अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् ।
भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ॥ १७ ॥
avibhaktaṁ cha bhūteṣhu vibhaktam iva cha sthitam
bhūta-bhartṛi cha taj jñeyaṁ grasiṣhṇu prabhaviṣhṇu cha
श्लोक १७: परमात्मा सभी जीवों में विभाजित दिखाई देते हैं परंतु वे अविभाजित हैं| फिर भी; उन्हें सभी प्राणियों के पालनकर्ता, संहारकर्ता और सृजनकर्ता के रूप में समझा जाना चाहिए।
Shloka 17: He is undivided, though appearing divided in beings. He is to be understood as the sustainer, destroyer and creator of all living beings.
In Bhagavad Gita verse 13.17, Lord Krishna reveals profound insights about the omnipresent nature of the Supreme Soul (Paramatma). The verse describes how the Supreme Reality exists undivided yet appears divided among all beings. While seemingly paradoxical, this teaching conveys one of the most sublime truths of Vedic wisdom.
The Sanskrit verse "अविभक्तं च भूतेषु विभक्तमिव च स्थितम् । भूतभर्तृ च तज्ज्ञेयं ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च" translates to "And undivided, yet He exists as if divided in beings; That is to be known as the Supporter of Beings; He devours and He generates". This reveals the transcendent yet immanent nature of the Divine, showing how the Supreme exists as one while simultaneously appearing to be many.
Krishna explains that the Supersoul is like the ocean and its waves—creating the world, maintaining it, and eventually absorbing it back into itself. This beautiful metaphor illustrates how all of creation emerges from and returns to the same divine source, even while maintaining the appearance of separate existence during manifestation.
This verse highlights that despite appearing to be divided among countless beings, the Supreme Reality remains indivisibly one. This paradox challenges our conventional understanding, inviting us to transcend dualistic thinking. Just as sunlight may reflect in numerous water pots while remaining one source, similarly the Divine appears in infinite forms while maintaining its singular essence.
Krishna further reveals that the Supersoul is "the maintainer of every living entity" (bhūtabhartṛ). This sustaining aspect ensures that all life is nourished and supported through the intricate web of existence. Yet simultaneously, the Divine is described as both "devouring" (grasiṣṇu) and "developing" (prabhaviṣṇu). This indicates the Lord's role in the cosmic cycles of creation and dissolution.
The verse also references the Supreme as "the light among all the lights". In Vedic understanding, light symbolizes awareness and knowledge. This suggests that the Divine is the ultimate source of consciousness itself—the awareness behind all awareness, the knowing principle that illuminates all existence and makes perception possible.
Understanding this verse invites us to recognize that the apparent multiplicity we perceive in the world is, at its deepest level, an expression of a single, undivided reality. While our limited senses and mind perceive separation, the enlightened vision perceives unity. Like the seed that contains the potential of an entire tree, the Divine encompasses all creation while remaining whole and undiminished. This profound insight challenges us to look beyond surface appearances and recognize the underlying oneness that connects all beings.
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