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Bhagavad-gītā 10.21

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंश‍ुमान् । मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी ॥ २१ ॥
ādityānām ahaṁ viṣṇur
[aadityaanaam aham vishnur]
jyotiṣāṁ ravir aṁśumān
[jyotishaam ravir amshumaan]
marīcir marutām asmi
[mareechir marutaam asmi]
nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī
[nakshatraanaam aham shashee]
Word-for-word
ādityānām — of the Ādityas aham — I am viṣṇuḥ — the Supreme Lord jyotiṣām — of all luminaries raviḥ — the sun aṁśu - mān — radiant marīciḥ — Marīci marutām — of the Maruts asmi — I am nakṣatrāṇām — of the stars aham — I am śaśī — the moon .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ādityānām ahaṁ viṣṇur
ādityānām
of the Ādityas
aham
I am
viṣṇuḥ
the Supreme Lord
jyotiṣāṁ ravir aṁśumān
jyotiṣām
of all luminaries
raviḥ
the sun
aṁśu - mān
radiant
marīciḥ
Marīci
marīcir marutām asmi
marutām
of the Maruts
asmi
I am
nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī
nakṣatrāṇām
of the stars
aham
I am
śaśī
the moon .
Important Words
  • ādityānām — of the Ādityas
    Genitive plural — 'among the Ādityas.' The twelve sons of Aditi, the solar deities. Kṛṣṇa is naming the Viṣṇu-Āditya specifically — His own form among them. The chapter's strategy from here on: pick the head of each set.
  • viṣṇuḥ — the Supreme Lord
    Among the twelve Ādityas, one is Viṣṇu — a direct expansion of Kṛṣṇa. The verse signals: even in the demigod-category, look for the form most closely identified with Me.
  • jyotiṣām — of all luminaries
    Genitive plural of jyotis — 'lights.' Among all luminous bodies, the sun is principal. The pattern: of a set, the most radiant member is Kṛṣṇa's chosen vibhūti.
  • marīciḥ — Marīci
    The chief of the Maruts (wind-gods). The name also means 'ray of light' — fitting the verse's lighting theme. Kṛṣṇa picks the windhead whose name itself echoes radiance.
  • śaśī — the moon
    'The hare-marked one,' a poetic name for the moon. Among nakṣatras (the asterisms), the moon presides — the nightly counterpart to the sun. Kṛṣṇa names the lord of the night sky.
Of the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, of lights I am the radiant sun, of the Maruts I am Marīci, and among the stars I am the moon.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The catalogue begins in the heavens: among twelve Ādityas, Viṣṇu; among lights, the sun; among Maruts, Marīci; among lunar constellations, the moon. The pattern of 'one chief per class' is set, framing Kṛṣṇa's presence as 'the foremost' in every category.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Viṣṇu here is the smaller Āditya Viṣṇu (one of twelve), not the cosmic Viṣṇu — a deft theological joke: even within His own pantheon list He picks out a 'Viṣṇu'-named member. Aṁśumān (sun) and śaśī (moon) form the twin luminaries; Marīci leads the 49 Maruts in Purāṇic taxonomy. Cross-ref BG 11.39 where similar cosmic deities are addressed in the viśva-rūpa.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
आदित्यानां (मध्ये) अहं विष्णुः (अस्मि); ज्योतिषां (मध्ये) अंशुमान् रविः (अस्मि); मरुतां (मध्ये) मरीचिः अस्मि; नक्षत्राणां (मध्ये) अहं शशी (अस्मि) ।
ādityānāṃ (madhye) ahaṃ viṣṇuḥ (asmi); jyotiṣāṃ (madhye) aṃśumān raviḥ (asmi); marutāṃ (madhye) marīciḥ asmi; nakṣatrāṇāṃ (madhye) ahaṃ śaśī (asmi) |
Among the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu; among lights I am the radiant sun; among the Maruts I am Marīci; among constellations I am the moon.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
आदित्यानाम् अहं विष्णुः ज्योतिषां रविः अंशुमान् । मरीचिः मरुताम् अस्मि नक्षत्राणाम् अहं शशी ॥
ādityānām ahaṃ viṣṇuḥ jyotiṣāṃ raviḥ aṃśumān | marīciḥ marutām asmi nakṣatrāṇām ahaṃ śaśī ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
आदित्यानाम् ādityānām आदित्य (m.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among the Ādityas
अहम् aham अस्मद् nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
विष्णुः viṣṇuḥ विष्णु (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) Viṣṇu (the twelfth Āditya)
ज्योतिषाम् jyotiṣām ज्योतिस् (n.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among luminaries
रविः raviḥ रवि (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the sun
अंशुमान् aṃśumān अंशुमत् (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. endowed with rays
मरीचिः marīciḥ मरीचि (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) Marīci (chief Marut)
मरुताम् marutām मरुत् (m.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among the Maruts (storm-gods)
अस्मि asmi √अस् pres. (present) 1sg.par. (parasmaipada / active voice) I am
नक्षत्राणाम् nakṣatrāṇām नक्षत्र (n.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among constellations
शशी śaśī शशिन् (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the moon
Purport

There are twelve Ādityas, of which Kṛṣṇa is the principal. Among all the luminaries shining in the sky, the sun is the chief, and in the Brahma-saṁhitā the sun is accepted as the glowing eye of the Supreme Lord. There are fifty varieties of wind blowing in space, and of these winds the controlling deity, Marīci, represents Kṛṣṇa. Among the stars, the moon is the most prominent at night, and thus the moon represents Kṛṣṇa. It appears from this verse that the moon is one of the stars; therefore the stars that twinkle in the sky also reflect the light of the sun. The theory that there are many suns within the universe is not accepted by Vedic literature. The sun is one, and as by the reflection of the sun the moon illuminates, so also do the stars. Since Bhagavad-gītā indicates herein that the moon is one of the stars, the twinkling stars are not suns but are similar to the moon.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
21. Among Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, and among lights, I am the many-rayed sun. Among the winds, I am Marīci. [Note: The story is told in SB 6.18. Indra entered Diti’s womb and cut her son into forty-nine parts. In this way the forty-nine kinds of air known as the Maruts appeared.] I am the moon amidst the stars.
Commentary

The genitive case is use for the rest of the chapter to indicate a specific head of group of items and also to indicate a relation to a group. Among the twelve Ādityas, I am Viṣṇu, one of the names of the sun. [Note: The sun is given twelve names according its position in the twelve zodiac signs throughout the year. The names are Dhātṛ, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuṇa, Indra, Vivasvat, Pūṣan, Parjanya, Amśa, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭṛ and Viṣṇu.] This is My vibhūti. Among all lights, those things which reveal, I am the sun, with a multitude of rays. Marīci is outstanding among the winds.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
21. Among Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, and among lights, I am the many-rayed sun. Among the winds, I am Marīci. [Note: The story is told in SB 6.19. Indra entered Diti’s womb and cut her son into forty-nine parts. In this way the forty-nine kinds of air known as the Maruts appeared.] I am the moon amidst the stars.
Commentary

Among the twelve Adityas I am Vāmana (viṣṇu). Among illuminators, I am the sun whose rays spread throughout the universe (aṁśumān-having rays). Among the forty-nine Maruts, I am Marīci. I am the moon, who showers nectar, the lord of the constellations. In these verses the genitive case is used to indicate an outstanding member of a group ( eg. Vāmana among Adityas), and sometimes to indicate a relationship (eg. lord of the constellations).

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
10.21 Adityanam, among the twelve Adityas; aham, I; am the Aditya called Visnu. Jyotisam, among the luminaries; amsuman, the radiant; ravih, sun. Marutam, among the different gods called Maruts; asmi, I am; the one called Marici. Naksatranam, among the stars; I am sasi, the moon.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
10.21 Of Adityas, who are twelve in number, I am the twelfth Aditya, called Visnu, who is paramount. Of luminuous bodies, namely, among luminaries in the world, I am the sun, the most brilliant luminary. Of Maruts I am the paramount Marici. Of constellations, I am the moon. The genitive case here is not to specify one out of many included in a group. Its use is the same as what is exemplifed in the statement 'I am the consciousness in all beings' (10.22). I am the moon who is the Lord of the constellations.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
10.21 See Comment under 10.42
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
10.21 Among the (twelve) Adityas, I am Vishnu; among luminaries, the radiant sun; I am Marichi among the (seven or forty-nine) Maruts; among stars the moon am I.
Commentary

10.21 आदित्यानम् among the Adityas? अहम् I? विष्णुः Vishnu? ज्योतिषाम् among lights? रविः the sun? अंशुमान् radiant? मरीचिः Marichi? मरुताम् of the Maruts (winds)? अस्मि (I) am? नक्षत्राणाम् among the stars? अहम् I? शशी the moon.Commentary Of the twelve Adityas I am the Aditya known as Vishnu? Dhata? Mitra? Aryama? Rudra? Varuna? Bhaga? Surya? Vivasvan? Pusham? Savita? Tvashta and Vishnu are the twelve Adityas. The twelve months of the year are the Adityas.The Maruts are the gods controlling the winds. Some hold that there are seven of them while others say there are fortynine.The twelve Adityas? the luminaries like Agni? lightning? etc.? the Maruts? the stars? etc.? are the Samanya Vibhutis (ordinary manifestations) of the Lord. Vishnu? the sun? Marichi? and the moon are His Visesha Vibhutis (special manifestations) and hence they have greater splendour in them.You can superimpose the Lord on the sun and the moon? and meditate on them as forms of the Lord. You can practise the same kind of meditation on all forms mentioned in the following verses of this chapter.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
10.21 Among the Adityas [viz Dhata, Mitra, aryama, Rudra, Varuna, Surya, Bhaga, Vivasvan, Pusa, Savita, Tvasta and Visnu.-Tr.] I am Visnu; among the luminaries, the radiant sun; among the (forty-nine) Maruts [The seven groups of Maruts are Avaha, Pravaha, Vivaha, Paravaha, Udvaha, Samvaha and parivaha.-Tr.] I am Marici; among the stars I am the moon.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
10.21 Of all the creative Powers I am the Creator, of luminaries the Sun; the Whirlwind among the winds, and the Moon among planets.
Related values & verses
Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
BG 7.8 BG 15.12 BG 11.19 SB 6.6.38 SB 5.20.30 SB 6.6.12 CC Madhya 20.318 CC Ādi 5.99 CC Madhya 20.258 Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.2.10Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.15
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Of the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu; of luminaries I am the radiant sun; of the winds I am Marīci; of stars I am the moon.
Practical Applications
  • See the sun and moon as Kṛṣṇa's specific opulences, not generic phenomena.
  • Step outside daily and recognize Him.
  • Use sky as reminder.
Reflection Questions
  • When did I last step outside as remembrance?
  • What sky-experience could become contemplation?
Analogy

When a king walks through his treasury, he does not point at every coin. He points at the centerpiece — the great ruby, the largest pearl, the most ancient crown. So Kṛṣṇa, beginning His catalog, names the foremost of each category: Viṣṇu among the Ādityas, the sun among lights, Marīci among the Maruts, the moon among stars.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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