Sacred Scripture / Chapter 11
55 published verses from Srimad Bhagavad Gita (विश्वरूपदर्शनयोगः). The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Universal Form. Chapter 11 is the apocalyptic, breathtaking climax of the Bhagavad Gita. Bestowing divine sight upon Arjuna, Krishna unveils His infinite Universal Form spanning all worlds, suns, gods, and cosmos. Arjuna witnesses both the sublime majesty of the Creator and the terrifying devourer of worlds as Time (Kala), receiving the immortal charge: "Be merely an instrument, O Arjuna!" (11.33). Trembling with reverence, Arjuna seeks forgiveness, and Krishna gracefully returns to His serene human form, declaring that only undivided devotion opens this supreme door.
Explore original Sanskrit, word-by-word padartha, trilingual translations, commentary, reflections, and modern life applications.
55 verses
Verse 11.1
madanugrahāya paramaṃ guhyamadhyātmasaṃjñitam | yattvayoktaṃ vacastena moho'yaṃ vigato mama ||1||
Arjuna said: Through Your kindness, the words You spoke about the supreme secret concerning the self have removed my confusion.
Verse 11.2
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṃ śrutau vistaraśo mayā | tvattaḥ kamalapatrākṣa māhātmyamapi cāvyayam ||2||
Lotus-eyed One, I have heard from You in detail about the arising and dissolution of beings, and also about Your imperishable greatness.
Verse 11.3
evametadyathāttha tvamātmānaṃ parameśvara | draṣṭumicchāmi te rūpamaiśvaraṃ puruṣottama ||3||
Supreme Lord, You are indeed as You have described Yourself. Supreme Person, I wish to see Your sovereign form.
Verse 11.4
manyase yadi tacchakyaṃ mayā draṣṭumiti prabho | yogeśvara tato me tvaṃ darśayātmānamavyayam ||4||
Lord, if You consider me able to behold it, then, Master of Yoga, reveal Your imperishable Self to me.
Verse 11.5
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarṇākṛtīni ca ||5||
The Lord said: Partha, behold My divine forms, in their hundreds and thousands, of many kinds, colors and shapes.
Verse 11.6
paśyādityānvasūnrudrānaśvinau marutastathā | bahūnyadṛṣṭapūrvāṇi paśyāścaryāṇi bhārata ||6||
Bharata, behold the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, the two Ashvins and the Maruts. Behold many wonders never seen before.
Verse 11.7
ihaikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ paśyādya sacarācaram | mama dehe guḍākeśa yaccānyaddraṣṭumicchasi ||7||
Gudakesha, behold here in My body the whole universe, moving and unmoving, gathered together, and whatever else you wish to see.
Verse 11.8
na tu māṃ śakyase draṣṭumanenaiva svacakṣuṣā | divyaṃ dadāmi te cakṣuḥ paśya me yogamaiśvaram ||8||
You cannot behold Me with these ordinary eyes. I give you divine sight; behold My sovereign power of yoga.
Verse 11.9
evamuktvā tato rājanmahāyogeśvaro hariḥ | darśayāmāsa pārthāya paramaṃ rūpamaiśvaram ||9||
Sanjaya said: King, having spoken thus, Hari, the great Master of Yoga, revealed His supreme sovereign form to Partha.
Verse 11.10
anekavaktranayanamanekādbhutadarśanam | anekadivyābharaṇaṃ divyānekodyatāyudham ||10||
It had many mouths and eyes, many wondrous sights, many divine ornaments, and many divine weapons held aloft.
Verse 11.11
divyamālyāmbaradharaṃ divyagandhānulepanam | sarvāścaryamayaṃ devamanantaṃ viśvatomukham ||11||
Adorned with divine garlands and garments and anointed with divine fragrances, it was wholly wondrous: the radiant, boundless Lord, with faces on every side.
Verse 11.12
divi sūryasahasrasya bhavedyugapadutthitā | yadi bhāḥ sadṛśī sā syādbhāsastasya mahātmanaḥ ||12||
If a thousand suns rose together in the sky, their radiance might resemble the splendor of that great Being.
Verse 11.13
tatraikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ pravibhaktamanekadhā | apaśyaddevadevasya śarīre pāṇḍavastadā ||13||
There, in the body of the God of gods, Pandava saw the entire universe, divided in many ways, gathered into one place.
Verse 11.14
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanañjayaḥ | praṇamya śirasā devaṃ kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata ||14||
Then Dhananjaya, filled with wonder and with his hair standing on end, bowed his head to the Lord and spoke with joined hands.
Verse 11.15
paśyāmi devāṃstava deva dehe sarvāṃstathā bhūtaviśeṣasaṅghān | brahmāṇamīśaṃ kamalāsanasthamṛṣīṃśca sarvānuragāṃśca divyān ||15||
Arjuna said: Lord, I see all the gods within Your body, and hosts of different beings; Brahma, the lord seated on the lotus, all the sages, and divine serpents.
Verse 11.16
anekabāhūdaravaktranetraṃ paśyāmi tvāṃ sarvato'nantarūpam | nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na punastavādiṃ paśyāmi viśveśvara viśvarūpa ||16||
Lord of the universe, universal form, I see You everywhere, with countless arms, bellies, mouths and eyes. I see neither Your end nor middle nor beginning.
Verse 11.17
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakriṇaṃ ca tejorāśiṃ sarvato dīptimantam | paśyāmi tvāṃ durnirīkṣyaṃ samantāddīptānalārkadyutimaprameyam ||17||
I see You crowned, bearing a mace and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere, difficult to behold, blazing on every side like fire and sun, immeasurable.
Verse 11.18
tvamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ veditavyaṃ tvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam | tvamavyayaḥ śāśvatadharmagoptā sanātanastvaṃ puruṣo mato me ||18||
You are the imperishable, the supreme reality to be known; You are the ultimate refuge of this universe. You are the unfailing guardian of eternal dharma. I regard You as the eternal Person.
Verse 11.19
anādimadhyāntamanantavīryamanantabāhuṃ śaśisūryanetram | paśyāmi tvāṃ dīptahutāśavaktraṃ svatejasā viśvamidaṃ tapantam ||19||
I see You without beginning, middle or end, with boundless might and countless arms; the moon and sun are Your eyes, blazing fire Your mouth, and Your radiance heats this universe.
Verse 11.20
dyāvāpṛthivyoridamantaraṃ hi vyāptaṃ tvayaikena diśaśca sarvāḥ | dṛṣṭvādbhutaṃ rūpamugraṃ tavedaṃ lokatrayaṃ pravyathitaṃ mahātman ||20||
You alone fill the space between heaven and earth and every direction. Great Self, seeing Your wondrous, terrible form, the three worlds tremble.
Verse 11.21
amī hi tvāṃ surasaṅghā viśanti kecidbhītāḥ prāñjalayo gṛṇanti | svastītyuktvā maharṣisiddhasaṅghāḥ stuvanti tvāṃ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ ||21||
These hosts of gods enter You; some, afraid, praise You with joined hands. Groups of great sages and perfected beings proclaim blessing and extol You with abundant hymns.
Verse 11.22
rudrādityā vasavo ye ca sādhyā viśve'śvinau marutaścoṣmapāśca | gandharvayakṣāsurasiddhasaṅghā vīkṣante tvāṃ vismitāścaiva sarve ||22||
Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishvedevas, the two Ashvins, Maruts, ancestors who receive warm offerings, and hosts of Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras and Siddhas gaze at You in wonder.
Verse 11.23
rūpaṃ mahatte bahuvaktranetraṃ mahābāho bahubāhūrupādam | bahūdaraṃ bahudaṃṣṭrākarālaṃ dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitāstathāham ||23||
Mighty-armed One, seeing Your immense form, with many mouths and eyes, many arms, thighs and feet, many bellies and fearsome tusks, the worlds are shaken, and so am I.
Verse 11.24
nabhaḥspṛśaṃ dīptamanekavarṇaṃ vyāttānanaṃ dīptaviśālanetram | dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṃ pravyathitāntarātmā dhṛtiṃ na vindāmi śamaṃ ca viṣṇo ||24||
Vishnu, seeing You reach the sky, radiant with many colors, with gaping mouths and vast blazing eyes, I am deeply shaken and find neither steadiness nor peace.
Verse 11.25
daṃṣṭrākarālāni ca te mukhāni dṛṣṭvaiva kālānalasannibhāni | diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma prasīda deveśa jagannivāsa ||25||
Seeing Your mouths with terrible tusks, like the fires of Time’s end, I lose my sense of direction and find no comfort. Lord of gods, refuge of the universe, be gracious.
Verse 11.26
amī ca tvāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ sarve sahaivāvanipālasaṅghaiḥ | bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūtaputrastathāsau sahāsmadīyairapi yodhamukhyaiḥ ||26||
All these sons of Dhritarashtra, together with the hosts of kings, Bhishma, Drona, the charioteer’s son Karna, and the leading warriors on our side—
Verse 11.27
vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā viśanti daṃṣṭrākarālāni bhayānakāni | kecidvilagnā daśanāntareṣu sandṛśyante cūrṇitairuttamāṅgaiḥ ||27||
—rush into Your fearsome mouths with dreadful tusks. Some are seen caught between Your teeth, their heads crushed.
Verse 11.28
yathā nadīnāṃ bahavo'mbuvegāḥ samudramevābhimukhā dravanti | tathā tavāmī naralokavīrā viśanti vaktrāṇyabhivijvalanti ||28||
As many river currents flow toward the ocean, so these heroes of the human world enter Your blazing mouths.
Verse 11.29
yathā pradīptaṃ jvalanaṃ pataṅgā viśanti nāśāya samṛddhavegāḥ | tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lokāstavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddhavegāḥ ||29||
As moths rush swiftly into a blazing flame to perish, so the worlds rush into Your mouths toward destruction.
Verse 11.30
lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantāllokānsamagrānvadanairjvaladbhiḥ | tejobhirāpūrya jagatsamagraṃ bhāsastavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo ||30||
Devouring all the worlds on every side with blazing mouths, You lick them up. Vishnu, Your fierce radiance fills the whole universe with light and scorches it.
Verse 11.31
ākhyāhi me ko bhavānugrarūpo namo'stu te devavara prasīda | vijñātumicchāmi bhavantamādyaṃ na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim ||31||
Tell me who You are in this fierce form. I bow to You, foremost Lord; be gracious. I wish to know You, the primal One, for I do not understand Your purpose.
Verse 11.32
kālo'smi lokakṣayakṛtpravṛddho lokānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ | ṛte'pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarve ye'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣu yodhāḥ ||32||
The Lord said: I am Time, grown mighty, bringing the worlds to their end; here I am engaged in their destruction. Even without you, none of the warriors standing in the opposing ranks will remain.
Verse 11.33
tasmāttvamuttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva jitvā śatrūnbhuṅkṣva rājyaṃ samṛddham | mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvameva nimittamātraṃ bhava savyasācin ||33||
Therefore rise, gain renown, overcome your foes, and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They have already been struck down by Me; become merely the instrument, Savyasachin.
Verse 11.34
droṇaṃ ca bhīṣmaṃ ca jayadrathaṃ ca karṇaṃ tathānyānapi yodhavīrān | mayā hatāṃstvaṃ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān ||34||
Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna and the other heroic warriors have already been struck down by Me. Strike them down; do not be shaken. Fight, and you will defeat your opponents in battle.
Verse 11.35
etacchrutvā vacanaṃ keśavasya kṛtāñjalirvepamānaḥ kirīṭī | namaskṛtvā bhūya evāha kṛṣṇaṃ sagadgadaṃ bhītabhītaḥ praṇamya ||35||
Sanjaya said: Hearing these words of Keshava, the crowned Arjuna trembled, joined his hands and bowed. Again, with a choked voice, he spoke to Krishna, fearfully prostrating.
Verse 11.36
sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā jagatprahṛṣyatyanurajyate ca | rakṣāṃsi bhītāni diśo dravanti sarve namasyanti ca siddhasaṅghāḥ ||36||
Arjuna said: Hrishikesha, rightly does the world rejoice and become devoted at Your praise. Terrified Rakshasas flee in every direction, and all the hosts of Siddhas bow to You.
Verse 11.37
kasmācca te na nameranmahātmangarīyase brahmaṇo'pyādikartre | ananta deveśa jagannivāsa tvamakṣaraṃ sadasattatparaṃ yat ||37||
Great Self, why should they not bow to You, who are greater than Brahma and the original creator? Infinite Lord of gods, refuge of the universe, You are the imperishable, being and nonbeing, and what lies beyond both.
Verse 11.38
tvamādidevaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇastvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam | vettāsi vedyaṃ ca paraṃ ca dhāma tvayā tataṃ viśvamanantarūpa ||38||
You are the primal deity, the ancient Person, the ultimate resting place of this universe. You are the knower, the known and the highest abode. Infinite in form, You pervade the whole universe.
Verse 11.39
vāyuryamo'gnirvaruṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ prajāpatistvaṃ prapitāmahaśca | namo namaste'stu sahasrakṛtvaḥ punaśca bhūyo'pi namo namaste ||39||
You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the moon, Prajapati and the great-grandsire. Salutations to You a thousand times, and again and again salutations to You.
Verse 11.40
namaḥ purastādatha pṛṣṭhataste namo'stu te sarvata eva sarva | anantavīryāmitavikramastvaṃ sarvaṃ samāpnoṣi tato'si sarvaḥ ||40||
Salutations before You, behind You, and on every side, O All! Of limitless might and immeasurable valor, You encompass everything; therefore You are all.
Verse 11.41
sakheti matvā prasabhaṃ yaduktaṃ he kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti | ajānatā mahimānaṃ tavedaṃ mayā pramādātpraṇayena vāpi ||41||
Thinking of You as a friend, I rashly said, “Krishna,” “Yadava,” “my friend,” without knowing Your greatness, through carelessness or affection;
Verse 11.42
yaccāvahāsārthamasatkṛto'si vihāraśayyāsanabhojaneṣu | eko'thavāpyacyuta tatsamakṣaṃ tatkṣāmaye tvāmahamaprameyam ||42||
and whatever disrespect I showed You in jest while relaxing, lying down, sitting or eating, alone or before others—immeasurable Achyuta, I ask Your forgiveness for it all.
Verse 11.43
pitāsi lokasya carācarasya tvamasya pūjyaśca gururgarīyān | na tvatsamo'styabhyadhikaḥ kuto'nyo lokatraye'pyapratimaprabhāva ||43||
You are the father of this world, of all that moves and does not move; its revered teacher, greater than all. In the three worlds none equals You; how could anyone surpass You, whose power has no equal?
Verse 11.44
tasmātpraṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṃ prasādaye tvāmahamīśamīḍyam | piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum ||44||
Therefore, bowing and prostrating my body, I seek Your grace, worshipful Lord. As a father bears with a son, a friend with a friend, and a beloved with a beloved, please bear with me.
Verse 11.45
adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ hṛṣito'smi dṛṣṭvā bhayena ca pravyathitaṃ mano me | tadeva me darśaya deva rūpaṃ prasīda deveśa jagannivāsa ||45||
Having seen what I had never seen before, I rejoice, yet my mind is troubled by fear. Lord, show me that other form; be gracious, Lord of gods, refuge of the universe.
Verse 11.46
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ cakrahastamicchāmi tvāṃ draṣṭumahaṃ tathaiva | tenaiva rūpeṇa caturbhujena sahasrabāho bhava viśvamūrte ||46||
I wish to see You as before, crowned, holding a mace and discus. Thousand-armed One, universal form, appear in that four-armed form.
Verse 11.47
mayā prasannena tavārjunedaṃ rūpaṃ paraṃ darśitamātmayogāt | tejomayaṃ viśvamanantamādyaṃ yanme tvadanyena na dṛṣṭapūrvam ||47||
The Lord said: By My grace, Arjuna, through My own power of yoga, I have shown you this supreme form—radiant, universal, boundless and primal—which no one other than you has seen before.
Verse 11.48
na vedayajñādhyayanairna dānairna ca kriyābhirna tapobhirugraiḥ | evaṃrūpaḥ śakya ahaṃ nṛloke draṣṭuṃ tvadanyena kurupravīra ||48||
Hero of the Kurus, neither study of Vedas and sacrifices, nor gifts, rituals or severe austerities can enable anyone else in the human world to behold Me in this form.
Verse 11.49
mā te vyathā mā ca vimūḍhabhāvo dṛṣṭvā rūpaṃ ghoramīdṛṅmamedam | vyapetabhīḥ prītamanāḥ punastvaṃ tadeva me rūpamidaṃ prapaśya ||49||
Do not be distressed or bewildered on seeing this terrible form of Mine. With fear gone and a glad heart, behold again that other form of Mine.
Verse 11.50
ityarjunaṃ vāsudevastathoktvā svakaṃ rūpaṃ darśayāmāsa bhūyaḥ | āśvāsayāmāsa ca bhītamenaṃ bhūtvā punaḥ saumyavapurmahātmā ||50||
Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Arjuna, Vasudeva again showed His own form. Becoming gentle in form, the great One reassured the frightened Arjuna.
Verse 11.51
dṛṣṭvedaṃ mānuṣaṃ rūpaṃ tava saumyaṃ janārdana | idānīmasmi saṃvṛttaḥ sacetāḥ prakṛtiṃ gataḥ ||51||
Arjuna said: Janardana, seeing this gentle human form of Yours, I have now regained my composure and returned to my natural state.
Verse 11.52
sudurdarśamidaṃ rūpaṃ dṛṣṭavānasi yanmama | devā apyasya rūpasya nityaṃ darśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||52||
The Lord said: This form of Mine that you have seen is exceedingly difficult to behold. Even the gods continually long to see this form.
Verse 11.53
nāhaṃ vedairna tapasā na dānena na cejyayā | śakya evaṃvidho draṣṭuṃ dṛṣṭavānasi māṃ yathā ||53||
Neither through the Vedas, nor austerity, nor giving, nor worship can I be seen as you have seen Me.
Verse 11.54
bhaktyā tvananyayā śakya ahamevaṃvidho'rjuna | jñātuṃ draṣṭuṃ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṃ ca parantapa ||54||
But through undivided devotion, Arjuna, I can be known, seen in truth in this way, and entered into, scorcher of foes.
Verse 11.55
matkarmakṛnmatparamo madbhaktaḥ saṅgavarjitaḥ | nirvairaḥ sarvabhūteṣu yaḥ sa māmeti pāṇḍava ||55||
Pandava, one who acts for Me, holds Me as the highest goal, is devoted to Me, is free from attachment and bears no enmity toward any being, comes to Me.
