Bhagavad Gita 9.19 – Sloka Meaning Structured Notes
Verse
tapāmy aham ahaṁ varṣaṁ nigṛhṇāmy utsṛjāmi ca
amṛtaṁ caiva mṛtyuś ca sad asac cāham arjuna
Word-by-Word Meaning
| Sanskrit | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| tapāmi | I give heat |
| aham | I |
| varṣam | rain |
| nigṛhṇāmi | withhold |
| utsṛjāmi | send forth |
| ca | and |
| amṛtam | immortality, nectar |
| mṛtyuḥ | death |
| sat | spirit, existence |
| asat | matter, nonexistence |
| aham | I |
| arjuna | O Arjuna |
Translation
“O Arjuna, I give heat, and I withhold and send forth the rain. I am immortality, and I am also death personified. Both spirit and matter are in Me.”
Aim
To see Sri Krishna as the controller of natural forces, life, death, and the dualities of existence.
Objectives
1. To reflect on Sri Krishna as the source of heat and rain.
2. To understand Sri Krishna’s role as both immortality and death.
3. To recognize Sri Krishna as both spirit and matter.
4. To consider how Sri Krishna’s control encompasses all dualities of creation.
Application in Life
1. Depend on Him for nature: See the forces of sun, rain, and seasons as under His control. This cultivates gratitude and surrender.
2. Accept Him in life and death: Understand that He grants immortality to devotees and ends material existence for others. Both aspects are His mercy.
3. See unity in diversity: Recognize that spirit and matter, opposites of existence, rest in Him. This vision brings balance and peace.
Simple Take AwaySri Krishna controls heat, rain, immortality, and death. He is both spirit and matter, the master of all dualities in creation.

