This truth about the field and the knower has been sung in many ways by sages, in varied Vedic hymns, and in the reasoned, conclusive verses of the Brahma Sutras.
— Krishna
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Bhagavad Gita · 13.5
Hindi · हिन्दी
यह क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञका तत्त्व ऋषियोंके द्वारा बहुत विस्तारसे कहा गया है तथा वेदोंकी ऋचाओंद्वारा बहुत प्रकारसे कहा गया है और युक्तियुक्त एवं निश्चित किये हुए ब्रह्मसूत्रके पदोंद्वारा भी कहा गया है ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
ऋषिभिःby sagesबहुधाin many waysगीतम्sungछन्दोभिःby hymns or metersविविधैःin varied formsपृथक्separatelyब्रह्मसूत्रपदैःby Brahma Sutra versesचandएवindeedहेतुमद्भिःby reasoned, cause-basedविनिश्चितैःby conclusive, well-determined [statements]
Read literallyby sages · in many ways · sung · by hymns or meters · in varied forms · separately · by Brahma Sutra verses · and · indeed · by reasoned, cause-based · by conclusive, well-determined [statements]
Understanding the verse
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It shifts the mind from treating wisdom as opinion to seeing it as a tested, cross-verified understanding.
Sages, Vedic hymns, and the Brahma Sutras all point to the same understanding of the field and the knower.
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On the battlefield
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna is unpacking the difference between the field and the knower for Arjuna. Before listing the parts of the field, he says this understanding has already been taught by sages, hymns, and the Brahma Sutras.
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In your life
Why this verse still matters
You hear the same hard truth from a mentor, a book, and your own quiet reflection. The repetition matters: some realities deserve to be confirmed from every angle before you act.
The takeaway
“You are not being asked to believe blindly; the teaching is grounded in many clear sources.”
Sages, Vedic hymns, and the Brahma Sutras all point to the same understanding of the field and the knower.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 13.5?
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 13.5?
Verse 5 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 13.5 matter today?
You hear the same hard truth from a mentor, a book, and your own quiet reflection. The repetition matters: some realities deserve to be confirmed from every angle before you act.
It shifts the mind from treating wisdom as opinion to seeing it as a tested, cross-verified understanding.
What this verse means
Sages, Vedic hymns, and the Brahma Sutras all point to the same understanding of the field and the knower.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Krishna is unpacking the difference between the field and the knower for Arjuna. Before listing the parts of the field, he says this understanding has already been taught by sages, hymns, and the Brahma Sutras.
Why this verse still matters
You hear the same hard truth from a mentor, a book, and your own quiet reflection. The repetition matters: some realities deserve to be confirmed from every angle before you act.
“You are not being asked to believe blindly; the teaching is grounded in many clear sources.”
Explore related themes: kshetra kshetrajna (10 verses)