विश्वरूपदर्शनयोग

मदनुग्रहाय परमं गुह्यमध्यात्मसंज्ञितम् |

Arjuna said This delusion of mine has departed as a result of that speech which is most secret and known as pertaining to the Self, and which was uttered by You for my benefit.

त्वत्तः कमलपत्राक्ष माहात्म्यमपि चाव्ययम् ||११-२||

O you with eyes like lotus leaves, the origin and dissolution of beings have been heard by me in detail from You. ['From You have been heard the origin and dissolution of beings in You.'] And (Your) undecaying glory, too, (has been heard).

द्रष्टुमिच्छामि ते रूपमैश्वरं पुरुषोत्तम ||११-३||

O supreme Lord, so it is, as You speak about Yourself. O supreme Person, I wish to see the divine form of Yours.

योगेश्वर ततो मे त्वं दर्शयात्मानमव्ययम् ||११-४||

O Lord, if You think that it is possible to be seen by me, then, O Lord of Yoga, You show me Your eternal Self.

पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः |

The Blessed Lord said O son of Prtha, behold My forms in (their) hundreds and in thousands, of different kinds, celestial, and of various colours and shapes.

बहून्यदृष्टपूर्वाणि पश्याश्चर्याणि भारत ||११-६||

See the Adiyas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the two Asvins and the Maruts. O scion of the Bharata dynasty, behold also the many wonders not seen before.

मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्चान्यद् द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ||११-७||

See now, O gudakesa, O Gudakesa (Arjuna), the entire Universe together with the moving and the non-moving, concentrated at the same place here in My body, as also whatever else you would like to see.

दिव्यं ददामि ते चक्षुः पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम् ||११-८||

But you are not able to see Me merely with this eye of yours. I grant you the supernatural eye; bhold My divine Yoga.

एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन्महायोगेश्वरो हरिः |

Sanjaya said O King, having spoken thus, thereafter, Hari [Hari: destroyer of ignorance along with its conseences.] (Krsna) the great Master of Yoga, showed to the son of Prtha the supreme divine form:

अनेकदिव्याभरणं दिव्यानेकोद्यतायुधम् ||११-१०||

Having many faces and eyes, possessing many wonderful sights, adorned with numerous celestial ornaments, holding many uplifted heavenly weapons;

सर्वाश्चर्यमयं देवमनन्तं विश्वतोमुखम् ||११-११||

Wearing heavenly garlands and apparel, anointed with heavenly scents, abounding in all kinds of wonder, resplendent, infinite, and with faces everywhere.

यदि भाः सदृशी सा स्याद्भासस्तस्य महात्मनः ||११-१२||

Should the effulgence of a thousand suns blaze forth simultaneously in the sky, that might be similar to the radiance of that exalted One.

अपश्यद्देवदेवस्य शरीरे पाण्डवस्तदा ||११-१३||

At that time, Pandava saw there, in the body of the God of gods, the whole diversely differentiated Universe united in the one (Cosmic form).

प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ||११-१४||

Then, filled with wonder, with hairs standing on end, he, Dhananjaya, (Arjuna), bowing down with his head to the Lord, said with folded hands:

पश्यामि देवांस्तव देव देहे

Arjuna said O God, I see in Your body all the gods as also hosts of (various) classes of beings; Brahma the ruler, sitting on a lotus seat, and all the heavely sages and serpents.

पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् |

I see You as possessed of numerous arms, bellies, mouths and eyes; as having infinite forms all around. O Lord of the Universe, O Cosmic Person, I see not Your limit nor the middle, nor again the beginning!

तेजोराशिं सर्वतो दीप्तिमन्तम् |

I see You as wearing a diadem, wielding a mace, and holding a disc; a mass of brilliance glowing all around, difficult to look at from all sides, possessed of the radiance of the blazing fire and sun, and immeasurable.

त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् |

You are the Immutable, the supreme One to be known; You are the most perfect repository of this Universe. You are the Imperishable, the Protector of the ever-existing religion; You are the eternal Person. This is my belief.

मनन्तबाहुं शशिसूर्यनेत्रम् |

I see You as without beginning, middle and end, possessed of infinite valour, having innumerable arms, having the sun and the moon as eyes, having a mouth like a blazing fire, and heating up this Universe by Your own brilliance.

व्याप्तं त्वयैकेन दिशश्च सर्वाः |

Indeed, this intermediate space between heaven and earth as also all the directions are pervaded by You alone. O exalted One, the three worlds are struck with fear by seeing this strange, fearful form of Yours.

केचिद्भीताः प्राञ्जलयो गृणन्ति |

Those very groups of gods enter into You; struck with fear, some extol (You) with joined palms. Groups of great sages and perfected beings praise You with elaborate hymns,saying 'May it be well!'

विश्वेऽश्विनौ मरुतश्चोष्मपाश्च |

Those who are the Rudras, the Adityas, the Vasus and the Sadhyas [sadhyas: A particular class of celestial beings.-V.S.A.], the Visve (-devas), the two Asvins, the Maruts and the Usmapas, and hosts of Gandharvas, Yaksas, demons and Siddhas-all of those very ones gaze at You, being indeed struck with wonder.

महाबाहो बहुबाहूरुपादम् |

O mighty-armed One, seeing Your immense form with many mouths and eyes, having numerous arms, thighs and feet, with many bellies, and fearful with many teeth, the creatures are struck with terror, and so am I.

व्यात्ताननं दीप्तविशालनेत्रम् |

O Visnu, verily, seeing Your form touching heaven, blazing, with many colours, open-mouthed, with fiery large eyes, I , becoming terrified in my mind, do not find steadiness and peace.

दृष्ट्वैव कालानलसन्निभानि |

Having merely seen Your mouths made terrible with (their) teeth and resembling the fire of Dissolution, I have lost the sense of direction and find no comfort. Be gracious, O Lord of gods, O Abode of the Universe.

सर्वे सहैवावनिपालसङ्घैः |

And into You (enter) all those sons of Dhrtarastra along with multitudes of the rulers of the earth; (also) Bhisma, Drona and that son of a Suta (Karna), together with even our prominent warriors.

दंष्ट्राकरालानि भयानकानि |

They rapidly enter into Your terrible mouths with cruel teeths! Some are seen sticking in the gaps between the teeth, with their heads crushed!

समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति |

As the numerous currents of the waters of rivers rush towards the sea alone so also do those heroes of the human world enter into Your blazing mouths.

विशन्ति नाशाय समृद्धवेगाः |

As moths enter with increased haste into a glowing fire for destruction, in that very way do the creatures enter into Your mouths too, with increased hurry for destruction.

लोकान्समग्रान्वदनैर्ज्वलद्भिः |

You lick Your lips while devouring all the creatures from every side with flaming mouths which are completely filling the entire world with heat.

नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद |

Tell me who You are, fierce in form. Salutation be to you, O supreme God; be gracious. I desire to fully know You who are the Prima One. For I do not understand Your actions!

कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो

The Blessed Lord said I am the world-destroying Time, [Time: The supreme God with His limiting adjunct of the power of action.] grown in stature [Pravrddhah, mighty-according to S.-Tr.] and now engaged in annihilating the creatures. Even without you, all the warriors who are arrayed in the confronting armies will cease to exist!

जित्वा शत्रून् भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम् |

Therefore you rise up, (and) gain fame; and defeating the enemies, enjoy a prosperous kingdom. These have been killed verily by Me even earlier; be you merely an instrument, O Savyasacin (Arjuna).

कर्णं तथान्यानपि योधवीरान् |

You destroy Drona and Bhisma, and Jayadratha and Karna as also the other heroic warriors who have been killed by Me. Do not be afraid. Fight! You shall coner the enemies in battle.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य

Sanjaya said Hearing this utterance of Kesava, Kiriti (Arjuna), with joined palms and trembling, protrating himself, said again to Krsna with a faltering voice, bowing down overcome by fits of fear:

स्थाने हृषीकेश तव प्रकीर्त्या

Arjuna said It is proper, O Hrsikesa, that the world becomes delighted and attracted by Your praise; that the Raksasas, stricken with fear, run in all directions; and that all the groups of the Siddhas bow down (toYou).

गरीयसे ब्रह्मणोऽप्यादिकर्त्रे |

And why should they not bow down to You, O exalted [i.e. not narrow-minded.] One, who are greater (than all) and who are the first Creator even of Brahma! O infinite One, supreme God, Abode of the Universe, You are the Immutable,being and non-being, (and) that which is Transcendental.

त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् |

You are the primal Deity, the ancient Person; You are the supreme Resort of this world. You are the knower as also the object of knowledge, and the supreme Abode. O You of infinite forms, the Universe is pervaded by You!

प्रजापतिस्त्वं प्रपितामहश्च |

You are Air, Death, Fire, the god of the waters, the moon, the Lord of the creatures, and the Greater-grandfather. Salutations! Salutation be to You a thousand times; salutation to You again and again! Salutation!

नमोऽस्तु ते सर्वत एव सर्व |

Salutation to You in the East and behind. Salutation be to You on all sides in deed, O All! You are possessed of infinite strength and infinite heroism. You pervade everything; hence You are all!

हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति |

Without knowing this greatness of Yours, whatever was said by me (to You) rashly, through inadvertence or even out of intimacy, thinking (You to be) a friend, addressing (You) as 'O krsna,' 'O Yadava,' 'O friend,' etc.-.

विहारशय्यासनभोजनेषु |

And that You have been discourteously treated out of fun-while walking, while on a bed, while on a seat, while eating, in privacy, or, O Acyuta, even in public, for that I beg pardon of You, the incomprehensible One.

त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान् |

You are the Father of all beings moving and non-moving; to this (world) You are worthy of worship, the Teacher, and greater (than a teacher). There is none eal to You; how at all can there be anyone greater even in all the three worlds, O You or unrivalled power?

प्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम् |

Therefore, by bowing down and prostrating the body, I seek to propitate You who are God and are adorable. O Lord, You should [The elision of a (in arhasi of priyayarhasi) is a metrical licence.] forgive (my faults) as would a father (the faults) of a son, as a friend, of a friend, and as a lover of a beloved.

भयेन च प्रव्यथितं मनो मे |

I am delighted by seeing something not seen heretofore, and my mind is stricken with fear. O Lord, show me that very form; O supreme God, O Abode of the Universe, be gracious!

इच्छामि त्वां द्रष्टुमहं तथैव |

I want to see You just as before, wearing a crown, wielding a mace, and holding a disc in hand. O You with thousand arms, O You of Cosmic form, appear with that very form with four hands.

मया प्रसन्नेन तवार्जुनेदं

The Blessed Lord said Out of grace, O Arjuna, this supreme, radiant, Cosmic, infinite, primeval form-which (form) of Mine has not been seen before by anyone other than you, has been shown to you by Me through the power of My own Yoga.

न च क्रियाभिर्न तपोभिरुग्रैः |

Not by the study of the Vedas and sacrifices, not by gifts, not even by rituals, not by severe austerities can I, in this form, be perceived in the human world by anyone ['By anyone who has not received My grace'. other than you, O most valiant among the Kurus.

दृष्ट्वा रूपं घोरमीदृङ्ममेदम् |

May you have no fear, and may not there be bewilderment by seeing this form of Mine so terrible Becoming free from fear and gladdened in mind again, see this very earlier form of Mine.

इत्यर्जुनं वासुदेवस्तथोक्त्वा

Sanjaya said Thus, having spoken to Arjuna in that manner, Vasudeva showed His own form again. And He, the exalted One, reassured this terrified one by again becoming serene in form.

दृष्ट्वेदं मानुषं रूपं तव सौम्यं जनार्दन |

Arjuna said O Janardana, having seen this serene human form of Yours, I have now become calm in mind and restored to my own nature.

सुदुर्दर्शमिदं रूपं दृष्टवानसि यन्मम |

The Blessed Lord said This form of Mine which you have seen is very difficult to see; even the gods are ever desirous of a vision of this form.

शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा ||११-५३||

Not through the Vedas, not by austerity, not by gifts, nor even by sacrifice can I be seen in this form as you have seen Me.

ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप ||११-५४||

But, O Arjuna, by single-minded devotion am I-in this form-able to be known and seen in reality, and also be entered into, O destroyer of foes.

निर्वैरः सर्वभूतेषु यः स मामेति पाण्डव ||११-५५||

O son of Pandu, he who works for Me, accepts Me as the supreme Goal, is devoted to Me, is devoid of attachment and free from enmity towards all beings-he attains Me.