Chapter 13 Verse 13
Kṣhetra Kṣhetrajña Vibhāg Yog
ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वाऽमृतमश्नुते।अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते।।13.13।।
jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣhyāmi yaj jñātvāmṛitam aśhnute anādi mat-paraṁ brahma na sat tan nāsad uchyate
Word Meanings
| jñeyam | ought to be known |
| yat | which |
| tat | that |
| pravakṣhyāmi | I shall now reveal |
| yat | which |
| jñātvā | knowing |
| amṛitam | immortality |
| aśhnute | one achieves |
| anādi | beginningless |
| mat-param | subordinate to me |
| brahma | Brahman |
| na | not |
| sat | existent |
| tat | that |
| na | not |
| asat | non-existent |
| uchyate | is called |
Translation
I will declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality; the beginningless Supreme Brahman, which is neither being nor non-being.
Philosophical Significance
Core Meaning
Krishna promises to teach what must be truly known — the deepest reality that, when realized, ends the fear of death and brings spiritual freedom. This "immortality" means liberation from the cycle of birth and death by knowing your real Self.
He names that reality Brahman: beginningless and beyond simple labels of "being" or "non-being." It is not an object to be fixed by words or thoughts; it is the ground behind all change and experience.
Knowing this is not only a theory. It means recognizing the inner witness that watches thoughts, feelings, and events without being lost in them. That shift from identification with the temporary to trust in the timeless brings peace and steady action.
Life Application
- Practice short daily moments of simple awareness: notice thoughts and feelings as passing events, and rest in the quiet that remains.
- Ask gently, "Who is aware of this thought?" to develop the sense of a steady inner watcher rather than being swept away by reactions.
- Let this awareness guide choices: act kindly and responsibly from clarity, not from fear or habit.
Reflection Question
When everything around you changes, what part of you, if any, feels unchanged?