Divine nature leads to one-pointed devotion.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
महात्मानस्तु मां पार्थ दैवीं प्रकृतिमाश्रिताः |भजन्त्यनन्यमनसो ज्ञात्वा भूतादिमव्ययम् ||९-१३||
mahātmānastu māṃ pārtha daivīṃ prakṛtimāśritāḥ . bhajantyananyamanaso jñātvā bhūtādimavyayam ||9-13||
Use this verse to build divine qualities.
Meaning
Great souls, taking refuge in divine nature, worship Me with undivided mind, knowing Me as the imperishable source of beings.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Great souls live in divine nature and undivided devotion.
Word-by-word meaning
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Explanation
Krishna contrasts deluded nature with divine nature. The great soul is marked by clarity, devotion, and recognition of Krishna as source.
Read the traditional commentary
In luminous contrast to the deluded, Krishna now praises the mahatmas, the great souls. Sheltering in the daivi-prakriti — the divine nature of clarity, goodness, and devotion — they worship with ananya-manas, an undivided mind that is not scattered among countless cravings but gathered toward the One.
What sets them apart is true seeing: they know Krishna as bhutadi avyaya, the imperishable origin of all beings. Their devotion is therefore not blind sentiment but flows from realisation. Greatness of soul, in the Gita's vision, is not measured by power or learning but by this singleness of heart and the wisdom that recognises the Divine as the source of everything.
Such focus is itself a kind of freedom: a mind no longer fragmented by endless wants but unified in love and understanding.
In daily life
Cultivate qualities that support devotion.
Humility, truthfulness, and compassion make devotion stable.
Try this today
Practice one divine quality consciously.
I choose divine nature and undivided devotion.Reflect
Which divine quality can I strengthen today?
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Quick check
What does ‘भूतादिम् अव्ययम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on single mindedness, in other chapters
- Verse 8.14To the heart that remembers the Divine with undivided, constant love, even the supreme goal becomes easy to attain.
- Verse 7.2Seek the knowing that is also realised in experience, for that alone leaves nothing essential still to be sought.
- Verse 16.1Spiritual nobility is built not from grand gestures but from steady daily virtues — fearlessness, purity, self-restraint, and honesty.
- Verse 2.61Restraining all senses while taking the Divine as the supreme goal establishes the stable platform on which wisdom is firmly grounded.
Swipe left for 9.14 · Steady devotion needs daily expression.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 9.13
Who says Bhagavad Gita 9.13, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 9.13, in Chapter 9, Raja Vidya Yoga (Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 9.13 mean?
Great souls, taking refuge in divine nature, worship Me with undivided mind, knowing Me as the imperishable source of beings. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 9.13 for daily life?
Cultivate qualities that support devotion. Humility, truthfulness, and compassion make devotion stable.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 9.13 mean?
महात्मानः — the great souls; तु — but; माम् — Me; पार्थ — O Partha (Arjuna); दैवीं प्रकृतिम् आश्रिताः — having taken refuge in the divine nature.
Where does verse 9.13 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 13 of 34 in Chapter 9, Raja Vidya Yoga. The next verse is 9.14.