Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 25

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् ।
यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ॥

Transliteration

maharṣīṇāṃ bhṛgurahaṃ girāmasmyekamakṣaram .
yajñānāṃ japayajño.asmi sthāvarāṇāṃ himālayaḥ ॥

Meaning

Among the great sages I am Bhrigu; among words I am the single syllable Om; among sacrifices I am the sacrifice of japa; among immovable things I am the Himalaya.

Word meanings

महर्षीणाम् – among great sages
भृगुः – Bhrigu
अहम् – I
गिराम् – among words, utterances
अस्मि – I am
एकम् – the one
अक्षरम् – syllable, Om
यज्ञानाम् – among sacrifices
जपयज्ञः – the sacrifice of japa, repetition of the holy name
अस्मि – I am
स्थावराणाम् – among immovable things
हिमालयः – the Himalaya

Anvaya (word order)

महर्षीणाम् अहं भृगुः, गिराम् एकम् अक्षरम् अस्मि, यज्ञानां जपयज्ञः अस्मि, स्थावराणां हिमालयः (अस्मि) ।

Explanation

Maharshinam bhrigur aham, ‘among great sages I am Bhrigu’. Bhrigu is a mind-born son of Brahma and a sage of great power. A famous story tells that the sages, wishing to know who was greatest among the three gods, sent Bhrigu to test them. Bhrigu struck Vishnu on the chest with his foot; instead of anger, Vishnu held his foot and asked whether he had been hurt. The Lord kept that footprint on His chest as the mark called Shrivatsa. The sage’s fire and the Lord’s forgiveness both shine in this story. The Bhrigu Samhita and the Bhargava lineage are connected with him.

Giram asmy ekam aksharam, ‘among words I am the one syllable’, Om. Of all words and mantras, Om is the holiest: the symbol of the Supreme, containing all the Vedas in seed form. According to the Mandukya Upanishad its sounds A, U and M stand for waking, dreaming and deep sleep, and the silence beyond them for turiya, pure consciousness. In chapter 8 too Krishna praised uttering Om at the time of death.

Yajnanam japa-yajno ’smi, ‘among sacrifices I am japa’. Japa is the repeated recitation, aloud or in the mind, of the Lord’s name or a mantra. Other sacrifices require materials, fire and procedure, and may unintentionally harm living creatures; japa needs nothing and can be done by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Shankara says it is foremost because it involves no injury to any being, and the Manusmriti also ranks it above other sacrifices.

Sthavaranam himalayah, ‘among immovable things I am the Himalaya’. The Himalaya is the king of mountains, the highest in the world, source of the Ganga, Yamuna and many sacred rivers, the place of austerity of sages and the abode of Shiva. Its steadiness, height and purity reflect the Lord’s constancy and greatness.

Context

Verse 24 named glories in Brihaspati, Skanda and the ocean. This verse names Bhrigu, Om, japa and the Himalaya. In the next verse Krishna names the ashvattha among trees, Narada among divine sages, Chitraratha among gandharvas and Kapila among perfected beings.

Life lesson

Japa is the simplest and finest of practices, needing neither wealth nor special place. Spend some time each day repeating Om or the Lord’s name. Stand firm in your resolves like the Himalaya, and like Vishnu answer even insult with forgiveness.

Key terms

Bhrigu: mind-born son of Brahma, a powerful sage
Ekakshara (Om): the sacred syllable, symbol of the Supreme
Japa-yajna: the sacrifice of repeating the Lord’s name or mantra
Sthavara: immovable things
Himalaya: king of mountains, source of sacred rivers