FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 11.37

कस्माच्च‍ ते न नमेरन्महात्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे । अनन्त देवेश जगन्निवास त्वमक्षरं सदसत्तत्परं यत् ॥ ३७ ॥
kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman
[kasmaach cha te na nameran mahaatman]
garīyase brahmaṇo ’py ādi-kartre
[gareeyase brahmano ’py aadi-kartre]
ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa
[ananta devesha jagan-nivaasa]
tvam akṣaraṁ sad-asat tat paraṁ yat
[tvam aksharam sad-asat tat param yat]
Word-for-word
kasmāt — why ca — also te — unto You na — not nameran — they should offer proper obeisances mahā - ātman — O great one garīyase — who are better brahmaṇaḥ — than Brahmā api — although ādi - kartre — to the supreme creator ananta — O unlimited deva - īśa — O God of the gods jagat - nivāsa — O refuge of the universe tvam — You are akṣaram — imperishable sat - asat — to cause and effect tat param — transcendental yat — because .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman
kasmāt
why
ca
also
te
unto You
na
not
nameran
they should offer proper obeisances
mahā - ātman
O great one
garīyase brahmaṇo ’py ādi-kartre
garīyase
who are better
brahmaṇaḥ
than Brahmā
api
although
ādi - kartre
to the supreme creator
ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa
ananta
O unlimited
deva - īśa
O God of the gods
jagat - nivāsa
O refuge of the universe
tvam akṣaraṁ sad-asat tat paraṁ yat
tvam
You are
akṣaram
imperishable
sat - asat
to cause and effect
tat param
transcendental
yat
because .
Important Words
  • garīyase — to the greater
    Dative of garīyas, comparative of guru. Arjuna applies the comparative directly: greater even than Brahmā. The Gītā's hierarchy is fixed by a single word.
  • brahmaṇaḥ — of/than Brahmā
    Ablative of brahman. With api in the same line — 'than Brahmā even.' Brahmā is the highest creature any comparison could invoke; Kṛṣṇa is being placed above the highest case.
  • ādi - kartre — to the original creator
    Dative compound: ādi (first) + kartṛ (doer). The first-doer, before whom no other doer. The dative tells us the obeisance flows to this address.
  • ananta — O unlimited
    Vocative — the same word for the cosmic serpent and for the Lord's own quality. The Gītā prefers an-anta over abstract terms for infinity.
  • akṣaram — the imperishable
    Accusative — repeated from 11.18. The verse returns to akṣara when it must name the absolute ground.
  • sat - asat — being and non-being
    Dvandva: sat + asat. The dual pair that frames the manifest universe. The Lord is both and beyond both — tat-param, that which is higher.
O great one, greater even than Brahmā, 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.
Classical Sanskrit analysis शास्त्रीय विश्लेषण
How Sanskrit scholars read this verse — split, rearranged, grammar-tagged. For the plain English distilled meaning, jump to Plain meaning below.
Auto-generated study layers — original analysis of the public-domain śloka. Review against a published edition for academic work.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
The rhetorical 'why should they not bow?' presupposes universal submission — Arjuna asserts the propriety of cosmic worship by stacking the highest titles. The closing line lifts Kṛṣṇa above the sat/asat duality: not merely both, but transcending both.
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
'Brahmaṇaḥ api ādi-kartre' makes Kṛṣṇa prior to brahman/Brahmā — answering 10.2 in stotra form. The closing tat-paraṁ-yat echoes Upaniṣadic apophasis (Kaṭha 1.3.11, 'mahato 'param avyaktam'). Arjuna's theology has caught up with what Kṛṣṇa has been declaring.
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
हे महा-आत्मन्! हे अनन्त! हे देव-ईश! हे जगत्-निवास! ब्रह्मणः अपि गरीयसे आदि-कर्त्रे ते कस्मात् च न नमेरन्? त्वम् अक्षरं, सत् असत् च, यत् तत् परं — (तत् त्वम्) ।
he mahā-ātman! he ananta! he deva-īśa! he jagat-nivāsa! brahmaṇaḥ api garīyase ādi-kartre te kasmāt ca na nameran? tvam akṣaraṃ, sat asat ca, yat tat paraṃ — (tat tvam) |
O great Self, O infinite, O Lord of gods, O abode of the universe — why should they not bow to You, greater even than Brahmā, the original creator? You are the Imperishable, You are being and non-being, and You are that which is beyond them both.
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
कस्मात् च ते न नमेरन् महा-आत्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणः अपि आदि-कर्त्रे । अनन्त देव-ईश जगत्-निवास त्वम् अक्षरं सत्-असत् तत् परं यत् ॥
kasmāt ca te na nameran mahā-ātman garīyase brahmaṇaḥ api ādi-kartre | ananta deva-īśa jagat-nivāsa tvam akṣaraṃ sat-asat tat paraṃ yat ||
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
SanskritIASTGrammarMeaning
कस्मात् kasmāt किम् (interr. (interrogative) pron. (pronoun)) abl.sg. (ablative singular)n., 'why' why
च ca ind. (indeclinable) and
ते te युष्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) dat.sg. (dative singular) to You
न na ind. (indeclinable), neg. not
नमेरन् nameran √नम् opt. (optative) 3pl.ātm. (ātmanepada / middle voice) they should bow
महा-आत्मन् mahā-ātman महा + आत्मन् (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), karmadhāraya cpd. (compound) O great Self
गरीयसे garīyase गुरु (adj.) compar. (comparative) dat.sg. (dative singular)m. greater
ब्रह्मणः brahmaṇaḥ ब्रह्मन् (m./n.) abl.sg. (ablative singular) than Brahmā / brahman
अपि api ind. (indeclinable) even
आदि-कर्त्रे ādi-kartre आदि (m.) + कर्तृ (m.) dat.sg. (dative singular), karmadhāraya cpd. (compound) to the original maker
अनन्त ananta अनन्त (adj.) voc.sg. (vocative singular)m. O infinite
देव-ईश deva-īśa देव (m.) + ईश (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) O Lord of gods
जगत्-निवास jagat-nivāsa जगत् (n.) + निवास (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) O abode of the universe
त्वम् tvam युष्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular) You (are)
अक्षरम् akṣaram अक्षर (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular) the Imperishable
सत्-असत् sat-asat सत् (n.) + असत् (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular), dvandva cpd. (compound) being and non-being
तत् tat तद् (dem. (demonstrative) pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. that
परम् param पर (adj.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. beyond, supreme
यत् yat rel. pron. (pronoun) nom.sg. (nominative singular)n. which
Purport

By this offering of obeisances, Arjuna indicates that Kṛṣṇa is worshipable by everyone. He is all-pervading, and He is the Soul of every soul. Arjuna is addressing Kṛṣṇa as mahātmā, 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 deveśa 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 Kṛṣṇa is greater than Brahmā because Brahmā is created by Him. Brahmā is born out of the lotus stem grown from the navel abdomen of Garbhodaka-śāyī Viṣṇu, who is Kṛṣṇa’s plenary expansion; therefore Brahmā and Lord Śiva, who is born of Brahmā, and all other demigods must offer their respectful obeisances. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the Lord is respected by Lord Śiva and Brahmā and similar other demigods. The word akṣaram 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.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
37. O great soul, why should they not offer respects to You, the first creator, greater than Brahmā? O infinite one, lord of the devas, abode of the universe, You are the Brahman, above cause and effect.
Commentary

Why should they not offer respects to You? Certainly, they should offer respects to You, for You are Brahman (akṣaram), above both cause and effect (sad-asat param)?

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
37. O great soul, why should they not offer respects to You, the first creator, greater than Brahmā? O infinite one, lord of the devas, abode of the universe, You are the jīva in bondage, prakṛti in its gross and subtle forms, and the jīva in liberation.
Commentary

Arjuna described how the Lord is the object of respect for all living entities. Now, in four verses he expounds the Lord’s pervasion of everything by being the soul of everything. O Lord with generous mind (mahātman)! O Lord who pervades everything (ananta)! O controller of all devas (deveśa)! O shelter of everything (jagannivāsa)! For what reason (kasmāt) should the gathering of devotees not offer their respects? Certainly they should offer respects. Ātmanepadam (nameran for the self) is used instead of parasmaipadam (nameyuḥ for another person) as poetic license. They should offer respects to You who are even greater than Brahmā (garīyase), because You are the creator of all existing elements (ādi kartre). [Note: Brahmā does not create tattvas, but only combines their products.] These terms supply some of the many reasons in the rhetorical question “Why should they not respect You?” This is the literary device called samuccaya. Akṣaram is the jīva in contact with prakṛti. Prakṛti has two forms gross and subtle, effect and cause (sat asat). What is superior to jīva which is mixed with prakṛti and prakṛti in its gross and subtle forms is the liberated jīva (tat param). You are all of these: jīva in māyā, prakṛti and the liberated jīva.

Study Notes — Gauranga Priya Dāsa
Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme

COMMON THEME: Arjuna prays in faltering voice

In which mood – as a devotee in the mood of ‘wonder’ (11.35)

PLEASE NOTE: The mains points refer to Arjuna’s Prayers. The subpoints include all points of the purports; as such

there are no individual ‘Focus of Learning’ sections for these verses.

ARJUNA’S PRAYERS

(a) Arjuna recognizes Krishna’s action as All-good for everyone after hearing from Krishna the outcome of

battlefield and observing Universal form and response of demigods and demons (11.36)

The world becomes joyful on hearing Your name and everyone becomes attached to You
You are worshiped by great souls and demons are afraid and flee away

(b) Krishna is worshipable by everyone – “You rightly deserve the obeisances of everyone” (11.37)

because:

You are the God of all the Gods, the original creator, especially even greater than Brahma, secondary creator
Invincible source of all and cause of all causes
Transcendental to material manifestations
‘Aksaram’ – not perishable like material creation)
‘Mahatma’ – Most magnanimous and unlimited
‘Ananta’ – Nothing is not covered by Lord’s influence and energy
‘Devesa’ – He is the controller of demigods and is above them all

(c) You are the ultimate rest of everything and all knowledge (11.38)

‘Nidhanam’ – Ultimate rest even from Brahman.
Knower of everything in this world and You are all that is knowable
Object of all knowledge because You are All pervading

(d) You are the essence of everything (11.39)

You are air (Air being all-pervasive is the most important representation of the demigods)
You are fire, water, moon
You are Brahma (Pitamaha) / You are Prapitamaha (because He is the father of Brahmaji)
You are the Supreme controller

(e) I offer you obeisances from front, behind and from all sides (11.40)

Arjuna is offering obeisances out of loving ecstasy, accepting that ‘’He is the master of limitless power’’ and ‘’He is far superior to all the great warriors assembled on the battlefield’’ (Ref. Visnu Purana – All have been created by you, any demigod or anyone)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION IV

Lord Krishna is the Supreme Lord of all. He is simultaneously

involved in an intimate relationship of love with His pure devotees

ARJUNA’S PRAYERS continued…

(f) Begs forgiveness for treating Krishna, the Infallible One, as an ordinary friend (11.41* – 11.42*)

Not knowing Krishna’s glories, Arjuna feels that he has offended Krishna in ‘madness’ or in ‘love’, and begs to be excused for many informal gestures like,
Called Krishna as Yadava or Krishna or dishonoured him many times.
Jesting as we relaxed
Lay on the same bed / sat / ate together
Never knew Krishna could accept such a Universal form
Cannot forget the relationship of a friend – The relationship between a living-entity and Krishna is fixed eternally, it cannot be forgotten, as evident from Arjuna’s behaviour

(g) You are the supreme father (11.43)

Supreme spiritual master – Gave this knowledge to Brahma / Arjuna
You are the greatest – No-one is greater than or equal to You nor can anyone be one with You. References for Lord’s Supreme greatness:
No difference between Krishna’s body and self (Ref. Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)
Senses are interchangeable
Birth and activities are transcendental (Bg. 4.9)
Krishna is one God – All the living entities are His servants, no-one can deny His order (Ref. CC “ekale ishvara...”)
Cause of all causes (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.1)

(h) Falls to the ground and begs for mercy – Requests Him to tolerate all wrong-doings (11.44) just like –

Analogies:

Father – Tolerates the impudence of his son
Friend – Impertinence of a friend
“Krishna – Arjuna” relationship is that of friendship
Wife – Familiarity of her partner

(i) Requests to withdraw the fearsome Form and reveal the form as Personality of Godhead (11.45)

Indicates Arjuna is ‘afraid’ and ‘joyful’ simultaneously
Afraid because of so many offenses committed
Joyful because He is gladdened by knowing his Friend’s opulence as Supreme Personality of Godhead and His ability to show the Universal Form
It proves that Krishna can assume any form, as He is asked here to show His Narayana Form
Universal Form is a temporary Form; but Vaikuntha form is transcendental, four-handed and eternal.
Different Narayanas are named according to the different configurations of the four hands
Arjuna’s request to see the four-handed form indicates that All the forms are one with Krishna

(j) Wants to see the four-handed form (11.46)

Texts 11.45 & 11.46 indicate that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He is the source of all forms and incarnations (Ref. Brahma Samhita 5.39)
This verse establishes without any doubt the statement of Srimad Bhagavatam that Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead
Constant feature in these forms – He is always fresh like a young man
He is non-different from His plenary expansions
He is God in any of His innumerable forms
Classical Ācāryas
Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.37 Ca, and; since You are the Primal Creator, the Cause, api, even; brahmanah, of Brahma, of Hiranyagarbha; therefore, kasmat, why, for what reason; should they na nameran, not bow down; te, to You; mahatman, O exalted One; gariyase, who are greater (than all)! Hence, why should these not bow down adi-karte, to the first Creator? Therefore You are fit for, i.e. the fit object of, delight etc. and salutation as well. Ananta, O infinite One; devesa, supreme God; jagannivasa, Abode of the Universe; tvam, You; are the aksaram, Immutable; tat param yat, that which is Transcendental, which is heard of in the Upanisads;-what is that?-sad-asat, being and nonbeing. Being is that which exists, and non-being is that with regard to which the idea of nonexistence arises. (You are) that Immutable of which these two-being and non-being-become the limiting adjuncts; which (Immutable), as a result, is metaphorically referred to as being and non-being. But in reality that Immutable is transcendental to being and non-being. 'That Immutable which the knowers of the Vedas declare' (8.11; cf. Ka. 1.2.15)-that is You Yourself, nothing else. This is the idea. He praises again:
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.37 O Mahatman, for what reason should Brahma and others not bow down to You, who are great and are the First Being and the Creator even of Brahma, namely, Hiranyagarbha? O Infinite, O Lord of the gods, O You who have the universe for Your abode! You are the 'Aksara'. What does not perish, is the Aksara, here, the 'principle of individual self'; for the individual self does not perish as established in Sruti passages: 'The intelligent self is not born, nor dies' (Ka. U., 1.2.18). You alone are the 'existent and the non-existent,' the principle of Prakrti, in its condition as effect and in its condition as cause. This is denoted by the terms 'Sat' (existent) and 'Asat' (non-existent). You alone are the state of effect denoted by the term 'Sat', which is the state of diversification by names and forms, and also the state of cause, denoted by the tetm 'Asat', which is the state incapable of such divisions and diversities. 'What is beyond both' - what is beyond Prakrti and the individual self associated with the Prakrti, as also from the principle of liberated selves who are different from those associated with Prakrti, i.e., bound souls. You alone are that also. Therefore:
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.37 Kasmat etc. Existent (11.Sat) : i.e. as a purport of words (11.or as material object). Non-existent (11.Asat) : Because, the Absolute does not become an object of perception. Or Asat signifies negation; [in fact] it is also well connected with the words which denote it directly, or indicate it indirectly by denoting what contains it; it also enjoys a form (11.becomes an object) of knowledge (11.of its own); and [hence] is has no separate existence other than the existence of the Absolute Brahman ? (11.It is) beyond both the existent and non-existent : For, It is realised when the knowledge of both of them disappears. (11.38)
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.37 And why should they not, O great Soul, bow to Thee Who art greater (than all else), the primal cause even of the Creator (Brahma), O Infinite Being, O Lord of the gods, O Abode of the universe; Thou art the imperishable, the Being, the non-being and That which is the supreme (that which is beyond the Being and the non-being).
Commentary

11.37 कस्मात् why? च and? ते they? न not? नमेरन् may prostrate? महात्मन् O greatsouled One? गरीयसे greater? ब्रह्मणः of Brahma? अपि also? आदिकर्त्रे the primal cause? अनन्त O Infinite Being? देवेश O Lord of the gods? जगन्निवास O Abode of the universe? त्वम् Thou? अक्षरम् Imperishable? सत् the Being? असत् nonbeing? तत् That? परम् the Supreme? यत् which.Commentary The Lord is Mahatma. He is greater than all else. He is the imperishable. So He is the proper object of worship? love and delight.That which exists in the three periods of time is Sat. Brahman is Sat. That which does not exist in the three periods of time is Asat. This world is Asat. This body is Asat.The words Sat and Asat mean here the manifested and the unmanifested which form the adjuncts of the Akshara (imperishable). In reality the Akshara transcends both these. The word Akshara is applied in the Gita sometimes to the Unmanifest (Nature) and sometimes to the Supreme Being.Ananta is He Who is free from the three kinds of limitations (of time? space and thing) which have already been explained.Arjuna again praises the Lord thus

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.37 And why should they not bow down to You, O exalted [i.e. not narrow-minded.] One, who are greater (than all) and who are the first Creator even of Brahma! O infinite One, supreme God, Abode of the Universe, You are the Immutable,being and non-being, (and) that which is Transcendental.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.37 How should they do otherwise? O Thou Supremest Self, greater than the Powers of creation, the First Cause, Infinite, the Lord of Lords, the Home of the universe, Imperishable, Being and Not-Being, yet transcending both.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)
Related verses
BG 10.12 BG 10.8 BG 7.7 SB 1.3.28 SB 2.9.33 SB 3.9.3 CC Ādi 2.11 CC Ādi 5.77 CC Madhya 20.153 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.1.1
Concepts
Maya
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Why should they not bow to You, the original creator, even greater than Brahmā? You are the eternal — being, non-being, and what is beyond.
Practical Applications
  • Recognize Kṛṣṇa as greater than Brahmā — the cosmic father.
  • Don't reduce Him in cosmic hierarchy.
  • Use proper hierarchy in prayer.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in my mental model is Kṛṣṇa not at the top?
  • What restores His place?
Analogy

When the headmaster enters the classroom, the visiting officials and even the senior teachers rise — not because they fear him but because the order of the room calls for it. So Brahmā himself, the senior teacher of the universe, rises in obeisance; Arjuna's question 'why should they not?' is rhetorical because the answer is obvious to any properly oriented mind.

Stories
Brahmā's Prayers to Kṛṣṇa in Vraja

After his theft of the calves and cowherd boys had been answered by Kṛṣṇa's multiplying Himself into all of them (SB 10.13–14), Brahmā composed the famous Brahmā-stuti — verses recognising Kṛṣṇa as the source even of Brahmā himself. He acknowledged that he, the so-called creator, was only a function of Kṛṣṇa's līlā.

Arjuna's verse in 11.37 — kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman, garīyase brahmaṇo 'pi — is the conceptual sibling of Brahmā's stuti. Why would the deva not bow? Even the creator bows.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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