A declaration · expansive in mood · a little context helps
“Every genuine greatness is only a spark of my radiance.”
Whatever being or thing is endowed with splendour, beauty, or power—know that to have arisen from a spark of my radiance.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
Read literallywhatever · endowed with splendour/power · being · beautiful, glorious · strong, mighty · indeed · or · that very · indeed · know · you · my · born from a portion of my radiance
Anything that shines with beauty, strength, or greatness comes from Krishna's radiance. He asks Arjuna to recognize that source in every impressive thing.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Vibhuti Yoga" (The Yoga of Divine Glories).
Verse 41 sits in Chapter 10 of the Bhagavad Gita — Vibhuti Yoga, "The Yoga of Divine Glories". The chapter has 42 verses in total.
A singer at a music festival holds a hall of thousands still. Krishna would have you enjoy the gift and also see it as a spark of his radiance, so the admiration goes past the singer to its source.
Did you like this verse?
Splendour, beauty or power anywhere is a spark of Krishna's radiance, he says, and nothing more.
What this verse means
Anything that shines with beauty, strength, or greatness comes from Krishna's radiance. He asks Arjuna to recognize that source in every impressive thing.
Context & commentary
Arjuna hears Krishna continue listing the divine manifestations behind the world’s splendor. After saying his glories are endless, Krishna narrows the point: every striking force or beauty is only a trace of his radiance.
What it looks like today
A singer at a music festival holds a hall of thousands still. Krishna would have you enjoy the gift and also see it as a spark of his radiance, so the admiration goes past the singer to its source.
“You can admire greatness without mistaking it for self-made power.”
Explore related themes: vibhuti (43 verses), manifestation (11 verses)