Arjuna says: If You think it is possible for me to see it, O Lord, O master of all mystic power, then please show me Your imperishable Self.
Synthesis
Arjuna's humble request — 'if You think it is possible for me' — balances intense desire with complete surrender to God's discretion. Shankaracharya sees this as proper spiritual etiquette — the vision is God's gift, not the seeker's right. Ramanujacharya emphasizes that mystic power belongs to the Lord alone. Madhva notes that humility itself qualifies the devotee for receiving grace. Abhinavagupta reads 'yogeśvara' as addressing Shiva's supreme control over the creative process. Vallabha sees the perfect blend of passionate longing and complete surrender defining pushti-bhakti. Tilak reads the request as acknowledging that grace bridges what effort alone cannot cross. Vivekananda affirms that the highest spiritual experiences require divine cooperation. Together, these traditions teach that the proper attitude for receiving divine vision combines three elements: intense desire (you must genuinely want to see), humility (acknowledging that the vision is not your right), and surrender (leaving the timing and mode entirely to God).
Commentaries 8 traditions
Shankara emphasizes that Arjuna's qualification 'if You think it possible' shows awareness that the Absolute cannot be objectified by finite perception. The vision requires a special divine dispensation — ordinary cognition cannot reach the imperishable reality.
Apply This Verse
Personal Growth
The best way to ask for something transformative is with both passion and humility. Want it deeply, but let go of the assumption that you're entitled to it on your timeline.
Questions this verse answers
- ?"How do I balance intense desire with genuine humility?"
- ?"Is it okay to want something deeply while accepting I might not get it?"
- ?"How do I stay open to receiving what I'm not yet ready for?"
- ?"What does healthy spiritual ambition look like?"