Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 23 (BG 13.23)

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कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते

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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 23 — Meaning & Commentary | Live Gita

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उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः |
परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः ||१३-२३||

upadraṣṭānumantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ . paramātmeti cāpyukto dehe.asminpuruṣaḥ paraḥ ||13-23||

The Supreme Soul in this body is also called the spectator, the permitter, the supporter, the enjoyer, the great Lord and the Supreme Self.

In simple words

Krishna describes the supreme soul within every body: "The highest self in this body is also called the witness, the one who allows things, the supporter, the experiencer, the great Lord, and the supreme self."

Word-by-word meanings

उपद्रष्टाthe spectatorअनुमन्ताthe permitterचandभर्ताthe supporterभोक्ताthe enjoyerमहेश्वरःthe great Lordपरमात्माthe Supreme Selfइतिthusचandअपिalsoउक्तःis calledदेहेin the bodyअस्मिन्(in) thisपुरुषःPurusha

Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

Swami Sivananda

13.23 उपद्रष्टा the spectator? अनुमन्ता the permitter? च and? भर्ता the supporter? भोक्ता the enjoyer? महेश्वरः the great Lord? परमात्मा the Supreme Self? इति thus? च and? अपि also? उक्तः is called? देहे in the body? अस्मिन् (in) this? पुरुषः Purusha? परः Supreme.Commentary Upadrashta A spectator? a witness? a lookeron? a bystander? one who sits near. When the priests and the sacrificer perform the sacrificial rites? an expert who has good experience in sacrifical matters sits by their side. He does not take any part at all in the sacrifice. He sits as a silent witness. He guides them. He points out their defects and corrects them. Even so the Supreme Self does not act. It does not take any part in the activities of the body? the mind and the senses. It is entirely distinct from them. It is a silent witness of their activities. It sits near Nature and silently watches Her actions.It may be explained in another way. The body? the eyes? the mind? the intellect and the Self are the,seers. Of these the body is the most external seer the Self is the most internal and nearest seer. Beyond the Self there is no other internal seer.Anumanta Permitter. The Supreme Self gives consent. It expresses Its approval or satisfaction regarding the actions done by the senses? the mind and the intellect. The King consents and says Yes. The Prime Minister and the other officers carry out his orders. Even so the Supreme Self consents or gives permission the body? the mind? the intellect? and the senses perform their respective functions. Or? though It Itself does not work while the senses? the mind and the intellect work? It appears to be engaged in action? it seems to cooperate with them. As It is an onlooker or mere witness? It never stands in the way of the activities of the body? the mind? the intellect and the senses.Bharta Supporter. Just as the huand is the supporter of his wife? so also the Self is the supporter of this body? mind? intellect? lifeforce and the senses. It is different from them? just as the father who supports the children is different from them.Bhokta Enjoyer the Self? of the nature of eternal intelligence. Just as heat is the inherent nature of fire? so also eternal intelligence is the inherent nature of the Self. All the states of the mind such as pleasure? pain and delusion are permeated and illumined by the intelligent Self. Just as Govindan who takes the food is different from the foo? so also the Self is different from the intellect? the mind and the senses.Mahesvarah The great Lord. As He is the soul or essence of everything and as He is independent of all? He is Mahesvara. The sky is very big. Mahesva is bigger than even the sky? and so He is called Mahesvara. Just as the king is different from his subjects? so also the Self is different from Nature and the effects or modifications of Nature.Paramatma The Supreme Self. It is supreme because It is superior to all those things? from the Unmanifested to the physical body? which are mistaken for the Self on account of ignorance. Just as an iron piece moves in the presence of a magnet so also the mind and the intellect which are insentient move and function in the presence of the Supreme Self. Just as the moon borrows its light from the sun? so also the mind and the intellect borrow their light from the Supreme Self. The Supreme Self is selfluminous. Mind and intellect have no selfluminosity. In the Vedas also He is called the Supreme Self. Lord Krishna says in verse 17 of the fifteenth chapter But distinct is the Highest Purusha spoken of as the Supreme Self.Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all the fields? has been described in detial and the subject is concluded in this verse.

Swami Chinmayananda

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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Commentaries

Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.

Swami Sivananda

Swami Chinmayananda

# BG 13.23 How is this bewildered and suffering knower of the field different from the Supreme Person who is untouched by the limitations of the field and remains pure? For every reflection to exist, there must be an original object. A reflection depends upon the surface of a mirror or water, yet the original object itself does not touch that surface. Just as the moon's reflection depends upon the water in a vessel, yet the moon remains established in its own luminous nature. The consciousness that is the Self becomes the knower of the field through the limitation of the field. This reveals that the Self, in its true nature, is free from all limitations—utterly unbound. In this verse, the Blessed Lord Krishna, approaching with scientific method and analytical insight, points to two types of persons: those conditioned by limitations and those free from all limitations. Yet remember—in truth, there is but one Person. Through various names, the one Supreme Self is indicated. These different names arise from the density or subtlety of ignorance that veils the consciousness of the individual. When a person is completely ignorant of their true nature and their mind is filled with attachment and aversion, the Self appears merely as a witness—illuminating even the sinful deeds of such a person. Yet the Self remains the witness of the tendencies of all beings. When that person's mind becomes somewhat purified and they engage in righteous action, the Supreme appears as the approver—granting permission to their virtuous deeds. As the inner instrument becomes increasingly pure and the person awakens to their divine nature, God becomes the sustainer who completes their actions. Through the grace of the Divine, success flows naturally from actions offered with the spirit of surrender. It appears as though the Divine grants perfection even to the meager efforts of the seeker. When the seeker, having abandoned ego, becomes fully united in yoga, then within such a person's heart, the Self alone appears as the enjoyer. This verse concludes with the declaration: the Self is Maheshvara—the Supreme Lord dwelling in this body. Of the seeker who knows the truth of Nature and Person, it is said:

This interpretation draws on a specific tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13, Verse 23 (BG 13.23) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

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