I shall explain what is to be known, knowing which one attains immortality. It is beginningless, supreme Brahman, said to be neither existent nor non-existent.
The supreme Brahman, described here as beyond existence and non-existence, invites contemplation of the ultimate reality. This shloka prepares Arjuna to grasp the profound nature of the unmanifest and its omnipresence.
With hands and feet everywhere, eyes, heads, and faces everywhere, it hears everything and pervades everything in the world.
The imagery of omnipresence conveys the divine’s all-encompassing nature. Krishna gently expands Arjuna’s understanding of divinity, emphasizing its immanence and transcendence in every aspect of creation.
Shining through the functions of all the senses yet free from the senses, unattached yet sustaining all, and free from qualities yet enjoying them.
This verse challenges the duality of attachment and detachment by presenting the divine as both within and beyond qualities. It urges the seeker to reconcile opposites, seeing unity in diversity.
Outside and inside all beings, immovable and also movable; it is so subtle it cannot be known, and is far yet near.
By describing the subtle and all-pervading nature of the divine, Krishna emphasizes its accessibility despite its abstractness. This highlights the need for refined perception to discern the supreme reality.
Though indivisible, it appears as divided among beings. It is the sustainer of beings, devourer, and originator.
The apparent division within beings is reconciled by understanding the indivisible nature of the supreme. This verse reinforces the unity underlying all existence, urging Arjuna to move beyond surface appearances.
It is the light of lights, beyond darkness, knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the goal of knowledge, and is established in the hearts of all.
Light as a metaphor for knowledge emphasizes the role of enlightenment in dispelling ignorance. Krishna connects the supreme with the heart of all beings, emphasizing its intimate yet universal nature.
Thus, the field, knowledge, and the knowable have been briefly described. Knowing this, My devotee attains My state.
The culmination of the description of the field and its knower underscores the path to liberation. Krishna directs attention to the transformative power of this knowledge in transcending worldly attachments.