Shloka

न वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानैर्-
न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रैः |
एवंरूपः शक्य अहं नृलोके
द्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर ||११-४८||

Transliteration

na vedayajñādhyayanairna dānaira- na ca kriyābhirna tapobhirugraiḥ .
evaṃrūpaḥ śakya ahaṃ nṛloke draṣṭuṃ tvadanyena kurupravīra ||11-48||

Translations

Dr.S.Sankaranarayan

11.48. Not by the knowledge of the Vedas and sacrifices, nor by making gifts, nor by the rituals, nor by severe austerities, can I be seen in this form in the world of men, by anybody other than yourself, O the great hero of the Kurus !

Shri Purohit Swami

11.48 Not by study of the scriptures, not by sacrifice or gift, not by ritual or rigorous austerity, is it possible for man on earth to see what thou hast seen, O thou foremost hero of the Kuru-clan!

Sri Abhinav Gupta

11.48 Sri Abhinavagupta did not comment upon this sloka.

Sri Ramanuja

11.48 In this form, which represents My real nature, I cannot be realised by such means as study of the Vedas, sacrifices etc., by anyone who is bereft of exclusive Bhakti towards Me or by any one other than yourself who has complete devotion towards Me.

Sri Shankaracharya

11.48 Na veda-yajna-adhyayanaih, not by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, (i.e.) not by the methodical study of even the four Vedas and the study of the sacrifices-since the study of the sacrifices is achieved by the very study of the Vedas, the separate mention of the study of sacrifices is for suggesting detailed knowledge of sacrifices; [This separate mention of the study of sacrifices is necessary because the ancients understood the study of Vedas to mean learing them by rote.] so also, na danaih, not by gifts-in such forms as distributing wealth eal to the weight of the giver; na ca kriyabhih, not even by rituals-by Vedic and other rituals like Agnihotra etc.; nor even ugraih tapobhih, by severe austerities such a Candrayana [A religious observance or expiatory penance regulated by the moon’s phases. In it the daily antity of food, which consists of fifteen mouthfuls at the full-moon, is curtailed by one mouthful during the dark fornight till it is reduced to nothing at the new moon; and it is increased in a like manner during the bright fortnight.-V.S.A.] etc. which are frightful; sakyah aham, can I; evam rupam, in this form-possessing the Cosmic form as was shown; drastum, be perceived; nrloke, in the human world; tvad-anyena, by anyone other than you; kuru-pravira, O most valiant among the Kurus.

Swami Adidevananda

11.48 Neither through the study of the Vedas, nor by sacrifices, nor by recitals of the scriptures, nor by gifts, nor by rituals, nor by strict austerities can I be realised in a form like this in the world of men by any one else but you. O Arjuna!

Swami Gambirananda

11.48 Not by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, not by gifts, not even by rituals, not by severe austerities can I, in this form, be perceived in the human world by anyone [‘By anyone who has not received My grace’. other than you, O most valiant among the Kurus.

Swami Sivananda

11.48 Neither by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, nor by gifts nor by rituals nor by severe austerities can I be seen in this form in the world of men by any other than thyself, O great hero of the Kurus (Arjuna).

Commentaries

Swami Sivananda

11.48 न not? वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैः by the study of the Vedas and of Yajnas? न not? दानैः by gifts? न not? च and? क्रियाभिः by rituals? न not? तपोभिः by austerities? उग्रैः severe? एवंरूपः in such form? शक्यः (am) possible? अहम् I? नृलोके in the world of men? द्रष्टुम् to be seen? त्वत् than thee? अन्येन by another? कुरुप्रवीर O great hero of the Kurus.Commentary Mere cramming of the texts of the Vedas without knowing the meaning will not do. A study of the sacrifices also is necessary. One should know the meaning of these? also.Dana Charity such as a Tula Purusha (gift of gold eal in weight of a man) Kanyadana (gift of ones daughther in marriage)? gift of a cow? rice? etc.Kriya Rituals such as Agnihotra.Tapas Such as the Chandrayana Vrata. (This is a kind of Vrata or observance. The daily consumption of food is reduced by one mouthful every day for the dark half of the month beginning with the fullmoon. Then the food is increased by one mouthful every day during the bright fortnight during the increase of the moon. This Vrata (observance) is a great purifier of the mind. It destroys sins.)