Arjuna
Devotee & WarriorThe great Pandava warrior and skilled archer. Overwhelmed by moral dilemma on the battlefield, he seeks guidance from Krishna, becoming the ideal disciple.
Speaking: Chapter 11, Verse 41
Verse 41
The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form
Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed You as "O Krishna," "O Yadava," "O my friend," not knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love.
Context & Meaning
One of the most tender moments in all of scripture. Arjuna begs forgiveness for the familiarity with which he has spoken to Krishna — calling him by name, addressing him casually as a friend. "I didn't know. I called you by name without knowing who you are." And yet he adds: or perhaps it was pramāda (carelessness) or praṇaya (love). Both are forgiven in the eyes of the Divine.
Scholar Commentaries
1 commentary · Public domainMadhvacharya
DvaitaPraṇayena — out of love. Arjuna half-apologizes and half-defends: the familiarity came from love. And love, even when it forgets decorum, is precious to the Divine. This verse reveals the paradox of bhakti: the devotee is simultaneously overwhelmed by God's majesty and intimate with God's person.