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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 9.4
मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।
मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थित: ॥ ४ ॥
mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ
By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Kṛṣṇa pervades the whole universe in His unmanifested form. All beings are in Him, but He is not in them.
Prabhupāda explains that everything rests on Kṛṣṇa’s energies, yet Kṛṣṇa remains a distinct person, apart from His creation.
Engage in pure devotional service under proper guidance. Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself through devotion, not through material senses.
The Lord supports and pervades the entire universe through His energies
The all pervading aspect of the Lord is described as ‘avyakta-murtina’, His unmanifested form
Also the Lord says: “All beings are in Me, but I am not in Them”
PLEASE NOTE — Some points as given in the translation are included under the point headings of the ‘Focus of Learning’ section for this verse
Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu 1.2.234 — “Atah Sri Krishna…”
Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.38: “Premanjana…”
“All beings are in Me” — This implies that everything rests in Him
Ref. Bg. Chapter 7: Entire cosmic manifestation is a combination of superior and inferior energies of the Supreme Lord (Ref. Bg. 7.5 and 7.6)
Analogy: Sunshine spread all over the creation / All universes are resting in sunshine; similarly all creation is resting in His energy
“I am not in them” — This Implies that the Lord by all pervasiveness does not lose His personal existence
Refutes that “Since God is all pervading, He has lost His personal existence”
Analogy: King heads the government and is present in all the departments by his energies
Supporting Ref. Bg. 10.42: “Vistabhyam...”
WORLD
Krishna pervades, creates and annihilates entire cosmos through His material energy
Although He is the supreme director, yet the material world nevertheless moves independently and Krishna thus remains neutral and detached
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 9.4 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?
Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.
Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.