THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 29, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 10

VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:

VERSE NUMBER 29

Text in Transliteration:

anantas chaa ‘smi naagaanaam varuno yaadasaam aham

pitreenaam araymaa chaa ‘smi yamah: samyamataam aham

Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:

Anantah: = Ananta; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; naagaanaam = among Nagas; varunah: = Varuna; Yaadasaam = among water-deities; aham = I; pitreenaam = among the Pitus or ancestors; aryamaa = Aryama; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; yamah: = Yama; samyamataam = among governors; aham = I.

Text in English:

Of the Nagas I am Anata; of the water-deities I am Varuna. Of the Pitrus I am Aryama; of controllers I am Yama.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

The Nagas are non-poisonous snakes. Ananta among them is conceived of or represented as five headed. This is a symbol of the Prakriti being made up of the five elements. Because of 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. Al those who pay homage to their departed ancestors pray to Aryama as well. This way he becomes the vibhooti 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.  

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Ananta is the king of hooded serpents or cobras. He is fire-coloured.

Varuna is the king of the water-gods.

Water-deities: the gods connected with waters.

Aryaman is the king of the manes.

I am Yama, the witness of the acts of all living beings, who keeps account of the good and bad actions of the people.