Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 3,7.15
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ अधिभूतम् यः सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन् सर्वेभ्यः भूतेभ्यः अन्तरो यं सर्वाणि भूतानि न विदुः यस्य सर्वाणि भूतानि शरीरं यः सर्वाणि भूतानि अन्तरो यमयति एषः ते आत्मा अन्तर्यामी अमृतः इति अधिभूतम्
Transliteration (IAST)
atha adhibhūtam yaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu tiṣṭhan sarvebhyaḥ bhūtebhyaḥ antaro yaṃ sarvāṇi bhūtāni na viduḥ yasya sarvāṇi bhūtāni śarīraṃ yaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni antaro yamayati eṣaḥ te ātmā antaryāmī amṛtaḥ iti adhibhūtam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथathathereupon; further
अधिभूतम्adhibhūtamwith reference to beings (adhibhūtam); in the order of beings; with reference to beings
यःyaḥwho; the one who
सर्वेषुsarveṣuin all; among all
भूतेषुbhūteṣuin the beings (bhūta, loc. pl.); among the beasts; in beings
तिष्ठन्tiṣṭhanstanding still; abiding
सर्वेभ्यःsarvebhyaḥout of all; from all
भूतेभ्यःbhūtebhyaḥof beings; elements of being
अन्तरोantarowithin; inner
यंyaṃwhom; by which
सर्वाणिsarvāṇiall; every kind of
भूतानिbhūtānithe beings (bhūta, pl.); the creatures; beings
नnanot; no
विदुःviduḥthey know; they are aware
यस्यyasyawhose; in whose case
सर्वाणिsarvāṇiall; every kind of
भूतानिbhūtānithe beings (bhūta, pl.); the creatures; beings
शरीरंśarīraṃbody; the bodily form
यःyaḥwho; the one who
सर्वाणिsarvāṇiall; every kind of
भूतानिbhūtānithe beings (bhūta, pl.); the creatures; beings
अन्तरोantarowithin; inner
यमयतिyamayatihe governs; he holds in order
एषःeṣaḥthis; he
तेtethose; these
आत्माātmāthe self; the ātman
अन्तर्यामीantaryāmīthe inner ruler; the inner controller
अमृतःamṛtaḥimmortal; the undying
इतिitithus; how
अधिभूतम्adhibhūtamwith reference to beings (adhibhūtam); in the order of beings; with reference to beings
Translation
Now with reference to beings: he who, dwelling in all beings, is within all beings, whom all beings do not know, whose body is all beings, who rules all beings from within — he is your ātman, the Inner Ruler, the immortal. So much with reference to beings.
Version
499aa740ace1 · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:02:52 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A summing verse for the series of elements: after earth, waters, fire, the mid-region, wind, sky, sun, quarters, moon and stars, space, darkness and light — "all beings" at once: adhibhūtam, the total for the living world. No creature knows its Ruler — and none falls out of His hand; all that lives together is one body of His.
From here to ethics is a single step, and bhakti takes it: if all beings are the body of the Inner Ruler, then every violence against a creature is a blow at His vesture, and every mercy is service to Him. "With reference to beings" ends here — next the formula will enter into the man himself (adhyātmam): the Ruler of the elements will prove to be the Ruler of your breath and your eye.