Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11 - Shloka (Verse) 46

व्याख्या--'किरीटनं गदिनं चक्रहस्तमिच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव--जिसमें आपने सिरपर दिव्य मुकुट तथा हाथोंमें गदा और चक्र धारण कर रखे हैं, उसी रूपको मैं देखना चाहता हूँ।
'तथैव' कहनेका तात्पर्य है कि मेरे द्वारा 'द्रष्टुमिच्छामि ते रूपम्' (11। 3) ऐसी इच्छा प्रकट करनेसे आपने विराट्रूप दिखाया। अब मैं अपनी इच्छा बाकी क्यों रखूँ? अतः मैंने आपके विराट्रूपमें जैसा सौम्य चतुर्भुजरूप देखा है, वैसा-का-वैसा ही रूप मैं अब देखना चाहता हूँ -- 'इच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव।

मैं आपको वैसे ही अर्थात् पहलेहीकी भाँति शिरपर मुकुट धारण किये? हाथोंमें गदा और चक्र लिये हुए देखना चाहता हूँ। जब कि यह बात है तो हे सहस्रबाहो हे विश्वमूर्ते अर्थात् वर्तमानविश्वरूपसे ( युक्त ) भगवन् आप उसी अपने वसुदेवपुत्ररूप चतुर्भुजस्वरूपसे युक्त होइये। अर्थात् इस विश्वरूपका उपसंहार करके आप वसुदेवपुत्र -- श्रीकृष्णके स्वरूपसे स्थित होइये।,

When it is said 'Show me that very form' (tad eva darśaya), he addresses the question 'What is that form?'—with 'Kirīṭinam' (crowned) iti.

Taking the derivation 'cakraṃ haste yasya saḥ' (He in whose hand is the discus), he says—'Cakriṇam' (discus-bearer) iti.

'My desire must reach its fruition', this he states—with 'Yata' (because) iti.

How can there be a thousand arms (sahasrabāhutvaṃ) when the form is four-armed (caturbhujatve)? To this he says—with 'Vārtamānikena' (by the current form) iti.

How can the former form (pūrvarūpa-bhāktvaṃ) exist when the Universal Form (viśvarūpa) is present? To this he says—with 'Upasaṃhṛtya' (having withdrawn) iti.

He clarifies what was meant by 'that very form' (tad eva).

I desire to see You, who are crowned (kirīṭavantaṃ), and mace-bearing (gadāvantaṃ), and one who has the discus (Sudarśana-cakraṃ) in his hand (cakraṃ haste yasya tādṛśaṃ tvām ahaṃ draṣṭum icchāmi).

Therefore, according to my desire, O Sahasrabāho (thousand-armed)! O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Having completed my desire, again concealing the Universal Form (viśva-mūrtitvaṃ tirodhāya), in that very form (tenaiva rūpeṇa), in the form of the son of Vasudeva (vasudevaputra-mūrtirūpeṇa), concealing the thousand-armed nature (sahasra-bāhutvaṃ tirodhāya), by the four-armed (caturbhujena) form, in the same way, manifest as the former form (pūrvarūpeṇa prakaṭībhaveti). That is the meaning.

He states that very form—with 'Kirīṭinam' (crowned) iti. By this, it is shown that the four-armed form of the Bhagavān, endowed with the discus (cakra), mace (gadā), and crown (kirīṭa), is the object of Arjuna's meditation (dhāraṇā-viṣaya iti).

O Sahasrabāho (Thousand-armed), O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Having withdrawn the thousand-armed nature (sahasrabāhutvādikam upasaṃhṛtya) and others, be manifest (bhava prakaṭo bhava) in that very form (tenaiva rūpeṇa).

In the same manner (tathā eva), I desire to see You, the crowned (kirīṭinaṃ), mace-bearing (gadinaṃ), and discus-handed (cakrahastaṃ), just as before (pūrvavat). Therefore, O Sahasrabāho (Thousand-armed), O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Be endowed (yukto bhava) with that very four-armed form (caturbhujena rūpeṇa) which existed before (pūrva-siddhena).

You, whose form is now seen as thousand-armed (sahasrabāhutvena) and having the universe as Your body (viśva-śarīratvena), be endowed with that very form (tena eva rūpeṇa yukto bhava). That is the meaning.

Specifying that very form, he says—with 'Kirīṭinam' (crowned) iti. I desire to see You, the crowned (kirīṭinaṃ), mace-bearing (gadāvantaṃ), and discus-handed (cakrahastaṃ), just as I was seen before (pūrvaṃ yathā dṛṣṭo'smi tathaiva). Therefore, O Sahasrabāho (Thousand-armed)! O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Having withdrawn (saṃhṛtya) this Universal Form (idaṃ viśvarūpaṃ), be manifest (bhava āvirbhava) in that very four-armed form (caturbhujena rūpeṇa) endowed with the crown, etc.

By this, it is understood that Arjuna saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa as being endowed with the crown, etc., even before (pūrvam api).

As for what was said earlier in the description of the Universal Form: 'I see You as crowned, mace-bearing, and discus-bearing' (kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakriṇaṃ ca paśyāmi), that was with the intention of referring to many crowns, etc.

Or else (yad vā). 'You, whom I saw until now as crowned, mace-bearing, and discus-bearing, and exceedingly serene, I now see Him as a mass of light, difficult to look at,' in this manner, the plural is used there (bahuvacana-vyaktir), thus there is no contradiction (iti avirodhaḥ).

Dispelling the error (arthabhramaṃ vyudasyan) that the meaning of 'Tathaiva' (in the same manner) is 'I desire to see the former form just as I desired to see the supremely wondrous form that is the support of the world before', and implicitly resolving the doubt 'How is the presentation of something characterized by a past state possible?', he explains it by difference in syntactical connection (anvaya-bhedena)—with 'tathaiva pūrvavat kirīṭinam' (in the same manner, like before, the crowned one) iti. The meaning is that I desire to see only that which is similar in kind (sajātīyam eva) to what was seen before (pūrva-dṛṣṭa).

Since the instrumental case (tṛtīyāyāḥ) in 'Rūpeṇa' cannot convey the sense of 'instrument' (karaṇārthatvāsambhavāt), it is stated as 'rūpeṇa yukto bhava' (be endowed with the form).

He resolves the impossibility of the one characterized by a thousand arms and the Universal Form (sahasrabāhūdaraviśvamūrti-viśiṣṭasya) being endowed with the four-armed form (caturbhuja-rūpa-yuktatvā-sambhavam) by means of the difference in time (kāla-bhedena)—with 'idānīm' (now) iti.

यहाँ अर्जुन अपनी इच्छा को स्पष्ट शब्दों में प्रदर्शित करता है कि? मैं आपको पूर्ववत् देखना चाहता हूँ। वह भगवान् के विराट् रूप को देखकर भयभीत हो गया है? जो उन्होंने सम्पूर्ण विश्व के साथ अपने एकत्व को दर्शाने के लिए धारण किया था।वेदान्त द्वारा प्रतिपादित निर्गुण? निराकार तत्त्व या समष्टि के सिद्धांत का जब प्रत्यक्ष अनुभव किया जाता है? तो विरले लोगों में ही वह बौद्धिक धारणाशक्ति होती है कि वे उस सत्य को उसकी पूर्णता में समझकर उसका ध्यान कर सकते हैं। यदि कभी बुद्धि उसे धारण कर भी पाती है? तो प्राय भक्त का हृदय उसके साथ अधिक काल तक तादात्म्य नहीं बनाये रख पाता है। मन के स्तर पर सत्य को केवल रूपकों के द्वारा ही समझकर उसका आनन्द अनुभव किया जा सकता है? सीधे ही उसके पूर्ण वैभव के द्वारा कभी नहीं।इस श्लोक में अर्जुन भगवान् वासुदेव के सौम्य रूप को बताता है? जो भागवत के भगवान् विष्णु का पारम्परिक रूप है। सब पुराणों में ईश्वर का वर्णन रूपक की भाषा में करते हुए उसे चतुर्भुज के रूप में चितित्र किया गया है। शरीर शास्त्र के विद्यार्थियों को यह कोई प्रकृति की आसाधारण निर्मिति ही प्रतीत हो सकती है। हम भूल जाते हैं कि वास्तव में यह सत्य का केवल एक सांकेतिक रूपक है।भगवान् की ये चार भुजाएं अन्तकरण चतुष्टय अर्थात् मन? बुद्धि? चित्त और अहंकार के प्रतीक हैं।पुराणों में ही चतुर्भुजधारी भगवान् का वर्ण नील कहा गया है तथा वे पीताम्बरधारी हैं अर्थात् वे पीत वस्त्र धरण किये हुए हैं। नीलवर्ण से अभिप्राय उनकी अनन्तता से है असीम वस्तु सदा नीलवर्ण प्रतीत होती है? जैसे ग्रीष्म ऋतु का निरभ्र आकाश अथवा गहरा सागर। पृथ्वी का वर्ण है पीत। इस प्रकार भगवान् विष्णु के रूप का अर्थ यह हुआ कि अनन्त परमात्मा परिच्छिन्नता को धारण कर अन्तकरण चतुष्टय के द्वारा जीवन का खेल खेलता है।यह भी ध्यान देने योग्य बात है कि सभी धर्मों में ईश्वर का वर्णन एक ही प्रकार से किया गया है। वह परमेश्वर सर्वज्ञ और सर्वशक्तिमान् है। ईश्वर के बाहुबल से ही मनुष्य सफलता प्राप्त करता है? इसलिए सर्वशक्तिमान् भगवान् का निर्देश चतुर्भुजधारी के रूप में ही किया जा सकता है। भगवान् विष्णु शंखचक्रगदापद्मधारी हैं। शंखनाद के द्वारा भगवान् सब को अपने समीप आने का आह्वान करते हैं। यदि मनुष्य अपने हृदय के श्रेष्ठ भावनारूपी शंखनाद को अनसुना कर देता है? तो दुख के रूप में उस पर गदा का आघात होता है। इतने पर भी यदि मनुष्य अपने में सुधार नहीं लाता है? तो अन्तिम परिणाम है चक्र के द्वारा शिरच्छेद अर्थात् परमपुरुषार्थ की अप्राप्ति रूप नाश। इसके विपरीत? यदि कोई मनुष्य दिव्य जीवन का आह्वान सुनकर उसका पूर्ण अनुकरण करता है? तो उसे पद्म अर्थात् कमल की प्राप्ति होती है। हिन्दू धर्म में कमल पुष्प आध्यात्मिक पूर्णता एव शान्ति का प्रतीत है। भारतीय संस्कृति में यह सुखसमृद्धि का भी प्रतीक है। पाश्चात्य देशों में शान्ति का प्रतीक शुभ्र कपोत माना जाता है।संक्षेप में? अर्जुन चाहता है कि भगवान् अपने सौम्यरूप और शान्तभाव में प्रकट हों। वेदान्त के प्रारम्भिक और नवदीक्षित विद्यार्थियों के लिए सतत सूक्ष्म दार्शनिक विचारों की गति बनाये रख पाना कठिन होता है। बुद्धि की ऐसी थकान भरी अवस्था में? उत्साही साधकों के लिए ऐसे विश्वसनीय विश्रामस्थल की आवश्यकता होती है? जहाँ विश्राम करके वे पुन नवचैतन्य से युक्त हो सकते हों। यह शान्ति की शय्या है भगवान् का सगुण? साकार और सौम्यरूप।अर्जुन को भयभीत देखकर? भगवान् अपने विराट रूप का उपसंहार करके मधुर वचनों में उसे आश्वस्त करते हुए कहते हैं

He explains that very form (tad eva rūpaṃ vivṛṇoti)—with 'Kirīṭinam' (crowned) iti. I (aham) desire to see You, the crowned (kirīṭavantaṃ), mace-bearing (gadāvantaṃ), and discus-handed (cakrahastaṃ). In the same manner (tathaiva), just as before (pūrvavat eva).

Therefore, be (bhava) in that very four-armed form (caturbhujena) as the son of Vasudeva (vasudevātmajatvena). O Sahasrabāho (Thousand-armed) now! O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Having withdrawn the Universal Form (upasaṃhṛtya viśvarūpaṃ), be manifest (prakaṭo bhaveti) only in the former form (pūrvarūpeṇa eva). That is the meaning (arthaḥ).

By this, it is stated that the four-armed, etc., form of the Bhagavān was always seen by Arjuna (sarvadā caturbhujādi-rūpam arjunena bhagavato dṛśyata iti uktam).

He specifies the form—with 'Kirīṭinam' (crowned) iti. I desire to see You, the crowned (kirīṭavantaṃ), mace-bearing (gadāvantaṃ), and discus-handed (cakrahastaṃ), in the same manner (tathaiva), just as before (pūrvavat eva).

Therefore, O Sahasrabāho (possessing immeasurable power of action)! O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Be manifest (bhava prakaṭo bhaveti) in that very four-armed form (tenaiva caturbhujena rūpeṇa). That is the meaning.

I desire (icchāmi) to see You, the crowned (kirīṭinaṃ), meaning the one possessing a crown (kirīṭavantaṃ); and the mace-bearer (gadinaṃ), meaning the one possessing a mace (gadāvantaṃ); and the discus-handed (cakrahastaṃ); I pray to see You in the same manner (tathaiva)? That is, as before (pūrvavat).

Since it is so? Therefore, O Sahasrabāho (with the present Universal Form)! O Viśvamūrte (Universal Form)! Be (bhava) in that very form (tenaiva rūpeṇa), the form of the son of Vasudeva (vasudevaputrarūpeṇa), the four-armed (caturbhujena); having withdrawn the Universal Form (upasaṃhṛtya viśvarūpam); be in that very form (tenaiva rūpeṇa bhava). That is the meaning (arthaḥ).

Perceiving Arjuna to be afraid (bhītam upalabhya), having withdrawn the Universal Form, the Bhagavān, reassuring him with affectionate words, spoke—The Bhagavān said—.

Specifying that very form, he prays to the Bhagavān—with 'Kirīṭinam' (crowned) iti. By this, it is understood that Arjuna saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa in this very four-armed form (caturbhujaṃ) adorned with the six groups of qualities (ṣaḍguṇagaṇālaṅkṛtaṃ). And the two-armed (dvibhujaṃ) form was seen by him always (sadā eva).

'A fearless inclination (nirbhayā ruciḥ) does not arise for a non-devotee when not mixed with grace (puṣṭi). In the sole perception of the Immutable (akṣara-mātraika-darśane) which generates spontaneous inclination (svataḥ pravṛttijanikā). Those immersed in the nectar of the nature (svarūpāmṛtam agnānāṃ) of Hari, who is beyond the perishing (kṣara) and the Imperishable (akṣara), the great ocean of the bliss of relish (rasānanda-mahodadheḥ), do not have attachment (ratiḥ) elsewhere anywhere'.

Knowing this intention (ity abhiprāyam ājñāya), and that of Arjuna (tasya ca) as well as the Gopis (gopānām iva), the Bhagavān, reassuring this frightened Arjuna, spoke again.

किरीटिनम् wearing crown? गदिनम् bearing a mace? चक्रहस्तम् with a discus in the hand? इच्छामि (I) desire? त्वाम् Thee? द्रष्टुम् to see? अहम् I? तथैव as before? तेनैव that same? रूपेण of form? चतुर्भुजेन (by) fourarmed? सहस्रबाहो O thousandarmed? भव be? विश्वमूर्ते O Universal Form.Commentary Arjuna says O Lord in the Cosmic Form I do not know where to turn and to whom to address myself. I am frightened. I am longing to see Thee with conch? discus? mace and lotus. Withdraw Thy Cosmic Form. Assume that same fourarmed form as before.Spiritual aspirants are ofen impatient to have the highest spiritual experiences immediately they begin their Sadhana. This is wrong. They will not be able to withstand the great power that will,surge into them. Be patientO thousandarmed refers to the Cosmic Form.

Aham, I; icchami, want; drastum, to see; tvam, You; kiritinam, wearing a crown; as also gadinam, wielding a mace; and cakra-hastam, holding a disc in hand; i.e., tatha eva, just as before. Since this is so, therefore, sahasra-baho, O You with a thousand arms-in Your present Cosmic form; visva-murte, O you of Cosmic form; bhava, apeear; tena eva rupena, with that very form-with the form of the son of Vasudeva; caturbhujena, with four hands. The idea is: withdrawing the Cosmic form, appear in that very form as the son of Vasudeva.
Noticing Arjuna to have become afraid, and withdrawing the Cosmic form, reassuring him with sweet words-

I wish to see You thus, as before, with a crown, and with a mace and discus in hand. Hence assume again that four-armed shape, shown to me before, O thousand-armed one of Universal Form! Assume that shape in place of what You have now revealed with thousand arms and a cosmic body. Such is the meaning.