Chapter 10: Vibhuthi Yoga
The Multiple Nature of the Supreme Being
Part of the Bhagavad Geetha — Complete Commentary by Guruji M. Mohan Sundar
Lord Krushna said, ” Hey Arjuna, you are a beloved devotee of ME, therefore I will let you know the secrets and mystery behind MY words for your benefit. Listen to it “. Neither God forms nor the great Sages of great Spiritual order can ever understand MY origin because even for Gods and Sages, I AM the cause for them. He who understands ME as ONE, who has no birth, no beginning, no end and eternal, and ever lasting and the Master of the creation, such a person will be freed from all the sins gradually. Arjuna, I AM the cause for happiness and sorrows, creation and dissolution, fear and assurance, non- violence, equanimity, penance (Thapas), charity, fame and shame on one side; and on the other side intelligence, knowledge, not being carried away by attractions, forgiveness, truthfulness, taking the senses under control and controlling of the mind are all nothing but taking birth from ME. And they will be under MY influence. In this universe, the Saptha Rushis (seven great sages) and before them, four Sanaka Sanadhis, Svayambhuva Manus who are the cause for human progeneration, all of them were born out of MY WILL. Whoever realises ME through constant devotion, MY Supreme and glorious nature and MY infinite Yogic powers, such a person without any doubt will reach ME. Whoever realises ME that I AM the cause for the creation and according to MY WILL the creation goes on, knowing MY such nature they always worship ME as Supreme Being. Those who have fixed their mind on ME and willing to dedicate their life to ME, such devotees discuss among themselves MY glory, MY Nature, and MY Presence and influence on everything, and they find happiness in it (Sathsangha). I intuitively give such Yogic knowledge of reaching ME to those who are always meditating on ME with Supreme Devotion and love on ME. Arjuna, in order to grace such devotees, having residing in them I become active and dispel their ignorance through the Right Spiritual Knowledge (knowledge of creation, as well as knowledge of reaching ME). Arjuna says, ” YOU are the Supreme Being, YOU are the Supreme ABODE, YOU are Supremely Holy and YOU are being worshipped by Sages as Eternal, Everlasting Divine Entity. Even Gods worship YOU because YOU are the cause for their origin, and YOU are unborn, All-pervading. Even the divine sages like Asitha, Devala, Naarada and Vyasa Maharshi and also YOURSELF declare that YOU are the Supreme Being/GOD “. Hey Keshava, I believe in what all YOU say as Truth. O’ Lord, YOUR play and display cannot be understood both by Gods and Demons. O’ Lord, YOU are the creator of all the living and non-living! YOU are the Master of the creation; YOU are the Supreme Being and YOU only know all about YOURSELF .
Note: Arjuna is exclaiming here that Lord Krushna as Supreme GOD, GOD of Gods and the Creator and Master of the universe. And HE alone knows about HIMSELF. It is interesting to know for a Human Being that whatever may be his devotion to God, how much ever he meditates as a human being, he will not be able to fully realise the Depth or the nature of GOD. Only GOD alone knows about HIMSELF. O’ the Supreme Lord, YOU alone know YOUR presence in all the planes of creation, and YOU alone can say what are forms in the creation in which YOU are pervading in an overflowing way. Arjuna further asked, ” Krushna, how to constantly remember YOU ? What are YOUR expressed forms in the creation by which I can recognize YOU and worship YOU ? “.
Note: Here, Arjuna is looking for such aspects of nature where the Supreme Being is more expressed in the creation than in the normal aspects of the creation, so that he can revere HIM even through them. It is just like waves are there in the sea but high tidal waves are more expressed than the normal waves. O’ the LORD of Lords, YOU being the Yoga itself, kindly let me know in detail through YOUR elixir words, what are the forms in the creation through which I can worship YOU. The Supreme Lord God said, ” O’ Arjuna, you being the best among the Kuru clan, I will tell you about MY Divine forms in the creation for your sake, although there is no end for MY expressed Divine forms”. I AM the essence of all the aspects of creation (living and non-living), and also the beginning, middle and the end of it. I AM the soul of all the living beings. I AM the beginning, middle and the end of all the living beings.
Note: Here Lord Krushna is making it clear that all the animal beings big or small have soul in them because of which they experience pain and pleasures and exhibit movements as living beings. Higher animals have fully developed nervous system just as human beings and they experience the same pain which the human beings go through when they are killed. Arjuna, Among the 12 sons of the Adithi, I AM Vishnu; and among the radiance, I AM the Radiant Sun; and I AM also the essence in forty-nine aspects of Wind God; and I AM also the moon as well. I AM the Saama Veda, among the Vedas; among the Gods, I AM Vasavaha (Indra); I AM the Mind among the living beings; among all the beings (living and non-living), I AM their Consciousness (active or inert as the case may be). Among the Eleven Rudras, I AM Shankara (Shiva); among Yakshas and Rakshasas, I AM their richness (Kubera); among the eight Vasus, I AM the fire; and among the mountains, I AM the Meru Parvatha. Among those priests who worship ME, I AM Bruhaspathy (The Preceptor of Gods); I AM the captain for Gods known as Skanda/Karthikeya; and among the water bodies, I AM the Sea. Among the Great Saints (Maharshis) and sages, I AM Bhrughu; among the sounds, I AM the AAAUM; among all the sacrifices, I AM the Japa Yagna; and among the great mountains, I AM the Himalayas.
Note: In the above stanza Lord Krushna said ” I am Japa Yagna ” meaning Japa yagna is HIMSELF. What is Japa yagna; Among the Japa Yagna there are 3 types –
- Vaikhari Japa:- In this form of Japa, a divine
name or a trait or a mantra pertaining to
Universal Consciousness (God) is loudly
repeated moving tongue and lips in an audible
way using a Rosary. Spiritual benefits of this
JAPA are TEN times more than those of Homa,
Yagna and Yaga (a kind of Vedic Rituals). - Upamshu Japa:- In this form of Japa, a divine
name or a trait or a mantra is repeated moving
tongue and lips, but inaudible to others.
Spiritual benefits of this Japa are Hundred
times more than those of Homa, Yagna and
Yaga. - Manasika Japa (Meditation):- In this form of
Japa, a divine name or a trait or a mantra is
repeated only mentally without moving tongue
and lips, closing the eyes. It is totally inaudible
to others. Spiritual benefits in this Japa or
Meditation are a THOUSAND TIMES more than
those of Homa, Yagna and Yaaga.
Manasika Japa or Meditation is the BEST and
HIGHEST form of Spiritual practise, because in
this form of Japa, the mind is turned INWARD
i.e., towards one’s own Self which is the
connector to the Universal Self.
In this Maanasika Japa, as the practitioner has
closed his eyes, does not move his tongue and
lips and repeats the mantra only mentally, the
conscious mind has no other way but to start
moving inward into the sub-conscious layers of
the mind and start flushing out the karmic forces
accumulated from innumerable births, latent in
the sub-conscious layers of the mind, and they
go out in thought forms purifying the mind
of the practitioner and the practitioner fully
subdues his purified mind into his
consciousness (soul).
Maanasika Japa is the BEST and HIGHEST
form of Meditation among all the Meditations.
(For details see page number – 398)
Bhagavadgita continued…..
Among all the trees, I AM the Peepal Tree
(Ashwattha Vruksha); Among the divine sages,
I AM Naarada; among the singing celestial
musical entities, I AM Chitraratha; among the
mystics (Siddhas), I AM Kapila.
Among the horses, I AM celestially born along
with elixir which came out from churning of the
ocean and that horse is known as Ucchaishravas;
among the elephants, I AM the Airavata [Pure
white coloured elephant which is in the heaven,
and it is the vehicle of God Indra]; among the
men, I AM the valour in the Kings.
I AM the thunderbolt (Vajrayudha) among the
weapons; I AM the celestial cow known as the
Kaamadhenu among cows; I AM the instigator
for the progenitor of every species i.e., I AM the
Kaamadeva; I AM the Vasuki, among the serpents.
Among the cobra’s species, I AM the Aadishesha;
And I AM the Lord of Aquatic creatures known
as Varuna God; Among the spirits of ancestors,
I AM the Aaryamaana; among the ordering
aspects, I AM God Yama.
Note: Aadishesha is the Seven hooded serpent (multi-hooded too) on which the GOD of Gods SUPREME BEING LORD NAARAAYANA is resting, from where HE disseminates into Formlessness, infinite, All-pervading Supreme Being. Even though the LORD of Gods Naaraayana appears in form with all the sacred and secret cosmic principles, HE remains Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, All-knowing, All-pervading, All-merciful (Karuna Samudra) Supreme Being, who can transcend to Formlessness at HIS WILL and also the creation comes forth from HIS WILL to create. Aaryamaana is God form, a form of Lord Vishnu, who gives varied placements to ancestral dead souls (all-souls) according to their spiritual merits. Lord Yama is primarily a strict punishing God form, who punishes the sinned souls in varied ways, and after balancing the good and bad karma sends them back for re-birth on earth either as human beings or as animals or other living beings depending upon the spiritual merits of the soul. I AM Prahalada (one of the greatest devotee of Lord Naaraayana) among the Diti clan (specifically son of Hiranya Kashyapa, the demonic King); among the counting, I AM the time; Among the animals, I AM the King of the animals, the Lion; and among the birds, I AM Vainateya (a special type of eagle, which is golden brown in colour and with white neck, known as Garuda). Among the purifying phenomena, I AM the wind; I AM Lord Shree Raama decorated with Arms; among the aquatic species, I AM crocodile; among the rivers, I AM Jahnavi (most holy river that has descended from the feet of Supreme Lord Naaraayana and comes down to earth to purify the human beings of their sins, and it is commonly known as Ganga Bhaaghirathi or Ganges). Arjuna, I AM the beginning of the creation, its middle and the end; Among the learning, I AM the Spiritual Science; and among arguments, I AM the reasoning element. Among the alphabets, I AM the first alphabet ‘Aa’ (A); among the Samaasas, I AM the Dwandva Samaasa; among the time, I AM the unending time (Akshaya=that which does not cease); I AM the one who faces all the directions; I AM the beholder of everything created, and sustainer of it.
Note: The cosmic sound ‘AAAUM’ has ‘A’ as the beginning; the commonly used cosmic sound ‘OOM’ begins with twelfth letter among Sanskrit alphabets. The Supreme Cosmic sound ‘AAAUM’ cannot begin with the twelfth letter of Sanskrit. It is logical and scientific for the cosmic sound to begin with the first letter of Sanskrit. Therefore it is right by all means. Here Lord Krushna said that he faces all directions which evidently means Ten Directions, the eight directions being East, North East, North, North West, West, South West, South and South East, and one direction Up and one direction Down (Depth), thus Supreme Lord GOD is seeing and facing all the Ten directions. I AM the destroyer of all that has been created and that which is being created. I AM the Holiness, Purity and Chastity among the women; I AM the wealth; I AM the voice; I AM the remembrance; I AM the intelligence; I AM the perseverance; I AM the forgiveness. I AM the shrutis singing as Bruhthsaama (the great rhythm and melody); Among the Vedic meters, I AM Gayathri Chandus (Chandus are the various styles of reciting Vedic hymns); Among the months, I AM the Maargashira; Among the seasons, I AM the Spring Season (Vasantha Rutu).
Note: Any Vedic hymn recited in the Gayathri chandus becomes Gayathri mantra. Gayathri Chandus is a meter among various other meters in which Vedic Mantras are recited. One among many such Gayathri Mantras is the one coined by the Sage Vishwamithra. Sage Vishwamithra was a King and a warrior who had challenged and failed before Brahmarishi Vasista’s spiritual power. Therefore, King Vishwamithra turned to spiritual practises to overcome the spiritual powers of Brahmarishi Vasista. In the course of his spiritual penance Sage Vishwamithra coined the well-known mantra “Om Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tat Savithur Vareenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, Deeyo Yonah Prachodayaath” in Gayatri chandus which is in vogue now. Vishwamithra was the last to join the group of the great seven sages. However, Brahmarishi Vasista or earlier Brahmarushis COULD NOT have practised the Gayathri mantra coined by Vishwamithra which came into practise much later, as they were already Brahmarushis before Vishwamithra. They (earlier Brahmarushis) must have practised other Vedic mantras to become Brahmarushis much earlier to Vishwamitra. There are several Rushi’s of highest spiritual order who are already Brahmarushi’s even before Vishwamitra, and he was the last one to join the order of the Brahmarushis thus totaling seven in number. In fact, there are other several Gayathri mantras in the Vedas. Just to name a few :-
- Naaraayanaaya Vidhmahe Vaasudevaaya
Dheemahi, Thanno Vishnuh Prachodayaath. - Tath Purushaaya Vidhmahe Mahaadevaaya
Dheemahi, Tanno Rudhrah Prachodayaath. - Vedaathmanaaya Vidhmahe Hiranyagarbhaaya
Dheemahi, Tanno Brahmah Prachodayaath. - Vajranakhaaya Vidhmahe Theekshna
Dhamstraaya Dheemahi, Tanno
Naarasimhah Prachodayath. - Bhaskaraaya Vidhmahe Mahadhyuthikaraaya
Dheemahi, Tanno Aadhithya Prachodayaath. - Vyshwaanaraaya Vidhmahe Laaleelaaya
Dheemahi, Tanno Agni Prachodayaath. - Tath Purushaaya Vidhmahe Vakrathundaaya
Dheemahi, Tanno Danthih Prachodayaath. - Tath Purushaaya Vidhmahe Mahaasenaaya
Dheemahi, Tanno Shanmukha Prachodayaath. - Kaathyaayanaaya Vidhmahe Kanyakumaari
Dheemahi, Tanno Durgi Prachodayaath. - Tath Purushaaya Vidhmahe Suvarna
Pakhshaaya Dheemahi, Tanno Garudah
Prachodayaath. etc.. and so on.
Any mantra coined in the Gaythri chandus is known
as Gayathri mantra. Sage Vishwamithra coined the
present Gayathri mantra which is in vogue praying
to the radiance (Savithur) of the rising golden rays
of the morning Sun which enlivens the three worlds
(Bhu Loka, Bhuvar Loka and Swarga Loka) and
also to enliven our body, mind and intellect
correspondingly. Therefore, the word Gayathri
Chandus should not be mistaken for the Gayathri
mantra of Vishwamithra.
I AM the deceit phenomena among the people
who deceive; I AM the glory of the glorious people;
I AM the victory among the victorious; I AM the
determination in those who are determined;
I AM the intelligence and goodness in good people.
Among the Vrushni clan I AM Vasudeva; I AM
Arjuna among Pandavas; among the Great Munis
I AM Veda Vyasa; and among the poets I AM
Shukracharya.
Note: Here Shree Krushna says, HE is Arjuna among Pandavas which evidently means, the benign character of Arjuna is Lord Krushna HIMSELF and Krushna meant in that sense. GOD sees HIMSELF as reflection in every benign person. I AM the power in those who punishes; I AM the righteousness in the victorious; I AM the silence of secrecy for those who wish to keep things secret; I AM the knowledge in those people who are men of knowledge. Arjuna, I AM the seed of all those creatures which are moving around on the earth (cause for the creation). There is nothing that exists without ME. Arjuna, there is no end of MY manifested and expressed things in the Universe, but I have told you in a gist what I AM within the creation. All those which are radiating, their radiance and glory, that is MYSELF. Arjuna, knowing MY presence in all those entities is not of great importance but knowing ME as a whole as Supreme Being is important because I hold key for the entire creation through MY Yogic powers (impliedly the entire power of the Supreme Being cannot be understood by any one, in any manner except by disseminating into HIM in reality). HERE ENDS THE VIBHUTI YOGA, CONVERSATION BETWEEN ARJUNA AND SHREE KRUSHNA ON VARIOUS DIVINE ASPECTS OF THE CREATION. Question everything , verify and arrive at the TRUTH – Prashnopanishath