🕉️ Vibhooti Yoga (Vibhūti Yog)

श्रीभगवानुवाच | भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः | यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ||१०-१||

śrībhagavānuvāca . bhūya eva mahābāho śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ . yatte.ahaṃ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā ||10-1||

10.1 The Lord said Listen with rapt attention to these words which I shall utter - words which are supreme and which give you a much wider understanding of My greatness. I shall speak out to you about the rise and growth of devotion to Me, as you are pleased with listening to My greatness and as I too love you.

न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः | अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ||१०-२||

na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ prabhavaṃ na maharṣayaḥ . ahamādirhi devānāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ||10-2||

10.2 However supernatural the vision and however great the knowledge of the host of the gods and the wise seers may be, they cannot comprehend My powers. They do not know My name, actions, essence, attributes etc., for the reason that I am the source in every way of these gods and great seers. I am the source of their nature and knowledge, power etc. The knowledge given to them by Me according to their meritorious deeds constitutes the cause of their being gods, the great seers etc. That knowledge is limited. Thus, they have limited knowledge and do not know the real nature of My essence. Sri Krsna proceeds to explain that knowledge about His real nature, which is beyond the grasp of gods etc., and which is the means for release from the evil that stands in the way of the rise of devotion.

यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम् | असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ||१०-३||

yo māmajamanādiṃ ca vetti lokamaheśvaram . asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate ||10-3||

10.3 He who exists 'without being born' at any particular time unlike other beings is 'unborn' in the sense of being eternal. For, this attribute denotes a unie state distinct in kind both from insentient things which are subject to modifications, and from the self in Its state of involvement in Samsara when It is united with insentient matter. In that state the birth of the self involved in matter is generated by Karma. The temr 'Anadi', or without beginning, is used to distinguish the state of the Lord, which is distinct in kind, from that of the liberated state which is birthless but can be said to have a beginning. For, to the liberated self, the state of liberation has a beginning, because, in regard to this, conjunction with matter which deserves to be abandoned, existed previously. Hence the term 'Anadi' implies that the Lord is without such conjunction and does not deserve the same description. The Sruti also says: 'Him who is stainless' (Sve. U., 4.19). Thus, he who is undeluded among the mortals understands Me as 'the great Lord of the worlds,' as the Lord of the lords of the worlds. My nature is incompatible with association with evil which has to be given up. What is called 'delusion' is the wrong knowledge of taking Me as one among other entities of the same kind. To be bereft of this delusion is to be 'undeluded'. Such a person is released from all sins which stand against the rise of Bhakti to Me. The meaning is this: In this world, the king who rules over men is only like all those men. He has become a ruler by some good Karma. Such is not the case with the Lord of the gods (the Supreme Being). Even the lord of the cosmic egg (Brahma) is of the same class as other beings in Samsara, because he too is a created being coming within the threefold classification of beings according to the three innate tendencies for growth - namely Karma-bhavana, Brahma-bhavana and Ubhaya-bhavana. These three are described respectively as fitness to practise work alone, fitness to practise meditation alone and fitness to practise both together. Brahma comes under the third group. The Sruti also says, 'He who creates Brahma' (Sve. U., 6.18). The same is the case with all those who have acired the eight superhuman powers like becoming atomic etc. But I, the Supreme Being, is the great Lord of the worlds. He who is not subject to the delusion of regarding Me as of the same order as others, - such a person knows Me as distinct in kind from non-conscient matter in its states as cause and effect, from the self whether bound or free, and from everything else, on account of all of them being subject to My control. I am antagonistic to all that is evil and I am the sole centre of innumerable auspicious attributes, unsurpassed and incomparable. It is also My inherent nature to be the controller of everything. One who understands Me to be all this is released from every sin. Thus, after showing the annihilation, by meditation on His nature, of all evil impeding the rise of Bhakti, and also of the rise of devotion, through implication, by the destruction of such opposing factors, Sri Krsna now explains the way in which Bhakti develops by meditation on His sovereign power and on the multitude of His auspicious attributes:

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः | सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ||१०-४||

buddhirjñānamasammohaḥ kṣamā satyaṃ damaḥ śamaḥ . sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo.abhāvo bhayaṃ cābhayameva ca ||10-4||

10.4 - 10.5 'Intelligence' is the power of the mind to determine. 'Knowledge' is the power of determining the difference between the two entities - non-sentient matter and the individual self. 'Non-delusion' is freedom from the delusion of perceiving as silver the mother-of-pearl etc., which are different from silver etc., previously observed. 'Forbearance', is a non-disturbed state of mind, even when there is a cause for getting disturbed. 'Truth' is speech about things as they are actually seen, and meant for the good of all beings. Here, the working of the mind in conformity with the ideal is intended, because the context is with reference to the working of the mind. 'Restraint' is the checking of the outgoing organs from their tendency to move towards their objects and generate evil. 'Self-control' is the restraint of the mind in the same manner. 'Pleasure' is the experience of what is agreeable to oneself. 'Pain' is th experience of what is adverse. 'Exaltation' is that state of elation of the mind caused by experiences which are agreeable to oneself. 'Depression' is the state of mind caused by disagreeable experiences. 'Fear' is the misery which springs from the perception of the cause of future sufferings. 'Fearlessness' is the absence of such feelings. 'Non-violence' is avoidance of being the cause of sorrow to others. 'Eability' is to become eable in mind whether good or bad befalls and to look upon with the same eanimity on what happens to oneself, friends and enemies. 'Cheerfulness' is the natural disposition to feel pleased with everything seen. 'Austerity' is the chastising of the body by denying to oneself pleasures, as enjoined by the scriptures. 'Beneficence' is giving to another what contributes to one's own enjoyment. 'Fame' is the renown of possessing good alities. 'Infamy' is notoriety of possessing bad alities. The workings of the mind which are in accordance with fame and infamy must be understood here, because it is the subject-matter of the context. Austerity and beneficence are to be understood in the same way. All these mental faculties - these functioning of the mind - resulting either in activity or inactivity, are from Me alone, i.e., are dependent on My volition. Sri Krsna declares: 'Thos agents who direct the creation, sustentation etc., of all beings, have their activity dependent on My Will.'

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः | भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ||१०-५||

ahiṃsā samatā tuṣṭistapo dānaṃ yaśo.ayaśaḥ . bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṃ matta eva pṛthagvidhāḥ ||10-5||

10.4 - 10.5 'Intelligence' is the power of the mind to determine. 'Knowledge' is the power of determining the difference between the two entities - non-sentient matter and the individual self. 'Non-delusion' is freedom from the delusion of perceiving as silver the mother-of-pearl etc., which are different from silver etc., previously observed. 'Forbearance', is a non-disturbed state of mind, even when there is a cause for getting disturbed. 'Truth' is speech about things as they are actually seen, and meant for the good of all beings. Here, the working of the mind in conformity with the ideal is intended, because the context is with reference to the working of the mind. 'Restraint' is the checking of the outgoing organs from their tendency to move towards their objects and generate evil. 'Self-control' is the restraint of the mind in the same manner. 'Pleasure' is the experience of what is agreeable to oneself. 'Pain' is th experience of what is adverse. 'Exaltation' is that state of elation of the mind caused by experiences which are agreeable to oneself. 'Depression' is the state of mind caused by disagreeable experiences. 'Fear' is the misery which springs from the perception of the cause of future sufferings. 'Fearlessness' is the absence of such feelings. 'Non-violence' is avoidance of being the cause of sorrow to others. 'Eability' is to become eable in mind whether good or bad befalls and to look upon with the same eanimity on what happens to oneself, friends and enemies. 'Cheerfulness' is the natural disposition to feel pleased with everything seen. 'Austerity' is the chastising of the body by denying to oneself pleasures, as enjoined by the scriptures. 'Beneficence' is giving to another what contributes to one's own enjoyment. 'Fame' is the renown of possessing good alities. 'Infamy' is notoriety of possessing bad alities. The workings of the mind which are in accordance with fame and infamy must be understood here, because it is the subject-matter of the context. Austerity and beneficence are to be understood in the same way. All these mental faculties - these functioning of the mind - resulting either in activity or inactivity, are from Me alone, i.e., are dependent on My volition. Sri Krsna declares: 'Thos agents who direct the creation, sustentation etc., of all beings, have their activity dependent on My Will.'

महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा | मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः ||१०-६||

maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve catvāro manavastathā . madbhāvā mānasā jātā yeṣāṃ loka imāḥ prajāḥ ||10-6||

10.6 'The seven great Rsis of yore', namely, those seven great Rsis like Bhrgu etc., were from the mind of Brahma in the cycle of the past Manu to perpetuate the creation permanently; and the four Manas called the sons of Savarna existed for the work of eternal sustentation. All creatures in the world are their progeny. So they are the generators of this progeny as also their sustainers till the time of Pralaya. These Bhrgu etc., and the Manus, derive their mental condition from Me. Their disposition is My disposition - they subsist on My disposition. The meaning is they follow My will.

एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः | सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः ||१०-७||

etāṃ vibhūtiṃ yogaṃ ca mama yo vetti tattvataḥ . so.avikampena yogena yujyate nātra saṃśayaḥ ||10-7||

10.7 'Supernal manifestation' is the glory (Vibhuti) of the Lord. He who in truth knows this supernal manifestation that all origination, sustentation and activity depend on Me, and also that Yoga of Mine which is in the form of auspicious attributes antagonistic to all that is evil - such a person becomes united with the Yoga or Bhakti of an unshakable nature. Of this, there is no doubt. The meaning is: You yourself will see that the knowledge concerning the supernal manifestation and auspicious attributes of Mine will increase devotion. Sri Krsna now shows that the growth of devotion is of the form of the development of knowledge of His supreme state.

अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते | इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः ||१०-८||

ahaṃ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṃ pravartate . iti matvā bhajante māṃ budhā bhāvasamanvitāḥ ||10-8||

10.8 I am the 'origin', namely, the cause of originating everything in this universe consisting of wonderful sentient and non-sentient beings. From Me proceed everything. Thinking thus of My sovereignty, natural and unhindered, and knowing Me as endowed with a multitude of auspicious attributes like condescension, beauty, parental affection etc., the wise or the men of knowledge worship Me with devotion endowed as I am with all auspicious attributes. 'Bhava' is a particular disposition, here a loving disposition, of the mind. The meaning is that they worship Me with intense yearning of the heart. How?

मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् | कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ||१०-९||

maccittā madgataprāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam . kathayantaśca māṃ nityaṃ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca ||10-9||

10.9 They live with their minds 'focussed' on Me, namely, with their minds fixed on Me; with their 'Pranas', i.e., life, centred on Me - the meaning is that they are unable to sustain themselves without Me. They 'inspire one another' by speaking about My attributes which have been experienced by them and narrating My divine and adorable deeds. They live in contentment and bliss at all times. The speakers are delighted by their own speech, because it is spontaneous, without any ulterior motive; the listeners too feel the speech to be unsurpassingly and incomparably dear to them. They thus live in bliss.

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् | ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ||१०-१०||

teṣāṃ satatayuktānāṃ bhajatāṃ prītipūrvakam . dadāmi buddhiyogaṃ taṃ yena māmupayānti te ||10-10||

10.10 To those 'ceaselessly united with Me,' namely, those who desire ceaseless union with Me, and who are worshipping Me, I grant with love, that same 'Buddhi-yoga' or devotional attitude of a mature state. By that they come to Me. Likewise:

तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः | नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ||१०-११||

teṣāmevānukampārthamahamajñānajaṃ tamaḥ . nāśayāmyātmabhāvastho jñānadīpena bhāsvatā ||10-11||

10.11 To show favour to them alone, abiding in their mental activity, i.e., established as the object of thought in their mind, and manifesting the host of My auspicious attributes by the brillinat lamp called knowledge relating to Me, - I dispel the darkness incompatible with knowledge. This darkness is born of ignorance in the form of old Karma consisting of attachment to objects other than Myself, to which they were previously habituated. Thus having heard of the Lord as having a host of auspicious attributes, and of the extent of His sovereign glories which are unie and different from all others and which generate unsurpassed bliss in listeners, - Arjuna desired to listen to the details about them and said:

अर्जुन उवाच | परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान् | पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम् ||१०-१२||

arjuna uvāca . paraṃ brahma paraṃ dhāma pavitraṃ paramaṃ bhavān . puruṣaṃ śāśvataṃ divyamādidevamajaṃ vibhum ||10-12||

10.12 - 10.13 Arjuna said You are He whom the Srutis proclaim as the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Light, the Supreme Sanctifier. Thus the Srutis assert: 'From whom all these beings are born, by whom, when born, they live and unto whom they go when they perish - desire to know that well. This is Brahman' (Tai. U., 3.1.1); 'He who knows Brahman attains the Highest' (Ibid., 2.1.1); and 'He who knows the Supreme Brahman becomes the Brahman' (Mun. U., 3.2.9). Likewise He is the Supreme Light. The term 'Dhaman' connotes light. He is the Supreme Light as taught (in the Upanisads): 'Now, the light which shines higher than this heaven ৷৷.' (Cha. U., 3.13. 7); 'Attaining the Supreme Light. He appears with His own form' (Ibid., 8.12.2); 'The gods worship Him as the Light of lights' (Br. U., 4.4.16). So also He is the Supreme Sanctifier: He makes the meditator bereft of all the impurities, and also destroyes them without any trace. The Srutis declares: 'As water clings not to the leaf of a lotus-flower, so evil deeds cling not to him who knows thus' (Cha. U., 4.14.3): 'Just as the fibre of Isika reed (reed-cotton) laid on a fire is burnt up, so also all his sins are burnt up' (Ibid., 5.24.3); and 'Narayana is Supreme Brahman, Narayana is Supreme Light, Narayana is Supreme Self' (Ma. Na., 9.4). Sages are those who know in reality the higher truth (the Supreme Brahman), and the lower truth (individual selves); they speak of You as the eternal Divine Person, Primal Lord, the unborn and all-pervading. So also divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa declare: 'This Narayana, Lord of Sri, the resident of the Milk Ocean, has come to the city of Mathura abandoning his Serpent-couch.' 'Where Madhusudana is, there is the blessed Dvaravati. He is the Lord Himself, the ancient One and Eternal Dharma (Ma. Bh. Vana. 88. 24-25). Those who know the Vedas and those who know the self declare the great-minded Krsna to be the eternal Dharma. Of all sanctifiers, Govinda is said to be the most sanctifying, the most auspicious among the auspicious. The lotus-eyed God of gods, the eternal, abides as the three worlds ৷৷. Hari who is beyond thought, abides thus. Madhusudana is there alone' (Ma. Bha. Vana., 88.24-28). Similarly it is stated: 'O Arjuna, where the divine, the eternal Narayana the Supreme Self is, there the entire universe, the sacred water and the holy shrines are to be found. That is sacred, that is Supreme Brahman, that is sacred waters, that is the austerity grove ৷৷. there dwell the divine sages, the Siddhas and all those rich in austerities where the Primal Lord, the agent Yogin Madhusudana dwells. It is the most sacred among the sacred. For you, let there be no doubt about this' (Ibid., 90.28-32); 'Krsna Himself is the origin and dissolution of all beings. For, this universe, consisting of sentient and non-sentient entities, was generated for the sake of Krsna' (Ma. Bha. Sabha., 38.23). And you yourself say so in the passage beginning with 'Earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and Ahankara - this Prakrti, which is divided eightfold, is Mine' (7.4) and ending with 'I am the origin of all; from Me proceed everything' (10.8).

आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा | असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे ||१०-१३||

āhustvāmṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣirnāradastathā . asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayaṃ caiva bravīṣi me ||10-13||

10.12 - 10.13 Arjuna said You are He whom the Srutis proclaim as the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Light, the Supreme Sanctifier. Thus the Srutis assert: 'From whom all these beings are born, by whom, when born, they live and unto whom they go when they perish - desire to know that well. This is Brahman' (Tai. U., 3.1.1); 'He who knows Brahman attains the Highest' (Ibid., 2.1.1); and 'He who knows the Supreme Brahman becomes the Brahman' (Mun. U., 3.2.9). Likewise He is the Supreme Light. The term 'Dhaman' connotes light. He is the Supreme Light as taught (in the Upanisads): 'Now, the light which shines higher than this heaven ৷৷.' (Cha. U., 3.13. 7); 'Attaining the Supreme Light. He appears with His own form' (Ibid., 8.12.2); 'The gods worship Him as the Light of lights' (Br. U., 4.4.16). So also He is the Supreme Sanctifier: He makes the meditator bereft of all the impurities, and also destroyes them without any trace. The Srutis declares: 'As water clings not to the leaf of a lotus-flower, so evil deeds cling not to him who knows thus' (Cha. U., 4.14.3): 'Just as the fibre of Isika reed (reed-cotton) laid on a fire is burnt up, so also all his sins are burnt up' (Ibid., 5.24.3); and 'Narayana is Supreme Brahman, Narayana is Supreme Light, Narayana is Supreme Self' (Ma. Na., 9.4). Sages are those who know in reality the higher truth (the Supreme Brahman), and the lower truth (individual selves); they speak of You as the eternal Divine Person, Primal Lord, the unborn and all-pervading. So also divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa declare: 'This Narayana, Lord of Sri, the resident of the Milk Ocean, has come to the city of Mathura abandoning his Serpent-couch.' 'Where Madhusudana is, there is the blessed Dvaravati. He is the Lord Himself, the ancient One and Eternal Dharma (Ma. Bh. Vana. 88. 24-25). Those who know the Vedas and those who know the self declare the great-minded Krsna to be the eternal Dharma. Of all sanctifiers, Govinda is said to be the most sanctifying, the most auspicious among the auspicious. The lotus-eyed God of gods, the eternal, abides as the three worlds ৷৷. Hari who is beyond thought, abides thus. Madhusudana is there alone' (Ma. Bha. Vana., 88.24-28). Similarly it is stated: 'O Arjuna, where the divine, the eternal Narayana the Supreme Self is, there the entire universe, the sacred water and the holy shrines are to be found. That is sacred, that is Supreme Brahman, that is sacred waters, that is the austerity grove ৷৷. there dwell the divine sages, the Siddhas and all those rich in austerities where the Primal Lord, the agent Yogin Madhusudana dwells. It is the most sacred among the sacred. For you, let there be no doubt about this' (Ibid., 90.28-32); 'Krsna Himself is the origin and dissolution of all beings. For, this universe, consisting of sentient and non-sentient entities, was generated for the sake of Krsna' (Ma. Bha. Sabha., 38.23). And you yourself say so in the passage beginning with 'Earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and Ahankara - this Prakrti, which is divided eightfold, is Mine' (7.4) and ending with 'I am the origin of all; from Me proceed everything' (10.8).

सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव | न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः ||१०-१४||

sarvametadṛtaṃ manye yanmāṃ vadasi keśava . na hi te bhagavanvyaktiṃ vidurdevā na dānavāḥ ||10-14||

10.14 Therefore, I deem all this to be a statement of facts as they are in reality, and not merely an exaggeration - all this which You tell me of Your sovereign glory and infinite auspicious attributes which are unie, unbounded, unsurpassed and natural. Therefore, O Lord, O Treasure of unsurpassed knowledge, power, strength, sovereignty, valour and radiance! - neither the gods nor the demons who possess limited knowledge know 'Your manifestation', the way in which You manifest Yourself.

स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम | भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते ||१०-१५||

svayamevātmanātmānaṃ vettha tvaṃ puruṣottama . bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa devadeva jagatpate ||10-15||

Sri Ramanuja did not comment on this sloka

वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः | याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि ||१०-१६||

vaktumarhasyaśeṣeṇa divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ . yābhirvibhūtibhirlokānimāṃstvaṃ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi ||10-16||

10.16 Whatever manifestations there be that are divine, unie to Yourself - You alone are capable of describing them without exception. 'You reveal them Yourself' is the meaning. With these innumerable Vibhutis, these instances of your manifestation indicating Your will to rule, You abide, pervading all these worlds as their controller. What is the need for such description? The answer follows:

कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन् | केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया ||१०-१७||

kathaṃ vidyāmahaṃ yogiṃstvāṃ sadā paricintayan . keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo.asi bhagavanmayā ||10-17||

10.17 I, 'Your devotee' (Yogin), namely, one engaged in Bhakti Yoga, and 'constantly meditating on You' with devotion, namely, embarked on meditation on You, - how am I to know You, the object of meditation, as possessing a multitude of auspicious attributes like sovereignty etc.? And in what varied modes of mental dispositions, which are as yet untold and which are different from the intelligence, knowledge etc., described earlier, are You the Controller of all, to be meditated upon by me.

विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन | भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि शृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम् ||१०-१८||

vistareṇātmano yogaṃ vibhūtiṃ ca janārdana . bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptirhi śṛṇvato nāsti me.amṛtam ||10-18||

10.18 Speak to me again in full, your association with the alities of being the creator etc., and Your sovereignty, Your rulership, which have been briefly described in 'I am the origin of all; from Me proceed everything' (10.8). For I am not satiated by hearing Your ambrosial words. The meaning is, 'My enthusiasm to know more and more of your ambrosial teachings is known to You.'

श्रीभगवानुवाच | हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः | प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ||१०-१९||

śrībhagavānuvāca . hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ . prādhānyataḥ kuruśreṣṭha nāstyanto vistarasya me ||10-19||

10.19 The Lord said O Arjuna, I shall tell you My auspicious manifestations - those that are prominent among these. The term 'Pradhanya' connotes pre-eminence. For it will be said, 'Know Me to be the chief among family priests' (10.24). I shall declare to you those that are prominent in the world. For it would not be possible to tell or listen to them in detail, because there is no limit to them. To be a Vibhuti, the manifestation referred to should be under the control of the Lord; because it is stated: 'He who in truth knows this supernal manifestation and the seat of auspicious attributes' (10.7), after listing the various kinds of mental dispositions like intelligence etc., of all beings. Similarly it has been stated there that 'being the creator etc.,' is meant by the term Yoga, and that their 'being actuated,' meant by the term Vibhuti. Again it is stated: 'I am the origin of all; from me proceed everything; thinking thus, the wise worship Me with all devotion' (10.8). Sri Krsna clearly declares that he rules over all creatures by actuating them from within as their Self. He also declares His being the creator, sustainer and destroyer of everything, as connected by the term Yoga.

अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः | अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ||१०-२०||

ahamātmā guḍākeśa sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ . ahamādiśca madhyaṃ ca bhūtānāmanta eva ca ||10-20||

10.20 I am the Self dwelling in the heart of all beings who constitute My body. What is called 'Self' is in every way the supporter, controller and the principal of a body. It is further declared: 'And I am seated in the hearts of all; from Me are memory, knowledge and their removal' (15.15), and 'The Lord dwells, O Arjuna in the heart of every being causing them to spin round and round by His power, as if set on a wheel' (18.61). The Srutis also declare: 'He who, dwelling in all beings, is within all beings, whom all beings do not know, whose body all beings are, who controls all beings from within, is your Inner Controller, immortal Self (Br. U., 3.7.15); and 'He who, dwelling in the self is within the self, whom the self does not know, whose body the self is, and who controls the self from within, He is your Inner Controller and Immortal Self' (Sata. Br., 14.5.30). Thus, I am the Self of all beings and I am their beginning, the middle and also the end. The meaning is that I am the cause of their origination, sustentation and dissolution. Thus, having explained that the Lord's immanence in all beings, which are His manifestations having Him, as their Self, is the ground for naming them in the manner of Samanadhikaranya or co-ordinate predication with Him (i.e., predication that they are He Himself), Sri Krsna proceeds to present some specific or distinguished manifestations in the same style of co-ordinate predication. As the Lord abides as the Self in all, the final significance of all terms culminates in Him. Terms such as god, man, bird, tree etc., though they signify the respective physical forms of those objects, they culminate through them in the selves in them as their final significance. Just like that here it is going to be stated in the conclusion of the account of the manifestations of the Lord, that the Lord's immanence in them all as their Self is the basis for describing them in such co-ordinate predication (as He Himself). The text 'There is nothing, moving or unmoving, apart from Me' (10.39) says that they are inseparable from Him, and this inseparability is the result of their being under His control. This has been initially declared in the words 'All proceed from Me' (10.8). [This word Samanadhikaranya is translated by some also as 'grammatical co-ordination.' It is a context in which a number of words, usually having varying denotations, are used to signify an identical object. This kind of co-ordinate relation occurs in all the following verses in which Sri Krsna eates Himself with various objects having different denotations as Atman, Visnu among the Adityas, Indra, Marici, Sankara, Kubera, etc. Further explanation is given in the commentary.]

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् | मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ||१०-२१||

ādityānāmahaṃ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṃ raviraṃśumān . marīcirmarutāmasmi nakṣatrāṇāmahaṃ śaśī ||10-21||

10.21 Of Adityas, who are twelve in number, I am the twelfth Aditya, called Visnu, who is paramount. Of luminuous bodies, namely, among luminaries in the world, I am the sun, the most brilliant luminary. Of Maruts I am the paramount Marici. Of constellations, I am the moon. The genitive case here is not to specify one out of many included in a group. Its use is the same as what is exemplifed in the statement 'I am the consciousness in all beings' (10.22). I am the moon who is the Lord of the constellations.

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः | इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना ||१०-२२||

vedānāṃ sāmavedo.asmi devānāmasmi vāsavaḥ . indriyāṇāṃ manaścāsmi bhūtānāmasmi cetanā ||10-22||

10.22 Of the Vedas, namely, Of Rk, Yajus, Saman, Atharva, I am that Samaveda which is the paramount one. Of the gods, I am Indra. Of eleven sense-organs, I am the sense-organ called Manas which is most paramount. Of living beings, namely, of those with consciousness, I am that consciousness. Here too the genitive is not used for specifying.

रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् | वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ||१०-२३||

rudrāṇāṃ śaṅkaraścāsmi vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām . vasūnāṃ pāvakaścāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇāmaham ||10-23||

10.23 Of eleven Rudras I am Sankara. Of Yaksas and Raksasas I am Kubera, son of Visravas. Among the eight Vasus I am Agni. Of mountains, namely, of those mountains which shine with peaks, I am Meru.

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम् | सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः ||१०-२४||

purodhasāṃ ca mukhyaṃ māṃ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim . senānīnāmahaṃ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ ||10-24||

10.24 I am that Bhraspati who is paramount among family priests. Of generals, I am Skanda. Of reservoirs of waters, O am the ocean.

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् | यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ||१०-२५||

maharṣīṇāṃ bhṛgurahaṃ girāmasmyekamakṣaram . yajñānāṃ japayajño.asmi sthāvarāṇāṃ himālayaḥ ||10-25||

10.25 Of great seers like Marici etc., I am Bhrgu. Words are sounds that convey meaning. Of such words, I am the single-lettered word Pranava (Or Om). Of the sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of Japa (sacred formula silently repeated) which is the most prominent form of sacrificial offerings. Of immovables or mountains, I am the Himalaya.

अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः | गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः ||१०-२६||

aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṃ devarṣīṇāṃ ca nāradaḥ . gandharvāṇāṃ citrarathaḥ siddhānāṃ kapilo muniḥ ||10-26||

10.26 - 10.29 Of trees I am Asvattha which is worthy of worship. Of celestial seers I am Narada. Kamadhuk is the divine cow. I am Kandarpa, the cause of progeny. Sarpas are single-headed snakes while Nagas are many-headed snakes. Aatic creatures are known as Yadamsi. Of them I am Varuna. Of subdures, I am Yama, the son of the sun-god.

उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् | ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ||१०-२७||

uccaiḥśravasamaśvānāṃ viddhi māmamṛtodbhavam . airāvataṃ gajendrāṇāṃ narāṇāṃ ca narādhipam ||10-27||

10.26 - 10.29 Of trees I am Asvattha which is worthy of worship. Of celestial seers I am Narada. Kamadhuk is the divine cow. I am Kandarpa, the cause of progeny. Sarpas are single-headed snakes while Nagas are many-headed snakes. Aatic creatures are known as Yadamsi. Of them I am Varuna. Of subdures, I am Yama, the son of the sun-god.

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् | प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः ||१०-२८||

āyudhānāmahaṃ vajraṃ dhenūnāmasmi kāmadhuk . prajanaścāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇāmasmi vāsukiḥ ||10-28||

10.26 - 10.29 Of trees I am Asvattha which is worthy of worship. Of celestial seers I am Narada. Kamadhuk is the divine cow. I am Kandarpa, the cause of progeny. Sarpas are single-headed snakes while Nagas are many-headed snakes. Aatic creatures are known as Yadamsi. Of them I am Varuna. Of subdures, I am Yama, the son of the sun-god.

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् | पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम् ||१०-२९||

anantaścāsmi nāgānāṃ varuṇo yādasāmaham . pitṝṇāmaryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṃyamatāmaham ||10-29||

10.26 - 10.29 Of trees I am Asvattha which is worthy of worship. Of celestial seers I am Narada. Kamadhuk is the divine cow. I am Kandarpa, the cause of progeny. Sarpas are single-headed snakes while Nagas are many-headed snakes. Aatic creatures are known as Yadamsi. Of them I am Varuna. Of subdures, I am Yama, the son of the sun-god.

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम् | मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ||१०-३०||

prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṃ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham . mṛgāṇāṃ ca mṛgendro.ahaṃ vainateyaśca pakṣiṇām ||10-30||

10.30 Of those who reckon with the desire to cause evil, I am the god of death - (here an emissary of his who records the time of death of creatures is meant).

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् | झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ||१०-३१||

pavanaḥ pavatāmasmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāmaham . jhaṣāṇāṃ makaraścāsmi srotasāmasmi jāhnavī ||10-31||

10.31 Of moving things, namely, of things whose nature is to move, I am the wind. Of those who bear weapons, I am Rama. Here the ality of bearing weapons is the Vibhuti, as no other sense is possible. Aditya etc., being individual selves, constitute attributes of the Lord, who is their Self as they constitute His body. Therefore they stand in the same position of the attribute as that of bearing weapons.

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन | अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम् ||१०-३२||

sargāṇāmādirantaśca madhyaṃ caivāhamarjuna . adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṃ vādaḥ pravadatāmaham ||10-32||

10.32 Those that undergo creation are 'creatures'. Their beginning is the cause. The meaning is that, of the creatures which are being created at all times, I am Myself the creator. Similarly, I am the end, namely the destroyer of everyone of those who are being destroyed at all times. Similarly I am the middle, namely, the sustentation. The meaning is, I am the sustainer of those who are being sustained at all times. Of those who indulge in Jalpa (argument) and Vitanda (perverse criticism) etc., I am the fair reasoning which determines the truth.

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च | अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः ||१०-३३||

akṣarāṇāmakāro.asmi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca . ahamevākṣayaḥ kālo dhātāhaṃ viśvatomukhaḥ ||10-33||

10.33 Of letters I am the alphabet 'a', which is the base of all letters as established in the Sruti: 'The letter 'a' itself is all speech' (Ai. Ai., 3.2.3). Samasika means collection of compound words. In it, I am the Dvandva compound; it is eminent because the meanings of both constituent terms are important. I am Myself imperishable Time composed of (divisions like) Kala, Muhurta etc. I am the four-faced Hiranyagarbha who is the creator of all.

मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् | कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ||१०-३४||

mṛtyuḥ sarvaharaścāhamudbhavaśca bhaviṣyatām . kīrtiḥ śrīrvākca nārīṇāṃ smṛtirmedhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā ||10-34||

10.34 I am also death which snatches away the life of all. Of those that shall be born I am that called birth. Of women (i.e., of goddesses who are the powers of the Lord) I am prosperity (Sri); I am fame (Kirti); I am speech (Vak); I am memory (Smrti); I am intelligence (Medha); I am endurance (Dhrti); and I am forgiveness (Ksama).

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् | मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ||१०-३५||

bṛhatsāma tathā sāmnāṃ gāyatrī chandasāmaham . māsānāṃ mārgaśīrṣo.ahamṛtūnāṃ kusumākaraḥ ||10-35||

10.35 Of Saman hymns, I am the Brhatsaman. Of meters, I am the Gayatri. Of seasons, I am the season of flowers (spring).

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् | जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् ||१०-३६||

dyūtaṃ chalayatāmasmi tejastejasvināmaham . jayo.asmi vyavasāyo.asmi sattvaṃ sattvavatāmaham ||10-36||

10.36 Of those who practise fraud with a view to defeat each other, I am gambling such a dice-play etc., I am the victory of those who achieve victory. I am the effort of those who make effort. I am the magnanimity of those who possess magnanimity of mind.

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः | मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ||१०-३७||

vṛṣṇīnāṃ vāsudevo.asmi pāṇḍavānāṃ dhanañjayaḥ . munīnāmapyahaṃ vyāsaḥ kavīnāmuśanā kaviḥ ||10-37||

10.37 Here the Supreme Vibhuti (manifestation) is that of being the son of Vasudeva, because no other meaning is possible. Of sons of Pandu, I am Dhananjaya or Arjuna. Of sages who perceive truth by meditation, I am Vyasa. The seers are those who are wise.

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् | मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ||१०-३८||

daṇḍo damayatāmasmi nītirasmi jigīṣatām . maunaṃ caivāsmi guhyānāṃ jñānaṃ jñānavatāmaham ||10-38||

10.38 I am the power of punishment of those who punish, if law is transgressed. In regard to those who seek victory I am policy which is the means of getting victory. Of factors associated with secrecy. I am silence. I am the wisdon of those who are wise.

यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन | न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ||१०-३९||

yaccāpi sarvabhūtānāṃ bījaṃ tadahamarjuna . na tadasti vinā yatsyānmayā bhūtaṃ carācaram ||10-39||

10.39 Of all beings, in whatever condition they may exist, whether manifest or not, I alone am that state. Whatever host of beings are said to exist, they do not exist without Me as their Self. In the statement, 'Nothing that moves or does not move exists without Me', it is taught that the Lord exists as the Self, as said in the beginning: 'I am the Self, seated in the hearts of all beings' (10.20). The purport is that the entire host of beings in every state, is united with Me, their Self. By this He makes it clear that He, being the Self of all things, is the ground for His being denoted by everything in co-ordinate predication.

नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप | एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया ||१०-४०||

nānto.asti mama divyānāṃ vibhūtīnāṃ parantapa . eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūtervistaro mayā ||10-40||

10.40 There is no limit to the divine and auspicious manifestations of My will to rule. But it has been described to some extent by Me in brief by means of a few illustrations.

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा | तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम् ||१०-४१||

yadyadvibhūtimatsattvaṃ śrīmadūrjitameva vā . tattadevāvagaccha tvaṃ mama tejoṃśasambhavam ||10-41||

10.41 Whatever host of beings has 'power', namely the capacity and means to rule over; has 'splendour', has beauty or prosperity in wealth, grains etc., has 'energy,' namely, is engaged in auspicious undertakings - know such manifestations as coming fro a fragment of My 'power'. Power (Tejas) is the capacity to overcome opposition. The meaning is, know them as arising from a fraction of My inconceivable power of subduing.

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन | विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ||१०-४२||

athavā bahunaitena kiṃ jñātena tavārjuna . viṣṭabhyāhamidaṃ kṛtsnamekāṃśena sthito jagat ||10-42||

10.42 What is the use to you of this detailed knowledge taught by Me? I sustain this universe with an infinitesimal fraction of My power - this universe consisting of sentient and non-sentient entities, whether in effect or causal condition, whether gross or subtle - in such a manner that it does not violate My will in preserving its proper form, existence and various activities. As said by Bhagavan Parasara: 'On an infinitesimal fraction of this energy, this universe rests' (V. P., 1.9.53).