CHAPTER 11

Verse 1

arjuna uvāca
mad-anugrahāya paramaṁ
guhyam adhyātma-saṁjñitam
yat tvayoktaṁ vacas tena
moho ’yaṁ vigato mama

Arjuna said: Now that I have heard the supremely confidential knowledge of Your opulences, which You revealed out of Your compassion for me, my delusion born of ignorance has been dispelled.

Verse 2

bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṁ
śrutau vistaraśo mayā
tvattaḥ kamala-patrākṣa
māhātmyam api cāvyayam

O lotus-eyed Lord, I have heard from You in detail about the origin and dissolution of the living entities, and I have also heard of Your eternal glories.

Verse 3

evam etad yathāttha tvam
ātmānaṁ parameśvara
draṣṭum icchāmi te rūpam
aiśvaraṁ puruṣottama

O Parameçvara, I accept all that You have spoken about Yourself as true. Still, O Puruñottama, I now wish to see Your form that is replete with majesty.

Verse 4

manyase yadi tac chakyaṁ
mayā draṣṭum iti prabho
yogeśvara tato me tvaṁ
darśayātmānam avyayam

O my Master! If You think that it is possible for me to behold that imperishable, all-opulent form, then please, O controller of all mystic powers, reveal that form to me.

Verse 5

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi
śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ
nānā-vidhāni divyāni
nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca

Çré Bhagavän said: O Pärtha, behold My hundreds and thousands of various multi-coloured divine forms.

Verse 6

paśyādityān vasūn rudrān
aśvinau marutas tathā
bahūny adṛṣṭa-pūrvāṇi
paśyāścaryāṇi bhārata

O Bhärata, behold the twelve Ädityas, the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the two Açviné-kumäras, the forty-nine Maruts and so many other astonishing forms, unwitnessed by anyone before.

Verse 7

ihaika-sthaṁ jagat kṛtsnaṁ
paśyādya sa-carācaram
mama dehe guḍākeśa
yac cānyad draṣṭum icchasi

O Guòäkeça, now behold the entire universe, including all moving and non-moving beings, assembled together in one place within this body of Mine. Whatever else you wish to see is also visible within this universal form.

Verse 8

na tu māṁ śakyase draṣṭum
anenaiva sva-cakṣuṣā
divyaṁ dadāmi te cakṣuḥ
paśya me yogam aiśvaram

However, you are certainly unable to see Me with the material eyes you have now. Therefore, I confer upon you divine eyes to behold My mystic opulence.

Verse 9

sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvā tato rājan
mahā-yogeśvaro hariḥ
darśayām āsa pārthāya
paramaṁ rūpam aiśvaram

Saïjaya said: O King, so saying, Çré Hari, the master of all mystic potency, revealed to Arjuna His supreme majestic form.

Verse 10 – 11

aneka-vaktra-nayanam
anekādbhuta-darśanam
aneka-divyābharaṇaṁ
divyānekodyatāyudham

divya-mālyāmbara-dharaṁ
divya-gandhānulepanam
sarvāścarya-mayaṁ devam
anantaṁ viśvato-mukham

Arjuna saw the universal form of Çré Bhagavän, possessing limitless mouths and eyes and all varieties of astonishing features. Countless divine ornaments and heavenly garlands bedecked that form, in whose hands numerous celestial weapons were raised. He was dressed in lavish garments, anointed with divine fragrances and was astonishing in every way. His unlimited resplendent faces gazed in all directions.

Verse 12

divi sūrya-sahasrasya
bhaved yugapad utthitā
yadi bhāḥ sadṛśī sā syād
bhāsas tasya mahātmanaḥ

If a thousand suns rose in the sky simultaneously, such splendour might approach the effulgence of that Supreme Person in His radiant universal form.

Verse 13

tatraika-sthaṁ jagat kṛtsnaṁ
pravibhaktam anekadhā
apaśyad deva-devasya
śarīre pāṇḍavas tadā

At that time, Arjuna could see the totality of the entire universe situated in many separate forms within that gigantic body of Viçvarüpa, the God of gods.

Verse 14

tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo
hṛṣṭa-romā dhanañ-jayaḥ
praṇamya śirasā devaṁ
kṛtāñjalir abhāṣata

Struck by wonder, his hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed his head to offer respects, and with folded hands, he spoke the following words to Çré Kåñëa, who had assumed His universal form.

Verse 15

arjuna uvāca
paśyāmi devāṁs tava deva dehe
sarvāṁs tathā bhūta-viśeṣa-saṅghān
brahmāṇam īśaṁ kamalāsana-stham
ṛṣīṁś ca sarvān uragāṁś ca divyān

Arjuna said: O My Lord, within Your divine body I see the demigods and the hosts of living beings. I see Lord Brahmä seated upon his lotus-flower seat, and I see Lord Çiva and all the divine sages and serpents.

Verse 16

aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraṁ
paśyāmi tvāṁ sarvato ’nanta-rūpam
nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punas tavādiṁ
paśyāmi viśveśvara viśva-rūpa

O Viçveçvara – Lord of the universe! O Viçvarüpa – form of the universe! On all sides I behold Your innumerable forms with unlimited hands, bellies, mouths and eyes. Moreover, I cannot see in You any beginning, middle or end.

Verse 17

kirīṭinaṁ gadinaṁ cakriṇaṁ ca
tejo-rāśiṁ sarvato dīptimantam
paśyāmi tvāṁ durnirīkṣyaṁ samantād
dīptānalārka-dyutim aprameyam

I am seeing Your form as the supremely brilliant, all-pervading abode of splendour, adorned with crowns and bearing clubs and discs on all sides. It is very difficult to look upon You, due to the blazing fire of Your immeasurable effulgence, which radiates like the sun in all directions.

Verse 18

tvam akṣaraṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ
tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam
tvam avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-goptā
sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣo mato me

You are Parabrahma, the supreme knowable object for all liberated persons. You are the supreme resting place of this universe. You are indestructible, the protector of the eternal religion and the primeval eternal Person. This is my opinion.

Verse 19

anādi-madhyāntam ananta-vīryam
ananta-bāhuṁ śaśi-sūrya-netram
paśyāmi tvāṁ dīpta-hutāśa-vaktraṁ
sva-tejasā viśvam idaṁ tapantam

I see that You are without beginning, middle or end. You possess infinite prowess and innumerable arms, and Your eyes are like the sun and the moon. I see fire blazing from Your mouths and the whole universe being scorched by Your radiance.

Verse 20

dyāv ā-pṛthivyor idam antaraṁ hi
vyāptaṁ tvayaikena diśaś ca sarvāḥ
dṛṣṭvādbhutaṁ rūpam ugraṁ tavedaṁ
loka-trayaṁ pravyathitaṁ mahātman

You alone pervade all directions and all the space between Earth and the heavens. O Great Soul! Seeing this wondrous and terrible form of Yours, all the inhabitants of the three worlds are becoming most fearful and perturbed.

Verse 21

amī hi tvāṁ sura-saṅghā viśanti
kecid bhītāḥ prāñjalayo gṛṇanti
svastīty uktvā maharṣi-siddha-saṅghāḥ
stuvanti tvāṁ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ

The hosts of demigods are taking shelter of You by entering into You. Some, out of fear, are eulogizing You with folded hands. The great sages and perfected beings are gazing upon You as they loudly utter Vedic hymns invoking auspiciousness.

Verse 22

rudrādityā vasavo ye ca sādhyā
viśve ’śvinau marutaś coṣmapāś ca
gandharva-yakṣāsura-siddha-saṅghā
vīkṣante tvāṁ vismitāś caiva sarve

The eleven Rudras, the twelve Ädityas, the eight Vasus, the Sädhya demigods, the Viçva demigods, the twin Açviné-kumäras, the Maruts, Pitås, Gandharvas, Yakñas, Asuras and the Siddhas are all beholding You in wonder.

Verse 23

rūpaṁ mahat te bahu-vaktra-netraṁ
mahā-bāho bahu-bāhūru-pādam
bahūdaraṁ bahu-daṁṣṭrā-karālaṁ
dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitās tathāham

O mighty-armed Lord, upon beholding Your gigantic form, with its unlimited mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, bellies and fearsome teeth, everyone is becoming greatly fearful, as I am.

Verse 24

nabhaḥ-spṛśaṁ dīptam aneka-varṇaṁ
vyāttānanaṁ dīpta-viśāla-netram
dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṁ pravyathitāntar-ātmā
dhṛtiṁ na vindāmi śamaṁ ca viṣṇo

O Viñëu! Seeing Your blazing, multi-coloured form pervade the sky, with Your great fiery eyes and wide-open mouths, my mind is overpowered by fear and I am neither steady in mind nor peaceful.

Verse 25

daṁṣṭrā-karālāni ca te mukhāni
dṛṣṭvaiva kālānala-sannibhāni
diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma
prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa

Seeing all those dreadful mouths filled with fearsome teeth and blazing like the fire of annihilation, I am unable to ascertain the four directions or feel any kind of happiness. O Lord of the demigods! O shelter of the universe! Kindly be merciful to me.

Verse 26 – 27

amī ca tvāṁ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ
sarve sahaivāvani-pāla-saṅghaiḥ
bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūta-putras tathāsau
sahāsmadīyair api yodha-mukhyaiḥ

vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā viśanti
daṁṣṭrā-karālāni bhayānakāni
kecid vilagnā daśanāntareṣ
usandṛśyante cūrṇitair uttamāṅgaiḥ

All the sons of Dhåtaräñöra, along with their allied host of kings and Bhéñma, Droëa and Karëa, as well as the leading warriors on our side, are rushing towards You with great speed and entering Your cave-like mouths, which are filled with frightful teeth. I see that some are also trapped there, their heads crushed between those teeth.

Verse 28

yathā nadīnāṁ bahavo ’mbu-vegāḥ
samudram evābhimukhā dravanti
tathā tavāmī nara-loka-vīrā
viśanti vaktrāṇy abhivijvalanti

As the waters of many rivers rush forcefully toward the ocean and enter it, similarly, all of these great heroes are entering Your blazing mouths.

Verse 29

yathā pradīptaṁ jvalanaṁ pataṅgā
viśanti nāśāya samṛddha-vegāḥ
tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lokās
tavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddha-vegāḥ

As moths rush into a blazing fire and perish, these warriors are entering Your mouths with great speed, only to die.

Verse 30

lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāl
lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbhiḥ
tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraṁ
bhāsas tavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo

O Viñëu, with Your fiery mouths, You are devouring the host of living beings, licking them up from all sides again and again. You are scorching the entire universe with the fierce, all-pervading rays of Your effulgence.

Verse 31

ākhyāhi me ko bhavān ugra-rūpo
namo ’stu te deva-vara prasīda
vijñātum icchāmi bhavantam ādyaṁ
na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim

O best among the gods, I offer my obeisances unto You. Kindly be pleased and tell me who You are in this ferocious form. I very much want to understand You, the primeval cause, because I do not comprehend Your activities.

Verse 32

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kālo ’smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho
lokān samāhartum iha pravṛttaḥ
ṛte ’pi tvāṁ na bhaviṣyanti sarve
ye ’vasthitāḥ praty-anīkeṣu yodhāḥ

Çré Bhagavän said: I am time, the mighty destroyer of the worlds, and I am here to annihilate all these people. Even without your efforts, not one warrior in either army will survive.

Verse 33

tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva
jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin

Rise up, therefore, to enter the battle and achieve glory by conquering your enemies, thereby enjoying an unrivalled kingdom. All these warriors are already slain by Me alone. O Savyasäcé (expert bowman) just become My instrument.

Verse 34

droṇaṁ ca bhīṣmaṁ ca jayadrathaṁ ca
karṇaṁ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān
mayā hatāṁs tvaṁ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā
yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān

Droëa, Bhéñma, Jayadratha, Karëa and many other great heroes have already been destroyed by Me, so simply kill them and do not be disturbed. Your victory in battle is assured; therefore fight.

Verse 35

sañjaya uvāca
etac chrutvā vacanaṁ keśavasya
kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī
namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṁ
sa-gadgadaṁ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya

Saïjaya said to Dhåtaräñöra: Upon hearing these words of Çré Keçava, Arjuna trembled. He offered repeated obeisances with folded hands and, being extremely frightened, began speaking to Kåñëa in a faltering voice as follows.

Verse 36

arjuna uvāca
sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā
jagat prahṛṣyaty anurajyate ca
rakṣāṁsi bhītāni diśo dravanti
sarve namasyanti ca siddha-saṅghāḥ

Arjuna said: O Håñékeça, by glorifying Your name, form and qualities, the entire universe becomes joyful and attains attachment to You. The demons scatter out of fear, while the hosts of perfected beings offer their obeisances to You. Indeed, all this is most appropriate.

Verse 37

kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman
garīyase brahmaṇo ’py ādi-kartre
ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa
tvam akṣaraṁ sad-asat tat paraṁ yat

O Mahätma (great soul)! O Deveça (Lord of the demigods)! O Ananta (unlimited one)! O Jagan-niväsa (refuge of the world)! You are even greater than Lord Brahmä. You are the original creator and You are the infinite spirit, brahma, the imperishable reality beyond both cause and effect. Why, then, should they not offer obeisances to You

Verse 38

tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇas
tvam asya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam
vettāsi vedyaṁ ca paraṁ ca dhāma
tvayā tataṁ viśvam ananta-rūpa

You are the original Lord, the most ancient Person and the sole resting place of this universe. You are the supreme abode, the knower of everything and You are all that is to be known. O Ananta-rüpa, possessor of unlimited forms, You alone pervade the entire universe.

Verse 39

vāyur yamo ’gnir varuṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ
prajāpatis tvaṁ prapitāmahaś ca
namo namas te ’stu sahasra-kṛtvaḥ
punaś ca bhūyo ’pi namo namas te

You are the wind-god, Väyu, and You are Yama, the superintendent of universal chastisement. You are the fire-god, Agni, the oceangod, Varuëa, the moon-god, Candra, the creator, Brahmä and also the father of Brahmä. Therefore, I offer my obeisances to You thousands of times, again and again.

Verse 40

namaḥ purastād atha pṛṣṭhatas te
namo ’stu te sarvata eva sarva
ananta-vīryāmita-vikramas tvaṁ
sarvaṁ samāpnoṣi tato ’si sarvaḥ

O Sarva-svarüpa – You who are everything! My obeisances to You from the front, behind and from all sides! Possessing infinite prowess and valour, You pervade the entire universe. Therefore, You are everything.

Verse 41 – 42

sakheti matvā prasabhaṁ yad uktaṁ
he kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti
ajānatā mahimānaṁ tavedaṁ
mayā pramādāt praṇayena vāpi

yac cāvahāsārtham asat-kṛto ’si
vihāra-śayyāsana-bhojaneṣu
eko ’tha vāpy acyuta tat-samakṣaṁ
tat kṣāmaye tvām aham aprameyam

Not knowing Your glories, and either because I was careless, or because I affectionately considered You as my friend, I have rashly addressed You, “O Kåñëa”, “O Yädava”, “O Sakhä” and so forth. O Acyuta, if in jest I have shown You any disrespect, either while alone with You or in the presence of friends while sporting, relaxing, sitting or eating, I beseech You unlimitedly to forgive me.

Verse 43

pitāsi lokasya carācarasya
tvam asya pūjyaś ca gurur garīyān
na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto ’nyo
loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhāva

O possessor of unrivalled power! You are the father, the most worshipful personality, the guru and the most honoured person in this entire world of moving and non-moving beings. No one in the three worlds is Your equal, so who could possibly be greater than You?

Verse 44

tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ
prasādaye tvām aham īśam īḍyam
piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ
priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum

I therefore prostrate my body at Your lotus feet in obeisance. O adorable Supreme Lord, I entreat You to be gracious to me. O Lord, just as a father forgives his son, a friend tolerates a friend or a lover excuses his beloved, You should forgive my offences.

Verse 45

adṛṣṭa-pūrvaṁ hṛṣito ’smi dṛṣṭvā
bhayena ca pravyathitaṁ mano me
tad eva me darśaya deva rūpaṁ
prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa

O Lord! Having seen this universal form of Yours, which has never been seen before, I am overjoyed, but my mind is also very much perturbed due to fear. O Deveça (Lord of gods), please further display to me Your four-armed form. O Jagan-niväsa (refuge of the entire universe), please be gracious to me.

Verse 46

kirīṭinaṁ gadinaṁ cakra-hastam
icchāmi tvāṁ draṣṭum ahaṁ tathaiva
tenaiva rūpeṇa catur-bhujena
sahasra-bāho bhava viśva-mūrte

I long to see You in that form, which is adorned with crown, mace and disc. O thousand-armed One, O form of the universe, kindly manifest Your four-armed form.

Verse 47

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
mayā prasannena tavārjunedaṁ
rūpaṁ paraṁ darśitam ātma-yogāt
tejo-mayaṁ viśvam anantam ādyaṁ
yan me tvad anyena na dṛṣṭa-pūrvam

Çré Bhagavän said: O Arjuna, because I am pleased with you, I have shown you My resplendent, unlimited and primeval universal form by means of My inconceivable yogamäyä-çakti. You are the only one who has ever seen this form.

Verse 48

na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair
na ca kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ
evaṁ-rūpaḥ śakya ahaṁ nṛ-loke
draṣṭuṁ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra

O great hero among the Kurus, but for you, no one in this world has beheld this universal form of Mine. This form cannot be seen by study of the Vedas nor through sacrifices, charity, rituals or severe penances.

Verse 49

mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍha-bhāvo
dṛṣṭvā rūpaṁ ghoram īdṛṅ mamedam
vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaṁ
tad eva me rūpam idaṁ prapaśya

Do not be afraid or bewildered by seeing this terrible form. Again be free from fear and cheerful. Just behold My beautiful fourarmed form to your complete satisfaction.

Verse 50

sanjaya uvāca
ity arjunaṁ vāsudevas tathoktvā
svakaṁ rūpaṁ darśayām āsa bhūyaḥ
āśvāsayām āsa ca bhītam enaṁ
bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā

Saïjaya said: Having spoken thus, Çré Kåñëa, the supremely magnanimous son of Vasudeva, again showed His four-armed form. Thereafter, He consoled the frightened Arjuna by assuming His gentle two-armed form.

Verse 51

arjuna uvāca
dṛṣṭvedaṁ mānuṣaṁ rūpaṁ
tava saumyaṁ janārdana
idānīm asmi saṁvṛttaḥ
sa-cetāḥ prakṛtiṁ gataḥ

Arjuna said: O Janärdana, my heart feels delight upon seeing Your charming human-like form, and I have returned to my normal condition.

Verse 52

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
su-durdarśam idaṁ rūpaṁ
dṛṣṭavān asi yan mama
devā apy asya rūpasya
nityaṁ darśana-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ

Çré Bhagavän said: This human form of Mine which you have seen is rarely seen by others. Even the gods forever hanker to have darçana of this form.

Verse 53

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

It is not possible to see this extremely rare form of Mine, which you now behold, merely by studying the Vedas, practising austerities, giving in charity or performing sacrifices.

Verse 54

bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya
aham evaṁ-vidho ’rjuna
jñātuṁ draṣṭuṁ ca tattvena
praveṣṭuṁ ca paran-tapa

O Arjuna, conqueror of the foe, only by exclusive devotion can one actually know and see My exquisite human-like form and enter into association with Me in My abode.

Verse 55

mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo
mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu
yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava

O son of Päëòu, he who exclusively dedicates his life to Me, considering Me alone to be his supreme goal, who engages in the various limbs of bhakti such as çravaëa and kértana, who is devoid of mundane attachments, and who remains free from enmity towards any living being – he alone attains Me.