Gita 10.35
Vibhuti Yoga
बृहत्साम तथा साम्नां गायत्री छन्दसामहम् । मासानां मार्गशीर्षोऽहमृतूनां कुसुमाकरः ॥३५॥
bṛhat-sāma tathā sāmnāṁ gāyatrī chandasām aham | māsānāṁ mārgaśīrṣo 'ham ṛtūnāṁ kusumākaraḥ ||35||
In essence: God manifests as the most exalted hymn, the most sacred meter, the purest month, and the most beautiful season - all peaks of their kind point to the Divine.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "I don't know the Brihat-sama or perform Vedic rituals. Does this verse have any relevance for me?"
Guru: "Have you ever heard music that moved you to tears or lifted you beyond yourself?"
Sadhak: "Yes, many times. Certain songs, certain ragas... they take me somewhere else."
Guru: "That 'somewhere else' is what the Brihat-sama does for those steeped in Vedic tradition. The verse isn't about exclusive rituals but about recognizing divine presence in the highest forms of sacred expression. For you, your most transporting music IS your Brihat-sama. When sound becomes vehicle for transcendence, God is manifest. Krishna honors the specific (Brihat-sama) to point to the universal: the Divine as the power in all truly sacred music."
Sadhak: "Why is Margashirsha the greatest month? In my tradition, different months are considered sacred."
Guru: "What makes a month 'great' in your tradition?"
Sadhak: "Usually important festivals, or historical events, or astrological significance..."
Guru: "Exactly. Margashirsha was considered supreme in the ancient Vedic calendar for its optimal conditions for spiritual practice and its placement at the year's beginning. But the deeper teaching isn't 'only this month is divine' - it's that time has peaks, that certain temporal conditions enhance spiritual receptivity. Your sacred month, whatever it is, is also a vibhūti. The point is to recognize: not all time is equal in its conduciveness to awakening. Use the naturally charged periods in your tradition intensively. Krishna chose Margashirsha not to exclude other months but to illustrate that temporal excellence manifests the Divine."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Gayatri rhythm awareness: Even if you don't chant the traditional Gayatri Mantra, spend a few minutes feeling the three-line, eight-syllable rhythm. You can use any sacred phrase arranged this way, or simply breathe in three equal phases of eight counts each. Feel the harmony and balance this creates. Recognize: sacred rhythm itself is divine presence. Let this sanctify all rhythmic activities of the day - walking, breathing, working.
Seasonal appreciation: Whatever season you're currently in, take 2-3 moments to appreciate its particular beauty. If spring, notice flowers and new growth - recognize kusumākara, the Divine's creative flowering. If another season, find its own divine signature: summer's power, autumn's transformation, winter's stillness. No season is God-less; each manifests the Divine differently. See the current season as a letter in God's temporal alphabet.
Brihat-sama substitute: Before sleep, listen to (or recall) the most spiritually moving music you know. It needn't be Indian classical - any music that has lifted your consciousness will do. As you listen/remember, recognize: this power to transport through sound is divine vibhūti. The same divine presence that manifests as Brihat-sama manifests in whatever music opens your heart. Let the music be your evening prayer, receiving it as divine communication.