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In the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad Gita, there are three sections: Karm Yog, Bhakti Yog, and Tattva Jñāna. The first six chapters describe Karm Yog; from six to twelve, it is about Bhakti Yog. Now from the thirteenth chapter, Shri Krishna describes the Tattva Jñāna or the knowledge of scriptural terms and principles.
In this chapter, Shree Krishna emphasizes two terms: kṣhetra (the field) and kṣhetrajña (knower of the field). Here he explains field as the body and knower of the field is the soul of a living being. But, on the other hand, the field is the physical aspect of a being, which includes mind, intellect, ego, and other material energy factors.
He explains the power of thoughts and karma. All we become is what we think and act. The positive thoughts take us to a pious world; similarly, negative thoughts take us down. The way we think builds our destiny, and we have to live as per our karma. Therefore, it is important to cultivate positive thoughts in our field or body. For this, one must know the difference between the field and the knower of the field of the body and soul.
Shri Krishna explains the two terms in detail; he calls the emotions, feelings, and sentiments the part of the body. However, the knowledge of our soul illuminates this whole body; the knowledge is important to understand our soul. Krishna then explains God, which is the supreme knower of all the fields of all living beings.
Krishna hence explains the Supreme Soul, the soul, and all material aspects. Then concludes which of these is responsible for their actions and what causes the large effect in the Universe. Those who understand this identify themselves on a soul level; they don’t see them as merely a body; they are the ones who know the ultimate truth. They are not trapped in the illusion of the world; with their knowledge, they realize God.
Arjun said, “O Keshav, please enlighten me with the ultimate knowledge. I want to know prakṛiti and puruṣh and what are kṣhetra and kṣhetrajña. Please tell me what the ultimate purpose of this knowledge is.
The Supreme Divine Personality said: O Arjun, our body is a field or kṣhetra, and the one who knows this body is called the knower of the field or kṣhetrajña.
O scion of Bharat, I am the knower of all the fields of all living beings. I understand the body or the field of all my creations. I am the knower of all the fields, all the souls, and God, and hence I hold the true knowledge.
I will now explain to you what a field is, its nature and who changes happen within it. You will know all these terms in detail.
Great sages have always mentioned the field and the knower of the field. It is mentioned in various hymns and the Brahma Sūtra in a logical way with evidence.
The field of activities is our body which comprises elements like ego, intellect, the unmanifest primordial matter, the eleven senses (five knowledge senses, five working senses, and mind), and the five objects of the senses.
Whatever emotion we feel, such as happiness, misery, desire, all of this happens in our field or in our body.
However humbleness, non-violence, forgiveness, cleanliness of body and mind, absence of egotism, absence of clinging to a spouse, children, home, and other material things, devotion toward Me, constancy in spiritual knowledge, and pursuit of the Absolute Truth, I call all of this knowledge. Whatever opposes it is ignorance only!
I shall now reveal to you what ought to be known, and by knowing which, you attain the immortality that you get free from this illusionary world and receive the liberation. I will now reveal the beginningless Brahman and what lies beyond existence.
He has endless feet, eyes, heads, and faces. His eyes see all, and his ears listen to all. He exists everywhere in the Universe; there is not even a corner without his existence in it.
Though he knows all the senses, he is unattached to any of them; however, he is the sustainer of all. Although he is without any traits, he enjoys all three modes of material nature.
He exists in all the living beings, those that are moving and moving. He is so far yet so near. He is the one indivisible, yet he is divided amongst living beings. He is the creator, and he is also the destroyer.
He is the only source of light, and he is the one who can illuminate any amount of darkness. He is the knowledge and the goal of knowledge; he lives in the heart of all. Only a true devotee can understand him and his divine nature.
Shri Krishna further says: O Arjun, know that prakṛiti (material nature) and puruṣh (the individual souls) are both beginningless.
Material energy is responsible for the creation, and happiness and distress can be experienced using the individual’s soul.
When a soul seated in the material energy desires to enjoy worldly things, it takes birth in the wombs time after time.
Within the body also resides the Supreme Lord. He witnesses everything; he is the supporter, the enjoyer, the controller, and the Supreme.
To get liberated from the cycle of life and death, it is a must to understand the Supreme Soul, the individual soul, and material nature. If one understands the concept of these factors, he realizes God and gets free regardless of his present merits.
There are various ways to experience God and receive knowledge. Some try to meditate upon him and search him within their hearts. Some try to gather knowledge about him, and some walk on the path of action to attain him.
There are others who don’t know any spiritual path to follow, but they listen from others and develop devotion toward the Supreme; such people begin worshipping him. People who hear about the Supreme from the saints also improve their merits gradually and make progress.
O best of the Bharatas, whatever living being is there moving or not moving, know that everything is made of the field and the knower of the field. Without a soul, there is no living being, and without the body, the living being doesn’t exist physically.
The greatest are those who understand the Supreme Soul along with the soul in all beings and those who understand that both are imperishable in this mortal body.
These beings see God present everywhere and living equally in all living beings. Such minds are always absorbed in God, and they attain the Supreme after their lifetime.
They understand that all actions are being performed by the body alone, and due to the material nature, it is not the soul who performs all these activities.
They see all living beings created from the same material energy and hence consider them all equal; such realization leads to Brahman.
O son of Kunti, know that the Supreme Soul is imperishable; there is no beginning of it and neither it ends. This surely situates within the body, but it doesn’t act or get polluted by the material energy.
Space holds everything in it, but despite everything, it doesn’t get polluted because of it. Similarly, the soul is not affected by the body, and both are different; the body dies, and the soul remains forever.
With the light of consciousness, the soul enlightens the whole body and leads it to attain the almighty. Thus those who perceive the difference between the body and the knower of the body and the process of release from the material world surely attain the Supreme.