dhiṣṇyānām asmy ahaḿ merur
gahanānāḿ himālayaḥ
vanaspatīnām aśvattha
oṣadhīnām ahaḿ yavaḥ
dhishnyanam -- residences; asmi -- am; aham -- I; meruh -- Mount Sumeru; gahananam -- of impervious places; himalayah -- the Himalayas; vanaspatinam -- among trees; asvatthah -- banyan tree; oshadhinam -- among plants; aham -- I; yavah -- barley.
Among residences I am Mount Sumeru, and of impervious places I am the Himalayas. Among trees I am the holy fig tree, and among plants I am those that bear grains.
Oshadhinam here indicates those plants that fructify once and then die. Among them, those that give grains, which sustain human life, represent Krishna. Without grains it is not possible to produce milk products, nor can one properly perform Vedic fire sacrifices without offerings of grains.
