BG 13.2 — Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 13.2Chapter 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · Bhārata · anuṣṭubh

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत ।

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर् ज्ञानं यत् तज् ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥

kṣetrajñaṃ cāpi māṃ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata

kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṃ yat taj jñānaṃ mataṃ mama

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

meaning

Know me as the knower of the field in every body, Arjuna. That knowledge, of field and knower together, is the knowledge I hold to be true.

ekras · bhāṣya

Know Me as the kshetrajna also — in every kshetra, bharata. The knowledge of kshetra and kshetrajna together — that knowledge, mama matam — is the one I hold to be true.

Krishna takes the term He named in the previous verse and says: I am that, in every body. Then He names the chapter's task: knowing both terms together is the jnana that liberates.

Shankara reads precisely. Sarva-kshetreshu — in every field, from a king's body to a worm's. The kshetrajna is one undivided witness illumining each from foot to crown, apaadatalamastakam. Whether the knowing is svabhavika — innate — or aupadeshika — instructed by a teacher — it is the same witness. The jnana that distinguishes kshetra from kshetrajna is what liberates; without it, samsara.

Madhusudana opens chapter 13 with characteristic warmth: he begins with his celebrated meditation-verse — the yogi may see nirguna jyotis, but for us, let the blue radiance dance forever on the Yamuna's sand. Then he turns to strict Advaita: kshetrajna per body appears plural but is one; bheda is avidya-kalpita; knowing this is the liberating jnana. The two registers — devotional rapture and non-dual analysis — both belong to the same teaching.

Ramanuja reads with characteristic warmth: Bhagavan is the antaryamin in every body. Both kshetra and kshetrajna subsist as His sharira; neither has independent existence — aprithak-siddhi. The Brihadaranyaka antaryami-brahmana grounds the reading: yah prithivyam tishtan — He stands within earth, within waters, within every field — and that field is His body. To know both as madatmaka — constituted by Me — is the only worthy jnana.

Madhva reads on the bheda-frame and opens the chapter with a salutation: shri-jnanadatre namah — to the giver of knowledge. The Lord alone is kshetrajna in the primary sense; jiva-knowers are dependent, secondary knowers borrowing the Lord's knowing as reflected light. The chapter discriminates jnana, jneya, kshetra, and purusha — all stated earlier — into a unified teaching.

Vallabha reads through pushti-marga: the para and apara prakriti of chapter 7 reappear here as kshetrajna and kshetra; their relationship is the akshara-mula svarupa that constitutes both. The viveka is not a ladder out of the world but the prasada by which the jiva recognizes itself as inseparable from Krishna's lila.

Shridhara reads with the farmer image: the body is kshetra because samsara germinates in it as in soil; whoever takes the crop as 'mine' is called kshetrajna — like a farmer claiming the harvest. The chapter opens the viveka-teaching that fulfills Krishna's earlier promise to rescue bhaktas from the samsara-ocean.

Context

where

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

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna · vocative Bhārata

preceded by — BG 13.1

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower.

What's going on

Know me as the knower of the field in every body, Arjuna. That knowledge, of field and knower together, is the knowledge I hold to be true.

Sūtras through this verse · hub (54)

ĀnandagiriclassicalA

The two-niṣṭhā axisbetween

13.1Two niṣṭhās, three kāṇḍas — keystone.───→here13.2───→18.78Sealed: the means stands on the end stands.

RāmānujaclassicalC

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

13.1Open the third ṣaṭka: field and knower.───→here13.2───→14.1Beyond sāṅkhya: the modes that bind.

VallabhaclassicalJ

Strategic silence — pointers, not absencesbetween

13.1Skipped — the next verse's prelude does the work.───→here13.2───→13.24The threefold-knower catalogue goes to silence.

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RāmānujaclassicalA

World as the Lord's body (antaryāmin)station · anchor

───→here13.2───→

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesstation · anchor

───→here13.2───→

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentarystation · anchor

───→here13.2───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalE

Field and field-knower as Parameśvarabetween · anchor

13.1One knower in every field — Parameśvara.───→here13.2───→13.3Sāṅkhya kept; the pointer is rotated.

ĀnandagiriclassicalB

Three hexads = tat tvam asibetween

13.1Vākyārtha hexad begins. Anchor.───→here13.2───→15.20Whole teaching named guhyatamaṃ śāstram.

ĀnandagiriclassicalD

Praśna-bīja chapter openingsbetween

13.1Ch 13 opens by binding to the middle hexad.───→here13.2───→18.1Final chapter compresses seed and answer.

ĀnandagiriclassicalE

Pūrvapakṣa via nanu / āśaṅkyabetween

13.1Boundary protected by stylized doubt.───→here13.2───→18.66Closing verse opened by doubt-and-answer.

ĀnandagiriclassicalG

Anūdyate, na vidhīyatebetween

12.12Bhakta's gradient read as description.───→here13.2───→13.7Twenty jñāna-qualities: still description.

ĀnandagiriclassicalJ

Prakṛti is never autonomousbetween

13.1Prakṛti's autonomy blocked at boundary. Anchor.───→here13.2───→14.1Modes belong to the Lord's prakṛti.

ĀnandagiriclassicalL

Akṣarayojanā — word-fit firstbetween

13.1Same discipline at the keystone chapter.───→here13.2───→18.1Final chapter opens with the same form.

RāmānujaclassicalG

Māyā is real causal powerstation

───→here13.2───→

RāmānujaclassicalI

Vibhūti as evidence for antaryāminstation

───→here13.2───→

Gauravmodernchaplaincy_kit_of_tools

Chaplaincy Kit Of Toolsbetween

9.27Karma-as-frame. 'Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat, yat tapasyasi K───→here13.2───→13.7Itihasa stories and the witness virtues. 'Amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa kshantir

Gauravmoderninterfaith_cosmology

Interfaith Cosmologybetween

9.29'Samo'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo'sti na priyah.' I am equal in all beings;───→here13.2───→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───→here13.2───→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───→here13.2───→13.32'Anaditvan nirgunatvat paramatma'yam avyayah, sharira-stho'pi Kaunteya na karoti

RāmānujaclassicalF

Two prakṛtis · jīva as eternal aṃśabetween

7.13Modes hide the higher.───→here13.2───→13.20Both natures beginningless.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

12.20The devotee holds this teaching dearest.───→here13.2───→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.───→here13.2───→13.21Clinging to modes causes any new birth.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartbetween

10.20I am the Self in every heart.───→here13.2───→13.17The Knowable lives as the inner light.

RamsukhdasclassicalK

The body is not yoursbetween

6.3Body, senses, and mind: none of them yours.───→here13.2───→13.20Nature causes the act; you only experience.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here13.2───→

RāmānujaclassicalK

Tri-guṇa diagnostic for the bhaktaapproach

───→here13.2───→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───→here13.2───→

ŚrīdharaclassicalA

The Gītā as raft across griefstation

───→here13.2───→

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinestation

───→here13.2───→

VallabhaclassicalE

Three paths, one teaching orderstation

───→here13.2───→

VallabhaclassicalF

Soul as part of the highest Personstation

───→here13.2───→

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

9.9Like one detached, not actually───→here13.2───→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.───→here13.2───→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.───→here13.2───→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.───→here13.2───→13.25Three classes, one ladder, each class on a different rung.

ŚrīdharaclassicalI

His evenness as ground for refugebetween

9.29Even to all — yet near to those who turn.───→here13.2───→13.10A steady evenness is the seeker's mark.

ŚrīdharaclassicalG

Soul as His portion, neither cut nor identicalapproach

───→here13.2───→14.26Fit for the state of brahman, not fused.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalA

Knowing and acting are one powerexit

11.34Already slain — the question is finally retired.───→here13.2───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalC

Vision is the structural centerexit

11.49Cosmic returns to gracious; ananya means non-dual.───→here13.2───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departureexit

11.46Cosmic and gracious one self-luminous.───→here13.2───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemystation

───→here13.2───→

VedāntadeśikaclassicalC

Antaryāmin — the indweller as standing referentstation

───→here13.2───→

VedāntadeśikaclassicalE

Pūrva-pakṣa — name the rival, close the doorstation

───→here13.2───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalK

Liberation while still embodiedbetween

5.29Knowing Me, all wandering ceases at once.───→here13.2───→13.34One Self, untouched, in every body.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionbetween

13.1The kṣetra-question resolves 12.20's hint.───→here13.2───→18.1Tyāga-question resolves ch. 16-17's typology.

JayatīrthaclassicalA

Body and embodied — the inference runs on the dehī sidebetween

2.24Uncuttable, unburnt, steady, all-pervading.───→here13.2───→13.5Field and knower: body-self cut returns.

JayatīrthaclassicalC

Refuting Śaṅkara-style readings, named or unnamedbetween

11.16Aneka- is not just two-or-more.───→here13.2───→13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not just utterance.

JayatīrthaclassicalI

Lakṣaṇā-control — literal preferred when availablebetween

11.16Aneka- means many; no upacāra needed.───→here13.2───→13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not paraphrase.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesbetween

12.20Saguṇa worship ripens into nirguṇa knowing.───→here13.2───→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.───→here13.2───→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.───→here13.2───→

MadhusūdanaclassicalA

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

13.1The last six work what 'are' really means.───→here13.2───→

Ekrasmodernvairagya

Vairāgya — dispassion as instrumentbetween · v2

6.35Practice and dispassion───→here13.2───→13.8Field-knowledge as virtues

Ekrasmodernparadox_of_doership

Paradox of doership — kartṛtvabetween · v2

5.14Lord neither acts nor causes───→here13.2───→13.20Prakriti causes, puruṣa enjoys

Śabda · lemmas (12 unique · 16 occurrences)

विद्धि √vid — to know; to find (verbal root) · present imperative 2nd person singular verb · also at 2.17, 3.15, 3.32, 4.13, 4.14, 4.32 +16
भारत bhārata — descendant of Bharata; epithet of Arjuna · vocative masculine singular noun

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क्षेत्रज्ञम्·क्षेत्रज्ञयोः kṣetrajña ×2 — knower of the field (kṣetra + jña) · accusative masculine singular noun / genitive masculine dual noun
माम्·मम mad ×2 — I, me (1st person pronoun stem); also: to rejoice (verbal root) · accusative singular noun / genitive singular noun
क्षेत्रेषु·क्षेत्र kṣetra ×2 — field, body (as the field of experience) · locative neuter plural noun / compound · also at 1.1, 13.1, 13.3, 13.6, 13.18, 13.26 +2
ज्ञानम् jñāna ×2 — knowledge, wisdom, cognition · nominative neuter singular noun
च ca — and; (homonym: also the consonant ca)
अपि api — also, even, although
सर्व sarva — all, entire · compound
यत् yad — which, who (relative pronoun) · nominative neuter singular noun
तत् tad — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · nominative neuter singular noun
मतम् √man — to think, regard, consider (verbal root) · nominative neuter singular participle noun

Praśna · so what (7)

01If the same witness-consciousness (kshetrajna) inhabits every body — from a king to a worm — what does it mean for your sense of personal specialness or personal failure?
02Shankara says knowledge can be 'svabhaavika' (innate) or 'aupadesika' (instructed) — which kind of self-knowing are you actually operating from right now, and how would you tell the difference?

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03Ramanuja insists kshetra and kshetrajna both subsist as the Lord's body, never independent — if your body and your awareness are both 'inside' something larger, what are the implications for who is responsible for your life?
04Madhva's salutation to the Lord as 'jnanadatri' (knowledge-giver) means even your capacity to understand this verse is borrowed — does that feel liberating or destabilizing, and why?
05Sridhara uses the farmer metaphor: the kshetrajna mistakes the field's crop for his own. Where in your life are you most persistently claiming harvest from ground you did not make?
06Madhusudana opens with devotional rapture and then pivots to strict non-dual analysis — what does it reveal about the relationship between emotional experience and philosophical precision that he needs both?
07All six schools agree on one thing: failing to distinguish kshetra from kshetrajna is the root of samsara. What in your daily experience most reliably collapses this distinction — and what, if anything, restores it?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When you catch yourself saying 'I am exhausted' or 'I am anxious,' pause and ask: who is witnessing the exhaustion? The body-field experiences fatigue; the kshetrajna is the silent knower that never fatigues. Practice noticing that gap for ten seconds before reacting.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

Treat your body and your awareness both as gifts held within the Lord's life — not as possessions you own. When your body is ill or your mind is turbulent, the practice is: 'this body is His body; this suffering is in His hands' — not passivity, but surrender that frees you to act without ego-ownership.

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Dvaita

Before any significant decision, acknowledge that your capacity to think clearly is borrowed from the Lord (jnanadatri). The Dvaita practice here is to begin work with a genuine, non-performative prayer of dependence — not as ritual but as accurate description of the epistemological situation.

Śuddhādvaita

Every moment of clear seeing — noticing that 'I' is distinct from 'the body in pain' — is itself Krishna's prasada (grace-gift), not your achievement. Celebrate these moments of viveka (discrimination) as lila, and resist making them into spiritual performance or self-improvement.

Bhakti

Use the farmer image practically: audit one domain of your life (career, relationship, health) where you are claiming results as solely 'mine.' Recognize the field you did not create (genetics, teachers, circumstances) and offer the harvest back mentally. This is the Sridhara-bhakti application of kshetra-viveka.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusudana's synthesis suggests a daily two-beat practice: one beat of clear philosophical witnessing (noticing you are not the body), and one beat of devotional delight (a moment of beauty, gratitude, or Krishna-rupa visualization). Neither cancels the other; together they constitute the advaita-bhakti integration he models in his opening verse.

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 2: Krishna to Arjuna — Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga