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Bhagavad-gītā 7.6

एतद्योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणीत्युपधारय । अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगत: प्रभव: प्रलयस्तथा ॥ ६ ॥
etad-yonīni bhūtāni
[etad-yoneeni bhootaani]
sarvāṇīty upadhāraya
[sarvaaneety upadhaaraya]
ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ
[aham kritsnasya jagatah]
prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā
[prabhavah pralayas tathaa]
Word-for-word
etat — these two natures yonīni — whose source of birth bhūtāni — everything created sarvāṇi — all iti — thus upadhāraya — know aham — I kṛtsnasya — all-inclusive jagataḥ — of the world prabhavaḥ — the source of manifestation pralayaḥ — annihilation tathā — as well as .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
etad-yonīni bhūtāni
etat
these two natures
yonīni
whose source of birth
bhūtāni
everything created
sarvāṇīty upadhāraya
sarvāṇi
all
iti
thus
upadhāraya
know
ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ
aham
I
kṛtsnasya
all-inclusive
jagataḥ
of the world
prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā
prabhavaḥ
the source of manifestation
pralayaḥ
annihilation
tathā
as well as .
Important Words
  • yonīni — whose source of birth
    From yoni (womb, source). The two natures (parā and aparā) are the wombs of all beings. A striking image: no creature lacks one of these two parental origins.
  • prabhavaḥ — the source of manifestation
    pra + √bhū (to come forth). Not just 'cause' but 'that from which arising occurs.' Stronger than maker — Kṛṣṇa is the very upspring.
  • pralayaḥ — annihilation, dissolution
    pra + √lī (to dissolve into). Where things return when manifestation ends. The pairing prabhavaḥ–pralayaḥ is technical: emanation and reabsorption, the two halves of cosmic respiration.
  • kṛtsnasya — all-inclusive
    Genitive of kṛtsna (whole, entire). No exception. The whole jagat — no carved-out province belongs to anyone else.
All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Having distinguished the two prakṛtis, Kṛṣṇa unifies them under His sole proprietorship: every being arises from the conjunction of both. He is therefore both the creative source (prabhava) and dissolutive end (pralaya) of the whole cosmos — a frank statement of His role as upādāna-cum-nimitta cause.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Etad-yonīni — 'these two as womb' — picks up both aparā and parā: jīvas embodied in matter produce the living world. The two are Kṛṣṇa's energies, and He is what holds them in relation. This is the chapter's compressed cosmology: the world is real, owned by Īśvara, and intelligibly framed by śakti-vāda. Compare BG 9.10 ('mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate') and Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.2 ('janmādy asya yataḥ').
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
सर्वाणि भूतानि एतत्-योनीनि (इति) उपधारय; अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः तथा प्रलयः (अस्मि) ।
sarvāṇi bhūtāni etat-yonīni (iti) upadhāraya; ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ tathā pralayaḥ (asmi) |
Understand that all beings have these two as their womb; I am the origin and likewise the dissolution of the entire cosmos.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
एतत्-योनीनि भूतानि सर्वाणि इति उपधारय । अहं कृत्स्नस्य जगतः प्रभवः प्रलयः तथा ॥
etat-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇi iti upadhāraya | ahaṃ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ tathā ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
एतत्-योनीनि etat-yonīni एतद् + योनि (f. → n. here) bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound), nom.pl. (nominative plural)n. having these as their womb
भूतानि bhūtāni भूत (n.) nom.pl. (nominative plural) beings
सर्वाणि sarvāṇi सर्व (adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)n. all
इति iti ind. (quotative) thus
उपधारय upadhāraya उप+√धृ caus. (causative) impv. 2sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) understand! / grasp!
अहम् aham अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
कृत्स्नस्य kṛtsnasya कृत्स्न (adj.) gen.sg. (genitive singular)m./n. of the entire
जगतः jagataḥ जगत् (n.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of the world
प्रभवः prabhavaḥ प्रभव (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) origin / source
प्रलयः pralayaḥ प्रलय (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) dissolution
तथा tathā ind. (corr.) likewise
Purport

Everything that exists is a product of matter and spirit. Spirit is the basic field of creation, and matter is created by spirit. Spirit is not created at a certain stage of material development. Rather, this material world is manifested only on the basis of spiritual energy. This material body is developed because spirit is present within matter; a child grows gradually to boyhood and then to manhood because that superior energy, spirit soul, is present. Similarly, the entire cosmic manifestation of the gigantic universe is developed because of the presence of the Supersoul, Viṣṇu. Therefore spirit and matter, which combine to manifest this gigantic universal form, are originally two energies of the Lord, and consequently the Lord is the original cause of everything. A fragmental part and parcel of the Lord, namely the living entity, may be the cause of a big skyscraper, a big factory, or even a big city, but he cannot be the cause of a big universe. The cause of the big universe is the big soul, or the Supersoul. And Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, is the cause of both the big and small souls. Therefore He is the original cause of all causes. This is confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (2.2.13). Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
6. Know that all things have their origin in these two energies, and that I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe.
Commentary

The Lord is the cause of the world, by these two energies. Know that all moving and non-moving entities arise from these two energies, māyā-śakti and jīva-śakti, kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. I alone am the creator of all this universe, since these two energies arise from Me, and I alone am the destroyer of the universe, since it merges into Me, the possessor of these two energies.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
6. Know that all things of the universe have their origin in these two energies, and that I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe.
Commentary

By these two energies the Lord creates the whole universe. Know that all moving and nonmoving entities arise from these energies. The inferior and superior energies, called the field and knower of the field, are the cause of everything. But these two energies belong to Me; they arise from Me. Therefore I alone am the cause of the manifestation (prabhavaḥ) of the whole world arising from prakṛti. I am that entity from which everything arises (prabhavaḥ). I alone am also the destroyer (pralayaḥ), that entity by which all things disappear.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Everything that we see is simply made up of Krsna. They are Krsna's energies. And where do they come from? Krsna is the origin of them. We see them in different states, we see them in a state of existence being maintained, so we know that Krsna is their source. And He is the dissolver or the dissolution of this. Everything we see is in one of these three different states and each time we see that, we should see Krsna.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Krishna (God) discussed

Text 7.6 explains God is superior to both i.e. matter (7.4) and living entity (7.5)
Cause of creation and cause of dissolution (7.6)
Also He is the Maintainer of both / All depends on Him – But no-one can see Him just like no-one can see the thread that holds together a pearl necklace.
Analogy: Pearls on thread (7.7)
Krishna has no superior source/truth (7.7)
Focus of Learning

(a) Spirit is the cause of matter

Spirit is not created at a certain stage of material development
Everything that exists is a product of matter and spirit
Spirit is the basic field of creation and matter is created by the spirit
Material world is manifested only on the basis of spiritual energy e.g.
Child grows to boyhood and then to manhood, because of the superior energy, spirit soul
Similarly the entire cosmic manifestation develops because of Supreme Soul – Vishnu

(b) Lord is the cause of everything

Spirit and matter are two energies of the Lord, therefore the Lord is the original cause of everything, big (Supersoul) or small souls
Analogy: Living entity is the cause of big skyscraper or a big factory but he cannot be the cause of the big universe (caused by big soul, the Supersoul)
Ref. Katha Upanisad 2.2.13 – “nityo nityanam...”

(c) Preaching application – God and Jiva are never equal, Because

Jiva being the energy is always under the control of energetic and has no independent existence
Jiva tends to get influenced by matter, while God never gets so
Supporting Ref. SB 10.87.30: Acknowledges living entities as the minute energies of the Lord

(d) Cosmic manifestation works only because of superior energy, living entity – proves that living

entity is superior to matter and equal in quality to the Lord

Tends to come under the influence of matter – This is the cause of forgetting the spiritual mind and intelligence

(e) Real liberation (Mukti) – involves:

Surrender by living entity to God’s control
This is the path to real happiness
Only then can they be controllers
To be free from influence of illusory material energy
Free from false ego (“I and mine”) and all material conceptions, even conception of being one with God

(f) Conclusion: Bhagavad-gita confirms living entity to be one of the multi energies of Krishna

LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 7.7 & 7.8: Krishna explains further in the following four verses that He is the

essential or maintaining principle of various manifestations. We should appreciate Krishna not only as

the cause but also as the essence of everything. E.g. Krishna has already explained that the element water has

come from Him (7.4), but what we most appreciate about water is its taste. That taste which quenches our

thirst is Krishna. Therefore He is the active ingredient, the essence of water.

The next group of verses give the example of how everything depends on Him as per Text 7.7

PLEASE NOTE: All translations and some points of the purports 7.8 – 7.12 are covered under the common theme

below. The remaining points of the purport 7.8 and 7.12 are covered in the ‘Focus of Learning’ section thereafter.

Other points of the purport are mentioned in the Connection between Chapter 4 and 5 above

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
7.6 Upadharaya, understand; iti, thus; that sarvani, all; bhutani, things; etat-yonini, have these (etat) as their source (yoni)-things that have these lower and higher Prakrtis, charcterized as the 'field' and the 'Knower of the field (body)', as their source are etat-yonini. Since My two Prakrtis are the source, the cause of all things, therefore, aham, I; am the prabhavah, origin; tatha, as also; the pralayah, end, the termination; krtsnasya, of the whole; jagatah, Universe. The maning is this: I, who am the ominscient God, am the source of the Univese through My two Prakrtis. Since this is so, therefore-
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
7.6 Know that all beings from Brahma down to a tuft of grass, who have their origin in these two Prakrtis of Mine, are aggregated forms of the self and of inanimate matter. Irrespective of whether they are existing in a superior or inferior form, the selves and inanimate matter are mixed together in them. On account of their origination in My two Prakrtis, they are Mine. So, know that because the entire universe has its origination in these two Prakrtis which have their origination in Me, I am myself the origin and dissolution of the entire universe. For the same reason, I am its Lord (Sesin). It is proved on the basis of the Srutis and Smrtis that these two, Prakrti and Purusa (matter and the self), which form the aggregate of all animate and inanimate beings, have the Supreme Person as their cause. This is evident from Sruti and Smrti texts like the following: 'The Mahat resolves into Avyakta, Avyakta into Aksara, Aksara into Tamas, and Tamas becomes one with the Supreme Lord' (Su. U., 2); 'O sage, distinct from the form of Visnu, the Supreme Lord, the two forms, Prakrti and Purusa, arise' (V. P., 1.2.24); and 'What was described by Me as Prakrti in its dual form of the manifest and the unmanifest, and the Purusa do merge in the Supreme Self, and the Supreme Self is the support of all. He is the Supreme Lord named Visnu, exalted in the Vedas and Vedanta' (V. P., 6.4.38-39).
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
7.6 See Comment under 7.7
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
7.6 Know that these two (Natures) are the womb of all beings. So I am the source and dissolution of the whole universe.
Commentary

7.6 एतद्योनीनि those of which these two (Prakritis) are the womb? भूतानि beings? सर्वाणि all? इति thus? उपधारय know? अहम् I? कृत्स्नस्य of the whole? जगतः of the world? प्रभवः source? प्रलयः dissolution? तथा also.Commentary These two Natures? the inferior and the superior? are the womb of all beings. As I am the source of these two Prakritis or Natures also? I am the cause of this universe. The whole universe originates from Me and dissolves in Me.In the Brahma Sutras (chapter 1? section 1? aphorism 2) it is said? Janmadyasya yatah meaning that Brahman is that omniscient and omnipotent cause from which proceed the origin? subsistence and dissolution of this world.Just as the mind is the material cause and also the seer (Drashta) for the objects seen in a dream? so also Isvara is the material cause of this world (UpadanaKarana) and also the seer (Drashta). He is also the efficient or the instrumental cause (NimittaKarana). (Cf.XIV.3)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
7.6 Understand thus that all things (sentient and insentient) have these as their source. I am the origin as also the end of the whole Universe.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
7.6 It is the womb of all being; for I am He by Whom the worlds were created and shall be dissolved.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 10.8 BG 9.18 BG 14.4 SB 1.1.1 SB 2.9.33 SB 10.85.4 CC Ādi 1.3 CC Madhya 20.264 CC Ādi 2.5 Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.1.7
Concepts
Maya
Study Q&A referencing this verse
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
All beings come from these two natures — I am the origin of all and the dissolution.
Practical Applications
  • Hold the cosmic perspective: Kṛṣṇa is origin and dissolution.
  • Practice surrender of small worries to the cosmic frame.
  • Recognize that He encompasses what bewilders us.
Reflection Questions
  • What worry shrinks when seen in the cosmic frame?
  • Where could surrender to the encompassing Lord help?
Analogy

A weaver's loom: the warp threads are the spiritual energy, the weft the material; from their crossing, every pattern of existence appears. The weaver is Kṛṣṇa. When He begins to weave, the universe manifests; when He cuts the threads and rolls the cloth, it dissolves. No being escapes the loom — and the loom escapes none, for both are His.

Stories
Mārkaṇḍeya in the dissolution

The sage Mārkaṇḍeya, granted long life, witnessed the cosmic dissolution. The oceans rose; the worlds dissolved; only he remained, floating on the endless waters, alone and terrified.

Then he saw a banyan leaf on the waves, and on it a luminous infant — Kṛṣṇa as Bāla-Mukunda — who drew him in with a single breath and showed him the universes contained within His body. The Bhāgavatam records the sage's realization: prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ tathā — origin and dissolution are not two events but one Person, breathing.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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