Chapter 10
Vibhūti-yoga
The Glories of Kṛṣṇa
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed Arjuna, listen once more to My supreme teachings. Since you take great pleasure in them, I shall instruct you for your benefit.
śrī-bhagavān uvāca bhūya eva mahā-bāho śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ | yat te ’haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā || 1 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Neither the hosts of celestials nor the great sages know My origin. Indeed, in all respects I alone am the primordial source of the devas and the great sages.
na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ | aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ || 2 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
One who knows Me as the unborn, beginningless Lord of the worlds is undeluded among mortals and liberated from all sin.
yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca vetti loka-maheśvaram | asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate || 3 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Intellect, knowledge, freedom from delusion, patience, truthfulness, control of the senses, and control of the mind; happiness and sorrow, existence and non-existence, fear and fearlessness; non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, and infamy—all these diverse states of being arise in living entities solely from Me.
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ | sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo ’bhāvo bhayaṁ cābhayam || 4 || eva ca ahiṁsā samatā tuṣṭis tapo dānaṁ yaśo ’yaśaḥ | bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ || 5 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The seven great seers and before them the four Kumāras and the Manus—all are manifestations of My being, born from My mind. From them, all beings in the world descend.
maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve catvāro manavas tathā | mad-bhāvā mānasā jātā yeṣāṁ loka imāḥ prajāḥ || 6 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
One who knows in truth My glory and power undoubtedly becomes endowed with the unshakeable yoga of devotion.
etāṁ vibhūtiṁ yogaṁ ca mama yo vetti tattvataḥ | so ’vikalpena yogena yujyate nātra saṁśayaḥ || 7 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
I am the source of all; everything originates from Me. Realizing this, the wise worship Me full of devotion.
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate | iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ || 8 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
With their minds focused on Me and their lives centered upon Me, they inspire one another. By continually speaking of Me, they attain contentment and delight.
mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam | kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca || 9 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
To those who are in constant union with Me and worship Me with intense affection, I grant the yoga of understanding by which they attain Me.
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam | dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te || 10 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Out of compassion for them, I—abiding within the Self—disperse their darkness born of ignorance with the radiant lamp of knowledge.
teṣām evānukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ | nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā || 11 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Arjuna said: You are the Parabrahman, the Supreme Abode, the supreme purifier. All the sages, such as the divine sage Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa call you the eternal, transcendent Supreme Being, the primordial deity, unborn and all-pervading. And now You, Yourself, declare it to me.
arjuna uvāca paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān | puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum || 12 || āhus tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣir nāradas tathā | asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me || 13 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Keśava, I consider all that You speak to me to be true. Indeed, O Lord, neither the devas nor the asuras comprehend Your manifestation.
sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan māṁ vadasi keśava | na hi te bhagavan vyaktiṁ vidur devā na dānavāḥ || 14 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Supreme Person, originator and controller of all beings, God of gods, and Lord of the worlds, only You know Yourself by Your own Self
svayam evātmanātmānaṁ vettha tvaṁ puruṣottama | bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa deva-deva jagat-pate || 15 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Thus, only You are capable to recount in full Your divine glories. Indeed, by which manifestations You pervade and abide within all these worlds.
vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ | yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān imāṁs tvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi || 16 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Lord of yogīs, how may I know You and constantly meditate upon You? In which objects, O Lord, are You to be contemplated by me?
kathaṁ vidyām ahaṁ yogiṁs tvāṁ sadā paricintayan | keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo ’si bhagavan mayā || 17 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Janārdana, describe again in detail Your divine power and glories. Indeed, I find no satisfaction in hearing Your words which are the nectar of immortality.
vistareṇātmano yogaṁ vibhūtiṁ ca janārdana | bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptir hi śṛṇvato nāsti me ’mṛtam || 18 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: My dear, best of the Kurus. Indeed, I will tell you only about my prominent divine glories, since there is no limit to My manifestations. (10.19) I am the Paramātmā, O Guḍākeśa, dwelling in the hearts of all beings. I am verily their beginning, middle, and end.
śrī-bhagavān uvāca hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyā hy | ātma-vibhūtayaḥ prādhānyataḥ kuru-śreṣṭha nāsty anto vistarasya me || 20 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the Ādityas, I am Viṣṇu; among luminous objects, I am the radiant Sun. Among the Maruts, I am Marīci, and among the stars, I am the Moon.
ādityānām ahaṁ viṣṇur jyotiṣāṁ ravir aṁśumān | marīcir marutām asmi nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī || 21 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the Vedas, I am the Sāma Veda; among the devas, I am Indra. Among the senses, I am the mind, and among living beings, I am consciousness.
vedānāṁ sāma-vedo ’smi devānām asmi vāsavaḥ | indriyāṇāṁ manaś cāsmi bhūtānām asmi cetanā || 22 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the Rudras, I am Śaṅkara; among the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, I am Kubera. Among the Vasus, I am Agni, and among mountains, I am Meru.
rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraś cāsmi vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām | vasūnāṁ pāvakaś cāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇām aham || 23 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Pārtha, among the priests, know Me to be the chief: Bṛhaspati. Among army generals, I am Skanda. Among reservoirs of water, I am the ocean.
purodhasāṁ ca mukhyaṁ māṁ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim | senānīnām ahaṁ skandaḥ sarasām asmi sāgaraḥ || 24 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the great sages, I am Bhṛgu. Among words, I am the single syllable “oṁ.” Among sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of japa. Among immovable things, I am the Himālayas.
maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ girām asmy ekam akṣaram | yajñānāṁ japa-yajño ’smi sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ || 25 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among all trees, I am the Aśvattha. Among celestial seers, I am Nārada. Among the Gandharvas, I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings, I am the sage Kapila.
aśvatthaḥ sarva-vṛkṣāṇāṁ devarṣīṇāṁ ca nāradaḥ | gandharvāṇāṁ citrarathaḥ siddhānāṁ kapilo muniḥ || 26 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among horses, know Me to be Uccaiḥśravas, born from the churning of the milky ocean. Among mighty elephants, I am Airāvata, and among humans, I am the king.
uccaiḥśravasam aśvānāṁ viddhi mām amṛtodbhavam | airāvataṁ gajendrāṇāṁ narāṇāṁ ca narādhipam || 27 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among weapons, I am the Vajra. Among cows, I am Kāmadhenu. Among the causes of procreation, I am Kandarpa, and among serpents, I am Vāsuki.
āyudhānām ahaṁ vajraṁ dhenūnām asmi kāma-dhuk | prajanaś cāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ || 28 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the nāgas, I am Ananta. Among aquatics, I am Varuṇa. Among the ancestors, I am Aryamā, and among those who enforce the law, I am Yama.
anantaś cāsmi nāgānāṁ varuṇo yādasām aham | pitṝṇām aryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṁyamatām aham || 29 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the Daityas, I am Prahlāda, and among those who subjugate, I am time. Among beasts, I am the lion, and among birds, I am Garuḍa.
prahlādaś cāsmi daityānāṁ kālaḥ kalayatām aham | mṛgāṇāṁ ca mṛgendro ’haṁ vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām || 30 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among moving things, I am the wind. Among those who wield weapons, I am Rāma. Among fish, I am the makara, and among rivers, I am Gaṅgā.
pavanaḥ pavatām asmi rāmaḥ śastra-bhṛtām aham | jhaṣāṇāṁ makaraś cāsmi srotasām asmi jāhnavī || 31 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Arjuna, among beings, I am the beginning, the end, and also the middle. Among kinds of knowledge, I am the knowledge of the Self, and among debates, I am the ultimate conclusion.
sargāṇām ādir antaś ca madhyaṁ caivāham arjuna | adhyātma-vidyā vidyānāṁ vādaḥ pravadatām aham || 32 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among letters, I am the letter “A”. Among compounds, I am the dual compound. I am indeed imperishable time, and I am Brahmā, facing every direction.
akṣarāṇām a-kāro ’smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca | aham evākṣayaḥ kālo dhātāhaṁ viśvato-mukhaḥ || 33 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
I am death, the destroyer of all, as well as the origin of all that shall be born. Among feminine qualities, I am fame, prosperity, eloquence, memory, intelligence, patience, and forgiveness.
mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham udbhavaś ca bhaviṣyatām | kīrtiḥ śrīr vāk ca nārīṇāṁ smṛtir medhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā || 34 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the hymns of the Sāma Veda , I am the Bṛhat-sāma, and among Vedic meters, I am the Gāyatrī. Among months, I am Mārgaśīrṣa, and among seasons, I am spring.
bṛhat-sāma tathā sāmnāṁ gāyatrī chandasām aham | māsānāṁ mārga-śīrṣo ’ham ṛtūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ || 35 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among fraudulent activities, I am gambling. I am the brilliance of the brilliant, I am victory, I am determined effort, and I am the strength of the strong.
dyūtaṁ chalayatām asmi tejas tejasvinām aham | jayo ’smi vyavasāyo ’smi sattvaṁ sattvavatām aham || 36 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among the Vṛṣṇis, I am Vāsudeva. Among the Pāṇḍavas, I am Arjuna. Among sages, I am Vyāsa, and among great thinkers, I am Śukrācārya.
vṛṣṇīnāṁ vāsudevo ’smi pāṇḍavānāṁ dhanañ-jayaḥ | munīnām apy ahaṁ vyāsaḥ kavīnām uśanā kaviḥ || 37 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Among rulers I am the principle of punishment. Among conquerors, I am diplomacy. Of secrets, I am silence, and I am the wisdom of the wise.
daṇḍo damayatām asmi nītir asmi jigīṣatām | maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ jñānaṁ jñānavatām aham || 38 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O Arjuna, whatever is the seed of all living beings, that I am. There is nothing, whether moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me.
yac cāpi sarva-bhūtānāṁ bījaṁ tad aham arjuna | na tad asti vinā yat syān mayā bhūtaṁ carācaram || 39 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O scorcher of foes, there is no end to My divine glories. This description spoken by Me is merely a brief indication of My glories.
nānto ’sti mama divyānāṁ vibhūtīnāṁ parantapa | eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūter vistaro mayā || 40 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Whatever exists that is splendid, glorious, or powerful, know that it has manifested from just a part of My splendor.
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ śrīmad ūrjitam eva | vā tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam || 41 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
But of what use is it to know all these details, Arjuna? With just a fraction of Myself, I sustain and pervade this entire universe.g
atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna | viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat || 42 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Continue Exploring
Continue to the next chapter or move into chanting and reflection.