Bhagavad-gita As It Is - Macmillan 1972 Edition -- Prabhupada Books (85 page)

Arjuna was not in favor of the fight, and he thought it was better not to fight; then there would be no frustration. In reply, the Lord is saying that even if he did not fight, every one of them would be destroyed, for that is His plan. If he stopped fighting, they would die in another way. Death cannot be checked, even if he did not fight. In fact, they were already dead. Time is destruction, and all manifestations are to be vanquished by the desire of the Supreme Lord. That is the law of nature.

Bg 11.33

TEXT 33

TEXT

tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva

jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham

mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva

nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin

SYNONYMS

tasmāt-
therefore;
tvām-
you;
uttiṣṭha-
get up;
yaśaḥ-
fame;
labhasva-
gain;
jitvā-
conquering;
śatrūn-
enemies;
bhuṅkṣva-
enjoy;
rājyam-
kingdom;
samṛddham-
flourishing;
mayā-
by Me;
eva-
certainly;
ete-
all these;
nihatāḥ-
already killed;
pūrvam eva
-by previous elements;
nimitta-mātram-
just become the cause;
bhava-
become;
savyasācin
-O Savyasācin.

TRANSLATION

Therefore get up and prepare to fight. After conquering your enemies you will enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasācin, can be but an instmment in the fight.

PURPORT

Savyasācin
refers to one who can shoot arrows very expertly in the field; thus Arjuna is addressed as an expert warrior capable of delivering arrows to kill his enemies. "Just become an instrument":
nimitta-mātram.
This word is also very significant. The whole world is moving according to the plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Foolish persons who do not have sufficient knowledge think that nature is moving without a plan and all manifestations are but accidental formations. There are many so-called scientists who suggest that perhaps it was like this, or maybe like that, but there is no question of "perhaps" and "maybe." There is a specific plan being carried out in this material world. What is this plan? This cosmic manifestation is a chance for the conditioned souls to go back to Godhead, back to home. As long they have the domineering mentality which makes them try to lord it over material nature, they are conditioned. But anyone who can understand the plan of the Supreme Lord and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness is most intelligent. The creation and destruction of the cosmic manifestation are under the superior guidance of God. Thus the Battle of Kurukṣetra was fought according to the plan of God. Arjuna was refusing to fight, but he was told that he should fight and at the same time desire the Supreme Lord. Then he would be happy. If one is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if his life is devoted to His transcendental service, he is perfect.

Bg 11.34

TEXT 34

TEXT

droṇaṁ ca bhīṣmaṁ ca jayadrathaṁ ca

karṇaṁ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān

mayā hatāṁs tvaṁ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā

yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān

SYNONYMS

droṇam ca-
also Droṇa;
bhīṣmam ca-
also Bhīṣma;
jayadratham ca-
also Jayadratha;
karṇam-
also Karṇa;
tathā-
also;
anyān-
others;
api-
certainly;
yodha-vīrān-
great warriors;
mayā-
by Me;
hatān-
already killed;
tvam
-you;
jahi
-become victorious;
mā
-never;
vyathiṣṭhāḥ
-be disturbed;
yudhyasva
-just fight;
jetāsi
-just conquer;
raṇe
-in the fight;
sapatnān
-enemies.

TRANSLATION

The Blessed Lord said: All the great warriors-Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa-are already destroyed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies.

PURPORT

Every plan is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He is so kind and merciful to His devotees that He wants to give the credit to His devotees who carry out His plan according to His desire. Life should therefore move in such a way that everyone acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the medium of a spiritual master. The plans of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are understood by His mercy, and the plans of the devotees are as good as His plans. One should follow such plans and be victorious in the struggle for existence.

Bg 11.35

TEXT 35

TEXT

sañjaya uvāca

etac chrutvā vacanaṁ keśavasya

kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirītī

namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṁ

sa-gadgadaṁ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya

SYNONYMS

sañjayaḥ uvāca
-Sañjaya said;
etat
-thus;
śrutvā
-hearing;
vacanam
-speech;
keśavasya
-of Kṛṣṇa;
kṛtāñjaliḥ-
with folded hands;
vepamānaḥ
-trembling;
kirītī
-Arjuna;
namaskṛtvā-
offering obeisances;
bhūyaḥ-
again;
eva
-also;
āha
kṛṣṇam-
said unto Kṛṣṇa;
sa-gadgadam-
faltering;
bhīta-bhītaḥ-
fearful;
praṇamya
-offering obeisances.

TRANSLATION

Sañjaya said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: O King, after hearing these words from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna trembled, fearfully offered obeisances with folded hands and began, falteringly, to speak as follows:

PURPORT

As we have already explained, because of the situation created by the universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna became bewildered in wonder; thus he began to offer his respectful obeisances to Kṛṣṇa again and again, and with faltering voice he began to pray, not as a friend, but as a devotee in wonder.

Bg 11.36

TEXT 36

TEXT

arjuna uvāca

sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā

jagat prahṛṣyaty anurajyate ca

rakṣāṁsi bhītāni diśo dravanti

sarve namasyanti ca siddha-saṅghāḥ

SYNONYMS

arjunaḥ uvāca-
Arjuna said;
sthāne-
rightly;
hṛṣīkeśa
-O master of all senses;
tava
-Your;
prakīrtya-
glories;
jagat
-the entire world;
prahṛṣyati
-rejoicing;
anurajyate
-becoming attached;
rakṣāṁsi-
the demons;
bhītāni-
out of fear;
diśaḥ-
directions;
dravanti
-fleeing;
sarve-
all;
namasyanti-
offering respect;
ca
-also;
siddha-saṅghāḥ-
the perfect human beings.

TRANSLATION

O Hṛṣīkeśa, the world becomes joyful upon hearing Your name and thus everyone becomes attached to You. Although the perfected beings offer You their respectful homage, the demons are afraid, and they flee here and there. All this is rightly done.

PURPORT

Arjuna, after hearing from Kṛṣṇa about the outcome of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, became an enlightened devotee of the Supreme Lord. He admitted that everything done by Kṛṣṇa is quite fit. Arjuna confirmed that Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer and the object of worship for the devotees and the destroyer of the undesirables. His actions are equally good for all. Arjuna understood herein that when the Battle of Kurukṣetra was being concluded, in outer space there were present many demigods,
siddhas,
and the intelligentia of the higher planets, and they were observing the fight because Kṛṣṇa was present there. When Arjuna saw the universal form of the Lord, the demigods took pleasure in it, but others, who were demons and atheists, could not stand it when the Lord was praised. Out of their natural fear of the devastating form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they fled. Kṛṣṇa's treatment of the devotees and the atheists is praised by Arjuna. In all cases a devotee glorifies the Lord because he knows that whatever He does is good for all.

Bg 11.37

TEXT 37

TEXT

kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman

garīyase brahmaṇo 'py ādi-kartre

ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa

tvam akṣaraṁ sad-asat tat paraṁ yat

SYNONYMS

kasmāt
-why;
ca
-also;
te
-unto You;
na
-not;
nameran
-offer proper obeisances;
mahātman
-O great one;
garīyase
-You are better than;
brahmaṇaḥ-
Brahmā;
api-
although;
ādi-kartre-
the supreme creator;
ananta
-unlimited;
deveśa-G
od of the gods;
jagat-nivāsa-
O refuge of the universe;
tvam
-You are;
akṣaram
-imperishable;
sat-asat
-cause and effect;
tat-param-
transcendental;
yat
-because.

TRANSLATION

O great one, who stands above even Brahmā, You are the original master. Why should they not offer their homage up to You, O limitless one? O refuge of the universe, You are the invincible source, the cause of all causes, transcendental to this material manifestation.

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 center of the whole universe. Arjuna also thought that it was fitting that all the perfect living entities and all powerful demigods offer their respectful obeisances unto Him because no one is greater than Him. He 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 Garbhodakaśāyī 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. Thus 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.

Bg 11.38

TEXT 38

TEXT

tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇas

tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam

vettāsi vedyaṁ ca paraṁ ca dhāma

tvayā tataṁ viśvam ananta-rūpa

SYNONYMS

tvam
-You;
ādi-devaḥ-
the original Supreme God;
puruṣaḥ
-personality;
purāṇaḥ
-old;
tvam
-You;
asya
-this;
viśvasya
-universe;
param
-transcendental;
nidhānam
-refuge;
vettā
-knower;
asi
-You are;
vedyam ca-
and the knowable;
param ca-
and transcendental;
dhāma-
refuge;
tvayā
-by You;
tatam
-pervaded;
viśvam
-universe;
ananta-rūpa-
unlimited form.

TRANSLATION

You are the original Personality, the Godhead. You are the only sanctuary of this manifested cosmic world. You know everything, and You are all that is knowable. You are above the material modes. O limitless form! This whole cosmic manifestation is pervaded by You!

PURPORT

Everything is resting on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is the ultimate rest.
Nidhānam
means that everything, even the Brahman effulgence, rests on the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. He is the knower of everything that is happening in this world, and if knowledge has any end, He is the end of all knowledge; therefore He is the known and the knowable. He is the object of knowledge because He is all-pervading. Because He is the cause in the spiritual world, He is transcendental. He is also the chief personality in the transcendental world.

Bg 11.39

TEXT 39

TEXT

vāyur yamo 'gnir varuṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ

prajāpatis tvaṁ prapitāmahaś ca

namo namas te 'stu sahasra-kṛtvaḥ

punaś ca bhūyo 'pi namo namas te

SYNONYMS

vāyuḥ-
air;
yamaḥ
-controller;
agniḥ
-fire;
varuṇaḥ
-water;
śaśāṅkaḥ
-moon;
prajāpatiḥ
-Brahmā;
tvam
-You;
prapitāmahaḥ
-grandfather;
ca
-also;
namaḥ
-offering respects;
namaḥ te
-again I offer my respects unto You;
astu
-are being;
sahasra-kṛtvaḥ
-a thousand times;
punaḥ ca
-and again;
bhūyaḥ-
again;
api
-also;
namaḥ
-offer my respects;
namaḥ te
-offering my respects unto You.