YOGA OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIELD AND THE KNOWER OF THE FIELD

KSHETRA KSHETRAJNA YOGA

By

Dr. R. J. Kalpana Ph.D

Visvaayudha October 2025

vasudevasutaḿ devaḿ kaḿsa-cāṇūra-mardanam

devakī-paramānandaḿ kṛṣṇaḿ vande jagadgurum

I bow down to Sri Krishna, who is the Master of the Universe, beloved son of Vasudeva, who vanquished Kamsa and Chanura, who brings immense joy to his mother, Devaki.

Pranams from Dr. R J Kalpana, Welcome to the study of The Bhagavad Gita.

The kshetra is the field that which is material and perishable. The knower of the field is kshetrajna or soul consciousness which is immutable and eternal. It is imperative that we understand the difference between the two for our own spiritual journey to commence. Too often the majority of humanity is stuck in body consciousness, thinking that the body is the beginning and the end of everything, forgetting that there is a life beyond that of the body for the body is only temporal.

In this chapter, we will understand the nature and characteristics of the field and the glory of the knower of the field while establishing the identity of the individual soul with the Oversoul. We will move beyond the body consciousness to understand that the field can also be that of Nature and the Divine principle that abides in it.

In the previous chapter on the Yoga of Devotion or Bhaktiyoga, Arjuna queried as to which of the worshippers are superior – those who worship the Divine in a particular form or those who worship the formless Divine? Shri Bhagvan explained that while it is certainly simpler and easier to worship the form for not everyone is capable of abstract thinking.

In this chapter, the we will delve deep into the concept of the formless Divine and the first sloka is the definition of Kshetra as body and Kshetrajna as the knower of the body or the soul consciousness that is able to discern the truth between the material world and the spiritual world and to the wise sages who have discerned the truth about the difference between the two.

Shri Bhagvan continues by identifying the individual soul with the Oversoul. So, He says that He is the Kshetrajna in all the Kshetras and wisdom is knowing that the Kshetra, that is matter with its evolutes is perishable and Kshetrajna or the soul is eternal.

Thus, Shri Bhagvan proceeds to explain in great detail what Kshetra is and what is its nature; what are its modifications and from what causes, what effects have arises, what that Kshetrajna is and what is its glory. This subject has been dealt with exhaustively in the Vedas and the Brahmasutras and expounded by the Rishis and sages at great length.

The Kshetra – be it the body or Prakriti or Nature and its evolutes consists of the panchabhutas – the five elements – earth, ether, fire, water, air; ahankara – ego; the intellect; the Unmanifest; karmendriyas – organs of action; jnanendriyas – organs of knowledge; and tanmatras – sound, touch, taste, colour and smell. Also likes and dislikes, pleasure and pain, physical body and consciousness.

In the following slokas, now that the Field or Kshetra and its evolutes has been defined, let us look at the virtues which leads us towards Jnana or spiritual wisdom. Absence of pride, lack of hypocrisy, non violence forbearance, uprightness of speech and mind, devout service to the preceptor, internal and external purity, steadfastness of mind and body and the senses, detachment from sensual pleasures, balanced equanimity in the life of favourable and unfavourable circumstances. Unflinching devotion to the Divine through constant remembrance, living in sacred places and finding no enjoyment in company of materialistic people. Complete commitment to the knowledge of the inner Self and seeing merger with the Divine as the true goal of human life is all called as jnana or spiritual wisdom.

After understanding what constitutes spiritual wisdom – jnana, let us undertake to understand that which is worth knowing – jneya. The first in order of knowing is the Supreme Brahman from whom originated the individual soul and Nature, the material world – both jiva and Prakriti is said to be neither being or non being – Sat or Asat.

That which can be proved is Sat or Being and that which has no existence in reality is Asat or NonBeing. The Divine is eternal and imperishable and can neither be established by proof nor can it be said that the Divine has no existence in reality for existence itself presupposes the presence of the Divine.

Therefore, having described that which is worth knowing – jneya, Shri Bhagvan proceeds to give us a glimpse of the omnipresence quality of the Divine. In sloka 13, to make a human understand the Divine, Shri Bhagvan describes Himself as having eyes, ears and mouth, and feet and hands in all directions as He is all-pervasive.

Though perceiving all the sense objects, the Divine is devoid of senses; it sustains and yet, remains unattached. It is without attributes and yet, enjoys the Gunas – the three modes of Prakriti. It exists without and within human beings and is integral like space in its undivided aspect and in its divided aspect it constitutes of the sentients and insentients.

And this is only knowledge worth knowing that as Brahma – the Divine creates, as Vishnu – preserves and as Shiva – destroys. This is the truth of the Kshetra the field and knowing this, the disciple is worthy of merging with the Divine.

Having discussed Kshetra and Kshetrajna – the field and the knower of the field; in continuation of explaining the effect that follows the cause and to discuss the true nature, Shri Bhagvan introduces us to Prakriti and Purusha – matter and spirit and at once, declares them as having no beginning and all the likes and dislikes and the Gunas are born of Prakriti. So Prakriti is responsible for bringing forth the evolutes and the instruments; while the individual soul is declared to the cause of experience.

The individual soul in association with Prakriti experiences the Gunas and the consequent attachment leads to its birth in an environment conducive or non-conducive for its spiritual evolution. The Upadrashta or the witness within the soul is but the essence of the Divine.

To understand this knowledge even while performing one’s duties, is to liberate the soul from the cycle of birth and death. The means are varied but the goal remains the same. Some adopt meditative practices, others through knowledge, still others prefer karmayoga to perceive and experience the Divine.

To meditate, one requires a master of calibre, a guru adept at guiding the disciple in the practices of meditation. For Sankhyayogis, they have to be endowed with Viveka, Vairagya, Sat Sampatti and Mumuksutva: discrimination, dispassion, sixfold riches, and a quest for liberation.

Viveka is the ability to discriminate between the illusion and reality. Vairagya is to be with non-attachment to worldly pleasures and dispassionately observe. In order to acquire Sat Sampatti, we require Sama – stillness of the mind, Dama – master the senses, Uparati – withdraw the mind from the world, Titiksha – maintain balance equanimity in face of dualities, Sraddha – devout faith in the Divine, Samadhana – single minded focused attention on the Divine and finally, Mumuksutva – by practicing all the other steps in the process, the disciple finally arrives at the final step – the quest for liberation.

Dullards are able to cross this ocean of samsara without any prior knowledge just by hearing about this from the Knowers of Truth like their Gurus and devotedly follow their instructions. In Chandogya Upanishad, Satyakama, son of Jabala, approached sage Haridrumata, who claimed descent from Sage Gautama, in quest of the knowledge of Brahma. After initial conversation, the sage selected from his herd, four hundred weak cows and instructed Satyakama to follow them. Satyakama joyfully accepted the task and with reverence said, “I will return after their number swells to a thousand.” Satyakama then took the herd of four hundred weak cows to a land of plentiful grass and water and returned only after their number became a thousand. Satyakama in the meanwhile attained realization of that which he was seeking, Brahma.

Therefore, receiving instructions from men of wisdom, who have realized the Truth and carry them out with extreme reverence and love will meet the goal.

Both inanimate and animate have originated from the union of Kshetra and Kshetrajna – matter and spirit. To see is to see the presence of the Divine equally in both animate and inanimate and every action generated is done so by Prakriti only then can liberation be attained.

We have to shift from the mindset that events that happen to us is being done so by other people. We are the non-doers and only nature or Prakriti is the doer. Once the idea is experienced that the substrata of form and formlessness is sustained by the Divine that is the moment of Brahma consciousness.

So the inner being witness to everything neither does anything nor gets affected by any action. Similar to the pervasiveness of ether although present in the body, isn’t affected by the attributes of the body.

Just as the sun illumes the universe, so too does the Kshetrajna or spirit illume Kshetra, the field. Those who experience this difference attain liberation from Prakriti and her evolutes and reach the Absolute.

yogeśaṁ(m) saccidānandaṁ(v̐), vāsudevaṁ(v̐) vrajapriyam,

dharmasaṁsthāpakaṁ(v̐) vīraṁ(ṅ), kṛṣṇaṁ(v̐) vande jagadgurum

I bow to the Master of Yoga, who is the beloved son of Vasudeva, the brave warrior who established Dharma, the spiritual guru of the world.

                                             OM ŚRĪKṚṢṆĀRPAṆAMASTU

Note: The talks can be accessed on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@kalpanarj3101