THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 30, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 10

VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:

VERSE NUMBER 30

Text in Transliteration:

prahlaadas chaa ‘smi daityaanaam kaalah: kalayataam aham

mrrgaanaam cha mrrgendro ‘ham vainateyas cha paksinaam

Sanskrit words and phrases and their meaning:

prahlaadah: = Prahalada; cha = and; asmi = (I) am; daityaanaam = among Daityas; kaalah: = time; kalayataam = among reckoners; aham = I; mrrgaanaam = among beasts; cha =and; the lord of beasts (lion); aham = I; vainateyah: =son of Vinata, Garuda; cha = and; pakshinaam = among birds.

Text in English:

Of the Daityas I am Prahlada and of reckoners I am Time; of beasts I am the lord of beasts, and Vainateya of birds.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

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.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Prahlada, though he was the son of a demon (Hiranyakasipu), was a great devotee of the Lord.