In Bhagavad Gita 13.16, Krishna says Brahman is outside and inside all beings, unmoving and moving, unknowable because of its subtlety, far away and yet near.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
बहिरन्तश्च भूतानाम्
अचरं चरमेव च
सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं
दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ॥ १३-१६ ॥
bahirantaśca bhūtānām
acaraṃ carameva ca
sūkṣmatvāttadavijñeyaṃ
dūrasthaṃ cāntike ca tat
English transliteration bahirantashcha bhootaanaam
acharam charameva cha
sookshmatvaattadavijneyam
doorastham chaantike cha tat ॥ 13.16 ॥
Translation / Meaning
It is outside and inside all beings, unmoving and also moving. Because of its subtlety, it is not to be known. It is far away, and yet it is near.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| बहिः bahiḥ | outside |
| अन्तः antaḥ | inside |
| च ca | and |
| भूतानाम् bhūtānām | of beings |
| अचरम् acaram | unmoving |
| चरम् caram | moving |
| एव eva | also |
| च ca | and |
| सूक्ष्मत्वात् sūkṣmatvāt | because of its subtlety |
| तत् tat | that |
| अविज्ञेयम् avijñeyam | not to be known |
| दूरस्थम् dūrastham | far away dūra (far) + stham (standing) |
| च ca | and |
| अन्तिके antike | near |
| च ca | and |
| तत् tat | that |
Word-wise Chanting
- ba–hi–ran–taś–ca bhū–tā–nām– 8 syllables ba-hi-ran-tash-cha bhoo-taa-naam-
- a–ca–raṃ ca–ra–me–va ca | 8 syllables a-cha-ram cha-ra-me-va cha
- sūkṣ–mat–vāt–ta–da–vi–jñe–yaṃ 8 syllables sooksh-mat-vaat-ta-da-vi-jne-yam
- dū–ras–thaṃ cān–ti–ke ca tat || 13-16 8 syllables doo-ras-tham chaan-ti-ke cha tat
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 16
Context
Krishna describes the nature of Brahman (13.13–13.18).
Meaning
Brahman is both bahis and antar, outside and inside every being. It is the unmoving ground and the moving world. Being sūkṣma, extremely subtle, it escapes ordinary knowing. It is infinitely far for the ignorant and nearer than near for the wise. This echoes the Īśa Upaniṣad.
The Divine is the closest reality, our own awareness, yet it seems far because we look for it outside.
In Practice
Instead of looking for the Divine outside today, turn your attention to the awareness that is already here.
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.