Gita 10.27
Vibhuti Yoga
उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् । ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ॥
uccaiḥśravasam aśvānāṁ viddhi mām amṛtodbhavam | airāvataṁ gajendrāṇāṁ narāṇāṁ ca narādhipam ||
In essence: From the cosmic churning that yielded immortality itself came the supreme horse; among elephants stands the divine mount of heaven's king; and among humans, whoever bears the weight of leadership - in these peaks of their kinds, recognize the Divine.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Why these particular beings? A horse, an elephant, a king - they seem like Arjuna's world more than mine."
Guru: "What do all three have in common?"
Sadhak: "They're all powerful? Respected?"
Guru: "Look deeper. What is a horse used for?"
Sadhak: "Travel, war, carrying burdens..."
Guru: "And an elephant?"
Sadhak: "Same things - but bigger. More majestic. They carry kings into battle."
Guru: "And a king?"
Sadhak: "He carries... the responsibility of his people. Oh. They all carry something."
Guru: "Exactly. The supreme horse, the supreme elephant, the supreme human - all are supreme bearers. They carry weight that others cannot. Now - Ucchaisravas was 'amritodbhavam.' What does that mean?"
Sadhak: "Born from the churning for nectar. From that great struggle between devas and asuras."
Guru: "So this supreme bearer emerged from supreme struggle. What might that suggest about your own life?"
Sadhak: "That my capacity to bear comes from my struggles? That I become able to carry more through the churning of my own life?"
Guru: "And that the Divine is present in that process - both the churning and what emerges from it. Now, about the king..."
Sadhak: "I'm not a king. This doesn't apply to me."
Guru: "Are you certain? Is there no domain where you bear responsibility for others? No sphere where your decisions affect more than yourself?"
Sadhak: "Well, my family depends on me. My team at work looks to me for guidance..."
Guru: "So you are 'naradhipa' in your sphere. The scale differs; the principle remains. When you shoulder that responsibility rightly - when you serve those who depend on you rather than exploiting them - Krishna is present in that function. Kingship is not about throne; it's about dharmic bearing of collective weight."
Sadhak: "So leadership itself is a form of spiritual practice?"
Guru: "When practiced as service, as sacred responsibility - yes. This is why Arjuna cannot abandon his duty. The battlefield is his kingdom; his soldiers depend on him. To flee is to abandon divine function."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Samudra-manthana reflection: Before beginning your day, reflect on current 'churning' in your life - challenges, struggles, difficult situations. Like the cosmic churning, your struggles produce both poison (negativity, pain) and nectar (growth, strength, wisdom). Set intention: 'Today I will look for what is emerging from my struggles - what capacity, what wisdom, what strength is being born?'
Naradhipa practice: Throughout the day, notice wherever you exercise responsibility - as parent, professional, friend, family member. In each such domain, ask: 'Am I bearing this weight as divine service or as ego-burden?' When you make decisions affecting others, pause and ask: 'What would dharmic sovereignty choose here?' Act from service, not self-interest.
Weight inventory: Before sleep, review what you 'carried' today - responsibilities, others' needs, difficult situations. Acknowledge each weight honestly. Then offer each to Krishna: 'You are the supreme bearer. I carried these today - perhaps well, perhaps poorly. Tomorrow let me carry them as Your function, not my burden.'