Bhagavad Gita BG 7.9
Chapter 7, Verse 9 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ । जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ॥
punyo gandhah prthivyam ca tejas casmi vibhavasau jivanam sarva-bhuteshu tapas casmi tapasvisu
Meaning
I am the pure fragrance in earth; I am the brilliance in fire; I am the life in all beings; I am the tapas (austerity) in those who practice austerity.
Understanding
Continuing the divine self-identification: punya gandha in prthivi (the pure, sacred fragrance of the earth — the characteristic scent), tejas in vibhavasu/fire (the brilliance, heat, power of fire). Jivanam sarva-bhuteshu — the LIFE in all beings (not a quality but the very principle of living — Krishna is that principle itself). And tapas in tapasvisu (the tapas in those practicing austerity — the inner heat, the transformative power of austerity). Krishna is not external to these — he IS their deepest content.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| पुण्यः | punyah | pure, sacred, auspicious |
| गन्धः | gandhah | fragrance, smell |
| तेजः | tejah | brilliance, heat, power, radiance |
| विभावसौ | vibhavasau | in fire (vibhavasu = the one with light/brilliance) |
| जीवनम् | jivanam | life, the living principle |
| पुण्यः | puṇyaḥ | fragrant, sacred |
| गन्धः | gandhaḥ | fragrance, smell |
| पृथिव्याम् | pṛthivyām | in the earth |
| च | ca | and |
| तेजः | tejaḥ | brightness, heat |
| च | ca | and |
| अस्मि | asmi | I am |
| विभावसौ | vibhāvasau | in the fire |
| जीवनम् | jīvanam | life |
| सर्व-भूतेषु | sarva-bhūteṣu | in all beings |
| तपः | tapaḥ | austerity |
| च | ca | and |
| अस्मि | asmi | I am |
| तपस्विषु | tapasviṣu | in the ascetics |