Bhagavad Gita BG 9.5
Chapter 9, Verse 5 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् । भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावनः ॥
na ca mat-sthani bhutani pasya me yogam aishvaram bhuta-bhrt na ca bhuta-stho mam'atma bhuta-bhavanah
Meaning
And yet beings do not dwell in Me — behold My divine yoga! My Self sustains all beings and gives them life, yet does not dwell in them.
Understanding
The further paradox: na ca mat-sthani bhutani — beings do NOT dwell in Me. Wait — verse 4 said they do! Here: the ultimate transcendence. The absolute cannot be 'contained' even by the statement 'all is in Me.' Pasya me yogam aishvaram — behold My divine (aishvara) mystery (yoga)! Bhuta-bhrt (sustainer/bearer of all beings) na ca bhuta-stha (yet not dwelling in beings). Mama atma bhuta-bhavanah (My Self is the nourisher, the life-giver of beings). The absolute simultaneously sustains all while being contained by nothing.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| पश्य | pasya | behold, see, perceive (imperative) |
| ऐश्वरम् | aishvaram | divine, sovereign, of the Lord |
| भूतभृत् | bhuta-bhrt | sustainer of all beings, bearer of all |
| भूतभावनः | bhuta-bhavanah | nourisher of beings, cause of beings' existence |
| योगम् | yogam | divine mystery, cosmic union/power |
| न | na | not |
| च | ca | and |
| मत्-स्थानि | mat-sthāni | situated in Me |
| भूतानि | bhūtāni | beings |
| पश्य | paśya | behold, see |
| मे | me | My |
| ऐश्वरम् | aiśvaram | divine, sovereign |
| भूत-भृत् | bhūta-bhṛt | the maintainer of all beings |
| न | na | not |
| च | ca | and yet |
| भूत-स्थः | bhūta-sthaḥ | situated within beings |
| मम | mama | My |
| आत्मा | ātmā | Self, spirit |
| भूत-भावनः | bhūta-bhāvanaḥ | the cause of all beings |