परस्तस्मात्तु भावोऽन्योऽव्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सनातन: |
य: स सर्वेषु भूतेषु नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति || 20||
paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ’vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ
yaḥ sa sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu naśhyatsu na vinaśhyati
paraḥ—transcendental; tasmāt—than that; tu—but; bhāvaḥ—creation; anyaḥ—another; avyaktaḥ—unmanifest; avyaktāt—to the unmanifest; sanātanaḥ—eternal; yaḥ—who; saḥ—that; sarveṣhu—all; bhūteṣhu—in beings; naśhyatsu—cease to exist; na—never; vinaśhyati—is annihilated
Translation:
But beyond this unmanifested, there is yet another Unmanifested Eternal Being, who does not perish when all beings perish.
Commentary:
In the previous verse, the nature of the unmanifested (Prakriti) was explained. Here it is declared that there exists another unmanifested, the Eternal, (Paramatma) which is not destroyed when all beings are destroyed. The distinction between Paramatma and all other beings born of Prakriti is explained below.
| Beings | Paramatma |
|---|---|
| 1. Subject to Maya. | 1. Lord of Maya. |
| 2. Of little separate forms | 2. Cosmic Intelligence, all-pervading and all-sustaining. |
| 3. Drisya – Visible to the senses | 3. Drik – the Witness. |
| 4. Having a beginning. | 4. No beginning and no end. |
| 5. Subject to death. | 5. Imperishable. |
From this, we understand why we should worship the Lord. All that is non-eternal can only hold on to the eternal as its last refuge and support. So leaving all non-external things of pleasure and profit in this transitory and sorrowful world, man should meditate on the ever-glorious and imperishable Self. By such meditation, the death-stricken Jiva acquires immortality by union with That which does not perish.
Question: What is the nature of Paramatma?
Answer:(1) He is distinct from the unmanifested Prakriti. (2) He is Supreme. (3) He is Eternal. (4) He transcends the senses. (5) He exists when all beings perish.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 8 🔻 (28 Verses)
