Chapter 13, Verse 16
बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च | सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ॥16॥
bahir antaśh cha bhūtānām acharaṁ charam eva cha | sūkṣhmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūrasthaṁ chāntike cha tat
"The Supreme Truth exists both outside and inside all living beings, in the moving and the non-moving. Because of Its subtlety, It is incomprehensible; It is very far away, yet It is also very near."
Key Insight:
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 13.16 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 13.16 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
Detailed Meaning
This verse describes the paradoxical and all-pervading nature of Brahman (the Supreme Reality). It exists everywhere—inside as the Antaryami (Indwelling Witness) and outside as the manifest universe. It is in both animate (moving) and inanimate (unmoving) objects. Its 'subtlety' (sūkṣhmatvāt) means it cannot be grasped by the gross material senses or the limited human intellect, making it 'incomprehensible.' For those without devotion or knowledge, It seems infinitely far; for the realized soul, It is the nearest of the near.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of Gita 13.16?
The Supreme Truth exists both outside and inside all living beings, in the moving and the non-moving. Because of Its subtlety, It is incomprehensible; It is very far away, yet It is also very near.