अर्चामहे ऽर्चितं सद्भिर् भुवि भौमसुखावहम् ॥
यशः शौर्यं जयं चास्य विज्ञायार्चां प्रयुज्महे ॥
न हि कश् चिद् इहास्माभिः सुबालो ऽप्य् अपरीक्षितः ॥
गुणैर् वृद्धान् अतिक्रम्य हरिर् अर्च्यतमो मतः ॥
ज्ञानवृद्धो द्विजातीनां क्षत्रियाणां बलाधिकः ॥
पूज्ये ताव् इह गोविन्दे हेतू द्वाव् अपि संस्थितौ ॥
arcāmahe 'rcitaṃ sadbhir bhuvi bhaumasukhāvaham ||
yaśaḥ śauryaṃ jayaṃ cāsya vijñāyārcāṃ prayujmahe ||
na hi kaś cid ihāsmābhiḥ subālo 'py aparīkṣitaḥ ||
guṇair vṛddhān atikramya harir arcyatamo mataḥ ||
jñānavṛddho dvijātīnāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ balādhikaḥ ||
pūjye tāv iha govinde hetū dvāv api saṃsthitau ||
"— rather, we worship him, worshipped by the good on earth, the bringer of earthly happiness; having recognized his glory, valor, and victory, we perform this worship. For no one here has been left unexamined by us, be it even a small child: surpassing elders in his qualities, Hari has been deemed most worthy of worship. Eldest in knowledge, as among the twice-born, and surpassing in strength, as among kshatriyas — both these grounds for honor abide in Govinda."
3bdc71871d6a · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:40:27 PM UTC
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Bhishma points to both pillars of honor: knowledge, revered in brahmins, and strength, revered in kshatriyas — both present in full in Govinda. It is telling that Krishna combines in himself the perfections of all classes: he is at once the wisest and the strongest. The verse teaches that the Lord is not great in only one respect, as men are, in whom one virtue compensates for the lack of another — in him is the fullness of all perfections without deficiency. Therefore honoring him is not a choice based on a single trait, but recognition of the One in whom all grounds for honor converge; and where others are worthy in part, he is worthy in full.