Verse 10.33
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
अक्षराणामकारोवस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च | अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताहं विश्वतोमुखः ||३३||
Transliteration (IAST)
aksaranam akaro 'smi dvandvah samasikasya ca | aham evaksayah kalo dhataham visvato-mukhah ||33||
Word-by-Word Meanings
Translation
Among letters I am the letter A; among compound words I am the dual compound; I am inexhaustible time; and I am the all-pervading creator facing everywhere.
Commentary
The letter A (akara) is the foundation of all speech in Sanskrit - no syllable can be uttered without it. The dvandva compound joins equals, reflecting divine balance. Inexhaustible time (aksaya kala) points to Krishna as eternal duration itself. The all-facing creator (visvato-mukha) sees and sustains all directions simultaneously. Ramanuja notes that A being the basis of all letters mirrors how Brahman is the basis of all existence.