Bhagavad Gita BG 10.23
Chapter 10, Verse 23 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
रुद्राणां शङ्करश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् । वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ॥
rudranam shankaras casmi vittesho yaksha-rakshsam vasunam pavakas casmi meruh shikharinham aham
Meaning
Among the Rudras I am Shankara; among the Yakshas and Rakshasas I am Kubera (Vitteshvara); among the Vasus I am Pavaka (fire); and among mountains I am Meru.
Understanding
The vibhuti-catalogue continues with four correspondences in this verse: (1) Rudranam Shankarah — among the eleven Rudras (cosmic dissolvers), I am Shankara (the auspicious one, Shiva — the great Rudra). (2) Yaksha-rakshsam Vittesho — among Yakshas (nature spirits/wealth-guardians) and Rakshasas (beings of darkness), I am Kubera, the Lord of Wealth (Vittesha). (3) Vasunam Pavakah — among the eight Vasus (luminous elemental gods), I am Pavaka (fire — the purifying and illuminating one). (4) Shikharinham Meruh — among mountains I am Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the universe. Each is the superlative within its category — the most auspicious, the wealthiest, the most purifying, the most majestic.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| शङ्करः | shankarah | Shankara — the Auspicious One, the great Rudra (Shiva) |
| वित्तेशः | vitteshvara | Lord of Wealth (Kubera) |
| यक्षरक्षसाम् | yaksha-rakshsam | among Yakshas (nature spirits) and Rakshasas |
| पावकः | pavakah | fire, the purifying one (pavaka = purifier) |
| मेरुः | meruh | Mount Meru — the cosmic axis-mountain at the center of the universe |
| रुद्राणाम् | rudrāṇām | of the Rudras |
| शंकरः | śaṃkaraḥ | Shankara (Shiva) |
| च | ca | and |
| अस्मि | asmi | I am |
| वित्तेशः | vitteśaḥ | Vittesa (Kubera, lord of wealth) |
| यक्ष-रक्षसाम् | yakṣa-rakṣasām | of the Yakshas and Rakshasas |
| वसूनाम् | vasūnām | of the Vasus |
| पावकः | pāvakaḥ | Pavaka (fire) |
| च | ca | and |
| अस्मि | asmi | I am |
| मेरुः | meruḥ | Mount Meru |
| शिखरिणाम् | śikhariṇām | of the mountains |
| अहम् | aham | I am |