अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च ।
अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥
अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
अक्षरोंमें अकार और समासोंमें द्वन्द्व समास मैं हूँ । अक्षयकाल अर्थात् कालका भी महाकाल तथा सब ओर मुखवाला धाता भी मैं हूँ ॥
English
Among letters I am the letter A. Among compounds I am the dual compound. I am endless time itself, and I am the all-facing sustainer.
What this verse means
Krishna says he is present in the first letter, in a basic kind of compound word, in endless time, and in the all-facing power that sustains the world.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna frozen and the war still waiting, Krishna keeps unfolding how he appears in everything. After naming rivers, winds, and forms of knowledge, he points to language, time, and the power that holds the world together.
Why this verse still matters
You open a book before a hard exam, and even the first letter feels heavy. Or you watch a clock after a loss and realize time itself has become the thing you cannot outrun.
The takeaway
The ordinary and the immense are not separate. What seems small still carries the divine presence.
Word-by-word translation
अक्षराणाम् (among letters) / अकारः (the letter A) / अस्मि (I am) / द्वन्द्वः (dual compound) / सामासिकस्य (among compounds) / च (and) / अहम् (I) / एव (indeed) / अक्षयः (imperishable / endless) / कालः (time) / धाता (sustainer / creator) / अहम् (I am) / विश्वतोमुखः (having faces everywhere / all-facing)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10: Vibhuti Yoga — The Yoga of Divine Glories, which contains 42 verses.
Explore related themes: vibhuti (43 verses)