अर्जुन उवाच मदनुग्रहाय परमं गुह्यमध्यात्मसंज्ञितम्। यत्त्वयोक्तं वचस्तेन मोहोऽयं विगतो मम।।11.1।।
arjunaḥ uvāca mādanugrahāya paramaṁ guhyaṁ adhyātmasaṁjñitam | yat tvayā uktam vacaḥ tena mohaḥ ayaṁ vigataḥ mama ||
Translation
Arjuna said: Having heard the supremely confidential spiritual knowledge which You have revealed out of compassion for me, my illusion is now dispelled.
Word Meanings
arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; mat-anugrahāya — just to show me favor; paramam — supreme; guhyam — confidential subject; adhyātma — spiritual; saṁjñitam — in the matter of; yat — what; tvayā — by You; uktam — said; vacaḥ — words; tena — by that; mohaḥ — illusion; ayaṁ — this; vigataḥ — is removed; mama — my.
Understanding the Verse
In this verse, Arjuna acknowledges a profound internal shift that follows Krishna’s compassionate disclosure of the highest, most secret spiritual truth. The term ‘mad-anugrahāya’ indicates that the revelation is a special grace afforded specifically to Arjuna, highlighting the personal relationship between teacher and disciple. The knowledge is described as ‘paramam guhyaṁ’, the supreme secret, suggesting that it is not ordinary philosophical instruction, but an esoteric insight that penetrates the deepest layers of consciousness.
The phrase ‘adhyātmasaṁjñitam’ emphasizes that the teaching concerns the soul or spiritual essence rather than material concerns. This aligns with Chapter 11’s central theme: the unveiling of the divine form (Vishvarūpa) that transcends ordinary perception. By labeling the revelation as spiritual, the text prepares Arjuna (and the reader) for a vision that dissolves ordinary distinctions between self and cosmos.
Arjuna’s acknowledgment of ‘yat tvayā uktam vacaḥ’ – “the words which You have spoken” – reflects reverence for the divine utterance. It also underscores the power of divine speech; in Vedic thought, the spoken word of the divine can alter reality. The knowledge thus conveyed carries an inherent transformative potency, capable of eradicating ignorance.
The removal of ‘mohaḥ ayaṁ’ – ‘this illusion’ – is the pivotal outcome. Moha, often translated as delusion or attachment, is the veil that obscures the true nature of the self. By stating that his illusion is now dispelled, Arjuna signals a shift from doubt to clarity, from karmic entanglement to divine insight. This moment marks the transition from the battlefield of external conflict to the inner battlefield of spiritual awakening.
The verse sets the stage for the subsequent description of Krishna’s universal form. Once Arjuna’s delusion is removed, he becomes poised to witness the cosmic vision that will reveal how all beings, actions, and destinies are woven into the divine tapestry. The text thereby suggests that true knowledge first liberates the mind before it can comprehend the grandeur of the divine manifestation.
From a practical perspective, this verse teaches that earnest seeking, coupled with divine grace, can dissolve personal ignorance. It encourages seekers to pray for such specific grace (‘anugraha’) and to be receptive to teachings that go beyond intellectual understanding. When the inner veil of ‘moha’ is removed, one can experience reality in its unconditioned, divine form, just as Arjuna does in the following verses.
