Chapter 13 - Verse 6

Now, the Lord proceeds to teach that even those which the Vaisesikas speak of as the inherent attributes of Atman (the Self) are merely the attributes of Kṣetra (matter), but not the attributes of Kṣetrajña (the knower of matter).—Desire (ichchha) is that which impels a person who has once experienced a certain object of pleasure to seek—on again perceiving an object of the same class,—to get hold of this latter as conducive to pleasure. This, namely desire, is a property of the inner sense (antah-karana); and it is Kṣetra (matter) because it is knowable. So also, hatred is that which leads a person, who once experienced a certain object of pain, to dislike an object of the same class on perceiving this latter. This, namely hatred, is only Kṣetra (matter), because it is knowable. Pleasure is the agreeable, the tranquil, made up of the Sattva principle. Even this is Kṣetra, because it is knowable. Pain is the disagreeable; and it is Kṣetra because it is knowable. The aggregate is the combination of the body and the senses. Intelligence is a mental state which manifests itself in the aggregate—just as fire manifests itself in a burning metallic mass,—pervaded by the semblance of the consciousness of the Self. It is Kṣetra, because it is knowable. Courage is that by which the body and the senses are upheld when they get depressed; and it is Kṣetra because it is knowable.—Desire and other qualities mentioned here stand for all the qualities of the inner sense (antah-karana). The Lord concludes the present subject as follows : the Kṣetra has been thus briefly described, with its modifications such as Mahat (Buddhi).

Virtues conducive to Self-knowledge.

The Kṣetra, of which the various modifications in their totality have been spoken of as “this body” (xiii. 1), has been described in all its different forms, from ‘the Great Elements to ‘courage’ (xiii. 5-6).* The characteristic marks of Kṣetrajña will be shortly described. In xiii. 12, the Lord Himself will describe Kṣetrajña in detail,—that Kṣetrajña through a knowledge of whose powers immortality can be attained. But, now, the Lord prescribes, as means to that knowledge, virtues such as humility, which qualify a person for a knowledge of the Knowable, intent on which a samnyasin is said to be a jnana-nishtha, a firm devotee in the path of knowledge, and which are designated as knowledge (jnana) because they are the means of attaining knowledge.

The cosmic body and the individual bodies (samashtideha and vyashtidehas) have been described here with a view to shew that he alone who has grown indifferent (virakta) to them is qualified for knowledge.—