अथ दशमोऽध्यायः । विभूतियोगः
10. Vibhuti Yoga
The yoga of divine manifestations

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे
विभूतियोगो नाम दशमोऽध्यायः ॥ १०॥
In the Upanishad of the Bhagavad Gila, the knowledge of Brahman, the Supreme, the science of Yoga and the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, this is the tenth discourse designated:
THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

How does the knower of God view the world? It is explained :-
The Essence of the Vibhutis - 10-41 & 10-42

10-41.mp3

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा ।
तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोंऽशसम्भवम् ॥ १०-४१॥
10-41 Whatever being there is glorious, prosperous or powerful, know that to have sprung but from a spark of My splendour.

The sun's ray spreads everywhere and reveals things in their true perspective. The revealing light here is different from the things revealed. But God is Self-revealed. He manifests Himself as everything. As glory, as brilliance, as splendour, as beauty, as power and as so many other divine attributes, He is expressing Himself. Whatever catches our imagination, draws our attention, sends us into raptures and infuses bliss into us, that is none but the glory of God.

Do you know what is meant by Brahman with divine attributes? It is like a vast expanse of water with waves, ripples, billows, bubbles, sprays, froths and so on. Forms appearing in Cit-akasa or the Expanse of Consciousness can be experienced. Even the Incarnations of God come within this category. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-42.mp3

Is it to be inferred then that the sum total of the manifested universe and God are one and the same? The Lord clarifies this point :-
अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन ।
विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् ॥ १०-४२॥
10-42 But what need is there, 0 Arjuna, for this detailed knowledge? I stand supporting the whole universe with a single fragment of Myself.

An expert cannot display all his talents when tied into a gunny bag and made to run. Though the Lord reveals Himself in multi-forms, these revelations are but partial. All manifestations are in fact limitations. The waves are mere insignificant aspects of the ocean. Even so the infinite phenomenal expressions of Iswara are all just a negligible speck in His magnitude. When this itself is unfathomable, what to speak of Him as the Unmanifest !

God is with form, without form and also transcending all these. He alone knows who and what He is. -Sri Ramakrishna

The Vibhutis Defined - 10-19 to 10-40

10-19.mp3

The Blessed Lord said:
श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।
प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे ॥ १०-१९॥
10-19 Very well! I shall now tell you My divine glories according to their prominence, 0 best of the Kurus; there is no end to the details of My manifestation.

1. The splendors in Nature are all verily the attributes of Iswara.
2. It is impossible for Iswara Himself to recount them all.
3. A few specimens only can be mentioned; His infinitude may be inferred from them.

To define God from scriptural knowledge is like defining the holy city of Banaras after getting an idea of it from the map. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-20.mp3

The truth about the universe has to be known at the outset. That is:-
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः ।
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च ॥ १०-२०॥
10-20 I am the Self, 0 Gudakesa, seated in the hearts of all beings. I am the beginning, the middle and also the end of all beings.

1. The Lord is the innermost Self in all beings, which are all His gross manifestation.
2. The effect is nothing but the cause in another form.
3. The Lord is the material as well as the efficient cause of the Universe.
4. Gudakesa is he who has conquered sleep.
5. The one awakened in the Self can cognize the fact that Iswara is putting on the appearance of the visible universe.

1. It is my Cosmic Mother who has become everything.
2. She of omnipotence has become the universe and the beings in it.
3. She reveals Herself as the body, the intellect, the virtuous path and the spiritual pursuit.
4. Sakti and Brahman are one. ln the manifest state She is Sakti and in the absolute state, Brahman. -----Sri Ramakrishna

10-21.mp3

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् ।
मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥ १०-२१॥
10-21 Of the Adityas I am Vishnu; of the luminaries, the radiant Sun; I am Marichi of the Maruts; of the asterisms the Moon am I.

Though all flowers, fruits and crops come from the same land, the best among them are selected for exhibition. The whole of the manifested universe is the glory of Iswara; but the prominent among them, those that arrest the attention of the beholder, are selectively mentioned as the vibhutis, or the attributes of Iswara.
The same Aditya assumes twelve names during the twelve months. These names commencing from April are Amsu, Dhata, Indra, Aryama, Vivasva, Bhaga, Parjanya, Dvashta, Mitra, Vishnu, Varna and Pusha. The Aditya of January is called Vishnu, who is very much liked by people for his commencing his course towards the summer solstice progressively dispelling the pinching cold of winter.
In the Vishnu Sahasranama the 258th name is Vishnu attributed to the sun god traversing the universe. Vishnu Himself has become Suryanarayana.
Among the forty-nine Maruts or wind gods Marichi is the foremost. The wind causes immense good to the world. The best of the wind gods is therefore identified with Iswara.
The luminary of the day is the sun. The foremost among the luminaries at night is the moon. These two heavenly bodies are therefore viewed with veneration as the manifest representatives of Iswara.

10-22.mp3

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः ।
इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना ॥ १०-२२॥
10-22 Of the Vedas I am the Saman; I am Vasava among the Devas, of the senses I am the mind and among living beings I am consciousness.

One of the names attributed to Vishnu is Samaga, which means the chanter of the Sama Veda. Among the four Vedas, Saman is the one best set to music. It is therefore enchanting even to those who cannot understand it. Thought of God comes to all who chant or hear it. It is verily the glory of God.
Vasava is another name of Indra, the lord of the Devas. By sheer merit the deserving ones rise to this position. And all merits are the glories of God.
The functioning of all the five senses becomes purposeless when the mind wanders away from them. The ways of the absent-minded man verify this position very clearly. Mind being the recorder of all the sensations, it is reckoned as an attribute of the Lord.
The difference between the living and the dead is in the presence or otherwise of consciousness. The more evolved the being, the clearer is the consciousness. Ultimately the Pure Consciousness gets equated with God. As wealth distinguishes the wealthy man; these glories reveal the Lord.

10-23.mp3

रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् ।
वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ॥ १०-२३॥
10-23 Of the Rudras I am Sankara, of the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am Kubera. Of the Vasus I am Pavaka and of mountains I am Meru.

Rudras are eleven in number. Puranas are not all agreed in naming them. But their wide accepted names are Ajaikapad, Ahirbudhnya, Virabhadra, Girisa, Sankara, Aparajita, Hara, Ankaraka, Pinaki, Bhaga and Sambhu. The cosmic function of the Rudras is to make men cry, true to the etymological meaning of this word Crying of people in particular is always for gain either in Preyas or Sreyas. The characteristic of the Rudras is to make them cry for Sreyas. Sankara among these eleven is the doer of good as his name indicates. Through distress, he takes the sadhakas direct Godward. Spiritual anguish purifies people very quickly.
Yakshas and Rakshasas belong to the celestials. The former of these two groups are very fond of acquiring wealth and the latter of hoarding it. Both of these battalions serve their king Kubera, the lord of fabulous wealth Whoever among men, strives for, on right lines, and saves money becomes a Kubera in his own way. Though of a transitory nature, wealth wields power in its own way and is therefore a glory of God.
Vasus are eight in number. They are land, water, fire, air, ether, moon, sun and star, constituting the gross structure of Nature. Of these, Pavaka or fire assumes various degrees of warmth and sustains life. The Lord therefore mentions it as His special manifestation.
The golden Mount Meru is believed to be the axis round which all the heavenly bodies rotate. But it is an allegorical representation of the brahma danda or the spinal cord in the human structure. The science of Yoga extols it as the golden lustrous sushumna from which all forms of sensation emanate. It is consciousness that gives it its brilliance. As the Devas resort to the Mount Meru of mythological fame, the senses and prana in the human tabernacle are all adhering to the spinal cord. The Lord therefore speaks of it as His special manifestation.

10-24.mp3

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम् ।
सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः ॥ १०-२४॥
10-24 Of priests, 0 Partha, know Me to be the chief, Brihaspati; of generals I am Skanda and of bodies of water I am the ocean.

The function of the priest is to administer ritualistic worship and a sanctified code of conduct among people. Brihaspati discharges this sacred duty among the Devas and so he is a deity of great eminence. Seekers of learning and wisdom pay homage to Brihaspati. It is but proper to behold him as endowed with the attributes of Iswara.
Godhead can be reached only through right understanding and right execution. These two divine qualities are personified as Ganesa and Skanda, the sons of Siva. His second son, Skanda is the best among the generalissimos leading Siva's hosts to victory over the demons. It is but appropriate that the Lord claims this general as His own embodiment.
The ocean suggests the infinitude of the Lord. Merging the mind in its expanse is a form of the worship of the Almighty.

10-25.mp3

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् ।
यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ॥ १०-२५॥
10-25. Of the great Rishi I am Bhrigu; of utterances I am the monosyllable "Om". Of Yajnas I am japayajaa and of unmoving things, the Himalaya.

Among the Rishis born of the mind of Iswara, Bhrugu is ever in the highest super conscious plane. So the Lord's glory is revealed best through him.
"Om" is the most sacred sound symbol of lswara. Constant utterance of this monosyllable is a sure means to reach Divinity. It is equivalent to Iswara.
Yajna is the act of the Jivatman making himself over to the Paramatman. The easiest and the most potent of all yajnas is the Japayajna. Constant mental repetition of the Lord's name is Japayajna. It can be performed at any time and in the midst of any other activity. It involves no harm or hindrance to anybody. The Lord is present where Japayajna takes place.
The Vegetable kingdom is classified as the unmoving beings. They are stationary lives, growing and thriving in the same place. Hills and mountains are held as imbued with dormant life. They are therefore classified with the vegetable kingdom. Among the mountains the Himalaya is the greatest, striking wonder on its beholder. The glory of God is patent in it.

10-26.mp3

अश्वत्थः सर्ववृक्षाणां देवर्षीणां च नारदः ।
गन्धर्वाणां चित्ररथः सिद्धानां कपिलो मुनिः ॥ १०-२६॥
10-26. Of all trees I am Asvattha; of Deva Rishis I am Narada; of the Gandharvas I am Chitraratha and of the Siddhas I am the Muni Kapila.

Asvattha is the peepul or the holy fig tree. It yields no edible fruit and nothing in this tree is in any way useful to man. Still it has ever been associated with the worship of the Divine. Any thought of this tree brings in its train ideas and ideals all connected with God. It is for this reason, recognized as His vibhuti.
The spiritually enlightened ones are called the Rishis. Not only from among men, but also from among the Devas. Rishis have sprung up. Among the Deva Rishis the sage Narada is the foremost. He constantly sings the glory of God. In addition to this he is famous for setting up strifes and quarrels which end as blessings in disguise. Contact with Narada amounts to contact with God Himself. He is therefore the glory of God.
The Gandharvas are celestials. With several good and useful traits. They are invoked to safeguard the intoxicating Soma juice associated with some forms of Yajnas. They are expert physicians and musicians. They are given to excessive lust and are for this reason invoked in wedlocks. The gamblers seek the aid of the Gandharvas, who are inordinately fond of this art. The Vedas set to tune are expounded by these celestials. At times they play the role of the preceptors to the Rishis, in this respect. Chitraratha being the king of these heavenly beings, it is proper that the Lord claims him as a divine attribute of His.
They are called Siddhas who are endowed from birth onwards with righteousness, wisdom, dispassion and overlordship. A Muni is he who is constantly established in Japayajna. Sage Kapila is one endowed with all these virtues. He is the author of the Samkhya system of philosophy. Further he is held to be an incarnation of Vishnu. It is but, natural that the Lord should claim him as His own.

10-27.mp3

उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् ।
ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ॥ १०-२७॥
10-27 Of horses, know Me to be the nectar-born Ucchaisravas; of lordly elephants, Airavata and of men, the monarch.

Mythology speaks elaborately of the churning of the ocean of milk by Devas and Asuras to get nectar from it. The horse Ucchaisravas and the elephant Airavata along with several other high beings and great things came out of that unique undertaking. But this event is an allegorical statement of the eternal process of the good and bad people jointly churning the ocean of life to obtain happiness through wealth, learning and prosperity.

A monarch born with royal excellence is regarded as a spark of the divinity come to the human form. The best of the horses, the best of the elephants and the best of the human are indeed the manifestations of the divine glory of the Lord.

10-28.mp3

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।
प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः ॥ १०-२८॥
10-28 Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; of cows I am Kamadhnk; I am Kandarpa of the progenitors; of serpents I am Vasuki.

Mace and discus are the wonted weapons of Sriman Narayana. Instead of referring to these celebrated weapons, the Lord has purposely made mention of Vajra or the thunderbolt. The former weapons are eternally part and parcel of His innate being Whereas Vajra is a manufactured one for a set purpose. lndra, the lord of the Devas found it impossible to vanquish the invincible Vrtrasura except with the weapon of Vajra. But where on earth or in heaven could the material be found to achieve this great end? The material for the manufacture of this all powerful arm is the bones of a sage who is all purity, all austerity and all perfection, voluntarily given to this cause of universal welfare. Indra found the fulfillment of all of these conditions in the sage Dadhichi. On Indra's presenting his case, the sage sat in Samadhi and gave up the body for the conquest of evil. The thunderbolt could be made because of the sacrifice of Dadhichi. Manufacture of Vajrayudha is the ideal ever held out to India in particular and humanity in general, to combat wickedness. The willing self-sacrifice of a large number of holy men and women for public welfare is what is wanted. This holy act is allegorically put as the weapon of Vajra. The Lord is present where the weapon of Vajra is present.
Kamadhuk or the milch cow of desire is one of the rare products from the churning of the ocean of milk already mentioned. This cow has the power to supply all the requirements in life. Tradition has it that the Rishi Vasishta was never in want because of the profuse supply made by this divine cow. Mention is made in chapter three, stanza ten that a willing and cheerful mind and the endeavours on right lines constitute this milch cow of desire. In plain words, an exuberant mind and wholesome ventures are indeed the glories of God.
Kandarpa is Cupid - the personification of the progenitive instinct. Progeny is possible because of this urge in beings. It is not to be condemned as base but revered as divine in origin. The Lord puts it to us that this urge is His divine attribute.
The serpent is a venomous creature. All the same it is associated With Iswara in all of His forms. It is the symbol of Sakti, the Cosmic Energy. In man the dormant power is called the Kundalini Sakti or the coiled up energy symbolized as serpent power. Happiness and misery, life and death are both expressions of energy. The negative expression is the poison in the snake. Vasuki the poisonous snake was utilized as the rope to rotate the Mount Meru in the act of churning the ocean. The Lord speaks of this snake as His own energy.

10-29.mp3

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् ।
पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम् ॥ १०-२९॥
10-29 Of the Nagas I am Ananta; of the water-deities I am Varuna. Of the Pitrus I am Aryama; of controllers I am Yama.

The Nagas are non-poisonous snakes. Ananta among them is conceived of or represented as five­headed. This is a symbol of the Prakriti being made up of the five elements. Because the Lord is resting on Ananta, He speaks of it as His vibhuti.
Varuna is one of the Vedic deities. He has his jurisdiction on earth and in heaven. He is noted for intelligence. With the march of time he associates himself with the water-deities and becomes their king; as such he is also one of the glories of the Lord.
Pitrus are the departed ancestors. The very first to enter the world of the manes is Aryama and so he is the presiding deity over them. All those who pay homage to their departed ancestors pray to Aryama as well. This way he becomes the vibhuti of the Lord.
The practice of self-control is called yama, in the science of Yoga. Punishment in the form of pain is inflicted on one who does not practise self-control. And this is the experience of one and all. The lord of death is called Yama. He does not deviate an iota in his deal of justice. Life and death are meted out by Yama to beings according to their desert. He is therefore the best among the controllers. This merit comes to Yama from Iswara.

10-30.mp3

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम् ।
मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ॥ १०-३०॥
10-30 Of the Daityas I am Prahlada and of reckoners I am Time; of beasts I am the lord of beasts, and Vainateya of birds.

The Daityas were the sworn enemies of the Devas. Prahlada was the son of Hiranyakasipu, the king of those Titans. From birth onwards Prahlada showed extreme devotion to the Lord Vishnu, which act of his ran counter to the plan and design of his father. Prahlada is the model of the Bhaktas. Proof is found in him of the fact that great ones are sometimes born of the low. It is befitting that he is an attribute of Iswara.
Time is the great and unfailing recorder of the appearance, stay and disappearance of the things and beings in the universe. That it is identified with Iswara is therefore appropriate.
The lion is the lord of beasts. He is majestic and magnanimous in his own way. Because of his Prowess he has become the vehicle of the Cosmic Mother. The glory of the Lord does indeed reveal itself in this beast.
Vainateya is the son of Vinata. This is another name for Garuda who, being the vehicle of Sri Vishnu, may be equated with Him.

10-31.mp3

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् ।
झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥ १०-३१॥
10-31 Of purifiers I am the wind; of the wielders of weapon I am Rama. Of fishes I am the shark, and of rivers I am the Ganges.

All the four elements-earth, water, fire and air­ are in fact purifiers. Among them air is all pervading and doing this great work very effectively. It is capable of purifying earth, water and fire too. It makes fire burn; it converts impure water into vapour and reinstates it as pure rain water. The smell produced by earth and earthly things is purified and made smell-less by air. The glory of the Lord reveals itself through this great purifier.
Unarmed countries and under-armed countries are exposed to intrusion and invasion. In this respect Rama has a lesson to teach to countries and governments. Weapon is a power for good or for bad. Rama's weapon was the deadliest in those days, but he never abused it. Evil would have ensued if he had ever abused it. Whenever he put his weapon to action, good only came out of it. To be well armed and to make good and timely use of the arm is the lesson that Rama teaches kings and rulers. Any deviation from his teaching is not for public safety. Rama is an Incarnation of God, and Krishna identifies Himself with Him.
Among fishes the shark is most powerful. It has derived that power from God's cosmic energy.
Ganges is also known as Jahnavi because of her having become the daughter of the sage Jahnu. When Bhagiratha was escorting the Ganga, she inundated the sacrificial field of the sage Jahnu, who became annoyed at her intrusion and swallowed her up. But at the supplication of Bhagiratha the sage permitted the river to come out of his ear. That way she became Jahnavi. Among rivers Ganges is the most sacred. Her water bottled for any length of time does not putrefy. She is venerated as having come from the head of Siva. Many saints and sages have performed austerity on the bank of this river. She has a sanctifying influence on the sadhakas. This divinity in her is derived from the Lord.

10-32.mp3

सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन ।
अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम् ॥ १०-३२॥
10-32 Of created things I am the beginning and the end and also tile middle, 0 Arjuna. Of the sciences I am the science of the Self; of those who debate I am the reason.

In the twentieth stanza of this chapter the Lord states that He is the beginning, the middle and also the end of beings. Here He states that the same is the case in regard to the elements as well. While making an ornament, while maintaining it as such and while melting it back to the original state, gold the material cause of it, remains ever the same. In this way Iswara the root cause of the universe is ever Himself even while projecting and preserving it.
The science of the Self is Atma vidya or Brahma vidya. Ignorance vanishes when Brahman is known. The delusion of birth and death disappears; all problems get solved. The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. There is no science superior to this. The Lord is Himself this Atma vidya.
Reason is the most useful instrument possessed by man for enquiry into the real and the non-real, into truth and its opposite. Brushing aside all prejudices and predispositions, if reason be faithfully followed it takes the inquirer up to the gateway of intuition. Pure reason is a glory come from God.

Know the One that is the root of everything. Then truth becomes self-evident to you. Put the number one first and then add the zeros to it, this done, the zeros have their value. Without the number one, they are valueless. The many get their values from the original number One. Iswara is the number one, the universe and the beings are the zeros appended to it. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-33.mp3

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च ।
अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥ १०-३३॥
10-33 Of letters I am the letter A, and of word-compounds I am the dual (Dvandva). I am verily the inexhaustible Time. I am the Dispenser facing everywhere.

Brahman, the Unmanifest Reality, manifests Itself as Nada Brahman or Sound Reahty. The universe is the gross manifestation of Sound Reality. A thing in the world is called pada-artha which means word and its meaning. The homogeneous sum total of the sound in the Cosmos is "Om." The very first phase of this monosyllable is the letter A, the modifications of which form the other letters. In all languages A is the first letter and it is rightly equated with Brahman.
Word-compounds in Sanskrit conform to certain principles. While compounding themselves when two words retain equal importance they are called the dual or dvandva. For example, Rama and Krishna together form Ramakrishna, both the personalities maintaining their individualities.
A moment, an hour, a day, a year-divisions of time such as these have their beginnings and ends. But time in itself is beginningless and endless, and it is equated with God who is called Mahakala.
The Lord Himself has become the multitudinous beings, each of them enjoying the fruits of its own karma. In this way the Lord is the Dispenser. Because of His being present everywhere as the countless individualities, He is termed as facing everywhere. This fact is self-evident in Nature.

10-34.mp3

मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् ।
कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ॥ १०-३४॥
10-34 And I am the all-devouring Death. I am the prosperity of those who are to be prosperous; and of female qualities I am Fame, Fortune, Speech, Memory, Intelligence, Constancy and Forbearance.

Life and death are the obverse and reverse of existence. To the born, death is certain. The Lord is as much the force of destruction as He is of creation.
As the rain-bearing clouds are attracted to the verdure of forests, the grace of the Lord in the form of prosperity comes to those who have made themselves worthy of it.
Fame, fortune, speech, memory, intelligence, constancy and forbearance are termed female qualities because of their grace and tenderness. Wherever these excellencies are found in exuberance, there the presence of the divine is prominent.

It is the Cosmic Mother that reveals Brahman. Without the Vidya maya or revealing power of the Mother, who can comprehend Brahman? Without knowing the Sakti, Iswara cannot be known. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-35.mp3

बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् ।
मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥ १०-३५॥
10-35 Of the Saman hymns I am the Brihat-Saman; of metres I am Gayatri. Of months I am Margasirsha and of seasons I am the flowery spring.

Music is one of the means to approach God. Among the Vedas, the Saman abounds with hymns set to music. Both Siva and Narayana are said to be very fond of the Saman hymns. Ravana the Demon pleased Siva by singing the Saman. In this Veda again that portion known as the Brihat-Saman is the best. The combination of music and sublime matter have made it so.
Metre is characteristic of poetry. The Vedas contain various types of metres, the Gayatri metre among them being the foremost. Adoration to the several Deities comes in the forms of their respective Gayatri. The Devi Gayatri, the Rudra Gayatri, the Brahma Gayatri, the Paramahamsa Gayatri and several other Gayatris may be found in the Vedas.
There is a special merit in the month of Margasirsha. The time before the sun-rise is called the Brahma-muhartam, the most favourable time for spiritual practices. An earthly year is a day for the Devas. Margasirsha is the month in December January in which the Brahma-muhartam is contained. The worship of God done in this mouth has a salutary effect on the mind. The Lord therefore extols this month as a special attribute of His.
The life of the vegetable kingdom and that of the others too to some extent, get suspended in the snowy winter; but in the spring they get reanimated. Men and beings beam with fresh life and activities. So the Lord describes Himself as the Vasanta or the flowery spring among the seasons.

10-36.mp3

द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।
जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम् ॥ १०-३६॥
10-36 I am the gambling of the fraudulent, I am the splendour of the splendid; I am victory; I am effort; I am the goodness of the good.

Robbery, forgery, fixing undue price of these kinds are all fraudulent. Gambling also comes under this category. But peoples and governments approve some forms of gambling as lawful. Betting for example on horses in a race is accepted as lawful. Gambling with dice was approved as legal during the Mahabharata days. Deceptions other than the approved gambling cannot be openly practised. In an open assembly Pandavas and Kauravas gambled with dice in which they staked their empire and everything else.
Some forms of gambling require the use of intelligence on which their success depends. Intelligence in all forms comes from Iswara. As the light of a lamp is equally useful for forgery and for pious reading, the discernment derived from the Cosmic Intelligence is available both for noble and ignoble purposes. As the light of the lamp is not in anyway affected by the abuse the forgerer makes of it, the Cosmic Intelligence which is the Lord is not tainted by the misuse the gambler makes of It. His intelligence also gets its light from the Cosmic Intelligence. This fact is explained by the Lord.
Tejas is the original word for splendour. The brightness that is evident on the physique as a result of excellent health, sense-control and continence is termed as Tejas. Victory consists of the elimination of the bad and the establishment of the good.
Vyavasaya is effort to execute the good and useful undertaking with all perseverance. It leads to noble and great achievements. It is effort again that takes man to the presence of the Lord.
Sattva is here spoken of as the good. Though, all the three Gunas are the constituents of the Prakriti, the sattva alone among them takes one Godward.

10-37.mp3

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः ।
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ॥ १०-३७॥
10-37 Of the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva; of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya; of the sages I am Vyasa and of the seers I am Usana the seer.

The Yadavas had come of Vrishni race; so they were called Vrishnis. Krishna was the son of Vasudeva and so He is called Vasudeva. That He is the best among the Yadavas is evident.
Arjuna is called Dhananjaya because he had claimed the hoarded up treasures of several kings and utilized them all for good purposes. There is a purpose in the Lord saying that He is Arjuna and not Yudhishthira among the Pandavas. He reminds Arjuna that he has no individuality apart from the Lord. This is the position of all the beings. When man comes to know of it, he would be rid of conceit અહંકાર and self-importance.
A Muni is he who turns his mind within and realizes divinity there. The sage Vyasa is one who has in this way become a perfect Jnani. He is also renowned as Veda Vyasa and Badarayana. Yet other names by which he is distinguished are Dvaipayana and Krishna-dvaipayana. This last name came to him because of his dark complexion. He was born of Satyavati to Parasara. The Vedas were compiled by him and the Vedanta Sutras composed by him. The Mahabharata and the eighteen celebrated Puranas were all written by him. He is the father of Suka, the born Brahma-Jnani. It is no wonder he is viewed as an incarnation of Vishnu.
He who had an intuitive knowledge of things was a Kavi according to the ancient lore. But latterly a poet is called Kavi. Usana Kavi was a famous figure. He was also known as Sukra. He had the psychic power to bring the dead to life. Because of the training he imparted to the Asuras, they became very powerful.

10-38.mp3

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।
मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥ १०-३८॥
10-38 Of punishers I am the sceptre; of those that seek victory I am statesmanship; and of secrets I am also silence; and I am the wisdom of the wise.

The duty of the monarch is to mete out just punishment to the offender. The sceptre is the symbol of the measured punishment and justice. This done, the accused himself feels that be has been justly handled. Not only does this act reform the convict, but it is also a lesson to the common man. Punishment is therefore the grace of the Lord come in this shape. It may be mentioned here that diseases and ailments are the punishments awarded by Nature for known and unknown irregularities in life. Not only does lswara function as Yama, He also functions as the sceptre.
Neeti is rendered here as statesmanship. Right attitude, right relationship and right proceedings are all born of Neeti. Any victory won by wrong method will not be lasting; it will only lead to new complications. Noble means alone lead to noble ends. Adoption of sound policy in mutual relationship is statesmanship. Such a policy savours of divinity.
Secret is that which is not divulged to the others for valid reasons. The Technic of harnessing certain resources of nature is kept secret for the exclusive advantage of the concerned few. The hidden powers of Nature are kept secret by others for some other considerations. God-knowledge remains a secret to the majority not because of any narrow outlook on the part of those who have had God realization, but because of this science being open to those only who are pure in heart and who have a thirst for sacred knowledge.
Nature is ever in vibration, and whatever vibrates produces sound. Silence is not therefore in Nature. Brahman is motionless; no vibration takes place in Him. Silence and Brahman are one and the same. To the knowers of Brahman nothing is more eloquent and public than Brahman. To the ignorant nothing is more secret and hidden than Brahman.
The universe is where there is the triad of the knower, the knowledge and the object known. When the process of knowing is directed on the knower it becomes Atma-vidya. Here the subject and object become one. Referring to this Self-knowledge the Lord says " I am the wisdom of the wise."

10-39.mp3

यच्चापि सर्वभूतानां बीजं तदहमर्जुन ।
न तदस्ति विना यत्स्यान्मया भूतं चराचरम् ॥ १०-३९॥
10-39 And whatever is the seed of all beings, that am I, 0 Arjuna. There is no being, whether moving or unmoving that can exist without Me.

It may be summed up that the varieties of existences, at all levels, the moving and the unmoving have all taken their source in Brahman.

10-40.mp3

Has the Lord exhausted the account of His divine attributes? He gives the answer :-
नान्तोऽस्ति मम दिव्यानां विभूतीनां परन्तप ।
एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो विभूतेर्विस्तरो मया ॥ १०-४०॥
10-40 There Is no end of My divine manifestations, 0 harasser of foes; this is only a brief exposition by Me of the extent of My glories.

The mother hen puts the chicks in the way of helping themselves to grams of food. The young ones catch the process and continue to feed themselves. Likewise the way of recognizing the Divinity in all is pointed out by the Lord. The sadhaka cognizes God alone everywhere as he pursues the spiritual path. The act of seeking God evolves into seeing God.

Who can Know Iswara in His entirety'? That power and privilege are not given to us. Again, it is not necessary that we know His infinitude. As our understanding permits, it is enough if we know Him alone to be the Real. Let it be supposed that one wants to see the Ganges and have a holy dip in it. Plodding along from Gangotri to Gangasagar, that is from the source to the estuary, need not be gone through. Contact with this sacred river at any convenient spot serves the purpose. -Sri Ramakrishna.

Iswara the Source of Everything - 10-01 to 10-06

10-01.mp3

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
भूय एव महाबाहो श‍ृणु मे परमं वचः ।
यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ॥ १०-१॥
10-01 The Blessed Lord said :
Once again, 0 mighty-armed, listen to My supreme word. Out of a desire to do you good I wish to speak of it to your absorbing delight.

The Lord is pleased with Arjuna's keen interest in hearing of His divine glories. The master's zeal to teach waxes in unison with the receptive faculty of the taught. This psychological fact is made evident here. The Vedantic verdict- "Wonderful is the teacher, and equally clever the pupil" is more than proved by Sri Krishna and Arjuna. What the Lord imparts is the life-saving ambrosia to Arjuna.
The topic dealt with in chapters seven and nine is resumed and supplemented somewhat elaborately in this chapter. Repeated and comprehensive inquiry into the glory of the Lord clarifies the understanding and promotes devotion. For, knowing and loving are interrelated. What else can man do, than bend his head in reverence before the Grandeur and Sublimity of the Lord!

10-02.mp3

But what grandeur can there be in a personality bound in this mortal coil? The Lord Himself answers:-
न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः ।
अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ॥ १०-२॥
10-02 Neither the hosts of Devas nor the great Rishis know My origin; for in every respect I am the source of the Devas and the great Rishis.

The birth of the son and his progress in life is known to the father, but the birth and boyhood of the father ever remains beyond the ken of the son. Analogously Brahman is the Source and Witness of the universe that comes from Him and merges into Him. This Eternal Brahman is to some extent cognized by the perfected beings like the great Rishis. But His glory in its entirety can never be known by the hosts of saints and sages. He only remains partially revealed even when He embodies as an Incarnation like Rama or Krishna.

The divine breeze blowing from the ocean of Sat-cit - ananda. Brahman transports people into ecstasy. Sanaka, Sanantana and other ancient Rishis got themselves perfected by this divine breeze. A mere glimpse of this ocean sent Narada into raptures. Suka the born Brahma-Jnani touched this water but once and got himself filled with Brahmavastha and wandered the world as a divine lad. Shiva the Cosmic Teacher took only three sips from this Great Ocean and became dazed with transcendental Bliss. Indeed, who can measure the depth or the characteristics of the Infinite Ocean of Brahman. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-03.mp3

How then does Brahman serve us, the ordinary aspirants? The clarification comes :-
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम् ।
असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ १०-३॥
10-03 He who knows Me as unborn and beginningless, as the Great Lord of the worlds, he among mortals is undeluded and freed from all sins.

In His Absolute State, Brahman is unknown and unknowable. Triputi or the triad of the seer, the seen and the process of seeing is not in Him. But in His Transcendent State, a glimpse of His Reality is intuited by the perfected ones like the Rishis. They realize the existence of the Imperishable as the basis of the perishing Prakriti. This contact is like the looking at the infinite sky through a peep-hole. But this realization is very important to a sadhaka. He intuits that the Lord is unborn and beginningless and that He is the Supreme Sovereign of the worlds. After knowing this truth he is no more deluded about the functioning of the phenomenon. Sin consists of construing man's life as independent of Iswara's ordainment. But the sadhaka who links his life entirely with the plan and purpose of the Lord, gets himself freed from all sins.

10-04.mp3

To see into the way of the Transcendent Reality is given to the Enlightened only. But Brahman filters Himself down further into Immanence. In this aspect of His, He is available to the ordinary sadhakas too. This is being described now :-
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः ।
सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥ १०-४॥
10-04 Intellect, wisdom, non-delusion, patience, truth, self-restraint, calmness, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear and fearlessness.

Buddhi or intellect is the faculty of grasping matters subtle and abstruse. Jnanam or wisdom is the discernment or Atman.
Asammohah or non-delusion is the clarity of the mind even in critical and trying situations.
Kshama or patience is the kindly attitude of the mind even towards opponents and enemies.
Satyam or truth is the accurate presentation of what one has seen, known and experienced.
Damah or self-restraint is the control of the external senses of touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing.
Samah or calmness is the practice of the quietude of the mind and intellect.

10-05.mp3

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः ।
भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः ॥ १०-५॥
10-05 Non-injury, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame and obloquy -these different qualities of beings arise from Me alone.

Samata or equanimity is the balanced state of the mind in the midst of the happenings of the desirable and undesirable occurrences.
Tapas or austerity is the determined change of life-habits from bad to good through a rigorous self ­discipline.
Danam or charity is the gift of the good and useful things made to the deserving persons.
Yasah and Ayasah or fame and obloquy are the outcome of doing the right or wrong deeds.
Electric power utilized by man expresses itself differently through different instruments. According to their attainments acquired through their karma in this life and in the past Jives, men become the instruments for the expression of the Sat-cit-ananda positively as well as negatively. The qualities mentioned herein are all come from the same source - Iswara.

10-06.mp3

Who are they that have been the vehicles for the abundant expression of the glories of lswara? The adumbration ensues:-
महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा ।
मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः ॥ १०-६॥
10-06 The seven great Rishis and the four ancient Manus, endowed with My power, were born of My mind; and from them have come forth all the creatures in the world.

The seven great Rishis are Bhrigu, Marichi, Atri, Pulah, Pulastya, Kratu and Angiras. The four ancient Manus are Svarochisha, Svayambhu, Raivata and Uttama. These potentates are not of human origin. They are all born of the mind of Brahma, the Creator. In other words, they are all personifications of the several phases of the Cosmic Reality. The seven great Rishis represent the seven planes of consciousness. They are therefore said to be the originators of beings at all levels of existence and all grades of evolution. Naught exists beyond the pale of their domains. While the seven Rishis represent the created beings in their entirety, the four ancient Manus function as the orderly administrators of the entire Creation. The precision and regularity evinced by Nature are all due to the efficient regime of the Manus.

What is the benefit that the sadhaka derives by knowing this structure of the Cosmos and of its orderly functioning? The answer comes:-
The Knowledge of Vibhuti fosters Devotion 10-07 to 10-09

10-07.mp3

एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ।
सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ १०-७॥
10-07 He who knows in truth this glory and power of Mine is endowed with unfaltering yoga; of this there is no doubt.

Electricity manifests itself in various forms in instruments suited to those forms in whatever form this energy expresses itself, the power is the same. This is a specimen of the primordial power of the Lord evolving itself into the glorious varieties of the sentient and the insentient, abounding in Nature. The discerning man knows that whatever he senses, is the power and glory of Iswara. He cannot therefore be any more separate from Iswara than he can be separate from earth. His yoga with God is thereby made unfaltering.

A lamp cannot burn without oil. Even so, man cannot be bereft of God. ---Sri Ramakrishna

10-08.mp3

What is meant by unfaltering yoga? The answer comes.-
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते ।
इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः ॥ १०-८॥
10-08 I am the origin of all; from Me all things evolve. The wise know this and adore Me with all their heart.

The farmer who wants to bring up robust plants gives all his attention to the soil, it being the basis of good cultivation. The wise in this wise give their mind to God knowing that He is the source of everything and that the thought of Him alone enriches and ennobles the mind. Their attention does not on any account deviate from God. As the plant gets itself rooted in the earth, the yogi gets himself attached to the Almighty. And that is the unfaltering yoga.

10-09.mp3

Is there then no provision for the varying temperaments to be drawn Godward? The answer is given:-
मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् ।
कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ॥ १०-९॥
10-09 With their minds fixed on Me, with their life absorbed in Me, enlightening each other and ever speaking of Me, they are contented and delighted.

The easiest of all acts for one is to fix one's mind on what one likes most. The child that understands that its all in all are mother and father, gets spontaneously absorbed in the parents. The devotee who comes to know that the Lord is the source and stay of himself, naturally directs his mind on the Maker. An adult sacrifices his everything in the service of the parents. Nothing is dearer to one than life. The Bhakta devotes that life to the Lord. But it is not like the lovers doting on each other; for there is lustful selfishness in their act. The devotee, on the other hand, invites others to share the devotion with them. Temperamental differences are set aside in this holy act. The mention of the Lord, made to him by the others is delightful. He devotedly recounts his understanding of the Lord to the others and eagerly receives their experiences and dissertations on the Lord. Repeated recount of His glories does not render them stale or repugnant. Rather they become increasingly absorbing. Divergent dispositions do in this divine manner get commingled in God.
Holy communications create contentment and not the frustration which follows indulgence. Ethereal bliss is the fruit of all forms of Godly pursuit.

No picture can be painted on a fresh glass. But if it be coated with the required chemicals, painting on it then becomes possible and effective. Similarly if man's heart were coated with the chemicals of devotion, the imprinting of the august presence of Iswara on it becomes easy. -Sri Ramakrishna

How does the Lord respond to these divergent devotional activities of the devotees? The assurance ensues:-
The Buddhi-yoga 10-10 & 10-11

10-10.mp3

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ।
ददामि बुद्धियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते ॥ १०-१०॥
10-10 To them, ever devout, worshiping Me with love, I give the yoga of discrimination by which they come to Me.

On trial sugar is found to taste sweet. Thought is then bestowed to make varieties of sweetmeats with it. This is the buddhi yoga pertaining to sugar. The glory of God begins to dawn in the mind of the sadhaka who devoutly and persistently practises yoga. This initial experience gives impetus for further pursuit of yoga, leading to greater cognition of God's glory. This is the buddhi yoga endowed with which the sadhaka gets to know more and yet more of the sweet sublimity of the Lord and be ardently drawn to Him. Devotion does this way wax with buddhi yoga.

A man confined within a dark room contacts a ray of light coming in through a tiny aperture. He gathers knowledge of light to that extent. But as the aperture increases to size his conception of light widens. A man in the broad day light has his own view of light. Similar to this, God reveals Himself to varying degrees and aspects according to the nature and attainments of His devotees. - Sri Ramakrishna

10-11.mp3

How does the buddhi yoga benefit the devotees ? The elucidation ensues :-
तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः ।
नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता ॥ १०-११॥
10-11 Out of pure compassion for them, dwelling in their hearts, I destroy the ignorance-born darkness, by the luminous lamp or wisdom.

The Lord's choosing to reside in the hearts of beings is His compassion. Because of His presence as Conscience, beings are prompted to seek what is good or at least what seems good. The lamp of wisdom that the Lord lights is constituted of divine components. Discrimination functions as the container of oil. The contentment coming from bhakti is the oil. The flame gets put out by foul air. But this flame is fed by the pure air of meditation on Iswara. Prajna or the Awareness of the Self ensuing from the constant Brahmacharya, serves as the wick. The heart freed from all worries and anxieties is the lamp niche. A burning lamp runs the risk of being blown out by a gust. But a mind unaffected by attachment and aversion is the best wind-screen to this lamp. The unbroken consciousness of Iswara is the flame emanating from this lamp of wisdom, set up in the heart of the devotee. He beholds the Divine Presence within himself with the aid of this divine lamp.

The policeman patrolling at night carries a bulls-eye lantern with the aid of which he sees the persons loitering about. But this lantern does not disclose its carrier. If he, however, turns it on himself the others then come to know who he is. Like wise Iswara reveals Nature and its contents, but keeps Himself hidden. Nobody can see Him except through His grace and compassion. -Sri Ramakrishna

Arjuna now recounts his understanding of the divine manifestations:-
Bliss Evident in God's Glories 10-12 to 10-18

10-12.mp3

अर्जुन उवाच ।
परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान् ।
पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम् ॥ १०-१२॥
Arjuna said:
10-12 You are the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Abode, the Supreme Purifier, the Eternal, Divine Purusha, the Primeval Deity, the Unborn, the Omnipresent.

Param Brahman = the Supreme Brahman,
Nirguna Nirupadhika Brahman = the Pure Consciousness.
Apara Brahman = Iswara,
Saguna Brahman = the Reality with all attributes and glory.
Param Dhama = the Substratum of everything manifest and unmanifest, the Supreme Abode.

10-13.mp3

आहुस्त्वामृषयः सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा ।
असितो देवलो व्यासः स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे ॥ १०-१३॥
10-13 All the Rishis have thus acclaimed You, as also the Deva Rishi Narada ; so also Asita, Devala and Vyasa; and now You Yourself say it to me.

The Rishi is one who has transcended the senses and the intellect and contacted the Reality through intuition.

10-14.mp3

सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव ।
न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः ॥ १०-१४॥
10-14 I hold as true, all that You say to me, 0 Kesava, Neither the Devas nor the Danavas, 0 Lord, know verily Your manifestation.

Bhagavan is he who fully manifests six divine qualities which are:
1. Bala = omnipotence
2. Dharma = righteousness;
3. Aisvarya = lordship;
4. Sri = wealth and beauty;
5. Jnana = wisdom;
6. Vairagya = dispassion.
Further He knows the past, present and future of beings.
His manifestation in the human form remains unknown to the Devas themselves; bow પ્રણામ then shall the Danavas or Asuras come to know of His intents and extents !

The sun is immensely greater than the earth; but because of the distance It appears as a small disk. In this wise Iswara's attributes are infinite, but we know very little of Him because of our Ignorance. -----Sri Ramakrishna

10-15.mp3

The Lord being the Origin or everything :-
स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम ।
भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते ॥ १०-१५॥
10-15 Verily You alone know Yourself by Yourself, 0 Purushottama, 0 Source of beings, 0 Lord of beings, 0 God of gods, 0 Ruler of the world.

The individual souls are called Purushas out of courtesy because they temporarily occupy the Puri of the Prakriti and then they vacate it when they get mukti. But the Lord being the eternal Presiding Deity over the Prakriti, He is aptly eulogized as Purushottama.
Being the origin of all beings, He is Bhuta bhavana.
Ruler of all beings that He is, the appellations Bhutesa and Jagatpati are appropriate to Him.
His glory in its entirety is known to Him alone and to none else.

An individual took a diamond to the market-place for valuation and asked several shop-keepers about it. The brinjal seller opined that five baskets of brinjals might be bartered for that gem. The rice merchant viewed that two bags of rice could be liberally given in exchange for it. The draper in his turn held that a bale of linen might be unhesitatingly offered for that precious thing. Finally it was given to the diamond merchant who alone could value it at two lakhs of rupees! In this fashion the Lord is also beheld in varying ways according to the people's power of understanding. God's glories are verily unfathomable. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-16.mp3

वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः ।
याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि ॥ १०-१६॥
10-16 Condescend to tell without reserve of Your divine glories, by which glories You remain pervading all these worlds.

A musician alone can bring out the fine touches in melody. The strength of an elephant could be demonstrated only by that stately animal turning out gigantic work. The wealth of a monarch can be well recounted by none but himself. It is only given to an Incarnation of God to reveal all of His divine splendours and glories.

The revelation of God comes purely by His mercy. He as the sun of knowledge. It is possible for a single ray of His to enlighten the whole world. We are therefore able to understand one another and to acquire knowledge in all of its forms. More than all these, we get to know Him by His grace only. -Sri Ramaknshna

10-17.mp3

कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन् ।
केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया ॥ १०-१७॥
10-17 How may I know You, O Yogin, by constant meditation? In what various aspects are You, 0 Lord, to be thought of by me?

How shall my extrovert mind cognize Your presence in things objective? The sight of the toys of the child stirs up the thought of that child in the mother: May I, in that manner, have the means to revel in You through the things of the world?

As the toy fruits and toy elephant remind one of the true fruits and elephant, the symbols and images remind the devotee of the eternal and formless God. -Sri Ramakrishna

10-18.mp3

विस्तरेणात्मनो योगं विभूतिं च जनार्दन ।
भूयः कथय तृप्तिर्हि शृण्वतो नास्ति मेऽमृतम् ॥ १०-१८॥
10-18 Tell me again in detail, 0 Janardana, of Your yoga powers and attributes; for am not satiated with hearing Your life-infusing words.

He is Janardana who is adored by people both for earthly enjoyments and for emancipation. Yoga here indicates the power to know and handle things properly. They are the attributes of God which spontaneously remind man of Him. Absorption in the attributes of God is as good as the absorption in Him. While matters earthy are satiating, matters Godly are never so. The Jivatman grows increasingly in divinity as he dwells on the divine attributes of the Paramatman.

The relationship between Iswara and Jivatman is like that between magnet and iron. Sri Ramakrishna