You are air, Yama, fire, Varuna, the moon, Prajapati, and the great ancestor. I bow to you a thousand times, and again and again.
— Arjuna
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Bhagavad Gita · 11.39
Hindi · हिन्दी
आप ही वायु, यमराज, अग्नि, वरुण, चन्द्रमा, दक्ष आदि प्रजापति और प्रपितामह ब्रह्माजीके भी पिता हैं । आपको हजारों बार नमस्कार हो नमस्कार हो और फिर भी आपको बारबार नमस्कार हो नमस्कार हो ॥
The verse in reading order — each Sanskrit word with its meaning beneath. Tap a word to focus on it.
वायुःairयमःYamaअग्निःfireवरुणःVarunaशशाङ्कःmoonप्रजापतिःPrajapatiत्वम्youप्रपितामहःgreat ancestorचandनमः नमः तेsalutations, salutations to youअस्तुmay it beसहस्रकृत्वःa thousand timesपुनःagainचandभूयः अपिagain and againनमः नमः तेsalutations, salutations to you
Read literallyair · Yama · fire · Varuna · moon · Prajapati · you · great ancestor · and · salutations, salutations to you · may it be · a thousand times · again · and · again and again · salutations, salutations to you
Understanding the verse
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Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the moon: Arjuna names each god as Krishna and bows a thousand times.
Arjuna sees Krishna as the source behind all cosmic powers and offers repeated bowing. The response is not argument but reverence.
02
On the battlefield
Context & commentary
After seeing the vast power behind the universe, Arjuna names the forces of nature and creation as Krishna's own presence, then bows again and again in reverence.
03
In your life
What it looks like today
At a village festival, people bow at the shrine of the local goddess, then to the sun, then to the river. Arjuna sees all of these powers as one person, so his bowing never stops.
The takeaway
“Awe can dissolve pride faster than explanation can.”
Arjuna sees Krishna as the source behind all cosmic powers and offers repeated bowing. The response is not argument but reverence.
Who speaks Bhagavad Gita 11.39?
Arjuna speaks this verse, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, in the chapter titled "Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga" (The Universal Form).
Which chapter of the Bhagavad Gita contains verse 11.39?
Verse 39 sits in Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita — Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga, "The Universal Form". The chapter has 55 verses in total.
Why does Bhagavad Gita 11.39 matter today?
At a village festival, people bow at the shrine of the local goddess, then to the sun, then to the river. Arjuna sees all of these powers as one person, so his bowing never stops.
Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the moon: Arjuna names each god as Krishna and bows a thousand times.
What this verse means
Arjuna sees Krishna as the source behind all cosmic powers and offers repeated bowing. The response is not argument but reverence.
Context & commentary
After seeing the vast power behind the universe, Arjuna names the forces of nature and creation as Krishna's own presence, then bows again and again in reverence.
What it looks like today
At a village festival, people bow at the shrine of the local goddess, then to the sun, then to the river. Arjuna sees all of these powers as one person, so his bowing never stops.
“Awe can dissolve pride faster than explanation can.”
Explore related themes: vishwarupa (50 verses), cosmic form (25 verses), arjuna prayer (14 verses)