He indwells, controls

Arjuna asks Lord Krishna how he should meditate on Him.

“I am engaged in bhakti yoga. Tell me more about your

glory. Listening to this is like nectar to me,” says Arjuna to

the Lord. Krishna is surprised at Arjuna’s thirst for knowledge

about the Lord, for most people generally have little

interest in such things. The Lord then says that there is no

limit to His many manifestations, and lists a few of them,

said Valayapet Ramachariar, in a discourse. He addresses Arjuna as Gudaakesa — the one who has conquered sleep and laziness. The Lord tells Arjuna that He dwells in all beings.

He controls them, sustains them and is also the cause of dissolution. Krishna then elaborates: “Among the Adityas, I am Vishnu; among the effulgent bodies, I am the Sun; among

the 49 maruts, I am Mareechi; I am the Moon, who is the

Lord of the stars. Among the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda;

among the gods, I am Indra: among the organs I am the

mind; in sentient beings, I am their consciousness

(bhutanam cetana asmi). Among the eleven Rudras, I am

Sankara, who bestows happiness. Among the yaksas, I am

Kubera.”

The Lord says that among the Vasus, He is Pavaka. There

are eight Vasus, of which Pavaka, the god of fire, is the best.

Krishna then says, “Among the mountains, I am the Meru.

Among the priests, I am Brhaspati. Among army chiefs, I am

Skanda. Among water bodies, I am the ocean. Among sages,

I am the great sage Brgu. I am the Pranava. Among Devarishis, I am Narada. Among horses, I am Uchaisravas, the horse that came up from the ocean, when it was churned for nectar.” This elaborate list of the Lord as all the best things in every category, is to drive home the point that He has atma sthana in everything. He is the indweller, controller

and sustainer of all.