Home Vedic Pedia Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11: Krishna proves Himself as the Supreme Lord and He establishes the criteria that anyone who claims to be Godhead must also show a Universal Form. Krishna gives Arjuna divine eyes and then reveals His wondrous, effulgent, all-expansive form, and Arjuna sees all soldiers being devoured by His flaming mouth because at that time he was manifest with terrible, scorching rays. Krishna explains His form as time, the destroyer of worlds, and requests that Arjuna, knowing in advance the inevitable of all the warriors, becomes His instrument. In answer to Arjuna’s fearful prayers, Krishna first shows His four-armed form and then returns to His original two-armed form. Krishna then states that his two-armed form can only be seen by those offering pure devotional service, those who work for Him, who make Him the supreme goal of life, who is friendly to every living being---he certainly comes to Him. 

Slogam 1:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.1


arjuna uvāca

mad-anugrahāya paramaḿ

guhyam adhyātma-saḿjñitam

yat tvayoktaḿ vacas tena

moho ’yaḿ vigato mama


Translation


Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions You have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now bee...View More

Slogam 2:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.2


bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāḿ

śrutau vistaraśo mayā

tvattaḥ kamala-patrākṣa

māhātmyam api cāvyayam


Translation 


O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity and have realized Your inexhaustible glor...View More

Slogam 3:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.3


evam etad yathāttha tvam

ātmānaḿ parameśvara

draṣṭum icchāmi te rūpam

aiśvaraḿ puruṣottama


Translation 


O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see You here before me in Your actual position, as You have described Yourself, I wish to see how...View More

Slogam 4:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.4


manyase yadi tac chakyaḿ

mayā draṣṭum iti prabho

yogeśvara tato me tvaḿ

darśayātmānam avyayam


Translation 


If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that unlimited universal Self.


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Slogam 5:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.5


śrī-bhagavān uvāca

paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi

śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ

nānā-vidhāni divyāni

nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca


Translation 


The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pritha, see now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied d...View More

Slogam 6:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.6


paśyādityān vasūn rudrān

aśvinau marutas tathā

bahūny adṛṣṭa-pūrvāṇi

paśyāścaryāṇi bhārata


Translation


O best of the Bharatas, see here the different manifestations of Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Asvini-kumaras and all the other demigods. Behold the many ...View More

Slogam 7:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.7


ihaika-sthaḿ jagat kṛtsnaḿ

paśyādya sa-carācaram

mama dehe guḍākeśa

yac cānyad draṣṭum icchasi


Translation 


O Arjuna, whatever you wish to see, behold at once in this body of Mine! This universal form can show you whatever you now desire to see and whatever ...View More

Slogam 8:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.8


na tu māḿ śakyase draṣṭum

anenaiva sva-cakṣuṣā

divyaḿ dadāmi te cakṣuḥ

paśya me yogam aiśvaram


Translation 


But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes. Behold My mystic opulence!


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Slogam 9:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.9


sañjaya uvāca

evam uktvā tato rājan

mahā-yogeśvaro hariḥ

darśayām āsa pārthāya

paramaḿ rūpam aiśvaram


Translation 


Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead, displayed His universal form to Arjun...View More

Slogam 10-11:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.10 - 11.11


aneka-vaktra-nayanam

anekādbhuta-darśanam

aneka-divyābharaṇaḿ

divyānekodyatāyudham


divya-mālyāmbara-dharaḿ

divya-gandhānulepanam

sarvāścarya-mayaḿ devam

anantaḿ viśvato-mukham


Translation 


Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths, unlimited...View More

Slogam 12:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.12

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



Translation

If hundreds of thousands of suns were to rise at once into the sky, their radiance might resemble the effulgence of the Supreme Person in that universal ...View More

Slogam 13:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.13

tatraika-sthaḿ jagat kṛtsnaḿ
pravibhaktam anekadhā
apaśyad deva-devasya
śarīre pāṇḍavas tadā

Translation

At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in one place although divided into many,...View More

Slogam 14:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.14

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

Translation

Then, bewildered and astonished, his hair standing on end, Arjuna bowed his head to offer obeisances and with folded hands began to pray to the ...View More

Slogam 15:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.15

arjuna uvāca
paśyāmi devāḿs tava deva dehe
sarvāḿs tathā bhūta-viśeṣa-sańghān
brahmāṇam īśaḿ kamalāsana-stham
ṛṣīḿś ca sarvān uragāḿś ca divyān

Translation

Arjuna said: My dear Lord Krishna, I see assembled in Your body all the demigods ...View More

Slogam 16:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.16

aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraḿ
paśyāmi tvāḿ sarvato ’nanta-rūpam
nāntaḿ na madhyaḿ na punas tavādiḿ
paśyāmi viśveśvara viśva-rūpa


Translation

O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in Your body many, many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes, expa...View More

Slogam 17:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.17

kirīṭinaḿ gadinaḿ cakriṇaḿ ca
tejo-rāśiḿ sarvato dīptimantam
paśyāmi tvāḿ durnirīkṣyaḿ samantād
dīptānalārka-dyutim aprameyam


Translation

Your form is difficult to see because of its glaring effulgence, spreading on all sides, like blazing fire...View More

Slogam 18:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.18

tvam akṣaraḿ paramaḿ veditavyaḿ
tvam asya viśvasya paraḿ nidhānam
tvam avyayaḥ śāśvata-dharma-goptā
sanātanas tvaḿ puruṣo mato me


Translation

You are the supreme primal objective. You are the ultimate resting place of all this universe. You are inexha...View More

Slogam 19:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.19

anādi-madhyāntam ananta-vīryam
ananta-bāhuḿ śaśi-sūrya-netram
paśyāmi tvāḿ dīpta-hutāśa-vaktraḿ
sva-tejasā viśvam idaḿ tapantam



Translation


You are without origin, middle or end. Your glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon a...View More

Slogam 20:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.20


dyāv ā-pṛthivyor idam antaraḿ hi

vyāptaḿ tvayaikena diśaś ca sarvāḥ

dṛṣṭvādbhutaḿ rūpam ugraḿ tavedaḿ

loka-trayaḿ pravyathitaḿ mahātman


Translation 


Although You are one, You spread throughout the sky and the planets and all space between. O ...View More

Slogam 21:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.21


amī hi tvāḿ sura-sańghā viśanti

kecid bhītāḥ prāñjalayo gṛṇanti

svastīty uktvā maharṣi-siddha-sańghāḥ

stuvanti tvāḿ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ


Translation


All the hosts of demigods are surrendering before You and entering into You. Some of them,...View More

Slogam 22:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.22


rudrādityā vasavo ye ca sādhyā

viśve ’śvinau marutaś coṣmapāś ca

gandharva-yakṣāsura-siddha-sańghā

vīkṣante tvāḿ vismitāś caiva sarve


Translation 


All the various manifestations of Lord Shiva, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Visvedevas, the...View More

Slogam 23:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.23


rūpaḿ mahat te bahu-vaktra-netraḿ

mahā-bāho bahu-bāhūru-pādam

bahūdaraḿ bahu-daḿṣṭrā-karālaḿ

dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitās tathāham


Translation 


O mighty-armed one, all the planets with their demigods are disturbed at seeing Your great form, wi...View More

Slogam 24:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.24


nabhaḥ-spṛśaḿ dīptam aneka-varṇaḿ

vyāttānanaḿ dīpta-viśāla-netram

dṛṣṭvā hi tvāḿ pravyathitāntar-ātmā

dhṛtiḿ na vindāmi śamaḿ ca viṣṇo


Translation 


O all-pervading Vishnu, seeing You with Your many radiant colors touching the sky, ...View More

Slogam 25:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.25


daḿṣṭrā-karālāni ca te mukhāni

dṛṣṭvaiva kālānala-sannibhāni

diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma

prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa


Translation 


O Lord of lords, O refuge of the worlds, please be gracious to me. I cannot keep my balance seeing thus Your blazing...View More

Slogam 26-27:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.26 - 11.27


amī ca tvāḿ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ

sarve sahaivāvani-pāla-sańghaiḥ

bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūta-putras tathāsau

sahāsmadīyair api yodha-mukhyaiḥ


vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā viśanti

daḿṣṭrā-karālāni bhayānakāni

kecid vilagnā daśanān...View More

Slogam 28:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.28


yathā nadīnāḿ bahavo ’mbu-vegāḥ

samudram evābhimukhā dravanti

tathā tavāmī nara-loka-vīrā

viśanti vaktrāṇy abhivijvalanti


Translation 


As the many waves of the rivers flow into the ocean, so do all these great warriors enter blazing into Your mouths.

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Slogam 29:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.29


yathā pradīptaḿ jvalanaḿ patańgā

viśanti nāśāya samṛddha-vegāḥ

tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lokās

tavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddha-vegāḥ


Translation


I see all people rushing full speed into Your mouths, as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire.

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Slogam 30:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.30


lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāl

lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbhiḥ

tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraḿ

bhāsas tavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo


Translation


O Vishnu, I see You devouring all people from all sides with Your flaming mouths. Covering all the universe with Y...View More

Slogam 31:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.31


ākhyāhi me ko bhavān ugra-rūpo

namo ’stu te deva-vara prasīda

vijñātum icchāmi bhavantam ādyaḿ

na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim


Translation 



O Lord of lords, so fierce of form, please tell me who You are. I offer my obeisances unto You; please be gracious to m...View More

Slogam 32:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.32


śrī-bhagavān uvāca

kālo ’smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho

lokān samāhartum iha pravṛttaḥ

ṛte ’pi tvāḿ na bhaviṣyanti sarve

ye ’vasthitāḥ praty-anīkeṣu yodhāḥ


Translation 


The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Time I am, the great destroye...View More

Slogam 33:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.33


tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva

jitvā śatrūn bhuńkṣva rājyaḿ samṛddham

mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva

nimitta-mātraḿ bhava savya-sācin


Translation 


Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a flourishing kingd...View More

Slogam 34:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.34


droṇaḿ ca bhīṣmaḿ ca jayadrathaḿ ca

karṇaḿ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān

mayā hatāḿs tvaḿ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā

yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān


Translation 



Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna and the other great warriors have already been destroyed ...View More

Slogam 35:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.35


sañjaya uvāca

etac chrutvā vacanaḿ keśavasya

kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī

namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaḿ

sa-gadgadaḿ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya


Translation 


Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra: O King, after hearing these words from the Supreme Person...View More

Slogam 36:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.36


arjuna uvāca

sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā

jagat prahṛṣyaty anurajyate ca

rakṣāḿsi bhītāni diśo dravanti

sarve namasyanti ca siddha-sańghāḥ


Translation 


Arjuna said: O master of the senses, the world becomes joyful upon hearing Your name, and thus e...View More

Slogam 37:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.37


kasmāc ca te na nameran mahātman

garīyase brahmaṇo ’py ādi-kartre

ananta deveśa jagan-nivāsa

tvam akṣaraḿ sad-asat tat paraḿ yat


Translation 


O great one, greater even than Brahma, You are the original creator. Why then should they not offer their respectful ...View More

Slogam 38:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.38


tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇas

tvam asya viśvasya paraḿ nidhānam

vettāsi vedyaḿ ca paraḿ ca dhāma

tvayā tataḿ viśvam ananta-rūpa


Translation 


You are the original Personality of Godhead, the oldest, the ultimate sanctuary of this manifested cosmic wo...View More

Slogam 39:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.39


vāyur yamo ’gnir varuṇaḥ śaśāńkaḥ

prajāpatis tvaḿ prapitāmahaś ca

namo namas te ’stu sahasra-kṛtvaḥ

punaś ca bhūyo ’pi namo namas te


Translation 


You are air, and You are the supreme controller! You are fire, You are water, and You are the moon! Y...View More

Slogam 40:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.40


namaḥ purastād atha pṛṣṭhatas te

namo ’stu te sarvata eva sarva

ananta-vīryāmita-vikramas tvaḿ

sarvaḿ samāpnoṣi tato ’si sarvaḥ


Translation


Obeisances to You from the front, from behind and from all sides! O unbounded power, You are the master of limi...View More

Slogam 41-42:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.41 - 11.42


akheti matvā prasabhaḿ yad uktaḿ

he kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti

ajānatā mahimānaḿ tavedaḿ

mayā pramādāt praṇayena vāpi


yac cāvahāsārtham asat-kṛto ’si

vihāra-śayyāsana-bhojaneṣu

eko ’tha vāpy acyuta tat-samakṣaḿ

tat kṣāmaye...View More

Slogam 43:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.43


pitāsi lokasya carācarasya

tvam asya pūjyaś ca gurur garīyān

na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto ’nyo

loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhāva


Translation 


You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, of the moving and the nonmoving. You are its worshipabl...View More

Slogam 44:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.44


tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaḿ

prasādaye tvām aham īśam īḍyam

piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ

priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum


Translation 


You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful o...View More

Slogam 45:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.45


adṛṣṭa-pūrvaḿ hṛṣito ’smi dṛṣṭvā

bhayena ca pravyathitaḿ mano me

tad eva me darśaya deva rūpaḿ

prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa


Translation 


After seeing this universal form, which I have never seen before, I am gladdened, but at the same time my mi...View More

Slogam 46:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.46


kirīṭinaḿ gadinaḿ cakra-hastam

icchāmi tvāḿ draṣṭum ahaḿ tathaiva

tenaiva rūpeṇa catur-bhujena

sahasra-bāho bhava viśva-mūrte


Translation 


O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with helmeted head and with ...View More

Slogam 47:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.47


śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayā prasannena tavārjunedaḿ

rūpaḿ paraḿ darśitam ātma-yogāt

tejo-mayaḿ viśvam anantam ādyaḿ

yan me tvad anyena na dṛṣṭa-pūrvam


Translation 


The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, happily have I shown you, by M...View More

Slogam 48:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.48


na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair

na ca kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ

evaḿ-rūpaḥ śakya ahaḿ nṛ-loke

draṣṭuḿ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra


Translation 


O best of the Kuru warriors, no one before you has ever seen this universal form of Mine, for neither by st...View More

Slogam 49:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.49


mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍha-bhāvo

dṛṣṭvā rūpaṁ ghoram īdṛṅ mamedam

vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaṁ

tad eva me rūpam idaṁ prapaśya


Translation 


You have been perturbed and bewildered by seeing this horrible feature of Mine. Now let it be ...View More

Slogam 50:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.50


sañjaya uvāca

ity arjunaḿ vāsudevas tathoktvā

svakaḿ rūpaḿ darśayām āsa bhūyaḥ

āśvāsayām āsa ca bhītam enaḿ

bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā


Translation 


Sanjaya said to Dhritarashtra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, having spoken ...View More

Slogam 51:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.51


arjuna uvāca

dṛṣṭvedaḿ mānuṣaḿ rūpaḿ

tava saumyaḿ janārdana

idānīm asmi saḿvṛttaḥ

sa-cetāḥ prakṛtiḿ gataḥ


Translation 


When Arjuna thus saw Krishna in His original form, he said: O Janardana, seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, ...View More

Slogam 52:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.52


śrī-bhagavān uvāca

su-durdarśam idaḿ rūpaḿ

dṛṣṭavān asi yan mama

devā apy asya rūpasya

nityaḿ darśana-kāńkṣiṇaḥ


Translation 


The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you are nowseeing is very difficult to behold....View More

Slogam 53:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.53


nāhaḿ vedair na tapasā

na dānena na cejyayā

śakya evaḿ-vidho draṣṭuḿ

dṛṣṭavān asi māḿ yathā


Translation 


The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by undergoing serious penances, nor...View More

Slogam 54:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.54


bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya

aham evaḿ-vidho ’rjuna

jñātuḿ draṣṭuḿ ca tattvena

praveṣṭuḿ ca paran-tapa


Translation 


My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only ...View More

Slogam 55:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11.55


mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo

mad-bhaktaḥ sańga-varjitaḥ

nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu

yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava


Translation 


My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he wh...View More