Text 231
The Onulence of the Absolute
591
TRANSITION
Of the Vedas I am the Sāma-veda; of the demigods I am Indra; of the senses I am the mind, and in living beings I am the living force [knowledge].
प्रारंभिक परिचय
The difference between matter and spirit is that matter has no consciousness like the living entity; therefore this consciousness is supreme and eternal. Consciousness cannot be produced by a combination of matter.
TELEFONE 23
रुद्राणां शंकरश्चास्मि वित्तेशो यक्षरक्षसाम् । वस्तूनां पावकश्चास्मि मेरुः शिखरिणामहम् ॥२३॥
rudrāņām śaṅkaraś cāsmi vitteśo yakṣa-rakṣasām vasūnām pāvakaś cāsmi meruḥ śikhariṇām aham
rudrāṇām —of all the Rudras;  śaṅkaraḥ —Lord Śiva;  ca —also;  asmi —I am;  vitteśaḥ —the lord of the treasury;  yakṣa-rakṣasām —of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas;  vasūnām —of the Vasus;  pāvakaḥ —fire;  ca —also;  asmi —I am;  meruḥ —Meru;  śikhariṇām —of all mountains;  aham —I am.
TRANSLATION
Of all the Rudras I am Lord Śiva; of the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas I am the lord of wealth [Kuvera]; of the Vasus I am fire [Agni], and of the mountains I am Meru.
PURPORT
There are eleven Rudras, of whom Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva, is predominant. He is the incarnation of the Supreme Lord in charge of the modes of ignorance in the universe. Among the demigods Kuvera is the chief treasurer, and he is a representation of the Supreme Lord. Meru is a mountain famed for its rich natural resources.