Brahmano hi pratishthaa aham amritasyaavyayasya cha | Shaashvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikantikasya cha ||27||
Translation
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable, eternal, and is the natural position of ultimate happiness.
Word-by-Word Meaning
ब्रह्मणः
of the impersonal Brahman
हि
certainly
प्रतिष्ठा
the basis/foundation
अहम्
I am
अमृतस्य
of the immortal
अव्ययस्य
of the imperishable
च
also
शाश्वतस्य
of the eternal
च
and
धर्मस्य
of the natural position/dharma
सुखस्य
of happiness
ऐकान्तिकस्य
ultimate/absolute
च
also
Commentary
Commentary
This final verse of Chapter 14 is a profound theological declaration that crowns the entire chapter’s teaching. Having explained how bhakti yoga enables one to transcend the modes and attain the Brahman platform, Krishna now reveals the ultimate truth: He Himself is the foundation of Brahman.
Brahmano hi pratishthaa aham — “I am the basis of Brahman.” This is one of the most significant statements in the Gita. The impersonal Brahman — the all-pervading spiritual effulgence that the Upanishads celebrate — is not the ultimate reality. It is a feature of Krishna’s existence. Just as sunlight emanates from the sun but the sun is the source, Brahman emanates from Krishna but Krishna is the source. This resolves the apparent tension between personal and impersonal approaches to the Absolute.
The characteristics of Brahman listed here — amritasya (immortal), avyayasya (imperishable), shaashvatasya (eternal), dharmasya (the constitutional position), and sukhasya aikantikasya (ultimate happiness) — are all traced back to Krishna as their origin and support. Without Krishna, these attributes have no independent existence.
The practical implication is momentous: those who seek immortality, permanence, eternal dharma, or ultimate bliss need not stop at the impersonal Brahman realization. They should proceed to the source — the Supreme Person, Sri Krishna. Devotional service (bhakti yoga), which was prescribed in the previous verse as the means to transcend the modes, leads not merely to the Brahman platform but to the personal presence of the Lord Himself. This is the complete and perfect conclusion of Chapter 14.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Bhagavad Gita 14.27 mean?
- And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable, eternal, and is the natural position of ultimate happiness.
- What is the Sanskrit text of Bhagavad Gita 14.27?
- The original Sanskrit verse is: Brahmano hi pratishthaa aham amritasyaavyayasya cha | Shaashvatasya cha dharmasya sukhasyaikantikasya cha ||27||
- What are the key themes of this verse?
- This verse explores: Brahman, Krishna, transcendence, devotion, supreme basis, eternal happiness.