Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 8, verse 4 · Krishna
Bhagavad Gita 8.4 · Adhibhutam Ksharo Bhavah
अधिभूतं क्षरो भावः पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम् ।
अधियज्ञोऽहमेवात्र देहे देहभृतां वर ॥
adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaścādhidaivatam |
adhiyajño’hamevātra dehe dehabhṛtāṃ vara ||
Translation
The material realm is perishable existence; the divine realm is the cosmic Person (purusha); and I myself, here in the body, am the lord of sacrifice, best of the embodied.
Context
Spoken by Krishna in chapter 8, Akshara Brahma Yoga — “The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman”, which has 28 verses.
Frequently asked questions
What does Bhagavad Gita 8.4 mean?
The material realm is perishable existence; the divine realm is the cosmic Person (purusha); and I myself, here in the body, am the lord of sacrifice, best of the embodied.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 8.4?
Krishna, speaking to Arjuna, in chapter 8, Akshara Brahma Yoga (The Yoga of the Imperishable Brahman).
Sanskrit text: traditional, public domain. Translation and explanation are our own.