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Chapter 13 · Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness · 35 verses

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Nature & guṇasChapter 13 · Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness
13.2213.24

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 13.23

Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioning

उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वर: ।

परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुष: पर: ॥ २३ ॥

upadraṣṭānumantā ca

bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ

paramātmeti cāpy ukto

dehe ’smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ

Translation

Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

The Supersoul Within

  1. 1The Supersoul is the Lord within the body, the supreme owner and enjoyer who oversees and permits activities.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that the Supersoul is different from the individual soul and stays with each soul as a friend and maintainer.
  3. 3Place your faith in the Supreme Lord and follow His instructions in Bhagavad-gītā to advance toward a joyful, eternal life of knowledge.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 13, Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness: prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioning.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The modes of nature condition behavior.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Supersoul

The Supersoul is the overseer and permitter.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 13.23 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 13 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 15.15Krishna sustains, illuminates and gives remembranceBG 18.61Perform duty in surrender to KrishnaBG 13.20Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioningBG 13.21Prakṛti, puruṣa and conditioningBG 7.14Crossing beyond māyā

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 13.23 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.