Bhagavad Gita 10.37
वृष्णीनां वासुदेवोऽस्मि पाण्डवानां धनञ्जयः | मुनीनामप्यहं व्यासः कवीनामुशना कविः ||
vṛṣṇīnāṁ vāsudevo'smi pāṇḍavānāṁ dhanañjayaḥ | munīnām apy ahaṁ vyāsaḥ kavīnām uśanā kaviḥ ||
Translation
Among the Vṛṣṇis I am Vāsudeva. Among the Pāṇḍavas, Dhanañjaya. Among sages, Vyāsa. Among poets, Uśanas.
Reflection
Where does the teaching name your own place in its picture?
Read this verse in its chapter: Chapter Ten
Four more, and now the catalogue turns personal. Vasudeva among the Vrishnis is Krishna's own self. Dhanananjaya among the Pandavas is Arjuna himself. Vyasa among sages is the very seer whose Mahabharata holds the entire conversation. Ushanas among poets is the famous figure of liberal art. The verse is the chapter's smiling acknowledgement of its own setting. Krishna names Himself in His own family. He names Arjuna among Arjuna's brothers. He names the author of the larger book in which this conversation is held. The reader sees the framing and recognises that Krishna sees it too. The catalogue is not a list invented by a narrator outside the scene. It is a list given inside the scene by the very figure standing in it, who has placed Himself and His student among the named vibhutis.