Indian stream·Bhagavad Gita·Discourse 10: The Yoga of the Divine Manifestations
Vibhūti-yoga — the divine glories enumerated
Kṛṣṇa enumerates his vibhūtis — his divine glories — answering Arjuna's request to be told 'by what aspects, O Yogin, must I think of you.' Among the Adityas Viṣṇu, among lights the radiant sun, among Maruts Marīci, among mountains Meru, among horses Uccaiḥśravas, among rivers Gaṅgā, among letters A, among meters Gāyatrī…
Source context
- Theme
- Krishna's self-disclosure as the immanent source of all cosmic manifestations and divine excellences (vibhutis)
- Soul-faculty
- Intellectual Soul
Steiner
- GA 142, 1912-12-28Steiner identifies the Bhagavad Gita as the harmonious interpenetration of Vedic philosophical streams, directly relevant to Krishna's enumeration of divine manifestations as expressions of those streams.
- GA 146, 1913-06-05Steiner treats the three gunas (sattwa, rajas, tamas) as cosmic principles through which Krishna's self-manifestation operates, structurally continuous with the vibhuti-teaching of Discourse 10.
Cross-tradition
- Neoplatonism (Plotinus, Enneads)Plotinus's doctrine of emanation — the One expressing itself through graduated hypostases of Nous and Soul — shows cross-tradition congruence with Krishna's enumeration of himself as the best or highest in each category of beings.
- Kabbalah (Sefirot doctrine)The Kabbalistic sefirot as divine attributes through which Ein Sof manifests within creation parallels the vibhutis as disclosed channels through which the Absolute becomes perceptible in specific excellences.
- Sufi metaphysics (Ibn Arabi, tajalliyat)Ibn Arabi's concept of tajalliyat — divine self-disclosures through every existent — shows cross-tradition congruence with Krishna's declaration that each outstanding manifestation in the world is a spark of his splendor.
Discourse 10: The Yoga of the Divine Manifestations
10:1The Blessed Lord said: Again, O mighty-armed, hear thou My supreme word,
that, desiring thy welfare, I will declare to thee who art beloved.
10:2The multitude of the Shining Ones, or the great Rishis, know not my
forthcoming, for I am the beginning of all the Shining Ones and the great Rishis.
10:3He who knoweth Me, unborn, beginningless, the great Lord of the world, he,
among mortals without delusion, is liberated from all sin.
10:4Reason, wisdom, non-illusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, calmness,
pleasure, pain, existence, non-existence, fear, and also courage,
10:5Harmlessness, equanimity, content, austerity, almsgiving, fame and obloquy are
the various characteristics of beings issuing from Me.
10:6The seven great Rishis, the ancient Four, and also the Manus, were born of My
nature and mind; of them this race was generated.
10:7He who knows in essence that sovereignty and yoga of Mine, he is harmonised
by unfaltering yoga; there is no doubt thereof.
10:8I am the Generator of all; all evolves from Me; understanding thus, the wise
adore Me in rapt emotion.
10:9Mindful of Me, their life hidden in Me, illumining each other, ever conversing
about Me, they are content and joyful.
10:10To these, ever harmonious, worshipping in love, I give the yoga of
discrimination by which they come unto Me.
10:11Out of pure compassion for them, dwelling within their Self, I destroy the
ignorance-born darkness by the shining lamp of wisdom.
10:12Arjuna said: Thou art the supreme Eternal, the supreme Abode, the supreme
Purity, eternal divine man, primeval Deity, unborn, the Lord!
10:13All the Rishis have thus acclaimed Thee, as also the divine Rishi, Narada; so
Asita, Devala, and Vyasa; and now Thou Thyself tellest it me.
10:14All this I believe true that Thou sayest to me, O Keshava. Thy manifestation, O
Blessed Lord, neither Shining Ones nor Danavas comprehend.
10:15Thyself indeed knowest Thyself by Thyself, O Purushottama! Source of
beings, Lord of beings, Shining One of Shining Ones, Ruler of the world!
10:16Deign to tell without reserve of Thine own divine glories, by which glories
Thou remainest pervading these worlds.
10:17How may I know thee, O Yogi, by constant meditation? In what, in what
aspects art Thou to be thought of by me, O blessed Lord?
10:18In detail tell me again of Thy yoga and glory, O Janardana; for me there is
never satiety in hearing thy life-giving words.
10:19The Blessed Lord said: Blessed be thou! I will declare to thee My divine glory
by its chief characteristics, O best of the Kurus; there is no end to details of Me.
10:20I, O Gudakesha, am the Self, seated in the heart of all beings; I am the
beginning, the middle, and also the end of all beings.
10:21Of the Adityas I am Vishnu; of radiances the glorious sun; I am Marichi of the
Maruts; of the asterisms the Moon am I.
10:22Of the Vedas I am the Sama-Veda; I am Vasava of the Shining Ones; and of the
senses I am the mind; I am of living beings the intelligence.
10:23And of the Rudras Shankara am I; Vittesha of the Yakshas and Rakshasas; and
of the Vasus I am Pavaka; Meru of high mountains am I.
10:24And know Me, O Partha, of household priests the chief, Brihaspati; of generals
I am Skanda; of lakes I am the ocean.
10:25Of the great Rishis Bhrigu; of speech I am the one syllable; of sacrifices I am
the sacrifice of silent repetitions; of immovable things the Himalaya.
10:26Asvattha of all trees; and of divine Rishis Narada; of Gandharvas Chitraratha;
of the perfected the Muni Kapila.
10:27Uchchaishravas of horses know me, nectar-born; Airavata of lordly elephants,
and among men the Monarch.
10:28Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; of cows I am Kamadhuk; I am Kandarpa of
the progenitors; of serpents Vasuki am I.
10:29And I am Ananta of Nagas, Varuna of sea-dwellers I; and of ancestors
Aryaman; Yama of governors am I.
10:30And I am Prahlada of Daityas; of calculators Time am I; and of wild beasts the
imperial beast; and Vainateya of birds.
10:31Of purifiers I am the wind; Rama of warriors I; and I am Makara of fishes; of
streams the Ganga am I.
10:32Of creations the beginning and the ending, and also the middle am I, O Arjuna.
Of sciences the science concerning the Self; the speech of orators I.
10:33Of letters the letter A I am, and the duality of a compound; I also everlasting
Time; I the Supporter, whose face turns everywhere.
10:34And all-devouring Death am I, and the origin of all to come; and of feminine
qualities, fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, constancy, forgiveness.
10:35Of hymns also Brihatsaman; Gayatri of metres am I; of months I am
Margashirsha; of seasons the flowery.
10:36I am the gambling of the cheat, and the splendour of splendid things I; I am
victory, I am determination, and the truth of the truthful I.
10:37Of the Vrishnis Vasudeva am I; of the Pandavas Dhananjaya; of the Sages also
I am Vyasa; of poets Ushana the Bard.
10:38Of rulers I am the sceptre; of those that seek victory I am statesmanship; and
of secrets I am also silence; the knowledge of knowers am I.
10:39And whatsoever is the seed of all beings, that am I, O Arjuna; nor is there
aught, moving or unmoving, that may exist bereft of Me.
10:40There is no end of My divine powers, O Parantapa. What has been declared is
illustrative of My infinite glory.
10:41Whatsoever is glorious, good, beautiful, and mighty, understand thou that to go
forth from a fragment of My splendour.
10:42But what is the knowledge of all these details to thee, O Arjuna? Having
pervaded this whole universe with one fragment of Myself, I remain.
JSON: /api/sources/bhagavad-gita/10-discourse-10-the-yoga-of-the-divine-manifestations.json