Bhagavad Gita · Vibhuti YogaChapter 10, Shloka 33 (10.33)
Original Sanskrit · श्रीभगवान्
अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च
अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः
॥ 10.33 ॥
akṣarāṇāmakāro'smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca
ahamevākṣayaḥ kālo dhātā'haṃ viśvatomukhaḥ
Translation
"Among letters I am 'a', among compounds the dvandva (copulative); I alone am imperishable time, and I am the ordainer whose face is turned everywhere."
Interpretation
Shankaracharya. akṣarāṇāṃ varṇānām akāraḥ varṇaḥ asmi; akṣayaḥ akṣīṇaḥ kālaḥ prasiddhaḥ kṣaṇādyākhyaḥ, athavā parameśvaraḥ kālasyāpi kālaḥ asmi — time as moments and so on, or the Supreme Lord who is the time even of time; dhātā ahaṃ karmaphalasya vidhātā sarvajagataḥ.
Acharya Ramanuja. akāro vai sarvā vāk (Aitareya) — sarvavarṇānāṃ prakṛtiḥ akāraḥ — 'a' is the root of all letters; dvandvasamāsaḥ … sa hi ubhayapadārthapradhānatvena utkṛṣṭaḥ — the dvandva is the best because in it both members are equally primary; sarvasya sraṣṭā hiraṇyagarbhaḥ caturmukhaḥ aham — the ordainer = four-faced Brahma.
AI-assisted draft translation — under review.