Chapter 13. Prakrti-purusa-viveka-yoga: Distinction Between Matter and Spirit

अर्ज्जुन उवाच ।

प्रकृतिं पुरुषञ्चैव क्षेत्रं क्षेत्रज्ञमेव च ।
एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयञ्च केशव ॥१॥

arjuna uvācha॥

prakṛtiṁ puruṣañ chaiva kṣetraṁ kṣetrajñam eva cha
etad veditum ichchhāmi jñānaṁ jñeyañ cha keśava [1]

arjunah uvacha–Arjuna said: (he) kesava–O Kesava; (aham)–I; ichchhami–wish; veditum–to know; etat–about these subjects: prakrtim–material nature; purusam cha eva–and the person; ksetram–the field; ksetra-jnam eva cha–and the knower of the field; jnanam–knowledge; jneyam cha–and the object of knowledge. [1]

Translation:

1 Arjuna said: O Kesava, I would like to know about material nature, the person, the field, the knower of the field, knowledge, and the object of knowledge.

पश्रीभगवानुवाच ।

इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते ।
एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ॥२॥

śrī-bhagavān uvācha॥

idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetrajña iti tad vidaḥ [2]

sri-bhagavan uvacha–The Supreme Lord said: (he) kaunteya–O son of Kunti; idam sariram–this body; abhidhiyate iti–is called; ksetram–ksetra, or the field. yah vetti–One who knows; etat–this field; tat vidah–the learned; prahuh–describe; tam–him; ksetra-jnah iti–as ksetrajna, the knower of the field. [2]

Translation:

2 The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, this body is known as the field. One who knows this field is described by the learned as the knower of the field.

क्षेत्रज्ञञ्चापि मां विद्धि सर्व्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत ।
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ॥३॥

kṣetrajñañ chāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata
kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama [3]

(he) bharata–O descendant of the Bharat dynasty; api–further; cha–also; viddhi–know; mam–Me; sarva-ksetresu–within all bodies; ksetra-jnam–as ksetrajna, the knower of the field. yat jnanam–This knowledge; ksetra-ksetrajnayoh–of the field and the knower of the field; tat jnanam–is actual knowledge; mama matam–in My opinion. [3]

Translation:

3 O Bharat, you should also know Me as the knower of all fields. This knowledge, of the field and of the knower of the field, is true knowledge, in My opinion.

तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक्च यद्विकारि यतश्च यत् ।
स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे शृणु ॥४॥

tat kṣetraṁ yach cha yādṛk cha yad vikāri yataś cha yat
sa cha yo yat prabhāvaś cha tat samāsena me śṛṇu [4]

srnu–Hear; me–from Me; tat samasena–briefly; yat tat ksetram–what that field is; cha–and; yadrk–how is it constituted; cha–and; yat vikari–what its transformations are; cha–and; yatah–wherefrom; yat–it develops; cha–and; yah–who is; sah–that knower of the field; cha–and; yat prabhavah–what his potency is. [4]

Translation:

4 Now hear from Me briefly what this field is, its constitution, transformations, causes and effects; and who the knower of the field is, and of his potency.

ऋषिभिर्बहुधा गीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक् ।
ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैश्चैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्चितैः ॥५॥

ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītaṁ chhandobhir vividhaiḥ pṛthak
brahma-sūtra-padaiś chaiva hetumadbhir viniśchitaiḥ [5]

(tat)–That knowledge of ksetra and ksetrajna; gitam–is sung; vividhaih rsibhih–by many types of sages; bahudha eva–in many ways; prthak chhandobhih–by the different Vedas; brahma-sutra-padaih–and by the aphorisms of Vedanta; vinischitaih–with conclusive; hetumadbhih cha–logic. [5]

Translation:

5 This has been taught in many ways by various sages, the different Vedas, and the aphorisms of the Brahma-sutra with its conclusive logic.

महाभूतान्यहङ्कारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च ।
इन्द्रियाणि दशैकञ्च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः ॥६॥

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृतिः ।
एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ॥७॥

mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāro buddhir avyaktam eva cha
indriyāṇi daśaikañ cha pañcha chendriya-gocharāḥ [6]

ichchhā dveṣaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaś chetanā dhṛtiḥ
etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam [7]

maha-bhutani–The five primary elements; ahankarah–ego; buddhih–intelligence (mahat-tattva); avyaktam eva cha–the unmanifest material nature; dasa indriyani–the ten senses (the five senses of action — voice, hands, legs, anus, and genital; and the five senses of perception — eye, tongue, skin, nose, and ear); ekam cha–and the mind; pancha cha–and the five; indriya-gocharah–corresponding objects of the senses (form, taste, touch, smell, and sound); ichchha–likes; dvesah–dislikes; sukham–happiness; duhkham–unhappiness; sanghatah–the aggregate, the gross body; chetana–consciousness; dhrtih–determination; etat–all these; udahrtam–are described; samasena–in brief; ksetram–as the field; sa-vikaram–with its transformations. [6–7]

Translation:

6–7 The five primary elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth; ego, intelligence, and the unmanifest material nature; the ten senses, the mind, and the five objects of the senses; likes, dislikes, happiness, unhappiness, the aggregate, consciousness, and determination — all these are summarily known as the field and its transformations.

अमानित्वमदम्भित्वमहिंसा क्षान्तिरार्ज्जवम् ।
आचार्य्योपासनं शौचं स्थैर्य्यमात्मविनिग्रहः ॥८॥

इन्द्रियार्थेषु वैराग्यमनहङ्कार एव च ।
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिदुःखदोषानुदर्शनम् ॥९॥

असक्तिरनभिष्वङ्गः पुत्रदारगृहादिषु ।
नित्यञ्च समचित्तत्वमिष्टानिष्टोपपत्तिषु ॥१०॥

मयि चानन्ययोगेन भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणी ।
विविक्तदेशसेवित्वमरतिर्जनसंसदि ॥११॥

अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम् ।
एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोऽन्यथा ॥१२॥

amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam
āchāryopāsanaṁ śauchaṁ sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ [8]

indriyārtheṣu vairāgyam anahaṅkāra eva cha
janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam [9]

asaktir anabhiṣv-aṅgaḥ putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu
nityañ cha sama-chittatvam iṣṭāniṣṭopapattiṣu [10]

mayi chānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhichāriṇī
vivikta-deśa-sevitvam aratir jana-saṁsadi [11]

adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam
etaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato ’nyathā [12]

etat jnanam–The following qualities denote knowledge: amanitvam–the quality of desirelessness for honour; adambhitvam–pridelessness; ahimsa–nonviolence; ksantih–forbearance; arjavam–straightforwardness and simplicity; acharya-upasanam–service to the spiritual master; saucham–purity; sthairyam–steadiness; atma-vinigrahah–self-control; indriya-arthesu vairagyam–detachment from the objects of the senses; anahankarah eva cha–absence of egoism; duhkha-dosa-anudarsanam–awareness of the miseries; janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi–of birth, death, infirmity, and disease; asaktih–worldly detachment; anabhisu-angah–not to dote on; putra-dara-grha-adisu–children, wife, home, etc.; nityam sama-chittatvam cha–constant equanimity; ista-anista-upapattisu–in desirable or undesirable circumstances; cha–and; ananya-yogena–singleminded; avyabhicharini–undeviating; bhaktih–devotion; mayi–to Me; vivikta-desa-sevitam–residing in a solitary place; aratih–indifference; jana-samsadi–to mundane association; adhyatma-jnana-nityatvam–constancy in self-knowledge; tattva-jnana-artha-darsanam–and the vision of the goal of true knowledge; iti–thus; proktam–has been proclaimed; (rsibhih)–by the sages. yat–Anything; anyatha–contrary; atah–to this; ajnanam–is nescience. [8–12]

Translation:

8–12 Desirelessness for honour, pridelessness, nonviolence, forbearance, honesty, service to the spiritual master, purity, stability, self-control, detachment from the objects of the senses, absence of egoism, awareness of the miseries of birth, disease, old age, and death; worldly detachment, absence of doting on children, wife, home, etc., constant equanimity in desirable or undesirable circumstances, undeviating pure devotion to Me, residing in a solitary place, indifference to mundane association, constancy in self-knowledge, and the vision of the goal of true knowledge — all these qualities have been said to denote knowledge. Anything contrary to this is to be considered ignorance.

ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते ।
अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते ॥१३॥

jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛtam aśnute
anādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate [13]

(aham) pravaksyami–I now describe; tat–that; yat–which; jneyam–is the object of knowledge; jnatva–realising; yat–which; amrtam–the nectar of life; asnute–is attained. tat brahma uchyate–That is known as Brahma; anadi–beginningless, eternal; mat-param–resting in Me; na sat–beyond being, beyond the material effect; na asat–and beyond non-being, beyond the material cause. [13]

Translation:

13 Now I shall describe the object of knowledge, realising which one attains the nectar of life. Resting in Me, it is known as Brahma, eternal, neither being nor non-being.

सर्व्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्व्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम् ।
सर्व्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्व्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ॥१४॥

sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat sarvato ’kṣi-śiro-mukham
sarvataḥ śrutimal loke sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati [14]

sarvatah–Everywhere; pani-padam–hands and feet; sarvatah–everywhere; aksi-sirah-mukham–eyes, heads, and mouths; sarvatah–everywhere; srutimat–ears; tat–that object of knowledge; tisthati–exists; avrtya–pervading; sarvam–everything; loke–in the universe. [14]

Translation:

14 Everywhere are His hands and feet, everywhere are His eyes, heads, mouths, and ears. He pervades the entire universe (as the Supersoul).

सर्व्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्व्वेन्द्रियविवर्ज्जितम् ।
असक्तं सर्व्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च ॥१५॥

sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṁ sarvendriya-vivarjitam
asaktaṁ sarva-bhṛch chaiva nirguṇaṁ guṇa-bhoktṛ cha [15]

sarva-indriya-guna-abhasam–(He) illuminates all the senses and their functions; (tad api)–yet; sarva-indriya-vivarjitam–is without (material) senses. asaktam–(Although) aloof; sarva-bhrt cha–(He is) the maintainer of all. nirgunam cha–(Although) transcendental to the modes of nature; guna-bhoktr eva–(He is) the Lord of all qualities. [15]

Translation:

15 He illuminates all the senses and their functions, yet He is without material senses; He is completely aloof to everything, yet He is the maintainer of all (Visnu); He is transcendental to the three modes of material nature, yet He is the Lord of all qualities.

बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च ।
सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ॥१६॥

bahir antaś cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva cha
sūkṣmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūrasthaṁ chāntike cha tat [16]

tat–That knowable is; bahih cha–outside; antah–and inside; acharam–stationary; charam eva cha–and moving; bhutanam–beings. suksmatvat–Due to subtlety; tat–that; avijneyam–is difficult to comprehend; antike cha–near; dura-stham cha–yet far. [16]

Translation:

16 He is situated within and without all moving and stationary beings, near yet far, subtle, and therefore most difficult to comprehend.

अविभक्तञ्च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् ।
भूतभर्त्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ॥१७॥

avibhaktañ cha bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva cha sthitam
bhūta-bhartṛ cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu cha [17]

tat avibhaktam–That indivisible; sthitam–appears; vibhaktam iva cha–as divided; bhutesu–in the living beings. (tat eva)–He; jneyam–is to be known; prabha-visnu cha–as the manifestor; bhuta-bhartr cha–the maintainer; grasisnu cha–and the devourer. [17]

Translation:

17 Although indivisible, He appears as divided in all beings. He is to be known as the one who manifests, maintains, and devours all beings.

ज्योतिषामपि तज्ज्योतिस्तमसः परमुच्यते ।
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं ज्ञानगम्यं हृदि सर्व्वस्य धिष्ठितम् ॥१८॥

jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param uchyate
jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ hṛdi sarvasya dhiṣṭhitam [18]

tat–He; uchyate–is said to be; jyotih–the illuminator; jyotisam api–of the luminaries; param–beyond; tamasah–the darkness; (tat eva)–He is; jnanam–knowledge; jneyam–the object of knowledge; jnana-gamyam–reached by knowledge (verses 8–12); dhisthitam–situated as the Supersoul; hrdi–within the hearts; sarvasya–of all. [18]

Translation:

18 He is known as the illuminator of the luminaries, beyond darkness. Situated in the hearts of all beings, He is knowledge, the object of knowledge, reached by knowledge.

इति क्षेत्रं तथा ज्ञानं ज्ञेयञ्चोक्तुं समासतः ।
मद्भक्त एतद्विज्ञाय मद्भावायोपपद्यते ॥१९॥

iti kṣetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyañ choktuṁ samāsataḥ
mad-bhakta etad vijñāya mad-bhāvāyopapadyate [19]

iti–Thus; ksetram–the field; jnanam–knowledge; jneyam cha–and the object of knowledge (the Lord in His aspects of Brahma, Paramatma, and Bhagavan); tatha uktam–are described; samasatah–in brief. etat vijnaya–Realising this; mat-bhaktah–My devotee; upapadyate–attains; mat-bhavaya–love for Me. [19]

Translation:

19 The field, knowledge, and the object of knowledge have been briefly described by Me. Realising these truths, My devotee attains love for Me.

प्रकृतिं पुरुषञ्चैव विद्ध्यनादी उभावपि ।
विकारांश्च गुणांश्चैव विद्धि प्रकृतिसम्भवान् ॥२०॥

prakṛtiṁ puruṣañ chaiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api
vikārāṁś cha guṇāṁś chaiva viddhi prakṛti-sambhavān [20]

viddhi–Know; ubhau api–both; prakrtim–nature — maya; purusam cha–and the jivatma, individual soul, described as ‘knower of the field’; anadi eva–to be beginningless. viddhi–Know; vikaran cha–the transformations — body, senses, and their functions; gunan eva cha–and the transformations of the modes of nature, as happiness, unhappiness, sorrow, and delusion, etc.; prakrti-sambhavan–as born of material nature. [20]

Translation:

20 Know that both material nature (maya) and the person (individual soul) are beginningless, and know that the transformations (body, senses, and their functions) and the transformations of the modes of nature (such as pleasure, pain, sorrow, and delusion) are born of material nature.

कार्य्यकारणकर्त्तृत्वे हेतुः प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।
पुरुषः सुखदुःखानां भोक्तृत्वे हेतुरुच्यते ॥२१॥

kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir uchyate
puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛtve hetur uchyate [21]

prakrtih–Material nature (with the presence of purus); uchyate–is said to be; hetuh–the cause; karya-karana-kartrtve–via the presiding demigods of the senses, of the production of the effect, as the body, and of the cause, as the senses. purusah–The person — jiva; uchyate–is said to be; hetuh–the cause; bhoktrtve–of the state of being an enjoyer or a sufferer; sukha-duhkhanam–of happiness and unhappiness. [21]

Translation:

21 Material nature is said to be the cause of the production of effect (the body) and cause (the senses); the person (in material bondage) is said to be the cause of the condition of being an enjoyer or a sufferer of happiness and unhappiness.

पुरुषः प्रकृतिस्थो हि भुङ्क्ते प्रकृतिजान्गुणान् ।
कारणं गुणसङ्गोऽस्य सदसद्योनिजन्मसु ॥२२॥

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [22]

prakrti-sthah–Situated within (the body which is an effect of) material nature; purusah hi–a person; bhunkte–enjoys; gunan–the modes; prakrti-jan–born of material nature. guna-sangah–Attachment to the modes (as body, senses, etc.); (bhavati)–is; karanam–the cause; asya–of that person’s; sat-asat-yoni-janmasu–births in higher and lower species. [22]

Translation:

22 Being situated within material nature, a person enjoys the modes born of material nature. His attachment to these modes is the cause of his repeated births in higher and lower species.

उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्त्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः ।
परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः ॥२३॥

upadraṣṭānumantā cha bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ
paramātmeti chāpy ukto dehe ’smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ [23]

parah purusah–The Supreme Person; upadrasta–witness; anumanta–sanctioner; bharta–support; bhokta–maintainer; maha-isvarah cha–and Supreme Lord; asmin dehe–within this body; api uktah–is also described; iti cha–as; paramatma–Paramatma, the Supersoul. [23]

Translation:

23 The Supreme Person — the witness, sanctioner, support, guardian, and almighty Lord within this body, is known as Paramatma, the Supersoul.

य एवं वेत्ति पुरुषं प्रकृतिञ्च गुणैः सह ।
सर्व्वथा वर्त्तमानोऽपि न स भूयोऽभिजायते ॥२४॥

ya evaṁ vetti puruṣaṁ prakṛtiñ cha guṇaiḥ saha
sarvathā vartamāno ’pi na sa bhūyo ’bhijāyate [24]

yah–One who; evam vetti–thus knows; purusam–the Supreme Person; prakrtim cha–and material nature; gunaih saha–with its modes; sah–he; vartamanah api–though present; sarvatha–in any situation; na abhijayate–is not born; bhuyah–again. [24]

Translation:

24 Thus, one who truly knows the Supreme Person and material nature with its modes, will never in any circumstances have to take birth again.

ध्यानेनात्मनि पश्यन्ति केचिदात्मानमात्मना ।
अन्ये साङ्ख्ये न योगेन कर्म्मयोगेन चापरे ॥२५॥

dhyānenātmani paśyanti kechid ātmānam ātmanā
anye sāṅkhyena yogena karma-yogena chāpare [25]

kechit–Some; pasyanti–see; dhyanena–by meditation; atmana–by the pure consciousness; atmanam–the Supersoul; atmani–within the heart; anye–others; sankhyena yogena–by sankhya-yoga; apare cha–and yet others; karma-yogena–by karma-yoga. [25]

Translation:

25 With their pure consciousness, some persons see the Supersoul within the heart, in their meditation. Others perceive Him through enlightenment, and yet others by the yoga of selfless action.

अन्ये त्वेवमजानन्तः श्रुत्वान्येभ्य उपासते ।
तेऽपि चातितरन्त्येव मृत्युं श्रुतिपरायणाः ॥२६॥

anye tv evam ajānantaḥ śrutvānyebhya upāsate
te ’pi chātitaranty eva mṛtyuṁ śruti-parāyaṇāḥ [26]

anye tu–Yet others; ajanantah–not knowing; evam–of all these methods; upasate–worship; srutva–by hearing; anyebhyah–from others. te api–They too; sruti-parayanah (santah)–when their faith is deepened by hearing; atitaranti eva–surpass; mrtyum cha–death. [26]

Translation:

26 Further, there are those who, not knowing of these methods, engage in worship by hearing the scriptures. When their faith is deepened by such hearing, they, too, surpass the mortal plane.

यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् ।
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ ॥२७॥

yāvat sañjāyate kiñchit sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam
kṣetra-kṣetrajña-saṁyogāt tad viddhi bharatarṣabha [27]

(he) bharatarsabha–O best of the Bharat dynasty; yavat kinchit–whatever; sthavara-jangamam–stationary or moving; sattvam–being; sanjayate–is born; viddhi–know; tat–that; ksetra-ksetrajna-samyogat–as born of the combination of the field and its knower. [27]

Translation:

27 O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, whatever is born in the world, whether moving or stationary, know it to be manifest from the combination of the field and its knower.

समं सर्व्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् ।
विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति ॥२८॥

samaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhantaṁ parameśvaram
vinaśyatsv avinaśyantaṁ yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati [28]

yah–One who; pasyati–sees; parama-isvaram–the Supreme Lord; tisthantam–situated; samam–equally; sarvesu bhutesu–in all beings; avinasyantam–as the imperishable; vinasyatsu–within the perishable; sah–such a person; pasyati–sees perfectly. [28]

Translation:

28 One who sees the Supreme Lord situated equally within all beings as the imperishable within the perishable — such a person sees perfectly.

समं पश्यन्हि सर्व्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् ।
न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति परां गतिम् ॥२९॥

samaṁ paśyan hi sarvatra samavasthitam īśvaram
na hinasty ātmanātmānaṁ tato yāti parāṁ gatim [29]

(sah) hi–Such a person; pasyan–by seeing; samam–with equality; isvaram–the Lord; samavasthitam–dwelling alike; sarvatra–in every place; na hinasti–does not deceive, deprive; atmanam–himself; atmana–by himself; tatah–and therefore; yati–attains; param gatim–the supreme destination. [29]

Translation:

29 Such a person with the vision of equality, seeing the Lord dwelling in every place alike, does not deceive himself, and thus he attains the supreme destination.

प्रकृत्यैव च कर्म्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्व्वशः ।
यः पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्त्तारं स पश्यति ॥३०॥

prakṛtyaiva cha karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ
yaḥ paśyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśyati [30]

cha–And; yah–he who; pasyati–sees; tatha–that; sarvasah–all; karmani–actions; kriyamanani–are brought about; eva–only; prakrtya–by material nature; sah–such a person; pasyati–sees; atmanam–himself; akartaram–as non-doer. [30]

Translation:

30 He who sees that all actions are brought about only by material nature, sees himself as non-doer.

यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति ।
तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ॥३१॥

yadā bhūta-pṛthag-bhāvam eka-stham anupaśyati
tata eva cha vistāraṁ brahma sampadyate tadā [31]

yada–When; (sah)–such a seer; anupasyati–can see; bhuta-prthak-bhavam–the different types of beings; eka-stham–situated in the one nature; cha–and; (bhutanam) vistaram–the projection of all beings; tatah eva–from that nature; tada–then; brahma sampadyate–the state of Brahma is reached. [31]

Translation:

31 When such an enlightened person realises that the different types of beings are situated within the one nature and that all are made manifest from that nature, he attains realisation of Brahma.

अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः ।
शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते ॥३२॥

anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥ
śarīra-stho ’pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate [32]

(he) kaunteya–O son of Kunti; anaditvat–because of eternality; nirgunatvat–and being transcendental to the material modes; avyayah–and inexhaustible; ayam–the; paramatma–Supersoul; sarira-sthah api–although present within the field; na karoti–neither acts; na lipyate–nor is affected by any action. [32]

Translation:

32 O Arjuna, since the Supersoul is beginningless, transcendental, and inexhaustible, although also present within the field (with the individual soul), He neither acts nor is affected by any action.

यथा सर्व्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते ।
सर्व्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथात्मा नोपलिप्यते ॥३३॥

yathā sarva-gataṁ saukṣmyād ākāśaṁ nopalipyate
sarvatrāvasthito dehe tathātmā nopalipyate [33]

yatha–As; sarva-gatam–the all-pervading; akasam–space; na upalipyate–is not tainted by anything, is untouched; sauksmyat–due to its subtleness; tatha–similarly; atma–atma, the soul; avasthitah–situated; sarvatra–pervading; dehe–the body; na upalipyate–is not tainted or touched. [33]

Translation:

33 As the most subtle element of space pervades everything yet is not tainted by anything, similarly, the soul, though pervading the body, is not tainted by it.

यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः ।
क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत ॥३४॥

yathā prakāśayaty ekaḥ kṛtsnaṁ lokam imaṁ raviḥ
kṣetraṁ kṣetrī tathā kṛtsnaṁ prakāśayati bhārata [34]

(he) bharata–O Arjuna; yatha–as; ekah–the one; ravih–sun; prakasayati–illuminates; imam–this; krtsnam–entire; lokam–world; tatha–similarly; ksetri–the occupier of the field; prakasayati–illuminates; krtsnam–the entire; ksetram–field. [34]

Translation:

34 O Bharat, as the one sun illuminates the entire world, the occupier of the field illuminates the entire field.

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा ।
भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षञ्च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् ॥३५॥

kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor evam antaraṁ jñāna-chakṣuṣā
bhūta-prakṛti-mokṣañ cha ye vidur yānti te param [35]

ye–Those who; jnana-chaksusa–through the eyes of knowledge; evam viduh–can thus know; antaram–the distinction; ksetra-ksetrajnayoh–between the field and its knower; cha–and (can thus know); bhuta-prakrti-moksam–the way of liberation of the living beings from material nature; te–they; yanti–attain; param–the Supreme. [35]

Translation:

35 Those who, through the eyes of knowledge, can thus distinguish between the field and the knower of the field, and who can thus know the path of liberation of the living beings from material nature — such persons attain the Supreme.

इति श्रीमहाभारते शतसाहस्र्यां संहितायां वैयासिक्या भीष्मपर्व्वणि
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्ज्जुनसंवादे प्रकृतिपुरुषविवेकयोगो नाम त्रयोदशोऽध्यायः ॥१३॥

iti sri-mahabharate sata-sahasryam samhitayam vaiyasikyam
bhisma-parvani srimad-bhagavad-gitasupanisatsu brahma
vidyayam yoga-sastre sri-krsnarjuna-samvade prakrti-
purusa-viveka-yogo nama trayodaso ’dhyayah [13]

End of Chapter Thirteen
Distinction between Matter and Spirit
from the conversation
of Sri Krishna and Arjuna
in Srimad Bhagavad-gita Upanisad
the yoga scripture of transcendental knowledge
in Bhisma Parva of Sri Mahabharata, the holy scripture
revealed by Srila Vyasadev in a hundred thousand verses.