SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Essence of SrI bhagavath gIthA
In the fifteenth SlOkam of gIthArtha sangraham, ALavandhAr explains the summary of eleventh chapter saying “In the eleventh chapter, it is said that the divine eyes to see bhagavAn truly were given (to arjuna by krishNa). Similarly, it is also said that bhakthi is the only means for knowing (that supreme god), (seeing,) attaining, etc”.
Important SlOkams/Verses
arjuna uvAcha
madhanugrahAya paramam guhyam adhyAthmasamjitham |
yath thvayOktham vachas thEna mOhO’yam vigathO mama ||
arjuna said “With whatever instructions have been mercifully given by you (in the first six chapters) which described everything about AthmA which are very secretive, my confusion relating to this AthmA related matters has been completely eliminated by those words.
Note: In the first 3 SlOkams, arjuna reveals his devotion towards krishNa.
manyasE yadhi tachchakyam mayA drashtum ithi prabhO |
yogESvara thathO mE thvam dharSayAthmAnam avyayam ||
Oh one with auspicious qualities! Oh sarvESvara! If you think that your form can be seen by me, due to that reason only, please show me your form in full.
SrI bhagavAn uvAcha
paSya mE pArtha rUpANi SathaSO’tha sahasraSa: |
nAnAvidhAni dhivyAni nAnAvarNAkruthIni cha ||
krishNa, the lord, explained – Oh son of kunthI! see my forms (which are present everywhere); further, see the amazing forms which have many colours and states and which are in hundreds and thousands and in many varieties.
In the 6th and 7th SlOkams, krishNa explains what will be seen in his universal form.
na thu mAm SakyasE dhrashtum anEnaiva svachakshushA |
dhivyam dhadhAmi thE chakshu: paSya mE yOgam aiSvaram ||
I am giving you divine eyes which are different from these material eyes, since you cannot see with these eyes of yours. With those eyes, you can see the auspicious qualities and wealth which are present with me, the ISvara, exclusively.
From 9th SlOkam to 14th SlOkam, the viSvarUpam shown by krishNa to arjuna is narrated by sanjaya.
In the 15th SlOkam, arjuna says to krishNa that he sees all dhEvathAs in krishNa’s viSvarUpam.
In the 16th and 17th SlOkams, arjuna explains the features of krishNa’s viSvarUpam.
In the 18th SlOkam, krishNa’s supremacy is highlighted by arjuna.
In the 19th SlOkam, arjuna starts revealing his fear in seeing the viSvarUpam.
In the 20th SlOkam, he highlights that everyone has become scared seeing the viSvarUpam.
In the 21st SlOkam, he highlights how dhEvathAs and rishis are praising krishNa.
In the 22nd SlOkam, he highlights how all dhEvathAs are looking at krishNa with amazement.
In the 23rd, 24th and 25th SlOkams, again he highlights his fear and discomfort in looking at the viSvarUpam.
From 26th to 30th SlOkams, he speaks about dhuryOdhana et al being consumed by krishNa.
In the 31st SlOkam, he requests krishNa to reveal the intent of having such cruel form.
In the 32nd SlOkam, krishNa explains that he is intent on killing everyone in the battlefield.
In the 33rd and 34th SlOkams, krishNa orders arjuna to fight the battle and be an instrument in his hands to kill everyone.
In the 35th SlOkam, arjuna became more fearful, worshipped krishNa and started speaking with a trembling voice.
In the 36th SlOkam, arjuna again says that dhEvathAs are becoming more devoted towards krishNa and evil people are becoming more fearful towards krishNa. From here onwards, he praises krishNa in many SlOkams.
In the 41st and 42nd SlOkams, arjuna says that without realising krishNa’s greatness, he called krishNa as friend, relative etc and at times misbehaved with him. Hence, he prays for forgiveness for such acts.
pithA’si lOkasya charAcharasya thvam asya pUjyaS cha gurur garIyAn |
na thvathsamO’sthyabhyadhika: kuthO’nyO lokathrayE’pyaprathimaprabhAva ||
Oh one with incomparable greatness! You are the father for this world which has movable and immovable entities; (thus) you are venerable and you are the revered teacher (who is more revered than one’s father); there is none equal to you (in your qualities such as mercy etc) in the three worlds; how can there be a person who is greater than you?
thasmAth praNamya praNidhAya kAyam prasAdhayE thvAm aham ISam Idyam |
pithEva puthrasya sakhEva sakhyu: priya: priyAyArhasi dhEva sOdum ||
Due to previously mentioned reasons, with my bent body [due to humility], I bow unto you who controls everyone and is venerated by everyone and pray for your grace. Oh lord! [I request] you who are dear to me, to mercifully forgive the mistakes of mine who is dear to you, as a father dealing with his son’s mistakes and as a friend dealing with his friend’s mistakes.
Note: These two SlOkams are quoted by emperumAnAr in his SaraNAgathi gadhyam.
In the 45th SlOkam, arjuna reveals his joy and fear in seeing the viSvarUpam, and requests krishNa to show the merciful form.
kirItinam gadhinam chakrahastham ichchAmi thvAm dhrashṭum aham thathaiva |
thEnaiva rUpENa chathurbhujEna sahasrabAhO bhava viSvamUrthE ||
Oh one with unlimited arms! Oh one who has the whole universe as your body! I desire to see you as before, wearing only one crown, holding a mace and holding the chakra (disc) in your hand; please assume the divine form with four divine hands, as before.
Note: We can understand that arjuna was seeing krishNa with a divine form having four arms before.
In the 47th SlOkam, krishNa explains that the universal form was shown to arjuna, because arjuna was a dear devotee.
In the 48th SlOkam, krishNa says that his universal form cannot be seen by others through self-efforts.
In the 49th SlOkam, he agrees to show his original form.
In the 50th SlOkam, sanjaya says that krishNa showed his original form to arjuna.
In the 51st SlOkam, arjuna says that he became satisfied after seeing krishNa’s original form.
SrI bhagavAn uvAcha
sudhurdharSam idham rUpam dhrushtavAn asi yan mama |
dhevA’pyasya rUpasya nithyam dharSanakAṅkshiNa: ||
SrI bhagavAn said – This form of mine which you have seen is very difficult to see for anyone. Even dhEvas (celestial beings) are always desiring to see this form.
In the 53rd SlOkam, he again explains that it is not possible to see his form using self-effort.
bhakthyA thvananyayA Sakya aham Evam vidhO’rjuna |
gyAthum dhrashtum cha thathvEna pravEshtum cha paranthapa ||
Oh arjuna who torments the enemies! It is possible to truly (through SAsthram) know me, see me and attain me in this manner only by svayam prayOjana bhakthi (selfless exclusive bhakthi).
In the final SlOkam, krishNa explains how one attains him.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
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