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Chapter 11 · The Universal Form · 55 verses

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Remember who is speaking. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Take the verse as He directs.
  2. 2Say the verse and its words. Read the Sanskrit, then each word with its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation as it is. Let the translation say what it says, without adding your own meaning.
  4. 4Read the purport. Hear the verse through the disciplic succession.
  5. 5Bring your own question. Ask: where does this verse meet my life, my trouble, my doubt?
  6. 6Act on it, remembering Kṛṣṇa. Carry one instruction into your work today.
Read the full guide: how to read the Bhagavad-gītā ›
Krishna’s natureChapter 11 · The Universal Form
11.5011.52

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 11.51

Composure returns in Krishna’s personal presence

Īśvara · God

अर्जुन उवाच

दृष्ट्वेदं मानुषं रूपं तव सौम्यं जनार्दन ।

इदानीमस्मि संवृत्त: सचेता: प्रकृतिं गत: ॥ ५१ ॥

arjuna uvāca

dṛṣṭvedaṁ mānuṣaṁ rūpaṁ

tava saumyaṁ janārdana

idānīm asmi saṁvṛttaḥ

sa-cetāḥ prakṛtiṁ gataḥ

Translation

When Arjuna thus saw Kṛṣṇa in His original form, he said: O Janārdana, seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am restored to my original nature.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

3 study points

Kṛṣṇa’s Beautiful Original Form

  1. 1

    Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful humanlike form, Arjuna becomes calm and returns to his original nature.

  2. 2

    Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, originally has two hands and is not an ordinary person.

  3. 3

    Avoid misleading explanations that treat Kṛṣṇa as ordinary; recognize His divine nature.

Key points from the purport

Arjuna is pacified — Arjuna’s mind is pacified and restored on seeing Krishna’s two-handed form

a

‘Manusam-rupam’ — Indicates Lord to be two-armed, but not an ordinary person

b

This verse refutes the following argument:

Arguments:

“Krishna is an ordinary human” and

“It is impersonal Brahman within Krishna who is speaking”

Refutation: To think so, is the greatest injustice. How can an ordinary human show the Universal form and again the four-handed form

c

Analogy — Gita verses are like sun and does not need any lamplight

Therefore pure devotees are not confused by misguided commentaries

How it feels

Relief and intimacy

Further reading

Only Pure Devotees See Krishna’s Two-Armed Form

Krishna withdraws His Universal Form

Krishna shows four-armed form

Finally shows two-armed form

Krishna’s most wonderful two-armed form can be directly seen only by pure undivided devotional service

Chapter 11, section V: Only Pure Devotees See Krishna’s Two-Armed Form
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. arjunaḥ uvācaArjuna said
  2. dṛṣṭvāseeing
  3. idamthis
  4. mānuṣamhuman
  5. rūpamform
  6. tavaYour
  7. saumyamvery beautiful
  8. janārdanaO chastiser of the enemies
3

Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

  • Universal form

    Arjuna regains composure upon seeing Krishna’s personal form.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Where do I seek spiritual shelter amid overwhelming experiences?

Practice

Read this verse together with the universal-form passages and reflect on personal devotion.

5

The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 11 ›
6

Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

BG 11.8A vision requiring divine eyesBG 11.32Krishna reveals Himself as timeBG 11.54Pure devotion and personal realizationBG 12.2Krishna describes devotional practice and progression
Live this todayKṛṣṇa’s Original Two-Handed FormOne practice from this verse

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

  1. Learn
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  3. Lead
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