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Bhagwad Gita (English) | Chapter 10 | Verse 42

Chapter 10, Verse 42

The Opulence of the Absolute

But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.


Verse

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन।
विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्।।10.42।।


atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣhṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛitsnam ekānśhena sthito jagat

Meaning of each word

athavā — or;
bahunā —
detailed;
etena —
by this;
kim —
what;
jñātena tava —
can be known by you;
arjuna —
Arjun;
viṣhṭabhya —
pervade and support;
aham —
I;
idam —
this;
kṛitsnam —
entire;
eka —
by one;
anśhena —
fraction;
sthitaḥ —
am situated;
jagat —
creation

Interpretation

In this verse, Lord Krishna talks to Arjuna about how powerful and far-reaching He is. He says that there is no need for Arjuna to get caught up in complicated details about how everything in the universe works. Instead, Krishna points out that just a small part of Him is enough to fill and support the whole universe.

Think of it like this: imagine a big building that is held up by a strong central pillar. In the same way, Lord Krishna is like that strong pillar. He is present in everything—from the biggest beings, like Brahma who is considered the creator of the universe, to the tiniest creatures, like ants. Everything exists because Krishna is there, acting as a kind of spirit or life force within them.

Krishna is teaching Arjuna that he doesn’t need to understand every single detail to see the truth. The truth is that everything happens because of Krishna's presence in it. This means that all living beings and things owe their existence to Krishna. So, instead of getting overwhelmed by trying to learn everything separately, Arjuna should focus on understanding that Krishna is behind it all, keeping everything together.

To put it simply, Krishna is everywhere and in everything, and He is the one who supports the entire universe with just a small part of Himself. His essence is what gives life and strength to all that exists. This understanding helps make sense of the world and shows how connected everything is, with Krishna at the center of it all.


Other Verses of Chapter 10
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