Bhagavad Gita 13 Yoga of the Knower of the Field.

1. Introduction to Chapter 13- The Yoga of the Distinction between the Field and the Knower of the Field (Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga)
2. Chapter reading Chapter 13 - Yoga of the Distinction between the Field and the Knower of the Field (Gandhi's Gita, Sivananda):
3. Key topics of Chapter 13:
   1. Verses 1 -7: Nature, modifications and origin of the Field (Kshetra) and the Knower of the Field (Kshetrajna)
   2. Verses 8-12: Profile of the Jnani Yogi
   3. Verses 13-19: What Should Be Known: The Supreme Brahman (Supreme Being)
   4. Verses 20-35: difference between Prakriti (nature) and Purusha (spirit)
4. Reading the versified adaptation of this chapter
5. Analysis of each verse and its comments from chapter 13 (Gita Makaranadam by Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
6. Swami Vivekananda Readings related to Chapter 13- The Yoga of the Distinction between the Field and the Knower of the Field
7. Exercises of Chapter 13- Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga

In this chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna explained to Arjuna the distinction between body (non-Self, field: Kshetra) and Atman (the Self) the Immortal Soul (self), which resides in the body (the Field). It is the Supreme Being who projects Himself and assumes the form of this Knower of the Field within this body.

This chapter is one of the most illuminating and mystical of the Bhagavad Gita, where the Lord explains the metaphysics of man, how the immortal Soul is physically incarnated in man, the transcendental Supreme Spirit.

True knowledge is the Knowledge of the Field and the Knower of the Field, which grants divine wisdom and spiritual enlightenment to man.

“Kshetra” means field (of experience, the physical body) and “Kshetrajna” the knower of the field.

Swami Sivananda titled this discourse as “The Yoga of the Distinction between the Field and the Knowledge of the Field.”

At the beginning of the chapter Arjuna asked Sri Krishna about Nature (matter) and Spirit (soul), the Field (body) and the Knower of the Field, knowledge and what should be known (Gita 13-1)

Sri Krishna's response was clear:

«The Supreme Divine Lord said: This body, Ο son of Kunti, is called the Field (Kshetra), and he who knows it is called the Knower of the Field (Kshetrajnana, Pure Intelligence) by the sages who discern the truth about both» Bhagavad Gita 13-2.

Sri Krishna emphasized in the omnipresence of the Lord and in the true Knowledge to achieve:

That is, the Lord is omnipresent in all bodies (Jnana and Vedanta), it is the mystery of the individual soul that resides in each body. Sri Krishna emphasized that this Knowledge of the Field is the basis of different religions and philosophies (Unity in diversity).

«All this has been sung by the sages (Rishis) in multiple forms, in various Vedic hymns, and has been especially revealed in the Brahma Sutras (of Viasa), with overwhelming logic and conclusive evidence» Bhagavad Gita 13-5.

Sri Krishna then explained the modifications to the field:

«The great elements, the consciousness of the self, the intellect and the primordial unmanifested matter; the ten senses, the mind, the five sense objects; desire, hatred, happiness, pain, the whole (of body and senses), intelligence and strength: this, briefly stated, is the Field (of activities) along with its modifications.» Bhagavad Gita 13-6-7.

The rest of this summary on the subject “Yoga of the Distinction between the Field and the Knower of the Field” is only available to students of the Gita Institute

Chapter 13 verse 35 Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga (Swami Vidya Prakashananda)

Gunas, Divine Inheritance, Liberation by Renunciation