It is natural, in a discussion between the teacher and the taught, that at the end of a difficult lesson, on approaching the teacher with his doubts, the student should first of all prove to him that he has sufficiently understood the themeof the discussion. This entitles the student to ask the teacher his doubts and get them cleared. Following this traditional method, Arjuna is trying to show Krishna that he has completely understood the main theme of the last chapter. He has listened to Krishna and understood the “ORIGIN AND DISSOLUTION OF BEINGS, AND THE GREATNESS AND THE INEXHAUSTIBLE GLORY OF THE LORD.”
And yet, a doubt remains which can be removed only when his intellect is convinced by a confident knowledge arising out of an actually observed demonstration. The stanza is preparing to meet such a demand. When a student, who has proved to have understood the logic of discussion already carried out, asks a legitimate question, or enquires after the remedy for a possible obstacle, a true teacher must help him out of his troubles by all possible means. We shall observe here in this chapter that the great Yogeshwara (Krishna), out of sheer kindness, even condescends to show Arjuna the form of the Cosmic-Man because the disciple has demanded that he must see it.
THE DEMAND OF THE DISCIPLE IS DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING VERSE:
