Bhagavad Gita — Sankhya Yoga, Shloka 28

Sankhya Yoga

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत । अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ २.२८ ॥

Transliteration

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata | avyaktanidhanāny eva tatra kā paridevanā || 2.28 ||

Translation

Beings are unmanifest in the beginning, manifest in the middle, O Bharata, and unmanifest again in the end. What is there to lament?

Gita Press Meaning

Beings are unmanifest in the beginning, manifest in the middle, and unmanifest again in the end; what is there to lament?

Critical Edition Meaning

Entities have the unmanifest as their beginning, the manifest as their middle, and the unmanifest as their end; in that case, what ground is there for lamentation?

Comparative Note

This verse is frequently linked to Sāṅkhya-like cosmology: manifestation is a temporary phase within a broader unmanifest condition; some commentators align “unmanifest” with prakṛti, others with epistemic non-appearance.

Word by Word

• अव्यक्तात्: from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तात्: अपादान
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)

• आदीनि: having as beginning / beginning from
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)

• भूतानि: beings; entities
• भूतानि: कर्तृ
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)

• व्यक्त: the manifest
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)

• मध्यानि: having as middle / in the middle
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• भारत: O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)

• अव्यक्त: unmanifest
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)

• निधनानि: having dissolution/end as (their) end
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक)

• एव: indeed; only
• Root: एव

• तत्र: there; in that matter
• तत्र: अधिकरण
• Root: तत्र

• का: what? (which?)
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक)

• परिदेवना: lamentation; grieving
• Root: परिदेवना (प्रातिपदिक)

Speakers

• Krishna
• Arjuna

Primary Concepts

• Avyakta/Vyakta (unmanifest/manifest)
• Prakṛti (nature)
• Paridevanā (lamentation)

Key Themes

• Cosmic perspective on change
• Temporal nature of manifestation
• Emotional restraint

FAQs

Psychological significance?

It invites a wider time-horizon: when events are seen as phases of appearance and disappearance, emotional reactions can become less absolute.

Metaphysical meaning?

The verse portrays embodied beings as transient expressions within a larger unmanifest ground, suggesting that manifestation is not ultimate.

Contextual relevance?

It supports Krishna’s broader aim: to loosen Arjuna’s attachment to the visible, present form as the whole of reality.

Modern Application?

Applied to life changes, it can foster resilience by treating successes and losses as temporary phases rather than final definitions.