THE HOLY GITA --CHAPTER 10, VERSE 17, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 10

VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:

VERSE NUMBER 17

Text in Transliteration:

Katham vidyaam aham yogims tvaam sadaa paricintayan

Keshu-keshu cha bhaaveshu chintyo ‘si bhagavan mayaa

Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:

Katham = how; vidyaam = shall know; aham = I; yogin = O yogin; tvaam = thee; sada = always; paricintayan = meditating; keshu keshu = in what and what; cha = and; bhaveshu = aspects; cintyah = to be thought of; asi = (thou) art; bhagavan = O blessed Lord; mayaa = by me.

Text in English:

How may I know you, O Yogin by constant meditation? In what various aspects are You, O Lord, to be thought of by me?

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

 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?

SRIMAT SWAMI RAMAKRISHNA AS QUOTED BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

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.

COMMENTARY BY DR.S.RADHAKRISHNAN:

Krishna is yogin by virtue of his work as creator. Arjuna wishes to know the aspects of nature where the Lord’s presence is more clearly manifest and asks Krishna to tell him in what various aspects he should think of Him to help his meditation.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Arjuna says: “O Lord, how may I know Thee by constant meditation? in what aspects art Thou to be thought of by me? Even when I think of external objects I can meditate on Thee in Thy particular manifestations in them if I have a detailed knowledge of Thy glories. Therefore deign to tell me, without reserve, of Thy own glories. Then only can I behold oneness everywhere.