vaktum arhasy aśeṣeṇa
divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ
yābhir vibhūtibhir lokān
imāḿs tvaḿ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 10.16
Please tell me in detail of Your divine opulences by which You pervade all these worlds.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
In this verse it appears that Arjuna is already satisfied with his understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. By Krishna’s grace, Arjuna has personal experience, intelligence and knowledge and whatever else a person may have through all these agencies, and he has understood Krishna to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For him there is no doubt, yet he is asking Krishna to explain His all-pervading nature. People in general and the impersonalists in particular concern themselves mainly with the all-pervading nature of the Supreme. So Arjuna is asking Krishna how He exists in His all-pervading aspect through His different energies. One should know that this is being asked by Arjuna on behalf of the common people.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
“It is difficult to understand the truth about you. Therefore, I want to know about your vibhutis. Your vibhutis are very attractive (divya). You should speak about them fully.”
“But it is impossible to speak of all of my vibhutis fully.”
“Speak about those vibhutis by which you spread yourself in this world.”
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
10.16 Whatever manifestations there be that are divine, unique to Yourself — You alone are capable of describing them without exception. ‘You reveal them Yourself’ is the meaning. With these innumerable Vibhutis, these instances of your manifestation indicating Your will to rule, You abide, pervading all these worlds as their controller. What is the need for such description? The answer follows:
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Only Lord Krishna is known to Himself and able to elaborate upon His transcendental, majestic opulence and not the demi-gods or any other gods. Therefore all His divine attributes and phenomenal qualities which are pervading throughout all creation should mercifully be described by Him.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
The word vibhutayah means transcendental opulence denoting vivida bhutayah or Lord Krishna’s multitudinous manifestations in many wonderful and phenomenal forms.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna is being implored to elaborate upon His glorious vibhuti or transcendental opulence as only He is able to accurately describe in full His divinely supreme glories by which He pervades and controls all creation.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
10.16 Arhasi, be pleased; vaktum, to speak; asesena, in full; atmavibhutayah, of Your own manifestations; divyah hi, which are indeed divine; yabhih, through which; vibhutibhih, manifestations, manifestations of Your glory; tisthasi, You exist; vyapya, pervading; iman, these; lokan, worlds.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
10.16 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
vaktum arhasy asesena
divya hy atma-vibhutayah
yabhir vibhutibhir lokan
imams tvam vyapya tisthasi
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
vaktum — to say; arhasi — You deserve; aśeṣeṇa — in detail; divyāḥ — divine; hi — certainly; ātma — Your own; vibhūtayaḥ — opulences; yābhiḥ — by which; vibhūtibhiḥ — opulences; lokān — all the planets; imān — these; tvam — You; vyāpya — pervading; tiṣṭhasi — remain.
