Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field
Verse 13.28
समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम्।विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति।।13.28।।
samaṁ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu tiṣhṭhantaṁ parameśhvaram vinaśhyatsv avinaśhyantaṁ yaḥ paśhyati sa paśhyati
Word Meanings
samam—equally; sarveṣhu—in all; bhūteṣhu—beings; tiṣhṭhan-tam—accompanying; parama-īśhvaram—Supreme Soul; vinaśhyatsu—amongst the perishable; avinaśhyantam—the imperishable; yaḥ—who; paśhyati—see; saḥ—they; paśhyati—perceive
Translation · English
He who sees the Supreme Lord existing truly in all beings, the imperishable within the perishable, sees indeed.
Deep Meaning · English
This verse serves as the ontological lighthouse of the thirteenth chapter, providing the methodology for ultimate perception. Krishna invites Arjuna to look past the kaleidoscopic flux of the 'Field' (kshetra)—the material world of changing forms, bodies, and destinies—to perceive the immutable presence of the 'Knower' (kshetrajna) dwelling within. To 'see' in this spiritual sense is not a function of the eyes, but an awakening of the inner witness, the atman, which recognizes its own nature reflected in every living heart. It is the transition from objectified perception to existential identification; when the seeker realizes that the core of their being is identical to the core of all existence, the illusion of separation dissolves. Furthermore, this verse addresses the paradox of transcendence within immanence. Krishna emphasizes that the Supreme Lord resides within the perishable, yet remains untouched by that decay. This teaches the seeker that spiritual growth does not require the rejection of the world, but the transmutation of their vision. When one views the universe as a playground of the Divine, where the indestructible essence permeates the fleeting form, the dualities of life and death, gain and loss, lose their power to disturb the equanimity of the practitioner. The true 'seer' (sa pashyati) is one who sustains this non-dual awareness amidst the storms of worldly experience.
True vision is the ability to recognize the one imperishable Consciousness residing equally within all transient forms, thereby transcending the illusion of separation.
Connected Verses
It acts as the immediate precursor, establishing that understanding the non-perishing nature of the soul within the dying body is the key to liberation.
It explains the omnipresent nature of the Divine, where all beings exist in the Lord, yet the Lord remains distinct and beyond their limitations.
This verse reinforces the vision of equality, describing the yogi who sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self.
It provides the foundational truth that the unreal has no existence and the real never ceases to be, which is the cornerstone for discerning the permanent from the impermanent.
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