A declaration · expansive in mood · builds on earlier teachings
“The whole universe rests in a single fragment of the divine.”
Or, Arjuna, what is the need for all this detailed knowledge? I sustain this entire universe with a single fragment of myself.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallyor · with much · by this · what · by knowing · for you · Arjuna · pervading, sustaining · I · this · whole · with one part · established · universe
Krishna says there is no need for endless detail: even a single part of his presence supports the entire universe.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Vibhuti Yoga" (The Yoga of Divine Glories).
Verse 42 sits in Chapter 10 of the Bhagavad Gita — Vibhuti Yoga, "The Yoga of Divine Glories". The chapter has 42 verses in total.
You keep asking for one more explanation before you can trust the decision. But sometimes the pattern is already clear, and the rest is just your mind delaying surrender.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts attention from counting manifestations to recognising the single source behind them all.
What this verse means
Krishna says there is no need for endless detail: even a single part of his presence supports the entire universe.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, after showing Arjuna his many divine manifestations, Krishna closes the teaching by stepping beyond examples. He tells Arjuna that one fragment of his presence sustains the whole universe, ending the search for a complete inventory of the divine.
Why this verse still matters
You keep asking for one more explanation before you can trust the decision. But sometimes the pattern is already clear, and the rest is just your mind delaying surrender.
“The mind can relax. Reality is already held together by something far larger than your grasp.”
Explore related themes: vibhuti (43 verses), krishna (31 verses), cosmic form (25 verses)