Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 15 to 16 – Additional comments

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Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 15 to 16 – Additional comments:

 

Arjuna’s usage of the word `Deva' for Sri Krishna is indicative of the feeling

of extreme reverence and devotion at the sight of the effulgent and wonderful

form of the Lord. Of the various orders of creation inhabiting the universe,

gods are recognized as the highest. Arjuna during his Gurukula stay has

systematically studied the Vedic scriptures (Puranic stories describing the role

of Gods of different order) and what he witnessed confirms to what he learnt.

That is the reason why Arjuna mentions Gods along with the multitudes of

different beings, in which they are naturally connected.

 

Among earthly beings Rishis are regarded as the best; and even so celestial

serpents like Vasuki and others rank as the highest among the denizens of the

nether worlds. That is why they have been mentioned apart from the multitudes of

different beings, in which they are naturally included. By mentioning thus the

principal types of beings inhabiting the earth, the celestial regions and the

nether worlds, Arjuna shows that he beheld all the three worlds in the body of

Sri Krishna. The use of the words 'Visvesvara' and 'Visvarupa' with reference

to Sri Krishna is intended to convey that He is the creator and destroyer as

well as the supreme Ruler of the whole universe, appointing all to their

respective duties, and that this universe is, really speaking, nothing but His

own manifestation, that is to say, He is both its efficient and material cause.

 

The statement that Arjuna saw no beginning, middle or end of the Lord shows,

that the Cosmic Body of the Lord was infinite on all sides. We should remind

ourselves that the Lord has only provided Arjuna with the ‘Divine Eye’ and he

tried to grasp what he saw by using his limited intellect. Essentially, it is

impossible for the limited intellect to understand the Unlimited and convey that

understanding using language alone!