Krishna describes his divine manifestations and how he pervades all of creation.
Verse 10.1
Sanskrit Transliteration:
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
bhūya eva mahā-bāho śhṛiṇu me paramaṁ vachaḥ
yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣhyāmi hita-kāmyayā
Translation:
The Supreme Lord said: Again, O mighty-armed one, hear My supreme word, which I shall speak to you who are dear to Me, for your benefit.
Commentary:
Krishna continues teaching because Arjuna is dear to him and because he wishes Arjuna's welfare. The teaching that follows is "supreme"—among the highest truths. Divine instruction arises from love and aims at the student's good.
Learning:
The best teachers teach from love. When someone shares profound truth because they genuinely care about your well-being, receive it with gratitude. Divine wisdom comes through caring relationships.
Verse 10.2
Sanskrit Transliteration:
na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣhayaḥ
aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣhīṇāṁ cha sarvaśhaḥ
Translation:
Neither the hosts of gods nor the great sages know My origin, for I am the source of all the gods and sages in every way.
Commentary:
Even celestial beings and the greatest sages don't fully know Krishna's origin because he is their origin. You cannot know what precedes and transcends you. Krishna is the source of all sources—beyond the comprehension of those who came from him.
Learning:
The source is always greater than what emerges from it. No created being can fully comprehend the creator. This is not a limit to mourn but a truth to accept humbly. We can know God truly without knowing God completely.
Verse 10.3
Sanskrit Transliteration:
yo mām ajam anādiṁ cha vetti loka-maheśhvaram
asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣhu sarva-pāpaiḥ pramuchyate
Translation:
One who knows Me as unborn, beginningless, the great Lord of all worlds—that person, undeluded among mortals, is freed from all sins.
Commentary:
Knowing Krishna as unborn (not created), without beginning (eternal), and supreme ruler brings liberation from all sins. This knowledge, held without delusion, is rare among mortals. It has transformative power—releasing from all negativity.
Learning:
Understanding God as eternal, uncreated, and supreme frees you from the weight of past wrongdoing. True theological knowledge has practical spiritual power. What you know about the divine affects what happens to your karma.
Verse 10.4-5
Sanskrit Transliteration:
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ kṣhamā satyaṁ damaḥ śhamaḥ
sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo 'bhāvo bhayaṁ chābhayam eva cha
ahiṁsā samatā tuṣhṭis tapo dānaṁ yaśho 'yaśhaḥ
bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ matta eva pṛithag-vidhāḥ
Translation:
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-control, tranquility, pleasure, pain, existence, non-existence, fear, fearlessness, non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, and infamy—all these various states of beings arise from Me alone.
Commentary:
All mental and emotional states—positive and negative—arise from Krishna. Intelligence and delusion, pleasure and pain, fear and fearlessness—every experience has its source in the divine. Nothing exists independently of God.
Learning:
Every experience, positive or negative, has its ultimate source in the divine. This includes what you consider good and what you consider bad. Recognizing this changes how you relate to all states—they all point to their source.
The seven great sages, the four ancient ones, and the Manus (progenitors) were born of My mind and partake of My nature. From them came all the creatures of the world.
Commentary:
The great sages, primordial beings, and progenitors of humanity all emerged from Krishna's mind. They share his nature. From these divine emanations, all creatures descended. The entire lineage of existence traces back to divine thought.
Learning:
Creation proceeds from divine thought. The greatest beings emerged from God's mind and carry divine nature. You too, ultimately, trace your lineage to this source. Your existence is not random but connected to divine intention.
Verse 10.7
Sanskrit Transliteration:
etāṁ vibhūtiṁ yogaṁ cha mama yo vetti tattvataḥ
so 'vikampena yogena yujyate nātra saṁśhayaḥ
Translation:
One who truly knows this glory and power of Mine becomes united through unwavering yoga. There is no doubt about this.
Commentary:
Understanding Krishna's divine manifestations and yogic power leads to unshakable union with him. This knowledge produces firm, stable yoga—not wavering devotion but steady connection. The certainty is absolute.
Learning:
Knowledge of divine glory stabilizes your practice. When you truly understand who God is and how God pervades existence, your connection becomes unshakable. Understanding supports devotion; devotion deepens understanding.
I am the origin of all; from Me everything proceeds. Knowing this, the wise worship Me, endowed with devotion.
Commentary:
Krishna is the source and cause of everything. Understanding this, the wise worship him with emotional engagement (bhava). Knowledge without devotion is incomplete; the wise combine knowing with loving.
Learning:
Understanding that everything comes from God naturally leads to worship. The wise don't just know intellectually—they respond emotionally. Knowledge and devotion together characterize mature spirituality.
Verse 10.9
Sanskrit Transliteration:
mach-chittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaśh cha māṁ nityaṁ tuṣhyanti cha ramanti cha
Translation:
With minds fixed on Me, with lives dedicated to Me, enlightening one another, always speaking of Me—they are satisfied and delighted.
Commentary:
Devotees whose minds and lives are absorbed in Krishna share their understanding with each other, constantly discussing him. This brings both satisfaction (deep contentment) and delight (active joy). Spiritual community amplifies devotion.
Learning:
Spiritual companionship enhances practice. When devotees share with each other, discussing the divine, mutual upliftment occurs. This brings both contentment and joy. Don't practice in isolation; find and nurture spiritual friendship.
To those who are constantly united with Me, who worship Me with love, I give the yoga of understanding by which they come to Me.
Commentary:
To constantly devoted worshippers who serve with love, Krishna gives buddhi-yoga—the yoga of understanding that leads directly to him. This is a divine gift, not just human achievement. God helps those who love him.
Learning:
Divine help comes to sincere seekers. When you worship consistently and lovingly, understanding is given to you. You don't earn it alone—it's granted. Your effort creates the conditions; grace provides the insight.
Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling within their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.
Commentary:
From compassion, Krishna—present in the devotee's heart—dispels ignorance with the light of knowledge. The divine teacher is not distant but internal. When the heart is ready through devotion, the inner light illuminates.
Learning:
The ultimate teacher is within. Divine compassion responds to sincere devotion by destroying ignorance from inside. The light you seek is already present in your heart; devotion creates the conditions for it to shine forth.
Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the supreme purifier, the eternal divine Person, the primal God, the unborn, the omnipresent. All the sages say this of You—the divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala, Vyasa—and You Yourself tell me so.
Commentary:
Arjuna acknowledges Krishna's divine nature as confirmed by the greatest sages and by Krishna himself. He accepts Krishna as supreme Brahman, the ultimate reality, purifier, eternal person, original deity, unborn, and all-pervading. This is the declaration of faith.
Learning:
Recognition of the divine comes through both authoritative teaching and direct instruction. Arjuna accepts what the sages proclaim and what Krishna reveals. Faith builds on reliable testimony and personal experience together.
Verse 10.14
Sanskrit Transliteration:
sarvam etad ṛitaṁ manye yan māṁ vadasi keśhava
na hi te bhagavan vyaktiṁ vidur devā na dānavāḥ
Translation:
O Keshava, I believe all that You tell me to be true. Indeed, O Lord, neither the gods nor the demons know Your manifestation.
Commentary:
Arjuna accepts everything Krishna says as truth. He acknowledges that neither gods nor demons fully know Krishna's manifestation. If even celestial beings don't fully comprehend, how much more should a human accept in faith what transcends comprehension?
Learning:
Faith accepts what transcends personal understanding. When trustworthy authority speaks about what exceeds your capacity to verify, reasonable faith believes. This isn't blind belief but trust based on recognizing the reliability of the source.
You alone know Yourself by Yourself, O Supreme Person, O source of beings, O Lord of beings, O God of gods, O Lord of the universe.
Commentary:
Only Krishna fully knows himself—no one else can completely comprehend him. Arjuna addresses him with exalted titles: Supreme Person, source of beings, Lord of beings, God of gods, Lord of the universe. Only self-knowledge is complete knowledge of the divine.
Learning:
God alone fully knows God. Our knowledge of the divine is always partial. This isn't frustrating but appropriate—the finite cannot contain the infinite. Yet we can know enough to love and serve, even without complete comprehension.
Please describe in full Your divine glories by which You pervade all these worlds and abide in them.
Commentary:
Arjuna requests a complete account of Krishna's divine manifestations—the forms through which he pervades and dwells in all worlds. He wants to understand how to recognize Krishna in creation.
Learning:
Ask to see the divine in the world. Wanting to recognize God's presence everywhere is a worthy aspiration. This request leads to the teaching that follows—a guide to seeing the divine in excellence.
How may I know You, O Yogi, constantly meditating on You? In what forms should I think of You, O Lord?
Commentary:
Arjuna wants practical guidance: how to meditate on Krishna constantly, and in what forms to contemplate him. He seeks methods for ongoing recognition and connection with the divine.
Learning:
Seek practical guidance for meditation. Don't just theorize—ask how to actually practice remembrance. What forms, what aspects should you contemplate? These practical questions make teaching usable.
Verse 10.18
Sanskrit Transliteration:
vistareṇātmano yogaṁ vibhūtiṁ cha janārdana
bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛiptir hi śhṛiṇvato nāsti me 'mṛitam
Translation:
Tell me again in detail of Your yogic power and divine glories, O Janardana. I am never satisfied hearing Your nectar-like words.
Commentary:
Arjuna wants more detail. Hearing about Krishna's glories is like nectar—never enough. The words are amrita (immortal, sweet)—hearing them brings joy that doesn't satiate. True spiritual discourse leaves one wanting more.
Learning:
The taste for divine knowledge grows with consumption. Unlike material pleasures that eventually bore, spiritual understanding satisfies while increasing hunger. If hearing about God feels like nectar you can't get enough of, you're on the right track.
Verse 10.19
Sanskrit Transliteration:
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
hanta te kathayiṣhyāmi divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
prādhānyataḥ kuru-śhreṣhṭha nāsty anto vistarasya me
Translation:
The Supreme Lord said: Very well, I shall tell you of My divine glories, but only the principal ones, O best of the Kurus, for there is no end to My extent.
Commentary:
Krishna agrees to describe his manifestations, but only the main ones—a complete list would be endless. His extent has no limit, so only highlights can be mentioned. This acknowledges both the teaching's value and its inherent limitation.
Learning:
Divine manifestations are infinite; any list is incomplete. What follows are examples, pointers, samples—not a comprehensive catalog. Use them as models to extend the vision to everything else.
Verse 10.20
Sanskrit Transliteration:
aham ātmā guḍākeśha sarva-bhūtāśhaya-sthitaḥ
aham ādiśh cha madhyaṁ cha bhūtānām anta eva cha
Translation:
I am the Self, O Gudakesha, dwelling in the hearts of all beings. I am the beginning, middle, and end of all beings.
Commentary:
Krishna identifies himself as the Atman dwelling in every being's heart—the Self that each person truly is. He is also the beginning, middle, and end of all existence—the complete span of being. He is both the inner witness and the cosmic frame.
Learning:
God is both within you and around you—your innermost Self and the totality of existence. From beginning to end, nothing exists outside the divine. This comprehensive presence makes encounter possible everywhere, always.
Of the Adityas, I am Vishnu; of lights, I am the radiant sun; of the Maruts, I am Marichi; of the stars, I am the moon.
Commentary:
The listing of specific manifestations begins. Among the twelve Adityas, Krishna is Vishnu; among luminaries, the sun; among the Maruts (wind gods), Marichi; among stars, the moon. He is the chief in each category.
Learning:
See the divine in excellence. When you encounter the best or brightest in any category, recognize it as a special manifestation of God. The sun among lights, the moon among stars—supreme examples point to their source.
Of the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda; of the gods, I am Indra; of the senses, I am the mind; and of beings, I am consciousness.
Commentary:
Among Vedas, Krishna is Sama Veda (known for its musical beauty); among gods, Indra (king of heaven); among senses, the mind (ruler of senses); among beings, consciousness itself (that which makes life sentient).
Learning:
The divine is especially present in what coordinates and leads. Mind among senses, consciousness among beings—what governs and animates is a special divine presence. Honor the organizing principle, the awareness that makes experience possible.
Of the Rudras, I am Shankara; of the Yakshas and Rakshasas, I am Kubera; of the Vasus, I am fire; and of mountains, I am Meru.
Commentary:
Among Rudras (storm gods), Krishna is Shankara (Shiva); among Yakshas and Rakshasas, Kubera (god of wealth); among Vasus (elemental deities), fire; among mountains, Meru (the cosmic mountain).
Learning:
Even among what might seem lesser beings (Yakshas, Rakshasas), the divine is present in their chief. Don't limit where you look for God—even in unexpected places, the supreme manifestation reveals divine presence.
O Partha, know Me to be Brihaspati, chief among priests; Skanda among army commanders; and the ocean among bodies of water.
Commentary:
Among priests, Krishna is Brihaspati (divine teacher); among generals, Skanda (god of war); among water bodies, the ocean. Each domain has its supreme representative that manifests the divine.
Learning:
In every field, there is a pinnacle that represents divine presence. The supreme teacher, the supreme commander, the supreme reservoir—these excellences are windows to the infinite. See through them to their source.
Of the great sages, I am Bhrigu; of words, I am the one syllable Om; of sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of silent repetition; of immovables, I am the Himalayas.
Commentary:
Among sages, Bhrigu; among words, Om (the most sacred syllable); among sacrifices, japa (silent repetition—the simplest yet most powerful); among immovable things, the Himalayas.
Learning:
The simplest can be the most powerful. Om—one syllable. Japa—quiet repetition. These simple practices represent the divine. Don't assume elaborate rituals are superior; sometimes the simplest approach is the highest.
Verse 10.26
Sanskrit Transliteration:
aśhvatthaḥ sarva-vṛikṣhāṇāṁ devarṣhīṇāṁ cha nāradaḥ
gandharvāṇāṁ chitrarathaḥ siddhānāṁ kapilo muniḥ
Translation:
Among trees, I am the sacred fig tree; among divine sages, Narada; among celestial musicians, Chitraratha; among perfected beings, the sage Kapila.
Commentary:
Among trees, the ashvattha (sacred fig); among divine sages, Narada (eternal devotee); among Gandharvas (celestial musicians), Chitraratha; among Siddhas (perfected beings), Kapila (founder of Sankhya philosophy).
Learning:
The divine is present in nature (trees), in devotion (Narada), in art (music), and in philosophy (Kapila). No domain of life is excluded from divine presence. Look for the supreme example in every field.
Verse 10.27
Sanskrit Transliteration:
uchchaiḥśhravasam aśhvānāṁ viddhi mām amṛitodbhavam
airāvataṁ gajendrāṇāṁ narāṇāṁ cha narādhipam
Translation:
Among horses, know Me to be Uchhaishravas, born of nectar; among elephants, Airavata; and among humans, the king.
Commentary:
Among horses, Uchhaishravas (the divine horse from ocean-churning); among elephants, Airavata (Indra's mount); among humans, the king (the leader, the representative of people).
Learning:
Among humans, the king represents divine presence—not any king, but the ideal of leadership and governance. In proper rulership, divine order manifests in human society.
Of weapons, I am the thunderbolt; of cows, I am the wish-fulfilling Kamadhenu; of procreators, I am Kandarpa (Cupid); of serpents, I am Vasuki.
Commentary:
Among weapons, the thunderbolt (invincible); among cows, Kamadhenu (the wish-fulfilling divine cow); of procreative force, Kandarpa (the god of love); among serpents, Vasuki (the serpent king).
Learning:
Even in weapons and in desire, the divine is present in the supreme form. Love, properly understood, is divine. Power, rightly wielded, is divine. Nothing is inherently outside the sacred.
Of nagas (serpent beings), I am Ananta; of water deities, Varuna; of ancestors, Aryama; and of regulators, I am Yama.
Commentary:
Among nagas, Ananta (the infinite serpent); among water gods, Varuna; among ancestors, Aryama; among those who enforce law, Yama (god of death who judges actions).
Learning:
Even death and judgment represent divine presence. Yama, who enforces karmic consequences, is a divine manifestation. The law of cause and effect is not separate from God but is God in the aspect of justice.
Verse 10.30
Sanskrit Transliteration:
prahlādaśh chāsmi daityānāṁ kālaḥ kalayatām aham
mṛigāṇāṁ cha mṛigendro 'haṁ vainateyaśh cha pakṣhiṇām
Translation:
Of demons, I am Prahlada; of measures, I am time; of beasts, I am the lion; and of birds, I am Garuda.
Commentary:
Among demons, Prahlada (the devotee among enemies—devotion transcends birth); among measuring forces, time (which rules all); among beasts, the lion (king of animals); among birds, Garuda (divine eagle).
Learning:
Even among demons, devotion can arise—Prahlada proves this. Time, the great equalizer, is divine. The lion and eagle—power and vision—represent the divine in the animal kingdom.
Of purifiers, I am the wind; of weapon-bearers, I am Rama; of sea creatures, I am the crocodile; and of rivers, I am the Ganga.
Commentary:
Among purifiers, wind (which cleanses); among warriors, Rama (ideal warrior-king); among aquatic creatures, the makara (crocodile or mythical sea creature); among rivers, the Ganga (sacred purifying river).
Learning:
Purity, valor, power, and sacredness in their supreme forms manifest the divine. The wind that purifies, the hero who protects, the mighty creature, the sacred river—all point beyond themselves to their source.
Of creations, I am the beginning, end, and middle, O Arjuna. Of sciences, I am the science of the Self. Of debaters, I am logic.
Commentary:
Krishna is the entire span of any creation—origin, duration, and conclusion. Among sciences, he is adhyatma-vidya (Self-knowledge—the highest science); among disputants, he is vada (logical discourse that seeks truth).
Learning:
The highest science is Self-knowledge—knowing who you truly are. The highest argumentation is that which seeks truth rather than victory. These supreme forms of knowing and debating represent the divine.
Of letters, I am A; of compound words, I am the dual compound. I am inexhaustible time; I am the creator facing all directions.
Commentary:
Among letters, A (the first, present in all Sanskrit vowels); among compounds, the dual (most balanced); he is eternal time (that which never runs out); he is the all-facing creator (seeing and creating in all directions).
Learning:
The first, the foundational, the balanced, the eternal—these represent the divine. A is the seed of all letters; time is the framework of all events; the creator's vision encompasses all directions. Fundamentals point to the fundamental.
Verse 10.34
Sanskrit Transliteration:
mṛityuḥ sarva-haraśh chāham udbhavaśh cha bhaviṣhyatām
kīrtiḥ śhrīr vāk cha nārīṇāṁ smṛitir medhā dhṛitiḥ kṣhamā
Translation:
I am all-devouring death, and I am the origin of things yet to be. Among feminine qualities, I am fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, firmness, and forgiveness.
Commentary:
Krishna is death (the great equalizer), future potential, and among feminine divine qualities: fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness, and patience. These goddesses or feminine powers are his manifestations.
Learning:
Death is divine—the great transformer. The future holds divine potential. And the feminine divine qualities—from eloquence to forgiveness—are manifestations of God. Honor these powers as sacred.
Of the hymns in Sama Veda, I am Brihat-sama; of poetic meters, I am Gayatri; of months, I am Margashirsha; of seasons, I am flower-bearing spring.
Commentary:
Among Sama Veda hymns, Brihat-sama (the great chant); among meters, Gayatri (the most sacred meter); among months, Margashirsha (the first or best month); among seasons, spring (when flowers bloom).
Learning:
The most beautiful, the most sacred, the most auspicious—these represent divine presence. Spring's beauty, Gayatri's power, the best of times—see the divine in peak moments and supreme expressions.
Of deceivers, I am gambling; of the splendid, I am splendor; I am victory; I am determination; I am the goodness of the good.
Commentary:
Even in deception, Krishna is the supreme form—gambling (which requires the most skill and risk). He is the brilliance of the brilliant, victory itself, the resolve behind accomplishment, and the virtue in virtuous people.
Learning:
Even in what seems negative (gambling), the divine is present in its supreme expression. Victory, determination, goodness—these are not just human qualities but divine powers working through people.
Of the Vrishnis, I am Vasudeva (Krishna); of the Pandavas, I am Arjuna; of sages, I am Vyasa; of poets, I am Ushanas.
Commentary:
Among the Vrishni clan, Krishna himself (Vasudeva); among Pandavas, Arjuna (the one he's speaking to); among sages, Vyasa (who compiled the Vedas); among poets, Ushanas (Shukracharya, divine poet).
Learning:
Krishna includes both himself and Arjuna in this list of divine manifestations. The divine is present in the teacher and the student, in the sage and the poet. You too may be a manifestation of divine presence.
Of punishments, I am the rod; of those seeking victory, I am statesmanship; of secrets, I am silence; and of the wise, I am wisdom.
Commentary:
Among corrective measures, the disciplinary rod; among victory-seekers, wise policy; among secrets, silence (which keeps them); among the wise, wisdom itself.
Learning:
Discipline, strategy, silence, and wisdom—these represent divine presence in their domains. The stick that corrects, the policy that succeeds, the silence that protects, the knowledge that enlightens—all are sacred.
Verse 10.39
Sanskrit Transliteration:
yach chāpi sarva-bhūtānāṁ bījaṁ tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinā yat syān mayā bhūtaṁ charācharam
Translation:
And whatever is the seed of all beings, that I am, O Arjuna. There is no being, moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me.
Commentary:
Krishna is the seed of all existence—the potential from which everything emerges. Nothing can exist without him; every being depends on divine presence for its existence.
Learning:
Everything depends on the divine for its very existence. Nothing is self-sufficient. Every creature, object, and phenomenon exists only by participation in divine being. Nothing exists independently of God.
There is no end to My divine manifestations, O scorcher of foes. What I have spoken is but a brief indication of My infinite glories.
Commentary:
The list could continue forever—Krishna's manifestations are endless. What has been described is only a sample, an indication of infinite divine glory. No finite list could ever be complete.
Learning:
Use these examples as training for your own recognition. Once you understand the principle—God is manifest in excellence—you can extend this vision infinitely. Every field has divine presence in its supreme form.
Verse 10.41
Sanskrit Transliteration:
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ śhrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagachchha tvaṁ mama tejo-'ṁśha-sambhavam
Translation:
Know that whatever being is glorious, prosperous, or powerful, springs from a spark of My splendor.
Commentary:
This is the general principle: wherever you see glory, prosperity, or power, know it arises from a spark of Krishna's radiance. Every excellence is a fragment of divine brilliance manifesting in the world.
Learning:
Wherever you see excellence—any excellence—see the divine behind it. Beauty, strength, brilliance, success—these are sparks from the infinite fire. Train yourself to trace excellences back to their source.
But what need is there, O Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? I support this entire universe with a single fragment of Myself.
Commentary:
The chapter concludes with the ultimate perspective: the entire universe is supported by just a fraction of Krishna. All these manifestations, impressive as they are, represent only a portion of his infinite being. The complete Krishna is inconceivably greater.
Learning:
The universe itself is just a fragment of divine being. All these glories combined don't exhaust God's reality. This should inspire both wonder and humility—we encounter infinity but can never contain it. The vastness remains.
Translation and commentary sourced from public domain texts.
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