Shloka 31

Vibhuti Yoga — Vibhuti Yoga

Devanagari script

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् । झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥ १०.३१ ॥

Transliteration

pavanaḥ pavatām asmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtām aham | jhaṣāṇāṃ makaraś cāsmi srotasām asmi jāhnavī || 10.31 ||

Translation

Among purifiers I am the wind; among weapon-bearers I am Rāma. Among aquatic creatures I am the makara; among rivers I am Jāhnavī (the Gaṅgā).

Gita Press Meaning

Among purifiers I am the wind; among weapon-bearers I am Rāma. Among aquatic creatures I am the makara; among rivers I am Jāhnavī (the Gaṅgā).

Critical Edition Meaning

Among that which blows/moves I am the wind; among those who bear weapons I am Rāma; among fish/sea-creatures I am makara; among flowing waters I am Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā).

Comparative Note

pavatām can be taken as “of the blowing/moving” or “of the purifying,” since wind is culturally associated with purification. “Rāma” is commonly understood as Rāma Dāśarathi; some commentators discuss it as Paraśurāma, but mainstream tradition favors Dāśarathi here.

Word by Word

• पवनः: wind
• पवनः: Karta
• Root: पवन

• पवताम्: of those that blow / of the blowing ones
• Root: √पू (पवते)

• अस्मि: I am
• Root: √अस्

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta
• Root: राम

• शस्त्रभृताम्: of weapon-bearers
• Root: शस्त्रभृत्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Root: अहम्

• झषाणाम्: of fishes
• Root: झष

• मकरः: the makara (crocodile/sea-monster)
• मकरः: Karta
• Root: मकर

• च: and
• Root: च

• अस्मि: I am
• Root: √अस्

• स्रोतसाम्: of streams / currents
• Root: स्रोतस्

• अस्मि: I am
• Root: √अस्

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (the river Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नवी: Karta
• Root: जाह्नवी

Speakers

• Krishna
• Arjuna

Primary Concepts

• Vibhuti
• Purification
• Exemplary agency
• Sacred geography

Key Themes

• Divinity in natural forces
• Cultural ideals
• Sanctity of rivers

FAQs

Psychological significance?

Wind can symbolize the restless but cleansing movement of attention and breath; disciplined “bearing of tools” (śastra) can be read as skillful agency rather than aggression.

Metaphysical meaning?

The verse treats natural forces and revered exemplars as loci of the same ultimate presence, implying a unified reality expressed through diverse forms.

Contextual relevance?

These are culturally salient referents—wind, Rāma, makara, Gaṅgā—used to anchor the teaching in a shared symbolic world.

Modern Application?

It can motivate ecological respect (rivers), mindfulness of breath (wind), and ethical use of power/skills (weapon-bearers as responsible agents).