10.1
Lord Krishna said:
Arjuna, My dear friend, listen to Me. I am imparting to you these divine teachings because I want the best for you.
10.2
Even the demigods and saints do not know My origin. I am the Source of their very existence, but they do not know My Original Cause.
10.3
Know Me as the Unborn, the One Without Beginning, the Supreme Progenitor of All That Is, and you will be a man free of delusion. Your actions will cause no karma.
10.4 / 10.5
From Me arises wisdom, intelligence, forgiveness, calmness, happiness, joy, sorrow, pleasure, truth, delusion, non-delusion, restraint, pain, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, violence, non-violence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame, infamy — and all other attributes of the life of beings. These are created by Me alone.
10.6
The four Manus — the progenitors of mankind — were born of My Mind, as were the seven Saints who followed the Manus. And from them all the creatures of the world descend.
10.7
Those who realize the truth of My divine power become One with Me. This is for certain.
10.8
I am the Father of all spiritual and material worlds. From Me, All That Is manifests. Those who know this in themselves, worship Me with all their heart.
10.9
With their minds established in Me, with their lives surrendered to Me, they delight in talking about Me and enlightening each other about Me. They are content and happy in their lives.
10.10
To those who worship Me with love and devotion, I give the key to the door that leads to Me.
10.11
I live in their hearts and grant them special mercies. I destroy their ignorance with the radiance of Truth.
10.12
Arjuna said, “O Lord, you are indeed unborn and omnipresent, the Supreme Brahmin, the Great Purifier, the Divine Self, the Eternal Home.
10.13
The great sages Narada, Asita, Devala and Vyasa have declared you thus, and now you Yourself are declaring it to me!
10.14
I completely accept all that you have told me. Neither demigods nor demons know the Essence of your divine manifestation.
10.15
Indeed, you alone, by your own powers, know Yourself — the Supreme Personality, the God of gods, the Source and Lord of all beings, the Master of the Universe.
10.16
Please tell me in detail about the divine manifestations with which you pervade all the Universe.
10.17
O Supreme Lord, how shall I think of you? In what forms in creation can I recognize you? In meditation, how should I imagine you?
10.18
Please tell me again of your divine glories and appearances. Your words are like nectar to me.”
10.19
Lord Krishna said:
Of course, I will now speak about my forms and manifestations, but only the most obvious, for my divine glories are endless.
10.20
I am the Self in the heart of all creatures. I am the birth, the life, and the death of all beings.
10.21
Of the powers of creation, I am Vishnu. Among the luminous, I am the Sun. Of the winds I am the Whirlwind. Among the spheres, I am the Moon.
10.22
Of the Vedas, I am the Hymns. Of the demigods I am Indra. Of the senses, I am Mind. Of the attributes of beings, I am Consciousness.
10.23
Among the forces of life I am Shiva. Among spirits and demons I am Wealth. Of the elements of nature I am Fire. Of the mountains I am Meru.
10.24
Among priests I am Chief. Among warriors I am Commander. Of waters, I am Ocean.
10.25
Of sages I am Bhrigu. Of sounds I am AUM. Of offerings, I am Prayer. Of things unmovable, I am the Himalayas.
10.26
Of trees, I am the Sacred Fig. Among saints, I am Narada. Among divine singers, I am the Leader. Among perfected beings, I am Kapila.
10.27
Among horses, I am the Celestial Stallion that arose from the churning of nectar. Among elephants, I am the Elephant of Clouds. Among men, I am Ruler and King.
10.28
Of weapons, I am the Thunderbolt of Indra. Among serpents, I am Visuki on the neck of Shiva. Of cows, I am Surabhi, giver of abundant milk. Among causes of procreation, I am the God of Love.
10.29
Among the cobra gods, I am Ananta. Among the water gods, I am Varuna. Among departed ancestors, I am Aryama. Among dispensers of the law, I am the Lord of Death.
10.30
Of demons, I am Prahlada. Of reckonings, I am Time. Of animals, I am the Lion. Of birds, I am Garuda.
10.31
Of purifiers, I am the Wind. Of warriors, I am Rama. Of fish, I am the Shark. Of rivers, I am the Ganges.
10.32
I am the beginning and end of all creations, and also the middle. Of the sciences, I am the science of Self. Among debaters of logic, I am conclusive Truth.
10.33
Of the alphabet, I am the letter “A.” I am the copulative in compound words. I am the infinity in time. I am Brahma, the Creator.
10.34
I am all-devouring death and the progenitor of that which has yet to be. Of the qualities of the feminine, I am fame, prosperity, beauty, inspiration, memory, intelligence, eloquence, wit, courage, forbearance and forgiveness.
10.35
Of hymns, I am the Brihatsama. Of mantras, I am the Gayatri. Of months, I am November. Of seasons, I am Spring.
10.36
I am the gamble of the gambler, the radiance of the radiant, the power of the powerful. I am the victory of the victorious, the resolve of the resolute, the virtue of the virtuous.
10.37
Among the Vrishni clan, I am Krishna. Among the Pandeva clan, I am Arjuna. Among sages, I am Vyasa. Among poets, I am Ushana.
10.38
I am punishment for the lawless, and statesmanship for those who seek power. I am the silence in mystery, and the wisdom of the wise.
10.39
I am the seed of All That Is. No being or thing, moving or unmoving, can exist without Me.
10.40
O Arjuna, the list of my divine manifestations is limitless. I have told you but a few by way of illustration.
10.41
Everything beautiful, glorious, and mighty, is but a trifling spark of my splendor.
10.42
But what use are all these details, Arjuna? Simply know that with the most infinitesimal spec of Myself, I pervade and sustain the whole Universe.