Shloka 19

Adhyāya 262: Śabda-brahman, Para-brahman, and the Ethics of Tyāga

Kapila–Syūmaraśmi Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञतत्त्वज्ञा: स्वयज्ञपरिनिछिता:

Transliteration

kṣetrakṣetrajñatattvajñāḥ svayajñapariniścitāḥ

Translation

ചൂളാധാരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“‘ക്ഷേത്രം’ എന്നും ‘ക്ഷേത്രജ്ഞൻ’ എന്നും ഉള്ള തത്ത്വം യഥാർത്ഥമായി അറിയുന്നവരും, സ്വന്തം അന്തർയജ്ഞത്തിന്റെ ശാസനയിൽ ദൃഢമായി സ്ഥാപിതരുമായവർ—സമ്യക് ബോധത്തിൽ സ്ഥിരമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു।”

Word by Word

• क्षेत्र: the field (body/matter)
• क्षेत्र: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• क्षेत्रज्ञ: the knower of the field (self)
• क्षेत्रज्ञ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्त्वज्ञाः: knowers of reality/truth
• तत्त्वज्ञाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्वज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वयज्ञपरिनिष्ठिताः: steadfast/established in the self-sacrifice (inner worship)
• स्वयज्ञपरिनिष्ठिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयज्ञपरिनिष्ठित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

चुलाधार उवाच

Characters & Entities

• चुलाधार (Chūlādhāra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True spiritual maturity is marked by clear discernment between the ‘field’ (body–mind and changing nature) and the ‘knower’ (the witnessing consciousness), together with steadiness in inner sacrifice—self-discipline and inward offering—rather than mere reliance on outward ritual.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional dialogue, Chūlādhāra continues to teach by defining the qualities of genuine knowers: they possess metaphysical clarity (kṣetra/kṣetrajña) and are firmly established in an inwardly oriented yajña, presenting an ethical-spiritual standard for right living.