Shloka 38
पुरुषस्तद् विजानीते तस्मात् क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते । गुणवृत्तं तथा वृत्तं क्षेत्रज्ञ: परिपश्यति,आत्मा क्षेत्रको जानता है, इसलिये वह क्षेत्रज्ञ कहलाता है। क्षेत्रज्ष आदि, मध्य और अन्तसे युक्त समस्त उत्पत्तिशील अचेतन गुणोंके कार्यको और उनकी क्रियाको भी भलीभाँति जानता है, किंतु बारंबार उत्पन्न होनेवाले गुण आत्माको नहीं जान पाते
puruṣas tad vijānīte tasmāt kṣetrajña ucyate | guṇa-vṛttaṃ tathā vṛttaṃ kṣetrajñaḥ paripaśyati |
Vāyu disse: “A Pessoa interior (puruṣa) conhece esse campo de experiência; por isso é chamada de Conhecedor do Campo (kṣetrajña). O Conhecedor do Campo percebe claramente o operar das guṇas e suas atividades. Contudo, as guṇas—embora surjam repetidas vezes no domínio da mudança—não conhecem verdadeiramente o Si mesmo.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Consciousness (the Puruṣa/Ātman) is the ‘Knower of the Field’ because it illumines and understands the changing operations of prakṛti (the guṇas). The guṇas can be observed and analyzed by the Self, but they cannot, by themselves, grasp the Self—highlighting the Self’s distinctness and transcendence over material nature.
Vāyu is instructing the listener in a philosophical discourse: he defines why the Self is termed kṣetrajña and contrasts the knowing principle (Ātman/Puruṣa) with the known, changing processes (guṇas and their activities), emphasizing discernment and inner detachment.