FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 10.23

రుద్రాణాం శఙ్కరశ్చాస్మి విత్తేశో యక్షరక్షసామ్ । వసూనాం పావకశ్చాస్మి మేరు: శిఖరిణామహమ్ ॥ ౨౩ ॥
rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraś cāsmi
[rudraanaam shankarash chaasmi]
vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām
[vittesho yaksha-rakshasaam]
vasūnāṁ pāvakaś cāsmi
[vasoonaam paavakash chaasmi]
meruḥ śikhariṇām aham
[meruh shikharinaam aham]
Word-for-word
rudrāṇām — of all the Rudras śaṅkaraḥ — Lord Śiva ca — also asmi — I am vitta - īśaḥ — the lord of the treasury of the demigods yakṣa - rakṣasām — of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas vasūnām — of the Vasus pāvakaḥ — fire ca — also asmi — I am meruḥ — Meru śikhariṇām — of all mountains aham — I am .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraś cāsmi
rudrāṇām
of all the Rudras
śaṅkaraḥ
Lord Śiva
ca
also
asmi
I am
vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām
vitta - īśaḥ
the lord of the treasury of the demigods
yakṣa - rakṣasām
of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas
vasūnāṁ pāvakaś cāsmi
vasūnām
of the Vasus
pāvakaḥ
fire
ca
also
asmi
I am
meruḥ śikhariṇām aham
meruḥ
Meru
śikhariṇām
of all mountains
aham
I am .
Important Words
  • rudrāṇām — of all the Rudras
    Genitive plural. The eleven Rudras — destructive deities. Among them, Śaṅkara (Śiva) is chief. Kṛṣṇa's choice tells us where to look in any group: at the head.
  • śaṅkaraḥ — Lord Śiva
    Śiva's name meaning 'maker of auspiciousness.' Even the deity of destruction is named for what he ultimately produces — auspiciousness through dissolution. Kṛṣṇa picks the constructive name.
  • vitta - īśaḥ — the lord of the treasury
    Compound: vitta (wealth) + īśa (lord). Kuvera — head of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, holder of cosmic wealth. The category is wealth-keeping; Kṛṣṇa picks its chief officer.
  • pāvakaḥ — fire
    Agni — among the eight Vasus (gods of light, earth, sky, etc.), Kṛṣṇa picks the purifying fire. The same root pū as pavitram in verse 12. Fire purifies; Kṛṣṇa identifies with the purifier.
  • meruḥ — Mount Meru
    The cosmic axis-mountain, center of the Purāṇic geography. Among all mountains, Meru is supreme — the world-tree's stone counterpart. Kṛṣṇa names the peak that all other peaks are reckoned against.
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Śiva, of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas I am the Lord of wealth [Kuvera], of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of mountains I am Meru.
Purport

There are eleven Rudras, of whom Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva, is predominant. He is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord in charge of the mode of ignorance in the universe. The leader of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas is Kuvera, the master treasurer of the demigods, and he is a representation of the Supreme Lord. Meru is a mountain famed for its rich natural resources.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
23. Among the Rudras, I am Śaṅkara [Note: Lord Brahmā said: My dear boy Rudra, you have eleven other names: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahān, Śiva, Ṛtadhvaja, Ugraretā, Bhava, Kāla, Vāmadeva and Dhṛtavrata. SB 3.12.12], and among the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, I am Kuvera. [Note: Kuvera is a Yakṣa.] Among the Vasus, I am fire. [Note: The eight Vasus are Āpa, Dhurva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Pāvaka, Pratyuṣa and Prabhāsa.] Among the peaked mountains, I am Meru.
Commentary

Vittesaḥ, lord of wealth, means Kuvera.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
23. Among the Rudras, I am Śaṅkara [Note: Bhāgavatam says Lord Brahmā said: My dear boy Rudra, you have eleven other names: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahān, Śiva, Ṛtadhvaja, Ugraretā, Bhava, Kāla, Vāmadeva and Dhṛtavrata. SB3.12.12], and among the Yakṣas and Rakṣasas, I am Kuvera. [Note: Kuvera is a Yakṣa.] Among the Vasus, I am fire. [Note: The eight Vasus are Āpa, Dhurva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Pāvaka, Pratyuṣa and Prabhāsa.] Among the peaked mountains, I am Meru.
Commentary

Among the eleven Rudras, I am the Rudra named Śaṅkara. I am Kuvera (vitteśaḥ—lord of wealth) the leader of the yakṣas and rakṣasas. Among the eight Vasus, I am Agni (pāvakaḥ). Among high peaks, I am the golden mountain called Meru.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
10.23 Rudranam, among the eleven Rudras, I am Sankara; and yaksaraksasam, among the Yaksas and goblins; I am vittesah, Kubera. Vasunam, among the eight Vasus; I am pavakah, Fire; and sikharinam, among the peaked mountains, I am Meru.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
10.23 Of eleven Rudras I am Sankara. Of Yaksas and Raksasas I am Kubera, son of Visravas. Among the eight Vasus I am Agni. Of mountains, namely, of those mountains which shine with peaks, I am Meru.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
10.23 See Comment under 10.42
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
10.23 And, among the Rudras I am Sankara; among the Yakshas and Rakshasas, the Lord of wealth (Kubera); among the Vasus I am Pavaka (fire); and among the (seven) mountains I am the Meru.
Commentary

10.23 रुद्राणाम् among the Rudras? शङ्करः Sankara? च and? अस्मि (I) am? वित्तेशः Kubera? यक्षरक्षसाम्,among celestial fairies and spirits? वसूनाम् among Vasus? पावकः Pavaka? च and? अस्मि (I) am? मेरुः Meru? शिखरिणाम् of mountains? अहम् I.Commentary Rudras are eleven in number. The ten vital airs (Pranas and the UpaPranas? which are five each) and the mind are the eleven Rudras. They are so called because they produce grief when they depart from the body. They have been symbolised in the Puranas as follows Virabhadra? Sankara? Girisa? Ajaikapati? Bhuvanadhisvara? Aherbhujya? Pinaki? Aparajita? Kapali? Sthanu and Bhaga. Among these Rudras? Sankara is regarded as the chief.Vasus are earth? water? fire? air? ether? sun? moon and stars. They are so called because they comprehend the whole universe within them. They have been symbolised in the Puranas as follows Apah? Dhruva? Soma? Dhara? Anila? Anala? Pratyusa and Prabhasa. Of these Anala or Pavaka (fire) is the chief.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
10.23 Among the Rudras [Aja, Ekapada, Ahirbudhnya, Pinaki, Aparajita, Tryam-baka, Mahesvara, Vrsakapi, Sambhu, Harana and Isvara. Different Puranas give different lists of eleven names.-Tr,] I am Sankara, and among the Yaksas and goblins I am Kubera [God of wealth. Yaksas are a class of demigods who attend on him and guard his wealth.]. Among the Vasus [According to the V.P. they are: Apa, dhruva, Soma, Dharma, Anila, Anala (Fire), Pratyusa and Prabhasa. The Mbh. and the Bh. given a different list.-Tr.] I am Fire, and among the mountains I am Meru.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
10.23 Among Forces of Vitality I am the life, I am Mammon to the heathen and the godless; I am the Energy in fire, earth, wind, sky, heaven, sun, moon and planets; and among mountains am the Mount Meru.
Related values & verses
Related values
Bhakti (Devotion)Satya (Truthfulness)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)
Related verses
BG 11.22 BG 10.25 BG 9.23 SB 4.7.50 SB 6.6.11 SB 5.16.7 CC Ādi 6.79 CC Madhya 20.296 CC Madhya 20.308 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.2Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.3.2
Concepts
BhavaDharma
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Of the Rudras I am Lord Śiva; of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas I am the lord of wealth; of the Vasus I am fire; of mountains I am Meru.
Practical Applications
  • Don't dismiss other deities; Kṛṣṇa says even they manifest Him.
  • Honor the layered theological richness of the Vedas.
  • Avoid sectarian dismissal.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have I been sectarian in dismissing other deities?
  • How does Kṛṣṇa's inclusion of them change my view?
Analogy

From the wide world's roster, Kṛṣṇa picks the highest mountain, the chief of the wrath-gods, the lord of wealth, the fire among the Vasus. The principle is steady: in each category, He is the apex. Climb any hierarchy, and at its top He stands; nothing tops Him.

Stories
Śiva consoling Pārvatī after Sati

Lord Śiva, named here as the chief of the eleven Rudras, is famous for both his terrifying form and his soft heart. When Sati immolated herself at Dakṣa's sacrifice, his grief shook the cosmos.

Kṛṣṇa does not deny Śiva's distinct personhood by saying 'I am Śaṅkara among the Rudras.' He simply claims Śiva as His vibhūti — His chief expansion in the destructive function. The verse confirms what the Bhāgavatam teaches: Śiva is to be honored, but his glory is on loan from the supreme Person.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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