वायुर्यमोऽग्निर्वरुणः शशाङ्कः प्रजापतिस्त्वं प्रपितामहश्च। नमो नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्रकृत्वः पुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते।।11.39।।
vāyuḥ yamaḥ agniḥ varuṇaḥ śaśakḥ prajāpatiḥ tvaṁ prapitāmahaḥ ca; namo namaste 'stu sahasra‑kṛtvaḥ punaḥ ca bhūyo api namo namaste
Translation
You are Vāyu (god of wind), Yama (god of death), Agni (god of fire), Varuṇa (god of water), and Chandra (moon‑god). You are the creator Brahma, and the great‑grandfather of all beings. I offer my salutations unto You a thousand times, again and yet again!
Word Meanings
vāyuḥ — air; yamaḥ — the controller; agniḥ — fire; varuṇaḥ — water; śaśa‑aṅkaḥ — the moon; prajāpatiḥ — Brahmā; tvam — You; prapitāmahaḥ — the great-grandfather; ca — also; namaḥ — my respects; namaḥ — again my respects; te — unto You; astu — let there be; sahasra‑kṛtvaḥ — a thousand times; punaḥ ca — and again; bhūyaḥ — again; api — also; namaḥ — offering my respects; namaḥ te — offering my respects unto You
Understanding the Verse
In this powerful verse of the cosmic vision (Chapter 11), Arjuna, overwhelmed by the divine form of the Lord, bows down with reverence and enumerates the supreme identities of Krishna. He recognises that the Lord embodies the five chief elements of the universe: Vāyu (air), Yama (the principle of death and cosmic order), Agni (fire), Varuṇa (water), and Śaśāṅka (the moon). By naming these forces, Arjuna acknowledges that the Divine pervades and controls the very fabric of material existence.
Beyond these elemental aspects, Arjuna calls the Lord "Prajāpati", the creator of all beings, and "Prapitāmaha", the great‑grandfather, a term that signifies the supreme ancestry of all life. In Vedic tradition, the great‑grandfather is the source from which the entire lineage of creation descends, emphasizing that Krishna is not only the creator but also the sustaining patriarch of the cosmos.
The repetitive salutation – "Namo Namaste'stu Sahasra‑Kṛtvaḥ Punaḥ Ca Bhūyo'pi Namo Namaste" – expresses Arjuna's unbounded devotion. "Sahasra‑kṛtvaḥ" indicates a thousandfold offering, while "punah ca bhūyo'pi" adds layers of repetition, illustrating an inexhaustible well of gratitude and surrender. This intense reverence underscores a key theme of the Gita: the realization that surrender (bhakti) to the divine, who is both immanent and transcendent, leads to liberation.
Philosophically, the verse illustrates the concept of "Sarva‑Siddhanta‑Samanvaya" – the unity of all philosophical systems under one supreme reality. By identifying the Lord with the essential forces and the ultimate creator, the text dissolves any perceived duality between the material world and the divine. For a seeker, this verse acts as a reminder that every breath, every fire, every river, and every lunar cycle is an expression of the same divine principle.
In devotional practice, this verse serves as a potent mantra. Repeating the names with the same rhythm can focus the mind on the omnipresence of the divine, fostering a sense of unity with the cosmos. It also encourages practitioners to see beyond the external differences of the elements and recognize the underlying divine presence in all aspects of life, thus cultivating humility, reverence, and an all‑encompassing love for the Supreme.
