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Bhagavad Gita 8.4

Chapter 8, Verse 4

Part of 8: Akṣhar Brahma Yogअक्षरब्रह्मयोग

अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्। अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर॥

Transliteration

adhibhūtaṁ kṣharo bhāvaḥ puruṣhaśh chādhidaivatam adhiyajño ’ham evātra dehe deha-bhṛitāṁ vara

Meaning

Adhibhuta—knowledge of the elements—pertains to My perishable nature, and the Purusha, or the Soul, is the Adhidaiva; I alone am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best among the embodied.

Word-by-word meaning
adhibhūtamthe ever changing physical manifestationkṣharaḥperishablebhāvaḥnaturepuruṣhaḥthe cosmic personality of God, encompassing the material creationchaandadhidaivatamthe Lord of the celestial godsadhiyajñaḥthe Lord of all sacrificesahamIevacertainlyatraheredehein the bodydeha-bhṛitāmof the embodiedvaraO best
Commentary

Adhibhuta the perishable nature the changing universe of the five elements with all its objects all the material objects everything that has birth the changing world of names and forms. Adhidaiva Purusha literally means that by which everything is filled (pur to fill). It may also mean that which lies in this body. It is Hiranyagarbha or the universal soul or the sustainer from whom all living beings derive their sensepower. It is the witnessing consciousness. Adhiyajna Consciousness the presiding deity of sacrifice. The Lord of all works and sacrifice isVishnu. Lord Vishnu identifies Himself with all sacrificial acts. Yajna is verily Vishnu, says the Taittiriya Samhita of the Veda. Lord Krishna says? I am the presiding deity in all acts of sacrifice in the body. All sacrifices are done by the body and so it may be said that they rest in the body.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8, Verse 4?
Adhibhuta—knowledge of the elements—pertains to My perishable nature, and the Purusha, or the Soul, is the Adhidaiva; I alone am the Adhiyajna here in this body, O best among the embodied.
Which chapter and verse of the Bhagavad Gita is this?
This is verse 4 of Chapter 8 (Akṣhar Brahma Yog — Path of the Eternal God) of the Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of 18 chapters and 700 verses spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna.