Bhagavad Gita 13.7

Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga · English Translation

Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (the body), intelligence, fortitude the field has thus been briefly described with its modifications.

Sanskrit

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं संघातश्चेतना धृतिः | एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ||१३-७||

Transliteration

icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ saṃghātaścetanā dhṛtiḥ . etatkṣetraṃ samāsena savikāramudāhṛtam ||13-7||

What Does This Verse Mean?

In this verse, Lord Krishna continues his detailed explanation to Arjuna about the human body and mind, which he calls the 'field' of activity. He lists specific qualities like desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, intelligence, and fortitude as essential characteristics that define how we experience life in this physical form. The key teaching is that these mental states are not who you truly are; they are merely temporary modifications happening within the field of your existence. By understanding them clearly, one begins to distinguish between the changing body-mind complex and the unchanging soul.

The Teaching Behind It

This verse is foundational to Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge) and Sankhya philosophy, which focuses on discriminative intelligence between the knower and the known. It develops the concept that consciousness must analyze the 'field' of experience—including all emotional modifications—to realize the distinct nature of the Atman (soul). By cataloging these attributes, it sets the stage for detachment from the body-mind complex.

Word by Word

इच्छा desire, द्वेषः hatred, सुखम् pleasure, दुःखम् pain, सङ्घातः the aggregate, चेतना intelligence, धृतिः fortitude, एतत् this, क्षेत्रम् field, समासेन briefly, सविकारम् with modifications, उदाहृतम् has been described

Classical Commentary

These principles form the frame or the skelteton on which the world of forms is built. All these are mental states and treated as properties of the body by the Sankhya school of thought. According to the NyayaYaiseshika schools, these are the inherent alities of the Self. The modifications have a beginning and an end. Only that which is unchanging can be the witness of these modifications. The knower of the field is unchanging. He is the witness of the field and its modifications. Desire is a modification of the mind. It is an earnest longing for an object. It is a Vritti (thoughtwave) born of Rajas which urges a man who has once experienced a certain object of pleasure to get hold of it as conducive to his pleasure when he beholds the same object again. This is the property of the inner sense. It is the field because it is knowable. You enjoy a certain sensual object. The impression of this is produced in the subconscious mind. This impression is vivified or revived through memory or remembrance of the sensual pleasure. Then desire arises to enjoy the object again. Repetition of the sensual enjoyment intensifies the memory and desire. Renunciation of the objects and meditation thin out the impressions and the desires. If anyone gives a description of the beautiful scenery of Badri Narayana or Mount Kailasa at once a desire arises in our minds to vist those places. If a man says that very good sweetmeats and mangoes are available in Bangalore, a desire to get these objects crops up in your mind. Therefore memory of sensual enjoyments and the hearing of the alities of the sensual objects are the root causes of desires. Hope fattens the desires. Hope gives a new lease of life to desires. Desire excites the mind and the senses. Desire makes the mind restless. Desire makes the mind wander in the sensual grooves. An object which is sweet and pleasant to you at one moment produces the very reverse of that sensation at another moment. Everyone of you might have had this experience. Objects are pleasant only when there is a longing for them. But they are unpleasant when there is no longing for them. Therefore desires are the cause of pleasure. If satisfaction arises through enjoyment of the objects, pleasure will cease. If your mind is destitute of desires then you will always enjoy serenity, eanimity, balance or poise in spite of many obstalces or adversities. The foundation of desire is the love of sensual pleasures. Desires run along the path of your inclination, proclivity or tendency or taste. Desire is the fuel. Thought is the fire. If you withdraw the fuel of desire, the fire of thought will be extinguished like an oilless lamp. The intellect becomes impure by association with desires. Hatred is a modification of the mind. It is a negative one. It is a Vritti that impels a man who,experienced pain from a certain object to dislike it when he beholds the same object again. Hatred also is field because it is knowable. The modification that arises in the mind when your desire is not fulfilled is called hatred. Pleasure is agreeable, peaceful, made of Sattva. This is also the field because it is knowable. Pain is disagreeable or unpleasant. It is also the field because it is knowable. Sanghata Aggregate, the combination of the body and the senses or the bundle of the 35 components of the body. Chetana Intelligence is a mental state which manifests itself in the aggregate just as fire manifests itself in a ball of iron. This is also the field because it is knowable. Chetana means consciousness and also the activity of the vital airs. Dhriti Firmness, courage, fortitude. It is a Sattvic modification of the mind. The body, the senses and the mind are sustained by firmness when they are depressed and agitated. The five elements are antagonistic to each other. Water destroys earth. Fire dries up water. Water puts out fire. Wind puts out a lamp (fire). Ether absorbs the wind. The five elements fight amongst themselves and yet they (that have a natural dislike for one another) dwell together ite amicably in the same body. Each element beautifully cooperates with the others in carrying on the common functions of the body harmoniously. Each element nourishes the other elements also with its own alities. Dhriti is firmness or the power by which these fighting elements are held in union and harmony and kept in a state of steadiness and balance. This is also the field because it is knowable. Desire and the other alities that are spoken of in this verse stand for all the alities of the mind. The field that is mentioned in the first verse has been dealth with in all its different forms in the fifth and the sixth verses.

Where This Happens

This verse appears in Chapter 13, where Krishna is systematically explaining 'Kshetra' (the field) and 'Kshetrajna' (the knower of the field) to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Just before this, Krishna has described the physical elements that make up the body; now he shifts focus to the psychological and emotional modifications that arise within it. Arjuna is in a state of deep confusion and sorrow, paralyzed by attachment to his relatives, so Krishna provides this analytical framework to help him gain clarity about what is merely temporary emotion versus eternal truth.

Living It Out Today

Consider a professional facing a high-stakes project decision where they feel intense anxiety (pain) coupled with an overwhelming urge for success (desire). Instead of identifying as the anxious person or being swept away by the fear, this teaching suggests observing these feelings as 'modifications' occurring within their mind-field. By recognizing that intelligence and fortitude are also present to guide them through, they can separate their true self from the temporary stress response. This shift allows for a calmer, more rational approach rather than reacting impulsively out of habit or fear.

Explained for Children

Imagine your mind and body are like a busy garden where many different plants grow at once. Sometimes you feel happy (pleasure) or sad (pain), sometimes you really want something new (desire), and other times you might get angry with someone (hatred). This verse is telling us that all these feelings, along with your ability to think smartly (intelligence) and stay strong when things are hard (fortitude), are just part of how the garden works. It's like checking a weather report for your heart: knowing what storms or sunny days might come helps you understand yourself better without getting confused by them.

Daily Reflection

Today, I invite you to pause and notice when your mind tightens around a desire or recoils from an annoyance; realize this is just nature playing out within the 'field' of experience. These reactions are not who you truly are, but merely modifications like clouds moving across the sky of your consciousness. By gently acknowledging their presence without getting swept away by them, you begin to discover the stillness that remains untouched beneath it all.

A Practice for Today

Close your eyes and simply observe the rising of desire, aversion, pleasure, or pain as passing weather patterns within you, rather than claiming them as 'my' permanent state. Notice how these fluctuations arise in the body-mind complex—the field—and rest briefly in that quiet awareness which watches without judging.

Key Teachings

The Body as a Dynamic Field
Krishna identifies the physical body not just as flesh and bone, but as an active field where sensory experiences like pleasure and pain constantly arise. This 'aggregate' is the stage upon which all psychological drama unfolds.
The Duality of Human Experience
Desire (icchā) and hatred (dveṣa), paired with pleasure (sukha) and pain (duḥkha), are the fundamental dualities that drive our actions. Understanding these as natural modifications helps us stop identifying with them as permanent truths.
The Foundation of Conscious Action
Intelligence (buddhi) and fortitude (dhṛti) are the tools within this field that allow a seeker to navigate these dualities. True wisdom lies in using intelligence to discern what is real from temporary sensations.

Themes

The Field and the KnowerEmotional IntelligenceDetachment from SensationsMind-Body DistinctionPsychological ModificationsSelf-Knowledge

Related Verses

2.47 3.30 4.18 6.5 18.66

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Krishna list both 'pleasure' and 'pain' together?

Krishna lists them together to show that they are two sides of the same coin, arising from our identification with the body-mind complex. Both are temporary sensations that fluctuate; by understanding their nature as mere modifications in the field, one learns not to cling to pleasure or fear pain too deeply.

What is meant by 'the aggregate' (sanghata) in this verse?

'The aggregate' refers to the physical body itself, which is a collection of various elements like bones, flesh, blood, and senses. It serves as the vessel or container where all other qualities like desire, intelligence, and emotions play out.

How does 'fortitude' (dhriti) fit into this list if we want to be detached?

Fortitude is listed because it represents the capacity of the field to endure difficulties without collapsing. While detachment involves not being ruled by emotions, fortitude provides the necessary stability and strength to maintain one's stance on truth even when facing pain or adversity.

Is this verse saying we should stop feeling desire?

The verse does not say to eliminate feelings but rather to recognize them as part of the 'field' that is changing. By observing desire and hatred with awareness, you realize they are temporary states affecting your mind, allowing you to act from a place of intelligence rather than being driven blindly by impulse.

In Other Languages: Bhagavad Gita 13.7 →