Verse 13.16

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 13.16:

बहिर् अन्तश् च भूतानाम् अचरं चरम् एव च ।
सूक्ष्मत्वात् तद् अविज्ञेयं दूर-स्थं चान्तिके च तत् ॥ १६ ॥

bahir antaś ca bhūtānām acaraṃ caram eva ca |
sūkṣmatvāt tad avijñeyaṃ dūra-sthaṃ cāntike ca tat || 16 ||

bahir–outside; antaḥ–inside; ca–and; bhūtānām–of all beings; acaram–non-moving;caram–moving; eva ca–and indeed; sūkṣmatvāt–because He is very subtle; tat–He; avijñeyam–difficult to know; dūra-stham–is situated far away; ca–and; antike–very near; ca–and; tat–He.

That Absolute Entity dwells within and without all beings, and it is only because of Him that this world of moving and non-moving beings exists. Being very subtle, He is very difficult to comprehend, and He is simultaneously far away and very close.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

He is situated everywhere, both inside and outside all of the beings and elements of His creation, just as the sky is situated inside and outside the body. He is everything, all beings, both moving and non-moving, because He is the cause of the effect (the creation). Even so, He is not the object of direct perception because His form and other attributes differ from material forms and attributes. Therefore, for ignorant people, He is millions of miles away. But for those who are enlightened in transcendental knowledge He, as the indwelling Supersoul, is as near to them as a person living in the same house. He is farther away than the farthest and nearer than the nearest. He is visible in the inner reaches of the heart for those who can see. As it is said in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, (3.1.7), “dūrāt sudūre tad ihāntike ca paśyātsv ihaivaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyām–in this world, He is much further away than the furthest thing, and for the observant, He is also seated secretly, very near in the midst of all.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

All moving and non-moving beings are born from Parameśvara, that supreme tattva. He is situated within the heart of all beings as the indwelling Supersoul, and He exists externally in His all-pervading aspect. This entire moving and non-moving world is an effect of His energy, and therefore, the Śrutis describe Him to be everything: “sarvaṃ khalv idaṃ brahma–all this is brahma.” Yet He has a personal form that is different from all other forms. He is equal only to Himself. He is asamorddhva, meaning there is nobody equal to Him, what to speak of greater than Him. However, not everyone can know Him because He is very subtle. Only His exclusive devotees can know Him by the power of their pure devotion. Therefore, He is very far away as well as very near.

He is near to His pure devotees and very far away from non-devotees:

tad ejati tan naijati tad dūre tad v antike
tad antar asya sarvasya tad u sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ

Śrī Īśopaniṣad (5)

The Supreme Lord walks but does not walk, He is far away but very near, and He is within everything yet outside everything.