A declaration · expansive in mood · a little context helps
“Greatness in the world is a visible sign of Krishna's presence.”
Among the Rudras, I am Shankara; among the Yakshas and Rakshasas, I am Kubera. Among the Vasus, I am fire, and among mountain peaks, I am Mount Meru.
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Hover a word to focus on it.
Read literallyamong the Rudras · Shankara · and · I am · Kubera, lord of wealth · of Yakshas and Rakshasas · among the Vasus · fire · and · I am · Meru · of mountain peaks · I
Krishna says he is present as the brightest or most powerful form within Rudras, Yakshas, Vasus, fire, and Mount Meru.
Krishna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Vibhuti Yoga" (The Yoga of Divine Glories).
Verse 23 sits in Chapter 10 of the Bhagavad Gita — Vibhuti Yoga, "The Yoga of Divine Glories". The chapter has 42 verses in total.
You stand at a cliff edge at dawn and feel the wind, the heat, the vastness, the pull of awe. The world is not empty matter; its grandeur can wake reverence.
Did you like this verse?
It shifts attention from isolated objects to the sacred force shining through their greatest forms.
What this verse means
Krishna says he is present as the brightest or most powerful form within Rudras, Yakshas, Vasus, fire, and Mount Meru.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna frozen between grief and duty, Krishna keeps revealing how the world is filled with his presence. He points to revered powers, wealth, fire, and the highest mountain peak to show that nothing magnificent stands outside him.
Why this verse still matters
You stand at a cliff edge at dawn and feel the wind, the heat, the vastness, the pull of awe. The world is not empty matter; its grandeur can wake reverence.
“The world is not separate from the divine; its greatest powers are already expressions of that presence.”
Explore related themes: vibhuti (43 verses)