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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