Verse 10.23
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् | वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ||२३||
Transliteration (IAST)
rudrāṇāṁ śaṅkaraś cāsmi vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām | vasūnāṁ pāvakaś cāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇām aham ||23||
Word-by-Word Meanings
rudrāṇām-of the Rudras
śaṅkaraḥ-Shiva
vitteśaḥ-lord of wealth (Kubera)
yakṣa-rakṣasām-of Yakshas and Rakshasas
pāvakaḥ-fire
meruḥ-Mount Meru
śikhariṇām-of mountains
Translation
Of the Rudras I am Shankara (Shiva); of the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am Kubera; of the Vasus I am fire; and of mountains I am Meru.
Commentary
Krishna identifies with Shiva among the Rudras, demonstrating that all divine forms are His manifestations. Mount Meru as the cosmic axis and fire as the most dynamic Vasu represent excellence in their respective categories. This verse shows divine glory pervading even beings typically considered fearsome (Yakshas, Rakshasas).
Themes
bhaktijnana