Bhagavad Gita BG 9.4
Chapter 9, Verse 4 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना । मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥
maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina mat-sthani sarva-bhutani na caham teshu avasthitah
Meaning
By Me, in My unmanifest form, all this world is pervaded. All beings dwell in Me — and I do not dwell in them.
Understanding
The great paradox of the transcendent-immanent. Maya tatam idam sarvam jagat — by Me, this entire (idam sarvam) world (jagat) is pervaded (tatam — spread through, like dye through cloth). Avyakta-murtina — in My unmanifest form (the one who pervades is not visible). Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani — all beings dwell (sthani) in Me. Na ca aham teshu avasthitah — BUT I do not dwell IN them. The asymmetry: all is in Me but I am not in all (not confined to or by all). The container is not contained by what it contains.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ततम् | tatam | pervaded, spread through, woven through |
| अव्यक्तमूर्तिना | avyakta-murtina | in My unmanifest form |
| मत्स्थानि | mat-sthani | dwelling in Me, abiding in Me |
| अवस्थितः | avasthitah | dwelling, abiding, situated in |
| मया | mayā | by Me |
| इदम् | idam | this |
| सर्वम् | sarvam | all |
| जगत् | jagat | universe |
| अव्यक्त-मूर्तिना | avyakta-mūrtinā | in My unmanifest form |
| मत्-स्थानि | mat-sthāni | resting in Me |
| सर्व-भूतानि | sarva-bhūtāni | all beings |
| न | na | not |
| च | ca | and |
| अहम् | aham | I |
| तेषु | teṣu | in them |
| अवस्थितः | avasthitaḥ | situated |