Chapter 13, Verse 4 (Bhagavad Gita 13.4)
Sanskrit Shloka
तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक् च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत्।स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे श्रृणु
Transliteration
tat kṣhetraṁ yach cha yādṛik cha yad-vikāri yataśh cha yat sa cha yo yat-prabhāvaśh cha tat samāsena me śhṛiṇu
Word Meanings
tat—that; kṣhetram—field of activities; yat—what; cha—and; yādṛik—its nature; cha—and; yat-vikāri—how change takes place in it; yataḥ—from what; cha—also; yat—what; saḥ—he; cha—also; yaḥ—who; yat-prabhāvaḥ—what his powers are; cha—and; tat—that; samāsena—in summary; me—from me; śhṛiṇu—listen
Translation
Hear from Me in brief what the field is, what its nature is, what its modifications are, where it originates from, who the knower of the field is, and what His powers are.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, begins to unveil the fundamental metaphysical architecture of existence to Arjuna. By inviting the seeker to hear from Him directly, Shri Krishna emphasizes that true knowledge of the self and the material world can only be understood through the grace of the Divine. He distinguishes between the 'Kshetra' (the field of matter) and the 'Kshetrajna' (the knower of the field), guiding the soul toward the discernment necessary for liberation. This revelation serves as a map for every spiritual aspirant, teaching us that to transcend the temporary nature of the world, we must first recognize its origin and our unique, eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord. By understanding these truths, the seeker is liberated from the entanglement of ignorance and moves closer to the realization of their own divine essence.