Chapter X (19 - 42)

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श्री भगवानुवाच -

हन्त ते कथष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतय: ।

प्राधान्यत: कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ॥ १९ ॥

Shri Bhagawan said:  I shall speak to Thee now, Oh best of the Kurus! of My Divine attributes, according to their prominence;  there is no end to the particulars of My manifestation.

(X - 19)

Arjuna asks for a detailed and complete elaboration on His manifestations.  Shri Krishna replies He will be brief in description.  Why?  ‘My manifestations are infinite’, says Shri Krishna.  Shri Krishna is in human form.  The Infinite Paramaatman has bound Himself in a finite Form.  A finite can not fully describe an Infinite.  The same Shri Krishna in the next chapter says, “See My Infinite Forms.  See as much as you wish”, when Arjuna expresses his desire to see His one Form.  Brief in words and Elaborate in Form.;.

The discussion in the last shlokam continues here.  The listener’s ahankara tries to fathom the speaker.  The listener, Arjuna asks for a detailed and full description, while the spaeker says, “I will narrate in short”.  In the next chapter, realizing his inability and ignorance he pleads, ‘If I can see, please show one of your Forms’.  But Shri Krishna asks him to see His Innumerable Forms.  He also offers Arjuna Divine vision to enable him to see the Vishva Roopa.  The attitude of student is crucial in gaining knowledge.  ‘Vidya Vinayena Saadhayet’ say the elders.  Humility inspires knowledge and humility growa as knowledge is gained.

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अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थित: ।

अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ॥ २० ॥

I am the Self, Oh Gudakesha, existent in the heart of all beings;  I am the beginning, the middle, and also the end of all beings.

(X - 20)

Shri Krishna elaborates on His expanse, His vastness from this shlokam to the end of this chapter.  As already discussed, there are two ways.  One way is to ‘accept a Form, surrender and devote on that Form without deviation, lose oneself in that’.  The other way is to ‘regard everything unique seen in the world as His expression’.  Shri Krishna is listing His Vibhooti for those on the second way.

Series of colour bulbs decorate the market line during festive season.  The sereis has thousands of small bulbs.  If one bulb gets fused or breaks, other bulbs in the series are not affected.  But, one electric power runs through all the bulbs.  All the bulbs are off if the power is off.  Similarly in the wolrs, all the lives are separate and different.  One dies and the others continue to live.  But, we are operated by One single Power.  ‘I am That, Operating Power, all pervading Power’, says Shri Krishna.

Electric bulbs are in various sizes and shapes.  These are in various colours.  But, these variations are superficial.  The core of all the bulbs is same.  Similarly, lives vary in form, character etc.  These differences are, but superficial.  The Paramaatman is at the core of all lives.  Even within humankind, we have erected so many divisions on the bases of caste, colour, wealth, education, place of stay, etc.  All these differences are but skin-deep.  It is a pity that we have created stratas of high and low based on these superficial differences.

I am the start, middle and end of all.  Everything in this world appear, survive and disappear.  I am the appearance or birth.  ‘Bahu Syaam Prajaayeyeti’ or ‘The One desires and manifests as the many lives and forms’, (Cchandogya Upanishad – 6/2/3).  ‘I am the end’.  I, only Me, remain after the whole creation is dissolved.  ‘Shishyate Sheshasamgyah’ says Shreemad Bhagawatham (10/3/15).  That which is there at the start and end remains in middle too.  ‘Vasudevah Sarvam’ – Ch VII-19, (Everything is Vasudeva) and ‘Sadasachchaaham Arjuna’ – Ch IX – 19, (Sat and Asat are Me) says the Gita.  Existance-Destruction, Holy-Unholy, Life-Death and everything that is between start and end of all is Me, says Shri Krishna.  The Semitic religions are based on the idea that Lord is ‘Existance’, ‘Holy’ ‘Life’ and everything considered positive and favourable by man.  These religions refuse to regard death, unholy, destruction, and anything ‘bad’ also as Him.  A force opposite to the Divine is responsible for these, according to these religions.  Shri Krishna does not want such a misconception to rise.  He says, ‘Everything is Me’.

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आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।

मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥ २१ ॥

Of the Adityas, I am Vishnu;  of luminaries, the radiant Sun, of the winds, I am Marichi;  of the asterisms, the Moon.

(X - 21)

All the aspects listed here by Shri Krishna are symbolic.  We learn a language through symbols.  A for Arjuna, B for Bheema etc.  Symbols are meant to remind the letters.  In due course, the letters are known without symbols and symbols become redundant.  Though anything and everything can be used as a symbol, only those easily recognized by the child are preferred.  Symbols used should be such as to help the child develop a better mind, a better attitude.  The perverted view on secularism has deprived Bharateeya children their rightful connection with their great ancestors.  Languages are taught using absurd and meaningless symbols.  Shri Krishna is using dazzling symbols here to denote the Paramaatman.  He wants Arjuna to know the Parama through these symbols.

‘I am Vishnu, Vamana among the sons of Aditi’.  Shri Vishnu regains the wealth and power lost to the Daityas.  He accomplishes this through wars on many occasions and as Vamana, through Dana.  Shri Vishnu is the proiector of the world and all the lives.

‘I am the Sun among the luminaries’.  Sun is the brightest among the objects we know.  Arjuna describes VishvaRoopaDarshanam as being brighter than thousand Suns.  The scientists predict around 3,000 crore Suns in the whole cosmos.  There may be brighter Suns in the millions of galaxies.  As we know only this Sun, we tend to call all those as Suns.  The Sun brightens up the world.  Sun is worshipped as an effort to brighten up our inner world too.  The Puranas describe the Sun as Vishnu in Form.

‘I am Mareechi among the Maruthas’.  Maruthas are fortynine.  Born to Diti, they are Diatyas or Asuras, but transformed into Devas later.  Frightened by the brightness and Tejas of Maruthas while in the womb of Diti, Indra, the head of Gods attacked the womb with his Vajrayudha and split the foetus into seven parts, then each into seven parts again.  Thus one became fortynine.  The energy and Tejas of Marutha was so great that the attack by Indra had no impact.  ‘I am Mareechi among so Tejasvee Maruthas’.

‘Among the objects glowing in night, I am the Moon’.  The Moon is Luminous, Cool and seated majestically as if to preside over the assembly of stars.

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वेदानां सामवेदोsस्मि देवानामस्मि वासव: ।

इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना ॥ २२ ॥

I am Sama-Veda of the Vedas, and Vasava (Indra) of the Gods;  of the senses I am Manas, and intelligence in living beings am I.

(X - 22)

All the four Vedas are equally great and elaborate on philosophy.  These have vision of the Divine.  Saama Veda is musical.  It carries beautiful exposition on the Paramaatman by Indra.  Shri Krishna gave the wonderful philosophical book called The Gita.  Nevertheless, Shri Krishna, the beloved, with flute in His hands playing sweet music to the joy of all lives, is more attractive, more lovable to us.  He has killed demons and established Dharma.  Nevertheless, the butter-stealing mischievous child Navaneetha Krishna hypnotizes the mind.  He danced and made us dance too.  He relished the bests in worldly life but remained unattached too.  This Yogeshwara Krishna inspires life into our dreary, routine lives.  He knows the minds of common folks like us and hence says, ‘I am Saama Veda among the Vedas’.

‘I am Indra among the Gods’.  Indra presides over the world of Gods.  That is a world full of the best of pleasures and is attained through virtuous actions.  Indra is entitled to the best among the bests.  The throne of Indra is result of severe austerities and noble actions.  Indra is My manifestation, says Shri Krishna.

‘I am Manas among the senses’.  The eye, ear, nose, tongue and the skin are our five snses of knowledge.  Each of these has a unique function.  Each of these is an essential organ.  The importance of any of these is realized if we imagine a world without that.  He pervades the whole worls, every bit of this world.  That implies, all the senses are His manifestations.  But, here Shri Krishna is listing the more dazzling ones of His manifestations.  The cameras in older days had a shutter.  Shtter opens while capturing photo of an object.  It opens and sends in the shadow image of the object.  The shadow falls on a chemically treated screen and becomes a picture.  Our senses act in a way similar to this shutter.  The eye opens and sends in the shadow image of object in the outer world.  Ear sends in sound waves.  The senses send in their respective essences, tongue the taste, nose the fragrance and skin the touch sensation.  The beauty of a sight is enjoyed by the Manas (not by the eye).  It is the manas that is enticed by lilting music.  Deliciousness of food is relished by manas.  A beautiful fragrance is experienced by the manas.  A tender touch soothes the manas.  The senses are directed towards objects only if manas likes the experiences.  Senses are drawn away from objects if manas does not relish the experience (of contact between the sense and object).  The stimuli recieved from external world do not get registered, if the manas is not interested or is engrossed in something else.  In the absence of manas, the senses become defunct and lifeless.  Thus it is the manas that reins over and coordinates the senses.  It is the Manas that experiences, enjoys all the stimuli recieved through the senses.  The Manas can be called the King of all senses.  ‘I am manas among the senses’.

‘I am the Consciousness in lives’.  One of my friends used to get up early in the morning, go to the garden, pluck a few blades of ‘Dhruva’ grass for his daily worship of Shri Ganesha.  One day, he was stung by an insect while plucking grass.  It was a very small insect, so small that it would have crushed even if clasped it with fingers.  Its stung also was so feeble that it did not leave any impact on him.  Yet, it firmly opposes intrusion into its home.  The intruder is very strong and itself very weak.  Yet, it opposes.  What is the difference between a piece of stone and this insect?  The stone is inert, lifeless.  It has no percievable consciousness.  The insect is a Life.  It has consciousness of its existance.  The stone does not know.  The insect knows and acts on the basis of its knowledge.  It may be a miniscular in size.  That does not matter.  ‘I am the Consciousness in lives’ says Shri Krishna.

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रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् ।

वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरु: शिखरिणामहम् ॥ २३ ॥

And of the Rudras, I am Shankara, of the Yakshas and Rakshasas the Lord of wealth (Kubera), of the Vasus I am Pavaka, and of mountains, Meru am I.

(X - 23)

The root word for Rudra is ‘Rodanam’ meaning cry.  Rudra is one who makes us cry.  Ravana (Ramayana) also has the same meaning.  But, there is a difference.  Ravana subjects others to cruel ordeals and makes them cry.  Rudra does good and makes us cry.  Violence, plunder, murder, abduction etc. are Ravana’s actions, while Rudra’s actions are like a teacher reprimanding his student or a doctor administering bitter medicines and painful curative procedures.  Ravana’s actions are aimed at destruction of the enemy while Rudra’s actions aim at benefitting and elevating the devotee.  Shankara, one of the Rudras, also means ‘one who does good’.  Hara, Bahuroopa, Veerabhadra, Pinaka, Angaraka, Tryambaka, Sharva, Kapaali, Shambhu, Aparaajitha and Ajaikapada are the eleven Rudras.  (There are other names elsewhere.)  All these are aspects of Shambhu or Shiva or Shankara.  Shankara presides over ‘death and dissolution’.  Death is not destruction.  Death is not the end.  Death is not unholy.  Death elevates.  Death is also Divine.  ‘I am Shankara among the Rudras’.

‘I am Kubera’.  Kubera presides over all wealth.  He is the head of Yaksha and Rakshasa.  How is he picturised in texts?  He is a dwarf with a pot belly, egg-shaped head, big eyes and three legs.  All the Yakshas and Rakshasas are his servants.  Their duty is to protect the unlimited wealth in his posession.  (This portrayal indicates the scant respect our Rshis had for those who worry about and protect wealth day and night.)  There is a popular story.  Once, Shri Balaji borrowed a huge sum from Kubera.  He has stationed Himself in Tirupathi to repay the amount.  Money flow into the Hundi of Tirupathi is huge and uninterrupted.  It is all Kubera’s wealth.  Kubera is His manifestation.  Wealth is Paramaatman.  Kubera is Paramaatman.  If only we could see Paramaatman in the viscious attributes of wealth like fear, desire and evil etc?...

‘I am Pavaka among the Vasu’.  There are eight Vasus.  Pavaka or Agni is the chief.  The Vasus are mouth of Shri Bhagawan.  The Vasus reach the Havis offered in Yagya to Shri Bhagawan and are His Vibhooti.

‘I am Meru among the peaks.  Meru was the first formed peak.  It is golden coloured and is studded with diamonds, Emaralds and other precious stones.

All the Vibhootis listed here by Shri Krishna derive their uniqueness, their splendour from the Paramaatman.  It is desired that He be remembered while thinking on these Vibhootis.  A common weakness in humans demands repetition of this again and again.  Language is necessary to know and understand an object.  We are expected forget the language and try to know the object being explained.  Instead, if we get struck in the language, in the words?  I use my finger to indicate a particular star in the sky.  You should see my finger, look at the direction shown by the fingers and see the star.  The fingers are to be forgotten and the star seen.  Instead, if you get struck in the fingers?  That is exactly the weakness of most of us.  The Pramatman is not to be analysed and known through intelligence.  That which is understood by Buddhi can not be Parmaatman.  The Buddhi is to be given up.  Effort to understand intellectually also is to be left back.  One must reach beyond the Buddhi, and understanding.  If one gets struck in intellectual jugglery of words, he can not reach Him.

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पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ् बृहस्पतिम् ।

सेनानीनामहं स्कन्द: सरसामस्मि सागर: ॥ २४ ॥

And of priests, Oh son of Pritha, know Me the chief, Brihaspati;  of generals, I am Skanda;  of bodies of water, I am the Ocean.

(X - 24)

Purohita is one who intends welfare, well-being.  He performs Yagya and Pooja for well being of Yajamaan.  If money and other selfish considerations, not Yajamaan’s welfare, drive him to these rituals, he can not be a Purohita.  Bruhaspati, the Purohita of Devas, is the best among Purohitas.  He is high in Education and knowledge.  Once, Shukracharya the Purohita of the asuras was the sole possessor of ‘Sanjeevini’, the knowledge of revival of the dead.  Bruhaspati sent his son Kacha to the world of asuras to get the knowledge.  He thus risked his son’s life for the well-being of the Devas.  ‘I am Bruhaspati among the Purohitas’.  (Later on, Shri Krishna names Bruhaspati’s ‘antonym’, Shukracharya also as His Vibhooti.)

‘I am Skanda among the army commanders’.  Skanda or Kartikeya is the Commander-in-Chief of Devasena or the army of the Devas.  He has fought many battles for the Devas and vanquished the Asuras.  He played a great role as the C-in-C when Mother Durga fought against Mahishasura.

‘Among the water bodies, I am Ocean’.  Our Vedas, Puranas and the Mahabharatham mention Saraswathi, a huge river with enormous water flow.  It originated from the Himalayas and flowed towards the west.  She dried up causing destruction of great cities like Harappa, Mohenjedaro etc. and conversion of fertile regions like Sind, Rajasthan into deserts.  A mammoth effort to trace her path has been successfully taken up by a group of geologists, archaeologists, historians and scientists from other relevant fields.  A river considered mythical has been proved to be true, necessiating rewriting of history of Bharat.  Many rivers which flowed even fifty years back are now dried up.  There are many in Chennai who have swum and bathed in Koovam, which now is nothing more than a gutter.  Rivers may dry up and vanish, never an ocean.  Disturbances inside the earth may shift an ocean.  It can never dry up.  Ocean is a great source of enthusiasm and joy for men standing on its shore.  And for men willing to take a plunge, it is a source of great wealth.  All the water bodies, small and big, all the rivers and all the waters in our bodies are sourced from the ocean.  ‘I am the ocean among the water-bodies’.

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महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् ।

यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोsस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालय: ॥ २५ ॥

Of the great Rshis I am Bhrigu;  of words I am the one syllable ‘Om’;  of the Yagnas I am the Yagna of Japa (silent repetition);  of the immovable things I am the Himalayas.

(X - 25)

‘I am Bhrugu, among the Rshis’.  Rshis are sees, visionaries.  Bhrugu is a great devotee.  He possessed great knowledge, both worldly and spiritual.  His writings have been influencing generations.  Shri Vishnu carries on His chest, Maharshi Bhrugu’s foot marks.

Ekaksharam is Pranava Mantra or the Om.  That was the first syllable to have appeared.  It is a combination of three sounds A, U and M.  The three phrased Gayatri Mantra appeared from the three syllabled Pranava Mantra or OM.  The Vedas were revealed from the Gayatri.  All the other texts and literatures were born from the Vedas.  In the Gita, He has repeatedly explained the significance of Om.  ‘Pranava Sarva Vedeshu’ (VII-8) i.e. ‘I am Om in the Vedas’;  ‘Om ityekaksharam... Paramaam Gatim’ (VIII-13) i.e. ‘One who leaves this world while pronouncing the one syllabled Mantra OM, reaches the Ultimate destination or the Paramaatman’;  Tasmaat Om ityudaahrutya... Brahma Vaadinaam’ (XVII-24) i.e. That is hence, the Vedik pandits commence noble acts like the Yagya, Daana, Tapas etc. with recital of the Mantra Om’.

Till recent times, science regarded matter as the basic unit in creation.  Now, it has gone beyond matter and feels electro-magnetic impulses are ultimate and are fundementals of everything.  Hindu thought feels ‘Sound’ was the first in creation and everything else evolved from sound.  The great musicians have produced heat and rains from their music.  Even science has confirmed that electricity can be produced from sound waves.  Science is following Hindu thoughts expressed long ago.  Om is unique among sounds.  Om reminds the creator.  ‘I am the Mantra Om’.

‘Among the Yagyas, I am Japa Yagya’.  Yagya is an effort to unite with the Paramaatman.  Yagyas are also rituals for fulfillment of worldly desires.  There are many types of Yagya and their effects too are many.  Atheists question the validity of Yagya.  A fire ritual, ‘Agnihotra’ is popular among the peasants in South Americn countries like Brazil.  They believe that the Yagya improves crop yield in fields and milk production in cows.  Dubai Sheikh arranges in his residence regular Yagya by a Kerala Namboodri, for rains in his state.  That also has been my own experience in my humble life.  I go around for Gita Yagya (talks on the Gita) to various places.  There have been showers, at least drizzles, during the talks, in all these places, irrespective of the season then.  There were drizzles in Dubai, Ras-Al-Khaima and Abu-Dhabi where rains are a rarity.  That is the sinificance of Yagya.  Japa Yagya is more special.  The Names recited in Japa are Beeja Mantras or the ‘seeds’.  On persistent Japa, a state is reached when every cell of the body resonates the Mantra being recited.  The Ramayana mentions continuous humming of Rama Mantra from every hair on the body of Shri Anjaneya.  Janabai was a devotee of Shri Vittala.  She engaged in production of dried cow-dung cakes for fuel.  Even these cakes sounded Vittala nama when tapped.  In recent times, Swami RamaTeertha was a great Rama Bhakta, who went to America to propogate Hindu Dhrma.  In his biography, one of his companions mentions instances when he listened to sounds of Rama Nama Mantra generated from Swamiji’s body, even while he slept.  Shri K B Hedgewar, the founder of RSS, used to recite Bharat Matha even while blabbering under high fever.  We recite the Mantra in the initial stages.  Later on, it just goes on inside, day and night, in sleep and wakeful states.  That is Japa Yagya.  This is possible for anyone.  There is no need for things, space and lavish arrangements.  ‘I am Japa Yagya among the Ygyas’.

‘I am Himalayas among the moutains’.  A mountain attracts us only because it is stable (we are unstable), sky high (we are dwarfs) and firm (we are infirm).  It inspires peace, tranquility and joy within us.  Mountains in Bharat are very special.  These remind the Paramaatman to men lost in the turbulant world.  Every hillotop is decorated by temples.  Every mountain is a pilgrimage destination.  The Shabari, Pazhani, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupathy, Mookambika, Ramtek, Tryambakeshwar, Pacchmari, Dongargarh, Bhilwara, Vaishnavi, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Amarnath, Manasadevi, Kailash, etc. are not mere mountains.  These are verily God in form.  Vibrations experiences in these places are Divine.  These are the reasons for good health, noble character, simplicity, humility, and spiritual thirst prevalent in Bharat.  In other countries similar places would have been converted to tourist centers with casinos, bars, restaurents.  These are mere centers of sensual pleasures.  The administrative and political leadership in Bharat complain that these Natural destinations have not been exploited fully.  They want ‘tourism industry’ to grow.  If their wish materializes, all our mountains will lose their uniqueness and will be full of ‘star hotels’, dance-bars, wine-bars’ and other entertainment resorts.

The Himalayas are unique among mountains.  Its expanse, hight, coolness and peace are unparallel.  The Himalayas remind us of our great ancestors called Rshis.  The experience in Himalayas is better experienced than explained in worlds.  ‘I am Himalaya among the mountains’.

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अश्वत्थ: सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारद: ।

गण्धर्वाणां चित्ररथ: सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनि: ॥ २६ ॥

Of all trees (I am) the Ashvattha, and Narada of Deva-Rshis;  Chitraratha of Gandharvas am I, and Muni Kapila of the perfected ones.

(X - 26)

Among the trees, I am Ashwattha or Pipal tree.  Trees are useful to us in many ways.  Trees give fruit for hunger, flower and sap for medicine, flower for decoration and worship, wood for house, seed for oil, leaf for the plate while dining.  The Ashwattha tree has nothing special, flower or fruit, to give.  Yet, it is regarded as a Form of the Paramaatman.  It is verily a Form of all the three, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.  Ashwattha pradakshina or ‘going around the Ashwattha tree’ is considered auspicious.  It is believed to protect the womb.  This tree breathes out highest quantity of oxygen.  It is found everywhere in our Nation.  It has grown and spread everywhere without human effort.  It can easily sprout anywhere, in soil, in rock-gaps, on hills, in walls and temple towers.  Kathopanishad picturises the world as Ashwattha Tree.  In the Gita too, in 15^th chapter, Shri Krishna describes Paramaatman as the root and the world s the trunk and branches of an Ashwattha tree.  ’Among the trees, I am Ashwattha’.

‘I am Narada among the Deva Rshis’.  Narada lives for Bhakti.  Shreemad Bhagawat Purana carries the life story of Narada.  He was born to a maid servant.  He elevated to become Narada through his devotion and company of noble souls.  He spreads message of detachment in all the three worlds.  Yet, Narada is not free from lies, disputes, drama, laughter, and this is hs uniqueness.  I have listened to many sanyasis say these words about Sangh Pracharaks.  “I feel jealous of you.  We Sanyaasis laugh rarely when we cross each other or when we be together”.  We find laughter fading away as knowledge grows.  Narada is special in this regard.  He is a Gyaani and jovial simultaneously.

I am Chitraratha among the Gandharvas’.  Gandharvas are musicians and dramatists in Swarga or Deva Loka.  They are very good-looking.  That was the cause for arroance in them and the many curses they had to reap.  The Gandharvas are experts in medicine, eroticism and the game of dice.   They are the entertainers in DevaLoka.  They protect SomaPaanam.  They are expert commentators of Veda and some of them have been Acharyas (Teachers) to Rshis.  Chitraratha is the king of Gandharvas.  ‘I am Chitraratha among the Gandharvas’.

‘I am Kapila among the Siddhas’.  There two types of Siddhas.  Ones who have attained Siddha through rigorous practice and others who are born-Siddha.  Kapila was born a Siddha.  He excelled in Dharma, Gyana and Vairagya, right since his birth.  He was born to Kadarma and Devahuti.  He initiated his parents into the spiritual path through his words of wisdom.  The Kapila-Devahuti conversation finds is an importnt episode in Shrimad Bhagawatham.  Kapila Muni visualized and gave to this world the Sankhya Philosophy.  ‘I am Kapila among the Siddhas’.

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उच्चै:श्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् ।

ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ॥ २७ ॥

Know Me among horses as Uchchaisshravas, Amrita-born;  of lordly elephants Airaavata, and of men the king.

(X - 27)

Samudra Manthanam has been described in Shreemad Bhagawatham.  In that, the ocean is stirred using the Meru mountain.  The Vasuki serpent was used as the rope.  Many items appeared from the ocean, during the stirring.  The best among those were taken by the Gods.  Ucchaishravas, a Divine horse and Airavatham, a Divine white elephant were among the fourteen precious items that appeared.  Indra, the King of Gods took those two.  Gajendrs are the best among the elephents and Airavatham is the King among the Gajendras.  ‘I am Ucchaishravas among the horses and Airavatham among the Gajendras’.  The king who rules over the people posesses greater wealth, power and status than common men.  ‘Find Me in the king’.  Not that the king is to be worshipped as God, but God is to be seen in the king.

There was a news item recently.  A street dog regularly attended the weekly Satsang in Kolkotta.  The Satsang was held in different houses every week.  The venue was conveyed to all the members a couple of days before the Satsang day.  How did the dog know of the venue was a mystery for all.  The dog used to be at the doorstep exactly at the start of the Satsang.  It used to be seated at the doorstep till the end of Satsang and partook the Prasad offered there.  It left this mortal world at the doorstep during one of such Satsangs.  Its body was cremated like a human body.  There was a cow in Ramanashrama, in Tiruvannamalai.  It attended Shri Ramana’s every discourse.  Shri Ramana, being a Sanyasi, never performed last rites for anyone except his mother.  But, he cremated and performed the last rites for the cow when it died.  “Are all these rituals necessary for a cow?” asked some of his disciples.  Shri Ramana said in reply, “She may be just a cow for you.  Are all those who appear as humans, really humans?  Though a cow, she is a very elevated soul.  She has attained Divine levels normally impossible for animals.  She is liberated.”

Scientists have discovered that animals and plants too have emotions like men.  There is also a chance that attributes Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shoodra found in men are found in animals and plants too.

It is easy to worship as God a stone sculpted as an Idol.  It is easier still to worship the Cow, Garuda and Ashwattha Tree as forms of God, as these are special and benefit us in many ways.  It is not difficult to bow down before men, more powerful, more knowledgeable, more talented than ourselves.  But, if ordinary men around us, with ordinary qulities and talents can be worshipped by us as God personified, is a challange before us.  We utter the words ‘Namaste’ and ‘Namaskaram’.  Whether the Namaskara bhavana, the humility is in our hearts is the question.  As He is in the special, dazzling objects, He is also in the ordinary ones.  We have to raise ourselves to be able to see Him in all.  The Pooja room in our houses is clean.  We ourselves step forward to clean it.  Can we approach the toilet too with the same bhavana?  Can we ourselves take effort to clean it too?  Shri Krishna wants us to develop such a Bhavana.  That is hence He is listing His Vibhootis.

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आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।

प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्प: सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकि: ॥ २८ ॥

Of weapons I am the Thunderbolt, of cows I am Kamadhenu;  I am the Kandarpa, the cause of offspring;  of serpents I am Vasuki.

(X - 28)

‘I am Vajra among the weapons’.  A weapon is useful for wars.  Shri Krishna does not mention Shri Mahavishnu’s weapons Chakra or Gadha.  These were Divine manifestations and appeared as part of the Divine.  Vajrayudha is unique and special among the prepared weapons.  It was prepared for a special cause and through a very unique material.  The Vajrayudha is a weapon in the hands of Indra, king of Gods.  There was a demon by name Vritrasura.  He could not be killed by normal weapons.  There was a demand for a unique weapon.  Rshi Dadheechi jumped into fire and provided the material for the weapon in form of his own bones and vertibra.  Vajrayudha was prepared out of those bones.  Thus, this weapon represents power of penance, strength of Brahmachrya and a huge sacrifice for a noble cause and hence is a special weapon.  The very intention of production of this weapon was Divine, (destruction of a demon).  ‘I am the Vajra among weapons’.

Like the Airavatham, the Kamadhenu also appeared during the Samudra Manthan.  Kamadhenu fulfills every desire of Rshis and Gods.  The Kamadhenu was with Rshi Vasishta.  The Kamadhenu was an important factor in transformation of Vishwamitra from a Kshatriya ruler into a Brahma Rshi.  In the third chapter Shri Krishna says, ‘Organized and co-ordinated effort and good intention will fulfill desires equally as a Kamadhenu would’.  I am Kamadhenu among Cows.

‘In procreation, I am Kamadeva, the inciter of sexual desire’.  Sex is normal and natural.  It is essential for continuation of life, for sustenance of this world.  The sexual desire in common men is such.  It is just a physical need like hunger.  Food is the medicine to hunger.  Marriage and family and other regulations are the arrangement for this hunger.  Sex becomes demeaning when it derails and is perverted.  Visit to prostitutes, ‘sexploitation’ of children and other such abnormal sexual activities are perversions.  Sex is Divine, when used as a means to beget a child.  Lust transforms into Kamadeva, Divine desire.  If performed after strict discipline, at a pre-fixed auspicious time, with a cleansed body and mind, sex becomes divine.  One of my friends approached a doctor for guidence to get a child.  The doctor suggested ten or twelve days and asked my friend to try continuously on those days.  If there be an intense desire for a child, one single effort should suffice.  We seem to have forgotten that type of sexual activity.  The animals and the birds mostly indulge in this type of sex.  They have particular season in the year, when they mate.  A pair of birds work hard to build a nest before the mating season.  They mate in the nest built by them, lay those number of eggs destined for their specie.  They protect and hatch those eggs.  Then they take care of the young ones for a fixed period.  The whole focus of their attention and their whole time energy is only for the young ones.  But, then they have no choice.  They have to behave in pre-determined fashion.  Man, only the human has a choice.  He can be at the same level.  He can go up.  He can fall.  Our Rshis did not discard marriage and family life.  They indulged in sex only for procreation.  The sexual portraits and sculptures portrayed in our temple is of this type, sexual desire that is Divine.  Generation of lives will stop if sexual desire vanishes.  ‘I am Kaamadeva’.

I am Vasuki among the serpants.  Vasuki was used as rope to stir the ocean in Samudra Manthan.  See me in Vasuki.

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अनन्ताश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् ।

पितॄणामर्यमाचास्मि यम: संयमतामहम् ॥ २९ ॥

And Ananta of snakes I am, I am Varuna of water-beings;  and Aryamaan of Pitrus I am, I am Yama of controllers.

(X - 29)

‘I am Ananta Naga among the snakes’.  Sarpa stays in land while the Naga stays in water.  Ananta Naga is the Sesha Naga, the Snake bed of Shri Mahavishnu.  It is a thousand headed snake.  It appears along with the Avatar of the Lord and is a witness to all His Leela.

Varuna is the Lord over water, water bodies and aquatic lives.  He is picturised as half human and half fish.  He is also the Lord of the direction West.  I am Varuna.

There are seven Pitrus and Aryama is the head of these.  I am Aryama among the Pitrus.

Yama is the first anga in Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yog.  Yama are the basic values which regulate and discipline our lives;  Satya (Truth), Asteyam (Non-stealing), Aparigraham (Non-Accumulation of pleasure objects), Ahimsa (Non-Violence) and Brahmacharya (Rule over the senses).  If regulations are self-imposed, then it is Disciplining or Yama.  Yama Deva comes in when we refuse to volunteer and impose Yama on ourselves.  Yama Deva or Yama Raj is not God of death, but the God who ensures Dharma and hence called Dharma Raj.  He rules over lives, disciplines and regulates them towards the Dharmik way, by appropriate punishments and rewards based on Paapa and Punya.  His rule over us is rigorous and virtuous at the same time.  In our Bharat, around 180 lakh human lives take birth every year and 110 lakhs die.  Suppose, the Lord recognizes our desire, dismisses YamaDeva and stops the activity called ‘death’, what will happen?  Just as humans created plastic, electronic gadgets and nuclear products and is now finding it most challenging to ensure disposal of these, the Creator will also be in a similar plight, with regard to disposal of humans.  The Creator should know also to destroy.  There can be no creation without destruction and no destruction without creation.  ‘I am Yamadharma’.

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प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां काल: कलयतामहम् ।

मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोsहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ॥ ३० ॥

And Prahlada am I of Diti’s progeny, of measures I am Time;  and of beasts I am the Lord of beasts, the Lion, and Garuda of birds.

(X - 30)

‘I am Prahlada’, Prahlada among the Daityas, the Asuras’.  What a paradox!  Prahlada, though an Asura, is a Divine manifestation.  He had the adamance of the Asuras.  He had the Asurik nature of holding on firmly.  But, unlike any Asura, he held on to the Feet of the Paramaatman.  The resultant struggle with his father which he had to undergo was too tough for a child.  Most of us tend to blame the persons and situations which surround us for all our shortfalls, failures and the dark spots in our character.  We convince ourselves that the fault is not our own but the effect of a bad surroundings.  Is this true?  ‘No’ is the roaring reply by the great Asura Prahlada.  He, who blames the surroundings is weak, unwilling to put in effort, verily an impotent.  Many of the ideologies in circulation in this world try to change the prevailing atmosphere convinced that it is the key to every other change.  Efforts to capture power, enact laws are in this context.  Such efforts are like the conversion of Gndhi’s son to an Abdulla by causing a few external changes.  The individual must transform.  Political and social systems and developments in science may cause superficial changes in the exterior.  Only Dharma can initiate transformation in man.  Prahlada is a sterling example in this regard.  ‘I am Prahlada, among the Daityas’.

‘I am Time’.  Time does not need sophisticated instruments and calculators to measure.  It runs on continuously with utmost precision.  It is uniform at all places and for all persons.  As per Hindu idea, every life has been allottedprencise number of seconds, nay, micro seconds.  It does not get a second more than that.  “Oh!  I have got my whole life.  Why hurry?” we hear some say.  In fact, we have only ‘this second’, the present second.  The past is gone and can never be got again.  The future is a mirage and uncertain.  The calculations of Time are precise.  ‘I am Time’.

I am Lion among the animals.  The lion stays and roams alone in the forest.  Its ways are Majestic and kingly.  It never fears and hides.  Its roar reverberates through the forest and generates terror in the minds of forest animals.  ‘I am Lion amnog the beasts’.

Vainateya is son of Vineet.  He strived to bring the Amrita Kalasha (Pot of Nectar) and got his mother released from the fetters of slavery.  He is the king of birds and the Divine Vehicle of Shri MahaVishnu.  Though belonging to a family of vultures, he does not feed on dead and decomposed bodies.  He is a great devotee.  Every year when the precious ornaments of Swami Iyappan are carried from the chest to the temple on the top of Shabari hills, Garuda or Vinateya flies along and protects the ornaments.  ‘I am Garuda among the birds’.

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पवन: पवतामस्मि राम: शस्त्रभृतामहम् ।

झ्षाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्त्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥ ३१ ॥

Of purifiers, I am the wind, Rama among the warriors am I;  of fishes I am the shark;  Of streams I am Jahnavi (Ganga).

(X - 31)

Water also purifies.  But water remains pure so long it keeps running.  Stagnant water gets contaminated.  Anything that is impure itself can not purify.  Wind never gets stagnated.  It carries foul and pleasant scents as it flows to various places.  But, it never allows these scents to stick to it.  Hence, wind is pure and is best purifier.  The Sanyasi system in Hindu Dharma bases itself on the attributes of wind.  The Sanyasi does not get struck to one place and hence does not hold on to anything.  As a result, he never gets contaminated.  The family man accumulates within and around him all trash solely because he stays in and gets struck to one place.  The arrival of a sanyasi cleans up both the (outer) house and inner self of the house holder.  The sanyasi leaves frgrance, purity and holiness at all the places he visits.

The wind pervades all places.  It surrounds us.  It is close to us.  It can not be seen but only felt.  The Paramaatman says, ‘I am the wind among the purifiers’.

Among the armed, I am Rama.  Kodanda, the bow and Shri Rama are inseparable.  Shri Rama is with His Kodanda.  A deadly weapon in the hands of one who is Peace and Love personified.  That is the speciality.  ‘Education in the hands of the humble’;  ‘Wealth at the disposal of the service-minded’;  ‘Power in the hands of the ego-less’;  ‘Weapon in the hands of the peaceful’;  The is a huge campaign against weapons.  Who leads this?  The one who bombarded and caused heavy destruction in Japan, the one who caused heavy loss of lives and wealth in Vietnam and Iraq through military occupation of those lands for years, the one who conspires and executes murders of political leaders all over the world, the one who exploits the poorer Nations and squanders their Natural resources, the one who supplies arms to terrorist countries like Pakistan.  He preaches against arms and wants restrictions on arms posessed by other countries.  Nuclear arms in the hands of Pakistan, which sponsors terrorism world over and the same in the hands of Bharat, which has never initiated a military attack on any other country in the last ten thousand years of known history, which is more apt?  Bharat surrounded by adversry countries on all sides and America with no enemy anywhere within two thousand kilometers from its boundaries, which deserves to posess arms?  Weapons suit more in the hands of one who is peaceful, responsible and regards the whole world as one single family, than one who is violent and a conspirer against peace, a conspirer against very existance of other countries.  The former should posess arms not merely to protect self but also the weaker ones.  The world has always suffered whenever a weak and insecure or an arrogant and greedy holds weapon.  On the other hand, weapon decorating a humble and strong, peaceful and confident, does neither harm him nor others, as he holds the weapon not for ego-gratification, not for show-off, definitely not with an intent to prove himself.  ‘I am Rama among the armed’.

‘Of the aquatic lives, I am Mkara’.  Makara is the Whale.  (Some say it is the crocodile.)  It is strong.  It is majestic and treads its own path unmindful of others.

‘Of the rivers, I am Ganga’.  Ganga is Unique, may not be for her depth, width and length but for the specil space she occpies in the minds of the Hindus.  She is a symbol of the spirital inheritance in this Nation.  She is verily the soul of Bharat.  The worshippers of Shiva see her as originating from His head, while the worshippers of Shri Vishnu see her flowing from His feet.  Ganga is thus a factor that erases Shaiva-Vaishnava differences and is a symbol of spiritual unity.  Bharat is the only land that has seen Avatara of the Paramaatman, the holy land that has been touched by His feet.  Similarly, Bharat is that sacred land nourished by the Ganga, a river that once flew in Devaloka, brought down to our land by the penance of Bhageerat.  The space she occupies in our minds can be gauged by the dedicated masses converging on her banks on any Amavasya (New moon day) or Sankranti (first days of solar months) or during the Kumbha.  People in lakhs walk kilometers just to have a dip in the Ganga.  Ganga is Paapa Nashini.  A dip in the Ganga washes all our sins.  Her water is ‘Germ-killer’.  It is absolutely free of germs and does not get infected.  I am Ganga among the rivers.

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सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन ।

अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वाद: प्रवदतामहम् ॥ ३२ ॥

Oh Arjuna!  I am the beginning, the middle and also the end of all manifestations;  of all knowledges, I am the knowledge of the Self, and Vada of disputants.

(X - 32)

Anything that has appeared get destroyed and disppear after a span of life in this world.  I am the appearance.  I am the survival in between and I am the distruction too.  In this shlokam, Shri Krishna, instead of mentioning separately, says ‘I am all the stages in lives and every manifestation.

‘Of education, I am adhyatma Vidya, the education on Self’.  Education in any field is special, as it eradicates ignorance, reveals knowledge, hitherto hidden.  Man, right from birth, is in continuous pursuit of knowledge.  What is this?  How is this?  These are the two questions oft repeated by him.    But, these questions are about the outer world.  There are various fields of education trying to provide answers to these questions.  Adhyatma Vidya, on the other hand motivates to look within and know the inner world.  It is the field of education that leads us to the Paramaatman.  Adhyatma Vidya or the Knowledge of Self, attaining which there is no need to acquire any other knowledge is the Ultimate education.  What is the use of gaining all sorts of knowledge in all and sundry fields, without an education of Self?  With the Self known, the worldly fields are easily known.  There is an emptiness in the western world with all its achievements in mundane fields, as there is void in the knowledge of Self.  In Bharat, though there is a tremendous shortcoming in worldly achievements, there prevails peace and contentment as the general level of Adhyatma Vidya is high.

There are three kinds of conversations.  1.  Jalpa.  The participants do not stop with putting forward their own point of view but also counter the others’ view points.  More than winning own arguement, there is an effort to defeat the others’ opinion.  2.  Vitandavada.  There is an irrational opposition to others’ view in Vitandavaada.  The opposition is not logical but just for sake of opposition.  3.  Vaada.  The participant does not get trapped in mire of ‘my view’ and ‘your view’.  He firmly stands on logic and in search of truth.  ‘I am Vaada in discussions’.

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अक्षराणामकारोsस्मि द्वन्द्व:सामासिकस्य च ।

अहमेवाक्षय: कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुख: ॥ ३३ ॥

Of letters, the letter A am I, and Dvandva of all compounds (in grammer);  I alone am the inexhaustible Time, I, the sustainer (by dispensing fruits of actions) All-formed.

(X - 33)

‘I am the letter A among letters’.  ‘A’ is the first letter in all our languages.  A is important for proper pronunciation.  A is the first sound in Nadabrahma Aum.

Samaasa is compound word of two or more words.  The four important Samaasa are ‘Avyayi Bhava’, ‘Tatpurusha’, ‘Bahubreehi’ and Dwandva.  In Dwandva samaasa, the word combining to form the compound word have equal status and are not distorted.  ‘I am Dwandva type of samaasa.

‘I am inexhaustible Time’.  Time never exhausts.  Everything else changes and fades away on the plane of time.  All these have a life of a few seconds.  These seem to be permanent and changeless in appearance but in fact are ever changing.  It is in this second and is not in the next.  I am changed the next second from what I was in the previous one.  Lakhs of cells keep on taking birth every second and equal number keep on dying.  We see an oil lamp burning.  We presume the same lamp to be burning.  But, everything is changing every second in that lamp.  Oil is changing, the wick is changing.  We see the flame and it seems to be constant and the same.  But the flame is the result of a new oil and a new wick every next second.  The Sun also is in a similar state.  It is burning on a very large scale.  The Sun we see this second is not the same that a second later.  There is an old proverb.  ‘You can not step in to the same river twice’.  The river is changing second to second.  ‘This town has not changed.  It has remained the same’.  This is very common comment by many.  The fact is that by the time this comment is finished, the town would have shifted by a few hundreds miles, because the earth is revolving around itself and preceeding onward on its circular path around the Sun at a tremendous speed.  These changes are occuring on the boundless screen of time.  Time is boundless, inexhaustible.  ‘I am that Mahaakaal’.

With faces in all directions, I see all the lives, fulfill each one of their needs and sustain the whole world.

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मृत्यु: सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् ।

कीर्ति: श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृति: क्षमा ॥ ३४ ॥

And I am the all-seizing Death, and the cause of recreation in future;  (This is also explained as prosperity of those who are to be prosperous.)  of the feminine qualities (I am) Fame, Prosperity or Beauty, Inspiration, Memory, Intelligence, Constancy and Forbearance.

(X - 34)

I am the death of all lives.  I am also the recreation after death.

I am the Keerti (fame), Shree (prosperity), Vak (speech), Smriti (memory), Medha (intelligence), Dhriti (determination) and Kshama (forbearance), the seven feminine qualities.  Of these, Keerti, Smriti, Medha, Dhruti and Kshama are daughters of Daksha Prajapati.  Shree is daughter of Bhrigu Maharshi and Vak daughter of Brahma.  These attributes are feminine, found gloriously in women.  Keerti is the fame as a result of noble qualities.  Shree is wealth and prosperit.  Vak is not mere speech, but the speech which inspires great thoughts, noble qualities and hence a good name.  Smriti is memory.  Medha is the faculty of understanding.  The ability to stand firm without getting stumbled in the face of adverse situations is Dhriti.  To pardon unreasonable and unfavorable speech or action even when one has the powers to punish, is Kshama.  Of these seven, Shree, Vak and Keerti are obvious ones and the other four subtler ones.  ‘I am these feminine qualities’.

A woman gains her feminine character only due to these qualities.  It is only due to these qualities, a woman reaches a hight where she can regard her husband as a child and love him.  ‘Be him tender as a blade of grass or be him harsh as a stone, he is my husband’.  These qualities give her such an attitude.  This great attitude of a woman has brought the worst men to better ways.  Again, only these qualities have given her the tremendous strength to face bravely and calmly, the harshest moments in life, not just come out but progress to reach great hights.  You will find thousands of families where the widow mother brings up the children to good positions and with good qualities.  (The chaos and turmoils a motherless family faces is a testimony to this strength of a woman.)  Kannagi, Sita and Draupadi are personification of these qualities.  The so-called feminists and others who preach ‘woman’s liberation’ may oppose this idea.  Let us ignore them.  Basically, there is difference between man and woman.  Man’s love accepts the woman, only her and for self.  But, a woman’s love accepts the man and everything else with him and that too for him.  She dissolves and loses herself in the love.

Are these qualities found in all women?  Are these found only in women?  May be, No.  These are feminine attributes, Divine attributes.  If found in a woman, even in fraction, these nourish her womanhood.  These may be found in males too, but prominently found in women.  It is very unfortunate that these days our girls are being brought up untouched by these qualities.

‘I am these (feminine) qualities.

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बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।

मासानां मार्गशीर्षोsहमृतूनां कुसुमाकर: ॥ ३५ ॥

Of Sama also I am the Brihatsama, of metres Gayatri am I;  Of months, I am Margasheersha, of seasons the flowery season.

(X - 35)

Shri Krishna had mentioned Saama Veda as His manifestation.  Here He mentions Brihat Saama, a portion of Saama Veda as one of His manifestations.  This portion carries a beautiful desciption of the Paramaatman.

Cchandas is meter in a poem.  There many types of Cchandas.  ‘I am Gayatri among the Cchandas’.  Gayatri is Veda Janani, the Mother of Vedas.  The Vedas appeared from the Gayatri.  The worship of personified Gayatri (Vigraha), Dhyana of Gayatri Mantra and the Gyatri as a prayer, all these three paths lead to the Paramaatman.

‘Of the months, I am Margasheesh’.  The two hours before Sunrise is Brahma Muhoorta in man’s world.  The Brahma Muhoorta in Deva Loka is the month of Margasheesha.  (A day in Deva Loka is a year in man’s world.  Makara Sankranti here is the moment of Sunrise in Deva Loka.  Hence the two hours before Sunrise in Deva Loka is Margasheersha, the month prior to Makara Sankranti.)  That is hence the month of Margasheersha is reserved for worship and activities related to the Divine.  Bhagawat Katha and Bhajans are held, in the month of Margasheersha, at all places throughout Bharat.

‘Of the seasons, I am Spring, the flowering season’.  It is a season, not of extreme, but of moderate climate.  It comes before hot summer and after bitter winter.  The Nature renews herself in this season.  The Nature is full of fresh leaves, sprouts and flowers.  She is full of colours and scents.  When he sees the Nature so full of flowers and fruits in Vasant Rthu, the selfish man gets excited and he celebrates, as he regards everything for self.  He also is saddened at times of scarcity.  Only the one who can see the Paramaatman in the colourful Vasant Rthu can also see Him during the scarce season.  Everything is His Leela (drama).

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द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।

जयोsस्मि व्यवसायोsस्मि सत्वं सत्ववतामहम् ॥ ३६ ॥

I am the gambling of the fraudulent;  Am the Power of the powerful;  I am victory, I am effort, I am Sattva of the Sattvika (benevolence of the benevolent).

(X - 36)

‘Of the frauds, I am Gambling’.  It is the worst fraud.  The other frauds are direct and obvious.  Gambling comes in the alluring guise of friendship, game and entertainment.  The other frauds are in the list of crimes and are punishable.  But, most of the governments have given official sanction to gambling.  Many governments even run various types of gambling activities.  Horse race, lottery, stock market atc. are run in full glare with total support of government, print and electronic media.  (Some may feel bad about inclusion of stock market in this list.)  Gambling is the worst fraud.  But, it hides behind the dazzle of allurement.  Because it appears friendly, the disappointment born of gambling is also most severe.  Man does not notice the hidden disappointment and falls for the lure.  He gets the kick, loses everything and collapses.  Yet, he falls for it as soon as he is on his feet.  Why does Shri Krishna call this one of His manifestations?  He had already said in the ninth chapter that He is the Sat as well as Asat, beauty as well as the ugly, pleasant as well as the terrible.  He is to show His terrible form in the next chapter.  He says here, ‘Of the frauds, I am gambling’.

‘I am the Tejas in Tejasvee’ (power in the powerful.)’.  Tejas is the aura one carries around him.  The hesitation in a sinner to do wrong, when in company of a noble heart, is due to the Tejas of the later.  Tejas is born out of Tapas or penance.  A student talks less, talks sense.  When he arrives in a group of students talking nonsense, there is an instant silence and a diversion in the topic being discussed.  This is due to the Tejas of the student.  His influence over other students is not due to fear.  This power can not be attained through a conscious practice.  This is not a thing to feel pride and boast.  It is an expression of the Paramaatman.

‘I am Success.  I am Victory’.  Excitement and arrogance are born when victory is regarded as an achievement of self.  Use of booster drugs, violence, frustration etc are products of this.  When one learns to regard victory as manifestation of the Pramaatman, he becomes humbler in victory.  Equipoise is generated if victory is taken as arrival of the Paramaatman.

‘I am Vyavasaya’.  Vyavasaya is decisiveness.  Shri Krishna has again and again eulogized firmness, decisiveness.  The firm has single Buddhi (II - 41).  One who holds on to pleasures and pleasure objects has no firmness (II - 44).  With a resolute Buddhi, even the worst sinner is instantly purified.  Firmness is not my quality.  It is His Expression.

‘I am nobility of the noble’.  When benevolence is considered as a quality of self, there arises ‘Sattvika Arrogance’.  Nearness to Him arises when the same is regarded as His expression.

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वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोsस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जय: ।

मुनीनामप्यहं व्यास: कवीनामुशना कवि: ॥ ३७ ॥

Of the Vrishnis, I am Vasudeva;  Of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya;  and also of the Munis, I am Vyasa;  Of thee learneds, I am Ushana or Shukracharya.

(X - 37)

‘I am Vasudeva of Vrishni clan’.  These vibhootis are being listed by Vasudeva himself.  Yet, here He is naming Vasudeva (Himself) in ‘third person’.  The truth is that the speaker here is not Shri Krishna, but one who has realized self to be Paramaatman, one who has totally lost self and merged with the Paramaatman.  We are all His versions.  We are all His manifestation.  But, we have not realized that.  We do not know that.  Shri Krishna has.

The names mentioned in Shri Krishna’s list are all found in this world.  We live in this world.  We experience the world.  May we not get lured by the glamorous and the glorious in this world.  May we tune ourselves to see the Paramaatman behind everything that is luminous, glamorous or glorious.  That is the intent of Shri Krishna.  Shri Krishna lived as a human in this world.  The greatness, the specialities in Him should not be viewed as those of an individual but as manifestations of the Paramaatman.

‘I am Arjuna among the Pandavas’.  All the five Pandavas are great and unique.  But, Arjuna, definitely was a few steps ahead.  The whole of Mahabharata is spun around Arjuna.  Arjuna is My vibhooti, says Shri Krishna.  “Look at Me, seated as a charioteer in front of you.  See the Paramaatman in Me.  Look at yourself.  See Him in you”.

‘I am Vyasa Muni among the Munis’.  Shri Veda Vyasa is also a person well acquainted with Arjuna.  He is a special personlity.  Born in a very ordinary family (his mother is fisher woman), he rose to great hights.  He compiled everything that we ought to know, the four Vedas, eighteen Puranas, eighteen upa-puranas, the Mahabharatha and Shreemad Bhagawatham.  He is Guru of Gurus and is worshipped during Guru Pooja on Guru Poornima.  (Guru Pooja is called Vyas Pooja.)  The speaker’s podium from where noble ideas are spoken, is called ‘Vyasa Peetham’ or Vyasa’s platform.  All literary creations are merely shaded versions of Vyasa’s creations (Vyasocchishtam Jagat Sarvam).  ‘I am Vyasa’.

‘I am Shukracharya among the Kavis’.  Kavi is not a mere poet.  Kavi is the one who has mastered the texts and grasped the essence of these.  Shukra was a learned Guru of the Asuras.  He knew the Sanjeevini, the art of renewing the dead.  Like Vidura Neeti, Chanakya Neeti, his Shukra Neeti is also held in reverence.  ‘I am Shukracharya among the Kavis’.

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दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।

मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Of the punishers, I am the sceptre;  Of those who wish to conquer, I am the statesmanship;  Of the secrets, I am silence and I am the Knowledge of knowers.

(X - 38)

Punishments are of two types.  One is Dharma and the other punishing authority of the ruler.  The former is with the Sanyasi and the later with the king.  Dharma is the punisher in the first case and laws and judiciary in the second.  If we accept and welcome it, then it becomes a punishment of Dharma.  If we refuse to accept, it is forced on us by worldly laws.  Punishing authority is inevitable to keep the wicked in check.  ‘It is also My manifestation’, says Shri Krishna.

Seekers of victory should stick to rules and ethics and strive.  ‘I am the ethics in seekers of victory’.

How do we keep secrets?  That is a big challange.  Silence is the best way to keep secrets.  Solitude and silence are effective means in knowing spiritual secrets.  ‘Where do I find you?’ asked Arjuna.  ‘Attain absolute silence and you will know Me’, replies Shri Krishna.  This is explained in one more angle.  Secret is that which is never to be revealed.  Best of secrets is the experience of Silence.  It is not to be revealed.  Non-talking is not silence.  The inner most experience of tranquility is Silence.  That experience is not to be shared.  We usually have a weakness of exhibiting anything ‘special’ acquired by us.  That is an inexplicable pleasure too.  Spiritual experiences are special, no doubt.  But, these are not to be revealed.  The essence is lost.  ‘I am that Inner Tranquility.  I am Silence among secrets’.

‘I am the wisdom of the wise’.  The wisdom is never my own asset.  Viveka or discretion put to use on the path to wisdom is also not my asset.  These are the ways He expresses Himself through me.  In the seventh chapter, He had said, ‘I am the discretionary Buddhi of the Buddhiman’.  Here He says, ‘I am the wisdom of the wise’.

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यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन ।

न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ॥ ३९ ॥

Hey Arjuna!  I am the seed of all beings.  There is no being, moving or unmoving, that can be without Me.

(X - 39)

“I am the seed of all beings.  I pervade in all, Sthavara and Jangama, the inert and the lively”.  I remember a film scene.  A trader travelled in a train with a huge amount of money.  A thief came to know of this and also travelled in the same train.  It was a three-days journey.  The thief frantically searched the trader’s belongings everythime he went out.  He never got the money.  The final destination arrived and the two got down.  The trader counted and checked the money and kept it in his bag.  The thief was curious.  ‘You travelled with so much money.  Where did you keep that safely and protect from thieves?’  The thief asked in an appreciative tone.  ‘Under your bed’ replied the trader.  The thief never looked in his own belongings.  This is true in our search for God.  There is an old story.  The God created the world.  He remained Happy.  He created other lives.  He continued to be Happy.  He created Man.  Now, He lost His Happiness.  He lost His peace.  ‘May be, it was a mistake to create man.  He is pestering Me daily with his demands and desires.  How do I avoid him?’  The God was worried.  He shared His worry with other Gods.  ‘Go and sit on Gowrishankar (Everest).’  ‘Man will easily reach there’.  ‘Go and hide on the Moon’.  ‘It won’t take much time for him to reach there’.  ‘Under the sea’.  ‘Man will reach every corner in the world’.  The God’s status was pitiable.  “Go and hide within him,  He will never look for you within and hence will never bother you”, suggested a wise old God.  The story goes that God has been Happy and Peaceful since then.  Man goes all around in the outer world in search of Him but seldom looks within.

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नान्तोsस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतिनां परन्तप ।

एष तूद्देशत: प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया ॥ ४० ॥

Oh Parantapa!  There is no end to My Divine attributes.  But, this is a brief statement by Me of the particulars of Divine attributes.

(X - 40)

Shri Krishna wanted to mention His Vibhootis in short (X - 19).  Here He says, “I have explained My Vibhootis in detail, for your sake”.  ‘In the eyes of the world, in your view, this is a detailed elaboration.  But in My view, this a very brief one.  That is because My Vibhootis are infinite’.  ‘Hari Ananta, Hari Katha Ananta’ sang Shri Tulasidas.  His Vibhootis are innumerable.  His Form is boundless.  He is not bound by time and space limits.  He has no birth and death.  That is His Time limitlessness.  He is not bound by forms with limited dimensions.  That is His Space Limitlessness.

Shri Krishna showers His Grace and Blessing by explaining His Vibhootis.  There is a difference between the hen and other birds.  The other birds go in search of food and return with food to feed the young ones.  The hen is not like that.  It walks ahead, all the while ‘ploughing’ the earth and identifying the edible items.  The chicks follow the mother, learn in a few days to identify and feed.  Shri Krishna’s explanation is similar.  There may be countless examples.  He can not go on listing those.  A man on the shore knows the sea through the waves.  He may be shown a few waves as examples.  If he continues asking if this wave has the sea, if that wave has the sea?, it would be better to be silent, rather than answer him.  Shri Krishna while explaining the Vibhootis, is not involved in an academic exercise.  It is not a mere intellectual jargon, meant for some PhD thesis.  He is explaining to Arjuna with a motherly affection.  Hence, He stops with this.

Can we know Him fully?  He need not be known fully.  See Him and know that He is the only Truth.  That is enough.  One making a pilgrimage to the Ganga need not know and see Her fully from the Gangotri (the originating spot) to the Ganga Sagar (the place of Ganga’s confluence with the sea).  He should just visit any spot on her banks, take a dip and be elevated.  The realization that the Ganga is sacred is more important.

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यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं शीमदूर्जितमेव वा ।

तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंsशसम्भवम् ॥ ४१ ॥

Whatever being there is great, prosperous, dazzling or powerful, know that to be a product of a drop of My splendour.

(X - 41)

Not that all the manifestations listed here are useful to a seeker.  Some of the more useful ones may not have found a mention in this list.  It is better to tune our vision as to see the Paramaatman in anything glorious, anything luminous, anything unique in this world.  Man’s life in this world is an instrument.  The goal is Paramaatman.  ll the manifestations in the world are but symbols depicting the Paramaatman.  Man has a tendency to regard the symbols as ultimate.  He starts worshipping the symbols.  No.  Worship is not bad, if performed with a clear realization that it is the worship of the Paramaatman, through the symbols.  ‘Do not apply Chandan.  The picture will be spoilt’;  ‘Avoid abhishekam.  The idol will become dirty’;  such suggestions are from the ones who are very clear that they are worshipping the picture or the idol.  A worship without an iota of faith or shraddha.

Wherever a great, luminous unique feature, beauty, strength, greatness,  is observed in an inert object or in a life or in a man, it is to be taken as His Form or expression or manifestation.  There is no greatness or beauty or qualification without Him.  This is Ananya Bhava.  There is nothing other than Him.  When a woman sees the speciality in a man other than her husband, her ‘Pati Vrata’ fades.  Similarly, if the world appears unique, special or lminous without the Paramaatman, Ananya Bhakti fades and causes downfall.

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अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन ।

विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ॥ ४२ ॥

What avails you to know all these, Oh Arjuna?  Know that I exist, supporting this whole world by a portion of Myself.

(X - 42)

What is the use of talking theories?  What is the use of collecting all these informations?  Look in Me.  I talk to you.  I am so close to you.  Take a look at this charioteer, holding reins of these horses.  Take a look at this servant of yours, obeying and working on your commands.  The whole creation rests in a small portion of Me.  All the worlds, all the lives, everything from spectacular to ordinary, from tender to dastard, rests in one small part in Me.  What is the use of talking all these when I Myself am seated close to you.  There is a beautiful underlying continuity in the Gita.  Foundation is laid towards the end of a chapter for the subject matter of the next chapter.  Having listed His Vibhootis, Shri Krishna incites on this shlokam,  a desire in Arjuna’s mind to see the grand cosmic form of Shri Krishna.

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\ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन सम्वादे ‘विभूति योगो’ नाम दशमोsध्याय: ॥

Thus concludes ‘Vibhhoti Yog’, the tenth chapter in the grand dialogue between Shree Krishna and Arjuna, called the Shreemad Bhagawad Geetha, which is verily an Upanishad, elaborating on ‘The Divine Knowledge’ and also describing the ‘Way to Godhood’.

\\\\\ HARIH OM TAT SAT \\\\\