
4
CHAPTER
VERSE
6
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् |
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया || 4.6 ||
Ajo ’pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro ’pi san
Prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā ||
Although I am unborn and my transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in my original transcendental form.
Lesson:
Despite being unborn and possessing an imperishable body, Lord Krishna manifests himself in every age through his divine power, known as "maya," to uphold righteousness and guide humanity.
Krishna clarifies that his appearance in the material world is not due to the ordinary cycle of birth and death but is a deliberate manifestation of his divine will. He is the eternal Supreme Being, the controller of all beings, yet he chooses to descend to the earthly realm whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness.
Through this explanation, Krishna assures Arjuna that his presence on the battlefield of Kurukshetra is not an ordinary event but a divine intervention to restore righteousness and uphold the cosmic order. It emphasizes Krishna's compassion and commitment to his devotees, as he willingly takes on different forms to guide and protect them, transcending the limitations of time and space.
This verse highlights the concept of divine incarnation (avatar) in Hindu philosophy, illustrating the eternal nature of the Supreme Being and his continuous involvement in the affairs of the world for the welfare of all beings.