FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.28.42

सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि । ईक्षेतानन्यभावेन भूतेष्विव तदात्मताम् ॥ ४२ ॥
sarva-bhūteṣu cātmānaṁ
[sarva-bhooteshu chaatmaanam]
sarva-bhūtāni cātmani
[sarva-bhootaani chaatmani]
īkṣetānanya-bhāvena
[eekshetaananya-bhaavena]
bhūteṣv iva tad-ātmatām
[bhooteshv iva tad-aatmataam]
sarva-bhūteṣu — in all manifestations ca — and ātmānam — the soul sarva-bhūtāni — all manifestations ca — also ātmani — in the Supreme Spirit īkṣeta — he should see ananya-bhāvena — with equal vision bhūteṣu — in all manifestations iva — as tat-ātmatām — the nature of itself.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sarva-bhūteṣu cātmānaṁ
sarva-bhūteṣu
in all manifestations
ca
and
ātmānam
the soul
sarva-bhūtāni cātmani
sarva-bhūtāni
all manifestations
ca
also
ātmani
in the Supreme Spirit
īkṣetānanya-bhāvena
īkṣeta
he should see
ananya-bhāvena
with equal vision
bhūteṣu
in all manifestations
bhūteṣv iva tad-ātmatām
iva
as
tat-ātmatām
the nature of itself.
A yogi should see the same soul in all manifestations, for all that exists is a manifestation of different energies of the Supreme. In this way the devotee should see all living entities without distinction. That is realization of the Supreme Soul.

As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, not only does the Supreme Soul enter each and every universe, but He enters even the atoms. The Supreme Soul is present everywhere in the dormant stage, and when one can see the presence of the Supreme Soul everywhere, one is liberated from material designations.

The word sarva-bhūteṣu is to be understood as follows. There are four different divisions of species: living entities which sprout from the earth, living entities born of fermentation or germination, living entities which come from eggs and living entities which come from the embryo. These four divisions of living entities are expanded in 8,400,000 species of life. A person who is freed from material designations can see the same quality of spirit present everywhere or in every manifested living entity. Less intelligent men think that plants and grass grow out of the earth automatically, but one who is actually intelligent and has realized the self can see that this growth is not automatic; the cause is the soul, and the forms come out in material bodies under different conditions. By fermentation in the laboratory many germs are born, but this is due to the presence of the soul. The material scientist thinks that eggs are lifeless, but that is not a fact. From Vedic scripture we can understand that living entities in different forms are generated under different conditions. Birds evolve from eggs, and beasts and human beings are born from the embryo. The perfect vision of the yogī or devotee is that he sees the presence of the living entity everywhere.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
This yogī should see Paramātmā in all beings, and all beings in Paramātmā, just as one sees the material elements in all beings. Contemplating that Paramātmā is different from all else, one should see him as the cause and ultimate resting place of all things. One sees Paramātmā in all beings because the cause is present in the effect. One sees all beings in Paramātmā because all of the effects merge into him at final destruction of the universe. Tad-ātmatām means “made of the five great elements.”
The cosmology here is not abstract scenery — it locates the reader inside a vast, intelligent order. Seeing your tiny role in this design quietly cools the urge to make yourself the centre.
Reflection Questions
  • How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
  • What would humility actually look like for you in your work this week?
📝 My note

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