10.38

Sanskrit

दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् । मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥ ३८ ॥

daṇḍo damayatām asmi nītir asmi jigīṣatām maunaṃ caivāsmi guhyānāṃ jñānaṃ jñānavatām aham

Translation

Of rulers I am the sceptre; of those that seek victory I am statesmanship; and of secrets I am also silence; the knowledge of knowers am I.

Annie Besant · The Bhagavad-Gita, translated by Annie Besant (4th ed., 1922) — Wikisource · Public Domain

Explanation

Silence claimed as a vibhuti (maunam) is a quiet counterpoint to verse 25’s Om and verse 33’s letter A — where those claim the foremost sound, this one claims the foremost absence of sound, alongside the sceptre and statesmanship as instruments of rule.