Bhagavad Gita · 10.30 · Yoga through Appreciating the Infinite Opulences of God·30 of 42
प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्।मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ॥
prahlādaśh chāsmi daityānāṁ kālaḥ kalayatām aham
mṛigāṇāṁ cha mṛigendro ’haṁ vainateyaśh cha pakṣhiṇām
Sanskrit recitation
Glory in the world you already know · 10.19–10.42 · Teaching
Translation
And I am Prahlada among the demons, I am Time among reckoners, I am the lion among beasts, and Vainateya (Garuda) among birds.
Meaning
Prahlada, though he was the son of a demon (Hiranyakasipu), was a great devotee of the Lord.
After Swami Sivananda
Glory in the world you already know· 10.19–10.42→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 10.19The Blessed Lord said, "Very well! Now I will declare to you My divine glories in their prominence, O Arjuna; there is no end to their detailed description."
- 10.20I am the Self, O Gudakesa, seated in the hearts of all beings; I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings.
- 10.21Among the twelve Adityas, I am Vishnu; among luminaries, the radiant sun; among the seven or forty-nine Maruts, I am Marichi; among stars, I am the moon.
- 10.22Among the Vedas, I am the Sama-Veda; among the gods, I am Vasava; among the senses, I am the mind; and among living beings, I am intelligence.
- 10.23And among the Rudras, I am Sankara; among the Yakshas and Rakshasas, the Lord of Wealth (Kubera); among the Vasus, I am Pavaka (Fire); and among the seven mountains, I am Meru.
- 10.24And, among the household priests of kings, O Arjuna, know Me to be the chief, Brihaspati; among the army generals, I am Skanda; among lakes, I am the ocean.
- 10.25Among the great sages, I am Bhrigu; among words, I am the one syllable (Om); among sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of silent repetition; among the immovable things, I am the Himalayas.
- 10.26Among all the trees, I am the Peepul; among the divine sages, I am Narada; among the Gandharvas, I am Chitraratha; among the perfected, I am the sage Kapila.
- 10.27Know Me as Ucchaisravas, born of nectar, among horses; Airavata among lordly elephants; and the king among men.
- 10.28Among weapons, I am the thunderbolt; among cows, I am the wish-fulfilling cow called Kamadhenu; I am the progenitor, the god of love; among serpents, I am Vasuki.
- 10.29I am Ananta among the Nagas; I am Varuna among water-deities; Aryaman among the Manes; I am Yama among the governors.
10.30And I am Prahlada among the demons, I am Time among reckoners, I am the lion among beasts, and Vainateya (Garuda) among birds.
- 10.31Among the purifiers, I am the wind; among the warriors, I am Rama; among the fishes, I am the shark; among the streams, I am the Ganga.
- 10.32Among creations I am the beginning, the middle, and the end, O Arjuna; among the sciences, I am the science of the Self; and I am the logic among controversialists.
- 10.33Among the letters of the alphabet, I am the letter 'A' and the dual among compounds. I am verily the inexhaustible and everlasting time; I am the dispenser of the fruits of actions, having faces in all directions.
- 10.34And I am the all-devouring Death, and the source of prosperity for those who are to be prosperous; among the feminine qualities, I am fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, firmness, and forgiveness.
- 10.35Among the hymns, I am the Brihatsaman; among meters, I am Gayatri; among months, I am Margasirsha; among seasons, I am the flowery season.
- 10.36I am the gambling of the deceitful; I am the splendor of the splendid; I am victory; I am the resolve of the resolute; I am the goodness of the good.
- 10.37Among the Vrishnis, I am Vaasudeva; among the Pandavas, I am Arjuna; among the sages, I am Vyasa; among the poets, I am Usanas, the poet.
- 10.38Of those who punish, I am the scepter; among those who seek victory, I am statesmanship; and among secrets, I am silence; I am knowledge among knowers.
- 10.39And whatever is the seed of all beings, that too am I, O Arjuna; there is no being, be it moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me.
- 10.40There is no end to My divine glories, O Arjuna, but this is a brief statement by Me of the particulars of My divine glory.
- 10.41Whatever being there is glorious, prosperous, or powerful, know that to be a manifestation of a part of My splendor.
- 10.42But, of what avail is the knowledge of all these details to you, O Arjuna? I exist, supporting this whole world with one part of Myself.
Word-by-word→
- cha
- and
- aham
- I
- asmi
- I am
- kālaḥ
- time
- kalayatām
- of all that controls
- daityānām
- of the demons
- prahlādaḥ
- Prahlad
- vainateyaḥ
- Garud
- mṛigāṇām
- amongst animals
- pakṣhiṇām
- amongst birds
- mṛiga-indraḥ
- the lion
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