Indian Airforce Motto

nabha sprsham deeptam 

nabha sprsham deeptam

Sanskrit, is the Go To Language, for deep and powerful taglines, and mottos.

One of such powerful taglines, is nabhah sprsham deeptam, which literally means, the brilliance, that rose to the skies.

Indian Airforce Logo

This, is the motto, of one of the most formidable battle units of the world, the Indian Air Force.


The Indian Airforce, adopted this motto, from 24th Shloka in the 11th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita, called Vishwaroopa Sandarshan Yoga

Vishwaroopa Sandarshana 11.24

Before we get into the meaning and context of this shloka, i Have to tell you this!

The translations of this shloka are so pathetic over the internet.

Firstly, it is not nabha sparsham deeptam, it is nabha sprsham deeptam.

There's a difference in meaning between them.

Secondly, the meaning, as stated in wikipedia, and multiple top search results of google, is not "Touch the sky with glory !"

It is "The glory, that touched the sky".

If you do not get the difference between these two, this website is probably just a waste of time for you.

Also, look at this search result.

wikipedia's wrong result

It says "Krishna preached peace and asked arjuna to stop fighting".

No, Krishna inspired an afraid, and immobile Arjuna, to pick up his arms and get back into the fight.

Anyways, enough with my rant,
Let's look at the full version of the shloka

now :

nabhaḥ-spṛiśhaṁ dīptam aneka-varṇaṁ
vyāttānanaṁ dīpta-viśhāla-netram
dṛiṣhṭvā hi tvāṁ pravyathitāntar-ātmā
dhṛitiṁ na vindāmi śhamaṁ cha viṣhṇo

नभ:स्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णं
व्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् ।
दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा
धृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो ।।24।।

This shloka, is said by Arjuna, to Krishna, not the other way around.

Arjuna speaks these words, after being shocked out of his senses, looking at the magnificence of Lord Krishna, called Vishwaroopa.

After having explained to arjuna, in many different ways of his true nature, and after arjuna, continuously misses the point, and keeps asking questions, krishna is finally made to reveal his true self, of being the Supreme Divine form, the Vishwaroopa.

This Vishwaroopa, and the description of it's brilliance, forms the entire content of Chapter 11.

In this particular shloka, arjuna describes Krishna's form as a bright light of multiple colours that has risen to the sky, and is
vastly spread in all directions. Arjuna hen confesses his fear, looking at such glowing presence, and pleads krishna to get back to his human form.

This is a shloka that describes glory and magnificence, and inspires fear, awe, and respect.
It is really apt, for the Indian Airforce to have adopted these lines for their motto.

I Hope you enjoyed this article.


See you, in the next article, Namaskaram.