In Bhagavad Gita 14.4, Krishna says that of all the forms born in all wombs, the great Brahman is the womb and he is the seed-giving father.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
सर्वयोनिषु कौन्तेय
मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः
तासां ब्रह्म महद्योनिर्
अहं बीजप्रदः पिता ॥ १४-४ ॥
sarvayoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṃ brahma mahadyonir
ahaṃ bījapradaḥ pitā
English transliteration sarvayonishu kaunteya
moortayah sambhavanti yaah
taasaam brahma mahadyonir
aham beejapradah pitaa ॥ 14.4 ॥
Translation / Meaning
Of all the forms that are born in all wombs, O son of Kunti, the great Brahman is the womb, and I am the seed-giving father.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सर्वयोनिषु sarvayoniṣu | in all wombs sarva (all) + yoniṣu (wombs) |
| कौन्तेय kaunteya | O son of Kuntī |
| मूर्तयः mūrtayaḥ | forms |
| सम्भवन्ति sambhavanti | are born |
| याः yāḥ | which |
| तासाम् tāsām | of them |
| ब्रह्म brahma | Brahman |
| महत् mahat | great |
| योनिः yoniḥ | womb |
| अहम् aham | I |
| बीजप्रदः bījapradaḥ | seed-giving bīja (seed) + pradaḥ (giving) |
| पिता pitā | father |
Word-wise Chanting
- sar–va–yo–ni–ṣu kaun–te–ya 8 syllables sar-va-yo-ni-shu kaun-te-ya
- mūr–ta–yaḥ sam–bha–van–ti yāḥ | 8 syllables moor-ta-yah sam-bha-van-ti yaah
- tā–sāṃ brah–ma ma–had–yo–nir– 8 syllables taa-saam brah-ma ma-had-yo-nir-
- a–haṃ bī–jap–ra–daḥ pi–tā || 14-4 8 syllables a-ham bee-jap-ra-dah pi-taa
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 4
Context
Krishna continues describing the origin of beings (14.3–14.4).
Meaning
Every creature born from any womb has one ultimate mother, mahad brahma, nature, and one ultimate father, the Divine, the bīja-prada, giver of the seed. All beings are children of the same divine parents.
If all beings share the same divine parents, all are siblings. This is a powerful foundation for universal kinship and compassion.
In Practice
Look at another living being today and think, “We share the same divine parents.”
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.