ye tv akṣharam anirdeśhyam avyaktaṁ paryupāsate
sarvatra-gam achintyañcha kūṭa-stham achalandhruvam
sanniyamyendriya-grāmaṁ sarvatra sama-buddhayaḥ
te prāpnuvanti mām eva sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ
ye — who;
tu — but;
akṣharam — the imperishable;
anirdeśhyam — the indefinable;
avyaktam — the unmanifest;
paryupāsate — worship;
sarvatra-gam — the all-pervading;
achintyam — the unthinkable;
cha — and;
kūṭa-stham — the unchanging;
achalam — the immovable;
dhruvam — the eternal;
sanniyamya — restraining;
indriya-grāmam — the senses;
sarvatra — everywhere;
sama-buddhayaḥ — even-minded;
te — they;
prāpnuvanti — attain;
mām — me;
eva — also;
sarva-bhūta-hite — in the welfare of all beings;
ratāḥ — engaged
In this verse from the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes a certain kind of worshippers. These are individuals who choose to focus on the more complex, abstract aspects of God rather than simply praying to a form of God like Krishna. They are attracted to the idea of God as something that is everywhere and timeless—something that cannot be easily described or understood.
Let's break this down further:
1. **Imperishable**: This means that God never decays or dies; He is eternal. Unlike everything in the material world that we see changing—like our own lives, relationships, and the world around us—this aspect of God remains constant.
2. **Indefinable and Unmanifest**: These words describe God as beyond any description or form. While we can see and picture things in our minds, this aspect of God is something we cannot truly grasp or illustrate. It is like trying to describe the color red to someone who has never seen color before; it’s tough to define something that is beyond our ordinary experience.
3. **Omnipresent**: This means that God is present everywhere at the same time. No matter where you are or what you are doing, this aspect of God is always there.
4. **Unthinkable**: This suggests that the nature of God is beyond what our minds can fully understand or conceive. We can try to think about it, but it might always remain a mystery.
5. **Immovable and Eternal**: This reinforces the point that this aspect of God does not change or move. While everything in our lives may revolve around constant change, this divine nature is reliable and stable.
Now, those who worship this higher, more complex idea of God are on a different spiritual journey. Instead of focusing on God in a personal way—like praying to Krishna for help or guidance—they are meditating on this broader concept of a universal presence. This kind of worship can be more challenging because it involves a lot of internal focus and deep thinking about something that doesn’t have a clear shape or form.
Ultimately, these seekers have the same ultimate goal as those who worship God personally: they want to connect with the divine. However, the path they choose is much more abstract, requiring them to let go of concrete images and instead engage with an invisible, ever-present energy. This journey is valued as it reflects a deeper understanding of spirituality, recognizing that God can transcend form and be an all-encompassing essence in everything.
In summary, Krishna is acknowledging these worshippers' efforts and the uniqueness of their approach, while also highlighting that everyone on a spiritual path seeks the same ultimate connection, albeit through different methods.