Verse 13.3
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत | क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ||३||
Transliteration (IAST)
kṣetrajñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata | kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama ||3||
Word-by-Word Meanings
kṣetrajñam-the knower of the field
mām-Me
viddhi-know
sarva-kṣetreṣu-in all fields/bodies
jñānam-knowledge
matam-opinion/view
mama-My
Translation
Know Me also as the knower of the field in all fields, O Bharata. The knowledge of the field and the knower of the field - that I consider to be true knowledge.
Commentary
This is a pivotal verse where Krishna identifies Himself as the supreme knower present in all bodies. Shankaracharya interprets this as the identity of the individual self with Brahman. Ramanuja sees it as God being the inner controller (antaryāmin) of all souls. The verse defines true knowledge as understanding the distinction between matter and spirit.
Themes
jnanaatmanyoga