Shloka 20
Adhyāya 241: Guṇa-sṛṣṭi, Kṣetrajña-sākṣitva, and Śama through Ātma-jñāna (गुणसृष्टिः, क्षेत्रज्ञसाक्षित्वं, शमः)
सचेतनं जीवगुणं वदन्ति स चेष्टते जीवयते च सर्वम् | ततः पर क्षेत्रविदो वदन्ति प्राकल्पयद् यो भुवनानि सप्त
sacetanaṁ jīvaguṇaṁ vadanti sa ceṣṭate jīvayate ca sarvam | tataḥ para kṣetravido vadanti prākalpayad yo bhuvanāni sapta ||
毗湿摩言：人称此身为「有觉」，乃因其与个我（jīva）之德相系。实则由个我借身而行，亦由个我使全身得生与知觉。然而诸田知者（kṣetravid）宣说：高于此个我者，为至上我（Paramātman）——彼于初始之时，造作七世界者。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes three levels: the body (inert by itself), the jīva (which animates and acts through the body), and the Paramātman (the supreme creator), whom the wise regard as higher than the jīva.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on liberation and right understanding, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira a hierarchy of principles—body, individual self, and Supreme Self—urging discernment between the field (body) and the knower(s) of the field.