The Blessed Lord said: Yes, I shall tell you of My divine glories, but only the prominent ones, O best of the Kurus, for My extent is limitless.
Synthesis
The word 'hanta' — sometimes translated as 'yes' or 'indeed' — carries a warm, almost intimate quality. Krishna is responding to Arjuna's hunger with a smile in his voice. Yet he immediately introduces a crucial qualifier: he will share only the 'pradhāna' vibhutis — the principal, most visible expressions — because 'nāstyanto vistarasya me' — there is no end to my extent. This is one of the most profound statements in the Gita: the divine is inexhaustible. What follows in the next verses is not a complete catalogue — it is a set of doorways, representative examples, glimpses. This liberates the meditator: the list is not meant to be memorized as a finite system but internalized as an invitation to discover the divine everywhere.
Commentaries 8 traditions
Shankara emphasizes 'nāstyanto vistarasya' — there is no end to the extent — as a direct statement of Brahman's infinite nature. The vibhutis to be listed are like pointing fingers: they indicate the moon but are not the moon. The aspirant must use them as steps to transcend finite forms and rest in formless awareness.
Apply This Verse
Personal Growth
Accept that growth is infinite — there is no final arrival. Rather than becoming anxious about how much remains, treat the inexhaustibility of depth as invitation and delight.
Questions this verse answers
- ?"How do I find peace with the fact that growth never ends?"
- ?"What are the most important — the 'prādhāna' — areas of my personal development right now?"
- ?"How do I prevent the infinity of possibilities from becoming overwhelming?"
- ?"How do I prioritize what to focus on when everything seems important?"