Shloka 9
विभूति-योगः (Vibhūti-yoga) — Exemplary Manifestations as a Contemplative Index
कविं पुराणमनुशासितार मणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद् य: । सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपम् आदित्यवर्ण तमस: परस्तात्
kaviṁ purāṇam anuśāsitāraṁ aṇor aṇīyāṁsam anusmared yaḥ | sarvasya dhātāram acintyarūpam ādityavarṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt ||
Arjuna said: Whoever steadily remembers Him—the ancient seer, the primeval One, the ruler and guide, subtler than the subtlest, the sustainer of all, whose form is beyond the grasp of thought, radiant like the sun and standing beyond the darkness of ignorance—such a person fixes the mind on the Supreme at the decisive hour. In the midst of war’s moral strain, this remembrance points to an inner refuge: clarity, courage, and right orientation grounded in devotion to the transcendent source of all order.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined remembrance of the Supreme—described as ancient, subtle, sustaining all, inconceivable, and radiant—so that one’s consciousness is oriented beyond ignorance and fear, especially at critical moments.
In Bhīṣma Parva’s teaching context, Arjuna is voicing a description of the Supreme Person to be remembered; the focus shifts from battlefield anxiety to inner concentration and devotion as a means to steadiness and ultimate good.