Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 24

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

पुरोधसां च मुख्यं मां विद्धि पार्थ बृहस्पतिम् ।
सेनानीनामहं स्कन्दः सरसामस्मि सागरः ॥

Transliteration

purodhasāṃ ca mukhyaṃ māṃ viddhi pārtha bṛhaspatim .
senānīnāmahaṃ skandaḥ sarasāmasmi sāgaraḥ ॥

Meaning

Among priests, O Partha, know Me to be the chief, Brihaspati; among generals I am Skanda; among bodies of water I am the ocean.

Word meanings

पुरोधसाम् – among priests
च – and
मुख्यम् – the chief
माम् – Me
विद्धि – know
पार्थ – O Partha
बृहस्पतिम् – Brihaspati, preceptor of the gods
सेनानीनाम् – among commanders
अहम् – I
स्कन्दः – Skanda, Kartikeya
सरसाम् – among reservoirs of water
अस्मि – I am
सागरः – the ocean

Anvaya (word order)

पार्थ, पुरोधसां च मुख्यं बृहस्पतिं मां विद्धि; सेनानीनाम् अहं स्कन्दः (अस्मि), सरसाम् सागरः अस्मि ।

Explanation

‘Among priests, know Me to be the chief, Brihaspati.’ A purohita is the spiritual guide of a king or patron, who performs his rites and gives counsel in accordance with dharma. Brihaspati is the preceptor and priest of the gods, adviser to Indra. He is regarded as the deity of speech, wisdom and statecraft, and the planet Jupiter (Guru) bears his name. Shankara notes that as Indra’s own priest, Brihaspati stands first among all priests. The capacity to give wisdom and right guidance is a glory of the Lord.

Senaninam aham skandah, ‘among generals I am Skanda’. Skanda, also called Kartikeya, Kumara, Murugan and Shadanana, is the son of Shiva and Parvati. He became commander of the gods’ army and slew the demon Taraka, freeing the gods. He is worshipped as the ideal of valour, discipline and leadership, especially in South India.

Sarasam asmi sagarah, ‘among waters I am the ocean’. Lakes, ponds and reservoirs all hold water, but the ocean is the vastest and deepest, and all rivers finally flow into it. In chapter 2 the person of steady wisdom was compared to the ocean, which keeps its bounds though rivers pour in, just as the sage stays unmoved though desires enter. The ocean’s vastness, depth and dignity mirror the Lord’s infinitude.

This verse shows the Lord in three spheres, wisdom (Brihaspati), valour (Skanda) and vastness (the ocean). A balanced life needs all three.

Context

Verse 23 named glories in Rudra, Kubera, fire and Meru. This verse names them among priests, generals and waters. In the next verse Krishna names Bhrigu among great sages, Om among words, japa among sacrifices and the Himalaya among immovable things.

Life lesson

Wisdom that guides rightly, courage that confronts injustice, and an ocean-like depth and composure are all divine qualities. Cultivate them, and honour good teachers and guides.

Key terms

Purodha: priest, spiritual guide
Brihaspati: preceptor and priest of the gods
Skanda: Kartikeya, commander of the gods’ army
Sagara: the ocean, vastest of waters