Bhagavad Gita BG 11.43
Chapter 11, Verse 43 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान् । न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्यो लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव ॥
pitasi lokasya caracarasya tvam asya pujyash ca gurur gariyan na tvat-samo 'sty abhyadhikah kuto 'nyo loka-traye 'py apratima-prabhava
Meaning
You are the father of this world of the moving and the unmoving; You are its worshipped teacher, the greatest. There is none equal to You — how then another greater? In the three worlds, O Being of incomparable power!
Understanding
Pitasi lokasya caracarasya (You are the father of this world — of the moving and the unmoving — all that moves and all that is still). Tvam asya pujyash ca gurur gariyan (You are its worshipped teacher, the greatest — the highest Guru). Na tvat-samo 'sty (there is none equal to you). Abhyadhikah kuto 'nyah (how then could there be another greater?). If no one is even equal to you, then the question of someone greater becomes impossible. Loka-traye 'py (in all three worlds — the earthy, the mid-realms, the heavenly). Apratima-prabhava (O Being of incomparable power/glory — apratima: without a match, beyond comparison). Arjuna uses the most complete possible comparison: no equal anywhere in the three worlds — therefore no superior is conceivable.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| चराचरस्य | caracarasya | of the moving and the unmoving (all creation) |
| पूज्यः | pujyah | worthy of worship, the Worshipful |
| गरीयान् | gariyan | the greater, the most exalted (comparative of guru) |
| अभ्यधिकः | abhyadhikah | one greater than, one superior to |
| अप्रतिमप्रभाव | apratima-prabhava | O Being of incomparable/unmatched power and glory |
| पिता | pitā | the father |
| असि | asi | You are |
| लोकस्य | lokasya | of the world |
| चर-अचरस्य | cara-acarasya | of the moving and non-moving |
| त्वम् | tvam | You are |
| अस्य | asya | of it, of this |
| पूज्यः | pūjyaḥ | worthy of worship |
| च | ca | and |
| गुरुः | guruḥ | the teacher |
| गरीयान् | garīyān | greater, more venerable |
| न | na | not |
| त्वत्-समः | tvat-samaḥ | equal to You |
| अस्ति | asti | there is |
| अभ्यधिकः | abhyadhikaḥ | superior |
| कुतः | kutaḥ | how can there be |
| अन्यः | anyaḥ | another |
| लोक-त्रये | loka-traye | in the three worlds |
| अपि | api | even |
| अप्रतिम-प्रभाव | apratima-prabhāva | O matchless in power |