Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11 - Shloka (Verse) 31

व्याख्या--'आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद'--आप देवरूपसे भी दीख रहे हैं और उग्ररूपसे भी दीख रहे हैं; तो वास्तवमें ऐसे रूपोंको धारण करनेवाले आप कौन हैं?

क्योंकि आप ऐसे उग्र स्वभाववाले हैं? इसलिये --, मुझे बतलाइये कि भयंकर आकारवाले आप कौन हैं हे देववर अर्थात् देवोंमें प्रधान आपको नमस्कार हो? आप कृपा करें। सृष्टिके आदिसे होनेवाले आप परमेश्वरको मैं भली प्रकार जानना चाहता हूँ? क्योंकि मैं आपकी प्रवृत्ति अर्थात् चेष्टाको नहीं समझ रहा हूँ।,

Since the Lord's form has been seen by Arjuna before, anticipating the objection that he should not have curiosity regarding Him, he says -- 'Yatah' (Since/Because).

He indicates that one who wishes to hear instruction must become humble before the instructor -- with 'namo 'stu' (Salutations be to You).

He prays for the abandonment of cruelty -- with 'prasadam' (Grace/Be pleased).

Anticipating [the Lord saying], 'You know Me alone; why do you request thus now? Having seen My activity, understand it just like that,' he says -- 'na hi' (for I do not [know]).

यतएवमुग्रस्वभावोऽत आख्याहि कथय को भवान् शुद्धसत्त्वप्रधानः सौम्यस्वभावस्त्वं विष्णुर्मया पूर्वं ज्ञात इदानीं तमःप्रधान उग्रस्वभाववान क इत्यर्थः।

नाहमाज्ञां करोमि अपितु नम्रीभूय पृच्छामीत्याशयवान्नमस्करोति। ते तुभ्यं नमोऽस्तु हे देववर दवानां मुख्य? प्रसीद प्रसादं कुरु। देववरस्य तवैव प्रसादो ममापेक्षितो नतु देवानामिति संबोधनाशयः।

भवन्तमाद्यं आदिकारणं विशेषेण ज्ञातुमिच्छामि। ननु स्वयमेव जानीहि किमर्थं पृच्छसीति तत्राह। हि यस्मात्त्वदीयां चेष्टां न जानामि।

धर्मान्तरज्ञानार्थमेव को भवानिति पृच्छति -- आख्याहीति।

यथा कश्चित्कञ्चिन्नामादिकं जानन्नपि जातिज्ञानार्थं पृच्छति कस्त्वमिति।

यदि त्वमेव न जानाति तर्हिविष्णो [11।30] इत्येव सम्बोधनं न स्यात्त्वमक्षरं [11।18] इत्यादि च।

Thus agitated by the radiance, forgetting that 'This is the Lord', Arjuna says -- 'akhyahi' (tell) etc.

You who are thus of fierce form and cruel deeds, tell who You are; say 'I am so-and-so'.

'Prasida' -- be peaceful.

I wish to know You. Because I do not know Your 'pravrittim', meaning activity/purpose.

अतिघोररूपः को भवान् किं कर्तुं प्रवृत्तः इति भवन्तं ज्ञातुम् इच्छामि। तव अभिप्रेतां प्रवृत्तिं न जानामि। एतद् आख्याहि मे नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद --

नमः ते अस्तु सर्वेश्वर एवं कर्तुम् अनेन अभिप्रायेण इदं संहर्तृरूपम् आविष्कृतम् इति उक्त्वा प्रसन्नरूपश्च भव।

आश्रितवात्सल्यातिरेकेण विश्वैश्वर्यं दर्शयतो भवतो घोररूपाविष्कारे कः अभिप्रायः इति पृष्टो भगवान् पार्थसारथिः स्वाभिप्रायम् आह --

पार्थोद्योगेन विना अपि धार्तराष्ट्रप्रमुखम् अशेषं राजलोकं निहन्तुम् अहम् एव प्रवृत्तः? इति ज्ञापनाय मम घोररूपाविष्कारः? तज्ज्ञापनं च पार्थम् उद्योजयितुम् इति --

Since it is so, therefore -- 'akhyahi' etc. Who are You of fierce form? Tell, speak.

Salutations be to You. O Best of Gods! 'Prasida' -- be pleased.

I wish to know You, the Primal Person, specifically.

Because I do not know Your 'pravrittim', meaning activity -- 'for what purpose You have engaged thus'. Or, [it means] I do not know even the tidings/news of You being such.

Thus, unable to bear the sight of the extremely ghastly form, Dhananjaya (Arjuna) expects the statement of the purport behind revealing such a ghastly form by the One engaged in displaying His own complete sovereignty, and also grace for the assumption of a pleasing form again -- with the verse 'Akhyahi'.

The question arises from ignorance: 'What is the intention in showing this terrifying form to me, a devotee?' -- he states this with 'Darshaya' etc. [referring to Ramanuja's intro].

Since the Lord is already known through instruction and direct perception, the question 'Who are You?' is not regarding His essential nature, name, etc. 'For I do not know Your activity' -- with the intention of asking about the activity/purpose, the unknown part is indicated here; therefore, this question is appropriate only with the desire to know that subject; with this intention [Ramanuja] said 'To do what have You engaged?'.

By this, the view stated by some that 'this question is due to the suspicion of some demon having come disguised in Krishna's form revealing another true form' is refuted.

To rule out merely the activity of the body etc. visible at that time, 'abhipretam' (intended [activity]) is said.

By the word 'Devavara' (Best of Gods), stating His superiority even over Brahma, Rudra, etc., it is implied that bowing down comes naturally regarding an extremely superior object; with this intention, the word 'Sarveshvara' (Lord of All) is used.

As stated by Ahirbudhnya: 'The Supreme Master is to be bowed to, the servants are said to be the bowers; this relationship of bower and bowed-to is not dependent on a specific purpose' [Ahirbudhnya Samhita 52.7].

He states the condensed meaning of the verse -- 'Evam kartum' (To do thus).

By 'Prasida' (Be pleased), the resultant meaning is stated -- 'And [become] of pleasing form'.

This very point will be expanded later in 'Show me that very form' [11.45] etc.

इस अवसर पर अर्जुन? भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण की शक्ति की पवित्रता एवं दिव्यता को समझ पाता है। उससे अनुप्रमाणित हुआ सम्मान के साथ नतमस्तक होकर उन्हें प्रणाम करता है? जिन्हें अब तक वह केवल वृन्दावन के गोपाल के रूप में ही पहचानता था। यद्यपि वह बुद्धिमान था? परन्तु उसके समक्ष उपस्थित हुआ यह दृश्य उसके लिए बहुत अधिक विशाल था। उसे पूर्णरूप से देखना और उसका विश्लेषण करके उसे आत्मसात् करना अत्यन्त कठिन था। अब केवल वह यही कर सकता है कि अपने आप को भगवान् के चरणों में समर्पित करके उन्हीं से विनती करे कि? आप मुझे बताइये कि आप कौन हैंअपनी जिज्ञासा को और अधिक ठोस आकार देकर अर्जुन सूचित करता है कि वह अपने प्रश्न का उत्तर शीघ्र ही चाहता है? मैं आपको जानना चाहता हूँ। यह सुविदित तथ्य है कि अध्यात्मशास्त्र के ग्रन्थों में सत्य के ज्ञान के लिए प्रखर जिज्ञासा को अत्यन्त महत्व का स्थान दिया गया है? क्योंकि वही वास्तव में साधकों की प्रेरणा होती है। परन्तु यहाँ अर्जुन का मन अपनी तात्कालिक समस्या या चुनौती के कारण व्याकुल था? इसलिये ऐसा नहीं कहा जा सकता है कि वह? वास्तव में? इस दृश्य के वास्तविक दिव्य सत्य को जानना चाहता है। उसकी यह जिज्ञासा अपनी भावनाओं से अतिरंजित है और उसके साथ ही उसमें युद्ध परिणाम को जानने की व्याकुलता भी है। यह बात्ा उसके इन शब्दों में स्पष्ट होती है कि? मैं आपके प्रयोजन को नहीं जान पा रहा हूँ। उसकी जिज्ञासा का अभिप्राय यह है कि? इस भयंकर रूप को धारण करके अर्जुन को कौरवों का विनाश दिखाने में भगवान् का क्या उद्देश्य है जब वह किसी घटना के घटने की तीव्रता से कामना कर रहा है और उसके समक्ष ऐसे लक्षण उपस्थित होते हैं? जो युद्ध में उसकी निश्चित विजय की भविष्यवाणी कर रहे हैं?तो वह दूसरों से उसकी पुष्टि चाहता है। यहाँ अर्जुन उसी घटना को देख रहा है? जिसे वह घटित होते देखना चाहता है अत वह स्वयं भगवान् के मुख से ही उसकी पुष्टि चाहता है। इसलिये उसका यह प्रश्न है।सत्य की ही एक अभिव्यक्ति है विनाश। भगवान् उसी रूप में अपना परिचय कराते हुए घोषणा करते हैं कि

'Akhyahi' etc. I do not know Your activity

-- [meaning] with what intention is this such fierceness.

To refute the erroneous understanding that he is asking because he does not know the essential nature or His attributes, he states the meaning -- 'Dharmantara' (Another attribute) etc.

Then, should the question be 'Are You of a different attribute?' 'Who are You' does not seem appropriate? To this he says -- 'Yatha' (Just as) etc. Just as someone, even knowing the name from others' usage and the form etc. through perception, asks someone 'Who are you?' to know their caste/class; similarly, Arjuna, even knowing the Lord and His attributes, asks 'Who are You' only to know the specific/other attribute; this is the meaning. Since the explanation of the question refers to the present, the present tense is used.

Seeing the fierce form, why could it not be a question of one doubting the very identity, thinking 'Is this Rudra or Yama?' To this he says -- 'Yadi' (If) etc. It means [he knows] it is that very Form (the Lord). [Because he said] 'O Vishnu, Your fierce rays are scorching' [11.30].

Then, let this question be about the attribute? And then the word 'antara' (other/inner) is not appropriate? To this he says -- 'Tvam' etc. If he did not know the Lord's attributes, then the description 'You are the Supreme Imperishable' [11.18] etc. would not have happened. Therefore, having known the Lord and His attributes like imperishability, the question is only for the purpose of knowing attributes other than those; this is what has been stated.

आख्याहीति। यस्मादेवं तस्मात् एवमुग्ररूपः क्रूराकारः को भवानित्याख्याहि कथय मे मह्यमत्यन्तानुग्राह्याय।

अतएव नमोस्तु ते तुभ्यं सर्वगुरवे।

हे देववर? प्रसीद प्रसादं क्रौर्यत्यागं कुरु।

विज्ञातुं विशेषेण ज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यं सर्वकारणम् न हि यस्मात्तव सखापि सन् प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिं चेष्टाम्।

Thus, due to the scorching of the entire world, I am also suffering, therefore be pleased with me; he says this -- with 'Akhyahi' etc. You, who were previously seen in a [gentle] form, who are You with this fierce form? 'Akhyahi' -- tell/speak this to me 'hi' (with certainty). What is the means to make You speak? To this he says. O Devavara -- Best of Gods! Gods are satisfied by worship; but You are the Lord superior even to them, therefore salutations be to You. By sentences like 'What seat [can I offer] to You who have Garuda as a seat?', it implies that salutation alone is the means for Your grace. Therefore, 'prasida' -- be pleased.

Objection: What is the purpose of telling Your nature during grace? To this he says -- 'Vijnatum' etc. I wish, I desire to know You, the Primal Supreme Person, the fundamental Being, 'vijnatum' -- specifically, along with Your sport (Lila). Because I do not 'prajnami' (know clearly) 'hi' (indeed) Your 'pravrittim' -- the activity or Lila of manifesting here. If the essential nature is known, the knowledge of that [Lila] will also occur; this is the meaning. Thus, by knowing You along with Your Lila, I will perform worship; therefore I wish to know; this is the purport.

'Akhyahi' -- Tell 'me', who are You? 'Ugrarupah' -- of cruel appearance.

'Namah astu te' -- Salutations be to You; O 'Devavara' -- Chief of the Gods! 'Prasida' -- grant grace.

'Vijnatum' -- to know specifically, 'icchami' (I wish) You; 'Adyam' -- existing in the beginning (Primal). 'Na hi' -- for indeed not; 'prajanami' (I know); 'tava' (Your) -- Your 'pravrittim' (activity/working).

अतस्त्वमाख्याहि। को भवानुग्ररूपो दृश्यसे हे देववर प्रसीदेति स्वस्य भीतत्वं सूचयति।

एवं च त्वामाद्यं पुरुषं भयङ्कराकारेण वर्तमानं सर्वविलक्षणं विज्ञातुमिच्छामि यतस्तव प्रवृत्तिं च न जानामि ततो ब्रूहि।

Akhyahi, tell; me; kah, who; bhavan, You are; ugrarupah, fierce in form. Namah, salutation; astu, be; te, to You; deva-vara, O supreme God, foremost among the gods. Prasida, be gracious. Icchami, I desire; vijnatum, to fully know; bhavantam, You; adyam, who are the Primal One, who exist in the beginning. Hi, for; na prajanami, I do not understand; tava, Your; pravrttim, actions!

Who are You of this terrible form, what do You intend to do? I wish to know. For I do not know Your intended actions. Tell me this. Salutations to You, O Supreme God! Salutations to You, Lord of everything! Say with what object and for what purpose You have assumed this form of the destroyer. Assume a pleasing form.
The Lord, the charioteer of Arjuna, being estioned, 'What is Your intention in assuming a terrible form when revealing Your cosmic sovereignty out of overflowing love for Your proteges?' - He spoke to the following effect: The manifestation of a terrible form by Me is to point out that I Myself am operative for the annihilation of the entire world of kings headed by the sons of Dhrtarastra, without any effort on your (Arjuna's) part. Reminding Arjuna of this, is to goad him to fight: