THE HOLY GITA, CHAPTER 10, VERSE 37, VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

THE HOLY GITA

CHAPTER NUMBER 10

VIBHUTI YOGA OR THE YOGA OF DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS:

VERSE NUMBER 37

Text in Transliteration:

Vrrshneenaam vaasudevo ‘smi paandavaanaam dhanamjayah:

Muneenaam apy aham vyaasah: kaveenaam usanaa kavih:

Vrshneenaam = among the Vrishnis; vaasudevah: = Vasudeva; asmi = (I) am; paandavaanaam = among the Pandavas; dhanamjayah: = Dhananjaya; muneenaam = among the Munis; api = also; aham = I; vyaasah: = Vyasa; kavih: = the poet.

Text in English:

Of the Vrishnis I am Vasudeva; of the Pandavas, Dhananjaya; of the sages I am Vyasa and of the seers I am Usana the seer.

COMMENTARY BY   SRIMAT SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA:

The Yadavas had come of Vrishni race; so they were called Vrishnis. Krishna was the son of Vasudeva and so He is called Vasudeva. That He is the best among the Yadavas is evident.

Arjuna is called Dhananjaya because he had claimed the hoarded up treasures of several kings and utilized them all for good purposes. There is a purpose in the Lord saying that He is Arjuna and not Yudhishthira among the Pandavas. He reminds Arjuna that he has no individuality apart from the Lord. This is the position of all the beings. When man comes to know of it, he would be rid of conceit and self-importance.

A Muni is he who turns his mind within and realizes divinity there. The sage Vyasa is one who has in this way become a perfect Jnani. He is also renowned as Veda Vyasa and Badarayana. Yet other names by which he is distinguished are Dvaipayana and Krishna-dvaipayana. This last name came to him because of his dark complexion. He was born of Satyavati to Parasara. The Vedas were compiled by him and the Vedanta Sutras composed by him. The Mahabharata and the eighteen celebrated Puranas were all written by him. He is the father of Suka, the born Brahma-Jnani. It is no wonder he is viewed as an incarnation of Vishnu.

He who had an intuitive knowledge of things was a Kavi according to the ancient lore. But latterly a poet is called Kavi. Usana Kavi was a famous figure. He was also known as Sukra. He had the psychic power to bring the dead to life. Because of the training he imparted to the Asuras, they became very powerful.

COMMENTARY BY SRIMAT SWAMI SIVANANDA:

Vrishnis are Yadavas or the descendants of Yadu. I am the foremost among them.

Usanas is Sukracharya, the preceptor of the demons.