श्री भगवानुवाच हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः। प्राधान्यतः कुरुश्रेष्ठ नास्त्यन्तो विस्तरस्य मे।।10.19।।
śrī-bhagavān uvāca hanta te kathayiṣyāmi divyāḥ hi ātma‑vibhūtayaḥ prādhānyataḥ kuru‑śreṣṭha na asti antaḥ vistarasya me
Translation
The Supreme Lord said: I shall now briefly describe My divine glories to you, O best of the Kurus, for there is no end to their detail.
Word Meanings
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; hanta — yes; te — unto you; kathayiṣyāmi — I shall speak; divyāḥ — divine; hi — certainly; ātma‑vibhūtayaḥ — personal opulences; prādhānyataḥ — which are principal; kuru‑śreṣṭha — O best of the Kurus; na asti — there is not; antaḥ — limit; vistarasya — to the extent; me — My.
Understanding the Verse
In Chapter 10 of the Bhagavad‑Gita, Krishna begins to enumerate His divine manifestations, known as the "vibhūtas". Verse 19 marks a transition from the introductory promise to the actual disclosure of these glories. The Lord tells Arjuna that He will speak of His "divya‑ātmavibhūtayaḥ" – the personal, divine opulences that are unique to Him. By using the term "hanta te" (yes, to you), Krishna acknowledges Arjuna's readiness and his sincere desire for knowledge. The promise to speak "kathayiṣyāmi" (I shall speak) emphasizes that the teaching will be direct and personal, not merely philosophical.\br\brThe phrase "divyāḥ hi ātma‑vibhūtayaḥ" underlines that these qualities are not ordinary attributes; they are divine, emanating from the supreme soul (Ātman) of the Lord. They represent the essential nature of God, which pervades all of creation while remaining distinct from it. This distinction is crucial because it reminds the seeker that the divine essence is both immanent and transcendent.\br\brKrishna then adds "prādhānyataḥ kuru‑śreṣṭha", stating that these glories are of principal importance for Arjuna, who is described as "kuru‑śreṣṭha" – the best among the Kuru warriors. By addressing Arjuna with this honorific, the Lord acknowledges Arjuna's noble qualities and his capacity to grasp the supreme truth. It also serves as a subtle encouragement for Arjuna to rise above his doubts and perform his duty (dharma) with a higher vision.\br\brFinally, the verse concludes with "na asti antaḥ vistarasya me" – there is no limit to the extent of these divine manifestations. This statement is both humbling and awe‑inspiring: it reveals the inexhaustible nature of the divine and prepares the listener for the extensive catalogue that follows in the subsequent verses. The endlessness of Krishna's glories underscores the infinite potential within every seeker who turns toward the divine, assuring that the journey of spiritual discovery is boundless.\br\brIn practical terms, this verse encourages modern readers to recognize that the divine qualities – compassion, wisdom, strength, beauty – are not distant myths but living aspects that can be cultivated within oneself. By internalizing the promise that these glories are limitless, a practitioner can adopt a mindset of continual growth, seeing each challenge as an opportunity to manifest a fragment of the divine. The verse thus bridges the ancient context of a battlefield dialogue with contemporary spiritual practice, inviting every "kuru‑śreṣṭha" to explore the infinite reservoir of divine potential within.
