इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतनाधृतिः।एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्।।13.7।।
icchA dveshaH sukham duhkhaM sanghatash cetanAdhRtiH | etat kShetram samAsena savikAram udAhRitam
Translation
Desire and aversion, happiness and misery, the body, consciousness and the will—all these comprise the field and its modifications.
Word Meanings
icchā — desire; dveṣaḥ — aversion; sukhaṁ — happiness; duḥkhaṁ — misery; saṅghātaḥ — body; cetanā — consciousness; adhṛtiḥ — will; etat — this; kṣetraṁ — field; samāsena — by combination; savikāram — its modifications; udāhṛtam — expressed
Understanding the Verse
In this verse, Lord Krishna delineates the constituents that make up the "field" (kṣetra) of material existence. The field is not merely the physical body; it is a composite of subtle and gross elements that together shape the individual's experience.
The first pair, icchā (desire) and dveṣaḥ (aversion), represent the fundamental motivational forces that drive human behavior. Desire pulls us toward objects of pleasure, while aversion pushes us away from pain. These twin impulses are the primary catalysts for action in the material world and form the psychic substratum of the field.
Next, sukha (happiness) and duḥkha (misery) are the emotional outcomes of those desires and aversions. They are the felt results of the engagement with the world, creating the oscillation between pleasure and pain that characterizes everyday life. Together, they illustrate how the field is experienced subjectively.
Saṅghātaḥ, literally "the body," refers to the gross physical form that houses the subtle aspects of consciousness. In the Gītā’s philosophical framework, the body is seen as a temporary vessel, an aggregate of the five elements, which provides the platform for the mind and senses to operate.
Cetanā (consciousness) and adhṛtiḥ (will) point to the subtle mental faculties that animate the body. Cetanā is the luminous awareness that illuminates experience, whereas adhṛtiḥ is the volitional power that directs actions. Both are essential for the functioning of the field, enabling us to perceive, decide, and act.
Krishna then names these components as "etat kṣetra" – this field – and adds that they are "samāsena savikāram udāhṛtam," i.e., expressed in the aggregate sense as a whole. The phrase indicates that the collective presence of desire, aversion, happiness, misery, body, consciousness, and will constitutes the entire field, including its modifications (vikāras). These modifications are the various states and conditions that arise from the interplay of the constituents.
The verse serves a didactic purpose: by understanding that the field is a combination of specific, identifiable elements, a seeker can begin to discriminate between the field (kṣetra) and the knower (kṣetrajña). Recognizing this separation is essential for cultivating detachment (vairāgya) and ultimately realizing the true Self beyond the field. This knowledge underpins the broader teaching of the Gītā, which urges aspirants to see the impermanent nature of the material world and to focus on the immutable consciousness that witnesses all modifications.
In practical terms, this awareness invites practitioners to observe how desire and aversion influence their emotions, how the body reacts, and how the mind’s consciousness and will respond. By witnessing these processes, one can gradually disidentify from them, fostering inner equanimity and moving toward the state of yoga – the union with the supreme self beyond the field.
