टीका

Commentary

Krishna continues to describe the finest manifestation within each category of creation. Among the many-hooded serpents (Nagas), He is Ananta — also known as Shesha, the infinite serpent upon whose coils Lord Vishnu reclines in the cosmic ocean. Ananta is supreme among the Nagas because he is endless, without limitation, and serves as the very resting place of the Supreme Lord.

Among all aquatic beings, Krishna is Varuna, the presiding deity of the waters. Varuna is not merely a water god — in Vedic cosmology, he is one of the most ancient and majestic devas, the upholder of cosmic and moral order (rita). His domain encompasses all the oceans, rivers, and rains.

Among the ancestors — the Pitris who preside over the rites for the departed — Krishna is Aryama. Aryama is the chief among the Pitris and presides over the ceremonies by which the living honor their forefathers. This connection between the divine and ancestral worship is deeply embedded in Hindu culture, where shraddha and tarpana rituals maintain the bond between the living and those who have passed on.

Among regulators and enforcers of order, Krishna is Yama, the lord of death and cosmic justice. Yama does not merely take life — he administers the consequences of karma. His role is to ensure that every soul receives the fruit of its actions, making him the ultimate enforcer of dharmic law. Yama is feared, but his function is essential to the moral architecture of the universe.