In Bhagavad Gita 13.14, Krishna says that Brahman has hands and feet everywhere, eyes, heads and faces everywhere, ears everywhere, and abides enveloping all in the world.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्
सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके
सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति ॥ १३-१४ ॥
sarvataḥ pāṇipādaṃ tat
sarvato’kṣiśiromukham
sarvataḥ śrutimalloke
sarvamāvṛtya tiṣṭhati
English transliteration sarvatah paanipaadam tat
sarvato’kshishiromukham
sarvatah shrutimalloke
sarvamaavritya tishthati ॥ 13.14 ॥
Translation / Meaning
It has hands and feet everywhere, eyes, heads and faces everywhere, and ears everywhere. It abides in the world, enveloping all.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सर्वतः sarvataḥ | everywhere |
| पाणिपादम् pāṇipādam | hands and feet pāṇi (hands) + pādam (feet) |
| तत् tat | that |
| सर्वतः sarvataḥ | everywhere |
| अक्षिशिरोमुखम् akṣiśiromukham | eyes, heads and faces akṣi (eyes) + śiraḥ (heads) + mukham (faces) |
| सर्वतः sarvataḥ | everywhere |
| श्रुतिमत् śrutimat | having ears |
| लोके loke | in the world |
| सर्वम् sarvam | all |
| आवृत्य āvṛtya | enveloping |
| तिष्ठति tiṣṭhati | abides |
Word-wise Chanting
- sar–va–taḥ pā–ṇi–pā–daṃ tat– 8 syllables sar-va-tah paa-ni-paa-dam tat-
- sar–va–to–‘kṣi–śi–ro–mu–kham | 8 syllables sar-va-to-‘kshi-shi-ro-mu-kham
- sar–va–taḥ śru–ti–mal–lo–ke 8 syllables sar-va-tah shru-ti-mal-lo-ke
- sar–va–mā–vṛt–ya tiṣ–ṭha–ti || 13-14 8 syllables sar-va-maa-vrit-ya tish-tha-ti
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 13 Verse 14
Context
Krishna describes the nature of Brahman (13.13–13.18).
Meaning
Brahman acts through every hand and foot, sees through every eye, hears through every ear. All the senses and actions of all beings are its own. It envelops and pervades the whole world. This echoes the Puruṣa hymn of the Ṛg Veda.
The Divine is not distant: it works through every pair of hands and sees through every pair of eyes, including ours.
In Practice
Before using your hands today, remember that they are instruments of the Divine.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga (The Field and the Knower of the Field). 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.