THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 13, VERSE NUMBER 0, KSHETRA KSHETRAJNA VIBHAGA YOGA OR THE YOGA OF THE DISCRIMINATION OF THE KSHETRA AND THE KSHETRAJNA

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 13

VERSE NUMBER 0

Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga yoga or The Yoga of the Discrimination of the Kshetra and the Kshetrajna

TEXT IN TRANSLITERATION:

arjuna uvacha

prakrrtim purusham chai ‘va kshetram kshetrajnam eva cha

etad veditum icchaami jnaanam jneyam cha kesava

SANSKRIT WORDS AND PHRASES AND THEIR MEANING IN ENGLISH:

prakrrtim = the Prakriti: purusham = the Purusha: cha = and: eva = even: kshetram = the field: kshetrajnam = the knower of the field: eva = even: cha = and: etat = this: veditum = to know: icchaami = (I) wish: jnaanam = knowledge: jneyam = what ought to be known: cha = and: kesava = O Kesava.

TEXT IN ENGLISH:

Arjuna said:

Prakriti and Purusha, also the kshetra and Kshetrajna, Knowledge and that which ought to be known, these,  O Kesava, I desire to learn.

COMMENTARY NOTE BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

This stanza is not found in all the editions of the Gita. Hence it is kept unnumbered.

COMMENTARY NOTE BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:

This verse is not found in some editions. Shankara does not comment on it. If it is included, the total number of verse in the Bhagavadgita will be 701 and not 700, which is the number traditionally accepted. So we do not include it in the numbering of verses.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

In some of the books, you will not find this verse. If you include this verse also, the number of verses of the Bhagavd Gita will come to 701. Some commentators look upon this verse as an interpolation.

We have come to the beginning of the third section of the Gita. Essentially the same knowledge is taught in this section but there are more details.

This discourse on Kshetra (matter) is commenced with a view to determine the essential nature of the possessor of the two Prakritis (Natures), the lower and the higher, described in chapter VII, verse 4 and 5.

In the previous discourse, a descrition of the devotee who is dear to the Lord is given from verse 13 to the end. Now the question arises: What sort of knowledge of Truth should he possess? The answer is given in this discourse.

Nature is composed of the three qualities. It transforms itself into the body, senses and the sensual objects to serve the two purposes of the individual soul, viz., Bhoga (enjoyment) and Apavarga (liberation).

The Gita is divided into three sections illustrative of the three words of the Mahavakya or Great Sentence of the Sama Veda—Tat-Tvam-Asi ( That thou art). In accordance with this view, the first six chapters deal with the path of action or Karma Yoga and the nature of thou (Tvam-Pada). The next six chapters explain the path of devotion or Bhakti Yoga and the nature of That (Tat-Pada). The last six chapters treat of the path of knowledge or Jana Yoga and the nature of the middle term art (Asi-Pada) which establishes the identity of the individual and the Supreme Soul (Jiva-Brahma Aikyam).

Arjuna now wishes to know in detail the difference between Prakriti and Purusha(Matter and Spirit). He desires to have a discriminative knowledge of the difference between them.

Comments by the blogger:

This sloka or verse might be an interpolation. But it is a great wonder that the Text of Bhagavad Gita has come down to us with only one interpolation. In the Holy Bible, there is an exhortation that it is a great sin to interpolate in the body of that Work, The New Testament. So this only goes to prove that there have been several interpolations in it. But in Bhagavad Gita we don’t have any such exhortations. It has just been two thousand and odd years since the New Testament came into existence! Thus we can be proud of the fact the Holy Gita Text has come down to us hardly with any interpolations. In the New Testament, someone of Jesus Christ’s Disciples asked Him if the Gospel could be preached to other people having other beliefs. And the answer from Jesus Christ is that like the dogs under the dining table get some crumbs of food that has fallen from the table, other people having other faiths and convictions may also be taught! Even as a high school days in De Britto High School where I got a copy of the New Testament from a Boarding student and read the Gospel many a time with great interest could feel and tell that Jesus Christ would never have described the people of other religions as dogs under the table. Because it ran counter to the core of the Holy Bible where Jesus Christ many times urges His Disciples to go around the world and spread His Message! Thus we can consider ourselves lucky and extra blessed that entire Text of Srimad Bhagavad Gita has come down to us in its original form. In this context I happen to remember what the Maha Swami of the Kanji Math, Chandrasekarenthira Saraswati replied when a group of Hindus urged the great Sage to give new interpretations to various Hindu Scriptures, “No, I am of the staunch opinion that the Hindu Scriptures have come down to us from the hoary past from great Sages and Seers and we should not interfere with them!”