टीका

Commentary

This verse marks one of the most humanly touching moments in the entire Gita. Arjuna, having just witnessed the infinite cosmic form of the Supreme Being, suddenly remembers all the casual ways he has spoken to Krishna — calling Him by first name, teasing Him as a friend, treating Him as an equal companion. The gulf between what he thought Krishna was and what Krishna actually is now fills him with embarrassment and contrition.

“He Krishna, he Yaadava, he sakhe” — these are the informal terms of address that warriors and friends used with each other on the battlefield and in daily life. Arjuna had traveled with Krishna, eaten with Him, joked with Him, perhaps even argued with Him. All along, the Supreme Lord of the universe was sitting right beside him, and Arjuna had treated Him like an ordinary man.

The beauty of this verse lies in Arjuna’s honest self-assessment. He attributes his casual behavior to two possible causes: pramaadaat — foolishness or negligence, and pranayena — love or affection. These are not mutually exclusive. It was precisely because of their genuine friendship that Arjuna never thought to stand on ceremony. And it was because he did not know (ajaanata) the full extent of Krishna’s divine nature that he spoke so freely.

Yet the Vaishnava tradition sees this very intimacy as something precious. Krishna chose to be Arjuna’s friend. He chose to be addressed casually, to be teased and challenged. The relationship between God and devotee in the mood of friendship (sakhya-rasa) is considered one of the highest forms of devotional love, precisely because it transcends the formality of awe and reverence. Arjuna’s apology, while genuine, is for something Krishna never considered an offense.