भूमिरापोऽनलो वायुः खं मनो बुद्धिरेव च ।
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे भिन्ना प्रकृतिरष्टधा ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
पृथ्वी, जल, तेज, वायु, आकाश ये पञ्चमहाभूत और मन, बुद्धि तथा अहंकार यह आठ प्रकारके भेदोंवाली मेरी अपरा प्रकृति है । हे महाबाहो इस अपरा प्रकृतिसे भिन्न जीवरूप बनी हुई मेरी परा प्रकृतिको जान, जिसके द्वारा यह जगत् धारण किया जाता है ॥
English
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect, and ego: this is My eightfold lower nature.
What this verse means
Krishna names eight parts of his lower nature: the five elements, mind, intellect, and ego. This is the material side of existence, not the highest reality.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, Arjuna stands frozen while Krishna begins to explain the structure of reality. After promising full knowledge, Krishna first separates the changing world into eight parts: the elements, mind, intellect, and ego. This verse sets up the contrast with the higher nature that follows.
Why this verse still matters
You are overwhelmed by your own reactions, your thoughts, and the noise around you. This verse helps you see those layers as parts of life, not the deepest truth about you.
The takeaway
You can stop mistaking the changing layers of life for what is ultimate.
Word-by-word translation
भूमिः (earth) / आपः (water) / अनलः (fire) / वायुः (air) / खम् (ether) / मनः (mind) / बुद्धिः (intellect) / एव (indeed) / च (and) / अहङ्कारः (ego) / इति (thus) / इयम् (this) / मे (my) / भिन्ना (separate) / प्रकृतिः (nature) / अष्टधा (eightfold)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7: Jnana Vijnana Yoga — Knowledge and Wisdom, which contains 30 verses.
Explore related themes: manas (49 verses), prakriti (31 verses), buddhi (26 verses)