Bhagavad Gita 11.37
Spoken by Arjuna · Verse 37 of 55 · Arjuna's Journey
कस्माच्च ते न नमेरन्महात्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे। अनन्त देवेश जगन्निवास त्वमक्षरं सदसत्तत्परं यत् ॥
kasmācca te na nameranmahātman garīyase brahmaṇo'pyādikartre| ananta deveśa jagannivāsa tvamakṣaraṃ sadasattatparaṃ yat ||
Why should they not bow? Greater than Brahmā — You are the Infinite Imperishable, Being, Non-Being, the Supreme Beyond!
Word by word (3)
- garīyase brahmaṇo'py ādikartre
- — greater than even Brahmā, the first creator · Garīyase = O greater one / the greater (dative/vocative of garīyas, comparative of guru = heavy/great; garīyas = heavier, greater). Brahmaṇaḥ api = even than Brahmā (brahmaṇaḥ = genitive of Brahmā = the creator-god, the first being; api = even — the 'even' is key: Brahmā is the highest created being; Krishna/Viṣṇu is GREATER than even Brahmā). Ādikartre = to the first creator (ādi = first; kartṛ = maker). Theologically: the Gita establishes a clear hierarchy — Brahman/Krishna/Viṣṇu > Brahmā > all other devas. The creator-god himself is a created being relative to the Absolute.
- tvam akṣaraṃ sad-asat tat paraṃ yat
- — You are the Imperishable; the Being and Non-Being; and That Supreme which is beyond both · Akṣaram = the Imperishable (a + kṣara = non-diminishing; kṣara = that which perishes, diminishes — all manifest things are kṣara; akṣara = the undiminishing Absolute). Sat = Being (manifest existence, that which is); asat = Non-Being (unmanifest, non-existence, that which is not yet or no longer manifest). Tat param yat = that Supreme which (is beyond even sat-asat = the Absolute that transcends the being/non-being duality). This is the full Upaniṣadic spectrum: Brahman as both the manifest (sat) and unmanifest (asat) and the transcendent beyond both (tat param). Compare V9.19 (sadasac cāham arjuna = I am Being and Non-Being) and V13.12 (asat iti ucyate = called neither being nor non-being).
- ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa
- — O Infinite, O Lord of Gods, O Abode of the Universe! · Three vocatives in one phrase: ananta (infinite, endless — an + anta = without end) + deveśa (O Lord of Gods — same as V11.25's prasīda deveśa; the petition-epithet is now used in praise) + jagan-nivāsa (O Abode of the Universe — same as V11.25's jagan-nivāsa). V37 takes the SAME two epithets from V25's desperate petition (prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa) and uses them now in confident praise. The same form that was petitioned from terror (V25) is now praised from understanding (V37). The terror has been processed into recognition.
Arjuna poses a rhetorical question: why should any being not bow to the One who is greater than Brahmā himself, the first creator? He then declares the philosophical titles: Imperishable, Being, Non-Being, and the Supreme that transcends both.
A modern analogy
Like acknowledging that the Source of all intelligence is greater than any individual intelligence — greater than the most brilliant mind, greater than the creator of the greatest system. Once you see the Source, bowing is simply the natural response to what is greater.
Sit with this: Here Arjuna sees that Krishna is greater than even Brahmā (the creator-god) AND is both Being AND Non-Being AND what is beyond both. How do you personally relate to an entity that simultaneously IS everything, ISN'T everything, and transcends both? Does that help or hinder your connection to the Divine?
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
And how should they not, O Mighty Being, bow to Thee, Greater than all else, the Primal Cause even of Brahma, O Infinite Being, O Lord of Gods, O Abode of the Universe; Thou art the Imperishable, the Being and the non-Being, That which is the Supreme. [1]
And why should they not, O Great-souled One, bow to Thee, greater than, and the Primal Cause of even Brahma, O Infinite Being, O Lord of the Devas, O Abode of the universe? Thou art the Imperishable, the Being and the non-Being, (as well as) That which is Beyond (them). [4]
How should they not proclaim Thy Majesties, Divinest, Mightiest? Thou Brahm, than Brahma greater! Thou Infinite Creator! Thou God of gods, Life's Dwelling-place and Rest! [7]
And why should not these great souls bow down to thee, O mighty Being, who art the first creator, greater even than Brahma, the Infinite, the Lord of the devas, the Abode of the universe? Thou art the Imperishable, the Entity and non-Entity and what is the Supreme. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
I give heat, withhold and release rain — I am immortality and death, being and non-being, O Arjuna.
Tusked mouths blazing like fires of Time — losing all direction, all peace; be gracious, O Deveśa, O World's Abode!
Constant Self-enquiry + seeing the goal of true knowledge = THIS IS JÑĀNA; all else is ignorance.
You are the Imperishable, the Supreme — Refuge of all, undying Guardian of Eternal Dharma, Ancient Puruṣa.
I taught this imperishable yoga to the sun-god at the dawn of time — it has been passed down through kings ever since.
Brahman is the Imperishable; Adhyātma is its presence in each body; Karma is the cosmic offering sustaining all beings.
Verse 37 of 55 · back to Chapter 11