10.33

Sanskrit

अक्षराणामकारोऽस्मि द्वन्द्वः सामासिकस्य च । अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं विश्वतोमुखः ॥ ३३ ॥

akṣarāṇām akāro'smi dvandvaḥ sāmāsikasya ca aham evākṣayaḥ kālo dhātāhaṃ viśvatomukhaḥ

Translation

Of letters the letter A I am, and the duality of a compound; I also everlasting Time; I the Supporter, whose face turns everywhere.

Annie Besant · The Bhagavad-Gita, translated by Annie Besant (4th ed., 1922) — Wikisource · Public Domain

Explanation

The letter A among letters, chosen deliberately — traditionally the first sound and the seed-syllable underlying all speech, echoing Om’s status as “the one syllable” back in verse 25. Paired oddly with dvandva, a specific Sanskrit grammatical compound-type, showing the list is willing to reach into technical grammar for an example.