Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 - Vision of The Cosmic Form

The Yoga of The Vision of the Cosmic Form is the heading of Chapter 11 in the Bhagavad Gita.





In the Bhagavad Gita - Text and Commentary by Sri Sivananda (Sivananda Press Durban SA) the discourse (summary) is as follows:

Arjuna's doubts having been removed through a clear description of the nature of the Atman and the origin and destruction of all created beings, he is now ready to behold the Cosmic Vision.

Krishna grants him the divine sight by means of which Arjuna beholds the Lord as the vast Cosmic Manifestation. The vision is at once all-comprehensive and simultaneous. In every direction Arjuna sees the Lord as the entire universe. All the created worlds, gods, beings, creatures and things stand revealed as the one gigantic body of the Lord.

Arjuna further sees that the great Cosmic Drama is set in motion and controlled by the all-almighty power of the Lord. His Will alone prevails in all things and actions, both good and bad. The Lord exhorts him to fight, he being only an apparent cause of the destruction of his enemies.

Arjuna is not able to bear the pressure of the sudden expansion of consciousness and is filled with fear. He begs the Lord to assume once more His usual form.

Krishna reiterates that this vision cannot be had through any amount of austerities, study, sacrifices or philanthropic acts. Supreme devotion is the only means by which one can have access to His grand vision.


11.1 - arjuna uvacamad-anugrahaya paramamguhyam adhyatma-samjnitamyattvayoktam vacas tenamoho ’yam vigato mama -
"Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions You have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now been dispelled."

11.2 - bhavapyayau hi bhutanamsrutau vistaraso mayatvattah kamala-patrakshamahatmyam api cavyayam - "O lotus-eyed one, I have heard from You in detail about the appearance and disappearance of every living entity and have realized Your inexhaustible glories."

11.3 - evam etad yathattha tvamatmanam paramesvaradrastum icchami te rupamaishvaram purushottama - "O greatest of all personalities, O supreme form, though I see You here before me in Your actual position, as You have described Yourself, I wish to see how You have entered into this cosmic manifestation. I want to see that form of Yours."

11.4 - manyase yadi tac chakyammaya drastum iti prabhoyogeshvara tato me tvamdarsayatmanam avyayam - "If You think that I am able to behold Your cosmic form, O my Lord, O master of all mystic power, then kindly show me that unlimited universal Self."

11.5 - sri-bhagavan uvacapasya me partha rupanisataso ’tha sahasrasahnana-vidhani divyaninana-varnakritini ca - "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pritha, see now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms."

11.6 - pasyadityan vasun rudranasvinau marutas tathabahuny adrsta-purvanipasyascaryani bharata - "O best of the Bharatas, see here the different manifestations of Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Asvini-kumaras and all the other demigods. Behold the many wonderful things which no one has ever seen or heard of before."

11.7 - ihaika-stham jagat krtsnampasyadya sa-caracarammama dehe gudakeshayac canyad drastum icchasi- "O Arjuna, whatever you wish to see, behold at once in this body of Mine! This universal form can show you whatever you now desire to see and whatever you may want to see in the future. Everything—moving and nonmoving—is here completely, in one place."

11.8 - na tu mam sakyase drastumanenaiva sva-caksusadivyam dadami te caksuhpasya me yogam aishvaram - "But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you divine eyes. Behold My mystic opulence!"

11.9 - sanjaya uvacaevam uktva tato rajanmaha-yogesvaro harihdarsayam asa parthayaparamam rupam aishvaram - Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead, displayed His universal form to Arjuna.

11.10 - 11 -
aneka-vaktra-nayanamanekadbhuta-darshanamaneka-divyabharanamdivyanekodyatayudham

divya-malyambara-dharamdivya-gandhanulepanamsarvascarya-mayam devamanantam vishvato-mukham - "Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths, unlimited eyes, unlimited wonderful visions. The form was decorated with many celestial ornaments and bore many divine upraised weapons. He wore celestial garlands and garments, and many divine scents were smeared over His body. All was wondrous, brilliant, unlimited, all-expanding."

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