Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 14

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

सर्वमेतदृतं मन्ये यन्मां वदसि केशव ।
न हि ते भगवन्व्यक्तिं विदुर्देवा न दानवाः ॥

Transliteration

sarvametadṛtaṃ manye yanmāṃ vadasi keśava .
na hi te bhagavanvyaktiṃ vidurdevā na dānavāḥ ॥

Meaning

I accept as true all that You tell me, O Keshava. Indeed, O Lord, neither the gods nor the demons know Your manifestation.

Word meanings

सर्वम् – all
एतत् – this
ऋतम् – true
मन्ये – I consider
यत् – which
माम् – to me
वदसि – You speak
केशव – O Keshava
न – not
हि – indeed
ते – Your
भगवन् – O Lord
व्यक्तिम् – manifestation
विदुः – know
देवाः – the gods
न – nor
दानवाः – the demons

Anvaya (word order)

केशव, यत् (त्वं) मां वदसि, एतत् सर्वम् (अहम्) ऋतं मन्ये; भगवन्, हि ते व्यक्तिं देवाः न विदुः, दानवाः (अपि) न (विदुः) ।

Explanation

Arjuna’s praise now reaches a declaration of complete faith: ‘All that You tell me, O Keshava, I hold to be true.’ This is the same Arjuna who in chapter 1 was full of doubt and grief, and who in chapter 2 confessed that his mind was confused. Now his understanding is steady. The effect of the Gita’s teaching is plain to see.

Ritam means truth. Rita is a Vedic word for the eternal truth and cosmic order on which the world rests. Arjuna is saying that Krishna’s words are not merely correct but an expression of that supreme truth. The address Keshava is lovely too; tradition gives it several meanings: the one with beautiful hair, the slayer of the demon Keshi, or the Lord even of Ka (Brahma) and Isha (Shiva).

‘Neither gods nor demons know Your manifestation.’ Vyakti means coming into manifestation. Shankara says that how and why the Lord appears is a mystery beyond even the gods and the demons. Ramanuja adds that beings of limited knowledge cannot measure the Lord’s boundless glory.

The gods stand for knowledge and sattva; the demons for power, rajas and tamas. Arjuna’s point is that the Lord cannot be fully known either by the finest knowledge or by the greatest power. He is known only by His grace, and only as much as He reveals. Such humility is the ripeness of wisdom.

Context

In verse 13 Arjuna cited the testimony of the sages. Here he declares full faith in Krishna’s words and acknowledges that His nature is beyond reach. In the next verse he says that only the Lord Himself knows Himself.

Life lesson

When full trust in the words of the teacher and scripture awakens, doubt and despondency dissolve. Yet keep the humility of knowing that the supreme Truth lies beyond our intellect and strength.

Key terms

Rita: eternal truth and cosmic order
Keshava: name of Krishna: beautiful-haired, slayer of Keshi
Vyakti: manifestation
Deva-danava: gods and demons, emblems of knowledge and power