Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Shloka 31

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Shloka 31

पवन: पवतामस्मि राम: शस्त्रभृतामहम् |
झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी || 31||

pavanaḥ pavatām asmi rāmaḥ śhastra-bhṛitām aham

jhaṣhāṇāṁ makaraśh chāsmi srotasām asmi jāhnavī

 

This Shloka lists the different ways in which one can feel God. Among purifiers, God is the wind. Among warriors, God is Ram. Among fish, God is the alligator. And lastly, among rivers, God is Ganga. This is what Krishna told Arjuna when Arjuna told him that he could not grasp the concept of the omnipresence of God. Even Yoga stresses on these four elements and has even derived asanas and techniques from them.

The first is air. We all know the strength of wind. When a breeze is very strong, it can even uproot massive trees. Air is omnipresent. Yogis used this in the technique of Pranayama, in how we intake air in our system.

Among warriors, Ram is used as an example. Ram is the remover of the unholy elements in life. Even his picture depicts him as a warrior with a ‘dhanush’. Dhanurvakrasana is one such yoga asana that helps infuse qualities of focus and disciple. Ram destroyed the mighty Ravana with his cool, level-headed and pious mind. He was known as ‘Maryaada Purushottam’, full of strength and discipline.

The third example is the alligator. If one has to co-exist and survive with the crocodile in the pond, one should be on good terms with him as he is the strongest, most ferocious creature of the pond. The yogis derived Makarasana (relaxati on asana or yoga pose) or the crocodile pose from it. One lies down still and steady in the asana.

The fourth example is of the river Ganga. River water is our life force and Ganga is equated with purity, vastness and strength. A river is constantly flowing and changing its course irrespective of the landscape or terrain, till it reaches its goal. We can map our own life experiences to this. Life and hurdles in life are both an on-going process, we should imbibe river traits to keep going till we reach the goal.

All these four examples given by Krishna – wind, Ram, alligator and Ganga – are superior creations and linked with might and vastness. It is easy to see God in them. With this realisation of God being everywhere, one becomes free of fear, anger, anxiety, hatred and jealousy.