Arjuna said: O Kesava, I would like to know about material nature, the person, the field, the knower of the field, knowledge, and the object of knowledge.

The Supreme Lord said: O Arjuna, this body is known as the field. One who knows this field is described by the learned as the knower of the field.

O Bharat, you should also know Me as the knower of all fields. This knowledge, of the field and of the knower of the field, is true knowledge, in My opinion.

Now hear from Me briefly what this field is, its constitution, transformations, causes and effects; and who the knower of the field is, and of his potency.

This has been taught in many ways by various sages, the different Vedas, and the aphorisms of the Brahma-sutra with its conclusive logic.

The five primary elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth; ego, intelligence, and the unmanifest material nature; the ten senses, the mind, and the five objects of the senses; likes, dislikes, happiness, unhappiness, the aggregate, consciousness, and determination — all these are summarily known as the field and its transformations.

Desirelessness for honour, pridelessness, nonviolence, forbearance, honesty, service to the spiritual master, purity, stability, self-control, detachment from the objects of the senses, absence of egoism, awareness of the miseries of birth, disease, old age, and death; worldly detachment, absence of doting on children, wife, home, etc., constant equanimity in desirable or undesirable circumstances, undeviating pure devotion to Me, residing in a solitary place, indifference to mundane association, constancy in self-knowledge, and the vision of the goal of true knowledge — all these qualities have been said to denote knowledge. Anything contrary to this is to be considered ignorance.

Now I shall describe the object of knowledge, realising which one attains the nectar of life. Resting in Me, it is known as Brahman, eternal, neither being nor non-being.

Everywhere are His hands and feet, everywhere are His eyes, heads, mouths, and ears. He pervades the entire universe (as the Supersoul).

He illuminates all the senses and their functions, yet He is without material senses; He is completely aloof to everything, yet He is the maintainer of all (Visnu); He is transcendental to the three modes of material nature, yet He is the Lord of all qualities.

He is situated within and without all moving and stationary beings, near yet far, subtle, and therefore most difficult to comprehend.

Although indivisible, He appears as divided in all beings. He is to be known as the one who manifests, maintains, and devours all beings.

He is known as the illuminator of the luminaries, beyond darkness. Situated in the hearts of all beings, He is knowledge, the object of knowledge, reached by knowledge.

The field, knowledge, and the object of knowledge have been briefly described by Me. Realising these truths, My devotee attains love for Me.

Know that both material nature (maya) and the person (individual soul) are beginningless, and know that the transformations (body, senses, and their functions) and the transformations of the modes of nature (such as pleasure, pain, sorrow, and delusion) are born of material nature.

Material nature is said to be the cause of the production of effect (the body) and cause (the senses); the person (in material bondage) is said to be the cause of the condition of being an enjoyer or a sufferer of happiness and unhappiness.

Being situated within material nature, a person enjoys the modes born of material nature. His attachment to these modes is the cause of his repeated births in higher and lower species.

The Supreme Person — the witness, sanctioner, support, guardian, and almighty Lord within this body, is known as Paramatma, the Supersoul.

Thus, one who truly knows the Supreme Person and material nature with its modes, will never in any circumstances have to take birth again.

With their pure consciousness, some persons see the Supersoul within the heart, in their meditation. Others perceive Him through enlightenment, and yet others by the yoga of selfless action.

Further, there are those who, not knowing of these methods, engage in worship by hearing the scriptures. When their faith is deepened by such hearing, they, too, surpass the mortal plane.

O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, whatever is born in the world, whether moving or stationary, know it to be manifest from the combination of the field and its knower.

One who sees the Supreme Lord situated equally within all beings as the imperishable within the perishable — such a person sees perfectly.

Such a person with the vision of equality, seeing the Lord dwelling in every place alike, does not deceive himself, and thus he attains the supreme destination.

He who sees that all actions are brought about only by material nature, sees himself as non-doer.

When such an enlightened person realises that the different types of beings are situated within the one nature and that all are made manifest from that nature, he attains realisation of Brahman.

O Arjuna, since the Supersoul is beginningless, transcendental, and inexhaustible, although also present within the field (with the individual soul), He neither acts nor is affected by any action.

As the most subtle element of space pervades everything yet is not tainted by anything, similarly, the soul, though pervading the body, is not tainted by it.

O Bharat, as the one sun illuminates the entire world, the occupier of the field illuminates the entire field.

Those who, through the eyes of knowledge, can thus distinguish between the field and the knower of the field, and who can thus know the path of liberation of the living beings from material nature — such persons attain the Supreme.