Bhagavad Gita 13.17अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम्।भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ॥
avibhaktaṁ cha bhūteṣhu vibhaktam iva cha sthitam
bhūta-bhartṛi cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣhṇu prabhaviṣhṇu cha
Sanskrit recitation
The field and the knower · 13.1–13.18 · Teaching
Translation
Undivided yet, It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the supporter of beings; It devours and It generates.
Hindi translation
वे परमात्मा स्वयं विभागरहित होते हुए भी सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें विभक्तकी तरह स्थित हैं। वे जाननेयोग्य परमात्मा ही सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंको उत्पन्न करनेवाले, उनका भरण-पोषण करनेवाले और संहार करनेवाले हैं।
Meaning
Brahman must be regarded as That which supports, swallows up and also creates all beings, in the three forms of Brahma who creates the world of names anf forms, Vishnu who preserves or sustains, and Rudra who destroys. It is undivided in the various bodies. It is like ether. It is allpervding like space (Akasa). It is indivisible and the One, but It seems to divide Itself in forms and appears as all the separate existing things and beings. It is essentially unbroken. Yet, It is, as it were, divided among all beings.It devours this world during the cosmic dissolution. It generates it at the time of the origin of the next age. It supports all beings during the period of sustenance of this world.Just as fire is hidden in the wood, so also Brahman is hidden in all bodies. Just as the one space appears to be different through the limiting adjuncts (pot, house, etc.) so also the one indivisible Brahman appears to be different through the limiting adjuncts (the body, etc.). (Cf.XVIII.20)An objector says The knowable Brahman, the Knower of the field, is allpervading. It exists everywhere and yet It is not perceived. Therefore It must be of the nature of darkness or Tamas.The answer is No. It cannot be.What, then It is the Light of Lights.
After Swami Sivananda
The field and the knower· 13.1–13.18→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 13.1Arjuna said, "I wish to learn about Nature and the Spirit, the field and the knower of the…
- 13.2The Blessed Lord said, "O Arjuna, this body is called the field; he who knows it is called…
- 13.3Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all fields, O Arjuna. Knowledge of both…
- 13.4Hear from Me in brief what the field is, of what nature it is, what its modifications are,…
- 13.5Sages have sung in many ways, with various distinctive chants and also with suggestive…
- 13.6The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the Unmanifested Nature, the ten senses,…
- 13.7Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate (body), intelligence, and fortitude—the…
- 13.8Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service to the teacher,…
- 13.9Indifference to the objects of the senses and also absence of egoism; perceiving the evil…
- 13.10Non-attachment, non-identification of the Self with son, wife, home, and the rest, and…
- 13.11Unswerving devotion to Me through the Yoga of non-separation, resorting to solitary…
- 13.12Constancy in Self-knowledge, the perception of the end of true knowledge—this is declared…
- 13.13I will declare that which is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality; the…
- 13.14With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears…
- 13.15Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without being attached to them;…
- 13.16It is within and without all beings, both the unmoving and the moving; It is subtle and…
13.17Undivided yet, It exists as if divided in beings; It is to be known as the supporter of…
- 13.18That Light of all lights is said to be beyond darkness: knowledge, the knowable, and the…
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- iva
- apparently
- tat
- that
- jñeyam
- to be known
- sthitam
- situated
- vibhaktam
- divided
- avibhaktam
- indivisible
- bhūteṣhu
- amongst living beings
- grasiṣhṇu
- the annihilator
- bhūta-bhartṛi
- the sustainer of all beings
- prabhaviṣhṇu
- the creator
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