Bhagavad Gita 8.20परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातनः।यः स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति ॥
paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt
sanātanaḥ yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati
Sanskrit recitation
The path of light · 8.14–8.22 · Teaching
Translation
But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal, which is not destroyed even when all beings are destroyed.
Hindi translation
परन्तु उस अव्यक्त- (ब्रह्माजीके सूक्ष्म-शरीर-) से अन्य अनादि सर्वश्रेष्ठ भावरूप जो अव्यक्त है, उसका सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके नष्ट होनेपर भी नाश नहीं होता।
Meaning
Another unmanifested in the ancient or eternal Para Brahman Who is distinct from the Unmanifested (Avyakta or Primordial Nature), Who is of ite a different nature. It is superior to Hiranyagarbha (the Cosmic Creative Intelligence) and the Unmanifested Nature because It is their cause. It is not destroyed when all the beings from Brahma down to the ants or the blade of grass are destroyed. (Cf.XV.17)
After Swami Sivananda
The path of light· 8.14–8.22→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 8.14I am easily attainable by that ever-steadfast yogi who constantly and daily remembers me…
- 8.15Having attained Me, these great souls do not take birth again here—a place of pain and…
- 8.16All the worlds, including the world of Brahma, are subject to return again, O Arjuna; but…
- 8.17Those who know the day of Brahma, which lasts a thousand Yugas, and the night, which also…
- 8.18From the Unmanifested, all the manifested worlds proceed upon the arrival of the 'day';…
- 8.19This same multitude of beings, being born again and again, helplessly dissolves, O Arjuna,…
8.20But verily, there exists higher than this Unmanifested, another Unmanifested Eternal,…
- 8.21What is known as the Unmanifested and the Imperishable, That is said to be the highest…
- 8.22That highest Purusha, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Him alone, within…
Word-by-word→
- na
- never
- tu
- but
- saḥ
- that
- yaḥ
- who
- anyaḥ
- another
- paraḥ
- transcendental
- tasmāt
- than that
- avyaktāt
- to the unmanifest
- bhāvaḥ
- creation
- avyaktaḥ
- unmanifest
- naśhyatsu
- cease to exist
- sarveṣhu
- all
- bhūteṣhu
- in beings
- vinaśhyati
- is annihilated
- sanātanaḥ
- eternal
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- 9.19As the sun, I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain; I am immortality and also…
- 10.12Arjuna said, "You are the Supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the supreme purifier,…
- 12.20They who follow this immortal Dharma, endowed with faith and regarding Me as their supreme…