Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 11
The Yoga of the Vision
of the Universal Form
viśvarūpasandarśanayōgaḥ
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ōṃ śrī paramātmanē namaḥ
atha ēkādaśō'dhyāyaḥ ।
Om. Salutations to the Supreme Self.
arjuna uvācha
madanugrahāya paramaṃ guhyamadhyātmasañjñitam ।
yattvayōktaṃ vachastēna mōhō'yaṃ vigatō mama ॥ 1 ॥
Arjuna said:
Out of compassion for me, You have spoken the supreme and most secret teaching concerning the Self. Through Your words, my delusion has disappeared.
bhavāpyayau hi bhūtānāṃ śrutau vistaraśō mayā ।
tvattaḥ kamalapatrākṣa māhātmyamapi chāvyayam ॥ 2 ॥
O Lotus-Eyed One, I have heard from You in detail about the origin and dissolution of all beings, and also about Your imperishable greatness.
ēvamētadyathāttha tvamātmānaṃ paramēśvara ।
draṣṭumichChāmi tē rūpamaiśvaraṃ puruṣōttama ॥ 3 ॥
O Supreme Lord, You are indeed as You have described Yourself. Yet, O Supreme Person, I wish to see Your divine, sovereign form.
manyasē yadi tachChakyaṃ mayā draṣṭumiti prabhō ।
yōgēśvara tatō mē tvaṃ darśayātmānamavyayam ॥ 4 ॥
O Lord, if You consider me capable of seeing it, then, O Master of Yoga, reveal to me Your imperishable Self.
śrībhagavānuvācha
paśya mē pārtha rūpāṇi śataśō'tha sahasraśaḥ ।
nānāvidhāni divyāni nānāvarṇākṛtīni cha ॥ 5 ॥
The Blessed Lord said:
Behold, O Pārtha, My forms by the hundreds and thousands—divine, diverse, and of many colors and shapes.
paśyādityānvasūnrudrānaśvinau marutastathā ।
bahūnyadṛṣṭapūrvāṇi paśyāścharyāṇi bhārata ॥ 6 ॥
Behold the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the twin Aśvins, and the Maruts. O descendant of Bharata, behold many wonders never seen before.
ihaikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ paśyādya sacharācharam ।
mama dēhē guḍākēśa yachchānyaddraṣṭumichChasi ॥ 7 ॥
O Guḍākeśa, behold here, within My body, the entire universe gathered in one place—all that moves and does not move, together with anything else you wish to see.
na tu māṃ śakyasē draṣṭumanēnaiva svachakṣuṣā ।
divyaṃ dadāmi tē chakṣuḥ paśya mē yōgamaiśvaram ॥ 8 ॥
But you cannot see Me with your ordinary eyes. I therefore grant you divine sight. Behold My sovereign power of Yoga.
sañjaya uvācha
ēvamuktvā tatō rājanmahāyōgēśvarō hariḥ ।
darśayāmāsa pārthāya paramaṃ rūpamaiśvaram ॥ 9 ॥
Sañjaya said:
O King, having spoken these words, Hari—the great Lord of Yoga—revealed His supreme divine form to Pārtha.
anēkavaktranayanamanēkādbhutadarśanam ।
anēkadivyābharaṇaṃ divyānēkōdyatāyudham ॥ 10 ॥
It possessed countless mouths and eyes and displayed countless wondrous sights. It was adorned with many divine ornaments and held many uplifted celestial weapons.
divyamālyāmbaradharaṃ divyagandhānulēpanam ।
sarvāścharyamayaṃ dēvamanantaṃ viśvatōmukham ॥ 11 ॥
It wore divine garlands and garments and was anointed with heavenly fragrances. Filled with every wonder, that boundless divine Being faced in all directions.
divi sūryasahasrasya bhavēdyugapadutthitā ।
yadi bhāḥ sadṛśī sā syādbhāsastasya mahātmanaḥ ॥ 12 ॥
If the radiance of a thousand suns were to blaze forth simultaneously in the sky, it might resemble the splendor of that exalted Being.
tatraikasthaṃ jagatkṛtsnaṃ pravibhaktamanēkadhā ।
apaśyaddēvadēvasya śarīrē pāṇḍavastadā ॥ 13 ॥
There, within the body of the God of gods, the son of Pāṇḍu saw the entire universe, divided into its many forms, gathered together in one place.
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭō hṛṣṭarōmā dhanañjayaḥ ।
praṇamya śirasā dēvaṃ kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata ॥ 14 ॥
Then Dhanañjaya, filled with amazement and with his hair standing on end, bowed his head before the Lord. Joining his palms in reverence, he spoke.
arjuna uvācha
paśyāmi dēvāṃstava dēva dēhē sarvāṃstathā bhūtaviśēṣasaṅghān।
brahmāṇamīśaṃ kamalāsanasthamṛṣīṃścha sarvānuragāṃścha divyān ॥ 15 ॥
Arjuna said:
O God, within Your body I see all the gods and every order of living being. I see Brahmā, the Lord seated upon the lotus, all the sages, and the divine serpents.
anēkabāhūdaravaktranētraṃ paśyāmi tvāṃ sarvatō'nantarūpam।
nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na punastavādiṃ paśyāmi viśvēśvara viśvarūpa ॥ 16 ॥
I see You everywhere, possessing innumerable arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes—Your form extending without limit. O Lord of the universe, O Universal Form, I see in You neither beginning, middle, nor end.
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ chakriṇaṃ cha tējōrāśiṃ sarvatō dīptimantam।
paśyāmi tvāṃ durnirīkṣyaṃ samantāddīptānalārkadyutimapramēyam ॥ 17 ॥
I see You crowned, bearing the mace and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere. Blazing like fire and the sun, You are difficult to look upon from any direction and impossible to comprehend.
tvamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ vēditavyaṃ tvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam।
tvamavyayaḥ śāśvatadharmagōptā sanātanastvaṃ puruṣō matō mē ॥ 18 ॥
You are the imperishable Supreme Reality that must be known. You are the ultimate resting place of this universe. You are the eternal guardian of the everlasting Dharma. I understand You to be the beginningless, eternal Person.
anādimadhyāntamanantavīryamanantabāhuṃ śaśisūryanētram।
paśyāmi tvāṃ dīptahutāśavaktraṃ svatējasā viśvamidaṃ tapantam ॥ 19 ॥
I see You without beginning, middle, or end, possessing infinite power and numberless arms. The moon and sun are Your eyes, and blazing fire is Your mouth. With Your own radiance, You heat the entire universe.
dyāvāpṛthivyōridamantaraṃ hi vyāptaṃ tvayaikēna diśaścha sarvāḥ।
dṛṣṭvādbhutaṃ rūpamugraṃ tavēdaṃ lōkatrayaṃ pravyathitaṃ mahātman ॥ 20 ॥
You alone pervade the space between heaven and earth and extend throughout every direction. O Great One, seeing Your astonishing and terrifying form, the three worlds tremble.
amī hi tvāṃ surasaṅghā viśanti kēchidbhītāḥ prāñjalayō gṛṇanti।
svastītyuktvā maharṣisiddhasaṅghāḥ stuvanti tvāṃ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ ॥ 21 ॥
Hosts of gods enter into You. Some, overcome with fear, praise You with joined palms. Great sages and perfected beings cry, “May there be peace!” and glorify You with abundant hymns.
rudrādityā vasavō yē cha sādhyā viśvē'śvinau marutaśchōṣmapāścha।
gandharvayakṣāsurasiddhasaṅghā vīkṣantē tvāṃ vismitāśchaiva sarvē ॥ 22 ॥
The Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, Viśvedevas, the twin Aśvins, Maruts, ancestors, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Asuras, and perfected beings all gaze upon You in amazement.
rūpaṃ mahattē bahuvaktranētraṃ mahābāhō bahubāhūrupādam।
bahūdaraṃ bahudaṃṣṭrākarālaṃ dṛṣṭvā lōkāḥ pravyathitāstathāham ॥ 23 ॥
O Mighty-Armed One, seeing Your immense form with its many mouths and eyes, its many arms, thighs, and feet, its many bellies, and its terrible fangs, all the worlds tremble—and so do I.
nabhaḥspṛśaṃ dīptamanēkavarṇaṃ vyāttānanaṃ dīptaviśālanētram।
dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṃ pravyathitāntarātmā dhṛtiṃ na vindāmi śamaṃ cha viṣṇō ॥ 24 ॥
O Viṣṇu, seeing You touching the sky, blazing in many colors, with gaping mouths and vast, fiery eyes, my innermost being trembles. I can find neither courage nor peace.
daṃṣṭrākarālāni cha tē mukhāni dṛṣṭvaiva kālānalasannibhāni।
diśō na jānē na labhē cha śarma prasīda dēvēśa jagannivāsa ॥ 25 ॥
Seeing Your mouths with their fearsome fangs, blazing like the fires at the end of time, I no longer know the directions or find any refuge. Have mercy, O Lord of the gods, O dwelling place of the universe!
amī cha tvāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ sarvē sahaivāvanipālasaṅghaiḥ।
bhīṣmō drōṇaḥ sūtaputrastathāsau sahāsmadīyairapi yōdhamukhyaiḥ ॥ 26 ॥
All the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, together with the assembled kings, as well as Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, and the foremost warriors on our side—
vaktrāṇi tē tvaramāṇā viśanti daṃṣṭrākarālāni bhayānakāni।
kēchidvilagnā daśanāntarēṣu sandṛśyantē chūrṇitairuttamāṅgaiḥ ॥ 27 ॥
They rush into Your terrifying, fang-filled mouths. Some are seen caught between Your teeth, their heads crushed to powder.
yathā nadīnāṃ bahavō'mbuvēgāḥ samudramēvābhimukhā dravanti।
tathā tavāmī naralōkavīrā viśanti vaktrāṇyabhivijvalanti ॥ 28 ॥
Just as the many torrents of rivers flow rapidly toward the ocean, so these heroes of the human world enter Your fiercely blazing mouths.
yathā pradīptaṃ jvalanaṃ pataṅgā viśanti nāśāya samṛddhavēgāḥ।
tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lōkāstavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddhavēgāḥ ॥ 29 ॥
Just as moths rush with great speed into a blazing fire to perish, so these worlds rush headlong into Your mouths toward their destruction.
lēlihyasē grasamānaḥ samantāllōkānsamagrānvadanairjvaladbhiḥ।
tējōbhirāpūrya jagatsamagraṃ bhāsastavōgrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇō ॥ 30 ॥
With Your flaming mouths, You devour all the worlds from every side, licking them up. O Viṣṇu, Your terrible rays fill the entire universe with radiance and scorch it.
ākhyāhi mē kō bhavānugrarūpō namō'stu tē dēvavara prasīda।
vijñātumichChāmi bhavantamādyaṃ na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim ॥ 31 ॥
Tell me who You are in this terrifying form. Salutations to You, O Supreme God; please be merciful. I wish to understand You, the Primal Being, for I do not comprehend Your purpose.
śrībhagavānuvācha
kālō'smi lōkakṣayakṛtpravṛddhō lōkānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ।
ṛtē'pi tvāṃ na bhaviṣyanti sarvē yē'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkēṣu yōdhāḥ ॥ 32 ॥
The Blessed Lord said:
I am Time, the mighty destroyer of worlds, now engaged in annihilating these peoples. Even without you, none of the warriors assembled in the opposing armies will survive.
tasmāttvamuttiṣṭha yaśō labhasva jitvā śatrūnbhuṅkṣva rājyaṃ samṛddham।
mayaivaitē nihatāḥ pūrvamēva nimittamātraṃ bhava savyasāchin ॥ 33 ॥
Therefore, arise and attain glory! Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. I have already slain them; be merely My instrument, O Savyasācin.
drōṇaṃ cha bhīṣmaṃ cha jayadrathaṃ cha karṇaṃ tathānyānapi yōdhavīrān।
mayā hatāṃstvaṃ jahi mā vyathiṣṭhā yudhyasva jētāsi raṇē sapatnān ॥ 34 ॥
Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa, and the other heroic warriors have already been struck down by Me. Therefore, kill them and do not be distressed. Fight—you will conquer your enemies in battle.
sañjaya uvācha
ētachChrutvā vachanaṃ kēśavasya kṛtāñjalirvēpamānaḥ kirīṭī।
namaskṛtvā bhūya ēvāha kṛṣṇaṃ sagadgadaṃ bhītabhītaḥ praṇamya ॥ 35 ॥
Sañjaya said:
Hearing these words of Keśava, the crowned Arjuna joined his palms and trembled. Bowing repeatedly, overwhelmed with fear and speaking in a faltering voice, he addressed Kṛṣṇa once again.
arjuna uvācha
sthānē hṛṣīkēśa tava prakīrtyā jagatprahṛṣyatyanurajyatē cha।
rakṣāṃsi bhītāni diśō dravanti sarvē namasyanti cha siddhasaṅghāḥ ॥ 36 ॥
Arjuna said:
O Hṛṣīkeśa, it is fitting that the world rejoices and delights in glorifying You. Terrified demons flee in every direction, while all the hosts of perfected beings bow before You.
kasmāchcha tē na namēranmahātmangarīyasē brahmaṇō'pyādikartrē।
ananta dēvēśa jagannivāsa tvamakṣaraṃ sadasattatparaṃ yat ॥ 37 ॥
O Great One, why should they not bow to You? You are greater even than Brahmā, the original creator. O Infinite One, Lord of the gods and dwelling place of the universe, You are the imperishable Reality beyond both the manifest and the unmanifest.
tvamādidēvaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇastvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam।
vēttāsi vēdyaṃ cha paraṃ cha dhāma tvayā tataṃ viśvamanantarūpa ॥ 38 ॥
You are the primal God, the ancient Person, and the supreme refuge of this universe. You are the knower, the object of knowledge, and the highest abode. O Being of infinite forms, You pervade the entire universe.
vāyuryamō'gnirvaruṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ prajāpatistvaṃ prapitāmahaścha।
namō namastē'stu sahasrakṛtvaḥ punaścha bhūyō'pi namō namastē ॥ 39 ॥
You are Vāyu, Yama, Agni, Varuṇa, and the moon. You are Prajāpati and the great ancestor of all. Salutations to You a thousand times! Again and yet again, salutations to You!
namaḥ purastādatha pṛṣṭhatastē namō'stu tē sarvata ēva sarva।
anantavīryāmitavikramastvaṃ sarvaṃ samāpnōṣi tatō'si sarvaḥ ॥ 40 ॥
Salutations to You from the front and from behind! Salutations to You from every direction, O All! Infinite in power and immeasurable in might, You pervade everything; therefore, You are everything.
sakhēti matvā prasabhaṃ yaduktaṃ hē kṛṣṇa hē yādava hē sakhēti।
ajānatā mahimānaṃ tavēdaṃ mayā pramādātpraṇayēna vāpi ॥ 41 ॥
Unaware of Your greatness and thinking of You merely as my friend, I rashly addressed You as “O Kṛṣṇa,” “O Yādava,” and “O friend,” whether through carelessness or affection.
yachchāvahāsārthamasatkṛtō'si vihāraśayyāsanabhōjanēṣu।
ēkō'thavāpyachyuta tatsamakṣaṃ tatkṣāmayē tvāmahamapramēyam ॥ 42 ॥
If I ever treated You disrespectfully in jest—while playing, resting, sitting, or eating, whether alone with You or in the presence of others—O Acyuta, immeasurable One, I beg Your forgiveness.
pitāsi lōkasya charācharasya tvamasya pūjyaścha gururgarīyān।
na tvatsamō'styabhyadhikaḥ kutō'nyō lōkatrayē'pyapratimaprabhāva ॥ 43 ॥
You are the Father of this entire world, of all that moves and does not move. You are its most worthy object of worship and its supreme teacher. No one is equal to You; how, then, could anyone be greater than You in all the three worlds, O Lord of incomparable power?
tasmātpraṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṃ prasādayē tvāmahamīśamīḍyam।
pitēva putrasya sakhēva sakhyuḥ priyaḥ priyāyārhasi dēva sōḍhum ॥ 44 ॥
Therefore, bowing down and prostrating my body before You, I seek the grace of the worshipful Lord. O God, please bear with me as a father bears with his son, a friend with his friend, and a beloved with the beloved.
adṛṣṭapūrvaṃ hṛṣitō'smi dṛṣṭvā bhayēna cha pravyathitaṃ manō mē।
tadēva mē darśaya dēvarūpaṃ prasīda dēvēśa jagannivāsa ॥ 45 ॥
I rejoice at having seen what no one has seen before, yet my mind trembles with fear. O Lord of the gods and dwelling place of the universe, please be gracious and show me once again Your familiar divine form.
kirīṭinaṃ gadinaṃ chakrahastamichChāmi tvāṃ draṣṭumahaṃ tathaiva।
tēnaiva rūpēṇa chaturbhujēna sahasrabāhō bhava viśvamūrtē ॥ 46 ॥
I wish to see You as before—crowned, holding the mace and discus. O Thousand-Armed Universal Being, please appear again in Your four-armed form.
śrībhagavānuvācha
mayā prasannēna tavārjunēdaṃ rūpaṃ paraṃ darśitamātmayōgāt।
tējōmayaṃ viśvamanantamādyaṃ yanmē tvadanyēna na dṛṣṭapūrvam ॥ 47 ॥
The Blessed Lord said:
O Arjuna, being pleased with you, I revealed through My own divine power this supreme form—radiant, universal, infinite, and primal—which no one before you has ever seen.
na vēdayajñādhyayanairna dānairna cha kriyābhirna tapōbhirugraiḥ।
ēvaṃrūpaḥ śakya ahaṃ nṛlōkē draṣṭuṃ tvadanyēna kurupravīra ॥ 48 ॥
O foremost of the Kurus, no one in the human world other than you can see Me in this form through the study of the Vedas, sacrifices, gifts, rituals, or severe austerities.
mā tē vyathā mā cha vimūḍhabhāvō dṛṣṭvā rūpaṃ ghōramīdṛṅmamēdam।
vyapētabhīḥ prītamanāḥ punastvaṃ tadēva mē rūpamidaṃ prapaśya ॥ 49 ॥
Do not be afraid or bewildered after seeing this terrifying form of Mine. Free from fear and with a joyful heart, behold once again My familiar form.
sañjaya uvācha
ityarjunaṃ vāsudēvastathōktvā svakaṃ rūpaṃ darśayāmāsa bhūyaḥ।
āśvāsayāmāsa cha bhītamēnaṃ bhūtvā punaḥ saumyavapurmahātmā ॥ 50 ॥
Sañjaya said:
Having spoken thus to Arjuna, Vāsudeva once again revealed His familiar form. Then the great Lord, assuming His gentle appearance, comforted the frightened Arjuna.
arjuna uvācha
dṛṣṭvēdaṃ mānuṣaṃ rūpaṃ tava saumyaṃ janārdana ।
idānīmasmi saṃvṛttaḥ sachētāḥ prakṛtiṃ gataḥ ॥ 51 ॥
Arjuna said:
O Janārdana, now that I see Your gentle human form, my mind has become composed and I have returned to my natural state.
śrībhagavānuvācha
sudurdarśamidaṃ rūpaṃ dṛṣṭavānasi yanmama ।
dēvā apyasya rūpasya nityaṃ darśanakāṅkṣiṇaḥ ॥ 52 ॥
The Blessed Lord said:
This form of Mine which you have seen is exceedingly difficult to behold. Even the gods constantly long for a vision of it.
nāhaṃ vēdairna tapasā na dānēna na chējyayā ।
śakya ēvaṃvidhō draṣṭuṃ dṛṣṭavānasi māṃ yathā ॥ 53 ॥
Neither through the Vedas, austerity, charity, nor sacrifice can I be seen in the manner in which you have seen Me.
bhaktyā tvananyayā śakya ahamēvaṃvidhō'rjuna ।
jñātuṃ draṣṭuṃ cha tattvēna pravēṣṭuṃ cha parantapa ॥ 54 ॥
But through unwavering devotion alone, O Arjuna, can I truly be known and seen in this form—and can one enter into Me, O scorcher of foes.
matkarmakṛnmatparamō madbhaktaḥ saṅgavarjitaḥ ।
nirvairaḥ sarvabhūtēṣu yaḥ sa māmēti pāṇḍava ॥ 55 ॥
One who performs actions for Me, regards Me as supreme, is devoted to Me, is free from attachment, and bears hostility toward no living being—such a person comes to Me, O Pāṇḍava.
Sanskrit text and numbering: Vaidika Vignanam · Chapter 11. English: the separately supplied translation.
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