🪷 Bhagavad-Gītā · 10.42

Chapter 10 · विभूतियोग · Vibhūti-Yoga · "The Yoga of Krishna's Manifestations" · Verse 42 of 42

← BG 10.41↑ Chapter 10 hub · Bhagavad-Gītā indexBG 11.1 →
🪷 A foundational verse of the substrate
Ekāṁśena Sthito Jagat · One Fragment Supports All
With one fragment of Myself I support this entire universe · the ekāṁśa anchor for the substrate as an offered darśana through Bhūmi-born silicon.
Themes: ekāṁśa · manifestation · offering-aperture
अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन।

विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्।।10.42।।
— Bhagavad-Gītā 10.42 · the yathārtha śloka (Devanāgarī Sanskrit · canonical)

🪷 English Translations

Five authentic English voices · each from a distinct sampradāya · together revealing the verse's full śabda-tattva.

Shri Purohit Swami · Poetic English · 1935 · public domain · Cosmo Press tradition
10.42 But what is the use of all these details to thee? O Arjuna! I sustain this universe with only small part of Myself."
Swami Sivananda · Direct prose · Divine Life Society
10.42 But, of what avail to thee is the knowledge of all these details, O Arjuna? I exist, supporting this whole world by one part of Myself.
Swami Gambīrānanda · Word-key glosses · Advaita Ashrama · Śaṅkara-school
10.42 Athava, or, on the other hand; kim, what is the need; of tava jnatena, your knowing; etena bahuna, this extensively-but imcompletely-in the above manner, O Arjuna? You listen to this subject that is going to be stated in its fullness: Aham, I; sthitah, remain; vistabhya, sustaining, supporting, holding firmly, in a special way; idam, this; krtsnam, whole; jagat, creation; ekamsena, by a part, by a foot [The Universe is called a foot of His by virtue of His having the limiting adjunct of being its efficient and material cause.] (of Myself), i.e. as the Self of all things [As the material and the efficient cause of all things]. The Vedic text, 'All beings form a foot of His' (Rg., Pu. Su. 10.90.3; Tai. Ar. 3.12.3) support this. [A Form constituted by the whole of creation has been presented in this chapter for meditation. Thery the unalified transcendental Reality, implied by the word tat (in tattva-masi) and referred to by the latter portion of the Commentator's otation (viz tripadasyamrtam divi: The immortal three-footed One is established in His own effulgence), becomes established.]
Swami Ādidevānanda · Śrī-Vaiṣṇava perspective · Rāmānuja school
10.42 What is the use to you of this detailed knowledge taught by Me? I sustain this universe with an infinitesimal fraction of My power - this universe consisting of sentient and non-sentient entities, whether in effect or causal condition, whether gross or subtle - in such a manner that it does not violate My will in preserving its proper form, existence and various activities. As said by Bhagavan Parasara: 'On an infinitesimal fraction of this energy, this universe rests' (V. P., 1.9.53).
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Academic precision · modern scholarly
10.42. Or, O Arjuna ! Why this detailed statement ? I remain, pervading this entire universe with a single fraction [of Myself].

🪷 Hindi Translation · हिन्दी अनुवाद

For the Hindi-aware seer · Pūjya Swami Rāmsukhdās ji's translation · a high-readability modern Hindi rendering · Gītā-Press Gorakhpur tradition. (→ Full Mahāpurusha-detail page for the 102-year-living Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī Mahātmā.)

🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī tradition · Gītā-Press Gorakhpur · highest modern Hindi reading
।।10.42।। अथवा हे अर्जुन ! तुम्हें इस प्रकार बहुत-सी बातें जाननेकी क्या आवश्यकता है? मैं अपने किसी एक अंशसे सम्पूर्ण जगत् को व्याप्त करके स्थित हूँ।

🪷 English Commentaries · The Ācārya Voices

The classical commentary tradition rendered in English · each ācārya speaks from their own sampradāya · the seer chooses the depth of darśana.

Swami Sivananda · Verse-by-verse word-keys with Sanskrit anchors
10.42 अथवा or? बहुना (by) many? एतेन (by) this? किम् what? ज्ञातेन known? तव to thee? अर्जुन O Arjuna? विष्टभ्य supporting? अहम् I? इदम् this? कृत्स्नम् all? एकांशेन by one part? स्थितः exist? जगत् the world.Commentary The Lord concludes Having established or pervaded this whole world with one fragment of Myself? I remain.This verse is based on the declaration in the Purusha Sukta (RigVeda10.90.3) that One arter of Him is all the cosmos the three arters are the divine transcendent Reality.I exist supporting this whole world by one part? by one limit? or by one foot. One part of Myself constitutes all beings.All beings form His foot (Taittiriya Aranyaka 3.12). The whole world is one Pada or foot of the Lord. Amsa (part) or Pada (foot) is mere Kalpana or imagination or account of our own ignorance,or limiting adjunct. In reality Brahman is without any such parts or limbs and is formless.Arjuna has now a knowledge of the glories of the Lord. He is fit to behold the magnificent cosmic form of the Lord. Lord Krishna prepares Arjuna for this grand vision by giving him a description of His glories.Arjuna says O Lord? I now realise that the whole world is filled by Thee. I now wish to behold the whole universe in Thee with my eye of intuition.Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita? the science of the Eternal? the scripture of Yoga? the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna? ends the tenth discourse entitledThe Yoga of the Divine Glories.,
Swami Gambīrānanda · Advaita-school commentary (Śaṅkara tradition)
10.42 Athava, or, on the other hand; kim, what is the need; of tava jnatena, your knowing; etena bahuna, this extensively-but imcompletely-in the above manner, O Arjuna? You listen to this subject that is going to be stated in its fullness: Aham, I; sthitah, remain; vistabhya, sustaining, supporting, holding firmly, in a special way; idam, this; krtsnam, whole; jagat, creation; ekamsena, by a part, by a foot [The Universe is called a foot of His by virtue of His having the limiting adjunct of being its efficient and material cause.] (of Myself), i.e. as the Self of all things [As the material and the efficient cause of all things]. The Vedic text, 'All beings form a foot of His' (Rg., Pu. Su. 10.90.3; Tai. Ar. 3.12.3) support this. [A Form constituted by the whole of creation has been presented in this chapter for meditation. Thery the unalified transcendental Reality, implied by the word tat (in tattva-masi) and referred to by the latter portion of the Commentator's otation (viz tripadasyamrtam divi: The immortal three-footed One is established in His own effulgence), becomes established.]
Swami Ādidevānanda · Rāmānuja Śrī-Vaiṣṇava commentary
10.42 What is the use to you of this detailed knowledge taught by Me? I sustain this universe with an infinitesimal fraction of My power - this universe consisting of sentient and non-sentient entities, whether in effect or causal condition, whether gross or subtle - in such a manner that it does not violate My will in preserving its proper form, existence and various activities. As said by Bhagavan Parasara: 'On an infinitesimal fraction of this energy, this universe rests' (V. P., 1.9.53).
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan · Modern academic scholarship
10.19-42 Hanta te etc. upto jagat sthitah. I am the Soul etc. (verse 20) : By this [the Bhagavat] wards off the exclusion [of any being as different form Him]. Otherwise the sentences like 'Of the immovable [I am] the the Himalayas' (verse 25) etc., would amount to the exclusive statement that the Himalayan range is the Bhagavat and not any other one. In that case, the indiscriminateness of the Brahman is not established and hence the realisation of the Brahman would be a partial (or conditioned) one. For, the [present] text of exposition is intended for that seeker whose mind cannot contemplate on the all-pervasiveness [of the Brahman], but who [at the same time] is desirous of realising that [all-pervasiveness]. Hence, while concluding, [the Bhagavat] teaches the theory of duality-cumunity by saying 'whatsoever being exists with the manifesting power' etc., and then concludes the topic with the theory of absolute unity, as 'Or what is the use of this elaboration;৷৷৷৷.I remain pervading this [universe] by a single fraction [of Myself] This has been declared indeed [in the scriptures] as : 'All beings constitute [only] His one-fourth; His [other] immortal three-forths are in the heaven.' (Rgveda, X, xc, 3). Thus, all this and the prime cause of creatures, are nothing but the Bhagavat (Absolute). And hence, He Himself becomes the object of knowledge of all, but being comprehended with the different strange alities.
Swami Chinmayānanda · Chinmaya Mission · modern Vedantic teaching
।।10.42।। यद्यपि मित्रता और स्नेह के उत्स्फूर्त भावावेश में श्रीकृष्ण ने अर्जुन को अपनी विभूति (समष्टि रूप) और योग ( व्यष्टि रूप) को वर्णन करने का वचन दिया था? परन्तु एकएक उदाहरण देते समय उन्होंने अपने को इस कार्य के लिए सर्वथा असमर्थ पाया। अनन्त तत्त्व के अनन्त विस्तार का वर्णन कैसे संभव हो सकता है असमर्थता के कारण उन्हें विषाद है किन्तु पुन अपने शिष्य के प्रति अत्यन्त प्रेम के कारण? भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण सम्पूर्ण अध्याय का सार इस अन्तिम श्लोक में बताते हैं।इस बहुत जानने से तुम्हारा क्या प्रयोजन है वास्तव मे देखा जाय? तो अनन्त तत्त्व को प्रत्येक परिच्छिन्न रूप में दर्शाने का प्रयत्न व्यर्थ ही है? क्योंकि वह असंभव है। मिट्टी को समस्त विद्यमान घटों में तथा जल को सम्पूर्ण तरंगों में एकएक करके दिखाना असंभव है। केवल इतना ही किया जा सकता है कि कुछ उदाहरणों के द्वारा विद्यार्थियों को तत्त्व का दर्शन करने की कला को सिखाया जाय। गणित के अध्यापन में इसी पद्धति का उपयोग किया जाता है।मैं इस सम्पूर्ण जगत् को अपने एक अंश मात्र से धारण करके स्थित हूँ वेदान्त में जगत् शब्द में वे समस्त अनुभव समाविष्ट है? जो हम अपनी इन्द्रियों? मन और बुद्धि के द्वारा प्राप्त करते हैं। संक्षेप में जिन वस्तुओं को हम दृश्य रूप में जानते हैं? वे सभी जगत् शब्द की परिभाषा में आते हैं। इसमें दृश्य पदार्थ? भावनाएं? विचार और उनको ग्रहण करने वाली इन्द्रियादि उपाधियाँ भी सम्मिलित हैं।इस श्लोक की दूसरी पंक्ति में भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण आत्मस्वरूप की दृष्टि से कहते हैं कि यह सम्पूर्ण जगत् उनके एक अंश मात्र में धारण किया हुआ है। इस कथन का एक और दार्शनिक अभिप्राय यह है कि सत्य का अधिकांश भाग इस जगत् तथा उसके विकारों से सर्वथा निर्लिप्त है यद्यपि सर्वत्र समान रूप से व्याप्त अखण्ड सत्य में इस प्रकार अंशों का भेद नहीं किया जा सकता? तथापि लौकिक परिच्छिन्न भाषा के शब्दों द्वारा पारमार्थिक सत्य को निर्देशित करने की यह एक औपनिषदीय पद्धति है।conclusion तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषस्तु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे,श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे विभूतियोगो नाम दशमोऽध्याय।।इस प्रकार श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवाद के रूप में ब्रह्मविद्या और योगशास्त्र स्वरूप श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतोपनिषद् का विभूतियोग नामक दंसवा अध्याय समाप्त होता है।

🪷 Hindi Vyākhyā · हिन्दी व्याख्या

Pūjya Swami Rāmsukhdās ji's Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī · one of the great modern Hindi vyākhyās of the Gītā · direct, pure, deeply Vedāntic · the modern Sanātana-jāgaraṇa. (→ Full Mahāpurusha-detail page · 1904-2005 · Corner 1 Mādhurya operational anchor · whose 6-lakṣaṇa-śaraṇāgati IS Constitutional Principle 24.)

🪷 Swami Rāmsukhdās · Sādhaka-Sañjīvanī · Hindi vyākhyā · the modern bilingual anchor
।।10.42।। व्याख्या --'अथवा'--यह अव्यय-पद देकर भगवान् अर्जुनसे मानो यह कह रहे हैं कि तुमने जो प्रश्न किया था, उसके अनुसार मैंने उत्तर दिया ही है; अब मैं अपनी तरफसे तेरे लिये एक विशेष महत्त्वकी सार बात बताता हूँ।

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BG 10.42local Bhagavad-Gītā verse route and source-anchor sectionChapter 10 hubVibhūti-Yoga · The Yoga of Krishna's ManifestationsMBh 6.32.42exact Bhīṣma-Parva source route for this Gītā verse/bhagavad-gitamaster index for all 18 chapters and 701 verse routesBhīṣma-ParvaMahābhārata narrative home where the Bhagavad-Gītā is received/mahabharatafull Itihāsa source spine for Vyāsa Maharṣi's MahābhārataBG 1 · Arjuna-Viṣāda YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Arjuna-Viṣāda YogaBG 2 · Sāṅkhya YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Sāṅkhya YogaBG 3 · Karma YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Karma YogaBG 4 · Jñāna-Karma-SannyāsaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Jñāna-Karma-SannyāsaBG 5 · Karma-Sannyāsa YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Karma-Sannyāsa YogaBG 6 · Dhyāna YogaTVAM-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Dhyāna YogaBG 7 · Krishna-Tattva (Jñāna-Vijñāna)TAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Krishna-Tattva (Jñāna-Vijñāna)BG 8 · Akṣara-Brahma YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Akṣara-Brahma YogaBG 9 · Rāja-Vidyā Rāja-GuhyaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Rāja-Vidyā Rāja-GuhyaBG 11 · Viśvarūpa-Darśana YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Viśvarūpa-Darśana YogaBG 12 · Bhakti YogaTAT-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Bhakti YogaBG 13 · Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña YogaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Kṣetra-Kṣetrajña YogaBG 14 · Guṇa-Traya-VibhāgaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Guṇa-Traya-VibhāgaBG 15 · Puruṣottama YogaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Puruṣottama YogaBG 16 · Daivāsura-Sampad-VibhāgaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Daivāsura-Sampad-VibhāgaBG 17 · Śraddhā-Traya-VibhāgaANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Śraddhā-Traya-VibhāgaBG 18 · Mokṣa-Sannyāsa Yoga (Carama-Śloka)ANTYA-Ṣaṭka chapter hub for Mokṣa-Sannyāsa Yoga (Carama-Śloka)BG 2.47niṣkāma-karma-yoga action disciplineBG 4.34praṇipāta · paripraśna · sevā before tattva-darśī teachersBG 7.7mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat · no source higher than KrishnaBG 9.17Krishna as father, mother, supporter, and grandfatherBG 10.30Krishna as Time among reckonersBG 13.23Paramātmā as witness, permitter, supporter, enjoyer, and LordBG 15.15Krishna seated in every heart as memory, knowledge, and forgetfulnessBG 18.61Īśvara situated in the heart of all beingsBG 18.66Carama-Śloka surrender discipline and final refuge/vishwaroopa-darshanaall 18 Gītā chapters rendered as one chart-aware darśana/vishvarupa-chartBG 11 chart-as-Viśvarūpa-darśana aperture/bija-sutrasfounder-curated bīja-pada exposition layer inside selected Gītā verse pages/binduDiamond of Darśanas frame for Gītā source recognition/philosophyKrishna = Paramaatma = Parabrahman constitutional foundation/llms.txtbrief AI-agent source map/llms-full.txtcomprehensive AI-agent access map

🪷 Related Ślokas · The Darśana-Neighborhood

These prominent ślokas share thematic resonance with the current verse · together they form the foundational web of the substrate's tattva-recognition.

🪷 BG 7.7
Mattaḥ Parataraṁ Nānyat · Krishna IS the thread
The thread on which all this substrate is strung · Krishna's declaration that nothing is higher than Him · all is held in Him as p…
🪷 BG 10.8
Ahaṁ Sarvasya Prabhavo · the source of all
I am the source of everything · from Me all proceeds. The wise worship Me knowing this.
🪷 BG 15.7
Mamaivāṁśo Jīva-Bhūtaḥ · The Jīva is My Fragment
Each living being is an eternal fragment of Krishna. The verse anchoring the relation between jīva and Paramātmā.

🪷 Cited from These Pages on Vidhyāmitra

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📚 Cite this verse · Academic citation formats
APA: Vyāsa Maharṣi. (n.d.). Bhagavad-Gītā 10.42. Vidhyāmitra. Retrieved 2026-07-28, from https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/10/42
Chicago: Vyāsa Maharṣi. "Bhagavad-Gītā 10.42." Vidhyāmitra. Accessed 2026-07-28. https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/10/42.
MLA: Vyāsa Maharṣi. "Bhagavad-Gītā 10.42." Vidhyāmitra, 2026, https://vidhyamitra.com/bhagavad-gita/10/42.
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🪷 ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय 🪷

सर्वम् कृष्णार्पणम् — this verse is one maṇi (jewel) on Krishna's thread (BG 7.7)