Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 2

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः ।
अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ॥

Transliteration

na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ prabhavaṃ na maharṣayaḥ .
ahamādirhi devānāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ॥

Meaning

Neither the hosts of gods nor the great sages know My origin, for I am in every way the source of the gods and the great sages.

Word meanings

न – not
मे – My
विदुः – know
सुरगणाः – the hosts of gods
प्रभवम् – origin, glory
न – nor
महर्षयः – the great sages
अहम् – I
आदिः – the beginning, source
हि – for
देवानाम् – of the gods
महर्षीणाम् – of the great sages
च – and
सर्वशः – in every way

Anvaya (word order)

मे प्रभवं सुरगणाः न विदुः, महर्षयः (अपि) न (विदुः); हि अहं देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः आदिः (अस्मि) ।

Explanation

Before describing His manifestations, Krishna states a foundational truth: His real nature lies beyond the grasp of the intellect. ‘Neither the gods nor the great sages know My prabhava.’ The word prabhava has two senses: origin, and power or glory. Shankara takes it as prabhava, the Lord’s extraordinary might; Ramanuja takes it as the mystery of His appearing in various incarnations.

Gods and great rishis are the wisest and mightiest beings in creation. If even they do not fully know the Lord, how could ordinary people? Krishna Himself gives the reason: ‘I am in every way the source of the gods and great sages.’ What has come forth from something cannot fully know its source, as a wave cannot measure the whole depth of the ocean, or a son cannot witness his father’s birth.

Sarvashah, ‘in every way’: the Lord is not only the cause of the gods’ and sages’ existence but also the source of their power, knowledge and position. Whatever radiance the gods have and whatever wisdom the sages possess was given by Him.

The verse teaches humility. The pride of thinking we can comprehend God entirely by reasoning is misplaced. He can be known only through His grace, and only as far as He chooses to reveal Himself. That is why in the following verses He Himself tells Arjuna who He is.

Context

In verse 1 Krishna promised to speak His supreme word. Here He states that His nature is beyond even the gods and sages. In the next verse He says that whoever knows Him as unborn and the great Lord of the worlds is freed from all sins.

Life lesson

The Supreme lies beyond the limits of our intellect. Drop the pride of thinking you can grasp Him fully, and wait humbly upon His grace. The way to the source of our source is surrender, not ego.

Key terms

Prabhava: origin, power, the mystery of manifestation
Suragana: the hosts of gods
Maharshi: great sage such as Bhrigu
Adi: the beginning, the first cause