BG 10.34 X VIBHUTI YOGA X mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraśh chāham udbhavaśh cha bhaviṣhyatām

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This verse is from the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 10, Verse 34). In this chapter, Krishna explains his divine manifestations (Vibhutis) to Arjuna, essentially saying, "In everything that is great, powerful, or beautiful, I am that essence."

The Sanskrit Text

मृत्युः सर्वहरश्चाहमुद्भवश्च भविष्यताम् |

कीर्तिः श्रीर्वाक्च नारीणां स्मृतिर्मेधा धृतिः क्षमा ||

Transliteration

mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraśh chāham udbhavaśh cha bhaviṣhyatām

kīrtiḥ śhrīr vāk cha nārīṇāṁ smṛti rmedhā dhṛtiḥ kṣhamā

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The Translation

"I am all-devouring Death, and I am the Origin of those things yet to be. Among women, I am Fame, Fortune, Speech, Memory, Intelligence, Steadfastness, and Patience."

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Breaking Down the Meaning

This verse is particularly poetic because it balances the "dark" and "light" aspects of existence:

• The Great Leveler: By calling himself "all-devouring death" (mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraḥ), Krishna reminds us that time and dissolution are divine forces. Nothing in the material world escapes this.

• The Creative Force: He is also the "birth" or "origin" (udbhavaḥ) of everything that will happen in the future.

• The Seven Feminine Virtues: In the second half, Krishna identifies with seven specific qualities. In Sanskrit, these nouns are feminine, and they are often personified as the daughters of Daksha:

  1. Kirti (Fame): Living a life of righteous reputation.

  2. Shri (Fortune/Prosperity): Not just money, but grace and beauty.

  3. Vak (Speech): The power of refined and truthful communication.

  4. Smriti (Memory): The ability to retain wisdom and lessons.

  5. Medha (Intelligence): The capacity to understand the essence of scriptures.

  6. Dhriti (Steadfastness): The willpower to stay the course during hardship.

  7. Kshama (Patience/Forgiveness): The strength to remain calm under provocation.

Why this matters

This verse is often cited to show that "divinity" isn't just found in a temple—it is found in the very moment of a difficult ending (Death) and in the quiet strength of a person’s character (Patience and Intelligence).

Since we were just discussing the "residual impressions" of life earlier, would you like to see how this verse connects to the concept of clearing one's karma before death?