BG 13.12 — Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 13.12Chapter 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · anuṣṭubh

ज्ञेयं यत् तत् प्रवक्ष्यामि यज् ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते ।

अनादिमत् परं ब्रह्म न सत् तन् नासदुच्यते ॥

jñeyaṃ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛtam aśnute

anādimat paraṃ brahma na sat tan nāsad ucyate

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

Let me declare what is worth knowing, knowing which you taste immortality: the beginningless supreme Brahman, called neither existent nor non-existent.

ekras · bhāṣya

I shall declare the jneya, what is to be known — knowing which one tastes amrita, the deathless. The supreme Brahman, anadimat — beginningless — neither sat nor asat is It said to be.

Krishna names the move explicitly: I have given you jnana-sadhana; now I give you the jneya itself. And the first word about Brahman is what It is not: not categorizable as existent or non-existent in ordinary speech.

Shankara reads precisely. The twenty qualities from amanitvam onward are not themselves knowledge of the object; they are sahakari-karana — cooperating causes — whose ripening makes tattva-jnana possible. The means must not be confused with the end. The jneya is Brahman: anadi — beginningless, beyond cause; transcending sat and asat because both terms apply to produced things. The negation is not a contradiction but a refusal to let the highest be reduced to the categories of the lower.

Madhusudana synthesizes the whole arc. The twenty qualities culminate in tattva-jnana-artha-darshana — contemplating the goal, the direct cognition aham brahmasmi, arising through Vedanta-vakya as instrument with all prior disciplines as ripening conditions. The jneya Brahman is neither sat nor asat because those terms track produced states; pure Brahman stands prior to the production.

Ramanuja reads jneya as the pratyag-atman in its true nature — beginningless, unbounded by birth and death, mat-param: that of which Bhagavan is the supreme — because the self's deepest nature is to be the body of Brahman and wholly subordinate to Him. The labels sat and asat apply only to the self's karmic states — manifest karya and unmanifest karana — not to its essential nature, which is consciousness pointing back to Bhagavan.

Madhva reads on the bheda-frame: the jneya is Paramatman known through aparoksha-jnana, direct non-inferential cognition, accessed by right shastra-darshana rather than by mere intellectual analysis.

Madhva's comment is terse by design — tattva-jnana-artha-darshanam is the direct vision of the Supreme's real nature, not a mediated conclusion, and that vision is the sole purpose of all the prior epistemic disciplines.

Vallabha reads the line cleanly: the twenty qualities Krishna has described constitute vidya-karya — the fruit of true vidya — while their opposites are avidya-karya. The jneya is therefore Brahman as the one in whom vidya and avidya exhaust their respective functions; knowing It means crossing out of avidya's domain entirely. In pushti-marga terms, the jneya is Krishna in His full transcendent integrity.

Shridhara reads cleanly: the twenty qualities are called jnana because of jnana-sadhanatva — instrumental relation to knowing — and their opposites are ajnana, to be abandoned as causes of samsara's continuation. What is then knowable is the atman in its purity, the referent of all the inquiry — beginningless, beyond ordinary categories of being and non-being.

Context

where

Chapter 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 13.11

Steady attention to the self, kept as a way of life, and seeing what tattva-knowledge is actually for, that is knowledge. Whatever departs from this is ignorance.

What's going on

Let me declare what is worth knowing, knowing which you taste immortality: the beginningless supreme Brahman, called neither existent nor non-existent.

Sūtras through this verse (54)

ĀnandagiriclassicalA

The two-niṣṭhā axisbetween

13.1Two niṣṭhās, three kāṇḍas — keystone.───→here13.12───→18.78Sealed: the means stands on the end stands.

RāmānujaclassicalA

World as the Lord's body (antaryāmin)between

13.2Field and knower both predicate Me.───→here13.12───→13.32Touches without being stained.

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesbetween

13.2Architectural claim: the Lord's own bhāṣya.───→here13.12───→14.1Two-verse prelude names guṇa-vibhāga.

show all 54

ĀnandagiriclassicalB

Three hexads = tat tvam asibetween

13.1Vākyārtha hexad begins. Anchor.───→here13.12───→15.20Whole teaching named guhyatamaṃ śāstram.

ĀnandagiriclassicalD

Praśna-bīja chapter openingsbetween

13.1Ch 13 opens by binding to the middle hexad.───→here13.12───→18.1Final chapter compresses seed and answer.

ĀnandagiriclassicalE

Pūrvapakṣa via nanu / āśaṅkyabetween

13.1Boundary protected by stylized doubt.───→here13.12───→18.66Closing verse opened by doubt-and-answer.

ĀnandagiriclassicalG

Anūdyate, na vidhīyatebetween

13.7Twenty jñāna-qualities: still description.───→here13.12───→14.22Guṇātīta-lakṣaṇa follows the same rule.

ĀnandagiriclassicalJ

Prakṛti is never autonomousbetween

13.1Prakṛti's autonomy blocked at boundary. Anchor.───→here13.12───→14.1Modes belong to the Lord's prakṛti.

ĀnandagiriclassicalL

Akṣarayojanā — word-fit firstbetween

13.1Same discipline at the keystone chapter.───→here13.12───→18.1Final chapter opens with the same form.

Gauravmodernchaplaincy_kit_of_tools

Chaplaincy Kit Of Toolsbetween

13.7Itihasa stories and the witness virtues. 'Amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa kshantir ───→here13.12───→17.15Mantra and speech. 'Anudvega-karam vakyam satyam priya-hitam cha yat, svadhyaya-

Gauravmoderninterfaith_cosmology

Interfaith Cosmologybetween

9.29'Samo'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo'sti na priyah.' I am equal in all beings;───→here13.12───→13.27'Samam sarveshu bhuteshu tishthantam parameshvaram.' The same Lord seated equal

Gauravmodernsanatana_dharma_101

Sanatana Dharma 101between

9.27Dharma-as-offering pillar. 'Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat.' Gau───→here13.12───→13.27Atman / Brahman pillar. 'Samam sarveshu bhuteshu tishthantam parameshvaram.' The

Gauravmodernwitness_self_neti_neti

Witness Self Neti Netibetween

6.29'Sarva-bhuta-stham atmanam sarva-bhutani cha'tmani, ikshate yoga-yuktatma sarvat───→here13.12───→13.32'Anaditvan nirgunatvat paramatma'yam avyayah, sharira-stho'pi Kaunteya na karoti

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)between

13.1Open the third ṣaṭka: field and knower.───→here13.12───→14.1Beyond sāṅkhya: the modes that bind.

RāmānujaclassicalF

Two prakṛtis · jīva as eternal aṃśabetween

7.13Modes hide the higher.───→here13.12───→13.20Both natures beginningless.

RāmānujaclassicalG

Māyā is real causal powerbetween

13.2Those who posit ajñāna in Brahman fail.───→here13.12───→18.61The yantrin reading forecloses the residue.

RāmānujaclassicalI

Vibhūti as evidence for antaryāminbetween

13.2The whole vibhūti clinches sāmānādhikaraṇya.───→here13.12───→18.42Even brāhmaṇa grounded here.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

12.20The devotee holds this teaching dearest.───→here13.12───→13.21Clinging to modes is why you are reborn.

RamsukhdasclassicalD

The three modes (sattva, rajas, tamas) at workbetween

7.12The modes come from the Lord, not in Him.───→here13.12───→13.21Clinging to modes causes any new birth.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartbetween

10.20I am the Self in every heart.───→here13.12───→13.17The Knowable lives as the inner light.

RamsukhdasclassicalK

The body is not yoursbetween

6.3Body, senses, and mind: none of them yours.───→here13.12───→13.20Nature causes the act; you only experience.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here13.12───→

RāmānujaclassicalK

Tri-guṇa diagnostic for the bhaktaapproach

───→here13.12───→13.20Both natures cause the body's binding.

Gauravmodernthree_yogas_braid

Three Yogas Braidexit

12.12'Shreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj jnanad dhyanam vishishyate, dhyanat karma-phala-tyaga───→here13.12───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalE

Field and field-knower as Parameśvarastation

───→here13.12───→

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

9.9Like one detached, not actually───→here13.12───→13.30Seer of non-action by Hari's light

MadhvaclassicalT2

Soul depends on Lord — the gap that does not closebetween

6.9Souls differ by nature not by accident alone.───→here13.12───→13.23Soul and Lord coexist in the body, not as one.

MadhvaclassicalT5

Mirror-and-image — how seeming-action worksbetween

9.9He sits like one detached, not actually detached.───→here13.12───→13.30The seer of non-action sees by Hari's light.

MadhvaclassicalT8

Direct vision — the only proximate causebetween

12.12Anabhimlāna-śruti names every rung in order.───→here13.12───→13.25Three classes, one ladder, each class on a different rung.

ŚrīdharaclassicalA

The Gītā as raft across griefbetween

13.2For their rescue, truth-knowledge is uttered.───→here13.12───→18.66I shall release you from every wrong.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinebetween

13.2I lift my devotees, so I now teach truth.───→here13.12───→14.1Now, the highest of all knowings.

VallabhaclassicalF

Soul as part of the highest Personbetween

13.3The soul is part of the supreme Person.───→here13.12───→15.7The soul is My eternal part — its ānanda hidden. .

VallabhaclassicalJ

Strategic silence — pointers, not absencesbetween

13.1Skipped — the next verse's prelude does the work.───→here13.12───→13.24The threefold-knower catalogue goes to silence.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentarybetween

13.2The Lord himself writes the third ṣaṭka. .───→here13.12───→15.15The bhāṣya-author is named by the Lord himself.

ŚrīdharaclassicalG

Soul as His portion, neither cut nor identicalapproach

───→here13.12───→14.26Fit for the state of brahman, not fused.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalA

Knowing and acting are one powerexit

11.34Already slain — the question is finally retired.───→here13.12───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalC

Vision is the structural centerexit

11.49Cosmic returns to gracious; ananya means non-dual.───→here13.12───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departureexit

11.46Cosmic and gracious one self-luminous.───→here13.12───→

ŚrīdharaclassicalI

His evenness as ground for refugeexit

13.10A steady evenness is the seeker's mark.───→here13.12───→

VallabhaclassicalE

Three paths, one teaching orderexit

13.2The third ṣaṭka is the Lord's own bhāṣya.───→here13.12───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemybetween

13.2One Self lights every body as one sun lights all.───→here13.12───→18.66Beginningless habit ends only with self-knowledge.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalK

Liberation while still embodiedbetween

5.29Knowing Me, all wandering ceases at once.───→here13.12───→13.34One Self, untouched, in every body.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalC

Antaryāmin — the indweller as standing referentbetween

13.2'Cāpi' marks two — not one identity.───→here13.12───→15.15Memory and forgetting both come from Him.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalE

Pūrva-pakṣa — name the rival, close the doorbetween

13.3Knower and field: the boundary is sharp.───→here13.12───→18.66Counterfeit reasonings named, then rejected.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionbetween

13.1The kṣetra-question resolves 12.20's hint.───→here13.12───→18.1Tyāga-question resolves ch. 16-17's typology.

JayatīrthaclassicalC

Refuting Śaṅkara-style readings, named or unnamedbetween

13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not just utterance.───→here13.12───→15.16Refusing kṣara=inert, akṣara=soul.

JayatīrthaclassicalI

Lakṣaṇā-control — literal preferred when availablebetween

13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not paraphrase.───→here13.12───→15.16Bhūta covers jīva; literal range holds.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesbetween

12.20Saguṇa worship ripens into nirguṇa knowing.───→here13.12───→13.13Only the formless can be the ultimately taught.

MadhusūdanaclassicalH

Krishna with form is the ground beneath formless Brahmanbetween

11.55The crystal verse names the saguṇa in absolute form.───→here13.12───→13.13Not a power-of-the-Lord; the Lord himself, formless.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingexit

11.55Acting for Me, holding Me supreme — that is the road.───→here13.12───→

JayatīrthaclassicalA

Body and embodied — the inference runs on the dehī sideexit

13.5Field and knower: body-self cut returns.───→here13.12───→

MadhusūdanaclassicalA

Three groups of six: you, the Lord, the joiningexit

13.1The last six work what 'are' really means.───→here13.12───→

Ekrasmodernvairagya

Vairāgya — dispassion as instrumentbetween · v2

13.9Indifference to objects───→here13.12───→15.5Free of pride and delusion

Ekrasmodernparadox_of_doership

Paradox of doership — kartṛtvabetween · v2

5.14Lord neither acts nor causes───→here13.12───→13.20Prakriti causes, puruṣa enjoys

Śabda · lemmas (13 unique · 17 occurrences)

ज्ञेयम्·ज्ञात्वा jñā ×2 — to know (verbal root) · nominative neuter singular gdv noun / conv
प्रवक्ष्यामि pra-√vac — to declare (pra- + √vac 'speak forth') · future indicative 1st person singular verb · also at 4.16, 9.1, 14.1
ब्रह्म brahman — Brahman (the Absolute); also: the Veda; sacred utterance · nominative neuter singular noun · also at 1.1, 2.72, 3.14, 3.15, 4.21, 4.24 +40
उच्यते √vac — to speak (verbal root) · present indicative pass 3rd person singular verb

show all 13

यत् yad ×2 — which, who (relative pronoun) · nominative neuter singular noun / accusative neuter singular noun
तत् tad ×2 — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · accusative neuter singular noun / nominative neuter singular noun
न na ×2 — not (negation particle)
अमृतम् amṛta — immortal, the deathless, nectar (a- + mṛta past-pple. 'died', from √mṛ) · accusative neuter singular noun
अश्नुते √aś — to eat / to pervade (verbal root, two homophonous roots) · present indicative 3rd person singular verb
अनादिमत् anādimat — (anādi + -mat: without beginning) · nominative neuter singular noun
परम् para — highest, supreme, beyond, other · nominative neuter singular noun
सत् √as — to be (verbal root) · nominative neuter singular present participle verb
असत् asat — non-being, untruth (a- + sat 'being', from √as) · nominative neuter singular noun

Praśna · so what (7)

01If Brahman is 'neither sat nor asat,' what cognitive act is actually happening when someone claims to 'know' it — and can that act be distinguished from confusion?
02Sankara and Ramanuja both cite the same Upanisadic passages yet reach opposite conclusions about whether the knower merges with or remains distinct from the known — what does that divergence reveal about how sruti functions as evidence?

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03The verse promises 'amrtam' (immortality) as the fruit of knowing the jneya — is immortality a state you enter, a recognition of what you already are, or something else entirely?
04Madhva's single-line comment strips the verse to its bones: direct vision (aparoksa) over inference. What does it mean in practice to pursue a knowing that cannot be arrived at by argument alone?
05If the twenty qualities listed earlier are means rather than the object of knowledge, at what point does disciplined preparation become an obstacle to the very thing it is preparing for?
06Ramanuja insists the self is 'mat-param' — supremely mine (Bhagavan's). How does framing the self as Bhagavan's body change the phenomenology of self-inquiry compared to the Advaita frame of identity?
07The verse begins 'jneyam yat tat pravaksyami' — 'I will now tell you what is to be known.' Krsna positions himself as teacher of the knowable. What is the relationship between the one who describes Brahman and Brahman itself?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When you catch yourself calculating how you appear to others — managing your image — that is precisely the manitvam (pride of status) that Sankara identifies as the first obstacle to jnana. The practice: notice the image-maintenance impulse, name it as cooperating-cause-blocker, and drop it without drama.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

Ramanuja's 'mat-param' — the self as Bhagavan's body — has an immediate application in how you treat fatigue, illness, or failure: if this self belongs to Bhagavan, running it into the ground is poor stewardship of His property. Rest, care, and honest limitation-acknowledgment become acts of kainkarya (service) rather than weakness.

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Dvaita

Madhva's emphasis on aparoksa-jnana (direct, unmediated vision) over inference suggests a daily discipline: sit with a question long enough that the answer arises from within the question itself, not from arguments assembled around it. Argument-dependent conclusions about the Supreme remain second-order; keep pressing toward the direct.

Śuddhādvaita

Vallabha's vidya-karya / avidya-karya binary is diagnostic. At the end of any day, sort your actions into those that arose from clarity (vidya) and those from habitual reactivity (avidya). The point is not guilt but calibration — seeing how much of your day Krsna is already operating through, and how much is residual noise.

Bhakti

Sridhara's list of ajnana-markers — manitvam (pride), dambhitvam (pretence), himsam (harm) — are not abstract vices. They show up in specific micro-moments: taking credit that belongs to a team, performing concern you do not feel, letting irritation leak into speech. Catching one of these per day, naming it ajnana, and releasing it is the practice.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusudana's framing suggests that study of Vedanta-vakya (Upanisadic sentences) without the prior ripening of amanitvam and friends produces only intellectual scaffolding, not the tasting (asnute) that the verse promises. A practical heuristic: if reading or hearing 'aham brahmasmi' produces pride rather than silence, the disciplines have not yet ripened — return to them.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 13, Verse 12: Krishna to Arjuna — Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga