Shloka 53

यं च व्यक्तस्थमव्यक्त विचिन्वन्ति महर्षय: । क्षेत्रे क्षेत्रज्ममासीनं तस्मै क्षेत्रात्मने नम:,जो स्थूल जगतमें अव्यक्त रूपसे विराजमान है, बड़े-बड़े महर्षि जिसके तत्त्वका अनुसंधान करते रहते हैं, जो सम्पूर्ण क्षेत्रोमें क्षेत्रञ्के रूपमें बैठा हुआ है, उस क्षेत्ररूपी परमात्माको प्रणाम है

yaṃ ca vyaktastham avyaktam vicinvanti maharṣayaḥ | kṣetre kṣetrajñam āsīnaṃ tasmai kṣetrātmane namaḥ ||

جو ظاہر دنیا میں بھی باطن و غیر مُنکشف صورت میں قائم ہے، جس کے حقیقت کی جستجو بڑے بڑے رِشی برابر کرتے رہتے ہیں، اور جو ہر میدانِ تجربہ میں ‘کھیت کا جاننے والا’ بن کر بیٹھا ہے—اُس کشتراَتما پرماتما کو سلام ہے۔

यम्whom
यम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
व्यक्तस्थम्situated in the manifest (state)
व्यक्तस्थम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootव्यक्त-स्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अव्यक्तम्unmanifest
अव्यक्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअव्यक्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
विचिन्वन्तिthey investigate, seek out
विचिन्वन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + चि
FormPresent, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural
महर्षयःgreat sages
महर्षयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहर्षि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
क्षेत्रेin the field (body/realm)
क्षेत्रे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षेत्र
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
क्षेत्रज्ञम्the knower of the field
क्षेत्रज्ञम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootक्षेत्रज्ञ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
आसीनम्seated, abiding
आसीनम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootआस् (धातु) → आसीन (क्त)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तस्मैto him
तस्मै:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
क्षेत्रात्मनेto the Self as the field (i.e., the supreme Self related to the field)
क्षेत्रात्मने:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षेत्रात्मन्
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
नमःsalutation
नमः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनमस्

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
M
Maharishis (great sages)
K
Kshetra (the field)
K
Kshetrajna (knower of the field)
P
Paramatman (implied Supreme Self)

Educational Q&A

The verse venerates the Supreme as the inner Knower (kṣetrajña) present in every ‘field’ (kṣetra)—the manifest world and embodied experience—while remaining essentially unmanifest; true wisdom is to seek and recognize this indwelling consciousness.

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on peace and right understanding, Bhishma offers a reverential statement that frames ethical life and dharma as grounded in insight into the inner Self/Paramatman, whom sages investigate and whom one should honor.