Shrimad Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Arjuna said: Supreme confidential words about spiritual knowledge; which spoken by you out of compassion to me; by that this my illusion is dispelled. (1)

From YOU, O Lotus-eyed one; heard by me in detail are the appearance and disappearance of all the living beings; and also, the eternal greatness. (2)

Thus, this as YOU have spoken YOURSELF, O Supreme Lord; I desire to see YOUR Divine form, O Lord Shree Krishna; the Supreme Divine Personality. (3)

Thus; if you think that it is possible by me to behold you; O Lord, Lord of all mystic powers; then to me reveal your imperishable self. (4)

Shree Bhagavan said: Behold, O Arjuna (O Partha, the son of Pritha); MY forms, the hundreds and thousands of various Divine forms, of various colors and shapes. (5)

Behold, the Suns (twelve sons of Aditi); the (eight) Vasus; the (eleven) Rudras; the (twin) Ashvini Kumaras; the (forty-nine) Maruts; and behold many never revealed before marvels; O Arjuna, scion of the Bharatas. (6)

Here; behold now assembled together the entire universe with the moving and the non-moving; in this form in ME, O Arjuna (O Gudakesha, the conqueror of sleep); also see whatever else you wish. (7)

But surely you cannot see ME with your physical eyes; I give to you the Divine eyes, with these behold MY majestic opulence. (8)

Sanjay said: Thus, having spoken; then, O King; the Supreme Lord of Yoga, Lord Shree Krishna; displayed to Arjuna, the Divine, opulent form. (9)

The Lord had many faces and many eyes and was a very wonderful sight to look at; wearing many Divine ornaments; holding many Divine weapons; wearing wonderful Divine garlands and wearing Divine garments, HE was anointed with beautiful Divine fragrances; the all wonderful, eternal Lord had unlimited faces on all sides. (10-11)

If a thousand suns would be simultaneously rising in the sky; the splendor of them; the great personality had a splendor like that. (12)

At that time; Arjuna could see there in the body of the God of Gods, the entire universe established in one place with its many divisions. (13)

Then; he, full of wonder; with hair standing on end; O Arjuna (O Dhananjaya, the conqueror of wealth); bowed down to the Lord with (his) head and addressed HIM with folded hands. (14)

Arjuna said: Lord; within your body, I behold all the Gods; as well as hosts of different beings; Lord Brahma, seated on the lotus flower, Lord Shiva and all the Sages and all the Divine Serpents. (15)

In YOUR infinite form; I see YOU in every direction; infinite arms, stomachs, faces, eyes; with no beginning, no middle, again without an end; I see the Lord of the Universe, the Universal Form. (16)

Adorned with a crown, with club, with discs and abode of splendor; I see YOU shining everywhere, difficult to look upon, like blazing fire in all directions, like the Sun, immeasurable effulgence. (17)

YOU are the imperishable Supreme Being worthy of being known; YOU are the Supreme support of this creation; YOU are the protector of the eternal righteousness; everlasting YOU are the eternal, the Supreme Divine Person in my opinion. (18)

Infinite power; without any beginning, middle or end; unlimited arms, the moon, the sun are YOUR eyes; I see YOUR face blazing; this universe warming by YOUR radiance. (19)

This space between the heaven and earth; and all the directions indeed, are pervaded by YOU alone; seeing this wondrous and fierce appearance of YOURS, the three worlds are trembling, O the Greatest of all beings. (20)

These assembly of celestial Gods indeed are entering YOU; some in fear, thus with folded hands praise with prayers; great sages, perfect beings are extolling YOU, reciting auspicious hymns. (21)

The Rudras; the Adityas; the Vasus; these and the Sadhyas, the Vishvadevas, the Ashvini Kumars, the Maruts and the Ancestors and the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Demons, the Siddhas; all are certainly beholding YOU in wonder. (22)

YOUR magnificent form with many mouths and eyes; O Lord Shree Krishna (O Mahabaho, the Mighty Armed Lord), many arms, thighs and legs; many stomachs and many terrifying teeth; seeing this all the worlds are terror-stricken and so am I. (23)

Seeing you indeed touching the sky, many colors, open mouths shining brightly, blazing, enormous eyes; my heart is trembling with fear I cannot find firmness and mental peace, O Lord Vishnu. (24)

Having seen YOUR mouths and terrible teeth; indeed, resembling the fire of annihilation; I do not know the directions and do not obtain peace; have mercy O LORD of the Lords; the Shelter of the Universe. (25)

And these all the sons of Dhrithrashtra; with their allied assembly of Kings, Bheeshma, Dronacharya and Karna also; and even generals from our side also are seen rushing to enter YOUR mouths terrible, fearsome teeth; some getting stuck between the teeth with heads getting smashed. (26-27)

Indeed; as many of the water waves, rivers flow rapidly towards the ocean; similarly, these Kings of human society enter YOUR blazing mouths. (28)

As moths with great speed enter fire burning intensely to be perished; similarly, to be perished enter these people also with great speed into YOUR mouths. (29)

You are licking, devouring with mouths all the worlds on all sides; filled with rays, all the universe is blazing by YOUR fierce, scorching effulgence, O Lord Vishnu. (30)

Tell me who you are, the fierce form; I bow to you, God of Gods. Be merciful; I wish to know you the primeval, because I do not comprehend your instincts. (31)

Shree Bhagavan said: I AM time; the source of destruction of the mighty worlds; the annihilation of the worlds; even without your participation, all the warriors arrayed in the opposing army shall cease to exist. (32)

Therefore; you arise, conquer the foes and attain honor; enjoy the prosperous Kingdom; indeed, these already are killed by ME, become only an instrument O Arjuna (O Savyasachi, the one who can shoot arrows with both hands). (33)

Dronacharya and Bheeshma and Jayadratha and Karna, also other brave warriors; you slay those already killed by ME; don’t be disturbed, fight enemies; you shall be victorious in battle. (34)

Sanjaya said: Thus, hearing words of Lord Shree Krishna; trembling with joined palms, the crowned one, Arjuna; indeed, bowed down, with palms joined, spoke again to Lord Shree Krishna in a faltering voice overwhelmed with fear. (35)

Arjuna said: It is but apt; Lord Shree Krishna, the Master of the senses; in YOUR praise the universe enamored rejoices; and the demons fearfully flee in all directions and hosts of perfected saints all bow down. (36)

And why should they not bow down to you, the Great one; to the originator, who are even greater than Brahma. The limitless One; Lord of the Devatas; Refuge of the universe; YOU, the imperishable; that, which is beyond the manifest and the non-manifest. (37)

You are the original Divine God, the Primeval Personality; YOU are the Supreme resting place of (this) Universe; YOU are the Knower and the object of Knowledge and the Supreme Abode and pervaded by YOU is this, Universe; O possessor of infinite forms. (38)

The Vayu (the wind-God), Yama (the God of death), Agni (the God of fire), Varuna (the God of water), Shashanka (the Moon-God), YOU are the Brahma (the Lord of Creation); the Great-Grandfather and my salutations, let there be a thousand times my salutations unto YOU; and again, again also offering my salutations, offering my salutations unto YOU. (39)

Offering salutations to YOU from the front and the rear; indeed, I offer my salutations to YOU from all sides. YOU are the infinite power, the infinite valor and might; thus pervade all, everything; YOU are everything. (40)

Thinking presumptuously as a friend; thus, in ignorance addressed whatever; O Lord Shree Krishna, O Yadava (Shree Krishna, who was born in the Yadu clan), O my dear friend; YOUR MAJESTY, this is out of negligence or else out of affection; also, whatever YOU were addressed humorously, disrespectfully; while at play, while resting, while sitting, while eating, when alone or even before others, O Achyuta (Shree Krishna, the infallible one); all that I beg immeasurable forgiveness for from YOU. (41-42)

YOU are the Father of the entire Universe; this moving and nonmoving; YOU are the only worshiped glorious Spiritual Master; there is no one in the three worlds who is greater or even equal to YOU; the possessor of incomparable power. (43)

Therefore; bowing down, prostrating the body; the Supreme Lord, I to implore YOUR adorable Grace; as father with a son; as friend with a friend; a lover with the beloved; YOU should forgive, O Lord. (44)

Having seen that which has not been seen before; I am feeling great joy; yet my mind trembles with fear. O Lord; certainly, show that Divine form to me, please have mercy, God of Gods, Abode of the Universe. (45)

Wearing the crown, carrying the mace, disc in hand; I wish to see YOU in that Four-Armed form; O Thousand-Armed one be the Universal form. (46)

Shree Bhagavan said: Being pleased with you, Arjuna; this Divine form that is Resplendent, Cosmic, Unlimited, Primeval has been shown by ME by the power of MY Yogmaya; which no one other than you has ever seen. (47)

Not by performance of sacrifice; nor by study of the Vedas; nor by charity and by rituals, by severe austerities; I to be seen in this form; is not possible in the world of the mortals by another than you, the best of the Kuru warriors. (48)

You should not be afraid and in a bewildered state on seeing this terrible form of MINE; free from fear with a cheerful heart you behold MY that very form again. (49)

Sanjaya said: Thus, having spoken in that way to Arjuna; the compassionate Vasudeva (Shree Krishna, the son of Vasudev) displayed again HIS Personal Form and consoled him; who was frightened becoming again, the gentle two-armed form. (50)

Arjuna said: Seeing YOUR gentle human form, Janardan (HE who looks after the public, Lord Shree Krishna); now I have become composed and am back to normality in my mind. (51)

Shree Bhagavan said: It is exceedingly difficult to behold this form of MINE that you are seeing; I to be seen in this form, which even the celestial Gods keep eternally aspiring. (52)

Never by study of the Vedas; never by serious penances; never by charity; never also by worship; it is possible to see ME like this as you are seeing. (53)

Arjuna; by pure devotion alone; am I possible to be truly known and to be seen and to enter into (union with ME) like this; O Arjuna (O Parantapa, the scorcher of enemies). (54)

Who considering ME the Supreme; perform duties for MY sake; devoted to ME, free from attachment; are without malice towards all beings; he comes to ME; O Arjuna (O Pandava, the son of Pandu). (55)