Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 31

Chapter 13 – Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

यदा भूतपृथग्भावमेकस्थमनुपश्यति ।
तत एव च विस्तारं ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते तदा ॥

Transliteration

yadā bhūtapṛthagbhāvamekasthamanupaśyati .
tata eva ca vistāraṃ brahma sampadyate tadā ॥

Meaning

When one perceives the separate existence of beings as resting in the One, and sees their whole expansion as proceeding from That alone, one then attains Brahman.

Word meanings

यदा – when
भूत – of beings
पृथग्भावम् – separateness, diversity
एकस्थम् – resting in the One
अनुपश्यति – perceives, realises
ततः – from That
एव – alone
च – and
विस्तारम् – expansion, spreading forth
ब्रह्म – Brahman
सम्पद्यते – attains, becomes
तदा – then

Anvaya (word order)

यदा भूतपृथग्भावम् एकस्थम् अनुपश्यति, ततः एव च विस्तारम् (अनुपश्यति), तदा ब्रह्म सम्पद्यते ।

Explanation

This verse expresses the summit of true vision. The world plainly appears manifold: countless beings, countless forms, countless temperaments. The wise, however, see this bhuta-prithag-bhava, this diversity of beings, as resting in the one Supreme. Nor is that all: they also see that the entire expansion has spread forth from that same One. There is one ground, and one source.

The image of the ocean and its waves helps. Waves are many, differing in size and motion, yet all rise in the ocean, live in the ocean and return to the ocean. For one who sees the water in every wave, variety remains but division disappears. The Chandogya Upanishad declares, sarvam khalv idam brahma, all this is indeed Brahman, giving voice to the same vision.

Brahma sampadyate, he then becomes Brahman. For Shankara this is no new acquisition but recognition of one's ever-present nature as Brahman; when the illusion of separateness ends, the individual knows himself to be Brahman. Ramanuja reads it as the self attaining its pure, unlimited nature as knowledge, which resembles Brahman, though the self remains a mode of Brahman rather than identical with it. Madhva understands it as attaining Brahman, that is, liberation in the presence of the Supreme, with the distinction between soul and God preserved.

In chapters 10 and 11 Krishna revealed his glories and his cosmic form to show that the whole universe rests in him. Here the same truth is stated in the language of knowledge rather than vision. What Arjuna once saw with divine eyes, the seeker is now invited to understand with the eye of wisdom.

Context

Krishna presents to Arjuna the culminating step of true seeing: unity within diversity. Verse 30 established the Self as non-doer; the next verse explains that the Supreme Self, being beginningless and beyond the gunas, neither acts nor is tainted even while dwelling in the body.

Life lesson

There is no need to fear or fight diversity; learn instead to see the unity behind it. Family, society and nature are all expressions of one source, and this vision brings deep belonging and peace.

Key terms

Bhuta-prithag-bhava: the separate existence or diversity of beings
Ekastha: resting in the One
Brahma sampadyate: attains Brahman, becomes established in Brahman