BG 11.43 — Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga

Bhagavad Gītā 11.43Chapter 11 · Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga · Krishna → Arjuna · triṣṭubh

पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य त्वमस्य पूज्यश् च गुरुर् गरीयान् ।

न त्वत्समो ऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतो ऽन्यो लोकत्रये ऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव ॥

pitāsi lokasya carācarasya

tvam asya pūjyaś ca gurur garīyān

na tvat-samo 'sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto 'nyo

loka-traye 'py apratima-prabhāva

spokensingle-voice recital; rendered via IndicF5 conditioned on a Sanskrit reference clip

meaning

You are the father of all that moves and does not move in this world, its greatest teacher and its most worthy object of worship. No one in the three worlds equals you, and none could exceed you, O Lord of incomparable power.

ekras · bhāṣya

Arjuna names the supreme position. — even in the three worlds, apratima-prabhava. Five superlatives come in a row: pita, pujya, guru, gariyas, apratima-prabhava. The disciple lays out Krishna's incomparable standing.

Shankara reads each precisely. Pita — father — of the world of moving and unmoving. Pujya — worthy of worship. Guru — teacher. Gariyas — most exalted. Apratima-prabhava — of incomparable power. None is samah — equal — to Krishna; the question kutah anyah abhyadhikah — where would another, greater, be? — is rhetorical. In the three worlds, none is found.

Madhusudana reads with characteristic precision: the verse formally establishes Krishna's apratima — incomparable — standing across the cosmos. Each predicate is doctrinally anchored; none can be filled by any other.

Ramanuja reads with characteristic warmth: Bhagavan as pita, pujya, guru, gariyas — each is the fitting name for the relation that the disciple now sees.

Madhva reads on the bheda-frame: Hari is svatantra; no paratantra is sama or abhyadhika.

Vallabha reads through pushti-marga: each predicate is the prasada's unique source.

Shridhara reads cleanly: father, worship-worthy, teacher, exalted, incomparable.

Context

where

Chapter 11 · Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga · meter triṣṭubh

who speaks

Krishna → Arjuna

preceded by — BG 11.42

For teasing you in play, at rest, at meals, and in travel, whether alone or in front of others who laughed along, forgive me, Acyuta, whose greatness I could not fathom.

What's going on

Sūtras through this verse (46)

AbhinavaguptaclassicalB

Recognition, not additionbetween

11.1Now: experience what was taught.───→here11.43───→11.55See the world as Śiva's own body.

RāmānujaclassicalB

The śāstra is one bracket (2.12 → 18.66)between

11.1Arjuna confirms the bracket from inside.───→here11.43───→18.66The teaching closes with one command.

VallabhaclassicalA

Two paths — rule-bound and grace-onlybetween

10.14Faith comes only from the Lord's own giving.───→here11.43───→11.55Grace-soul acts only when the Lord wills.

show all 46

AbhinavaguptaclassicalC

Vision is the structural centerbetween

11.8The eye is given, never earned by work.───→here11.43───→11.49Cosmic returns to gracious; ananya means non-dual.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalD

Avatāra: appearance without departurebetween

9.4He pervades, yet is not in any of it.───→here11.43───→11.46Cosmic and gracious one self-luminous.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalG

Saṃvit: one referent under many namesbetween

11.34Consciousness itself swallows the cosmos.───→here11.43───→12.5Every 'Me' from Krishna is Śiva-consciousness speaking.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalH

Bhakti as non-dual recognitionbetween

9.22Consciousness tending its own self-knowing modes.───→here11.43───→11.49Ananya bhakti is non-dual recognition.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalI

Anugraha: grace as the active powerbetween

11.35By grace-nature, the secret discloses itself.───→here11.43───→18.62Peace by grace — never by accumulation of work.

RāmānujaclassicalC

Three ṣaṭkas (1–6 / 7–12 / 13–18)between

11.1The aiśvarya-delusion now to be removed.───→here11.43───→12.1Sa-guṇa or nir-guṇa, which path wins?

RāmānujaclassicalD

Karma-yoga as kainkarya (worship)between

9.27Whatever you do, do it as offering.───→here11.43───→11.55Five clauses, one shelter: mat-karma-kṛt.

RāmānujaclassicalE

Bhakti as continuous recollectionbetween

10.10I give the buddhi-yoga to those who love.───→here11.43───→11.54Undivided love beholds it.

RāmānujaclassicalH

Prapatti / śaraṇāgati — universal upāyabetween

9.32Even the lowest birth reaches Me through this.───→here11.43───→11.55Five clauses for the one who is Mine.

RāmānujaclassicalI

Vibhūti as evidence for antaryāminbetween

11.13Arjuna sees all at once.───→here11.43───→13.2The whole vibhūti clinches sāmānādhikaraṇya.

RāmānujaclassicalJ

Śeṣa-śeṣī · pati-vrata similebetween

9.34Set toward Me, the seeker's whole posture.───→here11.43───→11.55He is the one telos.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalE

Field and field-knower as Parameśvaraapproach

───→here11.43───→13.1One knower in every field — Parameśvara.

RāmānujaclassicalK

Tri-guṇa diagnostic for the bhaktaapproach

───→here11.43───→13.20Both natures cause the body's binding.

AbhinavaguptaclassicalA

Knowing and acting are one powerexit

11.34Already slain — the question is finally retired.───→here11.43───→

Madhusūdanaclassicalmadhusudan_bhagavad_arpana

Madhusudan Bhagavad Arpanabetween · other

9.22Yogakshema as offering returned───→here11.43───→11.55Five offering-clauses

MadhusūdanaclassicalD

Offer the act to the Lord and it stops bindingbetween

9.22The undivided ones the Lord himself sustains.───→here11.43───→11.55The whole Gītā distilled to five offering-clauses.

MadhusūdanaclassicalE

Devotion is how knowing actually arrivesbetween

9.22Constant thought of Me is self-contemplation itself.───→here11.43───→11.55The five-clause crystal is bhakti named whole.

MadhusūdanaclassicalF

Every middle chapter opens with a bow to the teacherbetween

11.1I worship the unborn, the self-luminous teacher.───→here11.43───→11.55With awe I praise him, Kāśirāja, my teacher.

MadhusūdanaclassicalH

Krishna with form is the ground beneath formless Brahmanbetween

10.8From Me everything flows; wise ones know this and worship.───→here11.43───→11.55The crystal verse names the saguṇa in absolute form.

MadhusūdanaclassicalK

Arjuna's grief has two roots, not onebetween

11.1Arjuna marks the universal moha cured.───→here11.43───→18.73Confusion gone, memory gained — the cure complete.

JayatīrthaclassicalC

Refuting Śaṅkara-style readings, named or unnamedbetween

11.16Aneka- is not just two-or-more.───→here11.43───→13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not just utterance.

JayatīrthaclassicalE

Vishnu-sarvottamatva read into apparently neutral wordsbetween

11.16Many-armed is Viṣṇu, not a pantheon.───→here11.43───→12.1Beyond avyakta is puruṣa, and Viṣṇu.

JayatīrthaclassicalF

Bhakti-tāratamya: gradation among devotees, gradation in fruitbetween

9.25Each worship reaches its own destination.───→here11.43───→11.55Five-clause sādhana names the apex.

JayatīrthaclassicalG

Citation as proof — śruti, smṛti, MB, Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pañcarātrabetween

11.16Aṣṭādhyāyī 5.4.78 settles aneka-.───→here11.43───→15.1Aṣṭādhyāyī 3.2.4 settles aśvattha.

JayatīrthaclassicalI

Lakṣaṇā-control — literal preferred when availablebetween

11.16Aneka- means many; no upacāra needed.───→here11.43───→13.5Brahma-sūtra is text, not paraphrase.

VallabhaclassicalB

Grace alone — the technical markbetween

9.32The unsheltered take shelter and reach Me.───→here11.43───→11.54Undivided love — sādhana stripped, grace-clothed.

VallabhaclassicalG

The Lord plays — calf-affection, not contractbetween

9.32The unsheltered run to their cowherd-Lord.───→here11.43───→11.54The form revealed is Krishna in blue, not abstract.

VallabhaclassicalH

Stilling the mind — into the Lordbetween

6.47Stilling the mind into Vāsudeva — not into nothing.───→here11.43───→11.54Vision opens only to the love-stilled mind.

VallabhaclassicalI

A closed three-source citation gridbetween

9.32Even the unsheltered reach the highest goal.───→here11.43───→11.54Bhāgavata + Brahmasūtra fuse at the vision-verse.

VallabhaclassicalJ

Strategic silence — pointers, not absencesbetween

11.21The cosmic-form catalogue is bracketed.───→here11.43───→11.45The frame, not the catalogue, carries the doctrine.

ŚrīdharaclassicalB

The Lord descends out of compassionstation

───→here11.43───→

ŚrīdharaclassicalC

Devotion is both the way and the homebetween

9.34Mind on Me, bowed to Me — you reach Me.───→here11.43───→11.54By undivided love alone — knowable, seen.

ŚrīdharaclassicalH

The grammar of single-pointednessbetween

9.22The undivided are my one foundation.───→here11.43───→11.54Undivided love alone unlocks the world-form.

ŚrīdharaclassicalD

The path that turns no one awayexit

9.32Women, śūdras, all, also reach the goal.───→here11.43───→

VedāntadeśikaclassicalB

Prapatti — bhakti's access for those the long path defeatsbetween

9.34Mind on Me, devoted — you reach Me.───→here11.43───→11.54Bhakti without rival is the seeing-instrument.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalF

Saṅgati — anticipation-and-resolutionbetween

9.1Chapter 7's residue of wonder forces 9's disclosure.───→here11.43───→11.54The saguṇa-bhakta privileged ahead of 12.1.

VedāntadeśikaclassicalJ

Sañjaya's frame — evidentiary, not ornamentalbetween

1.2Dṛṣṭvā tu — Sañjaya speaks to be heard later.───→here11.43───→11.50Sañjaya names the viśva-rūpa as witness.

Ekrasmodernbhakti

Bhakti — devotion pathbetween · v2

9.30Even the wrong-doer───→here11.43───→11.54Only by undivided bhakti

RamsukhdasclassicalF

Surrender — the single shelterbetween

9.30Even a great wrongdoer, fixed on Me, is good.───→here11.43───→11.55Five clauses join into one shelter.

Ramsukhdasclassical

Sādhaka Sañjīvanī commentary at this versebetween

───→here11.43───→

Ekrasmodernforgiveness

Forgivenessapproach · other

───→here11.43───→12.13Friendly, compassionate

Gauravmodernkarma_yoga_hand

Karma Yoga Handbetween

11.32Wrist, kalai. Kala, time. 'Kalo'smi loka-kshaya-krit pravriddhah.' Gaurav arrive───→here11.43───→18.47Pointing finger. Svadharma. 'Shreyan svadharmo vigunah para-dharmat svanushthita

ŚaṅkaraclassicalH

The Lord is friend of every beingbetween

10.42With one part I pervade this whole world, and stand.───→here11.43───→11.55Acting for Me, holding Me supreme — that is the road.

Śabda · lemmas (19 unique · 22 occurrences)

लोकस्य·लोक loka ×2 — world, realm; people · genitive masculine singular noun / compound
चराचरस्य carācara — moving and unmoving (cara + acara); all creation · genitive neuter singular noun
पिता pitṛ — father; ancestor; the pitṛs (manes) · nominative masculine singular noun
अस्य idam — this (proximal demonstrative) · genitive neuter singular noun
गरीयान् garīyas — heavier, weightier, more venerable (compar. of guru) · nominative masculine singular noun
त्वम्·त्वद् tvad ×2 — you (2nd person pronoun stem) · nominative singular noun / compound · also at 1.1, 2.33, 3.41, 4.4, 4.35, 6.31 +10
अभ्यधिकः abhyadhika — superior, exceeding (abhi- + adhika) · nominative masculine singular noun

show all 19

असि·अस्ति √as ×2 — to be (verbal root) · present indicative 2nd person singular verb / present indicative 3rd person singular verb
पूज्यः pūjay — to worship, honor (denom. from pūjā) · nominative masculine singular gdv noun
च ca — and; (homonym: also the consonant ca)
गुरुः guru — teacher, weighty one; the guru · nominative masculine singular noun
न na — not (negation particle)
समः sama — equal, same, even-minded · nominative masculine singular noun
कुतस् kutas — from where? whence?
अन्यः anya — other, different · nominative masculine singular noun
त्रये traya — triad, threefold · locative neuter singular noun
अपि api — also, even, although
अप्रतिम apratima — incomparable (a- + pratima) · compound
प्रभाव prabhāva — (pra- + bhāva: being) · vocative masculine singular noun

Praśna · so what (7)

01If Kṛṣṇa is simultaneously father, guru, and the one with no equal, what does it mean for a student to disagree with or question such a teacher — is intellectual independence compatible with this kind of veneration?
02The verse claims no equal exists 'even in the three worlds' — does this statement function differently for a monist (Advaita), a dualist (Dvaita), and a relational theist (Viśiṣṭādvaita), and what does each school's answer reveal about the underlying ontology?

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03Vallabha's Arjuna calls himself prākṛta (a being caught in natural limitation) while asking forgiveness — when is self-description as limited an act of genuine humility, and when is it a way of avoiding responsibility?
04Madhusūdana insists that incomparability should produce astonishment rather than mere logical assent — what practices or conditions allow a person to move from knowing something intellectually to being genuinely struck by it?
05If the guru is garīyān (heavier, weightier) than all other teachers, how should a student navigate the real possibility of contradictory guidance from different lineages, each claiming to represent this same ultimate source?
06The verse locates Kṛṣṇa's supremacy partly in his role as śāstropadeṣṭā (teacher behind all scripture) — does this make scripture more authoritative or less, given that the living source stands behind and beyond any particular text?
07Śaṅkara argues uniqueness from logical necessity (two sovereigns would break worldly transaction) — is this a satisfying ground for devotion, or does devotion require something more than logical compulsion?

Vyavahāra · try it in your life

Advaita

When a team looks to you as 'the authority,' recognize that the authority people seek is not the individual ego but the single coherent ground of the project — two sovereigns really do break transaction, so the practical discipline is to eliminate the second voice inside yourself (the one performing authority) and let the work's own logic speak.

Viśiṣṭādvaita

In a mentorship relationship, the quality that makes a guide irreplaceable is not knowledge alone but kāruṇya — the quality of care that holds the student's growth as its own purpose; when you find yourself comparing mentors, ask not who knows more but who genuinely holds you as their concern.

show all 6

Dvaita

In any institution or family, the hierarchy that actually functions is the one where roles are clearly distinct and never confused — the parent is not the child's peer, the teacher is not the student's friend in every register; honoring permanent relational distinctions is not rigidity but the structure that makes real dependence and real support possible.

Śuddhādvaita

When you have acted thoughtlessly toward someone who has given you everything — a parent, a lifelong mentor, the tradition that formed you — the Puṣṭi-mārga move is not self-flagellation but the simple acknowledgment 'I acted as a prākṛta being; I am asking for kṣamā'; the asking itself, not the guilt, is the reset.

Bhakti

Śrīdhara's philological care suggests a practical discipline: before speaking about someone's greatness, earn the right to the vocabulary — 'unmatched' means no comparison, so if you find yourself reaching for the next superlative, stop and ask whether you have actually exhausted measurement or are simply escalating; genuine praise is precise.

Advaita-Bhakti

Madhusūdana's synthesis points at the difference between knowing a fact and being struck by it — you can know your parent gave you everything and remain unmoved, or one ordinary moment can suddenly make it vivid; the discipline is not to manufacture the astonishment but to remain available to it, to not let familiarity close the aperture.

Adhiṣṭhāna · substrate signature

substratev2.6-frozen

parserByT5-Sanskrit-multitask (Nehrdich/Hellwig/Keutzer EMNLP 2024)

mūlaBelvalkar critical edition (BORI 1947), via Ambuda multi-witness

show all metadata

weightsa=1 · b=0.01 · e_v=0.005 · z=0.2 · h=0 · th=0.01

anchorfit on Ramsukhdas's Sādhak Sañjīvanī (1980), frozen across the eight-commentator panel; cross-validated R@4 = 71.6% on Śaṅkara

extracted2026-04-21

methodPaper 1, Section II.B

↓ view raw per-verse object (JSON)↗ per-verse-object schema ↗ substrate code (MIT) + data (CC-BY 4.0)

The schema generalizes to any bounded-polysemy corpus with discrete primary text units, attested witness traditions, identifiable schools, and formal substrate. Port the per-verse object; refit weights on a domain-appropriate Layer-3 anchor; ship.

Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 11, Verse 43: Krishna to Arjuna — Viśvarūpa-Darśana-Yoga