Chapter 11 · The Yoga of the Vision of the World-Spirit

Recitations

Swami Sarvagananda ji0:00
Ashit Desai0:00

In this chapter

55 verses

Summary of chapter 11

I. Time the Destroyer (1-34)

II. The Double Aspect (35-55)

The Time figure of the Godhead is now revealed and from the million mouths of that figure issues the command for the appointed action to the liberated Vibhuti. This vision of the universal Purusha is one of the most powerfully poetic passages in the Gita.

Chapter 11 illustration, titled विश्वरूपदर्शनयोगः — Illustration · Sushanto Nath, Sri Aurobindo Society

Chapter outline

Choose a range to read just those verses.

11·1–4Arjuna's aspiration to have the Vision of the Divine.
11·5–8Shri Krishna's condescending response to reveal Himself.
11·9–14Sanjaya's description of Arjuna's wonderful Vision.
11·15–31Arjuna's amazement and terror at the sight of the lncomprehensible Divine, his imploration to Him to turn to Grace and reveal His Truth.
11·32–34The Divine's revelation of His Time Spirit of Destruction, His command to Arjuna to become His instrument.
11·35–46Arjuna's recognition of the Divinity, his praise and adoration and submission, his expression of joy with fear, his imploration to the Divine for resumption of His sweet Form.
11·47–55The extraordinary importance of Cosmic Vision. and consoling inspiration to Arjuna to turn to bhakti.
11·1–55Show all 55 verses

The verses

Showing verses 1–4 of 55 · Show all 55 verses

Arjuna uvācaअर्जुन उवाच

11·9एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्महायोगेश्वरो हरिः । दर्शयामास पार्थाय परमं रूपमैश्वरम् ॥ ९ ॥evamuktvā tato rājanmahāyogeśvaro hariḥ, darśayāmāsa pārthāya paramaṁ rūpamaiśvaram.Having thus spoken, O King, the Master of the great Yoga, Hari, showed to Partha His Supreme Form.
11·10अनेकवक्त्रनयनमनेकाद्भुतदर्शनम् । अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम् ॥ १० ॥anekavaktranayanamanekādbhutadarśanam, anekadivyābharaṇaṁ divyānekodyatāyudham.It is that of the infinite Godhead who was with innumerable mouths, innumerable eyes, wonderful visions…
11·11दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम् । सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवमनन्तं विश्वतोमुखम् ॥ ११ ॥divyamālyāmbaradharaṁ divyagandhānulepanam, sarvāścaryamayaṁ devamanantaṁ viśvatomukham.It is that of the infinite Godhead who was glorious with divine ornaments of beauty, robed in heavenly raiment…
11·12, a key verseदिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता । यदि भाः सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मनः ॥ १२ ॥divi sūryasahasrasya bhavedyugapadutthitā, yadi bhāḥ sadṛśī sā syādbhāsastasya mahātmanaḥ.Such is the light of this body of God as if a thousand suns had risen at once in heaven.
11·13तत्रैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं प्रविभक्तमनेकधा । अपश्यद्देवदेवस्य शरीरे पाण्डवस्तदा ॥ १३ ॥tatraikasthaṁ jagatkṛtsnaṁ pravibhaktamanekadhā, apaśyaddevadevasya śarīre pāṇḍavastadā.The whole worlds multitudinously divided and yet unified is visible (to Arjuna) in the body of the God of Gods.
11·14ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनञ्जयः । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ॥ १४ ॥tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanañjayaḥ, praṇamya śirasā devaṁ kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata.Arjuna sees him and overcome with marvel and joy and fear he bows down and adores with words of awe and with…

11·15पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहे सर्वांस्तथा भूतविशेषसङ्घान् । ब्रह्माणमीशं कमलासनस्थ- मृषींश्च सर्वानुरगांश्च दिव्यान् ॥ १५ ॥paśyāmi devāṁstava deva dehe sarvāṁstathā bhūtaviśeṣasaṅghān, brahmāṇamīśaṁ kamalāsanasthaṁ ṛṣīṁśca sarvānuragāṁśca divyān.I see all the gods in Thy body, O God, and different companies of beings, Brahma the creating Lord seated in…
11·16अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रं पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् । नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिं पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप ॥ १६ ॥anekabāhūdaravaktranetraṁ paśyāmi tvāṁ sarvato’nantarūpam, nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punastavādiṁ paśyāmi viśveśvara viśvarūpa.I see numberless arms and bellies and eyes and faces, I see Thy infinite forms on every side, but I see not…
11·17किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं च तेजोराशिं सर्वतो दीप्तिमन्तम् । पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ताद् दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् ॥ १७ ॥kirīṭinaṁ gadinaṁ cakriṇaṁ ca tejorāśiṁ sarvato dīptimantam, paśyāmi tvāṁ durnirīkṣyaṁ samantād dīptānalārkadyutimaprameyam.I see Thee crowned and with Thy mace and Thy discus, hard to discern because Thou art a luminous mass of…
11·18त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् । त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे ॥ १८ ॥tvamakṣaraṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ tvamasya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam, tvamavyayaḥ śāśvatadharmagoptā sanātanastvaṁ puruṣo mato me.Thou art the supreme Immutable whom we have to know, Thou art the high foundation and abode of the universe…
11·19अनादिमध्यान्तमनन्तवीर्यम् अनन्तबाहुं शशिसूर्यनेत्रम् । पश्यामि त्वां दीप्तहुताशवक्त्रं स्वतेजसा विश्वमिदं तपन्तम् ॥ १९ ॥anādimadhyāntamanantavīryam anantabāhuṁ śaśisūryanetram, paśyāmi tvāṁ dīptahutāśavaktraṁ svatejasā viśvamidaṁ tapantam.I behold Thee without end or middle or beginning, of infinite force, of numberless arms, Thy eyes are suns and…
11·20द्यावापृथिव्योरिदमन्तरं हि व्याप्तं त्वयैकेन दिशश्च सर्वाः । दृष्ट्वाद्भुतं रूपमुग्रं तवेदं लोकत्रयं प्रव्यथितं महात्मन् ॥ २० ॥dyāvāpṛthivyoridamantaraṁ hi vyāptaṁ tvayaikena diśaśca sarvāḥ, dṛṣṭvādbhutaṁ rūpamugraṁ tavedaṁ lokatrayaṁ pravyathitaṁ mahātman.The whole space between earth and heaven is occupied by Thee alone…
11·21अमी हि त्वां सुरसङ्घा विशन्ति केचिद्भीताः प्राञ्जलयो गृणन्ति । स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा महर्षिसिद्धसङ्घाः स्तुवन्ति त्वां स्तुतिभिः पुष्कलाभिः ॥ २१ ॥amī hi tvāṁ surasaṅghā viśanti kecidbhītāḥ prāñjalayo gṛṇanti, svastītyuktvā maharṣisiddhasaṅghāḥ stuvanti tvāṁ stutibhiḥ puṣkalābhiḥ.The companies of the gods enter Thee, afraid, adoring; the Rishis and the Siddhas crying “May there be peace…
11·22रुद्रादित्या वसवो ये च साध्या विश्वेश्विनौ मरुतश्चोष्मपाश्च । गन्धर्वयक्षासुरसिद्धसङ्घा वीक्षन्ते त्वां विस्मिताश्चैव सर्वे ॥ २२ ॥rudrādityā vasavo ye ca sādhyā viśveśvinau marutaścoṣmapāśca, gandharvayakṣāsurasiddhasaṅghā vīkṣante tvāṁ vismitāścaiva sarve.The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishvas, the two Ashwins and the Maruts and the Ushmapas, the Gandharvas…
11·23रूपं महत्ते बहुवक्त्रनेत्रं महाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम् । बहूदरं बहुदंष्ट्राकरालं दृष्ट्वा लोकाः प्रव्यथितास्तथाहम् ॥ २३ ॥rūpaṁ mahatte bahuvaktranetraṁ mahābāho bahubāhūrupādam, bahūdaraṁ bahudaṁṣṭrākarālaṁ dṛṣṭvā lokāḥ pravyathitāstathāham.Seeing Thy great form of many mouths and eyes, O Mighty-armed, of many arms, thighs and feet and bellies…
11·24नभःस्पृशं दीप्तमनेकवर्णं व्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् । दृष्ट्वा हि त्वां प्रव्यथितान्तरात्मा धृतिं न विन्दामि शमं च विष्णो ॥ २४ ॥nabhaḥspṛśaṁ dīptamanekavarṇaṁ vyāttānanaṁ dīptaviśālanetram, dṛṣṭvā hi tvāṁ pravyathitāntarātmā dhṛtiṁ na vindāmi śamaṁ ca viṣṇo.I see Thee, touching heaven, blazing, of many hues, with opened mouths and enormous burning eyes…
11·25दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि । दिशो न जाने न लभे च शर्म प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥ २५ ॥daṁṣṭrākarālāni ca te mukhāni dṛṣṭvaiva kālānalasannibhāni, diśo na jāne na labhe ca śarma prasīda deveśa jagannivāsa.As I look upon Thy mouths terrible with many tusks of destruction, Thy faces like the fires of Death and time…
11·26अमी च त्वां धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राः सर्वे सहैवावनिपालसङ्घैः । भीष्मो द्रोणः सूतपुत्रस्तथासौ सहास्मदीयैरपि योधमुख्यैः ॥ २६ ॥amī ca tvāṁ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ sarve sahaivāvanipālasaṅghaiḥ, bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūtaputrastathāsau sahāsmadīyairapi yodhamukhyaiḥ.The sons of Dhritarashtra, all with the multitude of kings and heroes, Bhishma and Drona and Karna along with…
11·27वक्त्राणि ते त्वरमाणा विशन्ति दंष्ट्राकरालानि भयानकानि । केचिद्विलग्ना दशनान्तरेषु संदृश्यन्ते चूर्णितैरुत्तमांगैः ॥ २७ ॥vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā viśanti daṁṣṭrākarālāni bhayānakāni, kecidvilagnā daśanāntareṣu saṁdṛśyante cūrṇitairuttamāṅgaiḥ.The sons of Dhritarashtra, all with the multitude of kings and heroes, Bhishma and Drona and Karna along with…
11·28यथा नदीनां बहवोऽम्बुवेगाः समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति । तथा तवामी नरलोकवीरा विशन्ति वक्त्राण्यभिविज्वलन्ति ॥ २८ ॥yathā nadīnāṁ bahavo’mbuvegāḥ samudramevābhimukhā dravanti, tathā tavāmī naralokavīrā viśanti vaktrāṇyabhivijvalanti.As is the speed of many rushing waters racing towards the ocean, so all these heroes of the world of men are…
11·29यथा प्रदीप्तं ज्वलनं पतंगा विशन्ति नाशाय समृद्धवेगाः । तथैव नाशाय विशन्ति लोका- स्तवापि वक्त्राणि समृद्धवेगाः ॥ २९ ॥yathā pradīptaṁ jvalanaṁ pataṅgā viśanti nāśāya samṛddhavegāḥ, tathaiva nāśāya viśanti lokāḥ tavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛddhavegāḥ.As a swarm of moths with ever-increasing speed fall to their destruction into a fire that someone has kindled…
11·30लेलिह्यसे ग्रसमानः समन्ता‌- ल्लोकान्समग्रान्वदनैर्ज्वलद्भिः । तेजोभिरापूर्य जगत्समग्रं भासस्तवोग्राः प्रतपन्ति विष्णो ॥ ३० ॥lelihyase grasamānaḥ samantā- llokānsamagrānvadanairjvaladbhiḥ, tejobhirāpūrya jagatsamagraṁ bhāsastavogrāḥ pratapanti viṣṇo.Thou lickest the regions all around with Thy tongues and Thou art swallowing up all the nations in Thy mouths…
11·31आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद । विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यं न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम् ॥ ३१ ॥ākhyāhi me ko bhavānugrarūpo namo’stu te devavara prasīda, vijñātumicchāmi bhavantamādyaṁ na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim.Declare to me who Thou art that wearest this form of fierceness.

11·36स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्या जगत्प्रहृष्यत्यनुरज्यते च । रक्षांसि भीतानि दिशो द्रवन्ति सर्वे नमस्यन्ति च सिद्धसङ्घाः ॥ ३६ ॥sthāne hṛṣīkeśa tava prakīrtyā jagatprahṛṣyatyanurajyate ca, rakṣāṁsi bhītāni diśo dravanti sarve namasyanti ca siddhasaṅghāḥ.Rightly and in good place, O Krishna, does the world rejoice and take pleasure in Thy name…
11·37कस्माच्च ते न नमेरन्महात्मन् गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे । अनन्त देवेश जगन्निवास त्वमक्षरं सदसत्तत्परं यत् ॥ ३७ ॥kasmācca te na nameranmahātman garīyase brahmaṇo’pyādikartre, ananta deveśa jagannivāsa tvamakṣaraṁ sadasattatparaṁ yat.How should they not do Thee homage, O great Spirit? For Thou art the original Creator and Doer of works and…
11·38त्वमादिदेवः पुरुषः पुराण- स्त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् । वेत्तासि वेद्यं च परं च धाम त्वया ततं विश्वमनन्तरूप ॥ ३८ ॥tvamādidevaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇa- stvamasya viśvasya paraṁ nidhānam, vettāsi vedyaṁ ca paraṁ ca dhāma tvayā tataṁ viśvamanantarūpa.Thou art the ancient Soul and the first and original Godhead and the supreme resting-place of this All…
11·39वायुर्यमोऽग्निर्वरुणः शशांकः प्रजापतिस्त्वं प्रपितामहश्च । नमो नमस्तेऽस्तु सहस्रकृत्वः पुनश्च भूयोऽपि नमो नमस्ते ॥ ३९ ॥vāyuryamo’gnirvaruṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ prajāpatistvaṁ prapitāmahaśca, namo namaste’stu sahasrakṛtvaḥ punaśca bhūyo’pi namo namaste.Thou art Yama and Vayu and Agni and Soma and Varuna and Prajapati, father of creatures, and the…
11·40नमः पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतस्ते नमोऽस्तु ते सर्वत एव सर्व । अनन्तवीर्यामितविक्रमस्त्वं सर्वं समाप्नोषि ततोऽसि सर्वः ॥ ४० ॥namaḥ purastādatha pṛṣṭhataste namo’stu te sarvata eva sarva, anantavīryāmitavikramastvaṁ sarvaṁ samāpnoṣi tato’si sarvaḥ.Salutation to Thee in front and behind, Salutation to Thee from every side, for Thou art each and all that is.
11·41सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तं हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति । अजानता महिमानं तवेदं मया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वाऽपि ॥ ४१ ॥sakheti matvā prasabhaṁ yaduktaṁ he kṛṣṇa he yādava he sakheti, ajānatā mahimānaṁ tavedaṁ mayā pramādātpraṇayena vā’pi.For whatsoever I have spoken to Thee thinking of Thee only as my human friend and companion, ‘O Krishna, O…
11·42यच्चावहासार्थमसत्कृतोऽसि विहारशय्यासनभोजनेषु । एकोऽथवाप्यच्युत तत्समक्षं तत्क्षामये त्वामहमप्रमेयम् ॥ ४२ ॥yaccāvahāsārthamasatkṛto’si vihāraśayyāsanabhojaneṣu, eko’thavāpyacyuta tatsamakṣaṁ tatkṣāmaye tvāmahamaprameyam.Not knowing this Thy greatness, for whatsoever disrespect was shown by me to Thee in jest, at play, on the…
11·43पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान् । न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिकः कुतोऽन्यो लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव ॥ ४३ ॥pitāsi lokasya carācarasya tvamasya pūjyaśca gururgarīyān, na tvatsamo’styabhyadhikaḥ kuto’nyo lokatraye’pyapratimaprabhāva.Thou art the father of all this world of the moving and unmoving…
11·44, a key verseतस्मात्प्रणम्य प्रणिधाय कायं प्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम् । पितेव पुत्रस्य सखेव सख्युः प्रियः प्रियायार्हसि देव सोढुम् ॥ ४४ ॥tasmātpraṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ prasādaye tvāmahamīśamīḍyam, piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum.Therefore I bow down before Thee and prostrate my body and I demand grace of Thee the adorable Lord.
11·45अदृष्टपूर्वं हृषितोऽस्मि दृष्ट्वा भयेन च प्रव्यथितं मनो मे । तदेव मे दर्शय देव रूपं प्रसीद देवेश जगन्निवास ॥ ४५ ॥adṛṣṭapūrvaṁ hṛṣito’smi dṛṣṭvā bhayena ca pravyathitaṁ mano me, tadeva me darśaya deva rūpaṁ prasīda deveśa jagannivāsa.I have seen what never was seen before and I rejoice, but my mind is troubled with fear.
11·46किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रहस्तं इच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव । तेनैव रूपेण चतुर्भुजेन सहस्रबाहो भव विश्वमूर्ते ॥ ४६ ॥kirīṭinaṁ gadinaṁ cakrahastaṁ icchāmi tvāṁ draṣṭumahaṁ tathaiva, tenaiva rūpeṇa caturbhujena sahasrabāho bhava viśvamūrte.I would see Thee even as before crowned and with Thy mace and discus.

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End of the chapter

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सुब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादेविश्वरूपदर्शनयोगो नामैकादशोऽध्यायः ॥ ११॥

om tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsubrahmavidyāyāṁ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjunasaṁvādeviśvarūpadarśanayogo nāmaikādaśo’dhyāyaḥ

Thus, in the Upanishad sung by the Lord, the science of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the eleventh chapter entitled “The Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Person”

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