Chapter 10: The Opulence of the Absolute
Bg 10.35
TEXT 35
brhat-sama tatha samnam
gayatri chandasam aham
masanam marga-sirso 'ham
rtunam kusumakarah
SYNONYMS
båhat-säma—the Båhat-säma; tathä—also; sämnäm—of the Säma-veda song; gäyatré—the Gäyatré hymns; chandasäm—of all poetry; aham—I am; mäsänäm—of months; märga-çérño 'ham—the month of November-December; aham—I am; åtünäm—of all seasons; kusumäkaraù—spring.
TRANSLATION
Of hymns I am the Båhat-säma sung to the Lord Indra, and of poetry I am the Gäyatré verse, sung daily by brähmaëas. Of months I am November and December, and of seasons I am flower-bearing spring.
PURPORT
It has already been explained by the Lord that amongst all the Vedas, the Säma-veda is rich with beautiful songs played by the various demigods.
One of these songs is the Båhat-säma, which has an exquisite melody and is sung at midnight.
In Sanskrit, there are definite rules that regulate poetry; rhyme and meter are not written whimsically, as in much modern poetry. Amongst the regulated poetry, the Gäyatré mantra, which is chanted by the duly qualified brähmaëas, is the most prominent. The Gäyatré mantra is mentioned in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. Because the Gäyatré mantra is especially meant for God realization, it represents the Supreme Lord. This mantra is meant for spiritually advanced people, and when one attains success in chanting it, he can enter into the transcendental position of the Lord. One must first acquire the qualities of the perfectly situated person, the qualities of goodness according to the laws of material nature, in order to chant the Gäyatré mantra. The Gäyatré mantra is very important in Vedic civilization and is considered to be the sound incarnation of Brahman. Brahmä is its initiator, and it is passed down from him in disciplic succession.
The months of November and December are considered the best of all months because in India grains are collected from the fields at this time, and the people become very happy. Of course spring is a season universally liked because it is neither too hot nor too cold, and the flowers and trees blossom and flourish. In spring there are also many ceremonies commemorating Kåñëa's pastimes; therefore this is considered to be the most joyful of all seasons, and it is the representative of the Supreme Lord Kåñëa.