Bhagavad Gita 13.27 · Krishna
Field and knower together
यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम्।
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ॥
yāvatsañjāyate kiñcitsattvaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamamkṣetrakṣetrajñasaṃyogāttadviddhi bharatarṣabha
Whatever is born, moving or still, know it arises from the union of the field and its knower, best of the Bharatas.
Words
- kṣetra
- kṣetrajña
What it means
Krishna explains how life arises. Every being, whether it moves like an animal or stays still like a tree, comes from the meeting of kshetra, the field, matter, and kshetrajna, the knower, consciousness. Matter alone isn't life. Consciousness meeting matter is.
The story
Arjuna has been learning to separate body and spirit. Krishna now shows how they come together to make every living being, including every warrior in front of him.
In your life
Watch a seed sprouting, or a bird building a nest. Matter, moved by something alive. Notice one living thing today and wonder at the consciousness inside it.
Life is matter meeting consciousness.