Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 9 · Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga

Bhagavad Gita 9.5 न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे

Sri Krishna Chapter 9, Verse 5 With word-by-word notes

श्लोक 9.5

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ।
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥

na ca matsthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogamaiśvaram |
bhūtabhṛnna ca bhūtastho mamātmā bhūtabhāvanaḥ ||

हिन्दी अर्थ

फिर भी प्राणी मुझमें स्थित नहीं हैं; मेरी इस ईश्वरीय योगशक्ति को देखो। मेरा स्वरूप सब प्राणियों को धारण करता और उत्पन्न करता है, फिर भी उनमें स्थित नहीं है।

Meaning in English

And yet beings do not truly abide in me. Behold my divine mystery! My Self sustains all beings and brings them into existence, yet it does not rest in them.

Bhagavad Gita 9.5 — word by word

WordTransliterationMeaning
न चna caand yet not
मत्स्थानिmat-sthāniabiding in me
भूतानिbhūtānibeings
पश्यpaśyabehold
मेmemy
योगम् ऐश्वरम्yogam aiśvaramdivine mystery, sovereign power
भूतभृत्bhūta-bhṛtsustainer of beings
न च भूतस्थःna ca bhūta-sthaḥyet not dwelling in beings
मम आत्माmama ātmāmy Self
भूतभावनःbhūta-bhāvanaḥthe source of beings

Explanation

And yet beings do not abide in me. Behold my divine mystery! My Self sustains all beings and brings them into existence, yet it is not contained in them. God holds everything, yet is held by nothing. Krishna calls this his divine mystery.

This verse seems to contradict 9.4, which said all beings exist in Krishna. The paradox is deliberate, and Krishna calls it his yoga aishvara, his sovereign mystery. God supports everything, yet is not limited, touched or divided by anything. Shankara explains that Brahman is unattached like space, so in the highest sense nothing is really located in it. Ramanuja says beings depend on the Lord's will, not on any physical containment, and his nature is untouched by their defects. Both agree that God is immanent yet utterly transcendent.

भावार्थ

फिर भी प्राणी मुझमें स्थित नहीं हैं — मेरी ईश्वरीय योग-शक्ति को देखो! मेरा आत्मा सब प्राणियों को धारण करने वाला और उत्पन्न करने वाला है, फिर भी उनमें स्थित नहीं है।

Living it today

Be like the sky: present to everything that happens in your life, yet not trapped by any of it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita 9.5?

And yet beings do not abide in me. Behold my divine mystery! My Self sustains all beings and brings them into existence, yet it is not contained in them. God holds everything, yet is held by nothing. Krishna calls this his divine mystery.

Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 9.5?

Sri Krishna speaks this verse, in Chapter 9 (Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga) of the Bhagavad Gita.

How can I apply Bhagavad Gita 9.5 in daily life?

Be like the sky: present to everything that happens in your life, yet not trapped by any of it.

Reflected on verse 9.5?

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