दिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता |
यदि भा: सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मन: || 12||
divi sūrya-sahasrasya bhaved yugapad utthitā
yadi bhāḥ sadṛiśhī sā syād bhāsas tasya mahātmanaḥ
divi—in the sky; sūrya—suns; sahasrasya—thousand; bhavet—were; yugapat—simultaneously; utthitā—rising; yadi—if; bhāḥ—splendor; sadṛiśhī—like; sā—that; syāt—would be; bhāsaḥ—splendor; tasya—of them; mahā-ātmanaḥ—the great personality
Translation:
If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst forth at once in the sky, that would be like the splendour of the Mighty One.
Commentary:
As the light of thousand stars, twinkling together in the sky, cannot be compared with the light of the moon, and as the light of a thousand moons, cannot be compared with the light of the sun, similarly, the splendour of a thousand stars shining all at once, in the sky, cannot be like that of the cosmic form, of the Lord. It means that the splendour of the Lord was incomparable. The reason is that the effulgence of the sun is material, while the splendour of the Lord was divine. So, the splendour belonging to two different categories, cannot he compare, only an indication can be given. Therefore, by referring to the brilliance of a thousand suns. Sañjaya is, hinting at the effulgence of the cosmic form.
The light (splendour) of a thousand suns shining all at once in the sky, can’t match the radiance of the Lord because the radiance present in the sun has also emanated from God (BG 15.12). There may be the light of thousands of suns, but that light is material while the Lord’s light is not material but divine.
Ramanujacharya Says: This is for illustrating that His splendour is infinite. The meaning is that it is of the nature of inexhaustible radiance.
Sri Ramakrishna Says —
“The rishis followed the path of jnana. Therefore they sought to realise Brahman, the Indivisible Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. But those who follow the path of devotion seek an Incarnation of God, to enjoy the sweetness of bhakti. The darkness of the mind disappears when God is realised. In the Purana it is said that it was as if a hundred suns were shining when Rama entered the court. Why, then, weren’t the courtiers burnt up? It was because the brilliance of Rama was not like that of a material object. As the lotus blooms when the sun rises, so the lotus of the heart of the people assembled in the court burst into blossom.”
“Can everyone comprehend Brahman, the Indivisible Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute? He alone has attained perfect love of God who, having reached the Absolute, keeps himself in the realm of the Relative in order to enjoy the divine lila. A man can describe the ways and activities of the Queen (Queen Victoria.) if he has previously visited her in England. Only then will his description of the Queen be correct. Sages like Bharadvaja adored Rama and said: ‘O Rama, You are nothing but the Indivisible Satchidananda. You have appeared before us as a human being, but You look like a man because You have shrouded Yourself with Your own maya.’ These rishis were great devotees of Rama and had supreme love for God.”
(Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)
He came to tell about the light. This was the real light, the light that comes into the world and sustains everything (JOHN 1.09). O Lord, not even a million suns could match You (RV 8.70.05). Robert Oppenheimer spoke this verse as he witnessed the explosion of the first atom bomb.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 11 🔻 (55 Verses)
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
| 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 |
