Bhagavad Gita chapter 10, Vibhuti Yoga. 42 verses.
विभूतियोग
In chapter 10 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna speaks of his divine glories (vibhutis), naming the foremost of each kind as himself. Neither gods nor great sages know his origin, he says, for he is their source (10.2). Knowing him as the source of all, he says, the wise worship him and speak of him to one another (10.8–10.9). Arjuna accepts this as true and asks to hear his glories in full (10.14–10.18). Krishna says their extent has no end, so he will name only the chief ones (10.19). He says he is the self in the hearts of all beings (10.20). Among lights, he says, he is the sun; among the Vedas, the Sama Veda; among words, Om; among rivers, the Ganga (10.21–10.31). The chapter ends as he says he supports the whole world with one portion of himself (10.42). Commentators read several verses differently.
A summary written for this site from this chapter’s verses and our explanations of them. It is not a translation.
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भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः ।यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ॥
Bhuya eva mahabaho shrinu me paramam vachahYatteham priyamanaya vakshyami hitakamyaya
Krishna speaks again. He asks Arjuna, the mighty-armed, to listen once more to his highest word, which he will speak for Arjuna's good, because Arjuna takes delight in hearing it.
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः ।अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ॥
Na me viduh suraganah prabhavam na maharshayahAhamadirhi devanam maharshinam cha sarvashah
Krishna says that neither the hosts of gods nor the great sages (maharṣis) know his origin (prabhava), for he is in every way the beginning of the gods and the great sages. The commentators read prabhava differently (see the views).
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम् ।असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥
Yo mamajamanadim cha vetti lokamaheshvaramAsammudhah sa martyeshu sarvapapaih pramuchyate
Krishna says that the one among mortals who knows him as unborn and without beginning, the great Lord of the worlds, is free from delusion and is released from all sins. The schools explain 'unborn' and 'without beginning' in different ways (see the views).
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः ।सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥
Buddhirjnanamasammohah kshama satyam damah shamahSukham duhkham bhavobhavo bhayam chabhayameva cha
Krishna lists the states of beings: understanding (buddhi), knowledge, freedom from delusion, patience, truth, self-restraint (dama), calm (śama), pleasure, pain, coming into being and passing away (bhava, abhāva), fear and fearlessness. The list continues in the next verse.
अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः ।भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ॥
Ahinsa samata tushtistapo danam yashoyashahBhavanti bhava bhutanam matta eva prithagvidhah
The list goes on: harmlessness (ahiṃsā), evenness, contentment, austerity, giving, fame and disgrace. Krishna says that all these different states of beings arise from him alone.
महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा ।मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः ॥
Maharshayah sapta purve chatvaro manavastathaMadbhava manasa jata yesham loka imah prajah
Krishna says that the seven great sages of old and the four Manus were born from his mind and share his nature, and that all the creatures of the world descend from them. The translators read 'the four' differently: Telang has 'the four ancient Manus', while Besant has 'the four Ancients, and also the Manus'.
एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ।सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः ॥
Etam vibhutim yogam cha mama yo vetti tattvatahSovikampena yogena yujyate natra sanshayah
Krishna says that whoever truly knows this glory (vibhūti) and power (yoga) of his becomes joined to him by unwavering yoga; there is no doubt of it.
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते ।इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः ॥
Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartateIti matva bhajante mam budha bhavasamanvitah
Krishna says he is the source of all, and everything moves forth from him. Knowing this, the wise worship him, filled with bhāva. The commentators read bhāva differently (see the views).
मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् ।कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ॥
Machchitta madgataprana bodhayantah parasparamKathayantashcha mam nityam tushyanti cha ramanti cha
With their minds on Krishna and their lives given to him, such people teach one another, always speak of him, and are content and full of joy, Krishna says.
तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ।ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥
Tesham satatayuktanam bhajatam pritipurvakamDadami buddhiyogam tam yena mamupayanti te
To those who are always joined to him and worship him with love, Krishna says, he gives the yoga of understanding (buddhi-yoga) by which they come to him. The schools explain buddhi-yoga in different ways (see the views).
तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः ।नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ॥
Teshamevanukamparthamahamajnanajam tamahNashayamyatmabhavastho jnanadipena bhasvata
Out of compassion for them, Krishna says, he dwells within them and destroys the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge. The schools explain how he dwells in them (see the views).
परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान् ।पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम् ॥
Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavanPurusham shashvatam divyamadidevamajam vibhum
Arjuna speaks. He says that Krishna is the supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the supreme purifier: the eternal, divine Person (puruṣa), the first of the gods, unborn and all-pervading. The sentence continues in the next verse.
आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा ।असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे ॥
Ahustvamrishayah sarve devarshirnaradastathaAsito devalo vyasah svayam chaiva bravishi me
Arjuna says that all the sages declare this of Krishna, as do the divine sage Narada, and Asita, Devala and Vyasa, and now Krishna himself tells him so.
सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव ।न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः ॥
Sarvametadritam manye yanmam vadasi keshavaNa hi te bhagavanvyaktim vidurdeva na danavah
Arjuna tells Krishna, Keshava, that he believes all he has said to be true, for neither the gods nor the demons (dānavas) know his manifestation.
स्वयमेवात्मनाऽऽत्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम ।भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते ॥
Svayamevatmanatmanam vettha tvam purushottamaBhutabhavana bhutesha devadeva jagatpate
Arjuna says that Krishna alone knows himself by himself, and calls him Supreme Person (puruṣottama), source of beings, lord of beings, god of gods, lord of the world.
वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि ॥
Vaktumarhasyasheshena divya hyatmavibhutayahYabhirvibhutibhirlokanimanstvam vyapya tishthasi
Arjuna asks Krishna to describe in full his own divine glories (vibhūtis), the glories by which he pervades these worlds and remains in them.
कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन् ।केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया ॥
Katham vidyamaham yoginstvam sada parichintayanKeshu keshu cha bhaveshu chintyosi bhagavanmaya
Arjuna asks how he can know Krishna, the master of yoga, by always meditating on him, and in which forms of being he should think of him.
विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन ।भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि शृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम् ॥
Vistarenatmano yogam vibhutim cha janardanaBhuyah kathaya triptirhi shrinvato nasti memritam
Arjuna asks Krishna, Janardana, to tell again in detail of his power (yoga) and glory (vibhūti), for he never tires of hearing these life-giving words.
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ॥
Hanta te kathayishyami divya hyatmavibhutayahPradhanyatah kurushreshtha nastyanto vistarasya me
Krishna answers that he will tell Arjuna, best of the Kurus, of his divine glories, but only the chief ones, for there is no end to their extent.
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः ।अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ॥
Ahamatma gudakesha sarvabhutashayasthitahAhamadishcha madhyam cha bhutanamanta eva cha
Krishna says he is the self (ātman) seated in the hearts of all beings, Gudakesha, and he is the beginning, the middle and the end of beings. From the next verse he names the foremost in each class of things. The schools read 'the self in all beings' in different ways (see the views).
आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥
Adityanamaham vishnurjyotisham raviranshumanMarichirmarutamasmi nakshatranamaham shashi
Krishna begins the list. Among the Ādityas (the sons of Aditi) he is Vishnu; among lights, the radiant sun; among the Maruts (the storm gods), Marīci; among the stars (nakṣatras), the moon.
वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः ।इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना ॥
Vedanam samavedosmi devanamasmi vasavahIndriyanam manashchasmi bhutanamasmi chetana
Among the Vedas, Krishna says, he is the Sāma Veda; among the gods, Vāsava (Indra); among the senses, the mind; among living beings, consciousness (cetanā).
रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् ।वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ॥
Rudranam shankarashchasmi vittesho yaksharakshasamVasunam pavakashchasmi meruh shikharinamaham
Among the Rudras, Krishna says, he is Śaṅkara; among the yakṣas and rākṣasas, the lord of wealth (Kubera); among the Vasus, fire (Pāvaka); among mountains, Meru.
पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम् ।सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः ॥
Purodhasam cha mukhyam mam viddhi partha brihaspatimSenaninamaham skandah sarasamasmi sagarah
Krishna tells Arjuna, son of Pritha, to know him as Bṛhaspati, the chief of household priests (Bṛhaspati is the priest of the gods); among army leaders he is Skanda; among bodies of water, the ocean.
महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् ।यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ॥
Maharshinam bhriguraham giramasmyekamaksharamYajnanam japayajnosmi sthavaranam himalayah
Among the great sages, Krishna says, he is Bhṛgu; among words, the one syllable (Om); among offerings, the offering of silent repetition (japa); among things that do not move, the Himalaya.
अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः ।गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः ॥
Ashvatthah sarvavrikshanam devarshinam cha naradahGandharvanam chitrarathah siddhanam kapilo munih
Among all trees, Krishna says, he is the aśvattha (the sacred fig); among the divine sages, Nārada; among the gandharvas (heavenly musicians), Citraratha; among the perfected ones (siddhas), the sage Kapila.
उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् ।ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ॥
Uchchaihshravasamashvanam viddhi mamamritodbhavamAiravatam gajendranam naranam cha naradhipam
Among horses, Krishna says, Arjuna should know him as Uccaiḥśravas, born of the nectar (amṛta) when the ocean was churned; among lordly elephants, Airāvata; and among people, the king.
आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः ॥
Ayudhanamaham vajram dhenunamasmi kamadhukPrajanashchasmi kandarpah sarpanamasmi vasukih
Among weapons, Krishna says, he is the thunderbolt (vajra); among cows, the wish-giving cow (kāmadhuk); among begetters, Kandarpa, the god of love; among serpents, Vāsuki.
अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् ।पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम् ॥
Anantashchasmi naganam varuno yadasamahamPitrinamaryama chasmi yamah sanyamatamaham
Among the nāgas, Krishna says, he is Ananta; among water beings, Varuṇa; among the ancestors (pitṛs), Aryaman; among those who keep order, Yama.
प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम् ।मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ॥
Prahladashchasmi daityanam kalah kalayatamahamMriganam cha mrigendroham vainateyashcha pakshinam
Among the Daityas, Krishna says, he is Prahlāda; among those who reckon, Time (kāla); among beasts, the lion, their king; among birds, Vainateya (Garuḍa, son of Vinatā).
पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् ।झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥
Pavanah pavatamasmi ramah shastrabhritamahamJhashanam makarashchasmi srotasamasmi jahnavi
Among purifiers, Krishna says, he is the wind; among those who bear weapons, Rāma; among creatures of the water, the makara; among rivers, the Jāhnavī (the Ganga). The makara is a sea creature; Telang calls it the dolphin, and Shankara the shark.
सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन ।अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम् ॥
Sarganamadirantashcha madhyam chaivahamarjunaAdhyatmavidya vidyanam vadah pravadatamaham
Of all creations, Krishna says, he is the beginning, the middle and the end. Among kinds of knowledge, he is the knowledge of the self (adhyātma-vidyā); among those who argue, he is vāda, discussion that seeks the truth. Both commentators set vāda apart from wrangling meant only to win.
अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च ।अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥
Aksharanamakarosmi dvandvah samasikasya chaAhamevakshayah kalo dhataham vishvatomukhah
Among letters, Krishna says, he is the letter a; among compounds, the dvandva, in which each word has equal weight. He is unending Time, and he is the Dhātṛ whose faces turn everywhere. The commentators read Dhātṛ differently (see the views).
मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् ।कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ॥
Mrityuh sarvaharashchahamudbhavashcha bhavishyatamKirtih shrirvakcha narinam smritirmedha dhritih kshama
Krishna says he is death that seizes all, and the coming into being of all that is yet to be. Among things named in the feminine he is fame (kīrti), fortune (śrī), speech (vāk), memory (smṛti), intelligence (medhā), steadiness (dhṛti) and forbearance (kṣamā).
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥
Brihatsama tatha samnam gayatri chhandasamahamMasanam margashirshohamritunam kusumakarah
Among the sāman chants, Krishna says, he is the Bṛhat-sāman; among metres, the Gāyatrī; among months, Mārgaśīrṣa; among seasons, the flowering season, spring.
द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् ॥
Dyutam chhalayatamasmi tejastejasvinamahamJayosmi vyavasayosmi sattvam sattvavatamaham
Among those who cheat, Krishna says, he is the dice game; he is the splendour of the splendid, victory, firm resolve, and the goodness (sattva) of the good. The verse names the foremost in each class, even an undesirable one; Shankara and Ramanuja both take the first item simply as gambling, such as dice.
वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः ।मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ॥
Vrishninam vasudevosmi pandavanam dhananjayahMuninamapyaham vyasah kavinamushana kavih
Among the Vṛṣṇis (Krishna's clan), Krishna says, he is Vāsudeva; among the Pāṇḍavas, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna); among the sages (munis), Vyāsa; among seers and poets, Uśanā (the teacher of the Daityas).
दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥
Dando damayatamasmi nitirasmi jigishatamMaunam chaivasmi guhyanam jnanam jnanavatamaham
Of those who restrain, Krishna says, he is the rod of punishment (daṇḍa); of those who seek victory, good policy (nīti); of secrets, silence; and of those who know, knowledge.
यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन ।न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ॥
Yachchapi sarvabhutanam bijam tadahamarjunaNa tadasti vina yatsyanmaya bhutam characharam
Krishna says that whatever is the seed of all beings, that is he, Arjuna; there is nothing, moving or unmoving, that could exist without him. The schools explain why nothing exists without him (see the views).
नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप ।एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया ॥
Nantosti mama divyanam vibhutinam parantapaEsha tuddeshatah prokto vibhutervistaro maya
Krishna tells Arjuna, scorcher of foes (parantapa), that there is no end to his divine glories; what he has said is only a brief account of their extent.
यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा ।तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम् ॥
Yadyadvibhutimatsattvam shrimadurjitameva vaTattadevavagachchha tvam mama tejonshasambhavam
Whatever is glorious, prosperous or mighty, Krishna says, Arjuna should know that it comes from a fragment of his splendour (tejas).
अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन ।विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ॥
Athava bahunaitena kim jnatena tavarjunaVishtabhyahamidam kritsnamekanshena sthito jagat
Krishna closes the chapter. But what need is there for Arjuna to know all this in detail? Krishna says he stands supporting this whole world with a single portion of himself. The schools read 'a single portion' differently (see the views).