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Of the descendants of Vṛṣṇi, Krishna is Vāsudeva, and of the Pāṇḍavas, He is Arjuna. Of the sages, He is Vyāsa, and among great thinkers, He is Uśanā. (BG 10.37) Among all means of suppressing lawlessness, He is punishment, and of those who seek victory (jigīṣatām), He is morality (nītir). Of secret things (guhyānāṁ), He is silence, and of the wise, He is the wisdom. (BG 10.38)

In summary, Krishna (aham) is the generating seed (bījaṁ) of all existences (sarva-bhūtānāṁ). No moving or nonmoving (carācaram) being (bhūtaṁ) can exist without Krishna. (BG 10.39) There is no end (nānto ’sti) to Krishna’s divine (divyānāṁ) opulence (vibhūtīnāṁ). Whatever has been spoken (prokto) is but a mere indication (eṣa tūddeśataḥ) of Krishna’s expansive (vistaro) opulence (vibhūter). (BG 10.40)

Whatever (yad yad) power (vibhūtimat), beauty (śrīmad), or (eva vā) glory (ūrjitam) that is found in existence (sattvaṁ), we should know (evāvagaccha tvaṁ) that (tat tad) it springs from (sambhavam) a spark of Krishna’s splendor (mama tejo-’ṁśa). (BG 10.41) In other words (atha vā), what need is there (kiṁ jñātena) for us to learn so much (bahunaitena)? With a single fragment of Himself (ekāṁśena sthito), Krishna pervades and sustains (viṣṭabhyāham) this entire (idaṁ kṛtsnam) universe (jagat). (BG 10.42)

Of the many-hooded Nāgas, Krishna is Ananta, and among the aquatics, He is the demigod Varuṇa. Of departed ancestors, He is Aryamā, and among the dispensers of law, He is Yama, the lord of death. (BG 10.29) Among the Daitya demons, He is the devoted Prahlāda; among subduers (kalayatām), He is time (kālaḥ); among beasts, He is the lion, and among birds, He is Garuḍa. (BG 10.30) Of purifiers, He is the wind; of the wielders of weapons, He is Rāma (Paraśurāma); of fishes, He is the shark, and of flowing rivers (srotasām), He is the Ganges. (BG 10.31) Of all creations, He is the beginning and the end and also the middle; of all education (vidyānāṁ), He is the spiritual education (adhyātma-vidyā), and among the stated claims (pravadatām), He is the conclusive truth (vādaḥ). (BG 10.32)

Of letters, Krishna is the letter A, and among compound words, He is the dual compound. Krishna alone (aham eva) is the inexhaustible time (akṣayaḥ kālo) and He is the all-facing (viśvato-mukhaḥ) creator (dhātā) – Brahmā. (BG 10.33) He is all-devouring death (mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham) and the generating principle (udbhavaś) of all that is yet to be (bhaviṣyatām). Of the feminine (nārīṇāṁ), He is fame (kīrtiḥ), beauty (śrīr), speech (vāk), memory (smṛtir), intelligence (medhā), steadfastness (dhṛtiḥ), and forgiveness (kṣamā). (BG 10.34) Of the hymns in the Sāma Veda, He is the Bṛhat-sāma (the great hymn), and of the metered chants (chandasām), He is the Gāyatrī. Of months, He is Mārgaśīrṣa [November-December], and of seasons, He is flower-bearing spring. (BG 10.35) He is the gambling (dyūtaṁ) of cheats (chalayatām), and of the splendid (tejasvinām), He is the splendor (tejas). He is the victory (jayo), He is the adventure (vyavasāyo), and He is the pure goodness (sattvaṁ) among all superior qualities (sattvavatām). (BG 10.36)

Upon Arjuna’s request, Krishna begins to tell (kathayiṣyāmi) Arjuna about His personal divine opulence (divyā hy ātma-vibhūtayaḥ), but only the prominent ones (prādhānyataḥ), as there is no end to Krishna’s opulence (nāsty anto vistarasya me). (BG 10.19) In the next twenty verses, Krishna lists various objects or groups of living entities and states that He is their essence or the chief member of each group. It does not mean these objects and personalities are meant to be considered equal to Krishna. Rather, their prominence in our estimation is meant to remind us of Krishna and His opulence as Krishna is the source of everything and everyone.

Krishna is the Supersoul (aham ātmā) seated in the hearts of all living entities (sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ). He is the beginning (aham ādiś), the middle (madhyaṁ ca) and the end of all beings (bhūtānām anta eva). (BG 10.20)

Of the Ādityas Krishna is Viṣṇu. Among luminaries (jyotiṣāṁ), He is the radiant sun. Of the Maruts, He is Marīci, and among the lunar mansions (nakṣatrāṇām), He is the moon. (BG 10.21) Of the Vedas Krishna is the Sāma Veda; of the demigods, He is Indra (vāsavaḥ), the king of heaven; of the senses, He is the mind (manaś) – the most difficult one to control; and in living beings, He is consciousness (cetanā). (BG 10.22) Of all the Rudras, Krishna is Lord Śiva, of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas He is the Lord of wealth [Kuvera], of the Vasus He is fire [Agni], and of the mountain peaks, He is Meru. (BG 10.23) Of priests, Krishna is the chief, Bṛhaspati. Of generals, He is Kārttikeya, and of bodies of water, He is the ocean. (BG 10.24) Of the great sages, He is Bhṛgu; of words, He is the transcendental oṁ. Of sacrifices, He is the soft chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things, He is the Himālayas. (BG 10.25)

Of all trees, Krishna is the banyan tree, and of the sages among the demigods, He is Nārada. Of the Gandharvas, He is Citraratha, and among perfected beings, He is the sage Kapila. (BG 10.26) Of horses, Krishna is Uccaiḥśravā, produced during the churning of the ocean for nectar. Of lordly elephants, He is Airāvata, and among men, He is the monarch. (BG 10.27) Of weapons, Krishna is the thunderbolt; among cows, He is the wish-fulfilling Surabhi (kāma-dhuk). Of causes for procreation (prajanaś), He is Kandarpa – the god of love, and of serpents, He is Vāsuki. (BG 10.28)

Arjuna expresses his conclusion and realization as follows. Krishna (bhavān) is the Supreme Personality of Godhead (paraṁ brahma ), the ultimate abode (paraṁ dhāma), the ultimate purifier (pavitraṁ paramaṁ), the eternal divine person (puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam), and original God (ādi-devam) – the unborn (ajaṁ) and the greatest (vibhum). (BG 10.12) Is his friendship with Krishna somehow making him biased toward Krishna? No. All the great sages (ṛṣayaḥ sarve) such as Nārada – the sage among Gods (devarṣir nāradas), Asita, Devala and Vyāsa (asito devalo vyāsaḥ) say the same (āhus) about Krishna (tvām), and now Krishna Himself (svayaṁ caiva) is declaring it to Arjuna (bravīṣi me). (BG 10.13)

Arjuna admits that he is not cherry-picking portions of Bhagavad Gita based on what he likes but is ready to accept everything in toto. He totally accepts as truth (ṛtaṁ manye) all (sarvam etad) that Krishna has told him (yan māṁ vadasi keśava). Then, he repeats what he heard from Krishna. Neither (na hi) the demigods (devā) nor (na) the demons (dānavāḥ) can understand (vidur) Krishna’s personality (te bhagavan). (BG 10.14) Is there anyone who can know Krishna thoroughly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Only Krishna (svayam), the Supreme Person (puruṣottama) knows (vettha) Himself (tvaṁ) by His own internal potency (evātmanātmānaṁ), as the origin of all (bhūta-bhāvana), Lord of all beings (bhūteśa), God of gods (deva-deva), and Lord of the universe (jagat-pate). (BG 10.15)

Arjuna in his ecstatic trance requests Krishna to tell him (vaktum) in detail (aśeṣeṇa) of His divine (divyā) opulence (ātma-vibhūtayaḥ) by which Krishna pervades (tvaṁ vyāpya tiṣṭhasi) all these (imāṁs) worlds (lokān). (BG 10.16) Wanting to intensify his meditation upon Krishna, he wants to know how he can understand Krishna (kathaṁ vidyām ahaṁ) while constantly thinking (sadā paricintayan) of Him (tvāṁ)? Specifically, he wants to hear about the various states in which (keṣu keṣu ca bhāveṣu) the Supreme Person (bhagavan) Krishna is meant to be remembered (cintyo ’si)? (BG 10.17) Arjuna asks Krishna to speak (kathaya) again (bhūyaḥ) in detail (vistareṇa) about the mystic power of His opulence (ātmano yogaṁ vibhūtiṁ). Arjuna furthermore reveals that he is never satiated (tṛptir) in hearing about Krishna, for the more he hears the more he wants to taste the nectar (amṛtam) of Krishna’s words. (BG 10.18)

Krishna explained in the previous section how He is the source of everything and everyone – the various states of our existence, the demigods, the sages, the progenitors, as well as their descendants.

Put more emphatically, Krishna (ahaṁ) is the source (prabhavo) of all spiritual and material worlds (sarvasya), and from Krishna (mattaḥ), emanates (pravartate) everything (sarvaṁ). What happens when one discovers Krishna as the source of one’s existence? The wise (budhā) who realize this (matvā) engage in the devotional service (bhajante) of Krishna (māṁ) filled with loving feelings (bhāva-samanvitāḥ). (BG 10.8) These loving feelings are accompanied by commensurate actions. Their thoughts dwell in Krishna (mac-cittā), their lives are fully devoted to Krishna’s service (mad-gata-prāṇā), and they derive great satisfaction (tuṣyanti ca) and bliss (ramanti ca) from always (nityaṁ) enlightening one another (bodhayantaḥ parasparam) and conversing (kathayantaś) about Krishna. (BG 10.9)

How does Krishna reciprocate with such a soul? To those who are thus constantly connecting with Krishna in love (teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ), Krishna gives (dadāmi) the yoga of intelligence (buddhi-yogaṁ) by which they can come back to Krishna (yena mām upayānti te). (BG 10.10) Note that going back to Krishna or Krishna’s abode is maintained as a goal in whatever we receive from Krishna. For them alone (teṣām eva), to give them special mercy (anukampārtham), Krishna (aham) from within (ātma-bhāva-stho) destroys (nāśayāmy) the darkness born of ignorance (ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ) with the shining lamp of knowledge (jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā). (BG 10.11)

Arjuna will reveal next how the enlightened conditions look like from his perspective.

The seven great sages (maharṣayaḥ sapta), and before them (pūrve) the four kumaras (catvāro), and (tathā) the Manus [progenitors of mankind] (manavas) carrying Krishna’s nature (mad-bhāvā) are born from Krishna’s mind (mānasā jātā). From them (yeṣāṁ) comes the world’s progeny (loka imāḥ prajāḥ). (BG 10.6) One who knows in truth (yo vetti tattvataḥ) this (etāṁ) opulence (vibhūtiṁ) and mystic power (yogaṁ) of Krishna (mama) engages (yujyate) in unwavering (avikalpena) practice of connecting with Krishna (yogena). There is no doubt here (nātra saṁśayaḥ). (BG 10.7)

Thus, Krishna is the source of everything and therefore He cannot be fully known by the various states of existence (regardless of their modes), the demigods, the sages, the progenitors, or their descendants. Understanding this, naturally, we should gravitate toward striking a connection with Him, the source of our existence.

Why is it important to know Krishna? One who knows (vetti) Krishna (mām) as (i) unborn (ajam), (ii) beginningless (anādiṁ), and (iii) the Supreme Lord of all the worlds (loka-maheśvaram) is undeluded (asammūḍhaḥ) among the mortals (martyeṣu), and is freed (pramucyate) from all sins (sarva-pāpaiḥ). (BG 10.3) Since knowing Krishna to be simultaneously unborn, beginningless and the Lord of everything is beyond the range of our experience, this constitutes confidential knowledge.

In summary, it is impossible to understand one’s source without being favored by the source. When one hears in the disciplic succession, one receives the favor of the Lord and therefore can know Krishna by revelation.