Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 43 to 44

[Guest guest]

Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 43 to 44

(Verse Translation by Swami Gambirananda, Gita Bhasya and commentary

by Swami Chinmayanandaji)

 

Pitaasi lokasya charaacharasya Twamasya poojyashcha gururgareeyaan;

Na twatsamo'styabhyadhikah kuto'nyo Lokatraye'pyapratimaprabhaava.

 

43. You are the Father of all beings moving and non-moving

to this (world) You are worthy of worship, the Teacher, and greater

(than a teacher). There is none equal to You. How at all can there

be anyone greater even in all the three worlds, O You or unrivalled

power?

 

Asi, You are

pita, the Father, the Progenitor

lokasya, off all beings

cara-acarasya, moving and nonmoving. Not only are Yur are Father of

this world, You are also pujyah, worthy of worship

since You are the guruh, Teacher

[He is the Teacher since He introduce the line of teachers of what is

virtue and vice, and of the knowledge of the Self. And He is greater

than a teacher because He is the teacher even of Hiranyagarbha and

others.] gariyan, greater (than a teacher). How are You greater? In

answer he says: Asti, there is

na, none other

tvat-samah, equal to You

for there is no possibility of two Gods. Because all dealings will

come to naught if there be many Gods! When there is no possibility of

another being equal toYou, kutah eva, how at all

can there be anyah, anyone

abhyadhikah, greater

api, even

loka-traye, in all the three worlds

apratima-prabhavah, O you of unrivalled power?

 

That by which something is measured is pratima. You who have no

measure for Your power (prabhava) are a pratima-prabhavah. Apratima-

prabhava means 'O You of limitless power!'

 

Here we find that Arjuna, bursting under the pressure of his

voiceless emotion and his great regard for the Lord, addresses

him: " THOU ART THE FATHER OF THE WHOLE WORLD CONSTITUTED OF THE

MOVING AND THE UNMOVING. " No doubt, the three worlds --- consisting

of our experiences in waking, dream, and deep-sleep states --- are

the interpretations of the same Eternal from the levels of the gross,

the subtle and the causal bodies, and the Truth that illumines those

experiences is everywhere one and the same.

NATURALLY, THE LORD IS, AS ARJUNA SAYS, " OF UNEQUALLED GREATNESS, "

AND THERE IS NONE " SUPERIOR TO THEE IN THE THREE WORLDS. " BECAUSE IT

IS SO:

 

Tasmaatpranamya pranidhaaya kaayam Prasaadaye twaamahameeshameedyam;

Piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh Priyah priyaayaarhasi deva sodhum.

 

44. Therefore, by bowing down and prostrating the body, I seek to

propitate You who are God and are adorable. O Lord, You should [The

elision of a (in arhasi of priyayarhasi) is a metrical licence.]

forgive (my faults) as would a father (the faults) of a son, as a

friend, of a friend, and as a lover of a beloved.

 

Tasmat, therefore

pranamya, by bowing down

and pranidhaya kayam, prostrating, laying, the body completely down

prasadaye, I seek to propitiate

tvam, You

who are isam, God, the Lord

and are idyam, adorable. Deva, O God

You are Your part, arhasi, should

sodhum, bear with, i.e. forgive (my faults)

iva, as would

a pita, father

forgive all the faults putrasya, of a son

and as a sakha, friend

the fautls sakhyuh, of a friend

or as a priyah, lover

forgives the faults priyayah, of a beloved.

 

Arjuna seems to discover in himself a greater eloquence and a subtler

ability to argue logically, with the realization that he is in the

presence of the Almighty, the Blessed. Prostration, in Hinduism,

though generally practiced as a physical act of touching-the-feet of

the revered, is a significant act that is to be actually accomplished

in our heart as a special inward attitude. Surrendering ourselves, so

that we may rise above ourselves into the spiritual fields, is true

prostration. The ego and ego-centric vagaries arising out of our

false identifications with matter vestures have robbed us of our

experience of the Divinity which is already in us. To the extent the

misconceptions are annihilated, we, without these over-growths, are

sure to realize the serener beauty of the Divine, which in reality,

we are. In surrendering the ego unto the Lord, in fact, we have to

bring to His feet nothing but a dirty bundle of animal vasanas,

purified in our own stupidity and lust! Naturally, a devotee,

reaching the feet of the Lord in a spirit of surrender and love, has

to apologize for the filth that has been offered, as the only tribute

of his love, at His Divine feet.

 

Arjuna is pleading here with the Lord to bear with him as " a father

would with his son, " as " a friend with his friend, " as " a lover with

his beloved. " These three examples bring within their embrace all the

types of immodest crimes that man, in his ignorance, can perpetrate

against his Lord, the Creator.

[Guest guest]

Swami Dayananda Saraswati's Commetary and Explanations (43 and 44)

======================================================

 

Arjuna continues to describe the Lord. 'You are the cause/the father,

pita, of these worlds, asya lokasya, consisting of cara, things that

are moving and acara, things that don't move, or sentient and

inert. As the creator of the world, 'You are the most worshipful,

pujyah. " Even though manyctevatas are worshipped in many different

forms of puja, all worship goes only to Paramesvara. Therefore. 'You

are pujyah, the one who deserves to be worshipped. " And, 'You are a

teacher, guruh, " Not an ordinary guru, but one who is more important,

garlyan. He is the first

teacher, the one who taught Brahmaji the Vedas and is therefore, the

source of all

knowledge.

 

Sankara says the Lord is " the creator of all living beings, janayita

pranijatasya. " He does not create the jiva but all the subtle and

gross bodies, suksma-sthula-3arirani as well as all other things like

mountains and so on which do not move. Sankara continues to comment

that the Lord is not just the father of this creation, but deserves

all forms of worship and praise, pujyah. "

 

" There is not another, na anyah_asti, equal to you, tvat-samah. "

Sankara says, " It is not possible for there to be two Isvaras, na hi

Isvaradvayatn sambhavati. " If there are two Isvaras, each will have

his own domain. Then neither will have complete overiordship so

neither is tr_uly Isvara, the one who has ai^varya, total

overiordship. There is only one Isvara. If there were more than one,

Sankara adds, transaction would not*be possible. Some Is " vara creates

a law of gravitation whereby objects fall at 32 feet per second per

second. The other Is " vara wants it to be 40 feet per second per

second. Nothing will happen.

 

A question can be asked here. What about Brahma, Visnu, and Rudra?

Are all of them not Isvara? If so, there are three Isvaras

already. No. There is only one Isvara. Viewed from different

functions we call the same Isvara: Brahma, the creator; Visnu, the

sustainer; and Rudra, the destroyer. If you invoke them separately,

they become exalted jivas. Essentially all are Isvara, but with

reference to upadhi, Brahmaji is a jiva, as are Visnu and Rudra.

Because they have no ignorance, they are Paramesvara. In fact, all

three together we call Paramesvara. " There is no one even equal to

you, how can there be another who is superior, abhyadhikah kutah any

ah? " It is not possible. If there is no such person here, perhaps

there is someone in another world who is superior. No, not even in

all three worlds, loka-traye api. Because the whole world is

Paramesvara. There is no equivalent to Isvara. no one superior to

Isvara.

 

Arjuna addresses Krishna here as apratima-prabhava, the one whose

glory is matchless. His powers are unequalled anywhere. Pratima is

that by which you are atoe to illustrate something, a replica like a

statue of a person, for example. It is created to resemble the form

of a person and you recognize it as a representation of him. Suppose

I want to create a pratima, an equivalent of Isvara. What will I

create? The whole jagat is Isvara. His glory cannot be imitated nor

can a symbol be created which will represent Paramesvara. We only

create a pratima and then let it stand for Isvara. We cannot create a

real pratima for Paramesvara because nothing is separate from him.

His glory and power are incomparable. Arjuna praises Paramesvara as

he has understood.

 

Therefore, saluting, properly laying down my body, I seek the

blessing of you who are the worshipful Lord. Like a father his sons,

like a friend his friends, a beloved his beloved, you are capable, 0

Lord, of forgiving.

 

Tasmat, therefore, saluting you, pranamya, properly bringing down my

body, kayam prariidhaya, I seek your blesssing, prasadaye " Who is he

saluting? You the Lord (Isam) who is the most worshipful

(Idyam). 'Falling at your feet I seek the blessings of you, the most

worshipful Lord. You are capable of forgiving me because you are

everything. So you should forgive me. " How? " Like the father

forgives his son, pita iva putrasya. Whatever omissions and

commissions I might have committed, knowingly or unknowingly, please

forgive me. " Like the father is able to forgive the omissions and

commissions of his son, or a friend those of his friend. He can

overlook things and continue to be friendly. Or how a husband is able

to forget all the omissions and commissions of his wife because of

his love for her. " Similarly you are capable of forgiving. " Why does

Arjuna give these three examples? They reflect his understanding of

his relationship to Krishna. He understands that Krishna is the

creator of the world, while he is only like a son, putra, with

reference to his sarira etc. In a given upadhi, the jiva is like

the son and Paramesvara like the father. That is the idea. When

Arjuna says Krishna is his friend, he understands that Paramesvara,

as antaryami is always there like a friend. He comes along in all

escapades of the jiva. Wherever the buddhi goes atma also joins,

never protesting, like a friend. Therefore, because you are the

buddhi-saksi, you are like a friend. Then you are ananda-svarupa and

therefore the beloved, priyah. And I am the one who seeks you, the

source of ananda. Ananda is the atma, and therefore I am the lover of

ananda. Therefore I become the beloved.

[Guest guest]

praNAms Shri Ram Chandranji (and Satsanghis),

 

advaitin , " Ram Chandran " <ramvchandran wrote:

>

> Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 43 to 44

> Pitaasi lokasya charaacharasya Twamasya poojyashcha gururgareeyaan;

> Na twatsamo'styabhyadhikah kuto'nyo Lokatraye'pyapratimaprabhaava.

>

> 43. You are the Father of all beings moving and non-moving

> to this (world) You are worthy of worship, the Teacher, and greater

> (than a teacher). There is none equal to You. How at all can there

> be anyone greater even in all the three worlds, O You or unrivalled

> power?

 

It is interesting to note that Arjuna uses the term 'guru' for Lord

Krishna in this verse. This is a very important characterization

for the Lord. For advaita-sadhakas like us, we should note the

importance of this verse in the light of that word. Sadashiva

(in his Dakshinamurthy form)or Narayana are the primordial

teachers. This prayer (11.36-11.46)) becomes more significant

because of such characterization of the Lord. This is one of the

few times in the entire Gita that such an important term

has been used for the Lord.

 

The other such uses of the word 'guru' itself are in 2.5, 6.22

and 17.14. The first use seems to refer to " worldly " -teachers of

Arjuna, like Drona, Kripacharya etc. The second use (6.22) means

great and is used as an adjective to a difficult task. The third

use is an injunction by Lord Krishna to Arjuna regarding

worship of elders and gurus.

 

So the only reference by Arjuna to Lord Krishna in the Gita,

in the sense of a teacher, which he truly is, in 11.43 (the

elders can kindly correct me in this). Such an address

also sets the tone for the gyan-shatkam (chapters 13-18) of

Gita.

 

When talking about the word 'guru' in Gita, we should

not forget the mysterious verse 4.34, which is an injunction

by the Lord to Arjuna to approach the wise and know the truth

by serving them.

 

I would request the elders of this group to correct the above

intuitions and throw more light on these facts.

 

praNAms to all Advaitins,

Ramakrishna

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Ramakrishna:

 

Your observation about Arjuna's use of " Guru " to address the Lord is

quite inspiring. We all know the famous Guru Stotram which begins with:

" Gurubrahma, Guruvishnum, Gurudevo Maheswarah " which provides the full

significance that the Guru is nothing but the all inclusive

Parabrahman. Our dear Sunderji has posted in the list during September-

October of year 2004 a series of postings siting verses containing

Injections. I have summarized them as bullet statements below. Those

who want to read the originial postings, can read the referenced post

numbers.

 

With my warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Lord Krishna's Injunctions in Bhagavad Gita (Commandments)

===============================

• Be courageous and do not allow weakness to take control over you!

• Do not get attached to pleasure and also to power

• Free yourself from the pairs of opposites and try to remain ever in

the quality of Sattwa

• Your right is only to work, but never with its fruits. Do not allow

the fruits of actions to motivate your actions.

• Perform your action being steadfast in Yoga (Yagna spirit) and avoid

attaching it to success and failures

• Devote yourself Yoga, the skill in action.

• Perform actions for the sake of sacrifice and thereby free ourself

from attachment

• Perform actions unselfishly for the sake of the Lord with the Prasada

Buddhi

• Perform your actions wishing the welfare of the world

• Be wise and engage your actions with devotion to the Lord and free

from egoism

• Surrender all actions to Me with the thought, " I perform all actions

for the sake of the Lord only. "

• First control your senses and thereby kill all sinful desires – the

destroyer of knowledge and realization

• Take refuge in yoga and seek the knowledge of the SELF

• Yoga is the best way to avoid delusion and therefore at all times

remember Me only!

• Fix your mind on me (True Yoga), be devoted to Me, sacrifice on to Me

and bow down to Me.

• The best in Yoga is to fix the mind on Me and worship Me with supreme

faith!

• Achieve peace by renouncing the fruits of all actions which is better

than knowledge and meditation

• Follow the ordinances of the Scriptures and do not allow yourself to

act under the impulse of desires

• Have faith on the authority of the Scriptures in determining what

ought or what not ought to be done

• Fix your mind on Me and with my Grace, you can overcome all obstacles

• Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone: I will liberate you

from all obstacles and grief.

 

These injunctions (some of them appear repetition) are stated in

various chapters. It should be pointed out the key words – yoga, faith,

renunciation, equanimity, sacrifice, fruits of actions, etc, have

occurred many times both directly and implicitly in the entire Gita.

The direct references are provided below with the chapter and verse

numbers:

 

Chapter 2: 3, 44, 45, 47, 48, 50;

Chapter 3: 9, 25, 26, 30, 38-41;

Chapter 4: 15, 42;

Chapter 6: 41;

Chapter 8: 7, 27;

Chapter 9: 27, 34;

Chapter12: 2, 8, 9, 11, 12;

Chapter 16: 23, 24;

Chapter 18: 57, 58, 61, 62, 63, 65, 66

 

Please note that what I have stated above are derived from the postings

by Sunderji during September – October 2004 in the advaitin List. The

postings numbers are the following;

24945; 24932; 24920; 24914; 24893; 24879; 24872; 24851; 24850; 24840;

24835; 24828; 24819; 24808; 24804; 24795; 24790; 24786; 24781; 24778;

24773; 24772; 24771; 24764; 24761; 24758; 24748; 24741; 24738; 24720

(advaitin/)

 

 

advaitin , " Ramakrishna Upadrasta " <ramakrsn

wrote:

>

> When talking about the word 'guru' in Gita, we should

> not forget the mysterious verse 4.34, which is an injunction

> by the Lord to Arjuna to approach the wise and know the truth

> by serving them.

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " Ramakrishna Upadrasta " <ramakrsn

wrote:

>

> advaitin , " Ram Chandran " <ramvchandran@> wrote:

> >

> > Gita Satsangh Chapter 11 Verses 43 to 44

>

> So the only reference by Arjuna to Lord Krishna in the Gita,

> in the sense of a teacher, which he truly is, in 11.43 (the

> elders can kindly correct me in this). Such an address

> also sets the tone for the gyan-shatkam (chapters 13-18) of

> Gita.

>

> When talking about the word 'guru' in Gita, we should

> not forget the mysterious verse 4.34, which is an injunction

> by the Lord to Arjuna to approach the wise and know the truth

> by serving them.

 

Namaste,

 

This observation is very astute indeed. One should, however, be

quite mindful of Arjuna's approach to Krishna as a 'shiShya' (disciple)

who is 'prapanna' (surrendered totally) as described in Gita 2:7.

 

For us sadhaka-s (aspirants), Arjuna would stand for the ideal

disciple - the whole series of requests and questions (only about 18

in the whole Gita) sets the tone for the grand theophany of Ch 11, and

Krishna's outpouring of words of wisdom, like the cow yielding more

milk when suckled by the calf [as in the Dhyana Shloka: sarvopaniShado

gAvo....] The very word Arjuna means one who is without guile,

staright-forward.

 

For easy reference, here are verse numbers of Arjuna's self-

descriptions and questions:

 

Gita : 1 : 31, 36, 38

2 : 7, 54

3 : 1

4 : 4

5 : 1

6 : 33, 34, 37-39

8 : 1

10 : 17, 18

11 : 3,4, 31

12 : 1

14 : 21

17 : 1

18 : 1

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder