Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 10 of 18 · 42 verses
Divine Splendor
Vibhūti Yoga
What this chapter teaches
Krishna describes how divinity shines through the finest expressions of nature, art, speech, time, courage, and human endeavor — the divine signature in all excellence.
Chapter 10 is a catalog of divine excellence — vibhūti (divine manifestations). Krishna explains that wherever you find the best, the strongest, the most beautiful, the most brilliant — that is his glory. He is the beginning, middle, and end of all beings; among weapons he is the thunderbolt; among rivers, the Ganges; among seasons, spring; among animals, the lion; among words, OM; among mountains, the Himalayas. This chapter inspires wonder and the recognition of the sacred in the extraordinary.
All 42 verses — Sanskrit, transliteration, English
श्री भगवानुवाच भूय एव महाबाहो श्रृणु मे परमं वचः। यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca bhūya eva mahābāho śrṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ | yatte'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā ||
The Blessed Lord said O mighty-armed one, listen over again ot My supreme utterance, which I, wishing your welfare, shall speak to you who take delight (in it).
न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः। अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः॥
na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ | ahamādirhi devānāṁ maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ ||
Neither the gods nor the great sages know My majesty. For, in all respects, I am the source of the gods and the great sages.
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम्। असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते॥
yo māmajamanādiṁ ca vetti lokamaheśvaram | asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate ||
He who knows Me-the birthless, the beginningless, and the great Lord of the worlds, he, the undeluded one among mortals, becomes freed from all sins.
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसंमोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः। सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च॥
buddhirjñānamasaṁmohaḥ kṣamā satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ | sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavo'bhāvo bhayaṁ cābhayameva ca ||
Intelligence, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, control of the external organs, control of the internal organs, happiness, sorrow, birth, death and fear as also fearlessness;
अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः। भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः॥
ahiṁsā samatā tuṣṭistapo dānaṁ yaśo'yaśaḥ | bhavanti bhāvā bhūtānāṁ matta eva pṛthagvidhāḥ ||
Non-injury, eanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame, infamy-(these) different dispositions of beings spring from Me alone.
महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा। मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः॥
maharṣayaḥ sapta pūrve catvāro manavastathā | madbhāvā mānasā jātā yeṣāṁ loka imāḥ prajāḥ ||
The seven great sages as also the four Manus of anceint days, of whom are these creatures in the world, had their thoughts fixed on Me, and they were born from My mind.
एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः। सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः॥
etāṁ vibhūtiṁ yogaṁ ca mama yo vetti tattvataḥ | so'vikampena yogena yujyate nātra saṁśayaḥ ||
One who knows truly this majesty and yoga of Mine, he becomes imbued with unwavering Yoga. There is no doubt about this.
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते। इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः॥
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate | iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāvasamanvitāḥ ||
I am the origin of all; everything moves on owing to Me. Realizing thus, the wise ones, filled with fervour, adore Me.
मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम्। कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च॥
maccittā madgataprāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam | kathayantaśca māṁ nityaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca ||
With minds fixed on Me, with lives dedicated to Me, enlightening each other, and always speaking of Me, they derive satisfaction and rejoice.
तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम्। ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते॥
teṣāṁ satatayuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prītipūrvakam | dadāmi buddhiyogaṁ taṁ yena māmupayānti te ||
To them who are ever devoted and worship Me with love, I grant that possession of wisdom by which they reach Me.
तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः। नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता॥
teṣāmevānukampārthamahamajñānajaṁ tamaḥ | nāśayāmyātmabhāvastho jñānadīpena bhāsvatā ||
Out of compassion for them alone, I, residing in their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the luminous lamp of Knowledge.
अर्जुन उवाच परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्। पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम्॥
arjuna uvāca paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān | puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyamādidevamajaṁ vibhum ||
आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा। असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे॥
āhustvāmṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣirnāradastathā | asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me ||
-10.13 Arjuna said You are the supreme Brahman, the supreme Light, the supreme Sanctifier. All the sages as also the divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa [Although Narada and the other sages are already mentioned by the words 'all the sages', still they are named separately because of their eminence. Asita is the father of Devala.] call You the eternal divine Person, the Primal God, the Birthless, the Omnipresent; and You Yourself verily tell me (so).
सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव। न हि ते भगवन् व्यक्ितं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः॥
sarvametadṛtaṁ manye yanmāṁ vadasi keśava | na hi te bhagavan vyakitaṁ vidurdevā na dānavāḥ ||
O Kesava, I accept to be true all this which You tell me. Certainly, O Lord, neither the gods nor the demons comprehend Your glory.
स्वयमेवात्मनाऽत्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम। भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते॥
svayamevātmanā'tmānaṁ vettha tvaṁ puruṣottama | bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa devadeva jagatpate ||
वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः। याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि॥
vaktumarhasyaśeṣeṇa divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ | yābhirvibhūtibhirlokānimāṁstvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi ||
Be pleased to speak in full of Your own manifestations which are indeed divine, through which manifestations You exist pervading these worlds.
कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन्। केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया॥
kathaṁ vidyāmahaṁ yogiṁstvāṁ sadā paricintayan | keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu cintyo'si bhagavanmayā ||
O Yogi, [Here yoga stands for the results of yoga, viz omniscience, omnipotence, etc.; one possessed of these is a yogi. (See Comm. on 10.7)] how shall I know You by remaining ever-engaged in meditation? And through what objects, O Lord, are You to be meditated on by me?
विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन। भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि श्रृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम्॥
vistareṇātmano yogaṁ vibhūtiṁ ca janārdana | bhūyaḥ kathaya tṛptirhi śrṛṇvato nāsti me'mṛtam ||
O Janardana, narrate to me again [In addition to what has been said in the seventh and ninth chapters.] Your onw yoga and (divine) manifestations elaborately. For, while hearing (Your) nectar-like (words), there is no satiety in me.
श्री भगवानुवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः। प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे॥
śrī bhagavānuvāca hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ | prādhānyataḥ kuruśreṣṭha nāstyanto vistarasya me ||
The Blessed Lord said O best of the Kurus, now, according to their importance, I shall described to you My onw glories, which are indeed divine. There is no end to my manifestations.
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः। अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च॥
ahamātmā guḍākeśa sarvabhūtāśayasthitaḥ | ahamādiśca madhyaṁ ca bhūtānāmanta eva ca ||
O Gudakesa, I am the Self residing in the hearts of all beings, and I am the beginning and the middle as also the end of (all) beings.
आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान्। मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी॥
ādityānāmahaṁ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṁ raviraṁśumān | marīcirmarutāmasmi nakṣatrāṇāmahaṁ śaśī ||
Among the Adityas [viz Dhata, Mitra, aryama, Rudra, Varuna, Surya, Bhaga, Vivasvan, Pusa, Savita, Tvasta and Visnu.-Tr.] I am Visnu; among the luminaries, the radiant sun; among the (forty-nine) Maruts [The seven groups of Maruts are Avaha, Pravaha, Vivaha, Paravaha, Udvaha, Samvaha and parivaha.-Tr.] I am Marici; among the stars I am the moon.
वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः। इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना॥
vedānāṁ sāmavedo'smi devānāmasmi vāsavaḥ | indriyāṇāṁ manaścāsmi bhūtānāmasmi cetanā ||
Among the Vedas I am Sama-veda; among the gods I am Indra. Among the organs I am the mind, and I am the intelligence in creatures.
रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम्। वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम्॥
rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraścāsmi vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām | vasūnāṁ pāvakaścāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇāmaham ||
Among the Rudras [Aja, Ekapada, Ahirbudhnya, Pinaki, Aparajita, Tryam-baka, Mahesvara, Vrsakapi, Sambhu, Harana and Isvara. Different Puranas give different lists of eleven names.-Tr,] I am Sankara, and among the Yaksas and goblins I am Kubera [God of wealth. Yaksas are a class of demigods who attend on him and guard his wealth.]. Among the Vasus [According to the V.P. they are: Apa, dhruva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Anala (Fire), Pratyusa and Prabhasa. The Mbh. and the Bh. given a different list.-Tr.] I am Fire, and among the mountains I am Meru.
पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम्। सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः॥
purodhasāṁ ca mukhyaṁ māṁ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim | senānīnāmahaṁ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ ||
O son of Prtha, know me to be Brhaspati, the foremost among the priests of kings. Among comanders of armies I am Skanda; among large expanses of water I am the sea.
महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम्। यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः॥
maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgurahaṁ girāmasmyekamakṣaram | yajñānāṁ japayajño'smi sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ ||
Among the great sages I am Bhrgu; of words I am the single syllable (Om) [Om is the best because it is the name as well as the symbol of Brahman.]. Among rituals I am the ritual of Japa [Japa, muttering prayers-repeating passages from the Vedas, silently repeating names of deities, etc. Rituals often involve killing of animals. But Japa is free from such injury, and hence the best.] of the immovables, the Himalaya.
अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः। गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः॥
aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṁ devarṣīṇāṁ ca nāradaḥ | gandharvāṇāṁ citrarathaḥ siddhānāṁ kapilo muniḥ ||
Among all trees (I am) the Asvatha (peepul), and Narada among the divine sages. Among the dandharvas [A class of demigods regarded as the musicians of gods.] (I am) Citraratha; among the perfected ones, the sage Kapila.
उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम्। ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम्॥
uccaiḥśravasamaśvānāṁ viddhi māmamṛtodbhavam | airāvataṁ gajendrāṇāṁ narāṇāṁ ca narādhipam ||
Among horses, know Me to be Uccaihsravas, born of nectar; Airavata among the lordly elephants; and among men, the Kind of men. [Uccaihsravas and Airavata are respectively the divine horse and elephant of Indra.]
आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक्। प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः॥
āyudhānāmahaṁ vajraṁ dhenūnāmasmi kāmadhuk | prajanaścāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇāmasmi vāsukiḥ ||
Among weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am kamadhenu. I am Kandarpa, the Progenitor, and among serpents I am Vasuki.
अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम्। पितृ़णामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम्॥
anantaścāsmi nāgānāṁ varuṇo yādasāmaham | pitṛṇāmaryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṁyamatāmaham ||
Among snakes I am Ananta, and Varuna among gods of the waters. Among the manes I am Aryama, and among the maintainers of law and order I am Yama (King of death).
प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्। मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम्॥
prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṁ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham | mṛgāṇāṁ ca mṛgendro'haṁ vainateyaśca pakṣiṇām ||
Among demons I am Prahlada, and I am Time among reckoners of time. And among animals I am the loin, and among birds I am Garuda.
पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्। झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी॥
pavanaḥ pavatāmasmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāmaham | jhaṣāṇāṁ makaraścāsmi srotasāmasmi jāhnavī ||
Of the purifiers I am air; among the wielders of weapons I am Rama. Among fishes, too, I am the shark; I am Ganga among rivers.
सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन। अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम्॥
sargāṇāmādirantaśca madhyaṁ caivāhamarjuna | adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṁ vādaḥ pravadatāmaham ||
O Arjuna, of creations I am the beginning and the end as also the middle, I am the knowledge of the Self among knowledge; of those who date I am vada.
अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च। अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः॥
akṣarāṇāmakāro'smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca | ahamevākṣayaḥ kālo dhātā'haṁ viśvatomukhaḥ ||
Of the letters I am the letter a, and of the group of compund words I am (the compound called) Dvandva. [Dvandva: A compound of two or more words which, if not compounded, would stand in the same case and be connected by the conjunction 'and'.-Tr.] I Mayself am the infinite time; I am the Dispenser with faces everywhere.
मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम्। कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा॥
mṛtyuḥ sarvaharaścāhamudbhavaśca bhaviṣyatām | kīrtiḥ śrīrvākca nārīṇāṁ smṛtirmedhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā ||
And I am Death, the destroyer of all; and the prosperity of those destined to be prosperous. Of the feminine [Narinam may mean 'of the feminine alities'. According to Sridhara Swami and S., the words fame etc. signify the goddesses of the respective alities. According to M.S. these seven goddesses are the wives of the god Dharma.-Tr.] (I am) fame, beauty, speech, memory, intelligence, fortitude and forbearance.
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम्। मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः॥
bṛhatsāma tathā sāmnāṁ gāyatrī chandasāmaham | māsānāṁ mārgaśīrṣo'hamṛtūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ ||
I am also the Brhat-sama of the Sama (-mantras); of the metres, Gayatri. Of the months I am Marga-sirsa, and of the seasons, spring.
द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्। जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम्॥
dyūtaṁ chalayatāmasmi tejastejasvināmaham | jayo'smi vyavasāyo'smi sattvaṁ sattvavatāmaham ||
Of the fraudulent I am the gambling; I am the irresistible ?nd of the mighty. I am excellene, I am effort, I am the sattva ality of those possessed of sattva.
वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनंजयः। मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः॥
vṛṣṇīnāṁ vāsudevo'smi pāṇḍavānāṁ dhanaṁjayaḥ | munīnāmapyahaṁ vyāsaḥ kavīnāmuśanā kaviḥ ||
Of the vrsnis [The clan to which Sri krsna belonged, known otherwise as the Yadavas.] I am Vasudeva; of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya (Arjuna). And of the wise, I am Vyasa; of the omniscient, the omniscient Usanas.
दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम्। मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम्॥
daṇḍo damayatāmasmi nītirasmi jigīṣatām | maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ jñānaṁ jñānavatāmaham ||
Of the punishers I am the rod; I am the righteous policy of those who desire to coner. And of things secret, I am verily silence; I am knowledge of the men of knowledge৷৷
यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन। न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम्॥
yaccāpi sarvabhūtānāṁ bījaṁ tadahamarjuna | na tadasti vinā yatsyānmayā bhūtaṁ carācaram ||
Moreover, O Arjuna, whatsoever is the seed of all beings, that I am. There is no thing moving or non-moving which can exist without Me.
नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परंतप। एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया॥
nānto'sti mama divyānāṁ vibhūtīnāṁ paraṁtapa | eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūtervistaro mayā ||
O destroyer of enemies, there is no limit to My divine manifestations. This description of (My) manifestations, however, has been stated by Me by way illustration.
यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा। तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसंभवम्॥
yadyadvibhūtimatsattvaṁ śrīmadūrjitameva vā | tattadevāvagaccha tvaṁ mama tejoṁ'śasaṁbhavam ||
Whatever object [All living beings] is verily endowed with majesty, possessed of prosperity, or is energetic, you know for certain each of them as having a part of My power as its source.
अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन। विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्॥
athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna | viṣṭabhyāhamidaṁ kṛtsnamekāṁśena sthito jagat ||
Or, on the other hand, what is the need of your knowing this extensively, O Arjuna? I remain sustaning this whole creation in a special way with a part (of Myself).
In the Jivana app every verse also carries a word-by-word Sanskrit glossary, audio recitation where available, and a private reflection journal. Chapters 1–3 are free; this chapter is included with Jivana Premium.