Meaning
Supreme God Krishna spoke
I am gambling among deceitful activities; I am the resplendence of the resplendent; victory {of the triumphant}; pious resolve {of the resolute}, and I am the ennobling quality of the noble souls. (10:36)
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवान् उवाच
द्यूतं छलयतामस्मि तेजस्तेजस्विनामहम् ।
जयोऽस्मि व्यवसायोऽस्मि सत्त्वं सत्त्ववतामहम्॥
Word-by-word
द्यूतम् छलयताम् अस्मि, तेजः तेजस्विनाम् अहम्,
जयः अस्मि, व्यवसायः, अस्मि सत्त्वम् सत्त्व-वताम् अहम्।
Commentary
In this chapter, the Lord talks about different things and beings, each representing the best in their areas. However, there's a comparison made to gambling, which might seem negative at first. This comparison is clarified in the note accompanying verse 13:12 and further discussed in Chapter 10’s introduction, particularly under the section titled "The Problem of Evil."
It’s important to note that out of the 68 comparisons made by the Lord in this chapter, only gambling can be categorized as “negative” or “evil.” This illustrates a broader point about the ratio between goodness and evil in God’s Creation. In our surroundings, for every one negative or undesirable thing, there are many more positive and good things. This balance is essential for the continuation of life. If there were not a preponderance of goodness over evil, life itself would be unsustainable.