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Chapter 10

विभूतियोग

Divine Glories (Vibhūtiyoga)

Krishna describes himself as the source of everything and lists the finest expressions of his presence, from the sun among lights to the Ganga among rivers. Wherever there is beauty, strength or excellence, he says, it comes from a spark of his splendour.

Every excellence you admire points to something greater behind it.

  1. 10.1भूय एव महाबाहो श्रृणु मे परमं वचः।Krishna says to Arjuna: Mighty-armed one, listen once more to my highest teaching. Because you take joy in hearing it, I will speak it for your good.
  2. 10.2न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः।Neither the gods nor the great sages know my origin, Krishna says, because I am the source of the gods and the sages in every way.
  3. 10.3यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम्।Whoever knows me as unborn, without beginning, and the great Lord of all worlds is free from delusion among mortals and is released from all wrongdoing.
  4. 10.4बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसंमोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः।Understanding, knowledge, clarity, forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the senses, calmness of mind, pleasure and pain, birth and ending, fear and fearlessness: Krishna is listing qualities that, as the next verse says, all come from him.
  5. 10.5अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः।Non-violence, evenness of mind, contentment, self-discipline, generosity, fame and disgrace: these many different states of living beings arise from me alone.
  6. 10.6महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा।The seven great sages, the four ancient ones before them, and the Manus (first fathers of humankind) were born from my mind and share my nature. From them come all the creatures of this world.
  7. 10.7एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।Whoever truly understands this glory (vibhuti, my divine presence in things) and my power becomes joined to me in steady, unshaking yoga. Of this there is no doubt.
  8. 10.8अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते।I am the source of everything; from me all things come into motion. Understanding this, the wise worship me with deep feeling.
  9. 10.9मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम्।With minds fixed on me and lives given to me, they awaken understanding in one another and always speak of me. In this they find contentment and joy.
  10. 10.10तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम्।To those who stay always connected to me and worship me with love, I give the yoga of understanding (buddhi-yoga) by which they come to me.
  11. 10.11तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः।Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling within their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.
  12. 10.12परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्।Arjuna says: You are the supreme Brahman (ultimate reality), the supreme home, the supreme purifier, the eternal divine Person, the first of gods, unborn and all-pervading.
  13. 10.13आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा।All the sages say this of you, as do the divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa. And now you yourself are telling me.
  14. 10.14सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव।Keshava (Krishna), I accept as true all that you tell me. Lord, neither the gods nor the demons understand your true manifestation.
  15. 10.15स्वयमेवात्मनाऽत्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम।Supreme Person, source and lord of all beings, god of gods, master of the world: only you know yourself, through yourself.
  16. 10.16वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः।Arjuna asks: Please describe fully your divine glories, the powers by which you pervade and remain in all these worlds.
  17. 10.17कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन्।O master of yoga, how may I know you by always thinking of you? In which forms and things should I think of you, Lord?
  18. 10.18विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन।Janardana (Krishna), tell me again in detail about your power and your glories. I am never satisfied hearing your words; they are like nectar.
  19. 10.19हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः।Krishna replies: Very well, best of the Kurus, I will tell you my divine glories, but only the main ones, for there is no end to my extent.
  20. 10.20अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः।Gudakesha (Arjuna, conqueror of sleep), I am the Self living in the heart of every being. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.
  21. 10.21आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान्।Among the Adityas (the sons of Aditi) I am Vishnu; among lights, the radiant sun; among the Maruts (storm gods), Marichi; among the stars, I am the moon.
  22. 10.22वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः।Among the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; among the gods, Indra; among the senses, I am the mind; and in living beings, I am awareness itself.
  23. 10.23रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम्।Among the Rudras I am Shankara (Shiva); among Yakshas and Rakshasas, Kubera, lord of wealth; among the Vasus, Agni (fire); among peaks, Mount Meru.
  24. 10.24पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम्।Partha (Arjuna), know me as Brihaspati, the chief of priests. Among army commanders I am Skanda; among bodies of water, I am the ocean.
  25. 10.25महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम्।Among great sages I am Bhrigu; among words, the single syllable Om; among offerings, japa (quiet repetition of a sacred name); among unmoving things, the Himalaya.
  26. 10.26अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः।Among trees I am the ashvattha (sacred fig, peepal); among divine sages, Narada; among the Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Chitraratha; among perfected beings, the sage Kapila.
  27. 10.27उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम्।Among horses know me as Uchchaihshravas, born from the nectar of the churned ocean; among lordly elephants, Airavata; and among humans, the king.
  28. 10.28आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक्।Among weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows, Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow; among causes of birth, I am Kandarpa (the god of love); among serpents, Vasuki.
  29. 10.29अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम्।Among the Nagas (serpent beings) I am Ananta; among water beings, Varuna; among the ancestors, Aryaman; and among those who restrain and judge, I am Yama.
  30. 10.30प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्।Among the Daityas (demon clan) I am Prahlada; among those who count and measure, I am Time; among animals, the lion; among birds, Garuda, son of Vinata.
  31. 10.31पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्।Among purifiers I am the wind; among those who bear weapons, Rama; among sea creatures, the makara (a great sea creature); among rivers, I am the Ganga.
  32. 10.32सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन।Arjuna, of all creations I am the beginning, the middle and the end. Among branches of knowledge I am knowledge of the Self; in debate, I am the reasoning that seeks truth.
  33. 10.33अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च।Among letters I am the letter A; among word compounds, the pairing compound (dvandva). I alone am unending time, and I am the sustainer who faces every direction.
  34. 10.34मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम्।I am death that takes away everything, and the birth of all that is yet to be. Among feminine qualities I am fame, good fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, steadiness and patience.
  35. 10.35बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम्।Among Sama hymns I am the Brihat Sama; among poetic metres, the Gayatri; among months, Margashirsha; among seasons, flower-bringing spring.
  36. 10.36द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्।Of deceivers I am the gambling; of the brilliant, the brilliance. I am victory, I am firm resolve, and I am the goodness of the good.
  37. 10.37वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनंजयः।Among the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva (Krishna); among the Pandavas, Dhananjaya (Arjuna); among sages, Vyasa; and among seer-poets, Ushana (Shukra).
  38. 10.38दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम्।For those who keep order I am the rod of discipline; for those who seek victory, wise policy. Among secrets I am silence, and in the wise, I am wisdom.
  39. 10.39यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन।Arjuna, whatever is the seed of all beings, that am I. Nothing, moving or unmoving, could exist without me.
  40. 10.40नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परंतप।Scorcher of foes, there is no end to my divine glories. What I have described is only a brief sample of their vastness.
  41. 10.41यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा।Whatever is glorious, beautiful or powerful anywhere, know that it springs from just a spark of my splendour.
  42. 10.42अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन।But what need do you have, Arjuna, to know all this in such detail? I stand holding up this entire universe with just one small part of myself.