FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 10.19

श्रीभगवानुवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतय: । प्राधान्यत: कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ॥ १९ ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi
[hanta te kathayishyaami]
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
[divyaa hy aatma-vibhootayah]
prādhānyataḥ kuru-śreṣṭha
[praadhaanyatah kuru-shreshtha]
nāsty anto vistarasya me
[naasty anto vistarasya me]
Word-for-word
śrī - bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said hanta — yes te — unto you kathayiṣyāmi — I shall speak divyāḥ — divine hi — certainly ātma - vibhūtayaḥ — personal opulences prādhānyataḥ — which are principal kuru - śreṣṭha — O best of the Kurus na asti — there is not antaḥ — limit vistarasya — to the extent me — My .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī - bhagavān uvāca
the Supreme Personality of Godhead said
hanta
yes
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi
te
unto you
kathayiṣyāmi
I shall speak
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
divyāḥ
divine
hi
certainly
ātma - vibhūtayaḥ
personal opulences
prādhānyataḥ kuru-śreṣṭha
prādhānyataḥ
which are principal
kuru - śreṣṭha
O best of the Kurus
nāsty anto vistarasya me
na asti
there is not
antaḥ
limit
vistarasya
to the extent
me
My .
Important Words
  • hanta — yes, indeed
    An exclamation of glad assent. Kṛṣṇa is not reluctantly answering; the word marks His pleasure at being asked. The chapter's whole catalog flows from this small note of yes.
  • divyāḥ — divine
    Same word as verse 16 — these are transcendental opulences, not material grandeur. The forthcoming list of mountains, weapons, animals, etc., are to be read as divya manifestations, not natural-history specimens.
  • ātma - vibhūtayaḥ — personal opulences
    Compound: ātma (own) + vibhūtayaḥ (opulences). 'My own.' Kṛṣṇa stakes personal ownership of the list to come — these are not third-party glories He admires but extensions of His own nature.
  • prādhānyataḥ — which are principal
    From pradhāna, 'principal, primary.' The verse confesses a selection criterion: only the chief items. The infinite cannot be exhausted; the principal can at least be indicated.
  • antaḥ — limit
    'End, boundary.' Na asty antaḥ — there is no end. The chapter's whole list is offered against this disclaimer, ensuring no reader mistakes the catalog for the totality.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Yes, I will tell you of My splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Kṛṣṇa accepts Arjuna's request but flags a built-in limitation: even He will speak only 'by principal examples' (prādhānyataḥ), because His expanse has no end. The catalogue that follows is thus a representative sampling, not a totality.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
The particle hanta signals warmth — 'all right, since you ask.' Prādhānyataḥ is a key disclaimer for hermeneutics: every subsequent 'I am X among Y' must be read as 'representative' rather than exhaustive. The verse models the pedagogical principle of selection and resonates with 7.21–22, where Kṛṣṇa acknowledges that aspirants approach Him through particular forms.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे कुरु-श्रेष्ठ! हन्त, ते दिव्याः आत्म-विभूतयः प्राधान्यतः हि कथयिष्यामि; मे विस्तरस्य अन्तः न अस्ति ।
he kuru-śreṣṭha! hanta, te divyāḥ ātma-vibhūtayaḥ prādhānyataḥ hi kathayiṣyāmi; me vistarasya antaḥ na asti |
O best of the Kurus, well then! I shall describe to you My divine personal opulences, but only by their principal (examples), for there is no end to My extent.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
श्रीभगवान् उवाच
śrībhagavān uvāca
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्याः हि आत्म-विभूतयः । प्राधान्यतः कुरु-श्रेष्ठ न अस्ति अन्तः विस्तरस्य मे ॥
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyāḥ hi ātma-vibhūtayaḥ | prādhānyataḥ kuru-śreṣṭha na asti antaḥ vistarasya me ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
हन्त hanta ind. (indeclinable), affirmative particle well then, indeed
ते te युष्मद् dat.sg. (dative singular) to you
कथयिष्यामि kathayiṣyāmi √कथ् caus. (causative) fut. (future) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I shall tell
दिव्याः divyāḥ दिव्य (adj.) nom.pl. (nominative plural)f. divine
हि hi ind. (indeclinable), emphatic indeed
आत्म-विभूतयः ātma-vibhūtayaḥ आत्मन् + विभूति (f.) nom.pl. (nominative plural), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) personal opulences
प्राधान्यतः prādhānyataḥ ind. (-tas suffix) in (their) principal (forms)
कुरु-श्रेष्ठ kuru-śreṣṭha कुरु + श्रेष्ठ (adj.) voc.sg. (vocative singular)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) O best of the Kurus
न अस्ति अन्तः na asti antaḥ ind. (indeclinable) + √अस् 3sg. + अन्त (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) there is no end
विस्तरस्य vistarasya विस्तर (m.) gen.sg. (genitive singular) of (My) expanse
मे me अस्मद् gen.sg. (genitive singular) of Me
Purport

It is not possible to comprehend the greatness of Kṛṣṇa and His opulences. The senses of the individual soul are limited and do not permit him to understand the totality of Kṛṣṇa’s affairs. Still the devotees try to understand Kṛṣṇa, but not on the principle that they will be able to understand Kṛṣṇa fully at any specific time or in any state of life. Rather, the very topics of Kṛṣṇa are so relishable that they appear to the devotees as nectar. Thus the devotees enjoy them. In discussing Kṛṣṇa’s opulences and His diverse energies, the pure devotees take transcendental pleasure. Therefore they want to hear and discuss them. Kṛṣṇa knows that living entities do not understand the extent of His opulences; He therefore agrees to state only the principal manifestations of His different energies. The word prādhānyataḥ (“principal”) is very important because we can understand only a few of the principal details of the Supreme Lord, for His features are unlimited. It is not possible to understand them all. And vibhūti, as used in this verse, refers to the opulences by which He controls the whole manifestation. In the Amara-kośa dictionary it is stated that vibhūti indicates an exceptional opulence. The impersonalist or pantheist cannot understand the exceptional opulences of the Supreme Lord nor the manifestations of His divine energies. Both in the material world and in the spiritual world His energies are distributed in every variety of manifestation. Now Kṛṣṇa is describing what can be directly perceived by the common man; thus part of His variegated energy is described in this way.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
19. The Lord said: By My mercy, I will tell you about the chief of My excellent vibhūtis. O best of the Kurus, there is no end to My manifestations.
Commentary

Oh (hanta), out of mercy, I will tell you about these vibhūtis. I will speak of the chief ones, because there is no end to their number. Vibhutayaḥ is used for vibhutīḥ (feminine plural accusative). These vibhūtis are excellent (divya), not like grass or bricks. The word vibhūti includes both material and spiritual manifestations of power of the Lord. Because they all arise from the śakti of the Lord, they should all be considered as worthy of meditation as forms of the Lord, though some are preferable to others.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
19. By My mercy, I will tell you about the chief of My excellent vibhūtis. O best of the Kurus, there is no end to My manifestations.
Commentary

Being asked, the Lord here replies. Hanta here expresses compassion. Vibhūtayaḥ is again used instead of vibhūtīḥ. I will speak about My vibhūtis which are remarkable, not like grass and bricks. I will speak of the chief ones, since there is no end to describing them all. The word vibhūti should be understood to mean powerful objects which exhibit the Lord’s sense of control. Amara Kośa says vibhūtis means power and wealth (vibhūtir bhūtir aiśvaryam). Common and refined items will be described in their capacity as vibhūtis. All of these should be thought of as the Lord’s self to some degree, in that they suggest the powers of the Lord of all things. The approved, direct forms of the Lord have been described conclusively. Those forms are useful for meditation as they are. They should not be considered like the limited representations of His śakti, which are mentioned in this chapter.

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

Here Krsna uses the word 'hanta', which means also 'dear one'. Like sometimes two lovers address each other by the word 'honey', meaning 'very dear', here also Krsna applies this intimate word to address Arjuna. First Krsna will describe His spiritual energy.

[2. Krsna says that He is the Supersou, the sun, the moon, Lord Siva, Mount Meru, the ocean, OM, japa, the Himalayas, the monarch, the thunderbolt, Yamaraja, time, the wind, the shark, death, spring, gambling, splendor, adventure, strength, silence, and wisdom. (20‑38) ]

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

Kṛṣṇa begins His description by saying, hanta. Hanta is a form of address expressing tenderness.

Kṛṣṇa is so pleased by Arjuna’s inquiry that He reciprocates by saying, “Oh, hanta [yes], I will speak

about My opulences.”

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
10.19 Kuru-srestha, O best of the Kurus; hanta, now; since, on the other hand, it is not possible to speak exhaustively of them even in a hundred years, (there-fore) pradhanyatah, according to their importance, according as those manifestations are pre-eminent in their respective spheres; kathayisyami, I shall described; te, to you; atma-vibhutayah, My own glories; which are (hi, indeed) divyah, divine, heavenly. Na asti there is no; antah, end; me, to My; vistarasya, manifestations. 'Of those, now listen to the foremost:'
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
10.19 The Lord said O Arjuna, I shall tell you My auspicious manifestations - those that are prominent among these. The term 'Pradhanya' connotes pre-eminence. For it will be said, 'Know Me to be the chief among family priests' (10.24). I shall declare to you those that are prominent in the world. For it would not be possible to tell or listen to them in detail, because there is no limit to them. To be a Vibhuti, the manifestation referred to should be under the control of the Lord; because it is stated: 'He who in truth knows this supernal manifestation and the seat of auspicious attributes' (10.7), after listing the various kinds of mental dispositions like intelligence etc., of all beings. Similarly it has been stated there that 'being the creator etc.,' is meant by the term Yoga, and that their 'being actuated,' meant by the term Vibhuti. Again it is stated: 'I am the origin of all; from me proceed everything; thinking thus, the wise worship Me with all devotion' (10.8). Sri Krsna clearly declares that he rules over all creatures by actuating them from within as their Self. He also declares His being the creator, sustainer and destroyer of everything, as connected by the term Yoga.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
10.19 See Comment under 10.42
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
10.19 The Blessed Lord said Very well! Now I will declare to thee My divine glories in their prominence, O Arjuna; there is no end to their detailed description.
Commentary

10.19 हन्त now? very well? ते to thee? कथयिष्यामि (I) will declare? दिव्याः divine? हि indeed? आत्मविभूतयः My glories? प्राधान्यतः in their prominence? कुरुश्रेष्ठ O best of the Kurus? न not? अस्ति is? अन्तः end? विस्तरस्य of detail? मे of Me.Commentary Now I will tell you of My most prominent divine glories. My glories are illimitable it is not possible to describe all of them.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
10.19 The Blessed Lord said O best of the Kurus, now, according to their importance, I shall described to you My onw glories, which are indeed divine. There is no end to my manifestations.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
10.19 Lord Shri Krishna replied: So be it, My beloved fried! I will unfold to thee some of the chief aspects of My glory. Of its full extent there is no end.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Arjava (Simplicity / Straightforwardness)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
BG 7.8 BG 10.40 BG 11.32 SB 2.7.1 SB 11.16.6 SB 1.3.26 CC Madhya 20.100 CC Madhya 20.185 CC Ādi 5.79 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.5.19
Concepts
Japa
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
I shall describe to you the principal of My divine opulences — there is no end to My grandeur.
Practical Applications
  • Trust that Kṛṣṇa's grandeur exceeds any list.
  • Use the listed opulences as starting points, not exhaustive.
  • Continue noticing Him in unlisted places.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I noticed Him beyond the standard list?
  • How might I keep noticing?
Analogy

A botanist asked to describe a forest can only point to the most prominent trees — the redwood, the ancient oak, the rare orchid — because to list every leaf would take longer than the lifespan of the questioner. So Kṛṣṇa agrees to speak only of His prādhānya — the principal opulences — confessing in the same breath that the total has no end.

Stories
Sūta Gosvāmī's selection

Asked by the Naimiṣāraṇya sages to recount everything about Kṛṣṇa, Sūta Gosvāmī began the Bhāgavatam — but he too selected. He emphasized the pastimes Vyāsa had compiled, the principal avatāras, the central devotees.

He did not pretend completeness. The Bhāgavatam itself opens with the famous statement that the Lord's glories are infinite, and only a few drops are being narrated. This verse — kuruṣreṣṭha, na asty antaḥ — is the model for every honest narrator of Kṛṣṇa's līlā that has come since.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 10