Bhagavad Gita 18.61 — Ishvarah Sarva-Bhutanam
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १८.६१ — ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानाम् in English · English
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✦ Meaning
As the Gita draws to its close, Krishna reveals where God may be found and how the world turns: the Supreme Lord resides in the heart of every being, and by His maya He moves all creatures as if they were mounted on a great machine. The verse evokes both the nearness of God within and the mystery of His power that turns the wheel of existence — preparing Arjuna for the call to take refuge in Him alone.
Origin & Story
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verse 61 · Sage Veda Vyasa (Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (text compiled c. 5th–2nd century BCE)
In the eighteenth and final chapter, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Krishna gathers the essence of his teaching before the climactic command to surrender. Here he reveals that the Lord abides in the heart of every being and, through His maya, turns all creatures as if mounted on a machine — leading directly into his counsel for Arjuna to take refuge in Him with his whole being.
✦ As told in scripture
Devotees who turned within and sought the Lord seated in the heart, as this verse reveals, are said to have found Him as their nearest companion and guide — no longer feeling helplessly spun by fate, but lovingly carried by the God within.
The Mantra
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īśhvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛid-deśhe ‘rjuna tiṣhṭhati bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
Meaning:The Supreme Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing them all to revolve by His maya, as though mounted on a machine.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १८.६१ — ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानाम्
Reveals the Lord seated in the heart of every living being
Awakens awareness of God's nearness within one's own heart
Inspires surrender to the Lord who turns the wheel of existence
Deepens humility before the mystery of divine maya
Encourages turning within to seek the indwelling Ishvara
Prepares the heart for the supreme teaching of taking refuge in God
How to Chant श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता १८.६१ — ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानाम्
Recite this verse during meditation while gently bringing your attention to the heart, contemplating the Supreme Lord seated there within all beings. Let it dissolve the illusion of separateness and the sense of being merely tossed about by life, replacing it with trust in the indwelling God. It pairs beautifully with the verse that follows, where Krishna asks Arjuna to take refuge in Him with all his being.
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