In Bhagavad Gita 13.1, Arjuna asks to know about prakriti and purusha, the field and the knower of the field, knowledge and what is to be known.
Sanskrit Verse
अर्जुन उवाच · Arjuna said
प्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव
क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव ॥ १३-१ ॥
prakṛtiṃ puruṣaṃ caiva
kṣetraṃ kṣetrajñameva ca
etadveditumicchāmi
jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ ca keśava
English transliteration prakritim purusham chaiva
kshetram kshetrajnameva cha
etadveditumichchhaami
jnaanam jneyam cha keshava ॥ 13.1 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Arjuna said: Nature and the Spirit, the field and the knower of the field, knowledge and that which is to be known: these, O Keshava, I wish to learn.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| प्रकृतिम् prakṛtim | nature |
| पुरुषम् puruṣam | the Spirit |
| च ca | and |
| एव eva | also |
| क्षेत्रम् kṣetram | the field |
| क्षेत्रज्ञम् kṣetrajñam | the knower of the field kṣetra (field) + jñam (knower) |
| एव eva | also |
| च ca | and |
| एतत् etat | this |
| वेदितुम् veditum | to learn |
| इच्छामि icchāmi | I wish |
| ज्ञानम् jñānam | knowledge |
| ज्ञेयम् jñeyam | that which is to be known |
| च ca | and |
| केशव keśava | O Keśava |
Word-wise Chanting
- pra–kṛ–tiṃ pu–ru–ṣaṃ cai–va 8 syllables pra-kri-tim pu-ru-sham chai-va
- kṣet–raṃ kṣet–ra–jña–me–va ca | 8 syllables kshet-ram kshet-ra-jna-me-va cha
- e–tad–ve–di–tu–mic–chā–mi 8 syllables e-tad-ve-di-tu-mich-chhaa-mi
- jñā–naṃ jñe–yaṃ ca ke–śa–va || 13-1 8 syllables jnaa-nam jne-yam cha ke-sha-va
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 13 Verse 1
Context
Chapter 13, the Yoga of Distinguishing the Field and its Knower, opens with Arjuna’s question. Many editions omit this verse and count 34 verses in the chapter.
Meaning
Arjuna names six subjects: prakṛti, nature or matter; puruṣa, spirit or consciousness; kṣetra, the field; kṣetrajña, the knower of the field; jñāna, knowledge; and jñeya, the object of knowledge. The chapter answers these questions.
This verse is found in many manuscripts but omitted in others, including the text followed by Śaṅkara. That is why the Gita is counted as 700 verses in some editions and 701 in others.
In Practice
Ask yourself: what in me is the field, and what is the knower? Keep the question open as you read this chapter.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga (The Field and the Knower of the Field). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.