Bhagavad Gita 10.21

[Paramananda das]

 dear devotees

 Please accept my humble obaisences\\

All glories to Srila Prabhupada 

 When devotees read Bhagavad Gita 10.21 there is a secret that is not understood so easy I wish to unlock it: 

What are the Adityas? 

adityanam aham visnur
jyotisam ravir amsuman
maricir marutam asmi
naksatranam aham sasi
SYNONYMS
ādityānām—of the Ādityas; aham—I am; viṣṇuḥ—the Supreme Lord; jyotiṣām—of all luminaries; raviḥ—the sun; aṁśumān—radiant; marīciḥ—Marīci; marutām—of the Marutas; asmi—I am; nakṣatrāṇām—of stars; aham—I am; śaśī—the moon.
TRANSLATION
Of the Ādityas I am Viṣṇu, of lights I am the radiant sun, I am Marīci of the Maruts, and among the stars I am the moon.
PURPORT
There are twelve Ādityas, of which Kṛṣṇa is the principal. And among all the luminaries twinkling in the sky, the sun is the chief, and in the Brahma-saṁhitā the sun is accepted as the glowing effulgence of the Supreme Lord and is considered to be one of His eyes. Marīci is the controlling deity of the heavenly spaces. Among the stars, the moon is most prominent at night, and thus the moon represents Kṛṣṇa.

 

  So there is a Sungod for each of the 12 months (see Srimad Bhagavatam 12.11.27-49)

 

SB 12.11.27-28

śrī-śaunaka uvāca

śuko yad āha bhagavān
 viṣṇu-rātāya śṛṇvate
sauro gaṇo māsi māsi
 nānā vasati saptakaḥ

teṣāṁ nāmāni karmāṇi
 niyuktānām adhīśvaraiḥ
brūhi naḥ śraddadhānānāṁ
 vyūhaṁ sūryātmano hareḥ

Word for word: 

śrī-śaunakaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śaunaka said; śukaḥ — Śukadeva Gosvāmī; yat — which; āha — described; bhagavān— the great sage; viṣṇu-rātāya — to King Parīkṣit; śṛṇvate — who was listening; sauraḥ — of the sun-god; gaṇaḥ— the associates; māsi māsi — in each month; nānā — various; vasati — who reside; saptakaḥ — the group of seven; teṣām — of them; nāmāni — the names; karmāṇi — the activities; niyuktānām — who are engaged;adhīśvaraiḥ — by the various features of the sun-god, who are their controllers; brūhi — please speak; naḥ — to us; śraddadhānānām — who are faithful; vyūham — the personal expansions; sūrya-ātmanaḥ — in His personal expansion as the sun-god; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari.

Translation: 

Śrī Śaunaka said: Please describe to us, who have great faith in your words, the different sets of seven personal features and associates the sun-god exhibits during each month, along with their names and activities. The associates of the sun-god, who serve their lord, are personal expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari in His feature as the presiding deity of the sun.

Purport: 

After hearing an account of the exalted conversation between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Śaunaka now inquires about the sun as the expansion of the Supreme Lord. Although the sun is the king of all planets, Śrī Śaunaka is specifically interested in this effulgent globe as the expansion of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The personalities related with the sun are of seven categories. In the course of the sun’s orbit there are twelve months, and in each month a different sun-god and a different set of his six associates preside. In each of the twelve months beginning from Vaiśākha there are different names for the sun-god himself, the sage, the Yakṣa, the Gandharva, the Apsarā, the Rākṣasa and the Nāga, making a total of seven categories.

 Check out this website that nicely explains it :

http://www.harekrsna.de/surya/12adityas.htm

In Vrindavana there is a place at Radha Madan Mohan temple called Dvadasa Ditya Tila here Krsna called  12 Sungods  to warm him up

The Praskandara lake created by Krsnas transcendental sweat is unfortunatly not there anymore ,but it has been glorified by Srila Raghunath das Goswami in his Vraja Vilasa stava, if i do not post this vers I  will feel I have not properly served the readers of my article so here it is:

 82

Once, accompanied by the gopas, gopis, and lowing surabhi cows, the supremely opulent, noble, and magnanimous Lord Krsna felt very uncomfortable in the winter cold. Twelve suns then appeared at that place, and with great devotion warmed the Lord with their intense shining. I eternally take shelter of this sacred place, which bears the name Dvadasasurya-tirtha (the place of the twelve suns). 

 

  In Vrindavana some claim Krsna came here to be warmed by the 12 sungods after punishing Kaliya ,but I personally prefere to stick to the version of Srila Raghunath das Goswami .

 

The Gayatri mantra : om bhur bhuva swaha Om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah prachodayat

 

  Srila Prabhupadas translation of the Brahma Gayatri  is  roughly that: "I meditate on the sungod as He travels through the 3 planetary systems may He enlighten us"

Srila Sridhara Swami  Srila Prabhupadas godbrother has given an exalted explanation on the Brahma gayari mantra for those who are not contaminated by sectarian views can read it : http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/glorification-of-sri-gay...

It is accepted widely in Gaudiya math that the Brahma Gayatri refers to Sri Radha ,actually but it is a higher understanding that may not be so important for some .By meditating on the Sun God one becomes purified. Sri Radha is surely also described in the Brahma Gayatri  .It is a fact

Anyhow this is the commentary of some of the Acaryas to Bhagavad Gita 10.21:

Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:

The genitive case is use for the rest of the chapter to indicate a specific head of group and also to indicate a relation to a group. Among the twelve Adityas, I am Visnu, one of the names of the sun. This is my vibhuti. Among all lights, those things which reveal, I am the sun, with multitude of rays. Marici is outstanding among the winds.

Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:

10.21 Of Adityas, who are twelve in number, I am the twelfth Aditya, called Visnu, who is paramount. Of luminuous bodies, namely, among luminaries in the world, I am the sun, the most brilliant luminary. Of Maruts I am the paramount Marici. Of constellations, I am the moon. The genitive case here is not to specify one out of many included in a group. Its use is the same as what is exemplifed in the statement ‘I am the consciousness in all beings’ (10.22). I am the moon who is the Lord of the constellations.

Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:

Commencing with this verse until the conclusion of this chapter Lord Krishna reveals His prominent vibhuti or divine, transcendental opulence beginning with of the 12 Adityas He manifests Himself as Visnu incarnation manifesting in the form of the brahmin dwarf Vamana. Of luminaries He is the solar orbs, the radiant suns whose shining rays illuminate the darkness of unlimited, innumerable universes. Of the Maruts the seven groups of winds which flow throughout all space atmosphere, Lord Krishna is the wind known as Parivaha which precedes all the others and bears the name Marici. It should not be misconstrued that Lord Krishna is talking about one of the six great sages who were mind born by Brahma also with the same name as that is not correct. The words naksatranam aham sasi means that as the moon He is Lord over the 27 constellations beginning with Ashvini and ending with Revati due to the moon having a stronger influence. In this verse the word Vishnur is in the partitive case whereas in others the case ending is possessive. Although form this verse onwards the meanings are quite clear we shall show at selective verses throughout this chapter that even with regard to incarnations of the Supreme Lord Krishna such as Vishnu, the intention of describing them shows that their superlative power is exemplified as also a part of His vibuti.

Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:

The Supreme Lord Krishna is called Vishnu who is one of His primary incarnations because He pervades all spaces. Vishva means all pervading and vish means entering into. The Moksa Dharma states: That the Supreme Lord is the goal for all creatures and conscious beings. By Him is the world and the sky enveloped and His glory is unlimited and immeasurable. Abiding within all living entities He desires their preservation and best welfare. Because of His strident all encompassing steps He is known as Trivikram another name for Vamanadeva an incarnation of Vishnu. It should be noted that His vibhuti or divine, transcendental opulence of Marici is not referring to one of the ancient sages of antiquity. His vibhuti of Marici is the primal breath that sweeps across all space preceding the Maruts which are the different types of powerful winds throughout the unlimited trillions of universes. The Rig Veda I.XXII.XVIII beginning trini pada vi chakrame vishnur gopa adabhyah ato dharmani dharayan states: In three great strides Vishnu the protecter, who is undefeatable upholds the perennial principles of sanatan dharma or eternal righteousness.

Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:

From now until the end of the chapter the Supreme Lord Krishna enumerates His vibhuti or divine, transcendental opulence. He reveals He is Vishnu of the 12 Adityas, All solar orbs whose rays illuminates unlimited galaxies and universes. He is the Parivaha wind which precedes all the others throughout space bearing the name Marici and among naksatranams or different constellations exercising their sphere of influence Lord Krishna is the moon which is superior to all of them in influence.

 

I hope this helps understand Bhagavad Gita 10.21 in some more details

yours sincerly 

Paramananda das