Bhagavad Gita 13.12अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम्।एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोन्यथा ॥
adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśhanam
etaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato ’nyathā
Sanskrit recitation
The field and the knower · 13.1–13.18 · Teaching
Translation
Constancy in Self-knowledge, the perception of the end of true knowledge—this is declared to be knowledge, and what is opposed to it is ignorance.
Hindi translation
अध्यात्मज्ञानमें नित्य-निरन्तर रहना, तत्त्वज्ञानके अर्थरूप परमात्माको सब जगह देखना -- यह (पूर्वोक्त साधन-समुदाय) तो ज्ञान है; और जो इसके विपरीत है वह अज्ञान है -- ऐसा कहा गया है।
Meaning
The liberated sage has constant awareness of the Self. He knows that knowledge of the Self alone is permanent and all other learning relating to this world is ignorance. He knows that the knowledge which leads to the realisation of the Self is the only truth.These attributes beginning with humility are declared to be knowledge, because they are conducive to knowledge they are the means to knowledge. They are secondary or auxiliary causes of knowledge. The fruit of this knowledge of the Self is deliverance from the round of births and deaths. The spiritual aspirant should always keep the end of knowledge in view. Only then will he attempt to develop the various virtues which are conducive to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. What is opposed to knowledge, viz., lust, anger, greed, pride, hypocrisy, attachment, cunningness, diplomacy, injuring others, is ignorance. These evil traits which are the products of ignorance bind a man to Samsara. If you wish to attain the knowledge of the Self you will have to eradicate these evil traits which stand as stumbling blocks on the path of salvation. If you cultivate the opposite virtues, the evil traits will die by themselves just as the plants which are deprived of water in a garden die by themselves. It is difficult to eradicate the evil traits by fighting against them.
After Swami Sivananda
The field and the knower· 13.1–13.18→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 13.1Arjuna said, "I wish to learn about Nature and the Spirit, the field and the knower of the…
- 13.2The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, this body is called the field; he who knows it is called…
- 13.3Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all fields, O Arjuna. Knowledge of both…
- 13.4Hear from Me in brief what the field is, of what nature it is, what its modifications are,…
- 13.5Sages have sung in many ways, with various distinctive chants and also with suggestive…
- 13.6The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the Unmanifested Nature, the ten senses,…
- 13.7Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (body), intelligence, and fortitude—the…
- 13.8Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher,…
- 13.9Indifference to the objects of the senses and also absence of egoism; perceiving the evil…
- 13.10Non-attachment, non-identification of the Self with son, wife, home, and the rest, and…
- 13.11Unswerving devotion to Me through the Yoga of non-separation, resorting to solitary…
13.12Constancy in Self-knowledge, the perception of the end of true knowledge—this is declared…
- 13.13I will declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality; the…
- 13.14With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears…
- 13.15Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without being attached to them;…
- 13.16It is within and without all beings, both the unmoving and the moving; It is subtle and…
- 13.17Undivided yet, It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the supporter of…
- 13.18That Light of all lights is said to be beyond darkness: knowledge, the knowable, and the…
Word-by-word→
- iti
- thus
- yat
- what
- etat
- all this
- artha
- for
- ataḥ
- to this
- jñāna
- knowledge
- proktam
- declared
- anyathā
- contrary
- jñānam
- knowledge
- adhyātma
- spiritual
- ajñānam
- ignorance
- nityatvam
- constancy
- darśhanam
- philosophy
- tattva-jñāna
- knowledge of spiritual principles
Related verses
- 5.10He who does actions, offering them to Brahman and abandoning attachment, is not tainted by…
- 13.30He sees, who sees that all actions are performed solely by Nature and that the Self is…
- 15.11The yogis striving for perfection behold Him dwelling in the Self; but, the unrefined and…
- 18.3Some philosophers declare that actions should be abandoned as evil; while others declare…