Gita 11.9
सञ्जय उवाच |
एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्महायोगेश्वरो हरि: |
दर्शयामास पार्थाय परमं रूपमैश्वरम् || 9||
sañjaya uvācha
evam uktvā tato rājan mahā-yogeśhvaro hariḥ
darśhayām āsa pārthāya paramaṁ rūpam aiśhwaram
Arjun initially refers to Shree Krishna as “Yogeshwar” (verse 11.4), meaning “Lord of Yogis.” Later, Sanjay describes him as “Maha-Yogeshwar,” adding the superlative “great” to emphasise his supreme divine stature and all-encompassing mastery over yoga. Sanjay, endowed with divine, farsighted vision by his guru, Ved Vyas, perceives Krishna’s cosmic form just as Arjun did. In the subsequent four verses, Sanjay narrates to Dhritarashtra the awe-inspiring vision of this universal form, which is filled with divine opulences (“aiśhwarya”). This cosmic manifestation, rich with divine splendours, evokes feelings of fear, awe, and reverence, illustrating the profound and majestic nature of God’s universal presence.
Gita 11.10 & 11.11
अनेकवक्त्रनयनमनेकाद्भुतदर्शनम् |
अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम् || 10||
दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम् |
सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवमनन्तं विश्वतोमुखम् || 11||
aneka-vaktra-nayanam anekādbhuta-darśhanam
aneka-divyābharaṇaṁ divyānekodyatāyudham
divya-mālyāmbara-dharaṁ divya-gandhānulepanam
sarvāśhcharya-mayaṁ devam anantaṁ viśhvato-mukham
Sanjay describes Shree Krishna’s divine universal form using the words “anek” (many) and “anant” (unlimited), emphasising its vastness. The entire creation is considered to be the body of God’s cosmic form, which contains countless faces, eyes, mouths, shapes, colours, and forms. While the human mind is accustomed to understanding things within limited notions of time, space, and form, the divine cosmic form reveals extraordinary wonders and miracles that transcend these limitations. As a result, it is rightly regarded as wondrous and beyond ordinary comprehension.
Gita 11.12
दिवि सूर्यसहस्रस्य भवेद्युगपदुत्थिता |
यदि भा: सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मन: || 12||
divi sūrya-sahasrasya bhaved yugapad utthitā
yadi bhāḥ sadṛiśhī sā syād bhāsas tasya mahātmanaḥ
Sanjay describes the overwhelming radiance of the universal form by comparing it to thousands of suns shining together. While God's brilliance is infinite and beyond measurement, this simile helps convey the idea that its splendour surpasses anything familiar, using the known image of multiple suns to illustrate its unmatched brilliance.
Gita 11.13
तत्रैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं प्रविभक्तमनेकधा |
अपश्यद्देवदेवस्य शरीरे पाण्डवस्तदा || 13||
tatraika-sthaṁ jagat kṛitsnaṁ pravibhaktam anekadhā
apaśhyad deva-devasya śharīre pāṇḍavas tadā
Sanjay describes the universal form as encompassing the entire universe, with Arjun witnessing the totality of existence—infinite universes, galaxies, and planetary systems—contained within Shree Krishna's body. Shree Krishna had previously revealed this same cosmic form to his mother, Yashoda, during his childhood. In a pastime where she asked him to open his mouth after he ate mud, he showed her the universal form within, astonishing and nearly overwhelming her. Sanjay now transitions to describing Arjun's reaction to this same form.
Gita 11.14
तत: स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनञ्जय: |
प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत || 14||
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣhṭo hṛiṣhṭa-romā dhanañjayaḥ
praṇamya śhirasā devaṁ kṛitāñjalir abhāṣhata
Upon seeing the breathtaking cosmic form, Arjun was filled with immense amazement and deep reverence. This experience stirred intense devotional feelings in his heart, which manifested physically as described in scriptures about the eight symptoms of pure devotion (aṣhṭa sāttvic bhāv). Arjun's hair stood on end due to this profound emotion. He then bowed down with folded hands and is now about to speak the words that will be described in the next seventeen verses.
Gita 11.15
अर्जुन उवाच |
पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहे
सर्वांस्तथा भूतविशेषसङ्घान् |
ब्रह्माणमीशं कमलासनस्थ-
मृषींश्च सर्वानुरगांश्च दिव्यान् || 15||
arjuna uvācha
paśhyāmi devāns tava deva dehe
sarvāns tathā bhūta-viśheṣha-saṅghān
brahmāṇam īśhaṁ kamalāsana-stham
ṛiṣhīnśh cha sarvān uragānśh cha divyān
Arjun describes seeing within the cosmic form multitudes of beings from all three worlds, including gods from the celestial realms. He specifically mentions beholding figures like Lord Brahma (seated on the lotus), Lord Shiva, various sages (such as Vishwamitra), and serpents (like Vasuki), all contained within the universal form.
Gita 11.16
अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रं
पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् |
नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिं
पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप || 16||
aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraṁ
paśhyāmi tvāṁ sarvato ’nanta-rūpam
nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punas tavādiṁ
paśhyāmi viśhveśhvara viśhva-rūpa
Arjun, addressing Krishna as "controller of the universe" and "universal form," acknowledges Krishna's encompassing nature, stating that the universe is a manifestation of Krishna, and he is its supreme master. Arjun emphasises the vastness of Krishna's form, noting that no matter where he looks, he cannot find an end, beginning, or middle.
Gita 11.17
किरीटिनं गदिनं चक्रिणं च
तेजोराशिं सर्वतो दीप्तिमन्तम् |
पश्यामि त्वां दुर्निरीक्ष्यं समन्ताद्
दीप्तानलार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् || 17||
kirīṭinaṁ gadinaṁ chakriṇaṁ cha
tejo-rāśhiṁ sarvato dīptimantam
paśhyāmi tvāṁ durnirīkṣhyaṁ samantād
dīptānalārka-dyutim aprameyam
Arjun describes the Universal Form as having a brilliance exceeding thousands of suns, so dazzling that it would blind physical eyes; he could only see it because he was granted divine sight. Within this vast form, Arjun also perceived the four-armed Vishnu form of the Lord, holding the traditional emblems: mace, conch, disc, and lotus flower.
Gita 11.18
त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं
त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् |
त्वमव्यय: शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता
सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषो मतो मे || 18||
tvam akṣharaṁ paramaṁ veditavyaṁ
tvam asya viśhvasya paraṁ nidhānam
tvam avyayaḥ śhāśhvata-dharma-goptā
sanātanas tvaṁ puruṣho mato me
Arjun declares his recognition of Shree Krishna as the Supreme Lord, the foundation of all creation, and the ultimate subject of all scriptures. He cites Vedic verses (from the Kaṭhopaniṣhad and Śhrīmad Bhāgavatam) that emphasise the Vedas' focus on God and the goal of reaching Him through knowledge and sacrifice. Arjun's tribute expresses his realisation that the personal form of Krishna standing before him is the supreme absolute truth described in all Vedic knowledge.
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Bhagavad Gita [English]- 26.4.2025
