Chapter VII · Śloka 10
Śrī Kṛṣṇa uvāca
बीजं मां सर्वभूतानां विद्धि पार्थ सनातनम् ।
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ॥
बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ॥
bījaṃ māṃ sarva-bhūtānāṃ viddhi pārtha sanātanam |
buddhir buddhimatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham ||
buddhir buddhimatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham ||
Know Me, O Pārtha, as the eternal seed of all beings; I am the intelligence of the intelligent, the splendour of the splendid.
The bīja, or seed, is the causal ground from which all beings proceed — sanātana, eternal, pointing to the uncreated nature of the divine source. Intelligence (buddhi) and splendour (tejas) in their finest expressions are identified as the Lord himself shining through finite instruments.