Adhyaya 10 : Vibhooti Yőga

 lntroduction

The single Absolute brings out of Itself the diversity of the universal manifestations. Unmanifest is the cause of the manifest and Itself is beginningless, having no cause. It is the source of everything. On account of It everything evolves and functions. The Unmanitest is very difficult to contemplate upon. The 9th Adhyăya dealt with various modes of devotion to worship God in his manifest forms. Lord had enumerated certain objects, essences and energies in which the Absolute manifested. Arjuna became curious to know all forms of the Lord’s manifestations and accordingly he puts up a question.

Verses 1 to 7

The Lord begins with expressing his love for Arjuna in whom he finds a receptive mind that gets delighted by his teachings of high order. He is interested in his well-being, so the Lord urges him to listen.

The Lord states that even seers and the devas are unable to know His root because he is their origin by all means. He declares that he who knows Him birth less, having no beginning and the Lord of all worlds does not get deluded and is freed from all sins.

The Lord explains in what way He is the Lord of everything. Intellect, knowledge, daubtlessness, perseverance, truth, control of senses, calmness, joy and sorrow, existence and non-existence, fear and fearlessness, non-violence equanimity of mind, satisfaction, penance, charity, fame and infamy.... these varied states expressed in many natures of living beings are produced by Him alone... Thus all emotional and intellectual qualities and experiences are induced by the Eternal Principle.

Seven great sages, the ancient four and Manus belong to His nature and were the products of his mind. From them descended the living beings on this earth.

One who truly knows this opulence and mystic power of Him, practising Yőga with undeterred mind doubtlessly attains union with Him.

Verses 8 to 11

"I am the source of everything and all things evolve from Me. Knowing this the men of wisdom worship Me with their hearts full of devotion." Proclaiming this the Lord showers praise on such worshippers and narrates what rewards he grants them in return of their devotion.

Their thoughts, their life forces are always absorbed in Him. Instructing each other and singing His glory they remain happy and contented.

To such devotees of constant awareness and love towards Him, He grants mental steadiness by which they are able to reach Him. Out of compassion for them and still remaining in His own nature the Lord dispels their ignorance by Himself lighting the lamp of knowledge in their hearts. The Lord Himself strengthens the devotion and the steadfastness of his devotees who are constantly engaged in his worship.

Verses 12 to 18

Filled with divine emotions Arjuna became curious to know more about the glorious aspects of the Lord. He minced no words in showering high praise on the Lord. He uttered :-

"You are ParaBrahma, the Supreme Absolute, Param Dham, the highest abode, utterly holy, a great purifier. You are the self glowing Eternal Lord, the first God, birthless and all pervading."

Arjuna cites the words of sages and the words of Narada, Deval, Asit, Vysă including the Lord’s own words which praised the Lord in the same glory as Arjuna did. Arjuna frankly admits that whatever has been taught to him by the Lord he accepts it as the truth. Neither gods nor the demons comprehend His manifested form. Calling him the great Lord the source of ael life, master of all creatures, God of gods and the Lord of the world Arjuna declares that the Lord alone knows what He is by his own nature. Arjuna urges the Lord to speak to him, holding back nothing, his divine opulence by which pervading all these worlds He stays within and beyond them. Arjuna asks the Lord how he would recognise Him while constantly meditating on Him and in what various forms He should be contemplated upon.. He pleads to the Lord to narrate all his divine power and his divine manifestations again at length because he would never be fully satisfied listening to his nectar-like words.

Verses 19 to 30

The Lord responds to Arjuna’s prayer and agrees to narrate his divine opulence of prominent nature only since his extensions have no limit. The Lord begins:

"Oh Arjuna! I am the Atman occupying the hearts of all living beings. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings. I am Vishnu of the Adityas, I am the radiant sun among the luminous, I am Marichi among the wind Gods and among night stars I am the moon .

Among Vedas I am Săma Veda, I am lndra among heavenly gods. I am the mind among the senses. Among living beings I am the moving force. I am Shankar among the Rudras and the Lord of the wealth among Yakshas and Rakshasas I am fire among vasus and among mountain peaks I am Meru. Among priests know Me the chief Brihaspati, among generals I am Skanda. I am ocean among waters.

I am Bhrigu among great sages, Among spoken words I am the single syllable om, Among the sacrifices I am the silent prayer and among the immovables I am the Himalayas.

Among the trees I am the Banyan tree. Among godly sages I am Narad, among gandharvas, the celestial musicians I am Chitraratha and I am the sage Kapila among the perfected souls. Among horses sprung out of the nectar-churning know me Uchaishravas I am Airavat among royal elephants. I am the king among men. Among weapons I am the thunderbolt, among cows. I am Kamadhenu I am the love god Madan among the creators of life. I am Vasuki among serpents. I am Ananta among the snakes. I am Varuna among all aquatics. Among departed fathers I am Aryama. Among the controllers I am Yama, the god of death. I am Prahlad among the demons, Among those who measure I am the time. I am the lion among the beasts and among birds I am Vainateya, the Garuda.

Verses 31 to 42

Among the purifiers I am the wind. I am Rama among warriors. Among the fishes I am crocodile. 1 am Ganga among rivers.

I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all creation. I am spiritual learning among all leanings. 1 am the logic among arguments.

Among letters I am "v " among the compounds I am the dual compound. I am the endless time, I am the sustainer with faces to all directions.

I am death that devours all. I am the source of all that to happen. Among feminine I am fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience. I am the great Sama of all the Vedic hymns, among the poetic metres I am Găyatri. I am Mărgashirsha among the months and among seasons I am the spring full of flowers. I am the gambling of the deceitful. I am the splendour of the splendid, I am triumph, I am the enterprise and I am virtue of the virtuous.

I am Vasudeva among Vrishnis I am Dhananjay among Pandavas; I am, Vyasa among sages; among great thinkers I am Ushana (the Great Shukracharya, the master of demons)

Among the rulers I am sceptre; among those who seek victory I am morality. Among the secrets I am silence and I am wisdom of the wise.

"Oh Arjuna I am the seed of all created things Nothing in this world movable or immovable can exist without me."

Lord Krishna while summing up the various aspects of the Absolute Brahman mentions about its divine power by comparing it with the generating seed. The Lord now concludes by taking the discourse to higher plane. He declares:-

"There is no limit to my divine manifestations. What I have said to you is merely an indication of the vast expanse of my opulence.

"Whatever in this world is powerful, beautiful and glorious that you may know to have sprung from a fraction of my splendour.

But what need is there to know all this huge variety, oh Arjuna? Pervading this entire universe by a single fragment of myself I exist sustaining it."

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