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Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 7.8
रसोऽहमप्सु कौन्तेय प्रभास्मि शशिसूर्ययो: ।
प्रणव: सर्ववेदेषु शब्द: खे पौरुषं नृषु ॥ ८ ॥
raso ’ham apsu kaunteya
prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu
śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu
O son of Kuntī, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable oṁ in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioWhat this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.
3 study points
Kṛṣṇa is the taste of water, sunlight and moonlight, oṁ in Vedic mantras, sound in ether, and human ability.
Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa remains in His eternal abode while His energies are present everywhere.
When drinking water, recognize its pure taste as Kṛṣṇa’s energy and thank Him for quenching your thirst.
These notes cover verses 7.8–11
Krishna is the essence and cause of everything within the modes of material nature as follows:
Taste of Water — Taste is the active principle of water e.g. No-one likes seawater
Attraction of water depends on purity of water
Pure taste is one of the energies of the Lord
Impersonalists perceive the Lord as the taste; but the personalists glorify the Lord for supplying the water
Light of Sun and moon — Originally comes from Brahmajyoti (impersonal effulgence)
OM of Vedic mantras
Om is the transcendental sound in the beginning of every Vedic hymn
Addresses the Supreme Lord
Impersonalists prefer to vibrate Omkara because they are very much afraid of addressing Krishna by His innumerable names
Sound of Ether
Ability of Man Texts 7.8 — 7.11 continued…
Fragrance of Earth — “Punya” refers to uncontaminated original flavor/smell/taste which permeates everything
‘Punya’ means that which is not decomposed or that which is original
Heat of Fire (Vibhavasau) — Fire in factories/cooking/digestive fire
Indigestion is due to low temperature in the belly
Life of all living being — Duration of man’s life is also due to Krishna
By Krishna’s grace one can prolong or diminish it
Penance of Ascetics
Original seed (Bijam) of all existence (Source of everything)
Seed of all 8.4 million species
Ref. Vedic Literatures: Brahman is the source of everything
Krishna is Parabrahman – The Supreme Spirit
Impersonal Brahman is situated in the personal aspect
Krishna is the original root of all that exists and thus He is the maintainer for everything (Ref. Katha Upanisad 2.2.13)
Intelligence of Intelligent
Prowess of all Powerful men
Strength of Strong — Devoid of passion and desires (strength should be applied to protect the weak, not for personal aggression)
Regulated Sex life of Religious Principles (Dharma) — used for propagation of Krishna conscious children
Texts 7.7 & 7.8
Krishna explains further in the following four verses that He is the essential or maintaining principle of various manifestations. We should appreciate Krishna not only as the cause but also as the essence of everything. E.g. Krishna has already explained that the element water has come from Him (7.4), but what we most appreciate about water is its taste. That taste which quenches our thirst is Krishna. Therefore He is the active ingredient, the essence of water.
Krishna is the source of both matter and spirit
Can be seen in the world when we view all existence as a combination of Krishna’s material and spiritual energies. He is also the active essence of everything
Although Krishna is not under His energies, the three modes, all else in material existence is manifested by combination of goodness, passion and ignorance
Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.
The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.
Key ideas: bhagavān, vibhūti.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
What does BG 7.8 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to krishna’s nature?
Notice something excellent and see it as His opulence.
Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.
Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.