अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः स्वधाऽहमहमौषधम् ।
मंत्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥
मंत्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यमहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥
I am the sacrifice, I am the ritual, I am the offering, I am the herb, I am the mantra, I am the ghee, I am the fire, and I am the act of offering. I am the sacred syllable Om, the Vedas, the father, mother, supporter, grandfather, object of knowledge, purifier, and imperishable seed of this world.
— Krishna
Bhagavad Gita · 9.16
Hindi · हिन्दी
क्रतु मैं हूँ, यज्ञ मैं हूँ, स्वधा मैं हूँ, औषध मैं हूँ, मन्त्र मैं हूँ, घृत मैं हूँ, अग्नि मैं हूँ और हवनरूप क्रिया भी मैं हूँ । जाननेयोग्य पवित्र, ओंकार, ऋग्वेद, सामवेद और यजुर्वेद भी मैं ही हूँ । इस सम्पूर्ण जगत्का पिता, धाता, माता, पितामह, गति, भर्ता, प्रभु, साक्षी, निवास, आश्रय, सुहृद्, उत्पत्ति, प्रलय, स्थान, निधान तथा अविनाशी बीज भी मैं ही हूँ ॥
It shifts devotion from isolated ceremony to seeing the divine presence in every sacred act and support.
What this verse means
Krishna says he is every part of sacred ritual: the offering, the chant, the fire, and the act itself. He is also the sacred sound, the Vedas, and the sustaining source of the world.
Context & commentary
On the battlefield, Arjuna is still frozen while Krishna expands the teaching beyond duty and fear. He reveals that every sacred act, every ritual element, and every source of wisdom points back to him, making devotion a way of seeing all reality.
Why this verse still matters
You light a lamp before a hard day, whisper a prayer, or sit in silence before a decision. The ritual feels small until you realize the whole act is already held by the divine.
“Devotion becomes simpler when every sacred act is seen as already held by the divine.”
Explore related themes: yajna (32 verses)