PA: I suppose words just cannot describe the state Arjuna must be! Capturing in words is impossible for such a limitless experience. So to reach towards such a state we have to maintain this equilibrium faced with the opposite situations – at least try.

UB: 👍🏼👍🏼 Indeed

PA: So basically we need to be happy all the time and in peace. Simple things or question that one could ask:

Why am I not happy and peaceful right now?

What is it that’s worrying me right now?

Is it in my sphere of control or can I do anything about it?

If yes then:

What can I do to change that?

If no then

Why am I worrying about it anyway so let me be happy 😊

Simply said than done!! What stops us to just be as is:

Each stage our stubborn mind keeps creating those endless dramas and miseries and just does not let ourselves enjoy and be happy; creates attachments comparison confusion fear that does not exist

UB: यथा प्रदीप्तं ज्वलनं पतङ्गा विशन्ति नाशाय समृद्धवेगाः।

तथैव नाशाय विशन्ति लोका स्तवापि वक्त्राणि समृद्धवेगाः।।11.29।।

11.29 As (यथा) moths (पतङ्गा) enter with (विशन्ति) increased haste (समृद्ध वेगाः) into a glowing fire (प्रदीप्तं ज्वलनं) for destruction (नाशाय), in that very way (तथा एव) do the creatures also (लोका अपि) enter into (विशन्ति) Your mouths (तव वक्त्राणि) too with increased hurry (समृद्धवेगाः) for destruction (नाशाय).

लेलिह्यसे ग्रसमानः समन्ताल्लोकान्समग्रान्वदनैर्ज्वलद्भिः। तेजोभिरापूर्य जगत्समग्रं भासस्तवोग्राः प्रतपन्ति विष्णो ।।11.30।।

11.30 Completely (समन्तात्) swallowing (ग्रसमानः) all (समग्रान्) the worlds (लोकान्) with your flaming (ज्वलद्भि:) mouths (वदनै:), You lick them up (लेलिह्यसे). Filling (आपूर्य) the whole universe (जगत् समग्रं) with your brilliance (तेजोभि:), your violent flames (तव भास:) burn (उग्रा:), O विष्णु.

आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद। विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यं न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम्।।11.31।।

11.31 Please Tell (आख्याहि) me (मे) who (क:) You are (भवान्), fierce in form (उग्र रूप:). Salutation be to you (नमोऽस्तु ते), O Supreme देवता (देववर); be gracious (प्रसीद). I desire (इच्छामि) to fully know (विज्ञातुम्) You (भवन्तम्) who are the Cause (आद्यं). For (हि) I do not understand (न प्रजानामि) Your actions (तव प्रवृत्तिम्)

UB: 11:29/31 – One thing is sure about all lives – all of us are walking our way towards death. Analogies thus used are rivers rushing towards sea or moths rushing towards fire. अर्जुन sees the tongue of भगवान् drawing people who are trying to escape death – when one sees fire, the flames of fire may be imagined as a tongue. All of us may attempt to prolong our lives by doing exercise, eating food in control, taking medicines, etc but when we gotta go,  we go. And because अर्जुन sees this vision of flames everywhere, he addresses भगवान् as विष्णु here since विष्णु means one who is present everywhere or within everything. And he thus asks – 1) Who are You? and 2) I do not understand Your प्रवृति (your actions). Please explain.

HB: 11.29 rhymes beautifully 🙏🏼

UB: PA – I have heard that that the संस्कृत word for health is स्वस्थ where स्व stands for Self and स्थ for “being situated” or “stable”. Thus, we are supposed to be healthy if we are true to our real state viz to remain healthy. The idea of Ayurveda is also that when a person is unhealthy, it means that he has deviated from the natural state. Accordingly, treatment encompasses investigating the change in lifestyle, etc and treat the root cause to restore one back to his or her original self. Similarly, religion also may be defined as a body of study that attempts to identify the root cause of deviation of our behaviour from our original Universal state of सत्-चित्-आनन्द state and reorienting our lifestyle to get this back to our true original state. That is all there is….

PA: Awesome 👏🏻 staying rooted in one’s true self 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍👍 What is our true self? Certainly not our body that changes; not the emotions that come and go; not the situations that bring happiness and joy; not the relations that also change; not the thoughts that come and go; not the material possessions that come and go; success and failure or our perception of it; true self is everything else but not that changes; So what stops us from disassociating ourselves with these so called mind chatter and be with the true self ?When we know so much theoretically ..

UB: This is Neti Neti style (Not this Not this) of explaining our True Self.  I guess theory is good to get information but practice will make us experience the self. But I certainly fear to practice it and hence remain where I am. It is like knowing all theory of how to climb Mount Everest watching National Geographic while not making any attempt to climb the hill next door beyond our house 😀

PK: To play devil’s advocate , knowing the theory is probably not an unwise way to start – would be silly to embark on an Everest hike without even reading National Geographic about what to expect  ourselves even once 😃😃😃

UB: 😀👍🏼👍🏼 Agree.  Except that the bell has rung and I am still in the starting line 😀

PA: 🙏😄😄👍👍👏🏻

UB: श्री भगवानुवाच

कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः। ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः।।11.32।।

11.32 The भगवान said!  I am the Time (काल: अस्मि) who destroys (क्षय-कृत्) people (लोक), manifesting Myself fully (प्रवृद्ध:). Here (इह),  I undertake (प्रवृत्तः) to destroy (समाहतुं) the worlds (लोकान्). Even without (ऋते अपि) You (त्वां), the warriors (योधाः) arrayed (अवस्थिताः) in the opposing armies (प्रति अनीकेषु) shall not survive (न भविष्यन्ति).

तस्मात्त्वमुत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व जित्वा शत्रून् भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम्। मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेव निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्।।11.33।।

11.33 Therefore (तस्मात्), rise up (उत्तिष्ठ), (and) gain fame (यशो लभस्व); and defeating the enemies (शत्रून् जित्वा), enjoy (भुङ्क्ष्व) a prosperous kingdom (राज्यं समृद्धम्). By Me alone (मया एव), these (एते) have already indeed (पूर्वम् एव) been destroyed (निहताः); be you (भव) merely an instrument (निमित्तमात्रं), O सव्यसाचिन्!

द्रोणं च भीष्मं च जयद्रथं च कर्णं तथाऽन्यानपि योधवीरान्। मया हतांस्त्वं जहि मा व्यथिष्ठा युध्यस्व जेतासि रणे सपत्नान्।।11.34।।

11.34 Please destroy (जहि) द्रोण and भीष्म, and जयद्रथ and कर्ण as also (तथा) the other (अन्यान् अपि) heroic warriors (योध वीरान्) who have been killed by Me (मया हतां). Do not be afraid (मा व्यथिष्ठा). Fight! (युध्यस्व) You (त्वम्) will conquer (जेतासि) the enemies (सपत्नान्) in battle (रणे).

UB: 11:32/34 (1): निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्! Be an instrument of My will. Put another way, surrender your will to Me! What does being an instrument of भगवान् or being a निमित्त mean? Does it mean that we abandon our free will that we value so preciously? To answer this question, we must first ask ourselves – do we live our life as per our free will? When we listen to parents/ teachers and follow their advice, are we pursuing their will or our will? When we listen to a doctor who prescribes a certain diet for a healthy life, are we pursuing our free will or our doctor’s will? When we follow investment strategy as per advice of Warren Buffett, are we following his will or our will? We have to accept that most of the life is led by following someone else’ will and not our own free will.

UB: 11:32/34 (2): One may argue – following others does not mean we are following someone else’ will. Following someone else’ will is also a choice of our own free will and we have exercised this free will of ours to follow our teachers, parents, friends, etc. So free will is involved even in following others. This is a fair point. But another question comes – does our life run fully as per our free will? We are not even born as per our will. Many events of our life seem like accidents – some happy and some sad. While we do exercise free will, what we obtain as a result is often our fate what is referred to as दैवम् or प्रारब्ध. And we are told that प्रारब्ध is a result or outcome of our own कर्म, some done in this life while many done in the past. Thus, one cannot deny that all human lives are a mix of both free will and प्रारब्ध. Both co-exist and neither one is primary or secondary.

UB: 11:32/34 (3): So when भगवान् asks us to surrender our will to Him and act as an निमित्त, what does He mean? What is the will of the भगवान्? Will of the भगवान् is to live life as per धर्म. धर्म prescriptions are given in धर्मशास्त्र and if we live life as per धर्म, we are living as per the will of the भगवान्. धर्म here may be taken as the most appropriate action taken in a certain situation depending upon our stage of life – an objective unbiased कर्म. So when we live life as per धर्म, three aspects converge – we are following the Will of the Lord signifying our भक्ति to Him owing to our conviction in His words, we are using our ज्ञान in doing an act of धर्म by exercising our free will and we are doing a कर्म that is most apt in a situation. Thus, in an act of धर्म, all three योग viz कर्म, ज्ञान and भक्ति converge.

UB: 11:32/34 (4): So does prediction of future by भगवान् merely mean that he has already decided the future? भगवान् has merely showed His काल तत्व to अर्जुन where both birth and death are inevitable for all who are born including planets and stars. He has however both decided the future as well as He has not. He knows the choice exercised by भीष्म, कर्ण, etc in that they have chosen to support अधर्म. And given this exercise of free will by them, He has willed that they will die in the war. If Bhishma would have changed sides, the outcome may have been different. Equally, He has merely said that many warriors will die in the war which is a prediction one can reasonably expect to make in case of any war and this does not mean that He has decided the future or written the fate. Thus, any कर्म will yield a certain कर्मफल and भगवान् can predict this कर्मफल since He knows the outcome of all कर्म (current and past). All of us have our free will to thus either live a life of धर्म or अधर्म. धार्मिक कर्म have no फल or they reduce the existing stock of कर्म (they reduce कर्म बन्धन) while अधर्म कर्म increase our सञ्चित which is the future stock of कर्म forcing us to be in the circle of संसार (ceaseless cycle of birth & death). So निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्!

UB: 11:32/34 (5) – When one is asked to be a निमित्त, one feels no inclination to do any कर्म.  भगवान् thus uses the सम्बोधन of सव्यसाची here meaning one who can fight using both hands. Post the war, अर्जुन reveals a secret to श्रीकृष्ण that during war, there was a strong being having जटाजूट (long curly locks) in front of him all the time holding a त्रिशूल. He said that each time his arrows were killing the enemy, it was the त्रिशूल which was killing first and his arrow was merely killing an already dead person. Who was He? श्रीकृष्ण replied that अर्जन is lucky to have witnessed महादेव who was performing the रुद्र role. All कर्म of killing was being done by महादेव but the benefit/ praise/ fame is going to अर्जन. Thus, fame comes to one who follows धर्म all the time. So निमित्तमात्रं भव is a message for all of us via these verses.

UB: 10:32/34 (6) – It is here that one should pay close attention to the prayer uttered by हनुमान as He is flying towards Lanka. He says – Let Me fly as fast as बाण of श्रीराम. What this means that He is flying not for His glory or to show His prowess, but He is merely flying as an agent of श्रीराम. And since I have no personal ego nor interest in going to Lanka except as an agent of श्रीराम, I know that श्रीराम will operate through Me fully. And I will thus achieve success since श्रीराम बाण never fails to miss its target. हनुमान is thus always been extolled as the highest model of a भक्त since He has no other goal in life except to do the bidding of श्रीराम. So अर्जुन – निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन!!!!!

PA: Jai Hanuman 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 The mighty and wise Bhishma, Drona and Karna were from their point of view acting on the side of dharma. So how do we execute this knowledge in our day to day life and be sure that we are acting on the side of dharma?

VB: UB –  nice interpretations today. I am always interested in practical applicability of what we discuss. And today was relevant. I am still behind. Maybe the concept of “is everything already pre-decided or daivam or prarabha” was discussed earlier. U do say that what happens is result of past karma AND what we do now. How much of what we do now important as compared to past karma

UB: VB – most texts merely state that the ways of working of कर्म is very difficult to comprehend. Only the कर्मफलदाता knows. प्रारब्ध means the stock of our past कर्म that is invoked for our current life. As to how much we do now is relevant can never be known since we do not have access to our past कर्म. Suppose our negative कर्म is the size of the giant meteor while our good कर्म is the size of a pebble, the adequacy of our current good कर्म can never be known. Hence most texts merely say – do not bother about प्रारब्ध beyond a point. Just focus on what you do now.  Just do धर्म all the time 24X7 and leave the rest to the कर्मफलदाता. I know it is not a satisfactory answer 😀

UB: Most commentators give arguments (maybe rationalize) why all these characters had problems. Unlike what our WA messages state, कर्ण is not seen as a great character. His famous दानभाव is more of the राजसिक दान (which we will see in Ch 17). He was of a jealous insecure person who always used to compare with others. He was desperate for fame.  Krishna had power but he never sought to become a king and was OK to be a charioteer but Karna was extremely status conscious. Similarly, भीष्म gave more importance to his personal प्रतिज्ञा in that even when द्रौपदी was being molested, he was unable to resolve his conflict of interest and did not intervene. When there is a question of धर्म, one has to back the right even at the cost of personal promise. द्रोण similarly was obsessed with his son and was again very class conscious. So they made choices and भगवान् saw these choices as invalid.

UB: At the deathbed, when कृष्ण asks युधिष्ठिर to take advice from भीष्म on matters of धर्म,  द्रौपदी smiled. When asked why, she said how can a man who allowed a woman to be molested in front of him and kept quiet can be trusted on matters of धर्म. भीष्म agreed and replied to her that as an employee of धृतराष्ट्र, he assigned too much importance to employment terms since his food came from his employment. However, since अर्जन has caused most of this “indebted blood” to be drained out, his persona has got cleaned up now.

PA: Thanks for your such a detailed response but one question: What about Yudhistra who managed to put his wife on stake ? Was he not acting out of adharma. Actually Draupadi should have first pointed to Yudhistra that he has lost rights to be called as dharam raj. I am not sure the idea of dharma how black and white it is.

UB: Good question – one thing must be clear. No person is a full blown धर्मी or a full blown अधर्मी. All people logically can be expected to do both types of कर्म. At most, there may be a factor of scale where रावण will do more अधर्म while युधिष्ठिर will do more धर्म type of acts. But even युधिष्ठिर faltered and certainly did so in the case of his wife. However, One must note that neither type of action is of a permanent consequence. So there is a कर्मफल of an act of अधर्म and the equation becomes balanced again. Just because कर्ण has done दान does not mean all other कर्म is ignored and equally an act of अधर्म by युधिष्ठिर will also have a कर्मफल. So he had to undergo a 12-year वनवास where he spent most of his time in contemplation and प्रायश्चित. This suffering faced is the कर्मफल and one then gets another chance and put through another test. And he also learnt the evils of getting carried away by gambling. So all acts have a फल, we learn from these and then we start all over again

PA: Brilliant answer 👍👏🏻👏🏻👍

UB: Essentially, no one is condemned permanently for wrong acts. They are slapped and then they are given another chance…  and another….  and another 😀

VB: So, Saar is – Just do धर्म all the time 24X7 and leave the rest to the  कर्मफलदाता. That is a huge relief. I was wondering what to do with my black money

PA: 👍😃

UB: Hahahahaha

UB: सञ्जय उवाच

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य कृताञ्जलिर्वेपमानः किरीटी। नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णं सगद्गदं भीतभीतः प्रणम्य।।11.35।।

11.35 सञ्जय said!  Hearing (श्रुत्वा) this (एतत्) speech (वचनं) of केशव, अर्जुन (किरीटी) did offered as कृताञ्जलि; and very frightened (वेपमान:), he bowed down again (नमस्कृत्वा भूय एव), and with folded palms (प्रणम्य), and trembling (भीत भीतः) , he spoke (आह) to कृष्ण in a choked voice (स गद्गदं).

अर्जुन उवाच

स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्या जगत् प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च। रक्षांसि भीतानि दिशो द्रवन्ति सर्वे नमस्यन्ति च सिद्धसङ्घाः।।11.36।।

11.36 अर्जुन said! it is proper (स्थाने), O हृषीकेश, that in Your praise (तव प्रकीर्त्या) the world rejoices (जगत् प्रहृष्यते) and is attracted to you too (अनुरज्यते च). The frightened Raksasas (रक्षांसि भीतानि) flee in fear on all sides (दिशो द्रवन्ति), and all (च सर्वे) the hosts of Siddhas (सिद्ध-सङ्घाः) bow down (नमस्यन्ति).

UB: 11:35/36 (1) – Initially, अर्जुन was stunned by the limitlessness and bright light and this also caused भय in him. Now, seeing काल तत्व रूप, he sensed that भगवान् operates as a totality for the whole universe. And in this totality, he is not responsible for the individual good events or cruel calamities in one’s life. These occur on account of one’s own कर्म. And भगवान् maintains the Universal system as a कर्मफलदाता or the Law of कर्म – we can say that he balances the equations which become unbalanced owing to various individual acts by all beings. And this has caused भय again but for another reason – one will be forced to recollect our own कर्म in the past and when one realizes that भगवान् is an operator of the system of कर्मफल, one will again be in awe of this majestic role being undertaken for the totality of the Universe FROM WHICH NO ONE CAN ESCAPE. And this awe made अर्जुन bow down again and again and again seeking शरणागति of भगवान् in his real role as a कर्मफलदाता.  His total surrender thus made his voice become गद्गद् while chanting a special मंत्र given below.

UB: 11:35/36 (2) – The great गीता भाष्यकार मधुसूदन सरस्वती names 11:36 as a रक्षोघ्न मंत्र and directs anyone experiencing fear to chant this very pious verse. When one is able to connect with the vast expanse of भगवान्, all fear in the form of राक्षस तत्व run away since all भाव coming out परिमिति (limitedness) vanish away. And all those who do Your स्तुति (meaning they experience Your fullness), they are completely immersed in joy and love. Put another way, those who follow the Law (of कर्म) have nothing to fear while those who break the Law will keep running in fear of the Law. मधुसूदन सरस्वती has recommended people to chant this verse from time to time when one is troubled and feels the need for a रक्षा कवच.

UB: कस्माच्च ते न नमेरन्महात्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे। अनन्त देवेश जगन्निवास त्वमक्षरं सदसत्तत्परं यत्।।11.37।।

11.37 And why (कस्मात् च) should they not bow down (न नमेरन्) to You (ते), O महात्मन्, who are greater (गरीयसे) than Lord ब्रह्मा (ब्रह्मण: अपि) and who are the primal cause (आदि कर्त्रे)! O Limitless (अनन्त) O Lord of देवता (देव ईश), O abode of the Universe (जगत् निवास), You are that Imperishable (त्वम् अक्षरं) परं which is both reality and unreality (सत्-असत्) (as well as beyond these concepts).

त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराण स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम्। वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप।।11.38।।

11.38 You (त्वम्) are the primal Deity (आदि-देवः पुरुषः), the ancient Person (पुराण); You (त्वम्) are the supreme support (परं निधानम्) of this Universe (अस्य विश्वस्य). You are (असि) the knower (वेत्ता) as also what is to be known (वेद्यं च), and the supreme Abode (परं च धाम). O You of infinite forms (अनन्तरूप)! You (त्वया) pervade the Universe (ततं विश्वम्)!

वायुर्यमोऽग्निर्वरुणः शशाङ्कः प्रजापतिस्त्वं प्रपितामहश्च। नमो नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्रकृत्वः पुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते।।11.39।।

11.39 You are (त्वं) Atmosphere (वायु:), Death (यम:), Fire (अग्नि), the देव of the waters (वरुणः), the moon (शशाङ्कः), the Lord of the Universe (प्रजापति), and the Greater-grandfather (प्रपितामह: च). Let there be (अस्तु) repeated Salutations (नम: नम:) to You (ते) – again (पुन: च) and again (भूय: अपि), a thousand times (सहस्र कृत्वः); repeated salutation (नम: नम:) to You (ते).

UB: 11:37/39 (1) – After getting access to विश्वरूप, words start flowing out continuously from अर्जुन. First he wonders how come people do not feel Your presence and bow down to You?  And having sensed the vast expanse of भगवान्, he now uses words that we have seen earlier in Ch 9 – अनन्तं, आदि कर्त्रे, देव-,ईश, अक्षर, आदि-देवः, पुराण, etc out of his personal experience. The word जगत् निवास may be seen in two ways – One who fills up by living in the Universe as well as One in whom the whole Universe is situated; and connected with this idea are the two words – पुरुष: & निधान:. And He is beyond the words सत् (exist) and असत् (not exist).

UB: 11:37/39 (2) – To me, the words that fascinate here are that He is both the knower (वेत्ता) as also what is to be known (वेद्यं). How is that possible? Within us, what is it that knows?  Is it the senses?  Is it our मन:? Is it our बुद्धि? Ch 10 has already taught us that the essence of all these instructions is भगवान् or He is the one who gives चेतना to these equipments. One has to therefore conclude with an interesting but equally unsettling idea that in an overall sense, Universe and life is nothing else but भगवान् attempting to know Himself. All of us are nothing else but an अंश of Him partipating in this endeavor of Him working to know Himself. And in every reaction and action and experience, all that really happens and all that everyone learns is nothing else but भगवान् knowing Himself. We may thus say that the stage (Universe) is भगवान्, the actors are भगवान्, the stage sets are भगवान्, the dialogues and music are भगवान् and finally even the audience is भगवान्. Only भगवान् IS, there is nothing else. Very fascinating idea but difficult to conceive.

UB: 11:37/39 (3) – “नमो नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्रकृत्वः पुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते”. See the number of times the word नम: comes up. When one realizes that everything is Him, what does one do or express? Just like the नमकम् मंत्र in श्रीरुद्रम् – नम: सोमाय च रुद्राय च, नम: ताम्राय चारुणाय च, नम: शंङाय च पशुपतये च नम: उग्राय च नम: भीमाय च…… And finally one says, A thousand salutations!!!!  How long can one go on saying नम: नम:? A wonderful experience indeed!!!!!!!!

नमः पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतस्ते नमोऽस्तु ते सर्वत एव सर्व। अनन्तवीर्यामितविक्रमस्त्वं सर्वं समाप्नोषि ततोऽसि सर्वः।।11.40।।

11.40 Salutation (नमः) to You (ते) in the front (पुरस्तात्) and behind (अथ पृष्ठत:). Let there be (अस्तु) salutation to You (नम: ते) indeed on all sides (सर्वत एव), O Everything (सर्व:)! You (त्वम्) are of infinite strength (अनन्तवीर्य:) and infinite heroism (अमित-विक्रम:). You pervade everything (सर्वं समाप्नोषि); hence You are all (तत: सर्वः असि).

सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तं हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति | अजानता महिमानं तवेदं मया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वापि।।11.41।।

11.41 Unaware of (अजानता) this (इदम्) glory (तव महिमानं) and either from negligence (प्रमादात्) or love (प्रणयेन वा अपि), or considering (इति मत्था) You to be a friend (सखा) , whatever (यदि) I have impulsively (प्रसभं) said (उत्तम्) as ‘O कृष्ण, O यादव, O सखा.’

यच्चावहासार्थमसत्कृतोऽसि विहारशय्यासनभोजनेषु। एकोऽथवाप्यच्युत तत्समक्षं तत्क्षामये त्वामहमप्रमेयम्।।11.42।।

11.42 O Changeless (अच्युत)! And if (यद् च) – while walking (विहार), lying down (शय्या),  sitting (आसन) or eating (भोजनेषु),  alone (एक: अथवा) or even there in public (तद् समक्षं अपि) – You have (असि), out of jest (अवहास अर्थम्),  been slighted (असत् कृत:), then I (तद् अहं) beg the patience and understanding (क्षामये) of You (त्वाम्) who cannot be separately known (अ-प्रमेयम्).

UB: 11:40/42 (1) – How does one worship someone who is everywhere? People familiar with the पूजा प्रक्रिया know that at the start, when प्राण प्रतिष्ठान is done within a मूर्ति, we offer various पदार्थ throughout the पूजा to the मूर्ति in front of us. However, towards the end, when it gets established that भगवान् is everywhere when we chant श्लोक like मंत्रपुष्पम्, we stop offering anything to the मूर्ति and instead chant – यानि नामानि गौणानि विख्यतानि महात्मन:…… 3 times and turn clockwise 3 times standing at the same place. Since there is no front or back or top or bottom where we can locate भगवान्, the only way to express our नमन् is to imagine Him within us and turn round and round. And we spend rest of the day with the idea of भगवान् within us.

UB: 11:40/42 (2) – Here, when one realizes the role of भगवान् as कर्मफलदाता, One automatically looks back to our own कर्म done when we take भगवान् as a finite person.  And अर्जुन too is embarrassed about situations when in ignorance, he did all kinds of indiscretions including placing his own legs on the lap of श्रीकृष्ण; he therefore seeks His forgiveness for all such कर्म. I guess we will also go through similar sentiments when we realize that the idea of भगवान् is not a myth but real. In 11:42, अर्जुन makes an interesting statement that one cannot know भगवान् as separate from oneself. Separation means living with a द्वैतभाव which may be good for initial stages but eventually one learns that भगवान् cannot be separated from anything since He is everything.

UB: Sorry – made a mistake. The प्रदक्षिण मंत्र is – यानि कानि च पापानी जन्मांतर कृतानि च । तानि तानि विनश्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणे पदे पदे ।।

VB: Yes was thinking as I say this one when I rotate on my axis…

VG: If God exists, why evil!

UB: पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान्। न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्यो लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव।।11.43।।

11.43 You (त्वं) are (असि) the father (पितासि) of this world (लोकस्य), of all that moves and that does not move (चर अचर अस्य) and its (अस्य) venerable (गरीयान्) teacher (गुरु:). There is none (न अस्ति) equal to You (त्वत् सम:). How then (कुत:) could there be in the three worlds (लोक-त्रये-अपि) another (अन्य:) greater (अभ्यधिकः) than You, O Being of matchless (अ-प्रतिम) greatness (प्रभाव:)?

तस्मात्प्रणम्य प्रणिधाय कायं प्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम्। पितेव पुत्रस्य सखेव सख्युः प्रियः प्रियायार्हसि देव सोढुम्।।11.44।।

11.44 Therefore (तस्मात्) , bowing down (प्रणम्य), prostrating (प्रणिधाय) the body (कायं), I (अहं) propiate (प्रसादये) You (त्वाम्) who are the worshipful Lord (ईड्यम् ईशं). As a father hears with his son (पिता इव पुत्रस्य) or a friend with his friend (सखा इव सख्युः) or a beloved towards lover (प्रियः प्रियाया), You ought to be patient and understanding (सोढुम अर्हसि) O Lord (देव).

अदृष्टपूर्वं हृषितोऽस्मि दृष्ट्वा भयेन च प्रव्यथितं मनो मे। तदेव मे दर्शय देव रूपं प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास।।11.45।।

11.45 Seeing (दृष्ट्वा) what was never seen (अदृष्ट) before (पूर्वं), I am delighted (हृषित: अस्मि). But my mind (मे मन:) is also shaken (प्रव्यथितं) with fear (भयेन च). Show me (दर्शय मे), Your other form (तद् रूपम् एव). O Lord (देव) of the देव (देव ईश)! Be gracious (प्रसीद), O जगन्निवास!

किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रहस्त मिच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव। तेनैव रूपेण चतुर्भुजेन  सहस्रबाहो भव विश्वमूर्ते।।11.46।।

11.46 I (अहं) want (इच्छामि) to see (द्रष्टुम्) You (त्वां) just as before (तथा एव), wearing a crown (किरीटिनं), wielding a mace (गदिनं), and holding a disc in hand (चक्र हस्तम्) . O सहस्रबाहो! O विश्वमूर्ते! appear with that very (तेन एव) form (रूपेण) with four hands (चतुर्भुजेन).

UB: 11:43/46 (1) – In 11:44, अर्जुन is asking भगवान् to be patient in three ways – like father to son because generally fathers tend to be strict and unyielding but this demeanor is for the good of the kid only (though this are changing on this front😊). A true friend is one who does not allow his friend to go astray and patiently engage with the friend to set him right. A beloved also will not leave his or her lover and will patiently tolerate infantile outbursts so that eventually the lover sees reason. We can also imagine भगवान् through such a relationship.

UB: 11:43/46 (2) – Since अर्जुन has not evolved fully in the अध्यात्म sense,  while he was joyful to witness the limitlessness of भगवान्, the fear भाव of witnessing the काल तत्व did not leave him. So he urges भगवान् to change back from his सहस्रबाहू mode to the mode of चतुर्भुज. सहस्रबाहू means the mode of limitlessness while चतुर्भुज mode means our familiar operating mode of being secure in being surrounded by four directions (N-S-E-W). These verses clarify the idea of attaining भगवान् very clearly – one can reach Him only if one develops ability which can only come from intense साधना – even if we offered this for free, our persona cannot experience Him. Also, in this chapter, we see अर्जुन move from experience of आश्चर्य to भय and ending in भक्ति -which will thus take us neatly to chapter 12.

UB: As stated earlier, श्रीमदभगवद्गीता is said to express the Upanishadic  महावाक्य तत् त्वम् असि (That You Are) with first 6 Chapters focussed on the individual viz त्वंम्, second 6 till end of Ch 12 on तत् viz भगवान् and last 6 on. असि viz how तत् and त्वम् engage with one another.

UB: श्री भगवानुवाच

मया प्रसन्नेन तवार्जुनेदं रूपं परं दर्शितमात्मयोगात्। तेजोमयं विश्वमनन्तमाद्यं यन्मे त्वदन्येन न दृष्टपूर्वम्।।11.47।।

11.47 The भगवान् said! Being pleased (प्रसन्नेन), O अर्जुन, I (मया) showed (दर्शितम्) to you (तव) through My power (आत्म योगात्) this limitless (इदं परम्) form (रूपं) which (यद्) – full of brightness (तेजोमयं), Universal (विश्वम्), Endless (अनन्तम्), primal/ causal (आद्यं) – of Mine (मे), has not been seen by (त्वदन्येन न) anyone other than you (दृष्टपूर्वम्).

न वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानै र्न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रैः। एवंरूपः शक्य अहं नृलोके द्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर।।11.48।।

11.48 Not by the study of the Vedas (न वेद अध्ययनै:) and यज्ञ, not by charity (न दानै:), not even by actions (न च क्रियाभि:), not by severe austerities (न च उग्रैः तपोभि:) can I (शक्य अहं), in this form (एवं रूपः), be perceived (द्रष्टुं) in the human world (नृलोके) by anyone other than you (त्वद् अन्येन), O most valiant among the Kurus (कुरुप्रवीर).

मा ते व्यथा मा च विमूढभावो दृष्ट्वा रूपं घोरमीदृङ्ममेदम्। व्यपेतभीः प्रीतमनाः पुनस्त्वं तदेव मे रूपमिदं प्रपश्य।।11.49।।

11.49 Seeing (दृष्ट्वा) such a gruesome (घोरम्) form (रूपं) as this (इदं) of Mine (मम), may you have (मा ते) no fear (व्यथा), nor your (मा च) mind be confused (विमूढभाव:). Becoming free (व्यपेत) from fear (भी) and of pleased mind (प्रीत मना:) again (पुन:), may you see (प्रपश्य) now that (इदं) same (तद् एव) form of Me (मे रूपं).

UB: 11:47/49 (1) – This form of Mine has not been seen any other. If one looks at the life of श्रीकृष्ण, one comes across numerous other occasions when He shows His विश्वरूप to others – यशोदा was shown this twice, उद्धव saw this once and also this was shown in the कुरु राज्य when He went to negotiate for peace. People have analysed distinctions between each such विश्वरूप. What is unique in the विश्वरूप shown to अर्जन is that He showed His काली स्वरूप/ काल तत्व which is not seen in other events.

UB: 11:47/49 (2) – Doing अध्ययन of वेद, doing यज्ञ, doing दान, etc will not help in getting access to विश्वरूप. What does this mean?  It does not mean that we should not do these कर्म. These कर्म are essential for चित्त शुद्धि and have to be done as our धर्म. What श्रीकृष्ण is saying is that these must be done with full understanding of the limitlessness of भगवान्. Such कर्म done with understanding stop being mere पुण्यकर्म but when imbued with भक्ति lead to चित्त शुद्धि and access to विश्वरूप becomes possible. अर्जुन primary qualification is श्रद्धा and भक्ति and it is this that made him qualified. As I said, all words from now on are taking us towards the idea of भक्ति.

UB: सञ्जय उवाच

इत्यर्जुनं वासुदेवस्तथोक्त्वा स्वकं रूपं दर्शयामास भूयः। आश्वासयामास च भीतमेनं भूत्वा पुनः सौम्यवपुर्महात्मा।।11.50।।

11.50 सञ्जय said! Having spoken (उक्त्वा) thus (इति तथा) to अर्जुन, वासुदेव revealed (दर्शयाम् आस) to him once more (भूय:) His own form (स्वकं रूपं). The महात्मा, assuming again (भूत्वा पुनः) a pleasing form (सौम्यवपु:), soothed him (आश्वासयाम् आस एनं) who was frightened (भीतम्).

अर्जुन उवाच

दृष्ट्वेदं मानुषं रूपं तवसौम्यं जनार्दन। इदानीमस्मि संवृत्तः सचेताः प्रकृतिं गतः।।11.51।।

11.51 अर्जुन said! Seeing this (दृष्ट्वा इदं), Your human (मानुषं रूपं) and pleasing form of Yours (तव सौम्यं), O जनार्दन, I have (अस्मि) now (इदानीम्) become composed in mind (संवृत्तः सचेताः) and I am restored to my normal nature (प्रकृतिं गतः).

UB: 11:50/51 – By now, it would have become clear that विश्वरूप दर्शन is not some “out of the world” experience. It is a vision of truth and seeing the world as-it-is meaning seeing one Truth permeating all. For an uninitiated, it will evoke भाव of विस्मय, आश्चर्य, भय, ecstacy, throat becoming गद्गद्, etc. However, if we accept this truth having श्रद्धा in the words of our अध्यात्म texts and practice this as अध्यात्म साधना seeing the presence of One in all (viz not just humans), we will expand our horizons. This expansion over a period of time will equip us to eventually realize ourselves by becoming the all, the Universal and exclaim with joy – अहम् ब्रह्म अस्मि।. And we have reached the goal of life, to achieve full freedom – मोक्ष, कैवल्य or निर्वाण.

UB: श्री भगवानुवाच
सुदुर्दर्शमिदं रूपं दृष्टवानसि यन्मम। देवा अप्यस्य रूपस्य नित्यं दर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः।।11.52।।
11.52 The भगवान said! It it very hard to behold (सुदुर्दर्शम्) this form (इदं रूपं) of Mine (मम) which (यद्) you have seen (दृष्टवान् असि). Even the देवता (देवा अपि) ever (नित्यं) long to see (दर्शन काङ्क्षिणः) this form (अस्य रूपस्य)

नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया। शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा।।11.53।।

11.53 In which way (यथा) you have seen (दृष्टवान् असि) Me (मां), in such a form (एवं विध:), I (अहं) can be (शक्य) seen (द्रष्टुं) not by study of the Vedas (न वेदै:), nor by austerities (न तपसा), nor by charity (न दानेन), nor by ritual (न च इज्यया).

भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्यमहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन। ज्ञातुं दृष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परंतप।।11.54।।
11.54 Whereas (तु) by single-minded (अनन्यया) भक्ति (भक्त्या), O अर्जुन, it is possible (शक्य) to truly (तत्वेन) know (ज्ञातुं), to see (दृष्टुं) and to enter into Me (प्रवेष्टुं च), who am of this form (एवं विध:), O harasser of foes (परंतप)

मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः। निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव।।11.55।।
11.55 The one who (य:) performs कर्म for the sake of (attaining) Me (मत् कर्मकृत्), for whom the paramount (achievement) is Me (मत् परम:), who is My भक्त (मद्भक्तः), free from attachment (सङ्ग वर्जितः) and without enmity towards any creature (निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु), he comes to Me (स माम् एति), O पाण्डव

ॐ तत्सत् इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषद्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायाम् योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे विश्वरूपदर्शनयोगो नाम् एकादशोध्याय:।

Thus ends Chapter 11 named as विश्वरूपदर्शन योग

HB: Chapter 11 is about the universal form. It is structured around 4 aspects and lays the foundation for chapter 12.

• Divya Drishti : “Divya” (heavenly, supernatural), “Drishti” (vision, point of view, doctrine)
• Description of Vishwaroop: Vishwa (universal ), roop (form).
• Mission of Lord
• Worthiness of Bhakt : “mat-bhaktah” (devotion), “nirvairah” (without enmity), “ananyaya” (undistracted, unswerving)

The divya drishti is ability to see what is not possible for ordinary mortal souls. This ability is not of this world.  There are three words “anantam”, “uragan” and “कालोऽस्मि  aham kalasmi” (11.32. I am Time). The ananta is the snake on which Vishnu rests. Uragan is also a divine snake.  But ananta also means infinity. The divya drishti that was offered to Arjun enabled him to have a glimpse of infinite time. Upto 11.26 is a glimpse into the limitless, infinite past, and after 11.26 Arjun could peep into near future. This is not possible for humans even today. I think Divya drishti means The Lord opened the fourth dimension for his bhakts.

11.5 to 11.8 The Lord shows hundreds of thousands (“satasah”) of his multi-colourful (nana-varna) celestial forms which had aditya (suns), vasu (radiance), Rudra (roar), marut (storm), aswini. This means Arjun saw millions of brilliantly coloured and radiant nebulas (ASHWIN “possessor of horses” or “horse tamer” and Ashwini kumar are human with horse head). There is actually a horse head nebula.

11.10 -11.15: Arjun saw “vaktra” (besides face it also means the commencement), “nayana” (besides eyes it also means leading to), ayudham (weapons), “anantam visvato-mukam”. Arjun saw many universes from their creation (brahma) till annihilation (isam) across infinite time and space. The view was all pervading and brilliant.

11.16-11.20. Many “bahu” (hands or extensions), udar (belly or interior or core). “नान्तं, न मध्यं,  पुन:, न आदिं”. Arjun saw universes which were ever expanding from its core in outward direction. In 11.17 shloka Arjun says that the form is very radiant (fire) and difficult to see clearly but he could see certain things which resembled like crown, mace and chakra. Arjun has seen various universes (manifest form) of the lord. The unmanifest is explained in 11.32.  11.18 This is repeat – inexhaustible (avyayah), eternal seed, final resting place, oldest (sanatan) and upholder of universal law (dharma).

11.21 to 11.25:  Arjun recognizes the supremacy of lord over other celestial bodies (deva) and is scared of the ferocious form.

11.26 to 11.30: Arjun gets a glimpse of the future and sees his relatives and soldiers dying. Everyone is drawn (attracted) towards the ugrah rupah (scorching rays). Death is inevitable. Everything in this universe is drawn/attracted to its ultimate end and resting place.

11.32: Visnu and his mission. The Lord says, “I am time, the destroyer of the worlds”

11.33 to 34: This shloka suggests existence of universal plan and a universal law. Everything is aligned to the Universal plan and will abide by the universal law. If the laws are violated, the perpetrator will be punished. Actions of all entities (Celestial bodies and/or mortal souls) whether under free will or not have to pass the test of universal law (righteousness).

11.35 to 11.47: Arjun surrenders to the lord and uses various words to offer his obeisance. He is scared and requests lord to come back to his original form. No one else (त्वदन्येन न) has ever seen the universal form.

 11.48 to 11.54: Arjun and few others were blessed with the ability to see the universal form. Lord cannot be seen by study of Vedas, or by being charitable or by worshipping deities or undergoing severe penances. The shloka highlights mat-bhaktah” (devotional service), “nirvairah” (peace or without hostility) and ananyaya (unswerving). The devotional service means fulfilling your role in a righteous manner and peaceful co-existence. Only the one with ananyaya (unswerving) faith can enter /understand the mysteries and see me. This may be one of the ways in which chapter 11 can be summarized. There could also be other ways.

UB: HB 👍🏼👍🏼. You have used two words – Universal Plan and Universal Law. Using Indian languages, these are संकल्प & धर्म. Knowing these,  one must remain connected with these to align with ब्रह्म.  Your take on वक्त्र & नयन is interesting and if pursued further may give us other clues too. Meaning of भक्ति as doing धर्म and peaceful co-existence makes perfect sense though how does one act when both come into conflict is a real challenge. I will just add two key takeaways from this Ch – 1) Whatever we see in this Universe is backed by a Unity and this vision is the विश्वरूप vision and 2) We have to become qualified to witness this रूप and until then, we will not experience this even though we are shown such a vision.

HB: I think n case of conflict, one must follow dharma. But to know what is ones dharma is the real challenge 😅

UB: 😀😀 Indeed