aśvatthaḥ sarva-vṛkṣāṇāḿ
devarṣīṇāḿ ca nāradaḥ
gandharvāṇāḿ citrarathaḥ
siddhānāḿ kapilo muniḥ
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 10.26
Of all trees I am the banyan tree, and of the sages among the demigods I am Narada. Of the Gandharvas I am Citraratha, and among perfected beings I am the sage Kapila.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
The banyan tree (ashvattha) is one of the highest and most beautiful trees, and people in India often worship it as one of their daily morning rituals. Amongst the demigods they also worship Narada, who is considered the greatest devotee in the universe. Thus he is the representation of Krishna as a devotee. The Gandharva planet is filled with entities who sing beautifully, and among them the best singer is Citraratha. Amongst the perfect living entities, Kapila, the son of Devahuti, is a representative of Krishna. He is considered an incarnation of Krishna, and His philosophy is mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Later on another Kapila became famous, but his philosophy was atheistic. Thus there is a gulf of difference between them.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
No commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
10.26 – 10.29 Of trees I am Asvattha which is worthy of worship. Of celestial seers I am Narada. Kamadhuk is the divine cow. I am Kandarpa, the cause of progeny. Sarpas are single-headed snakes while Nagas are many-headed snakes. Aquatic creatures are known as Yadamsi. Of them I am Varuna. Of subdures, I am Yama, the son of the sun-god.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Of trees Lord Krishna’s vibhuti or divine, transcendental opulence is the Asvtthah or sacred Banyan tree. Of celestial sages being those who as demigods became proficient in singing Vedic hymns and promulgating bhakti or exclusive loving devotion to the Supreme Lord, His vibhuti is Narada. And among those who from their very birth were knowledgeable of the Ultimate Truth and perfected beings, His vibhuti is the saint known as Kapiladeva the son of Devahuti.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna states the word siddhanam meaning of perfected beings, His vibhuti is Kapila the son of Devahuti. The name Kapila is very interesting. Ka means of wonderful form, pi means to nuture and la means to absorb the worlds. The words priti or love, sukham or pleasure and ananda or bliss are corresponding words. The avatar Kapila having complete awareness knows past, present and future. In the Bavravya section is stated: Kapiladeva is aware of all that was born previously, all that is being born now and all that will be born subsequently. Through immeasurable pleasure, through nourishment, through bliss and through Kapiladeva can be known.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Among trees Lord Krishna’s vibhuti or divine, transcendental opulence is the Asvattha or the sacred Banyan tree also called the holy fig tree and known as Ficus Bengalensis. Among celestial sages His vibhuti is Narada of exceptional bhakti or loving devotion. Of the Gandarvas or celestial singers and musicians His vibhuti is Citraratha of outstanding singing. Of perfected beings who have since inception acquired spiritual wisdom, dispassion, renunciation etc. and are endowed with great purity, holiness and enlightenment possessing all siddhis or supernatural powers, His vibhuti is Kapiladeva the son of Kardama Muni and Devahuti.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
10.26 Sarva-vrksanam, among all trees, (I am) the Asvatta; and Narada devarsinam, among the divine sages-those who were gods and became sages by virtue of visualizing Vedic mantras; among them I am Narada. Gandharvanam, among the gandharvas, I am the gandharva called Citraratha. Siddhanam, among the perfected ones, among those who, from their very birth, were endowed with an abundance of the wealth of virtue, knowledge and renunciation; (I am) munih, the sage Kapila.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
10.19-42 Hanta te etc. upto jagat sthitah. I am the Soul etc. (verse 20) : By this [the Bhagavat] wards off the exclusion [of any being as different form Him]. Otherwise the sentences like ‘Of the immovable [I am] the the Himalayas’ (verse 25) etc., would amount to the exclusive statement that the Himalayan range is the Bhagavat and not any other one. In that case, the indiscriminateness of the Brahman is not established and hence the realisation of the Brahman would be a partial (or conditioned) one. For, the [present] text of exposition is intended for that seeker whose mind cannot contemplate on the all-pervasiveness [of the Brahman], but who [at the same time] is desirous of realising that [all-pervasiveness]. Hence, while concluding, [the Bhagavat] teaches the theory of duality-cumunity by saying ‘whatsoever being exists with the manifesting power’ etc., and then concludes the topic with the theory of absolute unity, as ‘Or what is the use of this elaboration;…..I remain pervading this [universe] by a single fraction [of Myself] This has been declared indeed [in the scriptures] as : ‘All beings constitute [only] His one-fourth; His [other] immortal three-forths are in the heaven.’ (Rgveda, X, xc, 3). Thus, all this and the prime cause of creatures, are nothing but the Bhagavat (Absolute). And hence, He Himself becomes the object of knowledge of all, but being comprehended with the different strange qualities.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
asvatthah sarva-vrksanam
devarsinam ca naradah
gandharvanam citrarathah
siddhanam kapilo munih
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
aśvatthaḥ — the banyan tree; sarva-vṛkṣāṇām — of all trees; deva-ṛṣīṇām — of all the sages amongst the demigods; ca — and; nāradaḥ — Nārada; gandharvāṇām — of the citizens of the Gandharva planet; citrarathaḥ — Citraratha; siddhānām — of all those who are perfected; kapilaḥ muniḥ — Kapila Muni.
