In Bhagavad Gita 14.3, Krishna says the great Brahman, nature, is his womb; in it he places the seed, and from that comes the birth of all beings.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म
तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम्
सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां
ततो भवति भारत ॥ १४-३ ॥
mama yonirmahad brahma
tasmingarbhaṃ dadhāmyaham
sambhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ
tato bhavati bhārata
English transliteration mama yonirmahad brahma
tasmingarbham dadhaamyaham
sambhavah sarvabhootaanaam
tato bhavati bhaarata ॥ 14.3 ॥
Translation / Meaning
My womb is the great Brahman, nature. In it I place the seed. From that, O descendant of Bharata, comes the birth of all beings.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मम mama | My |
| योनिः yoniḥ | womb |
| महत् mahat | great |
| ब्रह्म brahma | Brahman (here, nature) |
| तस्मिन् tasmin | in it |
| गर्भम् garbham | seed |
| दधामि dadhāmi | place |
| अहम् aham | I |
| सम्भवः sambhavaḥ | birth |
| सर्वभूतानाम् sarvabhūtānām | of all beings |
| ततः tataḥ | from that |
| भवति bhavati | comes |
| भारत bhārata | O descendant of Bharata |
Word-wise Chanting
- ma–ma yo–nir–ma–had brah–ma 8 syllables ma-ma yo-nir-ma-had brah-ma
- tas–min–gar–bhaṃ da–dhām–ya–ham | 8 syllables tas-min-gar-bham da-dhaam-ya-ham
- sam–bha–vaḥ sar–va–bhū–tā–nāṃ 8 syllables sam-bha-vah sar-va-bhoo-taa-naam
- ta–to bha–va–ti bhā–ra–ta || 14-3 8 syllables ta-to bha-va-ti bhaa-ra-ta
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 14 Verse 3
Context
Krishna describes the origin of beings (14.3–14.4).
Meaning
Here mahad brahma refers to prakṛti, primordial nature, which is like a womb. The Divine places the garbha, the seed of consciousness, in it. From this union, described in 13.27, all beings are born.
The image is of creation as birth from a cosmic mother and father. Nature and spirit together give rise to all life.
In Practice
Reflect on the sacredness of birth and life, seeing every living being as born of the Divine.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 14: Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga (The Three Gunas). 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.