आढ्योऽभिजनवानस्मि कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया ।यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिताः ॥
āḍhyo 'bhijanavān asmi ko 'nyo 'sti sadṛśo mayā |yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ity ajñānavimohitāḥ ||
- आढ्यः · āḍhyaḥ
- rich
- अभिजनवान् · abhijanavān
- well-born
- अस्मि · asmi
- I am
- कः · kaḥ
- who
- अन्यः · anyaḥ
- other
- सदृशः · sadṛśaḥ
- equal
- मया · mayā
- to me
- यक्ष्ये · yakṣye
- I shall sacrifice
- दास्यामि · dāsyāmi
- I shall give
- मोदिष्ये · modiṣye
- I shall celebrate
- अज्ञानविमोहिताः · ajñānavimohitāḥ
- bewildered by ignorance
“'Rich am I, and well-born — who else is my equal? I shall sacrifice, I shall give, I shall celebrate.' So say those bewildered by ignorance.”
— Original plain-language translation
Even religion becomes theater: sacrifice and charity performed as self-display. The triple 'I shall' mimics genuine resolve while serving vanity. Krishna's closing verdict — bewildered by ignorance — lands the whole soliloquy.
— Reader's notes (original)