BHAGAVAD-GITA 11:37

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 11:37

 

kasmac ca te na nameran mahatman

gariyase brahmano 'py adi-kartre

ananta devesa jagan-nivasa

tvam aksaram sad-asat tat param yat

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

kasmat--why; ca--also; te--unto You; na--not; nameran--they should

offer proper obeisances; maha-atman--O great one; gariyase--who are

better; brahmanah--than Brahma; api--although; adi-kartre--to the

supreme creator; ananta--O unlimited; deva-isa--O God of the gods;

jagat-nivasa--O refuge of the universe; tvam--You are;

aksaram--imperishable; sat-asat--to cause and effect; tat

param--transcendental; yat--because.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O great one, greater even than Brahma, You are the original creator.

Why then should they not offer their respectful obeisances unto You? O

limitless one, God of gods, refuge of the universe! You are the

invincible source, the cause of all causes, transcendental to this

material manifestation.

 

PURPORT

 

By this offering of obeisances, Arjuna indicates that Krsna is

worshipable by everyone. He is all-pervading, and He is the Soul of

every soul. Arjuna is addressing Krsna as mahatma, which means that He

is most magnanimous and unlimited. Ananta indicates that there is

nothing which is not covered by the influence and energy of the

Supreme Lord, and devesa means that He is the controller of all

demigods and is above them all. He is the shelter of the whole

universe. Arjuna also thought that it was fitting that all the perfect

living entities and powerful demigods offer their respectful

obeisances unto Him, because no one is greater than Him. Arjuna

especially mentions that Krsna is greater than Brahma because Brahma

is created by Him. Brahma is born out of the lotus stem grown from the

navel abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who is Krsna's plenary

expansion; therefore Brahma and Lord Siva, who is born of Brahma, and

all other demigods must offer their respectful obeisances. It is

stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam that the Lord is respected by Lord Siva

and Brahma and similar other demigods. The word aksaram is very

significant because this material creation is subject to destruction

but the Lord is above this material creation. He is the cause of all

causes, and being so, He is superior to all the conditioned souls

within this material nature as well as the material cosmic

manifestation itself. He is therefore the all-great Supreme.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.