Verse 9.17
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः | वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च ||१७||
Transliteration (IAST)
pitāham asya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ vedyaṁ pavitram oṁkāra ṛk sāma yajur eva ca
Word-by-Word Meanings
pitā-father
mātā-mother
dhātā-sustainer
pitāmahaḥ-grandfather
vedyam-what is to be known
pavitram-purifier
oṁkāraḥ-the syllable Om
Translation
I am the father of this universe, the mother, the sustainer, and the grandfather. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier, the sacred syllable Om, and the Rig, Sama, and Yajur Vedas.
Commentary
Krishna assumes all familial and cosmic roles - father, mother, sustainer, and ancestor. By identifying with Oṁkāra and the three Vedas, He positions Himself as both the source and content of all sacred knowledge. The inclusion of 'mātā' alongside 'pitā' affirms the Divine's transcendence of gender.
Themes
bhaktijnanadharma