1 Bg 11: The Universal Form
2
3 Chapter 11
4
5 The Universal Form
6
7 Bg 11.1
8
9 TEXT 1
10
11 TRANSLATION
12
13 Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions
> You have kindly given me about these most
> confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now
> been dispelled.
14
15 PURPORT
16
17 This chapter reveals Krsna as the cause of all causes. He
> is even the cause of the Maha-Visnu, from whom the
> material universes emanate. Krsna is not an incarnation; He
> is the source of all incarnations. That has been completely
> explained in the last chapter.
18
19 Now, as far as Arjuna is concerned, he says that his
> illusion is over. This means that Arjuna no longer thinks
> of Krsna as a mere human being, as a friend of his, but as
> the source of everything. Arjuna is very enlightened and is
> glad that he has such a great friend as Krsna, but now he
> is thinking that although he may accept Krsna as the source
> of everything, others may not. So in order to establish
> Krsna's divinity for all, he is requesting Krsna in this
> chapter to show His universal form. Actually when one sees
> the universal form of Krsna one becomes frightened, like
> Arjuna, but Krsna is so kind that after showing it He
> converts Himself again into His original form. Arjuna
> agrees to what Krsna has several times said: Krsna is
> speaking to him just for his benefit. So Arjuna
> acknowledges that all this is happening to him by Krsna's
> grace. He is now convinced that Krsna is the cause of all
> causes and is present in everyone's heart as the Supersoul.
20
21 Bg 11.2
22
23 TEXT 2
24
25 TRANSLATION
26
27 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.
28
29 PURPORT
30
31 Arjuna addresses Lord Krsna as "lotus-eyed" (Krsna's eyes
> appear just like the petals of a lotus flower) out of his
> joy, for Krsna has assured him, in the
> previous chapter, aham krtsnasya jagatah prabhavah
> pralayas tatha: "I am the source of
> the appearance and disappearance of this entire material
> manifestation." Arjuna has heard of this from the Lord
> in detail. Arjuna further knows that in spite of His being
> the source of all appearances and disappearances, He is
> aloof from them. As the Lord has said in the
> Ninth Chapter, He is all-pervading, yet He is not
> personally present everywhere. That is the inconceivable
> opulence of Krsna which Arjuna admits that he has
> thoroughly understood.
32
33 Bg 11.3
34
35 TEXT 3
36
37 TRANSLATION
38
39 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.
40
41 PURPORT
42
43 The Lord said that because He entered into the material
> universe by His personal representation, the cosmic
> manifestation has been made possible and is going on. Now
> as far as Arjuna is concerned, he is inspired by the
> statements of Krsna, but in order to convince others in the
> future who may think that Krsna is an ordinary person,
> Arjuna desires to see Him actually in His universal form,
> to see how He is acting from within the universe, although
> He is apart from it. Arjuna's addressing the Lord
> as purusottama is also significant. Since the Lord
> is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is present within
> Arjuna himself; therefore He knows the desire of Arjuna,
> and He can understand that Arjuna has no special desire to
> see Him in His universal form, for Arjuna is completely
> satisfied to see Him in His personal form of Krsna. But the
> Lord can understand also that Arjuna wants to see the
> universal form to convince others. Arjuna did not have any
> personal desire for confirmation. Krsna also understands
> that Arjuna wants to see the universal form to set a
> criterion, for in the future there would be so many
> imposters who would pose themselves as incarnations of God.
> The people, therefore, should be careful; one who claims to
> be Krsna should be prepared to show his universal form to
> confirm his claim to the people.
44
45 Bg 11.4
46
47 TEXT 4
48
49 TRANSLATION
50
51 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.
52
53 PURPORT
54
55 It is said that one can neither see, hear, understand nor
> perceive the Supreme Lord, Krsna, by the material senses.
> But if one is engaged in loving transcendental service to
> the Lord from the beginning, then one can see the Lord by
> revelation. Every living entity is only a spiritual spark;
> therefore it is not possible to see or to understand the
> Supreme Lord. Arjuna, as a devotee, does not depend on his
> speculative strength; rather, he admits his limitations as
> a living entity and acknowledges Krsna's inestimable
> position. Arjuna could understand that for a living entity
> it is not possible to understand the unlimited infinite. If
> the infinite reveals Himself, then it is possible to
> understand the nature of the infinite by the grace of the
> infinite. The word yogesvara is also very significant here
> because the Lord has inconceivable power. If He likes, He
> can reveal Himself by His grace, although He is unlimited.
> Therefore Arjuna pleads for the inconceivable grace of
> Krsna. He does not give Krsna orders. Krsna is not obliged
> to reveal Himself unless one surrenders fully in
> Krsna consciousness and engages in devotional service. Thus
> it is not possible for persons who depend on the strength
> of their mental speculations to see Krsna.
56
57 Bg 11.5
58
59 TEXT 5
60
61 TRANSLATION
62
63 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, O
> son of Prtha, see now My opulences, hundreds of
> thousands of varied divine and multicolored forms
> .
64
65 PURPORT
66
67 Arjuna wanted to see Krsna in His universal form, which,
> although a transcendental form, is just manifested for the
> cosmic manifestation and is therefore subject to the
> temporary time of this material nature. As the material
> nature is manifested and not manifested, similarly this
> universal form of Krsna is manifested and nonmanifested. It
> is not eternally situated in the spiritual sky like Krsna's
> other forms. As far as a devotee is concerned, he is not
> eager to see the universal form, but because Arjuna wanted
> to see Krsna in this way, Krsna reveals this form. This
> universal form is not possible to be seen by any ordinary
> man. Krsna must give one the power to see it.
68
69 Bg 11.6
70
71 TEXT 6
72
73 TRANSLATION
74
75 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.
76
77 PURPORT
78
79 Even though Arjuna was a personal friend of Krsna and the
> most advanced of learned men, it was still not possible for
> him to know everything about Krsna. Here it is stated that
> humans have neither heard nor known of all these forms and
> manifestations. Now Krsna reveals these wonderful forms.
80
81 Bg 11.7
82
83 TEXT 7
84
85 TRANSLATION
86
87 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.
88
89 PURPORT
90
91 No one can see the entire universe while sitting in one
> place. Even the most advanced scientist cannot see what is
> going on in other parts of the universe. But a devotee like
> Arjuna can see everything that exists in any part of the
> universe. Krsna gives him the power to see anything he
> wants to see, past, present and future. Thus by the mercy
> of Krsna, Arjuna is able to see everything.
92
93 Bg 11.8
94
95 TEXT 8
96
97 TRANSLATION
98
99 But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I
> give you divine eyes. Behold My
> mystic opulence!
100
101 PURPORT
102
103 A pure devotee does not like to see Krsna in any form
> except His form with two hands; a devotee must see His
> universal form by His grace, not with the mind but with
> spiritual eyes. To see the universal form of Krsna, Arjuna
> is told not to change his mind but his vision. The
> universal form of Krsna is not very important; that will be
> clear in subsequent verses. Yet because Arjuna wanted to
> see it, the Lord gives him the particular vision required
> to see that universal form.
104
105 Devotees who are correctly situated in a transcendental
> relationship with Krsna are attracted by loving features,
> not by a godless display of opulences. The playmates of
> Krsna, the friends of Krsna and the parents of Krsna never
> want Krsna to show His opulences. They are so immersed in
> pure love that they do not even know that Krsna is the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead. In their loving exchange
> they forget that Krsna is the Supreme Lord. In the Srimad-
> Bhagavatam it is stated that the boys who play with Krsna
> are all highly pious souls and after many, many births they
> are able to play with Krsna. Such boys do not know that
> Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They take Him
> as a personal friend. Therefore Sukadeva Gosvami recites
> this verse:
106
107 ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya dasyam gatanam para-
> daivatena mayasritanam nara-darakena sakam vijahruh krta-
> punya-punjah
108
109 "Here is the Supreme Person, who is considered the
> impersonal Brahman by great sages, the Supreme Personality
> of Godhead by devotees, and a product of material nature by
> ordinary men. Now these boys, who have performed many, many
> pious activities in their past lives, are playing with that
> Supreme Personality of Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.12.
> 11)
110
111 The
> fact is that the devotee is
> not concerned with
> seeing the visva-rupa, the universal form, but
> Arjuna wanted to see it to substantiate
> Krsna's statements so that
> in the future
> people could understand that
> Krsna not only theoretically or philosophically
> presented Himself as the Supreme but
> actually presented Himself as such to Arjuna. Arjuna
> must confirm this because Arjuna is the beginning of
> the parampara system. Those who are actually
> interested in understanding the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, Krsna, and who follow in the
> footsteps of Arjuna should understand that Krsna
> not only theoretically presented Himself as the
> Supreme, but
> actually revealed Himself as the Supreme.
112
113 The
> Lord gave Arjuna the necessary power to see His universal
> form because He knew that Arjuna did not particularly want
> to see it, as we have already explained.
114
115 Bg 11.9
116
117 TEXT 9
118
119 TRANSLATION
120
121 Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the Supreme
> Lord of all mystic power, the Personality of Godhead,
> displayed His universal form to Arjuna.
122
123 Bg 11.10-11
124
125 TEXTS 10–11
126
127 TRANSLATION
128
129 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.
130
131 PURPORT
132
133 In these two verses the repeated use of the word
> many indicates that there was no limit to the number of
> hands, mouths, legs and other manifestations Arjuna was
> seeing. These manifestations were distributed throughout
> the universe, but by the grace of the Lord,
> Arjuna could see them while sitting in one place. That was
> due to the inconceivable potency of Krsna.
134
135 Bg 11.12
136
137 TEXT 12
138
139 TRANSLATION
140
141 If hundreds of thousands of suns were to rise at once into
> the sky, their radiance might resemble the effulgence of
> the Supreme Person in that universal form.
142
143 PURPORT
144
145 What Arjuna saw was indescribable, yet Sanjaya is trying to
> give a mental picture of that great revelation to
> Dhrtarastra. Neither Sanjaya nor Dhrtarastra was present,
> but Sanjaya, by the grace of Vyasa, could see whatever
> happened. Thus he now compares the situation, as far as it
> can be understood, to an imaginable phenomenon (i.e.,
> thousands of suns).
146
147 Bg 11.13
148
149 TEXT 13
150
151 TRANSLATION
152
153 At that time Arjuna could see in the universal form of the
> Lord the unlimited expansions of the universe situated in
> one place although divided into many, many thousands.
154
155 PURPORT
156
157 The word tatra ("there") is very significant. It indicates
> that both Arjuna and Krsna were sitting on the chariot when
> Arjuna saw the universal form. Others on the battlefield
> could not see this form, because Krsna gave the vision only
> to Arjuna. Arjuna could see in the body of Krsna many
> thousands of planets. As we learn from Vedic scriptures,
> there are many universes and many planets. Some of them are
> made of earth, some are made of gold, some are made of
> jewels, some are very great, some are not so great, etc.
> Sitting on his chariot, Arjuna could see all these
> . But no one could understand what was going on
> between Arjuna and Krsna.
158
159 Bg 11.14
160
161 TEXT 14
162
163 TRANSLATION
164
165 Then, bewildered and astonished, his hair standing on end,
> Arjuna bowed his head to offer obeisances and with folded
> hands began to pray to the Supreme Lord.
166
167 PURPORT
168
169 Once the divine vision is revealed, the relationship
> between Krsna and Arjuna changes immediately. Before, Krsna
> and Arjuna had a relationship based on friendship, but here,
> after the revelation, Arjuna is offering obeisances with
> great respect, and with folded hands he is praying to Krsna.
> He is praising the universal form. Thus Arjuna's
> relationship becomes one of wonder rather than friendship.
> Great devotees see Krsna as the reservoir of all
> relationships. In the scriptures there are twelve basic
> kinds of relationships mentioned, and all of them are
> present in Krsna. It is said that He is the ocean of all
> the relationships exchanged between two living entities,
> between the gods, or between the Supreme Lord and His
> devotees.
170
171 Here Arjuna was inspired by the relationship
> of wonder, and in that wonder, although he was by nature
> very sober, calm and quiet, he became ecstatic, his hair
> stood up, and he began to offer his obeisances unto the
> Supreme Lord with folded hands. He was not, of course,
> afraid. He was affected by the wonders of the Supreme Lord.
> The immediate context is wonder; his natural loving
> friendship was overwhelmed by wonder, and thus he reacted
> in this way.
172
173 Bg 11.15
174
175 TEXT 15
176
177 TRANSLATION
178
179 Arjuna said: My dear Lord Krsna, I see assembled
> in Your body all the demigods and various other living
> entities. I see Brahma sitting on the lotus flower, as well
> as Lord Siva and all the sages and divine serpents.
180
181 PURPORT
182
183 Arjuna sees everything in the universe; therefore he sees
> Brahma, who is the first creature in the universe, and the
> celestial serpent upon which the Garbhodakasayi Visnu lies
> in the lower regions of the universe. This snake bed is
> called Vasuki. There are also other snakes known as Vasuki.
> Arjuna can see from the Garbhodakasayi Visnu up to the
> topmost part of the universe on the lotus-flower planet
> where Brahma, the first creature of the universe, resides.
> That means that from the beginning to the end, everything
> could be seen by Arjuna, who was sitting in one place on
> his chariot. This was possible by the grace of the Supreme
> Lord, Krsna.
184
185 Bg 11.16
186
187 TEXT 16
188
189 TRANSLATION
190
191 O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see in Your
> body many, many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes,
> expanded everywhere, without limit. I see in
> You no end, no middle and no beginning.
192
193 PURPORT
194
195 Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is
> unlimited; thus through Him everything could be seen.
196
197 Bg 11.17
198
199 TEXT 17
200
201 TRANSLATION
202
203 Your form is
> difficult to see because of its glaring effulgence,
> spreading on all sides, like blazing fire or the
> immeasurable radiance of the sun. Yet I see this glowing
> form everywhere, adorned with various crowns, clubs and
> discs.
204
205 Bg 11.18
206
207 TEXT 18
208
209 TRANSLATION
210
211 You are the supreme primal objective. You are the ultimate
> resting place of all this universe. You are inexhaustible,
> and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of the
> eternal religion, the Personality of Godhead. This
> is my opinion.
212
213 Bg 11.19
214
215 TEXT 19
216
217 TRANSLATION
218
219 You are without origin, middle or end. Your
> glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms, and the sun
> and moon are Your eyes. I see You
> with blazing fire coming forth from Your mouth,
> burning this entire universe by Your own radiance.
220
221 PURPORT
222
223 There is no limit to the extent of the six opulences of the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here and in many other
> places there is repetition, but according to the scriptures,
> repetition of the glories of Krsna is not a literary
> weakness. It is said that at a time of bewilderment or
> wonder or of great ecstasy, statements are repeated over
> and over. That is not a flaw.
224
225 Bg 11.20
226
227 TEXT 20
228
229 TRANSLATION
230
231 Although You are one, You spread throughout the sky and
> the planets and all space between. O great one, seeing this
> wondrous and terrible form, all the planetary
> systems are perturbed.
232
233 PURPORT
234
235 Dyav a-prthivyoh ("the space between heaven and
> earth") and loka-trayam ("the three worlds") are
> significant words in this verse because it appears that not
> only did Arjuna see this universal form of the Lord, but
> others in other planetary systems saw it also. Arjuna'
> s seeing of the universal form was not a dream. All whom
> the Lord endowed with divine vision saw that
> universal form on the battlefield.
236
237 Bg 11.21
238
239 TEXT 21
240
241 TRANSLATION
242
243 All the hosts of demigods are surrendering before You and
> entering into You. Some of them, very much afraid, are
> offering prayers with folded hands. Hosts of great sages
> and perfected beings, crying "All peace!" are praying to
> You by singing the Vedic hymns.
244
245 PURPORT
246
247 The demigods in all the planetary systems feared the
> terrific manifestation of the universal form and its
> glaring effulgence and so prayed for protection.
248
249 Bg 11.22
250
251 TEXT 22
252
253 TRANSLATION
254
255 All the various manifestations of Lord Siva, the
> Adityas, the Vasus, the Sadhyas, the Visvedevas, the two
> Asvis, the Maruts, the forefathers, the Gandharvas, the
> Yaksas, the Asuras and the perfected demigods are
> beholding You in wonder.
256
257 Bg 11.23
258
259 TEXT 23
260
261 TRANSLATION
262
263 O mighty-armed one, all the planets with their demigods are
> disturbed at seeing Your great form, with its many faces,
> eyes, arms, thighs, legs, and bellies and Your many
> terrible teeth; and as they are disturbed, so am I.
264
265 Bg 11.24
266
267 TEXT 24
268
269 TRANSLATION
270
271 O all-pervading Visnu, seeing You
> with Your many radiant colors touching the
> sky, Your gaping mouths, and Your great glowing eyes,
> my mind is perturbed by fear. I can no longer maintain my
> steadiness or equilibrium of mind.
272
273 Bg 11.25
274
275 TEXT 25
276
277 TRANSLATION
278
279 O Lord of lords, O refuge of the worlds, please be gracious
> to me. I cannot keep my balance seeing thus Your blazing
> deathlike faces and awful teeth. In all directions I am
> bewildered.
280
281 Bg 11.26-27
282
283 TEXTS 26–27
284
285 TRANSLATION
286
287 All the sons of Dhrtarastra, along with their allied kings,
> and Bhisma, Drona, Karna-and our chief
> soldiers also-are rushing into Your
> fearful mouths. And some I see trapped with
> heads smashed between Your teeth.
288
289 PURPORT
290
291 In a previous verse the Lord promised to show Arjuna things
> he would be very interested in seeing. Now Arjuna sees that
> the leaders of the opposite party (Bhisma, Drona, Karna and
> all the sons of Dhrtarastra) and their soldiers and Arjuna'
> s own soldiers are all being annihilated. This is an
> indication that after the death of nearly
> all the persons assembled at Kuruksetra, Arjuna
> will emerge victorious. It is also mentioned here that
> Bhisma, who is supposed to be unconquerable, will also be
> smashed. So also Karna. Not only will the great warriors of
> the other party like Bhisma be smashed, but some of the
> great warriors of Arjuna's side also.
292
293 Bg 11.28
294
295 TEXT 28
296
297 TRANSLATION
298
299 As the many waves of the rivers flow into the ocean, so do
> all these great warriors enter blazing into Your
> mouths.
300
301 Bg 11.29
302
303 TEXT 29
304
305 TRANSLATION
306
307 I see all people rushing full speed into Your mouths,
> as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire.
308
309 Bg 11.30
310
311 TEXT 30
312
313 TRANSLATION
314
315 O Visnu, I see You devouring all people from all sides with
> Your flaming mouths. Covering all the universe with
> Your effulgence, You are
> manifest with terrible, scorching rays.
316
317 Bg 11.31
318
319 TEXT 31
320
321 TRANSLATION
322
323 O Lord of lords, so fierce of form, please tell me who You
> are. I offer my obeisances unto You; please be gracious to
> me. You are the primal Lord. I want to know about You,
> for I do not know what Your mission is.
324
325 Bg 11.32
326
327 TEXT 32
328
329 TRANSLATION
330
331 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Time I am, the
> great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to
> destroy all people. With the exception of you [the Pandavas]
> , all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.
332
333 PURPORT
334
335 Although Arjuna knew that Krsna was his friend and the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was puzzled
> by the various forms exhibited by Krsna. Therefore he asked
> further about the actual mission of this devastating force.
> It is written in the Vedas that the Supreme Truth destroys
> everything, even the brahmanas. As stated in the Katha
> Upanisad (1.2.25), yasya brahma ca ksatram ca ubhe bhavata
> odanah mrtyur yasyopasecanam ka ittha veda yatra sah.
> Eventually all the brahmanas, ksatriyas and everyone else
> are devoured like a meal by the Supreme. This form of the
> Supreme Lord is the all-devouring giant, and here Krsna
> presents Himself in that form of all-devouring time. Except
> for a few Pandavas, everyone who was present on that
> battlefield would be devoured by Him.
336
337 Arjuna was not in favor of the fight, and he thought it was
> better not to fight; then there would be no frustration. In
> reply, the Lord is saying that even if he did not fight,
> every one of them would be destroyed, for that was His plan.
> If Arjuna stopped fighting, they would die in another way.
> Death could not be checked, even if he did not fight. In
> fact, they were already dead. Time is destruction, and all
> manifestations are to be vanquished by the desire of the
> Supreme Lord. That is the law of nature.
338
339 Bg 11.33
340
341 TEXT 33
342
343 TRANSLATION
344
345 Therefore get up. Prepare to fight and
> win glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a
> flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My
> arrangement, and you, O Savyasaci, can be but an
> instrument in the fight.
346
347 PURPORT
348
349 Savya-sacin refers to one who can shoot arrows very
> expertly in the field; thus Arjuna is addressed as an
> expert warrior capable of delivering arrows to kill his
> enemies. "Just become an instrument": nimitta-matram. This
> word is also very significant. The whole world is moving
> according to the plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
> Foolish persons who do not have sufficient knowledge think
> that nature is moving without a plan and all manifestations
> are but accidental formations. There are many so-called
> scientists who suggest that perhaps it was like this, or
> maybe like that, but there is no question of "perhaps" and "
> maybe." There is a specific plan being carried out in this
> material world. What is this plan? This cosmic
> manifestation is a chance for the conditioned souls to go
> back to Godhead, back to home. As long as they have the
> domineering mentality which makes them try to lord it over
> material nature, they are conditioned. But anyone who can
> understand the plan of the Supreme Lord and cultivate Krsna
> consciousness is most intelligent. The creation and
> destruction of the cosmic manifestation are under the
> superior guidance of God. Thus the Battle of Kuruksetra was
> fought according to the plan of God. Arjuna was refusing to
> fight, but he was told that he should fight in
> accordance with the desire of the Supreme Lord. Then he
> would be happy. If one is in full Krsna consciousness and
> his life is devoted to the Lord's transcendental service,
> he is perfect.
350
351 Bg 11.34
352
353 TEXT 34
354
355 TRANSLATION
356
357 Drona, Bhisma, Jayadratha, Karna and the other great
> warriors have already been destroyed by Me.
> Therefore, kill them and do not be disturbed.
> Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies in battle.
358
359 PURPORT
360
361 Every plan is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
> but He is so kind and merciful to His devotees that He
> wants to give the credit to His devotees who carry out His
> plan according to His desire. Life should therefore move in
> such a way that everyone acts in Krsna consciousness and
> understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the
> medium of a spiritual master. The plans of the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead are understood by His mercy, and the
> plans of the devotees are as good as His plans. One should
> follow such plans and be victorious in the struggle for
> existence.
362
363 Bg 11.35
364
365 TEXT 35
366
367 TRANSLATION
368
369 Sanjaya said to Dhrtarastra: O King, after hearing these
> words from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
> trembling Arjuna offered obeisances with folded hands
> again and again. He fearfully spoke to Lord Krsna
> in a faltering voice, as follows.
370
371 PURPORT
372
373 As we have already explained, because of the situation
> created by the universal form of the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, Arjuna became bewildered in wonder; thus he began
> to offer his respectful obeisances to Krsna again and again,
> and with faltering voice he began to pray, not as a friend,
> but as a devotee in wonder.
374
375 Bg 11.36
376
377 TEXT 36
378
379 TRANSLATION
380
381 Arjuna said: O master of the senses, the world becomes
> joyful upon hearing Your name, and thus everyone becomes
> attached to You. Although the perfected beings offer You
> their respectful homage, the demons are afraid, and they
> flee here and there. All this is rightly done.
382
383 PURPORT
384
385 Arjuna, after hearing from Krsna about the outcome of the
> Battle of Kuruksetra, became enlightened, and as a great
> devotee and friend of the Supreme Personality of Godhead he
> said that everything done by Krsna is quite fit. Arjuna
> confirmed that Krsna is the maintainer and the object of
> worship for the devotees and the destroyer of the
> undesirables. His actions are equally good for all. Arjuna
> understood herein that when the Battle of Kuruksetra was
> being concluded, in outer space there were present many
> demigods, siddhas, and the intelligentsia of the higher
> planets, and they were observing the fight because Krsna
> was present there. When Arjuna saw the universal form of
> the Lord, the demigods took pleasure in it, but others, who
> were demons and atheists, could not stand it when the Lord
> was praised. Out of their natural fear of the devastating
> form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they fled.
> Krsna's treatment of the devotees and the atheists is
> praised by Arjuna. In all cases a devotee glorifies the
> Lord because he knows that whatever He does is good for all.
386
387 Bg 11.37
388
389 TEXT 37
390
391 TRANSLATION
392
393 O great one, greater even than Brahma, You are
> the original creator. Why then should they not offer their
> respectful obeisances unto You? O limitless one, God of
> gods, refuge of the universe! You are the invincible source,
> the cause of all causes, transcendental to this material
> manifestation.
394
395 PURPORT
396
397 By this offering of obeisances, Arjuna indicates that Krsna
> is worshipable by everyone. He is all-pervading, and He is
> the Soul of every soul. Arjuna is addressing Krsna as
> mahatma, which means that He is most magnanimous and
> unlimited. Ananta indicates that there is nothing which is
> not covered by the influence and energy of the Supreme Lord,
> and devesa means that He is the controller of all demigods
> and is above them all. He is the shelter of the whole
> universe. Arjuna also thought that it was fitting that all
> the perfect living entities and powerful demigods offer
> their respectful obeisances unto Him, because no one is
> greater than Him. Arjuna especially mentions that Krsna is
> greater than Brahma because Brahma is created by Him.
> Brahma is born out of the lotus stem grown from the navel
> abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who is Krsna's plenary
> expansion; therefore Brahma and Lord Siva, who is born of
> Brahma, and all other demigods must offer their respectful
> obeisances. It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam that the
> Lord is respected by Lord Siva and Brahma and similar other
> demigods. The word aksaram is very significant because this
> material creation is subject to destruction but the Lord
> is above this material creation. He is the cause of all
> causes, and being so, He is superior to all the conditioned
> souls within this material nature as well as the material
> cosmic manifestation itself. He is therefore the all-great
> Supreme.
398
399 Bg 11.38
400
401 TEXT 38
402
403 TRANSLATION
404
405 You are the original Personality of Godhead, the oldest,
> the ultimate sanctuary of this manifested cosmic world. You
> are the knower of everything, and You are all that is
> knowable. You are the supreme refuge, above the material
> modes. O limitless form! This whole cosmic manifestation is
> pervaded by You!
406
407 PURPORT
408
409 Everything is resting on the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
> therefore He is the ultimate rest. Nidhanam means that
> everything, even the Brahman effulgence, rests on the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. He is the knower of
> everything that is happening in this world, and if
> knowledge has any end, He is the end of all knowledge;
> therefore He is the known and the knowable. He is the
> object of knowledge because He is all-pervading. Because He
> is the cause in the spiritual world, He is transcendental.
> He is also the chief personality in the transcendental
> world.
410
411 Bg 11.39
412
413 TEXT 39
414
415 TRANSLATION
416
417 You are air, and You are the supreme controller! You are
> fire, You are water, and You are the moon! You are Brahma,
> the first living creature, and You are the great-
> grandfather. I therefore offer my respectful
> obeisances unto You a thousand times, and again and yet
> again!
418
419 PURPORT
420
421 The Lord is addressed here as air because the air is the
> most important representation of all the demigods, being
> all-pervasive. Arjuna also addresses Krsna as the great-
> grandfather because He is the father of Brahma, the first
> living creature in the universe.
422
423 Bg 11.40
424
425 TEXT 40
426
427 TRANSLATION
428
429 Obeisances to You from the front, from behind and from all
> sides! O unbounded power, You are the master of limitless
> might! You are all-pervading, and thus You are everything!
430
431 PURPORT
432
433 Out of loving ecstasy for Krsna, his friend, Arjuna is
> offering his respects from all sides. He is accepting that
> He is the master of all potencies and all prowess and far
> superior to all the great warriors assembled on the
> battlefield. It is said in the Visnu Purana (1.9.69): yo '
> yam tavagato deva samipam devata-ganah sa tvam eva jagat-
> srasta yatah sarva-gato bhavan. "Whoever comes before You,
> be he a demigod, is created by You, O Supreme
> Personality of Godhead."
434
435 Bg 11.41-42
436
437 TEXTS 41–42
438
439 TRANSLATION
440
441 Thinking of You as my friend, I have rashly addressed
> You "O Krsna," "O Yadava," "O my friend," not
> knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have
> done in madness or in love. I have dishonored You many
> times, jesting as we relaxed, lay on the same bed,
> or sat or ate together, sometimes alone and sometimes in
> front of many friends. O infallible one, please excuse
> me for all those offenses.
442
443 PURPORT
444
445 Although Krsna is manifested before Arjuna in His universal
> form, Arjuna remembers his friendly relationship with Krsna
> and is therefore asking pardon and requesting Krsna to
> excuse him for the many informal gestures which arise out
> of friendship. He is admitting that formerly he did not
> know that Krsna could assume such a universal form,
> although Krsna explained it as his intimate friend. Arjuna
> did not know how many times he may have dishonored Krsna by
> addressing Him "O my friend," "O Krsna," "O Yadava," etc.
> , without acknowledging His opulence. But Krsna is so kind
> and merciful that in spite of such opulence He played with
> Arjuna as a friend. Such is the transcendental loving
> reciprocation between the devotee and the Lord. The
> relationship between the living entity and Krsna is fixed
> eternally; it cannot be forgotten, as we can see from the
> behavior of Arjuna. Although Arjuna has seen the opulence
> in the universal form, he cannot forget his friendly
> relationship with Krsna.
446
447 Bg 11.43
448
449 TEXT 43
450
451 TRANSLATION
452
453 You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation,
> of the moving and the nonmoving. You are its worshipable
> chief, the supreme spiritual master. No one is equal to You,
> nor can anyone be one with You. How then could there be
> anyone greater than You within the three worlds, O Lord
> of immeasurable power?
454
455 PURPORT
456
457 The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is worshipable
> as a father is worshipable for his son. He is the spiritual
> master because He originally gave the Vedic instructions to
> Brahma and presently He is also instructing Bhagavad-gita
> to Arjuna; therefore He is the original spiritual master,
> and any bona fide spiritual master at the present moment
> must be a descendant in the line of disciplic succession
> stemming from Krsna. Without being a representative of
> Krsna, one cannot become a teacher or spiritual master of
> transcendental subject matter.
458
459 The Lord is being paid obeisances in all respects. He is of
> immeasurable greatness. No one can be greater than the
> Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, because no one is
> equal to or higher than Krsna within any manifestation,
> spiritual or material. Everyone is below Him. No one can
> excel Him. This is stated in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.8)
> : na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate na tat-samas
> cabhyadhikas ca drsyate The Supreme Lord, Krsna, has senses
> and a body like the ordinary man, but for Him there is no
> difference between His senses, His body, His mind and
> Himself. Foolish persons who do not perfectly know Him say
> that Krsna is different from His soul, mind, heart and
> everything else. Krsna is absolute; therefore His
> activities and potencies are supreme. It is also stated
> that although He does not have senses like ours, He can
> perform all sensory activities; therefore His senses are
> neither imperfect nor limited. No one can be greater than
> Him, no one can be equal to Him, and everyone is lower than
> Him. The knowledge, strength and activities of the Supreme
> Personality are all transcendental. As stated in Bhagavad-
> gita (4.9): janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti
> tattvatah tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna
> Whoever knows Krsna's transcendental body, activities and
> perfection, after quitting his body, returns to Him and
> doesn't come back again to this miserable world. Therefore
> one should know that Krsna's activities are different from
> others. The best policy is to follow the principles of
> Krsna; that will make one perfect. It is also stated that
> there is no one who is master of Krsna; everyone is His
> servant. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.142) confirms,
> ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya: only Krsna is God, and
> everyone else is His servant. Everyone is complying with
> His order. There is no one who can deny His order. Everyone
> is acting according to His direction, being under His
> superintendence. As stated in the Brahma-samhita, He is the
> cause of all causes.
460
461 Bg 11.44
462
463 TEXT 44
464
465 TRANSLATION
466
467 You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshiped by every living
> being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful
> obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father
> tolerates the impudence of his son, or a friend
> tolerates the impertinence of a friend, or a
> wife tolerates the familiarity of her partner, please
> tolerate the wrongs I may have done You.
468
469 PURPORT
470
471 Krsna's devotees relate to Krsna in various relationships;
> one might treat Krsna as a son, or one might treat Krsna as
> a husband, as a friend, or as a master. Krsna and
> Arjuna are related in friendship. As the father tolerates,
> or the husband or a master tolerates, so Krsna tolerates.
472
473 Bg 11.45
474
475 TEXT 45
476
477 TRANSLATION
478
479 After seeing this universal form, which I have never seen
> before, I am gladdened, but at the same time my mind is
> disturbed with fear. Therefore please bestow Your grace
> upon me and reveal again Your form as the Personality of
> Godhead, O Lord of lords, O abode of the universe.
480
481 PURPORT
482
483 Arjuna is always in confidence with Krsna because he is a
> very dear friend, and as a dear friend is gladdened by his
> friend's opulence, Arjuna is very joyful to see that his
> friend Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
> can show such a wonderful universal form. But at the same
> time, after seeing that universal form, he is afraid that
> he has committed so many offenses to Krsna out of his
> unalloyed friendship. Thus his mind is disturbed out of
> fear, although he had no reason to fear. Arjuna therefore
> is asking Krsna to show His Narayana form, because He can
> assume any form. This universal form is material and
> temporary, as the material world is temporary. But in the
> Vaikuntha planets He has His transcendental form with four
> hands as Narayana. There are innumerable planets in the
> spiritual sky, and in each of them Krsna is present by His
> plenary manifestations of different names. Thus Arjuna
> desired to see one of the forms manifest in the Vaikuntha
> planets. Of course in each Vaikuntha planet the form of
> Narayana is four-handed, but the four hands hold different
> arrangements of symbols-the conchshell, mace, lotus and
> disc. According to the different hands these four things
> are held in, the Narayanas are variously named. All of
> these forms are one with Krsna; therefore
> Arjuna requests to see His four-handed feature.
484
485 Bg 11.46
486
487 TEXT 46
488
489 TRANSLATION
490
491 O universal form, O thousand-armed Lord, I wish to see You
> in Your four-armed form, with helmeted head and with club,
> wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see
> You in that form.
492
493 PURPORT
494
495 In the Brahma-samhita (5.39) it is stated, ramadi-murtisu
> kala-niyamena tisthan: the Lord is eternally situated in
> hundreds and thousands of forms, and the main forms are
> those like Rama, Nrsimha, Narayana, etc. There are
> innumerable forms. But Arjuna knew that Krsna is the
> original Personality of Godhead assuming His temporary
> universal form. He is now asking to see the form of
> Narayana, a spiritual form. This verse establishes without
> any doubt the statement of the Srimad-Bhagavatam that Krsna
> is the original Personality of Godhead and all other
> features originate from Him. He is not different from His
> plenary expansions, and He is God in any of His innumerable
> forms. In all of these forms He is fresh like a young man.
> That is the constant feature of the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead. One who knows Krsna becomes free at once
> from all contamination of the material world.
496
497 Bg 11.47
498
499 TEXT 47
500
501 TRANSLATION
502
503 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna,
> happily have I shown you, by My internal potency, this
> supreme universal form within the material world
> . No one before you has ever seen this
> primal form, unlimited and full of glaring
> effulgence.
504
505 PURPORT
506
507 Arjuna wanted to see the universal form of the Supreme Lord,
> so Lord Krsna, out of His mercy upon His devotee Arjuna,
> showed His universal form, full of effulgence
> and opulence. This form was glaring like the sun, and its
> many faces were rapidly changing. Krsna showed this form
> just to satisfy the desire of His friend Arjuna. This form
> was manifested by Krsna through His internal potency, which
> is inconceivable by human speculation. No one had seen this
> universal form of the Lord before Arjuna, but because the
> form was shown to Arjuna, other devotees in the heavenly
> planets and in other planets in outer space could also see
> it. They had not seen it before, but because of Arjuna they
> were also able to see it. In other words, all the disciplic
> devotees of the Lord could see the universal form which was
> shown to Arjuna by the mercy of Krsna. Someone has
> commented that this form was shown to Duryodhana also when
> Krsna went to Duryodhana to negotiate for peace.
> Unfortunately, Duryodhana did not accept the peace offer,
> but at that time Krsna manifested some of His universal
> forms. But those forms are different from this one shown to
> Arjuna. It is clearly said that no one had ever seen this
> form before.
508
509 Bg 11.48
510
511 TEXT 48
512
513 TRANSLATION
514
515 O best of the Kuru warriors, no one before you has ever
> seen this universal form of Mine, for neither by studying
> the Vedas, nor by performing sacrifices, nor by charity,
> nor by pious activities, nor by severe penances can
> I be seen in this form in the material world.
516
517 PURPORT
518
519 The divine vision in this connection should be clearly
> understood. Who can have divine vision? Divine means godly.
> Unless one attains the status of divinity as a demigod, he
> cannot have divine vision. And what is a demigod? It is
> stated in the Vedic scriptures that those who are devotees
> of Lord Visnu are demigods (visnu-bhaktah smrta devah).
> Those who are atheistic, i.e., who do not believe in Visnu,
> or who recognize only the impersonal part of Krsna as
> the Supreme, cannot have the divine vision. It is not
> possible to decry Krsna and at the same time have the
> divine vision. One cannot have the divine vision without
> becoming divine. In other words, those who have divine
> vision can also see like Arjuna.
520
521 The Bhagavad-gita gives the description of the universal
> form. Although this description was unknown to everyone
> before Arjuna, now one can have some idea of the visva-rupa
> after this incident. Those who are actually divine can see
> the universal form of the Lord. But one cannot be divine
> without being a pure devotee of Krsna. The devotees,
> however, who are actually in the divine nature and who have
> divine vision, are not very much interested in seeing the
> universal form of the Lord. As described in the previous
> verse, Arjuna desired to see the four-handed form of Lord
> Krsna as Visnu, and he was actually afraid of the universal
> form.
522
523 In this verse there are some significant words, just like
> veda-yajnadhyayanaih, which refers to studying Vedic
> literature and the subject matter of sacrificial
> regulations. Veda refers to all kinds of Vedic literature,
> such as the four Vedas (Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharva) and
> the eighteen Puranas, the Upanisads and the Vedanta-sutra.
> One can study these at home or anywhere else. Similarly,
> there are sutras-Kalpa-sutras and Mimamsa-sutras-for
> studying the method of sacrifice. Danaih refers to charity
> which is offered to a suitable party, such as those who are
> engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord-
> the brahmanas and the Vaisnavas. Similarly, "pious
> activities" refers to the agni-hotra and the prescribed
> duties of the different castes. And the
> voluntary acceptance of some bodily pains is called
> tapasya. So one can perform all these-can accept bodily
> penances, give charity, study the Vedas, etc.-but unless
> he is a devotee like Arjuna, it is not possible to see that
> universal form. Those who are impersonalists are also
> imagining that they are seeing the universal form of the
> Lord, but from Bhagavad-gita we understand that the
> impersonalists are not devotees. Therefore they are unable
> to see the universal form of the Lord.
524
525 There are many persons who create incarnations. They
> falsely claim an ordinary human to be an incarnation, but
> this is all foolishness. We should follow the principles of
> Bhagavad-gita, otherwise there is no possibility of
> attaining perfect spiritual knowledge. Although Bhagavad-
> gita is considered the preliminary study of the science of
> God, still it is so perfect that it enables one to
> distinguish what is what. The followers of a pseudo
> incarnation may say that they have also seen the
> transcendental incarnation of God, the universal form, but
> that is unacceptable because it is clearly
> stated here that unless one becomes a devotee of Krsna one
> cannot see the universal form of God. So one first of all
> has to become a pure devotee of Krsna; then he can claim
> that he can show the universal form of what he has seen. A
> devotee of Krsna cannot accept false incarnations or
> followers of false incarnations.
526
527 Bg 11.49
528
529 TEXT 49
530
531 TRANSLATION
532
533 You have been perturbed and bewildered by seeing this
> horrible feature of Mine. Now let it be finished. My
> devotee, be free again from all disturbances. With a
> peaceful mind you can now see the form you desire.
534
535 PURPORT
536
537 In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita Arjuna was worried about
> killing Bhisma and Drona, his worshipful grandfather and
> master. But Krsna said that he need not be afraid of
> killing his grandfather. When the sons of Dhrtarastra
> tried to disrobe Draupadi in the assembly of the Kurus,
> Bhisma and Drona were silent, and for such negligence of
> duty they should be killed. Krsna showed His universal form
> to Arjuna just to show him that these people were already
> killed for their unlawful action. That scene was shown to
> Arjuna because devotees are always peaceful and they
> cannot perform such horrible actions. The purpose of the
> revelation of the universal form was shown; now Arjuna
> wanted to see the four-armed form, and Krsna showed him. A
> devotee is not much interested in the universal form, for
> it does not enable one to reciprocate loving feelings.
> Either a devotee wants to offer his respectful worshipful
> feelings, or he wants to see the two-handed
> Krsna form so that he can reciprocate in loving
> service with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
538
539 Bg 11.50
540
541 TEXT 50
542
543 TRANSLATION
544
545 Sanjaya said to Dhrtarastra: The Supreme Personality of
> Godhead, Krsna, having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed
> His real four-armed form and at last showed His two-
> armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna.
546
547 PURPORT
548
549 When Krsna appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, He
> first of all appeared as four-armed Narayana, but when He
> was requested by His parents, He transformed Himself into
> an ordinary child in appearance. Similarly, Krsna knew that
> Arjuna was not interested in seeing a four-handed form
> , but since Arjuna asked to see this four-handed form,
> Krsna also showed him this form again and then showed
> Himself in His two-handed form. The word saumya-vapuh is
> very significant. Saumya-vapuh is a very beautiful form; it
> is known as the most beautiful form. When He was present,
> everyone was attracted simply by Krsna's form, and because
> Krsna is the director of the universe, He just banished the
> fear of Arjuna, His devotee, and showed him again His
> beautiful form of Krsna. In the Brahma-samhita (5.38) it is
> stated, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena: only a
> person whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of love can
> see the beautiful form of Sri Krsna.
550
551 Bg 11.51
552
553 TEXT 51
554
555 TRANSLATION
556
557 When Arjuna thus saw Krsna in His original form, he said:
> O Janardana, seeing this humanlike form, so very
> beautiful, I am now composed in mind, and I am
> restored to my original nature.
558
559 PURPORT
560
561 Here the words manusam rupam clearly indicate the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead to be originally two-handed. Those
> who deride Krsna as if He were an ordinary person are shown
> here to be ignorant of His divine nature. If Krsna is like
> an ordinary human being, then how is it possible for Him to
> show the universal form and again to show the four-handed
> Narayana form? So it is very clearly stated in Bhagavad-
> gita that one who thinks that Krsna is an ordinary person
> and who misguides the reader by claiming that it is the
> impersonal Brahman within Krsna speaking is doing the
> greatest injustice. Krsna has actually shown His universal
> form and His four-handed Visnu form. So how can He be
> an ordinary human being? A pure devotee is not confused by
> misguiding commentaries on Bhagavad-gita because he knows
> what is what. The original verses of Bhagavad-gita are as
> clear as the sun; they do not require lamplight from
> foolish commentators.
562
563 Bg 11.52
564
565 TEXT 52
566
567 TRANSLATION
568
569 The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna,
> this form of Mine you are now seeing is very difficult
> to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking the
> opportunity to see this form, which is so dear.
570
571 PURPORT
572
573 In the forty-eighth verse of this chapter Lord Krsna
> concluded revealing His universal form and informed Arjuna
> that this form is not possible to be seen by so many pious
> activities, sacrifices, etc. Now here the word su-
> durdarsam is used, indicating that Krsna's two-handed form
> is still more confidential. One may be able to see the
> universal form of Krsna by adding a little tinge of
> devotional service to various activities like penances,
> Vedic study and philosophical speculation. It may be
> possible, but without a tinge of bhakti one cannot see;
> that has already been explained. Still, beyond that
> universal form, the form of Krsna with two hands
> is still more difficult to see, even for demigods like
> Brahma and Lord Siva. They desire to see Him, and we have
> evidence in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that when He was
> supposed to be in the womb of His mother, Devaki, all the
> demigods from heaven came to see the marvel of Krsna, and
> they offered nice prayers to the Lord, although He was not
> at that time visible to them. They waited to see Him.
> A foolish person may deride Him, thinking Him an
> ordinary person, and may offer respect not to Him but to
> the impersonal "something" within Him, but these are all
> nonsensical postures. Krsna in His two-armed form is
> actually desired to be seen by demigods like Brahma and
> Siva.
574
575 In Bhagavad-gita (9.11) it is also confirmed, avajananti
> mam mudha manusim tanum asritah: He is not visible to the
> foolish persons who deride Him. Krsna's body, as confirmed
> by Brahma-samhita and confirmed by Krsna Himself in
> Bhagavad-gita, is completely spiritual and full of bliss
> and eternality. His body is never like a material body. But
> for some who make a study of Krsna by reading Bhagavad-gita
> or similar Vedic scriptures, Krsna is a problem. For one
> using a material process, Krsna is considered to be a great
> historical personality and very learned philosopher, but He
> is an ordinary man, and even though He
> was so powerful He had to accept a material body.
> Ultimately they think that the Absolute Truth is impersonal;
> therefore they think that from His impersonal feature He
> assumed a personal feature attached to material nature.
> This is a materialistic calculation of the Supreme Lord.
> Another calculation is speculative. Those who are in search
> of knowledge also speculate on Krsna and consider Him to be
> less important than the universal form of the Supreme. Thus
> some think that the universal form of Krsna which was
> manifested to Arjuna is more important than His personal
> form. According to them, the personal form of the Supreme
> is something imaginary. They believe that in the ultimate
> issue, the Absolute Truth is not a person. But the
> transcendental process is described in Bhagavad-gita,
> Chapter Four: to hear about Krsna from authorities. That is
> the actual Vedic process, and those who are actually in the
> Vedic line hear about Krsna from authority, and by repeated
> hearing about Him, Krsna becomes dear. As we have several
> times discussed, Krsna is covered by His yoga-maya potency.
> He is not to be seen or revealed to anyone and everyone.
> Only by one to whom He reveals Himself can He be seen. This
> is confirmed in Vedic literature; for one who is a
> surrendered soul, the Absolute Truth can actually be
> understood. The transcendentalist, by continuous Krsna
> consciousness and by devotional service to Krsna, can have
> his spiritual eyes opened and can see Krsna by revelation.
> Such a revelation is not possible even for the demigods;
> therefore it is difficult even for the demigods to
> understand Krsna, and the advanced demigods are always in
> hope of seeing Krsna in His two-handed form. The conclusion
> is that although to see the universal form of Krsna is very,
> very difficult and not possible for anyone and everyone,
> it is still more difficult to understand His personal form
> as Syamasundara.
576
577 Bg 11.53
578
579 TEXT 53
580
581 TRANSLATION
582
583 The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes
> cannot be understood simply by studying the Vedas, nor by
> undergoing serious penances, nor by charity, nor by worship.
> It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.
584
585 PURPORT
586
587 Krsna first appeared before His parents Devaki and Vasudeva
> in a four-handed form, and then He transformed Himself into
> the two-handed form. This mystery is very difficult to
> understand for those who are atheists or who are devoid of
> devotional service. For scholars who have simply studied
> Vedic literature by way of grammatical knowledge or
> mere academic qualifications, Krsna is not possible to
> understand. Nor is He to be understood by persons who
> officially go to the temple to offer worship. They make
> their visit, but they cannot understand Krsna as He is.
> Krsna can be understood only through the path of devotional
> service, as explained by Krsna Himself in the next verse.
588
589 Bg 11.54
590
591 TEXT 54
592
593 TRANSLATION
594
595 My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I
> be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be
> seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the
> mysteries of My understanding.
596
597 PURPORT
598
599 Krsna can be understood only by the process of undivided
> devotional service. He explicitly explains this in this
> verse so that unauthorized commentators, who try to
> understand Bhagavad-gita by the speculative process, will
> know that they are simply wasting their time. No one can
> understand Krsna or how He came from parents in a four-
> handed form and at once changed Himself into a two-handed
> form. These things are very difficult to understand by
> study of the Vedas or by philosophical speculation.
> Therefore it is clearly stated here that no one can see Him
> or enter into understanding of these matters. Those who,
> however, are very experienced students of Vedic literature
> can learn about Him from the Vedic literature in so many
> ways. There are so many rules and regulations, and if one
> at all wants to understand Krsna, he must follow the
> regulative principles described in the authoritative
> literature. One can perform penance in accordance with
> those principles. For example, to undergo serious penances
> one may observe fasting on Janmastami, the day on which
> Krsna appeared, and on the two days of Ekadasi (the
> eleventh day after the new moon and the eleventh day after
> the full moon). As far as charity is concerned, it is plain
> that charity should be given to the devotees of Krsna who
> are engaged in His devotional service to spread the Krsna
> philosophy, or Krsna consciousness, throughout the world.
> Krsna consciousness is a benediction to humanity. Lord
> Caitanya was appreciated by Rupa Gosvami as the most
> munificent man of charity because love of Krsna, which is
> very difficult to achieve, was distributed freely by Him.
> So if one gives some amount of his money to persons
> involved in distributing Krsna consciousness, that charity,
> given to spread Krsna consciousness, is the greatest
> charity in the world. And if one worships as prescribed in
> the temple (in the temples in India there is always some
> statue, usually of Visnu or Krsna), that is a chance to
> progress by offering worship and respect to the Supreme
> Personality of Godhead. For the beginners in devotional
> service to the Lord, temple worship is essential, and
> this is confirmed in the Vedic literature (Svetasvatara
> Upanisad 6.23): yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha
> gurau tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah
600
601 One who has unflinching devotion for the Supreme Lord and
> is directed by the spiritual master, in whom he has similar
> unflinching faith, can see the Supreme Personality of
> Godhead by revelation. One cannot understand Krsna by
> mental speculation. For one who does not take personal
> training under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master,
> it is impossible to even begin to understand Krsna. The
> word tu is specifically used here to indicate that no other
> process can be used, can be recommended, or can be
> successful in understanding Krsna.
602
603 The personal forms of Krsna, the two-handed form and the
> four-handed, are completely different from the temporary
> universal form shown to Arjuna. The four-handed form of
> Narayana and the two-handed form of Krsna are
> eternal and transcendental, whereas the universal form
> exhibited to Arjuna is temporary. The very word sudurdarsam,
> meaning "difficult to see," suggests that no one had seen
> that universal form. It also suggests that amongst the
> devotees there was no necessity of showing it. That form
> was exhibited by Krsna at the request of Arjuna so
> that in the future, when one represents himself as an
> incarnation of God, people can ask to see his universal
> form. The word na, used repeatedly in the previous verse,
> indicates that one should not be very much proud of such
> credentials as an academic education in Vedic literature.
> One must take to the devotional service of Krsna. Only then
> can one attempt to write commentaries on Bhagavad-gita.
604
605 Krsna changes from the universal form to the four-handed
> form of Narayana and then to His own natural form of two
> hands. This indicates that the four-handed forms and other
> forms mentioned in Vedic literature are all emanations of
> the original two-handed Krsna. He is the origin of all
> emanations. Krsna is distinct even from these forms, what
> to speak of the impersonal conception. As far as the four-
> handed forms of Krsna are concerned, it is stated clearly
> that even the most identical four-handed form of Krsna (
> which is known as Maha-Visnu, who is lying on the cosmic
> ocean and from whose breathing so many innumerable
> universes are passing out and entering) is also an
> expansion of the Supreme Lord. As stated in the Brahma-
> samhita (5.48),
606
607 yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-
> vila-ja jagad-anda-nathah visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-
> viseso govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. "The Maha-
> Visnu, into whom all the innumerable universes enter and
> from whom they come forth again simply by His breathing
> process, is a plenary expansion of Krsna. Therefore I
> worship Govinda, Krsna, the cause of all causes."
608
609 Therefore one should conclusively worship the personal form
> of Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead who has
> eternal bliss and knowledge. He is the source of all
> forms of Visnu, He is the source of all forms of
> incarnation, and He is the original Supreme Personality, as
> confirmed in Bhagavad-gita.
610
611 In the Vedic literature (Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.1) the
> following statement appears: sac-cid-ananda-rupaya
> krsnayaklista-karine namo vedanta-vedyaya gurave buddhi-
> saksine "I offer my respectful obeisances unto Krsna, who
> has a transcendental form of bliss, eternity and knowledge.
> I offer my respect to Him, because understanding Him means
> understanding the Vedas and He is therefore the supreme
> spiritual master." Then it is said, krsno vai paramam
> daivatam: "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." (
> Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.3) Eko vasi sarva-gah krsna idyah:
> "That one Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
> He is worshipable." Eko 'pi san bahudha yo 'vabhati: "Krsna
> is one, but He is manifested in unlimited forms and
> expanded incarnations." (Gopala-tapani Upanisad 1.21) The
> Brahma-samhita (5.1) says, isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-
> ananda-vigrahah anadir adir govindah sarva-karana-karanam. "
> The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna, who has a body
> of eternity, knowledge and bliss. He has no beginning, for
> He is the beginning of everything. He is the cause of all
> causes." Elsewhere it is said, yatravatirnam krsnakhyam
> param brahma narakrti: "The Supreme Absolute Truth is a