tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva
jitvā śatrūn bhuńkṣva rājyaḿ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraḿ bhava savya-sācin
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 11.33
Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasaci, can be but an instrument in the fight.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Savya-sacin refers to one who can shoot arrows very expertly in the field; thus Arjuna is addressed as an expert warrior capable of delivering arrows to kill his enemies. “Just become an instrument”: nimitta-matram. This word is also very significant. The whole world is moving according to the plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Foolish persons who do not have sufficient knowledge think that nature is moving without a plan and all manifestations are but accidental formations. There are many so-called scientists who suggest that perhaps it was like this, or maybe like that, but there is no question of “perhaps” and “maybe.” There is a specific plan being carried out in this material world. What is this plan? This cosmic manifestation is a chance for the conditioned souls to go back to Godhead, back to home. As long as they have the domineering mentality which makes them try to lord it over material nature, they are conditioned. But anyone who can understand the plan of the Supreme Lord and cultivate Krishna consciousness is most intelligent. The creation and destruction of the cosmic manifestation are under the superior guidance of God. Thus the Battle of Kurukshetra was fought according to the plan of God. Arjuna was refusing to fight, but he was told that he should fight in accordance with the desire of the Supreme Lord. Then he would be happy. If one is in full Krishna consciousness and his life is devoted to the Lord’s transcendental service, he is perfect.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
No commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
11.33 Therefore, arise for fighting against them. Conquering your enemies, win glory and enjoy a prosperous and righteous kingdom. All those who have sinned have been already annihilated by Me. Be you merely an instrument (Nimitta) of Mine in destroying them — just like a weapon in my hand, O Savyasacin! The root ‘Sac’ means ‘fastening’. A ‘savyasacin’ is one who is capable of fixing or fastening the arrow even with his left hand. The meaning is that he is so dexterous that he can fight with a bow in each hand.
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna reiterates that it is His will that the Kauravas are to perish and that Arjuna should arise for battle and attain fame by conquering Bhishma, Drona and Karna who are unable to be conquered even by the demigods. The Kauravas and their army have already been slain before the battle has even commenced by the desire of Lord Krishna through His potency known as kala or all consuming time and He informs Arjuna that he is nimitta-matram or merely the instrument, for accomplishing this. Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna as savyasacin meaning skilful with the left hand because being ambidextrous he is able to shoot arrows equally with his left hand as well as with his right hand.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
Sri Madhvacharya did not comment on this sloka.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
The Supreme Lord Krishna is the absolute and independent controller of all creation, Every living being depends solely upon Him for their existence and maintenance. He is also the absolute and independent destroyer and He confirms that all the warriors of the battle are nihatam-purvam meaning already slain by His mere desire. Therefore as Lord Krishna is the actual destroyer Arjuna should arise and defeat his enemies and win glory in the form of slaying Bhishma, Drona, Karna etc. who were invincible even to the demigods. Vanquishing his mighty foes he and his brothers can abundantly enjoy the flourishing kingdom of Earth. All the Kaurava warriors Arjuna will be fighting are already slain before he fights with them by Lord Krishna and Arjuna should merely as a conduit be the Supreme Lord’s implement for slaying them. The vocative savya-sacin meaning expert archer reveals that Arjuna is ambidextrous and able to discharge arrows with either hand.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
11.33 Tasmat, therefore; tvam, you; uttistha, rise up; (and) labhasva, gain; the yasah, fame, that Arjuna has conquered the Atirathas [Atiratha-see note under 1.4.6.-Tr.], Bhisma, Drona and others, who are unconquerable even by the gods. Such fame can be acquired only by virtuous actions. Jitva, by defeating; satrun, the enemies, Duryodhana and others; bhunksva, enjoy; a rajyam, kingdom; that is samrddham, propersous, free from enemies and obstacles. Ete, these; nihatah, have been definitely killed, made lifeless; eva maya, verily by Me; eva purvam, even earlier. Bhava, be you; nimitta-matram, merely an instrument, O Savyasachin. Arjuna was called so because he could shoot arrows even with his left hand.
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
11.33-34 Tasmat etc. Drona etc. The world is of the nature of perfect and imperfect knowledge and it is swallowed (11.completely controlled) by the power of the perfect, imperfect and mixed Consciousness. Hence, here an answer is given accordingly by the Bhagavat. This secret is a almost indicated in this chapter. Yet for the benefit of those persons who are capable of understanding only what has been clearly marked, let us (11.Ag.) assume the misfortune of taking the trouble of writing a few lines. What is declared by the Bhagavat – viz., ‘As the foes have been slain [by Me], be a token cause and win glory’, this is by way of answering to what Arjuna has said earlier viz., ‘We do not know who, amongst both of us, is more powerful than the other etc. (11.II, 6)’.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
tasmat tvam uttistha yaso labhasva
jitva satrun bhunksva rajyam samrddham
mayaivaite nihatah purvam eva
nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
tasmāt — therefore; tvam — you; uttiṣṭha — get up; yaśaḥ — fame; labhasva — gain; jitvā — conquering; śatrūn — enemies; bhuńkṣva — enjoy; rājyam — kingdom; samṛddham — flourishing; mayā — by Me; eva — certainly; ete — all these; nihatāḥ — killed; pūrvam eva — by previous arrangement; nimitta-mātram — just the cause; bhava — become; savya-sācin — O Savyasācī.
