Chapter 11

Viśvarūpa (विश्वरूप)

Arjuna asks to see. The form is time, and the warriors are already struck.

Summary

Chapter 11 is the form asked for and the form seen. Arjuna is given a divine eye. He sees the world in one body, and then he sees time, the warriors already struck. The familiar human form is asked back, and granted. The chapter does not leave him in the terror. It returns to the form one can bear, and to the devotion of that return.

नेपालीमा

अध्याय ११ मागिएको रूप र देखिएको रूप हो। अर्जुनलाई दिव्य आँखा दिइन्छ। उनी एउटै शरीरमा संसार देख्छन्, अनि काल देख्छन्, जहाँ योद्धाहरू पहिले नै हानिइसकेका छन्। चिनेको मानिसको रूप फिर्ता माग्छन्, र दिइन्छ। अध्यायले उनलाई त्रासमै छाड्दैन। उनलाई सहन सकिने रूपमा र त्यो फर्काइको भक्तिमा फर्काउँछ।

1–14 Arjuna (अर्जुन), श्रीभगवान् Śrī Bhagavān, Sañjaya (सञ्जय) · Show me

Summary

Show me. Arjuna has heard the secret and the splendors, and he asks to see the sovereign form. Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) grants a divine eye, because the ordinary eye cannot see it. Sañjaya (सञ्जय) then describes many mouths and eyes, the splendour of a thousand suns, and Arjuna's hair standing. The section is the ask and the first sight.

नेपालीमा

देखाउनुहोस्। अर्जुनले गुह्य कुरा र विभूति सुनिसकेका छन्, र ऐश्वर्यमय रूप हेर्न माग्छन्। साधारण आँखाले देख्न सक्दैन, त्यसैले कृष्णले दिव्य आँखा दिनुहुन्छ। त्यसपछि सञ्जयले धेरै मुख र आँखा, हजार सूर्यको तेज, र अर्जुनको रौं ठाडो भएको वर्णन गर्छन्। यो खण्ड माग र पहिलो दृश्य हो।

11.1Arjuna (अर्जुन) said: The supreme secret you spoke for a favor to me, the word named the teaching of the self, by that this delusion of mine has gone.11.2The arising and the passing away of beings have been heard by me at length from you, lotus-petal-eyed one, and your imperishable greatness also.11.3It is so, as you say yourself, supreme lord; I wish to see your lordly form, highest person.11.4If you think that I am able to see that, lord, then, lord of yoga, show me your imperishable self.11.5Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) said: See my forms, son of Pṛthā (पृथा), by hundreds and by thousands, of many kinds, divine, and of many colors and shapes.11.6See the Ādityas (आदित्य), the Vasus (वसु), the Rudras (रुद्र), the two Aśvins (अश्विन्), and the Maruts (मरुत्); see many wonders never seen before, descendant of Bharata (भरत).11.7See here today the whole world standing in one place, the moving and the unmoving, in my body, and whatever else you wish to see.11.8But you are not able to see me with this eye of your own; I give you a divine eye: see my lordly yoga.11.9Sañjaya (सञ्जय) said: Having spoken thus, O king, Hari (हरि), the great lord of yoga, showed the supreme lordly form to the son of Pṛthā (पृथा).11.10It had many mouths and eyes, many wondrous sights, many divine ornaments, and many divine weapons raised.11.11Wearing divine garlands and garments, anointed with divine fragrance, the god made of every wonder, endless, with faces on every side.11.12If the light of a thousand suns rose at once in the sky, it would be like the light of that great self.11.13Then the son of Pāṇḍu (पाण्डु) saw the whole world standing there in one place, divided in many ways, in the body of the god of gods.11.14Then Dhanañjaya (धनञ्जय), filled with wonder, his hair bristling, bowed with his head to the god and, palms joined, spoke.QuizFive questions on Show me.

15–31 Arjuna (अर्जुन) · What he sees

Summary

What he sees. Gods, beings, the sages, and the whole world in one body. Without beginning, middle, or end. Arjuna's voice breaks into praise and into terror. He asks what this fierce form is. The section is the sight before the name time is given.

नेपालीमा

अर्जुनले एउटै शरीरमा देवता, प्राणी, ऋषि र सारा संसार देख्छन्, जसको आदि, मध्य र अन्त्य छैन। उनको स्वर स्तुति र त्रासमा चिरिन्छ। उनी यो भयानक रूप के हो भनेर सोध्छन्। यो खण्ड काल नाम दिइनुअघिको दृश्य हो।

11.15Arjuna (अर्जुन) said: I see the gods in your body, O god, and all the hosts of beings, Brahmā (ब्रह्मा) seated on the lotus, the lord, the seers, and the divine serpents.11.16I see you on every side with many arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes, of endless form; I see no end, no middle, and no beginning of you, lord of the universe, form of the universe.11.17I see you crowned, with mace and discus, a mass of brilliance blazing on every side, hard to look at, your light the light of blazing fire and of the sun, immeasurable.11.18You are the supreme imperishable to be known, the supreme resting place of this universe, the imperishable guardian of the eternal dharma; you are the ancient person, so I hold.11.19I see you without beginning, middle, or end, of endless strength and endless arms, the moon and the sun your eyes, your mouth blazing fire, scorching this universe with your own brilliance.11.20The space between heaven and earth, and all the directions, is pervaded by you alone; having seen this wondrous terrible form of yours, the three worlds are shaken, O great self.11.21These hosts of gods enter you; some, frightened, palms joined, cry praise; the hosts of great seers and perfected ones, having said "hail," praise you with abundant praises.11.22The Rudras (रुद्र), Ādityas (आदित्य), Vasus (वसु), Sādhyas (साध्य), Viśve (विश्वे) gods, the two Aśvins (अश्विन्), the Maruts (मरुत्), the drinkers of the heat, and the hosts of gandharvas (गन्धर्व), yakṣas (यक्ष), asuras (असुर), and siddhas (सिद्ध) all look at you, amazed.11.23Having seen your great form, many mouths and eyes, many arms, thighs, feet, and bellies, terrible with many fangs, the worlds are shaken, and so am I, mighty-armed one.11.24Having seen you touching the sky, blazing, many-colored, mouth stretched open, eyes wide and blazing, my inner self is shaken and I find no steadiness and no calm, O Viṣṇu (विष्णु).11.25Just having seen your mouths, terrible with fangs and like the fire of time, I do not know the directions and I find no shelter; be gracious, lord of gods, abode of the world.11.26And these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (धृतराष्ट्र), all of them, with the hosts of kings, Bhīṣma (भीष्म), Droṇa (द्रोण), and the son of the charioteer, and the chief warriors of our side with them.11.27Hurrying, they enter your fearful mouths, terrible with fangs; some are seen stuck in the gaps of the teeth, with their heads crushed.11.28As the many currents of rivers run toward the ocean, so these heroes of the world of men enter your blazing mouths.11.29As moths at full speed enter a blazing fire to their destruction, so the worlds at full speed enter your mouths, also to their destruction.11.30You lick again and again, swallowing the entire worlds from every side with flaming mouths; having filled the whole world with brilliance, your fierce rays scorch, O Viṣṇu (विष्णु).11.31Tell me who you are, of terrible form; homage to you, best of gods, be gracious; I wish to know you, the original, for I do not understand what you are doing.QuizFive questions on What he sees.

32–46 श्रीभगवान् Śrī Bhagavān, Sañjaya (सञ्जय), Arjuna (अर्जुन) · Time, and the occasion

Summary

Time, and the occasion. Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) answers that he is time, grown to destroy the worlds, and that the warriors are already struck even without Arjuna. Be the occasion. Arjuna praises, asks pardon for the casual names he used in friendship, and asks to see the familiar form again. The section is the command to stand up, spoken from inside the vision.

नेपालीमा

काल र निमित्त। कृष्णले जवाफ दिनुहुन्छ, उहाँ लोकहरूको नाश गर्न बढेको काल हुनुहुन्छ, र अर्जुनबिना पनि योद्धाहरू पहिले नै हानिइसकेका छन्। निमित्त बन। अर्जुनले स्तुति गर्छन्, मित्रतामा सहज रूपले प्रयोग गरेका नामका लागि क्षमा माग्छन्, र चिनेको रूप फेरि हेर्न माग्छन्। यो खण्ड दर्शनभित्रबाटै बोलिएको उठ्न भन्ने आज्ञा हो।

11.32I am time, grown great, destroyer of worlds, here engaged in drawing the worlds in.11.33By me they are already struck. Be the mere occasion, Arjuna.11.34Droṇa (द्रोण), Bhīṣma (भीष्म), Jayadratha (जयद्रथ), Karṇa (कर्ण), and the other hero-warriors as well, already struck by me: you strike them, do not tremble; fight, you will conquer the rivals in battle.11.35Sañjaya (सञ्जय) said: Having heard this word of Keśava (केशव), the crowned one, palms joined and trembling, bowed, and afraid upon afraid spoke again to Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण), stammering.11.36Arjuna (अर्जुन) said: Rightly, lord of the senses, the world rejoices and is drawn to you by your glory; the frightened rākṣasas (राक्षस) run to the directions, and all the hosts of the perfected bow.11.37And why should they not bow to you, O great self, greater even than Brahmā (ब्रह्मा), the first maker? You are the imperishable, the real and the unreal, and what is beyond that.11.38You are the first god, the ancient person, the supreme resting place of this universe; you are the knower and the thing to be known and the supreme abode; by you the universe is spread, O endless form.11.39You are the wind, Yama (यम), fire, Varuṇa (वरुण), the moon, Prajāpati (प्रजापति), and the great-grandfather; homage and homage to you a thousand times, and again and further homage and homage to you.11.40Homage to you from the front and from behind; homage to you from every side, O all; you of endless might and unmeasured stride reach everything, and therefore you are everything.11.41Whatever I said rashly, thinking "friend," "O Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण), O Yādava (यादव), O friend," not knowing this greatness of yours, from carelessness or from affection.11.42And if I slighted you for a joke, at play, on the bed, on the seat, or at meals, alone or in company, for that I ask you, the immeasurable, to forgive me, O unfallen one.11.43You are the father of the world, of the moving and the unmoving; you are its object of honor and the greater teacher; there is none equal to you, and how could there be another greater, even in the three worlds, O matchless power?11.44Therefore, bowing and laying down my body, I seek the grace of you, the lord to be praised; as a father with a son, as a friend with a friend, as a beloved with the beloved, you should bear with me, O god.11.45Having seen what was never seen before I am thrilled, and my mind is shaken with fear; show me that form, O god, be gracious, lord of gods, abode of the world.11.46I wish to see you just as before, crowned, with the mace and the discus in hand; be that very four-armed form, O thousand-armed, you whose body is the universe.QuizFive questions on Time, and the occasion.

47–55 श्रीभगवान् Śrī Bhagavān, Sañjaya (सञ्जय), Arjuna (अर्जुन) · The familiar form

Summary

The familiar form. This fierce form was shown by grace and is not seen by Veda, sacrifice, study, or gift. Do not fear. See again the form with four arms, and then the human body. The one who does his work for Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण), without hatred of any being, comes to him. The section puts the bow back in reach.

नेपालीमा

चिनेको रूप। यो भयानक रूप कृपाले देखाइएको हो, र वेद, यज्ञ, अध्ययन वा दानले देखिँदैन। नडर। चार बाहु भएको रूप फेरि हेर, अनि मानिसको शरीर पनि। कुनै प्राणीप्रति द्वेष नराखी कृष्णका लागि काम गर्ने व्यक्ति उहाँकहाँ आउँछ। यो खण्डले धनुषलाई पुग्ने ठाउँमा राख्छ।

11.47Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) said: By me, pleased, this supreme form has been shown to you, Arjuna (अर्जुन), through my own yoga: made of brilliance, universal, endless, original, which no one but you has seen before.11.48Not by study of the Veda and sacrifice, not by gifts, not by rites, and not by fierce austerities can I be seen in this form, in the world of men, by anyone other than you, hero of the Kurus (कुरु).11.49Let there be no distress and no bewilderment from having seen such a terrible form of mine; fear gone and mind pleased, see again this very form of mine.11.50Sañjaya (सञ्जय) said: Having spoken thus to Arjuna (अर्जुन), Vāsudeva (वासुदेव) showed his own form again, and comforted the frightened man, the great self having become once more a gentle body.11.51Arjuna (अर्जुन) said: Having seen this gentle human form of yours, Janārdana (जनार्दन), I am now restored, in my right mind, returned to myself.11.52Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) said: This form of mine which you have seen is very hard to see; even the gods are constantly desirous of the sight of it.11.53I am not to be seen in this way by the Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by a gift, nor by sacrifice, as you have seen me.11.54But by undivided devotion I can be known in this way, Arjuna (अर्जुन), to be known and seen and entered in truth, scorcher of the foe.11.55Who does my work, holds me as the highest, is devoted to me, and is free of attachment, comes to me.QuizFive questions on The familiar form.