यावत्सञ्जायते किञ्चित्सत्त्वं स्थावरजङ्गमम् ।
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञसंयोगात्तद्विद्धि भरतर्षभ ।। १३.२६ ।।

yāvat-sañjāyate kiñcit-sattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamam |
kṣetra-kṣetrajña-saṁyogāt-tad-viddhi bharatarṣabha || 13.26 ||

Transcending differential vision

Krishna then summarizes the kshetra and kshetrajna discussion:

Whatever mobile and immobile existence emerges, understand all that as a result of conjunction of kshetra and kshetrajna (materiality and Consciousness).

The whole world consists of mobile and immobile creation, existence. The panca-bhutas (five elements) are there either in their pure form or as their derivatives in the endless panca-bhautika creation.

Whatever their form may be, the kshetra and kshetrajna (material existence and Consciousness) are present everywhere. In other words, all forms of existence and expression are a conjunction of kshetra and kshetrajna.

Why should Krishna say this? Where does he take Arjuna or any other seeker to by this statement? There is no doubt that to free the mind and intelligence from the clutches of multiplicity, plurality – the one factor causing delusion and perpetuating bondage – is the goal of spiritual wisdom. Krishna’s dialogue should at every stage succeed in fulfilling this mission.

To consider existence as two-fold, sentient and insentient, one totally distinct and disconnected from the other, is a sheer habit of the mind and intelligence. Unless this habit is replaced by the higher vision, delusion and bondage will not attenuate at all. To help this process, Krishna posits that every form of existence, no matter whether it is mobile or immobile, is a conjunction of kshetrajna, the sentient, and the kshetra, the insentient.

The popular distinction the senses make in this regard is to be set right. The higher evaluation should guide the seeker. For normal interaction we accept the sentient-insentient categories. But, as seeking progresses, the higher spiritual perception should replace this duo, for this is the supreme Truth. To help this process, Krishna states, as the first step, that in all existences one has to find both sentience and insentience.

This means sentience or Consciousness, the supreme Reality, is all-permeating. It interpenetrates everything in the world. The seeker should focus his mind on this fact. Only then he will be able to rise above the delusion of plurality and get to the supreme Truth of oneness. Was not Krishna emphasizing this point right from the beginning? For instance, words like yena sarvam idam tatam (2.17), dehi nityam avadhyo’yam dehe sarvasya bharata (2.30), tasmat sarvagatam brahma (3.15), ... clearly exhort the seeker to reflect upon the all-pervading Presence, the supreme Reality. In fact, this alone is the foundation as well as the goal of true spiritual life.

In chapter 6, Krishna has explained clearly: sarva-bhutastham-atmanam sarva-bhutani catmani ikshate yoga-yuktatma sarvatra sama-darsanah (6.29). Again: yo mam pasyati sarvatra sarvam ca mayi pasyati (6.30). In fact, the one theme of Bhagavad Gita is this kind of expansion of the mind and intelligence, shedding all the habitual constrictions, to arrive at the all-pervading Self.