOGA
Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna's advice to the Confused Arjuna on the Battle field of Kurukshetra.
Each chapter of Bhagavad Gita is designated as a YOGA.
Here is a summary of Chapter.13. Kshetra Kshetrajana Vibhaga Yoga. There are totally 34 Slokas in it and I have given here a faithful description of what each Sloka says.
Overall, it is a description of the difference between Prakriti and Purusha, otherwise, described as Kshetra and Kshetrajna.
Now, let us go to the sloka-wise description :
Lord Krishna is now addressing Arjuna at the very beginning of this chapter :
1. O Kaunteya! This physical body is said to be the Kshetra(field of conception for creation). Whoever knows the Kshetra, the creative field completely, is called Kshetrajna, by the wise people.
2. My considered opinion is - the knowledge of Kshetra and Kshetrajna is the real wisdom. O Arjuna ! Know me as the Kshetrajna in all Kshetras.
3. Which is the real Kshetra, what sort of Kshetra it is, what type of changes it undergoes, wherefrom it comes (and where it goes), who is its real Kshetrajna, what great powers he has - all these details about the Kshetra and Kshetrajna, Arjuna, hear from me now in brief.
4. This has been described in several ways by various Sages. Likewise, it has been described in different ways in various chandas(Vedas). So also, it has been described in perfect cause-and-effect sequences and in a definite manner in Brahma Sutra Padas.
5. In brief, it is described that Kshetra comprises of the following :- the five great elements of nature (space, air, fire, water, and earth : Akaasah, Vayuh, Agnih, aapah, and prithivi); the ego (ahankaarah or I feeling), the Intellect (Buddhih); the unmanifest (avyaktha), the ten indriyas (five jnanendriyas and five Karmendriyas); the things sought by Jnanendriyas, namely desire, hatred, comfort(Sukha), sorrow (Duhkha), groups (Samghaatah), movement, and courage(Dhrithi)
6. Kshetram also comprises of the changes occurring in respect of our desires, hatreds, comforts(Sukhas), sorrows (Duhkham), the physical body, its movement, and its courage(Dhruthi).
7. The feeling of self greatness (amaanithvam), not having Dambham or Pride, quality of non violence (ahimsa), patience (Kshanti), honesty, serving Gurus and teachers, cleanliness (saucham), steadfastness (Sthairyam), self control..
8. vairagya or detachment from what the senses want, ego-lessness, ability to see Sorrow in birth, death, old age, and disease...
9. disinterestedness in children, spouse, house etc, detachment from all own likes and dislikes, constant mindfulness (treating everything equally)...
10. keeping focused attention(Yoga) on me, constant and never changing devotion, staying alone (in lonely places), Disinterestedness in crowds,...
11. constancy in self knowledge (Atma Jnanam), personally experiencing this self knowledge - only and all this is the real Jnanam or wisdom. Whatever is not this - is ignorance or Ajnanam.
Lord Krishna is laying Great stress here on Knowing the Self. The entire Hinduism starts with the exploration of the self. Even Bhagawan comes next.
12. The one who is beginningless, that Para brahma is the one to know by us. By knowing that eternal Para brahma, human himself becomes eternal. That Parabrahma is beyond Sath and Asath (non perishing and perishing both). I am now telling you about that Para Brahma.
13. That Parabrahma has his arms, feet, eyes, heads, faces, and ears everywhere. In short, he has spread himself everywhere in the universe.
14. That Para brahma illumines all senses. But, he is by himself beyond all senses. He is totally unattached but is the support of everything. He is beyond the Sathva, rajas and thamo gunas but makes us experience all the three gunas.
15. He is - both inside and outside all beings. He is both moving and non-moving. He is unknown to all of us because of being extremely minute. He is both distant and proximate.
16. He is indivisible - even by residing in all the beings. But, He looks like being divided among beings. He is shouldering the responsibility of all beings; He is also destroying them and again making them all reborn.
17. He is the one that should be known. He is the light for all other lights. He is beyond all darkness. He is the only wisdom to be known. He is the one and only thing to be attained through Jnanam or wisdom. He is said to be seated in the hearts of all beings.
18. In this way, the Kshetra (the field of birth, the Jnanam (the wisdom) and the Jneyam (that which should be known) are briefly described. My devotees, by understanding this, become fit to attain to me.
19. Both the Prakriti (Maya) and the Purusha are beginningless (eternal).
All the changes (all likes and dislikes) and all the three Gunas are born of Prakriti. Arjuna, understand this.
20. Prakriti is said to be responsible for all deeds, the doers and their causative factors.
Purusha is said to be responsible for all of our experiences, our sorrows and our happinesses (sukhas, duhkhas).
21. Purusha resides in Prakriti and experiences all its three Gunas of Sathva, Rajas and Thamas.
The three Gunas are responsible for the births of all beings in different, high and low Yonis which are the procreative body parts in all beings.
22. In this body- the Purusha is said to be the constant witness, one who takes responsibility, one who permits all actions, one who experiences(and uses), one who is the supreme Lord and also the Paramatma (the highest soul).
23. He who gets to know the Purusha and the Guna filled Prakriti like this, may still be living and moving in the present but he will not be reborn again.
24. Some people experience Athma through Meditation. Some discern Athma inside themselves (within their Athma itself).
Some understand the Athma through Sankhya Yoga(Jnana Yoga) and some others discern it through Karma Yoga.
Here, Athma may be understood as the Paramathma.
25. Some people do not understand this. But, they also, learn by listening from others and by praying.
Those who are interested deeply in such listening and understanding also, are able to go beyond the mystery of death.
26. O Arjuna ! In the moving and non-moving Prakriti, any smallest thing that is born is created by the coming together of Kshetra and Kshetrajna. Understand this.
27. He sees the Parameswara rightly - who sees him as the indestructible , eternal one - even when the same Parameswara is sitting uniformly in all beings and these beings are getting destroyed regularly.
28. He who treats the Eswara who is residing in all beings equally and because of that, does not treat his own self cruelly, he attains to great heavens.
29. He sees the reality, factually and truly - who sees clearly that all actions are being performed only by Prakriti and he himself is not the real doer.
30. He attains to the Brahman - when he is able to see the different natures of all beings, the innate unity of their nature , all of this, flowing from the same Brahman.
31. Arjuna ! Being eternal and beginningless, being beyond the three Gunas, Being avyaya (imperishable), the Paramatma, though residing in the various bodies, is not the doer (for any deeds) and nothing touches him.
32. The Space or Akasa is everywhere but because it is so very subtle, nothing can touch it.
Likewise, Athma is everywhere in the bodies but it cannot be touched by anything.
It means, the Gunas and Doshas of the body cannot touch the Athma and Athma remains unaffected and untouched by them.
33. The Sun is just one entity but is able to fill the whole world with brightness.
Likewise, Kshetrajna is just one entity but illumines the whole Kshetra.
34. Those people attain to eternity (Moksha) who clearly understand the difference between Kshetra and Kshetrajna, how the prakriti (of all beings) functions and what is Moksha, with their inner sight of wisdom
Conclusion : Here ends the thirteenth chapter called Kshatra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yogah - in the Yoga sasthra, which is a Part of the Brahma Vidya, in the Upanishad of Bhagavad Gita. It is a part of the Dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna. It describes the difference and the connection between Kshetra and Kshetrajna, between Prakriti and Parmatma(Brahman) and the concept of Moksha.
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