13-16

अविभक्तम् च भूतेषु विभक्तम् इव च स्थितम् ।
भूत भर्तृ च तत् ज्ञेयम् ग्रसिष्णु प्रभविष्णु च ॥ १६ ॥

avibhaktam ca bhUteSu vibhaktam iva ca sthitam |
bhUta bhartR ca tat jJeyam grasiSNu prabhaviSNu ca || 16 ||

तत् [tat] The Self, ज्ञेयम् [jJeyam] which is to be recognized, स्थितम् [sthitam] is present भूतेषु [bhUteSu] in all beings अविभक्तम् [avibhaktam] without variation. च [ca] Yet, विभक्तम् इव [vibhaktam iva] it seems like the Self in each being is varied in nature. भूत भर्तृ [bhUta bhartR] It wears the form of the being it owns. गृसिष्णु [gRsiSNu] It is the one that absorbs प्रभविष्णु च [prabhaviSNu ca] and the one that thrives.

The Self is pure knowledge.

The Self is identical in all beings, in the form of pure knowledge. To the ignorant, it seems to vary based on the form of the being - some beings have a powerful form, some don’t and so on.

Usually, the Self is equated to the body, when we say ‘I am powerful’, ‘I am ordinary’ and so on. Yet, it is distinct from the body - it is capable of awareness, while the body isn’t.

It is possible to know the Self, as mentioned at the beginning of this chapter (13-2). It is possible to know the Self as being distinct from the variety of bodies it occupies - this is expressed here by the phrase ‘It wears the form of the being it owns’.

We must realize that the one who wears the body - the Self - is distinct from the body itself. The body is formed by bringing the elements of nature together. It is possible to know that the wearer of the body is distinct from the body which is worn.

This is illustrated in the Shloka with an example: Our body absorbs nature. We eat things made from the elements of nature, such as rice. It is possible to know ourselves as those who eat, distinct from the food being eaten.

The Self in our body causes the transformation of food. The food we eat transforms into tissues, blood and other parts of the body, producing the experience of thriving growth and sustenance.

The Self is distinct from that food, before and after this transformation. This is evident by the fact that a dead body does not transform food into anything. So, the combination of elements that form the body cannot be the cause of this transformation.