Where He Shows

भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः ।
यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ॥1॥

The Lord said: Hear once more, mighty-armed one, my highest word, which I will speak to you, who are dear to me, because I want your good.

न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः ।
अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ॥2॥

Neither the gods nor the great seers know where I come from, for I am the beginning of the gods and of the great seers in every way.

यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम् ।
असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥3॥

One who knows me as unborn, without beginning, great lord of the worlds, is unconfused among mortals and is freed of every wrong.

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः ।
सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥4॥

Understanding, knowledge, freedom from confusion, patience, truth, self-restraint, calm, pleasure and pain, coming to be and ceasing to be, fear and fearlessness,

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः ।
भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ॥5॥

not harming, evenness, contentment, discipline, giving, fame and disrepute: these different states of beings arise from me alone.

महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा ।
मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः ॥6॥

The seven great seers, the four before them, and the Manus, share my being and were born of my mind; the people of this world come from them.

एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ।
सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः ॥7॥

One who truly knows this reach of mine and this power is joined to me by an unshakeable practice; of this there is no doubt.

अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते ।
इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः ॥8॥

I am the source of everything, everything moves on from me: knowing this, those who understand worship me, filled with feeling.

मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् ।
कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ॥9॥

With their thought on me and their life given to me, teaching one another and always speaking of me, they are content and they delight in it.

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ।
ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥10॥

To those always joined to me, who worship me with love, I give that clarity of understanding by which they come to me.

तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः ।
नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ॥11॥

Out of compassion for them alone, seated within them, I destroy the darkness born of not knowing, with the shining lamp of knowledge.

परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान् ।
पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम् ॥12॥

Arjuna said: You are the highest Brahman, the highest abode, the highest purifier. They call you the everlasting divine spirit, first among the gods, unborn and all-pervading.

आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा ।
असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे ॥13॥

All the seers say this of you, and Narada, seer among the gods, and Asita, Devala and Vyasa; and you yourself tell me the same.

सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव ।
न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः ॥14॥

All that you tell me I take to be true, Keshava. Neither the gods nor the demons know how you show yourself, Lord.

स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम ।
भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते ॥15॥

You alone know yourself by yourself, Purushottama, maker of beings, lord of beings, god of gods, lord of the world.

वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।
याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि ॥16॥

You are the one to tell in full those divine reaches of yours by which you pervade these worlds and abide in them.

कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन् ।
केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया ॥17॥

How am I to know you, master of yoga, thinking of you always? In which forms and states, Lord, should I hold you in mind?

विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन ।
भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि शृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम् ॥18॥

Tell me again, Janardana, and at length, of your power and your reach; I hear this nectar and am not satisfied.

हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।
प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ॥19॥

The Lord said: Very well, best of Kurus, I will tell you of my divine reaches, the chief ones, for there is no end to my extent.

अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः ।
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ॥20॥

I am the self seated in the heart of all beings, Gudakesha. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of beings.

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।
मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥21॥

Among the Adityas I am Vishnu; among lights, the sun with its rays; among the winds I am Marichi; among the stars, the moon.

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः ।
इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना ॥22॥

Among the Vedas I am the Sama; among the gods, Indra; among the senses I am the mind; and in beings, consciousness.

रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् ।
वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ॥23॥

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

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम् ।
सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः ॥24॥

Among priests know me as the chief one, Brihaspati, Partha. Among commanders I am Skanda; among waters, the sea.

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् ।
यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ॥25॥

Among the great seers I am Bhrigu; of words, the one syllable Om; among offerings, the offering of quiet repetition; among things that stand still, the Himalaya.

अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः ।
गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः ॥26॥

Among all trees I am the ashvattha; among the divine seers, Narada; among the gandharvas, Chitraratha; among the perfected, the sage Kapila.

उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् ।
ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ॥27॥

Among horses know me as Uchchaihshravas, born of the nectar; among great elephants, Airavata; and among men, the king.

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।
प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः ॥28॥

Among weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows, the wish-granting cow; among those who beget, I am the god of desire; among snakes, Vasuki.

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् ।
पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम् ॥29॥

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

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम् ।
मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ॥30॥

Among the daityas I am Prahlada; among things that count, time; among beasts, the lion; and among birds, Garuda.

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् ।
झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥31॥

Among purifiers I am the wind; among those who bear weapons, Rama; among fishes, the crocodile; and among rivers, the Ganga.

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन ।
अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम् ॥32॥

I am the beginning, the end and the middle of all that is created, Arjuna. Among kinds of knowledge I am the knowledge of the self; among those who argue, I am the argument itself.

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च ।
अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥33॥

Among letters I am A; among compound words, the pairing. I am time that does not run out, and the maker whose faces look every way.

मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् ।
कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ॥34॥

I am death that carries everything off, and the source of what is yet to be. Among qualities called feminine I am fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, steadiness and patience.

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।
मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥35॥

Among the Sama chants I am the Brihat; among metres, the Gayatri; among months, Margashirsha; among seasons, the flowering spring.

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।
जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् ॥36॥

I am the gambling of those who cheat, and the brilliance of the brilliant. I am victory, I am resolve, and the goodness of the good.

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः ।
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ॥37॥

Among the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva; among the Pandavas, Arjuna; among sages, Vyasa; and among poets, Ushanas.

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।
मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥38॥

Among those who discipline I am the rod; among those who want to win, the wise course; among secrets I am silence, and the knowledge of those who know.

यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन ।
न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ॥39॥

And whatever is the seed of all beings, that too am I, Arjuna. There is nothing that moves or stands still that could exist without me.

नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप ।
एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया ॥40॥

There is no end to my divine reaches, scorcher of foes. What I have said of their extent is only an indication.

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा ।
तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम् ॥41॥

Whatever is full of power or beauty or strength, know it to have come from a fragment of my brightness.

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन ।
विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ॥42॥

Or what is the use of knowing all this in detail, Arjuna? I hold up this entire world with a single fragment of myself, and there I stand.