Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13 Verse 12
भगवद् गीता अध्याय 13 श्लोक 12

अध्यात्मज्ञाननित्यत्वं तत्त्वज्ञानार्थदर्शनम्।
एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमज्ञानं यदतोन्यथा।।13.12।।



English Translation - Swami Gambirananda
13.12 Steadfastness in the knowledge of the Self, contemplation on the Goal of the knowledge of Reality-this is spoken of as Knowledge. Ignorance is that which is other than this.


English Translation of Ramanuja's Sanskrit Commentary
13.12 Adhyatma-jnana is the knowledge that pertains to the self. Reflection for the attainment of knowledge of the truth, namely, being always intent in the thought having for its object the knowledge of the truth. Knowledge is that by which the self is realised. The meaning is that it is the means for the knowledge of the self. The group of attributes mentioned before, beginning with modesty etc., are those that are favourable for the knowledge of the self in association with the body. All the evolutes of Ksetra, which are different from those mentioned above, constitute ignorance, as they are antagonistic to the knowledge of the self.

Now, the nature of Ksetrajna, characterised as the knower in the stanza, He who knows it (13.1), is examined:


Transliteration Bhagavad Gita 13.12Adhyaatma jnaana nityatwam tattwa jnaanaartha darshanam;
Etajjnaanamiti proktam ajnaanam yadato’nyathaa.


Word Meanings Bhagavad Gita 13.12amānitvam—humbleness; adambhitvam—freedom from hypocrisy; ahinsā—non-violence; kṣhāntiḥ—forgiveness; ārjavam—simplicity; āchārya-upāsanam—service of the Guru; śhaucham—cleanliness of body and mind; sthairyam—steadfastness; ātma-vinigrahaḥ—self-control; indriya-artheṣhu—toward objects of the senses; vairāgyam—dispassion; anahankāraḥ—absence of egotism; eva cha—and also; janma—of birth; mṛityu—death; jarā—old age; vyādhi—disease; duḥkha—evils; doṣha—faults; anudarśhanam—perception; asaktiḥ—non-attachment; anabhiṣhvaṅgaḥ—absence of craving; putra—children; dāra—spouse; gṛiha-ādiṣhu—home, etc; nityam—constant; cha—and; sama-chittatvam—even-mindedness; iṣhṭa—the desirable; aniṣhṭa—undesirable; upapattiṣhu—having obtained; mayi—toward Me; cha—also; ananya-yogena—exclusively united; bhaktiḥ—devotion; avyabhichāriṇī—constant; vivikta—solitary; deśha—places; sevitvam—inclination for; aratiḥ—aversion; jana-sansadi—for mundane society; adhyātma—spiritual; jñāna—knowledge; nityatvam—constancy; tat