Chapter 13, Verse 16 (Bhagavad Gita 13.16)
Sanskrit Shloka
बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च।सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत्
Transliteration
bahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva cha sūkṣhmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūra-sthaṁ chāntike cha tat
Word Meanings
bahiḥ—outside; antaḥ—inside; cha—and; bhūtānām—all living beings; acharam—not moving; charam—moving; eva—indeed; cha—and; sūkṣhmatvāt—due to subtlety; tat—he; avijñeyam—incomprehensible; dūra-stham—very far away; cha—and; antike—very near; cha—also; tat—he
Translation
It exists both within and outside all beings, among the moving and the non-moving. Because it is subtle, it is incomprehensible; and though it is far away, it is also near.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound verse, Bhagwan Shri Krishna reveals the omnipresent nature of the Supreme Brahman, which transcends all duality. Shri Krishna explains that He is the substratum of existence, residing simultaneously in the deepest core of the soul and the farthest reaches of the cosmos. To the ignorant, this divine reality seems distant, yet to the seeker who recognizes Shri Krishna in everything, He is closer than one’s own breath. By transcending the perception of 'near' and 'far,' the devotee realizes that Shri Krishna is the very essence of their being. This realization marks the beginning of true liberation, as the soul sheds the illusion of separation and merges into the eternal consciousness of Shri Krishna.