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Krishna. Hear farther yet, thou Long-Armed Lord! these words Which I, who love thee, say for thy avail — Words that not Gods upon their thrones, nor Saints Amidst their hosts, have wholly comprehended; Since, of the Powers celestial, and of all The Sages, none hath known My genesis, For I am first of all — the Primal Cause.

Whoso of mortals, undeluded, knows Me As Him who hath no birth and no beginning, As Sovran Lord of Worlds — in that man's mind, Among all mortals, wisdom dwells, and he Is loosed from every sin. All states of being — Reason, knowledge, freedom from delusion, Forgiving-kindness, truth, and self-control, Pleasure, and pain, and growth, and diminution, And terror, and long-suffering, and content, Spring from Me only.

The ancient Seven Great Sages, the Four From whom mankind descends — these, too, sprung forth From Me, by mind begotten; and their children Peopled all worlds. Whoso comprehends My Might and Yoga rightly, he — steadfast In Yoga without question — links himself To Me by Yoga past all loosening.

I am the birth of everything that stirs; From Me all issue: sages of clear sight Know this, and therefore worship Me, and love With hearts informed of truth. On Me they fix Their mind, their life is given up to Me; Teaching each other, telling still of Me, Always contented, glad in Me. To those Thus serving Me with love, I give the Yoga Of understanding, and by this they come To Me; and, dwelling in their hearts, I light The lamp of wisdom, scattering the dark Born of the failure to discern.

Arjuna. Yes! Thou art Parabrahm! the High Abode! The Purifier! Thou, the Eternal One! The God of gods, Unborn, the Lord of all! This all the Rishis say, and Narada; Asita, Devala, and Vyasa; now Thou also tellest it unto me Thyself. Yea! I believe, Keshava! all these words Thou tellest me are true; for neither Gods Nor demons comprehend Thy manifestation!

Nay, only Thou Thyself, by Thine own Self, Thou Best of Beings! Maker of all things! The Lord of all, the God of gods, the King Of this world, knowest what Thou art! Now deign To tell me, without stint, those powers divine Wherewith Thou fillest all these worlds! How may I search Thee, grasping Thee? Under what forms And aspects art Thou bid? Tell me again At utmost length, O Slayer of Madhu! These Yogas — these perfections — for my soul Wearies not of the honey of Thy word!

Krishna. Hanta! So be it! I will to thee unfold Some portions of My Majesty, whose power Is ever new! Listen! — I am the Self, O Gudakesha! seated in the hearts Of all that live; I am the Beginning, The Stay, and the End of all creation. Of Adityas I am Vishnu; of luminaries The radiant Sun; Marichi of the Maruts; And of the stars by night, the Moon am I.

Of Vedas I am Sama-Veda; of The Gods in Indra's heaven, Vasava; Of senses, mind; and in all living things The living thought; of Rudras, Shankara; Of Yakshas and of Rakshasas, Kubera; Of Vasus I am Pavaka; of mountains, Meru; of household priests, Brihaspati Know Me; of warriors, Skanda; of all waters, The Ocean vast.

Of Maharishis, Bhrigu; Of words, I am the mystic syllable OM; Of worship, I am silent inward prayer; Of mountain-chains, the Himalay; of trees, Ashwattha — the holy fig; of divine Rishis, Narada; of Gandharvas, Chitraratha; Of saints self-perfected, Kapila. Among horses, know Me, Uchchaisrava, Born of the nectar; among lordly elephants, Airavata; and among men, the monarch.

Of weapons, I am Indra's thunderbolt; Of cows, Kamadhenu, the cow of plenty; I am the love-god generating life; Of serpents, Vasuki; of the great Nagas, Ananta; of all water-things, Varuna; Of the departed, Aryaman; of those Who judge, Yama the judge. Among the Daityas, Prahlada; among measures, Time; of beasts, The lion; of birds, Garuda — Vishnu's steed.

Of purifiers I am the Wind; of warriors, Rama; of fishes, the Makara; of all The flowing rivers, Ganga. I am the Birth, The Stay, the Death of all created life; Of feminine perfections, fame, and fortune, Speech, and memory, and constancy, and faith. Of hymns, the Brihatsaman; of metres, Gayatri; of the months, Margashirsha; Of all the seasons, flower-bearing Spring.

I am the dice-Loss at the gambler's play; I am the splendour of the splendid; I Am victory, and I am resolution, And I the goodness of the virtuous. Of Vrishni's children, I am Vaasudeva; Among the Pandavas, Dhananjaya; Of munis, I am Vyasa; of sages, Usana. I am the rod of chastisement; The policy of victors; the silence Of things secret; and the wisdom of the wise.

Yea! and what is the seed Of all that springs — that am I; and there is not A being — moving or unmoving — lives Without Me. Nay, but of My divine Manifestations, Chief of Bharatas! There is no end. This recounting of them I have made is partial. Whatsoever Power Is glorious, gracious, or mighty — know That it proceeds from but a spark of Mine! But what need, Arjuna, to teach thee more? With but one single portion of Myself I stand sustaining all this Universe!