Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 11

Yoga through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God

11.1Arjuna says that Krishna kindly shared this deepest secret about the Self. Because of it, Arjuna's confusion is gone.Arjuna
11.2Arjuna says he has heard in detail from Krishna how all beings are born and die. He has also heard about Krishna's greatness, which never ends.Arjuna
11.3Arjuna says he believes what Krishna has told him about himself. Now he wants to actually see Krishna's all-powerful divine form.Arjuna
11.4Arjuna humbly asks Krishna, the master of yoga, to show him his eternal form, but only if Krishna thinks Arjuna is able to see it.Arjuna
11.5Krishna tells Arjuna (Partha) to look at his divine forms. There are hundreds and thousands of them, in many kinds, colors and shapes.Krishna
11.6Krishna tells Arjuna to see many groups of gods in him, such as the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, the twin Ashvins and the storm gods called Maruts. He will see many wonders no one has seen before.Krishna
11.7Krishna tells Arjuna (here called Gudakesha, "one who has conquered sleep") to look at His body. The whole universe is there in one place, everything that moves and everything that stays still, plus anything else Arjuna wants to see.Krishna
11.8Krishna explains that Arjuna cannot see this form with his normal eyes. So Krishna gives him a "divine eye," a special power of sight, so he can see Krishna's full power.Krishna
11.9Sanjaya, the narrator telling the story to the blind King Dhritarashtra, says that Krishna (also called Hari), the great master of yoga, now showed Arjuna (Partha) His highest form as Lord of all.Sanjaya
11.10Sanjaya describes the form. It had many mouths and eyes and showed many amazing sights. It wore many heavenly ornaments and held up many heavenly weapons.Sanjaya
11.11The form wore heavenly necklaces and clothes and was covered in heavenly perfumed oils. It was full of wonders and had no limits, with faces looking in every direction.Sanjaya
11.12Sanjaya says that if a thousand suns all blazed in the sky at once, their light might come close to the glory of that great being.Sanjaya
11.13Arjuna (the Pandava, son of Pandu) saw the whole universe, with all its many different parts, gathered together in the body of Krishna, the God above all gods.Sanjaya
11.14Arjuna (Dhananjaya) was filled with amazement, and his hair stood on end. He bowed his head to Krishna, pressed his palms together in respect, and began to speak.Sanjaya
11.15Arjuna says he sees all the gods inside Krishna's form, along with every kind of living being. He sees Brahma, the creator god, sitting on his lotus seat, all the great sages (Rishis), and the divine serpents.Arjuna
11.16Arjuna says he sees Krishna everywhere, with countless mouths, eyes, arms and bodies. He cannot find where Krishna begins, where His middle is, or where He ends, because He has no limit.Arjuna
11.17Arjuna sees Krishna shining everywhere, holding a discus and a mace and wearing a crown. He blazes like fire and like the sun, so bright it is hard to look at, and too big to measure.Arjuna
11.18Arjuna praises Krishna as higher than anything the mind can think, never dying, the final resting place of everything, and present in all things. He calls Him the eternal protector of dharma (what is right) and the most ancient Person.Arjuna
11.19Arjuna sees that Krishna has no beginning, middle or end, and endless strength and arms. The sun and moon are His eyes. His face blazes like a sacred fire, and its heat burns the whole world.Arjuna
11.20Arjuna says Krishna alone fills the earth, the sky, and all the space in between. When the three worlds see this terrifying form, they tremble with fear.Arjuna
11.21Arjuna sees groups of gods (Suras) entering into Krishna. Some fold their hands in fear and pray. Great sages and perfect beings (Siddhas) shout "Hail!" and sing loud songs of praise.Arjuna
11.22Arjuna lists many kinds of heavenly beings, such as Rudras, Vasus, Adityas, the Ashvins, Maruts, Gandharvas (heavenly musicians), Yakshas, Siddhas and even Asuras (demons). All of them are staring at Krishna in amazement.Arjuna
11.23Arjuna describes the huge form with many mouths, eyes, arms, legs and feet, and many frightening teeth. He says the whole world is terrified to see it, and so is he.Arjuna
11.24Arjuna says Krishna's form reaches the sky, glowing with many colors, with open mouths and huge shining eyes. Seeing this, Arjuna's heart is shaking, and he has lost his strength and his peace of mind. He calls Krishna Vishnu here.Arjuna
11.25Arjuna sees Krishna's teeth like the fires that destroy the world at the end of time. He is so lost he no longer knows which way is which and finds nowhere to feel safe. He begs Krishna for mercy, the shelter of all the worlds.Arjuna
11.26Arjuna begins describing what he sees. The sons of Dhritarashtra, all the kings fighting with them, Bhishma (Arjuna's great-uncle), Drona (his teacher), Karna (called the charioteer's son), and the best warriors on Arjuna's own side are all there.Arjuna
11.27Arjuna sees the warriors of both armies rushing into the huge, terrifying mouths of the cosmic form. Some are caught between its teeth, their heads crushed.Arjuna
11.28Arjuna says the great kings and warriors rush into God's flaming mouths the way rivers rush into the ocean. They cannot stop themselves.Arjuna
11.29Arjuna compares the warriors to moths flying fast into a flame. Like the moths, they hurry into God's mouths and are destroyed.Arjuna
11.30Arjuna sees God's form swallowing people on every side with fiery tongues. Its blazing light fills space, and the whole universe seems to burn. Vishnu is a name for God.Arjuna
11.31Frightened, Arjuna bows and begs for mercy. He asks Krishna who he really is in this awful form, because he cannot understand what he is seeing.Arjuna
11.32Krishna answers that he is Time, which destroys the world. He says none of the warriors gathered here will escape death, except Arjuna and his side.Krishna
11.33Krishna tells Arjuna to get up and fight. He says the enemies are already defeated by him, and Arjuna only needs to be the one who carries it out. 'Left-handed one' is a name for Arjuna, who can shoot arrows with either hand.Krishna
11.34Krishna names the great warriors on the other side, like Drona, Bhishma and Karna, and says he has already killed them. He tells Arjuna to fight without fear because he will win.Krishna
11.35Sanjaya, the narrator telling the story to a blind king, says Arjuna trembled with fear. With palms joined, he bowed down low and spoke to Krishna again, stammering.Sanjaya
11.36Arjuna says it is right that the world sings Krishna's praise with joy. The evil spirits (Rakshasas) run away in fear, and the perfected holy beings (Siddhas) bow down to him.Arjuna
11.37Arjuna asks how anyone could fail to bow to Krishna. He is the first cause of everything, greater even than Brahma the creator god, endless and undying, both what exists and what does not.Arjuna
11.38Arjuna praises Krishna as the first of the gods and the most ancient being. Everything that lives rests in him, he knows all and is what is known, and the whole universe is spread out in his form.Arjuna
11.39Arjuna says Krishna is all the gods: Vayu the wind, Yama the god of death, Agni the fire, the moon, and Varuna the god of waters. He is the father and grandfather of all, and Arjuna salutes him a thousand times.Arjuna
11.40Arjuna bows to Krishna in front, behind and on every side. Krishna's power has no limit, he holds everything, so he himself is everything.Arjuna
11.41Arjuna remembers that he used to treat Krishna as just a friend. He called him casual names like 'Krishna' or 'friend' out of love, without knowing how great he really was.Arjuna
11.42Arjuna asks forgiveness for any time he joked with Krishna or showed him disrespect. This includes while playing, resting, sitting, eating, alone or with friends.Arjuna
11.43Arjuna calls Krishna the father of everything that moves and stands still. He says Krishna deserves more respect than any teacher, and no one is equal to him or greater than him.Arjuna
11.44Arjuna bows down with his whole body and asks for Krishna's blessing. He asks Krishna to put up with him the way a father forgives a son, a friend forgives a friend, and a lover forgives the beloved.Arjuna
11.45Arjuna says he has seen what no one has seen before. He is glad, but his heart is shaking with fear, so he begs Krishna to show his other, gentler form again.Arjuna
11.46Arjuna asks to see Krishna as before, with a crown and a mace and discus in his hands. He wants Krishna to take his four-armed form again instead of this thousand-armed one.Arjuna
11.47Krishna tells Arjuna that he saw this highest, shining, endless form only because Krishna chose to show it to him as a gift. No one before Arjuna has ever seen it.Krishna
11.48Krishna says that no ritual offering, study of the Vedas (the ancient holy books), charity, good deeds or harsh self-denial can earn the sight of this form. Arjuna alone has seen it.Krishna
11.49Krishna tells Arjuna not to be confused or afraid after seeing the terrifying form. He asks him to let go of fear, be glad, and look again at Krishna's familiar shape.Krishna
11.50Sanjaya, the narrator, says that Krishna (called Vasudeva) then took his own gentle form again. The great-souled one comforted the frightened Arjuna.Sanjaya
11.51Arjuna says that seeing Krishna's gentle human form again has calmed him. He feels like himself again. Janardana is another name for Krishna.Arjuna
11.52Krishna says the form Arjuna saw is very hard to see. Even the gods always long to see it.Krishna
11.53Krishna says that no one can see him the way Arjuna did just by studying the Vedas, doing harsh self-denial, giving charity or making offerings.Krishna
11.54Krishna says that only through loving devotion to him alone can a person truly know him, see him as he really is, and become one with him. Parantapa means 'conqueror of foes,' a name for Arjuna.Krishna
11.55Krishna says that a person comes to him if they do their work for him, treat him as their highest goal, love him, are not clinging to things, and hate no living being.Krishna