Gita 11.41
Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga
सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तं हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति । अजानता महिमानं तवेदं मया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वापि ॥
sakheti matvā prasabhaṁ yad uktaṁ he kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti | ajānatā mahimānaṁ tavedaṁ mayā pramādāt praṇayena vāpi ||
In essence: Whatever I said rashly, thinking You merely a friend - 'O Krishna! O Yadava! O Friend!' - not knowing Your true majesty, whether from carelessness or from love... forgive me.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "Why does Arjuna feel guilty about calling Krishna 'friend'? Isn't friendship with God beautiful?"
Guru: "It is beautiful - Krishna Himself treasures it. But Arjuna has just seen the cosmic form. Imagine you've been casually joking with someone for years, then discover they're the source of the entire universe. Wouldn't you review your behavior?"
Sadhak: "I'd be mortified. But isn't Krishna beyond offense? Why should He care about casual address?"
Guru: "He doesn't care - that's the point. Arjuna's discomfort is his own, not Krishna's demand. When we realize the vastness of what we've been taking for granted, remorse arises naturally."
Sadhak: "Is this teaching us to be formal with God rather than intimate?"
Guru: "No! Notice Krishna's response later - He doesn't rebuke Arjuna or demand formality. The teaching is subtler: be intimate, but know with WHOM you are intimate. Arjuna's casualness came from not knowing. Now he knows. His future intimacy will be different - informed intimacy, not ignorant casualness."
Sadhak: "'Pramādāt praṇayena vāpi' - carelessness or love. Are these really the same?"
Guru: "To a strict observer, love-boldness and careless-boldness might look identical. Only the inner state differs. Arjuna is honestly uncertain which motivated his past behavior - real intimacy or mere inattention? This uncertainty itself is touching."
Sadhak: "What does this say about human relationships too?"
Guru: "Every person we treat casually contains depths we haven't seen. The spouse we take for granted, the parent whose advice we dismiss - what if we saw their cosmic dimension? This verse invites reconsidering all our 'familiar' relationships."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Relationship recalibration: Think of someone you treat casually - a family member, old friend, colleague. Imagine seeing their 'cosmic form' - their full depth, history, potential, inner universe. How might that change your next interaction with them? Set intention to bring more awareness to familiar relationships today.
Casual speech awareness: Notice when you speak casually or dismissively - 'Hey,' 'whatever,' 'yeah yeah.' Without judgment, observe the assumptions behind casualness: that you fully know the person, that they don't warrant more attention. This isn't about becoming formal but about becoming aware.
Pramāda or praṇaya reflection: Review your day's interactions. When you were casual with someone, was it from carelessness (pramāda) or genuine affection (praṇaya)? Sometimes we're dismissive thinking we're being friendly. Honest self-assessment here deepens relational awareness. What would change if you always chose informed intimacy over uninformed casualness?