Commentary

Commentary

Arjuna continues his prayerful address with a rhetorical question: why should all beings not bow down to You? The answer is self-evident — because Krishna is the aadi-kartre, the original creator, greater even than Brahma, the first created being in the universe. Brahma himself was born from Krishna, so how can there be any question of not offering obeisance?

The titles Arjuna uses are deeply significant. Mahaatman — great soul — recognizes Krishna as the Supersoul pervading all existence. Ananta — infinite, endless — declares that there is no boundary or limit to His being. Devesha — Lord of all lords — establishes Him as the supreme controller over even the greatest celestial beings. Jagannivasa — the shelter or refuge of the entire universe — affirms that every atom of creation rests upon Him.

The philosophical depth of this verse is remarkable. Arjuna describes Krishna as aksharam — the imperishable, that which never decays or diminishes. He is both sat (the manifest, the existent) and asat (the unmanifest, the potential), and also tat param — that which transcends both categories entirely. This echoes the Upanishadic understanding that the Supreme Reality is beyond all dualities, including existence and non-existence as we understand them.

By stating that Krishna is the cause of even Brahma, Arjuna establishes the complete supremacy of the personal God over all aspects of creation. Every being in the cosmic hierarchy, from the smallest ant to the greatest demigod, owes its existence to this one source. Therefore, offering respect and surrender to Krishna is the most natural and logical act any conscious being can perform.