Bhagavad Gita 7.9 · Krishna
The scent after rain
पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ।
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु॥
puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṃ ca tejaścāsmi vibhāvasaujīvanaṃ sarvabhūteṣu tapaścāsmi tapasviṣu
I am the pure fragrance of the earth, the brilliance in fire, the life in all beings, and the discipline in those who strive.
Words
- tapas
What it means
Krishna continues. He's the sweet fragrance of the earth. The brightness of fire. The very life in every being. And the tapas, the disciplined effort, of those who strive. From a scent to a spark to a heartbeat, the divine shows itself in what's most essential.
The story
Arjuna has smelled the earth of Kurukshetra, seen campfires burning, felt life in his own chest. Krishna says all of that is his presence. The battlefield itself is full of God.
In your life
Think of the smell of rain on dry ground, or bread baking. Next time you notice a beautiful scent, pause and take it in fully. Let it remind you of what holds all life.
The divine is the life in every being.