Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Vijnana Yoga — Knowledge and Realisation
Chapter 7, Verse 4
"Bhagavad Gita 7.4" — meaning and explanation.
भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च | अहंकार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा
bhūmirāpo.analo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca . ahaṃkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā
Meaning
7.4 Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and egoism thus is My Nature divided eightfold.
।।7.4।। पृथ्वी, जल, अग्नि, वायु और आकाश तथा मन, बुद्धि और अहंकार - यह आठ प्रकार से विभक्त हुई मेरी प्रकृति है।।
Explanation
7.4 भूमिः earth? आपः water? अनलः fire? वायुः air? खम् ether? मनः mind? बुद्धिः intellect? एव even? च and? अहङ्कारः egoism? इति thus? इयम् this? मे My? भिन्ना divided? प्रकृतिः Nature? अष्टधा eightfold.Commentary This eightfold Nature constitutes the inferior Nature or Apara Prakriti. The five gross elements are formed out of the Tanmatras or rootelements through the process of Pancikarana or fivefold mixing. Tanmatras are the subtle rootelements. In this verse? earth? water? etc.? represent the subtle or rudimentary elements out of which the five gross elements are formed.Mind stands here for its cause Ahamkara intellect for its cause the Mahat Ahamkara for the Avyaktam or the unmanifested (MulaPrakriti) united with Avidya which is conjoined with all kinds of Vasanas or latent tendencies. As Ahamkara (Iness) is the cause for all the actions of every individual and as Ahamkara is the most vital principle in man on which all the other Tattvas or principles depend? the Avyaktam combined with the Ahamkara is itself called here Ahamkara? just as food which is mixed with poison is itself called poison.
Life Lesson
Study Bhagavad Gita 7.4 slowly, then express its central teaching through one thoughtful action in daily life.
Context
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, verse 4, from Krishna's dialogue with Arjuna at Kurukshetra.
Bhagavad Gita 7.4
This page presents the Sanskrit verse, transliteration, Hindi meaning, English meaning, and a simple explanation for study. For a fuller understanding, read this shloka in sequence with the rest of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 7.4 mean?
7.4 Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and egoism thus is My Nature divided eightfold.
What is the life lesson of this verse?
Study Bhagavad Gita 7.4 slowly, then express its central teaching through one thoughtful action in daily life.
What is the context of this verse?
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, verse 4, from Krishna's dialogue with Arjuna at Kurukshetra.