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Chapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge · 42 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 4 · Transcendental Knowledge
4.54.7

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 4.6

Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refuge

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् ।

प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥ ६ ॥

ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā

bhūtānām īśvaro ’pi san

prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya

sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā

Translation

Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, by My internal energy I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

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

Kṛṣṇa’s Eternal Form

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa is unborn and Lord of all living beings. By His internal energy, He appears in every millennium in His original form, which never deteriorates.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa never changes bodies like ordinary souls. His body is eternal, untouched by material nature, and always youthful.
  3. 3Concentrate on Kṛṣṇa’s eternal form as described, rather than imagining a form for Him.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 4, Transcendental Knowledge: divine descent, krishna’s nature and refuge.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Recognize Kṛṣṇa as the source of all.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 4.6 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?

Practice

Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.

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The story behind it

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

All stories for chapter 4 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 4.5Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refugeBG 4.7Divine descent, Krishna’s nature and refugeBG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.51Composure returns in Krishna’s personal presence

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

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Ask about BG 4.6 — 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.