In Bhagavad Gita 7.8, Krishna says he is the taste in water, the light of the sun and moon, the sacred syllable Om in the Vedas, sound in space and strength in human beings.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय
प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययोः
प्रणवः सर्ववेदेषु
शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु ॥ ७-८ ॥
raso’hamapsu kaunteya
prabhāsmi śaśisūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarvavedeṣu
śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṃ nṛṣu
English transliteration raso’hamapsu kaunteya
prabhaasmi shashisooryayoh
pranavah sarvavedeshu
shabdah khe paurusham nrishu ॥ 7.8 ॥
Translation / Meaning
I am the taste in water, O son of Kunti; I am the light of the moon and the sun; I am the syllable Om in all the Vedas, the sound in space, and the manliness in men.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| रसः rasaḥ | taste |
| अहम् aham | I |
| अप्सु apsu | in water |
| कौन्तेय kaunteya | O son of Kuntī |
| प्रभा prabhā | light |
| अस्मि asmi | I am |
| शशिसूर्ययोः śaśisūryayoḥ | of the moon and the sun śaśi (moon) + sūryayoḥ (sun) |
| प्रणवः praṇavaḥ | the syllable Om |
| सर्ववेदेषु sarvavedeṣu | in all the Vedas |
| शब्दः śabdaḥ | sound |
| खे khe | in space |
| पौरुषम् pauruṣam | manliness, strength |
| नृषु nṛṣu | in men |
Word-wise Chanting
- ra–so–‘ha–map–su kaun–te–ya 8 syllables ra-so-‘ha-map-su kaun-te-ya
- pra–bhās–mi śa–śi–sūr–ya–yoḥ | 8 syllables pra-bhaas-mi sha-shi-soor-ya-yoh
- pra–ṇa–vaḥ sar–va–ve–de–ṣu 8 syllables pra-na-vah sar-va-ve-de-shu
- śab–daḥ khe pau–ru–ṣaṃ nṛ–ṣu || 7-8 8 syllables shab-dah khe pau-ru-sham nri-shu
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 7 Verse 8
Context
Krishna shows how he can be recognised in everything (7.8–7.11).
Meaning
Krishna points to the essence of things. The taste is what makes water water; light is what makes sun and moon what they are; Om is the essence of all Vedic sound; sound is the characteristic quality of space; and pauruṣa, courage and strength, is the essence of a human being. The Divine is the essence in every thing.
This verse turns ordinary experience into contemplation. When we drink water, see light, hear sound or act with courage, we can remember the Divine. Spirituality becomes a way of seeing the sacred in the most familiar things.
In Practice
The next time you drink water today, pause and remember: “The Divine is the taste of this water.”
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 7: Jnana Vijnana Yoga (Knowledge and Realisation). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.