The Yoga of the Vision of the Universal Form

Arjuna uvaca: mad-anugrahaya paramam guhyam adhyatma-samjnitam, yat tvayoktam vacas tena moho 'yam vigato mama

Arjuna says: By the supremely confidential spiritual instruction You have given me, my delusion has now been dispelled.

Bhavapyayau hi bhutanam shrutau vistarasho maya, tvattah kamala-patraksha mahatmyam api cavyayam

O lotus-eyed Krishna, I have heard in detail from You the origin and dissolution of all living beings, and also Your inexhaustible greatness.

Evam etad yathattha tvam atmanam parameshvara, drashtum icchami te rupam aishvaram purushottama

O Supreme Lord, O best of persons, although You have described Yourself as I have heard, I now wish to see Your divine cosmic form.

Manyase yadi tac chakyam maya drashtum iti prabho, yogeshvara tato me tvam darshayatmanam avyayam

O master of all mystic powers, if You think it possible for me to behold Your universal form, then please reveal that imperishable self to me.

Sri-bhagavan uvaca: pashya me partha rupani shataso 'tha sahasrashah, nana-vidhani divyani nana-varnakritini ca

The Blessed Lord said: O Arjuna, behold My hundreds and thousands of divine forms, of various kinds, colors, and shapes.

Pashyadityan vasun rudran ashvinau marutas tatha, bahunyadrishtapurvani pashyashcharyani bharata

Behold the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Ashvins, and the Maruts. O descendant of Bharata, behold the many wonders never seen before.

Ihaika-stham jagat kritsnam pashyadya sa-characaram, mama dehe gudakesha yach chanyad drashtum icchasi

Behold now, O Arjuna, the entire universe, moving and unmoving, and whatever else you wish to see, all unified in My body.

Na tu mam shakyase drashtum anenaiva sva-chakshusha, divyam dadami te chakshuh pashya me yogam aishvaram

You cannot behold Me with your present eyes. I therefore give you divine vision. Behold My sovereign yoga.

Sanjaya uvaca: evam uktva tato rajan maha-yogeshvaro harih, darshayam asa parthaya paramam rupam aishvaram

Sanjaya said: O King, having spoken thus, the great lord of all mystic power, Hari, revealed to Arjuna His supreme divine form.

Aneka-vaktra-nayanam anekadbbhuta-darshanam, aneka-divyabharanam divyananeka-dyutayudham

Arjuna saw the universal form with countless mouths and eyes, with countless wondrous visions, adorned with divine ornaments, bearing divine weapons.

Divya-malya-mbara-dharam divya-gandhanulepanam, sarvascharya-mayam devam anantam vishvato-mukham

Wearing divine garlands and garments, anointed with divine fragrances, all-wonderful, resplendent, infinite, with faces on all sides.

Divi surya-sahasrasya bhaved yugapad utthita, yadi bhah sadrishi sa syad bhasas tasya mahatmanah

If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst forth simultaneously in the sky, that might resemble the splendor of that mighty being.

Tatraika-stham jagat kritsnam pravibhaktam anekadha, apashyad deva-devasya sharire pandavas tada

Then Arjuna saw in the body of the God of gods, the entire universe resting in one place, divided into its many parts.

Tatah sa vismayavishto hrshtaroma dhananjayah, pranamya shirasa devam kritanjalir abhasata

Then Arjuna, filled with amazement, his hair standing on end, bowed his head before the Lord, joined his palms, and began to speak.

Arjuna uvaca: pashyami devams tava deva dehe sarvams tatha bhuta-vishesha-sanghan, brahmanam isham kamalasana-stham rishims ca sarvan uragams ca divyan

Arjuna said: O Lord, I see all the gods in Your body, as well as multitudes of living beings, Brahma seated on the lotus, all the sages, and divine serpents.

Aneka-bahudara-vaktra-netram pashyami tvam sarvato 'nanta-rupam, nantam na madhyam na punas tavadim pashyami vishveshvara vishva-rupa

I see You with infinite arms, stomachs, mouths, and eyes, everywhere infinite in form. O Lord of the universe, O universal form, I see no end, no middle, and no beginning in You.

Kiritam gadinam chakrinam ca tejorashim sarvato diptimantam, pashyami tvam durniriksyam samantad diptanala-arka-dyutim aprameyam

I see You with Your crown, mace, and discus, blazing everywhere as a mass of radiance, difficult to behold, shining on all sides like a blazing fire and the sun, immeasurable.

Tvam aksharam paramam veditavyam tvam asya vishvasya param nidhanam, tvam avyayah shashvata-dharma-gopta sanatanas tvam purusho mato me

You are the supreme imperishable, the ultimate to be known. You are the supreme treasure of this universe. You are the eternal upholder of eternal dharma. I believe You to be the primeval person.

Anadi-madhyantam ananta-viryam ananta-bahum shashi-surya-netram, pashyami tvam dipta-hutasha-vaktram sva-tejasa vishvam idam tapantam

I see You without beginning, middle, or end, of infinite power, with innumerable arms, the sun and moon as Your eyes, blazing fire as Your mouth, scorching this universe with Your own radiance.

Dyav a-prithivyor idam antaram hi vyaptam tvayaikena dishash ca sarvah, drishtvadbhutam rupam ugram tavedam loka-trayam pravyathitam mahatman

O mighty soul, You alone pervade the space between heaven and earth and all directions. Seeing Your wondrous and terrible form, all three worlds are trembling.

Ami hi tvam sura-sanghah vishanti kechid bhitah pranjalayo grinanti, svastity uktva maharshi-siddha-sanghah stuvanti tvam stutibhih pushkalabhih

Hosts of gods are entering You; some, frightened, are praising You with folded hands. Multitudes of great sages and perfected beings are glorifying You with hymns of praise.

Rudraditya vasavo ye ca sadhya vishve 'shvinau marутas coshmapash ca, gandharva-yaksha-sura-siddha-sangha viksante tvam vismitash caiva sarve

The Rudras, Adityas, Vasus, Sadhyas, Vishvedevas, Ashvins, Maruts, and the Ushmapas, the gandharvas, yakshas, siddhas, and asuras are all gazing at You with amazement.

Rupam mahat te bahu-vaktra-netram maha-baho bahu-bahuru-padam, bahudaram bahu-damshtra-karalam drishtva lokah pravyathitas tathaham

O mighty-armed one, seeing Your massive form with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, stomachs, and terrifying fangs, the worlds are trembling, and so am I.

Nabhah-sprisham diptam aneka-varnam vyattananam dipta-vishala-netram, drishtva hi tvam pravyathitantar-atma dhritim na vindami shamam ca vishno

O Vishnu, seeing You touching the sky, blazing in many colors, with mouths opened wide and large blazing eyes, my inner self trembles with fear and I find neither courage nor peace.

Damshtra-karalam ca te mukham drishtvaiva kalanalasannibham, disho na jane na labhe ca sharma prasida devesa jagan-nivasa

Seeing Your mouths with terrifying tusks, like the blazing fires of dissolution, I lose my sense of direction and find no peace. Be gracious, O Lord of gods, O refuge of the universe.

Ami ca tvam dhritarashṭrasya putrah sarve sahaivavani-pala-sanghaih, bhishmo dronah suta-putras tathasau sahasmadiyair api yodhа-mukhyaih

All the sons of Dhritarashtra, along with the hosts of kings, and Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and our chief warriors on our side too—

Vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā vishanti daṁṣhṭrākarālāni bhayānakāni, kechid vilagnā daśhanāntareṣhu sandṛishyante chūrṇitair uttamāṅgaiḥ

They rush into Your terrifying, gaping mouths with fearful fangs. Some are seen caught between Your teeth with their heads already crushed.

Yatha nadīnāṁ bahavo 'mbuvegāḥ samudram evābhimukhā dravanti, tathā tavāmī nara-loka-vīrā vishanti vaktrāṇy abhivijvalanti

As the many rushing torrents of rivers flow toward the ocean, so too do these great warriors of the human world rush into Your blazing mouths.

Yathā pradīptaṁ jvalanaṁ pataṅgā vishanti nāshāya samṛiddha-vegāḥ, tathaiva nāshāya vishanti lokās tavāpi vaktrāṇi samṛiddha-vegāḥ

As moths rush swiftly into a blazing fire to their own destruction, so do all these creatures rush swiftly into Your mouths to their own destruction.

Lelihyase grasamānah samantāl lokān samagrān vadanair jvaladbbhih, tejobhir āpūrya jagat samagraṁ bhāsas tavograḥ pratapanti vishṇo

You lick Your lips and are devouring all the worlds on every side with Your blazing mouths. O Vishnu, filling the entire universe with Your radiance, Your fierce rays are scorching everything.

Ākhyāhi me ko bhavān ugra-rūpo namo 'stu te deva-vara prasīda, vijnātum icchāmi bhavantam ādyaṁ na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛittim

Tell me who You are in this terrible form. Salutations to You, O best of the gods; be gracious. I wish to know You, the primal one, for I do not understand Your workings.

Śhrī bhagavān uvācha: kālo 'smi loka-kṣhaya-kṛit pravṛiddho lokān samāhartum iha pravṛittaḥ, ṛite 'pi tvāṁ na bhaviṣhyanti sarve ye 'vasthitāḥ pratyanīkeṣhu yodhāḥ

The Blessed Lord said: I am Time, the great destroyer of worlds, and I have come to annihilate all people. Except for you, all these warriors arrayed in the opposing armies shall cease to exist.

Tasmāt tvam uttiṣhṭha yaśho labhasva jitvā śhatrūn bhuṅkṣhva rājyaṁ samṛiddham, mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sāchin

Therefore, arise and attain glory. Conquer your enemies and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. They are already slain by My arrangement; you are merely an instrument.

Droṇaṁ ca bhīṣhmaṁ ca jayadrathaṁ ca karṇaṁ tathānyān api yodha-vīrān, mayā hatāṁs tvaṁ jahi mā vyathiṣhṭhā yudhyasva jetāsi raṇe sapatnān

Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna, and the other great warriors are already slain by Me. Slay them without being distressed. Fight, and you shall conquer your enemies in battle.

Sañjaya uvācha: etach chrutvā vachanam keśhavasya kṛitāñjalir vepamānaḥ kirīṭī, namaskṛitvā bhūya evāha kṛiṣhṇaṁ sa-gadgadaṁ bhīta-bhītaḥ praṇamya

Sanjaya said: Having heard Krishna's words, the crowned Arjuna with joined palms, trembling, bowed down once more, and with a choked voice, overwhelmed with fear, spoke to Krishna.

Arjuna uvācha: sthāne hṛiṣhīkeśha tava prakīrtyā jagat prahṛiṣhyaty anurajyate cha, rakṣhāṁsi bhītāni diśho dravanti sarve namasyanti cha siddha-saṅghāḥ

Arjuna said: It is right, O Hrishikesha, that the universe is delighted and rejoices in Your praise. The demons flee in fear, and the multitudes of perfected beings bow before You.

Kasmāch cha te na nameran mahātman garīyase brahmaṇo 'py ādi-kartre, ananta deveśha jagan-nivāsa tvam akṣharaṁ sad-asat tat paraṁ yat

O great soul, why should they not bow to You, who are even greater than Brahma the original creator? O infinite Lord of the gods, refuge of the universe, You are the imperishable, transcending both being and non-being.

Tvam ādi-devaḥ puruṣhaḥ purāṇas tvam asya vishvasya paraṁ nidhānam, vettāsi vedyaṁ cha paraṁ cha dhāma tvayā tataṁ vishvam ananta-rūpa

You are the first God, the ancient person. You are the supreme resting place of the universe. You are the knower and the known, the supreme abode. O infinite form, the universe is pervaded by You.

Vāyur yamo 'gnir varuṇaḥ śhaśhāṅkaḥ prajāpatis tvaṁ prapitāmahaś cha, namo namas te 'stu sahasra-kṛitvaḥ punaś cha bhūyo 'pi namo namas te

You are Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the moon, Prajapati, and the great-grandsire. Salutations to You a thousand times, and again and again, salutations to You.

Namaḥ purastād atha pṛiṣhṭhatas te namo 'stu te sarvata eva sarva, ananta-vīryāmita-vikramas tvaṁ sarvaṁ samāpnoṣhi tato 'si sarvaḥ

Salutations to You from the front, from behind, and from all sides. O all, of infinite power and immeasurable might, You pervade everything and thus You are everything.

Sakheti matvā prasabhaṁ yad uktaṁ he kṛiṣhṇa he yādava he sakheti, ajānatā mahimānaṁ tavaidaṁ mayā pramādāt praṇayena vāpi

Whatever I have rashly said to You, calling You Krishna, Yadava, or friend, not knowing Your greatness, whether out of negligence or affection—

Yach chāvahāsārtham asat-kṛito 'si vihāra-śhayyāsana-bhojaneṣhu, eko 'thavāpy achyuta tat-samakṣhaṁ tat kṣhāmaye tvāṁ aham aprameyam

And whatever disrespect was shown to You while playing, resting, sitting, or eating — whether alone or in the presence of others — I beg forgiveness from You, O immeasurable one.

Pitāsi lokasya charācharasya tvam asya pūjyaś cha gurur garīyān, na tvat-samo 'sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto 'nyo loka-traye 'py apratima-prabhāva

You are the father of this universe of moving and non-moving, its worshipable master, the greatest guru. O incomparable power, no one is equal to You, and how can anyone be greater in the three worlds?

Tasmāt praṇamya praṇidhāya kāyaṁ prasādaye tvām aham īśham īḍyam, piteva putrasya sakheva sakhyuḥ priyaḥ priyāyārhasi deva soḍhum

Therefore, bowing down and prostrating my body, I seek Your grace, O adorable Lord. As a father tolerates his son, a friend his friend, and a lover his beloved, please tolerate my offenses, O God.

Adṛiṣhṭa-pūrvaṁ hṛiṣhito 'smi dṛiṣhṭvā bhayena cha pravyathitaṁ mano me, tad eva me darshaya deva rūpaṁ prasīda deveśha jagan-nivāsa

I am delighted to have seen what has never been seen before, yet my mind is troubled with fear. O Lord of gods, refuge of the universe, show me that form again. Be gracious.

Kirīṭinaṁ gadinaṁ chakra-hastam icchāmi tvāṁ draṣhṭum ahaṁ tathaiva, tenaiva rūpeṇa chatur-bhujena sahasra-bāho bhava vishva-mūrte

I wish to see You as before with Your crown, mace, and discus in hand. O thousand-armed, universal form, please appear in that four-armed form.

Śhrī bhagavān uvācha: mayā prasannena tavārjunedaṁ rūpaṁ paraṁ darśhitam ātma-yogāt, tejo-mayaṁ vishvam anantam ādyaṁ yan me tvad anyena na dṛiṣhṭa-pūrvam

The Blessed Lord said: O Arjuna, pleased with you, I have shown you by My own yoga this supreme form, full of radiance, universal, infinite, and primal, which has never been seen before by anyone else.

Na veda-yajñādhyayanair na dānair na cha kriyābhir na tapobhir ugraiḥ, evaṁ-rūpaḥ śhakya ahaṁ nṛi-loke draṣhṭuṁ tvad anyena kuru-pravīra

O best of the Kurus, not through study of the Vedas, sacrifice, charity, ritual acts, or severe austerities can I be seen in this form in the world of men — except by you.

Mā te vyathā mā cha vimūḍha-bhāvo dṛiṣhṭvā rūpaṁ ghoram īdṛing mamedam, vyapeta-bhīḥ prīta-manāḥ punas tvaṁ tad eva me rūpam idaṁ prapaśhya

Be not afraid and do not be bewildered, having seen this terrible form of Mine. With your fear dispelled and with a gladdened heart, now behold again this My former form.

Sañjaya uvācha: ityarjunaṁ vāsudevas tathoktā svakaṁ rūpaṁ darśhayām āsa bhūyaḥ, āśhvāsayām āsa cha bhītam enaṁ bhūtvā punaḥ saumya-vapur mahātmā

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Arjuna, Vasudeva showed him once again His own form. The great soul assumed His gentle form and pacified the frightened Arjuna.

Arjuna uvācha: dṛiṣhṭvedaṁ mānuṣhaṁ rūpaṁ tava saumyaṁ janārdana, idānīm asmi saṁvṛittaḥ sa-chetāḥ prakṛitiṁ gataḥ

Arjuna said: O Janardana, seeing this gentle human form of Yours, I am now calmed and restored to my own nature.

Śhrī bhagavān uvācha: su-durdarśham idaṁ rūpaṁ dṛiṣhṭavān asi yan mama, devā apy asya rūpasya nityaṁ darśhana-kāṅkṣhiṇaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: This form of Mine that you have seen is extremely difficult to behold. Even the gods are always eager to see this form.

Nāhaṁ vedair na tapasā na dānena na chejyayā, śhakya evaṁ-vidho draṣhṭuṁ dṛiṣhṭavān asi māṁ yathā

This form of Mine cannot be seen through the Vedas, nor through austerity, charity, or sacrifice. Yet you have seen Me as I am.

Bhaktyā tv ananyayā śhakya aham evaṁ-vidho 'rjuna, jñātuṁ draṣhṭuṁ cha tattvena praveṣhṭuṁ cha parantapa

Only through exclusive devotion can I be known as I am, seen directly, and entered into, O Arjuna.

Mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ, nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava

O Pandava, one who performs My work, considers Me as the supreme, is devoted to Me, is free from attachment, and is without enmity toward any being — such a person comes to Me.