Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 10, Verse 37
वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनंजयः।
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः।।
मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः।।
vṛṣṇīnāṁ vāsudevo ’smi pāṇḍavānāṁ dhanañjayaḥ
munīnām apyahaṁ vyāsaḥ kavīnām uśanā kaviḥ
also searched as "vrishninam vasudevo'smi pandavanam dhananjayah"
Translation
Of the Vrsnis, I am Vasudeva; of the Pandavas, I am Arjuna; of sages, I am Vyasa; and of seers, I am Usana (Sukra).
Vāṇi's rendering
Of the Vrishnis I am Krishna; of the Pandavas, you — Arjuna. Of sages I am Vyasa; of poets, Ushanas.
Word by word
| Sanskrit & transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|
| वृष्णीनांvṛṣṇīnāṁ | among the Vrishnis, Krishna's own clan |
| वासुदेवःvāsudevaḥ | Vasudeva's son — Krishna himself |
| अस्मिasmi | I am (sandhi: vāsudevaḥ + asmi becomes vāsudevo 'smi) |
| पाण्डवानांpāṇḍavānāṁ | among the sons of Pandu |
| धनंजयःdhanañjayaḥ | the winner of wealth — Arjuna, addressed by his own epithet |
| मुनीनांmunīnāṁ | among the silent sages |
| अपिapi | also, even (sandhi: api + ahaṁ becomes apyahaṁ) |
| अहंahaṁ | I |
| व्यासःvyāsaḥ | Vyasa, who gathered and set down the epic itself |
| कवीनांkavīnāṁ | among poets, among the far-seeing |
| उशनाuśanā | Ushanas, teacher of the asuras, master of the seer's craft |
| कविःkaviḥ | the poet, the one who sees and sings |
Frequently asked
What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Verse 37 mean?
Krishna names where his splendour stands in the world: as Krishna among the Vrishnis, as Arjuna among the Pandavas, as Vyasa among sages, as Ushanas among poets. The startling turn is the second one. The listener is placed inside the list, told that his own excellence is not his private property but Krishna present in him.
vrishninam vasudevo'smi pandavanam dhananjayah - what is the meaning of this line?
Of the Vrishnis I am Krishna; of the Pandavas, Dhanañjaya — Arjuna. Krishna says his own name, then says Arjuna's in the same breath and the same grammar. The friend beside him is not an outsider hearing about glory. He is one of its forms, and he had not known it.
Why does Krishna say he is Arjuna?
Because Arjuna has been sitting in his chariot convinced he is small, separate, and unequal to what stands in front of him. Krishna answers not with encouragement but with identity. Whatever strength Arjuna has was never generated by Arjuna. Krishna is claiming it, and in claiming it, steadying the man who thought he was alone.
Who is Ushanas in this verse?
Uśanā — Śukra, the ancient seer-poet who taught even the asuras. Krishna does not pick a comfortable example. Among those who see and sing, he stands as the one whose students were on the wrong side. Excellence is his wherever it appears, not only where we approve of it.
Read every verse this way, held — inside Vāṇi.
View on the App Store
Commentary
Krishna is listing his glories, and halfway through the line he names the man sitting beside him. Of the Pandavas — you. Arjuna asked to see the forms of Krishna's splendour; he is told that he is one of them. This is not flattery. It ends the distance Arjuna has been keeping, the distance that let him say I cannot do this. Vyasa's insight, Ushanas' verse, Arjuna's bow — whatever is finest in a man is Krishna standing there. Look at the thing you are proudest of. It is on loan, and the lender is in the chariot with you.