अर्जुन उवाचप्रकृतिं पुरुषं चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च ।
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव ॥
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च केशव ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
श्रीभगवान् बोलेहे कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुन यहरूपसे कहे जानेवाले शरीरको क्षेत्र कहते हैं और इस क्षेत्रको जो जानता है, उसको ज्ञानीलोग क्षेत्रज्ञ नामसे कहते हैं ॥
English
Arjuna said: O Keshava, I wish to understand nature, the field, the knower of the field, wisdom, and what is to be known.
What this verse means
Arjuna asks Krishna to explain nature, the body as the field, the knower of that field, wisdom, and the object of knowledge.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna pauses before the larger teaching begins. He asks Krishna to explain the field, the knower of the field, wisdom, and what should be known. This question opens the chapter on how to distinguish body, mind, and awareness.
Why this verse still matters
You sit in a parked car after a hard conversation, replaying every word. Something in you asks: what part of this was the event, and what part was your reaction?
The takeaway
Real understanding begins by separating what is seen from the one who sees it.
Word-by-word translation
अर्जुन उवाच (Arjuna said) / प्रकृतिं (nature) / पुरुषं (the person) / च एव (and also) / क्षेत्रं (the field) / क्षेत्रज्ञम् (the knower of the field) / एव (indeed) / च (and) / एतत् (this) / वेदितुम् (to know) / इच्छामि (I wish) / ज्ञानम् (wisdom) / ज्ञेयम् (what is to be known) / च (and) / केशव (O Keshava)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga — Field and Knower of the Field, which contains 35 verses.
Explore related themes: prakriti (31 verses), jnana (24 verses), kshetrajna (20 verses)