By Swami Harshananda
Kṣetra literally means ‘field’.
Though this word is used in a general sense for agricultural field, in technical sense it stands for the body since it is through this body that the fruits of karma, good or bad, are reaped.[1] Later, the same work includes the following under the purview of this term[2]:
- Five elements
- Egoism
- Intellect
- Ten sense-organs
- Objects of sense-organs
Another meaning of the word is ‘a place of pilgrimage’. In astrology, the twelve zodiac signs are considered as the kṣetras of the seven planets. For instance, Ravi (Sun) has Simha (Leo) as his kṣetra. This helps in estimating the effects of these planets.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore