Chapter 6 · Shloka 31— The Yoga of Meditation / Self-Control

sarva-bhūta-sthitaṁ yo māṁ bhajatyekatvam āsthitaḥ sarvathā vartamāno ’pi sa yogī mayi vartate

sarva-bhūta-sthitam

— situated in all beings

yaḥ

— who

mām

— me

bhajati

— worships

ekatvam

— in unity

āsthitaḥ

— established

sarvathā

— in all kinds of

varta-mānaḥ

— remain

api

— although

saḥ

— he

yogī

— a yogi

mayi

— in me

vartate

— dwells

"Sarva-bhuta-sthitam yo mam bhajaty ekatvam asthitah, sarvatha vartamano 'pi sa yogi mayi vartate." — The yogi established in unity, who worships Me dwelling in all beings — that yogi abides in Me, whatever his mode of living. Krishna deepens the vision of 6.29–30 by connecting it explicitly with devotion (bhajati — worships, loves, serves). The realized yogi, 'ekatvam asthitah' — established in the recognition of oneness — worships the Divine present in all beings. Seeing the one Self in all is not a cold philosophical abstraction; it flowers into loving worship of that Self wherever it dwells, which is everywhere. The remarkable assurance: 'sarvatha vartamano 'pi sa yogi mayi vartate' — however such a yogi lives, whatever his outer circumstances or activities, he abides in Me. Shankaracharya emphasizes 'sarvatha' (in every way, in all conditions): the realized yogi remains in union with the Divine regardless of external situation — whether eating, working, walking, or resting. Because the union is rooted in vision and devotion, not in any particular outer activity, no activity can break it. This verse offers profound freedom. The realized state is not confined to formal meditation or special conditions. Once one is established in the unitive vision and worships the Divine in all, one carries that abiding presence into every moment of life. The whole of life becomes the field of communion. There is no longer any separation between 'spiritual time' and 'ordinary time.'

Here's the liberating part: once you genuinely see the Divine in all beings and live with that loving recognition, you abide in that connection no matter what you're doing. There's no separation between 'spiritual time' and 'ordinary time.' Whether you're working, eating, commuting, or resting, the connection holds — because it's rooted in your way of seeing, not in any special activity or location. This dissolves the common frustration of feeling spiritual only on the meditation cushion and then 'losing it' in daily life. When the vision is real, all of life becomes the practice.

Here's the freeing part: once you genuinely see the Divine in all beings and live with that loving recognition, you stay connected no matter what you're doing. No split between 'spiritual time' and 'normal life.' Whether you're working, eating, on the train, or chilling — the connection holds, because it's rooted in HOW you see, not in some special activity or location. This dissolves that classic frustration of feeling spiritual on the meditation cushion and then 'losing it' the second life gets busy. When the vision is real, your whole life IS the practice.

Krishna shares something wonderful: a yogi who sees the one God living inside all beings, and lovingly honors that — stays connected to God no matter what they're doing! Whether they're playing, eating, studying, or resting, they're always close to the Divine. You don't have to be sitting quietly in a special place to be with God. Once you see God everywhere, God is with you everywhere, all the time!