Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

Bg 10.38

daṇḍo damayatām asmi
nītir asmi jigīṣatām
maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ
jñānaṁ jñānavatām aham

Word for word: 

daṇḍaḥ — punishment; damayatām — of all means of suppression; asmi — I am; nītiḥ — morality; asmi — I am;jigīṣatām — of those who seek victory; maunam — silence; ca — and; eva — also; asmi — I am; guhyānām — of secrets; jñānam — knowledge; jñāna–vatām — of the wise; aham — I am.

Translation: 

Among all means of suppressing lawlessness I am punishment, and of those who seek victory I am morality. Of secret things I am silence, and of the wise I am the wisdom

 

daṇḍo damayatām asmi, damayatām is to suppress, to control, to bring on right track so there are many ways to bringing people on right track so most strongest among them is Danda, so it is good if we can convince people by good advice and wise counselling, sometime if that doesn’t work then the last resort is punishment, and that is why in all culture all over the world there are some strong means of punishment, jails or some other places of reformation, that Danda is the last resort of punishing people and Krishna says I am Danda this doesn’t mean that Krishna wants to give punishment to everyone that is not the meaning of this verse. Here the Vibhuti of Krishna is talked about and that which is most powerful most attractive most influential among various manifestation is emphasized, so dandad is a forceful way of making a point when the point is not able to made by any other way. 

nītir asmi jigīṣatām, jigīṣatām means that those who seek victory, I am morality. It is said that everything is fair in love and war but Krishna doesn’t approve, He is saying the victory should be obtained by virtuous means.

There are three kinds of Niti Brihaspati Niti, Sukra Niti and Kanika Niti, Brihaspati Niti is choose good means and good ends so strive for good ends by good means, Sukra Niti is as long as ends are good means doesn’t matter, Kanaka Niti is don’t care about ends don’t care about means just try for your own protection pleasure and power, Kanika was a Brahmana friend of Sakuni. When enemies are doing Sukra niti sometimes we have to do that Shato Shatyam, best is Brihaspati Niti. So Krishna says those who achieves victory by virtuous means they represents His Vibhuti. 

maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ, the best way to keep secret is to maintain silent, 

jñānaṁ jñānavatām aham, what distinguishes wise is the wisdom, that wisdom which makes wise people attractive is vibhuti of Krishna.

End of transcription.