Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11, Verse 4 (BG 11.4) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

In the previous verse, the desire expressed has been repeated here with complete humility and reverence. In our ordinary practical life too, do we not employ such language when we make respectful prayers or humble requests? For instance: "If I may be permitted to speak?" "It would be a great favour upon me?" "I have been granted the fortune to present..." and so forth. The Pandava prince Arjuna, as it were, having reconsidered, now abandons his earlier military language and makes a humble request, saying: "If you deem me worthy, then grant me the vision of your imperishable form." The humility and reverence displayed here is not a false show of emotion to fulfill some base desire. This becomes evident from the very epithets Arjuna uses in addressing the Lord. In the first line, Arjuna addresses the Lord as "Prabhu" (Master), and then as "Yogeshvara" (Lord of Yoga). This indicates that Arjuna has now come to believe that Sri Krishna is not merely a human being who is capable only of providing intellectual satisfaction or spiritual discourse to his disciple. He has understood that Sri Krishna is himself the Lord—the Supreme Being—and the Lord of Yoga. Therefore, if He perceives that His disciple Arjuna would benefit from the vision of the cosmic form, He is entirely capable of fulfilling that desire. When a worthy and qualified disciple makes a humble request of a true guru, it is never left unheeded by the guru. Therefore...