Chapter XIII · Śloka 2
Śrī Kṛṣṇa uvāca
श्री भगवानुवाच ।
इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते ।
एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ॥
इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते ।
एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ॥
śrī bhagavān uvāca |
idaṃ śarīraṃ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate |
etad yo vetti taṃ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad-vidaḥ ||
idaṃ śarīraṃ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate |
etad yo vetti taṃ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad-vidaḥ ||
The Blessed Lord said: O son of Kuntī, this body is called the field (kṣetra); one who knows it is called the knower of the field (kṣetrajña) by those who know.
Kṛṣṇa introduces the two foundational categories: the body as the inert field of experience, and the conscious witness who knows it. The term kṣetrajña points to the individual self (jīva) at first and ultimately to the universal Self.