Bhagavad Gita · 10.17 · Yoga through Appreciating the Infinite Opulences of God·17 of 42
कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन्।केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया ॥
kathaṁ vidyām ahaṁ yogins tvāṁ sadā parichintayan
keṣhu keṣhu cha bhāveṣhu chintyo ’si bhagavan mayā
Sanskrit recitation
Arjuna asks to see more · 10.12–10.18 · Scene
Translation
How shall I, ever meditating, know you, O Yogin? In what aspects or things, O blessed Lord, should I think of you?
Meaning
Arjuna says O Lord, how may I know Thee by constant meditation In what aspects art Thou to be thought of by me Even when I think of external objects I can meditate on Thee in Thy particular manifestations in them if I have a detailed knowledge of Thy glories. Therefore deign to tell me, without reserve, of Thy own glories. Then only can I behold oneness everywhere.
After Swami Sivananda
Arjuna asks to see more· 10.12–10.18→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 10.12Arjuna said, "You are the Supreme Brahman, the supreme abode, the supreme purifier, eternal, divine Person, the primeval God, unborn, and omnipresent."
- 10.13All the sages have thus declared Thee, as also the divine sage Narada; so also Asita, Devala, and Vyasa; and now Thou Thyself dost say so to me.
- 10.14I believe all that You have said to me to be true, O Krishna; indeed, O blessed Lord! Neither the gods nor the demons know Your manifestation (origin).
- 10.15Verily, Thou Thyself knowest Thyself by Thyself, O Supreme Person, O source and Lord of all beings, O God of gods, O ruler of the world!
- 10.16You should indeed tell, without reserve, of your divine glories by which you exist, pervading all these worlds. (No one else can do so.)
10.17How shall I, ever meditating, know you, O Yogin? In what aspects or things, O blessed Lord, should I think of you?
- 10.18Tell me again in detail, O Krishna, of your yogic power and glory; for I am not satiated with what I have heard of your life-giving and nectar-like speech.
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- mayā
- by me
- sadā
- always
- tvām
- you
- yogin
- the Supreme Master of Yogmaya
- katham
- how
- keṣhu
- in what
- bhagavan
- the Supreme Divine Personality
- bhāveṣhu
- forms
- vidyām aham
- shall I know
- parichintayan
- meditating
- chintyaḥ asi
- to be thought of
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