Chapter 11: Experience Divine Love: Krishna Govardhan Leela Unveiled : 11.32 to 11.37
Shri Krishna’s Govardhan Leela is a powerful testament to the transformative power of divine love and bhakti. In this miraculous event, Krishna lifts the Govardhan Hill to protect the villagers of Braj from the wrath of Lord Indra, whose pride led him to unleash a devastating storm. This divine act was not just about showcasing Krishna’s unmatched strength but also a profound lesson on the difference between being God-fearing and God-loving.
Krishna’s intervention teaches that true devotion—free from the cause of fear—leads to mukti, or liberation, while pride only results in downfall. The villagers’ innocent love for Krishna, devoid of any fear, allowed them to connect with the divine on a deeply personal level, reinforcing the idea that God prefers love over reverence filled with fear. The story of Govardhan Leela continues to inspire, reminding us that unwavering faith in Krishna and sincere bhakti are the keys to overcoming obstacles and attaining spiritual liberation. This timeless narrative offers profound insights into the essence of devotion, the dangers of pride, and the protective grace that comes from loving God unconditionally.
If you have not already done so, I would request you to review the Chapter 10, Vibhuti Yoga before studying chapter 11 as that would help set the right context.
You can find the explanation of the previous set of shlokas, 24 to 31 of chapter 11 here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
You can also listen to all the episodes through my Spotify Portal. And here on YouTube as well.
Verses 11.32 – 11.37
श्री भगवानुवाच |
कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो लोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः |
ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वे येऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः || 11.32||
śrī bhagavān uvāca
kālo ‘smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho lokān samāhartum iha pravṛttaḥ
ṛte ‘pi tvāṁ na bhaviṣyanti sarve ye ‘vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ
कालोऽस्मि (kālo’smi) – I am time; लोकक्षयकृत् (loka-kṣaya-kṛt) – the destroyer of the worlds; प्रवृद्धो (pravṛddho) – fully manifest; लोकान् (lokān) – all people; समाहर्तुम् (samāhartum) – to destroy; इह (iha) – in this world; प्रवृत्तः (pravṛttaḥ) – engaged; ऋतेऽपि (ṛte’pi) – even without; त्वाम् (tvām) – you; न (na) – not; भविष्यन्ति (bhaviṣyanti) – will remain; सर्वे (sarve) – all; ये (ye) – who; अवस्थिताः (avasthitāḥ) – situated; प्रत्यनीकेषु (pratyanīkeṣu) – on the opposite side; योधाः (yodhāḥ) – the soldiers.
The Supreme Lord said: I am mighty Time, the source of destruction that comes forth to annihilate the worlds. Even without your participation, all the warriors arrayed in the opposing army shall cease to exist.
तस्मात्त्वमुत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व जित्वा शत्रून्भुङ् क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम् |
मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेव निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन् || 11.33||
tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin
तस्मात् (tasmāt) – therefore; त्वम् (tvam) – you; उत्तिष्ठ (uttiṣṭha) – get up; यशः (yaśaḥ) – fame; लभस्व (labhasva) – gain; जित्वा (jitvā) – conquering; शत्रून् (śatrūn) – enemies; भुङ्क्ष्व (bhuṅkṣva) – enjoy; राज्यम् (rājyam) – kingdom; समृद्धम् (samṛddham) – prosperous; मया (mayā) – by Me; एव (eva) – certainly; एते (ete) – these; निहताः (nihatāḥ) – already killed; पूर्वम् (pūrvam) – in advance; एव (eva) – indeed; निमित्तमात्रम् (nimitta-mātram) – just an instrument; भव (bhava) – become; सव्यसाचिन् (savyasācin) – O expert archer.
Therefore, arise and attain fame and honor! Conquer your foes and enjoy the prosperous kingdom. Consider all these warriors already slain by Me. You will only be an instrument of My work, O expert archer.
द्रोणं च भीष्मं च जयद्रथं च कर्णं तथान्यानपि योधवीरान् |
मया हतांस्त्वं जहि मा व्यथिष्ठा युध्यस्व जेतासि रणे सपत्नान् || 11.34||
droṇaṁ ca bhīṣmaṁ ca jayadrathaṁ ca karṇaṁ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān
mayā hatāṁs tvaṁ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān
द्रोणम् (droṇam) – Droṇa; च (ca) – and; भीष्मम् (bhīṣmam) – Bhīṣma; च (ca) – and; जयद्रथम् (jayadratham) – Jayadratha; च (ca) – and; कर्णम् (karṇam) – Karṇa; तथा (tathā) – also; अन्यान् (anyān) – others; अपि (api) – too; योधवीरान् (yodha-vīrān) – great warriors; मया (mayā) – by Me; हतान् (hatān) – already killed; त्वम् (tvam) – you; जहि (jahi) – slay; मा (mā) – do not; व्यथिष्ठाः (vyathiṣṭhāḥ) – be disturbed; युध्यस्व (yudhyasva) – just fight; जेतासि (jetāsi) – you will conquer; रणे (raṇe) – in battle; सपत्नान् (sapatnān) – enemies.
Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna, and other great warriors have already been destroyed by Me. So slay them without being disturbed. Just fight and you will vanquish your enemies and be victorious in battle.
सञ्जय उवाच |
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य कृताञ्जलिर्वेपमानः किरीटी |
नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णं सगद्गदं भीतभीतः प्रणम्य || 11.35||
sañjaya uvāca
etac chrutvā vacanaṁ keśavasya kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī
namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṁ sa-gadgadaṁ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya
सञ्जयः (sañjayaḥ) – Sañjaya; उवाच (uvāca) – said; एतत् (etat) – this; श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) – having heard; वचनम् (vacanam) – speech; केशवस्य (keśavasya) – of Kṛṣṇa; कृताञ्जलिः (kṛtāñjaliḥ) – with folded hands; वेपमानः (vepamānaḥ) – trembling; किरीटी (kirīṭī) – the crowned one (Arjuna); नमस्कृत्वा (namaskṛtvā) – having bowed down; भूयः (bhūyaḥ) – again; एव (eva) – indeed; आह (āha) – said; कृष्णम् (kṛṣṇam) – to Kṛṣṇa; सगद्गदम् (sa-gadgadam) – with a choked voice; भीतभीतः (bhīta-bhītaḥ) – very frightened; प्रणम्य (praṇamya) – bowing down.
Sanjaya said: Upon hearing these words of Keshava (Krishna), the crowned one (Arjuna), trembling and with folded hands, bowed down again. Greatly frightened, he spoke to Krishna with a choked voice.
अर्जुन उवाच |
स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्या जगत्प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च |
रक्षांसि भीतानि दिशो द्रवन्ति सर्वे नमस्यन्ति च सिद्धसङ्घाः || 11.36||
arjuna uvāca
sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā jagat prahṛṣyaty anurajyate ca
rakṣāṁsi bhītāni diśo dravanti sarve namasyanti ca siddha-saṅghāḥ
अर्जुनः (arjunaḥ) – Arjuna; उवाच (uvāca) – said; स्थाने (sthāne) – rightly; हृषीकेश (hṛṣīkeśa) – O Master of the senses (Kṛṣṇa); तव (tava) – Your; प्रकीर्त्या (prakīrtyā) – by the glories; जगत् (jagat) – the world; प्रहृष्यति (prahṛṣyati) – rejoices; अनुरज्यते (anurajyate) – becomes attached; च (ca) – and; रक्षांसि (rakṣāṁsi) – the demons; भीतानि (bhītāni) – out of fear; दिशः (diśaḥ) – in all directions; द्रवन्ति (dravanti) – flee; सर्वे (sarve) – all; नमस्यन्ति (namasyanti) – offer obeisances; च (ca) – and; सिद्धसङ्घाः (siddha-saṅghāḥ) – the hosts of perfected beings.
Arjuna said: It is proper indeed, O Hrishikesha (Krishna), that the world delights and rejoices in glorifying You. Terrified demons flee in all directions, and hosts of perfected beings offer obeisances to You.
कस्माच्च ते न नमेरन्महात्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे |
अनन्त देवेश जगन्निवास त्वमक्षरं सदसत्तत्परं यत् || 11.37||
kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman garīyase brahmaṇo ‘py ādi-kartre
ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa tvam akṣaraṁ sad asat tat paraṁ yat
कस्मात् (kasmāt) – why; च (ca) – and; ते (te) – to You; न (na) – not; नमेरन् (nameran) – they should bow down; महात्मन् (mahātman) – O Great Soul; गरीयसे (garīyase) – (You are) greater; ब्रह्मणः (brahmaṇaḥ) – than Brahmā; अपि (api) – even; आदिकर्त्रे (ādi-kartre) – the original creator; अनन्त (ananta) – O Infinite One; देवेश (deveśa) – O God of gods; जगन्निवास (jagan-nivāsa) – O Abode of the universe; त्वम् (tvam) – You; अक्षरम् (akṣaram) – the imperishable; सत् (sat) – cause; असत् (asat) – effect; तत् (tat) – that; परम् (param) – transcendental; यत् (yat) – which.
And why should they not bow to You, O Exalted One, who is greater than Brahma, the original creator? O Infinite Lord of gods, O Abode of the universe, You are the imperishable truth that is both the cause and effect, and yet transcends them.
In the previous set of shlokas we saw how Arjuna was feeling much fear and anxiety by looking at some aspects of the Lord’s Vishwarupa. He describes how even the demigods were so scared and trembling with fear. However, Shri Krishna never wants us to fear Him. He is always wanting to have a loving relationship with his devotees. To demonstrate this, let us review his Govardhan Leela.
Shri Krishna Govardhan Leela: A Tale of Divine Love and Innocence
The people of Braj adored Shri Krishna, not just for His divine beauty but for the sheer joy and love He brought into their lives. To them, He was not the Supreme Lord, but their mischievous little friend, the darling of the village who played with them, laughed with them, and filled their days with delight.
One of the most extraordinary pastimes that Shri Krishna performed during His time in Braj was the Govardhan Leela. This leela, or divine play, was not just an exhibition of His supreme powers but also a profound lesson in the nature of divine love.
The Divine Play Begins
The people of Braj were simple, devout, and deeply connected to nature. Each year, they offered grand prayers and sacrifices to Indra, the God of rain, to ensure that their lands were blessed with enough rainfall. Indra, who was proud of his celestial status, accepted these offerings with great arrogance, believing that the people of Braj depended entirely on him for their prosperity.
However, one year, young Krishna, who was barely seven years old, questioned this tradition. He suggested to the villagers that instead of worshiping Indra, they should worship the Govardhan Hill, a mountain that provided them with fresh grass for their cattle, pure water from its streams, and shelter from the elements. The villagers, captivated by Krishna’s reasoning and his love for nature, decided to follow his advice and offered their prayers to Govardhan Hill instead.
Indra, upon realizing that his annual offerings were not being performed, became furious. His pride wounded, he decided to unleash his wrath upon the innocent villagers of Braj. He summoned the darkest clouds and ordered them to pour down incessant rain, determined to flood the entire region and teach the people a lesson for their defiance.
Krishna Lifts the Govardhan Hill
As the torrential rains began, the villagers of Braj, along with their cattle, were struck with fear. The skies roared with thunder, and the relentless downpour threatened to wash away their homes and livelihoods. In their panic, they rushed to Krishna, their beloved protector, and pleaded for His help.
Krishna, ever compassionate and full of love for His devotees, smiled reassuringly at them. He knew that this was not just a test of the villagers’ faith but also an opportunity to teach Indra a lesson in humility. With a gentle smile, Krishna walked towards the mighty Govardhan Hill. Then, in a display of divine strength that contradicted His small, childlike form, He lifted the entire hill with the little finger of His left hand as easily as a child might lift a small toy.
The villagers were astonished. They had always known Krishna as their dear friend and playful companion. They had never imagined that He possessed such extraordinary powers. But even in their amazement, their minds did not fully grasp the divinity of Krishna. They saw Him as their Krishna, their beloved friend, who was somehow able to perform this miraculous feat.
The Innocence of Divine Love
As Krishna held the hill aloft, He invited all the villagers and their cattle to take shelter beneath it. The Govardhan Hill became like a giant umbrella, protecting them from the wrath of Indra’s storm. The people, still awestruck by what was happening, gathered under the hill, gazing up at Krishna with love and wonder.
But in their innocence, they thought, “How could Krishna, our dear friend, hold up this enormous hill all by Himself?” They couldn’t comprehend that it was Krishna’s divine power that kept the hill suspended in the air. Instead, they worried that Krishna might not be able to manage such a heavy burden for long. Their simple hearts filled with concern for their friend, they decided to help Him.
Each one of them picked up a stick and placed it under the hill, thinking that their sticks would somehow support the massive mountain. They believed that their combined efforts would ease Krishna’s burden, never realizing that it was Krishna alone who was holding the hill, and their sticks made no difference at all.
Krishna, seeing their innocent gesture, smiled to Himself. Their love for Him was so pure, so devoid of any doubt or suspicion, that they genuinely believed they were helping Him. This was the nature of their relationship with Krishna—one of pure, unadulterated love, where the divine and the human were not separated by the reverence of Godhood but united in the bonds of friendship.
Indra’s Realization
Meanwhile, up in the heavens, Indra was beginning to realize the gravity of his mistake. As the storm raged on and on, Krishna continued to hold up the Govardhan Hill without showing the slightest sign of strain or fatigue. Indra saw that his most powerful weapon—the relentless rain—was utterly powerless against this small boy of Braj. The clouds had exhausted themselves, and yet Krishna stood there, effortlessly protecting His devotees.
Indra’s pride began to crumble. He realized that it was a huge mistake challenging the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, who had taken on a human form to live among the villagers of Braj. Overcome with remorse for his arrogance and for causing suffering to innocent people, Indra decided to descend to Earth to beg for Krishna’s forgiveness.
He mounted his white elephant, Airavata, and descended from the heavens to the foot of the Govardhan Hill. There, in full view of the villagers, the mighty Indra, the king of gods, bowed down before Krishna. He offered his heartfelt apologies, acknowledging Krishna as the Supreme Lord and confessing his error.
The Change in the Villagers’ Hearts
The villagers, who had all along seen Krishna as their loving friend, suddenly found themselves in a state of confusion. Here was Indra, the powerful god whom they had worshiped for years, bowing down and apologizing to Krishna. What did this mean? Could it be that Krishna, their playful companion, was indeed God Himself?
This realization brought about a sudden change in the villagers’ hearts. They had always loved Krishna, but now, with the awareness of His divinity, a sense of awe and fear began to creep into their minds. They started to think, “If Krishna is truly God, then how should we behave around Him? How can we continue to treat Him as we always have, with the same playful affection?”
Krishna, who was keenly aware of this shift in their hearts, felt saddened. The loving, carefree exchange that He had always enjoyed with the villagers was now being replaced by a more formal, reverential attitude. He knew that while reverence had its place, it was the pure, innocent love of the villagers that truly connected them to Him.
Krishna’s Divine Intervention
Krishna turned to Indra and said, “This is the real damage that you have done! That loving exchange we were enjoying has vanished. They are now treating me with fear.”
Indra, realizing the unintended consequence of his actions, was filled with regret. Krishna’s words revealed the essence of what He desired most—pure, unconditional love, free from the constraints of awe and fear.
Understanding the need to restore the bond of love He shared with His devotees, Krishna decided to act. He invoked His Yogmaya, the divine power of illusion, to make the villagers forget what they had just witnessed. Through Yogmaya, Krishna wiped away the memory of Indra’s bowing and apologizing, and the villagers once again saw Krishna not as some fearsome God, but as their dear friend and protector.
With their memories altered, the villagers’ hearts returned to their original state of innocent love and trust. They again looked at Krishna as the mischievous, loveable boy who had always been with them, sharing in their joys and sorrows.
The Lesson of Divine Love
This pastime, known as the Govardhan Leela, holds a profound lesson for all devotees. Krishna does not seek the formal, distant worship that is often accompanied by fear and awe. While acknowledging His divinity is important, what Krishna truly desires is the love that transcends formality—a love that is simple, pure, and spontaneous.
The villagers of Braj were able to enjoy Krishna’s company, play with Him, and feel His love precisely because they did not see Him as a distant, unapproachable God. Their relationship with Krishna was one of intimacy and affection, where the divine and the human intertwined seamlessly.
This story teaches us that our approach to God should be one of love rather than fear. We should be God-loving instead of God-fearing. When we see God as a friend, a companion, and a beloved, we open ourselves to experiencing the loving and friendly aspects of the Divine. Bhakti, or devotion, is about cultivating this intimate relationship with God, where the heart is filled with love and the mind is free from the constraints of fear.
Shri Krishna is kala (time)
Now, based on his fear and Anxiety, Arjuna asks Krishna Krishna, “O Lord, please be merciful and tell me who you are and what is your purpose? I am not able to comprehend it”.
Shri Krishna then starts His profound discourse to Arjuna by revealing a fundamental truth of existence: He declares Himself to be kāla, the all-powerful Time, which governs the universe and all within it. He says says, “kālo’smi loka-kṣhaya-kṛit“—”I am Time, the great destroyer of the world.“
In this assertion, Krishna is not merely identifying with the concept of time as humans understand it, but with the unstoppable force that shapes the destiny of every being and every element of the cosmos. Time, as Krishna explains, is an inevitable and unstoppable force that consumes all, from the mightiest of kings to the smallest of creatures. Nothing can escape its reach—neither gods, demons, nor humans, for Time spares no one.
The Svetasvatara Upanishad also says:
पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम्।
उतामृतत्वस्येशानो यदन्नेनातिरोहति ॥
The Purusha (Cosmic Being) alone is all this—whatever has been and whatever is yet to be. He is the lord of immortality and also of what grows by food (material sustenance).
He is Purusha, the Lord of the Past, Present and future. He is the Lord of Immortality and also the bestower of immortality because unlike the mortals He is beyond the concept of time. This mastery or lordship over time is what is depicted as Viswarupa Darshana in this chapter.
This declaration serves as a reminder that the cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction is bound to the eternal flow of time. Everything that comes into existence must, in time, face its end. This cyclical process is a fundamental law of nature, where birth is followed by growth, decline, and ultimately, death.
Krishna’s identification with kāla also has deeper implications. Time is often perceived as a relentless force, yet Krishna as kāla is not just a destructive power; He is also the sustainer and the eventual restorer. As Mahākāla, or the Lord of Time, Krishna is the lord who transcends time, existing beyond the boundaries of past, present, and future. This title, Mahākāla, highlights Krishna’s supreme authority over time, indicating that while time governs the material universe, Krishna Himself is beyond it, controlling and directing it according to His divine will.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, 3.26.16 it is stated:
प्रभावं पौरुषं प्राहु: कालमेके यतो भयम् ।
अहङ्कारविमूढस्य कर्तु: प्रकृतिमीयुष: ॥ १६ ॥
prabhāvaṁ pauruṣaṁ prāhuḥ kālam eke yato bhayam
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhasya kartuḥ prakṛtim īyuṣaḥ
Some people say that the powerful influence of time causes fear, and that time is the force behind everything. However, for one who is deluded by ego and identifies as the doer of actions, it is actually the material nature (Prakriti) that is responsible for actions.
This verse touches upon deep philosophical concepts about the forces that drive our actions and the resulting consequences.
The first part of the verse acknowledges that many people view time (kāla) as the ultimate force of influence. Time is seen as all-powerful, the entity that governs the rise and fall of everything in the universe. It’s common to think that time is responsible for creating fear—fear of death, fear of change, and fear of loss—because time eventually leads to the end of all things.
The verse then shifts to discuss those who are deluded by their ego (ahankara). The ego is the false identification with the individual self, leading one to believe, “I am the doer; I am in control.” This delusion leads to the idea that one is responsible for all actions and their outcomes. Such a person becomes attached to the idea of being the ‘creator’ or ‘doer’ of deeds, which further fuels their sense of pride and individuality.
However, this is a misunderstanding. According to Vedantic philosophy, the individual self does not have independent power to act. It is merely an instrument in the hands of the greater forces of nature.
The verse clarifies that it is not the ego or even the individual’s will that drives actions, but rather Prakriti, or material nature. Prakriti, composed of the three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas), is the force that animates the universe. It is the inherent qualities of Prakriti that determine the actions and behaviors of individuals. The ego-driven belief that “I am the doer” is an illusion because the true driver of action is nature itself.
In Chapter 3, Verse 27, Krishna states:
प्रकृते: क्रियमाणानि गुणै: कर्माणि सर्वश: |
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते || 27||
prakṛiteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśhaḥ
ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
Actions in all respects are driven by the three modes of nature. But the soul, deluded by ego, thinks ‘I am the doer’.
This verse implies that fear arises from a lack of understanding of the forces at play. When one believes that they are the doer and that they control outcomes, they become fearful of losing that control, of failure, or of adverse outcomes. But when one realizes that it is nature that governs actions and the results as well, they can surrender to the flow of life, recognizing that fear is born from attachment and identification with the ego.
Thus, we need to transcend the ego and its illusions. We need to recognize the role of time and nature in governing life. By understanding that it is Prakriti—not us—that drives actions, we can let go of the false sense of control and the fear that comes with it. Instead, we can align ourselves with the natural order, accepting our role as instruments of the divine, and experience peace in the realization that the outcomes are guided by divine forces.
Krishna’s revelation to Arjuna is not just a revelation of His power but also a lesson in understanding the transient nature of life and the importance of aligning oneself with the eternal truth. In realizing that time governs all, Arjuna—and through him, all of humanity—is urged to surrender to the divine will and to perform one’s duties without attachment, as everything is ultimately governed by the law of time.
The assurance of victory when we are aligned with Krishna’s will
Shri Krishna then tells Arjuna that everybody on the battlefield is going to get destroyed, except for the Pandavas.
This is a message to Arjuna that the Lord does not need him to destroy anybody on this battlefield as their destruction is already certain as the Lord has willed to wipe out wickedness from the world.
Now, if the death of all these warriors was already guaranteed, then why should Arjun fight? That is a very logical question and Shree Krishna explains this in the next verse 11.33.
Therefore, arise and attain fame and honor! Conquer your foes and enjoy the prosperous kingdom. Consider all these warriors already slain by Me. You will only be an instrument of My work, O expert archer.
Krishna refers to Arjuna here as Savyasācī, which means the expert archer and in Arjuna’s case, it also means the one who can shoot arrows with both hands.
By calling Arjuna Savyasācī, Shri Krishna is reminding Arjuna about his prowess, and to use it to fulfill his svadharma (personal duty) as a Kshatriya (warrior). Arjuna is told to act without attachment, knowing that the outcome is already decided by the divine will. His actions on the battlefield, though significant in the human realm, are a small part of a grander cosmic plan orchestrated by Krishna.
Krishna’s message is clear: the outcome is not in Arjuna’s hands, but performing his duty is. By participating in the battle, Arjuna is aligning himself with the divine will and ensuring that he is on the side of dharma.
Krishna’s instruction to Arjuna to rise and fight is not just about winning a battle; it is a profound spiritual teaching about the nature of duty, the illusion of doership, and the importance of aligning with the divine will. By seeing himself as an instrument of the Lord, Arjuna can transcend his fears and attachments, and fulfill his role in the cosmic order.
Death is certain, victory and defeat is not
Death is always a certainty for everyone, we just don’t know when it will come. Shakespeare famously quoted that “Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once”.
Sri Krishna’s message is always strengthening and purifying. He has repeatedly given the message of the need to be fearless and strong under all circumstances.
Another message here for us is that the right action at the right time leads to victory, prosperity and blessedness.
Shri Krishna has already explained that the killing of great warriors like Drona and Bhishma is not going to incur any sin as they were fighting on the side of Adharma. However, it is not easy if not impossible for anyone to kill them. For, Drona is the guru of Arjuna and in possession of divine weapons which cannot be beaten. And Bhishma has the benefit of a boon by which death cannot approach without his own permission. Defeating Karna is also not a trivial task. He is armed with ‘Sakti’ , a deadly weapon given to him by Lord Indra. There is no escape for that man against whom this weapon is used. And Karna is determined to use it on Arjuna.
Under these circumstances, the fear in Arjuna’s mind was understandable. However, Arjuna had Krishna Himself on his side. ‘When God is with us, who can be against us? And when God is not with us, who can save us?’. We all need to keep this in mind while facing the various struggles and battles in our lives.
This applies to our spiritual lives as well. We often get discouraged and disheartened when we find ourselves incapable of removing the negative qualities of anger, greed, envy, lust, pride, etc. Under these circumstances, we should again remember Krishna’s teachings. We should not be dejected. We should not give up. We have to keep fighting and we will eventually conquer these inner enemies of our mind because God wants us to succeed. Although we will succeed by God’s grace, our efforts will be the instrument.
Arjuna, after seeing the vishwarupa was already in fear and now after hearing Krishna’s proclamation that He was the Lord of time and He will destroy all these warriors, Arjuna becomes more fearful and also develops a deep humility and devotion towards Krishna. He bows down to Krishna, addresses him as Hrishikesha, meaning ‘the master of the senses’, and says:
O Hrishikesha, 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 in all directions.
Let us take the example of a sharp knife. For a criminal who only knows about violence, this knife would look very fearful. For a master chef who knows all the benefits of using a sharp knife, the same knife would look respectful and dear. Similarly, the demons could feel only fear at the sight of the scary Vishwarupa, whereas the perfected souls felt respect and devotion.
As someone rightly said, “We see the world the way we are, not the way the world is”.
Arjuna then wonders why shouldn’t all living beings offer their humble respects to the Supreme Lord, when the entire Universe is created by Him, sustained by Him, and shall merge back into Him.
In the next few verses, Arjuna will continue to glorify Krishna
Hare Krishna!
kṛṣṇadaasa
(Servant of Krishna)