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Chapter 18 · The Perfection of Renunciation · 78 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Bhakti & surrenderChapter 18 · The Perfection of Renunciation
18.6018.62

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 18.61

Perform duty in surrender to Krishna

Īśvara · God

ईश्वर: सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति ।

भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्‍त्रारूढानि मायया ॥ ६१ ॥

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

Translation

The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

The Lord in Every Heart

  1. 1

    The Supreme Lord is in everyone’s heart, directing living beings who ride in bodies like machines made of material energy.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa, as the Supersoul, witnesses all our activities and directs material nature to give us bodies according to our past desires.

  3. 3

    Do not think you are independent of the Lord. Our duty is to surrender to Him.

Key points from the purport

Supreme Lord is the master and puppeteer

He is situated in everyone’s heart

Directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated on a machine (made of material energy)

a

This verse points out limited discretion of Arjuna

Arjuna is not the supreme knower

Supreme Personality of Godhead is directing us according to our past deeds

Living entitiy in one body has to work under the spell of modes

Analogy: Person seated in a high speed motor car goes faster than one in a slower car, though the drivers may be the same

b

Conclusion — Our duty is to surrender because living entity is not independent and always under the Lord’s control

Further reading

More Confidential Knowledge: Surrender To

Supersoul

More confidential knowledge than the knowledge that one is spirit soul is knowledge that one should surrender to the Supersoul

Chapter 18, section VII: More Confidential Knowledge: Surrender To
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. īśvaraḥthe Supreme Lord
  2. sarva-bhūtānāmof all living entities
  3. hṛt-deśein the location of the heart
  4. arjunaO Arjuna
  5. tiṣṭhatiresides
  6. bhrāmayancausing to travel
  7. sarva-bhūtāniall living entities
  8. yantraon a machine
  9. ārūḍhanibeing placed
  10. māyayāunder the spell of material energy
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

  • Supersoul

    The Supreme Lord is situated in the heart of everyone.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 18.61 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?

Practice

Offer one act today with devotion.

5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 13.23Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioningBG 15.15Krishna sustains, illuminates and gives remembranceBG 18.56Perform duty in surrender to KrishnaBG 18.57Perform duty in surrender to Krishna
Live this todayNot Independent of the LordOne practice from this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
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