Chapter 10

विभूतियोग

Vibhooti Yoga

Yoga through Appreciating the Infinite Opulences of God

Krishna describes how the divine shows up in the best of everything.

  1. 10.1

    श्री भगवानुवाच भूय एव महाबाहो श्रृणु मे परमं वचः। यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया॥

    śrī bhagavānuvāca bhūya eva mahābāho śrṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ yatte'haṃ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā

    Lord Shri Krishna said: Now, O Prince! Listen to My supreme advice, which I give you for the sake of your welfare, for you are My beloved.

  2. 10.2

    न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः। अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः॥

    na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ prabhavaṃ na maharṣayaḥ ahamādirhi devānāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ

    Neither the professors of divinity nor the great ascetics know My origin, for I am the source from which they all originate.

  3. 10.3

    यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम्। असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते॥

    yo māmajamanādiṃ ca vetti lokamaheśvaram asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate

    He who knows Me as the unborn, without beginning, the Lord of the universe, he, stripped of his delusions, becomes free from all conceivable sins.

  4. 10.4

    बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसंमोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः। सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च॥

    buddhirjñānamasaṃmohaḥ kṣamā satyaṃ damaḥ śamaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo'bhāvo bhayaṃ cābhayameva ca

    Intelligence, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-control, calmness, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear, and fearlessness;

  5. 10.5

    अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः। भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः॥

    ahiṃsā samatā tuṣṭistapo dānaṃ yaśo'yaśaḥ bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṃ matta eva pṛthagvidhāḥ

    Harmlessness, equanimity, contentment, austerity, beneficence, fame, and failure—all these characteristics of beings spring from Me alone.

  6. 10.6

    महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा। मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः॥

    maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve catvāro manavastathā madbhāvā mānasā jātā yeṣāṃ loka imāḥ prajāḥ

    The seven Great Seers, the progenitors of mankind, the Ancient Four, and the Lawgivers were born of My will and come forth directly from Me. The race of mankind has sprung from them. (Mareechi, Atri, Angira, Pulah, Kratu, Pulastya, Vahishta; the Masters: Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatan, Sanatkumar.)

  7. 10.7

    एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः॥

    etāṃ vibhūtiṃ yogaṃ ca mama yo vetti tattvataḥ so'vikampena yogena yujyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

    He who rightly understands My manifested glory and My creative power attains perfect peace without a doubt.

  8. 10.8

    अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते। इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः॥

    ahaṃ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṃ pravartate iti matvā bhajante māṃ budhā bhāvasamanvitāḥ

    I am the source of all; from me everything flows. Therefore, the wise worship me with an unchanging devotion.

  9. 10.9

    मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम्। कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च॥

    maccittā madgataprāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam kathayantaśca māṃ nityaṃ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

    With minds concentrated on Me, with lives absorbed in Me, and enlightening one another, they ever feel content and happy.

  10. 10.10

    तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम्। ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते॥

    teṣāṃ satatayuktānāṃ bhajatāṃ prītipūrvakam dadāmi buddhiyogaṃ taṃ yena māmupayānti te

    To those who are always devout and who worship Me with love, I give the power of discrimination that leads them to Me.

  11. 10.11

    तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः। नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता॥

    teṣāmevānukampārthamahamajñānajaṃ tamaḥ nāśayāmyātmabhāvastho jñānadīpena bhāsvatā

    By My grace, I live in their hearts, and I dispel the darkness of ignorance with the shining light of wisdom.

  12. 10.12

    अर्जुन उवाच परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्। पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम्॥

    arjuna uvāca paraṃ brahma paraṃ dhāma pavitraṃ paramaṃ bhavān puruṣaṃ śāśvataṃ divyamādidevamajaṃ vibhum

    Arjuna asked: Thou art the Supreme Spirit, the Eternal Home, the Holiest of Holies, the Eternal Divine Self, the Primal God, the Unborn, and Omnipresent.

  13. 10.13

    आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा। असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे॥

    āhustvāmṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣirnāradastathā asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayaṃ caiva bravīṣi me

    So have said the seers, the divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa; and Thou Thyself also sayest it.

  14. 10.14

    सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव। न हि ते भगवन् व्यक्ितं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः॥

    sarvametadṛtaṃ manye yanmāṃ vadasi keśava na hi te bhagavan vyakitaṃ vidurdevā na dānavāḥ

    I believe in what You have said, my Lord! For neither the godly nor the godless comprehend Your manifestation.

  15. 10.15

    स्वयमेवात्मनाऽत्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम। भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते॥

    svayamevātmanā'tmānaṃ vettha tvaṃ puruṣottama bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa devadeva jagatpate

    You alone know Yourself, by the power of Your Self; You are the Supreme Spirit, the Source and Master of all being, the Lord of Lords, the Ruler of the Universe.

  16. 10.16

    वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः। याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि॥

    vaktumarhasyaśeṣeṇa divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ yābhirvibhūtibhirlokānimāṃstvaṃ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi

    Please tell me about all of Your glorious manifestations, through which You pervade the world.

  17. 10.17

    कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन्। केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया॥

    kathaṃ vidyāmahaṃ yogiṃstvāṃ sadā paricintayan keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo'si bhagavanmayā

    O Master! How can I, through constant meditation, come to know You? My Lord! What are Your various manifestations through which I can meditate on You?

  18. 10.18

    विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन। भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि श्रृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम्॥

    vistareṇātmano yogaṃ vibhūtiṃ ca janārdana bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptirhi śrṛṇvato nāsti me'mṛtam

    Tell me again, I pray, of Thy power and Thy glory in full; for I feel that I am never satisfied when I listen to Thy immortal words.

  19. 10.19

    श्री भगवानुवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः। प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे॥

    śrī bhagavānuvāca hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ prādhānyataḥ kuruśreṣṭha nāstyanto vistarasya me

    Lord Shri Krishna replied: So be it, My beloved friend! I will unfold to you some of the chief aspects of My glory. There is no end to its full extent.

  20. 10.20

    अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः। अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च॥

    ahamātmā guḍākeśa sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ ahamādiśca madhyaṃ ca bhūtānāmanta eva ca

    O Arjuna! I am the Self, seated in the hearts of all beings; I am the beginning, the life, and the end of them all.

  21. 10.21

    आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान्। मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी॥

    ādityānāmahaṃ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṃ raviraṃśumān marīcirmarutāmasmi nakṣatrāṇāmahaṃ śaśī

    Of all the creative powers, I am the Creator; of luminaries, the Sun; of winds, the Whirlwind; and of planets, the Moon.

  22. 10.22

    वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः। इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना॥

    vedānāṃ sāmavedo'smi devānāmasmi vāsavaḥ indriyāṇāṃ manaścāsmi bhūtānāmasmi cetanā

    Of the Vedas, I am the hymns; I am the electric force in the powers of nature; of the senses, I am the mind; and I am the intelligence in all that lives.

  23. 10.23

    रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम्। वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम्॥

    rudrāṇāṃ śaṅkaraścāsmi vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām vasūnāṃ pāvakaścāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇāmaham

    Among forces of vitality, I am the life; I am Mammon to the heathens and the godless; I am the energy in fire, earth, wind, sky, heaven, sun, moon, and planets; and among mountains, I am Mount Meru.

  24. 10.24

    पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम्। सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः॥

    purodhasāṃ ca mukhyaṃ māṃ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim senānīnāmahaṃ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ

    Among the priests, know, O Arjuna, that I am the priest Brihaspati; of generals, I am Skanda, the Commander-in-Chief, and of waters, I am the Ocean.

  25. 10.25

    महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम्। यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः॥

    maharṣīṇāṃ bhṛgurahaṃ girāmasmyekamakṣaram yajñānāṃ japayajño'smi sthāvarāṇāṃ himālayaḥ

    Of the great seers, I am Bhrigu; of words, I am Om; of offerings, I am the silent prayer; among things immovable, I am the Himalayas.

  26. 10.26

    अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः। गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः॥

    aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṃ devarṣīṇāṃ ca nāradaḥ gandharvāṇāṃ citrarathaḥ siddhānāṃ kapilo muniḥ

    Of trees, I am the sacred fig tree; of divine seers, Narada; of heavenly singers, I am Chitraratha, their leader; and of sages, I am Kapila.

  27. 10.27

    उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम्। ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम्॥

    uccaiḥśravasamaśvānāṃ viddhi māmamṛtodbhavam airāvataṃ gajendrāṇāṃ narāṇāṃ ca narādhipam

    Know that among horses I am Pegasus, heaven-born; among the lordly elephants I am the white one, and I am the ruler among men.

  28. 10.28

    आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक्। प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः॥

    āyudhānāmahaṃ vajraṃ dhenūnāmasmi kāmadhuk prajanaścāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇāmasmi vāsukiḥ

    I am the thunderbolt among weapons; I am the Cow of Plenty among cows; I am Passion in those who procreate, and I am the Cobra among serpents.

  29. 10.29

    अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम्। पितृ़णामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम्॥

    anantaścāsmi nāgānāṃ varuṇo yādasāmaham pitṛ़ṇāmaryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṃyamatāmaham

    I am the king-python among snakes, I am the aqueous principle among those that live in water, I am the father of fathers, and among rulers I am death.

  30. 10.30

    प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्। मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम्॥

    prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṃ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham mṛgāṇāṃ ca mṛgendro'haṃ vainateyaśca pakṣiṇām

    And I am the devotee Prahlada among the heathens; of Time I am the Eternal Present; I am the Lion among beasts and the Eagle among birds.

  31. 10.31

    पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्। झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी॥

    pavanaḥ pavatāmasmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāmaham jhaṣāṇāṃ makaraścāsmi srotasāmasmi jāhnavī

    I am the wind among purifiers, the king Rama among warriors; I am the crocodile among fishes, and I am the Ganges among rivers.

  32. 10.32

    सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन। अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम्॥

    sargāṇāmādirantaśca madhyaṃ caivāhamarjuna adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṃ vādaḥ pravadatāmaham

    I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of creation; among sciences, I am the science of spirituality; I am the discussion among disputants.

  33. 10.33

    अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च। अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः॥

    akṣarāṇāmakāro'smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca ahamevākṣayaḥ kālo dhātā'haṃ viśvatomukhaḥ

    Of letters, I am A; I am the copulative in compound words; I am inexhaustible Time; and I am the all-pervading Preserver.

  34. 10.34

    मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम्। कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा॥

    mṛtyuḥ sarvaharaścāhamudbhavaśca bhaviṣyatām kīrtiḥ śrīrvākca nārīṇāṃ smṛtirmedhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā

    I am all-devouring Death; I am the Origin of all that will happen; I am Fame, Fortune, Speech, Memory, Intellect, Constancy, and Forgiveness.

  35. 10.35

    बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम्। मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः॥

    bṛhatsāma tathā sāmnāṃ gāyatrī chandasāmaham māsānāṃ mārgaśīrṣo'hamṛtūnāṃ kusumākaraḥ

    Of hymns, I am Brihatsama; of meters, I am Garatri; among months, I am Margasheersha (December); and I am Spring among seasons.

  36. 10.36

    द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्। जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम्॥

    dyūtaṃ chalayatāmasmi tejastejasvināmaham jayo'smi vyavasāyo'smi sattvaṃ sattvavatāmaham

    I am the gambler's cheat and the splendor of the splendid; I am victory; I am effort; and I am the purity of the pure.

  37. 10.37

    वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनंजयः। मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः॥

    vṛṣṇīnāṃ vāsudevo'smi pāṇḍavānāṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ munīnāmapyahaṃ vyāsaḥ kavīnāmuśanā kaviḥ

    I am Shri Krishna among the Vishnu-clan, Arjuna among the Pandavas, Vyasa among the saints, and Shukracharya among the sages.

  38. 10.38

    दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम्। मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम्॥

    daṇḍo damayatāmasmi nītirasmi jigīṣatām maunaṃ caivāsmi guhyānāṃ jñānaṃ jñānavatāmaham

    I am the scepter of rulers, the strategy of conquerors, the silence of mystery, and the wisdom of the wise.

  39. 10.39

    यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन। न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम्॥

    yaccāpi sarvabhūtānāṃ bījaṃ tadahamarjuna na tadasti vinā yatsyānmayā bhūtaṃ carācaram

    I am the seed of all beings, O Arjuna! No creature, moving or unmoving, can live without Me.

  40. 10.40

    नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परंतप। एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया॥

    nānto'sti mama divyānāṃ vibhūtīnāṃ paraṃtapa eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūtervistaro mayā

    O Arjuna! The aspects of My divine life are endless; I have mentioned only a few as an example.

  41. 10.41

    यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा। तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसंभवम्॥

    yadyadvibhūtimatsattvaṃ śrīmadūrjitameva vā tattadevāvagaccha tvaṃ mama tejoṃ'śasaṃbhavam

    Whatever is glorious, excellent, beautiful, and mighty, be assured that it comes from a fragment of My splendor.

  42. 10.42

    अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन। विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्॥

    athavā bahunaitena kiṃ jñātena tavārjuna viṣṭabhyāhamidaṃ kṛtsnamekāṃśena sthito jagat

    But what is the use of all these details to you, O Arjuna? I sustain this universe with only a small part of Myself.

English translation by Shri Purohit Swami (1935), public domain. Sanskrit text in the public domain. About Duvidha