“I give heat, withhold and send rain, I am immortality and death, being and nonbeing, O Arjuna.”
Key Teaching: Krishna governs natural forces and dualities of existence.
Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga.
Description:
Krishna teaches that he gives heat, withholds and sends rain, and is immortality, death, being, and nonbeing. This verse, continuing 9.18, addresses Arjuna’s need for cosmic understanding (2.9). The themes of guidance, as Krishna instructs, dharma, as he clarifies divine control, and Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga, as he emphasizes his allencompassing nature, are central.
In the Mahabharata, Arjuna’s limited view (1.28–46) obscures Krishna’s cosmic role, unlike Duryodhana’s material focus (1.3–11). Krishna urges Arjuna to recognize his control over nature for his Kshatriya duty, aligning with Karma Yoga (2.47, 9.18). Krishna governs dualities.
Philosophically, this verse addresses the human ignorance of divine control, a theme Krishna refines with teachings on his pervasion (9.10). Arjuna’s reluctance complicates his dharma, necessitating Krishna’s guidance to grasp divine dualities. The theme of Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga underscores the Gita’s focus on divine supremacy.
Sanjaya’s narration frames Krishna’s teaching objectively, emphasizing its cosmic clarity. This verse serves as a metaphor for life’s dualities, where Krishna governs all. Krishna’s teaching prepares readers for performing duty with cosmic awareness, aligning with liberation.
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