Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7, Verse 8

Chapter 7 – Jnana Vijnana Yoga · Speaker: Krishna

Sanskrit verse

रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः ।
प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु ॥

Transliteration

raso.ahamapsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśisūryayoḥ .
praṇavaḥ sarvavedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu ॥

Meaning

I am the taste in water, O son of Kunti; I am the light in the moon and the sun; I am the sacred syllable Om in all the Vedas, sound in space, and manliness in human beings.

Word meanings

रसः – taste, essence
अहम् – I
अप्सु – in water
कौन्तेय – O son of Kunti
प्रभा – light, radiance
अस्मि – am
शशिसूर्ययोः – in the moon and the sun
प्रणवः – the syllable Om
सर्ववेदेषु – in all the Vedas
शब्दः – sound
खे – in space
पौरुषम् – manliness, human strength
नृषु – in human beings

Anvaya (word order)

कौन्तेय, अहम् अप्सु रसः, शशिसूर्ययोः प्रभा अस्मि, सर्ववेदेषु प्रणवः, खे शब्दः, नृषु पौरुषम् (अस्मि) ।

Explanation

After the image of thread and gems, Krishna now gives concrete examples of how He is present in the things of the world. He is present as the essence of each thing — the quality that makes it what it is.

Raso 'ham apsu — I am the taste in water. The fundamental quality of water is its rasa — its taste, its fluidity, its power to quench thirst; without it water is no longer water. Prabhasmi shashi-suryayoh — I am the light of the moon and the sun. The essence of sun and moon is their radiance. Pranavah sarva-vedeshu — I am Om in all the Vedas. Om is regarded as the seed and essence of the Vedas, from which all mantras unfold.

Shabdah khe — I am sound in space. In ancient Indian philosophy, sound is regarded as the special quality of space (akasha). Paurusham nrishu — I am manliness in human beings — the capacity, enterprise and courage by which a person accomplishes anything. Shankara says that the vigour and initiative present in all people is the Lord.

These examples are also a method of meditation. When we drink water, we can remember the Lord in its taste; when we watch the sunrise, in its light; when we chant Om, in its sound. In this way ordinary daily experiences become reminders of the Divine. Ramanuja says that all these special qualities are the Lord's glories, arising from Him and resting on Him.

Context

In 7.7 Krishna said that all is strung on Him like beads on a thread. From here (7.8–11) he gives examples of how He is present as the essence of each thing. The next verse (7.9) speaks of the fragrance of earth, the brilliance of fire and more.

Life lesson

To find God in daily life you need not go far. The taste of water as you drink, the morning light, the courage within you — practise sensing the Divine in all these. It awakens gratitude and reverence in every moment.

Key terms

Rasa: the essential quality of water — taste
Prabha: light, radiance
Pranava: the syllable Om — essence of the Vedas
Paurusha: human capacity, enterprise and courage