Gita : Ch-11. Slo-39.

Srimad Bhagavad-Gita :

Chapter-11. ( Visvarupa-darsana-yogam)

Slokam-39. ( You are air, fire, water, and You are the moon! You are the supreme controller and the grandfather. Thus I offer my respectful obeisances unto You a thousand times, and again and yet again! )


vayuryamognirvaruṇaḥ  sasankah

prajapatistvam  prapiamahasca,

namo namastestu sahasra-krtvah

punasca bhuyopi  namo namaste.


vayuah, yamah, agniah  =  lord of wind, lord of death,and lord of fire;

varunah, sasankah, prajapathih  =  lord of water, lord moon, lord  Brahma;

prapiamahah ca tvam  =  ancestors and all the above said (lords) are You only;

te sahasra-krtvah  =  again thousands and thousands;

namo namah  = I offer my respects unto You;

punah ca bhuyah api  =  again and again (repeatedly);

te namo namah astu  = namaskaram,namaskaram to You(I offer my respects to You).


The Lord is addressed here as air because the air is the most important representation of all the demigods, being all-pervasive. Arjuna also addresses Krishna as the grandfather because He is the father of Brahmā, the first living creature in the universe.


Naming the various demigods which are Lord Krishna's vibhuti or divine transcendental opulences are stated to imply that He is the sum total of all the demigods as He is even the progenitor of the grandsire Brahma responsible for visargah or secondary creation. At this time due to feelings of excessive devotion, reverence and anxiety Arjuna offers his own obeisances sahasra-krtvah meaning 1000's and 1000's of times and not being satisfied offers humble prostrations many, many times upon the ground before Lord Krishna.


Here it is inferred that Lord Krishna is the composite total of all the demigods beginning with Vayu the demigod in charge of the wind due to the fact that they all are parts of His vibhuti or divine transcendental opulence. Va symbolises strength and aya symbolises wisdom which in their unlimited forms are qualities of the Supreme Lord. Since He is fully complete and resplendent within Himself various demigods are mentioned such agni or fire and varunah or ocean which represent His vibhuti or divine transcendental opulence. Thus they manifest in unlimited ways.


Lord Krishna is origin of Vishnu who is the origin of Brahma who is the origin of the Prajapatis who are the physical patriarchs of all creatures. All the demigods and any other kind of god find their source in Him as well. He is known as Hiranyagarbha the indwelling soul of all living entities. Comprehending the reality of all these things as part of the magnificently majestic pageant of the Supreme Lord, Arjuna with joy elated heart and eyes brimming with tears prostrated himself unto Lord Krishna again and again from every side with trepidation.

In exaltation Arjuna is exuberating on the manifest potencies of the Supreme Lord Krishna exclaiming He is the wind god, the fire god, the water god, etc. and Brahma as well as being the grandsire of all. Obeisance thousands of times Arjuna is offering Him again and again.

To be continued ....