13-18

इति क्षेत्रम् तथा ज्ञानम् ज्ञेयम् चोक्तम् समासतः ।
मद्भक्त एतत् विज्ञाय मत् भावाय उपपद्यते ॥ १८ ॥

iti kSetram tathA jJAnam jJeyam coktam samAsataH |
madbhakta etat vijJAya mat bhAvAya upapadyate || 18 ||

इति [iti] In this way, क्षेत्रम् [kSetram] the field of action , ज्ञानम् [jJAnam] the knowledge तथा ज्ञेयम् [tathA jJeyam] and what must be known उक्तम् [uktam] were stated समासतः [samAsataH] in brief. एतत् विज्ञाय [etat vijJAya] Knowing this, मद्भक्त [madbhakta] My devotee उपपद्यते [upapadyate] steps up to achieve मत् भावाय [mat bhAvAya] equality with Me.

In this way, the entity we call ‘our body’ was described briefly in 13-5,13-6 .

After this, the achievement of Self-awareness was described starting from 13-7 up until 13-11 .

The true nature of the Self was described in brief, starting with 13-12 and concluding with 13-17 . The Self was described as the one that must be recognized.

After this, the Lord says - ‘Knowing these - the body, the Self being distinct from the body and the means to grasp the true form of the Self - My devotee steps up to achieve equality with Me. He steps up to achieve My characteristics, being independent of the material world. This is his natural state’.

The material environment and the Self have vastly different characteristics. The next Shloka describes the beginning-less bond between them, how they work in bondage and the reason for their bonding.