Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Verse 42 (10.42)

अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन । विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत् | | १०-४२ | |

athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna viṣhṭabhyāhamidaṁ kṛitsnamekāṁśhena sthito jagat

Word-by-word guide:

Line 1:

अथवा (athava) — अथवा(or what need is there for all this)
बहुना (bahuna) — बहुत से(or what need is there for all this)
इति (iti) — इस प्रकार(thus)
e joined in bahunaitena
न (na) — नहीं(not)
किम् (kim) — फिर क्या कहना(what is gained by knowing so much detail, Arjuna)
ज्ञातेन (jnatena) — जानने से(what is gained by knowing so much detail, Arjuna)
tav joined in tavārjuna
अर्जुन (Arjuna) — हे अर्जुन(what is gained by knowing so much detail, Arjuna)

Line 2:

English: But what is the use of all these details to you? Arjuna, I sustain this universe with only a small portion of Myself.

💡 Commentary Note

Krishna concludes by asking Arjuna what need there is for detailed lists. With a single fraction of His being, He supports the entire universe.

Learnings from Shloka 42:

Vibhutis train remembrance:: Krishna points to excellence in nature, knowledge, strength, beauty, leadership, and time so Arjuna can remember Him everywhere.
The list is not exhaustive:: These examples are only a glimpse of divine glory.
Greatness is borrowed light:: Whatever is splendid, powerful, wise, or beautiful comes from a spark of Krishna's radiance.
God is more than the universe:: Krishna sustains the whole world with only one small portion of Himself.

Gita Knowledge Quiz

Review this section

Now that you have completed shlokas 19-42, check your understanding with a short quiz.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 10.42 with their Hindi and English meanings.