FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 11.43

పితాసి లోకస్య చరాచరస్య త్వమస్య పూజ్యశ్చ గురుర్గరీయాన్ । న త్వత్సమోఽస్త్యభ్యధిక: కుతోఽన్యో లోకత్రయేఽప్యప్రతిమప్రభావ ॥ ౪౩ ॥
pitāsi lokasya carācarasya
[pitaasi lokasya charaacharasya]
tvam asya pūjyaś ca gurur garīyān
[tvam asya poojyash cha gurur gareeyaan]
na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto ’nyo
[na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikah kuto ’nyo]
loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhāva
[loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhaava]
Word-for-word
pitā — the father asi — You are lokasya — of all the world cara — moving acarasya — and nonmoving tvam — You are asya — of this pūjyaḥ — worshipable ca — also guruḥ — master garīyān — glorious na — never tvat - samaḥ — equal to You asti — there is abhyadhikaḥ — greater kutaḥ — how is it possible anyaḥ — other loka - traye — in the three planetary systems api — also apratima - prabhāva — O immeasurable power .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pitāsi lokasya carācarasya
pitā
the father
asi
You are
lokasya
of all the world
cara
moving
acarasya
and nonmoving
tvam asya pūjyaś ca gurur garīyān
tvam
You are
asya
of this
pūjyaḥ
worshipable
ca
also
guruḥ
master
garīyān
glorious
na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto ’nyo
na
never
tvat - samaḥ
equal to You
asti
there is
abhyadhikaḥ
greater
kutaḥ
how is it possible
anyaḥ
other
loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhāva
loka - traye
in the three planetary systems
api
also
apratima - prabhāva
O immeasurable power .
Important Words
  • pitā — father
    Nominative. The first of three relational titles. Kṛṣṇa is named as father before guru — the source comes before the teacher, even though the teacher is closer.
  • pūjyaḥ — worshipable
    Future passive participle of pūj — 'to be worshipped.' The grammar is normative: there is no choice in the matter; this is the Person owed worship.
  • guruḥ — the teacher
    Nominative. Not 'a teacher' — the teacher. The same title Kṛṣṇa Himself will accept in 18.63–64 when He gives Arjuna the most confidential instruction.
  • garīyān — greater
    Comparative of guru — heavier, weightier, greater. The comparative is repeated from 11.37; the verse stacks superlatives because no single one suffices.
  • tvat - samaḥ — equal to You
    Compound: tvat (you) + sama (equal). Arjuna denies any peer. The doctrine of asama-ūrdhva — no equal, no higher — is here in seed.
  • apratima - prabhāva — O incomparable power
    Vocative compound: a-pratima (without likeness) + prabhāva (might). 'No image, no comparison.' Even the analogies of verses 12 and 25 are formally abandoned at this point — the Lord is beyond simile.
You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, of the moving and the nonmoving. You are its worshipable chief, the supreme spiritual master. No one is greater than You, nor can anyone be one with You. How then could there be anyone greater than You within the three worlds, O Lord of immeasurable power?
Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is worshipable as a father is worshipable for his son. He is the spiritual master because He originally gave the Vedic instructions to Brahmā and presently He is also instructing Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna; therefore He is the original spiritual master, and any bona fide spiritual master at the present moment must be a descendant in the line of disciplic succession stemming from Kṛṣṇa. Without being a representative of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become a teacher or spiritual master of transcendental subject matter. The Lord is being paid obeisances in all respects. He is of immeasurable greatness. No one can be greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, because no one is equal to or higher than Kṛṣṇa within any manifestation, spiritual or material. Everyone is below Him. No one can excel Him. This is stated in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (6.8): na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate The Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, has senses and a body like the ordinary man, but for Him there is no difference between His senses, His body, His mind and Himself. Foolish persons who do not perfectly know Him say that Kṛṣṇa is different from His soul, mind, heart and everything else. Kṛṣṇa is absolute; therefore His activities and potencies are supreme. It is also stated that although He does not have senses like ours, He can perform all sensory activities; therefore His senses are neither imperfect nor limited. No one can be greater than Him, no one can be equal to Him, and everyone is lower than Him. The knowledge, strength and activities of the Supreme Personality are all transcendental. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9) : janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna Whoever knows Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental body, activities and perfection, after quitting his body, returns to Him and doesn’t come back again to this miserable world. Therefore one should know that Kṛṣṇa’s activities are different from others. The best policy is to follow the principles of Kṛṣṇa; that will make one perfect. It is also stated that there is no one who is master of Kṛṣṇa; everyone is His servant. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Ādi 5.142) confirms, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya: only Kṛṣṇa is God, and everyone else is His servant. Everyone is complying with His order. There is no one who can deny His order. Everyone is acting according to His direction, being under His superintendence. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, He is the cause of all causes.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
43. You are the father of the world, of all moving and non-moving beings. You are most deserving of worship and as the teacher, even more deserving of worship. No one is equal to You, or greater than You in the three worlds, O person with unsurpassed glory.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
43. You are the father of the world, of all moving and non-moving beings. You are most deserving of worship. You are the teacher of scripture. Therefore you are more venerable than all others. No one is equal to You, or greater than You in the three worlds, O person with unsurpassed glory.
Commentary

Arjuna here explains Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable powers, mentioned at the end of the last verse. You are the father of the world, and the worshippable teacher of scripture for the world, and therefore more venerable (garīyān) in all ways (than others). There is no one equal to You in all the three worlds, in the whole universe, O person of imcomparable power (apratima-prabhāva). If there is no one equal to the Supreme Lord, no second Lord, then how could there be anyone superior to You? The śruti says: na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate: no one equal to or greater than the Lord is seen. (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.7)

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, of the moving and the nonmoving. You are its worshipable chief, the supreme spiritual master. No one is equal to You, nor can anyone be one with You. How then could there be anyone greater than You within the three worlds, O Lord of immeasurable power?
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
11.43 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, eal 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 eal 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!' Since this is so,
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.43 O Being of matchless greatness! You are the father of this world, of all that moves and does not move. You are the teacher of this world. Therefore You are the one most worthy of reverence in this world of mobile and immobile entities. There is none eal to You. How then could there be in the three worlds another greater than You? No other being is eal to You in point of any attribute like compassion etc. How could there be any one greater? Inasmuch as You are the father of all, the most worthy of reverence, teacher and exalted over all by virtue of attributes like compassion etc.,
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.43 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.43 Thou art the Father of this world, moving and unmoving. Thou art to be adored by this world, Thou, the greatest Guru; (for) none there exists who is eal to Thee; how then could there be another superior to Thee in the three worlds, O Being of unealled power?
Commentary

11.43 पिता Father? असि (Thou) art? लोकस्य of the world? चराचरस्य of the moving and unmoving? त्वम् Thou? अस्य of this? पूज्यः to be reserved? च and? गुरुः the Guru? गरीयान् weightier? न not? त्वत्समः eal to Thee? अस्ति is? अभ्यधिकः surpassing? कुतः whence? अन्यः other? लोकत्रये in the three worlds? अपि also? अप्रतिमप्रभाव O Being of unealled power.Commentary There exists none who is eal to Thee There cannot be two or more Isvaras. If there were? the world will not get on as it does now. All the Isvaras may not be of one mind? as they would all be independent of one another. What one wishes to create? another may wish to destroyWhen there does not exist one who is eal to Thee? how could there be one superior to TheeFather Creator. As the Lord is the creator of this world He is fit to be adored. He is the greatest Guru also. Therefore there is no one who is eal to the Lord.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.43 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 eal to You; how at all can there be anyone greater even in all the three worlds, O You or unrivalled power?
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.43 For Thou art the Father of all things movable and immovable, the Worshipful, the Master of Masters! In all the worlds there is none equal to Thee, how then superior, O Thou who standeth alone, Supreme.
Related values & verses
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 9.17 BG 14.4 BG 7.7 SB 3.9.42 SB 1.2.11 SB 10.14.21 CC Ādi 2.11 CC Madhya 20.149 CC Madhya 20.153 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.3.11
Concepts
Bhava
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
You are the father of this entire creation, the worshippable, the glorious teacher — there is none equal to You; how could anyone be greater?
Practical Applications
  • Hold Kṛṣṇa's incomparability as a settled truth.
  • Don't compare Him to any other.
  • Use this verse against subtle theological flattening.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I quietly compare Him to other forms of divinity?
  • What does true incomparability allow?
Analogy

If you stack every father, every teacher, every elder you have ever known, the top of the stack still reaches up toward Him. Arjuna's grammar (pitā asi lokasya — You are the father of the world) is not flattery; it is a structural claim about who stands above whom in the universe.

Stories
Bharata Mahārāja Bowing to the Lord

Emperor Bharata, after a long reign, retired to Pulahāśrama and there fixed his mind on the Lord (SB 5.7–8). When his life was complicated by attachment and he eventually attained mokṣa, the Bhāgavatam describes him as bowing to the Lord as pitā, guru, and śreyas-kṛt — father, teacher, and benefactor.

Arjuna's address in 11.43 — pitāsi lokasya carācarasya, tvam asya pūjyaḥ ca guruḥ garīyān — gathers these same three titles. The verse compresses every relation a soul can have to the Supreme into one breath of obeisance.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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