Vibhuti Yoga — The Yoga of Divine Glories

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

The Supreme Lord said: O mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to My supreme word, which I shall speak to you who are pleased, desiring your welfare.

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

Neither the hosts of gods nor the great sages know My origin, for I am the source of all the gods and great sages in every way.

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

He who knows Me as unborn, beginningless, and the great Lord of all worlds — he, among mortals, is undeluded and freed from all sins.

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

Intellect, knowledge, freedom from delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-control, calmness, happiness, sorrow, birth, death, fear, and fearlessness —

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

Non-violence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, and infamy — these various states of beings arise from Me alone.

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

The seven great sages, the four ancient ones (Sanaka etc.), and the fourteen Manus — all were born from My mind and will, and from them have come all the beings in this world.

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

He who truly knows My divine glories and mystic power is united with Me through unshakable yoga — of this there is no doubt.

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

I am the origin of all; from Me everything proceeds. Knowing this, the wise worship Me endowed with devotion and deep feeling.

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

With their minds fixed on Me and their lives surrendered to Me, enlightening one another and constantly speaking about Me, they are content and they rejoice.

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

To those who are ever united with Me and worship Me with love, I give that yoga of understanding by which they come to Me.

तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः। नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता॥

Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.

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

Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Abode, the Supreme Purifier, the Eternal Divine Person, the Primal God, Unborn and All-pervading.

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

All the sages declare this of You, as does the divine sage Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa, and now You Yourself tell me so.

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

O Keshava, I accept as true all that You tell me. Indeed, O Lord, neither the gods nor the demons know Your manifestation.

स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम। भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते॥

You alone know Yourself by Your own Self, O Supreme Person, O Creator of beings, O Lord of beings, O God of gods, O Lord of the universe.

वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः। याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि॥

Please describe fully Your divine glories, by which You pervade and abide in all these worlds.

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

O Yogi, how may I know You, constantly meditating on You? In what various forms and objects are You to be contemplated by me, O Lord?

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

O Janardana, tell me again in detail about Your yogic powers and glories, for I never tire of hearing Your nectarean words.

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

The Supreme Lord said: Yes, I shall describe to you My divine glories, but only the principal ones, O best of the Kurus, for there is no end to My extent.

अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः। अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च॥

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

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान्। मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी॥

Among the Adityas I am Vishnu; among luminaries, the radiant Sun; among the Maruts I am Marichi; and among the stars I am the Moon.

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः। इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना॥

Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the gods I am Indra; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am consciousness.

रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम्। वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम्॥

Of the Rudras I am Shankara (Shiva); of the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am Kubera (the lord of wealth); of the Vasus I am Agni (fire); and of mountains I am Meru.

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

O Partha, know Me to be Brihaspati, the chief among priests. Of generals I am Skanda (Kartikeya), and of water bodies I am the ocean.

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम्। यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः॥

Of the great sages I am Bhrigu; of speech I am the single syllable Om; of sacrifices I am the sacrifice of silent chanting (japa); and of immovable things I am the Himalayas.

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

Of all trees I am the Peepal (Ashvattha); of divine sages, Narada; of the Gandharvas, Chitraratha; and of perfected beings, the sage Kapila.

उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम्। ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम्॥

Of horses, know Me as Uchchaihshravas, born of the churning of the ocean; of lordly elephants, Airavata; and among humans, the king.

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक्। प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः॥

Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; of cows, Kamadhenu (the wish-fulfilling cow); I am Kandarpa, the cause of procreation; and of serpents I am Vasuki.

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम्। पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम्॥

Of the Nagas I am Ananta (Shesha); of aquatic beings, Varuna; of the ancestors, Aryama; and of controllers I am Yama (the god of death).

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्। मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम्॥

Of the Daityas (demons) I am Prahlada; of reckoners I am Time; of animals I am the lion; and of birds I am Garuda.

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्। झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी॥

Of purifiers I am the wind; of warriors I am Rama; of fishes I am the shark (Makara); and of rivers I am the Ganges.

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन। अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम्॥

O Arjuna, of all creations I am the beginning, end, and middle. Of all sciences I am the science of the Self (Adhyatma Vidya), and of those who debate I am the logical conclusion (Vada).

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च। अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः॥

Of letters I am the letter 'A'; of compound words, the dual compound (Dvandva); I am the imperishable Time, and I am the Creator facing all directions.

मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम्। कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा॥

I am the all-devouring death, and the origin of things yet to come. Among feminine qualities I am fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness, and patience.

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम्। मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः॥

Of the Sama hymns I am the Brihat-Sama; of meters I am the Gayatri; of months I am Margashirsha (November-December); and of seasons I am the flower-bearing spring.

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम्। जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम्॥

Of the deceitful I am gambling; I am the splendor of the splendid; I am victory, I am determination, and I am the goodness of the good.

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः। मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः॥

Of the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva (Krishna); of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya (Arjuna); of sages, Vyasa; and of poets/seers, Ushana (Shukracharya).

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम्। मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम्॥

Of punishers I am the rod of justice; of those who seek victory I am statesmanship; of secrets I am silence; and of the wise I am wisdom.

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

O Arjuna, I am the seed of all beings. There is no being, moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me.

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

O scorcher of foes, there is no end to My divine glories. What I have told you is only a brief indication of the extent of My manifestations.

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा। तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम्॥

Whatever being is glorious, prosperous, or powerful, know that to be born from but a fragment of My splendor.

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन। विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्॥

But what need is there for all this detailed knowledge, O Arjuna? I support this entire universe with a single fragment of Myself.