arjuna uvāca
sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā
jagat prahṛṣyaty anurajyate ca
rakṣāḿsi bhītāni diśo dravanti
sarve namasyanti ca siddha-sańghāḥ
Translation of Bhagavad Gita 11.36
Arjuna said: O master of the senses, the world becomes joyful upon hearing Your name, and thus everyone becomes attached to You. Although the perfected beings offer You their respectful homage, the demons are afraid, and they flee here and there. All this is rightly done.
Commentary by Sri A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Arjuna, after hearing from Krishna about the outcome of the Battle of Kurukshetra, became enlightened, and as a great devotee and friend of the Supreme Personality of Godhead he said that everything done by Krishna is quite fit. Arjuna confirmed that Krishna is the maintainer and the object of worship for the devotees and the destroyer of the undesirables. His actions are equally good for all. Arjuna understood herein that when the Battle of Kurukshetra was being concluded, in outer space there were present many demigods, siddhas, and the intelligentsia of the higher planets, and they were observing the fight because Krishna was present there. When Arjuna saw the universal form of the Lord, the demigods took pleasure in it, but others, who were demons and atheists, could not stand it when the Lord was praised. Out of their natural fear of the devastating form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they fled. Krishna’s treatment of the devotees and the atheists is praised by Arjuna. In all cases a devotee glorifies the Lord because he knows that whatever He does is good for all.
Commentary by Sri Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakur of Gaudiya Sampradaya:
Suddenly realizing that the pleasing form and ferocious form of the Lord were objects of attraction and repulsion, he explains this fact and praises the Lord. Sthane, an indeclinable, here means suitable.
O Hrsikesa, you inspire the senses of your devotees to turn towards you, and you inspire the senses of the non-devotees to turn away from you. The universe becomes joyful by the sankirtana glorifying you (prakirtya), and becomes attracted to you (anurajyate). This is reasonable (sthane) since the universe is favorable to you. The raksasas, asuras, danavas, pisacas and others (raksamsi) however, becoming fearful, flee to the directions (disah dravanti). This is also reasonable since they are unfavorably inclined to you. And the whole group of those who are perfected by devotion to you (siddha sanghah) offer their respects to you. This also is reasonable, since they are your devotees. This verse is famous in mantra sastra for its ability to give protection from raksasas.
Commentary by Sri Ramanuja of Sri Sampradaya:
11.36 Arjuna said: — ‘Sthane’ means rightly or it is but proper. It is but proper that the whole world of gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Yaksas, Kinnaras, Kimpurusas, etc., who have foregathered with a desire to see the battle, should be delighted with You and love You after beholding You by Your grace. You are the Lord of all. Rightly after beholding You, the Raksasas flee in fear on all sides, and rightly all the host of Siddhas, namely, the host of Siddhas who are favourable to You, pay their homage to You. The connection with what was said earlier is that all this is as it ought to be. He further proceeds to explain how all this is right:
Commentary by Sri Sridhara Swami of Rudra Sampradaya:
This verse and the next ten are an eulogy to the glory of Lord Krishna from different and varying perspectives. The word sthane means appropriate and for all beings in every respect the glorification of Lord Krishna is most appropriate. His phenomenal prowess and affection to His devotees in unmatchable. Therefore by heralding the Supreme Lord’s glories it is not only Arjuna who is delighted but all creation is delighted and derives great pleasure and this is very proper. The righteous are happily attracted and drawn towards the Supreme Lord and the demoniac become frightened by Him and flee in all directions, while all the hosts of perfected and liberated beings bow down to you and offer salutations. This is most appropriate indeed and there is nothing surprising in these activities.
Commentary by Sri Madhvacharya of Brahma Sampradaya:
The word sthane means most appropriate. The moon, the sun and fire are all Lord Krishna’s vibhuti or divine transcendental opulence and their rays attract the senses of all jivas or embodied beings and enthral them all over creation. In this way He is being addressed as Hrisikesha or the controller of the senses. The characteristics of the rays are directed by the projection of the light. The evidence is seen in Moksa Dharma wwhich having stated that sun and the moon are like His eyes, the presiding power of His divinity over the mind and senses is obvious, especially as He is manifesting as caitanya or the life force within all living beings. Other statements such as: My senses will not succumb to unrighteous behaviour support this as well. In the Moksa Dharma Lord Krishna states: Even through His hair are the sun, moon and fire projected into prakriti or the material substratum pervading all physical existence. Into trillions of universes these suns and moons are projected appearing like rays in the firmament to energise and protect, each rising and setting according to the times allotted them. By such instruction and protection all creation is pleased and by such benevolent activities of unlimited suns and moons He is known as Hrisikesha the origin of creation and the ultimate granter of benedictions.
Commentary by Sri Keshava Kashmiri of Kumara Sampradaya:
Lord Krishna is addressed as Hrsikesha meaning the inner controller of the mind and senses. Although Lord Krishna’s power is infinite at the same time He has great love for His devotees, this is evidenced by His deigning to be the charioteer of His devotee. The whole creation and all the hosts of heavenly beings including the Devas or demigods, Gandarvas, Yaksas, Kinnaras etc. all rejoice and exult and are filled with love chanting Lord Krishna’s holy names, attributes and glories. But the terrified demons in great fear and anxiety are fleeing in all directions, dejected and dismayed. Whereas the hosts of perfected beings who have the power of their penance and acquired Vedic knowledge and attained moksa or liberation from material existence also offer their humble obeisance to you. The word sthane means appropriate and is used to emphasise propriety. Arjuna speaks for 11 verses.
Commentary by Sri Adi Shankaracharya of Advaita Sampradaya:
11.36 Sthane, it is proper; -what is that?-that the jagat, world; prahrsyati, becomes delighted; tava prakirtya, by Your praise, by reciting Your greatness and hearing it. This is befitting. This is the idea. Or, the word sthane may be taken as qualifying the word ‘subject’ (understood) : It is proper that the Lord is the subject of joy etc. since the Lord is the Self of all beings and the Friend of all. So also it (the world) anurajyate, becomes attracted, becomes drawn (by that praise). That also is with regard to a proper subject. This is how it is to be explained. Further, that the raksamsi, Raksasas; bhitani, stricken with fear; dravanti, run; disah, in all directions-that also is with regard to a proper subject. And that sarve, all; the siddha-sanghah, groups of the Siddhas-Kapila and others; namasyanti, bow down-that also is befitting. He points out the reason for the Lord’s being the object of delight etc.:
Commentary by Sri Abhinavagupta of Kaula Tantra Sampradaya:
11.36 Sthane etc. By high glory : by highly singing the glory.
Sanskrit Shloka Without Transliteration Marks:
arjuna uvaca
sthane hrsikesa tava prakirtya
jagat prahrsyaty anurajyate ca
raksamsi bhitani diso dravanti
sarve namasyanti ca siddha-sanghah
Sanskrit to English Word for Word Meanings:
arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; sthāne — rightly; hṛṣīka-īśa — O master of all senses; tava — Your; prakīrtyā — by the glories; jagat — the entire world; prahṛṣyati — is rejoicing; anurajyate — is becoming attached; ca — and; rakṣāḿsi — the demons; bhītāni — out of fear; diśaḥ — in all directions; dravanti — are fleeing; sarve — all; namasyanti — are offering respects; ca — also; siddha-sańghāḥ — the perfect human beings.
