manyase yadi tach chhakyaṁ mayā draṣhṭum iti prabho
yogeśhvara tato me tvaṁ darśhayātmānam avyayam
manyase — you think;
yadi — if;
tat — that;
śhakyam — possible;
mayā — by me;
draṣhṭum — to behold;
iti — thus;
prabho — Lord;
yoga-īśhvara — Lord of all mystic powers;
tataḥ — then;
me — to me;
tvam — you;
darśhaya — reveal;
ātmānam — yourself;
avyayam — imperishable
In this verse, Arjuna, who is speaking to Krishna, is asking for a big favor. He wants to see Krishna’s special, cosmic form. Let’s break this down.
First, Arjuna knows that seeing Krishna in His full glory, as a cosmic being, is not something everyone can do. Our normal eyes can’t see Him as He really is. We often see things based on our limited understanding and senses. It’s like trying to explain a beautiful symphony to someone who has never heard music before; they just can’t grasp how wonderful it is.
Arjuna recognizes that he is just a tiny part of the vast universe, like a little spark in a big fire. He understands that as a human being, he has limitations. He cannot fully understand or see the Supreme Lord (Krishna) just by using his mind or senses. To see Krishna as He truly is, one needs a special kind of vision or insight.
This is where Krishna's role as 'Yogesvara,' or the Lord of Yoga, comes into play. Krishna has amazing divine powers, and He can choose to show Himself to anyone He wishes, as long as they are devoted to Him. Arjuna is not demanding to see this form; he is asking humbly and sincerely. A big part of being able to connect with the divine is that you need to approach it with love and surrender, not just through thoughts or commands.
Arjuna’s humility is important here. He realizes that he won’t see Krishna’s cosmic form just by thinking really hard or using clever ideas. Instead, it needs to happen through Krishna’s grace. This means that if Krishna wants to reveal that part of Himself, Arjuna would see it because he has given himself fully to Krishna through devotion.
So, Arjuna's request to Krishna is infused with respect and recognition of Krishna's immense power and position. It’s like a child asking a parent for help and understanding that the parent has the ability to give what they ask for, but only if it’s right and means something.
In summary, this verse highlights the relationship between humility, devotion, and the limits of human understanding when it comes to the divine. It teaches us that to truly understand something beyond ourselves, we must approach it with humility and a loving heart, trusting that if it’s meant to be, we will be shown the way.