Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11 - Shloka (Verse) 53

व्याख्या--'दृष्टवानसि मां यथा'--तुमने मेरा चतुर्भुजरूप मेरी कृपासे ही देखा है। तात्पर्य है कि मेरे दर्शन मेरी कृपासे ही हो सकते हैं, किसी योग्यतासे नहीं।

किस लिये --, जिस प्रकार मुझे तूने देखा है ऐसे पहले दिखलाये हुए रूपवाला मैं न तो ऋक्? यजु? साम और अथर्व आदि चारों वेदोंसे? न चान्द्रायण आदि उग्र तपोंसे? न गौ? भूमि तथा सुवर्ण आदिके दानसे और न यजनसे ही देखा जा सकता हूँ अर्थात् यज्ञ या पूजासे भी मैं ( इस प्रकार ) नहीं देखा जा सकता।

The difficulty of vision (dur darśatvam) arises from the absence of means (upāya) of vision – this doubt is raised by the question 'kasmāt' (for what reason).

Even when means like the Vedas etc. exist, the Lord in the aforementioned form cannot be seen – thus (the Lord) says with 'nāham' (I am not).

So, is it impossible to see because of unfitness for vision? – raising this doubt, (the Lord) says with 'dṛṣṭavān' (you have seen).

When there is a desire for the reason (hetu) for that, (the Lord) says -- with 'na' (not) etc.

Just as you have seen Me in the Universal Form. I, being of this kind, cannot be seen by the Vedas (Ṛk etc.), nor by severe penance (Cāndrāyaṇa etc.), nor by charity (cow-donation etc.), nor by sacrifices (Yajña or worship), or by other (means) which are devoid of My extreme grace.

'Nāham' (I am not) etc. The same meaning which was stated by 'na vedayajñādhyayanaiḥ' (not by Vedas, sacrifices, or studies) is repeated, in order to indicate the extreme rarity of the vision of the Universal Form.

And the verse is clear in meaning.

I, being truly situated (yathāvad avasthitaḥ), cannot be seen by the Vedas – which are the subjects of teaching, discourse, study, hearing, and recitation; and also by sacrifices, charity, oblations, and penances, when they are mere (karmas) and devoid of devotion to Me.

But by exclusive devotion (ananyayā bhaktyā), I can be known truly by the scriptures, seen directly truly, and entered truly.

And the Śruti (Veda) also says so: 'This Ātman is not attained by discourse (pravacana), nor by intellect, nor by much hearing. It is attained by the one whom this (Ātman) chooses; this Ātman reveals its own body (form) to him.' (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.23) Thus.

The reason (hetu) for that is -- 'Nāham' (I am not) etc.

Clear in meaning (is the verse).

उत्तरश्लोकस्यैतदुपपादकतया न पौनरुक्त्यमित्याशयेन तमवतारति -- कुत इत्यत्राहेति। वेदानां स्वरूपेण साधनत्वाप्रसक्त्या तन्निषेधोऽनुपपन्न इत्यतस्तदभिप्रेतमाहवेदैरध्यापनप्रवचनेति। दानेज्याकथनं होमस्याप्युपलक्षणमित्यभिप्रयन्नाहयागदानहोमतपोभिश्चेति। भक्तिद्वारा साधनत्वस्य तमेतं वेदानुवचनेन [बृ.उ.4।4।22] इत्यादिश्रुत्यवगतत्वात्मद्भक्तिविरहितैरित्युक्तम्।

एवंविधशब्दो मानुषत्वादिभ्रमानर्हत्वाप्राकृतत्वादिपर इत्याहयथावदवस्थितोऽहमिति।

न केवलं साक्षात्कारमात्रे साधनत्वेन भक्तिरपेक्षिता किन्तुशुद्धभावं गतो भक्त्या शास्त्राद्वेद्मि जनार्दनम् [म.भा.5।69।5] इत्यादिवच्छास्त्रतोऽर्थनिर्णये साक्षात्कारानन्तरभाविन्यां प्राप्तावपीत्यभिप्रायेणज्ञातुंप्रवेष्टुम् इत्युभयं पूर्वश्लोकाप्रसक्तमिह प्रसञ्जितम्।तत्त्वतः इत्येतत्ित्रष्वप्यविशेषादपेक्षितत्वाच्चान्वितम्। तत्त्वतः प्रवेशः परिपूर्णप्राप्तिः? यथावस्थितसर्वाकारेणानुभव इत्यर्थः। तेन व्यूहविभवादिमात्रप्राप्तिव्यवच्छेदः। स्मर्यन्ते च साक्षान्मुक्तैरर्वाञ्चः प्राप्तिपर्वभेदाः -- लोकेषु विष्णोर्निवसन्ति केचित्समीपमृच्छन्ति च केचिदन्ये। अन्ये तु रूपं सदृशं भजन्ते सायुज्यमन्ये स तु मोक्ष उक्तः इति।एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् [6।42] इत्यस्य व्याख्याने यादवप्रकाशैश्चोक्तम् -- इदमल्पीयसीं योगसिद्धिं गतस्य मृतस्य फलं? यदि प्रथमां योगसिद्धिं गतो म्रियते? त्यजति वा योगं? श्वेतद्वीपे जायते भगवत्सालोक्यं वा याति यदि ततोऽप्यधिकां योगसिद्धिं गतो म्रियते विष्णुपार्षदो भवति यदि ततोऽप्यधिकां? पार्षदेश्वरो भवति यदि ततोऽप्यधिकां? द्वारपालो भवति यदि ततोऽप्यधिकां? भगवतोऽङ्गसंवाहको भवति यदि ततोऽप्यधिकां? मन्त्रिस्थानीयः पृथगैश्वर्ययुक्तो भवति यदि पूर्णां योगसिद्धिं गतो म्रियते? भगवत्सायुज्यं गतो मुक्तः परमैश्वर्ययुक्तो भवति इति वैष्णवेषु योगशास्त्रेषु मर्यादा। तदेतत्सर्वमिह सूचितं भगवता अथवा योगिनाम् [6।42] इत्यादीनीति।

ज्ञानदर्शनप्राप्तिहेतुत्वे भक्तेः पर्वभेदान्नान्योन्याश्रयणादिदोषः। पूर्वजन्मसुकृतमूलसात्त्विकजनसंवादादिजनितं यथावच्छ्रवणानुगुणं किञ्चिदानुकूल्यरूपं भक्तिमात्रं शास्त्रजन्यज्ञानोत्पत्तौ सहकारि भवति। उत्कटदिदृक्षागर्भा तु परभक्तिः साक्षात्कारहेतुः साक्षात्कृते तु परिपूर्णानुभवाभिनिवेशलक्षणा परमभक्तिः प्रवेशहेतुरिति।

अत्रअनन्यया इति पदं प्रागुक्तप्रक्रियया अनन्यप्रयोजनयेति भाव्यम्। अनन्यदेवताकयेत्येके। ऐक्यानुसन्धानविवक्षा तु प्रागेव दूषिता प्रत्यक्षादिविरुद्धा च। तदेतदखिलमभिप्रेत्य सङ्गृहीतम्एकादशे स्वमाहात्म्यसाक्षात्कारावलोकनम्। दत्तमुक्तं विदिप्राप्त्योर्भक्त्येकोपायता तथा [गी.सं.15] इति।

भक्तिप्रशंसापरत्वशङ्कामपाकरोति -- तथा चेति। नायमात्मा इत्यादौ न पृथिव्यामग्निश्चेतव्यः [यजुः5।2।7।2] इत्यादाविव केवलानां निषेधः। यच्छब्दानूदितो वरणीयताहेतुगुणविशेषो भक्तिरेवेत्यर्थस्वभावादुपबृंहणबलाच्च सिद्धम्। अत्र तनुशब्दस्य विग्रहपरत्वे स्वरूपादिकं,तत्परत्वे च विग्रहादिकमर्थलब्धम्।

भगवान् के इस विश्वरूप का दर्शन मिलना किसी के लिए भी सुलभ नहीं है। दर्शन का यह अनुभव न वेदाध्ययन से और न तप से? न दान से और न यज्ञ से ही प्राप्त हो सकता है। यहाँ तक कि स्वर्ग के निवासी देवतागण भी अपनी विशाल बुद्धि? दीर्घ जीवन और कठिन साधना के द्वारा भी इस रूप को नहीं देख पाते और सदा उसके लिए लालायित रहते हैं। ऐसा होने पर भी भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण ने अपने इस विराट् और आश्चर्यमय रूप को अपने मित्र अर्जुन को केवल अनुग्रह करके दर्शाया जैसा कि स्वयं उन्होंने ही स्वीकार किया था।हम इस बात पर आश्चर्य़ करेंगे कि किस कारण से भगवान् अपनी कृपा की वर्षा किसी एक व्यक्ति पर तो करते हैं और अन्य पर नहीं निश्चय ही यह एक सर्वशक्तिमान् द्वारा किया गया आकस्मिक वितरण नहीं हो सकता? जो स्वच्छन्दतापूर्वक? निरंकुश होकर बिना किसी नियम या कारण के कार्य करता रहता हो क्योंकि उस स्थिति में भगवान् पक्षपात तथा निरंकुशता के दोषी कहे जायेंगे? जो कि उपयुक्त नहीं है।श्लोक में इसका युक्तियुक्त स्पष्टीकरण किया गया है कि किस कारण से बाध्य होकर भगवान् अपनी विशेष कृपा की वर्षा कभी किसी व्यक्ति पर करते हैं? और सदा सब के ऊपर नहीं

For what reason have the Devas not seen this form, nor will they see it? -- Because of the absence of devotion to Me, He says -- with 'nāham' (I am not) etc.

with 'na vedayajñādhyayanaiḥ' (not by Vedas, sacrifices, or studies) etc.

The verse, whose meaning has already been conveyed (gatārthaḥ), is repeated to proclaim the extreme rarity.

So, why don't they see (Me) with the means mentioned in the Vedas etc.? – On this, (the Lord) says -- 'nāham' (I am not) etc. I, the Puruṣottama of this kind, just as you have seen Me, cannot be seen by the visible Vedas, by the means stated in the Vedas, or even by the Vedas alone.

For this very reason it is said: 'From whence words return, along with the mind, not having attained Him.' (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1, 2.9.1).

Nor by penance which is of the nature of hardship? Nor by charity which is of the nature of giving away everything? Nor by sacrifices (ijyā) can I be seen.

I cannot be seen by the Vedas, even all four (Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma, and Atharva Vedas). Nor by severe penance (Cāndrāyaṇa etc.). Nor by charity (cows, land, gold, etc.). And nor by sacrifices (Yajña or worship) can I be seen, being of this kind (evaṃvidhaḥ), of the manner which has been shown, just as you have seen Me.

Then how (kathaṃ punaḥ) can I be seen (śakyaḥ)? – That is stated (in the next verse) --

Having thus described the extreme difficulty of vision (sudurdarśatvam) of the Universal Form, He then states the (difficulty of vision) of His own form which was seen from the beginning -- with 'nāhaṃ vedaiḥ' (I am not by the Vedas) etc.

I (aham) am the Self of unsurpassable imperishable opulence (aiśvarya), (as is said in the Śruti): 'This Ātman is not attained by discourse (pravacana), nor by intellect, nor by much hearing. It is attained by the one whom this (Ātman) chooses; this Ātman reveals its own body (form) to him.' (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.22, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.2). Thus, I am heard (in the scriptures) as unattainable (aśakyaḥ) by means other than choosing (varaṇa).

The fact that you have seen Me of this kind, through choosing, in a good manner, fit for the Divine Form, and thus, it is established that the means like discourse etc. are for the purpose of generating the fitness of the Divine Form in the Jīva (individual soul) through their focus solely on the direct vision of the Self, and not for the purpose of directly obstructing the Puruṣottama.

न not? अहम् I? वेदैः by the Vedas? न not? तपसा by austerity? न not? दानेन by gift? न not? च and? इज्यया by sacrifice? शक्यः (am) possible? एवंविधः like this? द्रष्टुम् to be seen? दृष्टवानसि (thou) hast seen? माम् Me? यथा as.Commentary This Cosmic Form which thou hast seen so easily cannot be obtained either by the study of the Vedas and the six modes of philosophy? nor by the practice of manifold austerities (penances)? nor by charity? nor by sacrifices of various kinds.Arjuna was indeed very fortunate in seeing the Cosmic Form.How can the Lord be seen Listen The heart must be overflowing with true devotion to Him. (Cf.XI.48)

Na vedaih, not through the Vedas, not even through the four Vedas-Rk, Yajus, Sama and Atharvan; na tapasa, not by austerity, not by severe austerities like the Candrayana; not danena, by gifts, by gifts of cattle, land, gold, etc.; na ca, nor even; ijyaya, by sacrifices or worship; sakyah aham, can I; drastum, be seen evamvidhah, in this form, in the manner as was shown; yatha, as; drstavan asi, you have seen mam, Me.
'How again, can You be seen? This is being answered:

Sri Krsna says By Vedas, i.e., by mere study, teaching etc., of these sacred texts, it is not possible to know Me truly. It is also not possible through meditation, sacrifices, gifts and austerities, destitute of devotion towards Me. But by single-minded devotion i.e., by devotion characterised by extreme ardour and intensity, it is possible to know Me in reality through scriptures, to behold Me directly in reality, and enter into Me in reality. So describes a Sruti passage: 'This Self cannot be obtained by instruction, nor by intellect nor by much hearing. Whomsoever He chooses, by him alone is He obtained. To such a one He reveals His own form' (Ka. U., 2.2.23) and (Mun. U., 3.2.3).