Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Verse 43 — Meaning & Life Application
Sanskrit Shloka (Original)
पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान् | न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्यो लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव ||११-४३||
Transliteration
pitāsi lokasya carācarasya tvamasya pūjyaśca gururgarīyān . na tvatsamo.astyabhyadhikaḥ kuto.anyo lokatraye.apyapratimaprabhāva ||11-43||
Word-by-Word Meaning
📖 Translation
11.43 Thou art the Father of this world, moving and unmoving. Thou art to be adored by this world, Thou, the greatest Guru; (for) none there exists who is eal to Thee; how then could there be another superior to Thee in the three worlds, O Being of unealled power?
।।11.43।। आप इस चराचर जगत् के पिता, पूजनीय और सर्वश्रेष्ठ गुरु हैं। हे अप्रितम प्रभाव वाले भगवन्! तीनों लोकों में आपके समान भी कोई नहीं हैं, तो फिर आपसे अधिक श्रेष्ठ कैसे होगा?।।
How to Apply This Verse in Modern Life
💼 At Work & Career
In your professional life, cultivate humility, understanding that your achievements are part of a larger, divinely ordered system. Seek out the best mentors ('greatest Guru') and foundational principles in your field, always striving for excellence while recognizing there's an ultimate source of all creation and order that underpins your work. This perspective can inspire innovation and resilience, as you align your efforts with fundamental truths.
🧘 For Stress & Anxiety
When overwhelmed by life's complexities and stressors, find solace in acknowledging the Divine as the ultimate Father and benevolent Guide. This fosters a sense of trust and encourages surrendering anxieties that are beyond your control, reducing the burden of feeling solely responsible for every outcome. Placing your struggles within this broader, divinely orchestrated context can provide profound peace and mental stability.
❤️ In Relationships
Apply this understanding to relationships by recognizing and respecting the wisdom of mentors, elders, and those in guiding roles, much like acknowledging the 'greatest Guru' and 'Father'. Cultivate humility in your interactions, understanding that all beings are part of a divinely ordered creation. This fosters harmonious relationships built on mutual respect, guidance, and a recognition of a shared, ultimate source.
When to Chant/Recall This Verse
Solves These Life Problems
Key Message in One Line
“Acknowledge the Divine as the ultimate Father, Guru, and unsurpassed power, finding humility, guidance, and ultimate solace in its supreme order.”
🕉️ Council of Sages
Compare interpretations from revered Acharyas and scholars
🌍 English Interpretations
Swami Sivananda
11.43 पिता Father? असि (Thou) art? लोकस्य of the world? चराचरस्य of the moving and unmoving? त्वम् Thou? अस्य of this? पूज्यः to be reserved? च and? गुरुः the Guru? गरीयान् weightier? न not? त्वत्समः eal to Thee? अस्ति is? अभ्यधिकः surpassing? कुतः whence? अन्यः other? लोकत्रये in the three worlds? अपि also? अप्रतिमप्रभाव O Being of unealled power.Commentary There exists none who is eal to Thee There cannot be two or more Isvaras. If there were? the world will not get on as it does now. All the Isvaras may not be of one mind? as they would all be independent of one another. What one wishes to create? another may wish to destroyWhen there does not exist one who is eal to Thee? how could there be one superior to TheeFather Creator. As the Lord is the creator of this world He is fit to be adored. He is the greatest Guru also. Therefore there is no one who is eal to the Lord.
Shri Purohit Swami
11.43 For Thou art the Father of all things movable and immovable, the Worshipful, the Master of Masters! In all the worlds there is none equal to Thee, how then superior, O Thou who standeth alone, Supreme.
Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
11.43. You are the father of the world of the moving and unmoving; You are the great preceptor of this universe; in the triad of worlds there is no one eal to You-How can there be anyone else superior ? - having greatness not comprehended.
Swami Adidevananda
11.43 You are the father of this world, of all that moves and that does not move. You are its teacher and the one most worthy of reverence. There is none eal to You. How then could there be in the three worlds another greater than You, O Being of matchless greatness?
Swami Gambirananda
11.43 You are the Father of all beings moving and non-moving; to this (world) You are worthy of worship, the Teacher, and greater (than a teacher). There is none eal to You; how at all can there be anyone greater even in all the three worlds, O You or unrivalled power?
🇮🇳 Hindi Interpretations
Swami Chinmayananda
।।11.43।। हम यहाँ देखते हैं कि भावावेश के कारण अवरुद्ध कण्ठ से अर्जुन श्रीकृष्ण के प्रति अत्यादर के साथ कहता है कि आप इस चराचर जगत् के पिता हैं। निसन्देह ही? जाग्रत् स्वप्न? और सुषुप्ति अवस्थाओं के अनुभव लोक भी? आत्मतत्त्व की स्थूल? सूक्ष्म और कारण उपाधियों के द्वारा अभिव्यक्ति से ही विद्यमान प्रतीत होते हैं। उन सबका प्रकाशक आत्मचैतन्य सर्वत्र एक ही है।स्वाभाविक है कि अर्जुन के कथन के अनुसार भगवान् अप्रतिम प्रभाव से सम्पन्न हैं और उनके समान भी जब कोई नहीं है? तो उनसे अधिक श्रेष्ठ कौन हो सकता हैक्योंकि वास्तविकता ऐसी है
Swami Ramsukhdas
।।11.43।। व्याख्या--'पितासी लोकस्य चराचरस्य'--अनन्त ब्रह्माण्डोंमें मनुष्य, शरीर, पशु, पक्षी आदि जितने जङ्गम प्राणी हैं, और वृक्ष, लता आदि जितने स्थावर प्राणी हैं, उन सबको उत्पन्न करनेवाले और उनका पालन करनेवाले पिता भी आप हैं, उनके पूजनीय भी आप हैं तथा उनको शिक्षा देनेवाले महान् गुरु भी आप ही हैं -- 'त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान्।' 'गुरुर्गरीयान्का' तात्पर्य है कि मनुष्यमात्रको व्यवहार और परमार्थमें जहाँ-कहीं भी गुरुजनोंसे शिक्षा मिलती है, उन शिक्षा देनेवाले गुरुओंके भी महान् गुरु आप ही हैं अर्थात् मात्र शिक्षाका, मात्र ज्ञानका उद्गम-स्थान आप ही हैं।'न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्यो लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव'-- इस त्रिलोकीमें जब आपके समान भी कोई नहीं है, कोई होगा नहीं और कोई हो सकता ही नहीं, तब आपसे अधिक विलक्षण कोई हो ही कैसे सकता है? इसलिये आपका प्रभाव अतुलनीय है, उसकी तुलना किसीसे भी नहीं की जा सकती।
Swami Tejomayananda
।।11.43।। आप इस चराचर जगत् के पिता, पूजनीय और सर्वश्रेष्ठ गुरु हैं। हे अप्रितम प्रभाव वाले भगवन्! तीनों लोकों में आपके समान भी कोई नहीं हैं, तो फिर आपसे अधिक श्रेष्ठ कैसे होगा?।।
📜 Sanskrit Commentaries
Sri Madhavacharya
।।11.43।।Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.,
Sri Anandgiri
।।11.43।।वाचनिकं मदीयमपराधजातं त्वया क्षन्तव्यमित्युक्तमिदानीं मदीयोऽपराधो न त्वया गृहीतव्यो गृहतोऽपि सोढव्य इत्याह -- यत इति। गुणाधिक्यात्पूजार्हत्वं धर्मात्मज्ञानसंप्रदायप्रवर्तकत्वेन शिक्षयितृत्वाद्गुरुत्वं गुरूणामपि सूत्रादीनां गुरुत्वाद्गरीयस्त्वं तदेव प्रश्नद्वारा साधयति -- कस्मादिति। ईश्वरान्तरं तुल्यं भविष्यतीत्याशङ्क्याह -- नहीति। ईश्वरभेदे प्रत्येकं स्वातन्त्र्यात्तदैकमत्ये हेत्वभावान्नानामतित्वे चैकस्य सिसृक्षायामन्यस्य संजिहीर्षासंभवाद्व्यवहारलोपादयुक्तमीश्वरनानात्वमित्यर्थः। अभ्यधिकासत्त्वं कैमुतिकन्यायेन दर्शयति -- त्वत्सम इति। तत्र हेतुमवतार्य व्याकरोति -- अप्रतिमेत्यादिना।
Sri Vallabhacharya
।।11.43।।पिताऽसीति। पूज्यो गुरुश्चेति सात्त्विकोऽश्वमेधे राजसूये च विदितस्त्वं सात्त्विकधर्माणां त्वयि निरूपितत्व��त्तथाभूतं त्वां जानन् क्षमापयेऽहं प्राकृतः।
Sridhara Swami
।।11.43।।अचिन्त्यप्रभावमेवाह -- पितेति। न विद्यते उपमा यस्य सोऽप्रतिमः तथाविधः प्रभावो यस्य तव हे अप्रतिमप्रभाव? त्वमस्य चराचरस्य लोकस्य पिता जनकोऽसि। अतएव पूज्यश्च गुरुश्च गुरोरपि गरीयान् गुरुतरः अतो लोकत्रयेऽपि त्वत्सम एव तावदन्यो नास्ति परमेश्वरस्यान्यस्याभावात्? त्वत्तोऽभ्यधिकः पुनः कुतः स्यात्।