Chapter 11, Verse 39
वायुर्यमोऽग्निर्वरुण: शशाङ्क: प्रजापतिस्त्वं प्रपितामहश्च | नमो नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्रकृत्व: पुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते ॥39॥
vāyur yamo ’gnir varuṇaḥ śhaśhāṅkaḥ prajāpatis tvaṁ prapitāmahaśh cha | namo namas te ’stu sahasra-kṛitvaḥ punaśh cha bhūyo ’pi namo namas te
"You are Air, Death, Fire, the god of the waters, the moon, the Lord of the creatures, and the Great-grandfather. Salutations! Salutations be to You a thousand times; salutation to You again and again!"
Key Insight:
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 11.39 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us through 11.39 that true peace is found when we align our actions with Dharma.
Detailed Meaning
In this verse, Arjuna recognizes Shree Krishna as the primordial source of all cosmic administrators (Devatas). By calling Him 'Prapitāmaha' (the Great-grandfather), Arjuna acknowledges that Krishna is the progenitor of Brahma (the Creator/Prajapati). The repetitive 'Namo Namaste' (salutations again and again) reflects 'Saranagati' or total surrender born from an overwhelming vision of the Divine's omnipresence. The philosophical core is that while various deities perform specific cosmic functions, they are all manifestations of the one Supreme Reality, much like various ornaments are essentially gold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of Gita 11.39?
You are Air, Death, Fire, the god of the waters, the moon, the Lord of the creatures, and the Great-grandfather. Salutations! Salutations be to You a thousand times; salutation to You again and again!