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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 10.2
न मे विदु: सुरगणा: प्रभवं न महर्षय: ।
अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वश: ॥ २ ॥
na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ
prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ
aham ādir hi devānāṁ
maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ
Neither the hosts of demigods nor the great sages know My origin or opulences, for, in every respect, I am the source of the demigods and sages.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Even demigods and great sages do not know Kṛṣṇa’s origin or riches and powers, because He is their source.
Prabhupāda explains that scholarship and guesswork cannot reveal Kṛṣṇa. Fully surrendered devotees understand Him by His mercy.
Study Kṛṣṇa’s words in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with faith and devotion to understand Him.
Who can know Krishna fully — Not even the demigods or liberated sages can know Krishna fully
Because He is the origin of everyone and everything including all demigods and great sages
Krishna is the cause of all causes (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.1 / Bg. 10.2)
‘Scholarship’ is not the qualification to understand Krishna
e.g. Demigods and great sages cannot understand Krishna, His name or His personality (Ref. Sb.)
So what to speak of scholars of this tiny planet
What they cannot understand – No one can understand why the Supreme Lord comes to this planet as an ordinary human being and executes such wonderful uncommon activities
Speculation – One can speculate to the limits of the imperfect senses
But may reach the opposite conclusion of impersonalism, or
They can imagine something by mental speculation FOCUS OF LEARNING: PURPORT 10.2 continued…
How to understand Krishna
Lord indirectly declares “Here I am, As the Supreme Personality of Godhead”
Simple Way – Simply by studying His words in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam we can understand Him in full (‘sat-cit-ananda’)
Different Conceptions of God As:
‘Krishna As The Personality of Godhead’ – can be conceived only when one is in the transcendental position
‘As some ruling power or the impersonal Brahman can be reached by persons who in the inferior energy of the Lord
Krishna’s favor/grace is essential to understand the Supreme Lord fully
Only devotees who have fully surrendered achieve this grace
Devotees of the Lord do not bother about impersonal Brahman conception. Their faith and devotion bring them to immediate surrender and thus attracts Krishna’s causeless mercy
Only those who are contaminated by material energy consider the impersonal Brahman to be the Supreme, despite the Supreme Lord’s uncommon activities
Texts 10.1 & 10.2
Texts 10.2 — 10.7 presents Krishna as the mysterious origin of everything
His origin is impossible to understand for He is the source of all
That which has been created cannot independently understand its own source
One who understands this fact, serves Krishna with devotion
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 10.2 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?
Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.