What is Kshetrajna?

[The Crimson Universe]

Is it the transmigrating soul (Jiva/Jivatman)
OR
is it the all pervading, omnipresent Atman/Paramatma/Brahman?
Thank you.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"idaṁ śarīraṁ, Kaunteya, kṣetram ity abhidhīyate;
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ, kṣetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ."

idam - this; śarīram - body; kaunteya - O son of Kuntī; kṣetram - the field; iti - thus; abhidhīyate - is called; etat - this; yaḥ - one who; vetti - knows; tam - he; prāhuḥ - is called; kṣetra-jña - the knower of the field; iti - thus; tat-vidaḥ - by those who know this.

This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field (kshetra)*, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field (kshetrajna).
* Field - Kshetra, one who knows this body - the knower of the field (Kshetra + jna). 'Jna' is for knowledge, like in Jnana.
Prabhupada: Now, the person, who does not identify himself with the body, is called kṣetra-jña, the knower of the field. He/she knows.

Yeah, the Kshetrajna is Brahman - one who understands this, even if seemingly a mortal, is really kshetrajna, one who knows, jeevan-mukta, one who has attained nirvana or moksha, enlightened, Brahman.

 

[SalixIncendium]

"idaṁ śarīraṁ, Kaunteya, kṣetram ity abhidhīyate;
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ, kṣetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ."

idam - this; śarīram - body; kaunteya - O son of Kuntī; kṣetram - the field; iti - thus; abhidhīyate - is called; etat - this; yaḥ - one who; vetti - knows; tam - he; prāhuḥ - is called; kṣetra-jña - the knower of the field; iti - thus; tat-vidaḥ - by those who know this.

This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field (kshetra)*, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field (kshetrajna).
* Field - Kshetra, one who knows this body - the knower of the field (Kshetra + jna). 'Jna' is for knowledge, like in Jnana.
Prabhupada: Now, the person, who does not identify himself with the body, is called kṣetra-jña, the knower of the field. He/she knows.

Yeah, the Kshetrajna is Brahman - one who understands this, even if seemingly a mortal, is really kshetrajna, one who knows, jeevan-mukta, one who has attained nirvana or moksha, enlightened, Brahman.

In case anyone is interested, this is from the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 13, verse 2.

There is a reference to nonduality in this verse.

"O scion of the Bharata dynasty, since there remains nothing to be known apart from the true nature of the field, the knower of the field and God, therefore tat, that; is jnanam, Knowledge, right knowledge; yat, which; is the jnanam, knowledge; kshetra-kshetrajnayoh, of the field and the knower of the field - which are the two knowables - , and by which Knowledge the field and the knower of the field are made objects of knowledge. This is mama, My, God Vishnu's, matam, opinion."

~ Commentary of Sri Shankaracharya on the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 13, Verse 2​

 

[The Crimson Universe]

Yeah, the Kshetrajna is Brahman - one who understands this, even if seemingly a mortal, is really kshetrajna, one who knows, jeevan-mukta, one who has attained nirvana or moksha, enlightened, Brahman.

But in the first few verses of chapter 13 (Gita) it was mentioned by the Lord there, that the body is kshetra or field of activity ... and the knower of this body is kshetrajna which is jivatma ... Then the Lord said that, since he is the knower of all bodies, he too is the kshetrajna. So are there like two kshetrajnas? I'm a bit confused.

 

[Aupmanyav]

But in the first few verses of chapter 13 (Gita) it was mentioned by the Lord there, that the body is kshetra or field of activity ... and the knower of this body is kshetrajna which is jivatma ... Then the Lord said that, since he is the knower of all bodies, he too is the kshetrajna. So are there like two kshetrajnas? I'm a bit confused.

Greg, that is where non-duality (Advaita) comes in. What if the Jivatma and Paramatma are the same? In our ignorance we consider them to be different. It is difficult for people from Abrahamic religions to understand this. They have always thought of a God separate from his creation. We too have such philosophies. But non-duality comes very naturally to us. The books have repeatedly expressed this. "Ayamatma Brahman", (This self is Brahman), "So Aham" (That is what I am too), "Tat twam asi" (That is what you are), "Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma" (All things here are Brhman), "Eko sad, dwiteeyo nasti" (What exists is one, there is no second), etc. What ever exist in the universe is a form of one indivisible eternal entity only. Atoms / energy are seemingly exchanged between things that we perceive. But our perception is not truth, it is an illusion, 'maya'.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

Thanks Aup.
So, if've i understood you correctly, until and unless one attains moksha (while still being in the body) and realizes its true paramatma nature, there would remain duality, i.e. it would be fair to say then, that there are two kshetrajnas. One is the jivatma and the other is paramatma.

But the moment one realizes its true paramatma nature, then it would be fair to say that there is only ONE kshetrajna, and that kshetrajna would be the paramatma, as the jiva would then lose his/her jivahood (upon attaining moksha while being in the body) and would always remain absorbed in Its paramatma nature.
Am i right? Please feel free to correct me if you think i've got it all wrong.

 

[Aupmanyav]

You have not got it all wrong, but there is scope for some improvement.
There is only one kshetrajna, jeevatma does not know kshetra. That is why 'maya', that is why 'know thyself'. Once the jeevatma understands, then the differences of jeevatma and paramatma dissolve, they become one. That is why the books said: "Brahma veda Brahmaiva bhavati" (one who knows self (Brahman), verily becomes Brahman - Mundaka Upanishad).

स यो ह वै तत् परमं ब्रह्म वेद ब्रह्मैव भवति नास्याब्रह्मवित्कुले भवति ।
तरति शोकं तरति पाप्मानं गुहाग्रन्थिभ्यो विमुक्तोऽमृतो भवति ॥ ९ ॥

sa yo ha vai tat paramaṃ brahma veda brahmaiva bhavati nāsya abrahmavid kule bhavati l
tarati śokaṃ tarati pāpmānaṃ guhāgranthibhyo vimuktah amṛtah bhavati ll 9 ll

9. He who knows that highest Brahman verily becomes Brahman; and in his line, none who knows not the Brahman will be born. He crosses grief and virtue and vice and being freed from the knot of the heart, becomes immortal.
Mundaka Upanishad: Verse 3.2.9

The verse says that in the line of such a person every one born will know Brahman. But that is not true. My son know zilch about Brahman. However, the first part of the line is true.

Sankara's comments in the link: "Emancipation knows only the obstacle of ignorance and no other obstacle; because it is eternal and is being the Atman itself. Therefore, he in the world who knows that highest Brahman, as “I am directly that” does not take any other course."

But remember, Brahman is not God. It is the stuff which constitutes the universe and all things in it, without any exception.