Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 7 · Jnana Vijnana Yoga
Bhagavad Gita 7.4 भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च
श्लोक 7.4
भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।
अहंकार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥
bhūmirāpo'nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca |
ahaṃkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā ||
हिन्दी अर्थ
पृथ्वी, जल, अग्नि, वायु, आकाश, मन, बुद्धि और अहंकार - ये मेरी प्रकृति के आठ भाग हैं।
Meaning in English
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego - these are the eight divisions of My material nature.
Bhagavad Gita 7.4 — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| भूमिः | bhūmiḥ | earth |
| आपः | āpaḥ | water |
| अनलः | analaḥ | fire |
| वायुः | vāyuḥ | air |
| खम् | kham | space |
| मनः | manaḥ | mind |
| बुद्धिः एव च | buddhiḥ eva ca | and intellect |
| अहंकारः | ahaṃkāraḥ | ego, sense of I |
| इति | iti | thus |
| इयम् मे | iyam me | this, my |
| भिन्ना | bhinnā | divided |
| प्रकृतिः | prakṛtiḥ | nature |
| अष्टधा | aṣṭadhā | eightfold |
Explanation
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego: this is my nature divided eightfold. Krishna lists the material and mental components of the world as aspects of his own prakriti, his material energy. Even the inner instruments of thought belong to this lower nature.
This list draws on Sankhya categories but places them under the Lord. Shankara explains that the five elements stand for their subtle forms, mind for the ego-producing principle, intellect for the cosmic intellect, and ego for unmanifest nature associated with ignorance. Ramanuja takes the list more directly as the components of matter. Importantly, mind, intellect and ego are counted as part of nature, not the true self; this sets up the contrast with the higher nature in the next verse.
भावार्थ
पृथ्वी, जल, अग्नि, वायु, आकाश, मन, बुद्धि और अहंकार — इस प्रकार यह मेरी आठ प्रकार से विभक्त प्रकृति है। मन, बुद्धि और अहंकार भी इसी प्रकृति के अंग हैं, आत्मा नहीं।
Living it today
Your thoughts and moods belong to nature, like weather; you can observe them without taking every one as the real you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 7.4?
Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego: this is my nature divided eightfold. Krishna lists the material and mental components of the world as aspects of his own prakriti, his material energy. Even the inner instruments of thought belong to this lower nature.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 7.4?
Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 7 (Jnana Vijnana Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.
How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 7.4 in daily life?
Your thoughts and moods belong to nature, like weather; you can observe them without taking every one as the real you.
Reflected on verse 7.4?
Light a diya, add a note, or share this verse.