Bhagavad Gita BG 13.7
Chapter 13, Verse 7 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
इच्छाद्वेषौ सुखं दुःखं संघातश्चेतना धृतिः । एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम् ॥
iccha-dveshau sukham duhkham sanghatash cetana dhrtih etat kshetram samasena sa-vikaram udahrtam
Meaning
Desire and aversion, pleasure and pain, the aggregate (body-mind complex), consciousness, and steadfastness — this is the Field, briefly described with its modifications.
Understanding
This verse closes the enumeration of the Field's contents, adding the psychological elements: iccha (desire) and dvesha (aversion) — the fundamental pair that drives all experience. Sukham (pleasure) and duhkham (pain). Sanghatah (the aggregate — the collection of body-mind elements working as a system). Cetana (the power of sentience/cognition — the experiential dimension of the field). Dhrti (steadfastness, will-power). Etat kshetram samasena sa-vikaram udahrtam (this is the Field, in brief, described with its modifications). The field is not only the gross body but the entire psycho-physical complex — desire, aversion, pleasure, pain, and all one experiences.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| इच्छाद्वेषौ | iccha-dveshau | desire and aversion — the fundamental pair of attraction and repulsion |
| संघातः | sanghatah | the aggregate — the body-mind system as a whole |
| चेतना | cetana | consciousness-as-experienced, sentience, cognition |
| धृतिः | dhrtih | steadfastness, will, fortitude |
| सविकारम् | sa-vikaram | with modifications, along with its transformations |
| इच्छा-द्वेषौ | icchā-dveṣau | desire and hate |
| सुखम् | sukham | happiness, pleasure |
| दुःखम् | duḥkham | pain, sorrow |
| संघातः | saṃghātaḥ | the aggregate, the combination |
| चेतना | cetanā | consciousness, life force |
| धृतिः | dhṛtiḥ | firmness, determination |
| एतत् | etat | this |
| क्षेत्रम् | kṣetram | the field |
| समासेन | samāsena | briefly, in summary |
| स-विकारम् | sa-vikāram | with its modifications |
| उदाहृतम् | udāhṛtam | described, explained |