THE HOLY GITA --CHAPTER 10, VERSE 15, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 10

VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:

VERSE NUMBER 15      

Text in Transliteration:

svayam evaa ‘tmanaa ‘tnaaban vettha tvam purushottama

bhootbhavana bhootesa devadeva jagatpate

Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:

svayam = thysef; eva = only; aatmanaa = by thuself; aatmaanam = thyself; vettha = (thou) knowest; tvam = thou; purushottama = O Purusha supreme; bhoota bhaavana = O source of beings; bhootesa = O Lord of beings; devadeva = O God of gods; jagatpate = O ruler of the world.

Text in English:

Verily you alone know Yourself by Yourself, O Purushottama, O Source of beings, O Lord of beings, O God of gods, O Ruler of the world.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

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 or emancipation. But the Lord being the eternal Presiding Deity over the Prakriti, He is aptly eulogized as Purushottama.

Being the origin of all being, He is Bhoota bhaavanah:

Ruler of all beings that He is, the appellations Bhootesa and Jagatpati are appropriate to Him.

His glory in its entirety is known to Him alone and to none else.

SRI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

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 brinjal 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.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Purushottama means the best among all Purushas. He assumes the four forms, viz., the source of beings, the Lord of beings, God of gods and ruler of the world. Hence He is called Purushottama.

Devadeva is He who is worshipped even by Indra and other gods.

Jagatpati: the Lord protects the world and guides the people through the instructions given in the Vedas. Hence the name ‘ruler of the world’.