Verse 10.20

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 10.20:

अहम् आत्मा गुडाकेश सर्व-भूताशय-स्थितः ।
अहम् आदिश् च मध्यं च भूतानाम् अन्त एव च ॥ २० ॥

aham ātmā guḍākeśa sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ |
aham ādiś ca madhyaṃ ca bhūtānām anta eva ca || 20 ||

aham–I; ātmā–the Supersoul; guḍāka-īśa–O controller of sleep; sarva-bhūta–of all beings; āśaya–in the hearts; sthitaḥ–seated; aham–I; ādiḥ–the cause of creation; ca–also; madhyam–the cause of maintenance; ca–and; bhūtānām–of all beings; antaḥ–the cause of destruction; eva–certainly; ca–also.

O Guḍākeśa, I am the indwelling witness, who resides within the heart of every living entity, and I alone am the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of all beings.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Śrī Bhagavān says, “O Arjuna, you should understand that it is only one of My portions that is the cause of all vibhūtis.” Here the word ātmā refers to the Supersoul and witness of material nature (prakrti), the puruṣa-avatāra Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who creates the mahat-tattva. Guḍākeśa means ‘one who has control over sleep’. By using this word, Śrī Bhagavān indicates that Arjuna is capable of meditating. “I am also the Supersoul of the complete creation, sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ.” Sarva-bhūta means ‘Vairāja’ or ‘Lord Brahmā’. “I am the Supersoul (Antaryāmī) situated within the heart of Vairāja, or Brahmā. In other words, I am Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Supersoul of the complete creation, and because I am also situated within the heart of every living entity, I am also the individual Supersoul, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. I alone am the beginning (birth), middle (existence) and end (the cause of annihilation) of the jīvas.”