🪷 Bhagavad-Gītā · 13.28

Chapter 13 · क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञविभागयोग · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña-Vibhāga-Yoga · "The Yoga of the Field & the Field-Knower" · Verse 28 of 35

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समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम्।विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति।।13.28।।
Bhagavad-Gītā 13.28 · the yathārtha śloka (Devanāgarī Sanskrit · canonical)

🪷 English Translations

Five authentic English voices · each from a distinct sampradāya · together revealing the verse's full śabda-tattva.

Shri Purohit Swami · Poetic English · 1935 · public domain · Cosmo Press tradition
13.28 He who can see the Supreme Lord in all beings, the Imperishable amidst the perishable, he it is who really sees.
Swami Sivananda · Direct prose · Divine Life Society
13.28 He sees, who sees the Supreme Lord, existing eally in all beings, the unperishing within the perishing.
Swami Gambīrānanda · Word-key glosses · Advaita Ashrama · Śaṅkara-school
13.28 Sah, he; pasyati, sees; yah, who; pasyati, sees;-whom?-parameswaram, the supreme Lord-the Lord who is supreme as compared with the body, organs, mind, intellect, the Unmanifest and the individual soul; as tisthantam, existing, having His presence; samam, eally, without distinction;-where?-sarvesu, in all; bhutesu, beings, all living things from Brahma to the non-moving;-he who sees Him existing eally in all living things. The Lord specifies them by the word vinasyatsu, among the perishable; and He also specifies Him, the supreme Lord, by the word avinasyantam, the Imperishable. This is meant for showing the absolute difference between the living things and God. How? For, all the modifications [See note 3 on p.38.-Tr.] of an existing thing have as their root that modification of an existing thing described as birth. All other modifications of existing things that follow birth end with destruction. After destruction there is no modification of an existing thing, because the object itself becomes nonexistent. Indeed, alities can exist so long as the thing alified exists. Therefore, by the reiteration of the absence of the last modification of an existing thing, all its preceding modifications become negated along with their effects. Hence it is established that the supreme Lord is very greatly different from all beings, and is also Unconditioned [Free from all modifications that things are subject to.] and One. He sees who thus sees the supreme Lord as described. Objection: Is it not that all poeple see? What is the need of specification? Reply: True, they see; but they see contrarily! Hence the Lord specifies, 'He alone sees'. As in comparison with one who, suffering from the (eye) disease called Timira, sees many moons, the person who sees one moon is distingusihed by saying, 'He alone sees,' similarly, here as well, the man who sees the one undivided Self as described above is distinguished from those who contrarily see many and differentiated selves, by saying 'He alone sees'. Others, though seeing, do not see because they see contrarily like the person who sees many moons. This is the meaning. The obove-described true knowledge has to be praised by stating its result. Hence the verse begins:
Swami Ādidevānanda · Śrī-Vaiṣṇava perspective · Rāmānuja school
13.28 He who sees the Atman as It really is - he is the one who sees the Atman as a distinct entity in all embodied beings that are composed of Prakrti and Purusa, even in bodies of diverse nature of gods, men etc. The true seer is one who sees the Atman as the supreme ruler in all these bodies as the imperishable self, though the bodies are subject to destruction. Conversely the purport is that he who sees the Atman, only as characterised by the uneal forms of the bodies as men, gods etc., and as possessed of birth, death etc. - such a person is perpetually caught up in transmigratory existence.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Academic precision · modern scholarly
13.28. Whosoever perceives the Supreme Lord as abiding and as non-perishing in all beings alike, while they perish - he perceives properly.

🪷 Hindi Translation · हिन्दी अनुवाद

For the Hindi-aware seer · Pūjya Swami Rāmsukhdās ji's translation · the highest-readability modern Hindi rendering · Gītā-Press Gorakhpur tradition.

🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī tradition · Gītā-Press Gorakhpur · highest modern Hindi reading
।।13.28।।जो नष्ट होते हुए सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें परमात्माको नाशरहित और समरूपसे स्थित देखता है, वही वास्तवमें सही देखता है।

🪷 English Commentaries · The Ācārya Voices

The classical commentary tradition rendered in English · each ācārya speaks from their own sampradāya · the seer chooses the depth of darśana.

Swami Sivananda · Verse-by-verse word-keys with Sanskrit anchors
13.28 समम् eally? सर्वेषु (in) all? भूतेषु in beings? तिष्ठन्तम् existing? परमेश्वरम् the Supreme Lord? विनश्यस्तु among the perishing? अविनश्यन्तम् the unperishing? यः who? पश्यति sees? सः he? पश्यति sees.Commentary He who beholds the Supreme Lord through the inner eye of wisdom? Him Who is seated in all beings from the Creator down to the unmoving objects and Who is not destroyed even when all beings are destroyed? he is said to have realised the Self.In different kinds of fire? the heat is the same. Gold is the same in different forms of ornaments. The light from many lamps is the same. So also in all living being?s the soul is the same. The soul or the Self is uniform everywhere. The Self is the same in ants? elephants? kings? beggars? saints and rogues.The Self is indestructible all living beings are perishable. It is the Supreme Lord when compared to the body? senses? mind? intellect? the Unmanifested Nature and the individual soul.Birth is the root cause of the BhavaVikaras or the modifications? viz.? change? growth? decay and death. The other changes of state manifest themselves after the birth of the body.The Supreme Lord is one and changeless as He is birthless? decayless and deathless. He is the one common consciousness in all beings. He sees rightly who sees the Supreme Lord as now described. He is a Jivanmukta. He has knowledge of the knower of the field or the immortal Self. He is the real seer or a liberated sage.The sage alone sees properly on account of knowledge. The whole world sees erroneously on account of ignorance. He who is suffering from defective vision beholds many moons. He sees erroneously. But he who sees one moon only sees in the proper manner? correctly. Even so he who beholds the one immortal indivisible Self in all beings really sees the Truth. He alone sees. He who sees many distinct selves erroneously does not really see though he sees. He is like the man who beholds many moons. (Cf.VIII.20
Swami Gambīrānanda · Advaita-school commentary (Śaṅkara tradition)
13.28 Sah, he; pasyati, sees; yah, who; pasyati, sees;-whom?-parameswaram, the supreme Lord-the Lord who is supreme as compared with the body, organs, mind, intellect, the Unmanifest and the individual soul; as tisthantam, existing, having His presence; samam, eally, without distinction;-where?-sarvesu, in all; bhutesu, beings, all living things from Brahma to the non-moving;-he who sees Him existing eally in all living things. The Lord specifies them by the word vinasyatsu, among the perishable; and He also specifies Him, the supreme Lord, by the word avinasyantam, the Imperishable. This is meant for showing the absolute difference between the living things and God. How? For, all the modifications [See note 3 on p.38.-Tr.] of an existing thing have as their root that modification of an existing thing described as birth. All other modifications of existing things that follow birth end with destruction. After destruction there is no modification of an existing thing, because the object itself becomes nonexistent. Indeed, alities can exist so long as the thing alified exists. Therefore, by the reiteration of the absence of the last modification of an existing thing, all its preceding modifications become negated along with their effects. Hence it is established that the supreme Lord is very greatly different from all beings, and is also Unconditioned [Free from all modifications that things are subject to.] and One. He sees who thus sees the supreme Lord as described. Objection: Is it not that all poeple see? What is the need of specification? Reply: True, they see; but they see contrarily! Hence the Lord specifies, 'He alone sees'. As in comparison with one who, suffering from the (eye) disease called Timira, sees many moons, the person who sees one moon is distingusihed by saying, 'He alone sees,' similarly, here as well, the man who sees the one undivided Self as described above is distinguished from those who contrarily see many and differentiated selves, by saying 'He alone sees'. Others, though seeing, do not see because they see contrarily like the person who sees many moons. This is the meaning. The obove-described true knowledge has to be praised by stating its result. Hence the verse begins:
Swami Ādidevānanda · Rāmānuja Śrī-Vaiṣṇava commentary
13.28 He who sees the Atman as It really is - he is the one who sees the Atman as a distinct entity in all embodied beings that are composed of Prakrti and Purusa, even in bodies of diverse nature of gods, men etc. The true seer is one who sees the Atman as the supreme ruler in all these bodies as the imperishable self, though the bodies are subject to destruction. Conversely the purport is that he who sees the Atman, only as characterised by the uneal forms of the bodies as men, gods etc., and as possessed of birth, death etc. - such a person is perpetually caught up in transmigratory existence.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Modern academic scholarship
13.28 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Chinmayānanda · Chinmaya Mission · modern Vedantic teaching
।।13.28।। जिस अधिष्ठान पर क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञ के परस्पर मिथ्या तादात्म्य की क्रीड़ा और परिणामत दुखपूर्ण संसार की प्रतीति होती है? वह एक परमेश्वर ही है? जो भूतमात्र में समभाव से स्थित है? जैसे समस्त तरंगों में जल होता है।नश्वर भूतों में अनश्वर केवल सतही दृष्टि से निरीक्षण करने वाले पुरुष को जगत् में निरन्तर परिवर्तन होता दिखाई देगा। वस्तुएं स्वभावत परिवर्तित होती रहती हैं और उनके परस्पर के सम्बन्ध भी। परिवर्तन होना यह वैषयिक और वैचारिक दोनों ही जगतों का स्थायी धर्म है। इस जगत् की तुलना से कहा गया है कि इन सबमें वह परमेश्वर नित्य और अविकारी अधिष्ठान है? जिसके कारण ये सब परिवर्तन जाने जाते हैं।जन्म? वृद्धि? व्याधि? क्षय और मृत्यु ये वे विकार हैं? जो प्रत्येक अनित्य वस्तु को प्राप्त होते हैं। जिसकी उत्पत्ति हुई हो? उसे ही आगे के विकारों से भी गुजरना पड़ेगा। यहाँ परमेश्वर को अविनाशी कहकर उसके पूर्व के विकारों का भी अभाव सूचित किया गया है। यह अविनाशी चैतन्य ही नाश का प्रकाशक और जगत् का आधार है? जैसे रूपान्तरित होने वाले आभूषणों का आधार स्वर्ण है।वह पुरुष जो इस सम और अविनाशी परमेश्वर को समस्त विषम और विनाशी भूतों में पहचानता है? वही पुरुष वास्तव में उसे देखता है जिसे देखना चाहिए। यहाँ देखने से तात्पर्य आत्मानुभव से है।भौतिक जगत् की वस्तुएं इन्द्रियगोचर होती हैं? जब कि भावनाओं और विचारों का ज्ञान क्रमश मन और बुद्धि से होता है। इसी प्रकार आत्मबोध भी आध्यात्मिक ज्ञानचक्षु से होता है? चर्मचक्षु से नहीं। जैसे हमारे नेत्र विचारों को नहीं देख सकते वैसे ही मन और बुद्धि आत्मा को नहीं देख सकते। स्थूल के द्वारा सूक्ष्म का दर्शन नहीं हो सकता। सूक्ष्मतम आत्मा समस्त उपाधियों से अतीत है।जो (इस समतत्त्व को) देखता है? वही (वास्तव में) देखता है यह कथन वेदान्त की विशेष वाक्यशैली है? जो अत्यन्त प्रभावपूर्ण है। सभी लोग देखते हैं? परन्तु पारमार्थिक सत्य को नहीं। उनके इस विपरीत दर्शन से ही उनके प्रमाणों (ज्ञान के कारणों) में दोष का अस्तित्व सिद्ध होता है। विभ्रम और वस्तु का अन्यथा दर्शन? मिथ्या कल्पनाएं और विक्षेप ये सब वस्तु के यथार्थ स्वरूप को आच्छादित कर देते हैं। इसलिए? योगेश्वर श्रीकृष्ण विशेष बल देकर कहते हैं कि जो पुरुष इस सम सत्य को देखता है वही वास्तव में देखता है। शेष लोग तो भ्रान्ति में पड़े रहते हैं।अब यथोक्त सम्यक् दर्शन श्रेष्ठ फल को दर्शाकर उसकी स्तुति करते हैं

🪷 Hindi Vyākhyā · हिन्दी व्याख्या

Pūjya Swami Rāmsukhdās ji's Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī · one of the greatest modern Hindi vyākhyās of the Gītā · direct, pure, deeply Vedāntic · the modern Sanātana-jāgaraṇa.

🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī · Hindi vyākhyā · the modern bilingual anchor
।।13.28।। व्याख्या -- समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु -- परमात्माको सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें सम कहनेका तात्पर्य है कि सभी प्राणी विषम हैं अर्थात् स्थावरजङ्गम हैं? सात्त्विकराजसतामस हैं? आकृतिसे छोटेबड़े? लम्बेचौड़े हैं? नाना वर्णवाले हैं -- इस प्रकार तरहतरहके जितने भी प्राणी हैं? उन सब प्राणियोंमें परमात्मा समरूपसे स्थित हैं। वे परमात्मा किसीमें छोटेबड़े? कमज्यादा नहीं हैं।पहले इसी अध्यायके दूसरे श्लोकमें भगवान्ने क्षेत्रज्ञके साथ अपनी एकता बताते हुए कहा था कि तू सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें क्षेत्रज्ञ मेरेको समझ? उसी बातको यहाँ कहते हैं कि सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें परमात्मा समरूपसे स्थित हैं।तिष्ठन्तम् -- सम्पूर्ण प्राणी उत्पत्ति? स्थिति और प्रलय -- इन तीन अवस्थाओंमें जाते हैं सर्गप्रलय? महासर्गमहाप्रलयमें जाते हैं ऊँचनीच गतियोंमें? योनियोंमें जाते हैं अर्थात् सभी प्राणी किसी भी क्षण स्थिर नहीं रहते। परन्तु परमात्मा उन सब अस्थिर प्राणियोंमें नित्यनिरन्तर एकरूपसे स्थित रहते हैं।परमेश्वरम् -- सभी प्राणी अपनेको किसीनकिसीका ईश्वर अर्थात् मालिक मानते ही रहते हैं परन्तु परमात्मा उन सभी प्राणियोंके तथा सम्पूर्ण जडचेतन संसारके परम ईश्वर हैं।विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति -- प्रतिक्षण विनाशकी तरफ जानेवाले प्राणियोंमें विनाशरहित? सदा एकरूप रहनेवाले परमात्माको जो निर्विकार देखता है? वही वास्तवमें सही देखता है। तात्पर्य है कि जो,परिवर्तनशील शरीरके साथ अपनेआपको देखता है? उसका देखना सही नहीं है किन्तु जो सदा ज्योंकेत्यों रहनेवाले परमात्माके साथ अपनेआपको अभिन्नरूपसे देखता है? उसका देखना ही सही है।पहले इसी अध्यायके दूसरे श्लोकमें भगवान्ने कहा था कि क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञका ज्ञान ही मेरे मतमें ज्ञान है? उसी बातको यहाँ कहते हैं कि जो नष्ट होनेवाले प्राणियोंमें परमात्माको नाशरहित और सम देखता है? उसका देखना (ज्ञान) ही सही है। तात्पर्य है कि जैसे क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञके संयोगमें क्षेत्रमें तो हरदम परिवर्तन होता है? पर क्षेत्रज्ञ ज्योंकात्यों ही रहता है? ऐसे ही सम्पूर्ण प्राणी उत्पन्न और नष्ट होते हैं? पर परमात्मा सब अवस्थाओंमें समानरूपसे स्थित रहते हैं।पीछेके (छब्बीसवें) श्लोकमें भगवान्ने यह बताया कि जितने भी प्राणी पैदा होते हैं? वे सभी क्षेत्र और क्षेत्रज्ञके संयोगसे ही पैदा होते हैं। परन्तु उन दोनोंमें क्षेत्र तो किसी भी क्षण स्थिर नहीं रहता और क्षेत्रज्ञ एक क्षण भी नहीं बदलता। अतः क्षेत्रज्ञसे क्षेत्रका जो निरन्तर वियोग हो रहा है? उसका अनुभव कर ले। इस (सत्ताईसवें) श्लोकमें भगवान् यह बताते हैं कि उत्पन्न और नष्ट होनेवाले सम्पूर्ण विषम प्राणियोंमें जो परमात्मा नाशरहित और समानरूपसे स्थित रहते हैं? उनके साथ अपनी एकताका अनुभव कर ले। सम्बन्ध -- अब भगवान् नष्ट होनेवाले सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंमें अविनाशी परमात्माको देखनेका फल बताते हैं।

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सर्वम् कृष्णार्पणम् — this verse is one maṇi (jewel) on Krishna's thread (BG 7.7)