śhrī bhagavān uvācha
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava chārjuna
tānyahaṁ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṁ vettha parantapa
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha — the Supreme Lord said;
bahūni — many;
me — of mine;
vyatītāni — have passed;
janmāni — births;
tava — of yours;
cha — and;
arjuna — Arjun;
tāni — them;
aham — I;
veda — know;
sarvāṇi — all;
na — not;
tvam — you;
vettha — know;
parantapa — Arjun, the scorcher of foes
In this verse, Lord Krishna is talking to Arjuna about the many lives they have both lived. He tells Arjuna that they have had many births together in the past, but while Krishna remembers everything from those lives, Arjuna does not. This is important because it shows a key difference between Krishna, who is the Supreme Being, and Arjuna, who, despite being a brave warrior, is still a regular person with limitations.
To understand this better, imagine how we forget things from our past, like events or names, as we grow older. As human beings, when we are born into a new life, we usually forget everything from our previous lives. On the other hand, Krishna, as the Supreme Lord, does not forget. He is always aware, and his memory is perfect because he does not change or lose his identity like humans do.
The scripture mentions that both the Lord and his devoted followers, like Arjuna, exist through countless lives. Whenever the Lord appears on Earth, his close companions, who have been with him in different forms, also come along to help him. Arjuna is one of those companions. So, when Krishna previously shared the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita with the sun-god Vivasvan, Arjuna was also there, but he does not remember that experience.
This shows that while Arjuna is a very special devotee and has a close relationship with Krishna, he is still different from Krishna. The Lord is described as 'infallible,' meaning he has perfect knowledge and never forgets. This also suggests that no matter how great a person might be (like Arjuna, who could defeat any enemy), they can never fully match the Supreme Lord's abilities and consciousness.
Arjuna, along with all other creatures, forgets their past lives when they get a new body. But Krishna, who is always the same, remembers everything without exception. Arjuna’s forgetfulness does not take away from his greatness or his devotion; it simply highlights how the Supreme Lord is on a higher level than even the most liberated souls.
In summary, this verse emphasizes the contrast between Krishna's divine remembrance and human forgetfulness. It teaches us about the nature of God as eternal and all-knowing, while also helping us recognize our own limitations as human beings. It encourages devotees to understand and appreciate Krishna's supreme nature, relying on his grace for knowledge and enlightenment.