Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 11: The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

All 55 verses of Chapter 11 of the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit, with English translation, per-word meanings, and Adi Shankara's commentary.

• Verse 11.1 — By that speech which has been delivered by Thee for my benefit, — that highest secret…
• Verse 11.2 — The origin and the dissolution of beings, verily, have been heard by me in detail from…
• Verse 11.3 — So it is, as Thou, O Supreme Lord, hast declared Thyself to be. (Still) I desire to see…
• Verse 11.4 — If Thou, O Lord, thinkest it possible for me to see it, do Thou, then, O Lord of Yogins…
• Verse 11.5 — See, O son of Pṛthā, My heavenly forms, by hundreds and thousands, of different sorts…
• Verse 11.6 — Behold the Ādityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Aśvins, and also the Maruts; behold many…
• Verse 11.7 — Now behold here in My body, O Guḍākeśa, the whole world established in one, — including…
• Verse 11.8 — Thou art not indeed able to see Me with this thy eye alone; I give thee a divine eye…
• Verse 11.9 — Having thus spoken, O King, then, Hari, the great Lord of Yogins, showed to the son of…
• Verse 11.10 — Containing many mouths and eyes, possessed of many wondrous sights, of many heavenly…
• Verse 11.11 — Wearing heavenly garlands and vestures, anointed with heavenly unguents, all-wonderful…
• Verse 11.12 — If the splendour of a thousand suns were ever to present itself at once in the sky, that…
• Verse 11.13 — There, in the body of the God of Gods, the son of Pāṇḍu then beheld the whole world…
• Verse 11.14 — Then he, Dhanañjaya, filled with amazement, with his hair standing on end, bowed down…
• Verse 11.15 — I see all the Gods, O God, in Thy body, as also hosts of various classes of beings:…
• Verse 11.16 — I see Thee of boundless form on every side with multitudinous arms, stomachs, mouths and…
• Verse 11.17 — I see Thee with diadem, club, and discus; a mass of splendour shining everywhere, very…
• Verse 11.18 — Thou art the Imperishable, the Supreme Being worthy to be known. Thou art the great Abode…
• Verse 11.19 — I see Thee without beginning, middle or end, infinite in power, of manifold arms; the sun…
• Verse 11.20 — This space betwixt heaven and earth and all the quarters are filled by Thee alone. Having…
• Verse 11.21 — Into Thee, indeed, enter these hosts of Suras; some extol Thee in fear with joined palms…
• Verse 11.22 — The Rudras, Ādityas, Vasus, and Sādhyas, Viśvas and Aśvins, Maruts and Uṣmapas, hosts of…
• Verse 11.23 — Having seen Thy immeasurable Form, possessed, O Mighty-armed, of many mouths and eyes, of…
• Verse 11.24 — On seeing Thee (Thy Form) touching the sky, blazing in many colours, with mouths wide…
• Verse 11.25 — Having seen Thy mouths which are fearful with tusks and resemble Time's Fires, I know not…
• Verse 11.26 — And all these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, with hosts of princes, Bhīṣma, Droṇa and that son…
• Verse 11.27 — And all these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, with hosts of princes, Bhīṣma, Droṇa and that son…
• Verse 11.28 — As many torrents of rivers flow direct towards the sea, so do these heroes in the world…
• Verse 11.29 — As moths hurriedly rush into a blazing fire for destruction, just so do these creatures…
• Verse 11.30 — Thou lickest up devouring all worlds on every side with Thy flaming mouths, filling the…
• Verse 11.31 — Tell me who Thou art, so fierce in form. I bow to Thee, O God Supreme; have mercy. I…
• Verse 11.32 — I am the mighty world-destroying Time, now engaged in destroying the worlds. Even without…
• Verse 11.33 — Therefore do thou arise and obtain fame. Conquer the enemies and enjoy the unrivalled…
• Verse 11.34 — Droṇa and Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa and other brave warriors, — these, killed by Me, do…
• Verse 11.35 — Having heard that speech of Keśava, the crowned one (Arjuna), with joined palms…
• Verse 11.36 — It is meet, O Hṛṣīkeśa, that the world is delighted and rejoices by Thy praise; Rākṣasas…
• Verse 11.37 — And how should they not, O Mighty Being, bow to Thee, Greater (than all else), the Primal…
• Verse 11.38 — Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient Puruṣa; Thou art the Supreme Abode of all this. Thou…
• Verse 11.39 — Thou art Vāyu, Yama, Agni, Varuṇa, the Moon, Prajāpati, and the Great Grand-Father. Hail!…
• Verse 11.40 — Hail to Thee before and behind! Hail to Thee on every side! O All! Thou, infinite in…
• Verse 11.41 — Whatever was rashly said by me from carelessness or love, addressing Thee as "O Kṛṣṇa, O…
• Verse 11.42 — Whatever was rashly said by me from carelessness or love, addressing Thee as "O Kṛṣṇa, O…
• Verse 11.43 — Thou art the Father of this world, moving and unmoving. Thou art to be adored by this…
• Verse 11.44 — Therefore, bowing down, prostrating my body, I implore Thee, adorable Lord, to forgive…
• Verse 11.45 — I am delighted, having seen what was unseen before; and (yet) my mind is confounded with…
• Verse 11.46 — I wish to see Thee as before, crowned, possessed of the club, with the discus in the…
• Verse 11.47 — By Me, gracious to thee, O Arjuna, this Supreme Form has been shown, — by My sovereign…
• Verse 11.48 — Not by study of the Vedas and of the sacrifices, nor by gifts, nor by rituals, nor by…
• Verse 11.49 — Be not afraid nor bewildered on seeing such a terrible form of Mine as this; free from…
• Verse 11.50 — Having thus spoken to Arjuna, Vāsudeva again showed His own form; and the Mighty Being…
• Verse 11.51 — Having seen this Thy gentle human form, O Janārdana, now I have grown serene, and…
• Verse 11.52 — Very hard to see is this Form of Mine which thou hast seen; even the Devas ever long to…
• Verse 11.53 — Not by Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by gifts, nor by sacrifice, can I be seen in this…
• Verse 11.54 — But by undistracted devotion can I, of this Form, be known and seen in reality, and…
• Verse 11.55 — He who does works for Me, who looks on Me as the Supreme, who is devoted to Me, who is…