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BG 4.11 — 4.11 In whatever way men approach Me even so do I reward them; My path do men tread in all ways, O Arjuna.
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ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् |
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ||४-११||

ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham . mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||4-11||


4.11 In whatever way men approach Me even so do I reward them; My path do men tread in all ways, O Arjuna.

Word-by-word meanings

4.11 ये who? यथा in whatever way? माम् Me? प्रपद्यन्ते approach? तान् them? तथा so? एव even? भजामि reward? अहम् I? मम My? वर्त्म path? अनुवर्तन्ते follow? मनुष्याः men? पार्थ O Partha? सर्वशः in all ways.Commentary I reward men by bestowing on them the objects they desire in accordance with their ways and the motives with which they seek Me. If anyone worships Me with selfish motives I grant him the objects he desires. If he worships Me unselfishly for attaining knowledge of the Self? I grant hi

Commentaries

Non-dualism. The individual self and Brahman are one. The world is appearance (maya). Liberation through knowledge.

Sri Shankaracharya

4.11 Yatha, according to the manner in which, the purpose for which, seeking, whatever fruit; prapadyante, they approach; mam, Me; aham, I; bhajami, favour; tan, them; tatha eva, in that very manner, by granting that fruit. This is the idea. For they are not seekers of Liberation. It is certainly impossible for the same person to be a seeker of Liberation and, at the same time, a seeker of rewards (of actions). Therefore, by granting fruits to those who hanker after fruits; by granting Knowledge to those who follow what has been stated (in the scriptures) and are seekers of Liberation, but do not hanker after rewards; and by granting Liberation to those who are men of wisdom and are monks aspiring for Liberation; and so also by removing the miseries of those who suffer- in these ways I favour them just according to the manner, in which they approach Me. This is the meaning. On the other hand, I do not favour anybody out of love or aversion, or out of delusion. Under all circumstances, O son of Prtha, manusyah, human beings; anuvartante, follow; sarvasah, in every way; mama, My; vartma, path, [The paths characterized by Knowledge and by action (rites and duties).] the path of God who am omnipresent. By 'human beings' are meant those people who become engaged in their respective duties to which they are alified according to the results they seek. 'If Your wish to be favourable is the same towards all creatures on account of the absence of the defects of love and aversion in You who are God, and You are there with Your capacity to grant all rewards, why then do not all, becoming desirous of Liberation, take refuge in You alone with the very knowledge that Vasudeva is everything?' As to that, hear the reason for this:

(Showing excerpt)

Swami Gambirananda

4.11 According to the manner in which they approach Me, I favour them in that very manner. O son of Partha, human beings follow My path in every way.

This interpretation draws on the Advaita tradition and may not represent the view of any single school. For authoritative guidance within a specific tradition, seek a qualified teacher.

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