Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 10 - Shloka (Verse) 16

व्याख्या--'याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि' -- भगवान्ने पहले (सातवें श्लोकमें) यह बात कही थी कि जो मनुष्य मेरी विभूतियोंको और योगको तत्त्वसे जानता है, उसका मेरेमें अटल भक्तियोग हो जाता है। उसे सुननेपर अर्जुनके मनमें आया कि भगवान्में दृढ़ भक्ति होनेका यह बहुत सुगम और श्रेष्ठ उपाय है; क्योंकि भगवान्की विभूतियोंको और योगको तत्त्वसे जाननेपर मनुष्यका मन भगवान्की तरफ स्वाभाविक ही खिंच जाता है और भगवान्में उसकी स्वाभाविक ही भक्ति जाग्रत् हो जाती है। अर्जुन अपना कल्याण चाहते हैं और कल्याणके लिये उनको भक्ति ही सर्वश्रेष्ठ उपाय दीखती है। इसलिये अर्जुन कहते हैं कि जिन विभूतियोंसे आप सम्पूर्ण लोकोंको व्याप्त करके स्थित हैं, उन अलौकिक, विलक्षण विभूतियोंका विस्तारपूर्वक सम्पूर्णतासे वर्णन कीजिये। कारण कि उनको कहनेमें आप ही समर्थ हैं; आपके सिवाय उन विभूतियोंको और कोई नहीं कह सकता।'वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण' -- आपने पहले (सातवें, नवें और यहाँ दसवें अध्यायके आरम्भमें) अपनी विभूतियाँ बतायीं और उनको जाननेका फल दृढ़ भक्तियोग होना बताया। अतः मैं भी आपकी सब विभूतियोंको जान जाऊँ और मेरा भी आपमें दृढ़ भक्तियोग हो जाय, इसलिये आप अपनी विभूतियोंको पूरी-की-पूरी कह दें, बाकी कुछ न रखें।'दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः' -- विभूतियोंको दिव्य कहनेका तात्पर्य है कि संसारमें जो कुछ विशेषता दीखती है वह मूलमें दिव्य परमात्माकी ही है, संसारकी नहीं। अतः संसारकी विशेषता देखना भोग है और परमात्माकी विशेषता देखना विभूति है, योग है।

अपनी दिव्य विभूतियोंका पूर्णतया वर्णन करनेमें ( आप ही ) समर्थ हैं -- आपकी जो विभूतियाँ हैं? जिन विभूतियोंसे अर्थात् अपने माहात्म्यके विरतारसे आप इन सारे लोकोंको व्याप्त करके स्थित हो रहे हैं? उन्हें कहनेमें आप ही समर्थ हैं।

Since Your Self is beyond the scope of people like us and yet is desired to be known, therefore Your form must be described by You alone; he states this with 'Vaktum' etc.

'Divyatva' means being non-material (supernatural).

Now he explains the syntax—'Atmanah' etc.

He qualifies the Vibhutis to be described—with 'Yabhih'. The meaning is: You are worthy to describe fully those Vibhutis through which You exist having filled/pervaded the worlds.

Therefore, You are worthy to describe those 'Vibhutis' of Your own—expansions of majesty—which are indeed non-material (supernatural).

By which Vibhutis You stand pervading these worlds.

'Vibhutayah' means manifold manifestations (or forms of existence).

Having praised Him thus, he states what he desires to know—'Vaktum' etc.

'Divyah' means those Vibhutis which are unique to You; You alone are worthy to describe them fully; the meaning is 'You alone please reveal them'.

By which infinite Vibhutis—by which specific modes of control—being endowed, You stand pervading these worlds as their Controller.

With the expectation 'For what purpose is this revelation?', he says—

Since You alone know Your manifestation, not the gods etc., therefore 'You are worthy to speak'—Your own 'Divya', i.e., extremely wonderful, Vibhutis; You alone are worthy, i.e., competent, to describe all of them.

'Yabhih' (by which)—this adjective of Vibhutis has a clear meaning.

The word 'Atma' is to exclude the vibhutis of others; he says 'unique to You'. Since 'Vibhutayah' is in the nominative case, it does not connect directly with 'Vaktum arhasi' (worthy to speak), so the relative pronoun 'Yah' (which) is supplied—'Vibutayo yah'. Since they are divine, they must be spoken of; 'therefore You are worthy to speak them'—this is to indicate the repetition of the sentence (structure).

By the indication of competence 'Arhasi' (You are worthy), a prayer for that is intended. Since it is impossible even for the Lord to speak fully and for Arjuna to hear fully, only a manifestation/revelation through words and grace is prayed for here; for it was said before 'O Lord, they do not know Your manifestation' (10.14); with this intent he says 'You alone reveal, this is the meaning'.

Due to the lack of restriction in the plural number and the instruction 'Asheshena' (fully), infinity is intended here. Also because of the subsequent reply 'There is no end to the extent...' (10.19); with this intent, he says 'Anantabhih' (by infinite).

The root 'bhu' preceded by 'vi' ending with a bhava-suffix is said to denote 'controlling/ruling'. And no other meaning fits here, due to the absence of coordinate predication with the objects to be controlled; with this intent, he says 'Yaih niyamanavisheshaih' (by which specific modes of control). The word 'Vishesha' (specific/special) is to indicate excessive curiosity regarding the abundant control.

Since the instrumental case here does not fit the sense of 'instrument' etc., the sense of 'Itthambhuta-lakshana' (characteristic of such a state) is intended; with this intent, he says 'Yuktah' (endowed with).

Here, if the word Vibhuti meant 'objects to be controlled' (like Ashvattha tree), they cannot be the cause of pervading the worlds, nor can the Lord qualified by them, nor can there be pervasion of others along with them; nor can the controlled objects be the characteristic mark in pervasion, as it would be meaningless. But 'specific modes of control' are appropriate as they distinguish from the pervasion of ether (akasha) etc., in accordance with scripture; with this intent he says 'Niyantritvena vyapya' (Pervading as the Controller).

It is heard in scriptures like 'Entered within, the Ruler of beings' (Yajur Veda 3.11), 'He controls from within', 'The Inner Controller, Immortal', etc. By 'Vyapya tishthasi' (You stand pervading), the Sruti 'Narayana stands pervading' (Mahanarayana 9.5) is recalled.

राजपुत्र अर्जुन को इस बात का निश्चय हो गया है कि भगवान् ही विश्व के अधिष्ठान हैं? जिनके बिना विश्व का अस्तित्व सिद्ध नहीं हो सकता। परन्तु जब वह अपने उपलब्ध और परिचित प्रमाणों इन्द्रियों? मन और बुद्धि के द्वारा बाह्य जगत् को देखता है? तब उसे केवल विषयों? भावनाओं और विचारों का ही अनुभव होता है जिन्हें किसी भी दृष्टि से दिव्य नहीं कहा जा सकता।जब किसी उत्सव के अवसर पर किसी इमारत पर विद्युत् की दीपसज्जा की जाती है? तब वहाँ विविध रंगों के तथा विभिन्न विद्युत् क्षमताओं के बल्बों से प्रकाश फूटकर निकल पड़ता प्रतीत होता है। परन्तु जब हमें बताया जाता है कि एक ही विद्युत् इन सबमें व्यक्त होकर इन्हें धारण कर रही है? तो कोई अनपढ़ अज्ञानी पुरुष? स्वाभाविक ही? प्रत्येक बल्ब में व्यक्त हुई विद्युत् को देखने की इच्छा प्रकट करेगा विराट् ईश्वर के रूप में भगवान् ही इस नामरूपमय संसार की समष्टि सृष्टि (विभूति) और व्यष्टि सृष्टि (योग) बने हुए हैं। यद्यपि श्रद्धा से परिपूर्ण हृदय के द्वारा इसे अनुभव किया जा सकता है? परन्तु बुद्धि के तीक्ष्ण होने पर भी उसके द्वारा ग्रहण नहीं किया जा सकता। इसलिए? स्वाभाविक ही? अर्जुन भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण से उन विभूतियों का वर्णन करने का अनुरोध करता है? जिनके द्वारा वे इस जगत् को व्याप्त करके स्थित हैं। कर्मशील होने के कारण अर्जुन अत्यन्त व्यावहारिक बुद्धि का पुरुष था इसलिए वह और अधिक पर्याप्त तथ्यों को एकत्र करना चाहता था? जिन पर वह विचार करके और उनका वर्गीकरण करके उन्हें समझ सके।क्या अर्जुन की यह केवल बौद्धिक जिज्ञासा ही है? जिसके कारण वह ऐसा प्रश्न करता है वह स्वयं स्पष्ट करते हुए कहता है

Vibhutis, meaning lordships/opulences, have been asked about and diverse forms will be described.

What connects with what? To this he says—'Vibhutayah'. 'Vividha-bhutayah' means diverse/manifold forms.

Since Your Vibhutis are impossible for all others to know and yet must be known;

therefore—by which Vibhutis You stand pervading all these worlds—those unique Vibhutis of Yours are 'Divya', meaning impossible to be known by the non-omniscient; because this is so, therefore You, the Omniscient alone, are worthy to describe them fully.

Having addressed Him thus, and establishing His Mastership over himself by His being the 'Lord of the Universe', now asking 'Grant grace treating me as Your own, so that knowing Your aforementioned nature I may surrender'—he says 'Vaktum arhasi' etc. 'Divyah' means forms of sport (Lila); 'Atmavibhutayah' means Your own manifestations, which are Your own partial forms for specific purposes; You alone are 'Arhasi'—worthy/competent—to describe them fully.

By stating His competence, it is implied that no one else has even the knowledge of Vibhutis; what then to speak of their ignorance regarding You directly here and there. Since You alone are competent, please speak out of mercy; this is the purport.

By which Vibhutis You stand pervading these worlds—accepting them as Your own—You are worthy to describe those; this is the meaning.

'Vaktum' means to tell/describe; You are worthy (to do so) fully.

'Divyah'—indeed Your own Vibhutis. Those which are Your own Vibhutis, You are worthy to describe.

By which Vibhutis—by the expansions of Your own majesty—You stand pervading these worlds.

Since gods etc. do not know, therefore You are worthy to speak fully.

Tell me fully those Vibhutis which are 'Divya'—extraordinary/unique to You.

By which specific modes of control—in the form of becoming Your own portions (svamsha-bhavana), being subordinate (gunabhuta), and being their Self (tadatma-bhuta)—You stand pervading these three worlds.

Arhasi, be pleased; vaktum, to speak; asesena, in full; atmavibhutayah, of Your own manifestations; divyah hi, which are indeed divine; yabhih, through which; vibhutibhih, manifestations, manifestations of Your glory; tisthasi, You exist; vyapya, pervading; iman, these; lokan, worlds.

Whatever manifestations there be that are divine, unie to Yourself - You alone are capable of describing them without exception. 'You reveal them Yourself' is the meaning. With these innumerable Vibhutis, these instances of your manifestation indicating Your will to rule, You abide, pervading all these worlds as their controller.
What is the need for such description? The answer follows: