Mahabharata · 7.57.44–45
॥
Devanāgarī
यं प्रपश्यन्ति विद्वांसः सूक्ष्माध्यात्मपदैषिणः ॥
तम् अजं कारणात्मानं जग्मतुः शरणं भवम् ॥
अर्जुनश् चापि तं देवं भूयो भूयो ऽभ्यवन्दत ॥
ज्ञात्वैकं भूतभव्यादिं सर्वभूतभवोद्भवम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yaṃ prapaśyanti vidvāṃsaḥ sūkṣmādhyātmapadaiṣiṇaḥ ||
tam ajaṃ kāraṇātmānaṃ jagmatuḥ śaraṇaṃ bhavam ||
arjunaś cāpi taṃ devaṃ bhūyo bhūyo 'bhyavandata ||
jñātvaikaṃ bhūtabhavyādiṃ sarvabhūtabhavodbhavam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यम् प्रपश्यन्ति विद्वांसःyam prapaśyanti vidvāṃsaḥwhom the wise perceive; whom the wise discern
सूक्ष्माध्यात्मपदैषिणःsūkṣmādhyātmapadaiṣiṇaḥseeking the subtle spiritual abode; seeking the subtle spiritual path
तम् अजम् कारणात्मानम्tam ajam kāraṇātmānamto that unborn one, whose essence is the first cause; to that unborn one, the root-cause
जग्मतुः शरणम् भवम्jagmatuḥ śaraṇam bhavamboth took refuge -- in Bhava [Shiva]; both took refuge -- in Bhava
अर्जुनः च अपि तम् देवम्arjunaḥ ca api tam devamand Arjuna, that god; and Arjuna, that god
भूयः भूयः अभ्यवन्दतbhūyaḥ bhūyaḥ abhyavandataworshipped again and again; revered again and again
ज्ञात्वा एकम् भूतभव्यादिम्jñātvā ekam bhūtabhavyādimhaving known the One, the origin of the past and the future; having known the One, the source of the past and the future
सर्वभूतभवोद्भवम्sarvabhūtabhavodbhavamthe source of the being of all creatures; the source of the being of all creatures
Translation
Whom the wise perceive, seeking the subtle spiritual abode -- to that unborn one, whose essence is the first cause, both took refuge in Bhava. And Arjuna worshipped that god again and again, having known the One, the origin of the past and the future, the source of the being of all creatures.
Version
198c252010de · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Both -- Krishna and Arjuna -- 'jagmatuh sharanam bhavam,' 'took refuge in Bhava': the highest refuge is accepted with reverence. Shiva is here seen by 'vidvamsah sukshmadhyatmapadaishinah,' the wise who seek the subtle spiritual path, as 'ekam... sarvabhutabhavodbhavam,' the one source of being. The repeated 'bhuyah bhuyah abhyavandata,' 'worshipped again and again,' is telling. The verse teaches that refuge (sharana) and unceasing worship are the path to the highest; and that even the greatest bow down in seeking grace, for humility before God does not diminish but exalts the one who takes refuge.