Devotion can survive difficult environments.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम् |मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम् ||१०-३०||
prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṃ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham . mṛgāṇāṃ ca mṛgendro.ahaṃ vainateyaśca pakṣiṇām ||10-30||
Use this verse when devotion is tested.
Meaning
Among Daityas I am Prahlada; among measurers I am Time; among animals the lion; among birds Garuda.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Krishna appears as devotion in darkness, time, courage, and spiritual flight.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Prahlada shows devotion even in hostile surroundings. Time humbles all, the lion represents courage, and Garuda represents rising above limitation.
Read the traditional commentary
A remarkable choice opens this verse: among the demons (Daityas), Krishna is Prahlada — the great devotee born into a demonic dynasty, whose unwavering love for God shone even amid hostility. The lesson is luminous: devotion is the true glory, and it can blossom in the most unlikely soil. No lineage, no circumstance can bar the heart that turns sincerely toward the Divine.
Krishna then names Himself kāla, Time, among all reckoners — the relentless measure that governs every span of existence. And among beasts the lion, among birds Garuda. Across this verse the same principle holds: whether in the unexpected saint, the inexorable force of time, or the noblest of creatures, the one Divine presence reveals itself to the contemplating heart.
In daily life
Be devoted even when surroundings are not supportive.
A person in a negative workplace can still keep integrity and devotion.
Try this today
Choose one pressure situation and keep one spiritual boundary.
My devotion rises above difficulty.Reflect
Where must I stay devoted despite pressure?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘मृगेन्द्रः अहम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on faith, in other chapters
- Verse 3.31Sincere, faithful practice without cynicism frees anyone — this path is open to all, not just to the spiritually advanced.
- Verse 4.39Faith, wholehearted focus, and self-discipline open the door to wisdom — and wisdom swiftly brings supreme peace.
- Verse 6.47The highest of all yogis is the one who worships the Divine with faith and a heart wholly given in love.
- Verse 7.1Knowledge of the Divine ripens not from argument but from a mind anchored in Him, steady practice, and wholehearted refuge.
Swipe left for 10.31 · Purity and dharmic strength are divine.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 10.30
Who says Bhagavad Gita 10.30, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 10.30, in Chapter 10, Vibhuti Yoga (Vibhuti Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 10.30 mean?
Among Daityas I am Prahlada; among measurers I am Time; among animals the lion; among birds Garuda. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 10.30 for daily life?
Be devoted even when surroundings are not supportive. A person in a negative workplace can still keep integrity and devotion.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 10.30 mean?
प्रह्लादः च अस्मि — I am Prahlada; दैत्यानाम् — among the demons (Daityas); कालः — Time; कलयताम् अहम् — among reckoners / measurers I am; मृगाणां च — and among beasts.
Where does verse 10.30 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 30 of 42 in Chapter 10, Vibhuti Yoga. The next verse is 10.31.