BG 11: The Universal Form
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 been dispelled.
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 glories.
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 You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours.
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.
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 Pṛthā, see now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms.
6
paśyādityān vasūn rudrān
aśvinau marutas tathā
bahūny adṛṣṭa-pūrvāṇi
paśyāścaryāṇi bhārata
TRANSLATION
O best of the Bhāratas, see here the different manifestations of Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Aśvinī-kumāras and all the other demigods. Behold the many wonderful things which no one has ever seen or heard of before.
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 you may want to see in the future. Everything — moving and nonmoving — is here completely, in one place.
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!
9
sañjaya uvāca
evam uktvā tato rājan
mahā-yogeśvaro hariḥ
darśayām āsa pārthāya
paramaḿ rūpam aiśvaram
TRANSLATION
Sañjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead, displayed His universal form to Arjuna.
10-11
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 eyes, unlimited wonderful visions. The form was decorated with many celestial ornaments and bore many divine upraised weapons. He wore celestial garlands and garments, and many divine scents were smeared over His body. All was wondrous, brilliant, unlimited, all-expanding.
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 form.
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, many thousands.
14
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo
hṛṣṭa-romā dhanañjayaḥ
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 Supreme Lord.
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 Kṛṣṇa, I see assembled in Your body all the demigods and various other living entities. I see Brahmā sitting on the lotus flower, as well as Lord Śiva and all the sages and divine serpents.
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, expanded everywhere, without limit. I see in You no end, no middle and no beginning.
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 or the immeasurable radiance of the sun. Yet I see this glowing form everywhere, adorned with various crowns, clubs and discs.
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 inexhaustible, and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the eternal religion, the Personality of Godhead. This is my opinion.
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 are Your eyes. I see You with blazing fire coming forth from Your mouth, burning this entire universe by Your own radiance.
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 great one, seeing this wondrous and terrible form, all the planetary systems are perturbed.
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, very much afraid, are offering prayers with folded hands. Hosts of great sages and perfected beings, crying "All peace!" are praying to You by singing the Vedic hymns.
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 Śiva, the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Sādhyas, the Viśvedevas, the two Aśvīs, the Maruts, the forefathers, the Gandharvas, the Yakṣas, the Asuras and the perfected demigods are beholding You in wonder.
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, with its many faces, eyes, arms, thighs, legs, and bellies and Your many terrible teeth; and as they are disturbed, so am I.
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 Viṣṇu, seeing You with Your many radiant colors touching the sky, Your gaping mouths, and Your great glowing eyes, my mind is perturbed by fear. I can no longer maintain my steadiness or equilibrium of mind.
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 deathlike faces and awful teeth. In all directions I am bewildered.
26-27
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 daśanāntareṣu sandṛśyante cūrṇitair
uttamāńgaiḥ
TRANSLATION
All the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, along with their allied kings, and Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa — and our chief soldiers also — are rushing into Your fearful mouths. And some I see trapped with heads smashed between Your teeth.
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.
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.
30
lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāl
lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbhiḥ
tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraḿ
bhāsas tavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo
TRANSLATION
O Viṣṇu, I see You devouring all people from all sides with Your flaming mouths. Covering all the universe with Your effulgence, You are manifest with terrible, scorching rays.
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 me. You are the primal Lord. I want to know about You, for I do not know what Your mission is.
32
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kālo 'smi loka-kṣaya-kṛt pravṛddho
lokān samāhartum iha pravṛttaḥ
ṛte 'pi tvāḿ na bhaviṣyanti sarve
ye 'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With the exception of you [the Pāṇḍavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.
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 kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasācī, can be but an instrument in the fight.
34
droṇaḿ ca bhīṣmaḿ ca jayadrathaḿ ca
karṇaḿ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān
mayā hatāḿs tvaḿ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā
yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān
TRANSLATION
Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa and the other great warriors have already been destroyed by Me. Therefore, kill them and do not be disturbed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies in battle.
35
sañjaya uvāca
etac chrutvā vacanaḿ keśavasya
kṛtāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirītī
namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaḿ
sa-gadgadaḿ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya
TRANSLATION
Sañjaya said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: O King, after hearing these words from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the trembling Arjuna offered obeisances with folded hands again and again. He fearfully spoke to Lord Kṛṣṇa in a faltering voice, as follows.
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 everyone becomes attached to You. Although the perfected beings offer You their respectful homage, the demons are afraid, and they flee here and there. All this is rightly done.
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 Brahmā, You are the original creator. Why then should they not offer their respectful obeisances unto You? O limitless one, God of gods, refuge of the universe! You are the invincible source, the cause of all causes, transcendental to this material manifestation.
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 world. You are the knower of everything, and You are all that is knowable. You are the supreme refuge, above the material modes. O limitless form! This whole cosmic manifestation is pervaded by You!
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! You are Brahmā, the first living creature, and You are the great-grandfather. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You a thousand times, and again and yet again!
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 limitless might! You are all- pervading, and thus You are everything!
41-42
sakheti 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
tvām aham aprameyam
TRANSLATION
Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed You "O Kṛṣṇa," "O Yādava," "O my friend," not knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in madness or in love. I have dishonored You many times, jesting as we relaxed, lay on the same bed, or sat or ate together, sometimes alone and sometimes in front of many friends. O infallible one, please excuse me for all those offenses.
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 worshipable chief, the supreme spiritual master. No one is equal to You, nor can anyone be one with You. How then could there be anyone greater than You within the three worlds, O Lord of immeasurable power?
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 obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, or a friend tolerates the impertinence of a friend, or a wife tolerates the familiarity of her partner, please tolerate the wrongs I may have done You.
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 mind is disturbed with fear. Therefore please bestow Your grace upon me and reveal again Your form as the Personality of Godhead, O Lord of lords, O abode of the universe.
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 club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form.
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 My internal potency, this supreme universal form within the material world. No one before you has ever seen this primal form, unlimited and full of glaring effulgence.
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 studying the Vedas, nor by performing sacrifices, nor by charity, nor by pious activities, nor by severe penances can I be seen in this form in the material world.
49
mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍha-bhāvo
dṛṣṭvā rūpaḿ ghoram īdṛń mamedam
vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaḿ
tad eva me rūpam idaḿ prapaśya
TRANSLATION
You have been perturbed and bewildered by seeing this horrible feature of Mine. Now let it be finished. My devotee, be free again from all disturbances. With a peaceful mind you can now see the form you desire.
50
sañjaya uvāca
ity arjunaḿ vāsudevas tathoktvā
svakaḿ rūpaḿ darśayām āsa bhūyaḥ
āśvāsayām āsa ca bhītam enaḿ
bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā
TRANSLATION
Sañjaya said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna.
51
arjuna uvāca
dṛṣṭvedaḿ mānuṣaḿ rūpaḿ
tava saumyaḿ janārdana
idānīm asmi saḿvṛttaḥ
sa-cetāḥ prakṛtiḿ gataḥ
TRANSLATION
When Arjuna thus saw Kṛṣṇa in His original form, he said: O Janārdana, seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am restored to my original nature.
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 now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear.
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 by charity, nor by worship. It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.
54
bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya
aham evaḿ-vidho 'rjuna
jñātuḿ draṣṭuḿ ca tattvena
praveṣṭuḿ ca parantapa
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 in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.
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 who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being — he certainly comes to Me.
