Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 29

Chapter 10 – Vibhuti Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

अनन्तश्चास्मि नागानां वरुणो यादसामहम् ।
पितॄणामर्यमा चास्मि यमः संयमतामहम् ॥

Transliteration

anantaścāsmi nāgānāṃ varuṇo yādasāmaham .
pitṝṇāmaryamā cāsmi yamaḥ saṃyamatāmaham ॥

Meaning

Among the nagas I am Ananta; among the beings of the waters I am Varuna; among the ancestors I am Aryaman; and among those who govern I am Yama.

Word meanings

अनन्तः – Ananta, Shesha
च – and
अस्मि – I am
नागानाम् – among the nagas
वरुणः – Varuna, lord of waters
यादसाम् – among water-dwellers
अहम् – I
पितॄणाम् – among the ancestors
अर्यमा – Aryaman, chief of the ancestors
च – and
अस्मि – I am
यमः – Yama, lord of death and justice
संयमताम् – among those who restrain and govern
अहम् – I

Anvaya (word order)

नागानाम् अनन्तः च अस्मि, यादसाम् अहं वरुणः (अस्मि), पितॄणाम् अर्यमा च अस्मि, संयमताम् अहं यमः (अस्मि) ।

Explanation

Anantash chasmi naganam, ‘among the nagas I am Ananta’. Ananta or Shesha is the thousand-hooded divine serpent on whom Vishnu reclines in the ocean of milk. According to the Puranas he bears the whole earth upon his hoods. He is called Ananta, endless, and Shesha, the remainder, because even when all dissolves he remains. Lakshmana and Balarama are regarded as his incarnations. He symbolises service and sustaining strength: ever devoted to the Lord, ever bearing the world’s weight.

Varuno yadasam aham, ‘among water-dwellers I am Varuna’. Yadas means creatures or deities of the waters. Varuna is lord of the waters and the sea, and in Vedic times was the guardian of rita, the moral order. In the Rig Veda he is worshipped as the protector of truth and punisher of falsehood.

Pitrinam aryama chasmi, ‘among the ancestors I am Aryaman’. The pitris are our departed forebears, for whom shraddha and tarpana are offered. Aryaman is chief of the world of the ancestors and also one of the twelve Adityas. He stands for tradition, gratitude and reverence for those who came before us.

Yamah samyamatam aham, ‘among those who govern I am Yama’. Yama is the god of death, but his greater title is Dharmaraja, king of righteousness, who gives each being the fruits of its deeds with perfect impartiality. Shankara says Yama is foremost among those who restrain and regulate beings. In the Katha Upanishad it is Yama who teaches Nachiketas the knowledge of the Self: the lord of death reveals the secret of immortality. His impartial justice is a glory of the Lord.

Context

Verse 28 named glories in the thunderbolt, Kamadhenu, Kandarpa and Vasuki. This verse names Ananta, Varuna, Aryaman and Yama. In the next verse Krishna names Prahlada among the daityas, time among reckoners, the lion among beasts and Garuda among birds.

Life lesson

Like Shesha, bear the weight of service and responsibility gladly. Be grateful to your ancestors. And remember that the justice of karma is impartial, so act thoughtfully and righteously in all things.

Key terms

Ananta (Shesha): the thousand-hooded serpent on whom Vishnu rests
Varuna: lord of waters and guardian of rita
Aryaman: chief of the ancestors
Yama: lord of death and justice, Dharmaraja
Samyamana: restraint, regulation, administering justice