Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, Verse 16: I Am the Ritual and the Offering

In Bhagavad Gita 9.16, Krishna says he is the ritual, the sacrifice, the offering to ancestors, the healing herb, the mantra, the clarified butter, the fire and the act of offering.

Sanskrit Verse

Bhagavad Gita 9.16 · Chapter 9, Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga

श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said

अहं क्रतुरहं यज्ञः
स्वधाहमहमौषधम्
मन्त्रोऽहमहमेवाज्यम्
अहमग्निरहं हुतम् ॥ ९-१६ ॥

ahaṃ kraturahaṃ yajñaḥ
svadhāhamahamauṣadham
mantro’hamahamevājyam
ahamagnirahaṃ hutam

English transliteration aham kraturaham yajnah
svadhaahamahamaushadham
mantro’hamahamevaajyam
ahamagniraham hutam ॥ 9.16 ॥

Translation / Meaning

I am the ritual, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering to the ancestors, I am the healing herb; I am the mantra, I am the clarified butter, I am the fire, and I am the act of offering.

In one line: The Divine is every element of sacrifice: the rite, the offering, the fire and the act itself.

Word Meanings

Word Meaning
अहम् aham I
क्रतुः kratuḥ the ritual
अहम् aham I
यज्ञः yajñaḥ the sacrifice
स्वधा svadhā the offering to ancestors
अहम् aham I
अहम् aham I
औषधम् auṣadham the healing herb
मन्त्रः mantraḥ the mantra
अहम् aham I
अहम् aham I
एव eva indeed
आज्यम् ājyam clarified butter
अहम् aham I
अग्निः agniḥ the fire
अहम् aham I
हुतम् hutam the act of offering

Word-wise Chanting

Metre: Anuṣṭubh (śloka) · 4 pādas of 8 syllables

  1. a–haṃ kra–tu–ra–haṃ ya–jñaḥ 8 syllables a-ham kra-tu-ra-ham ya-jnah
  2. sva–dhā–ha–ma–ha–mau–ṣa–dham | 8 syllables sva-dhaa-ha-ma-ha-mau-sha-dham
  3. man–tro–‘ha–ma–ha–me–vāj–yam– 8 syllables man-tro-‘ha-ma-ha-me-vaaj-yam-
  4. a–ha–mag–ni–ra–haṃ hu–tam || 9-16 8 syllables a-ha-mag-ni-ra-ham hu-tam
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 9 Verse 16

Context

Krishna reveals himself in every element of worship (9.16–9.19).

Meaning

Every part of the Vedic sacrifice is the Divine: the kratu, rite; the yajña, sacrifice; svadhā, the offering to ancestors; the auṣadha, sacred herb; the mantra; the ājya, ghee; the agni, fire; and the huta, the act of offering itself. The worshipper, the worship and the worshipped are all the Divine.

This echoes 4.24. When we see the Divine in every part of an act, the act itself becomes sacred. Cooking, working or praying can all be seen this way.

In Practice

During a meal or task today, recall that every element, the materials, the act and its purpose, is the Divine.

Continue Your Study

This verse belongs to Chapter 9: Raja Vidya Raja Guhya Yoga (The Royal Knowledge and Royal Secret). 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.