The Yoga of Divine Glories

भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः ।यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ॥

bhūya eva mahābāho śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ |yatte'haṃ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā ||

Krishna said: Listen once more, mighty Arjuna, to my supreme words, which I speak for your good, because you take delight in them.

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 hosts of gods nor the great sages know my origin, for I am the beginning of the gods and the great sages in every way.

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

yo māmajamanādiṃ ca vetti lokamaheśvaram |asaṃmūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate ||

Whoever knows me as unborn and without beginning, the great lord of the worlds, is free from confusion among mortals and is released from all wrongdoing.

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

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

Understanding, knowledge, freedom from confusion, patience, truth, self-control and calm; pleasure and pain, birth and death, fear and fearlessness,

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

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

non-violence, evenness, contentment, austerity, giving, fame and disgrace: all these different states of beings come from me alone.

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 sages of old and the four Manus were born from my mind and share my nature. From them come all the creatures of this world.

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 ||

Whoever truly knows this glory and power of mine becomes joined to me in unshakable yoga. Of this there is no doubt.

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

maccittā madgataprāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam |kathayantaśca māṃ nityaṃ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca ||

With minds on me and lives given to me, they awaken one another, always speak about me, and find contentment and joy.

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 united with me and worship me with love, I give the yoga of understanding by which they come to me.

तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः ।नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ॥

teṣāmevānukampārthamahamajñānajaṃ tamaḥ |nāśayāmyātmabhāvastho jñānadīpena bhāsvatā ||

Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.

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

paraṃ brahma paraṃ dhāma pavitraṃ paramaṃ bhavān |puruṣaṃ śāśvataṃ divyamādidevamajaṃ vibhum ||

Arjuna said: You are the supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the supreme purifier. You are the eternal, divine Person, the first god, unborn and all-pervading.

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

āhustvāmṛṣayaḥ sarve devarṣirnāradastathā |asito devalo vyāsaḥ svayaṃ caiva bravīṣi me ||

All the sages say this of you, as do the divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa. And now you yourself tell me so.

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

sarvametadṛtaṃ manye yanmāṃ vadasi keśava |na hi te bhagavanvyaktiṃ vidurdevā na dānavāḥ ||

I accept as true all that you tell me, Krishna. Neither the gods nor the demons, Lord, understand your true manifestation.

स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम ।भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते ॥

svayamevātmanātmānaṃ vettha tvaṃ puruṣottama |bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa devadeva jagatpate ||

You alone know yourself through yourself, O supreme Person, source and lord of beings, god of gods, ruler of the world.

वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि ॥

vaktumarhasyaśeṣeṇa divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ |yābhirvibhūtibhirlokānimāṃstvaṃ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi ||

Please tell me fully about your divine glories, by which you pervade these worlds and remain in them.

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

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

How may I know you, O master of yoga, while always thinking of you? In which forms should I think of you, Lord?

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

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

Tell me again in detail about your power and glories, Krishna, for I am never tired of hearing your nectar-like words.

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

hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyā hyātmavibhūtayaḥ |prādhānyataḥ kuruśreṣṭha nāstyanto vistarasya me ||

Krishna said: Very well, I will tell you of my divine glories, but only the main ones, Arjuna, for there is no end to their full extent.

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥

ādityānāmahaṃ viṣṇurjyotiṣāṃ raviraṃśumān |marīcirmarutāmasmi nakṣatrāṇāmahaṃ śaśī ||

Among the Adityas I am Vishnu; among lights, the radiant sun. Among the Maruts I am Marichi; among the stars, the moon.

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः ।इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना ॥

vedānāṃ sāmavedo'smi devānāmasmi vāsavaḥ |indriyāṇāṃ manaścāsmi bhūtānāmasmi cetanā ||

Among the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; among the gods, Indra. Among the senses I am the mind; in living beings, I am awareness.

रुद्राणां शंकरश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् ।वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ॥

rudrāṇāṃ śaṃkaraścāsmi vitteśo yakṣarakṣasām |vasūnāṃ pāvakaścāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇāmaham ||

Among the Rudras I am Shankara; among yakshas and rakshasas, Kubera, lord of wealth. Among the Vasus I am fire; among peaks, Mount Meru.

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

purodhasāṃ ca mukhyaṃ māṃ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim |senānīnāmahaṃ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ ||

Among priests, Arjuna, know me as the chief, Brihaspati. Among generals I am Skanda; among bodies of water, the ocean.

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् ।यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ॥

maharṣīṇāṃ bhṛgurahaṃ girāmasmyekamakṣaram |yajñānāṃ japayajño'smi sthāvarāṇāṃ himālayaḥ ||

Among great sages I am Bhrigu; among words, the single syllable Om. Among offerings I am the quiet repetition of a sacred name; among things that do not move, the Himalaya.

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

aśvatthaḥ sarvavṛkṣāṇāṃ devarṣīṇāṃ ca nāradaḥ |gandharvāṇāṃ citrarathaḥ siddhānāṃ kapilo muniḥ ||

Among trees I am the sacred fig, the ashvattha; among divine sages, Narada. Among the gandharvas I am Chitraratha; among the perfected ones, the sage Kapila.

उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् ।ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ॥

uccaiḥśravasamaśvānāṃ viddhi māmamṛtodbhavam |airāvataṃ gajendrāṇāṃ narāṇāṃ ca narādhipam ||

Among horses, know me as Uchchaihshravas, born from the nectar; among lordly elephants, Airavata; and among people, the king.

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः ॥

āyudhānāmahaṃ vajraṃ dhenūnāmasmi kāmadhuk |prajanaścāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇāmasmi vāsukiḥ ||

Among weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows, the wish-fulfilling cow. I am Kandarpa, the god of love who brings new life; among serpents, Vasuki.

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् ।पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम् ॥

anantaścāsmi nāgānāṃ varuṇo yādasāmaham |pitṝṇāmaryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṃyamatāmaham ||

Among the nagas I am Ananta; among water beings, Varuna. Among the ancestors I am Aryaman; among those who keep order, Yama.

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम् ।मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ॥

prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṃ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham |mṛgāṇāṃ ca mṛgendro'haṃ vainateyaśca pakṣiṇām ||

Among the daityas I am Prahlada; among those who count, I am time. Among animals I am the lion; among birds, Garuda, son of Vinata.

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् ।झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥

pavanaḥ pavatāmasmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtāmaham |jhaṣāṇāṃ makaraścāsmi srotasāmasmi jāhnavī ||

Among purifiers I am the wind; among those who bear weapons, Rama. Among water creatures I am the makara; among rivers, the Ganga.

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन ।अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम् ॥

sargāṇāmādirantaśca madhyaṃ caivāhamarjuna |adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṃ vādaḥ pravadatāmaham ||

Of all creations I am the beginning, the end and the middle, Arjuna. Among kinds of knowledge I am knowledge of the self; in those who debate, I am the reasoning that seeks truth.

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च ।अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥

akṣarāṇāmakāro'smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca |ahamevākṣayaḥ kālo dhātāhaṃ viśvatomukhaḥ ||

Among letters I am the letter "a"; among compound words, the joining kind. I alone am endless time, and I am the creator whose face is everywhere.

मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् ।कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ॥

mṛtyuḥ sarvaharaścāhamudbhavaśca bhaviṣyatām |kīrtiḥ śrīrvākca nārīṇāṃ smṛtirmedhā dhṛtiḥ kṣamā ||

I am death that takes all, and the birth of what is yet to be. Among feminine qualities I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, firmness and patience.

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥

bṛhatsāma tathā sāmnāṃ gāyatrī chandasāmaham |māsānāṃ mārgaśīrṣo'hamṛtūnāṃ kusumākaraḥ ||

Among the Sama hymns I am the Brihat Sama; among metres, the Gayatri. Among months I am Margashirsha; among seasons, flower-bearing spring.

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् ॥

dyūtaṃ chalayatāmasmi tejastejasvināmaham |jayo'smi vyavasāyo'smi sattvaṃ sattvavatāmaham ||

Of those who deceive I am gambling; I am the brilliance of the brilliant. I am victory, I am firm effort, and I am the goodness of the good.

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनंजयः ।मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ॥

vṛṣṇīnāṃ vāsudevo'smi pāṇḍavānāṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ |munīnāmapyahaṃ vyāsaḥ kavīnāmuśanā kaviḥ ||

Among the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva; among the Pandavas, Arjuna himself. Among sages I am Vyasa; among poets, the poet Ushana.

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥

daṇḍo damayatāmasmi nītirasmi jigīṣatām |maunaṃ caivāsmi guhyānāṃ jñānaṃ jñānavatāmaham ||

Of those who restrain I am the rod of discipline; of those who seek victory, wise policy. Among secrets I am silence, and in the wise I am wisdom.

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

yaccāpi sarvabhūtānāṃ bījaṃ tadahamarjuna |na tadasti vinā yatsyānmayā bhūtaṃ carācaram ||

Whatever is the seed of all beings, that I am, Arjuna. Nothing that moves or does not move can exist without me.

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

nānto'sti mama divyānāṃ vibhūtīnāṃ parantapa |eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto vibhūtervistaro mayā ||

There is no end to my divine glories, Arjuna. What I have told you is only a small sample of their vast extent.

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन ।विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ॥

athavā bahunaitena kiṃ jñātena tavārjuna |viṣṭabhyāhamidaṃ kṛtsnamekāṃśena sthito jagat ||

But what need is there for you to know all this in detail, Arjuna? I stand holding up this entire universe with a single part of myself.