40 verses
The Lord said: Again, O Mighty-armed one, hear My supreme teachings, which I will speak to you, who are qualified with prema, because I desire to give you benefit.
The devatās and great ṛṣis do not know about My extraordinary birth, for I am the source of the devatās and great ṛṣis.
“My appearance can be known only by My unprecedented mercy and by no other means. The devatās do not know My most extraordinary (pra) birth (bhavam) from Devakī.”
“Well, the devatās may not know because they are absorbed in material pleasure, but the sages must know.”
“No, they also do not know (na maharṣayaḥ).”
The Lord explains the reason why they do not know: “Because I am the cause of all of them, in all ways, they do not know about My birth, just as the sons cannot know about the birth of the father.”
One should not think of another meaning of the word prabhavam, because in verse 14, Arjuna says in confirmation of that meaning that neither the demons nor devas know about the appearance (birth) of the Lord: na hi te bhagavan vyaktiṁ vidur devā na dānavāḥ.
He who, without bewilderment, knows that I am unborn since I have no beginning, and also am born, and knows that I am the lord of all planets, is freed from all sins in this world and performs bhakti without impediments.
“But certainly the devatās and ṛṣis know about birth of this body belonging to You, the supreme Brahman, who are unlimited by all time and space.”
Placing His index finger on His chest the Lord speaks this verse. “He who knows that I am without birth and am beginningless is free from sin.”
“Does not everyone know that Brahmā is not beginningless, but that you, Paramātmā, are called aja, without birth, because of having no beginning (ajam anādim)?”
“He who knows that I am unborn, and also born to Vasudeva, and am still without beginning, is freed from all sins.” ca here signifies that He is also born. By using the word mām (me), Kṛṣṇa indicates His particular birth from Vasudeva. This refers back to the Lord’s previous statement in chapter four, “He who knows that My birth and activities are transcendental…..”
“I take birth, but because I am Paramātmā, I am eternally without birth.” Both these conditions are absolute truth, a demonstration of the acintya śakti. The Lord has said, ajo’ pi san avyayātmā… sambhavāmi, “Though I am unborn, I appear.” Uddhava also says:
karmāṇy anīhasya bhavo ’bhavasya te
durgāśrayo ’thāri-bhayāt palāyanam
kālātmano yat pramadā-yutāśramaḥ
svātman-rateḥ khidyati dhīr vidām iha
My Lord, even the learned sages become disturbed in their intelligence when they see that Your Greatness engages in fruitive work although You are free from all desires, that You take birth although You are unborn, that You flee out of fear of the enemy and take shelter in a fort although You are the controller of invincible time, and that You enjoy householder life surrounded by many women although You enjoy in Your Self. SB 3.4.16
The commentary in the Laghu Bhagavatāmṛta says:
tat tan na vāstavaṁ cet syād vidāṁ buddhi-bhramas tadā
na syād evety ato ’cintyā śaktir līlāsu kāraṇam
If all this were not true, then all perceptions would be illusory. But that is not so. Thus the acintya-śakti is the cause of His pastimes. Laghu Bhāgavatamṛta 1.5.119
In My childhood, during the Dāmodara-līlā, it is inconceivable that I could be bound by strings of bells, but not by the cords of mother Yaśodā. In the same way, My birth and non-birth are also inconceivable.
The Lord then speaks of His powers, which are hard to understand. He who knows that, though I am your chariot driver, I am also the great controller of all the planets (loka-maheśvaram)--he alone is not bewildered among men, and is free of all sins, which are an obstacle to bhakti. But he who, though accepting that the Lord is unborn, without beginning and is the controller of all beings, thinks that His being born is just a semblance of birth, is bewildered, and is not freed from all sins.
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from illusion, tolerance, truthfulness, sense control, mind control, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear, fearlessness, non-violence, equanimity, satisfaction, austerity, charity, fame, infamy--all these various states of the living beings arise only from Me.
Even those who are knowledgeable of scriptures cannot know about Me by their intelligence. Because intelligence and other elements are generated from the material guṇas like sattva, and though they all originate in Me, in themselves they are not suitable for understanding about Me who am beyond the guṇas. The list of items in these verses is given to show this.
Intelligence (buddhi) is capable of discerning the fine meaning of things. Knowledge (jñāna) refers to the ability to distinguish between ātmā and non-ātmā. Non-bewilderment (asaṁmoha) means to be devoid of perplexity. These three qualities, though they are regarded as causing knowledge of Me, are not really causes of that knowledge.
The other states seen in people which arev mentioned here also do not arise on their own (they come from Me). Tolerance (kṣamā), to speak the truth (satyam), control of the external senses (dama), and control of the internal sense (śama) are sattvic. Happiness is sattvic and sorrow is tamasic. Birth and death, types of sorrow, and fear, are tamasic. Fearlessness arising from knowledge is sattvic, but if it arises from rajas or tamas, it is rajasic or tamasic. Non-violence and seeing others as ones self (samatā) are sattvic. Satisfaction, if unconditional is sattvic, and if conditional, is rajasic. Austerity and charity, if unconditional, are sattvic and if conditional, are rajasic. Fame and infamy are similarly either sattvic or rajasic. All these arise from My energy. Because of the non-difference of the energy and the source of energy, it is said they arise from Me (mattaḥ).
The seven great sages, and before them, the four Kumāras, and the fourteen Manus, whose descendants are the people of this world, arose from Me, from My mind.
Not having mentioned that intelligence, knowledge and non-bewilderment cannot give real knowledge of the Lord, the Lord in this verse states that these things cannot give true knowledge of the Lord.
The seven great sages beginning with Marīci, the four Kumāras such as Sanaka, and the fourteen Manus beginning with Svāyambhuva, take birth from Me in the form of Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā). They arose from My mind. The brāhmaṇas and others exist as the offspring, sons and grandsons, or students, and students of students of the seven sages, the four Kumāras and the Manus.
He who knows My vibhūtis, which will be recited in this chapter, and the process of bhakti-yoga, and who accepts this as the highest truth, becomes fixed in unflinching bhakti with knowledge about Me. Of this there is no doubt.
But according to My own statement, I can be attained only by pure bhakti: bhakty āham ekayā grahyaḥ: (SB 11.14.21) Only My ananya-bhakta, receiving firm faith in My words by My mercy, knows the truth about Me. That is stated in this verse.
He who knows the vibhūtis of which I will speak in summary and who knows bhakti-yoga (etāṁ vibhūtiṁ yogaṁ ca); who then becomes endowed with even stronger faith, thinking “This alone is the highest truth (tattvataḥ), because My master Kṛṣṇa has said so,” becomes endowed with unwavering (avikalpena) bhakti-yoga—which is characterized by knowledge of My true nature (yogena). There is no doubt about this.
I am the source of everything. Due to Me everything operates. Convinced by this knowledge, the intelligent persons, endowed with love, worship Me.
Here He speaks of His vibhūti characterized by great power. I am the cause of the existence and manifestation of everything--both material and spiritual (prabhavaḥ). Because of Me alone (mattaḥ), in the form of Paramātmā, the whole material world operates (sarvaṁ pravartate). As well, because of Me alone, in the form of avatāras like Nārada (mattaḥ), all the spiritual sādhanas such as bhakti, jñāna, tapas and karma and the goals of these sādhanas operate (sarvaṁ pravartate). He then describes the yoga which is ananyā bhakti. Being convinced through faith by this knowledge (iti matvā), the intelligent persons endowed with bhāva in the forms of dāysa, sākhya or other relationships (bhāva-samanvitāḥ), worship Me.
With minds greedy for Me, being completely dependent on Me, mutually hearing about Me, and singing about Me, they continuously experience satisfaction and enjoyment.
Such ananya-bhaktas, who have attained spiritual intelligence (buddhi-yoga) by My mercy, attain factual knowledge of Me mentioned previously, which is hard to understand.
Their minds are greedy for My form, name, qualities pastimes and the taste of sweetness (mac-cittāḥ). They are unable to maintain their lives without Me (mad-gata-prāṇāḥ), just as men are completely dedicated to food (anna-gata-prāṇa-nara), since they depend on it to live. They explain to each other with friendliness about the types of bhakti and the real nature of bhakti (bodhayantaḥ). They talk about Me, a great ocean of very sweet form, qualities and pastimes (kathayantaḥ) and glorify Me by narrating about My form, qualities and pastimes. Since smaraṇa (mac-cittāḥ), śravaṇa (bodhayantaḥ) and kīrtana (kathayantaḥ) are the best among all types of bhakti, they have been specifically mentioned here. Thus, by this bhakti alone, these devotees are satisfied and experience happiness. This is the mysterious aspect of bhakti.
Or the meaning of “satisfaction and enjoyment” can be as follows. They are satisfied even at the stage of sādhana, by continual performance of their worship brought about by good fortune, and they take pleasure in thinking of their future attainment of prema, and enjoy with their Lord through the mind. This interpretation indicates rāgānuga-bhakti.
I appear within the heart of those who constantly desire to be with Me and worship Me with great love. By this appearance in their heart, they attain My direct association.
“It is understood that the joy of the devotee described in the previous verse is spiritual bliss beyond the modes. But by which method do the devotees gain direct contact with You? Who gives them the method of realizing You?” Anticipating such a question, the Lord speaks this verse.
I give buddhi-yoga (bhakti) to those who are constantly desirous of association with Me (satata-yuktānām). This means that the Lord alone causes buddhi-yoga (bhakti-yoga)—I alone appear within the functions of their minds. This buddhi-yoga cannot be obtained at all from any other source and it does not appear on its own. The statements means that realization of Me is given only by Me and received only by the devotee. By this bhakti, they attain Me; they attain direct association with Me (upayānti—they come near Me).
To show favor to them, I, by Myself, situated in their mental functions, extinguish the darkness born of ignorance with the shining lamp of knowledge.
“Without the functioning of knowledge and other such elements, how can they attain You and how can they even strive for that goal?”
All this is not at all necessary. Having the intention of giving them mercy by all means, even without them having to worry about attaining My mercy, since I Myself make the endeavor to give them mercy (teṣam eva anukampārtham), I, being situated within the functioning of their intellects (ātma-bhāvasthaḥ)--by the lamp of knowledge, knowledge arising from bhakti which is beyond the guṇas, not sattvic knowledge, since bhakti alone can reveal Me--destroy the darkness born of ignorance in them alone, and not in other persons such as the yogīs . I alone (aham eva) do this, all on My own. Why should they strive for this purpose? I have already said that I carry the responsibility of their spiritual and material welfare (yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham). I accept responsibility to supply all their material and spiritual requirements.
These famous four verses which have been narrated are the essence of all topics in the Gītā , removing the misery and producing complete joy for the jīvas.
Arjuna said: You are the supreme Brahman, the supreme body, the most purifying. The sages, Nārada, Asita, Devala and Vyāsa, therefore declare You to be the eternal human form, beyond the guṇas, unborn, the source of all, and the greatest. And so also do You declare it to me.
Desiring to hear in detail what was just spoken briefly by the Lord, Arjuna speaks by first praising the Lord.
You are param brahma and You are the most attractive body in the form of Śyāmasundara (paraṁ dhāma). According to Amara Kośa, dhāma means house, body, light and glory. That Brahman is You. You have no difference between Yourself and Your body, unlike the jīva. What type of body is this? It is supremely purifying, taking away the contamination of ignorance for the person who sees it (paramaṁ pavitram). Therefore all the ṛṣis speak of the eternality of You in the human form (śāśvataṁ puruṣam āhuḥ).
I accept as true all that you have told me, Keśava. But, O Lord, the devas and Dānavas do not know about Your birth.
I do not doubt at all what You say to me. But these ṛṣis say that Your supreme body is without birth. They do not know about Your birth (vyaktim). They do not understand how You with Your svarūpa of para-brahma can be both unborn and born. What You have said in verse 10.2--that neither the devatās nor ṛṣis know about Your birth--I accept as completely true (sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye). O Keśava, You bind up even Brahmā and Śiva with ignorance of Your true nature. (ka=Brahmā, īśa=Śiva, va=to bind). Then, certainly it must be said that the devatās and Dānavas also do not know You.
O supreme among the creators, the lord of creators of all creators, the performer of pastimes, the master of all in this universe, You alone know Yourself by Yourself.
Therefore, You alone know about Yourself. Your devotee knows that actually You do have birth and are also without birth, though such a condition is difficult to exist. But he also does not know by which method it can happen. You alone (eva) know that. You know through Yourself (ātmanā) alone, not through any other means. Therefore, among all the puruṣa avatāras, who are creators of the mahat-tattva and other elements, You are supreme (uttama). Not only are You supreme among them. You are the lord of those lords up to Brahmā, who have become the creators of all material bodies (bhūtā-bhāvana-bhūteśa). Not only are You the lord of all of them, You are also the performer of pastimes (deva ), taking the devas as instruments in Your pastimes (deva-deva ). Moreover, out of Your infinite mercy, You are the master of those like me (just a dāsa) dwelling within the universe (jagat-pate). All four of these terms starting with puruṣottama and ending with jagat-pate are in the vocative case.
Another meaning is as follows. These words may be taken as terms describing the nature of being the supreme person (puruṣottama). You are father of all creatures (bhūtā-bhāvana). But since sometimes a father is not respected, Arjuna says “You are the controller of all creatures (bhūteśa).” But sometimes even a controller is not so worthy of worship. Therefore he says “You are the deva among all the devas.” Though the devas are worshipable, sometimes they do not give protection. Therefore he says “You are the protector of the universe (jagat-pate).”
You should speak about Your vibhūtis in detail, at least about those by which You remain pervading this universe.
“It is difficult to understand the truth about You. Therefore, I want to know about Your vibhūtis. Your vibhūtis are very attractive (divya). You should speak about them fully.”
“But it is impossible to speak of all of My vibhūtis fully.”
O master of yoga māyā, by what method of thinking can I know You at all times? How should I think of You with devotion in various objects, O Lord?
“O Lord, one who possesses the yoga-māyā-śakti (yogin)!” This is similar to the construction of vanamalin, one who wears a garland of flowers. How can I, thinking of You, know You (vidyām) at all times? Of course you say bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: only by bhakti can I be known as I am in truth. (BG 18.55) But in which objects (bhāveṣu) can I think of You? This means “How can I perform bhakti by thinking of You in various objects?”
O Janārdana, please tell me again in detail about Your vibhūtis and Your bhakti-yoga. Hearing Your nectar, I have no satiation.
“I have already said that I am the source of everything and everything moves because of Me: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Therefore you should understand that everything is My vibhūti. And by saying, “Knowing this, they worship Me” (iti matvā bhajante mām) I have indicated bhakti-yoga.”
“But speak in detail about Your vibhūtis and about bhakti. O Janārdana, in people such as me (jana), by the sweetness of Your beneficial instructions, you create longing. You make us agitated (ardana), and You make us beg. What can we do? For me, hearing nectar in the form of Your instructions, relishing through a tongue in the form of my ear, there is no satiation.”
The Lord said: By My mercy, I will tell you about the chief of My excellent vibhūtis. O best of the Kurus, there is no end to My manifestations.
Oh (hanta), out of mercy, I will tell you about these vibhūtis. I will speak of the chief ones, because there is no end to their number. Vibhutayaḥ is used for vibhutīḥ (feminine plural accusative). These vibhūtis are excellent (divya), not like grass or bricks. The word vibhūti includes both material and spiritual manifestations of power of the Lord. Because they all arise from the śakti of the Lord, they should all be considered as worthy of meditation as forms of the Lord, though some are preferable to others.
O conqueror of sleep, I am the soul of prakṛti, situated as the spirit within each universe, and within each living entity. I alone am the creation, maintenance and destruction of all creatures.
First you should think of Me alone as the cause of all these vibhūtis by using just one of My portions. I am ātmā, the soul within prakṛti; I am the creator of the mahat-tattva, the puruṣa, the Paramātmā (Karaṇodakaśāyī). O one who conquers sleep (Guòākeśa), you are qualified for meditation since you do not sleep. I am situated in the aggregate of all beings (vairājas), as the antaryāmī of the virāṭ (Garbhodakaśāyī). I am also situated within the hearts of all living entities, as the antaryāmī of the individuals (Kṣīrodakaśāyī). (Two meanings are given to the phrase sarva-bhutāśaya-sthitaḥ). I am the cause of the creation (adiḥ), the maintenance (madhyam) and the destruction of all entities.
Among Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, and among lights, I am the many-rayed sun. Among the winds, I am Marīci. I am the moon amidst the stars.
The genitive case is use for the rest of the chapter to indicate a specific head of group of items and also to indicate a relation to a group. Among the twelve Ādityas, I am Viṣṇu, one of the names of the sun. This is My vibhūti. Among all lights, those things which reveal, I am the sun, with a multitude of rays. Marīci is outstanding among the winds.
Among the Vedas, I am the Sāma, and among the devatās, I am Indra. Among the senses, I am the mind. In all living creatures, I am the power of awareness.
Among the devatās, I am Indra (vāsavaḥ). I am jñāna-śakti (cetanā) related to all beings. Here the use of the genitive is relational.
Among the Rudras, I am Śaḍkara, and among the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, I am Kuvera. Among the Vasus, I am fire. Among the peaked mountains, I am Meru.
Vittesaḥ, lord of wealth, means Kuvera.
Among head priests, I am the chief one, Bṛhaspati. Among leaders of armies, I am Kārtikeya. Among reservoirs of water, I am the ocean.
Skanda means Kārtikeya. The form senānīnām is poetic license (the other form would be senāniyam).
Among the great sages, I am Bhṛgu. Among words, I am oṁ. Among sacrifices, I am japa. Among immovable objects, I am the Himālayas.
Ekākṣara, one syllable, refers to the praṇava om.
Among the trees, I am the pippala. Among the divine sages, I am Nārada. Among the Gandharvas, I am Citraratha. Among perfected beings, I am Kapila.
Know that among horses I am Uccaiḥśrava who rose from the nectar ocean. Among elephants I am Airāvata. Among men I am the king.
Among horses, I am Ucchaiḥśrava who arose from the churning of the nectar ocean (amṛtodbhavam).
Among weapons, I am the thunderbolt. Among cows, I am the Kāmadhenu. Among types of lust, I am that for producing offspring. Among snakes, I am Vāsuki.
Among the cows, I am Kāmadhenu (kāma-dhuk). Among the types of lust, I am lust for the purpose of producing offspring (prajanaḥ).
Among Nāgas, I am Ananta. Among inhabitants of water I am Varuṇa. Among the Pitṛs, I am Aryamā. Among punishers, I am Yama.
Among the inhabitants of the water (yādasām), I am Varuṇa. Among those who punish (saṁyamatām), I am Yama.
Among the demons, I am Prahlāda. Among controllers, I am time. Among animals, I am the lion. Among birds, I am Garuòa.
Among subjugators (kalayatām), I am time. Among animals, I am the lion (mṛgendraḥ). Among birds, I am Garuòa (vainateyaḥ).
Among purifiers and the swift, I am the wind. Among holders of weapons, I am Paraśurāma. Among the fishes, I am the makara. Among rivers, I am the Gaḍgā.
Of moving or purifying agents, I am the wind. Among bearers of weapons, I am Paraśurāma. He is suitable as a vibhūti because He is an aveśāvatāra, and because He is an outstanding jīva among those who have been given powers by the Lord. Padma Purāṇa, quoted in Bhagavatāmṛta says “O devi, I have recited to you the story of Paraśurāma, a śaktyaveśa avatāra of the Lord.” Also it says, “He took birth as an empowered jīva.” The characteristics of the aveśāvatāra are also mentioned in the Bhagavatāmṛta. “Where a jīva is filled with portions of jñāna-śakti or other śakti of the Lord, he is called aveśāvatāra.” (Laghu Bhagavatāmṛta 1.4 .39, 1.4.38, 1.1.18) Among fish (jhaṣāṇām), I am the makara, a special type of fish. Among rivers (srotasām), I am the Gaḍgā.
I am the creation, destruction and maintenance of all elements. Among types of knowledge, I am knowledge of the soul. Among types of debate I am vāda.
I am the creation (adiḥ) and destruction (antaḥ) of ether and other elements (sargāṇām), and the maintenance of them as well. One should meditate upon creation, maintenance and destruction as My vibhūtis. This means that I, the Supreme Lord, am the creator, maintainer and destroyer. Among types of knowledge, I am knowledge of the self. Among types of argumentation in order to establish ones own idea and defeat others ideas, such as jalpa and vitaṇòa, I am vāda, which attempts to discern actual truth with the goal of coming to a conclusion.
I am the letter “a” among all letters. Among compounds, I am the dvandva. Among destroyers, I am Śiva and among creators, I am Brahmā, with four faces.
The dvandva compound is superior among compounds since its elements are equal. Among destroyers I am indestructible time. This refers to Mahākāla, Rudra, famous as the destroyer. Among the creators I am Brahmā (dhātā), with four faces (viśvato mukhaḥ).
Among deaths, I am that which takes away all memory. Among all transformations of the body which will take place, I am the first one, birth. Among women I am Kīrti, Śrī, Vāk, Smṛti, Medhā, Dhṛti and Kṣamā, and other wives of Dharma.
Among all types of deaths which are happening at every moment, I am death which takes away all memory. It is said mṛtyur atyanta-vismṛtiḥ: death is extreme forgetfulness. (SB 11.22.39) Among the transformations which will take place for the living entities in the future, I am birth, the first transformation. Among women, I am fame, beauty, and refined speech (vāk), these three and also the four: memory, intelligence, fortitude and tolerance. Ca indicates the other wives of Dharma such as Mūrti.
Among the sāmas, I am the Bṛhat Sāma. Among meters, I am gāyatrī. Among months, I am Mrgaśīrṣa. Among the seasons, I am the spring.
The Lord has already said that he is the Sāma among the Vedas. Here he says that among the verses to be sung he is the Bṛhat Sāma in the verse which begins tvamṛrddhim havāmahe. (Ṛg Veda 6.46.1) Among meters I am gāyatrī, and among seasons I am spring (kusumākaraḥ), filled with flowers.
I am gambling in the cheaters. Among conquerors, I am their victory. Among those who endeavor, I am the endeavor. Among the strong, I am their strength.
Related to those who mutually cheat each other, I am gambling. Here genitive case is used to show relationship with the cheaters. Among the conquerors, I am victory. Among those who endeavor, I am effort. Among the strong, I am strength (sattvam).
Among the Vṛṣṇis, I am Vasudeva. Among the Pāṇòavas, I am Arjuna. Among the sages, I am Vyāsa. Among the wise, I am Uśanas.
Among the Vṛṣṇis, I am Vasudeva, who is My father. He is My vibhūti. The rule is given as follows: prajñāditvāt (Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pāṇini 5.4.38). Sometimes the long ā can have the same meaning as short a. The long ā is used to indicate self-interest. Others would propose that the meaning is “Among the Vṛṣṇis, I am Myself, the son of Vasudeva.” This however is not agreeable, as it does not mean anything.
I am punishment among those who punish. In those who desire victory, I am proper policy. In secrets, I am silence. I am knowledge in those who have knowledge.
Among those who punish, I am punishment. Here the genitive is used to indicate relationship.
I am that seed which causes all living entities to manifest, O Arjuna. No moving or non-moving entities can exist without Me.
I am the seed of all beings, the cause of their sprouting, because without Me, moving and non-moving creatures would not exist. This means they would be false things.
There is no end to My wonderful vibhūtis, O afflicter of enemies. I have only briefly declared the expanse of My vibhūtis.
Now the Lord summarizes the subject. There is no end to My vibhūtis. Briefly only (uddeśataḥ), in name only, I have spoken of the multitude of My vibhūtis.
Whatever object in past, present or future displays majesty, excellence, or strength, know that it has arisen from just a fragment of My power.
In this verse the Lord brings together all the vibhūtis of past, present and future which were not previously mentioned. Whatever object (sattvam) has majesty (vibhūtimat), excellence (śrīmat), or extraordinary strength or power (ūrjitam), know that it comes from a portion of My power.
But what is the use of all this knowledge for you, Arjuna? Please understand: by just one portion of Myself, I am firmly established in this universe.
Know the results that come from these many separate pieces of knowledge. By one portion alone, by the Paramātmā in human form, fixing Myself (viṣṭabhya) in the world which I have created, supporting this created world by being its basis, superintending the world by being its ruler, controlling the world by being its controller, pervading the world by being pervasive, and creating the world by beings its cause, I am situated in this world.
Everything in this universe is Kṛṣṇa alone, and He is thus worthy of service. By intelligence given by that realization, one should taste His sweetness. This has been explained in this chapter.
Here ends the commentaries on the tenth chapter of the Gītā for the pleasure of the devotees’ minds, by the mercy of the ācāryas.
Starting from the seventh chapter, after revealing His powers, Kṛṣṇa spoke of bhakti. Now in the tenth chapter, He speaks of the confidential elements of bhakti along with a description of His vibhūtis.
By knowing the powers of the Lord, one understands that the Lord is worthy of worship. These powers have been described starting from the seventh chapter. Now the Lord will explain the powers in detail for the pleasure of those who have devotion. According to the rule that the ṛṣis speak indirectly and the Lord is fond of such indirect statements, and thus, because this knowledge is somewhat difficult to comprehend, the Lord speaks again (bhūyaḥ).
parokṣa-vādā ṛṣayaḥ parokṣaṁ ca mama priyam
The Vedic seers and mantras deal in esoteric terms, and I also am pleased by such confidential descriptions. SB 11.21.35
“Again (bhūyaḥ), hear My words.” This means, “Again I will speak about the king of knowledge, the king of secrets.”
“O Mighty-armed one, you display your supreme power of your arms. This power is greater than that of all others. In the same way, you should display the supreme power of your intelligence in this topic. Listen to the words I speak.” This implies that Arjuna should limit his attention to what is spoken, though he is already listening.
“These words are even superior to what I have spoken previously (paramaṁ vacaḥ). I speak these words to you, in order to cause you astonishment.” Use of the dative case (te) with a verb (vakṣyāmi) indicates a suppressed infinitive of purpose, by the rule kriyārthopapadasya ca. (Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pāṇini 2.3.14)
The reason for speaking to Arjuna is then given: “I will speak to you because you are filled with prema (priyamāṇāya).”