Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 17

Chapter 13 – Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् ।
भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ॥

Transliteration

avibhaktaṃ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktamiva ca sthitam .
bhūtabhartṛ ca tajjñeyaṃ grasiṣṇu prabhaviṣṇu ca ॥

Meaning

Undivided, it yet abides in beings as though divided. That which is to be known is the sustainer of beings, their devourer and their generator.

Word meanings

अविभक्तम् – undivided, whole
च – and
भूतेषु – in beings
विभक्तम् – divided
इव – as if, as though
स्थितम् – abiding, situated
भूतभर्तृ – sustainer of beings
तत् – That
ज्ञेयम् – to be known
ग्रसिष्णु – devourer, the one who withdraws all at dissolution
प्रभविष्णु – generator, the one who brings forth

Anvaya (word order)

(तत्) अविभक्तम् च भूतेषु विभक्तम् इव च स्थितम्; तत् ज्ञेयम् भूत-भर्तृ च, ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ।

Explanation

Brahman is one and whole, yet in countless bodies it appears separate. The whole mystery lies in the little word iva, as if: vibhaktam iva, as though divided. One space appears as many in many pots; one sun shines as many reflections in many vessels of water; just so the one consciousness appears distinct in different beings. For Shankara this division is entirely due to limiting adjuncts and is not real.

Ramanuja stresses the essential sameness of selves: they appear different through the distinctions of divine, human and animal bodies, but in their nature as consciousness they are all alike. Madhva sees the Lord as present undivided in all souls as their inner controller.

The second line names three functions of Brahman: bhuta-bhartri, the sustainer of beings while the world endures; grasishnu, the one who draws all back into itself at dissolution; and prabhavishnu, the one who brings everything forth at creation. As the snake imagined in a rope arises, stays and vanishes in the rope, so the world in Brahman. The Taittiriya Upanishad says the same: that from which beings are born, by which they live, and into which they return — that is Brahman.

Context

Verse 13.16 described Brahman as within and without, far and near; this verse shows the appearance of many within its oneness and its role as cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution. The next verse (13.18) completes the description, calling it the light of lights seated in every heart.

Life lesson

One who sees the same consciousness in all regards no one as a stranger. Trusting the One who sustains everything, we can meet life's beginnings, middles and endings with peace.

Key terms

अविभक्त (avibhakta): undivided; never truly divided
विभक्तमिव: as if divided — difference only in appearance
ग्रसिष्णु-प्रभविष्णु: the devourer at dissolution and the generator at creation
भूतभर्तृ: sustainer of all beings