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Bhagavad-gītā 10.25

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं गिरामस्म्येकमक्षरम् । यज्ञानां जपयज्ञोऽस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालय: ॥ २५ ॥
maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ
[maharsheenaam bhrigur aham]
girām asmy ekam akṣaram
[giraam asmy ekam aksharam]
yajñānāṁ japa-yajño ’smi
[yajnaanaam japa-yajno ’smi]
sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ
[sthaavaraanaam himaalayah]
Word-for-word
mahā - ṛṣīṇām — among the great sages bhṛguḥ — Bhṛgu aham — I am girām — of vibrations asmi — I am ekam akṣaram — praṇava yajñānām — of sacrifices japa - yajñaḥ — chanting asmi — I am sthāvarāṇām — of immovable things himālayaḥ — the Himālayan mountains .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ
mahā - ṛṣīṇām
among the great sages
bhṛguḥ
Bhṛgu
aham
I am
girām asmy ekam akṣaram
girām
of vibrations
asmi
I am
ekam akṣaram
praṇava
yajñānāṁ japa-yajño ’smi
yajñānām
of sacrifices
japa - yajñaḥ
chanting
asmi
I am
sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ
sthāvarāṇām
of immovable things
himālayaḥ
the Himālayan mountains .
Important Words
  • bhṛguḥ — Bhṛgu
    One of the seven primal sages (sapta-ṛṣi). His descendants include Paraśurāma and many ṛṣi-lineages. Kṛṣṇa picks the sage from whose body so many sage-lines flow — the source-figure within the source-set.
  • ekam akṣaram — the syllable Om (praṇava)
    Compound: ekam (one) + akṣaram (imperishable syllable). Among all sound vibrations (girām), the praṇava is supreme — it contains the Vedas in seed form. The verse honors the syllable that begins every mantra.
  • yajñānām — of sacrifices
    Genitive plural. Of every variety of sacrifice — agnihotra, aśvamedha, rājasūya, jñāna-yajña — Kṛṣṇa picks japa. A radical narrowing: the highest sacrifice is not the most expensive but the most internal.
  • japa - yajñaḥ — the chanting of holy names
    Compound: japa (murmured repetition) + yajña (sacrifice). The verse's most practical line — it tells the householder, the student, the ascetic alike that the door is open through japa. Kali-yuga's central instruction takes its scriptural seat here.
  • himālayaḥ — the Himālayan mountains
    Compound: hima (snow) + ālaya (abode). Among all immovable beings (sthāvara), the Himālayas are supreme — vast, ancient, the source of the Ganges, the home of yogīs. Kṛṣṇa names the great immobile body of the earth itself.
Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental oṁ. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himālayas.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Bhṛgu among sages, Oṁ among utterances, japa among sacrifices, Himālaya among the immovable. The selection privileges the essence over the elaborate — a single syllable, silent repetition, mountain stillness.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Japa-yajña is conspicuously named the supreme sacrifice — more accessible than fire-rituals and inwardly potent. This anticipates the bhakti emphasis: simple sustained chanting is itself the sacrificial summit. Cross-ref Manu 2.85–87, Mahābhārata Śānti-parvan on japa. Oṁ as 'ekam akṣaram' echoes Māṇḍūkya 1 and Kaṭha 1.2.15–17.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
महर्षीणां (मध्ये) अहं भृगुः (अस्मि); गिरां (मध्ये) एकम् अक्षरम् (ओङ्कारम्) अस्मि; यज्ञानां (मध्ये) जप-यज्ञः अस्मि; स्थावराणां (मध्ये) हिमालयः (अस्मि) ।
maharṣīṇāṃ (madhye) ahaṃ bhṛguḥ (asmi); girāṃ (madhye) ekam akṣaram (oṅkāram) asmi; yajñānāṃ (madhye) japa-yajñaḥ asmi; sthāvarāṇāṃ (madhye) himālayaḥ (asmi) |
Among the great sages I am Bhṛgu; among utterances I am the one syllable (Oṁ); among sacrifices I am the sacrifice of japa; among immovable things I am the Himālaya.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
महर्षीणां भृगुः अहं गिराम् अस्मि एकम् अक्षरम् । यज्ञानां जप-यज्ञः अस्मि स्थावराणां हिमालयः ॥
maharṣīṇāṃ bhṛguḥ ahaṃ girām asmi ekam akṣaram | yajñānāṃ japa-yajñaḥ asmi sthāvarāṇāṃ himālayaḥ ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
महर्षीणाम् maharṣīṇām महर्षि (m.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among the great sages
भृगुः bhṛguḥ भृगु (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) Bhṛgu
अहम् aham अस्मद् nom.sg. (nominative singular) I
गिराम् girām गिर् (f.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among speech-utterances
अस्मि asmi √अस् 1sg. I am
एकम् अक्षरम् ekam akṣaram एक + अक्षर (n.) nom./acc.sg. (accusative singular) the single syllable (Oṁ)
यज्ञानाम् yajñānām यज्ञ (m.) gen.pl. (genitive plural) among sacrifices
जप-यज्ञः japa-yajñaḥ जप (m.) + यज्ञ (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) the sacrifice of muttered repetition
स्थावराणाम् sthāvarāṇām स्थावर (adj.) gen.pl. (genitive plural)m. among immovable things
हिमालयः himālayaḥ हिम + आलय (m.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) the Himālaya
Purport

Brahmā, the first living creature within the universe, created several sons for the propagation of various kinds of species. Among these sons, Bhṛgu is the most powerful sage. Of all the transcendental vibrations, oṁ ( oṁ-kāra ) represents Kṛṣṇa. Of all sacrifices, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is the purest representation of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes animal sacrifices are recommended, but in the sacrifice of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of violence. It is the simplest and the purest. Whatever is sublime in the worlds is a representation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Himālayas, the greatest mountains in the world, also represent Him. The mountain named Meru was mentioned in a previous verse, but Meru is sometimes movable, whereas the Himālayas are never movable. Thus the Himālayas are greater than Meru.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
25. Among the great sages, I am Bhṛgu. Among words, I am oṁ. Among sacrifices, I am japa. Among immovable objects, I am the Himālayas.
Commentary

Ekākṣara, one syllable, refers to the praṇava om.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
25. Among the great sages, I am Bhṛgu. Among words, I am om. Among sacrifices, I am japa. Among immovable objects, I am the Himālayas.
Commentary

Among the great sages, the sons of Brahmā, I am the very powerful Bhṛgu. Among words, I am the single syllable praṇava. Among sacrifices, I am the japa sacrifice, outstanding because it does not involve killing animals. Among immovable, stable objects, I am the Himālayas. Meru and the Himālayas are taken as two separate vibhūtis because the first is outstanding because of height, and the second because of immovability.

Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
10.25 Maharsinam, among the great sages, I am Bhrgu, Giram, of words, of utterances, in the form of words; I am the ekam, single; aksaram, syllable Om. Yajnanam, among rituals; I am the japa-yajnah, rituals of Japa. Sthavaranam, of the immovables, I am the Himalaya.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
10.25 Of great seers like Marici etc., I am Bhrgu. Words are sounds that convey meaning. Of such words, I am the single-lettered word Pranava (Or Om). Of the sacrifices, I am the sacrifice of Japa (sacred formula silently repeated) which is the most prominent form of sacrificial offerings. Of immovables or mountains, I am the Himalaya.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
10.25 See Comment under 10.42
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
10.25 Among the great sages I am Bhrigu; among words I am the one syllable (Om); among sacrifices I am the sacrifice of silent repetition; among the immovable things I am the Himalayas.
Commentary

10.25 महर्षीणाम् among the great Rishis? भृगुः Bhrigu? अहम् I? गिराम् among words? अस्मि (I) am? ऐकम् the one? अक्षरम् syllable? यज्ञानाम् among sacrifices? जपयज्ञः the sacrifice of silent repetition? अस्मि (I) am? स्थावराणाम् among immovable things? हिमालयः Himalayas.Commentary Manu has said Whatever else the Brahmana may or may not do? he attains salvation by Japa (silent repetition of a Mantra) alone.Bhrigu is one of the mindborn of the Creator.Himalaya The highest mountain range in the world.Japayajna There is neither injury nor loss in this Yajna. Therefore? it is regarded as the best of all Yajnas.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
10.25 Among the great sages I am Bhrgu; of words I am the single syllable (Om) [Om is the best because it is the name as well as the symbol of Brahman.]. Among rituals I am the ritual of Japa [Japa, muttering prayers-repeating passages from the Vedas, silently repeating names of deities, etc. Rituals often involve killing of animals. But Japa is free from such injury, and hence the best.] of the immovables, the Himalaya.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
10.25 Of the great seers I am Bhrigu, of words I am Om, of offerings I am the silent prayer, among things immovable I am the Himalayas.
Related values & verses
Related values
Dhriti (Resilience / Steadfastness / Fortitude)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Dana (Charity / Generosity)Nishkama Karma (Selfless Action)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Yajña (Sacrifice / Spirit of Offering)
Related verses
BG 9.16 BG 17.23 BG 7.8 SB 7.15.31 SB 12.3.52 SB 1.3.9 CC Ādi 17.21 CC Madhya 25.64 CC Antya 3.50 Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad 1Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.15
Concepts
YajnaJapa
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the syllable Om; of sacrifices I am japa; of immovable things I am the Himalayas.
Practical Applications
  • Of all sacrifices, japa is supreme — make it central.
  • Don't undervalue the simplest practice.
  • Cultivate it as the fundamental yajña.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in my practice have I sidelined japa?
  • What would centering it restore?
Analogy

Among the great sages, the founder of a line; among sounds, the one syllable that carries all; among sacrifices, the simplest and the inwardly fierce — the chanting of holy names. Kṛṣṇa picks not the most elaborate ritual but the one nearest the heart, telling us where He prefers to be found.

Stories
Haridāsa Ṭhākura's japa

Caitanya Mahāprabhu named Haridāsa Ṭhākura nāmācārya — the teacher of the holy name. Haridāsa chanted three hundred thousand names of Hari each day without break, sitting in a cave, beaten by Muslim authorities, never deviating.

This verse — 'yajñānām japa-yajñaḥ asmi' — is the doctrinal anchor of Haridāsa's life. Among all sacrifices, the silent murmuring of the holy name is supreme, because the Lord Himself dwells in His name. Haridāsa lived this single verse for sixty years.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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