Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field
Verse 13.3
क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत। क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम।।13.3।।
kṣhetra-jñaṁ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣhetreṣhu bhārata kṣhetra-kṣhetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama
Word Meanings
kṣhetra-jñam—the knower of the field; cha—also; api—only; mām—me; viddhi—know; sarva—all; kṣhetreṣhu—in individual fields of activities; bhārata—scion of Bharat; kṣhetra—the field of activities; kṣhetra-jñayoḥ—of the knower of the field; jñānam—understanding of; yat—which; tat—that; jñānam—knowledge; matam—opinion; mama—my
Translation · English
Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all fields, O Arjuna. Knowledge of both the field and the knower of the field is considered by Me to be the knowledge.
Deep Meaning · English
In this pivotal verse, Lord Krishna unveils the heart of non-dual philosophy by identifying Himself as the singular Knower (Kshetrajna) residing within every manifested form. While the 'Field' (Kshetra) represents the material body, mind, and the entire objective universe—which is prone to decay and change—the Knower remains the unchanging, witnessing consciousness. Krishna instructs Arjuna to look past the diversity of names and forms to recognize that the very awareness peering out from every heart is not a separate entity, but the Divine itself. This is the profound ontological shift from seeing oneself as an isolated ego to realizing one's identity as the universal, eternal witness. True 'Knowledge' (Jnana) is not the accumulation of intellectual data, but the experiential realization of this distinction. By understanding the Field as the object of perception and the Knower as the eternal Subject, the seeker transcends the bondage of material identification. This recognition is the gateway to liberation, as it strips away the ego's claim to ownership over actions and circumstances, establishing the soul in its natural state of divine unity.
True wisdom is the realization that the individual consciousness witnessing all life is, in essence, the very same Divine Presence that permeates the entire universe.
Connected Verses
Reinforces the concept of God residing as the inner controller and witness in the hearts of all beings.
Explains how the indestructible, eternal spirit does not act or get contaminated despite residing within the material body.
Expands on the vision of the Supreme Lord existing equally in all living entities, regardless of their material circumstances.
Articulates the yogic vision of seeing the self in all beings and all beings within the self.
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