Bg. 11.53 · Bhagavad-gita As It Is

Devanagari

नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया । शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा ॥ ५३ ॥

Verse text

nāhaṁ vedair na tapasā na dānena na cejyayā śakya evaṁ-vidho draṣṭuṁ dṛṣṭavān asi māṁ yathā

Synonyms

na — never ; aham — I ; vedaiḥ — by study of the Vedas ; na — never ; tapasā — by serious penances ; na — never ; dānena — by charity ; na — never ; ca — also ; ijyayā — by worship ; śakyaḥ — it is possible ; evam-vidhaḥ — like this ; draṣṭum — to see ; dṛṣṭavān — seeing ; asi — you are ; mām — Me ; yathā — as.

Translation

The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by undergoing serious penances, nor by charity, nor by worship. It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

53. Not through the Vedas, not through austerities, not through charities, nor through performance of sacrifice, is it possible to see Me as you have seen Me.

Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

53. Not through the Vedas, not through austerities, not through charities, nor through performance of worship, is it possible to see Me as you have seen Me.

Purport

Kṛṣṇa first appeared before His parents Devakī and Vasudeva in a four-handed form, and then He transformed Himself into the two-handed form. This mystery is very difficult to understand for those who are atheists or who are devoid of devotional service. For scholars who have simply studied Vedic literature by way of grammatical knowledge or mere academic qualifications, Kṛṣṇa is not possible to understand. Nor is He to be understood by persons who officially go to the temple to offer worship. They make their visit, but they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. Kṛṣṇa can be understood only through the path of devotional service, as explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the next verse.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Moreover, please understand that others—who desire as the goal of their lives that svarūpa which is not desired by you— cannot see that form or know that form even by such practices as study of the Vedas.

Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)

This form is rare to see. I, your friend with four arms, the son of Devakī, cannot be seen by anyone devoid of bhakti, by any method whatever, even by studying the Vedas, by charities, by austerities or by worship, in the way that you are seeing Me.

Surrender Unto Me

All those were negative ways that one can try as much as he likes but one cannot see this form of Krsna. No matter how one tries through Vedas, austerities, etc, etc,,charity, worship, penances ‑ one can still not see this form of the Lord. Why? Because,