Bhagavad Gita 9.18गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्।प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥
gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣhī nivāsaḥ śharaṇaṁ
suhṛit prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam
Sanskrit recitation
How people reach for God · 9.11–9.25 · Teaching
Translation
I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house, and the imperishable seed.
Hindi translation
।।9.16 -- 9.18।। क्रतु मैं हूँ, यज्ञ मैं हूँ, स्वधा मैं हूँ, औषध मैं हूँ, मन्त्र मैं हूँ, घृत मैं हूँ, अग्नि मैं हूँ और हवनरूप क्रिया भी मैं हूँ। जाननेयोग्य पवित्र, ओंकार, ऋग्वेद, सामवेद और यजुर्वेद भी मैं ही हूँ। इस सम्पूर्ण जगत्का पिता, धाता, माता, पितामह, गति, भर्ता, प्रभु, साक्षी, निवास, आश्रय, सुहृद्, उत्पत्ति, प्रलय, स्थान, निधान तथा अविनाशी बीज भी मैं ही हूँ।
Meaning
I am the goal, the fruit of action. He who nourishes and supports is the huand. I am the witness of the good and evil actions done by the Jivas (individuals). I am the abode wherein all living beings dwell. I am the shelter or refuge for the distressed. I relieve the sufferings of those who take shelter under Me. I am the friend, i.e., I do good without expecting any return. I am the source of this universe. In Me the whole world is dissolved. I am the mainstay or the foundation of this world. I am the treasurehouse which living beings shall enjoy in the future. I am the imperishable see, i.e., the cause of the origin of all beings. Therefore, take shelter under My feet.
After Swami Sivananda
How people reach for God· 9.11–9.25→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 9.11Fools disregard Me, clad in human form, not knowing My higher Being as the great Lord of…
- 9.12They are possessed of the deceitful nature of demons and undivine beings, filled with vain…
- 9.13But the great souls, O Arjuna, partaking of My divine nature, worship Me with a…
- 9.14Always glorifying Me, striving, firm in their vows, prostrating themselves before Me, they…
- 9.15Others also, sacrificing with the wisdom-sacrifice, worship Me, the All-Faced, as one,…
- 9.16I am Kratu; I am Yajna; I am the offering to the manes; I am the medicinal herbs and all…
- 9.17I am the father of this world, the mother, the dispenser of the fruits of actions, and the…
9.18I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend,…
- 9.19As the sun, I give heat; I withhold and send forth the rain; I am immortality and also…
- 9.20The knowers of the three Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, purified of all sins, worshipping Me…
- 9.21They, having enjoyed the vast heaven, enter the world of mortals when their merit is…
- 9.22For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no one else, for those ever-united, I…
- 9.23Even those devotees who, endowed with faith, worship other gods, worship Me alone, O…
- 9.24For I alone am the enjoyer and Lord of all sacrifices; but they do not know Me in reality,…
- 9.25The worshippers of the gods go to them; the ancestor-worshippers go to the manes; the…
Word-by-word→
- bījam
- seed
- avyayam
- imperishable
- bhartā
- sustainer
- gatiḥ
- the supreme goal
- sthānam
- store house
- nidhānam
- resting place
- prabhuḥ
- master
- su-hṛit
- friend
- nivāsaḥ
- abode
- pralayaḥ
- dissolution
- sākṣhī
- witness
- prabhavaḥ
- the origin
- śharaṇam
- shelter
Related verses
- 9.33How much more easily, then, do Brahmins and devoted royal saints attain the goal? Having…
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- 18.42Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, and uprightness, as well as…
- 11.24On seeing Thee, touching the sky, shining in many colors, with mouths wide open, with…