ॐ
Omrat
Illustration for Bhagavad Gita chapter 13 verse 7
Chapter 13 · Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga

Feelings Are the Field · Not the Knower

ॐ

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृतिः । एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ॥

icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṅghātaś cetanā dhṛtiḥ etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam

Meaning

"Desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, the aggregate of the body, consciousness, and steadiness — this, in brief, is the field along with its modifications."

Explanation

Even feelings you might think of as deeply personal — desire, aversion, pleasure, pain — are grouped here as part of the changing "field," not the changeless knower. Seeing your emotions this way gives you a little breathing room from them.

Today's Life Lesson

When strong emotions rise today, remember they're part of the changing field, not the unchanging you observing them.

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