Bhagavad Gita BG 13.14
Chapter 13, Verse 14 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत् सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम् । सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ॥
sarvatah pani-padam tat sarvato 'kshi-shiro-mukham sarvatah shrutimal loke sarvam avrtya tishthati
Meaning
With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere in the world — it stands encompassing everything.
Understanding
The all-pervading nature of Brahman described in the most evocative language: sarvatah pani-padam (hands and feet everywhere — it acts and moves everywhere). Sarvato 'kshi-shiro-mukham (eyes, heads, mouths everywhere — it sees and speaks everywhere). Sarvatah shrutimal loke (ears everywhere in the world — it hears everywhere). Sarvam avrtya tishthati (it stands encompassing/pervading everything). This is not literal anatomy but a comprehensive teaching: wherever any action occurs, Brahman is the enabling Consciousness. Wherever anything is seen, heard, spoken, moved — Brahman is present as the ground of that capacity. It is the one by whom all action, perception, and speech are possible in every form.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सर्वतः | sarvatah | everywhere, on all sides |
| पाणिपादम् | pani-padam | hands and feet (pani = hand, pada = foot) |
| अक्षिशिरोमुखम् | akshi-shiro-mukham | eyes, heads, and mouths |
| श्रुतिमत् | shrutimat | having ears, endowed with hearing |
| आवृत्य | avrtya | encompassing, pervading, enveloping |
| तिष्ठति | tishthati | stands, abides, is present |
| सर्वतः | sarvataḥ | on all sides |
| पाणि-पादम् | pāṇi-pādam | hands and feet |
| तत् | tat | that |
| सर्वतः | sarvato | on all sides |
| अक्षि-शिरो-मुखम् | akṣi-śiro-mukham | eyes, heads and faces |
| सर्वतः | sarvataḥ śrutimat | with ears everywhere |
| लोके | loke | in the world |
| सर्वम् | sarvam | everything |
| आवृत्य | āvṛtya | encompassing, pervading |
| तिष्ठति | tiṣṭhati | remains, exists |
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