Shloka 4

विभूति-योगः (Vibhūti-yoga) — Exemplary Manifestations as a Contemplative Index

Devanagari script

अधिभूतं क्षरो भाव: पुरुषश्चाधिदैवतम्‌ । अधियज्ञो5हमेवात्र देहे देहभूतां वर

Transliteration

adhibhūtaṃ kṣaro bhāvaḥ puruṣaś cādhidaivatam | adhiyajño 'ham evātra dehe dehabhṛtāṃ vara ||

Translation

‘Adhibhūta’ ist die vergängliche Daseinsweise; ‘adhidaivata’ ist der kosmische Purusha. Und hier, in diesem Leib, bin Ich selbst der ‘adhiyajña’—der innewohnende Herr, der das Opfer empfängt und heiligt.

Word by Word

अधिभूतम्the element pertaining to beings (the material/physical aspect)

क्षरःperishable

भावःexistence; state; being

पुरुषःthe Person (spirit/self)

चand

अधिदैवतम्the element pertaining to the deities (the divine aspect)

अधियज्ञःthe element pertaining to sacrifice (the sacrificial principle)

अहम्I

एवindeed; alone

अत्रhere

देहेin the body

देहभूताम्having become embodied; existing as the body

वरO best (one)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Puruṣa (cosmic Person)

Adhiyajña (the Lord as presiding sacrifice)

Deha (body)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes three levels of reality: the perishable material condition (adhibhūta), the presiding divine principle or cosmic Person (adhidaivata/puruṣa), and the Lord as the inner ruler who makes sacrifice meaningful (adhiyajña) within embodied life. It frames ethical action and worship as grounded in an indwelling divine presence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Bhīṣma Parva’s Bhagavadgītā dialogue, Arjuna is questioning Kṛṣṇa about technical spiritual terms. This verse presents the definitions: what counts as adhibhūta and adhidaivata, and identifies the adhiyajña as the Lord present within the body, linking metaphysical categories to lived religious practice.