arjuna uvāca prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca etad veditum icchāmi jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava
"Arjuna said: I wish to know about nature and the person, the field and the knower of the field, knowledge and that which is to be known, O Keshava."
What This Means:
Arjuna asks six fundamental questions: What is nature (prakriti)? What is the soul (purusha)? What is the field (body)? Who is the knower of the field? What is true knowledge? What should be known?
Going Deeper:
These paired concepts form the philosophical foundation of the chapter: prakriti-purusha (matter-spirit in Sankhya philosophy), kshetra-kshetrajna (field-knower, a more practical framing), jnana-jneya (knowledge and its object). Arjuna recognizes that understanding these distinctions is essential for liberation.
How To Apply This:
Before seeking answers, clarify your questions. Arjuna models spiritual inquiry—asking precise questions about the fundamental nature of reality. What are your deepest questions about existence?
Key Sanskrit Terms: