Constant awareness of the inner reality, and seeing the supreme reality as the meaning of true understanding—this is called knowledge; whatever is contrary to this is ignorance.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 13.12
Hindi · हिन्दी
अध्यात्मज्ञानमें नित्यनिरन्तर रहना, तत्त्वज्ञानके अर्थरूप परमात्माको सब जगह देखना यह पूर्वोक्त साधनसमुदाय तो ज्ञान है और जो इसके विपरीत है वह अज्ञान है ऐसा कहा गया है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
अध्यात्म-ज्ञानknowledge of the inner realityनित्यत्वम्constantnessतत्त्व-ज्ञान-अर्थ-दर्शनम्seeing the meaning of knowledge of realityएतत्thisज्ञानम्knowledgeइतिthusप्रोक्तम्is calledअज्ञानम्ignoranceयत्whichअतः अन्यथाother than this
Read literallyknowledge of the inner reality · constantness · seeing the meaning of knowledge of reality · this · knowledge · thus · is called · ignorance · which · other than this
Understanding the verse
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It shifts the mind from collecting information to seeing what truly matters beneath appearances.
Built onAdhyatmaTattvaAvidyaVidya
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In plain words
What this verse means
Real knowledge means staying aware of the inner reality and seeing the supreme reality everywhere. Anything that misses this is ignorance.
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On the battlefield
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna is defining what real understanding looks like. After listing the qualities of a mature seeker, he says knowledge is steady awareness of the inner reality and seeing the supreme reality everywhere; anything else is ignorance.
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In your life
Why this verse still matters
You keep chasing labels, opinions, and surface facts in a tense conversation, but the deeper issue is what is actually real. This verse pulls attention back to that.
The takeaway
“Clear seeing feels simpler than grasping at appearances.”
Real knowledge means staying aware of the inner reality and seeing the supreme reality everywhere. Anything that misses this is ignorance.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 13.12?
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga" (Field and Knower of the Field).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 13.12?
Verse 12 sits in Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gita — Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga, "Field and Knower of the Field". The chapter has 35 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 13.12 matter today?
You keep chasing labels, opinions, and surface facts in a tense conversation, but the deeper issue is what is actually real. This verse pulls attention back to that.
It shifts the mind from collecting information to seeing what truly matters beneath appearances.
What this verse means
Real knowledge means staying aware of the inner reality and seeing the supreme reality everywhere. Anything that misses this is ignorance.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Arjuna is frozen, and Krishna is defining what real understanding looks like. After listing the qualities of a mature seeker, he says knowledge is steady awareness of the inner reality and seeing the supreme reality everywhere; anything else is ignorance.
Why this verse still matters
You keep chasing labels, opinions, and surface facts in a tense conversation, but the deeper issue is what is actually real. This verse pulls attention back to that.
“Clear seeing feels simpler than grasping at appearances.”
Explore related themes: viveka (15 verses), kshetra kshetrajna (10 verses)