Bhagavad Gita 15.7

Purushottama Yoga · English Translation

An eternal portion of Myself having become a living soul in the world of life, draws to (itself) the (five) senses with the mind for the sixth, abiding in Nature.

Sanskrit

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः | मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ||१५-७||

Transliteration

mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ . manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ||15-7||

What Does This Verse Mean?

In this verse, Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna that every living being is an eternal fragment of His own divine energy. These souls are drawn into the material world and use their five senses plus the mind as a sixth sense to experience life through nature's laws. The core teaching is that while our physical bodies change, our true spiritual self remains untouched and eternal, merely using these tools to interact with the temporary world.

The Teaching Behind It

This verse is foundational to Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge) as it establishes the distinction between the eternal Self (Atman) and temporary material nature (Prakriti). It develops the Sankhya concept that while consciousness appears entangled in sensory experiences, its true origin is divine and immutable.

Word by Word

मम My, एव even, अंशः portion, जीवलोके in the world of life, जीवभूतः having become a soul, सनातनः eternal, मनःषष्ठानि with mind as the sixth, इन्द्रियाणि the (five) Indriyas, प्रकृतिस्थानि abiding in Prakriti, कर्षति draws (to itself)

Classical Commentary

Now the Lord explains how the individual soul comes into being. The individual soul is a ray of the Lord. A ray of the Supreme Being enters Nature, draws to itself the five senses and the mind and becomes an embodied soul (Jiva) by assuming a body. Here is a description of how the subtle body or LingaSariria enters the gross body. Although the sun is reflected in water, it is not in any way tainted. When a crystal comes in,contact with a red cloth or red flower, it seems to be red but it is really not so. Even so the Supreme Beings is not in any way tainted by the actions of the individual soul. Ignorance is the limiting adjunct of the individual soul. On account of the limitation caused by this ignorance the soul experiences that it is the doer and the enjoyer. In essence the individual soul is identical with the Supreme Being or Brahman. When ignorance, the limiting adjunct or principle, is destroyed, the individual soul (Jiva) realises it identity with the Supreme Being (Brahman).Just as the ether in the pot becomes one with the universal ether when the limiting adjunct, the pot, is broken, so also the individual soul becomes one with Brahman when the limiting adjunct, ignorance, is annihilated. Just as there is no return of the potether after it has become one with the universal ether when the pot is destroyed, so also there is no return of the individual soul after the limiting adjunct (the Antahkarana, i.e., mind and the other inner instruments) is destroyed. It becomes one with Brahman. Pratibimba (reflection) is only a portion of the Bimba (object). The reflected sun is only a portion of the real sun (the rays of the sun). When the water is removed the reflected sun goes back to the original sun, as it were. It does not return to the water again. Even so, when ignorance or the mind is annihilated, the Jiva (individual soul) which is a reflection of Brahman in ignorance is absorbed in the Bimba Brahman. It does not return to this world of birth and death. The individual soul is only an imaginary or fictitious portion of Brahman. It is not a real portion. For the Supreme Being is indivisible. It has no parts. If It has parts? It would be liable to destruction when the parts are disjointed or removed. The senses abide in Nature, in their respective seats such as ear, skin, tongue, eye and nose. A Sannyasi living in the caves of the Himalayas dreams that he is a married man and moves about hither and thither to get a job for his livelihood. Even so, the individual soul forgets its real divine nature, mistakes the impure, perishable body for the pure, immortal Self and imagines that it is the real actor and enjoyer by identifying itself with the body. It says? I am the Karta. I am the Bhokta. I am a soul bound by Samsara. I am happy. I am miserable. It becomes finite. In essence the Jiva is identical with Brahman. The difference is on account of delusion or imagination or superimposition. The illusion of difference is due to the limiting adjunct or principle (the mind) even as the illusion that the ether in the pot is different from the universal ether is caused by the limiting adjunct, viz., the pot. Jivabrahmabhedabhranti (the delusion of the distinctior between the individual soul and the Supreme Being) is removed when the limiting adjunct (mind) is annihilated. In deep sleep the mind rests in a subtle state along with all the Samskaras (impressions) and Vasanas (tendencies) in its cause (primordial ignorance). Again it comes back from this state of ignorance when you return to the waking state. If the cause (ignorance) is destroyed by the knowledge of the Self, its effect (mind) is also annihilated. Just as the tortoise stretches out its head and feet which were in a state of Laya (absorption) in its body, so also the individual soul strecthces out its mind and senses which were in a state of absorption in primordial ignorance in deep sleep, to enjoy the sensual objects in the waking state. A ray of the Supreme Being enters Nature, draws to itself the five senses and the mind In this verse the formation of the astral body (LingaSarira or Sukshmasarira) is described. The Sruti declaresस एष इह प्रविष्टः आनखाग्रेभ्यः तत् सृष्ट्वा तदेवानुप्राविशत्।।That Supreme Being Itself, having created this aggregate of the body from the head to the toe, entered this body in the form of the Jiva. According to Vedanta there are nineteen principles, viz., the five organs of knowledge, the five organs of action, the five vital airs (Prana? Apana? Vyana? Samana and Udana), the mind, intellect? Chitta (the subconscious or the unconscious mind), and egoism. We will have to conclude that the words the five senses and the mind point to the collection of the remaining thirteen principles also. Amsa This does not mean here a particle or portion which has been cut out. It is like the Amsar of the ether in the pot the ether is not cut out but still remains the whole ether. (Cf. XIV.3)

Where This Happens

This verse occurs in Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita during the intense dialogue on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Lord Krishna is speaking directly to Arjuna after explaining the metaphor of the inverted banyan tree representing material existence and attachment. At this point, Arjuna has just surrendered his confusion about duty and is listening intently as Krishna begins to reveal the ultimate nature of the Supreme Being (Purushottama) beyond both the fallible and infallible worlds.

Living It Out Today

When you feel overwhelmed by a high-pressure deadline at work or family conflict, remember that your core self is not just your tired body or stressed mind. You are an eternal observer using your senses to navigate this challenge, much like a driver uses a car (the senses) without becoming the engine itself. This perspective helps you detach from immediate anxiety and approach difficult decisions with clarity, knowing your true identity remains stable regardless of external circumstances.

Explained for Children

Imagine you have many little toys made from the exact same magical clay as your favorite toy set creator. Krishna says every one of us is like a tiny piece of that magic clay, sent out into the big playground called life. Just like how we use our five fingers and our brain to touch and build with sand or water, these living souls use their senses and minds to explore the world around them.

Daily Reflection

You are not merely a collection of sensations or fleeting thoughts; deep within your being rests an eternal fragment of the Infinite itself. While your mind and five senses constantly pull you toward external experiences like moths to a flame, remember that this dynamic activity happens within a temporary field called Nature, but does not define your true self. Today, try to stand as the silent witness behind these movements, knowing you are more vast than the struggles of daily life.

A Practice for Today

Close your eyes and gently recall that within you lies an eternal spark of the Divine, untouched by the changing tides of the world. As you breathe, invite this inner consciousness to withdraw from the restless senses, anchoring them in a stillness that is truly yours.

Key Teachings

The Eternal Soul
Every living being carries an indestructible portion of the Supreme Consciousness within them, known as Jiva. This divine spark remains unchanged and eternal despite the constant transformations of birth and death in this world.
The Sixth Sense Dynamic
While we possess five sensory organs to perceive the external world, the mind acts as a sixth sense that aggregates these inputs. This mental instrument is often drawn by material nature (Prakriti) into intense engagement with objects of desire and aversion.
Abiding in Nature
The individual soul operates within the framework of Material Nature, bound to act through its three modes. Recognizing this separation between the eternal self and the temporary nature helps one begin to transcend conditioned reactions.

Themes

the eternal selfdivine connectionsenses and mindmaterial naturespiritual identitydetachment

Related Verses

2.13 2.20 6.5 9.4 18.61

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the significance of calling the mind the 'sixth sense'?

In this teaching, Krishna identifies five external organs (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) that perceive the world. He designates the mind as the sixth because it acts as the internal controller and processor that coordinates these senses, directs attention to them, and interprets their data before we experience anything.

How can I be an eternal soul if my body dies?

The verse states that the living entity (Jiva) is a 'sanatana' or eternal portion of God. Just as you might change your clothes, the soul changes its physical body but remains unchanged in its essential nature; it does not originate at birth nor cease to exist at death.

What does Krishna mean when he says we 'draw senses'?

The Sanskrit word used implies pulling or dragging. It describes how the conscious soul, while situated in material nature (Prakriti), actively engages with and attracts its sensory experiences to interact with the world around it.

Does this verse support the idea of reincarnation?

Yes, by describing the living entity as an eternal fragment that enters different worlds and bodies through the mechanism of senses, this verse supports the cycle of birth and death. It explains how the soul carries its consciousness from one life to another until it seeks liberation.

In Other Languages: Bhagavad Gita 15.7 →