When I say 'I'm exhausted' or 'I'm a surgeon', what exactly am I identifying with?

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower. See seven-school commentary at https://gita.ekrasworks.com/gita/13/1.

Can I look at my own body or health as something I know about, rather than as all that I am?

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower. See seven-school commentary at https://gita.ekrasworks.com/gita/13/1.

If my job or my body is the field, who is the one tending it, and does that one get tired too?

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower. See seven-school commentary at https://gita.ekrasworks.com/gita/13/1.

Is knowing yourself something everyone does by default, or a skill you have to earn?

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower. See seven-school commentary at https://gita.ekrasworks.com/gita/13/1.

Anyone can describe what I do; who is in a position to describe the one doing it?

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower. See seven-school commentary at https://gita.ekrasworks.com/gita/13/1.

Am I just living in my life, or do I actually know it?

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower. See seven-school commentary at https://gita.ekrasworks.com/gita/13/1.

BG 13.1 — Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 13.1Chapter 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · Kaunteya · anuṣṭubh

इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते ।

एतद् यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ॥

idaṃ śarīraṃ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate

etad yo vetti taṃ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad-vidaḥ

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower.

ekras · bhāṣya

This shariram, kaunteya, is called the kshetra. The one who knows it — the knowing-ones call him kshetrajna. The verse names two terms that the chapter will operate with: kshetra and kshetrajna. The body is the field; the one who knows the field is the field-knower.

Shankara reads the verse with characteristic precision. The body — and by extension all that pertains to it — is named the kshetra. The knower is named the kshetrajna. The two are distinct in principle even when entangled in experience; the chapter's whole task is to make the distinction clear and operative.

Madhusudana reads with characteristic precision: the verse opens the chapter's central technical distinction. Kshetra and kshetrajna are the two terms whose relationship the chapter will explore; the relationship dissolves the samsara-confusion when properly understood.

Ramanuja reads with characteristic warmth: the kshetra-kshetrajna distinction is the structure for understanding why Bhagavan is the antaryamin of every body without being any of them.

Madhva reads on the bheda-frame: the eternally distinct jiva is the kshetrajna of its body; svatantra Hari is the supreme kshetrajna of all bodies.

Vallabha reads through pushti-marga: the kshetra is Krishna's lila-display; the kshetrajna is the chid-amsha that knows it.

Shridhara reads cleanly: body is field, knower is field-knower; the chapter's two operative terms.

Context

where

Chapter 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · meter anuṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna · vocative Kaunteya

What's going on

This body is called the field, Arjuna, and the one who knows it the knowers call the field-knower.

Sūtras through this verse · hub (54)

ĀnandagiriclassicalG

Anūdyate, na vidhīyatebetween

12.12Bhakta's gradient read as description.───→here13.1───→13.7Twenty jñāna-qualities: still description.

RāmānujaclassicalA

World as the Lord's body (antaryāmin)between

10.42One fragment props all.───→here13.1───→13.2Field and knower both predicate Me.

VallabhaclassicalD

Chapter-opening preludesbetween

9.1Single-verse prelude names the secret of secrets.───→here13.1───→13.2Architectural claim: the Lord's own bhāṣya.

show all 54

ĀnandagiriclassicalB

Three hexads = tat tvam asistation · anchor

───→here13.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalJ

Prakṛti is never autonomousstation · anchor

───→here13.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalA

The two-niṣṭhā axisstation

───→here13.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalD

Praśna-bīja chapter openingsstation

───→here13.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalE

Pūrvapakṣa via nanu / āśaṅkyastation

───→here13.1───→

ĀnandagiriclassicalL

Akṣarayojanā — word-fit firststation

───→here13.1───→

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)station

───→here13.1───→

Gauravmodernchaplaincy_kit_of_tools

Chaplaincy Kit Of Toolsbetween

9.27Karma-as-frame. 'Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat, yat tapasyasi K───→here13.1───→13.7Itihasa stories and the witness virtues. 'Amanitvam adambhitvam ahimsa kshantir

Gauravmoderninterfaith_cosmology

Interfaith Cosmologybetween

9.29'Samo'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo'sti na priyah.' I am equal in all beings;───→here13.1───→13.27'Samam sarveshu bhuteshu tishthantam parameshvaram.' The same Lord seated equal

Gauravmodernsanatana_dharma_101

Sanatana Dharma 101between

9.27Dharma-as-offering pillar. 'Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat.' Gau───→here13.1───→13.27Atman / Brahman pillar. 'Samam sarveshu bhuteshu tishthantam parameshvaram.' The

Gauravmodernwitness_self_neti_neti

Witness Self Neti Netibetween

6.29'Sarva-bhuta-stham atmanam sarva-bhutani cha'tmani, ikshate yoga-yuktatma sarvat───→here13.1───→13.32'Anaditvan nirgunatvat paramatma'yam avyayah, sharira-stho'pi Kaunteya na karoti

RāmānujaclassicalF

Two prakṛtis · jīva as eternal aṃśabetween

7.13Modes hide the higher.───→here13.1───→13.20Both natures beginningless.

RāmānujaclassicalG

Māyā is real causal powerbetween

7.25My power, not your blindness, hides Me.───→here13.1───→13.2Those who posit ajñāna in Brahman fail.

RāmānujaclassicalI

Vibhūti as evidence for antaryāminbetween

11.13Arjuna sees all at once.───→here13.1───→13.2The whole vibhūti clinches sāmānādhikaraṇya.

RamsukhdasclassicalA

What binds you (and how to let go)between

12.20The devotee holds this teaching dearest.───→here13.1───→13.21Clinging to modes is why you are reborn.

RamsukhdasclassicalD

The three modes (sattva, rajas, tamas) at workbetween

7.12The modes come from the Lord, not in Him.───→here13.1───→13.21Clinging to modes causes any new birth.

RamsukhdasclassicalI

The Lord already inside the heartbetween

10.20I am the Self in every heart.───→here13.1───→13.17The Knowable lives as the inner light.

RamsukhdasclassicalK

The body is not yoursbetween

6.3Body, senses, and mind: none of them yours.───→here13.1───→13.20Nature causes the act; you only experience.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here13.1───→

RāmānujaclassicalK

Tri-guṇa diagnostic for the bhaktaapproach

───→here13.1───→13.20Both natures cause the body's binding.

Gauravmodernthree_yogas_braid

Three Yogas Braidexit

12.12'Shreyo hi jnanam abhyasaj jnanad dhyanam vishishyate, dhyanat karma-phala-tyaga───→here13.1───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalE

Field and field-knower as Parameśvarastation

───→here13.1───→

VallabhaclassicalJ

Strategic silence — pointers, not absencesstation

───→here13.1───→

Madhvaclassicalmadhva_pratibimba

Madhva Pratibimbabetween · other

9.9Like one detached, not actually───→here13.1───→13.30Seer of non-action by Hari's light

MadhvaclassicalT2

Soul depends on Lord — the gap that does not closebetween

6.9Souls differ by nature not by accident alone.───→here13.1───→13.23Soul and Lord coexist in the body, not as one.

MadhvaclassicalT5

Mirror-and-image — how seeming-action worksbetween

9.9He sits like one detached, not actually detached.───→here13.1───→13.30The seer of non-action sees by Hari's light.

MadhvaclassicalT8

Direct vision — the only proximate causebetween

12.12Anabhimlāna-śruti names every rung in order.───→here13.1───→13.25Three classes, one ladder, each class on a different rung.

ŚrīdharaclassicalA

The Gītā as raft across griefbetween

2.11Confusing self with body is the source of grief.───→here13.1───→13.2For their rescue, truth-knowledge is uttered.

ŚrīdharaclassicalI

His evenness as ground for refugebetween

9.29Even to all — yet near to those who turn.───→here13.1───→13.10A steady evenness is the seeker's mark.

ŚrīdharaclassicalL

Chapter prefaces as the bhāṣya's spinebetween

12.1Form or formless: which is the better road?───→here13.1───→13.2I lift my devotees, so I now teach truth.

VallabhaclassicalE

Three paths, one teaching orderbetween

7.1The bhakti-ṣaṭka opens the third stage.───→here13.1───→13.2The third ṣaṭka is the Lord's own bhāṣya.

VallabhaclassicalF

Soul as part of the highest Personbetween

7.6From these two natures all beings come forth.───→here13.1───→13.2The kṣetra-knower in every field is the Lord himself.

VallabhaclassicalK

Aphorism, gloss, full commentarybetween

7.1The gloss-stage opens with chapter seven.───→here13.1───→13.2The Lord himself writes the third ṣaṭka. .

ŚrīdharaclassicalG

Soul as His portion, neither cut nor identicalapproach

───→here13.1───→14.26Fit for the state of brahman, not fused.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalA

Knowing and acting are one powerexit

11.34Already slain — the question is finally retired.───→here13.1───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalC

Vision is the structural centerexit

11.49Cosmic returns to gracious; ananya means non-dual.───→here13.1───→

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departureexit

11.46Cosmic and gracious one self-luminous.───→here13.1───→

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionstation

───→here13.1───→

MadhusūdanaclassicalA

Three groups of six: you, the Lord, the joiningstation

───→here13.1───→

ŚaṅkaraclassicalE

Ignorance is the only enemybetween

5.13Body-self confusion is the only error.───→here13.1───→13.2One Self lights every body as one sun lights all.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalK

Liberation while still embodiedbetween

5.29Knowing Me, all wandering ceases at once.───→here13.1───→13.34One Self, untouched, in every body.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalC

Antaryāmin — the indweller as standing referentbetween

10.20I am the Self seated in every heart.───→here13.1───→13.2'Cāpi' marks two — not one identity.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalE

Pūrva-pakṣa — name the rival, close the doorbetween

9.34Refuge is not bondage by another name.───→here13.1───→13.2'Cāpi' refutes jīva- brahma-aikya cleanly.

JayatīrthaclassicalA

Body and embodied — the inference runs on the dehī sidebetween

2.24Uncuttable, unburnt, steady, all-pervading.───→here13.1───→13.5Field and knower: body-self cut returns.

JayatīrthaclassicalC

Refuting Śaṅkara-style readings, named or unnamedbetween

11.16Aneka- is not just two-or-more.───→here13.1───→13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not just utterance.

JayatīrthaclassicalI

Lakṣaṇā-control — literal preferred when availablebetween

11.16Aneka- means many; no upacāra needed.───→here13.1───→13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not paraphrase.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesbetween

12.20Saguṇa worship ripens into nirguṇa knowing.───→here13.1───→13.13Only the formless can be the ultimately taught.

MadhusūdanaclassicalH

Krishna with form is the ground beneath formless Brahmanbetween

11.55The crystal verse names the saguṇa in absolute form.───→here13.1───→13.13Not a power-of-the-Lord; the Lord himself, formless.

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingexit

11.55Acting for Me, holding Me supreme — that is the road.───→here13.1───→

Ekrasmodernvairagya

Vairāgya — dispassion as instrumentbetween · v2

6.35Practice and dispassion───→here13.1───→13.8Field-knowledge as virtues

Ekrasmodernparadox_of_doership

Paradox of doership — kartṛtvabetween · v2

5.14Lord neither acts nor causes───→here13.1───→13.20Prakriti causes, puruṣa enjoys

Śabda · lemmas (13 unique · 15 occurrences)

क्षेत्रम् kṣetra — field, body (as the field of experience) · nominative neuter singular noun
अभिधीयते abhi-√dhā — to designate, name (abhi- + √dhā) · present indicative pass 3rd person singular verb
वेत्ति √vid — to know; to find (verbal root) · present indicative 3rd person singular verb
प्राहुः √prāh — to declare, expound (variant of pravac) · past indicative 3rd person plural verb

show all 13

इति iti ×2 — thus (quotative particle)
तम्·तद् tad ×2 — that (distal demonstrative); also 3rd-person pronoun · accusative masculine singular noun / compound
इदम् idam — this (proximal demonstrative) · nominative neuter singular noun
शरीरम् śarīra — body · nominative neuter singular noun
कौन्तेय kaunteya — son of Kuntī (epithet of Arjuna) · vocative masculine singular noun · also at 1.27, 2.14, 2.37, 2.60, 3.9, 3.39 +18
एतत् etad — this (proximal demonstrative) · accusative neuter singular noun
यः yad — which, who (relative pronoun) · nominative masculine singular noun
क्षेत्रज्ञः kṣetrajña — knower of the field (kṣetra + jña) · nominative masculine singular noun
विदः vid — to know; to find (verbal root) · nominative masculine plural noun

Praśna · so what (6)

01When I say 'I'm exhausted' or 'I'm a surgeon', what exactly am I identifying with?
02Can I look at my own body or health as something I know about, rather than as all that I am?

show all 6

03If my job or my body is the field, who is the one tending it, and does that one get tired too?
04Is knowing yourself something everyone does by default, or a skill you have to earn?
05Anyone can describe what I do; who is in a position to describe the one doing it?
06Am I just living in my life, or do I actually know it?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

Before a hard day, a surgeon can run through her body from feet to head the way she reviews a chart: tight shoulders, short sleep, a dull headache. Each is something she knows, which is exactly what makes it field and not her. Śaṅkara adds that this inventory is only the first step; noticing that you are the one who sees is where the real work begins.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

When you say 'I'm sick' or 'I'm old now', you are not wrong, but you are using a shorthand. The body belongs to you the way a quality belongs to a thing: inseparable, yet not the thing itself. So care for it seriously, since it is yours, and still refuse to let its state decide what you are.

show all 6

Dvaita

The commentary here only announces the chapter's method: take four things that were mixed together and set each out separately. A founder facing a messy crisis can start the same way, putting the product, the customer, the team and the money in separate columns before deciding anything. Nothing more specific can honestly be drawn from Madhva on this verse.

Śuddhādvaita

You can occupy a role for years without knowing it, like a tenant who never learns where the pipes run. Vallabha calls that being merely the holder of the field, and says that is exactly the stuck condition. The shift comes when you can describe your role clearly as something distinct from you, and see yourself as the one watching it.

Bhakti

Most of us 'know' our career or our house the way a farmer knows his plot: as mine, and as the place my rewards come from. Śrīdhara says that is exactly the stance that keeps us bound, and that any rescue from burnout has to start by seeing how 'my work, my status' is the soil the trouble grows in. Help comes, but it comes through that clarity, not around it.

Advaita-Bhakti

Anyone at work can describe your output, your title, your health record, because those are objects. Only a discerning friend notices the one who is aware behind all of it, and that one never shows up on a performance review. Madhusūdana also keeps room for delight: the point of seeing clearly is not a cold abstraction but the freedom to enjoy what is beautiful in front of you.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 13, Verse 1: Krishna to Arjuna — Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga