Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 11 of 18 · 55 verses
Arjuna asks to see the divine form, and the universe appears.
विश्वरूपदर्शनयोगः · Viśva-rūpa-darśana-yoga
Awaiting review by a scholar of this tradition. Original texts are public domain; the plain meanings and notes are written by IndiaDigital and are being checked. We describe what each tradition teaches, in its own terms, and never rank faiths. Report a correction
Having heard of Krishna's glories, Arjuna asks to see his divine, universal form, the vishvarupa. Krishna gives him a divine eye, and Sanjaya describes what Arjuna sees: countless faces and eyes, divine ornaments and weapons, a light brighter than a thousand suns rising at once, and the whole universe gathered in one body. Arjuna, trembling with wonder, praises the form, but then sees the warriors of both armies rushing into its blazing mouths, and he asks who this fierce one is. Krishna answers, "I am Time, the destroyer of worlds," and tells Arjuna that the outcome is already decided, so he should be only an instrument and rise to his duty. Shaken, Arjuna bows again and again, asks forgiveness for having treated Krishna casually as a friend, and asks to see his gentle form once more; Krishna returns to his familiar form and teaches that such a vision is reached not by ritual or austerity but by undivided bhakti, loving devotion.
The divineDevotion (bhakti)War and conflictDuty (dharma)Anushtubh (shloka): 4 × 8 syllablesTrishtubh: 4 × 11 syllables
Arjuna, his confusion gone, makes a bold request: "If I am able, show me your divine form."
Krishna gives him a divine eye. Suddenly the sky blazes, brighter than a thousand suns rising together.
Arjuna sees gods, sages and all worlds inside one endless form, with countless faces, arms and eyes.
Then he sees the warriors of both armies streaming into blazing mouths, like rivers rushing to the sea.
"I am Time," the form declares. "Be only my instrument, Arjuna. Rise and do your part."
Trembling, Arjuna bows and begs to see his friend's gentle face again, and Krishna kindly returns to it.
मदनुग्रहाय परमं गुह्यमध्यात्मसंज्ञितम् ।यत्त्वयोक्तं वचस्तेन मोहोऽयं विगतो मम ॥
madanugrahāya paramaṃ guhyamadhyātmasaṃjñitam |yattvayoktaṃ vacastena moho'yaṃ vigato mama ||
Arjuna said: Out of kindness to me you have spoken words about the highest secret, the knowledge of the self. Because of them, my confusion is gone.
भवाप्ययौ हि भूतानां श्रुतौ विस्तरशो मया ।त्वत्तः कमलपत्राक्ष माहात्म्यमपि चाव्ययम् ॥
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṃ śrutau vistaraśo mayā |tvattaḥ kamalapatrākṣa māhātmyamapi cāvyayam ||
O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from you in detail how beings come into existence and pass away, and also about your unending greatness.
एवमेतद्यथात्थ त्वमात्मानं परमेश्वर ।द्रष्टुमिच्छामि ते रूपमैश्वरं पुरुषोत्तम ॥
evametadyathāttha tvamātmānaṃ parameśvara |draṣṭumicchāmi te rūpamaiśvaraṃ puruṣottama ||
It is just as you have described yourself, supreme Lord. Still, O supreme Person, I wish to see your divine form.
मन्यसे यदि तच्छक्यं मया द्रष्टुमिति प्रभो ।योगेश्वर ततो मे त्वं दर्शयात्मानमव्ययम् ॥
manyase yadi tacchakyaṃ mayā draṣṭumiti prabho |yogeśvara tato me tvaṃ darśayātmānamavyayam ||
Lord, if you think it is possible for me to see it, then, master of yoga, show me your eternal self.
पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ।नानाविधानि दिव्यानि नानावर्णाकृतीनि च ॥
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ |nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarṇākṛtīni ca ||
Krishna said: Arjuna, behold my forms, in hundreds and thousands, many kinds, divine, of many colours and shapes.
पश्यादित्यान्वसून्रुद्रानश्विनौ मरुतस्तथा ।बहून्यदृष्टपूर्वाणि पश्याश्चर्याणि भारत ॥
paśyādityānvasūnrudrānaśvinau marutastathā |bahūnyadṛṣṭapūrvāṇi paśyāścaryāṇi bhārata ||
See the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Ashvins and the Maruts. See many wonders never seen before, Arjuna.
इहैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम् ।मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्चान्यद् द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ॥
ihaikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ paśyādya sacarācaram |mama dehe guḍākeśa yaccānyad draṣṭumicchasi ||
Here, today, in my body, see the whole universe gathered in one place, with all that moves and does not move, and whatever else you wish to see.
न तु मां शक्यसे द्रष्टुमनेनैव स्वचक्षुषा ।दिव्यं ददामि ते चक्षुः पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ॥
na tu māṃ śakyase draṣṭumanenaiva svacakṣuṣā |divyaṃ dadāmi te cakṣuḥ paśya me yogamaiśvaram ||
But you cannot see me with these eyes of yours. I give you a divine eye: now see my divine power.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्महायोगेश्वरो हरिः ।दर्शयामास पार्थाय परमं रूपमैश्वरम् ॥
evamuktvā tato rājanmahāyogeśvaro hariḥ |darśayāmāsa pārthāya paramaṃ rūpamaiśvaram ||
Sanjaya said: O king, having said this, Hari, the great master of yoga, showed Arjuna his supreme divine form.
अनेकवक्त्रनयनमनेकाद्भुतदर्शनम् ।अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम् ॥
anekavaktranayanamanekādbhutadarśanam |anekadivyābharaṇaṃ divyānekodyatāyudham ||
It had many mouths and eyes and many wondrous sights, many divine ornaments, and many divine weapons held high.
दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम् ।सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवमनन्तं विश्वतोमुखम् ॥
divyamālyāmbaradharaṃ divyagandhānulepanam |sarvāścaryamayaṃ devamanantaṃ viśvatomukham ||
It wore divine garlands and garments, was anointed with divine fragrances, and was full of every wonder: the shining, endless god, facing every direction.
दिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता ।यदि भाः सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मनः ॥
divi sūryasahasrasya bhavedyugapadutthitā |yadi bhāḥ sadṛśī sā syādbhāsastasya mahātmanaḥ ||
If the light of a thousand suns were to rise in the sky all at once, it might be like the splendour of that great being.
तत्रैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं प्रविभक्तमनेकधा ।अपश्यद्देवदेवस्य शरीरे पाण्डवस्तदा ॥
tatraikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ pravibhaktamanekadhā |apaśyaddevadevasya śarīre pāṇḍavastadā ||
There Arjuna saw the whole universe, divided in many ways, gathered together in the body of the god of gods.
ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनंजयः ।प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ॥
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanaṃjayaḥ |praṇamya śirasā devaṃ kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata ||
Then Arjuna, filled with wonder, his hair standing on end, bowed his head to the Lord and spoke with joined hands.
पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहेसर्वांस्तथा भूतविशेषसंघान् ।ब्रह्माणमीशं कमलासनस्थ-मृषींश्च सर्वानुरगांश्च दिव्यान् ॥
paśyāmi devāṃstava deva dehesarvāṃstathā bhūtaviśeṣasaṃghān |brahmāṇamīśaṃ kamalāsanastha-mṛṣīṃśca sarvānuragāṃśca divyān ||
Arjuna said: O God, in your body I see all the gods and hosts of every kind of being: Brahma the lord seated on the lotus, all the sages and the divine serpents.
अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रंपश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् ।नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिंपश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप ॥
anekabāhūdaravaktranetraṃpaśyāmi tvāṃ sarvato'nantarūpam |nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na punastavādiṃpaśyāmi viśveśvara viśvarūpa ||
I see you everywhere, endless in form, with many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes. I see no end, no middle and no beginning of you, Lord of the universe, whose form is the universe.
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं चतेजोराशिं सर्वतो दीप्तिमन्तम् ।पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ता-द्दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् ॥
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakriṇaṃ catejorāśiṃ sarvato dīptimantam |paśyāmi tvāṃ durnirīkṣyaṃ samantā-ddīptānalārkadyutimaprameyam ||
I see you with crown, mace and discus, a mass of light shining on all sides, hard to look at, blazing like fire and sun, beyond all measure.
त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यंत्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् ।त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्तासनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ॥
tvamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ veditavyaṃtvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam |tvamavyayaḥ śāśvatadharmagoptāsanātanastvaṃ puruṣo mato me ||
You are the imperishable, the supreme one to be known, the final resting place of this universe. You are unchanging, the guardian of eternal dharma; you are, I believe, the eternal Person.
अनादिमध्यान्तमनन्तवीर्य-मनन्तबाहुं शशिसूर्यनेत्रम् ।पश्यामि त्वां दीप्तहुताशवक्त्रंस्वतेजसा विश्वमिदं तपन्तम् ॥
anādimadhyāntamanantavīrya-manantabāhuṃ śaśisūryanetram |paśyāmi tvāṃ dīptahutāśavaktraṃsvatejasā viśvamidaṃ tapantam ||
I see you without beginning, middle or end, of endless power and countless arms, with the sun and moon as your eyes, your mouth a blazing fire, heating this whole universe with your radiance.
द्यावापृथिव्योरिदमन्तरं हिव्याप्तं त्वयैकेन दिशश्च सर्वाः ।दृष्ट्वाद्भुतं रूपमुग्रं तवेदंलोकत्रयं प्रव्यथितं महात्मन् ॥
dyāvāpṛthivyoridamantaraṃ hivyāptaṃ tvayaikena diśaśca sarvāḥ |dṛṣṭvādbhutaṃ rūpamugraṃ tavedaṃlokatrayaṃ pravyathitaṃ mahātman ||
The space between heaven and earth and all directions are filled by you alone. Seeing this wondrous and fearsome form of yours, the three worlds tremble, great one.
अमी हि त्वां सुरसंघा विशन्तिकेचिद्भीताः प्राञ्जलयो गृणन्ति ।स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा महर्षिसिद्धसंघाःस्तुवन्ति त्वां स्तुतिभिः पुष्कलाभिः ॥
amī hi tvāṃ surasaṃghā viśantikecidbhītāḥ prāñjalayo gṛṇanti |svastītyuktvā maharṣisiddhasaṃghāḥstuvanti tvāṃ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ ||
Hosts of gods are entering you; some, afraid, praise you with joined hands. Groups of great sages and perfected ones say "May all be well!" and praise you with many hymns.
रुद्रादित्या वसवो ये च साध्याविश्वेऽश्विनौ मरुतश्चोष्मपाश्च ।गन्धर्वयक्षासुरसिद्धसंघावीक्षन्ते त्वां विस्मिताश्चैव सर्वे ॥
rudrādityā vasavo ye ca sādhyāviśve'śvinau marutaścoṣmapāśca |gandharvayakṣāsurasiddhasaṃghāvīkṣante tvāṃ vismitāścaiva sarve ||
The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishvedevas, the two Ashvins, the Maruts, the ancestors, and hosts of gandharvas, yakshas, asuras and perfected ones all gaze at you in amazement.
रूपं महत्ते बहुवक्त्रनेत्रंमहाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम् ।बहूदरं बहुदंष्ट्राकरालंदृष्ट्वा लोकाः प्रव्यथितास्तथाहम् ॥
rūpaṃ mahatte bahuvaktranetraṃmahābāho bahubāhūrupādam |bahūdaraṃ bahudaṃṣṭrākarālaṃdṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitāstathāham ||
Seeing your vast form with many mouths and eyes, many arms, thighs and feet, many bellies and many fearsome tusks, mighty one, the worlds are shaken, and so am I.
नभःस्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णंव्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् ।दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्माधृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो ॥
nabhaḥspṛśaṃ dīptamanekavarṇaṃvyāttānanaṃ dīptaviśālanetram |dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṃ pravyathitāntarātmādhṛtiṃ na vindāmi śamaṃ ca viṣṇo ||
Seeing you touching the sky, blazing in many colours, mouths wide open, with huge shining eyes, my heart is shaken, Vishnu, and I find neither courage nor peace.
दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानिदृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि ।दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्मप्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥
daṃṣṭrākarālāni ca te mukhānidṛṣṭvaiva kālānalasannibhāni |diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarmaprasīda deveśa jagannivāsa ||
Seeing your mouths with fearsome tusks, like the fire at the end of time, I lose my sense of direction and find no comfort. Be gracious, Lord of gods, home of the universe.
अमी च त्वां धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राःसर्वे सहैवावनिपालसंघैः ।भीष्मो द्रोणः सूतपुत्रस्तथासौसहास्मदीयैरपि योधमुख्यैः ॥
amī ca tvāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥsarve sahaivāvanipālasaṃghaiḥ |bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūtaputrastathāsausahāsmadīyairapi yodhamukhyaiḥ ||
All these sons of Dhritarashtra, together with hosts of kings, and Bhishma, Drona and Karna, along with the chief warriors on our side too,
वक्त्राणि ते त्वरमाणा विशन्तिदंष्ट्राकरालानि भयानकानि ।केचिद्विलग्ना दशनान्तरेषुसंदृश्यन्ते चूर्णितैरुत्तमाङ्गैः ॥
vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā viśantidaṃṣṭrākarālāni bhayānakāni |kecidvilagnā daśanāntareṣusaṃdṛśyante cūrṇitairuttamāṅgaiḥ ||
are rushing into your fearsome mouths with their terrible tusks. Some are seen caught between your teeth, their heads crushed.
यथा नदीनां बहवोऽम्बुवेगाःसमुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति ।तथा तवामी नरलोकवीराविशन्ति वक्त्राण्यभिविज्वलन्ति ॥
yathā nadīnāṃ bahavo'mbuvegāḥsamudramevābhimukhā dravanti |tathā tavāmī naralokavīrāviśanti vaktrāṇyabhivijvalanti ||
As the many currents of rivers rush toward the ocean, so these heroes of the human world enter your flaming mouths.
यथा प्रदीप्तं ज्वलनं पतङ्गाविशन्ति नाशाय समृद्धवेगाः ।तथैव नाशाय विशन्ति लोका-स्तवापि वक्त्राणि समृद्धवेगाः ॥
yathā pradīptaṃ jvalanaṃ pataṅgāviśanti nāśāya samṛddhavegāḥ |tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lokā-stavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddhavegāḥ ||
As moths fly swiftly into a blazing flame to their end, so these worlds swiftly enter your mouths to their end.
लेलिह्यसे ग्रसमानः समन्ता-ल्लोकान्समग्रान्वदनैर्ज्वलद्भिः ।तेजोभिरापूर्य जगत्समग्रंभासस्तवोग्राः प्रतपन्ति विष्णो ॥
lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantā-llokānsamagrānvadanairjvaladbhiḥ |tejobhirāpūrya jagatsamagraṃbhāsastavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo ||
With flaming mouths you swallow the worlds on every side, licking your lips. Your fierce rays fill the whole universe with radiance and scorch it, Vishnu.
आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपोनमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद ।विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यंन हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम् ॥
ākhyāhi me ko bhavānugrarūponamo'stu te devavara prasīda |vijñātumicchāmi bhavantamādyaṃna hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim ||
Tell me who you are, in this fierce form. I bow to you, best of gods; be gracious. I wish to know you, the original one, for I do not understand what you are doing.
कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धोलोकान्समाहर्तुमिह प्रवृत्तः ।ऋतेऽपि त्वां न भविष्यन्ति सर्वेयेऽवस्थिताः प्रत्यनीकेषु योधाः ॥
kālo'smi lokakṣayakṛtpravṛddholokānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ |ṛte'pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarveye'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ ||
Krishna said: I am Time, grown mighty, the destroyer of worlds, now set to gather in these people. Even without you, none of the warriors standing in the opposing armies will survive.
तस्मात्त्वमुत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्वजित्वा शत्रून् भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम् ।मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेवनिमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन् ॥
tasmāttvamuttiṣṭha yaśo labhasvajitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṃ samṛddham |mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvamevanimittamātraṃ bhava savyasācin ||
So rise up and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They have already been struck down by me. Be only the instrument, Arjuna, you who can shoot with either hand.
द्रोणं च भीष्मं च जयद्रथं चकर्णं तथान्यानपि योधवीरान् ।मया हतांस्त्वं जहि मा व्यथिष्ठायुध्यस्व जेतासि रणे सपत्नान् ॥
droṇaṃ ca bhīṣmaṃ ca jayadrathaṃ cakarṇaṃ tathānyānapi yodhavīrān |mayā hatāṃstvaṃ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhāyudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān ||
Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna and the other great warriors have already been slain by me. Slay them, and do not be troubled. Fight: you will defeat your rivals in battle.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्यकृताञ्जलिर्वेपमानः किरीटी ।नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णंसगद्गदं भीतभीतः प्रणम्य ॥
etacchrutvā vacanaṃ keśavasyakṛtāñjalirvepamānaḥ kirīṭī |namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṃsagadgadaṃ bhītabhītaḥ praṇamya ||
Sanjaya said: Hearing these words of Krishna, Arjuna, the crowned one, trembling with joined hands, bowed and, very much afraid, spoke again to Krishna in a choked voice.
स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्याजगत्प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च ।रक्षांसि भीतानि दिशो द्रवन्तिसर्वे नमस्यन्ति च सिद्धसंघाः ॥
sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyājagatprahṛṣyatyanurajyate ca |rakṣāṃsi bhītāni diśo dravantisarve namasyanti ca siddhasaṃghāḥ ||
Arjuna said: It is right, Krishna, that the world rejoices and delights in praising you. Frightened demons flee in all directions, and all the hosts of perfected ones bow to you.
कस्माच्च ते न नमेरन्महात्मन्गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे ।अनन्त देवेश जगन्निवासत्वमक्षरं सदसत्तत्परं यत् ॥
kasmācca te na nameranmahātmangarīyase brahmaṇo'pyādikartre |ananta deveśa jagannivāsatvamakṣaraṃ sadasattatparaṃ yat ||
And why should they not bow to you, great one, who are greater even than Brahma, the first creator? Endless one, Lord of gods, home of the universe, you are the imperishable, what is and what is not, and what lies beyond both.
त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराण-स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् ।वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धामत्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप ॥
tvamādidevaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇa-stvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam |vettāsi vedyaṃ ca paraṃ ca dhāmatvayā tataṃ viśvamanantarūpa ||
You are the first god, the ancient Person, the final resting place of this universe. You are the knower and what is to be known, the highest abode. By you the universe is pervaded, O one of endless forms.
वायुर्यमोऽग्निर्वरुणः शशाङ्कःप्रजापतिस्त्वं प्रपितामहश्च ।नमो नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्रकृत्वःपुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते ॥
vāyuryamo'gnirvaruṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥprajāpatistvaṃ prapitāmahaśca |namo namaste'stu sahasrakṛtvaḥpunaśca bhūyo'pi namo namaste ||
You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the moon, Prajapati and the great-grandfather of all. Salutations to you a thousand times, and again and again, salutations to you.
नमः पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतस्तेनमोऽस्तु ते सर्वत एव सर्व ।अनन्तवीर्यामितविक्रमस्त्वंसर्वं समाप्नोषि ततोऽसि सर्वः ॥
namaḥ purastādatha pṛṣṭhatastenamo'stu te sarvata eva sarva |anantavīryāmitavikramastvaṃsarvaṃ samāpnoṣi tato'si sarvaḥ ||
Salutations to you in front and behind; salutations to you on every side, O All. You are endless in strength and boundless in might. You pervade everything, and so you are everything.
सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तंहे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति ।अजानता महिमानं तवेदंमया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वापि ॥
sakheti matvā prasabhaṃ yaduktaṃhe kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti |ajānatā mahimānaṃ tavedaṃmayā pramādātpraṇayena vāpi ||
Thinking of you only as a friend, whatever I said rashly, "O Krishna, O Yadava, O friend", not knowing this greatness of yours, out of carelessness or out of affection,
यच्चावहासार्थमसत्कृतोऽसिविहारशय्यासनभोजनेषु ।एकोऽथवाप्यच्युत तत्समक्षंतत्क्षामये त्वामहमप्रमेयम् ॥
yaccāvahāsārthamasatkṛto'sivihāraśayyāsanabhojaneṣu |eko'thavāpyacyuta tatsamakṣaṃtatkṣāmaye tvāmahamaprameyam ||
and whatever disrespect I showed you in jest, while playing, resting, sitting or eating, alone or in front of others, for that I ask forgiveness of you, the immeasurable one.
पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्यत्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान् ।न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्योलोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव ॥
pitāsi lokasya carācarasyatvamasya pūjyaśca gururgarīyān |na tvatsamo'styabhyadhikaḥ kuto'nyolokatraye'pyapratimaprabhāva ||
You are the father of the world, of all that moves and does not move. You are its object of worship and its greatest teacher. In the three worlds there is none equal to you, so how could anyone be greater, O one of matchless power?
तस्मात्प्रणम्य प्रणिधाय कायंप्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम् ।पितेव पुत्रस्य सखेव सख्युःप्रियः प्रियायार्हसि देव सोढुम् ॥
tasmātpraṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṃprasādaye tvāmahamīśamīḍyam |piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥpriyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum ||
So, bowing down and laying my body before you, I seek your grace, adorable Lord. As a father bears with a son, a friend with a friend, a lover with the beloved, please bear with me, O God.
अदृष्टपूर्वं हृषितोऽस्मि दृष्ट्वाभयेन च प्रव्यथितं मनो मे ।तदेव मे दर्शय देव रूपंप्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥
adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ hṛṣito'smi dṛṣṭvābhayena ca pravyathitaṃ mano me |tadeva me darśaya deva rūpaṃprasīda deveśa jagannivāsa ||
I am thrilled to have seen what was never seen before, yet my mind is shaken with fear. Show me that same form of yours, O God. Be gracious, Lord of gods, home of the universe.
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रहस्त-मिच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव ।तेनैव रूपेण चतुर्भुजेनसहस्रबाहो भव विश्वमूर्ते ॥
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakrahasta-micchāmi tvāṃ draṣṭumahaṃ tathaiva |tenaiva rūpeṇa caturbhujenasahasrabāho bhava viśvamūrte ||
I wish to see you as before, wearing a crown, holding a mace and discus in hand. Take on that four-armed form, O thousand-armed one whose body is the universe.
मया प्रसन्नेन तवार्जुनेदंरूपं परं दर्शितमात्मयोगात् ।तेजोमयं विश्वमनन्तमाद्यंयन्मे त्वदन्येन न दृष्टपूर्वम् ॥
mayā prasannena tavārjunedaṃrūpaṃ paraṃ darśitamātmayogāt |tejomayaṃ viśvamanantamādyaṃyanme tvadanyena na dṛṣṭapūrvam ||
Krishna said: Pleased with you, Arjuna, I have shown you, by my own power, this supreme form, full of light, universal, endless and original, which no one but you has seen before.
न वेदयज्ञाध्ययनैर्न दानै-र्न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रैः ।एवंरूपः शक्य अहं नृलोकेद्रष्टुं त्वदन्येन कुरुप्रवीर ॥
na vedayajñādhyayanairna dānai-rna ca kriyābhirna tapobhirugraiḥ |evaṃrūpaḥ śakya ahaṃ nṛlokedraṣṭuṃ tvadanyena kurupravīra ||
Not by study of the Vedas or sacrifices, not by gifts, not by rituals, not by severe austerities can I be seen in this form in the human world by anyone but you, great hero of the Kurus.
मा ते व्यथा मा च विमूढभावोदृष्ट्वा रूपं घोरमीदृङ्ममेदम् ।व्यपेतभीः प्रीतमनाः पुनस्त्वंतदेव मे रूपमिदं प्रपश्य ॥
mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍhabhāvodṛṣṭvā rūpaṃ ghoramīdṛṅmamedam |vyapetabhīḥ prītamanāḥ punastvaṃtadeva me rūpamidaṃ prapaśya ||
Do not be troubled or confused at seeing this terrible form of mine. Free from fear and glad at heart, look again at this, my familiar form.
इत्यर्जुनं वासुदेवस्तथोक्त्वास्वकं रूपं दर्शयामास भूयः ।आश्वासयामास च भीतमेनंभूत्वा पुनः सौम्यवपुर्महात्मा ॥
ityarjunaṃ vāsudevastathoktvāsvakaṃ rūpaṃ darśayāmāsa bhūyaḥ |āśvāsayāmāsa ca bhītamenaṃbhūtvā punaḥ saumyavapurmahātmā ||
Sanjaya said: Having spoken this way to Arjuna, Vasudeva showed his own form again, and the great one, taking once more his gentle shape, comforted the frightened Arjuna.
दृष्ट्वेदं मानुषं रूपं तव सौम्यं जनार्दन ।इदानीमस्मि संवृत्तः सचेताः प्रकृतिं गतः ॥
dṛṣṭvedaṃ mānuṣaṃ rūpaṃ tava saumyaṃ janārdana |idānīmasmi saṃvṛttaḥ sacetāḥ prakṛtiṃ gataḥ ||
Arjuna said: Seeing this gentle human form of yours, Krishna, I am now calm and have returned to my normal self.
सुदुर्दर्शमिदं रूपं दृष्टवानसि यन्मम ।देवा अप्यस्य रूपस्य नित्यं दर्शनकाङ्क्षिणः ॥
sudurdarśamidaṃ rūpaṃ dṛṣṭavānasi yanmama |devā apyasya rūpasya nityaṃ darśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||
Krishna said: This form of mine that you have seen is very hard to see. Even the gods always long to see it.
नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया ।शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा ॥
nāhaṃ vedairna tapasā na dānena na cejyayā |śakya evaṃvidho draṣṭuṃ dṛṣṭavānasi māṃ yathā ||
Not by the Vedas, not by austerity, not by giving and not by worship can I be seen as you have seen me.
भक्त्या त्वनन्यया शक्य अहमेवंविधोऽर्जुन ।ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परंतप ॥
bhaktyā tvananyayā śakya ahamevaṃvidho'rjuna |jñātuṃ draṣṭuṃ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṃ ca paraṃtapa ||
But by undivided devotion, Arjuna, I can be known in this way, truly seen, and entered into.
मत्कर्मकृन्मत्परमो मद्भक्तः सङ्गवर्जितः ।निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव ॥
matkarmakṛnmatparamo madbhaktaḥ saṅgavarjitaḥ |nirvairaḥ sarvabhūteṣu yaḥ sa māmeti pāṇḍava ||
Whoever works for me, holds me as the highest, is devoted to me, is free from attachment and has no hatred toward any being, comes to me, Arjuna.
Hindu schools of thought read the Gita in different ways. These notes describe each reading; none is presented as the only correct one.
Shankara describes the closing verse (11.55) as giving the essence of the whole Gita's teaching, stated briefly for the seeker to follow.
Ramanuja reads the vision as showing that the whole universe is the Lord's body under his rule, and stresses 11.54: the Lord is known, seen and reached only through exclusive devotion.
Dnyaneshwar's Marathi Dnyaneshwari retells Arjuna's vision at length in poetic ovi verses, dwelling on both his wonder and his longing to see his friend Krishna's gentle form again.
What does Arjuna ask Krishna for at the start of Chapter 11?
Why does Krishna give Arjuna a divine eye?
Who describes the cosmic form to King Dhritarashtra?
To what is the splendour of the cosmic form compared?
What image does Arjuna use for warriors entering the blazing mouths?
When Arjuna asks who he is, how does Krishna describe himself?
What does Krishna ask Arjuna to be in 11.33?
According to Krishna, how can he truly be known and seen in this way?
Your score: 0 / 8
Sanskrit text: Sanskrit Wikisource (public domain; formatting CC BY-SA 4.0). Transliteration and metre: computed from the Sanskrit. Meanings, summaries, stories and quizzes: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Sanskrit scholar.
Corrections from members of every tradition are welcome at support@indiadigital.org. Last checked: .