पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम् ।झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी ॥
pavanaḥ pavatām asmi rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtām aham | jhaṣāṇāṃ makaraś cāsmi srotasām asmi jāhnavī ||
- पवनः · pavanaḥ
- the wind
- पवताम् · pavatām
- among purifiers, swift movers
- रामः · rāmaḥ
- Rama
- शस्त्रभृताम् · śastrabhṛtām
- among wielders of arms
- झषाणाम् · jhaṣāṇām
- among fishes
- मकरः · makaraḥ
- the crocodile, sea-monster
- स्रोतसाम् · srotasām
- among flowing waters
- जाह्नवी · jāhnavī
- the Ganga
“Among purifiers I am the wind; among wielders of arms, Rama. Among fishes I am the makara, and among flowing waters the Ganga.”
— Original plain-language translation
Krishna names his own past descent among warriors' glories — Rama the prince. Wind, river, and sea-beast complete the elemental sweep. The familiar Ganga makes glory touchable for every hearer.
— Reader's notes (original)