Bhagavad Gita Verse 30, Chapter 10

prahlaadashchaasmi daityaanaam kaalaha kalayataamaham |
mrigaanaam cha mrigendroham vainateyascha pakshinaam || 30 ||
 
Among the demons I am Prahalaad and among the systems of counting I am time. Among animals I am the lion and among the birds I am Vainateya.
 
prahlaadaha : Prahalaad
cha : and
asmi : I am
daityaanaam : among the demons
kaalaha : time
kalayataam : among the systems of counting
aham : I am
mrigaanaam : among the animals
cha : and
mrigendraha : lion
aham : I am
vainateyaha : Vainateya
cha : and
pakshinaam : among the birds
 
The story of Prahalaad is found in the Srimad Bhaagavatam. Son of the demon-king Hiranyakashipu, he was an ardent devotee of Lord Naaraayana. So firm was his devotion that Lord Naaraayana appeared in the form of the half lion half man Narasimha to save Prahalaad from the atrocities committed by his father. Praising the strength of devotion, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is found in Prahalaad among demons. Also, it drives home the message that we can change our destiny no matter what kind of family we are born into.
 
Next, Shri Krishna takes up the systems of counting. Even today there are various forms of such systems including the metric system, the imperial system and so on. The most accurate system, however, is that of time. Everything and everyone in the universe is under the influence of time and cannot escape its impact. So among the counting systems, Ishvara’s foremost expression is that of time.
 
For those of us who have seen a lion up close, it is no surprise that Shri Krishna finds the lion as prominent among the animals. The king of the jungle is magnificent even if found in a cage. His roar subdues animals that are much larger than he is. Among the birds, it is Vainateya, also known as Garuda the eagle, who is Ishvara’s finest expression. Garuda was the son of sage Kashyapa and Vinata. He is Lord Vishnu’s mount, emanating the Vedas from his wings as he flies.
 
So whenever we see someone succeeding despite their weaknesses, when we observe the passage of time, whenever we see animals or birds, we should remember that everything is Ishvara only.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 29, Chapter 10

anantashchaasmi naagaanaam varuno yaadasaamaham |
pitrunaamaryamaa chaasmi yamaha samyataamaham || 29 ||
 
Among the water snakes I am Ananta and among the marine beings I am Varuna. Among the Pitrs I am Aryamaa and among the controllers I am Yama.
 
anantaha : Ananta
cha : and
asmi : I am
naagaanaam : among the water snakes
varunaha : Varuna
yaadasaam : marine beings
aham : I am
pitrunaam : among the Pitrs
aryamaa : Aryamaa
cha : and
asmi : I am
yamaha : Yama
samyataamaham : among the controllers
 
In the previous shloka, Shri Krishna spoke about Ishvara’s expressions among snakes that live on land. Here, he says that among the snakes that live in water, Ishvara’s foremost expressions is Ananta. Also known as Aadishesha, he is depicted with a thousand heads, each head singing the glory of Lord Vishnu, who rests on Aadishesha’s coils. His name comes from the Sanskrit root “sis” meaning “that which remains”, because Aadishesha remains unaffected after the dissolution of the universe.
 
Next, we encounter the world of marine dwelling beings or “Yaadas”. Among these, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is Lord Varuna, the king of the ocean. He is mentioned as part of the daily prayer ritual known as Sandhyavandanam. Symbolically, “yaadas” refers the to divinity prevalent in any seemingly inert object. Recognizing the divinity in everything, the Indian tradition encourages worship of the Tulsi leaf, of trees, of the earth and so on.
 
Pitra loka is the realm of the manes or ancestor gods. The seven primary manes are Kavyavaha, Anala, Soma, Yama, Aryama, Agnisvatta and Barhisat. Among these, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is Aryaman, the chief of the manes. Ishvara is also Lord Yama among all the controllers. This is because he is also the lord of justice, using the ultimate punishment o death to maintain order and harmony in the universe.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 28, Chapter 10

aayudhaanaamaham vajram dhenoonaamasmi kaamadhuk |
prajanashchaasmi kandarpaha sarpaanaamasmi vaasukihi || 28 ||
 
Among the weapons, I am Vajra and among cows I am Kaamadhenu. Among the creative powers I am Kandarpa and among the snakes I am Vaasuki.
 
aayudhaanaam : among the weapons
aham : I am
vajram : Vajra
dhenoonaam : among cows
asmi : I am
kaamadhuk : Kaamadhenu
prajanaha : among the creative powers
cha : and
asmi : I am
kandarpaha : Kandarpa
sarpaanaam : among the snakes
asmi : I am
vaasukihi : Vaasuki
 
The Srimad Bhagavatam recounts the story of the demon Vritraasura who was created to kill all the deities. When their weapons were rendered powerless, they approached sage Dadhichi for help. Dadhichi, without any hesitation, offered to give his bones to the deities so that they could create Varja, the thunderbolt weapon of Lord Indra. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is Vajra among the weapons, because it is powered by austerity and penance.
 
In the Puraanas, Kaamadhenu is a cow that has the ability to fulfill any desire that she is approached with. Even a normal cow has the ability to provide milk to a fanily in need, Symbolically, Kaamadhenu represents our mind because it can generate all kinds of thoughts, good or bad, out of thin air. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara expresses himself as Kaamadhenu.
 
Now, our mind has the ability to generate desires that prompt us to act. Kandarpa referes to Kaama deva, the lord of desire. Desires are the seed of creativity because without desire, there will be no creation. As we have seen so far, the Gita does not condemn desire as long as it falls within the purview of dharma or righteousness. So then, Ishvara manifests through those desires that are in line with dharma or righteousness.
 
Vaasuki is the king of snakes and is seen coiled around the neck of Lord Shiva. He symbolizes our ego or ahankaara, our sense of “I”. If we are able to tame our ego, then it becomes an ornament, as in the case of Lord Shiva. If we cannot tame it, it becomes dangerous and can strike us when we least expect it, by causing strong feeling of superiority or inferiority as an example. So Shri Krishna says that Vaasuki is Ishvara’s expression among all the snakes.
 
So whenever we see someone devote their life towards a selfless cause, when our mind generates positive thoughts, when our desires are righteous and our ego is in check, we should realize that all this is Ishvara’s expression.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 27, Chapter 10

ucchaihshravasamashvaanaam viddhi maamamritodbhavam |
airaavatam gajendraanaam naraanaam cha naraadhipam || 27 ||
 
Among the horses, know me as Ucchaihshrava born of nectar. Among the elephants I am Airaavata, and among the humans I am the leader.
 
ucchaihshravasam : Ucchaihshrava
ashvaanaam : among the horses
viddhi : know
maam : me
amritodbhavam : born of nectar
airaavatam : Airaavata
gajendraanaam : among the elephants
naraanaam : among the humans
cha : and
naraadhipam : the leader
 
We continue to learn about Ishvara’s expressions in this shloka. The Puranaas describe the story of deities and demons churning the ocean for gaining the nectar of immortality. Before the nectar came out, several other divine entities emerged and Ucchaihshrava, the divine horse, was one of them. “Uchhai” means great and shravas means prosperity. Symbolically, Ucchaihshrava stands for the prosperity we attain when we put in focused effort and renounce our material desires. Shri Krishna says that among all the horses, the divine Ucchaihshrava is Ishvara’s expression.
 
Airaavata is a four-tusked white elephant who is the mount of Indra, king of the deities. He is credited with showering rain. His mother is Iravati, grand daughter of sage Kashyapa. Given his status, Shri Krishna says that among all the elephants, Airaavata is Ishvara’s expression.
 
Next, Shri Krishna turns to more familiar grounds by referencing humans. Among human beings, he says that Ishvara expresses in the leader. But this is not just any ordinary leader. Ishvara expresses himself in leaders whose accomplishments are a product of their hard work and effort, and whose leadership is in line with dharma or righteousness. It is easy to get name and fame by virtue of association or by performing unrighteous acts. This is not the leader that is referenced here.
 
So whenever we see the result of hard work, a humanitarian leader, or the cooling rain that parches a dry land, we should remember that all these are Ishvara’s expressions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 26, Chapter 10

ashvattaha sarvavrikshaanaam devarsheenaam cha naaradaha |
gandharvaanaam chitrarathaha siddhaanaam kapilo munihi || 26 ||
 
Among the trees I am Ashvattha, among the divine sages I am Naarada. Among the Gandharvas I am Chitraratha and among the Siddhas I am sage Kapila.
 
ashvattaha : Ashvattha
sarvavrikshaanaam : among the trees
devarsheenaam : among the divine sages
cha : and
naaradaha : Naarada
gandharvaanaam : among the Gandharvas
chitrarathaha : Chitraratha
siddhaanaam : among the Siddhas
kapilaha : Kapila
munihi : sage
 
Elaborating upon Ishvara’s expressions, Shri Krishna says that the Aswattha tree is Ishvara’s expression, as it is the foremost among trees. The Peepul tree, as it is more commonly known, is used to symbolically describe the human condition in the 15th chapter of the Gita. In India, women traditionally worship this tree for obtaining a good husband. In general, trees are given the status of saints in India. Like saints, trees always give back more to the world than they take.
 
We had already encountered Sage Naarada earlier in this chapter. Shri Krishna references Gandharvas next. Gandharvas are celestial beings who are accomplished singers, musicians and dancers. Among these, he considers Chitraratha foremost, and a manifestation of Ishvara. The word Chitraratha means one who has a wonderful chariot. In the Mahabhaarata, Chitraratha taught the fine arts to Arjuna, and advised the Paandavas to appoint a sage to guide them.
 
We now come to the notion of “siddhis”. A siddhi is a superhuman power. Most people are drawn to sages who demonstrate superhuman powers. But just because someone has superhuman powers does not necessarily mean that he has achieved liberation. Sage Kapila was one of those rare individuals who not only had superhuman powers but also had achieved liberation. He is credited as the originator of the Saankhya school of philosophy. he also delivered a sermon to his mother which is known as the Kapila Gita.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 10

maharsheenaam bhriguraham giraamasmyekamaksharam |
yajnyaanaam japayajnyosmi sthaavaraanaam himaalayaha || 25 ||
 
Among the great sages I am Bhrigu, among spoken words I am the one letter (Om). Among the sacrificial rituals I am the ritual of japa, and among the immovable objects I am the Himalayas.
 
maharsheenaam : among the great sages
bhriguhu : Bhrigu
aham : I am
giraam : among spoken words
asmi : I am
ekam : the one
aksharam : letter
yajnyaanaam : among the sacrificial rituals
japayajnyaha : ritual of japa
asmi : I am
sthaavaraanaam : among the immovable objects
himaalayaha : Himalayas
 
Shri Krishna considers the great sage Bhrigu, the foremost among the great sages. as Ishvara’s manifestation. Bhrigu is one of the seven sages or the Sapta Rishis that were willed into existence by Lord Brahma at the beginning of creation.
 
It is said that Bhrigu wanted to test who is the most patient among the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Bhrigu tested Brahma and Shiva and was not pleased. When he went to visit Vishnu, Vishnu was taking a nap and did not notice Bhrigu enter. Angry with this, Bhrigu kicked Vishnu on the chest. Vishnu woke up from his nap and asked Bhrigu whether his foot was hurt, instead of getting angry at just been kicked. Bhrigu then decided that Vishnu was the most patient among the trinity.
 
Next, Shri Krishna says that among all the utterances or spoken words, the word Om, made up of just one letter, is the foremost. The entire Mandukya Upanishad describes the glory of the word Om in great detail, and uses Om as a method to achieve liberation.
 
In Indian culture, there are several rituals for appeasing various deities. Shri Krishna says that the act of chanting a mantra, also known as japa, is the foremost ritual possible. This is because most other rituals require wealth for procurement of materials, lot of time as well as knowledge of the right procedures and mantras. The ritual of japa is easy because it does not have such requirements. It can also be performed by someone who may not be physically fit or bedridden.
 
The Himalayas, the “abode of snow”, is the highest and most massive mountain system in the world. It comprises a 2400 km span of land with peaks ranging as high as 8000 metres. Shri Krishna says that among the immobile objects in the world, the Himalayas are the most prominent manifestation of Ishvara.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 24, Chapter 10

purodhasaam cha mukhyam maam viddhi paartha brihaspatim |
senaaneenaamaham skandaha sarasaamasmi saagaraha || 24 ||
 
Among the spiritual teachers, know me as Brihaspati the foremost, O Paartha. Among the military commanders I am Skanda, and among water bodies I am the ocean.
 
purodhasaam : among the spiritual teachers
cha : and
mukhyam : foremost
maam : me
viddhi : know
paartha : O Paartha
brihaspatim : Brihaspati
senaaneenaam : among the military commanders
aham : I am
skandaha : Skanda
sarasaam : among water bodies
asmi : I am
saagaraha : the ocean
 
Further enumerating Ishvara’s expressions, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is expressed as Brihaspati, who is the foremost among the spiritual teachers and the priests of the deities. Brihaspati is described in the Puraanaas as the “purodha” or guru of Indra, who is the king of all the deities. He was the son of Sage Angiras, one of the seven original rishis or Sapta-Rishis. His counterpart in the world of the demons or Asuras was Sage Shukrachaarya.
 
Next, Shri Krishna says that Isvara is expressed through Skanda, the most powerful army commander in the world. Skanda, also known as Kaartikeya, is the son of Lord Shiva. He is described as having six faces and twelve arms. When the army of the deities began the war to kill the asura named Taraka, a celestial voice proclaimed that victory could be possible only if Skanda was made army commander.
 
The earth is filled with several water bodies, ranging from tiny rain puddles to lakes that are visible from outer space. But the most expansive body of water is the ocean. Some estimates suggest that there is 1260 million trillion litres of water on planet earth. On average, the ocean is around 1 kilometer deep and can go to 11 kilometers in some places. The ocean sustains life on this earth and is home to thousands of species. This vast and awe-inspiring ocean is one of the most powerful expressions of Ishvara.
 
With this in mind, we should be able to see Ishvara in our teachers, in military prowess used for just means, and when we drink water.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 23, Chapter 10

rudraanaam shankaraashchaasmi vittesho yaksharakshasaam |
vasoonaam paavakaashchaasmi meruhu shikharnaamaham || 23 ||
 
Among the Rudras I am Shankara and among the Yakshas and Raakshasaas I am Vittesha. Among the Vasus I am the purifying fire and among the mountain peaks I am Meru.
 
rudraanaam : among the Rudas
shankaraha : Shankara
cha : and
asmi : I am
vitteshaha : Vittesha
yaksha : Yakshas
rakshasaam : among Raakshasaas
vasoonaam : among Vasus
paavakaha : purifying fire
cha : and
asmi : I am
meruhu : Meru
shikharnaam : among mountain peaks
aham : I am
 
Shri Krishna goes on to describe Ishvara’s expressions. He says that among the deities known as Rudras, he is Lord Shiva, the foremost among them. Rudras are deities that have been mentioned since Vedic times. Their name is derived from the rood “rud” which means to cry or howl. They symbolically represent the vital life energies, and therefore make people cry when they leave the body.
 
It is said that there are eleven Rudras: Hara, Bahuroopa, Trayambaka, Aparaajita, Vrishaakapi, Shambhu (Lord Shiva), Kapardin, Raivata, Mrigavyaadha, Shaarva and Kapaalin. Shri Krishna says that Lord Shiva is Ishvara’s expression because he is the calmest among them, and brings joy to his devotees.
 
Among the demigods known as the Yakshas and Rakshasaas, Ishvara is Vittesha who is also known as Kubera. Vitta means wealth, so Kubera is considered the lord of wealth. He is worshipped during the Lakshmi Pooja festival. Among the eight Vasus, deities who represent the elemental forces, Ishvara’s expression is fire because it is the greatest purifier.
 
Next, Shri Krishna says that among the mountain peaks, Ishvara is the mountain known as Meru. It is considered the most prominent mountain and the centre of the universe in the Srimad Bhaagavatam, hence it is Ishvara’s expression. The human spinal column is also known as “Meru danda” or the Meru rod, and the primary bead in a rosary is known as the Meru bead.
 
Whenever we see fire, mountains, wealth, or someone in sorrow due to punishment, we should remember Ishvara through his expressions of fire, Kubera, mount Meru and Lord Shiva.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 22, Chapter 10

vedaanaam saamavedosmi devaanaamasmi vaasavaha |
indriyaanaam manaschaasmi bhootaanaamasmi chetanaa || 22 ||
 
Among the Vedaas I am the Saama Veda, among the deities I am Vaasava, among the senses I am the mind and among the beings, I am the intellect.
 
vedaanaam : among the Vedas
saamavedaha : Saama Veda
asmi : I am
devaanaam : among the deities
asmi : I am
vaasavaha : Vaasava
indriyaanaam : among the senses
manaha : mind
cha : and
asmi : I am
bhootaanaam : among the beings
asmi : I am
chetanaa : intellect
 
Shri Krishna, elaborating on Ishvara’s expressions, says that Ishvara is the Saama Veda among all the Vedas. Each Veda has a unique characteristic. The Yajur Veda contains prose, the Rig Veda contains metric hymns, the Saama Veda contains songs and the Atharva Veda contains incantations. Of these, the Saama Veda is Ishvara’s expression, indicating his preference for music.
 
Among all the deities, Ishvara is the king of all deities known as Vaasava, also known as Indra. While our attention usually falls on the excesses of wealth and power that kings demonstrate, this was not the case traditionally. A king is supposed to spend every minute of his life serving his subjects, sacrificing everything. Such a rules of deities is a true expressions of Ishvara.
 
As we have seen earlier, we transact or interact with the world with our body, our senses, our organs of action, our mind and our intellect. The five senses and the five organs of action would be useless if not for the mind, that collects information from the senses and pulls together a complete picture of the world for us. It also instructs our organs to move, based on the inputs it receives. Shri Krishna says that this mind is an expression of Ishvara.
 
If we were to be born as a plant, animal or human, we would undoubtedly prefer to be born as a human. The key difference between a human and a plant or animal is the capacity of intelligence that lets us think logically, display compassion towards others, plan for the future and most importantly, pursue the path of the higher self. This wonderful intelligence in is is also Ishvara’s expression.
 
So therefore, if our mind generates thoughts of compassion or service, if our intellect makes us acts upon these thoughts so that we can serve others, we should remember that it is not the “I” in us that is causing everything to happen. It is all happening through Ishvara and his expressions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 21, Chapter 10

aadityaanaamaham vishnurjyotishaam raviranshumaan |
mareechirmarutaamasmi nakshatraanaamaham shashee || 21 ||
 
Among the Aadityaas I am Vishnu, among the bright objects I am the radiant sun, among the Marutas I am Mareechi, among the stars I am the moon.
 
aadityaanaam : among the Aaadityaas
aham : I
vishnuhu : Vishnu
jyotishaam : among the bright objects
ravihi : sun
anshumaan : radiant
mareechihi : Mareechi
marutaam : among the Marutas
asmi : am
nakshatraanaam : among the stars
aham : I
shashee : moon
 
Shri Krishna begins enumerating Ishvara’s expressions in this shloka. He begins by saying that among the Aadityaas or the sons of Aditi, he is Vishnu. The twelve sons of Aditi were Dhaataa, Mitra, Aryamaa, Rudra, Varuna, Soorya, Bhaga, Vivasvaan, Poosha, Savitaa, Tvashtaa and Vishnu. Vishnu also refers to the Vaamana avatar.
 
Next, Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is “Ravi”, the sun, among all the bright objects in the universe. He uses the word “anshumaan” meaning radiant to describe the sun. So whenever we see the brilliance of the sun, our mind should immediately go towards the might of Ishvara that is shining through the sun. And just like Ishvara’s luminosity is present in the sun during the day, it is present in the moon during the night.
 
There is an episode in the Sunder Kand of the Tulsi Ramayana where Lord Hanumaan was captured bound with ropes in Lanka. It is said that there are forty nine types of wind deities known as Marutas. Hanumaan was the son of the lord of wind, Vayu. When all forty nine types of winds began to blow, he untied himself of all the ropes and flew from building to building, burning each one with his flaming tail. Shri Krishna says that Mareechi, the prominent among the Marutas, is Ishvara’s expression.
 
With these expressions in our mind, we will never be disconnected from Ishvara. In the day, we can look at the sun - it is Ishvara. When the winds blow, it is Ishvara. In the night, the moon is Ishvara.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 20, Chapter 10

ahamaatmaa gudaakesha sarvabhootaashayastithaha |
ahamaadishcha madhyam cha bhootaanaamanta eva cha || 20 ||
 
I am the self, established in the hearts of all beings, O Gudakesha. I am the beginning, middle and also the end of all beings.
 
aham : I
aatmaa : self
gudaakesha : O Gudakesha
sarvabhoota : all beings
aashaya : heart
stithaha : established
aham : I
aadihi : beginning
madhyam : middle
cha : and
bhootaanaam : of the beings
anta : end
eva : also
 
Addressing Arjuna as Gudaakesha, the conqueror of sleep, Shri Krishna begins to describe the 72 expressions of vibhootis of Ishvara from this shloka onwards. He lists the two most important ones first. He says that Ishvara is the self, the “I” that is in the hearts of every being in the universe. Ishvara is also the start, middle and end of all beings in the universe.
 
So what exactly does “self” mean? Let us try to understand its opposite meaning first. When we treat a thing or a person as something different from us, something external to us, then we are creating a subject-object relationship where the subject is our "I" and the object is "him" or "her".
 
For instance, if we take an acquaintance out to dinner, for example, we may ask him to pay his bill separately. There is a sense of separateness between us and the acquaintance. Separating, externalizing, objectifying - all this is the opposite of self-hood.
 
But if we take our spouse or our child to dinner, we don’t even think twice to pay for their dinner. This is because we do not consider a spouse or a child different or external to us. The sense of self-hood is greater here than with a stranger or with an acquaintance. Shri Krishna says that when this sense of selfhood expresses itself in our hearts, we should know that it is Ishvara’s primary expression. If we can remember this constantly, if we can treat everything and every one as no different than ourselves, we do not have to remember any other expression of Ishvara. We are done.
 
So what is the practical implication of understanding Ishvara in this manner? Our sense of I-ness and my-ness automatically drops. There will be nothing in us that asserts “my will”, “my plan”, “my thinking”, “I am going to do this” and so on. It will all become Ishvara’s will, Ishvara’s plan, Ishvara’s thinking, Ishvara’s doing. All worries and anxieties will disappear because the “I” who worries is no longer present.
 
If we are not able to comprehend Ishvara as our own self, then Shri Krishna provides another expression of Ishvara. He says that we should think of Ishvara as the one who creates, sustains and dissolves all the names and forms in the universe, just like the ocean creates, sustains and dissolves all waves. If we can think in this manner, Ishvara becomes all-pervading, ever present at all times.
 
Now, thinking Ishvara as the self, or as the beginning, middle and end of all beings, is difficult when we are beginners. For most of us, it is easier to see Ishvara in tangible people and objects. We will see those types of expressions in the following shlokas.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 10

Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
hanta te kathayishyaami divyaa hyaatmavibhootayaha |
praadhaanyataha kurushreshtha naastyanto vistarasya me || 19 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
Of course. I will tell you my most significant divine expressions, O best of the Kurus. For there is no end to the extent of my expressions.
 
hanta : Of course
te : you
kathayishyaami : I will tell
divyaahaa : divine
hi : for
aatma : my
vibhootayaha : expressions
praadhaanyataha : significant
kurushreshtha : O best of the Kurus
na : no
asti : is
antaha : end
vistarasya : extent
me : my
 
So far, Arjuna expressed interest and enthusiasm for hearing Ishvara’s manifestations and expressions in detail. Shri Krishna, delighted with Arjuna’s request, replied by saying “hanta”. The word hanta has three meanings. It is used to express excitement, wonder or dejection. In this context, Shri Krishna was happy and eager to speak about Ishvara’s glories, so the meaning here is with regards to excitement.
 
Let us go back to our electricity example. There are thousands upon thousands of objects that use electricity. It is impossible to enumerate all of them. But it is possible to list those objects that are mighty, powerful, or have the capacity to elicit wonder and awe. Similarly, Shri Krishna admitted that though it would not be possible to list all of Ishvara’s glories and expressions because they are infinite. However, he would be able to list the most significant ones.
 
As we go through the list of Ishvara’s expressions in the upcoming shlokas, we may tend to get carried away by the richness of the stories, the mythology, the history and so on. While that is good and has its place, let us not forget the main point, which is to keep our mind established in the thought that “Ishvara is in everything”.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 10

vistarenaatmano yogam vibhootim cha janaardana |
bhooyaha kathaya truptirhi shrunavato naasti memritam || 18 ||
 
Elaborately describe your yoga and expressions again, O Janaardana. I am not satisfied by listening to your nectar-like (words).
 
vistarena : elaborately
aatmanaha : your
yogam : yoga
vibhootim : expressions
cha : and
janaardana : O Janaardana
bhooyaha : again
kathaya : describe
truptihi : satisfied
shrunavataha : listening
na : not
asti : is
me : my
amritam : nectar-like
 
So far, Shri Krishna just gave a taste of Ishvara’s expressions. Arjuna clearly was relishing and enjoying hearing these expressions because he compared them to the sweetness of nectar. He wanted to hear them all over again. But this time, he would not be content with hearing so little. He requested Shri Krishna to give a detailed and elaborate description of Ishvara’s expressions as well as yoga, the power of maaya that creates many expressions of the one Ishvara.
 
Arjuna addressed Shri Krishna as “Janaardana” which has two meanings. “Arda” means one who moves, or makes others move. Jana means people, and therefore Janaardana means one who moves people to heaven or hell, in other words, dispenses justice to evildoers. Another meaning of Janaardana is one whom people ask for prosperity and well being. Arjuna understood that the true nature of Shri Krishna was Ishvara.
 
With this shloka, Shri Krishna concluded his statements and requests. Starting with the next shloka, Shri Krishna will provide a total of 72 vibhootis or expressions of Ishvara. Most of these are drawn from the Indian Vedic and Puraanic tradition since Arjuna would be easily able to identify with and connect with those examples. We can try to look for similarities in the present time so that we are also able to connect with those.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 10

katham vidyaamaham yogimstvaam sadaa parichintayan |
keshu keshu cha bhaaveshu chintyosi bhagavanmayaa || 17 ||
 
O Yogin, how shall I know you by remaining constantly engrossed in meditation? And O Lord, by which expressions are you to be meditated upon by me?
 
katham : how
vidyaam : shall know
aham : I
yogin : O yogin
tvaam : your
sadaa : constantly
parichintayan : engrossed in meditation
keshu : by which
cha : and
bhaaveshu : expressions
chintyaha : meditated upon
asi : can
bhagavan : O lord
mayaa : by me
 
Arjuna, having heard just a sample of Ishvara’s expressions, was not satisfied with what he had heard. He wanted to know the technique by which he could constantly be reminded of Ishvara, and consequently, remain established in the contemplation of Ishvara. That is why in this shloka, Arjuna asked Shri Krishna to reveal more of his expressions.
 
When we wake up in the morning, we probably get five to ten minutes, at most, of a calm mind. Then, when our daily routine starts, our mind takes over and we are pulled into a rollercoaster ride of worry and sorrow. In the midst of all this it is difficult to bring in a divine thought for a minute, let alone contemplate on Ishvara constantly. Addressing Shri Krishna as Yogin, one who has the power of sovereignty, Arjuna asked him for a solution to overcome this predicament.
 
Furthermore, if we were told once that Ishvara is the cause of everything, and we are able to hold on to that fact, we need not have to worry about forgetting Ishvara. But because of our conditioning that has built up over a long period of time, and because of our ego - our sense that “I do everything” - is so strong, we need more support to counter that conditioning. We need a step-by-step approach, a list of Ishvara’s expressions, just like kids have to be told that a TV, a radio, a computer, all operate using electricity.
 
Now, if such a list of Ishvara’s expressions is needed, it cannot be terse and brief. It needs to be detailed. This is what Arjuna requests in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 16, Chapter 10

vaktumarhasyasheshena divyaa hyaatmavibhootayaha |
yaabhirvibhootibhirlokaanimaanstvam vyaapya tishthasi || 16 ||
 
Only you are capable of describing your divine expressions in totality. You are established in the universes by pervading them with these expressions.
 
vaktum : describing
arhasi : you are capable
asheshena : in totality
divyaahaa : divine
hi : only
aatma : your
vibhootayaha : expressions
yaabhihi : which
vibhootibhihi : by expressions
lokaan : universes
imaan : these
tvam : you
vyaapya : by pervading
tishthasi : established
 
Arjuna, eager to know the true nature of Ishvara, now understood that Ishvara is not some third party that creates and sustains the universe by standing outside of it. To that end, he acknowledges that Ishvara is part and parcel of the universe by saying that Ishvara has established himself by pervading the entire universe with his manifestations and expressions. It is like saying that the Internet, by pervading our every activity, has established itself in our life.
 
With this realization, Arjuna begins to request Shri Krishna to give him a detailed understanding of Ishvara’s expressions. Since Ishvara is the origin, the first cause, only Ishvara in the form of Shri Krishna is capable or competent to reveal his true nature to Arjuna.
 
For example, only a really old person who was alive during the Indian freedom struggle can reveal details to us that we may never hear about or read about anywhere else. Similarly, only Ishvara can reveal his divine opulence and glories. It is said that the Vedas, also known as “shruti”, are the mouthpiece of Ishvara. The Gita has been derived from the Vedas.
 
Arjuna, having praised Ishvara, now begins asking his question in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 15, Chapter 10

svayamaatmanaatmaanam vettha tvam purushottama |
bhootabhaavana bhootesha devadeva jagatpate || 15 ||
 
Only you yourself know of your true nature, O foremost among all, creator of all beings, lord of all beings and nourisher of this universe.
 
svayam : yourself
aatmanaa : of the true nature of the self
aatmaanam : by the self
vettha : know
tvam : you
purushottama : foremost among all
bhootabhaavana : creator of all beings
bhootesha : lord of all beings
devadeva : lord of all deities
jagatpate : nourisher of the universe
 
Previously, Arjuna said that Ishvara cannot be completely understood through our eyes and ears. But, being eager to still know Ishvara, he began using several words to describe Ishvara in this shloka. He also acknowledges that only Ishvara can know Ishvara, since there was nothing prior to Ishvara. Ishvara is self-evident, just like we do not need another source of light to see the sun.
 
Arjuna addressed Ishvara as “purushottama”, the foremost and eminent person, beyond all cause and effect. He is “bhootabhaavana”, the origin of all beings, the absolute reality that has taken maaya as an upaadhi or qualifier to create this world of names and forms. He is also “bhootesha”, the master and lord of all beings.
 
Even though he is the controller, he is not someone who is a cruel master. He is “devadeva”, the lord of all deities including Indra and Varuna, someone who is revered and adored. Also, Ishvara does not quit once the world is created. He is also “jagatpate”, the protector and nourisher of the universe. However, we need to understand that, like a magician, Ishvara is never affected by the magic show. He is the cause, and the magic show of the universe is the effect.
 
So, if Ishvara can alone know Ishvara, only Ishvara can reveal his glories. Arjuna takes this up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 14, Chapter 10

sarvametadritam manye yanmaam vadasi keshava |
na hi te bhagavanvyaktim vidurdevaa na daanavaahaa || 14 ||
 
What you are speaking to me, O Keshava, I acknowledge all this to be true. For O Lord, neither the deities nor the demons know your manifestation.
 
sarvam : all
etat : this
ritam : truth
manye : acknowledge
yat : whatever
maam : to me
vadasi : speak
keshava : O Keshava
na : neither
hi : for
te : to you
bhagavan : O Lord
vyaktim : manifestation
viduhu : know
devaaha : deities
na : nor
daanavaahaa : demons
 
Since the start of the Gita, we have seen Arjuna speak whenever he has a doubt or needs further clarification. With this shloka, Arjuna acknowledges that he has completely understood the true nature of Ishvara since the knowledge is coming from the source, from Ishvara himself.
 
It is interesting to note the use of the name “Keshava” to refer to Shri Krishna. “Ka” represents Lord Brahma and “Isha” represents Lord Shiva. So Keshava is the one who harmonizes the powers of creation and destruction. In other words, Ishvara creates, sustains and dissolves the universe of names and forms.
 
Since Ishvara is the origin of everything, Arjuna says that no deity, human or demon can claim to know Ishvara in totality because Ishvara came before any of them. Another interpretation of this statement is that no sense organ such as the eye or ear can claim to know Ishvara. Unlike worldly knowledge about objects, the knowledge of Ishvara can only be known as a subject. Tulsidas says this poetically in the Tulsi Ramayana : “Jaanat tumahi tumahi hui jaayi”. One who knows you becomes you. All sense of individuality, the sense of I, the subject, goes away when one merges into Ishvara.
 
So then, if no deity, human or demon can know Ishvara, who can? Arjuna gives the answer in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 10

aahustvaamrishayaha sarve devarshinaaradastathaa |
asito devalo vyaasaha svyayam chaiva braveeshi me || 13 ||
 
All the great sages and royal sages such as Naarada, Asita, Devala and Vyaasa speak this, and also you have said it to me.
 
aahuhu : speak
tvaam : to you
rishayaha : sages
sarve : all
devarshihi : divine sages
naaradasha : Naarada
tathaa : also
asitaha : Asita
devalaha : Devala
vyaasaha : Vyaasa
svyayam : yourself
cha : and
eva : also
braveeshi : said
me : to me
 
Further praising Ishvara, Arjuna added that several eminent individuals, over the course of history, have also praised Ishvara. He listed the names of the renowned sages Naarada, Asita, Devala and Vyaasa in this regard.
 
The Srimad Bhagavatam speaks of Naarada as the son of a maid-servant who served several priests. He grew up in an environment of spirituality and decided to seek the absolute truth in a forests after his mother passed away. His meditation bore fruit when he had a vision of Ishvara. After his death, he was reborn as the sage Naarada that many of us are familiar with. Naarada was learned in all the arts and sciences. He could travel anywhere in the universe, and talk to any deity that he wished.
 
Another sage mentioned here is Devalaha who was the son of a great sage named Asita, who was born as a result of Asita’s prayer to Lord Shiva. It is said that Devalaha was cursed by a celestial maiden named Rambha for not agreeing to marry her. He was reborn as Sage Ashtavakra, who is famous for writing the Ashtavakra Gita. And of course, Sage Krishna Dvaipayana Vyaasa is the author of the great Indian epic Mahabhaarata.
 
So therefore, Arjuna accepted the authority of Shri Krishna to convey the true nature of Ishvara. But did he have any doubts or objections?

Bhagavad Gita Verse 12, Chapter 10

Arjuna uvaacha:
param brahma param dhaama pavitram paramam bhavaan |
purusham shaashvatam divyamaadidevamajam vibhum || 12 ||
 
Arjuna said:
You are the supreme absolute, the supreme abode, supremely pure. You are the divine eternal person, the original deity who is beyond birth, all-pervading.
 
param : supreme
brahma : absolute
dhaama : abode
pavitram : pure
bhavaan : you are
purusham : person
shaashvatam : eternal
divyam : divine
aadidevam : original deity
ajam : beyond birth
vibhum : all-pervading
 
Over the course of the previous chapters, Arjuna gained an understanding of the real nature of Ishvara, and of Shri Krishna as an avatara, a divine manifestation of Ishvara. This understanding prompted him to praise Ishvara, and that is what we will see in the next few shlokas.
 
Arjuna spoke of Ishvara as “parama brahman” which is the absolute reality, the eternal essence that was spoken of in the second chapter. He understood that Ishvara’s real nature is beyond time and space, it is that which is the support of time and space. Ishvara is”parama dhaaman”, the supreme goal, the ultimate abode of all beings. Ishvara is also the supreme purifier, as he destroys all traces of impurities in the form of ignorance.
 
The word “purusha” literally means, one who fills the body. Ishvara is the “divyam shaashvatam purusha”, the divine eternal person who comprises the entire universe, just like all of the cells in our body are termed as “body” in aggregate. Ishvara is divine because he is beyond the realm of impermanence caused by maaya. He is “ajam”, beyond birth, but is the cause of everyone else’s birth. He is “vibhum” which is all-pervading, he alone appears as everything.
 
Like the Vishnu Sahasranaam that enumerates a thousand names of Ishvara, this shloka can be used as a prayer to meditate upon Ishvara’s glories. Now, did only Arjuna think that this was the real nature of Ishvara or did others as well? Arjuna takes this up in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 11, Chapter 10

teshaamevaanukampaarthamahamajnyaanajam tamaha |
naashayaamyaatmabhaavastho jnaanadeepena bhaasvataa || 11 ||
 
For those, only out of compassion, I dispel darkness residing in their hearts, born of ignorance, by lighting the brilliant lamp of knowledge.
 
teshaam : for those people
eva : only
anukampaartham : out of compassion
aham : I
ajnyaanajam : born of ignorance
tamaha : darkness
naashayaami : I dispel
aatmabhaavasthaha : residing in their hearts
jnaanadeepena : lamp of knowledge
bhaasvataa : brilliant
 
Shri Krishna paints a beautiful picture to illustrate Ishvara’s grace that was explained in the previous shloka. Like a lamp that is lit to dispel darkness, Ishvara, out of sheer compassion, ignites the yoga of intellect which removes ignorance from the hearts of serious devotees.
 
The renowned Shankaraachaarya has elaborated upon this illustration in his Gita commentary. His illustration is comprised of the lamp with a lamp holder, wick, and oil. The lamp holder is the quality of vairagya or dispassion, the wick is brahmacharya or continence and the oil is prasaada buddhi or the willingness to accept everything in life as Ishvara’s blessing. The lamp is nourished by a gentle breeze in the form of constant devotion to Ishvara, but can be extinguished by an impure mind containing strong likes and dislikes.
 
With these two shlokas, Shri Krishna summarizes the path of the bhakti marga or devotional means to attain Ishvara. In bhakti, Ishvara’s grace is emphasized rather than individual effort. In the Indian tradition this is pictorially depicted by comparing a monkey with a cat. In “markatanyaaya”, the method of the monkey, a baby monkey has to hang on to its mother with its own effort. But in “marjalanyaaya”, the method of the cat, a kitten does not have to do anything because its mother holds her by its neck.
 
Likewise, Ishvara takes care of his devotees. He will ensure that their material needs are taken care of. But more importantly, he will ensure that all our ignorance is destroyed and that we are educated spiritually. This is in contrast with other paths to Ishvara that require significant self effort. There is no need to roll any beads or sit in any postures. All that is required is surrender.
 
With these words, Shri Krishna stopped speaking and Arjuna, excited by the topic, started praising him.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 10, Chapter 10

teshaam satatayuktaanaam bhajataam preetipoorvakam |
dadaami buddhiyogam tam yena maamupayaanti te || 10 ||
 
Those who are constantly engaged (in me) and worship with devotion, I endow them with the yoga of intellect by which they attain me.
 
teshaam : those
satatayuktaanaam : constantly engaged
bhajataam : worship
preetipoorvakam : with devotion
dadaami : I endow
buddhiyogam : yoga of intellect
tam : that
yena : by which
maam : me
upayaanti : attain
te : they
 
Earlier we saw that dedicated, serious devotees of Ishvara find joy only in conversing and immersing themselves in Ishvara. Such a high degree of “preetipurvaka bhajan” or worship with joy and devotion can only yield a wonderful result. Those who display such ardent devotion as termed “sataya yuktaanam” by Shri Krishna because they are constantly connected to Ishvara. He says that Ishvara rewards such devotees with “buddhi yoga”, a superior form of intellect and understanding.
 
Typically, we would have expected Ishvara to reward his ardent devotees with material prosperity. This is a given, since we have already heard Shri Krishna say that Ishvara will carry the material burden of his devotees in the previous chapter. But that is a lower form of blessing or reward. The highest type of blessing that can be given to a devotee is not material, it is intellectual. No object, wealth, social status or possession can stand in front of the knowledge of the true nature of things.
 
What is the result of this intellectual understanding? It is the ability to see Ishvara in everything, and everything in Ishvara. If someone tells us that the necklace we had lost is actually around our neck, we do not have to do anything or go anywhere in order to find it. We know where to look for it. Similarly, this vision given to us by Ishvara enables us to see him everywhere and in everything. It is the vision of equanimity mentioned in the sixth chapter.
 
So then, what is the main obstacle that Ishvara removes with this knowledge? Shri Krishna explains in the next shloka.

Bhagavat Gita Verse 9, Chapter 10

macchittaa madgatapraanaa bodhayantaha parasparam |
kathayantashcha maam nityam tushyanti cha ramanti cha || 9 ||
 
Their mind absorbed in me, their life force absorbed in me, educating each other and conversing with each other about me daily, they find contentment and delight.
 
macchittaa : their mind absorbed in me
madgatapraanaa : their life force absorbed in me
bodhayantaha : educating
parasparam : each other
kathayantaha : conversing
cha : and
maam : my
nityam : daily
tushyanti : contentment
ramanti : delight
 
Having described the state of avikampa yoga or the yoga of unwavering devotion, Shri Krishna now describes the state of the unwavering devotee. He says that their minds are always absorbed in contemplating Ishvara and their entire lives are submitted in extolling the virtues of Ishvara. This gives them an eternal source of joy and contentment.
 
The Swiss are known for running their trains with near-perfect precision. If the train has to leave the platform at 9:30 am, it will leave the station not one second earlier or later. So whenever we have to board a train in Switzerland, there will never be a doubt in our mind as to whether the train will be on time or not. Our faith in the precision of their train system is unshakeable.
 
Similarly, when we our faith in Ishvara becomes firm, we do not go running towards other sources of joy in the world. We recognize that the universe operates under Ishvara’s laws, and that any pleasant or unpleasant situations that we encounter are a result of our prior actions. They are not random or arbitrary. Our likes and dislikes will slowly thin down. We will take every situation as a learning experience and keep our focus on Ishvara.
 
Shri Krishna says that when devotees gain such a strong faith and conviction in Ishvara, they do not think about anything else. Like cricket fans who eat, sleep, breathe and talk about cricket, the devotees converse about Ishvara, educate each other about Ishvara and dedicate their mind and senses to Ishvara.
 
Why do they do this? They only find contentment and joy in Ishvara since they do not need to run towards material objects for happiness. They revel in Ishvara. This is the difference between an ordinary seeker and a serious seeker. An ordinary seeker is interested in Ishvara “also”, whereas a serious seeker is interested in Ishvara “only”.
 
When such tremendous devotion is poured into Ishvara, the result should be something extraordinary. What is it? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 8, Chapter 10

aham sarvasya prabhavo mattaha sarvam pravartate |
iti matvaa bhajante maam budhaa bhaavasamanvitaahaa || 8 ||
 
I am the cause of everything, everything is set in motion by me. Realizing this, wise individuals filled with this attitude worship me.
 
aham : I
sarvasya : everything
prabhavaha : cause
mattaha : from me
sarvam : everything
pravartate : set in motion
iti : this
matvaa : realizing
bhajante : worship
maam : me
budhaahaa : wise individuals
bhaavasamanvitaahaa : filled with this attitude
 
“Avikampena yoga”, the unwavering, unshakeable yoga, is defined by Shri Krishna as knowing that Ishvara is the cause of everything, and that everything originates from Ishvara. Those who have established themselves in this yoga are “budhaa”, they are wise. They only worship or contemplate upon Ishvara, remaining unaffected by the ups and downs in life.
 
Imagine an adult and a child walking inside a haunted house within an amusement park. Though both of them see and hear the same things, they have different reactions. The child thinks that the ghosts and the eerie noises are real and becomes afraid. The adult knows that everything inside is fake, it is unreal. So enjoys the thrill of the haunted house without being afraid.
 
The difference between the adult and the child is that the adult has knowledge about the cause of the ghosts and the noises. Similarly, Shri Krishna says that one who knows Ishvara as the cause of everything, and as the inner controller of everything, will develop an extremely positive attitude towards life. He will take failures as learning opportunities, not as triggers for depression. He will never question why something bad happened to him, knowing that it is a result of his prior actions.
 
One who has developed such an outlook towards life will worship Ishvara at all times. This is indicated by the worlds “maam bhajante”. He will experience sorrow only if he forgets that Ishvara is the cause of everything. When one has understood that Ishvara, as the cause of everything, also is the ultimate goal, then they become totally immersed in Ishvara, as described in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 7, Chapter 10

etaam vibhootim yogam cha mama yo vetti tatvataha |
sovikampena yogena yujyate naatra samshayaha || 7 ||
 
He who understands this, my manifestation and yoga in its essence; he becomes engaged with unperturbed yoga, without a doubt.
 
etaam : this
vibhootim : manifestation
yogam : yoga
cha : and
mama : my
yaha : he who
vetti : understands
tatvataha : in essence
saha : he
avikampena : unperturbed
yogena : with yoga
yujyate : engages
na : not
atra : any
samshayaha : doubt
 
What is the result of hearing about Ishvara’s expressions? Shri Krishna says that one who is able to perceive Ishvara as manifesting through expressions becomes established in “avikampena yoga” or a constant, unshakeable connection with Ishvara.
 
Vibhooti refers to the multiple or pluralistic manifestation of Ishvara, the presence of Ishvara in all forms present in the universe. Yoga, also known as yoga-maaya, is the power that makes this pluralistic manifestation possible. Shri Krishna says that one who knows this vibhooti and yoga as arising from Ishvara is constantly united with Ishvara.
 
The key here is to develop a vision that goes into the essence of any object or person or situation instead of getting distracted by the form, just like a scrap metal dealer’s vision goes straight into the metal, and not the shape.
 
How do we develop this vision? Let us bring back the concept of material cause and intelligent cause that we saw earlier. A pot is created by two aspects: the material cause which is clay, and the intelligent cause which is the potter. So for instance, when Shri Krishna said that the seven sages were created by Ishvara, it means that Ishvara is both the “stuff” and the “sculptor”. He is both the material and intelligent cause of those sages. The Mundaka Upanishad illustrates this concept with the example of a spider who creates a web from his own body, using no other external raw material. The spider becomes the material cause and the intelligent cause of the web.
 
So if our thoughts are made of Ishvara, objects are made of Ishvara, situations are made of Ishvara, if we develop this vision, what will happen to us? We will get established in an unshakeable, unwavering connection with Ishvara. In other words, if we know that Ishvara is present in everything, we will never be disconnected from Ishvara, just like our cell phones are never disconnected from their network no matter which part of the country we visit. We will we able to encounter every situation in life with poise and equanimity, without being shaken up, because everything is ultimately Ishvara.
 
This state of unwavering yoga is elaborated upon in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 6, Chapter 10

maharshayaha sapta poorve chatvaaro manavastathaa |
madbhaavaa maanasaa jaataa yeshaam loka imaahaa prajaahaa || 6 ||
 
The seven great sages and the four before them, and the Manus were contemplating me. They were born out of my mind, (they) of whom are the creatures in this world.
 
maharshayaha : great sages
sapta : seven
poorve : prior to that
chatvaaraha : the four
manavaha : the Manus
tathaa : as well as
madbhaavaahaa : comptemplating me
maanasaaaha : my mind
jaataahaa : born out of
yeshaam : of whom
loke : in this world
imaahaa : these
prajaahaa : creatures
 
Previously, Shri Krishna spoke about Ishvara as the cause of several subtle expressions including non-injury, penance and so on. He now enumerates Ishvara’s manifest, visible expressions. Per tradition, the entire universe was created by seven great sages and fourteen individuals known as “Manus”. Shri Krishna asserts that these sages and Manus, the creators of all living and inert beings in this universe, were themselves created by Ishvara through his mind.
 
The Srimad Bhagavatam described the creation of the universe in great detail. Ishvara first created Lord Brahma and entrusted him with the responsibility of creating the universe. Lord Brahma then created the four child-sages Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanaatana and Sanatkumaara. When he asked them to populate the world, they refused, because they did not want to get tangled in any material pursuits. They took the vow of celibacy and roamed the world, constantly contemplating upon Ishvara.
 
Next, Lord Brahma created the saptarishis or the seven great sages Bhrigu, Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratuhu and Vasishtha. He then created Manu was who was entrusted with further procreation and establishment of the moral code, which is known as Manusmriti. There are fourteen Manus that correspond to fourteen Manvantaras or periods of Manu.
 
Having enumerated the creators of his universe, Shri Krishna says that all those original individuals are expressions that were created from Ishvara’s mind, just like we create whole new worlds in our dreams in a matter of seconds without any external materials. This shloka is similar to the biblical verse “Let there be light”. The idea is the same - that Ishvara is the original cause of everything.
 
What is the result of knowing Ishvara’s vibhootis or expressions? This is given in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 10

ahimsaa samataa tushtistapo daanam yashoyashaha |
bhavanti bhaavaa bhootaanaam matta eva prithagvidhaahaa || 5 ||
 
Non-injury, equanimity, contentment, penance, charity, fame and infamy, these various states of living beings arise from me only.
 
ahimsaa : non-injury
samataa : equanimity
tushtihi : contentment
tapaha : penance
daanam : charity
yashaha : fame
ayashaha : infamy
bhavanti : occur
bhaavaaha : arise
bhootaanaam : of living beings
mattaha : from me
eva : only
prithagvidhaahaa : various
 
Shri Krishna continues to describe Ishvara’s subtle expressions in this shloka. He begins with the description of “ahimsaa” or non-injury. Non-injury typically is understood as refraining from physically hurting a living being. But more broadly, it means refraining from depriving someone else of happiness, knowledge and finitude. For instance, if we cheat someone or we insult someone, we are not practising non-injury.
 
Next is “samataa” or equanimity. The second chapter speaks elaborately on the quality of equanimity or balance as paramount to the performance of karma yoga. If external factors such as heat, cold, praise and censure destabilize our mind, it means that our ego is attached to those factors and disturbs the balance of our mind. Maintaining equanimity in such situations is a sign of healthy detachment and dispassion.
 
“Tushtihi” or contentment refers to “prasaada buddhi”, or the ability to accept everything in life, good or bad, joyful or sorrowful, as a gift from Ishvara. If we are constantly unhappy with what life gives us, we are failing to recognize the infinitude of our eternal essence, and are instead attached to our limited, finite ego.
 
“Tapaha” or penance refers to the energy that builds up in our body when we practice restraint of our sense organs. For example, if we refrain for talking for a day, that energy is conserved within our body and generates heat which is known as “tapas”. “Daanam” or charity refers to donating or distributing our wealth so that we do not get into the practice of hoarding.
 
“Yasha” is the fame that comes through pursuit of dharma or lawful conduct, and “ayashaha” is the infamy that results through the pursuit of adharma or unlawful conduct.
 
Shri Krishna concludes this topic by asserting that all of these qualities are generated in us by none other than Ishvara. However, there is a set of rules that govern the creation of these qualities. It does not happen randomly or in an ad-hoc manner. It is our karma or actions that determine which qualities or states will arise within us. If we constantly surround ourselves with good company, we will automatically imbibe good qualities and vice versa.
 
So far, Shri Krishna has described Ishvara’s subtle expressions. We now will being to see Ishvara’s tangible, visible expressions starting from the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 10

buddhirjnyaanamasammohaha kshamaa satyam damaha shamaha |
sukham duhkham bhavobhaavo bhayam chaabhayameva cha || 4 ||
 
Intellect, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, external restraint, internal restraint, external restraint, joy and sorrow, creation and destruction, fear and sorrow.
 
buddhihi : intellect
jnyaanam : wisdom
asammohaha : non-delusion
kshamaa : forgiveness
satyam : truth
damaha : external restraint
shamaha : internal restraint
sukham : joy
duhkham : sorrow
bhavaha : creation
abhaavaha : destruction
bhayam : fear
cha : and
abhayam : fearlessness
eva : also
 
Shri Krishna begins describing Ishvara’s vibhootis or expressions with this shloka. First, he describes Ishvara’s subtle expressions in two shlokas. He says that intelligence, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, self-restraint, joy and sorrow, creation and destruction, fear and fearlessness, all of these are expressions of Ishvara. Whenever we come across any of these expressions, we should immediately realize that it is Ishvara expressing himself through them.
 
“Buddhihi” or intellect is the ability to know subtle things, things that are not immediately perceived by our senses. Our tongue may enjoy fried food, but our intellect will tell us not to indulge in it due to the potential health risks. Now, none of our senses saw something called a “health risk” but our intellect did. Similarly, “jnyaana” or wisdom is the ability to discriminate between the eternal essence and everything else. Engaging with the world without getting deluded into thinking that it is the source of happiness, this is “asammoha” or non-delusion.
 
With the foundation of intellect, wisdom and non-delusion, we are ready to engage with the world. We may encounter people that speak ill of us or trouble us in some way. “Kshamaa” or forgiveness lets us drop any negative thinking that is generated out of such interactions. Conversely, it is our duty to convey to others what we perceive of the world without adding any modifications or distortions. This is known as “satyam” or truthfulness. We may also encounter people, objects and situations that generate selfish desires within us. In order to guard against chasing after them, we need to cultivate “dama” or sense control, and “shama” which is control over the mind.
 
Now, let us examine Ishvara’s manifestations that come in pairs. We usually tend to be attracted towards one aspect of the pair and run away from the other aspect. First let us look at “sukham” and “duhkham” or joy and sorrow. We prefer joyful situations and tend to avoid sorrowful ones. We prefer “bhaavaha” or creation but dislike “abhaavaha” or destruction. We like to be “abhaya” or fearless, not “bhaya” or fearlessness.
 
Shri Krishna wants us to remain equanimous, remain balanced in both aspects of these pairs. Ishvara may send a sorrowful situation in order to create further vairagya or dispassion. Like a municipality that demolishes a dangerously unlivable building, he may destroy a person, object or situation so that a new one can be created in its place. Like a robber who is afraid of a burglary alarm, he may generate fear in us so that we do not commit an unlawful or unethical act.
 
The second part of this topic is covered in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 3, Chapter 10

yo maamajamanaadim cha vetti lokamaheshwaram |
asammoodhaha sa martyeshu sarvapaapaihi pramuchhyate || 3 ||
 
One who knows me as birthless, causeless and lord of the universe, he is wise among all humans and is freed from all sins.
 
yaha : one who
maam : me
ajam : birthless
anaadim : causeless
cha : and
vetti : knows
lokamaheshwaram : lord of the universe
asammoodhaha : wise
saha : he is
martyeshu : among humans
sarvapaapaihi : all sins
pramuchhyate : freed from
 
In this shloka, Shri Krishna says that one whose devotion in Ishvara has reached its pinnacle, one who understands Ishvara as the eternal lord of the universe, automatically develops this capacity of discrimination and becomes wise. Also, he is freed from all his sins. This is the end result of devotion.
 
The Gita places special emphasis on the quality of viveka or discrimination. It is the ability to differentiate between what is real and what is unreal. For some people, this comes easily but for most of us, it does not. Devotion is the solution. When we begin to hear about Ishvara’s glories, our vision and understanding about his true nature increases. We begin to realize that while everything in the world has a beginning and end, Ishvara is beyond time. We begin to see that he is everywhere, he is not confined to a certain space or location.
 
So when we see that Ishvara is present everywhere and everytime, beyond the realm of time and space, we automatically begin to understand that everything else is finite and transient. Our reactions to situations become calmer. If we come across a tough situation, we know that the timeless ever present Ishvara is in there, and so therefore the situation will be temporary and will not bother us anymore. We become “assammodaha” or wise, beyond all delusion.
 
Also, by hearing these glories, we realize that Ishvara is the one who is running the universe. When we identify ourselves with the controller of the universe, our ego, sense of doership and enjoyership automatically drops because we know that we are doing nothing, it is all Ishvara’s doing. When the sinner, which is nothing the sense of doership and enjoyership, is dropped, all our sins are destroyed in an instant.
 
Shri Krishna now beings to speak of Ishvara’s expressions, which is the main theme of this chapter. He first speaks about Ishvara’s inner, subtle expressions in the next few shlokas. He later speaks about his external, more visible expressions.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 10

na me viduhu suraganaahaa prabhavam na maharshayaha |
ahamaadirhi devaanaam maharshinaam cha sarvashaha || 2 ||
 
Neither the gods nor the great sages know of my origin, for I am the cause of the gods and great sages in every aspect.
 
na : not
me : my
viduhu : know
suraganaahaa : gods
prabhavam : origin
na : nor
maharshayaha : great sages
aham : I
aadihi : cause
hi : for
devaanaam : of gods
maharshinaam : of great sages
cha : and
sarvashaha : in every aspect
 
Previously, Shri Krishna declared that only Ishvara can speak about Ishvara’s glories. Now, why should that be the case? Why can’t someone else talk about Ishvara’s glories? It is because Ishvara is the cause of everything in this entire universe. He is the “aadihi” or the first principle. He is the ultimate cause.
 
As we have seen earlier, most of us have an idea that a certain deity is almighty and all-powerful. But ultimately, all those gods and deities are emissaries of Ishvara. They came into existence much later than Ishvara. Similarly, great sages and wise people have also come into existence after Ishvara. Therefore, none of these individuals has the ability to clearly fathom the real nature of Ishvara.
 
For instance, imagine that you want to learn the history of a large corporation. You may research internet sites, you can talk to the current employees, you can even track down the original employees, but the only person who knows the entire history will be the company’s founder. He can reveal details that only he knew at the time of founding the company. No one else can know these details.
 
So then, if Ishvara is the ultimate cause of the universe, then everything in the universe is an effect of that ultimate cause. An effect can never know its cause in totality. Therefore, the most qualified person to expound the glories himself is Ishvara himself, speaking through the form of Shri Krishna. Such a teaching is called “apaurusheya”. It is not authored by a human, it has come from Ishvara directly.
 
As we hear more about the glories of Ishvara, we will need to delve deeper into what is meant by the term “ultimate cause”. To prepare for this exploration, picture a potter creating a pot. There are two main ingredients that go into the pot. One is clay, the substance of which the pot is made. The other is the intelligence of the potter that decides the shape and the method to create it.
 
With this picture in mind, let us remember four things that will help us in understanding Ishvara. The pot is an effect. The pot has come from a cause. The “material cause” of the pot is clay. The intelligence, also known as the “efficient cause”, is the potter. We will recall this example later in the chapter.
 
So then, what is the gain of learning about Ishvara and his glories? Shri Krishna explains this next.