Bhagavad-gītā 11.48
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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veda - yajña
—
Vedic sacrifice
Compound. The two pillars of Vedic religion. Neither is sufficient for this darśana — a sharp claim against ritualism.
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dānaiḥ
—
by charity
Instrumental plural of dāna. Charity, one of the most highly praised Vedic activities, is ruled out as sufficient cause.
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kriyābhiḥ
—
by rituals
Instrumental plural of kriyā — 'ceremonial action.' The general category of religious works. Insufficient.
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tapobhiḥ
—
by penances
Instrumental plural of tapas — 'austerity.' Even severe austerity — the very means by which the great sages attained their stations — is ruled out.
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ugraiḥ
—
severe
Instrumental adjective qualifying tapas. Not just any austerity — even severe austerity does not suffice. The intensifier closes the last loophole.
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kuru - pravīra
—
O best of the Kuru warriors
Vocative compound. Kṛṣṇa addresses Arjuna by his clan's highest title precisely when telling him no warrior-quality earned this vision — the title is honored, but the giving is not on account of the title.
Plain meaning (तात्पर्य · Tātparya)
Further notes (विवरण · Vivaraṇa)
Prose order (अन्वय · Anvaya)
Word split (पदच्छेद · Padaccheda)
Grammar (व्याकरण · Vyākaraṇa)
| Sanskrit | IAST | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| न | na | ind. (indeclinable), neg. | not |
| वेद-यज्ञ-अध्ययनैः | veda-yajña-adhyayanaiḥ | वेद (m.) + यज्ञ (m.) + अध्ययन (n.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural), dvandva/tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) | by Vedic-sacrificial studies |
| दानैः | dānaiḥ | दान (n.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) | by gifts |
| क्रियाभिः | kriyābhiḥ | क्रिया (f.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) | by ritual actions |
| तपोभिः | tapobhiḥ | तपस् (n.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural) | by austerities |
| उग्रैः | ugraiḥ | उग्र (adj.) ins.pl. (instrumental plural)n. | severe |
| एवं-रूपः | evaṃ-rūpaḥ | एवम् (ind. (indeclinable)) + रूप (n.) nom.sg. (nominative singular)m., bahuvrīhi cpd. (compound) | of such a form |
| शक्यः | śakyaḥ | √शक् pot. pass. (passive) part. nom.sg. (nominative singular)m. | able (to be) |
| अहम् | aham | अस्मद् (pron. (pronoun)) nom.sg. (nominative singular) | I |
| नृ-लोके | nṛ-loke | नृ (m.) + लोक (m.) loc.sg. (locative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) | in the human world |
| द्रष्टुम् | draṣṭum | √दृश् inf. (infinitive) | to see |
| त्वत्-अन्येन | tvat-anyena | त्वत् (pron. (pronoun)) + अन्य (adj.) ins.sg. (instrumental singular)m., tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) | by another than you |
| कुरु-प्रवीर | kuru-pravīra | कुरु (m.) + प्रवीर (m.) voc.sg. (vocative singular), tatpuruṣa cpd. (compound) | O foremost of the Kurus |
The divine vision in this connection should be clearly understood. Who can have divine vision? Divine means godly. Unless one attains the status of divinity as a demigod, he cannot have divine vision. And what is a demigod? It is stated in the Vedic scriptures that those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu are demigods ( viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daivaḥ ). Those who are atheistic, i.e., who do not believe in Viṣṇu, or who recognize only the impersonal part of Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, cannot have the divine vision. It is not possible to decry Kṛṣṇa and at the same time have the divine vision. One cannot have the divine vision without becoming divine. In other words, those who have divine vision can also see like Arjuna. The Bhagavad-gītā gives the description of the universal form. Although this description was unknown to everyone before Arjuna, now one can have some idea of the viśva-rūpa after this incident. Those who are actually divine can see the universal form of the Lord. But one cannot be divine without being a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The devotees, however, who are actually in the divine nature and who have divine vision, are not very much interested in seeing the universal form of the Lord. As described in the previous verse, Arjuna desired to see the four-handed form of Lord Kṛṣṇa as Viṣṇu, and he was actually afraid of the universal form. In this verse there are some significant words, just like veda-yajñādhyayanaiḥ, which refers to studying Vedic literature and the subject matter of sacrificial regulations. Veda refers to all kinds of Vedic literature, such as the four Vedas ( Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva ) and the eighteen Purāṇas, the Upaniṣads and the Vedānta-sūtra. One can study these at home or anywhere else. Similarly, there are sūtras – Kalpa-sūtras and Mīmāṁsā-sūtras – for studying the method of sacrifice. Dānaiḥ refers to charity which is offered to a suitable party, such as those who are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord – the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas. Similarly, “pious activities” refers to the agni-hotra and the prescribed duties of the different castes. And the voluntary acceptance of some bodily pains is called tapasya. So one can perform all these – can accept bodily penances, give charity, study the Vedas, etc. – but unless he is a devotee like Arjuna, it is not possible to see that universal form. Those who are impersonalists are also imagining that they are seeing the universal form of the Lord, but from Bhagavad-gītā we understand that the impersonalists are not devotees. Therefore they are unable to see the universal form of the Lord. There are many persons who create incarnations. They falsely claim an ordinary human to be an incarnation, but this is all foolishness. We should follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā, otherwise there is no possibility of attaining perfect spiritual knowledge. Although Bhagavad-gītā is considered the preliminary study of the science of God, still it is so perfect that it enables one to distinguish what is what. The followers of a pseudo incarnation may say that they have also seen the transcendental incarnation of God, the universal form, but that is unacceptable because it is clearly stated here that unless one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa one cannot see the universal form of God. So one first of all has to become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa; then he can claim that he can show the universal form of what he has seen. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa cannot accept false incarnations or followers of false incarnations.
This form which I have shown to you is rarely seen even by those who study the Vedas and follow other processes. I cannot be seen in this form (evam rūpaḥ) by anyone except you. The absence of visarga and consequent sandhi to form śakyo’ ham instead of śakya aham in this verse is poetic license. Therefore considering this, that you have attained something which is not attainable by others, fix your mind on this form, difficult to see for everyone—a form which is certainly the Lord. Having seen that form, you should forget about the human form you are again desiring to see.
The Lord shows in this verse how the universal form is the goal of life. Not by reciting the Vedas (veda-adhyayanaiḥ), not by considering the meaning of sacrifice by studying the kalpa sutras and mimāṁsā scriptures (yajña-adhyayanaiḥ), not by offering articles to qualified persons (danaiḥ), not by actions of agnihotra sacrifice and other rituals (kriyābhiḥ), not by creating difficulties for the body (tapobhiḥ), drying it up with intense vratas, has any person listed above seen this form. Other than you, endowed with bhakti, no one has seen it. Without bhakti, none of these methods allow any person to see My form. dharmaḥ satyādayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaṁ na samyak prapunāti hi Neither religious activities endowed with honesty and mercy nor knowledge obtained with great penance can completely purify one’s consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to Me. SB 11.14.22 I am visible to you because you have devotion, and to the devatās because they have devotion. The visarga of śakyaḥ has been dropped without the sandhi which should have become śakyo’ham for poetic reasons. Repetition of the negative na in this verse is to emphasizes the impossibility for others to see by other methods. It is not possible for humans of this planet (nṛ loke) other than you to see it. This means however that it is possible for the many devas who are bhaktas to see that form, since they are not on this planet.
Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "Although Bhagavad‑ gita is considered the preliminary study of the science of God, still it is so perfect that it enables one to distinguish what is what. The followers of a pseudo incarnation may say that they have also seen the transcendental incarnation of God, the universal form, but that is unacceptable because it is clearly stated here that unless one becomes a devotee of Krsna one cannot see the universal form of God. So one first of all has to become a pure devotee of Krsna; then he can claim that he can show the universal form of what he has seen. A devotee of Krsna cannot accept false incarnations or followers of false incarnations." Arjuna is saying:" My dear Lord, I accept what I saw and I don't want to see the universal form any longer but You are again and again telling me to see it. (Krsna keeps saying: "Behold this universal form. And He is glorifying that universal form). My limbs are pained and disturbed and I'm becoming unconscious. I will never request You to show me this universal form again. Please forgive me. I wish to see that beautiful form from which nectar comes!" (note from the commentators)
Glorifies ‘bhakti’ by negation – This Universal form cannot be seen by personal efforts like studying
the Vedas, performing sacrifices, charity, pious activities or penances
(a) Who can have this divine vision – Only godly souls
(b) Who is a Godly person (Status like a demigod) – ‘Only devotees’ can have such divinity (Ref. Vedic
scriptures)
(a) By ‘My’ internal potency – because inconceivable by human speculation
(b) Happily by ‘My’ desire because ‘no-one has ever seen this before’
PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION V
The most intimate feature of the Absolute Truth is two-armed form of Sri Krishna. This Form is
only known through devotional service
11.48 न not? वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैः by the study of the Vedas and of Yajnas? न not? दानैः by gifts? न not? च and? क्रियाभिः by rituals? न not? तपोभिः by austerities? उग्रैः severe? एवंरूपः in such form? शक्यः (am) possible? अहम् I? नृलोके in the world of men? द्रष्टुम् to be seen? त्वत् than thee? अन्येन by another? कुरुप्रवीर O great hero of the Kurus.Commentary Mere cramming of the texts of the Vedas without knowing the meaning will not do. A study of the sacrifices also is necessary. One should know the meaning of these? also.Dana Charity such as a Tula Purusha (gift of gold eal in weight of a man) Kanyadana (gift of ones daughther in marriage)? gift of a cow? rice? etc.Kriya Rituals such as Agnihotra.Tapas Such as the Chandrayana Vrata. (This is a kind of Vrata or observance. The daily consumption of food is reduced by one mouthful every day for the dark half of the month beginning with the fullmoon. Then the food is increased by one mouthful every day during the bright fortnight during the increase of the moon. This Vrata (observance) is a great purifier of the mind. It destroys sins.)
- BG 11 47-49 - Rohini Priya Prabhu - ISKCON Chowpatty 2009-11-01
- BG 11 48 - Madhu Gopal - ISKCON Radhadesh 2012-12-05
- Hari Lila Pr BG 11-48 Tamil
- Jitamitra Pr Hindi Comments - BG 11-48 - 2015-02-05 EOK
- Rasika Govinda Pr BG 11-48 Tamil - 2017-12-04
- SDAP BG 11-48 - 2014-12-03 London England
- Shubha Krishna Pr BG 11-48-49 Hindi
- PrahladAnS BG 11-48 - 2015-05-09 ISKCON Slovenia
- 2017-05-17 BG 11-48 - Lavangalata Mataji ISKCON Vrindavan
- Recognize that no technique compels this vision.
- Don't try to manufacture vision through technique.
- Trust that grace, not technique, opens the form.
- Where have I tried to manufacture spiritual experience?
- What does pure invitation-to-grace look like?
A library full of priceless manuscripts can be entered only by one with the right key; sacrifice, study, charity, austerity all gather coins of merit, but the key is given by the Lord to those He chooses. Kṛṣṇa says: this room could not have been entered with any of the usual currencies.
The Bhāgavatam (especially SB 1.8 and 10.14) repeatedly notes that even Brahmā, Śiva, and the great sages have not beheld certain forms of Kṛṣṇa — not for lack of austerity but because such darśana is granted only through bhakti.
Kṛṣṇa's verse in 11.48 — na veda-yajña-adhyayanaiḥ — affirms that no quantum of Vedic study, sacrifice, charity, or tapas produces the universal-form vision. Arjuna received it as an act of grace responding to his surrender. The verse will be echoed by 11.53 in even sharper form.
My note
Source: vedabase.io