Shloka 16
Vibhuti Yoga — Vibhuti Yoga
वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषेण दिव्या ह्यात्मविभूतयः । याभिर्विभूतिभिर्लोकानिमांस्त्वं व्याप्य तिष्ठसि ॥ १०.१६ ॥
vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa divyā hy ātmavibhūtayaḥ | yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān imāṁs tvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi || 10.16 ||
Please tell me, without omission, Your divine manifestations—those manifestations by which You pervade these worlds and abide (within them).
You ought to tell (me) without remainder Your divine manifestations, by which manifestations You pervade these worlds and remain (present).
Please describe completely your divine excellences/manifestations—those by which, through such manifestations, you pervade these worlds and abide.
Vibhūti may be ‘power,’ ‘excellence,’ or ‘manifestation.’ The verse invites a catalog of exemplary instances rather than a metaphysical proof; the emphasis is pedagogical and contemplative.
FAQs
Asking for concrete examples supports learning: abstract claims about the divine become cognitively accessible through vivid, memorable instances.
The verse presupposes a model where the divine is present throughout the cosmos (‘pervades’) while also maintaining a stable mode of being (‘abides’).
This is the transition into the famous list of Krishna’s vibhūtis (10.19 onward), prompted by Arjuna’s desire for a comprehensive account.
It encourages learning through exemplars—identifying ‘best instances’ of virtues or ideals (excellence in nature, character, or art) as aids to reflection and value-formation.