Yoga through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God
Verse 11.43
पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान्। न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्यो लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव।।11.43।।
pitāsi lokasya charācharasya tvam asya pūjyaśh cha gurur garīyān na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto ’nyo loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhāva
Word Meanings
pitā—the father; asi—you are; lokasya—of the entire universe; chara—moving; acharasya—nonmoving; tvam—you; asya—of this; pūjyaḥ—worshipable; cha—and; guruḥ—spiritual master; garīyān—glorious; na—not; tvat-samaḥ—equal to you; asti—is; abhyadhikaḥ—greater; kutaḥ—who is?; anyaḥ—other; loka-traye—in the three worlds; api—even; apratima-prabhāva—possessor of incomparable power
Translation · English
Thou art the Father of this world, both moving and unmoving. Thou art to be adored by this world; Thou, the greatest Guru; for none exists who is equal to Thee; how then could there be another superior to Thee in the three worlds, O Being of unrivaled power?
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Arjuna undergoes a profound shift in consciousness as he transitions from seeing Krishna as his friend and charioteer to recognizing Him as the Absolute Ground of all existence. By addressing Krishna as the 'Father of the moving and non-moving,' Arjuna acknowledges that the Divine is not merely a distant Creator but the intimate source and substance of every atom in the cosmos. The relational descriptors—Father, Worshipable One, and Guru—bridge the gap between the finite ego of the devotee and the Infinite majesty of the Lord, establishing a foundation for Bhakti (devotion) rooted in the realization of non-duality. By affirming that none can equal or exceed the Lord, Arjuna moves beyond the relative dualities of the three worlds (Loka-traye) to anchor his surrender in the 'incomparable power' (apratima-prabhāva) of the Absolute. This is the moment where the jiva (individual soul) fully realizes its dependence on the Paramatma (Supreme Soul). The verse serves as an ecstatic acknowledgement that all hierarchy, authority, and love in the universe are but reflections of the singular Reality that is Krishna. It reflects the realization that when the veil of maya is lifted, every encounter is seen as an encounter with the Divine itself, rendering any comparison to other worldly beings impossible, for there is truly no 'other' to compare with the All-Pervading source.
Arjuna’s realization signifies the total surrender of the conditioned self to the Supreme, recognizing that the Divine is not only the origin and teacher of all existence but the only reality that exists beyond compare.
Connected Verses
This verse acknowledges Krishna as the Primal Being and the refuge of all, aligning with the awe and submission Arjuna displays in verse 11.43.
Krishna defines Himself as the source of everything, from whom all creations emerge, providing the theological basis for Arjuna’s recognition of Him as the ultimate Guru.
Krishna explicitly identifies Himself as the father, mother, and sustainer of the entire universe, echoing the foundational relationship described here.
This verse reinforces the concept that nothing exists beyond Krishna, like pearls strung on a thread, mirroring the 'no one equal to You' sentiment.
Community Insights
(0)Share your understanding of this verse with fellow seekers.
No insights yet. Be the first to share your understanding of this verse.