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Bhagavad-gītā 9.4

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना । मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थित: ॥ ४ ॥
mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
[mayaa tatam idam sarvam]
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
[jagad avyakta-moortinaa]
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
[mat-sthaani sarva-bhootaani]
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ
[na chaaham teshv avasthitah]
Word-for-word
mayā — by Me tatam — pervaded idam — this sarvam — all jagat — cosmic manifestation avyakta - mūrtinā — by the unmanifested form mat - sthāni — in Me sarva - bhūtāni — all living entities na — not ca — also aham — I teṣu — in them avasthitaḥ — situated .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
mayā
by Me
tatam
pervaded
idam
this
sarvam
all
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
jagat
cosmic manifestation
avyakta - mūrtinā
by the unmanifested form
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
mat - sthāni
in Me
sarva - bhūtāni
all living entities
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ
na
not
ca
also
aham
I
teṣu
in them
avasthitaḥ
situated .
Important Words
  • mayā — by Me
    Instrumental — by Me, the agent. Kṛṣṇa frames the entire cosmos as His act. Note the verse opens with mayā tatam idam sarvam jagat — by Me this entire universe is pervaded. The 'by' is not metaphorical; the pervasion is the personal act of a person.
  • tatam — pervaded
    From √tan — to stretch, extend, spread out. The same root gives us tantra (extended fabric). The universe is a fabric stretched out by Kṛṣṇa's presence; pull any thread and you pull on Him.
  • avyakta - mūrtinā — by the unmanifested form
    Avyakta-mūrti is critical here: even Kṛṣṇa's pervasive mode has a mūrti — a form. Impersonalist readers stop at avyakta and conclude formlessness; Kṛṣṇa Himself adds mūrti to forbid that reading. The unmanifest is still personal.
  • mat - sthāni — situated in Me
    Mat (in Me) + sthāni (resting). All beings rest in Kṛṣṇa as their support. The same compound returns in 9.5 and 9.6 — Kṛṣṇa is teaching a precise doctrine of acintya-bhedābheda by repetition.
  • sarva - bhūtāni — all living beings
    Sarva (all) + bhūta (beings). The total inventory of conscious life. Every soul is mat-sthāni — situated in Him — whether they know it or not.
  • avasthitaḥ — situated
    Ava + √sthā — to stand within. The verse says na ca aham teṣu avasthitaḥ — and I am not situated in them. The asymmetry is the heart of acintya-bhedābheda: they in Him, He not in them.
By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.
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)
Kṛṣṇa announces the structural fact of reality: in His unmanifest aspect He pervades all (mayā tatam idam sarvam). Beings rest in Him as their substratum, yet He is not contained by them — pervasion without dependence. The paradox is the chapter's hinge.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
One of the great metaphysical statements of the Gītā. 'Mayā tatam idam sarvam' will be echoed by Vedānta as Brahman-as-ground. The simultaneous mat-sthāni / na ahaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ is acintya-bhedābheda in nuce: the world rests in the Lord ontologically, but He transcends it. The next verse (9.5) explicitly calls this paradox His 'yogam aiśvaram.' Cross-ref BG 7.7, 10.42.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
अव्यक्त-मूर्तिना मया इदं सर्वं जगत् ततम् । सर्व-भूतानि मत्-स्थानि, अहं तु तेषु न अवस्थितः ।
avyakta-mūrtinā mayā idaṃ sarvaṃ jagat tatam | sarva-bhūtāni mat-sthāni, ahaṃ tu teṣu na avasthitaḥ |
By Me, whose form is unmanifest, this whole world is pervaded. All beings are situated in Me; yet I am not situated in them.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
मया ततम् इदं सर्वं जगत् अव्यक्त-मूर्तिना । मत्-स्थानि सर्व-भूतानि न च अहं तेषु अवस्थितः ॥
mayā tatam idaṃ sarvaṃ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā | mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na ca ahaṃ teṣu avasthitaḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
मया mayā अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) ins.sg. (instrumental singular) by Me
ततम् tatam √तन् p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. pervaded, stretched out
इदम् idam dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. this
सर्वम् sarvam सर्व (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. all, whole
जगत् jagat जगत् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) world
अव्यक्त-मूर्तिना avyakta-mūrtinā अव्यक्त (adj.) + मूर्ति (f.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular), bahuvrīhi cpd. (whose form is unmanifest) by the One of unmanifest form
मत्-स्थानि mat-sthāni मत् + स्थ (adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)n., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) situated in Me
सर्व-भूतानि sarva-bhūtāni सर्व + भूत (n.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), karmadhāraya cpd. (compound) all beings
न na ind. (indeclinable), negation not
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
अहम् aham अस्मद् pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
तेषु teṣu dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun) loc.pl. (locative plural)m./n. in them
अवस्थितः avasthitaḥ अव+√स्था p.p.p. (past passive participle) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. situated
Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not perceivable through the gross material senses. It is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ ( Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234) Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, fame, pastimes, etc., cannot be understood by material senses. Only to one who is engaged in pure devotional service under proper guidance is He revealed. In the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38) it is stated, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti: one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, always within himself and outside himself if one has developed the transcendental loving attitude towards Him. Thus for people in general He is not visible. Here it is said that although He is all-pervading, everywhere present, He is not conceivable by the material senses. This is indicated here by the word avyakta-mūrtinā. But actually, although we cannot see Him, everything is resting in Him. As we have discussed in the Seventh Chapter, the entire material cosmic manifestation is only a combination of His two different energies – the superior, spiritual energy and the inferior, material energy. Just as the sunshine is spread all over the universe, the energy of the Lord is spread all over the creation, and everything is resting in that energy. Yet one should not conclude that because He is spread all over He has lost His personal existence. To refute such an argument the Lord says, “I am everywhere, and everything is in Me, but still I am aloof.” For example, a king heads a government which is but the manifestation of the king’s energy; the different governmental departments are nothing but the energies of the king, and each department is resting on the king’s power. But still one cannot expect the king to be present in every department personally. That is a crude example. Similarly, all the manifestations that we see and everything that exists, both in this material world and in the spiritual world, are resting on the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The creation takes place by the diffusion of His different energies, and, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam: He is everywhere present by His personal representation, the diffusion of His different energies.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
4. I pervade this whole universe by My form invisible to material senses, since I am the cause. All entities are situated in Me, since I am their cause, but I am not in them, since I am completely detached.
Commentary

In seven verses, the Lord speaks of the knowledge of the powers of God required by devotees who are situated in dāsya-bhakti. This whole universe is pervaded by Me, whose form is invisible to the senses (avyakta), since I am the cause of the universe (I am in the universe). And as well, all the living entities moving and non-moving are situated in Me (mat-sthāni), a form of pure consciousness, since I am their cause (The universe is in Me). But I am not situated in all these entities (I do not pervade them), as clay is present in its product a pot, because I am completely independent of everything.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
4. I pervade this whole universe by My form invisible to material eyes. All entities are dependent on Me, but I am not dependent on them.
Commentary

The Lord then speaks of His remarkable powers which stimulate devotion to Him. This whole universe is pervaded (tatam) by Me (I am in everything), whose svarūpa (murtinā) cannot be not grasped by the material senses (avyakta), in order to maintain and regulate it. And though I am in everything and maintain and regulate everything, all moving and non-moving entities are simultaneously situated within Me. This means their existence is dependent on Me. And I am not situated in all of these living entities: I am not dependent on them. What is said here is that, taking the role of the paramātmā (antaryāmī of the universe), which is My expansion, entering within the universe, I control and support it.

In this vein, the śruti says yaḥ pṛthivyāṁ tiṣṭhat: He is situated in the earth. (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.7.3) The Lord will say later in the Gīta viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam: I pervade this whole universe. (BG 10.42)

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

By Krsna's unmanifested form, He is pervading everywhere. And because all living beings are situated in the material world, everything is situated in Krsna. Krsna is explaining His relationship to the material world, that the material world is resting upon His energy ‑ but He is aloof. He is the source of the material world, He maintains it , but yet He is aloof.

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

The Lord supports and pervades the entire universe through His energies

The all pervading aspect of the Lord is described as ‘avyakta-murtina’, His unmanifested form
Also the Lord says: “All beings are in Me, but I am not in Them”

PLEASE NOTE: Some points as given in the translation are included under the point headings of the ‘Focus of

Learning’ section for this verse

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
9.4 Idam, this; sarvam, whole; jagat, world; is tatam, pervaded; maya, by Me; through the supreme nature, that I have, avyakta-murtina, in My unmanifest form, in that form in which My nature is not manifest, i.e. in My form which is beyond the range of the organs. Sarva-bhutani, all beings, from Brahma to a clump of grass; matsthani, exist in Me, are established in Me in that unmanifest form. For, no created thing that is bereft of the Self (i.e. of Reality) can be conceived of as an object of practical use. Therefore, being possessed of their reality through Me who am their Self, they exist in Me. Hence they are said to be established in Me. I Myself am the Self of those created things. Conseently, it appears to people of little understanding that I dwell in them. Hence I say: Na ca aham, but I am not; avasthitah, contained; tesu, in them, in the created things. Since unlike gross objects I am not in contact with anything, therefore I am certainly the inmost core even of space. For, a thing that has no contact with anything cannot exist like something contained in a receptacle. For this very reason that I am not in contact with anyting-
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
9.4 This 'entire universe,' composed to sentient and non-sentient beings, is pervaded by Me, the inner controller, whose 'form is not manifest,' namely, whose essential nature is unmanifest. The meaning is that all this is pervaded by Me, the Principal (Sesi), so that I may sustain and rule this universe. This, the pervasion of all by the inner controller, who is invisible to the entire group of sentient and non-sentient beings, is taught in the following passage of the Antaryami-brahmana: 'He who dwells in the earth ৷৷. whom the earth 'does not know' (Br. U., 3.7.3) and 'He who dwells in the self ৷৷. whom the self does not know etc.,' (Br. U. Madh., 3.7.22). Therefore 'all beings abide in Me'; all beings rest in Me who am their inner controller. In the same Brahmana it is taught that their existence and control are dependent on Him, as they are subject to His control and as they constitute His body: 'He whose body is the earth ৷৷. who controls the earth from within' (Br. U., 3.7.3) and 'He whose body is the self ৷৷. He who controls the self from within' (Br. U. Madh., 3.7.22). So also His primacy over everything is taught. 'I am not in them,' namely, I do not 'depend' on them for My existence. There is no help derived from them for My existence.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
9.4 Maya etc. All beings exist in Me : Because no other abode of rest is available, even if one wanders [in search of it] for long. The beings (or elements) that form the objects of knowledge possess their well-known nature of insentiency. When these beings manifest with this nature foremost, their other innate nature viz., sentiency, that is opposed to this [former nature], remain hidden. This is what He says by I do not exist in them.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
9.4 All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest aspect; all beings exist in Me, but I do not dwell in them.
Commentary

9.4 मया by Me? ततम् pervaded? इदम् this? सर्वम् all? जगत् world? अव्यक्तमूर्तिना by the unmanifested form? मत्स्थानि exist in Me? सर्वभूतानि all beings? न not? च and? अहम् I? तेषु in them? अवस्थितः placed.Commentary Avyaktamurti is Para Brahman or the Supreme Unmanifested Being invisible to the senses but cognisable through intuition. All beings from Brahma? the Creator? down to the blade of grass or an ant? dwell in the transcendental Para Brahman. They have no independent existence they exist through the Self which is the support for everythin? which underlies them all.Nothing here contains It. As Brahman is the Self of all beings? one may imagine that It dwells in them. But it is not so. How could it be How can the Infinite be contained in a finite object Brahman has no connection or contact with any material object? just as a chair or a table has contact with the ground or a man or a book. So It does not dwell in those beings. That which has no connection or contact with objects or beings cannot be contained anywhere as if in a vessel? trunk? room or receptacle. The Self is not rooted in all these forms. It is not contained by any of these forms just as the ether is not contained in any form though all forms are derived from the ether.All beings appear to be living in Brahman? but this is an illusion. If this illusion vanishes? nothing remains anywhere except Brahman. When ignorance? the cause of this illusion? disappears? the very idea of the existence of these beings also will vanish.In verses 4 and 5 the Lord uses a paradox or an apparent contradiction All beings dwell in Me and yet do not dwell in Me I do not dwell in them. For a thinker there is no real contradiction at all. Just as space contains all beings and yet is not touched by them? so also Para Brahman contains everything and yet is not touched by them. Even Mulaprakriti? the source or womb of this world? is supported by Brahman. Brahman has no support or root. It rests in Its own pristine glory. (Cf.VII.12?24VIII.22)

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
9.4 This whole world is prevaded by Me in My unmanifest form. All beings exist in Me, but I am not contained in them!
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
9.4 The whole world is pervaded by Me, yet My form is not seen. All living things have their being in Me, yet I am not limited by them.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)
Related verses
BG 7.7 BG 10.42 BG 13.14 SB 2.9.32 SB 2.9.33 SB 10.9.13 CC Ādi 2.10 CC Ādi 5.67 CC Madhya 20.385 Īśa Upaniṣad 5 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.9
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
By Me, in My unmanifested form, all this is pervaded — all beings are in Me, but I am not in them.
Practical Applications
  • Hold the paradox: all beings in Him, He not contained by them.
  • Practice perceiving His pervading presence.
  • Don't reduce the paradox; live in it.
Reflection Questions
  • When I feel lost, can I sense pervasive presence?
  • What practice deepens that perception?
Analogy

Picture the air in this room. It is everywhere — in your lungs, in the spaces between books, pressing on the windows — yet you cannot see it, and it does not depend on the room for its existence. Kṛṣṇa pervades all worlds in His avyakta (unmanifest) feature the way air pervades the room: everything rests in Him, but He is not contained in or limited by them.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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