Bhagavad Gita 13.13

Kshetra Kshetrajna Vibhaga Yoga · English Translation

I will declare that which has to be known, knowing which one attains to immortality, the beginningless supreme Brahman, called neither being nor non-being.

Sanskrit

ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते | अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते ||१३-१३||

Transliteration

jñeyaṃ yattatpravakṣyāmi yajjñātvāmṛtamaśnute . anādi matparaṃ brahma na sattannāsaducyate ||13-13||

What Does This Verse Mean?

In this verse, Krishna promises to reveal the ultimate truth that everyone needs to know to overcome death and attain immortality. He describes this supreme reality as Brahman, which has no beginning or end and exists beyond our usual categories of 'being' or 'non-being.' The core teaching is that realizing this infinite, formless source of existence is the only path to true liberation from the cycle of birth and decay.

The Teaching Behind It

This verse is a cornerstone of Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge) and Advaita Vedanta philosophy, which teaches that ultimate reality cannot be fully grasped by dualistic logic. It develops the concept of Nirguna Brahman—the absolute truth that is without attributes or form—distinguishing it from Saguna Brahman (God with qualities). The teaching emphasizes transcending the mind's tendency to categorize existence into binary opposites like 'is' and 'is not'.

Word by Word

ज्ञेयम् has to be known, यत् which, तत् that, प्रवक्ष्यामि (I) will declare, यत् which, ज्ञात्वा knowing, अमृतम् immortality, अश्नुते (one) attains to, अनादिमत् the beginningless, परम् supreme, ब्रह्म Brahman, न not, सत् being, तत् that, न not, असत् nonbeing, उच्यते is called

Classical Commentary

The Lord praises that which ought to be known (Para Brahman) in order to create in Arjuna (or any hearer) an intense desire to know It. Brahman cannot be expressed in words like being or nonbeing, because Brahman does not belong to any class or genus like a Brahmana, cow or horse. It has no ality like whiteness, blackness, etc. It has no relation or connection with anything else, because It is one without a second. It is no object of any sense. It is beyond the reach of the mind and the senses. It is actionless. It is the great transcendental and unmanifested Absolute. It is always the witnessing subject in all objects. The Vedas emphatically declare that Brahman is without attributes, activity, attachment or parts. In chapter IX. 19 it was stated that He is the being and also the nonbeing. It is now stated that He is neither being nor nonbeing. This would seem to the readers to be a contradiction in terms but it is not so. Though the manifest (perishable) and the unmanifest (imperishable) universe are both forms of Brahman? He is beyond both these. (Cf. VII.2XV.16?17and18)

Where This Happens

This verse occurs during the intense dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, specifically within Chapter 13 where they discuss the difference between the physical body (the field) and the soul's witness consciousness. After explaining the nature of matter and self in previous verses, Krishna is now transitioning to describe the ultimate reality that transcends both. Arjuna has just listened to complex philosophical distinctions about prakriti and purusha; he likely feels a mix of intellectual curiosity and spiritual longing for clarity on how to attain liberation from suffering.

Living It Out Today

When facing an overwhelming career crisis where success or failure seems binary, this verse reminds you that your true identity is not the outcome but the unchanging awareness observing it. Instead of getting trapped in anxiety about whether a project will 'succeed' (being) or 'fail' (non-being), focus on connecting with your inner stability and purposeless potential. By anchoring yourself in this beginningless confidence, you make decisions from clarity rather than fear, allowing you to navigate the situation without losing your peace.

Explained for Children

Imagine you are looking at a glowing light in the sky. You might call it bright because it shines (like 'being'), or dark because you can't see its edges clearly (like 'non-being'). But the real nature of that light is something much bigger than just being on or off; it's an endless, beginningless glow that has always been there and will never go away. Krishna says if we truly understand this special kind of existence inside us, we become like a star that never fades.

Daily Reflection

You often feel caught between the extremes of success and failure, being 'something' one moment and nothing the next. This verse reminds you to look deeper into your own heart where the true Self resides beyond these dualities. When you realize this beginningless reality within yourself, the fear of loss dissolves because what is eternal cannot truly be lost.

A Practice for Today

Sit quietly and acknowledge that your true nature exists before time began, untouched by the rise or fall of events around you. Rest in the awareness that there is a silent space within you which cannot be categorized as either existing or non-existing.

Key Teachings

The Necessity of Knowing
Krishna emphasizes that there is a specific knowledge required to transcend mortality and attain immortality. This implies that spiritual realization is not automatic but requires intentional inquiry into the nature of reality.
The Beginningless Source
Brahman, or ultimate Reality, has no beginning (anadi), meaning it exists outside the linear constraints of time and creation. This teaches that our true identity is not a temporary acquisition but an eternal possession.
Transcending Duality
The Supreme Brahman is described as neither 'being' nor 'non-being,' placing it beyond the limits of human logic and dualistic perception. This points to a reality that encompasses all possibilities without being defined by any single one.

Themes

The Nature of RealityImmortality and LiberationBrahman (Absolute Truth)Transcending DualitySelf-KnowledgeBeginningless Existence

Related Verses

2.47 3.30 4.18 6.5 18.66

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the verse say Brahman is 'neither being nor non-being'?

This phrase describes how our ordinary language fails to capture the absolute reality. If we call it 'being,' people might think of a temporary object, and if we call it 'non-being,' they might think of nothingness or void. Krishna uses this negative definition (Neti Neti) because Brahman is infinite consciousness that exists beyond all limited physical categories.

What does the phrase 'beginningless' imply about our true self?

It implies that your essential nature has no starting point in time and will never end, just like a circle without an edge. Unlike the body or mind which are born and die, this consciousness is eternal (anadi) and uncreated, meaning you do not need to 'become' something new but simply realize what you always have been.

How does knowing Brahman lead to immortality?

Immortality here refers to freedom from the cycle of birth and death caused by identifying with the temporary body. When one truly knows they are this beginningless, unchanging consciousness rather than a mortal form, the fear of death vanishes because there is nothing within that can ever die.

Is Krishna revealing something new or reminding us of what we already know?

Krishna frames this as knowledge to be declared (pravakshyami) to remove ignorance, suggesting it is a truth hidden by our own misconceptions rather than a brand-new fact. It acts like removing dust from a mirror; the light was always there, but one must actively learn and realize its nature to see it clearly.

In Other Languages: Bhagavad Gita 13.13 →