क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा ।
भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् ।। १३.३४ ||

kṣetrakṣetrajñayorevamantaraṃ jñānacakṣuṣā |
bhūtaprakṛtimokṣaṃ ca ye viduryānti te param || 13.34 ||

Knower of the Supreme attains the Supreme

Why did Krishna take up the discussion of kṣetra and kṣetrajña at all? It cannot be of mere academic interest. Listen to what he says in conclusion:

Those who are able to understand with the eye of wisdom the distinction between kṣetra and kṣetrajña, as also the redemption from the hold of prakṛti, do attain the supreme Abode.

Wisdom or knowledge is unlike matter or energy. It is a subjective enrichment, inner fruition or dawning, transpiring in and instrumented by Consciousness, which is distinct from matter and energy. Like thought, feeling, emotion and memory, wisdom too transpires in intelligence. The factor to precede it, if at all, is the knowing process, the effort intelligence makes to acquire wisdom.

For the intelligence to take up the knowing process, wisdom pursuit, some specific targets and props are necessary. Quests, interrogations or investigations are presented for this purpose. As part of these, some concepts or postulates have to be instituted. Based upon them alone can the intelligence begin its exploration. The spirit and purpose will lead it to deeper and loftier levels and dimensions. Every step will be one of knowing and knowledge.

Philosophy has the aim of discovering the ultimate Reality. It is equally an exploration into the very Source of Knowledge. By presenting the concepts of kṣetra and kṣetrajña, Krishna intends to help and guide the seeker’s intelligence to probe deeply and subtly into the inner layers of Consciousness itself. The result will be inner expansion, greater skill and subtlety for intelligence itself.

When such refined intelligence begins to think of the kṣetrajña (the Indwelling Soul) in all its dimension and permeation, it gets assimilated into it. This is precisely the purpose. The intelligence captures the characteristics or dimensions of the qualities it dwells upon. The intelligence reflects as well as radiates these qualities in its functions.

Krishna conveys it very nicely. He says that they attain the supreme Abode. Who? Ye viduḥ jñāna-cakṣuṣā – those who know the distinction between kṣetra and kṣetrajña, namely the range and magnitude of the kṣetra as well as the dimensions of the kṣetrajña, using the eye called wisdom. What does this mean?

The intelligence, by embarking upon the inner knowing process, gets refined, sharper and more perceptive. As a result, it gets relieved of its constrictions like selfishness, doubt, diffidence, fear and greed. Confidence and clarity, expansion and enrichment that grace the personality represent moksha (freedom) the seeker aims at. What greater or more desirable than this is there?

Unlike objective scientific investigation, spiritual science aims at probing into one’s own personality. How, without any laboratory experiment, does the intelligence accomplish this? Distinction between kṣetra and kṣetrajña stands as the answer. Engage the intelligence in their study and contemplation and see what happens.

Truly, the dimension of the jñeya is very great, profound and vibrant. The intelligence listening to it gets inspired and starts imbibing its majesty and profundity. The more the seeker listens to and reflects on these thoughts, the more will be the growth of the jñeya dimension in him. The process is subjective.

Thus Krishna says that the whole purpose of spirituality is to develop the eye of wisdom, jñāna-cakṣuḥ. For this, the only means is to make the intelligence embark on the voyage of knowing, through concepts like kṣetra and kṣetrajña.

Ye viduḥ te yānti – the phrase is singular in its import; those who know the kṣetrajña will also attain its status. To know is to become. Whatever one knows, that indeed he becomes. This is how the seeker becomes a siddha.

With this is concluded the inaugural chapter of the 3rd and last section of the Bhagavad Gita. Known as the wisdom-section, these six chapters are specially devoted to enlighten the seeker about the gross and subtle notes of sādhanā. They contain enumeration and enunciation of a number of sādhanā elements.

In this chapter, Krishna, presenting kṣetra, kṣetrajña, jñāna and jñeya, has dwelt upon the intricacies of wisdom pursuit. Including the material universe together with the mind, intelligence and ego as the kṣetra, then pointing out kṣetrajña as distinct from all these, he emphasized that spiritual wisdom is not a single point but a beautiful expanse consisting of qualities,refinement and enrichment. He then discussed the jñeya (the One to be known) with all its transcendental dimensions. Any seeker who reflects upon these cannot but grow in his intensity and enlightenment to reach where he aspires to.