Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 36

Chapter 11 – Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga · Speaker: Arjuna

Sanskrit verse

अर्जुन उवाच ।
स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्या
जगत्प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च ।
रक्षांसि भीतानि दिशो द्रवन्ति
सर्वे नमस्यन्ति च सिद्धसङ्घाः ॥

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca .
sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā jagatprahṛṣyatyanurajyate ca .
rakṣāṃsi bhītāni diśo dravanti sarve namasyanti ca siddhasaṅghāḥ ॥

Meaning

Arjuna said: It is fitting, O Hrishikesha, that the world rejoices and is filled with love in glorifying You; the demons flee in terror in every direction, and all the hosts of the perfected ones bow before You.

Word meanings

स्थाने – it is fitting, rightly
हृषीकेश – O Lord of the senses (Krishna)
तव – Your
प्रकीर्त्या – by the praise, by the glorification
जगत् – the world
प्रहृष्यति – rejoices greatly
अनुरज्यते – is drawn in love
च – and
रक्षांसि – demons, rakshasas
भीतानि – frightened
दिशः – to the quarters
द्रवन्ति – flee
सर्वे – all
नमस्यन्ति – bow down
सिद्धसङ्घाः – hosts of the perfected ones

Anvaya (word order)

अर्जुनः उवाच — हृषीकेश, तव प्रकीर्त्या जगत् प्रहृष्यति अनुरज्यते च (इति) स्थाने; भीतानि रक्षांसि दिशः द्रवन्ति, सर्वे सिद्धसङ्घाः च नमस्यन्ति ।

Explanation

Here begins Arjuna’s hymn, which runs to verse 46. Its very first word deserves attention: ‘sthane’, it is fitting. Arjuna is no longer merely terrified by the vision; he has understood that what is happening is right. When the Supreme Lord is the origin, support and end of all, it is only natural that the world rejoices and is drawn to Him in love when His glory is sung.

Arjuna addresses Him as ‘Hrishikesha’, Lord of the senses. The verse paints two opposite responses: on one side the world and the hosts of siddhas are full of joy, love and reverence; on the other, the demons scatter in terror to every quarter. The same Lord is a source of bliss for the good and a cause of fear for the wicked. In 4.8 the Lord said He comes to protect the good and to destroy evil-doers; this verse is that truth made visible. Shankara explains that the Lord is the Self of all and the friend of every being, so joy in praising Him is fitting; and He is the guardian of dharma, so the unrighteous fear Him.

Ramanuja sees in this verse a change in Arjuna’s vision: he now begins to recognise the Lord’s compassion and auspicious nature even within His fierce form. For Madhva, the word ‘sthane’ establishes that praise of the Lord is the highest praise, because He alone is supreme. This journey from fear to praise is the very path of devotion.

Context

In verse 35 Sanjaya described Arjuna speaking again, trembling and with a choked voice. Here begins Arjuna’s hymn (verses 36–46), in which he extols the Lord, begs forgiveness for his past familiarity as a friend, and finally prays to see the gentle four-armed form again.

Life lesson

The Lord’s name fills good hearts with joy and drives away dark tendencies. A simple way to chase away the ‘demons’ within — fear, anger, greed — is loving remembrance and singing of the Divine.

Key terms

Sthane: it is fitting, rightly so — the opening word of the hymn
Hrishikesha: Lord of the senses — Krishna
Prakirti: glorification, singing of His glory
Siddha-sangha: hosts of perfected beings