Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 37

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः ।
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ॥

Transliteration

vṛṣṇīnāṃ vāsudevo.asmi pāṇḍavānāṃ dhanañjayaḥ .
munīnāmapyahaṃ vyāsaḥ kavīnāmuśanā kaviḥ ॥

Meaning

Among the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva; among the Pandavas, Dhananjaya; among sages I am Vyasa; and among seers I am the seer Ushana.

Word meanings

वृष्णीनाम् – among the Vrishnis
वासुदेवः – Vasudeva, Krishna son of Vasudeva
अस्मि – I am
पाण्डवानाम् – among the Pandavas
धनञ्जयः – Dhananjaya, Arjuna
मुनीनाम् – among sages
अपि – also
अहम् – I
व्यासः – Vyasa
कवीनाम् – among seers, sages of insight
उशना – Ushana, Shukracharya
कविः – the seer

Anvaya (word order)

वृष्णीनां वासुदेवः अस्मि, पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः (अस्मि), मुनीनाम् अपि अहं व्यासः, कवीनाम् उशना कविः (अस्मि) ।

Explanation

The glories in this verse are especially striking because several are themselves figures of the Mahabharata. Vrishninam vasudevo ’smi, ‘among the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva’. The Vrishnis are the Yadava clan into which Krishna was born as son of Vasudeva. Here Krishna names His own human form as His glory. Shankara glosses it, ‘I myself, your friend Vasudeva’. The very form in which the Lord stands before Arjuna is His supreme manifestation.

Pandavanam dhananjayah, ‘among the Pandavas I am Dhananjaya’. The Lord calls Arjuna himself His glory! This is a wonderful expression of His love. Arjuna is called Dhananjaya, winner of wealth, because at the time of the Rajasuya sacrifice he conquered many kings and gathered their riches. It is a lovely sign of the oneness of devotee and Lord: God regards His devotee as His own form. Imagine how Arjuna must have felt to hear it.

Muninam apy aham vyasah, ‘among sages I am Vyasa’. A muni is one given to contemplation. Veda Vyasa, born Krishna Dvaipayana, divided the one Veda into four, composed the eighteen Puranas and the Mahabharata, and is regarded as author of the Brahma Sutras. The Gita itself is part of the Mahabharata. The Bhagavata calls Vyasa a partial incarnation of the Lord, and Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima.

Kavinam ushana kavih, ‘among seers I am the seer Ushana’. Kavi here means not merely a poet but a krantadarshi, one who sees far, a sage of penetrating intellect. Shukracharya, also called Ushana or Bhargava, was preceptor of the asuras, knower of the science of reviving the dead and a great teacher of statecraft. Remarkably, the Lord names the guru of the asuras as His glory, for wherever there is excellence of intellect and learning, it belongs to Him.

Context

Verse 36 named glories in gambling, splendour, victory, resolve and goodness. This verse names Vasudeva, Arjuna, Vyasa and Shukracharya. In the next verse Krishna names the rod of discipline, statesmanship, silence among secrets and the knowledge of the wise.

Life lesson

The Lord regards His devotee as His own form; that is the highest honour of devotion. Respect wisdom and excellence wherever they appear, even on the opposing side. And be grateful to teachers like Vyasa who gave us the scriptures.

Key terms

Vrishni: the Yadava clan of Krishna’s birth
Vasudeva: son of Vasudeva, Krishna
Dhananjaya: winner of wealth, Arjuna
Vyasa: arranger of the Vedas, author of the Mahabharata and Puranas
Ushana: Shukracharya, guru of the asuras, far-seeing sage