Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 28

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।
प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्पः सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकिः ॥

Transliteration

āyudhānāmahaṃ vajraṃ dhenūnāmasmi kāmadhuk .
prajanaścāsmi kandarpaḥ sarpāṇāmasmi vāsukiḥ ॥

Meaning

Among weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow; I am Kandarpa, the cause of procreation; and among serpents I am Vasuki.

Word meanings

आयुधानाम् – among weapons
अहम् – I
वज्रम् – the thunderbolt
धेनूनाम् – among cows
अस्मि – I am
कामधुक् – Kamadhenu, the wish-yielding cow
प्रजनः – the cause of procreation
च – and
अस्मि – I am
कन्दर्पः – Kandarpa, the god of love
सर्पाणाम् – among serpents
अस्मि – I am
वासुकिः – Vasuki, king of serpents

Anvaya (word order)

आयुधानाम् अहं वज्रं, धेनूनां कामधुक् अस्मि, प्रजनः कन्दर्पः च अस्मि, सर्पाणां वासुकिः अस्मि ।

Explanation

Ayudhanam aham vajram, ‘among weapons I am the thunderbolt’. The vajra is Indra’s unfailing weapon. Its story is deeply inspiring: when the demon Vritra terrorised the three worlds, the sage Dadhichi gave up his life for the good of all, and from his bones the vajra was fashioned, with which Indra slew Vritra. At the root of the thunderbolt’s power lies a sage’s supreme self-sacrifice; that is its divinity.

Dhenunam asmi kamadhuk, ‘among cows I am Kamadhenu’, the celestial cow that rose from the churning of the ocean and grants every wish. She lived in the hermitage of the sage Vasishtha (the story of her daughter Nandini is also well known). Indian culture honours the cow as a mother because she nourishes without asking anything in return; Kamadhenu is the highest form of that generosity.

Prajanash chasmi kandarpah, ‘I am Kandarpa, the cause of procreation’. It is significant that Krishna adds the qualifier prajana. Shankara makes clear that what is meant is desire as the cause of righteous procreation, not mere craving for pleasure. In 7.11 the Lord said likewise, ‘I am desire not opposed to dharma.’ The continuity of creation rests on this sacred power.

Sarpanam asmi vasukih, ‘among serpents I am Vasuki’, king of serpents, who rests as an ornament around Shiva’s neck. In the churning of the ocean he served as the rope for gods and asuras alike and endured great pain. Shankara and other commentators distinguish sarpa here (single-hooded, venomous) from naga in the next verse (many-hooded, non-venomous).

Context

Verse 27 named glories in Ucchaihshravas, Airavata and the king. This verse names the thunderbolt, Kamadhenu, Kandarpa and Vasuki. In the next verse Krishna names Ananta among nagas, Varuna among water-beings, Aryaman among ancestors and Yama among those who govern.

Life lesson

True power is born of sacrifice, as the thunderbolt came from Dadhichi’s self-offering. Desire in harmony with dharma is itself sacred. And like Vasuki, be willing to bear hardship in the service of a great purpose.

Key terms

Vajra: Indra’s unfailing thunderbolt, made from Dadhichi’s bones
Kamadhenu: the wish-fulfilling celestial cow
Kandarpa: the god of love, as the power of righteous procreation
Vasuki: king of serpents, rope of the ocean churning