Bhagavad Gita 18.61
Spoken by Krishna ★ Essential verse · Verse 61 of 78
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशे ऽर्जुन तिष्ठति । भ्रामयन् सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati | bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā ||
The Lord dwells in the heart of all beings — whirling all, as if mounted on a machine, by His māyā.
Word by word (3)
- īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṃ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
- — the Lord/Īśvara (Īśvaraḥ = the master, the sovereign) dwells (tiṣṭhati = stands/remains) in the region of the heart (hṛd-deśe = hṛd + deśa = heart-region) of all beings (sarva-bhūtānām), O Arjuna — the Cosmic Sovereign as the indwelling Presence at the heart of every being
- bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
- — causing to revolve/whirl (bhrāmayan = from bhram = to revolve, to wander; causative = causing-to-revolve) all beings (sarva-bhūtāni), as if mounted on a machine/yantra (yantrārūḍhāni = yantra + ārūḍha = machine-mounted, as-if-on-a-mechanism), by His māyā (māyayā = through-māyā) — the beings are like marionettes mounted on the machine of Prakṛti, whirled by the Lord's māyā
- yantrārūḍhāni māyayā bhrāmayan
- — causing to rotate, as-if-on-a-yantra (mechanism), by māyā; yantra = mechanism/machine (that which restrains and directs); the image of beings as yantra-riders is profound: each being moves according to the mechanism of Prakṛti (their guṇas, svabhāva, karma) — but the Power causing the rotation is the Īśvara dwelling within. This is simultaneously determinism (yantra) and divine sovereignty (Īśvara bhrāmayan): the machine runs, but the Lord at the center is its source
The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings, as if mounted on a machine, to revolve — by His māyā.
A modern analogy
This is one of the Gita's most vivid cosmological teachings. Imagine a great wheel (yantra) with many figures mounted on it — each figure spinning in its trajectory determined by where on the wheel it sits. The Lord dwells at the center, causing the rotation through māyā. The figures (beings) experience their spinning as autonomous movement, but the real source is the central Presence. The practical implication: take refuge in THAT center — as the next verse urges — rather than in the peripheral spinning.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, whirling by Maya all beings (as if) mounted on a machine. [1]
The Lord, O Arjuna, dwells in the hearts of all beings, causing all beings, by His Maya, to revolve, (as if) mounted on a machine. [4]
MISSING from index. [9]
The Lord, O Arjuna, dwells in the region of the heart of beings, turning all beings as if mounted on a machine, by his illusive power. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
This divine māyā of Mine, made of the guṇas, is hard to cross — but those who take refuge in Me alone do cross it.
I am your student. My mind is bewildered about what is right. Teach me.
With mind attached, practising yoga, taking refuge in Me — hear how you shall know Me fully, without doubt.
Whoever serves Me with unswerving avyabhicāriṇī bhakti transcends all three guṇas and becomes fit for Brahman.
Krishna declares: 'I am the ground of Brahman — the Immortal, the Immutable, eternal Dharma, and perfect Bliss.'
Destroyed is my delusion, memory restored by Your grace — I stand firm, free of doubt, and will do Your word.
Verse 61 of 78 · back to Chapter 18