Tasmaat pranamya pranidhaaya kaayam prasaadaye tvaam aham eesham eedyam | piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh priyah priyaayaarhasi deva sodhum ||44||
अनुवाद
Therefore, bowing and prostrating my body before You, I beg Your grace, O praiseworthy Lord. As a father tolerates a son, as a friend forgives a friend, as a lover bears with the beloved — please be merciful to me, O Lord.
शब्दार्थ
तस्मात्
therefore
प्रणम्य
bowing down
प्रणिधाय
prostrating
कायम्
the body
प्रसादये
I beg grace/mercy
त्वाम्
from You
अहम्
I
ईशम्
the Lord
ईड्यम्
the worshipable
पिता इव
as a father
पुत्रस्य
of a son
सखा इव
as a friend
सख्युः
of a friend
प्रियः
a lover
प्रियायाः
of the beloved
अर्हसि
You should/please
देव
O Lord
सोढुम्
tolerate/forgive
टीका
Commentary
This verse concludes Arjuna’s apology with an exquisite appeal to three of the most intimate human relationships: father-son, friend-friend, and lover-beloved. In each case, the dominant emotion is love, and love naturally forgives.
A father tolerates the mistakes of his son — the child may be impertinent, careless, even hurtful, but the father’s love absorbs it all. A friend overlooks the thoughtless words of a companion — their bond is strong enough to weather any slight. A lover forgives the beloved’s flaws — love sees past imperfections to the essential person within. Arjuna appeals to all three of these relationships simultaneously, because his bond with Krishna partakes of all of them.
The physical gesture is complete and total: pranamya pranidhaaya kaayam — bowing down, laying the entire body flat in prostration. This is sashtanga-pranam, the eightfold prostration where eight parts of the body touch the ground. It is the most complete physical expression of surrender and humility that the Vedic tradition knows.
What Arjuna seeks is prasaada — divine grace. This word carries the meaning of both mercy and clarity. When the Lord is pleased (prasanna), His grace flows to the devotee, clearing away confusion and fear. Arjuna recognizes that he cannot earn forgiveness — he can only ask for it. The Supreme Lord is eedya (worthy of all worship) and eesha (the supreme controller), yet He is also the one who tolerates the shortcomings of those who love Him. This is the paradox at the heart of bhakti: the most powerful being in existence is also the most forgiving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Bhagavad Gita 11.44 mean?
- Therefore, bowing and prostrating my body before You, I beg Your grace, O praiseworthy Lord. As a father tolerates a son, as a friend forgives a friend, as a lover bears with the beloved — please be merciful to me, O Lord.
- What is the Sanskrit text of Bhagavad Gita 11.44?
- The original Sanskrit verse is: Tasmaat pranamya pranidhaaya kaayam prasaadaye tvaam aham eesham eedyam | piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuh priyah priyaayaarhasi deva sodhum ||44||
- What are the key themes of this verse?
- This verse explores: humility, forgiveness, grace, divine relationships, surrender.