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Chapter 10 · The Opulence of the Absolute · 42 verses

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Krishna’s natureChapter 10 · The Opulence of the Absolute
10.2710.29

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 10.28

Krishna’s divine opulences and manifestations

आयुधानामहं वज्रं धेनूनामस्मि कामधुक् ।

प्रजनश्चास्मि कन्दर्प: सर्पाणामस्मि वासुकि: ॥ २८ ॥

āyudhānām ahaṁ vajraṁ

dhenūnām asmi kāma-dhuk

prajanaś cāsmi kandarpaḥ

sarpāṇām asmi vāsukiḥ

Translation

Of weapons I am the thunderbolt; among cows I am the surabhi. Of causes for procreation I am Kandarpa, the god of love, and of serpents I am Vāsuki.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Kṛṣṇa’s Special Representatives

  1. 1Kṛṣṇa is the thunderbolt among weapons, surabhi among cows, Kandarpa among causes of having children, and Vāsuki among serpents.
  2. 2The thunderbolt shows Kṛṣṇa’s power. In His spiritual home, Kṛṣṇaloka, He herds surabhi cows, which give unlimited milk at any time.
  3. 3Kandarpa means sex desire for having good children and represents Kṛṣṇa. Sex only for sense pleasure does not represent Him.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 10, The Opulence of the Absolute: krishna’s divine opulences and manifestations.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Recognize Kṛṣṇa as the source of all.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 10.28 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?

Practice

Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.

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The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 10 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 10.19Krishna’s divine opulences and manifestationsBG 10.20Krishna’s divine opulences and manifestationsBG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.51Composure returns in Krishna’s personal presence

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.