SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 42
atha vā bahunaitena
kiḿ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaḿ kṛtsnam
ekāḿśena sthito jagat

atha vā — or; bahunā — many; etena — by this kind; kim — what; jñātena — by knowing; tava — your; arjuna — O Arjuna; viṣṭabhya — pervading; aham — I; idam — this; kṛtsnam — entire; eka — by one; aḿśena — part; sthitaḥ — am situated; jagat — universe.

TRANSLATION

But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to this final sloka in Chapter Ten; Devotional service and worship of Kṛṣṇa are very clearly indicated in this chapter in verses eight through eleven. That is the way of pure devotional service. How one can attain the highest devotional perfection of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead has been thoroughly explained in this chapter.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is -
Chapter 10 text 41
yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaḿ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaḿ
mama tejo-'ḿśa-sambhavam

yat yat — whatever; vibhūti — opulences; mat — having; sattvam — existence; śrī-mat — beautiful; ūrjitam — glorious; eva — certainly; vā — or; tat tat — all those; eva — certainly; avagaccha — must know; tvam — you; mama — My; tejaḥ — of the splendor; aḿśa — a part; sambhavam — born of.

TRANSLATION

Know that all opulent, beautiful and glorious creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 40
nanto 'sti mama divyanam
vibhutinam parantapa
esa tuddesatah prokto
vibhuter vistaro maya

na--nor; antah--a limit; asti--there is; mama--My; divyanam--of the divine; vibhutinam--opulences; parantapa--O conqueror of the enemies; esah--all this; tu--but; uddesatah--as examples; proktah--spoken; vibhuteh--of opulences; vistarah--the expanse; maya--by Me.

TRANSLATION

O mighty conqueror of enemies, there is no end to My divine manifestations. What I have spoken to you is but a mere indication of My infinite opulences.

PURPORT

As stated in the Vedic literature, although the opulences and energies of the Supreme are understood in various ways, there is no limit to such opulences; therefore not all the opulences and energies can be explained. Simply a few examples are being described to Arjuna to pacify his inquisitiveness.

JOURNAL:

This purport reminds me that Srila Prabhupada accepted Jesus as the Son of God and the Catholic church as the true Christian church because of their "parampara" system of Popes.

SLOKA OF THE DY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 39
yac capi sarva-bhutanam
bijam tad aham arjuna
na tad asti vina yat syan
maya bhutam caracaram

yat--whatever; ca--also; api--may be; sarva-bhutanam--of all creations; bijam--seed; tat--that; aham--I am; arjuna--O Arjuna; na--not; tat--that; asti--there is; vina--without; yat--which; syat--exists; maya--Me; bhutam--created being; cara-acaram--moving and nonmoving.

TRANSLATION

Furthermore, O Arjuna, I am the generating seed of all existences. There is no being--moving or nonmoving--that can exist without Me.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada ends his purport with the definition of "maya"; Whatever existence is not founded on the energy of Krsna is called maya, "that which is not."

I rose early this morning and finished over half my quota, and this blog post, by 4:00 AM. I then tuned into the Los Angels temple site for Mangal arti. I must do this more often. Not being rushed while doing my japa before work is best!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 38
dando damayatam asmi
nitir asmijigisatam
maunam caivasmi guhyanam
jnanam jnanavatam aham

dan. dah--punishment; damayatam--of all means of suppression; asmi--I am; nitih--morality; asmi--I am; jigisatam--of those who seek victory; maunam--silence; ca--and; eva--also; asmi--I am; guhyanam--of secrets; jnanam--knowledge; jnana-vatam--of the wise; aham--I am.

TRANSLATION

Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment, and of those who seek victory I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am the wisdom.

PURPORT

There are many suppressing agents, of which the most important are those that cut down miscreants. When miscreants are punished, the agency of chastisement represents Krsna. Among those who are trying to be victorious in some field of activity, the most victorious element is morality. Among the confidential activities of hearing, thinking and meditating, silence is most important because by silence one can make progress very quickly. The wise man is he who can discriminate between matter and spirit, between God's superior and inferior natures. Such knowledge is Krsna Himself.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 37
vrsninam vasudevo 'smi
pandavanam dhananjayah
muninam apy aham vyasah
kavinam usana kavih

vrsninam--of the descendants of Vrsni; vasudevah--Krsna in Dvaraka; asmi--I am; pandavanam--of the Pandavas; dhananjayah--Arjuna; muninam--of the sages; api--also; aham--I am; vyasah--Vyasa, the compiler of all Vedic literature; kavinam--of all great thinkers; usana--Usana; kavih--the thinker.

TRANSLATION

Of the descendants of Vrsni I am Vasudeva, and of the Pandavas I am Arjuna. Of the sages I am Vyasa, and among great thinkers I am Usana.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 36
dyutam chalayatam asmi
\tejas tejasvinam aham
jayo 'smi vyavasayo 'smi
sattvam sattvavatam aham

dyutam--gambling; chalayatam--of all cheats; asmi--I am; tejah--the splendor; tejasvinam--of everything splendid; aham--I am; jayah--victory; asmi--I am; vyavasayah--enterprise or adventure; asmi--I am; sattvam--the strength; sattva-vatam--of the strong; aham--I am.

TRANSLATION

I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 35
brhat-sama tatha samnam
gayatri chandasam aham
masanam marga-sirso 'ham
rtunam kusumakarah

brhat-sama--the Krhat-sama; tatha--also; samnam--of the Sama Veda songs; gayatri--the Gayatri hymns; chandasam--of all poetry; aham--I am; masanam--of months; marga-sirsah--the month of November-December; aham--I am; rtunam--of all seasons; kusuma-akarah--spring.

TRANSLATION

Of the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brhat-sama, and of poetry I am the Gayatri. Of months I am Margasirsa [November-December], and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.

JOURNAL:

In his purport, Srila prabhupada speaks briefly about poetry; In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry; rhyme and meter are not written whimsically, as in much modern poetry. Amongst the regulated poetry, the Gayatri mantra, which is chanted by the duly qualified brahmanas, is the most prominent. The Gayatri mantra is mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Because the Gayatri mantra is especially meant for God realization, it represents the Supreme Lord.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 34
mrtyuh sarva-haras caham
udbhavas ca bhavisyatam
kirtih srir vak ca narinam
smrtir medha dhrtih ksama

mrtyuh--death; sarva-harah--all-devouring; ca--also; aham--I am; udbhavah--generation; ca--also; bhavisyatam--of future manifestations; kirtih--fame; srih--opulence or beauty; vak--fine speech; ca--also; narinam--of women; smrtih--memory; medha--intelligence; dhrtih--firmness; ksama--patience.

TRANSLATION

I am all-devouring death, and I am the generating principle of all that is yet to be. Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and patience.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 33
aksaranam a-karo 'smi
dvandvah samasikasya ca
aham evaksayah kalo
dhataham visvato-mukhah

aksaranam--of letters; a-karah--the first letter; asmi--I am; dvandvah--the dual; samasikasya--of compounds; ca--and; aham--I am; eva--certainly; aksayah--eternal; kalah--time; dhata--the creator; aham--I am; visvatah-mukhah--Brahma.

TRANSLATION

Of letters I am the letter A, and among compound words I am the dual compound. I am also inexhaustible time, and of creators I am Brahma.

JOURNAL;

Srila Prabhupada begins his purport; A-kara, the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, is the beginning of the Vedic literature. Without a-kara, nothing can be sounded; therefore it is the beginning of sound. In Sanskrit there are also many compound words, of which the dual word, like rama-krsna, is called dvandva. In this compound, the words rama and krsna have the same form, and therefore the compound is called dual.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 32
sarganam adir antas ca
madhyam caivaham arjuna
adh yatma-vidya vidyanam
vadah pravadatam aham

sarganam--of all creations; adih--the beginning; antah--end; ca--and; madhyam--middle; ca--also; eva--certainly; aham--I am; arjuna--O Arjuna; adhyatma-vidya--spiritual knowledge; vidyanam--of all education; vadah--the natural conclusion; pravadatam--of arguments; aham--I am.

TRANSLATION

Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 31
pavanah pavatam asmi
ramah sastra-bhrtam aham
jhasanam makaras casmi
srotasam asmi jahnavi

pavanah--the wind; pavatam--of all that purifies; asmi--I am; ramah--Rama; sastra-bhrtam--of the carriers of weapons; aham--I am; jhasanam--of all fish; makarah--the shark; ca--also; asmi--I am; srotasam--of flowing rivers; asmi--I am; jahnavi--the River Ganges.

TRANSLATION

Of purifiers I am the wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rama, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganges.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 30
prahladas casmi daityanam
kalah kalayatam aham
mrganam ca mrgendro 'ham
vainateyas ca paksinam

prahladah--Prahlada; ca--also; asmi--I am; daityanam--of the demons; kalah--time; kalayatam--of subduers; aham--I am; mrganam--of animals; ca--and; mrga-indrah--the lion; aham--I am; vainateyah--Garuda; ca--also; paksinam--of birds.

TRANSLATION

Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada, among subduers I am time, among beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 29
anantas casmi naganam
varuno yadasam aham
pitrnam aryama casmi
yamah samyamatam aham

anantah--Ananta; ca--also; asmi--I am; naganam--of the manyhooded serpents; varunah--the demigod controlling the water; yadasam--of all aquatics; aham--I am; pitrnam--of the ancestors; aryama--Aryama; ca--also; asmi--I am; yamah--the controller of death; samyamatam--of all regulators; aham--I am.

TRANSLATION

Of the many-hooded Nagas I am Ananta, and among the aquatics I am the demigod Varuna. Of departed ancestors I am Aryama, and among the dispensers of law I am Yama, the lord of death.

JOURNAL:

Sloka 28 of this chapter was posted on January 20, 2012.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 27
uccaihsravasam asvanam
viddhi mam amrtodbhavam
airavatam gajendranam
naranam ca naradhipam

uccaihsravasam--Uccaihsrava; asvanam--among horses; viddhi--know; mam--Me; amrta-udbhavam--produced from the churning of the ocean; airavatam--Airavata; gaja-indranam--of lordly elephants; naranam--among human beings; ca--and; nara-adhipam--the king.

TRANSLATION

Of horses know Me to be Uccaihsrava, produced during the churning of the ocean for nectar. Of lordly elephants I am Airavata, and among men I am the monarch.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 26
asvatthah sarva-vrksanam
devarsinam ca naradah
gandharvanam citrarathah
siddhanam kapilo munih

asvatthah--the banyan tree; sarva-vrksanam--of all trees; deva-rsinam--of all the sages amongst the demigods; ca--and; naradah--Narada; gandharvanam--of the citizens of the Gandharva planet; citrarathah--Citraratha; siddhanam--of all those who are perfected; kapilah munih--Kapila Muni.

TRANSLATION

Of all trees I am the banyan tree, and of the sages among the demigods I am Narada. Of the Gandharvas I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada begins his purport with some history; The banyan tree (asvattha) is one of the highest and most beautiful trees, and people in India often worship it as one of their daily morning rituals. He also mentions the greatest singer ever; The Gandharva planet is filled with entities who sing beautifully, and among them the best singer is Citraratha.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 25
maharsinam bhrgur aham
giram asmy ekam aksaram
yajnanam japa-yajno 'smi
sthavaranam himalayah.

maha-rsinam--among the great sages; bhrguh--Bhrghu; aham--I am; giram--of vibrations; asmi--I am; ekam aksaram--pranava; yajnanam--of sacrifices; japa-yajnah--chanting; asmi--I am; sthavaranam--of immovable things; himalayah--the Himalayan mountains.


TRANSLATION

Of the great sages I am Bhrgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental om. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himalayas.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; Of all the transcendental vibrations, the om (omkara) represents Krsna. Of all sacrifices, the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is the purest representation of Krsna.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 24
purodhasam ca mukhyam mam
viddhi partha brhaspatim
senaninam aham skandah
sarasam asmi sagarah

purodhasam--of all priests; ca--also; mukhyam--the chief; mam--Me; viddhi--understand; partha--O son of Prtha; brhaspatim--Brhaspati; senaninam--of all commanders; aham--I am; skandah--Kartikeya; sarasam--of all reservoirs of water; asmi--I am; sagarah--the ocean.

TRANSLATION

Of priests, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Brhaspati. Of generals I am Kartikeya, and of bodies of water I am the ocean.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport; These representations of Krsna only give hints of His greatness.

SLOKA OF THE DAY

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 23
rudranam sankaras casmi
vitteso yaksa-raksasam
vasunam pavakas casmi
meruh sikharinam aham

rudranam--of all the Rudras; sankarah--Lord Siva; ca--also; asmi--I am; vitta-isah--the lord of the treasury of the demigods; yaksa-raksasam--of the Yaksas and Raksasas; vasunam--of the Vasus; pavakah--fire; ca--also; asmi--I am; meruh--Meru; sikharinam--of all mountains; aham--I am.

TRANSLATION

Of all the Rudras I am Lord Siva, of the Yaksas and Raksasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kuvera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada, in his purport, describes Lord Shiva this way; There are eleven Rudras, of whom Sankara, Lord Siva, is predominant. He is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord in charge of the mode of ignorance in the universe.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 10 Text 22
vedanam sama-vedo 'smi
devanam asmi vasavah
indriyanam manas casmi
bhutanam asmi cetana

vedanam--of all the Vedas; sama-vedah--the Sama Veda; asmi--I am; devanam--of all the demigods; asmi--I am; vasavah--the heavenly king; indriyanam--of all the senses; manah--the mind; ca--also; asmi--I am; bhutanam--of all living entities; asmi--I am; cetana--the living force.

TRANSLATION

Of the Vedas I am the Sama Veda; of the demigods I am Indra, the king of heaven; of the senses I am the mind; and in living beings I am the living force [consciousness].