Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field
Verse 13.7
इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतनाधृतिः।एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्।।13.7।।
ichchhā dveṣhaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaśh chetanā dhṛitiḥ etat kṣhetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛitam
Word Meanings
ichchhā—desire; dveṣhaḥ—aversion; sukham—happiness; duḥkham—misery; saṅghātaḥ—the aggregate; chetanā—the consciousness; dhṛitiḥ—the will; etat—all these; kṣhetram—the field of activities; samāsena—comprise of; sa-vikāram—with modifications; udāhṛitam—are said
Translation · English
Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (body), intelligence, and fortitude—the field has thus been briefly described with its modifications.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna provides the final components of the 'field' (Kshetra), revealing that even our most intimate internal states—desires, aversions, and the very functioning of our intellect—belong to the objectified world. In the Advaitic framework, this is a profound act of deconstruction; by identifying these subjective experiences as part of the 'field,' Krishna shifts our identity away from the changing flow of emotions and towards the unchanging witness. We often confuse our 'self' with our likes and dislikes, yet Krishna asserts that these are merely modifications (vikara) of matter, as mechanical as the body itself. From the perspective of Bhakti, this categorization serves to purify the devotee. By recognizing that the constant tug-of-war between happiness and misery is an external landscape, the seeker ceases to identify with the turmoil of the ego. This detachment allows the heart to remain steady, creating a clear space for the Divine presence. It is a transition from the turbulence of material existence into the stillness where one can finally perceive the 'Knower of the Field' (Kshetrajna). This verse teaches us that we are not the drama of our experiences, but the silent, luminous awareness in which the entire drama unfolds.
Everything that can be observed—including our own thoughts, emotions, and willpower—is part of the changing field, not the unchanging self that witnesses them.
Connected Verses
Introduces the fundamental distinction between the knower of the field and the field itself.
Explains that whatever is born, whether animate or inanimate, arises from the union of the field and the knower.
Clarifies that while the gunas perform actions, the deluded ego believes itself to be the doer.
Establishes the fleeting nature of sensory experiences like heat, cold, happiness, and misery as temporary phenomena.
Community Insights
(0)Share your understanding of this verse with fellow seekers.
No insights yet. Be the first to share your understanding of this verse.