Chapter 10, Verse 27
उच्चैःश्रवसमश्वानां विद्धि माममृतोद्भवम् | ऐरावतं गजेन्द्राणां नराणां च नराधिपम् ||१०-२७||
uccaiḥśravasamaśvānāṃ viddhi māmamṛtodbhavam . airāvataṃ gajendrāṇāṃ narāṇāṃ ca narādhipam ||10-27||
Meaning
10.27 Know Me as Ucchaisravas born of nectar, among horses; among lordly elephants (I am) the Airavata; and, among men, the king.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Krishna continues among the noblest of creatures and of human society. Among horses He is Ucchaihshravas, the celestial steed amṛta-udbhavam, 'born of nectar,' which arose when the gods churned the cosmic ocean. Among elephants, Airavata, the majestic mount of Indra. Among men, He is the rightful king (narādhipa).
Each is the supreme, the most splendid of its kind, fitting for contemplation. The mention of the nectar-born horse subtly recalls the great churning of the ocean — the cosmic effort through which the immortal treasure was won. The teaching woven through all these examples remains: greatness, sovereignty, and splendour, wherever they appear, are not self-made. They are borrowed radiance, sparks of the one infinite Source which Krishna here names as His own.
💡 Key Takeaway
All greatness and splendour in the world is borrowed radiance, a spark of the one infinite Source.
Related Verses
श्रीभगवानुवाच | भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः | यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ||१०-१||
śrībhagavānuvāca . bhūya eva mahābāho śṛṇu me paramaṃ vacaḥ . yatte.ahaṃ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hitakāmyayā ||10-1||
10.1 The Blessed Lord said Again, O mighty-armed Arjuna, listen to my supreme word which I will declare to thee who who art beloved, for thy welfare.
न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः | अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः ||१०-२||
na me viduḥ suragaṇāḥ prabhavaṃ na maharṣayaḥ . ahamādirhi devānāṃ maharṣīṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ ||10-2||
10.2 Neither the hosts of the gods nor the great sages know My origin; for in every way I am the source of all the gods and the great sages.
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः | सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ||१०-४||
buddhirjñānamasammohaḥ kṣamā satyaṃ damaḥ śamaḥ . sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhavo.abhāvo bhayaṃ cābhayameva ca ||10-4||
10.4 Intellect, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth, self-restraint, calmness, happiness, pain, existence or birth, non-existence or death, fear and also fearlessness.