Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 10 · Verse 20
BG 10.20
Verse 20 of Chapter 10 — The Divine Manifestations.
aham ātmā guḍākeśa sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ | aham ādiś ca madhyaṁ ca bhūtānām anta eva ca ||
Sanskrit / Transliteration
TRANSLATION
I am the Self, O Gudakesha, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings.
EXPLANATION
The opening of Chapter 10's great teaching on divine manifestations (vibhutis). Krishna identifies himself with the innermost self of every being — the atman that witnesses from within. 'Seated in the hearts of all creatures' — this is not metaphorical. The same consciousness that recognizes this verse as meaningful is the very thing being described. To know the self deeply is to know God. This verse makes every sincere meditation on the self simultaneously a meditation on the divine.