TRANSLATION
Of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi I am Vāsudeva, and of the Pāṇḍavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyāsa, and among great thinkers I am Uśanā.
PURPORT
Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Vāsudeva is the immediate expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva appear as the sons of Vasudeva. Amongst the sons of Pāṇḍu, Arjuna is famous and valiant. Indeed, he is the best of men and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. Among the
munis,
or learned men conversant in Vedic knowledge, Vyāsa is the greatest because he explained Vedic knowledge in many different ways for the understanding of the common mass of people in this age of Kali. And Vyāsa is also known as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa; therefore Vyāsa also represents Kṛṣṇa.
Kavis
are those who are capable of thinking thoroughly on any subject matter. Among the
kavis,
Uśanā was the spiritual master of the demons; he was extremely intelligent, far-seeing, political and spiritual in every way. Thus Uśanā is another representative of the opulence of Kṛṣṇa.
Bg 10.38
TEXT 38
TEXT
daṇḍo damayatām asmi
nītir asmi jigīṣatām
maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ
jñānaṁ jñānavatām aham
SYNONYMS
daṇḍaḥ-
punishment;
damayatām-
of all separation;
asmi-
I am;
nītiḥ-
morality;
asmi-
I am;
jigīṣatām-
of the victorious;
maunam-
silence;
ca-
and;
eva-
also;
asmi-
I am;
guhyānām-
of secrets;
jñānam-
knowledge;
jñānavatām
-of the wise;
aham-
I am.
TRANSLATION
Among punishments I am the rod of chastisement, and of those who seek victory, I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am wisdom.
PURPORT
There are many suppressing agents, of which the most important are those that cut down the miscreants. When miscreants are punished, the rod of chastisement represents Kṛṣṇa. Among those who are trying to be victorious in some field of activity, the most victorious element is morality. Among the confidential activities of hearing, thinking and meditating, silence is most important because by silence one can make progress very quickly. The wise man is he who can discriminate between matter and spirit, between God's superior and inferior natures. Such knowledge is Kṛṣṇa Himself.
Bg 10.39
TEXT 39
TEXT
yac cāpi sarva-bhūtānāṁ
bījaṁ tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vinā yat syān
mayā bhūtaṁ carācaram
SYNONYMS
yat-
whatever;
ca-
also;
api-
may be;
sarva-bhūtānām-
of all creations;
bījam-
the seed;
tat-
that;
aham-
I am;
arjuna
-O Arjuna;
na-
not;
tat-
that;
asti-
there is;
vinā-
without;
yat-
that;
syāt-
exists;
mayā-
by Me;
bhūtam-
created;
carācaram-
moving and unmoving.
TRANSLATION
Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being-moving or unmoving-that can exist without Me.
PURPORT
Everything has a cause, and that cause or seed of manifestation is Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa's energy, nothing can exist; therefore He is called omnipotent. Without His potency, neither the movable nor the unmovable can exist. Whatever existence is not founded on the energy of Kṛṣṇa is called
māyā,
that which is not.
Bg 10.40
TEXT 40
TEXT
nānto 'sti mama divyānāṁ
vibhūtīnāṁ parantapa
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto
vibhūter vistaro mayā
SYNONYMS
na-
nor;
antaḥ-
a limit;
asti-
is
there;
mama-
of My;
divyānām-
divine;
vibhūtīnam-
opulences;
parantapa
-O conquerer of the enemies;
eṣaḥ-
all this;
tu-
that;
uddeśataḥ-
examples;
proktaḥ-
spoken;
vibhūteḥ-
opulences;
vistaraḥ-
expanded;
mayā
-by Me.
TRANSLATION
O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.
PURPORT
As stated in the Vedic literature, although the opulences and energies of the Supreme are understood in various ways, there is no limit to such opulences; therefore not all the opulences and energies can be explained. Simply a few examples are being described to Arjuna to pacify his inquisitiveness.
Bg 10.41
TEXT 41
TEXT
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ
mama tejo-'ṁśa-sambhavam
SYNONYMS
yat yat
-whatever;
vibhūti
-opulences;
mat
-having;
sattvam
-existence;
śrīmat
-beautiful;
ūrjitam
-glorious;
eva
-certainly;
vā
-or;
tat tat
-all those;
eva
-certainly;
avagaccha
-you must know;
tvam
-you;
mama
-My;
tejaḥ-
splendor;
aṁśa
-partly;
sambhavam
-born of.
TRANSLATION
Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.
PURPORT
Any glorious or beautiful existence should be understood to be but a fragmental manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's opulence, whether it be in the spiritual or material world. Anything extraordinarily opulent should be considered to represent Kṛṣṇa's opulence.
Bg 10.42
TEXT 42
TEXT
atha vā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat
SYNONYMS
athavā-
or;
bahunā-
many;
etena
-by this kind;
kim-
what;
jñātena-
knowing;
tava-
you;
arjuna
-O Arjuna;
viṣṭabhya-
entire;
aham-
I;
idam-
this;
kṛtsnam-
all manifestations;
eka-
one;
aṁśena
-part;
sthithaḥ-
situated;
jagat-
in the universe.
TRANSLATION
But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.
PURPORT
The Supreme Lord is represented throughout the entire material universes by His entering into all things as the Supersoul. The Lord here tells Arjuna that there is no point in understanding how things exist in their separate opulence and grandeur. He should know that all things are existing due to Kṛṣṇa's entering them as Supersoul. From Brahmā, the most gigantic entity, on down to the smallest ant, all are existing because the Lord has entered each and all and is sustaining them.
Worship of demigods is discouraged herein because even the greatest demigods like Brahmā and Śiva only represent part of the opulence of the Supreme Lord. He is the origin of everyone born, and no one is greater than Him. He is
samatā,
which means that no one is superior to Him and that no one is equal to Him. In the
Viṣṇu-mantra
it is said that one who considers the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in the same category with demigods-be they even Brahmā or Śiva-becomes at once an atheist. If, however, one thoroughly studies the different descriptions of the opulences and expansions of Kṛṣṇa's energy, then one can understand without any doubt the position of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and can fix his mind in the worship of Kṛṣṇa without deviation. The Lord is all-pervading by the expansion of His partial representation, the Supersoul, who enters into everything that is. Pure devotees, therefore, concentrate their minds in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full devotional service; therefore they are always situated in the transcendental position. Devotional service and worship of Kṛṣṇa are very clearly indicated in this chapter in verses eight to eleven. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Tenth Chapter of the
Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā
in the matter of the Opulence of the Absolute.
Bg 11: The Universal Form
11. The Universal Form
Bg 11.1
TEXT 1
TEXT
arjuna uvāca
mad-anugrahāya paramaṁ
guhyam adhyātma-saṁjñitam
yat tvayoktaṁ vacas tena
moho 'yaṁ vigato mama
SYNONYMS
arjunaḥ uvāca-
Arjuna said;
mat-anugrahāya-
just to show me favor;
paramam-
supreme;
guhyam-
confidential;
adhyātma-
spiritual;
saṁjñitam-
in the matter of;
yat-
what;
tvayā-
by You;
uktam-
said;
vacaḥ-
words;
tena-
by that;
mohaḥ-
illusion;
ayam-
this;
vigataḥ-
is
educated;
mama-
my.
TRANSLATION
Arjuna said: I have heard Your instruction on confidential spiritual matters which You have so kindly delivered unto me, and my illusion is now dispelled.
PURPORT
This chapter reveals Kṛṣṇa as the cause of all causes. He is even the cause of the Mahā-Viṣṇu, and from Him the material universes emanate. Kṛṣṇa is not an incarnation; He is the source of all incarnations. That has been completely explained in the last chapter.
Now, as far as Arjuna is concerned, he says that his illusion is over. This means that Arjuna no longer thinks of Kṛṣṇa as a mere human being, as a friend of his, but as the source of everything. Arjuna is very enlightened and is glad that he has a great friend like Kṛṣṇa, but now he is thinking that although he may accept Kṛṣṇa as the source of everything, others may not. So in order to establish Kṛṣṇa's divinity for all, he is requesting Kṛṣṇa in this chapter to show His universal form. Actually when one sees the universal form of Kṛṣṇa one becomes frightened, like Arjuna, but Kṛṣṇa is so kind that after showing it He converts Himself again into His original form. Arjuna agrees to what Kṛṣṇa says several times. Kṛṣṇa is speaking to him just for his benefit, and Arjuna acknowledges that all this is happening to him by Kṛṣṇa's grace. He is now convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes and is present in everyone's heart as the Supersoul.
Bg 11.2
TEXT 2
TEXT
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṁ
śrutau vistaraśo mayā
tvattaḥ kamala-patrākṣa
māhātmyam api cāvyayam
SYNONYMS
bhava-
appearance;
apyayau-
disappearance;
hi-
certainly;
bhūtānām-
of all living entities;
śrutau-
have heard;
vistaraśaḥ-
detail;
mayā-
by me;
tvattaḥ-
from You;
kamala-patrākṣa
-O lotus-eyed one;
māhātmyam-
glories;
api-
also;
ca-
and;
avyayam-
inexhaustible.
TRANSLATION
O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity, as realized through Your inexhaustible glories.
PURPORT
Arjuna addresses Lord Kṛṣṇa as "lotus-eyed" (Kṛṣṇa's eyes appear just like the petals of a lotus flower) out of his joy, for Kṛṣṇa has assured him, in the last verse of the previous chapter, that He sustains the entire universe with just a fragment of Himself. He is the source of everything in this material manifestation, and Arjuna has heard of this from the Lord in detail. Arjuna further knows that in spite of His being the source of all appearances and disappearances, He is aloof from them. His personality is not lost, although He is all-pervading. That is the inconceivable opulence of Kṛṣṇa which Arjuna admits that he has thoroughly understood.
Bg 11.3
TEXT 3
TEXT
evam etad yathāttha tvam
ātmānaṁ parameśvara
draṣṭum icchāmi te rūpam
aiśvaraṁ puruṣottama
SYNONYMS
evam-
that;
etat-
this;
yathāttha-
as it is;
tvam-
You;
ātmānam-
the soul;
parameśvara-
the Supreme Lord;
draṣṭum-
to see;
icchāmi-
I wish;
te-
You;
rūpam-
form;
aiśvaram-
divine;
puruṣottama
-O best of personalities.
TRANSLATION
O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see here before me Your actual position, I yet wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours.