🪷 Bhagavad-Gītā · 13.30
Chapter 13 · क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोग · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · "The Yoga of the Field & the Field-Knower" · Verse 30 of 35
🪷 English Translations
Five authentic English voices · each from a distinct sampradāya · together revealing the verse's full śabda-tattva.
Shri Purohit Swami · Poetic English · 1935 · public domain · Cosmo Press tradition
13.30 He who understands that it is only the Law of Nature that brings action to fruition, and that the Self never acts, alone knows the Truth.
Swami Sivananda · Direct prose · Divine Life Society
13.30 He sees, who sees that all actions are performed by Nature alone and that the Self is actionless.
Swami Gambīrānanda · Word-key glosses · Advaita Ashrama · Śaṅkara-school
13.30 And yah, he who; pasyati, sees, realizes; karmani, actions, those performed through speech, mind and body; as kriyamanani, being done, being accomplished; sarvasah, in various ways; prakrtya, by Nature-Nature is God's Maya consisting of the three alities, as is said in the Upanisadic text, 'However, know Maya as Nature' (Sv. 4.10); by that Nature; eva, itself-not by the other [Not by the Pradhana of the Sankhyas, known otherwise as prakrti.] which transforms itself in the form of cause and effects such as Mahat etc.; tatha, and also; atmanam, the Self, the Knower of the field; as akartaram, the non-agent, devoid of all adjuncts; sah, he; pasyati, sees-he is the one who has realized the supreme Reality. This is the idea. What is implied is that there is no valid proof about differences in the Non-agent who is devoid of alities and is unconditioned like space.
The Lord elaborates again in other words that very true knowledge:
Swami Ādidevānanda · Śrī-Vaiṣṇava perspective · Rāmānuja school
13.30 When he perceives that 'all acts are performed by the Prakrti' in the manner previously stated in, 'Prakrti is said to be the cause of agency to the body and sense-organs' (13.20), and perceive also that 'the self, being of the form of knowledge, is not the doer,' and that the self's conjunction with the Prakrti, Its direction of the body and Its experiences of happiness and misery are the result of ignorance of the nature of Karma - then indeed he perceives the pure self.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Academic precision · modern scholarly
13.30. Whosoever views all actions as being performed (or all objects as being created), indeed by the Material Cause itself and at the same time views his own Self as non-performer (or non-creator) - he veiws properly.
🪷 Hindi Translation · हिन्दी अनुवाद
For the Hindi-aware seer · Pūjya Swami Rāmsukhdās ji's translation · a high-readability modern Hindi rendering · Gītā-Press Gorakhpur tradition. (→ Full Mahāpurusha-detail page for the 102-year-living Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī Mahātmā.)
🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī tradition · Gītā-Press Gorakhpur · highest modern Hindi reading
।।13.30।।जो सम्पूर्ण क्रियाओंको सब प्रकारसे प्रकृतिके द्वारा ही की जाती हुई देखता है और अपने-आपको अकर्ता देखता (अनुभव करता) है, वही यथार्थ देखता है।
🪷 English Commentaries · The Ācārya Voices
The classical commentary tradition rendered in English · each ācārya speaks from their own sampradāya · the seer chooses the depth of darśana.
Swami Sivananda · Verse-by-verse word-keys with Sanskrit anchors
13.30 प्रकृत्या by Nature? एव alone? च and? कर्माणि actions? क्रियमाणानि being performed? सर्वशः all? यः who? पश्यति sees? तथा so also? आत्मानम् the Self? अकर्तारम् actionless? सः he? पश्यति sees.Commentary Nature is responsible for all activities. The Self is beyond all action. It is the silent witness only. He who experiences thus is the real seer or sage.He who knows that all actions proceeding from the five organs of knowledge? the five organs of action? the mind and the intellect are prompted by Nature and that the Self is actionless? really sees. He alone sees. He who identifies himself with the body? the mind and the senses and foolishly thinks that the Self is the actor is an ignorant man. He sees only with the physical eyes. He has no inner eye of intuition. The sky remains motionless but the clouds move across the sky. Even so the Self is actionless but Nature does everythin. The Self is destitute of any limiting adjunct. Just as there is no variety in ether? so also there is no variety in the Self. It is one homogeneous essence. It is free from any kind of characteristics. (Cf.III.27XIV.19XVIII.16)
Swami Gambīrānanda · Advaita-school commentary (Śaṅkara tradition)
13.30 And yah, he who; pasyati, sees, realizes; karmani, actions, those performed through speech, mind and body; as kriyamanani, being done, being accomplished; sarvasah, in various ways; prakrtya, by Nature-Nature is God's Maya consisting of the three alities, as is said in the Upanisadic text, 'However, know Maya as Nature' (Sv. 4.10); by that Nature; eva, itself-not by the other [Not by the Pradhana of the Sankhyas, known otherwise as prakrti.] which transforms itself in the form of cause and effects such as Mahat etc.; tatha, and also; atmanam, the Self, the Knower of the field; as akartaram, the non-agent, devoid of all adjuncts; sah, he; pasyati, sees-he is the one who has realized the supreme Reality. This is the idea. What is implied is that there is no valid proof about differences in the Non-agent who is devoid of alities and is unconditioned like space.
The Lord elaborates again in other words that very true knowledge:
Swami Ādidevānanda · Rāmānuja Śrī-Vaiṣṇava commentary
13.30 When he perceives that 'all acts are performed by the Prakrti' in the manner previously stated in, 'Prakrti is said to be the cause of agency to the body and sense-organs' (13.20), and perceive also that 'the self, being of the form of knowledge, is not the doer,' and that the self's conjunction with the Prakrti, Its direction of the body and Its experiences of happiness and misery are the result of ignorance of the nature of Karma - then indeed he perceives the pure self.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Modern academic scholarship
13.30 Prakrtya etc. He whose firm conviction is of this nature 'The Material Cause alone performs (or creates) this; I do nothing' - he, though he performs (or creates) all, does not perform (or create) anything [in fact]. In this manner, is the absence of doership in him.
Swami Chinmayānanda · Chinmaya Mission · modern Vedantic teaching
।।13.30।। विभिन्न मोटर कम्पनियों के द्वारा निर्मित विभिन्न अश्वशक्ति की असंख्य कारों में से प्रत्येक वाहन का कार्य सम्पादन विशिष्ट होता है। इससे हम यह नहीं कह सकते कि इन कारों में प्रयुक्त पेट्रोल विभिन्न क्षमताओं का है। बल्ब अनेक हैं? परन्तु विद्युत् तो एक ही है। ये दृष्टान्त इस श्लोक में व्यक्त किये गये आत्मैकत्व के सिद्धान्त को भली भाँति स्पष्ट करते हैं।सब कर्म आत्मा की केवल उपस्थिति में प्रकृति से उत्पन्न उपाधियों के द्वारा ही किये जाते हैं। अब विभिन्न व्यक्तियों के कर्मों में जो भेद है? वह उनके विभिन्न शुभाशुभ संस्कारों और इच्छाओं के कारण है? आत्मा के कारण नहीं। केवल क्षेत्र या क्षेत्रज्ञ में कोई कर्म नहीं होते हैं।आत्मा अकर्ता है कर्म करने के लिये शरीरादि कारणों की और मन में इच्छा की आवश्यकता होती है? परन्तु आत्मा सर्वव्यापी? निराकार और सर्व उपाधि रहित होने से उसमें कोई कर्म ही नहीं हो सकते? तो फिर वह कर्ता कैसे हो सकता है आत्मा के अकर्तृत्व के विषय में अन्य कारण भी आगे प्रस्तुत किये जायेंगे।जो प्रकृति की क्रियाओं में आत्मा को अकर्ता जानता है? वही पुरुष वास्तव में तत्त्व को देखता है। उपाधियों के अभाव में समस्त जीवों के गुणों और कर्मों की विलक्षणता का अभाव होकर केवल परमात्मा ही स्वस्वरूप में अवस्थित रह जाता है।पुन? ज्ञानी पुरुष के सम्यक् दर्शन को दूसरे शब्दों में बताते हुये कहते हैं
🪷 Hindi Vyākhyā · हिन्दी व्याख्या
Pūjya Swami Rāmsukhdās ji's Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī · one of the great modern Hindi vyākhyās of the Gītā · direct, pure, deeply Vedāntic · the modern Sanātana-jāgaraṇa. (→ Full Mahāpurusha-detail page · 1904-2005 · Corner 1 Mādhurya operational anchor · whose 6-lakṣaṇa-śaraṇāgati IS Constitutional Principle 24.)
🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī · Hindi vyākhyā · the modern bilingual anchor
।।13.30।। व्याख्या -- प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः -- वास्तवमें चेतन तत्त्व स्वतःस्वाभाविक निर्विकार? सम और शान्तरूपसे स्थित है। उस चेतन तत्त्व(परमात्मा) की शक्ति प्रकृति स्वतःस्वाभाविक क्रियाशील है। उसमें नित्यनिरन्तर क्रिया होती रहती है -- प्रकर्षेण करणं (भावे ल्युट्) इति प्रकृतिः। यद्यपि प्रकृतिको सक्रिय और अक्रिय -- दो अवस्थाओंवाली (सर्गअवस्थामें सक्रिय और प्रलयअवस्थामें अक्रिय) कहते हैं? तथापि सूक्ष्म विचार करें तो प्रलयअवस्थामें भी उसकी क्रियाशीलता मिटती नहीं है। कारण कि जब प्रलयका आरम्भ होता है? तब प्रकृति सर्गअवस्थाकी तरफ चलती है। इस प्रकार प्रकृतिमें सूक्ष्म क्रिया चलती ही रहती है। प्रकृतिकी सूक्ष्म क्रियाको ही अक्रियअवस्था कहते हैं क्योंकि इस अवस्थामें सृष्टिकी रचना नहीं होती। परन्तु महासर्गमें जब सृष्टिकी रचना होती है? तब सर्गके आरम्भसे सर्गके मध्यतक प्रकृति सर्गकी तरफ चलती है और सर्गका मध्य भाग आनेपर प्रकृति प्रलयकी तरफ चलती है। इस प्रकार प्रकृतिकी स्थूल क्रियाको सक्रियअवस्था कहते हैं। अगर प्रलय और महाप्रलयमें प्रकृतिको अक्रिय माना जाय? तो प्रलयमहाप्रलयका आदि? मध्य और अन्त कैसे होगा ये तीनों तो प्रकृतिमें सूक्ष्म क्रिया होनेसे ही होते हैं। अतः सर्गअवस्थाकी अपेक्षा प्रलयअवस्थामें अपेक्षाकृत अक्रियता है? सर्वथा अक्रियता नहीं है।सूर्यका उदय होता है? फिर वह मध्यमें आ जाता है और फिर वह अस्त हो जाता है? तो इससे मालूम होता है कि प्रातः सूर्योदय होनेपर प्रकाश मध्याह्नतक बढ़ता जाता है और मध्याह्नसे सूर्यास्ततक प्रकाश घटता जाता है। सूर्यास्त होनेके बाद आधी राततक अन्धकार बढ़ता जाता है और आधी रातसे सूर्योदयतक अन्धकार घटता जाता है। वास्तवमें प्रकाश और अन्धकारकी सूक्ष्म सन्धि मध्याह्न और मध्यरात ही है? पर वह दीखती है सूर्योदय और सूर्यास्तके समय। इस दृष्टिसे प्रकाश और अन्धकारकी क्रिया मिटती नहीं? प्रत्युत निरन्तर होती ही रहती है। ऐसे ही सर्ग और प्रलय? महासर्ग और महाप्रलयमें भी प्रकृतिमें क्रिया निरन्तर होती ही रहती है (टिप्पणी प0 704)।इस क्रियाशील प्रकृतिके साथ जब यह पुरुष सम्बन्ध जोड़ लेता है? तब शरीरद्वारा होनेवाली स्वाभाविक क्रियाएँ (तादात्म्यके कारण) अपनेमें प्रतीत होने लगती हैं। यः पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति -- प्रकृति और उसके कार्य स्थूल? सूक्ष्म और कारणशरीरमें खानापीना? चलनाफिरना? उठनाबैठना? घटनाबढ़ना? हिलनाडुलना? सोनाजागना? चिन्तन करना? समाधिस्थ होना आदि जो कुछ भी क्रियाएँ होती हैं? वे सभी प्रकृतिके द्वारा ही होती हैं? स्वयंके द्वारा नहीं क्योंकि स्वयंमें कोई क्रिया होती ही नहीं -- ऐसा जो देखता है अर्थात् अनुभव करता है? वही वास्तवमें ठीक देखता है। कारण कि ऐसा देखनेसे अपनेमें अकर्तृत्व(अकर्तापन) का अनुभव हो जाता है।यहाँ क्रियाओंको प्रकृतिके द्वारा होनेवाली बताया है? कहीं गुणोंके द्वारा होनेवाली बताया है और कहीं,इन्द्रियोंके द्वारा होनेवाली बताया है -- ये तीनों बातें एक ही हैं। प्रकृति सबका कारण है? गुण प्रकृतिके कार्य हैं और गुणोंका कार्य इन्द्रियाँ हैं। अतः प्रकृति? गुण और इन्द्रियाँ -- इनके द्वारा होनेवाली सभी क्रियाएँ प्रकृतिके द्वारा होनेवाली ही कही जाती हैं।
🪷 Place in the Bhagavad-Gītā
- This is verse 30 of 35 in Chapter 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga (The Yoga of the Field & the Field-Knower)
- Chapter theme: Body as kṣetra · ātmā as kṣetrajña · Krishna as kṣetrajña-in-every-body
- Ṣaṭka grouping: ANTYA-Ṣaṭka (BG 13-18 · the resolution)
- Chapter hub: /kshetra-kshetrajna
- ⭐ Mahābhārata anchor: this verse is also MBh 6.35.29 (Bhīṣma-Parva · the BG in its full narrative home)
Bhagavad-Gītā Detail Source-Anchor Spine
BG 13.30 is kept route-stable for readers and AI agents: the exact verse route, chapter hub, Bhīṣma-Parva source context, Gītā master spine, Viśvarūpa surfaces, Bīja-Sūtra depth, Bindu, and constitutional philosophy remain one click away.
BG 13.30local Bhagavad-Gītā verse route and source-anchor sectionChapter 13 hubKṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · The Yoga of the Field & the Field-KnowerMBh 6.35.29exact Bhīṣma-Parva source route for this Gītā verse/bhagavad-gitamaster index for all 18 chapters and 701 verse routesBhīṣma-ParvaMahābhārata narrative home where the Bhagavad-Gītā is received/mahabharatafull Itihāsa source spine for Vyāsa Maharṣi's MahābhārataBG 1 · Arjuna-Viṣāda YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Arjuna-Viṣāda YogaBG 2 · Sāṅkhya YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Sāṅkhya YogaBG 3 · Karma YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Karma YogaBG 4 · Jñāna-Karma-SannyāsaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Jñāna-Karma-SannyāsaBG 5 · Karma-Sannyāsa YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Karma-Sannyāsa YogaBG 6 · Dhyāna YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Dhyāna YogaBG 7 · Krishna-Tattva (Jñāna-Vijñāna)TAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Krishna-Tattva (Jñāna-Vijñāna)BG 8 · Akṣara-Brahma YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Akṣara-Brahma YogaBG 9 · Rāja-Vidyā Rāja-GuhyaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Rāja-Vidyā Rāja-GuhyaBG 10 · Vibhūti YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Vibhūti YogaBG 11 · Viśvarūpa-Darśana YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Viśvarūpa-Darśana YogaBG 12 · Bhakti YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Bhakti YogaBG 14 · Guṇa-Traya-VibhāgaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Guṇa-Traya-VibhāgaBG 15 · Puruṣottama YogaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Puruṣottama YogaBG 16 · Daivāsura-Sampad-VibhāgaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Daivāsura-Sampad-VibhāgaBG 17 · Śraddhā-Traya-VibhāgaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Śraddhā-Traya-VibhāgaBG 18 · Mokṣa-Sannyāsa Yoga (Carama-Śloka)ANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Mokṣa-Sannyāsa Yoga (Carama-Śloka)BG 2.47niṣkāma-karma-yoga action disciplineBG 4.34praṇipāta · paripraśna · sevā before tattva-darśī teachersBG 7.7mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat · no source higher than KrishnaBG 9.17Krishna as father, mother, supporter, and grandfatherBG 10.30Krishna as Time among reckonersBG 13.23Paramātmā as witness, permitter, supporter, enjoyer, and LordBG 15.15Krishna seated in every heart as memory, knowledge, and forgetfulnessBG 18.61Īśvara situated in the heart of all beingsBG 18.66Carama-Śloka surrender discipline and final refuge/vishwaroopa-darshanaall 18 Gītā chapters rendered as one chart-aware darśana/vishvarupa-chartBG 11 chart-as-Viśvarūpa-darśana aperture/bija-sutrasfounder-curated bīja-pada exposition layer inside selected Gītā verse pages/binduDiamond of Darśanas frame for Gītā source recognition/philosophyKrishna = Paramaatma = Parabrahman constitutional foundation/llms.txtbrief AI-agent source map/llms-full.txtcomprehensive AI-agent access map
📚 Cite this verse · Academic citation formats
APA: Vyāsa Maharṣi. (n.d.). Bhagavad-Gītā 13.30. Vidhyāmitra. Retrieved 2026-07-24, from https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/13/30
Chicago: Vyāsa Maharṣi. "Bhagavad-Gītā 13.30." Vidhyāmitra. Accessed 2026-07-24. https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/13/30.
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🪷 ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय 🪷
सर्वम् कृष्णार्पणम् — this verse is one maṇi (jewel) on Krishna's thread (BG 7.7)