Bhagavad Gita BG 8.9
Chapter 8, Verse 9 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
कविं पुराणमनुशासितारं अणोरणीयांसमनुस्मरेद्यः । सर्वस्य धातारमचिन्त्यरूपं आदित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥
kavim puranam anushasitaram ananor aniyamsam anusmared yah sarvasya dhAtAram acintya-rupam Aditya-varnam tamasah parashat
Meaning
One who meditates on the Ancient Poet, the Ruler, subtler than the subtlest, sustainer of all, of inconceivable form, sun-colored, beyond darkness...
Understanding
A magnificent description of the Supreme for meditation. Kavi (poet, seer — the one who 'sees' all of reality's rhyme and pattern). Purana (Ancient — from before all beginnings). Anushasitara (the Ruler, the ordainer). Anor aniyamsa (subtler than the subtlest — beyond atomic subtlety). Sarvasya dhAtAra (sustainer of all). Acintya-rupa (of inconceivable form — beyond thought's reach). Aditya-varna (sun-colored — luminous as the sun). Tamasah parashat (beyond darkness — transcending all ignorance). Each word is a meditation focus for the moment of death.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| कविम् | kavim | the seer, the poet (one who sees the truth of all) |
| पुराणम् | puranam | the Ancient, the primordial, the eternal |
| अणोरणीयांसम् | anor aniyamsam | subtler than the subtlest |
| अचिन्त्यरूपम् | acintya-rupam | of inconceivable form |
| आदित्यवर्णम् | aditya-varnam | sun-colored, luminous as the sun |
| पुराणम् | purāṇam | the ancient, the primal |
| अनुशासितारम् | anuśāsitāram | the ruler, the controller |
| अणोः | aṇoḥ | than the atom |
| अणीयांसम् | aṇīyāṃsam | smaller than |
| अनुस्मरेत् | anusmaret | should remember, should contemplate |
| यः | yaḥ | whoever |
| सर्वस्य | sarvasya | of all |
| धातारम् | dhātāram | the maintainer, the sustainer |
| अचिन्त्य-रूपम् | acintya-rūpam | of inconceivable form |
| आदित्य-वर्णम् | āditya-varṇam | luminous like the sun |
| तमसः | tamasaḥ | beyond darkness |
| परस्तात् | parastāt | beyond, transcendent |