Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 54 — Visvarupa Darsana Yoga
Sanskrit
भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन | ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप ||११-५४||
Transliteration
bhaktyā tvananyayā śakya ahamevaṃvidho.arjuna . jñātuṃ draṣṭuṃ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṃ ca parantapa ||11-54||
Hindi Meaning
।।11.54।। परन्तु हे परन्तप अर्जुन! अनन्य भक्ति के द्वारा मैं तत्त्वत: 'जानने', 'देखने' और 'प्रवेश' करने के लिए (एकी भाव से प्राप्त होने के लिए) भी, शक्य हूँ!।।
English Meaning
My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.
Commentary
Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by the process of undivided devotional service. He explicitly explains this in this verse so that unauthorized commentators, who try to understand Bhagavad-gītā by the speculative process, will know that they are simply wasting their time. No one can understand Kṛṣṇa or how He came from parents in a four-handed form and at once changed Himself into a two-handed form. These things are very difficult to understand by study of the Vedas or by philosophical speculation. Therefore it is clearly stated here that no one can see Him or enter into understanding of these matters. Those who, however, are very experienced students of Vedic literature can learn about Him from the Vedic literature in so many ways. There are so many rules and regulations, and if one at all wants to understand Kṛṣṇa, he must follow the regulative principles described in the authoritative literature. One can perform penance in accordance with those principles. For example, to undergo serious penances one may observe fasting on Janmāṣṭamī, the day on which Kṛṣṇa appeared, and on the two days of Ekādaśī (the eleventh day after the new moon and the eleventh day after the full moon). As far as charity is concerned, it is plain that charity should be given to the devotees of Kṛṣṇa who are engaged in His devotional service to spread the Kṛṣṇa philosophy, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, throughout the world. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a benediction to humanity. Lord Caitanya was appreciated by Rūpa Gosvāmī as the most munificent man of charity because love of Kṛṣṇa, which is very difficult to achieve, was distributed freely by Him. So if one gives some amount of his money to persons involved in distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that charity, given to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the greatest charity in the world. And if one worships as prescribed in the temple (in the temples in India there is always some statue, usually of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa), that is a chance to progress by offering worship and respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For the beginners in devotional service to the Lord, temple worship is essential, and this is confirmed in the Vedic literature ( Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23): yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ One who has unflinching devotion for the Supreme Lord and is directed by the spiritual master, in whom he has similar unflinching faith, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by revelation. One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by mental speculation. For one who does not take personal training under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, it is impossible to even begin to understand Kṛṣṇa. The word tu is specifically used here to indicate that no other process can be used, can be recommended, or can be successful in understanding Kṛṣṇa. The personal forms of Kṛṣṇa, the two-handed form and the four-handed, are described as su-durdarśam , very difficult to see. They are completely different from the temporary universal form shown to Arjuna. The four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa and the two-handed form of Kṛṣṇa are eternal and transcendental, whereas the universal form exhibited to Arjuna is temporary. The words tvad anyena na dṛṣṭa-pūrvam (verse 47) state that before Arjuna, no one had seen that universal form. Also, they suggest that amongst the devotees there was no necessity of showing it. That form was exhibited by Kṛṣṇa at the request of Arjuna so that in the future, when one represents himself as an incarnation of God, people can ask to see his universal form. The word na, used repeatedly in the previous verse, indicates that one should not be very much proud of such credentials as an academic education in Vedic literature. One must take to the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa. Only then can one attempt to write commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā . Kṛṣṇa changes from the universal form to the four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa and then to His own natural form of two hands. This indicates that the four-handed forms and other forms mentioned in Vedic literature are all emanations of the original two-handed Kṛṣṇa. He is the origin of all emanations. Kṛṣṇa is distinct even from these forms, what to speak of the impersonal conception. As far as the four-handed forms of Kṛṣṇa are concerned, it is stated clearly that even the most identical four-handed form of Kṛṣṇa (which is known as Mahā-viṣṇu, who is lying on the cosmic ocean and from whose breathing so many innumerable universes are passing out and entering) is also an expansion of the Supreme Lord. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.48), yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vila-jā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi “The Mahā-viṣṇu, into whom all the innumerable universes enter and from whom they come forth again simply by His breathing process, is a plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore I worship Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, the cause of all causes.” Therefore one should conclusively worship the personal form of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who has eternal bliss and knowledge. He is the source of all forms of Viṣṇu, He is the source of all forms of incarnation, and He is the original Supreme Personality, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā . In the Vedic literature ( Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.1) the following statement appears: sac-cid-ānanda-rūpāya kṛṣṇāyākliṣṭa-kāriṇe namo vedānta-vedyāya gurave buddhi-sākṣiṇe “I offer my respectful obeisances unto Kṛṣṇa, who has a transcendental form of bliss, eternity and knowledge. I offer my respect to Him, because understanding Him means understanding the Vedas, and He is therefore the supreme spiritual master.” Then it is said, kṛṣṇo vai paramaṁ daivatam: “Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” ( Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.3) Eko vaśī sarva-gaḥ kṛṣṇa īḍyaḥ: “That one Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is worshipable.” Eko ’pi san bahudhā yo ’vabhāti: “Kṛṣṇa is one, but He is manifested in unlimited forms and expanded incarnations.” ( Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad 1.21) The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1) says, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa, who has a body of eternity, knowledge and bliss. He has no beginning, for He is the beginning of everything. He is the cause of all causes.” Elsewhere it is said, yatrāvatīrṇaṁ kṛṣṇākhyaṁ paraṁ brahma narākṛti: “The Supreme Absolute Truth is a person, His name is Kṛṣṇa, and He sometimes descends on this earth.” Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we find a description of all kinds of incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and in this list the name of Kṛṣṇa also appears. But then it is said that this Kṛṣṇa is not an incarnation of God but is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself ( ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam ). Similarly, in Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: “There is nothing superior to My form as the Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa.” He also says elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā , aham ādir hi devānām: “I am the origin of all the demigods.” And after understanding Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna also confirms this in the following words: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, “I now fully understand that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, and that You are the refuge of everything.” Therefore the universal form which Kṛṣṇa showed to Arjuna is not the original form of God. The original is the Kṛṣṇa form. The universal form, with its thousands and thousands of heads and hands, is manifest just to draw the attention of those who have no love for God. It is not God’s original form. The universal form is not attractive for pure devotees, who are in love with the Lord in different transcendental relationships. The Supreme Godhead exchanges transcendental love in His original form of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore to Arjuna, who was so intimately related with Kṛṣṇa in friendship, this form of the universal manifestation was not pleasing; rather, it was fearful. Arjuna, who was a constant companion of Kṛṣṇa’s, must have had transcendental eyes; he was not an ordinary man. Therefore he was not captivated by the universal form. This form may seem wonderful to persons who are involved in elevating themselves by fruitive activities, but to persons who are engaged in devotional service the two-handed form of Kṛṣṇa is the most dear.
Hinglish Commentary
Kṛṣṇa ko samajhne ka sirf ek hi tarika hai, woh hai bhakti, yani ki undivided devotional service. Is verse mein Kṛṣṇa yeh baat saaf saaf samjha rahe hain taaki jo log Bhagavad-gītā ko sirf apni soch se samajhne ki koshish karte hain, unhe yeh pata chale ki woh bas apna waqt barbaad kar rahe hain. Koi bhi Kṛṣṇa ko nahi samajh sakta ya yeh nahi jaan sakta ki woh kaise chaar haath se aaye aur phir do haath mein badal gaye. Yeh sab cheezein Vedas ya philosophy se samajhna mushkil hai. Isliye yahan yeh saaf hai ki koi bhi unhe nahi dekh sakta ya in baaton ko nahi samajh sakta. Lekin jo log Vedic literature ke anubhav rakhte hain, woh Kṛṣṇa ke baare mein kai tarikon se jaan sakte hain. Bahut saari niyam aur niyamavali hain, aur agar koi Kṛṣṇa ko samajhna chahta hai, toh usse in authoritative literature mein diye gaye niyamon ka palan karna hoga. Jaise, koi serious penance karne ke liye Janmāṣṭamī par upvaas rakh sakta hai, jo Kṛṣṇa ka janm din hai, ya Ekādaśī ke din. Charity ke liye, yeh saaf hai ki daan un bhakton ko dena chahiye jo Kṛṣṇa ki bhakti mein lage hue hain aur Kṛṣṇa consciousness ko duniya mein failane ka kaam kar rahe hain. Kṛṣṇa consciousness insaniyat ke liye ek vardaan hai. Lord Caitanya ko Rūpa Gosvāmī ne sabse bada daan dene wala maana kyunki unhone Kṛṣṇa ka prem, jo paaana mushkil hai, sabke liye baant diya. Isliye agar koi apne paise ka kuch hissa un logon ko de deta hai jo Kṛṣṇa consciousness baant rahe hain, toh yeh duniya ka sabse bada daan hai. Aur agar koi mandir mein pooja karta hai (India ke mandiron mein hamesha koi murti hoti hai, aam taur par Viṣṇu ya Kṛṣṇa ki), toh yeh ek mauka hai Supreme Personality of Godhead ko pooja aur samman dene ka. Bhakti mein shuruat karne walon ke liye, mandir ki pooja bahut zaroori hai, aur yeh Vedic literature mein bhi confirm kiya gaya hai. Jo vyakti Supreme Lord ke liye atulniya bhakti rakhta hai aur jisne apne spiritual master par bhi wahi bhakti rakhi hai, woh Supreme Personality of Godhead ko revelation ke through dekh sakta hai. Kṛṣṇa ko mental speculation se samajhna mumkin nahi hai. Jo vyakti bona fide spiritual master ke guidance mein personal training nahi leta, uske liye Kṛṣṇa ko samajhna shuru bhi nahi ho sakta. Yeh jo 'tu' shabd yahan use hua hai, yeh yeh darshata hai ki koi aur process Kṛṣṇa ko samajhne ke liye nahi use kiya ja sakta. Kṛṣṇa ke do haath aur chaar haath wale roop ko su-durdarśam kaha gaya hai, yani ki dekhna bahut mushkil hai. Yeh roop Arjuna ko dikhaye gaye temporary universal form se bilkul alag hain. Nārāyaṇa ka chaar haath wala roop aur Kṛṣṇa ka do haath wala roop eternal aur transcendental hain, jabki Arjuna ko dikhaya gaya universal form temporary hai. Yeh jo 'tvad anyena na dṛṣṭa-pūrvam' hai, yeh darshata hai ki Arjuna se pehle kisi ne bhi yeh universal form nahi dekha. Aur yeh bhi batata hai ki bhakton ke beech is form ko dikhane ki koi zaroorat nahi thi. Yeh roop Kṛṣṇa ne Arjuna ke kehne par dikhaya taaki aage chal kar jab koi apne aap ko God ka incarnation batata hai, toh log usse uska universal form dekhne ko keh sakein. Isliye, jo log Vedic literature mein academic education par garv karte hain, unhe yeh samajhna chahiye ki unhe Kṛṣṇa ki bhakti mein lagna hoga. Tabhi woh Bhagavad-gītā par commentaries likhne ki koshish kar sakte hain. Kṛṣṇa universal form se chaar haath wale roop mein aur phir apne asli do haath wale roop mein badalte hain. Yeh darshata hai ki chaar haath wale roop aur Vedic literature mein jo aur roop hain, woh sab original do haath wale Kṛṣṇa ke emanations hain. Kṛṣṇa in roopon se alag hain, toh impersonal conception ka kya kehna. Chaar haath wale Kṛṣṇa ke roop ke liye, yeh saaf hai ki sabse identical chaar haath wala roop, jo Mahā-viṣṇu kehlata hai, jo cosmic ocean par soya hua hai, yeh bhi Supreme Lord ka expansion hai. Brahma-saṁhitā mein kaha gaya hai ki Mahā-viṣṇu ke saans lene se sabhi universes nikalte aur phir wapas aate hain, aur yeh Kṛṣṇa ka plenary expansion hai. Isliye, humein Kṛṣṇa ke personal form ki pooja karni chahiye, jo Supreme Personality of Godhead hain, jinke paas eternal bliss aur knowledge hai. Woh sab Viṣṇu roopon ke source hain, sab incarnations ke source hain, aur woh original Supreme Personality hain, jaise Bhagavad-gītā mein confirm kiya gaya hai. Vedic literature mein bhi kaha gaya hai ki Kṛṣṇa ek transcendental form hain jo bliss, eternity aur knowledge ka roop hai. Kṛṣṇa ko samajhna matlab Vedas ko samajhna hai, aur isliye woh sabse bada spiritual master hain. Kṛṣṇa ko paramaṁ daivatam kaha gaya hai, yani ki woh Supreme Personality of Godhead hain, aur woh ek hi hain jo anant roopon mein prakat hote hain. Brahma-saṁhitā kehta hai ki Kṛṣṇa sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha hain, jinke paas sab kuch ka aadi hai, aur woh sabhi kaaranon ka kaaran hain. Kahan gaya hai ki Supreme Absolute Truth ek vyakti hai, jiska naam Kṛṣṇa hai, aur woh kabhi kabhi is dharti par avataar lete hain. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam mein bhi Supreme Personality of Godhead ke sab incarnations ka varnan hai, aur us list mein Kṛṣṇa ka naam bhi hai, lekin yeh bhi kaha gaya hai ki Kṛṣṇa koi incarnation nahi hai, balki khud Supreme Personality of Godhead hain. Bhagavad-gītā mein Kṛṣṇa kehta hai ki unse superior kuch nahi hai, aur woh sab devtaon ka aadi hain. Arjuna bhi samajhta hai ki Kṛṣṇa hi Supreme Personality of Godhead hain, jo sab kuch ka refuge hain. Isliye, jo universal form Kṛṣṇa ne Arjuna ko dikhaya, woh God ka original form nahi hai. Original form Kṛṣṇa ka hai. Universal form, jisme hazaron sir aur haath hain, woh sirf un logon ka dhyan khinchne ke liye dikhaya gaya hai jo God se prem nahi rakhte. Yeh universal form pure devotees ke liye akarshak nahi hai, jo Kṛṣṇa ke saath alag alag transcendental relationships mein hain. Supreme Godhead apne original form Kṛṣṇa mein transcendental prem ka adan-pradan karte hain. Isliye, Arjuna ke liye, jo Kṛṣṇa ke saath dosti mein juda hua tha, yeh universal manifestation ka roop pasand nahi aaya; balki yeh uske liye bhayankar tha. Arjuna, jo Kṛṣṇa ka constant companion tha, uske paas transcendental aankhein thi; woh koi aam aadmi nahi tha. Isliye woh universal form se mohit nahi hua. Yeh roop un logon ko shandar lag sakta hai jo apne karmo se upar uthne ki koshish kar rahe hain, lekin jo bhakti mein lage hain, unke liye Kṛṣṇa ka do haath wala roop sabse pyara hai.
Chinmaya Commentary
भक्ति के विषय में आचार्य शंकर कहते हैं कि सभी मोक्ष साधनों में भक्ति ही श्रेष्ठ है और यह भक्ति स्वस्वरूप के अनुसंधान के द्वारा आत्मस्वरूप बन जाती है।प्रिय के साथ तादात्म्य ही प्रेम का वास्तविक मापदण्ड है। भक्त अपने व्यक्तिगत जीवभाव के अस्तित्व को विस्मृत कर जब प्रेम में अपने प्रिय भगवान् के साथ तादात्म्य को प्राप्त हो जाता है तब उस प्रेम की परिसमाप्ति पराभक्ति या अनन्य भक्ति कहलाती है। आत्मज्ञान का जिज्ञासु आध्यात्मिक विधान के अनुसार उपाधियों के साथ अपने निम्नस्तर को त्यागने के लिए बाध्य होता है। अनात्मा के तादात्म्य को त्यागने पर ही शुद्ध आत्मस्वरूप की पहचान हो सकती है।केवल वे साधकगण जो इस जगत् को एक सूत्र में धारण करने वाले सत्य के साथ तादात्म्य कर सकते हैं वे ही मुझे इस रूप में अर्थात् विराटरूप में अनुभव कर सकते हैं।जिन तीन क्रमिक सोपानों में सत्य का साक्षात्कार होता है उसका निर्देश भगवान् इन तीन शब्दों से करते हैं जानना देखना और प्रवेश करना। सर्व प्रथम एक साधक को अपने साध्य तथा साधन का बौद्धिक ज्ञान आवश्यक होता है जिसे यहां जानना शब्द से सूचित किया गया है और इसका साधन है श्रवण।इस प्रकार कुछ ज्ञान प्राप्त कर लेने पर मन में सन्देह उत्पन्न होते हैं इन सन्देहों की निवृत्ति के लिए प्राप्त ज्ञान पर युक्तिपूर्वक मनन करना अत्यावश्यक होता है। सन्देहों की निवृत्ति होने पर तत्त्व का दर्शन देखना होता है। तत्पश्चात् निदिध्यासन के अभ्यास से मिथ्या उपाधियों के साथ तादात्म्य को सर्वथा त्यागकर आत्मस्वरूप के साथ एकरूप हो जाना ही उसमें प्रवेश करना है। आत्मा का यह अनुभव स्वयं से भिन्न किसी वस्तु का नहीं वरन् अपने स्वस्वरूप का है। प्रवेश शब्द से साधक और साध्य के एकत्व का बोध कराया गया है। स्वप्नद्रष्टा के स्वाप्निक दुखों का तब अन्त हो जाता है जब वह जाग्रत पुरुष में प्रवेश करके स्वयं जाग्रत पुरुष बन जाता है।स्वयं भगवान् ही अपनी प्राप्ति का उपाय बताते हैं