यथा सर्वगतं सौक्ष्म्यादाकाशं नोपलिप्यते ।
सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथाऽऽत्मा नोपलिप्यते ॥
सर्वत्रावस्थितो देहे तथाऽऽत्मा नोपलिप्यते ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
जैसे सब जगह व्याप्त आकाश अत्यन्त सूक्ष्म होनेसे कहीं भी लिप्त नहीं होता, ऐसे ही सब जगह परिपूर्ण आत्मा किसी भी देहमें लिप्त नहीं होता ॥
English
As all-pervading space is not tainted because of its subtlety, so the self, present in every body, is not tainted.
What this verse means
The true self is present in every body, but it is never stained or affected by the body it inhabits.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna is frozen while Krishna explains the difference between the body and the true self. He uses space as an image: just as space is everywhere yet untouched, the true self remains unstained in every body.
Why this verse still matters
You hear a harsh comment and feel it sink into your chest. The verse reminds you that what is aware of the hurt is not the hurt itself.
The takeaway
You are closer to awareness than to whatever passes through awareness.
Word-by-word translation
यथा (just as) / सर्वगतं (all-pervading) / सौक्ष्म्यात् (because of subtlety) / आकाशं (space) / न (not) / उपलिप्यते (is tainted) / सर्वत्रावस्थितः (present everywhere) / देहे (in the body) / तथा (so) / आत्मा (the true self) / न (not) / उपलिप्यते (is tainted)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13: Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga — Field and Knower of the Field, which contains 35 verses.
Explore related themes: kshetra kshetrajna (10 verses)