ये चैव सात्त्विका भावा राजसास्तामसाश्च ये | मत्त एवेति तान्विद्धि न त्वहं तेषु ते मयि ||७-१२||
ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāstāmasāśca ye .
matta eveti tānviddhi na tvahaṃ teṣu te mayi ||7-12||
Whatever beings (and objects) that are pure, active and inert, know that they proceed from Me. They are in Me, yet I am not in them.
In simple words
Krishna explains: "Everything in nature — whether it is pure, active, or dull — comes from Me. They exist within Me. But I am not contained by them — I am beyond all of it."
7.12 ये whatever? च and? एव even? सात्त्विकाः pure? भावाः natures? राजसाः active? तामसाः inert? च and? ये whatever? मत्तः from Me? एव even? इति thus? तान् them? विद्धि know? न not? तु indeed? अहम् I? तेषु in them? ते they? मयि in Me.Commentary This is a world of the three Gunas? viz.? Sattva (purity)? Rajas (passion) and Tamas (inertia). All sentient and insentient objects are the aggregate of these three alities of Nature. One ality predominates in them and the predominant ality imparts to the object its distinctive character or definite properties.In the gods? sages milk and green gram? Sattva is predominant. In Gandharvas (a class of celestials)? kings? warriors and chillies? Rajas is predominant. In demons? Sudras? garlic? onion and meat? Tamas is predominant.Though these beings and objects proceed from Me? I am not in them they are in Me. I am independent. I am the support for them they depend on Me just as the superimposed snake depends on the rope. The snake is in the rope? but the rope is never in the snake. The waves belong to the ocean but the ocean does not belong to the waves. (Cf.IX.4and6)
Contemporary scholarly and practical interpretations for modern seekers.
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.
Modern
# BG 7.12
All the worlds are strung upon Me like pearls upon a thread.
With this verse, the Blessed Lord Krishna concludes the section He has begun. In the world, we experience knowledge, action, and inertia—these are respectively the workings of the qualities of purity, passion, and darkness. What Vedanta calls maya is the combined form of these three qualities, under whose influence the tendencies of all beings appear in different ways. Human feelings and thoughts are influenced by these qualities, and according to them, man acts through his body, mind, and intellect.
Keeping the above discussion in mind, the study of this verse makes clear that whatever thing, being, or condition arises from these three qualities originates from the Self—from Me. The principle described earlier is here repeated in scriptural language. The supreme truth, the conscious Self, appears to have the inert nature superimposed upon it—yet this is no reality. The origin of the three-quality-born feelings from truth is like the relationship of clay to the pot, of the ocean to the wave, and of gold to ornaments.
The beautiful final statement of this verse is like a riddle. Such writing is characteristic of Hindu philosophers, which naturally draws the student toward it. Such declarations invite the student to think more subtly and deeply, and to understand their true meaning. "I am not in them; they are in Me."
From the standpoint of literal meaning alone, the above statement would seem contradictory, for if I am not in them, how can they be in Me? Yet the Lord declares: I am not in them; they are in Me. This beautiful and sweet paradox makes clear that the relationship between the Spirit and Nature is not that of cause and effect, but of substratum and what rests upon it. Nature appears superimposed upon Spirit through false identification. If a ghost appears in a post, we say the ghost is in the post, but the post is not in the ghost.
Sri Shankara clarifies this statement: "I am not in them" means I am not dependent upon them, whereas their existence depends upon Me. As the existence of water does not depend upon the wave, but the wave depends upon water. The existence of inert Nature is established through the conscious Spirit, yet the Spirit remains forever free from all limitations and bondage.
In the next verse, the Blessed Lord Krishna expresses sorrow, saying that the people of the world do not know His true, eternally liberated nature. What is the cause of this ignorance of the people? Listen.