बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च।सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत्।।13.16।।
bahiḥ antaḥ ca bhūtānām acarāṁ caraṁ eva ca | sūkṣmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūrastham ca antike ca tat ||13.16||
Translation
He exists outside and inside all living beings, those that are moving and not moving. He is subtle, and hence, He is incomprehensible. He is very far, but He is also very near.
Word Meanings
bahiḥ — outside; antaḥ — inside; ca — also; bhūtānām — of all living entities; acarāṁ — not moving; caraṁ — moving; eva — also; ca — and; sūkṣmatvāt — on account of being subtle; tat — that; avijñeyaṁ — unknowable; dūrastham — far away; ca — also; antike — near; ca — and; tat — that.
Understanding the Verse
Chapter 13 of the Bhagavad Gītā, known as the Kṣetra‑Kṣetrajña Ādhyāya, explores the relationship between the field of activity (kṣetra) and its knower (kṣetrajña). Verse 16 crystallises this teaching by describing the all‑pervading nature of the Supreme Reality. The verse begins with the paired terms bahiḥ (outside) and antaḥ (inside), indicating that the Divine is not limited to any spatial boundary. Whether we look outward at the cosmos or inward at the subtle layers of our own being, the same divine presence pervades every corner.
The next pair, acarāṁ (non‑moving) and caraṁ (moving), expands this universality to include both the inanimate and the animate. In the material world, even the most motionless particles are infused with consciousness, just as the living entities that constantly move and change. This stresses that the distinction between matter and spirit is only apparent; the Supreme underlies both, rendering the whole creation a single, seamless expression of the divine.
The verse then turns to the quality of sūkṣmatvāt – subtlety. Because the Supreme is infinitesimally subtle, it transcends ordinary perception and intellectual grasp, leading to avijñeyaṁ, the incomprehensible nature of the divine. The subtlety is not a flaw but a characteristic that prevents the finite mind from fully capturing the infinite, urging the seeker to adopt humility and surrender in the pursuit of knowledge.
Following this, the poet presents a striking paradox: dūrastham (far away) and antike (near). From the standpoint of everyday experience, the divine may appear distant, masked by the veils of illusion (maya) and the multiplicity of forms. Yet, in the same breath, the verse affirms that the divine is ever‑present, immediately accessible to the heart that is attuned. This paradox invites practitioners to look beyond superficial distance and discover the intimate proximity that resides within every breath and thought.
For the spiritual aspirant, this verse functions as a guidepost. Recognising that the divine is simultaneously beyond comprehension and intimately near encourages a balanced practice: on one hand, cultivating reverence for the mystery of the absolute; on the other, engaging in meditation, bhakti, and selfless service that bring one into direct contact with that ever‑present reality. By seeing the world as a manifestation of the same unifying principle, the seeker dissolves the illusion of separation and moves toward liberation (mokṣa).
