FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 10.16

వక్తుమర్హస్యశేషేణ దివ్యా హ్యాత్మవిభూతయ: । యాభిర్విభూతిభిర్లోకానిమాంస్త్వం వ్యాప్య తిష్ఠసి ॥ ౧౬ ॥
vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa
[vaktum arhasy asheshena]
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
[divyaa hy aatma-vibhootayah]
yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān
[yaabhir vibhootibhir lokaan]
imāṁs tvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi
[imaams tvam vyaapya tishthasi]
Word-for-word
vaktum — to say arhasi — You deserve aśeṣeṇa — in detail divyāḥ — divine hi — certainly ātma — Your own vibhūtayaḥ — opulences yābhiḥ — by which vibhūtibhiḥ — opulences lokān — all the planets imān — these tvam — You vyāpya — pervading tiṣṭhasi — remain .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa
vaktum
to say
arhasi
You deserve
aśeṣeṇa
in detail
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
divyāḥ
divine
yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān
hi
certainly
imāṁs tvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi
ātma
Your own
vibhūtayaḥ
opulences
yābhiḥ
by which
vibhūtibhiḥ
opulences
lokān
all the planets
imān
these
tvam
You
vyāpya
pervading
tiṣṭhasi
remain .
Important Words
  • aśeṣeṇa — in detail, without remainder
    Compound: a (not) + śeṣa (remainder). 'Leaving nothing out.' Arjuna does not want a sample — he wants the totality, knowing full well, from verse 19, that the totality has no end.
  • divyāḥ — divine
    From div, 'to shine.' Not 'pertaining to gods' but 'transcendental, luminous.' Marks the opulences as belonging to Kṛṣṇa's spiritual nature, not mere material grandeur.
  • vibhūtayaḥ — opulences
    Plural of vibhūti — the chapter's title-word. Arjuna's question is the question the chapter exists to answer. The next twenty verses are Kṛṣṇa's reply to this single sentence.
  • vyāpya — pervading
    Gerund of vi-āp, 'to spread through.' Arjuna's image: each opulence is a thread by which Kṛṣṇa weaves through every region of the cosmos. The pervasion is not abstract but item-by-item.
  • tiṣṭhasi — remain
    Present tense of sthā, 'to stand, abide.' Not 'You once pervaded' but 'You are pervading right now, abiding.' The verbs throughout this verse are continuous: the opulences are a live, present pattern.
Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulences by which You pervade all these worlds.
Purport

In this verse it appears that Arjuna is already satisfied with his understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. By Kṛṣṇa’s grace, Arjuna has personal experience, intelligence and knowledge and whatever else a person may have, and through all these agencies he has understood Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For him there is no doubt, yet he is asking Kṛṣṇa to explain His all-pervading nature. People in general and the impersonalists in particular concern themselves mainly with the all-pervading nature of the Supreme. So Arjuna is asking Kṛṣṇa how He exists in His all-pervading aspect through His different energies. One should know that this is being asked by Arjuna on behalf of the common people.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
16. You should speak about Your vibhūtis in detail, at least about those by which You remain pervading this universe.
Commentary

“It is difficult to understand the truth about You. Therefore, I want to know about Your vibhūtis. Your vibhūtis are very attractive (divya). You should speak about them fully.” “But it is impossible to speak of all of My vibhūtis fully.” “Speak about those vibhūtis by which You spread Yourself in this world.”

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
16. You should speak about Your vibhūtis in detail, by which You remain controlling this universe.
Commentary

Since Your svarūpa is difficult to understand in full, I am now curious to know about your vibhūtis (expanded potencies in this world). You should describe completely Your (ātma) attractive, extraordinary (divyā) vibhūtis, by which You remain in control of (vāpya tiṣṭhasi) this world. Nominative cause vibhūtayaḥ is used to indicate the accusative case vibhūtīḥ. [Note: The correct form would be: vibhūtīḥ vaktum arhasi.]

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulences by which You pervade all these worlds. (com) Krsna's opulences are unnlimited and as much of Your opulences are pervading this material world, nothing more. Krsna: "It's impossible to speak about My opulences as they are unlimited." Arjuna: "Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulences by which You pervade all these worlds." Gita Bhushan: Arjuna: "Difficult to understand Krsna, as He is, so my interest is to hear only about Your opulences." (Krsna has previously said 10.7) that one who undestands Krsna's opulences becomes united with Him in yoga, so Arjuna asks about His opulences, which (man mana bhava mad bhakta) Arjuna needs to know so he can think of Him.
Commentary

Arjuna is asking Krsna to tell him about His opulences and Krsna has already explained 'aham sarvasya prabhavo...', how He is everything. But Arjuna is saying: "It is difficult to understand You, so let me hear more of Your opulences. Why? So I can think of You!" Because Krsna has said in Chapter Six, 'mad gatenantaratmanam', and in the end of Chapter Nine, 'man mana bhava mad bhakto', "You become My devotee and always think about Me!" Krsna has been describing His opulences in this Chapter so that Arjuna can be always thinking about Him.

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

Arjuna’s requests:

Arjuna therefore requests to hear about Krishna directly from Krishna
Request to hear in detail about His divine opulences by which He pervades all these worlds
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
10.16 Arhasi, be pleased; vaktum, to speak; asesena, in full; atmavibhutayah, of Your own manifestations; divyah hi, which are indeed divine; yabhih, through which; vibhutibhih, manifestations, manifestations of Your glory; tisthasi, You exist; vyapya, pervading; iman, these; lokan, worlds.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
10.16 Whatever manifestations there be that are divine, unie to Yourself - You alone are capable of describing them without exception. 'You reveal them Yourself' is the meaning. With these innumerable Vibhutis, these instances of your manifestation indicating Your will to rule, You abide, pervading all these worlds as their controller. What is the need for such description? The answer follows:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
10.16 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
10.16 Thou shouldst indeed tell, without reserve, of Thy divine glories by which Thou existest, pervading all these worlds. (None else can do so.)
Commentary

10.16 वक्तुम् to tell? अर्हसि (Thou) shouldst? अशेषेण without reminder? दिव्याः divine? हि indeed? आत्मविभूतयः Thy glories? याभिः by which? विभूतिभिः by glories? लोकान् worlds? इमान् these? त्वम् Thou? व्याप्य having pervaded? तिष्ठसि existest.No Commentary.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
10.16 Be pleased to speak in full of Your own manifestations which are indeed divine, through which manifestations You exist pervading these worlds.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
10.16 Please tell me all about Thy glorious manifestations, by means of which Thou pervadest the world.
Related values & verses
Related values
Prema (Divine Love)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
BG 10.19 BG 7.8 BG 9.4 SB 2.1.23 SB 11.16.6 SB 2.7.1 CC Madhya 21.7 CC Ādi 5.71 CC Madhya 20.385 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.1.4Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.16
Concepts
Bhava
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Please describe in detail Your divine opulences by which You pervade all worlds — I never tire of hearing of You.
Practical Applications
  • Cultivate the same hunger Arjuna shows.
  • Increase your appetite for hearing about Kṛṣṇa.
  • Never tire of His glorification.
Reflection Questions
  • When did I last feel that hunger?
  • What restored or might restore it?
Analogy

When a student finally understands that he is sitting before the author of the textbook, he stops asking small questions and asks for the whole story. Arjuna, having grasped that the Supreme Person Himself is speaking, requests not a summary but a full unfolding of the opulences by which Kṛṣṇa pervades the worlds.

Stories
Parīkṣit's seven-day request

Mahārāja Parīkṣit had seven days to live. He did not ask Śukadeva for political advice or a quick mantra. He asked for the unabridged account of the Lord — His pastimes, His opulences, His names. The Bhāgavatam is the answer.

Arjuna's request in this verse — 'tell me in detail of Your divine opulences' — has the same shape: the inquirer with limited time presents Kṛṣṇa with the only worthwhile question. Time is short; speak fully about Yourself.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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