Yoga through Distinguishing the Field and the Knower of the Field
Verse 13.10
असक्ितरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु।नित्यं च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु।।13.10।।
asaktir anabhiṣhvaṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛihādiṣhu nityaṁ cha sama-chittatvam iṣhṭāniṣhṭopapattiṣhu
Word Meanings
asaktiḥ—non-attachment; anabhiṣhvaṅgaḥ—absence of craving; putra—children; dāra—spouse; gṛiha-ādiṣhu—home, etc; nityam—constant; cha—and; sama-chittatvam—even-mindedness; iṣhṭa—the desirable; aniṣhṭa—undesirable; upapattiṣhu—having obtained;
Translation · English
Non-attachment, non-identification of the Self with son, wife, home, and the rest, and constant even-mindedness in the face of the attainment of both desirable and undesirable.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna delineates the foundational psychological temperament required for true Jnana (wisdom). The term 'asakti' (non-attachment) combined with 'anabhishvanga' (absence of possessive craving) strikes at the root of the ego's identification with the external world. Krishna is not advocating for the abandonment of one's family or home, but rather for the radical dissolution of the mental habit of viewing people and possessions as extensions of 'I' and 'mine.' This is the inward shift from being a 'possessor' to being a 'witness'—the Kshetrajna (Knower of the Field)—who remains untouched by the shifting tides of the manifest world. The mental equilibrium described here is not a cold, stoic indifference but a high state of spiritual stability. By maintaining 'sama-chittatvam' (even-mindedness) when faced with desired or undesired outcomes, the seeker transcends the duality of pleasure and pain. This indicates that one's inner peace is no longer hostage to the fluctuations of the field (Kshetra). It is the realization that the Self is immutable and lacks nothing, rendering the heart calm in the face of both success and failure.
True spiritual maturity is found when one ceases to project their identity onto their environment, remaining anchored in the unchanging Self regardless of the pleasant or painful waves that touch the field of life.
Connected Verses
Explains the state of the Guna-atita (one beyond the three modes), who treats gold and stone alike and remains unmoved by pleasant or unpleasant things.
Highlights the balanced state of a devotee who remains equal to friend and foe, and in honor and dishonor, mirroring the internal detachment taught in 13.10.
Describes the person who has conquered the self as being absolutely serene in heat and cold, pleasure and pain, honor and dishonor.
This verse establishes the foundational instruction of 'Yoga' as staying equal in success and failure, echoing the requirement of even-mindedness.
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