Chapter 13
Field and Farmer
This chapter of 35 slokas, known as kshetra kshetragjnya vibhãga yoga, Field and Farmer, deals with body and spirit in the first half, and for the rest about Prakruti (Nature) and Purusha (Supreme Spirit). It may be noted that customarily the first verse that is carried here is either omitted altogether or retained unnumbered for reasons none explained.
Thereby to avoid confusion in comparison, the same is numbered 0 in this text. One might notice that s10, advocating asceticism to which Lord Krishna is opposed, doesn't jell with the rest, either contextually or philosophically, and thus should be seen as an interpolation.
S22, which states that the Supreme Soul, lay in beings as a sustainer, consenter, enjoyer and overseer, contravenes its very nature expostulated in s16-s18, ch.15. Besides, as can be seen, it affects the continuity between s21 and s23 of this chapter. S30, akin to s15 is an irrelevant interpolation too.
0
Thus spoke Arjuna:
What is nature ’n its role,
What is spirit ’n its nature,
What is frame ’n who lords it
What makes feeling ’n sixth sense?
1
Thus spoke the Lord:
Sees who body his as field
Sees he all there is to see.
2
Knows who Spirit One dwells in all
Knows he all that’s there to know.
3
Lend thy ear, as I reveal
Nature of thy frame, as well
Spirit that tenants as farmer
Besides Him and His prowess.
4
In chants validate what Vedas
Aspects that well Brahmanãs delve
Reasoned wise in varied ways.
5
Subject to reason, ego as well
Steeped is frame in elements five,
Earth, water, fire, ether and air
Organs those ten, as well mind.
6
Desire, derision, pleasure ’n pain
Pitch their tents in frames human.
7
Knowing is being -
Amiable and humble, simple ’n honest
Patient ’n decent, clean and clear
Not to speak of fair and firm –
8
Void of desires, egotism devoid
Passion none for life and times –
9
With no craving for possessions
Fondness none for things of life
None the averse, all the same.
11
Naive though fail to follow suit
Tend all wise to probe nature
And strive to see the Spirit in Me.
12
Let Me tell thee what’s needed
To let thee grasp the State Brahman
Which if done would bring in bliss.
13
All-Reaching, He’s All-Seeing
All Hearing, He pervades all.
14
Organs in His likeness made
Unlinked though to their senses,
He that sustains all three worlds
Unattached though to goings on.
15
In beings all ’n objects too
Within He lies, without as well,
If one comes to grasp this well
It’s perception that’s Supreme.
16
It’s how Brahman dwells in all
Till He ends all what that keeps.
17
He’s the Light that leaves no shade
He’s the One for one to know
He’s the Goal of all learning
He’s the Tenant in every heart.
18
It’s the knowable of the frame
Me who worship come to grasp.
19
Spirit ’n Nature, ageless both
Nature of beings, of Nature born.
20
It’s Nature that tends beings
Binding Spirit to one’s own acts.
21
Spirit that lay in beings all
Inclines to one’s attitudes,
With the ethos it imbibes
Tends it one to like rebirth.
23
Gets one freed, as he grasps
Aspects Nature ’n Spirit as well.
24
Indulge who in meditation
Find they Supreme Spirit in them,
Some as divine through wisdom
Others do so by deeds selfless.
25
He who finds this all too hard
May he obtain wise counsel
And be rid of births and deaths.
26
Whatever exists in this world
Designs Spirit in Nature’s womb.
27
Sees he well, who would see
What doth perish is just the frame
End there none to Spirit therein.
28
Realize if thou Spirit in thee
Same as one that dwells in all
Hurt thou never thine own self
Thereby attain Me Supreme.
29
Beings act per their nature
Thus the Spirit that lay in them
Hath no hand in deeds of theirs.
31
Having none its attributes
Apart being from nature
Spirit hath no qualms of its own.
32
As with ether, spread all over
None the sullied, exposed being
So is the case with Spirit in thee.
33
Sun as one lights all three worlds
It’s one Spirit that glows all frames.
34
Aware if thee of Spirit ’n frame
Frees that thou from all bindings
Making way to reach Supreme.,,,
Ends thus:
Field and Farmer,
The Thirteenth Chapter
Of Bhagavad-Gita,
Treatise of self-help.
