Bhagavad Gita 14.3 — The Great Prakṛti as the Womb of All Beings
मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तस्मिन्गर्भं दधाम्यहम् ।
सम्भवः सर्वभूतानां ततो भवति भारत ॥ १४.३ ॥
🔊 Listen to meaning of this shloka
Current voice: —
Ready
Text-to-speech is not supported by this browser.
The great total material nature is My womb. In it I place the seed of life, and from this union, O Arjuna, the birth of all living beings takes place.
Transliteration (IAST)
Word Separation
The Sanskrit verse is separated into individual words (Padched) for easier study.
Word Meanings
| Line 1 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| mama | My |
| yoniḥ | womb, source of birth |
| mahat | the great, the vast |
| brahma | the total material nature (prakṛti), the great primordial substance |
| tasmin | in that |
| garbham | seed, germ of life |
| dadhāmi | I place, I implant |
| aham | I |
| Line 2 | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| sambhavaḥ | birth, origination |
| sarva-bhūtānām | of all living beings |
| tataḥ | from that, thereafter |
| bhavati | takes place, happens |
| bhārata | O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna) |
| Line 1 | Line 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit Word | Meaning | Sanskrit Word | Meaning |
| mama | My | sambhavaḥ | birth, origination |
| yoniḥ | womb, source of birth | sarva-bhūtānām | of all living beings |
| mahat | the great, the vast | tataḥ | from that, thereafter |
| brahma | the total material nature (prakṛti), the great primordial substance | bhavati | takes place, happens |
| tasmin | in that | bhārata | O descendant of Bharata (Arjuna) |
| garbham | seed, germ of life | ||
| dadhāmi | I place, I implant | ||
| aham | I | ||
Detailed Meaning
Introduction
In this verse, Lord Krishna begins to explain the origin of all living beings. He describes the great Brahman, the vast, unmanifest principle of nature, as his womb, and says that he places the seed of life within it. From this union, all beings come into existence. It is a profound picture of how spirit and matter cooperate in creation.
Essence
The Great Womb and the Divine Seed
Mama yonir mahad brahma (the great Brahman is my womb): Here the word brahma is used in the sense of mahat-brahma, the vast and all-containing primordial nature (prakṛti), in its undifferentiated state. Just as a womb provides the space, nourishment, and material for a new body to take shape, prakṛti provides the raw material from which all forms are made. Nature, then, is not separate from the Divine's will; it is the field in which that will works.
Tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham (in that I place the seed): The garbha is the seed, or the germ of life. Lord Krishna says that it is he who gives this seed. Matter by itself is inert; it cannot generate life or consciousness. It is the presence of the Supreme, the conscious principle, that animates it. The seed here may be understood as the living souls (jīvas) together with their karma and subtle impressions, which are placed into nature so that they can experience the results of their actions.
Sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ (the birth of all beings): From this meeting of the divine seed and the great womb, all beings come into being. The verse thus avoids two extreme views. It does not say that the world is a mere accident of matter, and it does not say that nature is unreal. Creation is the joint working of consciousness and nature, with the Supreme as the source.
The phrase tato bhavati bhārata, "from that, O Arjuna, it arises," also reminds Arjuna that everything he sees, including his own body and the people on the battlefield, has a common origin. This vision removes the sense of separateness and encourages humility, since all beings arise from the same source.
Message for Everyday Life (Seeing Our Shared Origin)
Everything has a common root: In daily life we divide people by language, status, wealth, and belief. Lord Krishna's teaching reminds us that all beings arise from one source. This is not only a philosophical idea; it softens the heart and reduces pride and prejudice.
Practical approach: Before judging or dismissing someone, remember that the same divine source that gave you life also gave life to them. Treat your own body and the natural world with the same respect, for they too are the womb from which life is nourished.
The Great Womb and the Divine Seed
Mama yonir mahad brahma (the great Brahman is my womb): Here the word brahma is used in the sense of mahat-brahma, the vast and all-containing primordial nature (prakṛti), in its undifferentiated state. Just as a womb provides the space, nourishment, and material for a new body to take shape, prakṛti provides the raw material from which all forms are made. Nature, then, is not separate from the Divine's will; it is the field in which that will works.
Tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham (in that I place the seed): The garbha is the seed, or the germ of life. Lord Krishna says that it is he who gives this seed. Matter by itself is inert; it cannot generate life or consciousness. It is the presence of the Supreme, the conscious principle, that animates it. The seed here may be understood as the living souls (jīvas) together with their karma and subtle impressions, which are placed into nature so that they can experience the results of their actions.
Sambhavaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ (the birth of all beings): From this meeting of the divine seed and the great womb, all beings come into being. The verse thus avoids two extreme views. It does not say that the world is a mere accident of matter, and it does not say that nature is unreal. Creation is the joint working of consciousness and nature, with the Supreme as the source.
The phrase tato bhavati bhārata, "from that, O Arjuna, it arises," also reminds Arjuna that everything he sees, including his own body and the people on the battlefield, has a common origin. This vision removes the sense of separateness and encourages humility, since all beings arise from the same source.
Message for Everyday Life (Seeing Our Shared Origin)
Everything has a common root: In daily life we divide people by language, status, wealth, and belief. Lord Krishna's teaching reminds us that all beings arise from one source. This is not only a philosophical idea; it softens the heart and reduces pride and prejudice.
Practical approach: Before judging or dismissing someone, remember that the same divine source that gave you life also gave life to them. Treat your own body and the natural world with the same respect, for they too are the womb from which life is nourished.
Next Topic
Lord Krishna has explained that all beings are born from the union of the divine seed with the great womb of nature. He now extends this truth beyond human beings to every form of life. In the next verse, he declares that he is the seed-giving father of all the many forms that arise in every species.
Hidden Messages In This Shloka
Reflect on this verse from different perspectives and see which deeper message opens up for you.
Wisdom Nuggets
Everything alive carries the signature of a common source.
Nature is not merely a resource; it is a womb that sustains us.
No being stands alone; all are threads in one fabric.
We did not make life; we are born into it.
To honor the mother is to protect the cradle she provides.
A seed placed in the great womb becomes a world of beings.
Knowing your source dissolves the feeling of being a stranger in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'mahad brahma' (the great Brahman) mean in this verse?
Why does Krishna call material nature His 'yoni' (womb)?
What is the 'garbham' (seed) that the Lord places in nature?
Does this verse mean the Lord is directly affected by creation?
What is the practical lesson of this verse?
Explore related topics
More shlokas on the themes this verse touches: