BG 10: The Opulence of the Absolute
1
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bhūya eva mahā-bāho
śṛṇu me paramaḿ vacaḥ
yat te 'haḿ prīyamāṇāya
vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Listen again, O mighty-armed Arjuna. Because you are My dear friend, for your benefit I shall speak to you further, giving knowledge that is better than what I have already explained.
2
na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ
prabhavaḿ na maharṣayaḥ
aham ādir hi devānāḿ
maharṣīṇāḿ ca sarvaśaḥ
TRANSLATION
Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin or opulences, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and sages.
3
yo mām ajam anādiḿ ca
vetti loka-maheśvaram
asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu
sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate
TRANSLATION
He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds — he only, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins.
4-5
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ kṣamā satyaḿ
damaḥ śamaḥ sukhaḿ duḥkhaḿ bhavo
'bhāvo bhayaḿ cābhayam eva ca
ahiḿsā samatā tuṣṭis tapo dānaḿ
yaśo 'yaśaḥ bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāḿ
matta eva pṛthag-vidhāḥ
TRANSLATION
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from doubt and delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, control of the senses, control of the mind, happiness and distress, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, nonviolence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame and infamy — all these various qualities of living beings are created by Me alone.
6
maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve
catvāro manavas tathā
mad-bhāvā mānasā jātā
yeṣāḿ loka imāḥ prajāḥ
TRANSLATION
The seven great sages and before them the four other great sages and the Manus [progenitors of mankind] come from Me, born from My mind, and all the living beings populating the various planets descend from them.
7
etāḿ vibhūtiḿ yogaḿ ca
mama yo vetti tattvataḥ
so 'vikalpena yogena
yujyate nātra saḿśayaḥ
TRANSLATION
One who is factually convinced of this opulence and mystic power of Mine engages in unalloyed devotional service; of this there is no doubt.
8
ahaḿ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaḿ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māḿ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
TRANSLATION
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.
9
mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māḿ nityaḿ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca
TRANSLATION
The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.
10
teṣāḿ satata-yuktānāḿ
bhajatāḿ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaḿ taḿ
yena mām upayānti te
TRANSLATION
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
11
teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaḿ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
TRANSLATION
To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
12-13
arjuna uvāca paraḿ brahma paraḿ
dhāma pavitraḿ paramaḿ bhavān puruṣaḿ
śāśvataḿ divyam ādi-devam ajaḿ vibhum
āhus tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣir
nāradas tathā asito devalo vyāsaḥ
svayaḿ caiva bravīṣi me
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate abode, the purest, the Absolute Truth. You are the eternal, transcendental, original person, the unborn, the greatest. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa confirm this truth about You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.
14
sarvam etad ṛtaḿ manye
yan māḿ vadasi keśava
na hi te bhagavan vyaktiḿ
vidur devā na dānavāḥ
TRANSLATION
O Kṛṣṇa, I totally accept as truth all that You have told me. Neither the demigods nor the demons, O Lord, can understand Your personality.
15
svayam evātmanātmānaḿ
vettha tvaḿ puruṣottama
bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa
deva-deva jagat-pate
TRANSLATION
Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own internal potency, O Supreme Person, origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, Lord of the universe!
16
vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān
imāḿs tvaḿ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi
TRANSLATION
Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulences by which You pervade all these worlds.
17
kathaḿ vidyām ahaḿ yogiḿs
tvāḿ sadā paricintayan
keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu
cintyo 'si bhagavan mayā
TRANSLATION
O Kṛṣṇa, O supreme mystic, how shall I constantly think of You, and how shall I know You? In what various forms are You to be remembered, O Supreme Personality of Godhead?
18
vistareṇātmano yogaḿ
vibhūtiḿ ca janārdana
bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptir hi
śṛṇvato nāsti me 'mṛtam
TRANSLATION
O Janārdana, again please describe in detail the mystic power of Your opulences. I am never satiated in hearing about You, for the more I hear the more I want to taste the nectar of Your words.
19
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
prādhānyataḥ kuru-śreṣṭha
nāsty anto vistarasya me
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Yes, I will tell you of My splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless.
20
aham ātmā guḍākeśa
sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ
aham ādiś ca madhyaḿ ca
bhūtānām anta eva ca
TRANSLATION
I am the Supersoul, O Arjuna, seated in the hearts of all living entities. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.
21
ādityānām ahaḿ viṣṇur
jyotiṣāḿ ravir aḿśumān
marīcir marutām asmi
nakṣatrāṇām ahaḿ śaśī
TRANSLATION
Of the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, of lights I am the radiant sun, of the Maruts I am Marīci, and among the stars I am the moon.
22
vedānāḿ sāma-vedo 'smi
devānām asmi vāsavaḥ
indriyāṇāḿ manaś cāsmi
bhūtānām asmi cetanā
TRANSLATION
Of the Vedas I am the Sāma Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness].
23
rudrāṇāḿ śańkaraś cāsmi
vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām
vasūnāḿ pāvakaś cāsmi
meruḥ śikhariṇām aham
TRANSLATION
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Śiva, of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kuvera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.
24
purodhasāḿ ca mukhyaḿ māḿ
viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim
senānīnām ahaḿ skandaḥ
sarasām asmi sāgaraḥ
TRANSLATION
Of priests, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Bṛhaspati. Of generals I am Kārtikeya, and of bodies of water I am the ocean.
25
maharṣīṇāḿ bhṛgur ahaḿ
girām asmy ekam akṣaram
yajñānāḿ japa-yajño 'smi
sthāvarāṇāḿ himālayaḥ
TRANSLATION
Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental oḿ. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himālayas.
26
aśvatthaḥ sarva-vṛkṣāṇāḿ
devarṣīṇāḿ ca nāradaḥ
gandharvāṇāḿ citrarathaḥ
siddhānāḿ kapilo muniḥ
27
uccaiḥśravasam aśvānāḿ
viddhi mām amṛtodbhavam
airāvataḿ gajendrāṇāḿ
narāṇāḿ ca narādhipam
TRANSLATION
Of horses know Me to be Uccaiḥśravā, produced during the churning of the ocean for nectar. Of lordly elephants I am Airāvata, and among men I am the monarch.
28
āyudhānām ahaḿ vajraḿ
dhenūnām asmi kāmadhuk
prajanaś cāsmi kandarpaḥ
sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ
TRANSLATION
Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the surabhi. Of causes for procreation I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vāsuki.
29
anantaś cāsmi nāgānāḿ
varuṇo yādasām aham
pitṝṇām aryamā cāsmi
yamaḥ saḿyamatām aham
TRANSLATION
Of the many-hooded Nāgas I am Ananta, and among the aquatics I am the demigod Varuṇa. Of departed ancestors I am Aryamā, and among the dispensers of law I am Yama, the lord of death.
30
prahlādaś cāsmi daityānāḿ
kālaḥ kalayatām aham
mṛgāṇāḿ ca mṛgendro 'haḿ
vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām
TRANSLATION
Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlāda, among subduers I am time, among beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuḍa.
31
pavanaḥ pavatām asmi
rāmaḥ śastra-bhṛtām aham
jhaṣāṇāḿ makaraś cāsmi
srotasām asmi jāhnavī
TRANSLATION
Of purifiers I am the wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rāma, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.
32
sargāṇām ādir antaś ca
madhyaḿ caivāham arjuna
adhyātma-vidyā vidyānāḿ
vādaḥ pravadatām aham
TRANSLATION
Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.
33
akṣarāṇām a-kāro 'smi
dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca
aham evākṣayaḥ kālo
dhātāhaḿ viśvato-mukhaḥ
TRANSLATION
Of letters I am the letter A, and among compound words I am the dual compound. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahmā.
34
mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham
udbhavaś ca bhaviṣyatām
kīrtiḥ śrīr vāk ca nārīṇāḿ
smṛtir medhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā
TRANSLATION
I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.
35
bṛhat-sāma tathā sāmnāḿ
gāyatrī chandasām aham
māsānāḿ mārga-śīrṣo 'ham
ṛtūnāḿ kusumākaraḥ
TRANSLATION
Of the hymns in the Sāma Veda I am the Bṛhat-sāma, and of poetry I am the Gāyatrī. Of months I am Mārgaśīrṣa [November-December], and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
36
dyūtaḿ chalayatām asmi
tejas tejasvinām aham
jayo 'smi vyavasāyo 'smi
sattvaḿ sattvavatām aham
TRANSLATION
I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.
37
vṛṣṇīnāḿ vāsudevo 'smi
pāṇḍavānāḿ dhanañjayaḥ
munīnām apy ahaḿ vyāsaḥ
kavīnām uśanā kaviḥ
TRANSLATION
Of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi I am Vāsudeva, and of the Pāṇḍavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyāsa, and among great thinkers I am Uśanā.
38
daṇḍo damayatām asmi
nītir asmi jigīṣatām
maunaḿ caivāsmi guhyānāḿ
jñānaḿ jñānavatām aham
TRANSLATION
Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment, and of those who seek victory I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am the wisdom.
39
yac cāpi sarva-bhūtānāḿ
bījaḿ tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinā yat syān
mayā bhūtaḿ carācaram
TRANSLATION
Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being — moving or nonmoving — that can exist without Me.
40
nānto 'sti mama divyānāḿ
vibhūtīnāḿ parantapa
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto
vibhūter vistaro mayā
TRANSLATION
O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.
41
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaḿ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaḿ
mama tejo-'ḿśa-sambhavam
TRANSLATION
Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
42
atha vā bahunaitena
kiḿ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaḿ kṛtsnam
ekāḿśena sthito jagat
TRANSLATION
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.
