Devanagari
बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च ।
सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत् ॥ १६ ॥
Verse text
bahir antaś ca bhūtānām
acaraṁ caram eva ca
sūkṣmatvāt tad avijṣeyaṁ
dūra-sthaṁ cāntike ca tat
Synonyms
bahiḥ
—
outside
;
antaḥ
—
inside
;
ca
—
also
;
bhūtānām
—
of all living entities
;
acaram
—
not moving
;
caram
—
moving
;
eva
—
also
;
ca
—
and
;
sūkṣmatvāt
—
on account of being subtle
;
tat
—
that
;
avijṣeyam
—
unknowable
;
dūra-stham
—
far away
;
ca
—
also
;
antike
—
near
;
ca
—
and
;
tat
—
that.
Translation
The Supreme Truth exists outside and inside of all living beings, the moving and the nonmoving. Because He is subtle, He is beyond the power of the material senses to see or to know. Although far, far away, He is also near to all.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
16. He is outside and inside all beings. He alone is all moving and non-moving beings. He is difficult to understand because of His subtle nature. He is far away and also very near.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
16. He is outside and inside all things. He moves and does not move. He is difficult to understand because of His subtle nature. He is not perceivable, but He can be perceived.
Purport
In Vedic literature we understand that Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Person, is residing both outside and inside of every living entity. He is present in both the spiritual and material worlds. Although He is far, far away, still He is near to us. These are the statements of Vedic literature. Āsīno dūraṁ vrajati śayāno yāti sarvataḥ ( Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.21). And because He is always engaged in transcendental bliss, we cannot understand how He is enjoying His full opulence. We cannot see or understand with these material senses. Therefore in the Vedic language it is said that to understand Him our material mind and senses cannot act. But one who has purified his mind and senses by practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service can see Him constantly. It is confirmed in Brahma-saṁhitā that the devotee who has developed love for the Supreme God can see Him always, without cessation. And it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (11.54) that He can be seen and understood only by devotional service. Bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakyaḥ.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
He exists within and outside of all living entities, who are His products (bhūtānām means arising from Him), just as ether and other elements exists within and outside all bodies of which they are the cause. All non-moving and moving beings are only the Lord, since He is the cause and they are the effect. He cannot be clearly known (tad avijṣeyam). In other words, for the ignorant, He is situated far away at millions of yojanas distance and for the wise He is near, as if living in that person’s house, since He is situated as the antaryāmī within the person. The śruti says:
dūrāt sudūre tad ihāntike ca paśyatsv ihaiva nihitaṁ guhāyām
He is further than far, and very close. In the body He is situated in the heart, in those who see. Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.7
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
He is outside and inside of all living and material tattvas (bhūtānām). Śruti says:
antar bahiś ca tat sarvaṁ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ
Nārāyaṇa is spread within and outside of everything. Mahā Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad 13.5
He does not move (acaram) and moves (caram):
āsīno dūraṁ vrajati śayāno yāti sarvataḥ
Though sitting He goes far away, and though lying down He goes everywhere. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.21
Because of having a self illuminated form of bliss and knowledge (sūkṣmatvāt), He cannot be known like the devatās. Therefore he is described as being situated far away (dūra stham). yan manasā na manute na cakṣuṣā paśyati kaścanainam: no one can conceive of Him in his mind, and no one can see Him with his eye. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.20) But he can be known by senses endowed with bhakti, just as an ear well trained in music can understand the different notes. Thus, though far away (not perceived by the eye or ear), He is close (antike), perceivable. The śrutis say:
manasaivānudraṣṭavyam
The Lord should been seen by the mind. Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.20
kaścid dhīraḥ pratyag-ātmānam aikṣat
An intelligent person sees the inner Self. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 4.1
bhakti-yoge hi tiṣṭhati
He is present in bhakti yoga Gopāla Tāpanī Upaniṣad 2.78
The smṛti also says that the Lord can be known by bhakti: bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakyaḥ. (BG 11.55)
Surrender Unto Me
One of the terms in the verse (3rd line) is 'avijneyam' which means 'unknowable'. The knowable by definition is unknowable. What that means? It means that by material processes, using the material senses, the Supersoul is unknowable as is Brahman too. One needs to hear from transcendental sources to know Him.
"Although far, far away..." means that foolish people cannot know Him. "He is also near to all" means that He can be known by learned persons who dear to Him.