Chapter 10

Again, O mighty-armed, hear thou My supreme word, that, desiring thy welfare, I will declare to thee who art beloved.

The multitude of the Shining Ones, or the great Rishis, know not my forthcoming, for I am the beginning of all the Shining Ones and the great Rishis.

He who knoweth Me, unborn, beginningless, the great Lord of the world, he among mortals without delusion, is liberated from all sin.

Reason, wisdom, non-illusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, calmness, pleasure, pain, existence, non-existence, fear, and also courage

Harmlessness, equanimity, content, austerity, almsgiving, fame and obloquy are the various characteristics of beings issuing from Me.

The seven great Rishis, the ancient Four, and also the Manus, were born of My nature, and mind; of them this race was generated.

He who knows in essence that sovereignty and yoga of Mine, he is harmonised by unfaltering yoga; there is no doubt thereof.

I am the Generator of all; all evolves from Me; understanding thus, the wise adore Me in rapt emotion.

Mindful of Me, their life hidden in Me, illumining each other, ever conversing about Me, they are content and joyful.

To these, ever harmonious, worshipping in love, I give the yoga of discrimination by which they come unto Me.

Out of pure compassion for them, dwelling within their Self, I destroy the ignorance-born darkness by the shining lamp of wisdom.

Thou art the supreme Eternal, the supreme Abode, the supreme Purity, eternal divine man, primeval Deity, unborn, the Lord!

All the Rishis have thus acclaimed Thee, as also the divine Rishi, Nârada; so Asita, Devala, and Vyâsa; and now Thou Thyself tellest it me.

All this I believe true that Thou sayest to me, O Keshava. Thy manifestation, O Blessed Lord, neither Shining Ones nor Dânavas comprehend.

Thyself indeed knowest Thyself by Thyself, O Purushottama; Source of beings, Lord of beings, Shining One of Shining Ones, Ruler of the world!

Deign to tell without reserve of Thine own divine glories, by which glories Thou remainest, pervading these worlds.

How may I know thee, O Yogi, by constant meditation? In what, in what aspects art Thou to be thought of by me, O blessed Lord?

In detail tell me again of Thy yoga and glory, O Janardana; for me there is never satiety in hearing thy life-giving words.

Blessed be thou! I will declare to thee My divine glory by its chief characteristics, O best of the Kurus; there is no end to details of Me.

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

Of the Adityas I am Vishnu; of radiances the glorious sun; I am Marîchi of the Maruts; of the asterisms the Moon am I.

Of the Vedas I am the Sâma-Veda; I am Vâsava of the Shining Ones; and of the senses I am the mind; I am of living beings the intelligence.

And of the Rudras Shañkara am I; Vittesha of the Yakshas and Râkshasas; and of the Vasus I am Pâvaka; Meru of high mountains am I.

And know Me, O Pârtha, of household priests the chief, Brihaspati: of generals I am Skanda; of lakes I am the ocean.

Of the great Rishis Bhṛigu; of speech I am the one syllable; of sacrifices I am the sacrifice of silent repetitions; of immovable things the Himâlaya.

Asvattha of all tree; and of divine Rishis Nârada; of Gandharvas Chitraratha; of the perfected the Muni Kapila.

Uchchaishravas of horses know me, nectar-born; Airâvata of lordly elephants, and of men the Monarch.

Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; of cows I am Kâmadhuk; I am Kandarpa of the progenitors; of serpents Vâsuki am I.

And I am Ananta of Nâgas, Varuna of sea-dwellers I; and of ancestors Aryaman; Yama of governors am I.

And I am Prahlâda of Daityas; of calculators Time am I; and of wild beasts I the imperial beast; and Vainateya of birds.

Of purifiers I am the wind; Rama of warriors I; and I am Makara of fishes; of streams the Gangâ am I.

Of creations the beginning and the ending, and also the middle am I, O Arjuna. Of sciences the science concerning the Self; the speech of orators I.

Of letters the letter A I am, and the duality of a compound; I also everlasting Time; I the Supporter, whose face turns everywhere.

And all-devouring Death am I, and the origin of all to come; and of feminine qualities, fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, constancy, forgiveness.

Of hymns also Brihatsâman; Gâyatrî of metres am I; of months I am Mârgasîrsha; of seasons the flowery.

I am the gambling of the cheat, and the splendour of splendid things I; I am victory, I am determination, and the truth of the truthful I.

Of the Vṛishnis Vâsudeva am I; of the Pândavas Dhananjaya; of the Sages also I am Vyâsa; of poets Ushanâ the Bard.

Of rulers I am the sceptre; of those that seek victory I am statesmanship; and of secrets I am also silence; the knowledge of knowers am I.

And whatsoever is the seed of all beings, that am I, O Arjuna; nor is there aught, moving or unmoving, that may exist bereft of Me.

There is no end of My divine powers, O Parantapa. What has been declared is illustrative of My infinite glory.

Whatsoever is glorious, good, beautiful, and mighty, understand thou that to go forth from a fragment of My splendour.

But what is the knowledge of all these details to thee, O Arjuna? Having pervaded this whole universe with one fragment of Myself, I remain.