FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 11.44

తస్మాత్ప్రణమ్య ప్రణిధాయ కాయం ప్రసాదయే త్వామహమీశమీడ్యమ్ । పితేవ పుత్రస్య సఖేవ సఖ్యు: ప్రియ: ప్రియాయార్హసి దేవ సోఢుమ్ ॥ ౪౪ ॥
tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ
[tasmaat pranamya pranidhaaya kaayam]
prasādaye tvām aham īśam īḍyam
[prasaadaye tvaam aham eesham eedyam]
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ
[piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh]
priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum
[priyah priyaayaarhasi deva sodhum]
Word-for-word
tasmāt — therefore praṇamya — offering obeisances praṇidhāya — laying down kāyam — the body prasādaye — to beg mercy tvām — unto You aham — I īśam — unto the Supreme Lord īḍyam — worshipable pitā iva — like a father putrasya — with a son sakhā iva — like a friend sakhyuḥ — with a friend priyaḥ — a lover priyāyāḥ — with the dearmost arhasi — You should deva — my Lord soḍhum — tolerate .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ
tasmāt
therefore
praṇamya
offering obeisances
praṇidhāya
laying down
kāyam
the body
prasādaye tvām aham īśam īḍyam
prasādaye
to beg mercy
tvām
unto You
aham
I
īśam
unto the Supreme Lord
īḍyam
worshipable
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ
pitā iva
like a father
putrasya
with a son
sakhā iva
like a friend
sakhyuḥ
with a friend
priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum
priyaḥ
a lover
priyāyāḥ
with the dearmost
arhasi
You should
deva
my Lord
soḍhum
tolerate .
Important Words
  • praṇidhāya — having prostrated
    Gerund of pra-ni-dhā — 'to lay down completely.' Beyond bowing — full bodily prostration. The body is laid down before the request is made.
  • prasādaye — I beg mercy
    First-person singular causative middle of pra-sad — 'I cause-to-be-gracious.' The verb of formally petitioning grace. The middle voice marks the petitioner's stake.
  • īḍyam — worshipable
    Future passive participle of īḍ — 'to praise.' One of the Lord's standard epithets in the Upaniṣads and in the Brahma-saṁhitā.
  • pitā iva — like a father
    Two-word phrase. The first of three parallel intimacies in the verse. The Gītā teaches the disciple to remember the relations he is asking to keep — father, friend, lover.
  • priyāyāḥ — of the beloved
    Genitive feminine of priyā — 'beloved woman.' The deepest of the three relations, kept for last. Anticipates the mādhurya-rasa that Caitanya-tradition will develop; the lover-beloved relation is the most intimate framework for surrender.
  • soḍhum — to tolerate
    Infinitive of sah — 'to bear, to suffer through.' Arjuna asks for forbearance, not for affirmation of his failings. Tolerance is the verse's specific request.
You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, a friend the impertinence of a friend, or a husband the familiarity of his wife, please tolerate the wrongs I may have done You.
Purport

Kṛṣṇa’s devotees relate to Kṛṣṇa in various relationships; one might treat Kṛṣṇa as a son, or one might treat Kṛṣṇa as a husband, as a friend, or as a master. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are related in friendship. As the father tolerates, or the husband or a master tolerates, so Kṛṣṇa tolerates.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
44. Therefore, bowing down, prostrating my body, I beg pardon from You, the Lord, most worthy of worship. O Lord, You, so dear to me, should tolerate me, so dear to You, just as a father tolerates his son, or a friend tolerates his friend.
Commentary

Praṇidhāya means placing the body on the earth like a rod, out of respect. The sandhi in priyāyārhasi is poetic license.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
44. Therefore, bowing down, prostrating my body, I beg pardon from You, Lord most worthy of worship. O Lord, You should tolerate my offenses just as a father tolerates his son, or a friend tolerates his friend, or a husband tolerates the faults of his wife.
Commentary

Therefore, (because no one is greater than You), bowing down to You, touching eight parts of my body on the earth, [Note: Eight limbs are the two hands, two feet, chest, head, voice and mind.] (I beg you, worshippable Lord.) You should tolerate my offenses, O Lord (deva). Arjuna describes who can tolerate whose offense. The father tolerates the son’s offenses. The friend tolerates his friend’s offenses. There seems to be offense because, now, seeing Kṛṣṇa’s great powers, Arjuna considers himself as a servant. Therefore his friend Kṛṣṇa should forgive him. Dropping the visarga on priyāyāḥ (wife) and then joining it with arhasi is poetic license. [Note: Normally priyāyā should remain separate from arhasi.]

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Translation
You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, or a friend tolerates the impertinence of a friend, or a wife tolerates the familiarity of her partner, please tolerate the wrongs I may have done You.
Commentary

Arjuna is falling to the ground at this point. He is in the mood of a son, a wife and a friend. All these different rasas in dealing with Krsna.

[3. Arjuna fearfully requests Krsna to again reveal His two‑armed form as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (45‑46) ]

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
11.44 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.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.44 Therefore, bowing down and prostrating, I implore You, O adorable Lord, for Your mercy. Just as, when entreated with salutation, a father will show mercy to his son, or a friend to a friend, even if he has been at fault, even so it is meet that You, most compassionate and dear to me, should bear with me, who is dear to You in all respects.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.44 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.44 Therefore, bowing down, prostrating my body, I crave Thy forgiveness, O adorable Lord. As a father forgives his son, a friend his (dear) friend, a lover his beloved, even so shouldst Thou forgive me, O God.
Commentary

11.44 तस्मात् therefore? प्रणम्य saluting? प्रणिधाय having bent? कायम् body? प्रसादये crave forgiveness? त्वाम् Thee? अहम् I? ईशम् the Lord? ईड्यम् adorable? पिता father? प्रियः beloved? प्रियायाः to the beloved? अर्हसि (Thou) shouldst? देव O God? सोढुम् to bear.Commentary O Lord? take me to Thy bosom as a mother does her child. Forgive me for all tht I have hitherto spoken or done. Forgive my faults. Please overlook my past mistakes. I have done this through ignorance. Now I have come to Thee in submission. I beg Your pardon now.

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.44 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.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.44 Therefore I prostrate myself before Thee, O Lord! Most Adorable! I salute Thee, I ask Thy blessing. Only Thou canst be trusted to bear with me, as father to son, as friend to friend, as lover to his beloved.
Related values & verses
Related values
Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
BG 18.66 BG 9.30.31 BG 4.35 SB 11.20.29 SB 3.2.23 SB 8.23.8 CC Madhya 22.95 CC Madhya 20.101 CC Antya 1.79 BRS 1.2.91 Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.18
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Therefore, bowing down, with prostrate body, I beg mercy of You, the worshippable Lord — bear with me as a father with a son, a friend with a friend, a lover with the beloved.
Practical Applications
  • Use the threefold relational model: father-son, friend-friend, beloved-lover.
  • Approach Kṛṣṇa in your most natural relational mode.
  • Don't restrict relationship to formal worship.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the three relational modes is most natural to me?
  • Which is most underdeveloped?
Analogy

A wife who has just learned her husband's hidden royal lineage does not stop being his wife — she keeps the intimacy but adds the reverence. Arjuna asks for exactly this: that the Lord tolerate his familiarities the way a father tolerates a son's, a friend a friend's, a husband a wife's — without ceasing to be the Lord.

Stories
Yudhiṣṭhira Asking Kṛṣṇa's Mercy

After the war, at the Aśvamedha sacrifice (Mahābhārata, Aśvamedhika-parva), Yudhiṣṭhira repeatedly approached Kṛṣṇa with bowed head, asking that the Lord forgive the Pāṇḍavas' battlefield errors and the inevitable injustices of kingship. He invoked Kṛṣṇa simultaneously as Lord, friend, and elder brother of the family.

Arjuna's posture in 11.44 — pitā iva putrasya, sakhā iva sakhyuḥ, priyaḥ priyāyāḥ — anticipates Yudhiṣṭhira's appeal. The relations are kept, the reverence is added; nothing of love is renounced.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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