Chapter VII · Śloka 9
Śrī Kṛṣṇa uvāca
पुण्यो गन्धः पृथिव्यां च तेजश्चास्मि विभावसौ ।
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ॥
जीवनं सर्वभूतेषु तपश्चास्मि तपस्विषु ॥
puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṃ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau |
jīvanaṃ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu ||
jīvanaṃ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu ||
I am the pure fragrance of the earth, the brilliance in fire; I am the life-force in all beings, and the austerity in those who practise austerity.
The divine pervades matter through its finest, most essential quality — fragrance is the subtlest attribute of earth, brilliance the essential nature of fire. Life itself in all creatures and the transformative heat of tapas in ascetics are further manifestations of the one immanent presence.