Gita 10.25
Vibhuti Yoga
महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् | यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ||
maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ girām asmy ekam akṣaram | yajñānāṁ japa-yajño 'smi sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ ||
In essence: Krishna identifies with the most profound simplicity: sage Bhrigu who tested divinity itself, the single syllable Om, the silent japa among all rituals, and the majestic Himalayas.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Why Bhrigu? I've heard he was arrogant, kicking Vishnu in the chest."
Guru: "What was Bhrigu trying to accomplish?"
Sadhak: "To test which deity - Brahma, Vishnu, or Shiva - was most worthy of worship."
Guru: "And his method?"
Sadhak: "He insulted each one to see how they responded to provocation."
Guru: "Was this genuine spiritual inquiry or mere ego?"
Sadhak: "I... suppose it was genuine, in an extreme way. He wanted to know truth badly enough to risk divine wrath."
Guru: "Exactly. Bhrigu represents the seeker whose fire is so intense they'll risk everything to know truth. He didn't timidly accept traditional answers; he tested them personally. This is why the Divine identifies with him among sages - not despite his apparent arrogance but because of his uncompromising inquiry. Would you rather have a follower who questions nothing or one who demands direct verification?"
Sadhak: "A questioner, I suppose - it shows real engagement."
Guru: "The Divine agrees. True devotion includes the capacity to wrestle with God, not just bow passively."
Sadhak: "And Om as the supreme utterance - isn't that too simple? One syllable?"
Guru: "Can you name anything that contains everything?"
Sadhak: "The whole contains everything..."
Guru: "But can you utter the whole? Om is the sound-form of totality - compressed, not simplified. The entire Vedas are elaborations of Om; all mantras begin and end with it; it's the sound of existence humming. When Krishna says 'among utterances I am the one syllable,' He's saying: why use many words when one contains all? The elaborate points to the simple; the complex derives from the single. This is why japa of Om alone is considered complete spiritual practice by many traditions."
Sadhak: "And japa-yajña over elaborate rituals - doesn't that undermine Vedic ritual worship?"
Guru: "Does it undermine or complete? Every elaborate ritual eventually comes to concentration - the flame, the mantra, the moment of offering. Japa is that concentration purified of external complexity. You need no fire, no materials, no priests - just you and the divine name. Accessibility is a spiritual value. The ritual requiring elaborate preparation serves some; the japa available anywhere serves all. By calling japa-yajña the supreme sacrifice, Krishna democratizes worship. Anyone, anywhere, anytime can perform the highest ritual. This isn't undermining but universalizing."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Ekam-aksharam practice: Begin with 7 repetitions of Om - slow, full, conscious. On each repetition, feel the sound containing all other sounds, all words you'll speak today deriving from this source. This isn't just warm-up; it's invocation of the vibhūti of sacred speech. Let the single syllable set the tone for all subsequent utterances.
Japa-yajña windows: Find three brief windows today - perhaps waiting in line, commuting, brief break - and perform mini japa (10-20 repetitions of a chosen mantra, even just Om). This practices what Krishna calls the supreme sacrifice. No materials needed, no preparation, no special space - just consciousness returning to sacred sound. Notice: you can perform the highest sacrifice anywhere. This accessibility IS the point.
Bhrigu-inquiry reflection: Before sleep, ask yourself one bold spiritual question you've been avoiding - something that might seem presumptuous or destabilizing. Bhrigu's vibhūti is fearless inquiry. What truth have you accepted without personal verification? What teaching have you swallowed without digestion? Not to doubt destructively but to inquire constructively - as Bhrigu did, risking much to know for certain. Journal your question; let it work in you overnight.