Please describe fully Your divine glories — the vibhutis — by which You pervade and sustain all these worlds.
Synthesis
Arjuna's request is both philosophical and devotional. He does not ask for a logical proof of God's existence — he already knows. He asks for a living map of how the divine pervades reality, so that ordinary experience can become sacred recognition. The word 'vyāpya tiṣṭhasi' — pervading and abiding — is crucial: it points not to a distant deity but to an immanent presence woven through every layer of the cosmos. This request sets the stage for the great vibhuti catalogue that follows, one of the most beloved passages in the Gita. For seekers, this verse models a key practice: ask the divine to reveal itself in the world, and then watch how the world transforms.
Commentaries 8 traditions
Shankara interprets the request for vibhutis as a pedagogical device. Since the aspirant cannot perceive Brahman directly, the teacher reveals its presence through its most luminous expressions. The vibhutis are not separate from Brahman — they are concentrated points where its infinite power becomes perceptible.
Apply This Verse
Personal Growth
Ask yourself where the sacred shows up in your daily life. The practice of recognizing excellence, beauty, and power as divine manifestations transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Questions this verse answers
- ?"Where do I see the divine manifesting in my everyday life?"
- ?"How do I cultivate the practice of sacred seeing?"
- ?"What concentrations of beauty or excellence move me most?"
- ?"How does recognizing greatness change how I engage with the world?"