Shloka
भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन |
ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप ||११-५४||Transliteration
bhaktyā tvananyayā śakya ahamevaṃvidho.arjuna .
jñātuṃ draṣṭuṃ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṃ ca parantapa ||11-54||Translations
Dr.S.Sankaranarayan
11.54. But, through an undeviating devotion, it is possible to know, and to observe and also to enter into Me as such, O Arjuna ! O scorcher of foes !
Shri Purohit Swami
11.54 Only by tireless devotion can I be seen and known; only thus can a man become one with Me, O Arjuna!
Sri Abhinav Gupta
11.54 See comment under 11.55
Sri Ramanuja
11.53 - 11.54 Sri Krsna says By Vedas, i.e., by mere study, teaching etc., of these sacred texts, it is not possible to know Me truly. It is also not possible through meditation, sacrifices, gifts and austerities, destitute of devotion towards Me. But by single-minded devotion i.e., by devotion characterised by extreme ardour and intensity, it is possible to know Me in reality through scriptures, to behold Me directly in reality, and enter into Me in reality. So describes a Sruti passage: ‘This Self cannot be obtained by instruction, nor by intellect nor by much hearing. Whomsoever He chooses, by him alone is He obtained. To such a one He reveals His own form’ (Ka. U., 2.2.23) and (Mun. U., 3.2.3).
Sri Shankaracharya
11.54 Tu, but, O Arjuna; bhaktya, by devotion-. Of what kind? To this the Lord says: Ananyaya, by (that devotion which is ) single-minded. That is called single-minded devotion which does not turn to anything else other than the Lord, and owing to which nothing else but Vasudeva is perceived by all the organs. With that devotion, aham sakyah, am I able; evamvidhah, in this form-in the aspect of the Cosmic form; jnatum, to to known-from the scriptures; not merely to be known from the scriptures, but also drastum, to be seen , to be realized directly; tattvena, in reality; and also pravestum, to be entered into-for attaining Liberation; parantapa, O destroyer of foes. Now the essential purport of the whole scripture, the Gita, which is meant for Liberation, is being stated by summing it up so that it may be practised:
Swami Adidevananda
11.54 But by single-minded devotion, O Arjuna, it is possible to truly know, to see and to enter into Me, who am of this form, O harasser of foes.
Swami Gambirananda
11.54 But, O Arjuna, by single-minded devotion am I-in this form-able to be known and seen in reality, and also be entered into, O destroyer of foes.
Swami Sivananda
11.54 But by single-minded devotion can I, of this Form, be known and seen in reality and also entered into, O Arjuna.
Commentaries
Swami Sivananda
11.54 भक्त्या by devotion? तु indeed? अनन्यया singleminded? शक्यः (am) possible? अहम् I? एवंविधः of this form? अर्जुन O Arjuna? ज्ञातुम् to know? दृष्टुम् to see? च and? तत्त्वेन in reality? प्रवेष्टुम् to enter into? च and? परंतप O Parantapa (O scorcher of the foes).Commentary Devotion is the sole means to the realisation of the Cosmic Form.AnanyaBhakti Singleminded devotion. Onepointed unbroken devotion the devotion which does not seek any other object but the Lord alone. In this type of devotion no object other than the Lord is experienced by any of the senses. Egoism and dualism totally vanish.Of this form refers to the Cosmic Form.By singleminded devotion it is possible not only to know Me as declared in the scriptures but also to realise Me? i.e.? to attain liberation. The devotee realises that the Lord is all this and He alone is the ultimate Reality. When he gets this experience of illumination he gets merged in Him. (Cf.VIII.22X.10)