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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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Bhakti & surrenderChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.4311.45

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.44

Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refuge

तस्मात्प्रणम्य प्रणिधाय कायं

प्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम् ।

पितेव पुत्रस्य सखेव सख्यु:

प्रिय: प्रियायार्हसि देव सोढुम् ॥ ४४ ॥

tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ

prasādaye tvām aham īśam īḍyam

piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ

priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum

Translation

You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, a friend the impertinence of a friend, or a husband the familiarity of his wife, please tolerate the wrongs I may have done You.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Asking Kṛṣṇa for Mercy

  1. 1Arjuna bows to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord worthy of everyone’s worship, and asks Him to forgive his wrongs.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that devotees relate to Kṛṣṇa in different ways. Arjuna is His friend, and Kṛṣṇa tolerates his faults.
  3. 3Offer Kṛṣṇa respect and humbly ask for His mercy and forgiveness.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 11, The Universal Form: arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refuge.

What it teaches

Theme summary

Loving service and surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

2

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: bhakti, śaraṇāgati.

3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 11.44 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to bhakti & surrender?

Practice

Offer one act today with devotion.

4

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 11 ›
5

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 11.35Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refugeBG 11.36Arjuna seeks forgiveness and familiar refugeBG 3.30Offer every action to KrishnaBG 6.47The highest yogi is devoted

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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Ask about BG 11.44 — get a simple answer linked to related ideas and verses.

Back to step 3The key ideasNext · Step 5 of 7 · 5 minLive the teachingsBring it into your day with a practice and a question, straight from Prabhupāda's purports.