न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् |
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावन: || 5||
na cha mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśhya me yogam aiśhwaram
bhūta-bhṛin na cha bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ
na cha mat-sthani bhutani pashya me yogam aishwaram
bhuta-bhrin na cha bhuta-stho mamatma bhuta-bhavanah
Translation
BG 9.5: And yet, the living beings do not abide in Me. Behold the mystery of My divine energy! Although I am the Creator and Sustainer of all living beings, I am not influenced by them or by material nature.
Commentary
Beyond the two energies mentioned in the purport to the previous verse—Maya śhakti and Jīva śhakti—there is a third energy of God. This is called Yogmaya śhakti, which He refers to in this verse, as divine energy. Yogmaya is God’s all-powerful energy. It is called kartum-akartum-samarthaḥ, or “that which can make the impossible possible,” and is responsible for many of the amazing things we attribute to His personality. For example, God is seated in our hearts, yet we have no perception of Him. This is because His divine Yogmaya power keeps us aloof from Him.
Similarly, God also keeps Himself aloof from the influence of Maya. In the Bhagavatam, the Vedas praise the Lord:
vilajjamānayā yasya sthātumīkṣhā-pathe ’muyā (2.5.13)
“Maya feels embarrassed to even stand before God.” Isn’t it a wonder that although God pervades Maya, the material energy, yet He is aloof from it? This is again by the mysterious power of Yogmaya.
If the world could influence God, then when it decays or is destroyed, His nature and personality will also deteriorate. But despite all modifications in the world, God remains established in His personality. Accordingly, the Vedas call God by the name Daśhāṅgulī, or “ten fingers.” He is in the world, and yet ten fingers beyond it—untouched by it.
