अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्यय: ।
शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते ॥ ३२ ॥
anāditvān nirguṇatvāt paramātmāyam avyayaḥ
śharīra-stho ’pi kaunteya na karoti na lipyate
श्लोक ३२: हे कुंतीपुत्र, परमात्मा अनादि है, गुणों से परे है और शाश्वत है। वे शरीर में रहते हैं, पर वे न तो कार्य करते हैं और न ही किसी कर्म से प्रभावित होते हैं।
Shloka 32: O son of Kunti, the Supreme Self is without beginning, beyond the gunas and eternal. Although existing within the body, it neither acts nor gets entangled.
In Bhagavad Gita verse 13.32, Krishna reveals a profound spiritual truth about the soul’s nature and its relationship with the body. He explains that the soul—referred to here as the Supreme Soul or Paramatma—is imperishable, without beginning, free from the limitations of material qualities, and fundamentally untouched by the actions and experiences of the material body. Even while present within all living beings, the soul remains distinct and unaffected by the body’s birth, growth, changes, or demise.
What does it mean to be “imperishable” and “without beginning”? In its essence, the soul has no starting point—unlike the body, which is born and eventually ceases to exist. The soul is not the product of any cause or event; rather, it is the primeval reality from which all existence derives. This absence of a starting point signifies that the soul is beyond the cycle of creation and destruction that governs physical objects and living forms.
Krishna also describes the soul as “nirguna”—beyond the three gunas, or modes of material nature (goodness, passion, and ignorance). While everything in the physical world is influenced and shaped by these modes, the soul stands apart, uncolored and unaffected. This transcendence highlights the soul’s spiritual purity and freedom from the patterns, impulses, and limitations that govern material existence.
The analogy often used to illustrate this truth is that of space or the sky. Just as the sky pervades everything yet does not mix with or become tainted by what it surrounds, the soul is present in every body, witnessing all activities, but does not itself participate in or become implicated by those activities. The body acts, experiences pleasure and pain, and undergoes change—but the soul, being subtle and transcendental, remains unchanged and unattached.
Krishna emphasizes that although the soul dwells in the body—watching all physical and mental activities—it neither performs action nor is bound by the results. This means the true self is never the doer nor the enjoyer of the body’s actions. The sense of “I do,” “I experience,” or “I suffer” arises from misidentification with the body and mind, not from the soul’s actual nature.
This teaching leads to a radical shift in perspective. When one understands that the soul remains unaffected by the body’s joys and sorrows, successes and failures, a sense of inner detachment develops. This is not indifference, but rather a clear appreciation that the deepest self is always pure, undamaged, and unchanged by worldly events. As a result, the wise person does not cling to bodily identities or become overwhelmed by life’s ups and downs.
Ultimately, Krishna’s message in this verse is an invitation to look beyond superficial differences—to see oneself and others as souls, not just bodies. This realization brings peace and equanimity, even in the midst of change and uncertainty. By recognizing the soul’s independence from material happenings, one becomes rooted in a higher truth, cultivating a lasting sense of freedom, stability, and serenity.
In this way, the verse 13.32 serves as a reminder that our core identity—the soul—remains forever untarnished by the chaos or drama of the external world. Just as the sun is never diminished by the passing clouds, our essence remains unaffected, inviting us to rest in that unchanging center of being and view life from a place of wisdom and spaciousness.
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