Chapter 9, Verse 18 (Bhagavad Gita 9.18)
Chapter 9: Rāja Vidyā Yog – Yoga through the King of Sciences
Sanskrit Shloka
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्। प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम्
Transliteration
gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣhī nivāsaḥ śharaṇaṁ suhṛit prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam
Word Meanings
gatiḥ—the supreme goal; bhartā—sustainer; prabhuḥ—master; sākṣhī—witness; nivāsaḥ—abode; śharaṇam—shelter; su-hṛit—friend; prabhavaḥ—the origin; pralayaḥ—dissolution; sthānam—store house; nidhānam—resting place; bījam—seed; avyayam—imperishable
Translation
I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house, and the imperishable seed.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Shri Krishna unveils His identity as the singular essence encompassing every aspect of existence, both manifest and unmanifest. By declaring Himself the goal and the shelter, Lord Krishna invites the seeker to abandon the illusion of separate existence and surrender fully to His divine embrace. He is the silent witness within every heart, the eternal friend who sustains our journey toward liberation. Recognizing Shri Krishna as the imperishable seed of all creation transforms one’s worldly perspective, shifting the focus from fleeting material outcomes to eternal union with the Supreme. Through this, the devotee finds the ultimate refuge and the cessation of all duality.