Verse 11.53
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया | शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा ||५३||
Transliteration (IAST)
nāhaṁ vedair na tapasā na dānena na cejyayā | śakya evaṁ-vidho draṣṭuṁ dṛṣṭavān asi māṁ yathā ||53||
Word-by-Word Meanings
na vedaiḥ-not by the Vedas
na tapasā-not by austerity
na dānena-not by charity
na ca ijyayā-not by worship/sacrifice
śakyaḥ-possible
evaṁ-vidhaḥ-in this way
draṣṭum-to be seen
dṛṣṭavān asi-you have seen
mām yathā-Me as
Translation
Neither by the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by charity, nor by sacrifice can I be seen in this form as you have seen Me.
Commentary
Krishna reiterates that conventional religious practices cannot grant this vision. This parallels verse 48 but now addresses the principle universally. Madhva explains that this does not devalue Vedic practices but establishes their limitation - they prepare the ground, but only divine grace completes the revelation.
Themes
bhaktijnana