Bhagavad Gita BG 9.18
Chapter 9, Verse 18 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत् । प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम् ॥
gatir bharta prabhuh sakshi nivAsah sharanam suhrt prabhavah pralayah sthanam nidhanam bijam avyayam
Meaning
I am the goal, the sustainer, the lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house, and the imperishable seed.
Understanding
Twelve identifications — a mandala of Krishna's roles in relation to all beings. Gati (the goal — where everything moves toward). Bharta (the sustainer — who carries and nourishes all). Prabhuh (the lord — the sovereign). Sakshi (the witness — the eternal impartial seer). Nivasa (the abode — where all dwell). Sharana (the shelter — the refuge). Suhrh (the friend — the unsolicited well-wisher). Then cosmic functions: prabhava (the origin of creation), pralaya (the dissolution), sthana (the foundation/ground in between). Nidhana (the treasure-house, repository). Bijam avyayam (the imperishable seed — the unspent potential of all existence). This verse, with v16, frames Krishna as the complete reality — not just one role but the full spectrum.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| गतिः | gatih | the goal, the destination, the direction of all movement |
| भर्ता | bharta | the sustainer, nourisher, upholder |
| साक्षी | sakshi | the witness — the impartial seer, never uninvolved yet never bound |
| सुहृत् | suhrt | the friend — the one who wishes well without expecting return |
| बीजमव्ययम् | bijam avyayam | the imperishable seed — the inexhaustible source and potential |
| गतिः | gatiḥ | the goal, the destination |
| भर्ता | bhartā | the sustainer, the husband |
| प्रभुः | prabhuḥ | the lord, the master |
| साक्षी | sākṣī | the witness |
| निवासः | nivāsaḥ | the abode |
| शरणम् | śaraṇam | the refuge |
| सुहृत् | suhṛt | the friend, the well-wisher |
| प्रभवः | prabhavaḥ | the origin |
| प्रलयः | pralayaḥ | the dissolution |
| स्थानम् | sthānam | the foundation, the resting place |
| निधानम् | nidhānam | the treasure, the repository |
| बीजम् | bījam | the seed |
| अव्ययम् | avyayam | imperishable |
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