Gita : Ch-11. Slo-36.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita :

Chapter-11. ( Visvarupa-darsana-yogam)

Slokam-36.(O Hrshikesa ( Lord Krishna ), 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 here and there. All this is rightly done.)


arjuna uvaca :

sthane  hrshikesa  tava  prakirtya

jagat  prahrshyatyanurajyate  ca,

rakshamsi  bhitani  diso  dravanti

sarve  namasyanti  ca  siddhasanghah.


arjuna uvaca =  Arjuna  said;

hrshikesa  =  O, Lord;

tava  prakirtya  =  chanting  your  glories;

jagat  prahrshyati  =  the  entire  world  rejoicing;

anurajyate  ca  =  becomimg  attached  and  happy;

(tat)  sthane  =  that  is  true  and  right  thing  only;

rakshamsi  bhitani  =  the  demons  out  of  fear;

disah  dravanti  =  fleeing  in  different  directions;

sarve  siddhasanghah  =  all  perfect  persons;

namasyanti  ca  =  offering  respects  too ( do  namaskaram ).


This slokam and the next ten are an eulogy to the glory of Lord Krishna from different and varying perspectives. The word sthane means appropriate and for all beings in every respect the glorification of Lord Krishna is most appropriate. His phenomenal prowess and affection to His devotees in unmatchable. Therefore by heralding the Supreme Lord's glories it is not only Arjuna who is delighted but all creation is delighted and derives great pleasure and this is very proper. The righteous are happily attracted and drawn towards the Supreme Lord and the demoniac become frightened by Him and flee in all directions, while all the hosts of perfected and liberated beings bow down to you and offer salutations. This is most appropriate indeed and there is nothing surprising in these activities.


Lord Krishna is addressed as Hrshikesa meaning the inner controller of the mind and senses. Although Lord Krishna's power is infinite at the same time He has great love for His devotees, this is evidenced by His deigning to be the charioteer of His devotee. The whole creation and all the hosts of heavenly beings including the Devas or demigods, Gandarvas, Yakshas, Kinnaras etc. all rejoice and exult and are filled with love chanting Lord Krishna's holy names, attributes and glories. But the terrified demons in great fear and anxiety are fleeing in all directions, dejected and dismayed. Whereas the hosts of perfected beings who have the power of their penance and acquired Vedic knowledge and attained moksa or liberation from material existence also offer their humble obeisance to you. The word sthane means appropriate and is used to emphasise propriety. Arjuna speaks for 11 slokam-s.


The word sthane means most appropriate. The moon, the sun and fire are all Lord Krishna's vibhuti or divine transcendental opulence and their rays attract the senses of all jivas or embodied beings and enthral them all over creation. In this way He is being addressed as Hrisikesha or the controller of the senses. The characteristics of the rays are directed by the projection of the light. The evidence is seen in Moksa Dharma wwhich having stated that sun and the moon are like His eyes, the presiding power of His divinity over the mind and senses is obvious, especially as He is manifesting as caitanya or the life force within all living beings. Other statements such as: My senses will not succumb to unrighteous behaviour support this as well. In the Moksa Dharma Lord Krishna states: Even through His hair are the sun, moon and fire projected into prakriti or the material substratum pervading all physical existence. Into trillions of universes these suns and moons are projected appearing like rays in the firmament to energise and protect, each rising and setting according to the times allotted them. By such instruction and protection all creation is pleased and by such benevolent activities of unlimited suns and moons He is known as Hrisikesha the origin of creation and the ultimate granter of benedictions.


The word sthane means appropriate or most worthy. Who is most worthy? The Lord Krishna is the most worthy. What is appropriate? It is appropriate that all the hosts of heavenly beings including the Devas or demigods, the Gandharvas, Siddhas, Yakshas, Vidyadharas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas should have come to witness the astounding spectacle of Lord Krishna the Supreme Lord of all displaying Himself by the request of His devotee as charioteer in the battle of Kurukshetra and to appropriately admire His greatness and praise His unmatched compassion to manifest Himself for them to see by His grace and to subsequently rejoice and revel at the phenomenal glory of it all. How could they not anurajyate or feel devotion this way about the Supreme Lord who is their originator and omit to give Him who is worthy of every adulation, full glorification. To the contrary it is also appropriate that the unrighteous raksasas or demons should be dejected, disheartened and fearful, fleeing in all directions.

To be continued  ...