In Bhagavad Gita 12.3, Krishna describes those who worship the imperishable, indefinable, unmanifest, all-pervading, unthinkable, unchanging, immovable and eternal.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
ये त्वक्षरमनिर्देश्यम्
अव्यक्तं पर्युपासते
सर्वत्रगमचिन्त्यञ्च
कूटस्थमचलन्ध्रुवम् ॥ १२-३ ॥
ye tvakṣaramanirdeśyam
avyaktaṃ paryupāsate
sarvatragamacintyañca
kūṭasthamacalandhruvam
English transliteration ye tvaksharamanirdeshyam
avyaktam paryupaasate
sarvatragamachintyancha
kootasthamachalandhruvam ॥ 12.3 ॥
Translation / Meaning
But those who worship the Imperishable, the Indefinable, the Unmanifest, the All-pervading, the Unthinkable, the Unchanging, the Immovable and the Eternal,
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ये ye | who |
| तु tu | but |
| अक्षरम् akṣaram | the Imperishable |
| अनिर्देश्यम् anirdeśyam | the Indefinable |
| अव्यक्तम् avyaktam | the Unmanifest |
| पर्युपासते paryupāsate | worship |
| सर्वत्रगम् sarvatragam | the All-pervading sarvatra (everywhere) + gam (going) |
| अचिन्त्यम् acintyam | the Unthinkable |
| च ca | and |
| कूटस्थम् kūṭastham | the Unchanging |
| अचलम् acalam | the Immovable |
| ध्रुवम् dhruvam | the Eternal |
Word-wise Chanting
- ye tva–kṣa–ra–ma–nir–deś–yam– 8 syllables ye tva-ksha-ra-ma-nir-desh-yam-
- av–yak–taṃ par–yu–pā–sa–te | 8 syllables av-yak-tam par-yu-paa-sa-te
- sar–vat–ra–ga–ma–cin–tyañ–ca 8 syllables sar-vat-ra-ga-ma-chin-tyan-cha
- kū–ṭas–tha–ma–ca–lan–dhru–vam || 12-3 8 syllables koo-tas-tha-ma-cha-lan-dhru-vam
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 12 Verse 3
Context
Krishna describes the worshippers of the formless (12.3–12.4); the sentence continues into 12.4.
Meaning
The formless Absolute is described by what it is not: anirdeśya, beyond description; avyakta, unmanifest; acintya, beyond thought. It is also sarvatraga, everywhere; kūṭastha, unchanging like an anvil; acala, unmoving; and dhruva, eternal.
Most of these terms are negative or abstract. This shows why meditation on the formless is demanding: the mind has nothing concrete to hold on to.
In Practice
Try meditating briefly on pure, formless awareness, and notice how subtle and difficult it is.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 12: Bhakti Yoga (The Yoga of Devotion). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.