Gita 13.7

Kshetra Kshetragna Vibhaga Yoga

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृतिः | एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ||७||

icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaś cetanā dhṛtiḥ | etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam ||7||

In essence: Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the body-aggregate, consciousness reflected in matter, and fortitude—these complete the description of the field with all its modifications.

A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply

Sadhak-Guru Dialogue

Sadhak: "Guru ji, even consciousness is part of the field? That's surprising."

Guru: "There are two meanings of 'consciousness.' Pure awareness—the knower—is not part of the field. But the REFLECTED consciousness that animates the body-mind, that makes you feel 'I am conscious,' this is a modification of the field, like the sun's reflection in water."

Sadhak: "So my feeling of being alive and aware is also not 'me'?"

Guru: "Correct. The body borrows life from the Self. When the Self withdraws, we call it death. The aliveness you feel is real, but it's borrowed light, not the source of light itself."

Sadhak: "And desire and aversion—these feel so personal, so 'mine.'"

Guru: "That's the trickiest identification. When desire arises, there's instant fusion: 'I want this.' When aversion arises: 'I hate that.' But notice—desire comes and goes. Aversion comes and goes. What remains unchanged throughout all comings and goings?"

Sadhak: "The one watching them come and go?"

Guru: "Precisely. Desire is weather. You are the sky. Weather moves through sky; sky doesn't become weather. When you see desire as a passing phenomenon in the field, its compulsive power weakens dramatically."

Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.

🌅 Daily Practice

🌅 Morning

When desire arises (for coffee, for checking phone), pause and note: 'Desire has arisen in the field.' This tiny gap prevents automatic reactivity.

☀️ Daytime

When pleasure or pain occurs, practice naming: 'Pleasant sensation in the field' or 'Unpleasant sensation in the field.' This maintains witness stance without suppression.

🌙 Evening

Review: 'What desires moved through the field today? What aversions? What pleasures and pains?' See them as weather that passed through, while you—the sky—remain.

Common Questions

If desire is part of the field, should I suppress all desires?

Not suppress—observe. Desire suppressed grows stronger underground. But desire seen clearly as a modification in the field loses its compulsive grip. You can act on desires or not, but you're no longer driven blindly by them. The knower works with desires; the ignorant is worked by them.

How can consciousness be part of the field if it's the knower?

Distinguish two levels: (1) Pure consciousness—eternal, unchanging, the ultimate knower—this is NOT part of the field. (2) Reflected consciousness—the sense of being a conscious entity with a name, history, personality—this is a modification of the field. The first illuminates; the second is illuminated.

Pleasure and pain feel so real and immediate. How can I see them as just 'field'?

They ARE real—as real as anything in the field. But 'real' doesn't mean 'you.' A thunderstorm is real but you're not the thunderstorm. Similarly, pain is real but you're not the pain. You KNOW pain. The knowing is not itself in pain.

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