Gita 13.6

Chapter 13: The Field & Knower

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Gita 13.6
महाभूतान्यहङ्कारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च। इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः॥

mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāro buddhir avyaktam eva ca indriyāṇi daśaikaṁ ca pañca cendriya-gocarāḥ

"The great elements, ego, intellect, the unmanifested, the ten senses and one, and the five sense-objects—"

What This Means:

The field (body) consists of: five great elements (earth, water, fire, air, space), ego (sense of 'I'), intellect, the unmanifested (prakriti), ten senses plus mind (eleven total), and five sense-objects (sound, touch, sight, taste, smell).

Going Deeper:

This is Sankhya enumeration of prakriti's 24 tattvas (categories): 5 mahabhuta (elements), ahamkara (ego), buddhi (intellect), avyakta (unmanifested prakriti), 10 indriyas (5 sense organs + 5 action organs), manas (mind—the '1' in 'daśaikam'), 5 tanmatras (subtle elements/sense objects). All of this is 'field'—matter—not the self.

How To Apply This:

Notice how you identify with these components: 'I am cold' (elements), 'I think' (intellect), 'I am hurt' (ego), 'I see' (senses). Each is actually something you have, not what you are. Practice: 'I have thoughts' rather than 'I am my thoughts.'

Key Sanskrit Terms:

mahā-bhūtāni= great elementsahaṅkāraḥ= ego, I-sensebuddhiḥ= intellectavyaktam= the unmanifestedindriyāṇi= senses